Lakeside Lodge

It's nearly summer here in Minnesota, at least summer enough to head up to the lake cabins and spend all weekend outside working on the cabin, cruising around in your boat, and enjoying good food and drinks with your friends out by the fire.  For the next several months, I'll be covering all my lakeside buildings.

The lake shore area is actually miles outside city limits, near the mountain foothills.  At first, I was going to put these oceanside in my city, but I amassed so many that I had to split it off from the rest of the town.

Lakeside Lodge

First up is the Lakeside Lodge, which I just got last month.  There isn't much to it right now, as I have not bought a baseplate to put it on.

I'm not sure what kind of baseplate to put it on yet.  Most of my lake shore buildings are currently on blue baseplates, so they'd easily look like they are along the water, but as I write this, I am debating to perhaps go with sand colored instead.  It'd make more sense for the buildings to be on land of some sort instead of completely above the water.  It's an aesthetics thing, you know?

Front (left) and rear (right) views of the Lakeside Lodge

A few issues I have with this building are that it is quite small.  It can barely fit one person inside, in my opinion.  But it is a nice contrast from the other larger buildings near the lake.  Not everyone can afford to spend big bucks on property in this hot real estate market.

The other problem is that it swings open in the middle, so I'm not sure how to affix it to a baseplate and still be able to get inside it.  I'd have to prop it up on another layer of plates and flat tiles.  This requires some testing and engineering to do so, and I haven't had the time yet to mess with it.  Hopefully once I finish my current semester of school, I'll have time to work on it.

Lego Haul - 4/15/16

It's April, so it's road construction season in Minnesota.  They're working on the major highway by my place, so it's a real pain in the ass to head to the Lego store up here.  As such, I decided to order some sets from Lego's website instead.  I placed the order last weekend, and got my pieces on Friday.

 

 The Lego haul from 4/15/16

Since I was buying sets online, I ordered some online exclusive Power Functions sets, a Captain America: Civil War set, and some loose bricks.  I spent enough to get the free Mr. Freeze minifigure as well, so it's a great haul.

I'll start with Mr. Freeze.  I don't have as many DC Comics sets as I do Marvel, because nearly every DC set has a Batman or Superman.  I don't need a dozen different variations of Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent.  I'd rather get more Justice League members, like The Flash or Aquaman, or perhaps some more Batman villians, like The Joker, The Riddler, or The Penguin.  30603 Batman Classic TV Series - Mr. Freeze came free with my order of $75 or more.  Perhaps he can work with Catwoman and Lex Luthor to battle Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman.

30603 Batman Classic TV Series - Mr. Freeze contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

I bought a 76050 Crossbones’ Hazard Heist, from Captain America: Civil War.  I can't wait for this movie to come out.  Marvel has done so well with The Avengers and the Cinematic Universe since the first Iron Man film came out.  DC and Warner Bros. won't be able to touch them, IMO.

But you're not hear for a movie review, you're here for Lego's.  The appeal of 76050 Crossbones’ Hazard Heist was the Black Widow minifigure.  She's the last Avenger I needed to complete the set, though I am still looking for a large Hulk.  Hopefully I can get one when the next Thor movie comes out.  I'd like to get more members of Team Iron Man and Team Cap, but like the DC sets, I can't get other superheroes without Tony and/or Steve included.  Oh well, there's still like ten movies to go, so here's hoping for more sets without them in the future.

76050 Crossbones’ Hazard Heist contents (left) and fully assembled (right)

Since I have both a 10247 Ferris Wheel and a 10244 Fairground Mixer, I ordered a 8293 LEGO Power Functions Motor Set and a 8883 LEGO Power Functions M-Motor to power them up.

Lego Power Functions elements I obtained

One would think that with the number of Technic sets in my local Lego store they'd have Power Functions items on the shelf, especially since it's a larger store, but that'd make too much sense.

8293 LEGO Power Functions Motor Set contents

I won't go into too much detail about the amusement riders just yet, as that blog post is scheduled for later this year.  Fortunately, connecting the motors was quite simple, and I just had to plug them in.  I didn't have to tear anything down to fit the motors in.  I do wish the cables for the motors were longer, as they are only eight inches long.

