My daughter and I had just finished the first magazine from our most recent delivery, and I was eager to get started on the next one. We had added details to the lower mandibles of the Millennium Falcon and the added depth, the iconic parts, I was starting to feel like this project might start – finally – all coming together. The mandibles seem like such a small part, but once complete, I couldn’t help but think that what would be next, what would follow, would be bringing the two halves of the Falcon together. Two halves that had spent the better part of a year looking alone and isolated, begging to be brought together and creating the iconic ship.
So, without much pause, I grabbed the next installment for Ember and I to complete. As always, as a parent, I started to peruse the magazine, wondering if there would be any preparation that might need to be done before bringing Ember in. For months, this has almost been unnecessary. I haven’t needed to get long forgotten parts from past issues; I haven’t needed to paint anything – until the last magazine! I’d had to spray the recesses ready for fixing to the mandibles. While I could have left this step out (as I plan to repaint the whole ship once complete) , I was so glad that I hadn’t. The effect would have been a little less on seeing it with the added details, let alone trying to paint around said details!
Although there was no preparation that needed doing, I did notice what we would be doing, something completely new! Adding the side frames and the side panels. Not only did we have what seemed to be quite a dense magazine, we would also be bringing the two halves of the mandible together. I could not quite contain my excitement; this was going to look awesome! While I would have happily done another installment (or three), I was aware that we would be doing something that Ember and I hadn’t done before. Yes, the skills were the same and we would probably be able to relate this to other parts that we had completed, but this actual process would be new. And who knew what rabbit holes we might end up falling down. So, one magazine it would be.
I would be lying if I wasn’t saying I was excited. This was an important step, a very important step, to be able to bring those two big halves of the ship together. Of course, we’d have to go through this whole process again for the second mandible, but surely, after that, it would be bringing everything together, surely?
With nothing more to do, it was time to dive into the issue. We started by adding the side frames on. While I was looking forward to this, I hadn’t really thought about just how tricky this was going to be. Lining up frames and screwing them together wouldn’t usually be a problem; for Ember it wasn’t. As the designated adult and holder of things that needed screwing, it was far more hazardous. In the previous magazine, we had added all the details to the lower mandible. It was these I was having to maneuver carefully around, trying not to break them as Ember was screwing the frames into place. It was anything but easy and it was one of those times where I wish the order of the magazines had been switched. Maybe when we come to do the other mandible, we will be able to do this.
What can I say about bringing the two parts together on the frame? Yes, it was just as exciting as I imagined. Seeing these pieces really brought to life was something that just blew me away, even Ember was there like, yikes, this looks like a chunk! Goodness knows how we will feel when we bring the two halves of the overall Falcon together, if we’re feeling like this about just a mandible!
With them joined together, it was time to add the side panels. Trying to dry fit these, then take them off and add glue was also not that easy. These do snap in and while I wanted to just add glue straight away, having been caught out in the past, I didn’t want to not have the pieces fit while trying to rush because of super glue. This was where one of the pieces that we had attached in part seventy-seven snapped. Thankfully it was a part that was very easy to glue together and no-one was the wiser. However, I knew! If I had done this before the details, it would have been easily avoided, while making for a more enjoyable build experience.
With the side panels added we had an almost complete mandible. It looks fantastic. My only complaint is doing this after adding the details. While Ember enjoyed doing it, I was stressed the whole time with these finicky parts continually looking for ways to get in the way. One bit of damage that was easy to fix, but it shouldn’t really be this stressful. Now knowing what I know, Ember and I will be doing the second mandible a lot differently. Thankfully I didn’t push for us to do two magazines this time round, I think my blood pressure would have been through the roof! Not as smooth an instalment as I hoping for, hopefully the next one I can relax, just a little bit!
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