Category Archives: Building Techniques

Not sure what SNOT is? Want to learn innovative new ways to create awesome LEGO models of your own? Peruse our posts about LEGO building techniques to pick up tricks & tips from the best.

All we need is a bit of wind to grind the grain

Windmills have been utilising the energy of the wind power to automate tasks such as water pumping of grain grinding since 500-900 A.D. in Persia. This LEGO windmill by Issac S was inspired by some of the windmills seen in the video game Skyrim and was built for the 2017 Brickstory contest in the Early Middle Age category. The textured stone base of the windmill contrasts nicely with the wood and lighter stone central section and inspired use of the upturned barrel is the cherry on top.

The model features working windmill blades and a grindstone that are simultaneously operated by a crank on the back of the windmill. Issac has shared a video of this feature in action.

If you want to read more about the landscaping and, in particular, the tree seen in the left hand corner of this build, Issac has shared a tutorial. Originally this technique was used by Joeri Riddler and Issac has unpacked the design to allow others to develop the technique.

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Build your own LEGO Mass Effect M-6 Carnifex in preparation for Andromeda [Instructions]

In the same format of the instructions for my Ronin Titan, I present the first life size weapon build in this tutorial style: the M-6 Carnifex hand cannon from the Mass Effect series. See the list of parts needed, then follow the step-by-step video below and be prepared for the challenges the Andromeda Galaxy sends your way. The video shows techniques I commonly use for working triggers and slides on weapon builds at this scale, as well as one technique I sometimes use for angled pistol grips.

Come out, come out, wherever you are! [Instructions]

Even after six years, I still get requests for instructions to build the large Totoro that was part of my 2010 homage to the work of Japanese animator Hiyao Miyazaki. Sadly, that model is too large and complex to offer instructions, so instead here is a building guide for the medium Totoro that accompanied him. Of course, you don’t have to build him in the original medium blue; you can make him any color you like (or that your LEGO collection allows). I imagine this would make a lovely desk ornament for yourself, or gift for the anime-slash-LEGO fan in your life.

Click here to see an embiggened copy.

If LEGO be the food of love, build on [Instructions]

I’ve been meaning to create a Brick-moji building guide for a while – the problem was deciding which one(s) to feature! After a couple of failed attempts and with Valentines Day looming, I finally settled on the “Smiling face with heart-shaped eyes”, an emoji that consistently ranks among the top ten most widely used across the web (…the original that is, not my model).

Now, you weren’t really going to just get roses and chocolates AGAIN were you?! Click here for an embiggened version of this guide, and build it for that special plastic-loving person in your life!

It’s as easy as A-B-C... LEGO font built from quarter tiles

In the decades-old history of LEGO fan creations, there have been many techniques to create brickbuilt letters, but never has it been as simple as now, with the new quarter circle and “fingernail” tiles. lisqr has used these new pieces to create the alphabet, both in lower and upper case. I have given the builder feedback on some of the letters that I feel could be improved, but the font looks pretty classy even as it is. With the growing supply of quarter circle tiles, I can imagine this technique appearing more and more in the future.

The builder also provides an LDD file of his alphabet. I can’t wait to see what other builders write with this!

The sword is yours, Pilot; build your own LEGO Titanfall 2 Ronin [Instructions]

Since completing my LEGO Ronin Titan back in August 2016, I received numerous requests for a building guide for him. After reconstructing him in LEGO Digital Designer and photographing steps requiring techniques that stress parts, I present step-by-step directions to build your own Ronin. Take a look at the parts list, then follow the video below and tear up the Frontier with a brand new broadsword-wielding mech.

New NEXO Knights “Nexogon” part analysis by New Elementary [Guest Post]

Here at The Brothers Brick, we tend to specialize in certain kinds of news, LEGO creations, and reviews, but thanks to our partnerships with other LEGO websites, we’re able to bring you more kinds of content. Please enjoy this excellent analysis of a unique new part available now in NEXO Knights sets, which originally appeared on New Elementary.

The LEGO^® NEXO KNIGHTS™ theme introduced many exciting and useful new elements into the LEGO System in 2016 and this trend continues into 2017. Today we look at a highly unusual piece which is set to take your building into totally new dimensions, literally!

See the rest of this in-depth analysis

Delivery of a cute LEGO cat called Jiji [Instructions]

Kiki’s Delivery Service is a 1989 Japanese animated fantasy film produced, written, and directed by Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. The film’s protagonist Kiki is a trainee witch who has a black cat called Jiji as her best friend, and CK HO has built a fantastically cute LEGO version of Jiji the cat. Like most cats, Jiji has a lot of personality, but the English-dubbed version of the film showed Jiji with a cynical and sarcastic attitude as opposed to cautious and conscientious in the original Japanese.

We loved Jiji so much here at TBB that we asked CK to make some instructions and he very kindly obliged to allow us all to have a best friend called Jiji.

Click here to build your own Jiji!

How to build a vintage Tatra 148 LEGO fire truck [Instructions]

Sometimes the simplest of LEGO creations can be the most lovely. Talented Technic builder František Hajdekr, whose working LEGO chainsaw we featured earlier this year, recently posted an adorable vintage fire truck based on a Czech Tatra 148 from the 70’s. What I love about this is that the builder has incorporated actual vintage LEGO tires from the 70’s into his modern creation.

František quickly followed that up with step-by-step instructions, which you can watch in this video (with complete parts breakdown as well: part 1 & part 2).

If you like 6×6 Tatra fire trucks, check out my LEGO Wildland Ultra XT (with instructions).

Build your own LEGO Oliver Twist the pug dog [Instructions]

Even though The Brothers Brick’s official mascot is some type of strepsirrhine primate, our unofficial mascots have always been my pugs, first the late, great Mr. Pugsly and now Oliver Twist. TBB’s own Elspeth De Montes created a LEGO version of little Ollie for our recent calendar contest, and she has just posted simple instructions for you to build your own LEGO pug.

Dale Horvath’s RV from The Walking Dead in LEGO [Instructions]

While Dale may not get to enjoy his retirement driving around the country with his wife in an RV, we can all enjoy this great LEGO rendition of his iconic vehicle from the first two seasons of The Walking Dead, built by hachiroku24. The builder has included numerous key details, including all the gear Dale needs on his roof to keep watch over the survivors’ camp. I particularly like the rolled up awning.

If you want to build your own LEGO version of Dale’s RV, the builder has provided step-by-step instructions in the following video.

Behind on sending Christmas cards? Use this LEGO Mindstorms plotter to make them for you!

There are only a few days left until Christmas, so anything that saves you time is a good thing. Thankfully, 14-year-old Sanjay Seshan and his 12-year-old brother Arvind built the Holiday Card Plott3r to help in all your Christmas card needs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGDPLqzy6EA

Built and powered by LEGO Mindstorms, the plotter can churn out cards decorated with trees, snowflakes and even Santa’s signature. The creation prints the designs using a dot-matrix and even includes a second contraption that slides out an envelope ready for your beautiful, new card.

Better yet, the project files are all online to be used or improved. That is really in the Christmas spirit! Now we just need a machine that licks and applies stamps and drops the cards off at the post office.

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