Andy D

Thanks Jim. I have a small soft box (which is only usable for small items)... Can you recommend a good larger, foldable soft box? Also, what do you recommend for lamps. I have tried the hardware store clamp lights, but they seem to fall apart quite easily. I am now ready to spend a little more, maybe $100 to $200 for reasonable photography equipment. You are right, I like to keep my room tidy between (even during) projects. Thanks, Andy D

@Jim and Jockos... Thanks, I really find it an enjoyable inspirational area to work in. Now if I could just figure out a way to put an easy to assemble/disassemble a photography area. Any ideas for a compact easy to assemble/disassemble photography area? Andy D

There are so many great workspaces here, I thought I would add mine. I published some photos back in 2013 in the General LEGO Discussion Area then, but I have never published anything here. Here goes... I got tired of the mish-mash of tables and such that I had in my LEGO studio and I convinced my wife to let me put some built-ins in the room for a building space as well as a storage and display space. Here is my main building space, plenty of room to build and some on the table space for 2 Akro Mills drawer units for more common parts. Workspace1 by MyPlasticBricks, on Flickr Here is a view of my on cabinet display space and floating shelves. I don’t display much, I either rotate models from the closet or just disassemble and put parts in stock. Workspace2 by MyPlasticBricks, on Flickr Here is a view showing one of my storage spaces. I have 5 under cabinet storage spaces for parts and in the one under the desk I put unopened sets. Workspace3 by MyPlasticBricks, on Flickr This is a view of the other side of the room, more display and storage space and a space for a TV that I use occasionally. The drawers on this side of the room are temporary storage for instruction books on the way to permanent storage in a uinti n the garage where I store more sets and seasonal items. Also I got tired of having a computer on my build desk so I got a lap-top an I store it and some accessories in the drawers as well. Workspace4 by MyPlasticBricks, on Flickr I just finished disassembling a couple of sets yesterday, so now It’s off to go sort and store. Andy D

This is outstanding! It is incredible to see things in LEGO that I have seen in person. Instantly recognizable. Andy D

That is very nice. However when I was in Elementary thru High School we had black chalkboards, TV in classroom was unheard of and we didn't have overhead projectors. Of course my Elementary thru High school was late 1950's thru early 1960's. That's what I get for being "older than dirt". Andy D

After looking at your photos again, I noticed how the shock absorbers are used to secure the camera. I must say, that is very, very clever! Now I want even more to see some more detailed photos! Thanks, Andy D PS. @ Tommy Stryovky: Your slider is very clever as well... It world be nice if you made a separate topic to better present and discuss your slider.

Very, very cool! It appears to that the majority of the pieces are frames. How many frames did you use? Can you take a couple of more photos to show more detail? I am currently looking for ideas for a slider for my GoPro. I can't decide whether to make it motorized (RC) or pulled manually or maybe with a string on a motorized reel. Lots of decisions. But your's is really cool. Thanks for posting this! Andy D

I don't "Hate" any LEGO set. I just like some less than others and I have never bought a Super Hero set (Batman, Ironman, etc) but I don't "Hate" them. Just MHO, YMMV, Andy D

I use several storage devices. For drawers I use Akron Mills drawer systems. For larger quantity I use 15 Quart closeable bins with either Glad Entree storage containers or 1 gallon Zip-Lock bags. I also use Plano fishing tackle boxes. I tried to get to just one system, but it didn't work so I adopted the multi-type storage container solution. For my needs LEGO storage is not a "one-size fits all" IHTH Andy D

I use both rebrickable and Basebrick. For inventory I like Basebrick best. Just MHO, YMMV Andy D

Thanks, this post (I think) put me over the edge to build the 42009 - B. I agree, it was a fun build, I just completed the Reacher Stacker part, I will build the truck and container tomorrow. There were many learning experiences, the gearbox and the bracing and the little, interesting sub-builds. Overall, I have spent 14 hours on this... 3 hours to disassemble the 42009 - A model 3 hours to sort and prepare to build 8 hours actual building divided up amongst 2, 3 hour build days (2, 1 1/2 build sessions) and 1, 2 hour build day. It will be interesting to see how long it takes me to build the container and truck. I think I will leave this one (the 42008 - B) together for a little longer than the A model. Andy D

The iPad worked out great! I just completed the 42009 - B, Reacher Stacker today! It was a fun build and the iPad provided all I needed to see to build it. I know that iBooks (or Goodreader) saves your place for you, but I found a little bit of extra security in writing down the book and page number when taking breaks. As long as the PDF is good, I would not hesitate to do this again with a large model, I still prefer paper booklets, but the iPad worked out well. Andy D

