BrickLinking a UCS Millennium Falcon

[heathen666]

Pretty good deal indeed... Here in Europe, 2nd 10179 goes at ~1200 to 1500 euros, and seals sets are pretty rare under 2200.

There was one new sealed on BL 2 days ago for 1690 euros. It lasted approximatly 5 mins.

Yikes, the ebay auction I missed out on was a completed set with the box and instructions, I think it went for £800 in the end. If the prices for this set and the pieces are what you say they are now I probably wouldn't have done this. Unfortunately, due to lack of room in my house I'm going to have to disassemble my Falcon :-(

[ivoryisles]

Hi, I am seriously considering undertaking this project as well.

is it cheaper if I order all the parts that is available from the lego parts store and then fill the rest out from bricklink?

[The_Chosen_1]

Is it cheaper if I order all the parts that is available from the lego parts store and then fill the rest out from bricklink?

No, it definitely isn't. In fact, it's better if you do it the other way around. Order as many parts as you can from Bricklink sellers, and then check with Lego for the more hard-to-find/expensive parts.

[MinusZwei]

Hi, I am seriously considering undertaking this project as well.

I can only tell you one thing: "Do it !!!", but do it carefully.

- make sure that you stick to your budget in any case

- check that all parts are available in your region: Some of them are not produced anymore, and it might be hard to find them (I have written an article on my blog about it -> http://bricklinking10179.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/rare-parts/).

No, it definitely isn't. In fact, it's better if you do it the other way around. Order as many parts as you can from Bricklink sellers, and then check with Lego for the more hard-to-find/expensive parts.

Yes, I totally agree : For common parts, you will find way more cheaper prices on BL. But for some others, LEGO still remains unbeatable (For examples, the 1x16 technic bricks with holes in dark bley).

Edited January 20, 2013 by MinusZwei

[ivoryisles]

Thanks! I actually have your site bookmark'd, MZ. I was wondering if there's a guide somewhere to replace the parts in the interior with some different colored, but cheaper parts.

[MinusZwei]

I was wondering if there's a guide somewhere to replace the parts in the interior with some different colored, but cheaper parts.

I think if you download the instructions, the first big module (what I would call "the chassis") can be build using any color, as it won't be visible.

So just sum up the parts for this steps and you will be good to go I think.

Edited January 22, 2013 by MinusZwei

[henning1010]

Hope you are having fun doing this, Minus2.

I finished my "bricklinking 10179-project" two weeks ago. I am kind of sad, that it is done by now, so I started on the UCS Snowspeeder (10129).

[kibosh]

I've been kicking around this idea for a while now. I checked out your blog, and I thank you for putting together your information on the rare parts. I'm still looking through your site, but do you have information on possible color substitutions? As was mentioned, the chassis will never be seen, so I do not care to get the right colors. I just want to get the most economical pieces.

[henning1010]

I've been kicking around this idea for a while now. I checked out your blog, and I thank you for putting together your information on the rare parts. I'm still looking through your site, but do you have information on possible color substitutions? As was mentioned, the chassis will never be seen, so I do not care to get the right colors. I just want to get the most economical pieces.

From my point of view almost all technic bricks can be replaced with different/less expensive colors.

I absolutely agree on the 6.6L bar, the 6L is quite fine.

Furthermore I bought four times "rigid Hose, 20L" and cut two of them to the right lenght for the shorter ones, as they perfectly sum up. That worked out quite nicely.

Edited January 30, 2013 by henning1010

[Latency]

From my point of view almost all technic bricks can be replaced with different/less expensive colors.

I absolutely agree on the 6.6L bar, the 6L is quite fine.

Furthermore I bought four times "rigid Hose, 20L" and cut two of them to the right lenght for the shorter ones, as they perfectly sum up. That worked out quite nicely.

Can any of the technic pieces be seen from the outside? I quickly went thought he instructions and it looks like most of them are hidden. I just wanted to confirm before I start subbing parts.

