MasterBuilder84
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MasterBuilder84's Stats
MasterBuilder84's Stats
 
  • 4.4
    Average Rating
  • 411
    Helpfulness Votes
  • 0
    Featured Reviews
  • 11
    Review Count
  • June 2, 2016
    First Review
  • May 14, 2019
    Last Review
 
 
MasterBuilder84's Reviews
1 of 2
 
 Steamboat Willie
Steamboat Willie
Steamboat Willie
 
Posted:May 14, 2019
Customer Avatar
Age: 35-44 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Great Display Piece
" In my years of building Lego sets, this one has been the most frustrating. It's not difficult, and the instructions are quite clear; however, as others have mentioned, the smokestack closest to the cabin gets stuck in the up position. I have disassembled this portion many times to no avail. There is too much friction between the pieces. The pieces cannot get any tighter and the other suggestion customer service reps have made to others does not work. Either more weight needs to be added to the smokestack or a few of the pieces need to be sanded down. Removing a spacer only results in the stack flopping around. It’s a shame, as the other smokestack works just fine.
It’s an otherwise nice set and a great addition for any Disney collector. The innards are surprisingly colorful, but are properly/completely hidden when the model is complete. The mechanism for actuating the smokestacks and paddle wheels is nice and simple, but might have been better off with a connected crankshaft and not relying on gravity to help animate the smokestacks.
If you plan the set being a display piece, ignore my issues with the smokestack – you won’t be disappointed in your purchase. "
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 35-44 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional)
1 / 5
1 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
I would recommend this to a friend!
+4points
8of 12found this review helpful.
 
 Vestas Wind Turbine
Vestas Wind Turbine
Vestas Wind Turbine
 
Posted:January 6, 2019
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
I'm a Big Fan
" I was very happy to see this set released to the general public, especially when seeing how much the original employee model was fetching on action sites. Buyers: Take Lego's dimensions seriously; this set will need a bit of space, especially if you want to spin the blades. The additional bits of information in the instruction manual were a nice touch - especially the comparison to the Elizabeth Tower ("Big Ben"), which this model does closely match, at least height-wise, with the Lego model.
Good thinking including the clutch gear in the driveline to protect the motor. The wires between the house and the tower are nicely hidden in Lego "conduit" and under the furniture in the house. The hill hides the battery pack nicely, while providing fairly easy access when the batteries need to be replaced and a little surplus hidden storage. The switch design does somewhat limit where the model can be displayed. The working porch lights are a nice touch; I do wish the aircraft lights would light up as well. I was very happy to see all bricks were printed; no stickers to apply/have curl-off later!
As others have eluded to, yes, bag numbers would have been nice, but I remember many of the early days when none of the bags were numbered. Yes, it'll take up a bit more space when assembling, but not a big deal. Not much different than dumping out your collection of bricks on the bedroom floor as a kid to begin your build.
My only complaint is I wish the instruction manual was a little clearer when it comes to what end of the wires go where (inside the tower). In printed form, the black and gray colors look fairly similar in the right light. Also, it would have been nice to have a note as to how to tuck the wires inside the nacelle unit. Step 104 shows the wire hanging out; 105-110 you build one of the sides of the nacelle; then step 111 shows said side attached and the wires are no longer visible.
Suggestions to Lego: Please find some way to make your motors a bit quieter. I get these are meant to be toys, but then again, I've heard many other toys with quieter motors. Six AA batteries for something you're trying to show your environmental consciousness effort? Please consider developing a solar panel that you can plug in for power. Also, the text in your product description is a little misleading. Some will interpret the statement "the adjustable wind turbine blades" to mean that the blade angle can be adjusted (which real wind turbine blades do to increase or decrease their rotating speed). This is not the case with this model. The blades are at a fixed angle but are free to spin.
All-in-all, a nice addition to the Creator series! "
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I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
03 hrs
Play Experience (Optional)
3 / 5
3 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+10points
10of 10found this review helpful.
 
