Attempting to build Moisture Vaporator

[Gymped]

I am attempting to build a Moisture Vaporator for a diorama cactus planter I'm making with a star wars theme. I saw some awesome builds from members such as @Praiter Yed I loved how amazingly detailed it was. I was looking for a build guide on where do one of that level of detail but as a lego star wars noob I do not know where to look to find one. Also I am looking to buy the R2D2 C3PO mini figures to put in the diorama where is the best reasonably priced place to find said items. Thanks to all who look at this and have a great day!

[NathanR]

Hi Gymped, welcome to eurobricks!

I'm no expert on building moisture vaporators, but when it comes to buying Lego bricks the best place is bricklink.  There are plenty of bricklink sellers offering C-3PO or R2-D2, but perhaps the easiest way to get them is to buy Lego set 75136 Droid Escape Pod.  It's a nice little set, complete with Jawa's and Death Star plans, and might look good in the background of your diorama.  

Be sure to post pictures of what you build!

[LOBOT-OMY]

There is a MV in the cantina set 75052  

https://brickset.com/sets/75052-1/Mos-Eisley-Cantina

[Gymped]

Thank you both for your replies however @LOBOT-OMY I feel like that one is severely under detailed and I wonder what the price point is on that set isnt that old run lego? I will actually just buy that set @NathanR! still trying to find best way to do this I also already started a Hoth Diorama with all white sand and cactuses that are covered in white hair like spines just waiting on legos to arrive!

[brobert]

14 hours ago, Gymped said:

Thank you both for your replies however @LOBOT-OMY I feel like that one is severely under detailed and I wonder what the price point is on that set isnt that old run lego? I will actually just buy that set @NathanR! still trying to find best way to do this I also already started a Hoth Diorama with all white sand and cactuses that are covered in white hair like spines just waiting on legos to arrive!

It's not that old, 2014 set. I don't think that counts as "old run". About the detail...well..it's just a moisture vaporator isn't it? :) In order to have a proper scale you can't really go crazy with it. 

About instructions: you should be able to find the instructions on brickset for official sets, even if you don't like a particular design, it gives you a good base, which you can modify later if you got the hang of it.

[Gymped]

[bataleon]

Hey mate, funnily enough I was messing around in LDD last night making a moisture vaporator.

This is what I've ended up with, it's 37 bricks in total (excluding the tan base and minifig). I got the idea of using a wheel from Praider Yeds model.

It's a little too tall to be "true to scale," but if you go too small you can't get enough detail in and it looks a bit boring.

 

 

 

Edited April 29, 2017 by bataleon

[Praiter Yed]

I'm still lurking here but rarely participating. It's really nice to hear that you like my moisture evaporator , I was pleased with it myself and therefore it's managed to stay intact until now...

When I first saw Star Wars, more than the 'Starship Custodian' (as I thought Leia's ship was called) or a giant Imperial Star Destroyer, Moisture Vaporator's were an introduction to a truly alien world. A desert was familiar but not a desert with these weird random rocket like structures dotted about, so it's never JUST a vaporator.

I can't wait to see what you come up with, check out some reference images, there's lots of different versions of vaporator's and don't worry about scale, some are massive!

[LOBOT-OMY]

Keep up the good work guys, all these MOCs are superb.  I love that Diorama with Luke speeder too, just amazing work !

 

 

[Gymped]

where can I go to buy these exact bricks I need for a fair cost as ill need about 2-3 full vaporators for my diorama. Thanks for all the responses!

[NathanR]

Bricklink is your friend... Just create a wanted list of the parts you need, then click "Buy All" and bricklink offers a search feature - best value (cheapest) or fewest stores.

Failing that, Lego bricks and pieces >> Buy Bricks  seems to be an amazingly well kept secret...

[Gymped]

There is so many items on that site I can even compile those exact ones properly haha

[Gymped]

How I find those exact part @Praiter Yed on bricklink to purchase them? there is like 100000 parts on there

@bataleon What is LDD and can you send cart links to bricklink I would be forever grateful yours is amazing as well and would work for my dioramas.

[NathanR]

It can be a bit overwhelming at first! 

Lego Digital Designer is a free computer program made by Lego, you can build anything you want in the computer.  Once finished, you can export a list of parts used.  Each type of brick has an ID number - type this into bricklink and the part should show up.  You can then pick the colour you want and add it to your wishlist.