[henning1010]

Can any of the technic pieces be seen from the outside? I quickly went thought he instructions and in looks like most of them are hidden. I just wanted to confirm before I start subbing parts.

Practically no. But if you want to be on the safe side, you should do the part where Luke sits (top cannon) and the inner sides of the front in grey or at least in black. That should be around 10 bricks.

[BrickieB]

You can also see the 1x16 bricks that make up the frame of the front tips at the corners. If that makes any sense :)

[kibosh]

Great information on the parts/color subbing. Thanks!

[Cwetqo]

Here it is:

[neim343]

Just placed my last BL order today. After going through everything I had in my own collection I ended up spending around $400 to complete this project. Pretty good I think.

Now it's just waiting for the packages to arrive...

[BrickieB]

Bricklinking 10179 – a tale for a cold winter night…

Like many before me, I also bricklinked a 10179 Millennium Falcon.

This kit, in my opinion, is the ultimate Star Wars kit, and also the ultimate Lego kit. I would have bought this kit in a heartbeat if I was into Lego at the time it was available new in the shops. Unfortunately, I wasn’t, so I missed this one. However, I still wanted to own this epic kit.

I have split up my report into several chapters, following the StarWars Episode Logic. I hope you have some time reserved to read this.

Chapter 4: The saga begins…

I first started searching for the kit on eBay – but soon discovered the prices (€2.000+) and decided this was not for me. However, I found the manual (free download from Lego) and was looking out for some parts. Of course, being new to this, all I knew was parts were being sold on eBay. I made 2 orders for some parts, but stopped after I had spent about €80 on an amount of parts that was not nearly worth that much.

Then I discovered Lego pick-a-brick, and I filled my basket with every single part I could find that would help me build the kit. In the end, I (only) had about 2000 pieces in my cart, for a total of about € 400. Also, pick-a-brick didn’t nearly have all the parts I needed. This would have cost me too much, too, so I gave up on pick-a-brick.

In the meantime, I had started building the kit on LDD. This is cheap and fun, but not quite the same as building the real deal. I basically quit the build after being frustrated by not being able to perfectly connect / angle the landing gear. I now know a bit more about LDD, but still don’t feel tempted to continue my build.

After searching the internet and several forums I ended up on the (excellent) Eurobricks forum, and found some kindred spirits who had done the exact same thing. I read up on several forum posts and got some useful tips – and also discovered Bricklink.

It took a while to get used to it (the interface, the way the wanted list worked, and just the sheer size of the database) but after I got it, it worked like a charm. I didn’t spend a lot of time searching for the ultimate lowest prices, and soon realized that it’s better to order ‘those 40 pieces’ at +€0,01 and saving € 8 on shipping cost, than hunting the best bargains and ultimate lowest prices. However, I did keep an eye on excess prices, like € 5 for one ‘light bluish grey lever with light bluish grey base’ or € 3 for a 1x16 technic brick…

I also focused on local sellers where I could pick up the parts instead of having them sent from some exotic location – and got to meet some nice people in the process. I think I got about 70% of the parts locally, and had to get the rest from international sellers.

Chapter 1: New or second hand?

In the beginning, I wanted only brand new parts. Sure, a lot of sellers offered used parts at lower prices, but what’s that 1 or 2 eurocents if you get a new part instead of a used one? Well, turns out that on some parts those few cents amount to quite a lot. Even if you calculate a difference of only 2 cents per part – multiply it by the 5200 parts you need and you’re paying €100 extra for the same bits. On top of that, used parts are usually in very good condition and van hardly be distinguished from the new ones. The only parts I regret getting second hand are light bluish 1x16 bricks and 6x6 wedges, which are really discolored and scratched in my lot. But I’ll replace them with new ones someday. I noticed those 1x16 bricks are in the Rancor pit set, which is likely to be parted out. So these should be on BL soon enough.

