FIRSTHAND SET REVIEWS

Bricksmith Build Guides

Firsthand LEGO® set reviews from the workbench, including real build times, difficulty ratings, challenging steps, stability, and what to know before you start.

Every guide is based on a set I have personally assembled and documents the actual build experience rather than just the finished model.

Joshua A McDougall 10/8/26 Joshua A McDougall 10/8/26

LEGO Pokémon Up-Scaled Red Minifigure 40868 Build Review

Red makes a great LEGO Pokémon display figure, with a backpack, printed face and a cap that became my favorite assembly. My nine logged bag times totaled 1:30:06, including photos, notes or breaks. The repeated legs were my main reservation, and I rated the finished set 7.2/10 overall.

Joshua A McDougall 10/6/26 Joshua A McDougall 10/6/26

LEGO Pokémon Iconic Trainer Moments Poké Ball 72154 Build Review

This Technic-heavy Poké Ball surprised me with its smooth opening mechanism, stable display, and memorable Pokémon figures. My 19-bag review covers the tricky connections, five stickers, and small finishing frustrations behind a 9.3/10 overall rating.

Joshua A McDougall 10/2/26 Joshua A McDougall 10/2/26

LEGO Pokémon Rayquaza 72168 Build Review

Rayquaza looks good above Sky Pillar, but repeated tiling and body sections made this a less enjoyable build for me. My nine-bag review covers the highlights, tricky connections, and reasons for a 4/10 overall rating.

Joshua A McDougall 10/1/26 Joshua A McDougall 10/1/26

LEGO Technic Ferrari FXX K 42212 Build Review

An impressive Ferrari with moving pistons, butterfly doors, and a stable finished build. My 6/10 review of LEGO Technic 42212 explains where the stickers and difficult connections made the experience less enjoyable.

Joshua A McDougall 9/12/26 Joshua A McDougall 9/12/26

LEGO® Ideas Tintin® Moon Rocket 21367 Build Review

My firsthand build review of LEGO® Ideas Tintin® Moon Rocket 21367, including actual build time, difficulty, challenging Technic connections, stability, and bag-by-bag notes.

Joshua A McDougall 9/7/26 Joshua A McDougall 9/7/26

LEGO® Ideas La Catrina 21372 Build Review

I built LEGO® Ideas La Catrina 21372 from start to finish in 3 hours and 20 minutes. Here’s what to expect from the difficulty, repetitive sections, challenging connections, display quality, and finished model.

What You'll Find in Every Build Guide

Bricksmith Build Guides focus on the parts of a set that are difficult to understand from the box alone: how long the build actually takes, where construction becomes repetitive or challenging, how much dexterity certain connections require, and how stable the finished model feels.

I also document unusual techniques, difficult steps, and practical considerations for moving, displaying, rebuilding, or disassembling the completed set.