Hemlock Falls Posted February 23, 2015 IMG_5664 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr This was my first spark of an idea to make a waterfall. When I got the mountain hut in October, I thought it should be elevated like it was actually on a mountain. That week I went to the Lego store for the first time and picked up some trans-blue round bricks and thought to continue the little waterfall already on the hut. I've finally made some progress making this more of a reality in my small town that I've decided to call Hemlock Falls. IMG_7211 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr IMG_7214 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr Also the train tunnel is something new I made this week. Both the tunnel and the waterfall have a long way to go, but I like the way it's coming together so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted February 23, 2015 Now that's an interesting idea.......the water fall is very clever. Brick On 'Hemlock Falls' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gazumpty Posted February 24, 2015 Very nice idea...I like how you have incorporated the Creator 'Outdoor' sets into your set-up. The waterfall looks really good. Can't wait to see the tunnel! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) IMG_7319 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr So, I've added a B model Mountain Hut to the falls and made a tunnel entrance out of dozens of 1x2 log shaped bricks and the left over roof pieces. The train curves inside the mountain on a slanted plywood and comes out behind the downtown part. IMG_7323 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr IMG_7322 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr When the train comes back to the falls I used more 1x2 log bricks to elevate the tracks to 5 1/3 bricks high. The train shows signs of resistance getting up that steep of a grade, but I don't need to speed it up a notch to get up it. IMG_7318 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I will be adding several more trans-blue pillars to the falls soon, as well as gray rock panels and slopes to eventually build up the mountain and hide the black plywood. IMG_7315 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I know that this looks cluttered now. It is a work in progress, and for now it's just a place to put everything. And if you noticed the photo hanging... IMG_7326 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr IMG_7325 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr yeah, she's cool with it. If it interests you to see the earlier development of this table, I had posted some pics of the process in my introduction...http://www.eurobrick...opic=105518&hl= I have just recently gotten back into Legos after almost 30 years back in October, so this only represents about 5 months worth of Lego enthusiasm. I hope to make this a great display some day. Thank you. IMG_7317 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr Edited February 27, 2015 by Hemlock Falls Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ecmo47 Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) 5 months!?! It's already a giant display! Might need to pace yourself a bit!! I like the various levels. It really makes things interesting. Keep us posted! Edited February 27, 2015 by ecmo47 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pirzyk Posted February 27, 2015 I realy like what you did at the bottom of the falls with the trans-clear bricks. and 5 months, wow... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted February 27, 2015 I'm thinking about changing the name to Hemblock Falls, it really still sounds the same. I wish I had thought of that sooner, before taking this screen name. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LittleJohn Posted February 27, 2015 This is looking incredible so far! Can't wait to see it finished Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoutStopmotion Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) I never like people who slap a bunch of sets on a bunch of baseplates and call it a display. "Look at me! I've just spent 4000 dollars on this totally unique modular street!" You're supposed to be creative with Lego. Take your stuff apart and build something with it yourself, you have plenty of bricks it seems. Displaying premade sets on a table is the most lazy and uncreative thing you can do as a Lego fan. Edited February 27, 2015 by WoutStopmotion Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sven F Posted February 27, 2015 It seems like a bit of a narrow view. Creativity comes with time. He said it's been 30 years of dark ages, you don't start combining bricks in your sleep just like that. I think most people start by buying sets. On the other hand, a lot of people get hit by nostalgia and just think of the time they looked at a LEGO catalog as a kid and wanted to have all that stuff in the background, and now can finally afford it. It's not a crime. Good use of space and those trans blue round pieces, I saw them in our local pick-a brick but couldn't think of any use for them myself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted February 27, 2015 I never like people who slap a bunch of sets on a bunch of baseplates and call it a display. "Look at me! I've just spent 4000 dollars on this totally unique modular street!" You're supposed to be creative