 Ford Fiesta M-Sport WRC
Ford Fiesta M-Sport WRC
Ford Fiesta M-Sport WRC
 
Posted:March 1, 2018
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Rally Time
" No Lego Ford collection would be complete without this model. Even the non-rally enthusiast will enjoy this set. For being a small car, the model does have a bit of weight to it (slightly heavier than the '68 Mustang Fastback). Like many of the other Speed Champions vehicles, this one also has quite a few stickers to it. Those with larger fingers may not enjoy the small stickers for the 1x1 bricks.
Creators did a nice job replicating the real car at this scale. Having the wheel cover and hood options are a nice bonus. Aside from the number of stickers, the only complaint is I wish the Ford logo on the front edge hood was a little less blurry.
Nice addition to the line-up. Ford enthusiasts rejoice! "
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
30 mins
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Easy
Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+16points
18of 20found this review helpful.
 
 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback
1968 Ford Mustang Fastback
1968 Ford Mustang Fastback
 
Posted:March 1, 2018
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
The Legacy Continues
" Once again, the pictures don't do this model enough justice; it looks a lot better in-person. Unlike many of the other models in the Speed Champions line, this one has a more-reasonable number of stickers. Luckily, for those of us with bigger fingers, the Mustang logo on the rear fuel cap is printed and not a sticker. Unlike the Mustang GT, the taillights on the '68 are circular translucent bricks, which nicely replicate the real Mustang taillights, especially given the small scale.
My only gripe, (and I'll be the first to say this is nit-picky), is I wish there was an easier way to make a "clean" version of this model (sans the 'LEGO' and 'Spark' logos). If both of those are left off, you lose part of the racing stripes and vertical door stripe.
All-in-all, another great edition to the Speed Champions line. Ford enthusiasts will love to add this to their collection.
LEGO: The Bullet movie turns 50 and you are sooo close to it with this '68. Could we see a Bullet-edition Mustang too? Please? Likewise, might a convertible be in the near-future as well? "
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
30 mins
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+15points
18of 21found this review helpful.
 
 Mack Anthem
Mack Anthem
Mack Anthem
 
Posted:January 7, 2018
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
The Garbage Man Can
" As the title implies, I bought this set solely for the front-loading garbage truck model. For being a 2-in-1 set, I was very impressed. A few corners were cut to keep the piece count reasonable. But as it stands, you will have a lot of pieces left over if you build the garbage truck model. Based on the stickers/instructions, it’s obvious the Mack Anthem is the star of the show, as the Mack LR (garbage truck) instructions a) are only available online, and b) instruct you to put a few stickers on that really aren’t applicable to a garbage truck.
Word of advice to other future garbage truck builders: Do not bother trying to open the pieces in the order the bags are numbered. The numbers apply to the Anthem model only. Parts you need early on will be spread among all the bags. Save yourself time and headache and open all the bags from the get-go.
I was impressed with how sturdy the truck is, even just the chassis. Other large Technic vehicles, like the Mercedes Arocs, seem to have a bit more flex to them. I was also impressed on how smooth the compactor/ejector operates, as well as the fact that it slides the whole length of the hopper. It would be nice if controls for the compactor/ejector would have been provided on both sides of the truck, as are provided for the lifting arms. I also would have liked different gearing for the lifting arms, as the linear actuators are quite slow to operate. I think pneumatics would have been better, but would have been much messier in design, with all the necessary hoses. The locking control for the lifting forks is nice, but unfortunately prevents the forks from being able to fold up all the way, like they would on a real truck. I did make a design that would allow the forks to fold more, but unfortunately, does not lock the forks into place (the locking is needed to keep the dumpster from flopping-over when the arms are emptying the dumpster into the truck).
While I prefer the traditional Lego Technic piston engine, the 6-cylinder design for this set is an ingenious compromise, given the limited amount of space. An interesting piece was used for the engine fan. It feels kinda flimsy and looks a little odd, but is nearly completely hidden once the cab is fully-assembled. It would have been nice if the cab would have had operable doors, but there’s already a lot of moving functions, in addition to limited space.
I was pleasantly surprised at the smaller details included on the truck:
- Dual [non-functioning] steering wheels in the cab (not sure why they have two different logos in the center of the wheel)
- Realistic bulldog "brick"
- Spot lights on the sides of the truck
- Lots of warning/taillights on the rear tailgate.
- Highly detailed exhaust system
I do wish the garbage truck would have had a few more model-specific stickers, like some of the standard warning placards found on the rear of most real garbage trucks.
The dumpster is a little disappointing, as it’s a miss-match of extra pieces. IMO, it looks better if you leave the stickers off.
I did make one small improvement. For the hatch door on the roof, I used a few of the extra pieces to help close some of the gaps in the original design. I did also have to swap out a couple of the pieces from the dumpster (the guides that the lifting arm forks slide into) in order to make the colors match on the roof of the truck (see photos).
Criticisms aside, it’s a great value for the money, and a great addition to any Technic truck collection. "
Images for this Review
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User submitted photo
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User submitted photo
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User submitted photo
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
07 hrs
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Average
Average
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+119points
127of 135found this review helpful.
 
