Displaying the UCS X-wing

xwingpilot

Following on from my introduction thread (http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/20714/lock-s-foils-in-attack-position), I've just finished building #10240 Red Five X-wing Starfighter B)

What a great build! Looking at the built set it's amazing to think that the only unique part is the canopy. I wonder how long the designer took to design it?

A question for those who own #10240 and display it: How do you keep it dust free? Do you have a display case or put it in a display cabinet? The puredisplay case is eye-wateringly expensive, and the IKEA display cabinets don't seem big enough...

BrickDancer

Robert Redford standing by...

The UCS X-wing doesn't bode well for display cases because of it's dimensions from thrusters to nose is way too long for most available ones from say Ikea. You can pursue custom plexi boxes as another long time Bricksetter has done for their UCS Millennium Falcon, which looked amazing although quite pricey as I recall it to be around ~$300. An alternate route is to build your own custom case using cheap plexi and assembling it as a cube. Or modifying a large open-face cabinet by drilling a plexi front sheet onto it, although you'll be limited in opening-closing it unless it's hinged somehow.

But until you settle on a solution, I would recommend brushing the dust off every 2 weeks to prevent tough accumulation that would require washing.

SumoLego

I also find the fragility of the X-Wing problematic when trying to put it on display.  In the first UCS go-round, I had pieces falling off of it all the time.  

I ended up purchasing the glued-together X-Wing TRU display in the secondary market.  It was much easier to display.

Now for wrath, now for ruin, and the red dawn. Forth, Eorlingas... standing by.

HangedSanchez

Mine just gets dusty unfortunately, sat next to Slave 1 and the B-Wing :(. @BrickDancer 's point about heavy accumulation getting permanent hadn't occurred to me. Looks like I need to do a serious dust this weekend...

BrickDancer

^I learned it the hard way. UCS X-Wing, Y-Wing, Rebel Blockade, TIE Advanced and Interceptor all sat together on display for way too long. Extensive washing with a toothbrush for many hours was the result waiting for me.

Pitfall69

^I just take my UCS Sets in the bathtub with me and my rubber ducky.

xwingpilot

And has anyone (who has been brave enough to apply them in the first place) had any issues with the stickers peeling over time?

I see you can pick up a replacement sticker sheet for about £6 (I don't think there should be any tax or duty to pay at that price):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LEGO-STAR-WARS-UCS-REPLACEMENT-STICKERS-for-10240-RED-FIVE-X-WING-STARFIGHTER-/141742255738

Given that #10240 comes with a spare canopy sticker sheet it's tempting to do that and have a full set of replacements.

Legoboy

In case you're disappointed when it arrives, the link is for a 'copy' of the stickers and not a genuine set.  But yes, I think it is very important to have replacement stickers.  Just a set or two.  Hey @Pitfall69.  ;)

Lobot

  BrickDancer said:

^I learned it the hard way. UCS X-Wing, Y-Wing, Rebel Blockade, TIE Advanced and Interceptor all sat together on display for way too long. Extensive washing with a toothbrush for many hours was the result waiting for me.

I have a great way of displaying my UCS sets, safely protected underneath two layers of the original and outer shipping boxes.  They look really impressive stacked 4-5 high in my hobby room! :)

xwingpilot

Legoboy said:

In case you're disappointed when it arrives, the link is for a 'copy' of the stickers and not a genuine set.

True, but the quality looks quite good from the photos. LEGO say they can't supply the stickers separately from the rest of the set due to licensing restrictions.

conceptmachine

Leave it alone and l if you an air compressor, use the airgun to blow it off every now and again.  :)

SumoLego

Lobot said:

  BrickDancer said:

^I learned it the hard way. UCS X-Wing, Y-Wing, Rebel Blockade, TIE Advanced and Interceptor all sat together on display for way too long. Extensive washing with a toothbrush for many hours was the result waiting for me.

I have a great way of displaying my UCS sets, safely protected underneath two layers of the original and outer shipping boxes.  They look really impressive stacked 4-5 high in my hobby room! :)

Kinda like this?

SumoLego

(Although, mine are verticle, so as to disguise their numbers.)

But if I ever have a fire in my house, I will be rescuing one certain box before all others.

Drmnez

Aww Lego still in a box...

