Ease of mirroring official sets

[Elana-chan]

Hey there. I'm trying to figure out how difficult it is to essentially take a stock set with no extra pieces, and make a mirror image of what's called for in the instructions. For example, how easy would it be to say, flip https://brickset.com/sets/6542-1/Launch-Load-Seaport so that everything is facing the opposite side of the pier?

[imvanya]

I assume that with 6542 by mirroring the set you mean mirroring the layout of the pier. Judging by the instructions book, no side-specific parts are used, so you should be able to build the entrance on the other side. You could actually mirror the pages to make it easier.

[Elana-chan]

6542 was just one example I had, it was a general question on how often it is that none of the parts are side-specific so I can flip them around to provide better clearances within a given space. In the case of sets like 6542, this is indeed mirroring the layout of the entire pier as having the ships dock on the opposite side could potentially work out better if space is at a premium and I'm dealing with multiple docks.

[Johnny1360]

I have actually done this a couple of times once with a Star Wars set and once with a Jurassic World set. I like to buy two of a set then build one as a mirror image and connect them together making one much larger build. It's not particularly hard to do but you do need to pay attention because it can get a bit confusing. I also did this with a Speed Champions test center/garage because it just made more sense to me. 

It might just be a little easier for me because I have done this before building real houses as part of my job. 

I do think it is worth doing and many times just makes more sense, so yes the results are worthwhile and it isn't really that hard. 

[adwind]

Did a 10229 this year by mirroring the instruction in PDF. Everything worked just fine... but this is just one set.... )) 

[paul_delahaye]

I guess the only restriction you might have is if it's an old set and someone applied the stickers.  If the particular part called for a particular sticker say a number 2 to be on the left, and now you want to mirror it, it might still be on the left.  So you might have to consider trying to remove and reapply the stickers.  But if you are back in the age of 6542, I think you should be ok, warm them up on a radiator, and start working the sticker edge with a sharp knife.  work slow you maybe able to relocate them.

 

If it's a 2000's era set, your stuffed.  

[greg3]

I've done this a few times, mainly with buildings so they'll fit into the available space but also with larger city vehicles when they need converting to right hand drive. I can usually do it from the original instructions but if it gets confusing I just photograph the image and flip it on my iPad! As for parts, the only time I've encountered problems is when mirroring the official buses/coaches that use train doors for the passengers as they only come with the right handed ones!! (Then it's off to the spares box or Bricklink!!)

Edited January 12, 2019 by greg3

[pirzyk]

The brownstone from PS (10218 I think) is a common mirror build.  I also built it from the instructions and every once and a while I had to stop and get my bearings to see what I was doing i.e. it becomes a slower build and you have to visualize more.  I like the idea of taking a photo and flipping it to help.

Edited January 12, 2019 by pirzyk

[That Lego Chap]

It's a good way to add a bit of extra interest to a familiar build.

I rebuild my Winter Village collection each Christmas, and last year did exactly that. 

Santa's Workshop (10245) requires the substitution of a handed white 3x2 triangular plate, but it's a common enough part.

WVTS (10259) will also require a couple of white triangular plates.

Another idea along similar lines is to pick any of the modular buildings, and use 1x2 & 1x1 plates in place of bricks for the facings; the texture change is quite interesting.

Post a picture if you try this.

 

Edited January 12, 2019 by That Lego Chap

[SassQueen]

I've also done this several times w/ building sets.  One example was the Toy Shops from WV series - I have both the original and re-release, so I build one the regular way and one mirrored.

I didn't have any issues w/ substitutions, just looked at the instructions and did the mirror/opposite of whatever step was called for.

Let us know what you end up doing!

[Elana-chan]

I was asking as part of preparation for designing a large simi-permanent setup consisting of multiple themes, the thread for which is here:

It looks like the set most likely to get this treatment might end up being my original police station, set 6540. If you look at the diagram for the layout sofar, the location where the boats dock is twards the north, when the set is already located in the north west corner of the bay that takes up the south eastern corner of the level with the town area.

[LegoDW]

On ‎1‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 6:43 PM, That Lego Chap said:

 

I rebuild my Winter Village collection each Christmas, and last year did exactly that. 

 

 

Its funny, when we started our Christmas Lego display, I planned on rebuilding every year too.  Have the kids around, everyone building sets together, eating popcorn....having a great family bonding yearly tradition.  Problem is around the Holidays its more chaotic then usual in our house hold and I am lucky to get TLG newest release build before Christmas.  Jealous of your yearly rebuilds....mirrored too...how do you have the time?

[gotoAndLego]

On 1/25/2019 at 5:04 PM, LegoDW said:

Jealous of your yearly rebuilds....mirrored too...how do you have the time?

I find that not having kids helps. ?

[Flossie]

I've done this with the Parisian Restaurant and the Downtown Diner. The diner was very straight forward, but the restaurant needed a few substitute bricks for the fridge. I mirrored them so they would look better on my shelves. I have also made the T1 Campervan RHD instead of LHD, which was easy, but noticed it had German registration plates so swapped it back again. I just used the existing instructions and worked out where everything should go, wasn't too taxing.