Lego Haul - 4/26/16

I just got the other half of my Lego order in the mail Tuesday.  These are the pieces I selected from the online Pick-A-Brick.  I ordered just enough bricks to bring my order up to $75 bucks, but I got a nice assortment of bricks to help me finish off a few buildings.

The bricks I got from Lego's online Pick-A-Brick

As I did with my previous haul of bricks, I'll run down the list of the buildings I will be using them for.

• Grocery Store: The white 2x12 plates and 2x4 plates are for the final layer of bricks for the store's walls.  The white 1x3 and 2x3 plates are for the dairy case, where the milk and orange juice is stored.  The green 1x6 plates filled in a gap in the back wall where the meat department is.  The brown 3x4 boxes will hold fruits and vegetables in the produce section.  With these pieces, I'm done with the building itself and most of the interior.  I just need to organize the bakery area and put in a shelf for processed products, like cereal and chips and such.
• Hardware Store: The 2 red and 1 brown buckets are for inventory, but I'm not sure where I want to put them yet.  I'm on the fence between putting them inside or outside.  The white 1x6 and 1x8 plates are for assembling a backboard for a basketball hoop.
• Hospital: The blue 2x4 plates will go to finish building the walls.  I just need more 2x6 and 2x8 plates to finish it off.
• Islanders: The three white 1x4 bricks are for the picnic tables.  This building is now complete.
• Marina Office: The dark stone grey 8x8 plate is another piece for the dock outside the Marina Office.  I still need 5 more to finish it off, then people can start renting boats to take out on the ocean.
• Pyramid Nightclub: The yellow 1x8 plate and 1x2x2 corner plate are for the walls inside the nightclub.  I built the DJ booth into the wall, so I used these plates to level things out.  I still need a 1x3 plate to finish it off.
• Watch Tower: The dark stone grey 4x8 and 6x8 plates are for the floors in the Watch Tower.  With the former, I finished off the second floor.
• Winter Cottage: The white 4x8 plate was the last one I needed to finish covering the yard with snow, so the kids can play outside.

I need some more parts from Lego's online Pick-A-Brick.  I didn't order a door for the Grocery Store's dairy case, because I mistakenly thought I had one already.  I really need to verify what I need before I order parts online, but oh well.  I had fun regardless while putting my parts together.

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.

Hardware Store

Last May, I wrote about the two houses I have in my Lego city so far, the Apple Tree House and the Family House.  And now that spring is upon us, it's time for some upkeep to get everything fixed up, planted, and whatever else home improvement stores tell us to do so we buy their wares.  I figured, why couldn't the Lego people do that as well?  If I gave them a Hardware Store, they could also get ready for spring.

The Hardware Store

This will be the first in a two-part series, focusing more on things to go in and on the home.  Stay tuned for the next scheduled post that will emphasize the outdoor section.

This is the first building I put together and filled up from scratch, instead of using existing sets.  Store employees are from various sets with minifigures dressed in a red shirt and green overalls.  I know it doesn't really match up with the yellow green bricks used in the building, but since there were a good number of people all wearing the exact same thing, the red/green uniform would make it easy to identify employees, should a customer need assistance.



A customer buying a broom

The inside part of the Hardware Store has tools, storage containers, paint, and doors and windows.  I thought this would pretty much cover the basics.  One glaring omission right now is the lack of plumbing equipment, but I'm setting up a separate business for handling those items.

Tools (left) and storage containers (right) for sale

For tools, I have the basics: shovels, brooms, hammers, wrenches, axes, pickaxes, crowbars, and power saws.  That's a pretty good selection  As for storage containers, I have drawers, cabinets, boxes,, barrels, and trashcans.  I was able to put all of that on a single shelving unit I constructed that sits against the back wall, out of the way so it does impede foot traffic through the building to the outdoor section.

The paint selection available (left) and paint cans (right)

Paint was a must for the Hardware Store, in case no one likes the colors of the houses I had constructed.  I took a 2x2 round brick and added a 2x2 medium stone grey tile on top as a lid to assemble the cans.  I've got a wide array of colors available across the Lego rainbow, so the residents are sure to find something to their liking.



A woman is looking at window shutters with the store employee.



The front right portion of the store is devoted to new doors and windows for those that may want to build a new house, or do some major remodeling of their current home.  I've also got some sample fences right next to it, in case anyone is looking to buy those.



Lego Haul - 3/25/16

I had this Friday off because of the upcoming Easter holiday, so I thought what better time to head to the Lego store and pick up some new sets.

Boy, was I wrong.  It was slim pickings in my local Lego store.  There were still no Series 15 minifigures, they only had one of the Captain America: Civil War set on the shelf, and the Pick-A-Brick wall wasn't much different than the one at Disney a few weeks ago.

Turns out that Spring Break at the area schools have seen product flying off the shelves at a higher rate this March.  Kinda sucks.  Maybe if Easter wasn't so early, I would've had better luck.

The Lego Haul from 3/25/16

I didn't want to waste a trip to the Lego store, so I got a 31048 Lakeside Lodge and a 76066 Mighty Micros: Hulk vs. Ultron.  With my $35 purchase, I got a free 30422 Kai's Mini Dragon.

Let's start with the Marvel set.  I did not have a Hulk minifigure yet, so I thought this was a quick and easy way to get one so I could finish up my collection.  I'm trying to avoid having duplicates of each Avenger, and Hulk and Black Widow are the last two I need.

76066 Mighty Micros: Hulk vs. Ultron contents and assembled product

Sadly, I did not get what I was expecting.  The minifigures included in this set had short legs, not full size ones.  I could easily find legs for Ultron, but since Hulk has purple pants...  It's going to be a l9ot tougher to make him taller.

Hulk is not in Captain America: Civil War, so I'll have to wait for the next Thor movie to try to get him again.

The Hulk and Ultron minifigures

I've never been a fan of the Ninjago sets, but it was nice to get a little set for free with my purchase today.  I don't care much for any of the Lego sets based on a cartoon series whose sole purpose is to try to sell Lego's.  Ninjago, Mixels, Nexo Knights...  They're all too fancy and complex for my taste.  I also don't need any Marines from the Ninjago and Nexo Knight sets.  Mixels are OK, but I haven't found any I really like, nor a reason to incorporate them into my town.

30422 Kai's Mini Dragon contents and assembled product

The 31048 Lakeside Lodge will be a nice addition to my Lake area, outside of town.  I'll have to find a baseplate to put this one, since it opens up in the middle of the building.  I should be able to figure that out soon.  I won't go into too much detail here, as I plan to write about all my building out by the lake this summer.

31048 Lakeside Lodge contents and assembled product

Overall, I'm satisfied with my purchase.  It's good enough, but not what I was expecting.  I'll live with it, but I hope if my luck isn't better next time around, it may be time for another letter to the Lego Group about my disappointment in them.

Everything has been put together, once again, saving the day for everyone