So… for the last 15 years, I have had a circa 2000 ATAT on the mantlepiece, made using 9754 Mindstorms Dark Side Developer Kit. It hasn’t been given much of a run, and I cannot recall ever changing the batteries in the Micro Scout control unit.  I have been starting to become concerned about the possibility of battery leakage.  So… I decided to pull the model apart, and replace it in its box.  This is coincidental with a member of OZLUG asking the question ‘Can I make every other major model from this kit with the pieces in the walker?’  (Incidentally, the answer to this is ‘NO’)

This set comes from an era when boxes came with a plastic, compartmentalised insert! So I set about pulling the ‘hero model’ apart, and replacing it in its box.  I am not aiming to sell it in the near future (for a 15 year old set, it has only  appreciated from ~US $100 at release to ~$AU150 on brick link presently for used, with a beaten up box).  I suspect it has much more to teach me. Continue reading →