captaintau

It's a very good start. *y*

I meant to discuss Troy yesterday. Yes, there have been huge delays but really I blame the BrickLink mechanism for buyers' dissatisfaction, not Troy. Whilst sourcing parts for my StealthX by searching BL based on part number, one of the less common parts was available through Troy. I went on to add LOTS of parts from Troy's shop that visit. All the time searching his shop by part number. It was only when I went to the checkout that the Splash screen informed me that Troy was moving house and so any orders would be delayed by several weeks. At that point, I had the option to cancel the transation as I hadn't gone too far. I chose not to since I'd ordered SO MANY parts that time and I couldn't be arsed re-searching elsewhere for them. Several weeks later, Troy sends the invoice which I obviously paid for at the first opportunity and the parts arrived really quite quickly. What I'm saying is that ideally I'd have had the Splash screen as soon as I went to the shop with my first selected part, not after I'd put together a large order. Troy did warn his potential buyers. The BL mechanism didn't allow that warning to be as early displayed as it should be. This is the only time I have dealt with Troy. I was very pleased, given that I chose to accept the delay on sending.

I suspect that you mean you couldn't care less.

Yeah, I'm not much of a photographer. My room has poor lighting. Black is difficult to photograph. The final pic's (which I'll probably post on Thursday rather than tomorrow night due to teaching) need re-taking as I can't see anything on them! In the meantime, the latest installment. The R9-series astromech was a challenge. Someone on here suggested using the black astromech. Good idea in principle, but then hwo do you tell an R9-series from the R2-series? I used pictures from the New Essential Guide to Droids to guide me. This is what I ultimately came up with. I am very pleased with it, actually. The Shadow Bombs. I knew what I wanted to do here from the outset. The plan worked. On these, simplicity is key. They're nothing more than black thruster pieces lined up the "claw" of a black Lightsaber hilt. Simple as that. The relative rarity of black Lightsaber hilts made this the most expensive part of the build, though.

Several comments: - OK, the comment I left was maybe a little sarcastic. It was true, though. I think "succinct" is the word ;-) - I wasn't aware that my one negative could mean being unable to browse some stores. That's worrying - I've put in a feedback removal request. We'll see what happens - Yeah, $0.06 seems petty to argue over. The store was the only place I could get this part and it didn't have any other parts I wanted or needed My thoughts on feedback generally. Well, on eBay, I only leave feedback after it's been left for me. I'm always honest, too. I think a lot of people get worried about what feedback will be left for them and so don't post. I think the buyer has less to lose by accruing negative feedback since (on eBay at least) it doesn't stop you buying anything, whereas for sellers it can make potential buyers very wary. I had an issue a few years ago that wasn't being easily resolved. Very awkward seller. The item eventually arrived. I contacted eBay's support for advice as I wanted to leave negative feedback but was afraid of reciprocation. I think I had made about ten transactions at the time so one negative would have taken my feddback rating down to 90%. If I were to try and sell, who's going to buy from someone with a feedback rating of 90%? The response I got from eBay was very good in terms of a personal answer. They said that part of the responsibility of being an eBay member was leaving appropriate feedback in order to better inform fellow members. They said all long-term eBayers would eventually accrue "battle scars" of negative feedback and I should just accept that it could happen. Whereas I take the point, it was easy for him to say. If you lose 100% feedback, you can never get it back. You may get 99.9%, but never 100%. So I didn't leave feedback and didn't receive any. Maybe I was a wimp, I don't know. CaptainTau - eBay feedback 100% over around 90 transacations - BrickLink feedback 99 (would be 101, with 100%, but for one immature idiot)

I don't think there is a reference picture, just descriptions in the books and on the Wookieepedia. Essentially a StealthX is an X-wing but BLACK, a little shorter and with specific upgrades such as an increased sensor package in the nose and carrying shadow bombs (no propulsion method other than the Force, so truly "shadow") This brings us nicely on stage 2 In stage 2, I made LOTS of modifications and attempted lots more that didn't work out. Along the way, I gradulally replaced more and more parts with black. I didn't go 100% black from the outset as I though that splashes of bley would highlight the black and the shape and angles of the StealthX. The biggest changes were reducing the size slightly. The Stage 2 StealthX is one stud lower (by changing the landing gear), one stud narrower on each wing and one stud shorter in the nose. Because the nose is angled, I think that this means that it's actually less than one complete stud shorter, but the point remains. First photo' is of the front. You can see - The sensor package on the nose - smaller wings at the nose to brak up the shape. I've used some artistic licence here, since I figure the StealthX will have angles like a real-life Stealth bomber - the use of 1x1x2/3 tile/slopes to smoothen out the shape Second photo': the side. Here you can see - The R9 series astromech, which I'll come to later - The Astromech socket, which I'm particularly proud. I'm gonna take more photo's of it since the ones I've take so far are rubbish - The photon torpedoes. This is what I really want to fix, but can't think how. I've tried several things but nothing's worked so far. I'm open to suggestions - Mods to the rear of the weapons and change of thruster colour as the StealthX uses a unique fuel - How mmuch work I've done to the sides of the cockpit and the fuselage behind it. I've used off-center plate placement ont he 1x4 bricks-with-side-studs to raise the slope pieces by half a stud! Lot of work with a tiny bit of movement, but I think a far smoother end look. - The bricks behind this (1x2 grilled bricks) have been removed to drop the sides by one stud for mods on the top without increasing the height. This has meant I've been able to put in handgrips for minfigs or droids. Again, it enhances the shape - A shadow bomb, which I'll come to later Next photo': the top - Everything above, from a better view - Also the back. I've replaced the cog with what I feel is a better handle using some technic parts - Since the photo' was taken, the binoculars on the nose have been taken away The rear: And finally, a different view of the front:

Nope, he was late in sending it.

