Some time ago I built a Lego Technic transporter and racing car, a big build build of one metre in length, and reasonably complex considering the gearboxes and ramp/lifting mechanisms involved. I enjoyed building it over four sessions totaling around 24 hours of build time. It was fun but, as with most Lego builds, my fingers suffered...clicking in all those little bits, thousands of them, takes a toll...but nothing like taking them all apart again!
My nephew, @mrbonkers, is an avid Lego builder like me...no surprises where he got his love of building Lego from...I'll take the blame.
Anyway, he loves it and is really great at it; a smart kid that one. With Lego Technic it's critical that the instructions are followed to the letter as there's so many moving parts like gearboxes, engines, lift mechanisms, winches, pulleys, suspension and so on. I taught him the importance of being focused on the task when building and doing a quality control process and he's really adept and building Lego Technic...Impressive for a six year old. I think applying himself in this way, the attention to detail and problem-solving required will help him later in life too.
With him heading down here for a week or so in a few months I decided I'd pull one of my larger builds down for him and hand it over; it seemed like a good use of it rather than have the thing sitting on my shelf collecting dust. The transporter and racing car was the one I chose.
My nephew knows he's getting this and is very excited although it wasn't until I pulled out the instruction book that I remembered it had come as a set with the transport truck/trailer and the racing car combined...so I'll have to deconstruct the car and hand it over as well...but not today.
Got an ouchy
the tips of my fingers are trashed after taking the truck apart and I can't even use my fingerprint to open my phone, so yep, I guess one could say I have got an ouchy on my fingers.(Both thumbs and forefingers to be exact.) The deconstruction took almost an hour and a half and I wasn't going slow - it's incredible how robust these things are once the parts are all interlocked. I got it done though, thanks to coffee and a snack or two along the way.
I really don't mind the inconvenience, I'd do anything for my nephew and niece and I know how much enjoyment this build will bring him; it'll forever be the Lego Uncle Bonkers gave him and I think that's cool. It also frees up some shelf space for my next project.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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It can be hard on the fingers. Do you ever watch the Lego Masters TV shows? Those guys build models with many thousands of parts in a few hours. Their fingers have to be sore after all that.
I do like the models with some mechanisms in them. I have a nice truck like that. For Xmas we got a bonsai Lego model. No moving parts in that, but it will be interesting.
I don't watch Lego Masters, I prefer to build Lego myself rather than. Watch other people build it.
I like Lego Technic sets the best although I have traditional Lego as well. I prefer the large sets as they take longer and are more challenging; I use the time to zone out and relax...but the fingers suffer.
Good luck with the bonsai, I've seen it and almost bought it one day, just didn't get around to it.
That show is inspiring and they all get quite emotional. It's people being creative.
I may get some other sets soon. I'll post up details of my builds.
It's the drama I don't like about those shows, the way they create it. If it was a bunch of people sitting around building Lego (without the manufactured drama) I'd probably watch it.
There's some cool Lego Libherr mining sets out there, big ones. That's what I want next.
I'm sorry you destroyed your fingers... it must hurt. Well, behind many pains there is so much love that it all makes up for it. This is one of those cases. Balance. 😁😉
Yeah, my fingers will recover and I know how much enjoyment my nephew will derive from building this Lego; it's nice to think I helped bring him that enjoyment and it's better than the Lego sitting on my shelf.
Lego building seemed so much simpler back in the day. Of course, most of ours was just a HUGE amount of Legos of every sort and not particularly a set to build just one thing.
That seems pretty complicated for a small child, but I realize some are still truly up to the task.
I'm sure he must love all of your instruction and sharing.
My brother will have to help with this set when my nephew stars building as it's quite complicated and has a lot of moving parts that need to be out in exactly the right place. The kid is good and building Lego though so he's up for it.
My nephew likes the idea of getting my Lego, he's not one of those kids who has to have new things all the time...he thinks it's cool to recreate something I've already built and he's had his eyes on those set for a while.
Oh, and yeah Lego has changed a lot since I first started playing with it as a kid...I kind of miss the simplicity of it but one can't stop progress I guess.
I was recently discussing with another hivier about a Lego-like construction set that he also gave to his niece, how important those hours when children play and learn away from cell phone screens are. I'm glad your nephew has such a level-headed uncle.
