not enough time to build in paper these days - shifted my love for building stuff to lego for a bit

snowmanX

Member
Perhaps others can relate - I could spend forever on a paper project, but being relatively early in my career, and with young children, time that is truly "free" to devote to large scale paper construction is scarce. I still have a Currell Titanic that I ran on 11x16 paper under construction for nearly 2 years but anticipate finishing soon (before I loose the parts!).

On a whim I decided to give a Lego International Space Station a go that my wife gave me. It really has been a blast. I have to say - I have a hard time making the value proposition of lego compute in terms of bricks per dollar when looking at paper. Not to mention the "you build and you are done aspect" (paper you can build, add-on, start over and do it better etc.) Not quite the same sense of achievement, but given how scarce my time is, I think it has been a nice diversion.

Anyone else that can relate? Or do you just do "quicker" paper projects?
 

Awry_Chaos

OKB-4155
My daughter took over the LEGOs so I don't play with them anymore. I had a few of the dragons but she took a liking to them and so I gave LEGOs up. Plus, I've found it much more fun to play around with paper and build things out of card stock. There are way more things you can build out of paper and you don't have to worry about pieces from your models getting lost. And if the pieces get lost, it's relatively easy to fabricate new ones.

I need to do more ''quicker'' projects. I like doing the big projects but I think having some smaller ones to add to the mix would be fun. I'm thinking of doing @Revell-Fan 's paper LEGO Cylon figures:


Plus, Revell has put a lot of small easy-to-do projects in the Resources section, so there's a lot of quick projects one can do.
 

mijob

Tie designer
Staff member
Moderator
Hello snowman if your children are old enough you can do some paperproject's with them there are lots of childrens papercraft models available.
Or you can do some small project's for special occasion like easter. Anyway have fun and let your mind work if it's with lego or papercraft.
 

Rhaven Blaack

!!!THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!
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@snowmanX I have to agree with you about the limitations of Legos (both in cost and buildability). When I was a youngster, I was given a large set of Legos (this was before there were specific kits). Granted, I enjoyed building things with them. Even though, I am not trying to talk you out of what you are doing, I have to agree with @mijob about teaching your children paper/cardstock model building. However, when I was 13 yo, I first started teaching myself how to build models from paper/cardstock. I had gotten into the hobby more out of a wonton desire to have models that we could not afford or that were not available at the time. There is more than enough skill level and age level appropriate models available to where you could easily teach an entire classroom full of children (at most any age) this hobby.

Either way, the most important thing is that you enjoy yourself!
 

snowmanX

Member
I appreciate the perspectives! I have a 3 year old and a 6 year old, I will post a pic of a pikachu valentines day inbox we did for his school. My 6 yo is super into paper and projects and just really got the cutting and coloring skills down. His sister is way younger but catching up fast.

We build random simpler DIY impromptu things that I cut and plan and he colors etc. I will do some looking for some fun and simple (like 1 hour projects). We do a lot of simple origami as both kiddos love playing with those. I distinctly remember learning a lot of the basic techniques (crane bases etc) at about his age. My poor dad must have been ready to lose his mind over the origami books. My dad really got me into card modeling by way of his interest in balsa wood construction (I have several paper/tissue zeppelins that he gave me that he never build as a teen); I have the original plan book for his balsa USS Missouri that I will likely build my own of some day.

spaceagent-9: As a kid I bought all the plastic models that were around, Enterprise A, D, the big romulan bird of prey, a Klingon Cruiser, DS9 (I miss that thing!). I am really interested to start giving awesome Trek kits that our skilled designers so generously share a go as time permits (I haven't even finished by Currell Titanic yet! but in due time).

Take care and be safe all,
 

spaceagent-9

Right Hand Man and Confidant
Moderator
LEGOS ARE COOL! This guy made a bunch of star trek and lost in space lego dioramas and they were very impressive! I'm all for it. Great pics too!
 

zathros

*****SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR*****
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I've made some models in Lego that I should have glued together. They came out fantastic. My son has some Behemoths that I forbid him to take apart. They were gifts from his Grandmother (My Mom) and he now cherishes them. Boy, they were super expensive, like $169.00 expensive, but he was much younger, and built them in record time, and my Mom got to see them finished, which impressed the heck out of her. Lego will always be cool! :)
 

snowmanX

Member
Switching from space to the oceans, Lego Set 6285---more commonly known as the Black Seas Barracuda was a fond part of my childhood. I found a "mostly complete" set on Ebay in the early 2000s for cheap, but didn't have a chance to sort through parts pile and try to piece it together until recently.

All told, it may have been quicker to reconcile the parts pile against a parts list, but I was impatient and decided to attempt assembly with what I had. And it did come together, albeit with a few missing parts that mostly affect the solidness and playability. The surprising find is that the seller included a huge number of extra parts that seem to go with the kit, but don't (IE, random small bricks in black etc.)

Someday I will rundown the missing parts and get this to 100% but this was fun. For easy of storage, I didn't rig it or add the sails.

Fair winds and following seas Black Seas Barracuda~
Barracuda 1.jpgBarracuda 2.jpg
 

Rhaven Blaack

!!!THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN!!!
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That is very cool!
It reminds me of a lego exhibition that was held both in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR.
 
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