Displaying a collection of Technic Sets is not like displaying a collection of action figures, Funko Pops, or even other LEGO products. Technic Sets present some unique problems, but those problems can definitely be overcome. Let’s dive into it, and find the best way for you to display that collection of LEGO Technic sets.
Display Cases Made for Technic Sets
When it comes to LEGO Technic sets, there are acrylic display cases made specifically with certain Technic sets in mind. The cool thing about displaying your sets (or any collectible) in a display case is the fact that the casing will greatly reduce the dust build up that would occur if your sets were displayed on a bookshelf, for example, for a long period of time.
On iDisplayit, you can find acrylic display cases made for certain LEGO Technic sets. Here are some of the sets that you can find display cases for:
- 42093 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 (Amazon) (iDisplayit)
- 42109 Top Gear Rally Car (Amazon) (iDisplayit)
- 42111 Dom’s Dodge Charger (Amazon) (iDispalyit)
- 42096 Porsche 911 RSR (Amazon) (iDisplayit)
- 42099 4×4 X-treme Off-Roader (Amazon) (iDisplayit)
- 42083 Bugatti Chiron (Amazon) (iDispalyit)
- 42100 Liebherr R 9800 Excavator (Amazon) (iDisplayit)
Why LEGO Technic Sets Are Hard to Display
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, and by “elephant”, I almost mean a literal elephant. Technic sets can be big—very big, depending on the set. Some of them are easily over a foot long, and some over a foot wide as well. Many book shelves just aren’t long enough to display them. Last year I bought my brother the 42096 Porsche 911 RSR set for Christmas. He loves it, but being that the set is 19 inches long, he still doesn’t have anwhere to display it. Also, because some of these sets are so big, it’s going to be very difficult to display a large number of them simply because you might not have the space. Luckily there are some solutions to this problem.
What Should You Use to Display Your LEGO Technic Sets?
Really any type of surface will do. If you have some space to spare on any ordinary dresser, table, or shelf; that’s a good place to start. That being said, cube shelving seems to be a favorite among Technic collectors. This option will work well for a large or small collection of Technic sets. The multiple rows of cubes allow for you to store and display your sets on multiple levels. This gives you more surface space than the top of a your dresser would, while using roughly the same amount of floor space.
Now, for some of your very large sets, you’re probably going to want to display them on the very top of your cube shelves, since they could be too wide, long, or tall to fit in one of the cubes.
Here are some options you may want to consider:
Better Homes and Gardens Furniture 8-Cube Room Organizer (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
15.35 x 30.91 x 57.8 |
|
Material |
MDF and Particle Board |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
13.15 x 13.35 x 13.03 |
|
Weight |
71.5 Pounds |
|
Number of Shelves |
8 |
|
Adjustable Shelves |
No |
Better Homes and Gardens 12-Cube Organizer (White) (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
58.39 x 15.35 x 44.57 |
|
Material |
Wood |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
13 x 13 x 13 (Estimate) |
|
Weight |
99.44 Pounds |
|
Number of Shelves |
12 |
|
Adjustable Shelves |
No |
Better Homes and Gardens 8-Cube Organizer – Solid Black (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
15.35 x 30.91 x 57.83 |
|
Material |
Medium density fibreboard, Manufactured_wood |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
11 x 11 x 11 |
|
Weight |
71.5 Pounds |
|
Number of Shelves |
8 |
|
Adjustable Shelves |
No |
ClosetMaid 4109 Decorative 6-Cube Storage Organizer (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
30 x 43.98 x 13.58 |
|
Material |
Medium density fibreboard, Manufactured_wood |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
13.50 x 13.50 x 13.66 |
|
Weight |
40 Pounds |
|
Number of Shelves |
6 |
|
Adjustable Shelves |
No |
For more customization, you may want to consider getting cube display shelves that are stackable. You may be able to buy multiple 8-cube organizers like these, lay them longways, and stack them to your liking. There are also more adjustable and customizable options for you such as buildable cube storage shelves.