Oh yeah, it's important for kids to use their imaginations and their hands to create things but all too often kids are handed devices to keep their quiet while their parents spend time on their own devices. Not good.
It is not good, although I have a friend who says that we psychologists have to be very grateful to parents. Out of jokes, the world is crazy.
Yep, the world is definitely crazy, and Hans have made it that way. So sad, humanity has so much promise but are headed into oblivion.
A short time ago I told you that I had decided to live without anger. In this madness, I always find things to enjoy or that make me smile. For example, I imagine your nephew laughing as he assembles the pieces. That's what I have left, as nanixxx wrote a few days ago, to collect good moments, mine and others.
That's a mindset thing, choosing to live a best life scenario rather than focus on that which makes us angry, which is probably a good way to go considering the state of the world at the moment.
That is, enjoy the good that surrounds us. Happy Sunday!!! Galen.
Building with lego I think it teaches lessons for life, it may take effort to put them together and take them apart but the achievement is very good. It reminded me of when I was a child and I had the predecessors of lego, they were made of rubber. I liked to build houses, buildings, cities...
Soon you will have your nephew enjoying himself there, that's great!!!
Yeah, amazing to think Lego was invented back in 1932 and is still going strong.
And I think it will go on for a long time. It's more than a game.
Some of the newer packets (from the last 5 or so years) include a lever tool to pry blocks apart? I had it in some of my kids ones, still is pretty rough on fingers (and nails...) but it does help a lot!
I've got that tool, but it doesn't lever out the connector pins, fingers do, teeth, pliers, Oompa Loompas and so on.
Sorry, missed that bit! The worst part for me are when they slop and you skin yourself just above the nails...
Yep, I've done that too; painful indeed. I didn't use the tool much to pull apart the Lego Technic in this post but it came in handy once or twice in the past when building and I misplaced some parts.
Its so easy to fill up your shelves so it is great to see you passing on the LEGO, my Christmas present from my wife was the Natural History Museum and I'm having fun building that a few bags at a time.
Never really bought much Technics having got back into LEGO in the last year or so it may be time to have another look.
I remember so many broken nails and sore fingers breaking sets down when I was younger so the tool provided with my recent sets has been a godsend!
There's a lot of good arts to get, so little time huh? And money. Lol.
I prefer Technic but have a few other traditional builds on my shelf as well which I also enjoyed.
Nice set and I think it's a great way to start learning how things work and develop the technical insights with problem solving, definitely useful in his grown up life!
I've got a technical job myself (and always been a great LEGO fan in my younger years) maybe mechanic gloves can protect your hands a bit, I know it's small parts but these gloves are pretty tight and provide good grip.
I think gloves of any kind are probably not going to allow the manipulation of the tiny components that Lego Technic has. It's all good, I'm pretty tough so managed to survive the terrible injury that is Lego fingers. Lol.
Luckily it's not nearly as painful as STEPPING on a small piece of lego you didn't see on the floor! 😫
Oh yeah man, that's the most terrible pain a human can suffer; I know because I've done it. 🤣
Waooo!!! If I give a LEGO set of that magnitude to my nephew, he has a few days of building 😁👌. It would be wonderful for him, you have given me a good idea for the gift of the kings on Monday January 6, I will look for something in the store like that, not so because it must be expensive and more in my city.
The gift you will give to @mrbonkers is very nice, I know he will love it @galenkp.
Nice gift and detail. Greetings from cuba 🇨🇺 and happy weekend !!!!! 😊👏🙏🏻
My nephew is a very good little kid and will be very grateful of my gift. I think it actually means more to him that it was built by me first.
Also, you do not need to write Spanish text to me, I do not read Spanish.
Yuhh it so great possibility to build such technical things from a Lego blocks. And I so miss now it when it's almost impossible find official Lego kit in my country since some time...
It's a pity you can't find Lego in your city as the enjoyment factor of building with it is quite good. Maybe you'll find some in the future.
Brilliant! The sacrifice of thumb tips and finger tips will be well worth it. I guess you had to be almost as methodical in taking it apart as in putting it together. It'll be a great achievement for a six year old to build such a complex set.
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Yep, worth the sacrifice, I'd do anything for my niece and nephew.
This is a good idea for gifts for kids. It will keep their little fingers busy
It sure is.
This must take too long to build if there is no guide :)
There's an instruction booklet which is pictured in this post.
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@galenkp!
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