About Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

Andrew Becraft is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Brothers Brick. He's been building with LEGO for more than 40 years, and writing about LEGO here on TBB since 2005. He's also the co-author, together with TBB Senior Editor Chris Malloy, of the DK book Ultimate LEGO Star Wars. Andrew is an active member of the online LEGO community, as well as his local LEGO users group, SEALUG. Andrew is also a regular attendee of BrickCon, where he organizes a collaborative display for readers of The Brothes Brick nearly every year. You can check out Andrew's own LEGO creations on Flickr. Read Andrew's non-LEGO writing on his personal blog, Andrew-Becraft.com. Andrew lives in Seattle with his wife and dogs, and by day leads software design and planning teams.

Posts by Andrew Becraft (TBB Editor-in-Chief)

Legends of the Sea marble maze

I’m a sucker for anything with, well, suckers. A while back, Chris blogged an amazing marble maze project on LEGO CUUSOO by Jason Allemann (True Dimensions). To celebrate the fact that his project recently reached 2,500 supporters, Jason posted a version customized with a nautical theme.

This is one of the things I love about this project (and why I featured it in my list of 5 LEGO CUUSOO projects that need your support) — the basic structure of the LEGO mechanism supports customization and expansion.

You can help this project become an official LEGO set by voting for it on LEGO CUUSOO.

The Brothers Brick is funded by our readers and the community. Articles may include affiliate links, and when you purchase products from those links, TBB may earn a commission that helps support the site.

Then & now: Kaitimar updates his Blade Runner Spinner

We first featured this sleek Spinner from Blade Runner by Gorazd Vahen (Kaitimar) more than five years ago. In the intervening years, Gorazd has tweaked his model and added some excellent virtual decals.

The most notable improvements are the police lights, as well as a sleeker and smoother rear behind the cab. It’s always interesting to see how builders continually improve their work, and for those who hadn’t seen it before, I hope you like Gorazd’s Spinner as much as I do.

Dinner is served, Mr. Frog

I love just about everything Bruce Lowell builds, but his latest creation goes beyond the wonderfully realistic and artistic models we’ve come to expect, into the real of the truly adorable.

Bruce’s red-eyed tree frog is certainly cute, but so is the ill-fated fly.

Kunde Naval Shipyards capital ship gantry by Pierre E Fieschi

Following his awe-inspiring Arc Hammer earlier this summer, Pierre E Fieschi has posted another massive, ground-based vehicle. Standing at over a meter tall, Pierre’s shipyard gantry has all the intricate detail of a Fieschi masterpiece, combined with a truly impressive size for a microscale LEGO model.

The model’s large photo is worth exploring. Can you spot the tiny LEGO man?

Enter the FUN HAUS! A celebration of life ... through death!

Continuing our coverage of great LEGO models debuted at BrickCon 2012, Paul Hetherington just posted his FUN HAUS! building, which won “Best in Town.” (Paul has a serious winning streak going — he also won Town trophies in 2010 and 2011, and won our “Best Apocafied Building” prize during Zombie Apocafest 2009 for his Turns at Midnight carousel.)

Paul’s funhouse was inspired by the Mexican Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) celebrations, as well as the work of artist Pooch. The building features moving cars as well as letters, so the video is well worth a watch.

Catsy’s micro Halo Ringworld in LEGO is still 5 feet across!

We’re not even close to being done featuring all the awesome LEGO models debuted at BrickCon 2012 earlier this month. I had the privilege of hanging out with Catsy as he assembled his LEGO Halo ringworld for the first time right there at the con — it was simply too huge to fully assemble at home!

Nearly three years in the making, Catsy’s ring is built from more than 11,000 bricks and spans just under 5 feet. Catsy tells us that it’s 1,467 mm wide, to be precise.

The construction techniques Catsy used to build this took some serious engineering prowess. Here’s Catsy in his own words:

The outer ring (hull) consists of eight more or less identical segments (with minor variations in texture or the use of old gray for contrast), each 72 studs long. The inner ring (landscape) floats freely within the outer ring and stays in place purely by friction and tension.

The photo above shows off the overall detail really nicely, but I just love this next view.

Teensy NASA Space Shuttle blasts into my heart

Looking over their photostream, I think we’ve blogged everything Sean & Steph Mayo have built over the past several months, so why stop now? This is the smallest NASA Space shuttle built from LEGO that I’ve run across, but it may be my favorite.

The LEGO Castle helmet standing in for the top of the External Tank is pure genius.

Epic LEGO Batcave brings Batman’s secret lair to life

First unveiled at Emerald City Comicon earlier this year, I’ve been itching to blog this gorgeous Batcave by Carlyle Livingston II and Wayne Hussey for nearly six months. Batman’s headquarters is built from over 20,000 parts, took more than 800 hours over twelve weeks to build, and weighs more than 100 pounds. The entire cave is beautifully lit up with lights.