 Bus Station
Bus Station
Bus Station
 
Posted:June 11, 2017
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
3 / 5
3 / 5
Next Stop...
" The bus has some nice features...a creative way to stow bikes (two CAN fit, but it is somewhat of a balancing act). Cheers for trying to include the multimodal nature of modern buses. Those bent on pure realism will be disappointed though, as most buses (at least in the US, haul bikes off the front bumper). The windows are a nice selection...give plenty of view of the few passengers that can fit inside and look similar to what you'd see on a modern city bus. I like the fact that side-view mirrors seem to be a standard feature on most LEGO vehicles now--this design seems very appropriate for a city bus. I like the thought behind the front message board, but it could have used a similar/smaller version of it for the side of the bus for added realism. I was disappointed that the message wasn't more clever, as LEGO usually tries to include some 'Easter Eggs'.
Pros: Nice set for mini-figs; great color choice for the bus (Packer fans will especially appreciate this); reasonable size for what it's meant to do/what can be reasonably done with LEGO bricks
Cons: Price (seems like it should have been no more than $30); news stand and bus stop design seem 'phoned in'/lack-luster/not up to the usual LEGO standards; what's with the 3rd axle? Most city buses only have 2 unless they bend in the middle; access to the passengers could be better; would have liked to have seen a fold-out wheel chair ramp (or at least a usable ramp at the bus stop - the one included isn't quite high enough)
In full disclosure: I bought this for the bus only...always wanted a LEGO bus, and was excited to see one in the lineup as a solo item rather than as part of a huge set. In the end, the bus stop and news stand will go my parts bin.
Suggestion to LEGO marketing folks: Talk to the folks at the Green Bay Packers, work out a little licensing deal, and make it a fan bus...make a ton of money at their Pro Shop...you're mostly there already with the color-scheme "
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Play Experience (Optional)
3 / 5
3 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
1 / 5
1 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+27points
35of 43found this review helpful.
 
Posted:March 1, 2017
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
4 / 5
4 / 5
"Check and mate. Now king me!" -H Simpson
" I love that Lego finally came out with a generic chess/checkers combo set. As others have said it makes a great coffee table/conversation piece. Great utility to this set; all the pieces stow nicely below the playing surface with room to spare. While the patterns are a little redundant to build, the base is very sturdy; the ability to split it in half for more compact storage is a nice touch. The chess pieces are nicely designed with the right amount of detail, are sturdy, and have a little weight to them, without easily tipping over. The price to parts ratio is much more tolerable than some of the other themed chess-only sets.

I do wish a little more thought was put into the checkers portion. A single-stud connector would have been nice for the tops, to allow “kinged” pieces to stay together. A couple extra checkers would have been nice to have too, as those are the easiest pieces to lose.
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Build Time:
02 hrs
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+141points
148of 155found this review helpful.
 
