Teddy

Dear all, This news just made my day. I just really hope they will return to the old quality of the sets. I really dont fancy any fantasy elements. The only lego I ever banned to a box are those dragons, skelletons and trols from the new castle line.... It just ruins the whole history feel to it. There are no dragons skelletons and trols in Europe... The sea monsters kept me from buying any Viking sets. Its just plain weird.. To be honoust, those monsters just disgust me to the bone. So I keep my fingers crossed that they won't include any mythical monsters... Or I will pass on this line, or have to buy a bigger garbage bin. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, thank you for all the kind replies. Some of you requisted some enterior pictures. Therefore, I made some just now and put them in my Brickshelf folder here. Hopefully you like them. I will be looking forward to your comments and replies. Kind regards, Teddy View from the back: The gearing system to raise the bridge: The roof of a corner tower: The enterior of a corner tower: Overall view with all sections I have build: Other corner tower:

Dear Captian green hair, that is a very beautyful steam engine, with some nice detailing. I realy enjoyed the video you made of the train riding the track. I really like these 8 stud wide engine designs. Hopefully lego will go to 8 studs as well. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear all, I was bored of working on my HMS Victory MOC here, so I decided to do an attempt at making a modular castle. All towers and wall sections can be separated. The castle is loosely based on the Muiderslot. -----edit nov 2008------ In the mean while the castle has grown into a serious project. I've tried to make an up-to-date compilation of the most recent pictures in this first post. I enjoy posting my progress and incorperating the great feedback I've received thus far! --------------------------- Hopefully you like my design. any comments are welcome. Kind regards, Teddy Pictures updated on May 2009: The current courtyard: The courtyard buildings: details: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...f0959correl.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...f0961correl.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...f0963correl.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...f0966correl.jpg Pictures updated on December 2008 (better light this time): Update of the "keep" http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvande/WIP-castle/newupdatedec2008/24-12-08_1200nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1147nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1138nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1145nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...08_11522nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...08_12022nr2.jpg Current windows: (January 2009) courtyard buildings: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-09_1314nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-09_1315nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-09_1316nr2.jpg Pictures updated on November: 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: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1324nr2.jpg The keep: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1314nr2.jpg With a wall section: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1315nr2.jpg Other side http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1316nr2.jpg With a wall section: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1318nr2.jpg Nice empty space for a throne room. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1321nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1320nr2.jpg The courtyard buildings now have a wooden floor: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1945nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1949nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1952nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1948nr2.jpg Pictures updated on 30 October: new (Updated scenery and additional dark bley plates in the walls): http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1547nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1553nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1550nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1549nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1556nr2.jpg Pictures updated on 17 October: new (New courtyard buildings interior and stables(Inspired by 10193)): http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1312nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1137nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1136nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_2003nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_2001nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1138nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1142nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1144nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1145nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1147nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1148nr2.jpg Pictures updated on 5 October: new (additional texture to the walls): http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1256nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1250nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1251nr2.jpg Pictures updated on 1 October: new (Hoist update): http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1417nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1408nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1409nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1410nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1412nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1414nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1415nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1416nr2.jpg For ease of controle I made exterior nobs for us humans next to the two brown ones operated by the soldiers on the top level. http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...08_1417nr22.jpg old: Here is the first version of the castle on top of a cabinet: http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1820nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1818nr2.jpg http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/Johanvan...-08_1816nr2.jpg

