Jump to content

Cheapskate Set Building


Kopekemaster

Recommended Posts

I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this.

 

You're looking through the LEGO catalogue, and come across a set you like the looks of.

But, of course, you're strapped for cash. Plus you don't really want to go out to town or whatever to buy it. So what do you do?

 

Obviously, go to the downloadable instructions page on LEGO.com, look up the set you liked, and build it out of your collection.

 

I've done this pretty much as long as I can remember, and it's particularly fresh for me right now, since I just built the new B-Wing last night.

 

There are, of course, some pieces that I won't have, or have the right colours of, so sometimes it can end up looking a little different - although I must admit that I do enjoy the challenge of figuring out which piece or pieces to use instead of the one it says.

 

But what have been your experiences with it?

rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've done this before. My friend got the $60 set Aviation Adventures- the big Creator airplane released a while back with the awesome retracting landing gear, opening minifigure size cockpit, and a spinning propellor function- and I also wanted it. I got the instructions and built it. Since I didn't have all of the parts, I gave it a rounded/cone nose with room for a small car thingy behind it.

I HATE SCORPIOS


 


~Pohatu Master of Stone, 2015

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Most of the time when I do this, I do it on LEGO Digital Designer. I don't get the sensation of holding the set in my hand this way, but I can still use a digital model to compare its size to other sets and MOCs, figure out how its more intricate functions work, and even decide whether it's a set I'd like to buy and own in the future. Also, I can then put the finished model on my Brickshelf for other people to consult for their own personal reference.

 

When building a set from parts in my collection in real life, it's usually less about "I can't afford this" and more about figuring out just HOW it's constructed (particularly when the set is not yet released, so I can neither buy it right away nor consult a review). As soon as I saw pics of Furno Jet Machine, for instance, I fell in love with its torso construction and just HAD to try it out for myself. Thankfully, this was no challenge, since other than the cockpit and containment capsule, all the parts were ones that I already had in my collection. In this case, real-life building is generally reserved for things that would be impractical or finicky on LEGO Digital Designer, like models or parts of a model that use a lot of hinges at angles I'm uncertain about.

 

If I end up liking a set enough that I want to own it, and buying it at RRP is not impractical (like it would be for a set that has not been released in my country, or a set that has been discontinued for a long time), I generally DO end up buying it. For me, building sets either from parts in my collection or on LDD is more about the learning experience than about having the set in my collection. I have a hard enough time finding room on my shelves for all the sets I already own!

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a hard enough time finding room on my shelves for all the sets I already own!

It may be mentioned, though, that I don't really keep these sets together any longer than any other sets or MOCs - they usually get disassembled within a few months. (The only sets I really keep together, right now, anyway, are my Bionicle sets.)

 

Edit: By the way, I've also enjoyed building a set merely by looking at a picture of it - I built this guy once, many years back, just by looking at the picture of it in the back of some other instructions.

The best part was that I think I got it all correct, as the functions and stuff worked.

Edited by Kopekemaster
rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, this is an amazing idea. I have not done it before, but now I am going to.

"We didn't lose the battle. Today, we just lost the fight." -Lloyd Garmadon
ninjago-green-ninja.jpg
Avid collector of LEGO for many, many years. Feel free to private message me, or email me at greenninjaatcp@gmail.com, and I'll be happy to help. A ninja never quits!

Visit the Mixels Wiki! http://www.mixels.wikia.com

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now, the question is, how many sets do you have to actually buy until you have enough pieces to reasonably be able to build, say, half the sets you look up instructions for? :P An interesting dilemma.

I don't think that would be too difficult with some of the older sets, but with the way they keep coming put with new molds, it may be more difficult to keep doing with newer sets.

 

 

I've never done this although I remeber thinking about it the past. The only problem was that I didn't have a good place to use the computer and work with my LEGO collection.

 

signoff2.png

Edited by Mysterious Minifig
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only do this for the smaller sized sets, or else I'm going to either:

 

1. Run out of pieces or

2. Make it extremely colorful

The latter happens to me a lot.

 

I just say that I'm doing the set with a new colour scheme. :P

rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've totally done this, though in instances where there are new parts I usually try to find the closest substitute, which winds up looking questionable even in the best of cases, not helped by the inevitable motley colorscheme. Still, even if the results aren't worth showing off, they're usually a fun building experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've totally done this, though in instances where there are new parts I usually try to find the closest substitute, which winds up looking questionable even in the best of cases, not helped by the inevitable motley colorscheme. Still, even if the results aren't worth showing off, they're usually a fun building experience.

I've got a mismatched grey-armed, yellow-masked, kopaka-sworded Tahu Mata on my shelf 'cause of this :P

pomegranate-banner-sm.png .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

I've totally done this, though in instances where there are new parts I usually try to find the closest substitute, which winds up looking questionable even in the best of cases, not helped by the inevitable motley colorscheme. Still, even if the results aren't worth showing off, they're usually a fun building experience.

I've got a mismatched grey-armed, yellow-masked, kopaka-sworded Tahu Mata on my shelf 'cause of this :P

 

 

There's a "mutated Bohrok" (basically, he jumped in energized protodermis, but wasn't fated for it) on my blog that started as that, too. Basically, only half of him is actually a Bohrok, then the other half is just... structural pieces, basically.

rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I once made my own Jetrax T6. It had a slightly drab colour scheme, and a very messy...thing to replace the front piece on one engine; otherwise, it worked splendidly! I also used to make my own versions of upcoming Bionicle sets to decide which ones to buy; did it with the '03 Matoran, Toa Mahri, Glatorians, and so on. Good times. Curiously, I never really did it with System or Technic.

 

=)

"Baby, in the final analyses, love is power. That's where the power's at."

 

Tumblr

Twitter

Wattpad

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I guess you could actually consider a large portion of my Bionicle sets to be built this way, since for a lot of them I didn't have instructions, so I kind of had to look at the pieces I had and figure out what sets there were.

rsz_screenshot_from_un_chien_andalou.jpg
My Writing Blog (more writing coming soon!)

My Bionicle/LEGO Blog (defunct)

Hyfudiar on Spotify (noise/drone/experimental music)

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...