Chapter 14 ½: Price

As a rule of thumb, €0,07 - 0,10 per part is a decent average to pay for parts. Some parts are a lot cheaper than this (small parts at € 0,02 each) but quite a few are a lot more expensive. I didn’t pay the insane prices of €60 for the dish, €75 for the LBG boat rigging (each!) or such, the most expensive part I got was €3,99 each – times 16. Still, these parts mess with the average and you need to get a lot of cheap parts to make up for the difference. In the end, I estimate I paid about €0,14 on average per part.

Chapter 6: Substitutes!

Also, if you follow the manual to the letter, you get some really rare (and therefore expensive!) parts in your list. Below is a complete list of the parts I substituted, and the reason why.

I replaced exactly 382 parts (including the sticker sheet) giving me a colour accuracy of 93%. The list below mentions 16 parts, on a total of 267 (distinct) parts – so not too bad.

If you plan on bricklinking the MF: read this - it will save you a lot of money.

(click the picture to get a larger image – which will increase readability ;))

Chapter 2: Surplus

Apart from (accidentally) ordering wrong parts, I also ordered a lot of things in surplus. For example, there’s a type of brick I plan to use for a future project. One of the shops I ordered from had 150 of these in stock, at € 0,02 each. That’s €3 for 150 (new!) parts I will be needing in the future, so I added the lot to my order.

Another example are the small light bluish levers. The correct combo is too expensive, so in every order I added the parts with grey levers, I had already ordered sufficient levers with the right colour base. This way I could combine the grey ones, and get leftovers in other colour combos (blue base with black lever, for example).

Sometimes, there was a part I really wanted to order from a shop, but they had an order limit of €10, for example. So I added stuff I thought I was going to need later, or a minifig, or I added things I had substituted before. This also provides some surplus.

In total, I guesstimate that I have around 500-700 parts to spare. Another guess is that these will have cost me about € 50 extra on total orders.

Chapter 4bis: Shipping

One major factor in the total cost is the shipping prices. Not only do you need to meet the seller’s store minimum, you also need to note that even a small package can cost more in shipping than the parts contained therein – if they need to travel halfway across the world, for example.

I made 25 orders in total: 8 I picked up myself, the other 17 were shipped. One was shipped free as it was pick-a-brick and I combined it with my B-wing: enough of a cost to warrant free shipping at the time.

I added up all shipping costs from all orders and came to a grand total of €80 - on shipping and packaging alone.

Chapter 9: Microsoft Excel

My friend through this journey was Excel. Before I had discovered Bricklink I took screenshots of the manual and composed my own list. Of course, after discovering the ready-made Bricklink inventory (as linked before in chapter 4) I soon adopted their list and built on that. Adding columns, tracking the various orders and shipments … were essential to ordering the right parts, and the right amounts. After my list was up and running, I made very little mistakes and got a clear overview of the parts to be procured.

The list also helped me when counting and finalizing the parts, which I did prior to starting the build. After realizing which parts I was missing (in the end it was one part, 12 times) I made a final Bricklink order and added some more bits that I could use a ‘corrected’ version for the parts I had bought as a compromise (-> more surplus – chapter 2).

Chapter 8: The stickers

One thing that had to be added were the original stickers. I found a good scan of the original stickers on the web, corrected the typo in it (12 quad cannons became 2) and had a sticker made in good quality. In fact I needed to order 2 as a minimum – so I have one to spare . (I might consider selling it – PM me if you’re interested. Also, If there’s a lot of interest, I could have a batch of these made.)

The cockpit decals were also on the stickersheet...

Chapter 11: The manual

The same goes for the manual. There was a very big manual included with my Super Star Destroyer. If I’m not mistaken, the 10179 manual is very similar in size and shape (about A3 size and ring-bound). I was looking into having this thing printed and bound, but would have needed to take a leap of faith an order it, as I don’t know how good the result will be. Cost? About € 100… There is still a very small chance I will get the manual printed but I suppose I don’t need it anymore, so I would only do it to get the ‘complete’ kit. As I won’t be able to get the box I won’t be able to get the complete kit – and will probably skip the manual as well.

