The hiatus that had resulted in delayed shipping for the Millennium Falcon partwork from Fanhome had had more of an effect on my eight-year-old daughter and me than I had expected. We came back to the project having lost that fluidity, that confidence, that partnership. The last time we sat down to work on some small details, I had kept it to one magazine. Typically, we could have done two, but I knew something needed to change. Slowing down, taking stock and just relaxing to enjoy the experience of actually building was both what Ember and I needed. We were smiling, we were laughing, and we were enjoying the whole experience. It had left me with a real buzz that I had not felt in a few months. But it was back, and I was completely ready!
While I was itching to get the upper hull finished, the last magazine really had been timed perfectly. Now though, I wanted to get back to the upper hull, to see the Falcon brought to life before my eyes. We had just passed the two thirds mark and I was really hoping this project might at least be built by the new year. As always, I opened the next installment to check what needed doing, what things needed getting ready and if there were parts from previous issues we would need. Looking through, it was back to the hull but not like we usually do. Usually, we take the plates and attach them directly to the frame. For this magazine, we would be screwing the plates together, presumably to put eventually onto the frame. It was not what we were used to but at least it was a step in the right direction. It looked simple enough and when I opened part sixty-nine, it was more of the same. It was a perfect time to do two issues again and see if Ember was feeling as much buzz as I was. I think the only problem will be there is no need for her to use those new tweezers – which seem to be oddly disappearing a little too often!
Once I had found the plates that I needed, I set up our workspace and the two of us sat down to work. When we actually sat down with the installment, both Ember and I quickly realised just how easy part sixty-eight was. Eighteen screws. After sorting all of the plates on the upper hull, eighteen screws seemed of little consequence. Ember started off all the screws but did find that a lot of force was needed to tighten them up fully – which the magazine recommends. I always get worried with the plastic parts that they’ll snap if we push the screws in too much, but they absolutely need to be fully tightened to get all the pieces to lay properly. Ember started them, and I finished them. It worked extremely well, and we were both zooming through. When we came to the end though, we both looked at each other, feeling that if we were doing just this issue, it was very short. Thankfully magazine sixty-nine was right on hand.
This was more of the same and I’m really surprised these two installments weren’t put together. If eighteen screws weren’t much, this was even less. Instead of attaching four plates together, it was putting one onto what we had already completed. If the previous one was short, this was even shorter. I don’t think either of us would have been happy if we had sat down to do this one by itself, there just wasn’t enough to it. I’m glad we did these back-to-back, they really need to to get the plates all put together but also to give you a decent amount of hobby time.
One thing I will say with both issues, that sometimes you’ll need to snap the plates together, so they line up together. Again, this always makes me nervous, but I noticed on the end panels that some of the grooves weren’t lining up. When I forced it a little, everything clicked into place and Ember and I quickly screwed them together, so we didn’t lose the perfect join.
With the plates put together it was time to gaze at the finished result. Both Ember and I were impressed. It is clearly a part of the Falcon and even without the mesh over the circular parts, it is quite obvious where it fits (particularly if you’ve played with the vintage toy!). We were pleased with this session, but it certainly felt like one issue that had been split over two. There wasn’t enough in either one to make us think that we had done anything substantial. I appreciate that the parts need to be gradually built up but this is definitely one of those cases where these were two very lean instalments that left you wanting more. With only one more issue for this delivery, I was intrigued to see where we would go next, surely little bits and pieces for the upper hull, right?