with Lego. Take your stuff apart and build something with it yourself, you have plenty of bricks it seems. Displaying premade sets on a table is the most lazy and uncreative thing you can do as a Lego fan. I know. It's gotta start somewhere though, right? I have much more free time during the summer, and I intend to do just that. I never said that I though it was creative or unique to show off a bunch of store bought stuff. I'm starting from scratch, so I need to collect a supply of bricks, reacquaint myself with the product and the process, learn and gather ideas from each retail set I get and explore what other's have done with their inspirations, their trials and errors, and the aesthetic value of their MOCs and towns to help me internalize and discover what it is that I want to do with my Lego hobby. This is why I joined this site, to find really great ideas and to show where I'm at to solicit advise from people who have more experience with Legos. I welcome any sort of constructive or reassuring criticism, especially this sort. Thank you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted February 27, 2015 (edited) I do believe that the mountain and waterfall concept of this table will eventually make it a unique display. In the meantime I just learned a lot about how to plan for a train route and the obstacles involved with that, I just received my first bricklink order and learned a little about what to look for with a slightly more purposeful idea behind it than I would've had last week, making decisions after seeing how things look (like maybe I don't want it to have all the things that I thought I wanted waterfall, beach, city, suburb, woods, farm, etc... all on one table, maybe just beach and suburb or something would ultimately be better), learning to use LDD and determine how I can best utilize it, and spending good Lego time with my 8 year old daughter (who often doesn't even look at the instruction. She just makes whatever she wants.) keeping fresh what it really means to "play with Legos". I am certainly a novice at best when it comes to Legos, but I don't intend on having my 'Hemlock Falls' look just generic, cluttered and expensive for very long. Art is my profession, and part of my career is building stages for musicals. The table is actually made of lumber from past performances we've done. I think that there is a lot to look forward to with my developing Lego obsession as I make more decisions, learn more, see more, problem solve more and discuss more. I learned guitar by playing Metallica and Pink Floyd like anyone else, I learned to draw by copying comic books and Iron Maiden t-shirts like anyone else, then I had a foundation to go and learn, explore and create, and as far as Legos go, I am just starting now. Edited February 27, 2015 by Hemlock Falls Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EvMan Posted February 27, 2015 Hola! I never like people who slap a bunch of sets on a bunch of baseplates and call it a display. "Look at me! I've just spent 4000 dollars on this totally unique modular street!" You're supposed to be creative with Lego. Take your stuff apart and build something with it yourself, you have plenty of bricks it seems. Displaying premade sets on a table is the most lazy and uncreative thing you can do as a Lego fan. I'll also warn whoever reads this that i've been permabanned from two other Lego and Lego-related forums when i was younger and more immature. I'm also much of a critic - if i don't like something, i'm not afraid to say i don't like it. Some people think it's a problem. If i think something's really bad, i'll say it's really bad and some people easily get that confused with hate. I hope that's more or less accepted here :) Constructive feedback is fine. Telling another member how they are supposed to use their Lego and calling their display lazy and uncreative is not fine. EvMan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Posted February 28, 2015 Constructive feedback is fine. Telling another member how they are supposed to use their Lego and calling their display lazy and uncreative is not fine. I fully agree with this. People call themselves AFOLs for different reasons and that's perfectly fine. Thanks to the topic starter for taking the criticism so well. Now let's get back on topic again. Thanks everyone. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted March 12, 2015 I promise that I won't bump this thread every time I add something to my display, but I have just introduced three new sets to it that, to me, are pretty sweet acquisitions. Since I've only just emerged from the dark ages in the past 6 months, a lot of cool sets are retired and difficult to justify the cost of in the after market. Primarily, the Green Grocer! The first night I found myself interested in Lego again, while googling Lego city/creator sets, I was instantly drawn to the GG and the Haunted House. Unfortunately, GG was already selling for $700-800 on amazon and quickly rose to over a thousand. I can't possibly rationalize spending that kind of money on it, so I considered it a lost cause. Then, in January I came across someone selling it locally for $350 "missing 5-6 pieces from the roof." I ended up getting it for $250, brought it home to find 238 pieces missing. I decided that it was time to figure out how to order things from BL, and with the help primarily of AtoZbricks, MerchantBricks