What is the hardest Lego set you have ever built?

[Cwetqo]

All older large technic models were a challenge, but as I others I must point out 8880 and 8868. For me 8880 was harder to build, but that was manily beacuse I built it from bad computer scans. Otherwise I think 8868 is more complicated.

From newer models of course 8455 and 8258, but instructions have really improved over the years, so you reall cant go wrong if you follow them carefully.

[Commander_Rob]

I guess the hardest-to-build set I built was probably either 5571 Black Cat or 9466 4x4 Offroader, though I must say that while both are complicated, time-consuming builds, I built those when I was, well.....smaller.

The Walking AT-AT more recently wasn`t that hard (to me), apart from some tricky little things you have to get absolutely right for it to work.

On the other hand, while not especially hard, the Death Star playset was certainly my most time-consuming set. It`s not particularly hard to build, but a bit repetitive and FREAKING BIG.

[allanp]

I didn't find the 8455 that hard, but then I was drunk when I built it!

This is the second time i've read somebody saying you have to bend parts and stuff like that to build the 8880. Can somebody enlighten me as I found in flew together quite nicely when I first built it at 9 years old and every time I built it since. No bent or strained parts anywhere (not counting broken bevel gears during play of course!)

I found the 8480 space shuttle to be a nice and very rewarding challenge as all the pieces can't be just put togther like todays sets, they have to be aligned just right and the whole thing is notoriously flimsy during the first stages of construction. 8868 was good too because of all the tubing you have to route through the turntable but is very neatly done when it is finished, i'de recommend the 8868, 8880 and 8480 to anybody looking for a nice challenge, these being my three favorite sets.

That engine build step in 8865 is great! I was 8 when I built it and the parts call out is immence, loved it!

the 10030 star destroyer is a nice display piece but a tedious build, does that count as challenging?

I have to say that if any other company were to produce these sets they would be probably a bit too challenging for some children, but the instructions you get with any Lego set from any time have always been great enabling anyone to build anything Lego ever released given enough time, and they only seem to be getting better and better. Even the design of the models seem to be leaning towards a far easier build. The 8258 is one of the most complex sets Lego have ever produced and yet a child could do it. In each step you only have to assemble on average something like 7 parts. So if you can put 7 parts together, you can put the whole set together. Kudos to the instruction team!

[Sumendar]

This is the second time i've read somebody saying you have to bend parts and stuff like that to build the 8880. Can somebody enlighten me as I found in flew together quite nicely when I first built it at 9 years old and every time I built it since. No bent or strained parts anywhere (not counting broken bevel gears during play of course!)

Took a bit of figuring out to remember, but in step 15 (page 13) the two grey 1x10 technic bricks are inserted after the surfaces on which the steering rails slide, thus the position is blocked both by the axles which should be inserted in the 1x10's and the 1x4 bricks which provide the surfaces (The axle heads nearly hit/come level with the 1x4 bricks). Because both axles are sitting in axle connectors, they can't be slided away either. The solution was naturally simple, just take off the 1x4's and insert the 1x10's, but the building order in the instructions is clearly flawed here.

[ZO6]

Right after Christmas 2009, I fractured my left shoulder. I ordered the 10189 Taj Mahal to keep me busy for a while. Having to build the entire 5922 piece set using only one hand was a pretty long but satisfying experience. Stacking the hundreds of trans-clear 1x1 plates and aligning them nicely was a challenge, as was trying the join the 6 base sections It took me 2 full days of building (from approx. 10am -10pm) with only food breaks.

Generally I build sets at such a leisurely pace, with precise placement of every piece that I never find any of them "hard to build", simply more monotonous depending on the situation.

[RocketClone]

The Trolls mountain fortress for me! although it wasnt hard to build, it got pretty darn repetitive where i thought i would go insane!

Edited January 31, 2010 by RocketClone

[Sir Fred]

I had a problem with Troll Warship and Dwarf Mine because of tying the string, that net and basket lift fell on me a lot and still do whenever I have those sets built. The Medieval Market Village was probably my longest but it wasn't that frustrating building it since the only thing that would break was the roof, after I finished however the cat kept batting the tree off the table and chewing on one of the large leaves.

[Darth Legolas]

The Death Star was not hard at all to me, but I was so careful while building it because I wanted to keep it in top condition. So far it's been the largest piece to my collection, but it was not the hardest.

I think the only thing that could make a set hard to build are bad instructions. As pointed out here by another member, these instructions are simply ridiculous. If I had this set, it would sure take me more than an hour for that one step. I'd have to say the hardest set I've ever built would be...

Well I don't know. I guess it would have to run along the lines of Exo-Force. They were small, but hard. If you added them all together into one big one, it may have been quite tricky. Especially the combo models. None of them worked.

[Blackheart Brit]

The new Imperial Flagship was tedious with 1800 small pieces and it took me many hours to build. It also had not numbered bags so finding little pieces in all the little piles was a chore. Of course, well worth it, it is my best looking LEGO set too.

[Grrr]

6237. For some reason Lego decided not to include instructions!:

[Peppermint_M]

You know, I have never found a Lego set hard to build. I have built a fair few large sets (nothing as big as the blocks of grey that are the Star Wars UCS sets) over the years but even if I have found sections frustrating or repetative they have never been hard...

