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2013 Roundup & 2014 Plans

January 5th, 2014 Leave a comment Go to comments

plans2014

Summary of yet another year of building and plans for the year ahead.

2013 left me with impression that I need much more time for building than I currently have. My full-time job is the problem here, and I’m looking at several possible solutions right now. If any of them succeeds, I will finally be able to produce several large and complex models this year.

2013 brought a total of 17 models, and for me it was a year of focusing heavily on videos and YouTube. I have put a lot of effort into making my videos better, acquiring a Tamron lens for my camera, a Camrock camera slider and a Hero GoPro 3 Silver Edition camera along the way, and experimenting with color grading. I am thinking about filming in FullHD now, because technically I could, but it may have to wait until I can afford to upgrade my PC – right now it needs about 6x longer to render a FullHD video than it does to render a HD one. In any case, I think it’s safe to say that the effort paid off, as the year closed with 5.1 million video views and with more than doubled number of subscribers. Somewhat surprisingly, the most viewed video of 2013 turned out to be that of my Floating Crane, closely followed by that of my KZKT 7428 Rusich tank transporter. Personally, I’m particularly proud of a couple of videos from the last quarter of 2013, and if I had to point one that was most interesting to work on and which turned out to be most pleasing to me, it would be my Trophy Truck video:

As for my 2013 MOCs, I’m not satisfied with their complexity – while there was a higher number of MOCs than back in 2012, most of them were simple, with the Rusich being probably the most complex one. This is the result of my overall lack of time, which prevented me from starting to work on more time-consuming models, with the exception of the A-10 Thunderbolt model which has been under development for a couple of months now, and which is still incomplete.

I didn’t manage to finish a single model until March, which brought a rather simple Komatsu truck,  and a long-postponed K2 Black Panther tank, which I was very pleased with. I have immediately proceeded to work on the transporter for the tank, but it wasn’t complete until May, and in the meantime I took a break building the Floating Crane. Next was the Peugeot racing car built for speed records, which came very close to being faster than my Pagani Zonda, but ultimately failed. Shortly after, I have finally finished my first model of a plane, the SR-71 Blackbird, which looked well but was dead simple. It was met with a warm welcome though, which convinced me that the area of Lego planes is definitely worth exploring. I haven’t finished another car until October, experimenting a lot in the meantime, which resulted in, among other models, the Bat. The October car, the Dakar Truck, turned out to be a disappointment, and I felt much better when a month later the performance of my Trophy Truck has exceeded all expectations. I have spent December fooling around a bit, building e.g. the Minigun, but also working really hard to finish a model that was under development for a better part of the year: Ferrari Enzo. This model turned out to be an interesting and educative challenge, but it also left a lot to be improved in my next supercar models.

2013 was also the year when I fully ebraced the bad habit of building several models at the same time. While this may be frustrating to follow, it helps me to be more creative and it can result in a couple of models being finished one right after another. That habit was taken into account when my website got partially revamped, with the Future Projects section and the Downloads section becoming clearer and more visual. At the same time I was forced to reduce the number of widgets on my website to absolute minimum, because all the incoming traffic was overloading the server.

As for the 2014 plans, I definitely want to build more and to build diversely. I love cars of all kinds, but I want to experiment with other models as well, including planes – such as the A-10 on which I’m focusing now, but not limited to it – or even submarines. I have done some preliminary planning and measuring and I think I can build a 60 cm long model of a WW2 submarine with a fullstud body and a couple of motorized functions. It won’t be able to go anywhere near water, of course, but it should be interesting nevertheless, especially since the first submarine I want to build is the Polish ORP Orzeł, a very advanced WW2 sub with a fascinating history. Once the A-10 is finally complete, I intend to turn to WW2 era planes, specifically to the legendary P-51 Mustang, which I want to build at a relatively large scale. There will be, of course, regular cars too – including Audi R8 which I want to be my next supercar after Enzo, and my third attempt at modelling the Hummer, which was already started at large scale (see below), using the newest suspension pieces. The Hummer will be fitted with a nice fullstud body in red, perhaps with some fragments in dark red and with a certain number of stickers.

Other plans include the 2013 Dodge Challenger, this time with a studless body, as opposed to my old 1969 Dodge Charger, a huge Liebherr LTM 1250 mobile crane with an interesting outriggers mechanism, the M35 wrecker truck with tan fullstud body and a very complex drivetrain, the Warhammer Stormblade tank, which should be a nice change from the real-life tanks thanks to its heavy ornamentation and a barrel which will be probably illuminated with EL wire, and finally Lamborghini Reventon which has been waiting to be built for a long, long time now, and which still has a chance to be my first NXT-controlled supercar.

