May 03, 2012:
Another custom LEGO minifig USB drive for the BrickSurgeon website, a 2GB Captain America from the Marvel Super Heroes theme.
You can see a larger version on the BrickSurgeon Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
May 02, 2012:
Another custom LEGO minifig USB drive for the BrickSurgeon website, a 2GB Catwoman from the DC Universe Super Heroes theme.
You can see a larger version on the BrickSurgeon Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
May 01, 2012:
Another custom LEGO minifig USB drive for the BrickSurgeon website, a 2GB Batman from the DC Universe Super Heroes theme.
You can see a larger version on the BrickSurgeon Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
April 26, 2012:
Another custom LEGO minifig USB drive for the BrickSurgeon website, a 2GB AT-AT Driver from the Star Wars theme. Had this one left over after making the Snowtrooper a while back, so I decided to go and perform surgery on it.
You can see a larger version on the BrickSurgeon Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
April 24, 2012:
Added another custom LEGO minifig USB drive to the BrickSurgeon website. This time, it's an 8GB Yoda from the Star Wars theme. Made it for my mother about a month ago. Just finally got around to taking a picture.
You can see a larger version on the BrickSurgeon Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
April 12, 2012:
It's probably already obvious from the lack of recent posts, but I finally realized today that I've entered something of another Dark Age when it comes to LEGO. I'll probably be picking up some of the Avengers and Lord of the Rings sets, but the hobby will be having a lot less influence on my time and this site for a while.
I have a few new USB minifig drives that I'll post soon on BrickSurgeon, and I will still be taking commissions. For some reason, I still find that part of the hobby oddly relaxing.
March 25, 2012:
Neglected to post a message here at the time, but better late than never I guess.
On February 18, 2012 I decided to move the custom LEGO USB minifig drives to their own domain/site, Flickr photostream, and Twitter feed.
I also added a new custom LEGO USB minifig drive, a 2GB Snowtrooper from the Star Wars theme. You can see a larger version in the new Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
February 07, 2012:
Another custom LEGO USB minifig drive, this time a 2GB Manta Warrior from the Atlantis theme. This is the last one from the first batch that will go up for sale.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
February 06, 2012:
Another custom LEGO USB minifig drive, this time a 2GB Atlantis Diver from the Atlantis theme. This is the next one that will go up for sale.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
February 05, 2012:
I've built a few of the custom LEGO USB minifig flash drives now that require a front-heavy pose and/or have accessories that make them front-heavy. This means they can't very well stand on their own as a USB flash drive. So, I thought I'd take a stab at coming up with a stand for them. This isn't meant to be a cap, just a stand.
It's fully brick-compatible, so it can be used on its own, or clicked onto existing bricks. Will probably make a few more, to work out my technique a bit, but it seems to work well.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
February 04, 2012:
Another custom LEGO USB minifig drive, this time a 2GB Jester from the Castle: Kingdoms theme. This is the first one that will go up for sale.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
February 01, 2012:
I'm trying to decide whether or not to make any more custom LEGO USB minifig flash drives. If I do continue to make them, I'm trying to decide what I should do next.
Most of the sets pictured have come from checking clearance aisles at Target and Wal-Mart specifically for this purpose. So, they would naturally go on the possibilites list.
A few people I've shown the drives to have asked about Star Wars. I've always been partial to the Snowtrooper and the Scout Trooper. So, I have a few of the Snowtrooper Battle Pack, and I thought maybe one could be sacrificed for the cause.
Even though I've finally stopped collecting comics, and am even in the process of trying to sell off my collection, I still love the characters. So, I just had to pick up the Catwoman Catcycle City Chase set to add to the possibilities list. I know the Batman with the glider cape won't work (sticks down too far, and I'm reluctant to modify it), but Catwoman should work fine.
The big question mark is the Superman vs. Power Armor Lex set. A couple of friends and family members have suggested I should try something big/special. I was thinking about doing the whole thing as one big set with a 2GB drive for Lex, a 4GB drive for Wonder Woman, and an 8GB drive for Superman. The problem is that I think I'd have to put this one up for sale after it's done. I'd really like to do it as kind of a challenge to myself, but I've already invested quite a bit in this little project, and this one alone would be as much as several of the others I've already done combined (in other words, more than I'm willing to just give away). A good friend keeps trying to get me to put some up for sale on eBay. Looks like this might be the one, if I decide to tackle it.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Let me know if you think I should make more, and, if so, what you think I should do next. Input is always welcome.
January 30, 2012:
I've posted a new pair of 3D renders of my design for a custom LEGO-style machine gun tripod.
I didn't think to mention it last time, but I've sized the legs of the tripod to fit into a minifig's hand. This way, its use isn't limited to just machine guns, or just other parts I design.
The new renders include my own design for a universal pintle for some machine guns and other heavy weapons I'm working at designing myself. Like the tripod, the bottom of the pintle will be sized so it can be mounted in the hollow stud of a jumper plate or held in a minifig's hand. The bulges on the inside of each of the pintle's uprights will simply click into divots molded into the sides of each of my weapon designs, so you don't have to have a dedicated pintle for each weapon. I want to keep all the designs as interchangeable as possible.
