Teddy

Thanks Aliencat! I'm not going to enter. I've just started to do my first castle and I want to finish that one first. I've ordered some bricks that should keep me busy during christmas. To be honoust I wasn't really aware of CC and CC-contest untill fairly recently so I didn't plan anything. Maybe I will enter something next year. But I will probably start to focuss more on the HMS Victory now. I want to finish my MOC of the HMS Victory before next years Legoworld Zwolle. So me, CGH and Errorist can display our ships side by side. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Aliencat, as i said on CC. Me and my girlfriend (she happened to see me browsing at the time ) really love the shape of this castle. It reminded my girlfriend of Mont Saint Michel: http://www.endurancerides.com/images/MontStMichel.jpg. Well as I said before it's a real beauty. Difficult choice this year for CCCVI, with all those beautyful castles. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, Some of you point to an interesting point in regard to VAT. If one would analyse pre-VAT prices the exchange rate is around 1,35 US Dollars for 1 Euro. which is slightly above the current exchange rate, but still pretty close. I was just wondering where the price hike in the US originated from, since some lego is produced in Mexico ( I don't know the exact numbers) and this should therefore insulate the US market somewhat against currency fluctuations. For me it is just curiousity. The prices in Europe seem to be more or less equal in all member states using the Euro. Kind regards, Teddy Dear Brickzone, you're absolutely right! Some sets are already 20% cheaper in the UK right now, just compare S@H prices. The UK pound has already lost about 30% of its value against the Euro this year alone. Currently, I'm seriously contemplating visiting the UK for a short holliday since the exchange rate is so increadably low. I was there two years ago wen prices were on par with the Netherlands. Now it just seems like a shopping paradise, with a 25-30% discount on everything. And because it is an EU member state one can import an unlimited amount of goods (preferably lego) from the UK to the Netherlands or any other EU member state. So you're lucky to be so close to the UK (Northern Ireland). I'm just feelling a bit sorry for you Brits out there.... But then again if the Brits were in the Euro, the huge UK debt would weigh down on the Euro and thus devalue my pension (still 30+ years away) . So to be honoust, I'm not that sorry they opted out. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, I just can't believe lego hasn't shown any photos yet. Back in the days, before the internet, there used to be catalogs in december which listed all next year sets. That came in handy for planning the sets you wanted to purchase the comming year. So to make a long story short: we are just a couple of weeks away from 2009, but haven't seen a new castle set yet. (except fot the 10193 set ) Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, I was just scrolling the forum. I noticed some Americans complaining about price rises. So I compared the 2009 EUR prices to 2008 EUR prices. The piece count per euro is more or less stable. However the price per piece in Dollars has clearly gone up from 2008 to 2009. It appears the US price is derived from the EUR price via the current exchange rate. That could explain why the 2009 sets have such a per piece price rise in Dollars. Just an example which is a clear cut comparisson: Town set 7633, 898 pieces. 89,99 Euros including taxes 99,99 US Dollar excluding taxes (110,00 including taxes, could someone from the US verify the taxes?) Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, today I saw the Crawler Crane 7632 in a local store (Bijenkorf: in Eindhoven, the Netherlands) it was priced at 49,99 Euros. Given it has 481 pieces it appears pricing as normal (10 pieces per Euro) here in the Netherlands. Kind regards, Teddy <edit:> I checked the prices at the German site mytoys.de It appears 7633 is priced at 89,99 Euros including taxes, compared to 99,99 US excluding taxes. So that would be about 110,00 US including taxes (can some guys from the US help me out with the taxes?). Apparently, the Lego company is now calculating the US prices by transfering the Euro prices to US via the current exchange rates. Since, the euro prices are more or less stable. That might explain the 30% price hike in the US for the 2009 sets. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear MrTools, thats a really nice looking ship. It really captures the lego pirate feel. Don't give up building without ship parts, its way more fun. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Phred, the ship is comming along nicely. Can't wait for more photos. Any work on the stern/cabins that is done/finished or in progress? Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Dr Lucky, where the proportions between the cabin and the length of the ship on the origional seem to be a bit off, your modification/design seems to have solved that problem. The gangway as proposed by Phred is a good idea. After that, all that is needed is a few more guns and an anchor. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Ras. that is some impressive stuff! Especially compared to the original one. The side pannels look great! I'm really looking forward to your cockpit design. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, Does anybody of the US owners of the BB have a photo of the BB side by side to the BSB and/or the SES? Kind regards, Teddy