As you can see, I’m planning a lot, and I’m also keeping in mind the models I wanted to build last year but didn’t manage to. This is going to require plenty of time, and I’m actively searching for ways to have more time than I did in 2013. Of course, there is no guarantee I can carry out this whole plan, at least not until I quit sleeping 😉 One of the possible obstacles that may interfere with my plans is the new Xbox and a couple of games that are coming, but at the moment I can’t even afford it, so all is safe.

2013 was also the year when my book, written originally in English, became available in German and Polish. I can safely say that there is more to come in that area. At the same time, it was the year when LEGO asked me to review their new sets, which I did with pleasure. I hope they will come again with 2H2014 sets, but only LEGO knows if that is going to happen.

All in all, I can promise that 2014 is going to be interesting and it will probably bring a few nice surprises.

Happy New Year 2014!

Paul

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  1. Sariel
    May 23rd, 2014 at 21:11 | #1

    @ron
    Pinnacle Studio 14.

  2. ron
    May 23rd, 2014 at 19:13 | #2

    Hi Sariel

    Just wondering, what program do you use to edit your videos?

  3. Ev3fan
    April 23rd, 2014 at 22:32 | #3

    I didn’t know that you quit TrTr up to now to be honest. And I didn’t want to say that you didn’t use it in TrTr because it has no lockable diffs. And I’m not ” obsessed ” in lockable diffs, I just think they are a good compromise between regular diffs and solid axles. But I’ll stopp commenting about that now.

  4. Sariel
    April 17th, 2014 at 14:33 | #4

    @Ev3fan
    First, I have never EVER used lockable differentials in TrTr because, despite your obsession with them, they are completely useless, for reasons I have already explained in answer to your many, many comments. And second, I quit Truck Trial years ago.

  5. Ev3fan
    April 17th, 2014 at 14:28 | #5

    Hi Sariel!
    To me it looks like the hummer chassis has got differentials which aren’t lockable?!
    Does this mean you’re not planning on using it in TruckTrial?

  6. Sariel
    April 9th, 2014 at 19:20 | #6

    @CG
    Maybe someday.

  7. CG
    April 9th, 2014 at 18:39 | #7

    hello sariel. I have been following your builds for a while now and i really like them. I was wondering if you might consider making a Nissan DeltaWing like this one:
    http://design-engine.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/01-nissan-deltawing.jpg

  8. ZACH
    March 20th, 2014 at 00:30 | #8

    YES AND AUDI R8

  9. Sariel
    February 27th, 2014 at 10:08 | #9

    @Marek
    I’m toying with idea for some choppers, but it’s a long way from here. I want to get some practice building planes first.

  10. Marek
    February 27th, 2014 at 01:47 | #10

    Hi, I saw your videos already years ago!
    Big congrats to your successes and book!
    I remember you wished a chopper then – curious if wish came true or became obsolete.

    Maybe I could inplant some future model ideas?
    How about some helicopters, sth like HIND or HOKUM. Or maybe some futurustic attack choppers like from some anime series, or some orca like aircraft like from C&C?

    Best regards and powodzenia!

  11. Sariel
    February 20th, 2014 at 11:21 | #11

    @nico
    Three or four.

  12. nico
    February 20th, 2014 at 05:37 | #12

    @Sariel
    The LTM1250 with Unimoc wheels …. wow

    How many crane boom telescoping stage you are plan? Like the original?

  13. Sariel
    February 12th, 2014 at 21:01 | #13

    @Tobias Stanisfugl
    It will be large, I don’t know the exact scale but it will be scaled to the Unimog wheels, which are very large.

  14. Tobias Stanisfugl
    February 12th, 2014 at 19:35 | #14

    Hi Sariel
    I am a fresh observer of your excellent creations and like to ask you, if you can tell about the scale of the planned Liebherr LTM1250?
    Thank you, Best Regards,
    Tobias

  15. Sariel
    February 9th, 2014 at 17:19 | #15

    @Bob
    We’ll see.

  16. Bob
    February 9th, 2014 at 16:15 | #16

    Will the Hummer and the M35 have some good off-road abilities? Can’t wait for them.

  17. Sariel
    February 7th, 2014 at 14:55 | #17

    @Marcel
    This part is exactly 1 stud wide and fits perfectly.

