Hillside Cottage 🧙‍♂️ (no rolife) 2.0

Hi! :green_heart:

Today I’m sharing the second update on this kit, which I’m really enjoying so far.

I really put in a solid two hours today—and even though it might not show in the progress, haha, they’re definitely there.

One thing I’d like to mention is that when I wrote my first review of this brand—which was for a Halloween kit exactly a year ago—

I noted that you’d practically wear your fingers out working on the kit, since the pieces were difficult to fit together.

They’ve really improved that aspect—the wood is of better quality, it doesn’t require as much sanding anymore, and most of the pieces fit together much better!

It is a great step forward for this brand.

One thing I didn’t really like is that all the lights in this kit are connected; they cannot be detached from the battery pack. It’s a bit inconvenient to work with the entire kit this way.

Regarding the lights—they’ve improved this as well; the top part of each light is a specific color (I already mentioned this in the section about the mansion).
It would be great if Robotime implemented this across the board; it makes it so much easier to identify which light is which based on the color of the top part, rather than having to rely on the length of the wire.

This is the progress I’ve made today. As you can see, once you attach that white cable, the entire light pack stays in place, and you have to build around it.

They also mention that it’s a shame it runs on batteries, given that it’s a new kit; a USB-C port would have been better. After all, with so many kits that use batteries, the cost of constantly replacing them really adds up…

See you in the 3rd update!

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I had the same issues with the lights in this kit, it’s hard to make sure no wire is damaged when the battery keeps getting in the way :sneezing_face:

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I agree with you regarding the downsides of using batteries. Also, sometimes I forget about them, and they can leak, damaging the circuitry.

It’s really good news about the build experience being improved, but I can see why having the lights wired to the battery would be inconvenient at times. A really useful thing to know about this one, as I have been eyeing it too.

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The thing is, if one fails, you have to replace the whole thing… I don’t really see that as very clever… separate cables would be better.

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Yeah, the thing is, you end up having to buy a lot of batteries… and changing them is such a hassle… I find using batteries to be outdated.

Yeah, the quality of the wood has improved a lot—both in terms of how the pieces are removed and how they fit together. That’s a big plus for the brand. The only thing is the cables… it’s a bit of a hassle that they’re all bundled together.

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Seeing those wires all bundled is quite intimidating :grin:

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This seems like a lot of wires there. Looking forward to your next progress.

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Hahaha, it really is! Working with them, all together like that all the time, is a bit of a hassle.

Haha, thanks! It’s the first time I’ve seen a kit where everything comes together like this…

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It’s great to hear how much the brand has improved, especially with the wood quality and fitting of the pieces! Your feedback about detachable lights and USB-C power is also very helpful. Hopefully, they’ll consider these suggestions for future kits. Looking forward to your next update! Happy building!

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Thanks! That brand has really improved a lot. So far, it’s a very nice and pleasant kit.

I see a lot of wires!!! My other crafting nemesis after plants :sweat_smile: but that’s just me. I’m sure you’ll do well with this

Yes, that’s the only downside—the cables cannot be separated.

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