[MOC] UCS Venator-Class Star Destroyer Instructions

[isaachertzog]

Hello all,

My name is Isaac and I purchased the instruction book for Ellis' Venator about 2 months ago. With some saving (and help as my Christmas gift from my girlfriend), I was able to get all the parts for the build. I was really excited to get started and after about 3.5 hours of making sure my orders sent all the pieces necessary, I started building. Over the past 2 days, I've put in approximately 16.5 hours building, a lot of which has been searching for the correct pieces. I have the last piece of the hull left, however I am waiting for 6 pieces to come in that were not shipped with the original orders. I will update once I get the last pieces and finish the build!

Here's been my timeline:
Day 1: Checking about half of the pieces (1.5 hours)
Day 2: Received and checked the second half of the pieces (2 hours)
Before building, I attempted to sort the pieces. The only way I could think to do this was between light and dark.
Building Day 1: Completed the framework (7 hours)
Building Day 2: Completed and attached the bottom 2 hull pieces, the bridge, engines, and right side top hull piece (9.5 hours). While assembling some of the detail parts around the frame, I realized I made a mistake the previous day and had to disassemble and reassemble the "wing" frames, but fixed the problem and progressed smoothly. Again, a majority of the time has been spent searching for parts. Early on specifically, I was looking for say 5 parts out of 2500. So it did take up a lot of time. If you have a plan on how to sort everything, you can significantly cut down on this time.

I am not able to really add many photos here (the max file size is 0.1MB). I am going to try to figure out the easiest way to share files with everyone here, maybe a Google Drive or something along those lines. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Thanks again to @Ellisss_2 for this awesome build and @thire5 for making the instructions simple and straightforward. I hope this gets some others excited to start it as well!

[Ellisss_2]

11 hours ago, isaachertzog said:

Hello all,

My name is Isaac and I purchased the instruction book for Ellis' Venator about 2 months ago. With some saving (and help as my Christmas gift from my girlfriend), I was able to get all the parts for the build. I was really excited to get started and after about 3.5 hours of making sure my orders sent all the pieces necessary, I started building. Over the past 2 days, I've put in approximately 16.5 hours building, a lot of which has been searching for the correct pieces. I have the last piece of the hull left, however I am waiting for 6 pieces to come in that were not shipped with the original orders. I will update once I get the last pieces and finish the build!

Here's been my timeline:
Day 1: Checking about half of the pieces (1.5 hours)
Day 2: Received and checked the second half of the pieces (2 hours)
Before building, I attempted to sort the pieces. The only way I could think to do this was between light and dark.
Building Day 1: Completed the framework (7 hours)
Building Day 2: Completed and attached the bottom 2 hull pieces, the bridge, engines, and right side top hull piece (9.5 hours). While assembling some of the detail parts around the frame, I realized I made a mistake the previous day and had to disassemble and reassemble the "wing" frames, but fixed the problem and progressed smoothly. Again, a majority of the time has been spent searching for parts. Early on specifically, I was looking for say 5 parts out of 2500. So it did take up a lot of time. If you have a plan on how to sort everything, you can significantly cut down on this time.

I am not able to really add many photos here (the max file size is 0.1MB). I am going to try to figure out the easiest way to share files with everyone here, maybe a Google Drive or something along those lines. If you have any ideas, please let me know!

Thanks again to @Ellisss_2 for this awesome build and @thire5 for making the instructions simple and straightforward. I hope this gets some others excited to start it as well!

Hello, Isaac!

Thank you so much for writing this, especially by the looks of it for spending a long time to write an in-depth experience. In fact, you’ve made my day! :) 

Hope you figure a way out to upload the pictures, if you’re familiar with Flickr, you can upload them and then embed them here.

I’m super glad you have enjoyed the build!

Ellis.

[thire5]

Thanks! I'm happy to hear that the instructions are easy to follow! 

[Hold0511]

Its a great build with excellent instructions - so much so I'm enjoying isaachertzog building experience as well.

[Ellisss_2]

Cinebricks constructed my model, I wanted to share his great photography!

 Also, I have one built up that I'm looking to sell please email if interested: brickforcetoys@gmail.com

 

[czbotond]

It looks amazing!

[Dennis Delav]

I would love to build this set

[Swifteagle92]

Hey just wondering if you are still selling the instructions for this

[Ellisss_2]

Just now, Swifteagle92 said:

Hey just wondering if you are still selling the instructions for this

Yes, please send me an email: brickforcetoys@gmail.com

[Swifteagle92]

16 minutes ago, Ellisss_2 said:

Yes, please send me an email: brickforcetoys@gmail.com

Tried emailing but it wouldn't send. It was just a query to make sure they were still available before I started buying parts

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Swifteagle92

[Ellisss_2]

1 minute ago, Swifteagle92 said:

Tried emailing but it wouldn't send. It was just a query to make sure they were still available before I started buying parts

 

Okay, try email me on eclayforth@outlook.com instead :)

[Magnuson24]

I'm a huge fan of greebling! Way to add great texture and detail along the sides. I'm also impressed with the creativity for making the engines. Very cool extended design and the colored dishes are a great touch. Solid!