Dear Mr Tiber, the main reason for using that specific part is to attach the breach rope. A breach rope is used to controle the recoil of the gun when fired. The breach rope is attached to the back of the gun, as can be seen in this image: I designed an alternative base which allows for a slightly lower profile of the gun. The lower profile of the base comes closer to the original gun base. As requisted by Joey Lock I have used a mini-figure to give an indication of scale. The gun with the newly designed base and minifigure is shown in this image: Dear Mister Phred, the armament of the HMS Victory at Trafalgar was: Lower Gun Deck 30 x 32 pounder Middle Gun Deck 28 x 24 pounder Upper Gun Deck 30 x 12 pounder (long) Quarter Gun Deck 12 x 12 pounder (short) Forecastle 2 x 12 pounder (medium) 2 x 68 pounder carronad The 32 and 24 pounder guns will be made using the black palm tree trunks. Currently I have enough black palm tree trunks to construct 20 guns. As requisted by HMS243, I made two photos of the used pieces. I would like to thank everybody who commented. Your feedback is appriciated. I would appriciate if readers of this topic would inform me of grammar mistakes via an email. I have been given a kind warning and I do not wish to be banned due to my spelling mistakes. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear Faramir, thank you for your comment! The gun cannot move up or down. Its fixed to its current position. This was the only way i could use those pieces. Kind regards, Teddy Hi Joey Lock, Thanks for your reply! Sharp eye Joey! The front is indeed a black palm tree piece. In fact i used two and a lego technic tube connector. The back of the gun are two pots and a pan. These where the only objects with the right diameter I could find. In the end I will need 102 guns of this type. Of which 30 are exactly similar and the others will vary a bit in length (be a little bit shorter). Kind regards, Teddy

Hi Captain green hair, thanks for your recommendation! i must say I'm also leaning towards version 1. Kind regards, Teddy Hi I Scream Clone, thanks for your compliment! Getting all those tiles has already taken me two years.... Kind regards, Teddy Hi Staudi, thanks for your recommendation! I'm also having a slight preference for version 1. I'm just not sure yet how I can make it smooth like option 2. do you have any suggestions? Kind regards, Teddy Hi Mr Tiber, Thank you for your comments. I really apriciate the feedback! The redoing of the stern was some serious work. I had to redo a lot to get it back together again. And after such a massive operation, you always hope the end-result is better than what you started out with. I have to say I'm pleased with the end result. In real life it seems a lot smoother. That senation is hard to capture on a photo. But I'm glad it is noticable. Thanks for the recommendation of the first gunport. You are right the second one looks a bit weird when opened. I must say nobody has prefered the second version so far. So judging from that I think I will also go with version one. Kind regards, Teddy

Compared to the official lego gun:

Prototyping a 3 x 3 gunport. -------------------------------- Dear all, Recently I have been prototyping a new gun port with a new brick introduced recently this year: link to brick information on bricklink I have made two different prototypes to create a 3 x 3 gunport, which i need for the HMS Victory. Any feedback is very much appriciated. Kind regards, Teddy Note: You can see in the background, I've been doing some prototyping with the tumbling home as well. Prototype 1: Prototype 2:

You two guys seem to have had a good time! Nice to see two huge pirate fans having a good time. Especially Errorist when he almost threw CGHs La Mort Royal on the ground. Kind regards, Teddy

Dear mister blue Beard, That is very interesting. (Although Breda was liberated in 1637. ) Could you please explain this link: here and this link: here I was under the impression these where the Tercios you where talking about. Or am I mistaken? Kind regards, Teddy

Dear mister BlueBar, Nice find! slightly of topic: On what point system do you base the assumption they where the best the world has known? Scrolling through some battles they were involved in I already see three defeats. Or am I somehow mistaken? I tried to read their website but it is in Spanish. What my short research showed was: -The Spanish-American War (1898) won by the USA -The Siege of Toulon (18 September - 18 December 1793) won by the French. -Anglo–Spanish War (1585) won by england and the Dutch rebbels (revolting against their Spannish king ), which in turn let to the creation of the Dutch Republic here. A dutch revolution which some say inspired the rebels in the USA. Not so strange since New York was mostly inhabited by Dutch settlers having a Dutch version of rights tolerated by the English which lookes like the current bill of rights of the USA. a USA which in turn came to haunt the Spanish in 1898. The irony of history.. Please dont take this post too seriously, the research is not done rigourisly enough, nor does the author believe it to be completely true. Kind regards, Teddy

Hi mister HMS243, that looks like a mighty fine vessal. 64 guns, Pirates be ware! How many midsections have you used for this ship? Are there pictures of the interior and the stern as well? I think the tumbling home effect came out nicely. Frontpage material well done! That will surely attract additional attention to the pirates forum. Keep up the nice MOCs! Kind regards, Teddy

