LEGO Ideas Typewriter 21327 Building Kit; Collectible Display Model for Adults That Sparks Nostalgic Memories; Unique Gift Idea for LEGO Fans, Writers and Lovers of All Things Retro (2,079 Pieces)

This is the best set I have built! It is so realistic I have to tell people who complain that it does not do XXX, that it is not a real typewriter. It sounds like a real manual typewriter when you depress the keys, the roller with the paper moves as you type and you can push the roller back for the carriage return. And it looks a lot like a real typewriter. It is an interesting build and you are rewarded early on in the build by creating recognisable functions such as the keyboard, then the carriage return. I bought it for my birthday and invited people around. The only repetitive parts of the build are early on so I had my birthday guests help me build them. There are only two stickers and they are spot on. I remember rubbing my fingers over the equivalent stickers on our family typewriter when I was a teenager. I made one modification. The roller unit was too heavy and catching a bit on the studs on the base plate. I replaced the little grey wheels with the little black wheels from the blue car in the recent give away when you purchased lego. Those wheels have tyres on which lift the roller unit just enough to run smoothly. I have attached photos of my mod. In one of the photos I have the original grey wheel from the set next to the wheel I replaced it with for comparison.

This is a fantastic set and looks absolutely stunning when finished. Not only does it look the part, but the mechanism works and pressing the keys advances the carriage to the left, which can then be pushed to the right just like a real typewriter. A few things to bear in mind: 1) This is not a repetitive build overall, but the first few steps are VERY repetitive. You'll also have to be really careful to ensure you put all the key switches together correctly (but it's a repeating pattern, so not too difficult). 2) Don't worry that once you've assembled the key switches and key caps, the mechanism doesn't seem to work properly. It won't work until much, much later in the build, but if you've put everything together properly it will work. 3) This is really a bit of a mix of Lego and Lego Technic. There are cogs and gears, some of which are pretty intricate, so if that's not your thing then be aware. 4) It's delicate at times. On a couple of steps I struggled to find somewhere for purchase when pressing other pieces together. One or two steps require patience. If you have large hands or are clumsy, it might not be for you. 5) The letter provided to put in the typewriter at the end comes in MANY languages, which is a nice touch. Overall though, it's an extremely rewarding build and a definite display piece.