Bricklinking and Building 10030 UCS Star Destroyer

[Cjd223]

So after much contemplating between doing either 10030 or 10143, I decided to make the jump to lightspeed and go with 10030. The only downside to this was that I was forced to sell my 10018 Darth Maul Bust for enough money for the bricks. I decided to go with Light Bluish Gray mainly because I want it to fit in with all my other UCS sets (especially my 10179).

After going through my inventory I had about 700 pieces, mostly technic pins and small pieces, but it helps. Then I went to bricklink and made a hefty 45 orders that totalled $793.62, I am done the ordering portion and am currently waiting for the last 15 orders to come in before I can begin any building (i have thought about sorting, but never started). The hardest piece to get was the tan magnet holders, which I replaced with any color I could get of it but that piece alone totalled $135.

I will be posting updates in here throughout so enjoy! And be sure to check out my youtube channel Lego Reviews 223 I do not post too often but hopefully some 10030 updates will occur

[neoconagenda]

Good luck with this project. I looked at some of the parts for this and I am surprised to see the cost of the rare elements. There was a recent thread on this topic where the guy had found a really nice brand of paint that looked spot on. Have fun!!!

[Lukasguy]

Good luck with your project. I had fun doing mine which I recently ended, very fun to build, where did you get the 6*16 plates? I solved the problem of the tan magnet holders by just getting the same holders you use on the frame, but these do need proper placement and some reinforcement.

For the other rare parts I just picked some up in a different color, and spray painted them, the engines are the ones that needed the most paint and the paint is getting peeled of on it's own, so might have to redo that. But the dome pieces and the wash tubs are doing perfectly fine.

I also bought a sticker from ebay so I could finish the model with the right info stand, it was a nice touch.

If you have anymore answers you can ask them and I will gladly answer them.

Here is a link to my thread: http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=106151&hl=

I'm now thinking of bricklinking the death star 10143. I have estimated the total cost of this set to be 350€. Still having second thoughts about bricklinking another big model, what do you guys think?

Anyway, good luck with the project and have fun building this massive beast.

[took9]

You can build the tan magnet holders for few cent yourself: cut and stick the thin plate 6134 to magnet holder 2609. It works with the 10030 without any problems. @Lukasguy: The 10143 was my first rebrick 3 month ago, about 420€, because Part 2413 was difficult to get in light bluish gray. The Millenium Falcon is much better, but 910€

[neoconagenda]

I'm now thinking of bricklinking the death star 10143. I have estimated the total cost of this set to be 350€. Still having second thoughts about bricklinking another big model, what do you guys think?

I have faith that you can BL the DS and hope that you will run another thread on it. Your work on the ISD was very fun to follow!!!

[Lukasguy]

I know I can do it and I almost found all the parts but is it a good model to spend 350 euro on? It looks great on the pictures online. Some told me I could do the ucs mill. Falcon but it takes up a lot of place IMHO. And I won't spend €900 on it.

[Cjd223]

More packages came in today and over the weekend as I am waiting on just 2 magnet holders and a few parts that were missed in my orders. Hopefully, hopefully they can come in and I can build it this weekend

[Barahir1401]

Hi,I know it´s a bit too late, but maybe for future Bricklink projects- I´ve found a way to get rid of ALL those pesky magnets and use normal technic pins and bars to securely hold the large underside and upper side panels in position. Can make photos later today for those interested.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Barahir1401

[Lobot]

Hi,I know it´s a bit too late, but maybe for future Bricklink projects- I´ve found a way to get rid of ALL those pesky magnets and use normal technic pins and bars to securely hold the large underside and upper side panels in position. Can make photos later today for those interested.

Hi, I'd be very interested and I'm sure that other members would be as well!

[NathanR]

Hi,I know it´s a bit too late, but maybe for future Bricklink projects- I´ve found a way to get rid of ALL those pesky magnets and use normal technic pins and bars to securely hold the large underside and upper side panels in position. Can make photos later today for those interested.

I'd be very interested as well! I've been wanting to do a MOD of 10030 in LDD that switches all parts to ones that are in current production or at least readily available, I was trying to work something out with the large ball-and-socket bricks but never got anywhere. A solution using technic beams sounds perfect!

[Barahir1401]

Alright, now lets see if I can get this flickr account to work...

By the way, with technic bars I do mean the small ones.... you'll see... all those parts I used are easy to get.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskbnvZXy

Oh and while we're at it... bricklinked the 10129 too with black stripes instead of orange, and a neat canopy solution (orange slopes and the black windshields are usually showstoppers, so changing that a bit saved me probably a couple hundred bucks:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskbU9Fnu

[NathanR]

I love how you've done the Star Destroyer innards, that solution is insanely simple yet sheer genius.I will have try this in LDD!

The snowspeeder looks awesome too!

