WaysofSorting

I mix both types freely. I sort by color only. The only problem I've had in bad lighting is with the bin of black. It's like feeling around in a void. So for those bins I started adding colors I have very few of (Sand colors, Pastels) with the black - The colorful bits pop out, and the black ones now have other things to stand out with. I was cursed to take color theory in art school a couple times (failed the first one - go figure) with the side-effect of having my eyes trained in recognizing very subtle differences in hue and value - so to me they are drastically/completely different because of the temperatures of the color (blue v yellow). If I grab the wrong one, I can put it back - but I like having both in the same drawer - depending on overall color scheme I think there's a time and a place for both grey flavors. Also, many of my MOCs live in the "dirty old world" aesthetic where things are built/rebuilt on the ghosts of old creations, so to me two greys is like "weathering" or rust - so I don't mind at all.

It does really fit the size and scale of the new Simpson's Figs :) I think it looks great. Much more my style than the recent Skulls kickstarter which was too "realistic" for my tastes - this design fits well with the LEGO toys' abstraction and simplicity. The two parts play well together and I applaud the piece.

Thanks for sharing this - I like the scale - about how tall do they end up being? Closer to 6inches, or the 3 3/4 inch action figures? Sorry if you've already done a side-by-side comparision. Great skirt/Samurai armor. I just got like, 1 trillion olive green cheese slopes from PAB and have been trying to figure out what to do with them. Nice to see them used in this textural fashion.

Interesting link (even LEGO Related) about painting a leather Bomber jacket. The paint they chose specifically because it was flexible... http://www.evilmadscientist.com/2014/cls-jacket/ The brand they recommend is Angelus Leather Paint, if you want to skip the article. Probably wise if you don't want to buy a leather jacket with the classic space logo emblazoned on it... I wonder how these paints would work on the rubber...they seem comparable with price to the GW paints - Of course. There's probably good flexible paint specifically for rubber out there, too... I think what you would want to do is find a paint that is oil-based, as these are going to be more flexible than the acrylic enamels - which will harden by design and possibly crack when the rubber is bent. That, or search for a "flexible acrylic medium" additive that could be added to the existing GW acrylics to allow it a bit more "play."

I love classic Battletech and Mechwarrior. I'm often jealous of my office workers when they start the morning with rousing war stories of playing Mechwarrior Online (a "free to play" game that seems rather faithful to the property) as a team. This figure reminds me of some of the vintage Iron Winds metal miniatures. I think you (er, your brother) has built a splendid frame to start tricking out and building a lance of mechs around. Have your brother show us more!

It looks like they mean the two colored plastics are injected/molded into one part with precision - There's no way they could get paint so cleanly between his legs otherwise (short legs) - so sort of like the pieces that fade from one color plastic to another...only here very well done - I wonder if it's a different type of plastic?

Iain Heath / OchreJ / Ochre Jelly has his famous video about that process - edit - spelled the man's name correctly!

I really thought Monster Fighters weren't my thing until I got some sets on clearance. Then I realized how well all of the bits on the figs fit in with my collection/story/narrative that I bought as many as I could find on sale. I agree with you on Chima...I bought a small set just to check it out and was immediately hooked by the feeling of good design and thought that had gone into it all. Ironically - things that should be right up my alley like Galaxy Squad and Ninjago, I've mostly passed on for other offerings. There will be themes I intentionally ignore (world racers) but I like when I'm surprised!

I guess call the store you plan on going to and speak with someone specific? I would anticipate they will say you need to use them by the date to be honored (especially if you just show up with them in hand). Ah well - maybe sell or trade them if you can't use them. Good luck!

I don't know how Milliput compares to the two part epoxy "greenstuff" in properties...so this may not be helpful: But when I use the greenstuff traditionally for sculpting (Minis for wargames) a petroleum jelly (very very light coating) allowed for separation later and for keeping my sculpting tools from sticking to the material. Of course, it also means what you are trying to sculpt may slide all around the LEGO part as well...Plus, everything seems to get greasy quick and I don't like the way it seems to contaminate everything it gets near. I had some success with water-based lubricant - (Ask a pharmacist, but don't be surprised if they bring you KY Jelly) - mainly because it was much easier to clean the tools and surface after sculpting and in between steps. I just washed it off...

Hey - yeah, I like the idea of a Custom MM Thread. Need to dig my way to the black plates bin...

Plans for 2014 - figure out where I will be living (at least what State!) and settle in enough to Start a LUG.

Very cool details. Interesting to see Uni-Kitty hanging out in the back of the ship - I hadn't seen that before (Though I'd notice Classic Space Uni Kitty in someone's signature). Anyway - the more I see of the ship, the more I like it! Pitch-perfect design for a throwback ship.

Sideshow bob. I suppose only orange prison outfit works. - with a rake (you know the joke!) and his oversized shoes. Barney. As a big-fig like the Hulk. With trans clear mug with printed beer foam. Principal Skinner. He's in the credits and Bart's main foil. His suit and tie would be best, with Megaphone to scare the kids Or a 2x2 printed tile, picture of his mother.