Hi General Knowledge, sorry to hear your wife isn't interested in spending time with you at the BrickCon. A trick which worked for me is to bargain. So ask her to go to a lego event and then ask her what she wants to do with you in return. But realy start with suggesting the lego event, because else she might feel tricked into something. Is there some lego event near you in the near future which makes a visit less of a hasle? (I always hate waiting at an airport. Prefer travel by car or train. ) Another trick is to see if you can combine her holliday ideas with a visit to a lego event, again barganing... But if she likes it there it is worth the hastle. Sorry to hear Legoland California is no good. I will spend some time in California next year and was looking forward to visiting Legoland there. It still might be a good deal for me since lego prices are half in the US compared to the Netherlands due to the exchange rate of the Euro. Is their other collection any good? Their pick a brick wall for example? Well I hope you can convince her to spend some time with you at a lego event, although you might have to do a visit you dislike yourself. Kind regards, Teddy

Hi Gen.Knowledge, almost gave them to your niece and nephew to play with. You poor guy. Does she know the price per mini-fig these days? Okay I know it are childrens toys, but they just don't make those soldiers torsos anymore. So they are more like collectables nowadays, which should be handled with care. Luckely I already came from my dark-ages before me and my girlfriend started to live together. So now we have a seperate room where I store and display my lego, which can be locked. The room also doubles as a study room. It might help to take her to a lego event and meet other adult fans. Kind regards, Teddy

I like your design, It looks like the bigger brother of the emperial trading post 6277 here merchant ship. We need more merchant ships for the pirates to plunder! Hopefully you will do an updated version, so that the ship may re-appear from the death. Kind regards, Teddy

Really like your design. It has a real classic pirate feel to it. Especially with the crowsnest for Redbeard. It reminds me somewhat of Forbidden Island 6270 here. Really like the rock facade! Is the rum brewery hidden inside? Kind regards, Teddy

I voted Pirates, Although castle came close, I just love the freedom of the wide oceans! And the sunshine of the caribians. Kind regards, Teddy

Wow, that army looks great! Love the emperial feel to it. you've collected all this since mid June? You're comming out of your dark-ages with a bang. Hopefully your wife will turn around. It's an innocent hobby, I mean it's not like you're burning your money on gambling or alcohol and you can always sell on bricklink or ebay.

Dear all, after a usefull discussion with Captain green hair over MSN I decided to redo the stern. although i did not fully use all of Captain green hairs advice (sorry Captain green hair ) i think the "smoothness" of the stern is improved. Please let me know your opinion. Kind regards, Teddy old stern: new stern: side view new stern:

Congratulations Captain Green Hair!

they would be bad business man if they would change it. The only reason for them to change this would be economics. So either: - we stop buying unless they lower proces or the most realistic option: -there is serieus competition (clone brand) driving prices down.

Yep, you are right Alldarker, the main reason is: -a company asks what the fool is willing to pay. The other arguments are just nonsence to obscure this simple fact of life. The EU market (16,8 triliion dollars) is about 22% larger than the US market (13,8 trillion dollars) (IMF 2007 numbers) With the dollar falling another 10% or so after these numbers where published the difference has only increased... and now to the retailers, lets bypass them all together and go straight to the company itself. just a quick look at the new Star Wars sets on lego.com: Republic Attack Gunship 7676 in europe: 139,99 Euros in US: 119,99*0.6374 = 76,48 Euros Price difference: 139,99 - 76,48 = 63,51 Euros or : 1,5686*63,51 = 99,62 dollars a wopping 100 dollars! difference on one set priced at 119,99 dollars. Please dont tell me this factor of 2 has anything to do with economy of scale and retailers... Its all just plain and simple, the price is what the fool is willing to pay. No more no less.

Like all the "action sceneries" inside the main MOC Makes it all verry lively!

Wow really fantastic! Really like the color scheme. Must say that bley somehow seems to really give it the right feel... did i say that?