My budget is... Who am I kidding,what budget? I do not really have a dollar limited budget, just more space limited... But I still spend much less than many folks here. I guess I spend somewhere between $1,000 to $2,000 per year and $300 to $400 of that is for donations to toy drives. This year's 2nd half Technic offerings are going to account for more space... BWE great! Class 5000, great! Porsche, great! Andy D

Exactly! I needed to just that several times this AM while building. Considering the number of parts on my build desk vs the size of the desk, the iPad is a real winner there as well. So far I have just used the iPad today, I don't know if I will try the laptop as I was considering. Andy D

Thanks for all the replies and your reasoning. I was leaning towards iPad because of size and zooming, I think may try both to see which works best for me, but I think the zooming will be a big benefit for me and my eyesight. I disassembled the 42009 - A model in 3 hours Saturday, Sorted into bins for building in 3 hours Sunday (yesterday) Today, Monday I will actually start building the 42009 - B model! Thanks again, much appreciated! Andy D

I finished the 42009 - A yesterday. Great, fun build great model. Today I am going to start disassembly and sorting to prepare to build the B - model. It took me 11 build days (about 30 hours) for the A - model, I had the benefit of bags of parts. I wonder how long the B - model will take me considering I have to first disassemble before sorting? Well, off we go! Andy D

I am going to start the 42009 - B in the next couple of days. I have the six (6) instruction books on PDF (the only way available). I have built smaller models using PDF's on my iPad, but with such a big build, keeping track of where I am could be problematic. I take breaks and with books I just put a sticky note on the page to remind myself of where I was. I have a MacBook Pro as well, and I could use it for the instructions. What I am interested in is opinions and why one may be easier to use than another. Not a debate on tablet vs laptop for general use, just thoughts and your experiences on using one vs the other for PDF's for building. Thanks, Andy D

I just completed the 42009 today! I have been examining the instructions and whatever else I could find in both the "Ultimate" 42009 and the 42009 B - model. For now I have decided on the B - Model. It looks like a more interesting build (for now) and some interesting functions. I may build the "Ultimate" someday, but for now I'm just going to disassemble the 42009 (tomorrow) and start the B - Model either tomorrow or Sunday. The tear-apart and sort is going to be very time consuming, it may take all my available build time for Saturday and some of Sunday before I can even start building. Thanks to all who weighed in on a next great build! Andy D

Still looking at the instructions for the "Ultimate" 42009. It appears to me that one of the major things that was done to make it "Ultimate" was to remove those very well designed distribution gearboxes and replace them with motors or a battery box in the truck part of the model. Besides just removing gearboxes and replacing the functions with motors what interesting techniques are in the "Ultimate" build that are more advanced and/or interesting than the standard 42009? As far as learning goes, it appears that the main thing is learning how to fully motorize a model. Thanks, Andy D

Hey! Thanks for the responses! I don't know why the "Ultimate" version was not on my RADAR... I need to look at that, this sounds like it might be a great idea! Thanks again... Andy D

I am almost done with the 42009. It was/is one of the most enjoyable builds I've had in a long, long time. As I look around, there is no other set of comparable size and complicity available. I am seriously considering disassembling it and putting it together again, just for the experience. LEGO for me is more about the building anyway. Who else has considered / done / disassembled an enjoyable build just to have the experience of building it again and learning more? Andy D

Congratulations! All the entries were great, the top 3 were exceptional! Andy D

I'm still working on this set. I started Monday (Feb 8) by sorting all of the number 1 bags. Started building Tuesday and today I am still working on the base. This thing is a monster! A very enjoyable build, kind of like a learning laboratory for LEGO Technic! So far I am going a little better understanding of gear boxes (which is why I bought this set) and an understanding of building modules an connecting those modules together, then reinforcing with beams to give strength. A small thing I learned was to really look at parts when MOCing. On page 11, step 30, they joined 3 pieces with an axel to make a new support piece, really clever, I must remember this technique for the future. If there is anyone on the fence about this set... Get it while you can, you won't regret the learning/building experience! Andy D

Post # 8 in this thread http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=36535 has details of the Modular Standard. IHTH Andy D

To me the GBHQ is just too large, if it were smaller, like this http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=116894&hl= by PadrtBrickSplitter I would be more likely to buy it. The current GBHQ is just too large. Just MHO, YMMV Andy D