[jameseilers]

Better yet just import the LDD file to a brick link wishlist!

[bataleon]

@Gymped Sorry mate I didn't see your reply. Here's the file https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B9wNy7Cs_yMfYlRfdXpxX2J1UmM 

:)

 

[Gymped]

@bataleon what program do I use to open them and where can I import that to a cart on Bricklink

I seem to have downloaded LDD and gotten that part out of way now just having trouble finding way to buy those exact parts from Bricklink

[bataleon]

Forget about LDD for the meantime as you won't need it if you do it this way, I find this is what works best for me:

Create an account at rebrickable.com: 

Under "Custom Lists" click "Add New List" then import the LXF file (which is the extension given to a Lego Digital Designer file) to that custom list.

rebrickable will then load the inventory from the LXF file and let you know if there are any rare parts/colours in the build. This will give you the opportunity to swap out parts for more common parts/colours (not an issue with this small build but in bigger builds it can be very useful).

Once that's done, click "Export Parts" there is a drop-down menu with 4 options, I tend to choose "Brickstore BSX" 

Then log in to Bricklink: 

Go to "Wanted List," then "Create New List" and give the list a name.

Then go into that newly created list and along the top of the page there is a button that says "Upload," click on the button and find the Brickstock file that you saved from rebrickable. (If using Windows it's probably in your "C:\Users\Username\Downloads" folder).

All you need to do now is click the green "Buy All" button.

This will bring up a list of shops. I go to "Store Filter" and change to Australia, as I live in Australia. "Unique Lots" means how many of a particular brick type a seller has. The more the better, however more often than not it won't be the cheapest. Example: Someone who has 148 out of a required 155 lots might cost $120, but someone who has 144/155 lots might only cost $80. You'll need to click around a bit and compare prices.

 

It's not as straight forward as making a cup of tea but after a couple of goes you'll be doing it in your sleep :)

[Gymped]

@bataleon You design wroked out perfectly I got all the parts and it looks amazing. Thank You so much only one small problem. The part #3705 Cross Axle 4m White is so short that the top part keeps falling off as it has no male part in both ends as the cylindrical piece has no grip either. Do they make a longer version of that exact piece? Thanks once again to all of you I Will be posting pictures of my Tatooine Cactus Terrarium Diorama as soon as complete. If anyone has any other lego LDD designs that would work as pieces in small dioramas such as the lukes speeder ive seen, or persay like the small endor pieces I would love to incorporate some of them into my designs as I did this moisture vaporator. Only downside to this is that it isnt true to the star wars story as none of the tatooine photos I have found have any plants that I can see however the cacti and succulent I picked match the sand and the environment well as they are heavy globule species that look like natural moisture vaporators themselves!

[bataleon]

@Gymped You're welcome and sorry about 3705! It was a silly oversight by me (note to self: don't have too many beers and use LDD).

They do make longer ones, I've just messed around with LDD and it looks like 5M is the one to get, 6M might be a little too long.

You could always remove the tan 2x2 round that is underneath the 4 arms and see if that gives you the little extra length you need?

Lukes speeder would be awesome in your diorama. Set number 75173 has recently been released so perhaps pick yourself up one of them and save the hassle of bricklinking :)

 

[Gymped]

it wont allow me to attach photo here for some reason so here is the link to my first prototype of the idea Thanks so much @bataleon and all the others who helped so far

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUieud6jxlm/

[bataleon]

Man that is very cool! It makes me want to do one for my desk now 

[Something_Awesome]

This thread gave me a lot of moc-related inspiration I have been looking. Thanks Gymped, Bataleon, and Prayter Yed (I have always liked your moisture vaporator btw).

[OCD_Chad]

On 4/29/2017 at 6:35 AM, bataleon said:

Hey mate, funnily enough I was messing around in LDD last night making a moisture vaporator.

This is what I've ended up with, it's 37 bricks in total (excluding the tan base and minifig). I got the idea of using a wheel from Praider Yeds model.

It's a little too tall to be "true to scale," but if you go too small you can't get enough detail in and it looks a bit boring.

 

 

 

I really like this design.  Do you have a parts list for this?

[bataleon]

18 hours ago, OCD_Chad said:

I really like this design.  Do you have a parts list for this?

Thanks. Here's the LXF file. You'll be able to export a parts list and change the colours as you see fit.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ppiEslaX07_HR7ciJtuoTKaBY75AAh50/view?usp=sharing