Bricklinking a 10030 UCS Imperial Star Destroyer, anyone done it?

KevBrickstruct

I know the UCS Falcon is a big hit with bricklinking…if you have the cash, but has anyone tried to do this with the giant UCS Star Destroyer? Or is it just best to try to find a used one complete?

monkeyhanger

I'd be taking a gander at the instructions on the Lego website and determining what unique pieces there are for that set, then pricing them up on bricklink or similar. People wanting a complete UCS 10179 will find that a handful of pieces add up to a third of the cost. You can get a good idea of what the whole thing will cost you and weigh it up against complete set (used or MISB) cost. I wonder if the magnets that hold it together could be replaced by balljoints, like those seen on the recent UCS Tumbler.

Lobot

I tried, and gave up after I'd collected about 50% of the parts.....

Unfortunately, there's a lot of rare/expensive parts in the set and I eventually realised that it would be cheaper to get a used one on Ebay. However, I should add that I was initially intending to buy all of the parts new, so it might be possible if you don't mind buying used parts. If you're looking for a challenge 10143 or 10179 are both great fun to do...! 10143 was quite cheap to build, as there's a lot of basic parts and they're readily available, I only had to substitute a few (bluish-grey levers and the right-angled technic brackets if I recall correctly).

monkeyhanger

Just had a look - no inventory on the instructions supplied on the Lego website, but you can get that elsewhere. A quick scan of the instructions and there aren't many parts that stick out as rare or unique - manly the shield generator domes, maybe there's a few other pieces that aren't rare, but rare in the colour required.

Keep Lego lost pieces service in mind as well as bricklink/brickowl, some pieces are considerably cheaper through Lego directly - especially some of the larger technic beams.

KevBrickstruct

Thanks, sounds like it might be better to look for a used complete one…Not interested in set 10143…passed on that one. I preferred the one with 24 minifigs…and that was a blast to build!

My 10179 (UCS Falcon) is still sealed. I bought one of the first ones my Lego store received when they came out, ( with the certificate)…but just haven't had the time to build it yet. Too busy with all my own custom models…but the Star Destroyer looked really cool too. I guess it's in the OLD GRAY lego color palette…did they release any of these with new gray's? I feel like Lego changed the gray color while these were being produced.

luckyruss

I agree - looked at this in quite a lot of detail once (and also started putting together some of the parts) but ended up deciding to buy a used one.

There is the first decision as to whether to go in light gray or light bluish gray. Some parts are more common in one colour than the other (but not consistently!). the rarest parts seem more expensive in light bluish gray, whereas those parts still in production are more plentiful than the old gray. Unless you want a mix...

The domes are expensive, other rare parts include the giant hard wheels (71mms - cavegod's at-at uses two), trans-blue 6x6 dishes, the tan inverted magnet holders, and then some of the barrels, 4x2 wedge plates, 6x16 tiles with studs, etc. the 66 1x16 light gray technics and 30 6x16 plates aren't rare but not always easy to get hold of in quantity, likewise some other obscure parts (eg binoculars in light gray).

monkeyhanger

If I could be sure of having the wheel bits etc for the rear engines and the domes for the shield generators for a reasonable amount, i'd be doing a MOC based heavily on the old instructions (using balljoints where the magnets go. My favourite imperial vessel has always been the standard ISD. I did get the SSD as the nearest equivalent I could easily get hold of at a reasonable price.

KevBrickstruct

What is the part number for the giant hard wheels? Were those the same ones used on other Star Wars sets?

binaryeye

The part number is 2573. According the BL, they were used in gray only on the ISD.

KevBrickstruct

Thanks, ...and according to Bricklink they were also available in LIGHT BLUISH GRAY, for the same Star Destroyer set…so I guess this set was available in the old gray , and new gray colors. I would prefer to have the set in the new gray color…just for the fact the parts should be easier / cheaper to come by.

Basta

Not worth doing, the average 6 months sale history has it at $2,769.68 for new parts and $1,372.55 for used parts.

You can by 2nd hand for $900 or new for $1300. So unless you have a tonne of parts already I don't think it is worth Bricklinking.

Pitfall69

I wouldn't Bricklink the ISD. It will cost too much money and a lot of time. If you had the majority of the parts on hand, then it might be worthwhile.

Remember, the ISD came in 3 different versions. Light Grey, a mixture of Light Grey and "Bley" and a "Bley" version.

luckyruss

There was an issue with bricklink about a year or so ago when a store was accidentally reopened having been shut (and effectively "frozen in time") since about 2008. That store was showing loads of ISD parts (and other rarities!) at great prices, but sadly the stock had all long since been liquidated.

It was really interesting to look through though as to what was available back then (eg light bley rigging for about $3!)

ecmo47

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=2573&colorID=86

Pricing for the 3x71mm wheels needed for the large engines. $70.00 each!

KevBrickstruct

Yes, looks to be a no-brainer now…bricklinking this set would be a bad idea. Way, way over cost and value. $70 per wheel is insane. But, might to tough as well to find a "reputable" 2nd hand one that's complete…cause it would take some time to prove the seller wrong if they shorted you any parts on a build this size. And, I would hate to be the guy that got an official set (original buyer) with a "mixture" of Light Grey and "bley" parts…why would they do that to the buyer.

ecmo47

^ Cavegod is partially to blame for the price of the wheels. He stated in the forum here a while back that when he first designed his AT-AT, the wheels were only a few bucks each. When he offer his LDD plans to the community, the price rose astronomically! So much so that he redesigned the engines with more readily available parts for later releases of his plans.

Shpadoinkle

Last December I was able to get a 98% complete 10030 on eBay for just under $440 shipped. Had a bricklink order or two to replace parts (the Tantive and all of gray goblets were missing) and that ran another $20 or so.

This was after many, many months of watching and patience, but I was very happy with the result.

LegoFanTexas

^ $440 is a bargain for that set in that condition. :)

If anyone wants a 100% complete copy with the box and instructions, I'd sell mine, but it would be twice that price. :) Full Light Bley with spiral bound manual.

Shpadoinkle

See I would almost be tempted to sell mine and buy yours just to have the light bley color rather than the old light gray. It looks just a wee bit out of place with all the newer UCS sets...

LegoFanTexas

:)