Tag: Bricks

  • LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner’s 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro’s 2000 Re-Issue

    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue

    One of my favorite Star Wars toys was the Kenner Power of the Force Tatooine Skiff from 1985. I don’t remember the circumstance of getting it–was it a present or did I purchase it–but I remember enjoying the time that I spent taking my heroes on adventures on it.

    I no longer have that Tatooine Skiff and it’s virtually impossible for me to spend how much it would cost to replace it (complete, loose versions are trending in the $1000 range as of writing this). Thankfully, Hasbro’s 2000 reissue cost me only $50 plus shipping on ebay. The reissue is virtually identical to the original–same controls for the rudders, plank, figure launcher, and landing gear–but it has updated paint and detailing and the foot pegs are smaller for the POTF2 line of action figures (instead of the larger pegs needed for vintage Star Wars action figures).

    I wanted to display the desert skiff with landing gear up as it if were skimming along in the air above the dune sea. LEGO seemed like my best option with what I had on-hand. Below are photos of building the display stand and how it looks with the desert skiff on the stand.

    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue

    The rear clear brick columns each have one clear cheese wedge to hug the curvature of the undercarriage of the skiff.

    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue

    The front clear brick columns are topped with 1×2 transclear tiles that hold up the flat plank area under the skiff.

    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue

    Did you notice the Han Solo with white shirt and brown pants in the completed diorama? I’ll write about how I customized that action figure tomorrow.

    LEGO-Built Display Stand for Kenner's 1985 Tatooine Skiff or Hasbro's 2000 Re-Issue
  • LEGO-Built Alcove in Jabba’s Palace to Display Hasbro’s Han Solo in Carbonite and Kenner’s Boushh (Princess Leia)

    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.

    I wanted to display Han Solo in Carbonite more prominently on my Return of the Jedi/Jabba’s Palace shelf of my Star Wars collection. There is Hasbro’s set that includes Han, and there are some third-party creations on eBay, Etsy, and other websites. However, I have a lot of LEGO, so I figured that I would see what I could do with what I have on-hand before spending money on a solution. After several iterations, I finalized the MOC shown in the pictures on this post.

    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
    Han Solo in Carbonite displayed in an alcove of Jabba's Palace built out of tan LEGO bricks.
  • LEGO Technics Laptop Stand for 16″ Lenovo Thinkpad P1 Gen4

    open laptop raised on a stand sitting on a white desk

    I’ve been using my Lenovo Thinkpad P1 Gen4 laptop as a desktop replacement system lately, so I wanted to raise its screen higher to avoid slouching and subsequent neck and shoulder pain. While there are lots of solutions to buy, I opted to use the LEGO Technics that I had on hand to build a stand. My goals for the project were facilitating maximum air flow and reliably holding a 4 lb. 5 oz. laptop.

    I started by disassembling the folding stand that I had built in 2024, but I noted how I sandwiched a Technic beam between two Technic bricks. The beam’s lower dimension provided a smooth shelf for the laptop’s feet to rest on and the studs on the bricks kept the laptop from sliding off the beam toward the front or rear. I planned to replicate this design in the new laptop stand.

    Another important element of the design was an open space beneath the laptop for maximum air flow (this laptop has an NVIDIA RTX A5000 16GB video card that I use for AI workflows). I figured that a rectangular holder for the laptop would work best and allow me to use the black Technic bricks that I had on hand in limited numbers (I have far more light and dark gray elements thanks to all of the Star Wars sets I’ve built over the years).

    To strengthen the rectangular frame, there are four layers: top-most brick structure, plates, substructure bricks, and plates. All joints are overlapped, which further strengthens the design.

    To support the rectangular laptop frame, I used one L-shaped beam to hold the frame at the bottom and a long Technic brick at 90 degrees to raise the back. As an added support to the back Technic brick, I put a L-shaped beam to apply pressure to the rectangular frame when under the weight of the laptop.

    The base of the stand is U-shaped to hold either side’s base in place to prevent any lateral movement, which could cause one of the supports to unhinge.

    As a safety measure, I added two Technic L-shaped beams to the bottom center of the laptop frame if not to hold the laptop in place should it slip off then to slow it down as it crashes forward on my desk. I’ve also found this useful for holding paper, such as printed articles, which makes it easy to read and type by looking down-and-up instead of to the left or right.

    The stand raises the back of the laptop up 7″, which makes the top of the monitor about even with my eye line. I’ve only been using it a couple of days, but it seems to fit the bill perfectly for my needs.

  • Praying Mantis Under the Porch After the Hurricane

    a praying mantis rests on top of a brick column under a house porch

    While cleaning up outside after Hurricane Helene, I spotted this praying mantis resting on top of one of the brick columns supporting our porch roof.

  • Blue Skies Reflected in a Window

    Window in a brick house reflecting clouds in the sky above.

    After Hurricane Helene passed by, we had blue skies and wispy white clouds in the sky.