[mattuojun]

I looked at some of the parts for this and I am surprised to see the cost of the rare elements.

[Barahir1401]

I love how you've done the Star Destroyer innards, that solution is insanely simple yet sheer genius.I will have try this in LDD!

The snowspeeder looks awesome too!

thanks for the kind words :-)

I looked at some of the parts for this and I am surprised to see the cost of the rare elements.

thats why I went with the black large tires for the engine part of the Star Destroyer. The grey ones are just way too expensive. Also for the radar domes or whatever the balls are called, I used the dark grey ones for the bottom part because 1 € <<< 80 € :-)

[neoconagenda]

Love the solution for the magnets. I must also say that the mix of grays looks great.

[Bbafett]

Alright, now lets see if I can get this flickr account to work...

By the way, with technic bars I do mean the small ones.... you'll see... all those parts I used are easy to get.

https://flic.kr/s/aHskbnvZXy

Oh and while we're at it... bricklinked the 10129 too with black stripes instead of orange, and a neat canopy solution (orange slopes and the black windshields are usually showstoppers, so changing that a bit saved me probably a couple hundred bucks:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskbU9Fnu

What part numbers are the parts you used to replace the 2x2 magnet holders in the above picture? I am wanting to do the same thing on Anio's SSD. Any issues with attaching anything using this method on your ISD?

[Cjd223]

Ok so I am still waiting for 2 orders and the sticker to arrive, but I sorted out my current pieces on one of my tables. If all goes well and my orders arrive on time I will be building this weekend

[Barahir1401]

What part numbers are the parts you used to replace the 2x2 magnet holders in the above picture? I am wanting to do the same thing on Anio's SSD. Any issues with attaching anything using this method on your ISD?

Actually attaching the large plates with this method was quite easy and I had no issues whatsoever. It gets a bit fiddly when you need to choose the best fitting "arm" and the correct point to press the plate on - but since the "arm" holding the pin plate can be moved up and down and the pin plate can be rotated, it´s not a big issue.

I used http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=32557 to fix the arm to the ship interior - quite the same as with the normal magnet holders. Then I used either http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=32068 or http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=32184 or http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=42003 for the "arm" (you´ll need to test out a bit which one to choose best, regarding the available slots to press the plate down unto on the large side panels).

To attach the arm to the panels, you can choose from a variety of plates:

either http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=2444 or http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=2476 (those were my standard ones) or two of those: http://www.bricklink...tem.asp?P=32529 (you´ll probably have to use http://www.bricklink...Item.asp?P=6558 with the arm for stability and good connection).

You can see, there are a lot of possibilities of connecting the panels to the interior, if you think about it a bit.

I´ve built the ISD about one year ago and until now, not one of the panels lost its hold.

Oh, and what I really like about this method: You can use ANY color you have, resp. just buy the cheapest parts available, even if they are pink with green circles or whatever - since they will not be seen from the outside :-)

Edited May 22, 2015 by Barahir1401

[Barahir1401]

Ok so I am still waiting for 2 orders and the sticker to arrive, but I sorted out my current pieces on one of my tables. If all goes well and my orders arrive on time I will be building this weekend

Photos!

[DarthBley]

@Barahir, does your 10030 sag at all in the front?

[Barahir1401]

Not yet. I've heard from several different sources that the nose is usually sagging until some of the technic bars break from the strain - has not yet happened here... and thanks for reminding me, I wanted to add a little "nose holder" underneath, just to be on the safe side...

[Cjd223]

Ok so I got my pieces (sticker didnt arrive yet) and built the model. To sum it up in one word, perfection. This set shattered my already high expectations, especially when it came to size. I've seen pictures of it a ton of times, but it just blows your mind in person. When the frame and wings were completed, I was not too shocked by the size, but when everything came together in the end and I placed it in the same room as my 10179, I was speechless. I have been waiting 12 years to build this set and it was worth the wait. As for price, when this set released for $300 it seemed crazy, but it was actually a bargain. Looking at my UCS Sandcrawler and then this is just incredible that they released for the same price. However it is much, much more expensive to build nowadays. So I would say that as long as you paint the pieces you need to (sorry purists), you will be extactic. But if you pay full price for one for about $1200, it will still be worth it, but you couldve done the death star ii with the extra money you spent. I doubt there will ever be a set that will take this one down in my book (unless they make a larger one!).

Also I will be uploading a timelapse to my youtube channel, LegoReviews223 when I edit the video and take more pictures!

[Schneeds]

Not yet. I've heard from several different sources that the nose is usually sagging until some of the technic bars break from the strain - has not yet happened here... and thanks for reminding me, I wanted to add a little "nose holder" underneath, just to be on the safe side...

One of the easiest quick fixes you can do is just to move the front stand up to the hangerbay. That changes the leverage considerably. I also added a bunch of additional clamps that the set uses. It seems quite solid now.