Motorized Wheelchair

For a gentleman requiring the use of a wheelchair, this latest model affords him the utmost in mobility. By harnessing the ultimate power source – steam – this wheelchair provides all the self-sufficiency such a gentleman should need. All that is required of a hired helper is the initial input of coal or wood, and then the gentleman is free to go as he chooses. Recent technological breakthroughs have allowed this wheelchair to be equipped with the smallest steam engine ever built, and has reduced the overall weight to merely a  few tons.

Ye Olde Falling-Water

After a long, long bout of the Lego equivalent of “writer’s block”, I came up with this: My answer to Phillip’s request that I build something “in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright”. Even after I started building it, there were long periods of time when I’d set it aside. I just wasn’t inspired to build. Then, I had a burst of energy and finally finished it. It isn’t exactly in the style of Wright, and it predates him by several generations, but I like how it turned out – very much.

The nagging question is: How does that cow get in and out of there? This house makes clever use of its limited space and free-flowing layout through the use of sliding panels, hidden doorways, and recessed stairs. After a string of cow thefts in the area, one such hidden doorway was incorporated into the barn. Where that doorway is located is, of course, a secret.

Park Maintenance Truck

It took me a very long time to build this little truck, because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to build. I kept putting together parts of things that didn’t quite work. Finally, I came up with this truck, which is so small I figure it must be used for maintenance workers in a park. I like the way this finally turned out very much.

I am proud of the fact that this truck was built in such a way that by rearranging a few existing pieces, the doors can be set to open the standard way, or to open “suicide” style, seen here. I’m not sure why, but the suicide doors look better on this vehicle.

Space-saving Condos

My urge to build virtual apartment buildings in Lego Digital Designer continues. Here, I went for high-tech condos in a crowded urban environment. I like this building a lot. Sure, a minifig wouldn’t have much room for more than a futon, toilet, chair, and a flat-screen TV, (dinner out every night!) but that is what I was going for.

I’m not so sure this is recognizable as a condominium building – at least, by itself. If I had actually put a chair and futon inside, maybe it would be more apparent. Or, if it were surrounded by other buildings, perhaps. Still, I am very satisfied with this.

Industrial Speedbike

I stepped away from LDD to build a physical motorcycle. I had an image in my mind of what I was after, and this is very close to what I’d envisioned. This was a very difficult build, and it took a lot of experimentation to get the pieces put together. The rider was the last thing I factored in, and I really misjudged the scale of the bike. I had pictured a much smaller motorcycle. (The rider’s feet were supposed to be on top of the back wheel, while his head would almost touch the front wheel.) This thing is extremely fragile. Overall, however, I am happy with it.