The way I built the model was by putting the manual onto my tablet and just scrolling through it that way. This worked very well, the manual did not take up as much space on my build table, and you can zoom if you need to. And it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg – presuming you already donated those to get said tablet. :)

Chapter 3: Minifigs

I’m not a minifig collector. Sure, I display the ones I have, but don’t strive to get all, or get multiples. If I buy a separate minifig it’s either for my son to play with or because I need to meet a store minimum. The same goes for the minifigs that came with the original 10179: if I find them all at a decent price and in one location, I might get them. If not, I’ll pass. For me, the sticker and manual are more important than the minifigs…

I had a Chewbacca from another set, and added this Han to one of my orders, so the ship at least has a pilot.

Chapter 15: The build…

Now that I had acquired all the parts, I was very anxious to get building. So I did. In this process, I noticed that I had some parts (from the earliest eBay purchases – obviously) that were the wrong shape and colour. I still continued the build and managed to sort of finish it without these parts. They were ordered and added afterwards.

One of the parts I ordered in the wrong colour – which I only realized after completing the build:

In total, I think it took me about 10 hours to finish it. It’s a real rapid build in the beginning, getting the frame ready and such. But along the way, it seems to get slower and slower, when you realize how many panels you need to finish and fit to the frame. In all, there are 41 sub-steps to this build – which I find to be quite a lot.

A few pictures of my build progress – I did not stop every 2 pages to take a picture.

First off – all the parts, sorted in their containers and laid out on my kitchen floor. Size of this parts-carpet: about 80cm*100cm.

Next pic: first stage of the build. This is the technic frame that will hold the lot together. I didn’t realize it at first, but this is a very sturdy structure – and you’ll need that! The completed model weighs 11kg, held together by this frame. Every part you see here cannot be seen once the model is finished, so don’t spend stupid amounts of cash for the right colour technic bricks, they’re going to be covered later.

Some more progress. The big parts on the rear (which sit on the table in this pic) will be visible in the underbelly of the craft, once it’s finished.

Even more progress. The Technic bricks in the nose part can be seen through the plating on the finished model, but you need to be an expert to notice it, once finished. Just don’t choose a flashy colour for these, and you’ll get away with it.

Chapter 14: The Missing Chapter

Please contact me if you find the text that goes here. Thank you.

Chapter 5: The model

One of the main issues I have with this model is that the top plates are relying on gravity to keep them on. Some are very easy to fix by replacing a few parts, but some are really hard to improve. Also, once you make them fit more permanently, you will probably have a hard time taking them off again, if you ever need to. It might be a requirement if you plan to mount this thing onto your wall – which looks fantastic, by the way.

The model is also lacking an interior. I admit, it’s hard to make one as the entire thing needs to maintain its rigidity, but it would be cool if you could lift the top off and see the complete interior, as Brian Hastings did (link).

It’s also a pity that the model cannot be easily moved / handled without breaking off some parts. The easiest way I found to pick it up is to remove the top quad gun disk and grab it by the pins that are sticking out. I might have to make a handle of some sort for this…

Chapter 12: Accuracy

Of course, this being a Lego model means it cannot possibly be 100% accurate. However, they did a great job trying. Some parts of the kit look a lot like the real model, but some things can be improved. Maybe the pieces weren’t available back in ye olde 2007 – but they are now :).

One of the hardest (or: most expensive) parts to find are the boat riggings in light bluish gray that finish the engine lights. However, I did some research and it apparently does not depict the real model very well. There is a way to get this a lot more accurate, which I will try to achieve, and post an update about here.

For now, I have taken the black versions of this rigging at a good price (€0,30 each) with the intent of spraying them. I did one, but wanted to test it first. I used Tamiya primer paint, after sanding it down with an 800 grit sanding paper. I sprayed it and it looked great. I mounted it when the paint was still a bit flexible (within 24 hours after spraying). But now, after the paint has finally cured, it’s very fragile and the paint chips off if you touch it the wrong way.

