Creator Set | SerialBuilder | Pre-order update #11

Run #01 is coming to a close | Run #02 is on schedule

Hey everyone! I’ve slightly updated the format for the pre-order updates so that they’re easier to go through - I’ll do a quick update for each of the runs and then have the general update for everyone.

Run #01 Updates

Delivery woes are (almost) over!

So the EU shipment finally, finally, finally, made it to the port and after a couple of weeks there, got released and the sets started making their way to their new homes 🎉 Almost 3 months late, we know, but we’re just relieved that they finally made it and are super grateful for all the patience you guys have shown.

Hopefully the majority of you should have received your sets by now, so unless we’re already in touch with you regarding your specific shipment, if you haven’t yet received your set, please do get in touch with us and we’ll help track it down.

Replacement parts update

We’ve been getting a bunch of questions regarding these - the latest is that we’ve just received the sample parts and have been testing them out with the builds to make sure they meet the standard we’re looking for. Unfortunately, they’re not quite there. Whilst the hoses are firmer, they’re still not firm enough and so tend to still droop over time. We’re shifting tactics and finding a new supplier for these parts. This will take a little longer to get right so we’ll need to push the expected delivery date for them, but as we’ve previously advised, if you’re wondering whether you should wait for them, I’d probably say no, go and have fun building your sets. The replacement parts will be easily changeable once you do eventually get them. When that'll be is still a bit of a question mark, but we're hoping to have found a new supplier by next month.

Thank you

Finally, I just want to again extend my appreciation to you all for taking a chance with us and believing in us to deliver you this set. It was our first attempt and we decided to do it the absolute hardest way possible, by not only offering the biggest set you’ve ever seen, but also managing all the moving parts with completely new suppliers and shipping partners. This was a 2-man effort (we don’t count 2B - besides his comfort cuddles, his input was minimal at best), and while it was a bit rocky, and there are still ongoing issues that we will be taking care of, it wasn’t a complete disaster. Most importantly though, we’ve proven that there’s a demand for what we’re building and that we’re able to reward the creator fairly whilst also removing the pain for customers who want to purchase incredible custom sets. We’re definitely thinking about how to build out this model further with more creators and will have more updates for you in the coming months.

Run #02 Updates

The order has been placed

We’ve placed the production order with the factory and the timeline has been confirmed. We’re currently scheduled to complete production on the 31st of July, which is certainly cutting it close, with no buffer, but hopefully since it’s the second run, there shouldn’t be any further delays like last time, where we were scrambling the updated parts lists for the fixes. Everything is just about on track at the moment and hopefully shipping will commence sometime in August.

Packaging design

We’ve submitted the packaging design for the new sets. Because we’re offering individual sets this time, we needed to create individual packaging for each of them. Here’s what they will roughly look like...

Prepare for mega dizziness when you get your sets (I meant from the excitement, not the packaging artwork)

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General Updates

More reviews coming in

I do love punny review titles

Thank you to everyone for continuing to provide the reviews as you go through the builds. There’s a lot of feedback, which, I won’t deny, is a little overwhelming, but it’s exactly what we want - our plan is to compile it all together and tackle the issues in batches and make continuous incremental improvements so that the end result is of a very high standard. On that note - I just updated the Sawtooth instructions to V1.2 a few days ago and have tried to address all the feedback within the parts that everyone has available to them. Not as helpful if you’ve already built it, but hopefully all your input will be appreciated by those who have yet to tackle the build.

Taking a hammer to the Tremortusk

Either I’m really strong or something went wrong here.

We’ve seen a few reports of people saying that they needed a hammer for this step. As rightly pointed out in the reviews, this is a step too far. I’m not quite sure how this happened, but I specifically updated this section as I found the original flow did indeed require a hammer. The updated one however was doable by hand, albeit a bit tight.

If you have these parts as official LEGO parts, I’d love to hear if you’re able to do this without any issues. I’m wondering whether this is a tolerance issue or whether we need to redesign this element completely. Any help would be much appreciated! 🙏

Specter update

This thing has been sitting on my desk in pieces for longer than I’d like to admit

To everyone who has pre-ordered the Specter, I’d like to let you know that we are updating the design a little based on feedback we’ve been getting. We’re updating the yellow parts to gold and because we’re no longer restricted to the parts from the Creator Set, we’re updating a few sections to make it a bit more robust. There’s nothing you need to do, but just letting you know in case you’re wondering why your Specter build is looking a bit more blingy than the photo we’ve provided on the site. I don’t have the updated photo of the build or the new gold parts just yet, since we’re waiting for them to arrive, but I’ll provide those in the next update.

Behind the scenes drama

This wasn’t something I was expecting to be talking about in this update, but it happened so recently and the trauma is so fresh that I can’t help but share with you about some of the challenges and dangers of running your own little business.
So a few days ago, if you were on the website, you may have noticed some strange issues with things not looking correct and everything being labelled as sold-out.
In a momentary lapse of focus, I ended up wiping our whole database with a super dangerous command that rebuilt our database for another creator-focused tool that we’re working on.

Good ol’ brain - what would I do without you?

This was probably the most stressful event I’ve had to deal with this year. Luckily, it was recoverable even though it absolutely shouldn’t have been, but I’m not complaining, and am instead thanking my lucky stars. It required a bit of work to get back up and running and restored to how it should’ve been. That said, if you notice anything different with your instructions access or missing reviews, do let me know and I’ll see if I can track those issues down. But as far as I know, the big issue has been resolved. Ultimately no data was lost, and we don't store any payment information as that lives on Stripe or PayPal (depending on your payment method).

OK, I just wanted to get that off my chest, as that was actually quite scary. I now have a new rule of not doing any complex tasks after dinnertime. You may still hear from me through our support emails during that window though as there are times when you can’t sleep and just need something to do.

Lego building studio

We took a day off to level up our build space - there are a few easter eggs in this shot, but for anyone who’s interested in the massive metal posters - I can say that I’m thoroughly impressed with them - you can order your own from our friends at Photobook who are offering a discount until the end of June (use code: PBXEBRICK). Just make sure that the artwork you’re uploading is of the highest quality for the best results!

For the storage of parts - we’ve built out our own system out of lego parts and custom trays that pairs well with IKEA furniture, particularly the KALLAX shelves. This is something we’re considering creating a set for, but I’d like to hear from you first if there’s any interest in building your own storage units out of lego. I found it quite fun, and I quite like the idea of lego storing all the other lego. It’s all quite modular too. What are your main priorities when it comes to sorting your lego?

Fun fact: I have a motorbike license - don’t tell my mum

Is that Kaneda’s bike?

I see you’re also a person of culture. Yes it is. If you’ve been paying attention, we have a new upcoming Creator Set which we’re calling ‘Neo Bikes’. The idea here is that you can make any style of 1:5 scale bike but we will be starting with 5 specific builds that Clement has been hard at work on developing. We will reveal the actual designs soon, but for now, we’ll leave you with these. If you’re not already signed up to the waitlist for when this goes live, you can do so here.

And if you’re not into bikes and just want more Horizon beasts, fret not, those updates are coming…as soon as I stop randomly deleting things with code and focus on building things with bricks.