TomCare Cube Storage 12-Cube Bookshelf Closet Organizer (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
Adjustable |
|
Material |
Medium density fibreboard, Manufactured_wood |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
13.50 x 13.50 x 13.66 |
|
Weight |
40 Pounds |
|
Number of Cubes |
12 |
SONGMICS Cube Storage Organizer (Amazon)
|
Dimensions (inches) |
Adjustable |
|
Material |
PP Plastic Sheets with Metal Wire Frame, ABS Plastic Connectors |
|
Cube Dimensions (inches) |
Variable |
|
Weight |
10.14 Pounds |
|
Number of Cubes |
9 |
Please note that the individual cubes in a lot of these shelving options are probably not big enough to hold some of the larger sets in your collection. Also, if you chose to house your sets in individual acrylic display cases, you may not be able to fit some of those cases in the cube units.
Lighting for Your LEGO Technic Display
Once you’ve decided on the type of shelfing you’re going to use, then you can think about ways to really get creative with your display. Consider the different lighting options that are out there. Different types of LED lights are very popular and a great way to add something interesting to your collection display. The main two options you’re going to find are LED pucks and LED light strips. There are plenty of different types to choose from, so do some research and find what works best for you. Here are some options to get your started:
Daybetter Led Strip Lights (Amazon)
| Number of Lights: | 300 |
| Number of Rolls: | 2 |
| Length of Each Roll: | 16.4 feet |
| Total Length: | 32.8 feet |
| Colors: | RGB/Unlimited |
| Dimmable: | Yes |
| Waterproof: | No |
Wobsion Puck Lights (Amazon)
| Number of Pucks: | 2 |
| Colors: | 16 |
| Dimmable: | Yes |
| Waterproof: | No |
| Batteries: | Not needed. Rechargeable. |
How to Stop Your Technic Sets from getting dusty
So, let’s talk about dust. Early in this article, I briefly mentioned that displaying your Technic sets within acrylic display cases can greatly reduce dust build-up. Really, any type of enclosure will work for that purpose. You can go with a glass display cabinet, plastic/Rubbermaid cabinets, the acrylic display cases mentioned earlier, etc.
Where you choose to display your sets will also have an impact. Dust is more likely to build up if there is a lot of movement around the room. This is because when there is movement, dust is being kicked up and blown around. It inevitably ends up on your sets—especially if those sets are on display and stationery. If you have people and/or pets moving through the room your figures are displayed in, you can almost certainly expect them to get dusty.
You may want to consider having your sets on display in a closet, or a room that doesn’t get used very often. This won’t prevent dust from accumulating on your sets, but it will definitely slow the accumulation of dust.
Dusting Your LEGO Technic Sets
No matter how you choose to display your sets, it’s pretty likely that they will eventually get dusty. So, when they do, what should you use to dust them? A simple dusting with a microfiber duster every week is going to go a long way, but it’s not going to take care of the dust that builds up in the crevices of your sets. For those hard-to-reach spots you may want to consider compressed air.
There is a point where the dust has settled and not even hitting it with blasts of air is going to be enough to remove it. At this point, you may want to actually wash the set. According to LEGO’s official site, it is fine to use water to wash your sets. Its probably best to use a wet sponge or cloth with lukewarm water. You may want to try cotton swabs or a soft bristle toothbrush to get into some of the crevices.
Where to Display Your LEGO Technic Sets
Dust isn’t the only thing you have to worry about when considering where you’re going to display your sets. In fact, dust should be one of your lesser concerns since dust will not damage your LEGO sets. There are other factors such as temperature, humidity, and sunlight that should be much bigger concerns. Sunlight is the biggest factor. Long-term exposure to sunlight will cause discoloration and colors fading in your Technic sets.
Its best to display your sets in a room where the temperature and humidity can be well regulated, and there will be little to no exposure to sunlight. This makes closets a great option; however, a bedroom or office may also work well if you have a way to shield your display from the sunlight.
Conclusion
Technic sets can be very expensive and can take a long time to build. Once done building them, you probably don’t want to just store them away somewhere, you’d like to see them; and you’d like for others to be able to see them as well. This is why we display our collections. When it comes to Technic sets, the sheer size of some of these things can make displaying them somewhat difficult, and I hope this article helps to give you some ideas on how to display them, and how to maintain them as well once they are displayed.