 2016 Ford GT & 1966 Ford GT40
2016 Ford GT & 1966 Ford GT40
2016 Ford GT & 1966 Ford GT40
 
Posted:February 22, 2017
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
A Must for any Ford Fan
" The press pictures don't do these models enough justice; these models are even better in person! Nice attention to detail, given the size and scale we’re dealing with. They’re lighter than the Mustang GT, but just as durable. As with any modern race car, there is little ground clearance, so play on anything than a hard surface is not recommended. Take care when placing the wheels on the GT40; if they’re pushed all the way on, the wheels won’t spin as freely. Still more decals than I would like, but that seems to be the trend with this series. I do wish Lego would find a better way to package the decals, as they always seem to arrive bent or wrinkled. All-in-all, this set makes a wonderful addition to the Mustang GT, Raptor, and Model A Hot Rod Ford family. "
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
20 mins
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+21points
22of 23found this review helpful.
 
 Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245
Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245
Mercedes-Benz Arocs 3245
 
Posted:February 4, 2017
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
Just like the real thing, only smaller (sort-of)
" Hands-down, one of the largest, most detailed, most realistic LEGO Technic vehicles I’ve ever assembled. It's clear that lot of attention to detail went into creating this model. The set has plenty of various moving parts to enjoy: moving engine pistons, dump bed (with locking tailgate – nice touch!), tilting cab, fully-functional clamshell arm, 8-wheel suspension, 4-wheel steering, and stabilizers. I’m happy to see the return to more and improved pneumatics! The realistic wheel chocks were a happy surprise. Do be careful how you “thread” the pneumatic tubes in the clamshell arm base…it pays to be neat with how you route them.
PROS:
-Plenty of moving parts
-Pre-cut pneumatic hoses
-Realistic design and functionality
-HOURS of building fun
CONS:
-No non-motorized building option
-Loud motor (linear actuator is abnormally loud when the clutch kicks-in, unlike when the clutch kicks in for the other motorized functions)
-Instructions could benefit from a few more close-up detail shots, especially when it’s time to thread the pneumatic tubes into the clamshell arm base
-Steering seems like it’s under stress
-Pneumatic pump seems undersized (takes a while to get things moving)
SUGGESTIONS:
-Make the dump bed pneumatic-powered
-Ditch the compressor and use a manual pump for the pneumatics (they’re much more responsive and smoother-acting when I bypassed the compressor with a spare manual pump I had lying around)
"
I would recommend this to a friend!
From:  United States
State:  Wisconsin
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Play Experience (Optional)
4 / 5
4 / 5
Value for Money (Optional)
5 / 5
5 / 5
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0found this review helpful.
 
 Big Ben
Big Ben
Big Ben
 
Posted:June 26, 2016
Customer Avatar
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Overall: 
5 / 5
5 / 5
"Hey look kids, there's Big Ben!"
" Excellent display piece; worth every penny! The repetition and plethora of smaller pieces will test your patience (and those of us with larger fingers), but it's worth it in the end. Nice solid construction. We loved the historical photos and informational snippets scattered about the instruction book. As others have mentioned, the clock movement could be a bit smoother, but I don't see moving the hands very often. Not a huge fan of the fluorescent green "grass" base plates.

ATTN LEGO: Add-on/extras ideas for this set: Internal illumination and/or way to light the lantern near the top; Real clock inserts; Clock speaker that would chime out the hours
"
Images for this Review
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I would recommend this to a friend!
State:  Wisconsin
From:  United States
Age: 25-34 years old
Customer Type:  LEGO Fan
Building Experience:  Expert LEGO builder
Purchased For: Self
Build Time:
06 hrs
Value for Money (Optional)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Level of Difficulty:
Very Challenging
Very Challenging
Very Easy
Very Challenging
I would recommend this to a friend!
+12points
12of 12found this review helpful.