Wow - great pic - essentially a super teaser. It looks like the house: Check. I just wish I could zoom a little better and see the details of the interior. That looks like where all the good stuff is! I want to see the couch!

Yes. A terrible thing. I never used adblock, but that kind of ad goes beyond worry that my LEGO browsing experience will be interrupted by ads. That is very negative representation of the hobby and of this site. Please someone get rid of those!

Andy - Great post. I've always used the .10 per piece as an "off the hip" measurement, but I think it's deep roots in the AFOL and community has influenced LEGO's set design. I feel like they've been able to keep a "perceived value" by maintaining the ratio of parts to price by doing just what you say (Using many repetitive lower cost pieces to greatly sway the ratio and offset the more expensive parts.) Anyway, the price per gram definitely makes sense (Well, some sense - I'm American so metric always scrambles my mind for a bit) and is a formula that i'd like to see in more reviews! It does indeed make more sense as a value measurement for a set. I'd love to see an in depth comparison of incensed themes to non-incensed themes $/g ratio. edit - And how does this work out with average Pick-a-Bricks tubs?

I am 99% sure you are aware of all this and I'm just looking a fool by posting. But for those of us not in the know, or on that 1% chance this is helpful: Lego has an education website/webstore that pitches their products. Useful for culling video and inspiration when you pitch to the administration: http://www.legoeduca...CFUgS7AodKnIATQ One product you may want to look at is "Story Starter." Granted, you could probably build the curriculum and outcomes yourself based on the learning model here - but having it all come from a company is a nice "Cover your butt" option (even if it's an expensive one). All it takes is one disruptive (ie - creative) story told by a student and the parents can blame the instructor and end the fun for everyone. [Edit] - also it comes with the rubrics and alignment with core/common competencies which make "grading" and evaluating and planning much easier. You could probably brick-link the kits for cheaper than buying them from LEGO, the main cost being the story visualizer software. [Edit] - direct link to story starter - http://www.legoeduca...ne~StoryStarter

Great thread to start. The image above makes me sad just looking at it. I don't have any strong examples at this time. Most "lost bricks" in my collection involve regular system pieces getting jammed and stuck up in the bottom end of a Duplo piece somehow, at an odd angle that can't be removed... Kind of like the couch in the stairwell in Douglas Adams' "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" (Paste from the wikipedia Article) A number of elements in the novel were inspired by Adams' time at university. For example, one plot thread involves moving a sofa which is irreversibly stuck on the staircase to Richard's apartment; according to his simulations, not only is it impossible to remove it, but there is no way for it to have got into that position in the first place. In a similar incident that occurred while Douglas Adams attended St John's College, Cambridge, furniture was placed in the rooms overlooking the river in Third Court while the staircases were being refurbished. When the staircases were completed, it was discovered that the sofas could no longer be removed from the rooms, and the sofas remained in those rooms for several decades.

Very cool. I don't have the parts to build these (or anything like them) in real life - but nicely done. Would they hold up, structurally, in the brick? Eitherway, I really enjoy the underbellies of the dragons and the engines on the wings.

Wow. Great castle and great layout. For the former I say hats off to you to a successful defeat of the time-pressure. Looks great. Excellent shape and way to anchor the end of the display. For the latter - I love how each scene on the table had its own shape - like a little island. Really helps the viewer's eye flow and makes the overall layout that much more appealing. I prefer that to the "Wall of Bricks" approach. Bravo. Less is more.

Thanks very much for the review. I'm not much a follower of the Clone Wars, so to me these have no place in my collection's mythology. I like the green clone troopers and agree with the dislike for the scout helmet. Over-all, though, I think I would use the bodies of the troopers over the helmets many times over - they are great for generic soldier figs. I will probably get one of these, if on sale, but prefer the DS Gunner and Imperial Pilot pack by a wide margin.

I work in dim light. Bad for my eyes, I know - but even worse when working with black. Mostly I sort by color, but with black I always add another color [Edit - to the bins. I add the second color to my black sorting bins] (looking around me, yellow is what I've been using with these bricks currently) to help me see what's going on in there. As for the creations themselves - I usually go "almost all black" or Hardly any black (leaning lately toward the latter) - When I try to mix it up in any amount within 20 - 80% black, it looks weird and is generally hard to reconcile visually. Black ends up just looking like a void to me... Today I was working on a darkred/black mech walker thing. (It's terrible, but never mind that) For a long time I was just stuck - until I got rid of the black and made it mostly all dark red. Much better and I was able to speed along with the building after that.

Great review and focus on the blasters - you've answered a number of questions I had looking at the screenshots. I'm glad to see the DSG and Imperial Guards. I never picked up the latter, and the Former were always one of my favorite Vintage figures. I can't wait to add these guys to my forces -

You fit a lot into the small space - well done. I need to get myself some of those cupboards. I really like the step-up, step-down of the back bumper. Makes up for the lack of the side-patient door. In my town all the ambulances have been replaced by county-owned Fire-Rescue Hybrids. So...even larger format (9-wide?) - which is cool, until you have a stack of them in the front yard for a routine call. You'd think the world was ending with all the lights and the firemen and the paramedics.