UCS Star Wars LEGO Destroyer

[Jedieb]

I've had a chance to work on it a bit for 3 nights this week. This is where I'm at:
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer1.jpg

I've put in between a half hour and an hour each night. The hardest part is finding pieces. Putting stuff together is a blast, it just takes a while to find the piece you need. This is the largest set I've ever done so this is the longest any LEGO has or probably ever will take me. Not that I'm any kind of speed builder, far from it. It's a lot of fun though. I'm really enjoying it. I'll probably put a pic up every few days. I'll start putting some figures and other toys against it for scale.

[jjwr]

Wow 3 days fo work and only a small portion of the frame done.

What would worry me the most about a set like this is placing something just a little bit wrong and finding out about it 4 layers later. Hopefully any little mistakes wont' affect a set this size but the worry would still be there.

[JMK]

That thing is going to be a beast.


Speaking of Star Destroyers, I got the fiber optic model about 10 years ago but still haven't built it. I'll have to do that one of these decades....

[Jedieb]

What would worry me the most about a set like this is placing something just a little bit wrong and finding out about it 4 layers later. Hopefully any little mistakes wont' affect a set this size but the worry would still be there.
Last night I caught a mistake I'd made earlier in the week. That's another thing that slows me down. Every once in awhile you have to stop and count holes and pegs to make sure every thing is lined up correctly.


Speaking of Star Destroyers, I got the fiber optic model about 10 years ago but still haven't built it. I'll have to do that one of these decades....
Never got one, but I remember seeing that set. Once you get those lights working it'll look great.

Entertainment Earth Exclusive Clone Trooper Set
* One set of Variation 1: 1x red, 1x green, 1x blue, and 1x yellow clone trooper each with battle damage
* One set of Variation 2: 1x red, 1x green, 1x blue, and 1x yellow clone trooper
* One set of Variation 3: 4x all-white clone troopers each with battle damage
* One set of Variation 4: 4x all-white clone troopers

As luck would have it, the wife saw the receipt just before her trip out of town. I'm so, so, so, so screwed..........|I

[JMK]

Dude, pack up the kids and get the hell out of dodge!

Head up here! You guys can lay low in my igloo and check out a digital showing of RotS! >D

[QuiGonJ]

Yeah, those MCS Star Destroyers... would be cheaper to build a real one I tink.. :)

Congrats on getting it though!

[jjwr]

Any chance at a few pictures with something for scale of all the parts included? It would be fun to see massive piles of lego's wiating to be assembled.a

[Jedieb]

Don't know if I'll be able to get a pic up because of camera issues, but I got a few more pieces added to that frame. After about 18 pages I was stunned to see that I have to build the first 19 pages worth of instructions, AGAIN! Not because I screwed up, but because I need to make TWO of those frames and stack them on top of each other.
:eek

[JMK]

Dude, it would have been easier to build the real thing from the sounds of it!

[Jedieb]

Here are some more pics. I've got a Clone in there for scale. I'm starting on that second frame. Spent a good 10 minutes looking for one friggin' tiny piece only to realize I was looking for a black piece when I should have been looking for a dark grey one. :shootin
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer3.jpg
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer2.jpg
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer4.jpg

[Jedieb]

Got that second frame finished. As I was joining them I found one of those "mistakes" jjwr first mentioned. Ah joy......o_O
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer6.jpg
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer5.jpg

[Anbira Hicchoru]

You may dispense with the pleasantries, Jedieb. I'm here to put your back on schedule >D

[Jedieb]

:lol
I need more men!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jjwr]

LOL! At least you caught it early. Man what a project, I'm guessing 60-80 work hours put into it by the time your done.

[Jedieb]

Got the bottom half done over the weekend. I should get enough done during the week to finish it next weekend. Unless I spend the entire weekend in a dark theater.:cool
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer7.jpg

[jjwr]

Is it hollow in the middle?