-Magnuson24-

[ObiWanGinobili]

Hi everyone, 

I finally built this amazing set and wanted to share a few experiences/issues. I hope to upload some pictures late this week. 

First of all, I am no native english speaker, but I try my best to write understandable english :D

 
1) I searched my existing Lego parts and got around half the pieces already in stock. The first problem was, that I have a very high amount of 'older' lego pieces in the older gray tones (light gray instead of light bluish and dark gray). I didnt exactly know where i could use the older gray (where it would not show, e.g. in the  bottom wing parts) but I wanted to use as many owned parts as I could to save money. Therefore, especially the bridge consists of some older gray bricks, which tbh adds a nice little weariness to the model and makes it a bit more realistic in a sense I guess. The wings and large plates are all in the newer gray tones tho.

2) I had all the technic bricks, just miscounted some of them, leading to two 10x1 technic bricks being used for the frame instead of two 12x1 which worked fine tho (I only used the second knob on the  Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Swivel Base with Same Top on each side to hold the technic brick in form). I also used technic bricks of different colors which is totally fine as you wont see any color shining through when the model is finished. The miscounting also led to not enough 12x1 technic bricks for the socket. I didnt want to wait another week and didnt want to buy new bricks, so i decided to make the two socket feet at different heights. The effect is, that the whole model is inclined with the top heading upwards, which looks really cool. I can recommend this type of display as you see a bit more of the bottom wings. The sockets are not flat fooded on the ground now (cause they have different lenghts) but I might adjust that in the future. 

3) As someone already mentioned before, the main difficulty was, sorting all the parts ( I ordered from 5 different shops which each had different sorted bags going along with my pre-sorted parts that I already owned). For one part I searched about 2 freaking hours and I lost hope and thought maybe I didnt get it, but in the end I find it. If you dont find some of the smaller parts used for the decoration on the sides, you can get creative and just invent some pattern yourself, in the end no one will notice.

4) The building experience itself was very fun and diversified. Sometimes you stumble across some steps, sometimes bricks or plates are being added sneakily and in rare occasions not visible (for example if you have to attach two plates on each side, but the camera angle only shows one side). 

5) For the parts being used, it is mostly standard parts. Two piece types were so expensive for me to get via bricklink auto select, namely the Slope 45 2 x 1 Double - with Inside Bar (you need that one 8 times for the rear wings) and the Tool Box Wrench ( 8 times needed for the side cannons), that I didnt buy them. If I had included those 2 lots in my orders it would have cost around 120€ more, so I just left them out. I will order those maybe in the future, but especially the slopes are not really that important imo, as it is at the back of the ship and you could just use regular slopes. 
I have to point out one specific item that I kind of dislike in the build and it is the Slope, Curved 3 x 2 x 2/3 with Two Studs, Wing End. It is, both times very visible, used on the top of the middle section of the wings and in the back behind the bridge. I never really like this lego piece and I think the shape of this piece (especially the curvy wing end) doesnt fit the lego style build for this one. I just left it out at the end. You can just place a normal 2x2 tile as a replacement.

6) Coming to the main problem: The attachment of the wings and the middle part with the bridge. Damn, that was something I tell you. The way it is explained in the instructions doesnt really work for the bottom wings. The resistance of the ball sockets is to strong, to push 4 (!) ball bricks of them simultaneously into it. I needed a second person to help me and we ended up attaching the bricks with the ball into the sockets first and then attaching the wings onto the bricks. You really have to get the bricks in the right direction, otherwise the gap between the wings and the border is to big. I think it took me and my friend 30 minutes, just to attach one bottom wing.
The long hangar 'wing' with the bridge also took me quite a while, as it was not clear for me at all, where exactly i should attach it and how far it reaches out at the top. The instructions dont give any conclusion about that. The 2 1x1 bricks on the end of the back side of the whole piece confused at they are just floating in the air (I guess they are there to diminish the gap?). The end on the side of the bridge really just floats around and is not really attached, it looks fine in the end tho, I was just confused at the start.
The top wings are easier to attach with the clips, you just need a second person, as you once again need to attach all three clips simulatenously. I only got it to go at the front and the back clip, the middle one is not attached leading to a small gap between the middle part and the panels. I am not risking to take it off tho, as I am most certain, that some other parts will come off. It isnt that much of a deal, but unfortunate anyways.