I will either redesign the rear to avoid this problem or try another way to paint the parts – the pic above is just temporary.

Chapter 7: Substitutes – the aftermath

I have used some substitute parts as mentioned earlier in my wall-of-text. When building, I found that it didn’t really matter which parts you used. Sure, if you’re a purist and want that hinge in the exact colour – you should hunt for the right parts. However I found that most parts that are very hard to get are not (or barely) visible when the model is finished. So don’t get stressed for those few wrong parts – it’ll be OK.

One example: the rods you use a lot on the model are the ‘Light Bluish Gray Bar 6.6L with Stop Ring (Patio Umbrella Stand)’. As a substitute I went for ‘Light Bluish Gray Bar 6L with Stop Ring’. These are 10% shorter, and you notice it in the build. However, the modifications you need to do to get these to work are very minor (I had to move two parts one stud and click my ‘robot arms’ in a slightly different place in another 4 instances), and I challenge anyone that knows the model (but has not read this thread  ) to find the changes. I think it will be very hard indeed.

You do see all the cones I replaced by the ones ‘with groove’ but the difference is only very small. You can also see the 1x16 technic bricks in certain places, but if you don’t know they’re supposed to be DBG you will never think less of the model for this slight inaccuracy. As long as you don’t replace parts with a very noticeable colour you’ll be fine.

Another example: the dish is being sold online for about €60 (without shipping) – but you can get the plain grey one for just €1,50 – doesn’t even look all that bad:

Chapter 13: The gallery

Some more pics of the finished model – hope you like ‘em.

Chapter 10: Conclusion

All in all, I’m glad I built the model. The experience of gathering the parts was quite unique and educational. The model itself is different than I had expected, but I might mod it to suit my personal taste.

Realistically, I don’t have the space to display this kit. My wife doesn’t want it in the living room as it is so big, and I don’t feel like displaying it in a room where it won’t be seen. So I will probably part it out again to feed other models – or just sell it on if I can find a buyer.

[large88]

@BrickieB Great post! it was a fun read, and very helpful if I ever want to BL my own Falcon.

[Thorg23]

Fantastic post BrickieB. This set is the one I most regret missing out on from being in my dark ages, so if I ever decide to take the leap and do this, your post will be a great resource. It's a fun read too!

[Jim]

Nice post BrickieB!

I have Bricklinked this model early this year, but I still haven't started the build.

A small tip for future projects; you can use Brickstore instead of Excel. It's awesome to keep track of your needed parts. It can also connect to Bricklink and give you an estimate of the average part costs. It can also import part lists for sets and placed bricklink orders. Additionally there's an add and subtract function, so you can manage your lists very easily. In my opinion, it blows Excel away in Bricklinking projects.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Gekke Ted

[BrickieB]

Thanks for the comments guys - and thanks for the tip Ted - I'll check it out!

[henning1010]

@BrickieB: fantastic post, thank you! I finished my bricklinked 10179 in January. It is so funny, I even did like all the starting stuff (e.g. ebay).

[jedi1984]

Great post BrickieB, every time I read of someone bricklinking a 10178 I realize how much I'd like to do that.

Unluckily I'm still stuck at brickinking that é$£"+* Cafè Corner. I'm missing only the rare parts, but in the end it's going to cost much more than I thought (it's going to end at 400 € with all the original parts but without instructions and box). Knowing myself I wouldn't like having parts replaced and this project could cost me an arm...

[CisFran]

Hi BrickieB, very informative post and i have fun reading it

[The_Chosen_1]

Thanks for sharing, BrickieB!! I was fortunate enough to be among the first that attempted to Bricklink 10179, about a year and a half or so ago, and got most of the rare parts for decent prices (and Lego was kind enough to send me an original sticker sheet!). It was definitely the most work that I've ever put into obtaining a Lego set, but it was so much fun!

[Al82]

I would also like to build my 10179 ordering the pieces with BL!

Enterprise crazy!