Carlyle & Wayne’s Batcave includes four motors to operate a variety of features — the turntable for the Batmobile, a rotating costume/weapons selection wall, and the Batplane’s lift.

These detail shots show off some of the wonderful lighting effects and underground landscaping integrated into the Batcave.

This photo of Carlyle & Wayne with their masterpiece gives you a good sense of the scale of this massive structure. Wayne looks justifiably pleased with himself.

Here’s what Wayne & Carlyle have to say about their build:

This project marks the first collaborative build between Carlyle and Wayne, with several more queued for future development. The features of this build include the Cave itself with what we think is the most “cave-ish” cave ever constructed. Added to that we have an operating turntable for the Batmobile, a moving costume/weapons selection wall and the BatPlane Lift. Surrounding all of this is the remarkable lighting effects that bring our BatCave to life.

Check out Carlyle’s photoset on Flickr for lots more pictures, including work-in-progress pics that show how the builders put the Batcave together.

The Cranky Cave Troll – new LOTR short from BrotherhoodWorkshop

The guys over at BrotherhoodWorkshop are at it again, with another hilarious stop-motion Lord of the Rings video. This time, we learn a little bit more of the story behind the very angry cave troll who storms into Balin’s Tomb in the Mines of Moria.

Via my lovely wife.

Fear the reaper

As people upload their BrickCon photos and pics of the LEGO models they waited to premier in person at the con, we’ll be highlighting the ones that caught our eye.

The only thing more impressive than Blair Amos‘s mustache at BrickCon this weekend was his mecha. His “Reaper” multiped mech incorporates a truly unique canopy. Blair says the canopy is a “windshield from inside [an] airplane cockpit — the first piece of the whole build. [It] has three oddly placed stud-size holes where the screws go in.” Nice!

LEGO Batman 10937 Arkham Asylum Breakout unveiled at BrickCon [News]

Earlier today at BrickCon 2012 here in Seattle, LEGO unveiled 10937 Arkham Asylum. The set includes ~~1,351~~ 1,619 pieces, will cost $160, and is due out in January 2013.

UPDATE: 10937 Arkham Asylum Breakout is now available!

Here’s the full press release:

10937 Batman™ – Arkham Asylum Breakout

Ages 14+. 1,351 pieces.
US $159.99 CA $209.99 DE 159.99€ UK 129.99 £ DK 1399.00 DKK

The villains have broken out of Arkham Asylum and must be stopped!
Sound the alarm! The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy and Scarecrow have escaped from Arkham Asylum with the help of Dr. Harleen Quinzel. These villains are about to wreak havoc in the streets of Gotham City! Help Caped Crusaders Batman™ and Robin swoop into action and put those good-for-nothing criminals back where they belong! Chase after the security van as it breaks through the gothic gates! Then throw each villain back behind bars in 8 highly detailed rooms. Includes 8 minifigures: Batman™, Robin, The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Scarecrow and a guard, all with assorted weapons or accessories

Includes 8 minifigures: Batman™, Robin, The Joker, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Dr. Harleen Quinzel, Scarecrow and a guard, all with assorted weapons

Features Arkham Asylum, security gate, gothic décor, moss, vines and ice elements

Vehicles include security van

Security van features opening back doors, removable roof and stretcher

Arkham Asylum features opening cell doors, special Poison Ivy cell with transparent doors, the Mr. Freeze icy tower room, the Dr. Harleen Quinzel office and changing room, medical treatment room and security reception area

Security gate features opening double doors and security camera

Weapons include Batarang and kendo stick

Recapture the villains!

Break through the gate with the security van!

Open all of the cell doors and let the villains out!

Unleash The Joker from his cage restraints in the security van!

Arkham Asylum measures over 12″ (32cm) high, 13″ (34cm) wide and 5″ (14cm) deep

Security van measures over 2″ (7cm) high, 5″ (13cm) long and 2″ (6cm) wide

Security gate measures over 5″ (12cm) high and 9″ (24cm) wide

Chris took a shot of the new wing piece you can see behind the angels:

This LEGO Hobbiton even has a brick-built map

Legopard recently exhibited his LEGO Hobbiton at SteineWahn 2012 in Berlin, where it took 3rd place for “Best MOC”. While many LEGO builders are content to build a single hobbit hole, Legopard built three, each with its uniquely colored front door, all surrounded by lush landscaping.

Bag End has an interior to satisfy the poshest (and hungriest) of hobbits:

And I love that Hobbiton even gets its own LEGO map!

Check out MOCpages for the full gallery, with descriptions of how Legopard built and transported this large diorama, and watch a slideshow on YouTube.