Tuesday, December 26, 2023

The Funwhole Medieval Apothecary Shop F9024 Review

Welcome!

Hey brick fans!  I hope you like Medieval themed sets because today I'll be reviewing the Medieval themed Funwhole Apothecary building block set.  This will nicely complement my other FunWhole set called the Medieval Pier Inn.  I reviewed that impressive set during the summer and you can find that review here.

The Apothecary Shop presents a Lego-compatible building block set boasting an impressive 1420 pieces. This three-story architectural marvel features a ground-floor store, a second-floor laboratory where intricate potions and concoctions take shape, and a cozy third-floor bedroom loft. The set also comes complete with two minifigures—the skilled Apothecarist and their diligent Apprentice. For those unfamiliar with the term, an Apothecary in medieval times served as the equivalent of today's pharmacy, crafting and dispensing medicines to those in need. In the absence of modern hospitals, the Apothecary held a crucial role in the village.

The Apothecary shop will be my fifth medieval themed set in my growing collection. I want to make an entire medieval village with a big castle overlooking the village.   I hope to be able to showcase that in the near future.

A huge thanks go out to Funwhole.com for providing this set to me for my review!   Funwhole is the leader in Lego compatible building block sets.   the sets are very unique and cool to build, and best of all, Funwhole sets come packaged with LED lighting kits included with each set.


The Details

Brand: Funwhole

Set Name and Number: Medieval Apothecary Shop F9024

Number of Pieces: 1470

Numbered bags: Yes

Minifigures: yes, 2 + 1 cat and 1 owl

Missing or deformed pieces: No

Extra pieces: Yes

Stickers or Printed parts: Stickers

Lighting Kit: Yes

Age Rating: 12+


Where to get the Apothecary Set

The Apothecary set can be found via the Funwhole stores on Amazon and also through the Funwhole website.  If you shop on the website, you can use my discount code itsnotlego to save an extra 10% off your purchases.

Here's a complete list of the FunWhole Amazon stores:


Unboxing


I made a separate blog post about the unboxing which you can find here.


Set Build and Progression

The Funwhole Apothecary set is broken down into 10 stages and there are numbered parts bags that correspond to each stage.  Follow along as we progress through each stag of the build!

First, let's take a look at the minifigures included with the set.  The old Apothecarist has a beard and hooded cape.  His apprentice has a medieval themed tunic.  Just so you know, Funwhole minifigures are not compatible with Lego minifigures, they have a unique design.

Stage 1

Here's what the apothecary shop look likes after stage 1.  We've build the base and added some of the lights that are part of the kit.

Stage 2

The shop entrance is constructed and some lighting is added to the alcove.

Stage 3


We've now constructed the first floor and we can see the nice glow from the interior lights.

The shop itself is quite small and there's lots of strange potion bottles and vessels for sale.  To get to the next floor you have to climb up the ladder.

The battery pack is conveniently and sturdily mounted to the back wall of the shop.

Stage 4

The garden is now populated with an assortment of plants and herbs that will be used to concoct the potions and medicines.  I'm not sure why there is a small thatched hut in the yard.  It's not a dog house.  There is a small black cat though, so maybe it lives there?


Stage 5

Now we move onto building the second floor.  Here are the tools that the apothecarist uses to make his medicines.  There's a mortar and pestle, a pot heating on a fire and a set of bellows to fan the flames.


Stage 6


With the second floor interior complete, we can now add the walls and windows to the upstairs.

A noteworthy feature is the cool swing-away wall on the second floor.  From here you can peek inside to see the apothecarist's workspace.


Stage 7

Here's a cozy little bedroom on the top floor of the shop. Again, you have to climb up another ladder to get to the top.  The room is sparsely furnished with only a bed, a small desk and stool and a roaring fireplace.  The ceiling lighting makes the room feel more comfortable.




Stage 8


Now we add the exterior third floor timber frames and beams to give the apothecary shop that rustic medieval look.


Stage 9 and Stage 10





And finally we add the roof panels to the structure.  They kind of clip into place loosely, but don't fall off.

The completed apothecary shop looks amazing!  There's even an owl to keep a watchful eye on everything.