SumoLego

In a shipping box...

xwingpilot

Well I ordered the replacement sticker sheet discussed above and it arrived today. I'm very satisfied with the quality and price. The paper and printing look exactly like the originals. The only difference is that the stickers have a thin black outline rather than being pre-cut.

I'll be storing these with the box, spare canopy stickers, manuals and spare parts in case the original stickers peel or I want to resell with a complete set of replacement stickers in the future.

Legoboy

@xwingpilot - I won't tell you how many £'000's there are in these boxes of genuine replacement stickers.  :)  All bought, just in cases....

Pitfall69

^Mental

SumoLego

And very rainbowie.

Pitfall69

SumoLego

It is disturbing that as I was posting that, I expected a Ziggy Stardust meme...

xwingpilot

@Legoboy - Are they replacement stickers bought direct from LEGO (and I assume for non-licensed themes)?

Legoboy

xwingpilot said:

@Legoboy - Are they replacement stickers bought direct from LEGO (and I assume for non-licensed themes)?

For every set I own requiring stickers (Grrrr) there is a minimum of one replacement sheet (usually 5-10). They were all obtained from either LEGO, Bricklink or EBay.

In the old days, [email protected] used to allow you to purchase one replacement licensed sticker sheet but that privilege was removed in or around '09 I think. Since then, my non-licensed sheets come from [email protected], licensed from Bricklink.

In addition to stickers, there are several replacement fabrics in there also; Carousel or Imperial Flagship for example? Never did I consider buying for investment, but when you're holding half a dozen of each for the UCS sets or Carousel, it becomes very difficult to find reason to hold onto them - especially when the originals weren't even applied.

SumoLego

Any chance you have an original Red Baron and/or Sopwith Camel sticker sheet you'd be interested in trading?

Mine are probably being held onto the models by dust and... dust.

oldtodd33

And I thought I was anal about having spare sticker sheets. 

SumoLego

This would be simpler if they just did the printed bricks that we all covet...

Pitfall69

oldtodd33 said:

And I thought I was anal about having spare sticker sheets. 

Yeah, @legoboy is a colorectal kind of anal ;)

Legoboy

SumoLego said:

Any chance you have an original Red Baron and/or Sopwith Camel sticker sheet you'd be interested in trading?

Mine are probably being held onto the models by dust and... dust.

Before my time I'm afraid, but at £13 plus postage I wouldn't hesitate.

http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=Ben123007&itemID=30708606

SirKevbags

Legoboy said:8

xwingpilot said:

@Legoboy - Are they replacement stickers bought direct from LEGO (and I assume for non-licensed themes)?

it becomes very difficult to find reason to hold onto them - especially when the originals weren't even applied.

Who are you kidding? Never mind the stickers that were never applied, how about the ones that are in sealed boxes that have little to no chance of a seal being broken ;-)

SirKevbags

And @SumoLego Just for viewing pleasure, or is that pain you might just be able to spot a Sopwith Camel sticker sheet ;-) (pic provided by @joel4motion, currently employed in Fairy Land rebuilding some used but excellent condition sets, very kindly donated recently)

SumoLego

I regretted putting them on my model the moment I peeled them off.

I did consider painting them on, but I realized I have zero artistic ability.  

xwingpilot

Has anyone else found that the plates on the top and bottom of the beam between the rear feet of the stand seem to separate slightly over time? There's a lot of weight on the rear of the stand and it's as if it needs another two 2x2 black plates in the centre to act as a third foot.

Legoboy

xwingpilot said:

Has anyone else found that the plates on the top and bottom of the beam between the rear feet of the stand seem to separate slightly over time? There's a lot of weight on the rear of the stand and it's as if it needs another two 2x2 black plates in the centre to act as a third foot.

http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/11264/design-issue-10240-x-wing-stand 

xwingpilot

@Legoboy So did you add the extra foot and did it solve the problem?

Legoboy

I did.  The rear half no longer bends.

xwingpilot

^ Great thanks. I've done the same now too.

steveomcl

Had my model now for a year! Don't see any signs of this happening... Odd 

xwingpilot

Great #10240 build video:

https://youtu.be/Nzgl0tl3P1g

Check out the confidence with which the stickers are applied to the canopy at 06:45!