Lego Mouse Droid non-Plans

[kresty]

       
THESE ARE NOT PLANS!
       

Well, I have posted something in the files section THAT ARE NOT PLANS for a Lego Mouse Droid.

NON-PLANS for Lego Mouse Droid
Just enough of a file to get people into trouble

They aren't plans because they don't have most of the things Lego models need - like supports, and walls that don't fall apart, and wheels that are actually attached to the model instead of having it float in mid-air.

People always ask for instructions for MOCs thinking "it'll be like going to Target and getting something for the kid"... "ok now that you point it out, maybe this will be a little harder".  No, this is tougher.  Even finding bricks (Bricklink.com) is tough.  People could easily spend $2000 on bricks for this model and not have a very satisfactory build.  If you haven't used Bricklink before find a friend or Lego club that can help you avoid some of the pitfalls.

Parts are not attached at decent angles.  The front of the sides is a crazy-stupid angle for Lego and I don't have a good solution.  The sides sort of have hinges stubbed in that won't work in real life.  The sections are incomplete.  They're held together with only enough bricks to make the digital model almost behave.

Indeed, some of this model is so easy to put together that we ended up 3D printing special custom bricks to make it stronger and Kragle other places.  (Proper use of a Technic frame can probably avoid some of that for a static build).

Oh, did I mention that those Lego tires can't support the weight of that much Lego?  (Of course that makes the axle easier, just put some props inside to support the actual weight and let the wheels be cosmetic.)

       

Many folks that try to build this are going to buy some of the easier to find bricks, and then get frustrated when the harder bricks prove expensive and hard to find.  Which will leave them with a pile of bricks that won't make a mouse droid and will frustrate them.  The rest of us will need the rare wheels sitting on their shelf collecting dust.

       

Or it'll be a gift for their grandkid to get frustrated over.  Yes, lots of kids have 2000 Lego bricks.  They probably aren't the RIGHT 2000 bricks for this model ;-)

        

Most folks will probably spend more than they expected, take longer than they thought, and end up with something that stays together for weeks at a time - so long the cat doesn't look at it.  Hopefully they'll be pleased with it.  Enough accidents and lost bricks might make it unrepairable, so be careful once built.

       

A couple AFOLs might actually know what they're getting into.  (And if you don't know "AFOL"...).  Of course they probably already have five other projects of their own they want to build.  And they do box builds for fun, so this file's just going to make them groan at all the things I could've done better.

The AFOL will probably want to use Lego motors, which might be tough with this weight.

Box Build:  Did you know that some people build Lego kits by looking only at the pictures on the box (for fun) without instructions?

       

Someone might even Kragle it and 3D print special bricks - but that probably isn't the AFOL because those things are taboo and they don't want to anger the Lego gods!

       

Anyway, good luck for this.  "Are there instructions?" is an ongoing joke for the most common question MOC builders encounter, so please forgive some of the tone, it's been building for a while

[kresty]

I moved this to the Mouse Droid area in case someone actually wants to build one, then it's a more logical place for whatever discussion might happen.  I'm curious if anyone actually finds this useful and is successful or not.

Other references may be found at http://MCK-Y.com http://youtube.com/ourmcky or my flickr