  18. Marcel
    February 7th, 2014 at 12:15 | #18

    Oh, i didnt mean that part. I meant the part what is between the shockbreakers. The new part part form the snowmobile.

  19. Sariel
    February 7th, 2014 at 11:42 | #19

    @Marcel
    But towball arms are thinner than 1 stud, and should not come in contact with the spring on the shocks.

  20. Marcel
    February 7th, 2014 at 10:36 | #20

    I also made the steering from the Hummer that shown on the picture. The only problem that is have is with the shockbreakers. They are a bit wider then 1 stud and doesn’t go smoothly past the towball arms.

  21. Iceberg
    February 3rd, 2014 at 14:53 | #21

    OMG, a P51 Mustang? I can’t wait to see it! 😀

  22. Sariel
    January 31st, 2014 at 09:31 | #22

    @gNat
    I like them too, they’re relaxing to me.

  23. gNat
    January 31st, 2014 at 00:03 | #23

    I like some of your small MOCs like the tentecal or ballista, it is just interesting to see small ideas. More like seeds of bigger projects. But they look nice and illustrate a cool unique concept.

  24. Antony
    January 30th, 2014 at 22:09 | #24

    oh my god! PLEASE make the a10, the sub and the audi R8!!! 😀
    (also if you planning on making a sub, make it a typhoon class sub they are awesome!

  25. January 15th, 2014 at 19:50 | #25

    I am looking forward to the large planes. I have enjoyed building them, and I suspect you will find a similar enjoyment as they present a wide range of challenges.

  26. Cody
    January 9th, 2014 at 15:01 | #26

    The A-10 Thunderbolt. Called it.

    Cant wait. Happy 2014

  27. Sariel
    January 8th, 2014 at 18:14 | #27

    @Reid O’Brien
    No idea. You must have done something differently, as this doesn’t happen with my suspension.

  28. Reid O’Brien
    January 8th, 2014 at 17:15 | #28

    I just made my own version of the front suspension of the hummer in the pic with the old suspension arms, and it doesn’t seem to steer very well, and the wheels change direction when the shocks are compressed… Any ideas why that is? I want to add portal hubs to my 8297 custom…

  29. A
    January 7th, 2014 at 21:06 | #29

    Cool thanks yeah I am making a landrover defender 90 with around 2500 parts so thanks@Sariel

  30. Sariel
    January 7th, 2014 at 08:35 | #30

    @A
    From any stores that have them at the moment.

  31. A
    January 7th, 2014 at 00:47 | #31

    Hi sariel I was just wondering what bricklink stores you buy all your new parts from.

  32. helder morais
    January 6th, 2014 at 13:40 | #32

    nice work keep on with it
    hope 4 a even better 2014 xx

  33. Lauri Luttinen
    January 6th, 2014 at 10:16 | #33

    Hi Sariel,

    Greetings from Finland.

    ORP Orzel would be nice MOC. She also visited Gulf of Finland and was interned @Tallin and was also able to escape from there!

    Have nice and productive year 2014!

    lauri

  34. Florian Renner
    January 6th, 2014 at 09:27 | #34

    nice sariel

  35. Björn L
    January 6th, 2014 at 09:17 | #35

    Hi Paul,
    Let me start by wishing you a good, healthy and prosperous 2014! I have to say I disagree with you on what you accomplished doens’t feel like enough. Maybe 2012 had more detailed models made by you, yes, but writing a book and becoming a Lego Ambassador, making video’s, photo’s, etc. it does cost time that can only be spent once. And it was spent wisely! And time goes into details.
    I too wish I had all the time and money in the world to work with Lego all day long, but I don’t either. On the other had, that is a good thing too. If it was your work, most likely it would be boring after a while.
    Thank you for making time for me and all your other followers by publishing a book, videos, write-ups, incidental BI’s (also timeconsuming), making reviews. Add it all and you have no time left in a regular day…
    No, I really think you’ve set your personal target very high and be glad you accomplished this!
    Good luck in 2014,
    Björn

  36. Paul Nowak
    January 5th, 2014 at 22:59 | #36

    Oh and keep up the good work! You have earned my sub on youtube and loyal liker on facebook 🙂

  37. Paul Nowak
    January 5th, 2014 at 22:58 | #37

    Hi,

    for the „day job” problem maybe try https://subbable.com/
    I see some youtubers using it for better or worst result. Maybe it’s worth a shot.

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