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LEGO Make & Create Eiffel Tower 1:300 by LEGO
Product SummaryManufacturer: LEGO Brand: LEGO Model: 4495730 Product features: - Eiffel Tower model stands more than 3-1/2 feet tall
- Recreate impressive replica of famous Parisian structure
- Built to 1:300 scale
- 3,428-piece set
- Based on original blueprints
Toys and Games Reviews of LEGO Make & Create Eiffel Tower 1:300Customer Review: This set consists of 6 gazillion pieces, all of them gray. Summary: 5 Stars
Okay, okay, I'm exaggerating: it's only 3428 pieces, and only 3027 of them are gray.
This is an incredible set, and looks amazing when finished. It's the most difficult build I have done, though I hear that the Ultimate Millennium Falcon is even harder.
The almost completely uniform color scheme demands a disciplined approach and plenty of multi-compartment trays. I hate to think what it would be like if I followed my usual habit of ripping open all the bags, dumping all the pieces in a pile, and building the coolest bits first regardless of official sequence. Some of the parts are packed in sorted bags (eg. the 230 gray 1x4x1 fences are packed in three bags). Other pieces are mixed in together, which means you have to sort them out, all the while grumbling about why they didn't sort all the pieces. Seriously, why sort some but not all?
The middle and top sections of the tower are relatively simple, and very sturdy. The lower section is both fragile and tricky. In some places the pieces are not so much locked together as balanced against each other. It is vital that you make sure all the pieces are aligned and tightly connected. A slightly loose piece in the bottom of the structure can be a huge problem for the pieces a foot above it. It's not easy to tighten two pieces after the fact without disturbing lots of other pieces.
For the first time ever I found some of the instructions hard to follow as the uniform color made it hard to figure out the perspective in the instruction drawings. Twice I found that two parts which were meant to join up were a tile-thickness different in height. I had to go back through the steps to figure out which teeny-tiny piece I had put in the wrong place, then dismantle and rebuild. In one case I had put one too many 1x2 plates in one of the legs; in another I had a 1x3 plate one stud out of place. You need to be methodical, gathering all the pieces for a given step, paying careful attention to the diagrams, and making sure all pieces from a step are accounted for.
I also strongly advise keeping small children at bay. My 5 and 8 year-old sons thought the Eiffel Tower really needed a train station under it, and track surrounding it, which might have been workable had not a dispute over the exact placement of the station led to a massive engineering catastrophe.
As others have said, I would love to see more world monuments. The Colosseum, Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, or Ely Cathedral would be awesome. The Seven Wonders of the Lego World would be a fantastic series.
An update (May 11, 2008): According to brickset.com Lego will be releasing a model Taj Mahal later this year! No pictures or a release date as yet, but the set number is 10189. Bricklink hears about new sets several months in advance so I imagine this will be a Q3/Q4 release.
Description of LEGO Make & Create Eiffel Tower 1:300Become the architect of a world famous structure! Build your own Eiffel Tower in 1:300 scale. Based on the original blueprints for the tower, it can be created in three different sections making assembly a cinch. Includes 3,248 pieces. Sturdy model measures 20" x 20" x 42.5". Build one of the most spectacular landmarks in the world! Standing taller than 3-1/2 feet, the Lego Make & Create Eiffel Tower kit lets builders re-create an impressive replica of this famous Parisian structure. Assemble and Display Recommended for ages 16 years and up, this Lego model is more than just child's play. Like a good puzzle, it's challenging and fun to assemble the 3,428 pieces. Lego-maniacs and collectors will love proudly displaying the Tower after it's complete. Durable plastic Lego construction makes this micro-scale Eiffel Tower sturdy and reliable. Built in sections, it can even be taken apart in three sections for easy storage and transport. True to Form Developed in co-operation between consumer requests, fans, and Lego designers, the Make & Create Eiffel Tower is based on the original blueprints of the building. Built to 1:300 scale, it measures 20.1 inches wide and 42.5 inches tall. About LEGO The world-famous building block set encourages a unique type of play that is fun, creative, engaging, and challenging. Taking its name from an abbreviation of two Danish words, "leg godt," meaning "play well," LEGO has been inspiring children and adults to do just that since 1932. Seventy-five years later, LEGO is one of the world's largest toy manufacturers, with products sold in 130 countries. What's in the Box Eiffel Tower model set with 3,428 elements. 
This LEGO Eiffel Tower lets builders re-create a 3.5-foot replica of this famous structure. |
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