The feedback I left, as the buyer was: "Sets new records in Slow" to which he replied "No contact and For .06 cents order. Please take your business elsewhere" Quite what he means by "no contact", I have no idea His resultant feedback to me was "Left neg feedback and did not bother to resolve. All for 0.06 cents" How do you resolve it? I have replied "So I get -ve feedback BECAUSE I left (justified) -ve f/b. That's really mature!" I would add that the order TWO WEEKS to arrive, having been posted first class and being for just onr part. I gets parts from abroad (like one from Hong Kong arrived today) that take far less time to arrive than that.

I've just discovered that I've been left negative feedback on BrickLink. I'm quite shocked. In 80+ eBay transactions and nearly 100 BL transactions, I've never had a negative before. I wouldn't mind, but there's no justification for it. I left the seller appropriate negative feedback because the order took weeks (literally) to arrive. So he's left me negative feedback just because I've left him negative. Really mature, yes? Can I do anything about this. Like, request it be withdrawn, report him to BL? Or shall I just accept it? It may not be worthwhile pursuing it, but it's the principle, right?

Yes, you are all correct, it's not black enough. That will come in stage 2. Sorry for posting this in several bits, but with the photo' size, my skills and my dial-up connection, it makes sense. I think it also tells a story. Now, it was at this point of the project that I completed my primary minifig: Jaina Solo. This, I'm really quite proud of What we're got is - A Y-Wing pilot's body - Princess Leia's head, which makes sense since Jaina is the daughter of Leia. I wasn't worry about yellow or Fleshtone. It was Fleshtone that came up on BrickLink and I think it works - A white rebel pilot's helmet with no pattern - Some brown hair with briad that I stumbled upon that definately reflects her look on the covers of the nevels - A Chrome Lightsaber hilt - A purple lightsaber blade I'm still trying to BrickLink a black helmet to go with the black StealthX

It's quite possible. I mean, Jedi sometimes spend weeks on missions where diplomacy and tact are essential. In the middle of negotiations (or indeed in middle of fighting off a few hundred Battle Droids), tehy can hardly declare "please excuse me, I need to dump!" :-D

It's up and working now. And I've just dioscovered that I've been left my first ever negative feedback. Probably I left the p***k justified negative feedback

I thoroughly enjoyed the New Jedi Order and am currently awaiting the latest installment of the Legacy of the Force series. I'm rubbish at MOCing, but wanted to do something. So I decided to create a StealthX. It's taken me from early December until a week ago to complete. It'll probably be an ongoing project anyway. Although it's "finished" now, there are still a couple of things that I'm not completely happy with. I'll do this in segments since I have a lot of photo's of the overall progress, including first build, first major mod and minifigs. What I did to begin with was take the X-Wing on Hoth and BrickLink parts in alternative colours. Anything white became black, red became dark bley and tan became light bley. Bley stayed bley. This was stage 1. Photo's: Front Side Top As you can see, it's not really black enough. Still, this was a successful conclusion to stage 1. In hindsite, I wasted a lot of money on this stage. I should have gone more black right from the beginning. Stage 2 to follow another day

I don't care which, as long as there's only one or the other. On that basis, I'd have preferred that Bley hadn't come into existence, though I have nothing against the colour as such.

Yeah, the first AT-AT looks better, but the second one is motorised! X-D *y*

Happy birthday, Ras. Have a good one.

Yeah I know. I don't do pictures, though

4504: Millennium Falcon From Episode: Five Year of release: 2004*** RRP: $100.00*** Pieces: 985*** I am very surprised to find that there is not already a review for this set on EB, given the prominence of- and apparent affection for- the set. I regard it as one of my favourites and I think arguably one of the best of the Star Wars sets. In a historical perspective, it was the second system-scale Millennium Falcon but obviously there has more recently been the UCS version. I really hoped for this set for Christmas in (I think) 2005. It didn

How much for the Batcave, if I were to come and collect?

Batgirl. OK, the George Clooney Batman was abysmal, but Alicia Silverstone in the batsuit - serious HELLO factor!

Surely, too unwieldy for one-on-one or close-quarter battle? Little art to them.

An interesting point, you have. Obviously I disagree, but then I would. I don't think the fact that are forms in any contradicts the Force guidance. They're just styles of fighting. The Force still guides you to the threat and the intent. It also guides your reaction toward your ideal end outcome. How you respond to that threat and how you rationalise your ideal are personal.

OK, all Star Wars fans: If you were a Jedi/Sith, what would YOUR Lightsaber form be? Me, I'd be a 5th Form exponenent Jedi. Not a dark side user, not toatally focussed on domination, but certainly taking the initiative and looking for the quick finish. I favour hand and foot removals (forget what the terms are in Star Wars, but in Japanese swordsmanship, they're Kote Kiri and Ashi Kiri)

Whereas I take your point, replying with an insult like that is really productive and mature isn't it?

Image 29: It looks like he's bought two system-scale ISDs so as one could be an Outrider. Never mind wishing I had his collection, I wish I had his money!