For over a year, I have been building models made by JMBricklayer. They have ranged from a tank to a pirate ship to a dinosaur, and even to buildings. The company is continuing to offer new models in a variety of themes. Recently I had the opportunity two build their latest set which just released this week: the Mechanical Chameleon.
The side with the outer layer. Photo by Michael Knight.
The Mechanical Chameleon building set comes with 827 plastic building pieces which can be assembled into a reptile where one side looks like the insides of a robot while the other has the outer layers of a chameleon. It even comes with a light brick that illuminates a light tube and the interior of the model. The set is suggested for builders ages 14 years and up and made by JMBricklayer. It is currently available directly from JMBricklayer as well as the JMBricklayer store on Amazon. The Mechanical Chameleon normally sells for $59.99, but the company has provided a special coupon code for GeekDad and GeekMom readers. Use code VIPGEEK15 to save 15% at both sites. While the coupon is only good for the Mechanical Chameleon on Amazon for one month, it will work on all non-discounted items at the JMBricklayer site until the end of 2023.
The pieces come divided into five main bags, some of which contain smaller bags. Photo by Michael Knight.
JMBricklayers does a great job of organizing the pieces of the set into many smaller numbered bags. The full color instruction manual is divided into similar numbered sections so you can only open the bags you need for that part of the build. The instruction manual is also easy to follow. Each step lists the parts needed for that step and then shows where those new pieces go with the pieces for the step illustrated in color while the rest of the build is grayed out. This helps builders focus on where to attach the new pieces without having to really study hard to see how each successive illustration is different.
The instruction manual offers real-size illustrations for some parts to help builders get the right part. This shows where the piece should be placed along the light tube. Photo by Michael Knight.
The Mechanical Chameleon features the right side of the build with a greenish skin look while the left side reveals all the gears and and tubes of the mechanical workings of the reptile. The right side is basically just some shell pieces that attach to the frame. However, there is a lot of detail on the left side with lots of little pieces. The directions help make this easier by having lots of steps, some of which only have you add 2 or three pieces. While assembling the pieces from the second bag, it got a bit tricky when putting together the parts attached to the light tube. Since the tube is somewhat stiff, I had to carefully progress through several steps until there was enough structure to hold the tube into its curved position. Many of the small detail pieces are also easy to knock off, so when adding parts to the main structure, I had take my time or I would knock off the small pieces and have to reattach them.
Part one completed. Photo by Michael Knight.
The second part of the build is the most difficult with the light tube. But the final look is worth the effort. Photo by Michael Knight.
Once the chameleon is built, the fifth bag has all the pieces for the stand to hold it. The stand itself is fun to build as you create plants and flowers for a natural looking scene in which to display the mechanical chameleon. This is an enjoyable model to build. While there are some steps which can be difficult, I found the key was to take my time and not rush. It is also important to follow the directions closely. At times it will have you rotate a construct before adding more pieces to it. If you are not paying attention, you can miss the rotation symbol and get confused where to add teh new pieces.
A closeup of the head. Note the details. Photo by Michael Knight.
JMBricklayer also now offers a new service where you can get custom printing on a large number of different types of pieces. They come in a variety of colors and you can either add text, selecting from a choice of fonts, or upload a custom image of your own. These pieces run about $6-$7 depending on the size and printing. However, JMBricklayer is offering a buy one get one free promotion, so you might as well get two. Shipping is included in that price. They also offer discounts for larger orders so if you want to use them for your business or even gifts, it is worth checking this out. Check out their custom printing page for more details on this service.
The GeekDad logo custom printed. Photo by Michael Knight.
As I mentioned earlier, I’ve had the opportunity to build several sets by JMBricklayer. Some of them I have built by myself, as I did with the mechanical chameleon. Others I have worked on with my children. I find building relaxing and I would rather build these types of models then do a jigsaw puzzle. The suggested age of 14 and up is appropriate for this set since there are lots of little pieces and details. I have been impressed by the quality of all of the JMBricklayer sets I have built and their prices are lower than comparable products by the big name brands. This value allows builders access to sets which they might not normally be able to afford. The company is also building up a following on social media with builders posting their creations on their Facebook Group. This group also offers monthly contests and discounts to followers so be sure to check it out. Members share their builds and tips for JMBricklayer sets as well as products by other companies.
For more information on the Mechanical Chamelon, visit the JMBricklayer website or their Amazon store. Be sure to watch for monthly sales at both sites to save even more.
Disclosure: GeekDad received a sample of this item for review purposes.