You can see a larger version and a rear angle view on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 28, 2012:
While I decide whether or not to do anything more with the custom USB minifigs, I thought I'd take a break and finish a project I started a while back. Originally, this was a personal experiment, just to see if I could come up with a design for a LEGO-style tripod to go along with some of the great 3rd-party machine guns I've seen coming out as of late. I used the standard M2 .50 cal. machine gun mount as a basis. Currently, this is just a 3D render, but I'm thinking about finding a 3D printing service bureau to send it to, so I can see how it looks/works as an actual, physical piece.
You can see a larger version and a rear angle view on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 23, 2012:
I haven't really been doing any sketching for a while. So, I decided to take a few minutes to do a quick sketch of my Angry Scientist (couldn't have a plain old "Mad" Scientist) mascot as a custom USB minifig. Needs some tweaks, but I think it's OK for the amount of time I spent on it.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 22, 2012:
The final custom USB minifig based on the Collectible Minifigures Series 5 packs I found over the weekend, a 4GB Gladiator. This is such a great figure that I thought he deserved more than just a 2GB drive.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 21, 2012:
Another custom USB minifig from the Collectible Minifigures Series 5 line, a 2GB Boxer.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 17, 2012:
Came across a store that still had some of the Collectible Minifigures Series 5 line. Took advantage of the long weekend to convert the first one into another custom USB minifig, a 2GB Royal Guard.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 15, 2012:
Decided to keep working on minifigs with decorated waists/hips. This time, it's a 2GB Jay ZX from this year's iteration of the Ninjago theme.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 14, 2012:
I've been a little concerned about doing minifigs with decorated waists/hips, because they're not as easy to replace if something goes wrong. Last night, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge. I think this one, a 2GB Kendo Cole, came out fairly well.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
I'm going to have to wait for some parts to arrive for the police drive order. So, I'm going to see if I can complete a few others over the long, holiday weekend.
On a side note, looks like I've made my decision on a 3D printer. Think I'll be going with the new Replicator from Makerbot Industries.
January 13, 2012:
Still refining my technique a bit, and making more custom LEGO minifig USB drives for friends and family. This one, a 2GB Green Army Man, will be a gift for a friend. Was going to go with a green rifle, but the radio just seemed more appropriate for a flash drive.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
I got an actual order the other day to buy a bunch of drives all in the police style of the first minifig drive I made, but I'm going to try to keep squeezing in other minifig styles for requests and for fun.
January 09, 2012:
Managed to complete one more custom LEGO minifig USB drive last night, an 8GB Forest Firefighter. This one is for my personal use, and the minifig that finally got me to start making these drives.
Like the Astronaut, the only parts glued together are the torso to the pelvis/belt, and of course the drive itself. Other than that, all the joints still work and all the parts are still separate.
You can see a larger version and another photo on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 08, 2012:
Did another minifig USB drive today, a 2GB Astronaut. This is the first one I've done for someone else, and I'm really happy with the outcome.
The only parts glued together are the torso to the pelvis/belt, and of course the drive itself. It's important to me that I keep the figure as posable as possible and the accessories as interchangeable as possible. So, the sholuder joints still work, and the head, hands, helmet/backpack, and visor are all still separate pieces.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
January 03, 2012:
Do you have a 3D printer? I'd really like to hear from you.
I've been looking at them for a long time, and I think it's time to take the plunge. I've had a really hard time finding objective information, and even the cheapest ones are kind of a big purchase for me, so I'd like to hear opinions from people that actually own them. Currently, the top contenders in my budget appear to be the BotMill, the RapMan, the 3DTouch and the Thingomatic.
I'd also like to hear opinions on 3D CAD software for use with a 3D printer. I took a class in Inventor (2011), I was given a copy of ViaCAD 2D/3D for Christmas, and I'm trying to make time to test a trial version of Alibre Design 2012.
Thanks.
January 02, 2012:
Have decided that this year's New Year's Resolution will be to start and maintain a To Do List. I have too many ideas, not enough time, and a lousy memory. So, I made up a starter list, including a number of projects I've either started, or gotten materials to start, but have never finished.
The first project on the list is LEGO minifig USB flash drives. I did a lot of searching for materials, and bought most of them, in 2011, but never seemed to get around to making any. Today, I put together my first prototype. It is a 2GB (same size as the only official one LEGO ever did) using the new, American-style police torso.
You can see a larger version on my Flickr photostream. Please, feel free to leave a comment. Constructive criticism is always welcome.
In a follow-up to the link I posted for the Clockwork Con Steampunk convention in Austin, I was also given links to a couple of Steampunk portals, Airship Ambassador and Steampunk Empire.
Finally, if you're looking for any of the posts from last year, I've moved them to a new page that you can access using the 2011 Blog Posts button on the right side of the screen.