There are alternate models on the box art of the yellow castle, which may be a source of inspiration. here is a link to a photo on brickshelf, the alternates are on the bottom and right of the box: here. Hope this helps. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Castlestrike666, your castle is progressing nicely! I love the tree you made, it looks fantastic. The courtyard buildings are also looking good. Keep it up. BTW, I'm also interested in this gray brick heaven shop. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Etzel et all, I use a simular technique in my HMS Victory MOC all around the hold. There I use this brick here to connect them to the sides and connect an internal framing making the entire structure three plates thick. The double wooden plating is on the left and right of the minifig, the single in front and back. Hopefully this might help in connecting the frames to the walls. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear KimT, any update on the yellow castle yet? Kind regards, Teddy

Dear KimT, Yes I prefer them too. Actually now I'm thinking about it I noticed I had replaced most of my new swords and all my spears by alternative weapons. Just prefer that sturdy look I guess. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Brickadier General, thanks for your post! I had not heared of the Union Irish Brigade untill I read this post. Here in the Netherlands, and I guess in the most of Europe, the American civil war is not part of our history lessons. Rightfully or wrongfully, it is regarded as a side note event in history. An internal conflict which did not affect the rest of the world in a time when the British and French Empires conquered continents. So any knowledge about these events neads to be obtained out of pure interest in the topic. So thanks for bringing them to my attention! Kind regards, Teddy

Dear pig, your MOC made me laugh. That Dwarf must be flying over the water with such a huge engine! Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Dwarvenlord et all, thanks for all your cool replies. I am planning to extend the current moat around the castle. Currently, the landscape is modular as well, so I'll make some additional blue base sections and extend the raised courtyard sections to the back. I'm not sure if I'll extend the width of the landscape, because it wouldn't fit anywhere except the livingroom floor. And my poor girlfriend is already swamped in bricks.... I need a bigger house. I am going to build an interior, since I enjoy having minifigs in action on the inside. Strangely I only started to do interiors lately, before I didn't bodder. But now I really like the extra element they bring to a MOC. I had an initial plan, but I decided to do it differently, so now I'm not entirely sure anymore how I will make the interior. Kind regards, Teddy

I'm not sure if it is more flimsy plastic-wise, or if it is more of a color issue. In the current color the plastic seems to be a little bit transparant for light, giving it a somewhat flimsy appearance. If the color was dark (bl/gr)ey (as is the current axe) it would look more sturdy, because it wouldn't be so transparant. Just my thoughts. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear TheBrickster, I enjoyed reading your article! Although we don't have the pirates available in Europe yet all the reviews do give a good impression of the line-up. Currently, I have my collection of old pirates sets on display on a shelf in my home. I do not have all the classic pirates sets, but I have about 80% of them and all ships except for the Red Beard Runner, which I just didnt like at the time . To make a long story short; I feel fine displaying the classic pirates sets as I do with the Star Wars sets as well. But, I have my doubts about the current line up. Although, I haven't seen a photo with the current BB alongside the BSB and SES. With this line up I'm not sure if i will display them or use them as parts packs for pirates MOCs... I guess this feeling about displaying the current pirates sets is simular to people feeling something lacking design-wise... Are there any owners of the current pirates sets that have a simular line of thinking and can enlighten me a bit? Kind regards, Teddy

Dear MrTs, That is a really cool MOC! I really like how you build the waterfall. Kind regards, Teddy

Haha thanks Guss, thats a real nice compliment! Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, after a chat session with Captain Green Hair I decided to redo the windows of the Keep entirely. Hopefully you like the "Keep" I've designed. Any comments and feedback is highly appriciated. Kind regards, Teddy All current wall sections combined without the landscape: Third version of the Keep design WIP which goes at the "right back" corner. A redesign version 2 was after usefull comments of blueandwhite. After a chat session with Captain Green Hair I desided to redo the windows again. The windows: The keep: With a wall section: Other side With a wall section: Nice empty space for a throne room.

Dear RebelRock, Brilliant! That is just amazing! What a beauty! Any interior/courtyard photos as well? Kind regards, Teddy