The next time you visit the medieval village, do stop by and visit the Apothecary shop!  He will fix you up with the medicines you need!

And he's even open late as you can see from the lighting!

Final thoughts


The Medieval Apothecary shop proved to be an enjoyable build. I appreciated the captivating lighting effects, which, fortunately, were a breeze to install. Having minifigures to showcase alongside the building added a nice touch, and the size is just perfect for my upcoming village display! The accessibility of the front door and the opening second-floor wall allows for a detailed view of the interiors.

However, my only gripe was the use of stickers instead of printed parts. Despite this, the overall appearance of the set left me quite satisfied. I'd rate it a solid 4.9 out of 5! For fellow collectors of medieval Lego buildings, this set is definitely a must-have.

Thanks for checking out my review, bye for now!



Monday, November 13, 2023

How to make a Lego style Medieval Guillotine!

 

Hey guys, how's it going?  I'm back with another MOC build and this one is for my medieval village display. 

I posted this over on the Lepin subreddit and I got some great suggestions about what my MOC guillotine should include.  Redditor u/Plane-Phrase4015 said "Make sure you put a body on it with a head in the basket!" and "Put it up on a platform with a crowd, too".  Well ok, I'm always up for the challenge!  I was planning on making some little feature sets to put with my medieval village.

Oh BTW, These are all of my medieval themed sets and figures in my collection right now ...

Some Random Assortment of Medieval Soldiers Minifigures

Some Random Assortment of Medieval Villagers

The JMBricklayer Medieval Observation Guard Tower

The LesDiy Medieval Windmill

The  JMBricklayer 3-in-1 Ancient Weapon

I also have the Funwhole Medieval Pier Inn but I think it's more piratey then medieval.

Hopefully, my pictures here will inspire you to make your own guillotine for your own medieval building block display.

So, as was suggested, the guillotine should be constructed on a raised platform.  In order to have adequate movement around the guillotine, I made my platform 12 studs x 12 studs with an extra 4 studs for the steps leading up to the execution platform, making the entire footprint 12x16 studs.  I think 3 bricks high is a good as height as any.

Here's the flip side of my platform.

The main components are the platform with raised headrest, the guillotine frame, and of course the all important bucket.

A look at the side profile.

At the front of the platform I decided to recess the bucket, so as to make the imminent demise a bit more ergonomic and comfortable.  Oops, someone forgot to remove an old head leftover from last week's execution.  The sugar donuts are meant to represent some bloody neck sections, sorry, that's all i could come up with.   For evening executions, we have a couple of torches to provide mood lighting.  And for any beheadings, vermin are essential.

To ensure that the heathen does not attempt to escape, he is forced to kneel down and then shackled to the guillotine.   The maintenance ladder is from the Winter Garden Toy shop set, btw.


The blade is a triangular shaped wing piece from an old Megablocks fighter jet set which I can finally put it into use now.  There is a cable that is attached to the top of the blade and feeds through the top and over a pulley wheel.


Here's a better view of the blade.  For my display, the blade is fixed to the frame by two pegs that go into the headlight bricks on either side.  I suppose it is possible to have the blade free hanging by removing those pegs, making it more or less "functional".  I'm not sure if the blade might end up hanging  lopsided though.

Also pictured is the pulley wheel, which is mounted to a technic plate which is in turn mounted to the frame structure of the guillotine.

Here's the reverse view of the blade component.


The cable runs down to the executioner's podium where it is attached to some leftover castle blocks (also Megablocks brand).  The extension to the platform measures 4 studs x 9 studs.

Just another day on the job.

Donuts, anyone?





I'll let you use your own imagination on how the beheading might look like. 
Thanks for checking out my custom medieval guillotine!   Bye for now!

Monday, October 16, 2023

Pictures of my Sherlock Holmes 221B Baker Street Modular Building MOC

 


Hey what's up brick fans?  Today I'm sharing pictures of my latest project, the Sherlock Holmes 221B Baker Street modular building.   I know my modular building probably bears no resemblance to the 221B Baker Street featured in the TV show or movies since the MOC is more based on the Lego compatible Pantasy brand 86218 set of the same name, so please just assume this particular building exists in an alternate universe.