I suppose I just enjoy the building so much, even if it is "hard" I don't notice

[Inconspicuous]

The hardest set to build for me was the Jawa Sandcrawler. The huge behemoth has a base that is one plate thick! It took me several attempts to get it to hold the weight, and involved reinforcing the set with my own pieces. It was a really bad experience.

I had a similar experience with the original Millennium Falcon, but I was building it on carpet and I was 5 years old. My parents video-taped me opening the box. I cringe every time I watch that video, watching the little me rip the front cover off the box. The base collapsed the same way the Sandcrawler one did.

In more recent times, I don't think I've had too much trouble.

[Clone OPatra]

Like Peppermint M, even those big repetitive builds haven't really felt hard exactly.

The original Millenium Falcon was a bit annoying because it wasn't too stable, but building it wasn't so bad. Dropping it was much worse.

The Black Seas Barracuda wasn't hard exactly, but I was surprised at how long it was taking. Not a complicated model, though, just a large one.

I don't think I've really ever encountered something I'd call hard, but I have had some problems with gray/black differentiation over the years.

[CMP]

AT-AT original. It took me about an hour a day for a week for me an my dad to build. Then again, I was like 6.

Still a hard build.

[simonwillems]

I never really had any trouble putting together a set, and I own about 600. Just follow the minimum age leads on the box and you will have no problem at all

What puzzled me one time though, was how to disassemble the alternate model of set 8408 Desert Ranger. At one point you end up with the chassis of the stretched racer model that clicks in place so tightly it takes some serious part-bending to take apart...

Nice topic by the way!

[Svelte]

I agree that repetition is different from difficulty. My mind is not equipped to understand Technic models (), so something like the Motorized AT-AT central engine section was tricksy. I had problems with parts in the wrong spots without really having the eye to see what was wrong without rebuilding.

I think of it in terms of how much I anticipate a re-build. There are sets that are repetitive that I could build again and again, like the Modular Houses. Even a rebuild of the Death Star was fun and gave me a new level of appreciation of the design

Probably the one I'd least look forward to rebuilding is the 10196 Carousel, which combines lots of Technic framing with very repetitious steps (8x this, 16x that).

[vexorian]

Hmnn, well I have vague recollections of 6982 giving me difficulties. of course, I was a kid back then and I built it on a bed. But I remember that a big part of it actually got destroyed when trying to attach some part with another and I had to do it again . Still my largest set.

Well, that's it, apart from it I have smaller system ships, bionicle robots (the largest being the exo-toa) and a couple of technic sets (nothing difficult in here, my largest one is barely 8465), nothing hard to build. Though I've been lately making mistakes when following instructions, it my be that I am getting old and it is just recently that I got out of my LEGO dark age ...

I also wonder if I should get more bucks to spend on more interesting sets, but it is hard already. I think the largest set I can get from my usual store is the SP 3 super ship, but it would be hard to explain to family that I just spent 120+ USD on a huge SP 3 ship (that's how it is priced in this store)

Edited January 31, 2010 by vexorian

[Etzel]

The hardest set for me to build was 5625 Police 4x4:

Why? Well, because I was blindfolded

[Zorbas]

The set that felt not exactly hard but a little tricky was the inside section of the roof from the 4954 Creator House. Perhaps I was tired since I was building it for some time and I was trying to keep my eyes focused in order not to miss any tan brick placement in the instructions that was needed.

...I think I did at the end...

Why? Well, because I was blindfolded

I think I've seen that.

That was from an event, right? Because I remember I've seen photos or a video in here. Or am I wrong?

[dr_spock]

I'm with Peppermint_M. I haven't found any sets hard to build but I have some sets that took a long time to build. They were the original 4483 AT-AT walker, 4997 Ferry Transport and 8258 Crane Truck. The AT-AT and crane truck took a couple of days. The ferry took 6 hours. It beats watching TV.

[Scouty]

The UCS Imperial Star Destroyer is my biggest set and was the set that took me longest to build. I remember some frustrations

[Athos]

The Green Grocer, the second time. I had it stored in ziplock storage bags (with no sorting at all). And it was difficult to the point of being no fun to try and put it back together.

Will have to sort it by floor next time for sure...

Steve

[Diamondback]

10210 Imperial Flagship. Between the initial quarterdeck and bow assembly, the reconstruction around the new bow-chasers and the daily preventative-maintenance on the masts... and then there was prying that !@#$#@$! 1x4 Tile out of the bottom to reverse the galley and ship's brig! (Holy @!#!@#!, that was a pain in the derriere!)

Edited February 1, 2010 by Diamondback

[Hewman]

The motorized AT-AT. I myself am not a Technic guy by any means, so this was very difficult.

I'm not a technic guy either, and the 10178 was the hardest set I ever built too, although once finished it ended up being one of the most satisfying builds ever. Thankfully I didn't get any of those horrible crunching noises you mentioned.

[Etzel]

I think I've seen that.

That was from an event, right? Because I remember I've seen photos or a video in here. Or am I wrong?

No you're right, there is video from that event here. But it's not showing me when I'm blind building, that's another guy.