Mastodawn

The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Let’s take a look at all the mini builds.
First up is the larger group shot. These builds are not meant to be to scale with each other. There were three objectives I had to do for these builds.

1) Make it recognizable
2) In a few pieces as possible
3) Stable enough for kids to play with

1/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

But first, the origin story. Way back in 2020, I used to go to a #Lego store called #Brickresales. In that store there are tubs and tubs of loose Lego. People would come in and get the missing bits they needed from those tubs. The issue is sometimes their kids would get bored while waiting.
2/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

So I would gather them up, and lead a hunting expedition for parts to make a small dinosaur build I found online. That build was a Triceratops that Toys R Us Canada gave away in 2016. From there I slowly designed others that were of similar size and simplicity.
3/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Over the next 3 years, before I moved away, I added dozens more designs to the potential roster of builds the kids could choose from. We would then spend time looking for the specific bits so they could build their own Jurassic Park Island, populated with animals from all throughout history.
4/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

First up, the Synapsids.
These three (from top to bottom #Gorgonops #Edaphosaurus #Dimetrodon) were late comers to the design process. But chronologically, they were the earliest of the builds.
You can see that Edaph and Dime both use the same core body, with slightly different heads and sails.
5/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Then we have the marine animals
#Basilosaurus Built to move its tail properly
#Mosasaurus #Tylosaurus with their feet alongside their bodies to allow them to swim
#Plesiosaurus #Elasmosaurus with their long necks and flippers out to the side
#Cryptoclidus #Kronosaurus
#Itchyosaurus #Shonisaurus
6/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Now we move on to the Pterosaurs.
#Pteranadon #Dimorphodon #Thapunngaka and #Mythunga
#Pterodactylus #Nyctosaurus and #Quezalcoatlus
These were designed so they could clip onto bars and trees and things, allowing them to land and fly.
7/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Now the ceratopsians
#Centrosaurus #Pentaceratops
#Triceratops original 2016 design everything sprang from #styracosaurus
#Torosaurus #Nasutoceratops Toys R Us Canada 2022 design
You just need to change the frill to get a new dinosaur. So much variety in so few parts.
8/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

It wasn’t until much later that I designed these, the stegosaurids.
#Hesperosaurs #Miragaia
#Stegosaurus #Kentrosaurus
You can see I used a wider rear wheel connector to allow for the longer hind legs. I also used a ball joint on the tail so it can swing as a play feature.
9/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

I was challenged late 2021 to use a different wheel base for a new build. It was short and wide. I took one look at it and thought “perfect for Anklyosaurus”. Here is the end result
#Nodosaurus #Ankylosaurus
#Euoplocephalus #Gastonia ( designed as a gift to
@paleojim.bsky.social
)
10/X

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The Dinosaur Dave Sep 9, 2025

Next we move on to the Sauropods.
These were technically the first big offshoot of the ceratopsians. You can see the bodies are stretched out versions of theirs.
#Australotitan #Shunosaurus #Brachiosaurus
#Brachytrachelopan #Diplodocus
#Diamantinasaurus #Amargasaurus

11/X