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I didn't realize just how big it was until I saw the Clonetrooper next to it. That thing is a monster O_O

[JMK]

Originally posted by jjwr
Is it hollow in the middle?

I should hope not! I hope they load that sucker up with all the different troop quarters and control rooms that are on there...you know, just to make life for Eb miserable.

[Jedieb]

I'm pretty sure it's mostly hollow. Although the idea of troop quarters does sound pretty cool. Now, do I really go nuts and go for the UCS Death Star?

[Liam Jinn]

Oh yes, you must go for the Death Star.

[Yog]

Your wife will so love you if you go for the Death Star :evil

[QuiGonJ]

Meesa tinkin no.. not really, no. You-sa beein in big trubble goin back dere, to the Lego store... issa bad bombin'!

[JMK]

I hope the Death Star is pretty big, because you may have to live in it after the wife boots you to the curb!

[Jedieb]

But if I order it online from LEGO I'll actually be SAVING her $30! She'd be furious with me for NOT taking advantage of that!



Anyone buying that? o_O

[jjwr]

Nice try :)

Its actually not as big as I thought it would be, still good sized but like not a 5,000 piece monster like I was hoping, 4 feet wide!

Still cool looking though :)

Have you seen the Lego AT-AT Jedieb? I still want to get that one but not sure if I should or not.

[QuiGonJ]

She'd probably tell you what my grandfather always came back at me with: You can save 100% easy and not buy the thing. :)

[Jedieb]

She'd probably tell you what my grandfather always came back at me with: You can save 100% easy and not buy the thing.
Killjoy!

The AT-AT is a nice looking set. I'll get a pic of one up with my next pictures. If you don't want to spend the $100 you could probably find a used set on ebay for around $60-$90, maybe less.

[Rognan Dar]

Is that thing going to break if you pick it up? It looks very fragile, the bottom half. Doesn't look like there is very much keeping it all together....

[jjwr]

I'll probably snag one on ebay at some point, its a sweet looking toy though.

I did just get the first Lego Falcon in the mail from a trade, not sure when I'll build it but it'll be fun when I get around to it.

[Jedieb]

Originally posted by Rognan Dar
Is that thing going to break if you pick it up? It looks very fragile, the bottom half. Doesn't look like there is very much keeping it all together....

When I first put the bottom panels on I thought; "No way is this thing staying together." Not only does it get attached at only 3 spots along the outside, the interior connections are with magnets! But you know what, I've picked it up a couple of times and seems to be pretty sturdy. Now, it's not made to be flown around the house, that much is obvious. But I think it'll end up being pretty sturdy.

LIke I thought, I haven't touched it in days. Too many things going on. Man, I'm exhausted.... :x

[Jedieb]

YEEHAW!!!!
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer8.jpg

And here's the finished product with that LEGO AT-AT we talked about earlier.
http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer9.jpg

Now, where the hell do I put the damn thing? o_O

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

I see tauntaun feet!!! Well, I think I do.

And that thing is a mammoth. Hang it right up above the pool table :p

[Jedieb]

Yep, those are tauntaun feet. I got both the 12" Luke and Han next to each other. Although the damn things fall over every couple of weeks.

I do want to hang it, but it's going to take some work. Fishing line is great for vehicles, but they're alot sturdier than this thing. It's going to take awhile for me to figure out how to get it fliying.

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Considering that I work with yarn and string and other heavy-coated 'filler', I can send you anything you need. From .11 mil fiberglass filler to .28 mil plastic-type coated filler. Not to mention in just about any color you want, as well. So if you have a hankering for .28 mil rocket red coated filler, I can get it for you free of charge :)

It's sturdy stuff, too so I figure that's a nice plus.

[JMK]

Sweet fancy moses that thing is large! Great job Eb!

Is there a way you can laquer it together so that when you hang it, it doesn't fall apart?

[jjwr]

That would be my biggest worry as well, it getting bumped or just falling and pieces going everywhere.

That AT-AT doesn't look so big next to it!