M-Motors connected to 10247 Ferris Wheel (left) and a 10244 Fairground Mixer (right)

Power Functions battery pack and toggle switch

The motors work great.  If you want to see for yourself, check out the video below:

I do plan to get some more Power Function sets, as I will need 20" extension cables, a AAA battery box (I got plenty of rechargeable AAA's not being put to use but not so many AA's), a couple more motors, and maybe some Mindstorms elements as well. I DO have an R2-D2 to automate...

Everything from the first portion of my recent Lego order

I also ordered some loose bricks from the online Pick-A-Brick, but those pieces are shipped from Poland.  I haven't received them yet, but when I do, I'll share those with you as well.

Greenhouse

Last week, I wrote about the Hardware Store, which has all the tools and elements you need to decorate the inside of your house, but what about the outside?

The Greenhouse, along with outdoor decor products

The Greenhouse occupies the lot next to the Hardware Store.  It's got the landscape materials, patio furniture, and gardening materials you need to get your yard ready for the summer (I'm starting to sound like a Home Depot commercial, aren't I?).

The various landscaping supplies and plants available

The greenhouse, holding most of the flower for sale, is what inspired me to build a Hardware Store in the first place. I challenged myself to assemble it with the Lego Digital Designer.  First, the walls, then a roof, and finally a series of tables inside to hold all the flowers.  After I completed it, I built a store to support it.  I added the garden outside with trees and other garden products.

 Outdoor patio furniture (left) and flowers inside the greenhouse (right)

This is how you can come up with your own models.  Dare yourself to sit down and assemble a building or a car or a device.  You can do it, I believe in you.  And one day you'll have your own Lego city too.

C'mon down to Johnson's Hardware and Home Garden Center!!

Lego Haul - 4/8/16

Last weekend, I went onto my favorite secondary market for Lego pieces, Bricklink, and bought some bricks from one of my favorite vendors, ADOPT_A_BRICK.

This was my third time ordering from Jay, who is in Florida.  He's got a great selection, good prices, and fast service.  I highly recommend checking him out first when you're looking to buy bricks from people on Bricklink.

The Lego Haul from ADOPT_A_BRICK on Bricklink, which arrived on 4/8/16.

I got a good variety of pieces for several buildings, so I'll run down the list of what goes where here:

• Barracks: The window panes will do into the windows on the second floor.  I still don't have a frame to put them in, but those frames are the last pieces I need to complete this building.
• Grandstand: 4 for the 5 black 2x2 plates with a single stud are for microphone stands.  This will allow a couple of the guitar players to sing backup vocals in the band.
• Greenhouse: The round plate with the 4 studs and the corner plates finish up a couple of items outside the Hardware Store.  I'll be writing more about this next week.
• Grocery Store: The medium blue 1x1x2/3 roof tiles are the lids to some milk cartons sitting in the dairy case in the corner of the store.
• Hospital: The blue 2x8 and 2x10 plates will complete the last layer for the walls to this building.  I still need a good number of 2x8's, but I'm making progress.
• Laser Tag Arena: The Technic 1x10 brick (with the holes in the side) completed an obstacle on the second floor, while the 6x12 plate with studs around the outside is in the briefing room, where the officials review the rules with those who will be participating in laser tag.
• Marina Office: The dark stone grey 8x8 plate is to build the dock outside the office.
• Pyramid Nightclub: The yellow 6x10 plate is the overhang to the entrance into the nightclub.
• TV Studio: The last black 2x2 plate with a single stud will be the base of the camera in the studio broadcasting the news broadcast.
• Watch Tower: The dark stone grey 4x8 plates are for the floors in the Watch Tower.  I've nearly got one floor completely done, I just need one more of these pieces to finish it off.
• Winter Cottage: The white 2x2 plate with a single stud is the base for the broom held by the snowmen outside of the cottage.

Most of these pieces are for buildings I have not yet completed, but I'm much closer than I was before, and all for less than $13.  Bricklink and its vendors are so good to me, it's scary.