In December 2021, I did a full review of the Pantasy Sherlock Holmes 221B baker street set which you can find here.   It's a very nice quality set and I was so pleased to have it in my collection.  As you can see from the picture above, the set features the kitchen, a living room and a study.  Each part of the set can be displayed independently or attached together.

Around the beginning of 2023, I suddenly got the urge to turn this set into a full modular building.  I had in mind to build a three storey building but I didn't have enough bricks so I ended up making a two storey building instead.

Here is an early prototype of the main floor exterior.  There are two entrances, one goes to the second floor where Sherlock Holmes resides and the other is a shop entrance which will be the Speedy Sandwich and Bakery.  




And here's what the interior of the first floor looks like.

The Kitchen


The kitchen alone takes up a good portion of the main floor space and is well lit with a large bay window in front and a tall window on the back wall.  The layout and features of the kitchen from the original Pantasy set have largely been preserved but enhanced with floor tiles of black and sand green.  



Some of the cabinets have been relocated to the opposite wall.  A door that accesses a pantry underneath the staircase.  The Pantasy set originally had a microscope in the kitchen, but I don't feel it belongs here so it's gone.  Instead, I've added a wall mounted broom next to the sideboard. 




 I almost forgot to mention that there is an access door from the kitchen to the upstairs stairwell.  This is especially convenient for when Mrs. Hudson brings afternoon tea to Sherlock Holmes parlour.  When things get busy Mrs. Hudson enlists some part time help to work in the kitchen and tend to the shop.

The Sandwich Shop




The kitchen is connected to the Sandwich shop and Bakery via a doorway.  The tiny Sandwich shop also has a matching bay window which displays the daily specials.  Patrons can buy sandwiches and baked goods for takeaway from the counter. 


Additionally, there is a small table and chair outside for those who want to enjoy their food immediately.

Mrs. Hudson's Room




Mrs Hudson  private bedroom is located directly behind the shop.  It's a rather sparse affair with only a bed and a tall dresser.  Her sole luxury is her ensuite bathroom with tub and shower , sink and victorian style toilet.


Here's a quick gander of the rear of the building before we move to the second floor.

Sherlock Holmes Parlour

Sherlock Holmes lives on the second floor of 221B Baker St.   His flat is accessed from the street via the stairs next to Mrs. Hudson's kitchen.



Upon ascending to the second floor, there is a hallway that accesses Sherlock's parlour and a two piece bathroom.  

In between the two doorways I've located the coat rack from the original Pantasy set.

Here is a rather blurry picture of the conveniently placed second floor washroom.

Here is Sherlock Holmes's living room/parlour.   Items preserved from the Pantasy set include the fireplace and mantle, the two armchairs and even the red and gold area rug.  The original chessboard was placed on the coffee table, but I've now made it a focal piece between the two chairs.  The existing floorlamp gets a new lime green lampshade.


The deer head over the entrance way was originally found in the study but is now prominently display in the parlour.  The coffee table was reduced in size from 8 studs long to 6 studs to make it fit into the confines of the living room.   The telephone, the corner liquor shelf and the giant curio cabinet have been preserved from the Pantasy set.   The full length second floor balcony is easily accessed from the parlour.

 
Some more views of the parlour.

The Study




The study is a rather cramped affair but I managed to squeeze in as much of the original furniture as possible.  This includes the desk and typewriter and bookcase.  The violin and sheet music stand have found their way into the study from the parlour.  I moved one of the chairs from the kitchen to the study.

As I mentioned at the start of this post, I had planned to make this modular building three stories tall.  The third storey, if I ever build it, will contain the bedrooms for Sherlock Holmes and Watson and possibly another bathroom.   For now though, I have added an additional staircase which goes nowhere right now.

The Pantasy Sherlock Holmes set included four minifigures.  Aside from Mrs. Hudson who we have seen already, here are the remaining characters.  Professor James Moriarty, the nemesis of Sherlock Holmes.

John H. Watson.

And Sherlock Holmes.



Just for fun, I added a bus stop at the entrance to 221B Baker St.


Hey look, here comes the bus now!

Thanks for looking at my latest project, the 221B Baker Street modular building MOC, largely influenced by the Pantasy 86218 Sherlock Holmes Apartment set.   Bye for now!