Are you going to get a picture of you holding it? That would give us some nice scale.

[Tiberius Anar]

What a magnificent creation!

I suspect my dad will be very glad I not eight years younger, otherwise he would be expected to build me one for my birthday. Poor man spent a years building lego for me and my bro- his Christmasses were particualrly busy.

[Jedieb]

Thanks guys. And I really appreciate the offer s'Ilancy. I think fishing line is strong enough, the hard part is getting it tied around the Destroyer and then adjusting the lines once I try to mount it. I also have to make sure the hooks I use are long enough and that I'm using enough of them.


Are you going to get a picture of you holding it? That would give us some nice scale.
As for scale, I think I'll get a pic of my boy next to it. No need to flaunt my leading man good looks. ;)


Is there a way you can laquer it together so that when you hang it, it doesn't fall apart?
I'm sure it could be glued together, but I don't have the guts to glue something that big while I'm putting it together because I'm always afraid of messing up and having to go back and fix something. Something that I had to do 3 or 4 times with this monster. But my main reason for not gluing it together is you never know when you may need to take it apart. We could move, I may need to raise some cash, I may want to put it together again one day, who knows. I just don't have the heart to make it permanent.

Now that this is done I can get back to opening and displaying recent purchases. I've got a ton of stuff laying around still MIB.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

How many feet long is it? Three?

Good job - that thing is a monster.

Originally posted by JMK
I hope the Death Star is pretty big, because you may have to live in it after the wife boots you to the curb! Quoted for great truth. :lol Us SW-Collector's Wives put up with a lot.

[JMK]

Finally got the pics of the pin set up. I put all 3 pics in the same image.

- the pins in their baggies
- the front cover of the album
- the pins installed in their rightful place.

I sure am glad I don't have to chase those things anymore. :)

[Lilaena De'Ville]

omg that is cool!!

[JMK]

Yeah it's a neat little set. The printing job was really nice and the pins are pretty cool. But like I said, chasing it around every day for 20 days was a pain in the rear, especially having to walk away with a french newspaper. :x

[jjwr]

Very nice! Where did those come from exactly?

[JMK]

They were exclusive to Canada, the U.K. and Australia. Each set is different from one another. The only thing they had in common is the way to go about getting the pins: certain newspapers in those countries had a daily coupon which you could cut out and bring to a select retailer and buy the pin for $2.69 each.

What makes each album unique is that the logos of the newspaper and the participating retailers in the region are printed on the album.

For example, in Canada, the Toronto Sun, the Winnipeg Free Press (I think that's what it's called), the Vancouver Sun and le Journal de Montreal all had this offer. But obviously each newspaper serves a different area, so the logo of that particular newspaper and the stores where you can get the pin are on each.

I think the U.K. edition of the set has 26 pins while mine and the Aussie set have only 20.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

wow, that's incredible. :D Good job you!

[Jedieb]

Beautiful set!!! I love the booklet that goes with it. Nice set indeed. :thumbup

[Jedieb]

http://home.ntelos.net/~eltemmorejon/jedieb/LEGODestroyer10.jpg
There's no way I can hang this thing. It's just too fragile. So I made space on a shelf in my LEGO section. I had to fasten an extension in order to get it on there.
I don't think I'm going to get that Death Star, but I may be getting a UCS Rebel Blockade off ebay for my birthday.

[Zeke]

Man, that's not fair. I want all those 800 piece or bigger Lego sets, but I can't find them anywhere. Where'd you get your Star Destroyer?

[Jedieb]

I got it at Celebration 3. You can order it from www.lego.com. You can also score one off ebay. If I get that Blockade Runner that's where I'll have to go since it's been discountinued. I had a chance to pick one up at Target on clearance a couple of years ago but passed. I've regretted it ever since.

[Zeke]

Yeah, I remember seeing them, too, but not thinking much of them. If I can manage the money I'll check out the Lego site.

[QuiGonJ]

What a beautiful Star Destroyer... Congrats! :)