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Amazing Armory – Overview

by Thita (admin) on March 22, 2011

in LEGO Customizers

WEBSITE: Amazing Armory (coming soon)
LOCATION: Hong Kong
ACCESSORIES AVAILABLE VIA:
United Armory, FireStar Toys
GALLERY: flickr
PRICE: expensive but amazing!
SHIPPING: check the websites of the above listed USA or UK reseller.

If you want to equip your LEGO minifigs with the most unique custom accessories, you would have to check out Hazel Tam’s work. Hazel is a Hong Kong based customizer, and his skills to create custom elements are wicked!

QUALITY: Hazel’s focus is primarily on creating custom accessories (armor, helmets, weapons, etc.) based on video-games, comics and fantasy worlds. Each of his custom pieces is hand-crafted then cast in durable ABS plastic. He also makes sure that his custom pieces fit LEGO minifigures as well as possible.

MOLD DETAIL: Hazel’s work is more organic and unique than machine-made elements. They are the work of an artist. Hazel puts a lot of effort into every tiny detail, giving his accessories an action-figure style realistic look.

COLORS: Hazel tries to match LEGO colors, or at least create colors that would fit well with LEGO elements. Because most of Hazel’s customs are only released in one or two colors, LEGO-fans often further customize them by various methods of painting or dying (as you can see on the United Armory logo above).

In 2010 Hazel also released a really sweet guitar-set that has been available in many solid and translucent colors.

SUMMARY: Hazel’s custom pieces are totally unique. It is really worth getting some just for the novelty of the pieces. (Check out my Space Marines featuring Hazel’s custom pieces!) Prices are high, but due to the rarity and uniqueness of the items, demand is also very high. You can always resell the pieces you no longer want on the secondary market, although I doubt you would want to part with them. 😉

Hazel’s own website, Amazing Armory (also referred to as AMA) has been under construction. However most of his custom pieces are available through his USA reseller United Armory (run by PEDRO), and his UK reseller Firestar Toys. Visit their stores and make your minifigs happy! 😀

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LEGO Model Ships – Introduction

by Thita (admin) on March 21, 2011

in Featured LEGO Creations

Building model-ships is a craft as old as shipbuilding itself. Ancient cultures built ship models for the same reasons we build them today; they capture the imagination with their technological complexity, beauty, and what they represent; adventure, freedom and discovery. You can read more about the fascinating history of model-ship building on Wikipedia here: All About Model Ships

Ship models built by ancient cultures were cast in different materials, including wood, various metals, leather and clay. These are still popular mediums for today’s model-ship builders, however now we can also ad LEGO to the list. 😉

If you are itching to try your hand in LEGO ship-building, I highly suggest starting out by purchasing an official LEGO ship set. This way you pick up some serious ship-building skills and techniques really fast, then expand from there to build your own designs.

Some things to consider when building a LEGO ship:
(You can click on any of the thumbnails below for a larger view of each ship, and to take you to the creator’s own gallery.)

TYPE: Ships come in many shapes and styles, so you need to decide what you want to build; a sailboat, pirate ship, cargo ship, warships, or perhaps something out of a fantasy world?

SCALE: Do you want to build LEGO minifig-scale, smaller than LEGO minifig scale (often referred to as “micro-scale”), or something really-really big? Here are some examples to get your creative juices flowing:

And here is a really big ship (yes, that’s a real person there, not a minifig!): 😀

BUILDING-STYLE: There are some specialty LEGO parts, which can help you build the hull of your LEGO ship easier. These are great for beginner model-ship builders. As you advance, you can start building the hull of your ship from LEGO bricks, slopes and other parts.

SAILS: There are some very nice fabric sails in official LEGO sets, and you can also use your own fabrics or other light materials for your ship’s sails. And, if you want to get really creative you may build your ship’s sail from LEGO bricks or plates!

DO YOU WANT YOUR LEGO SHIP TO FLOAT?: Many of the official LEGO ships and boats with specialty hulls are watertight and can actually float on water. Check out Bricklink for boat hulls here: LEGO Boat Hulls. Brick-built ships on the other hand are usually for display and pretend-water play only.

Hope I gave you something to wet your appetite for LEGO ship building! If you have a favorite LEGO ship, let me know in the Comment section and I will add them to the LEGO Ship Gallery! 😀

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Amazing Armory – Overview

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