7) I really like the look of the engines and the building techniques being used are really innovative and fun to build so big props here.

8) There is an error in the instructions on page 254 and 292 respectively. You don't need to use the 2x1 double clip piece but the counterpart instead to attach the rear wings.

Apart from all the criticsm, I had a blast building the Venator and it looks awesome, shoutout to @Ellisss_2 and @thire5 . Always wanted to have one and the offical lego set is just so disgustingly unproportional. I hope someone finds this review helpful, it got a bit lenghty in the end, but I wanted to share as many problems/difficulties I encountered to make the build easier for people who are planning to build the same. I can only recommend it.
 

[Ellisss_2]

3 hours ago, ObiWanGinobili said:

Hi everyone, 

I finally built this amazing set and wanted to share a few experiences/issues. I hope to upload some pictures late this week. 

First of all, I am no native english speaker, but I try my best to write understandable english :D

 
1) I searched my existing Lego parts and got around half the pieces already in stock. The first problem was, that I have a very high amount of 'older' lego pieces in the older gray tones (light gray instead of light bluish and dark gray). I didnt exactly know where i could use the older gray (where it would not show, e.g. in the  bottom wing parts) but I wanted to use as many owned parts as I could to save money. Therefore, especially the bridge consists of some older gray bricks, which tbh adds a nice little weariness to the model and makes it a bit more realistic in a sense I guess. The wings and large plates are all in the newer gray tones tho.

2) I had all the technic bricks, just miscounted some of them, leading to two 10x1 technic bricks being used for the frame instead of two 12x1 which worked fine tho (I only used the second knob on the  Hinge Plate 1 x 4 Swivel Base with Same Top on each side to hold the technic brick in form). I also used technic bricks of different colors which is totally fine as you wont see any color shining through when the model is finished. The miscounting also led to not enough 12x1 technic bricks for the socket. I didnt want to wait another week and didnt want to buy new bricks, so i decided to make the two socket feet at different heights. The effect is, that the whole model is inclined with the top heading upwards, which looks really cool. I can recommend this type of display as you see a bit more of the bottom wings. The sockets are not flat fooded on the ground now (cause they have different lenghts) but I might adjust that in the future. 

3) As someone already mentioned before, the main difficulty was, sorting all the parts ( I ordered from 5 different shops which each had different sorted bags going along with my pre-sorted parts that I already owned). For one part I searched about 2 freaking hours and I lost hope and thought maybe I didnt get it, but in the end I find it. If you dont find some of the smaller parts used for the decoration on the sides, you can get creative and just invent some pattern yourself, in the end no one will notice.

4) The building experience itself was very fun and diversified. Sometimes you stumble across some steps, sometimes bricks or plates are being added sneakily and in rare occasions not visible (for example if you have to attach two plates on each side, but the camera angle only shows one side). 

5) For the parts being used, it is mostly standard parts. Two piece types were so expensive for me to get via bricklink auto select, namely the Slope 45 2 x 1 Double - with Inside Bar (you need that one 8 times for the rear wings) and the Tool Box Wrench ( 8 times needed for the side cannons), that I didnt buy them. If I had included those 2 lots in my orders it would have cost around 120€ more, so I just left them out. I will order those maybe in the future, but especially the slopes are not really that important imo, as it is at the back of the ship and you could just use regular slopes. 
I have to point out one specific item that I kind of dislike in the build and it is the Slope, Curved 3 x 2 x 2/3 with Two Studs, Wing End. It is, both times very visible, used on the top of the middle section of the wings and in the back behind the bridge. I never really like this lego piece and I think the shape of this piece (especially the curvy wing end) doesnt fit the lego style build for this one. I just left it out at the end. You can just place a normal 2x2 tile as a replacement.

6) Coming to the main problem: The attachment of the wings and the middle part with the bridge. Damn, that was something I tell you. The way it is explained in the instructions doesnt really work for the bottom wings. The resistance of the ball sockets is to strong, to push 4 (!) ball bricks of them simultaneously into it. I needed a second person to help me and we ended up attaching the bricks with the ball into the sockets first and then attaching the wings onto the bricks. You really have to get the bricks in the right direction, otherwise the gap between the wings and the border is to big. I think it took me and my friend 30 minutes, just to attach one bottom wing.
The long hangar 'wing' with the bridge also took me quite a while, as it was not clear for me at all, where exactly i should attach it and how far it reaches out at the top. The instructions dont give any conclusion about that. The 2 1x1 bricks on the end of the back side of the whole piece confused at they are just floating in the air (I guess they are there to diminish the gap?). The end on the side of the bridge really just floats around and is not really attached, it looks fine in the end tho, I was just confused at the start.
The top wings are easier to attach with the clips, you just need a second person, as you once again need to attach all three clips simulatenously. I only got it to go at the front and the back clip, the middle one is not attached leading to a small gap between the middle part and the panels. I am not risking to take it off tho, as I am most certain, that some other parts will come off. It isnt that much of a deal, but unfortunate anyways.