and Sir Timothy's completed the set. My fiance and I just finished reassembling it last night, 5 weeks after buying it. I couldn't be happier to have it in Hemlock Falls. IMG_7476 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I also ordered the Farm from La Caverne de la Brique, from France. It arrived in New York in less than a week (shipping wasn't as much as I expected having never paid international shipping before). It's much larger than I thought it'd be and fills in the space very well. The silo to me is like a focal point near the center of my Hemlock Falls that gives it a much greater sense of depth as the viewer walks through the room. And finally, I also got the City House which I had been kind of wanting for a few months. Found it on amazon for what I felt was a reasonable price. IMG_7475 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr Sorry for the blurry photo. So...yeah, 3 retired sets to add to the Falls. I love it! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted March 12, 2015 ...and it looks like City House isn't all that new as it's already posted in my previous replies. Well, whatever it's still cool. I also thinned out the traffic some to hopefully make it look a little less cramped. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted March 12, 2015 Looking a lot better.....keep going and Brick On 'Hemlock Falls' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EvMan Posted March 12, 2015 Hola! I respectfully request you withdraw your promise to not post every time you add to Hemlock Falls; I'm keen to see the progress of your town. You've packed a lot into your layout. The farm is a great addition that fits in with the transition from city to rural. Not cool that the seller underestimated/didn't know how many pieces were missing, but it looks great in your town. Thanks for sharing. EvMan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted March 12, 2015 EvMan, I will certainly post photos when I make significant benchmark progress. However, I don't want to always be waving my novice collection among the fantastic MOCs and other topics here. I don't think my set up is impressive enough to be demanding that much attention. To be fair to the seller of the GG, the man I bought it from was selling it for his son who I think went away to college. I'm sure the father I dealt with didn't know or care enough about it to give an accurate description of the set's condition. I hold nothing against him. I got the set for about $425 by the end of the project and it was a project, I enjoyed it. Learned how to bricklink pieces I needed, and developed my lego knowledge and piece identification. I wouldn't have preferred it any other way. Thank you, though for the positive feedback, I am glad you dig it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LEGO Train 12 Volts Posted March 14, 2015 Amazing layout ...I like tha water effect and I like to see so many planes flying around your scenary! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkir Posted March 14, 2015 I showed my wife these images and said, Hey honey I could turn the space of my office/studio into this instead. She just looked at me and said, "ummmmmmm........no. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Artifex Posted March 14, 2015 Wow, what a nice layout! Seems uber-fun! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blufiji Posted March 15, 2015 That's a great layout. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hemlock Falls Posted May 9, 2015 I haven't made a lot of progress on Hemlock Falls, but I did build up one wall of the mountain/waterfall. Ultimately the entire black wooden box will be hidden by grey mountain and green/brown forest. IMG_7823 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr IMG_7824 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr IMG_7825 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I also ordered another Horizon Express because I found myself agreeing with the people who think that it looks like half of a train with only 3 cars. IMG_7826 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I redesigned the tunnel entrance, because when I googled "train tunnel" I realized that most train tunnels are very plain. My original one was too decorated to look realistic. Notice how perfectly the train fits into the tunnel. IMG_7827 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr I also added a bit to the jungle... IMG_7828 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr So, further progress on Hemlock Falls will be delayed because we are moving soon, into a new place. I will have a bigger room for the legos, and I will surely need to construct a bigger table. I have begun ordering pieces to BL the Cafe Corner, but I intend on spreading the purchase of those pieces out over months and maybe finish it by the end of the summer. Also I have a feeling I may be adding the Detective Agency to it very soon, I hope (my b-day is 2 weeks away). Anyhow, thanks for your time to check out my project. IMG_7499 by Hemlock Falls, on Flickr Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningtiger Posted May 9, 2015 Looking even better 'Hemlock Falls', though that train is really close to the rock formations and water falls (oh, well train wash LOL). Keep up the great work and Brick On 'Hemlock Falls' ! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
