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I recently did a digital design for a build challenge hosted by TrickyBricks. If you haven't checked out Flynn and Richard's YouTube Channel, TrickyBricks, you should definitely do that. They host a hugely entertaining show, including build challenges. This last one was to build an apartment module that is compatible with the newly released LEGO Friends Main Street Building set (Set No. 41704). This is a photo of my entry. Click on the photo for a link to the show and all of the other wonderful builds that were submitted. 
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Everyone loves an awesome Blacktron build. Ok, maybe it's just me. But I get a sense of immense joy seeing cool LEGO builds decked out in the distinctive black and yellow colors of the original LEGO bad guys, the Blacktron. I especially like when builders do mash ups with iconic things from other "universes" done in Blacktron style. So it is in that spirit that I present to you the Blacktron Imperial Shuttle. Head on over to the YouTube channel and let me know what you think. What other things should I Blacktronify? Is that even a word, "Blacktronify?" If not, it should be. One of my recent projects has been building a scale model of a World War II battleship, the Roma. I have always wanted to build a large navy ship and decided to go ahead and embark on the build. I chose the Roma because of the distinctive markings on the ship, especially the bold red and white diagonal strips on the deck of the ship. The ship is over 47 inches long, nearly as long as the UCS Super Star Destroyer I took photos along the way and decide to do a series of episodes on the PittBrickyard YouTube channel to showcase interesting things about the build. Episode I was posted. I also did a very quick #Shorts video with a quick preview of the finished build. I will be doing more of the longer build episodes. So stay tuned for that.  Yes, I know ... another mech build. I like building mechs. Actually, I have been spending most of my recent building time over the last month working on a much larger build which I plan to showcase soon on the PittBrickyard YouTube channel. But this past weekend, I wanted to take a break from that big build and work on a quick mech build that I had been thinking about recently. I had been mulling over the idea of doing a more agile, lithe sort of mech build. My usual mech builds have been more bulky with lots of heavy armor and accessories. So I took a break and knocked out this one this weekend. I like the black and tan color scheme and was happy with the movement that I was able to get out of it. Check out the YouTube video. I will eventually add it to the mech page when I get a chance.
I uploaded a new video of my Black and White Mech No. 1 build. I am trying to do some quick video tours for the new YouTube "shorts" format. Going forward, I'll probably start doing long tour versions of my MOC videos on the regular YouTube format with a companion #shorts video.
The rover features an ore drill that can be off loaded via the crane arm and several container boxes that are removable as well. The front tires are steerable with a technic rack and pinion set up and the rear tires are all independently sprung so they will move up and down over obstacles (better for Moon rock crawling!). Again, I should have a video posted showing the details in the rear future. 
Mine uses the LEGO magnet system to lock the transport pods in place on the ship. Also of note in this build is a mechanism that I built to allow the forward winglets to change positions with a toggle handle built into the rear of the ship. The upper cockpit also separates and becomes it own mini-ship. The YouTube video gives a tour of the whole and the different features.
As promised, I waded into the project of trying to collect all of the pieces to build the Classic Space Mobile Lab set (LEGO Set Number 6901). I worked on it over the course of a couple of days, including this past weekend. Besides the usual satisfaction that I derive from sorting through bricks, this turned out to be particularly fun because my son got interested in helping me find the bricks. So it turned into a joint mission to hunt down the pieces. I have to hand it to my son who actually managed to find several of the pieces that I had overlooked. I was convinced that I would have to BrickLink the trans-green windshield part and he ended up finding it in the same transparent piece box that I was sure I had combed through ad nauseum. In my defense, I will contend that searching through that particular box of transparent bricks (all trans-color bricks) is like getting lost in a maze of funhouse mirrors. Still, he was able to find it. We have now found nearly all of the pieces. And I am quite convinced at least a handful of them came from the actual set that I first got some forty years ago. Kind of a cool thought. Alas, we have not tracked down all of the "hose" pieces along with a just few others. So I might have to resort to a very small BrickLink order. I hope to bring you photos of the rebuilt set when its done.  By the way, after helping me with finding the bricks for this set, my son decided to try his hand at rebuilding another old LEGO Space set (from a different Space subtheme from the late '90s). So I'll plan to show off that rebuilt set as well in another post.
I have posted up a new video of my Blacktron Attacks! MOC on the PittBrickyard YouTube channel. This MOC was built for the 2018 Bricks by the Bay LEGO convention and featured a large Blacktron mothership which was around two feet in diameter. My 17 inch tall mech build, the "Mächtig Jaeger," have been posted on the PittBrickyard YouTube Channel. I came up with this name because the build reminds me of a powerful Pacific Rim style "jaeger" mech. The idea behind this one was to do a large format mech with dark blue ("Earth Blue" in official LEGO color parlance) and orange colors. The challenge at this scale is to prevent it from collapsing under its own weight. I ended up completely rebuilding it, including redesigning the feet after an initial test build proved too flimsy. It stands well now and without support. However, because a push can send it toppling over, I have built a support display stand that can sit behind it and help prevent it from falling over when displayed for long periods (and to hopefully guard against it pitching over off my display shelf in the next California earthquake!). Check out the video for a full tour.
One improvement that I would make would be to replace the black brick to which the antenna is connected (a "Brick, Modified 1 x 1 with Studs on 4 Sides," sometimes called a "Travis Brick"). I really wanted to use a red brick there but, for some reason, could not find one in my giant drawer of SNOT bricks. I will keep an eye out and probably replace it the next time I see one turn up in one of my bulk LEGO brick bins. Check out more photos here.
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