7) I really like the look of the engines and the building techniques being used are really innovative and fun to build so big props here.

8) There is an error in the instructions on page 254 and 292 respectively. You don't need to use the 2x1 double clip piece but the counterpart instead to attach the rear wings.

Apart from all the criticsm, I had a blast building the Venator and it looks awesome, shoutout to @Ellisss_2 and @thire5 . Always wanted to have one and the offical lego set is just so disgustingly unproportional. I hope someone finds this review helpful, it got a bit lenghty in the end, but I wanted to share as many problems/difficulties I encountered to make the build easier for people who are planning to build the same. I can only recommend it.
 

Hello,

Firstly, thanks for sharing such a detailed log of the build I enjoyed reading and it was very understandable :)

I’m looking forward to seeing the pictures, liking the sound of it’s accidental angle as a result of miscounting your pieces. 

Sorry about the difficulties with the panels, they are a pain! Hope it was worth the effort, this was my first attempt at a model of this scale and this section of the model was the most difficult for me. It took ages and still resulted in not the best solution. I have always hoped to revisit this model and this would definitely be a prioritised area to improve. 

Glad you enjoyed the build overall!!!

[ObiWanGinobili]

Here is a picture of the venator being angled cause of the different socket heights. I only had light bluish gray technic brocks for the one sockets, I will replace them in the future. Apart from that it looks really cool that way imo. The older gray pieces in the bridge are bearly visible during normal light, if you look closely or light it up with bright light you will notice it.

Here are some other pictures I couldnt upload because of the max file size.

https://imgur.com/a/PxSOvmC

https://imgur.com/a/EQ7tcTe

https://imgur.com/a/45KeOIr

https://imgur.com/a/IXlXTwB

 

 

[Ellisss_2]

16 hours ago, ObiWanGinobili said:

Here is a picture of the venator being angled cause of the different socket heights. I only had light bluish gray technic brocks for the one sockets, I will replace them in the future. Apart from that it looks really cool that way imo. The older gray pieces in the bridge are bearly visible during normal light, if you look closely or light it up with bright light you will notice it.

Here are some other pictures I couldnt upload because of the max file size.

https://imgur.com/a/PxSOvmC

https://imgur.com/a/EQ7tcTe

https://imgur.com/a/45KeOIr

https://imgur.com/a/IXlXTwB

 

 

Looks awesome, thanks again for sharing your experience!

[gmsetl01]

Beautiful model, and great instructions. I've purchased them and they are very clear from what I saw. I have have ordered all the pieces from bricklink for $350, and have had 4 of the 8 come in so far. I've designed a custom stand for minifigures (based on clone wars season 7) and purchased a custom sticker for it as well. When the model is completed I will gladly give a full review and post some pictures (if eurobricks allows me to).

[Lord Grahl]

I am loving this model..
It looks awesome and was simple to build.
And I am also a huge fan of The Clone Wars, so I build the command centre in this republic red.

I am glad you made this awesome instructions.

(I am sorry for the crappy picture)

Edited February 17, 2021 by Lord Grahl

[Oooli62]

Hi there,

I bought the instructions a few months ago and was finally able to build this model.
From the beginning I knew that I wanted to tile it off completely, meaning covering all the nubs with different tiles because I like my spaceships like that.

I think it turned out great and wanted to thank Ellis once more for the beautiful model, I absolutely love the design of this MOC and the Venator has been my favourite Star Wars ship since the first time we saw them over 20 years ago.

I bought the bricks "manually" so I didn't use the bricklink link where you could get all pieces at once so I can't say anything about that. In addition I had to buy the tiles and I bought them directly from lego.com. I would say I used around 1400 1x2 light grey tiles. :)
The building experience was very nice and fun and the instructions were perfect. Perhaps I had to look at them in certain situations for a few seconds to realize where every brick goes but overall I would say it was an easy build.  
I would mention 1 step that was a pain: the attachement of the two upper wings at the end. You attach them with 3 bricks in the middle section and it was a bit of a struggle to do that. In the end I took the middle section off again and connected both wings to it and then I attached the whole upper section (meaning the middle and the 2 wings) onto the model. So yeah this part was a bit tricky but other than that I really enjoyed the build!

It seems like I am unable to post the pictures in good quality here so I just uploaded them to imgur.

So here are 7 pictures (multiple angles) on imgur: https://imgur.com/a/zNX0Pwy

And here is just one quick sample:

 

I can recommend this MOC and the instructions with a very good conscience.

This is the way! :)