Custom builds like NikiFilik’s Robo-Driller, an homage to the short-lived LEGO Rock Raiders theme (1999-2000), are easily recognized by their use of iconic grays, teal, and brown, evoking nostalgia in older LEGO enthusiasts. Based on set 4940 The Granite Grinder, Niki uses updated parts and techniques to enhance the original model with posable arms, a brick-built driver cage, and an overall stance that better resembles a two-legged mech. While beautifully bridging nostalgia and innovation, we’re quite perplexed by the presence of the bright green slug. I don’t remember that part of Rock Raiders….
Category Archives: Models
Swashbuckling and derring-do aplenty in this LEGO adventure
It’s been a rough day for the merchant Steve. He’s just onshore to make a buck or two; unfortunately, he arrived at this idyllic Caribbean harbor town just in time for it to fall victim to enemy attack. Now he must join forces with the pirates of Captain Redbeard if he wants to get out before things get really rough. That’s the tale told in LEGO by Nicholas Goodman in this thrilling scene called “Escape from the Imperial Trading Post.” The thing is, I probably didn’t need to give you all that backstory. The build itself tells the story wonderfully, with a scene that feels ripped from a blockbuster movie: the pairs of combatants locked in desperate combat, the whitecapped waves crashing against the rocks, the palm trees swaying in the breeze. The cliffs have a natural, rugged look to them, and the fort’s whitewashed walls have just the right amount of weathering. Let’s hope Steve makes it to his ship okay; those cliffs look a little dicey.
The movie Hellraiser is always a model of pain and pleasure
In each Iron Builder competition, two world-class LEGO builders go head-to-head creating models that highlight the assigned “seed part.” The summer 2024 match-up between Maxx Davidson and Jonah Shultz, featuring the baseball bat in metallic silver, has skewed decidedly wholesome, with cute animals, milkshakes, and cozy crafting themes. For his ninth entry, Maxx captures the twisted truth that fuels this venerable contest: pain and pleasure. The agony of being chained to making models at incredible speed without getting repetitive, and the ecstasy of finding the perfect use for that devilish seed part. Pinhead, Clive Barker’s horror icon, proves the perfect canvass for no less than 40 of those metallic bats. The sculpting of Pinhead’s pale-white face is top-notch. Now that Maxx has solved the Cenobite puzzle, he must be feeling pretty good right about now.
Hungry? Dive into this delightful diner
Anyone up for a burger and a milkshake? That’s what you’ll surely be asking after studying this fun LEGO diner build by Maxx Davidson. It’s a simple build, but it’s instantly recognizable. And let’s talk about the great parts usage: Wolverine claws for French fries, candles for condiment bottles, and baseball bats for the base of the stools. Enjoy! Just make sure to use the 1×2 tile napkin to clean up after yourself. We don’t bus your tables around here.
Dungeons deep and caverns old
When I first saw Eli Willsea‘s epic LEGO diorama “Into Dungeon Depths,” it took my breath away. The epic vertical scale, the mix of colors and form, and the aura of foreboding make this one of the most striking works from one of our favorite builders. The cross section of the burrowing wyrm skeleton is the star attraction; the way its snaking body weaves around stones and intersects with the geometric stairs must have been an incredible building challenge, but the results are magical. Eli does impressive work with the lighting as well, both through the color gradation of bricks as the stairs descend, and through an ominous red glow coming from the dungeon floor. What will the three minifig adventurers find at the end of their descent, I wonder…?
“Into Dungeon Depths” is Eli’s entry into the Stairway Stories category of the Summer Joust contest. See why we loved his previous entry too.
Bionicle Mask Makers reforged in darkness
While not all LEGO fans have embraced Bionicle, there’s no denying that for a generation of builders, Bionicle was a gateway to both a world of construction and deep lore. For a recent collaboration between top Bionicle builders in the community, participants re-imagined characters from Bionicle Generation 2 utilizing the latest constraction techniques. We were especially struck by the pair of Ekimu and Makuta, The Mask Makers, as designed by Toni A.
Toni cites Dark Souls and H.R. Giger as influences, which might seem an aesthetic jump for Bionicle, but perfectly fits the lore of these bio-machine gods. Ekimu, wearing the Mask of Creation, is the culmination of 3 years of iteration from Toni and the effort shows with some of the most impressive dark fantasy sculpting I’ve ever seen in a character. Makuta, wearing the Mask of Control (inverted), came together quicker and perfectly compliments his brother with a devilish Victorian aesthetic.
Dragon meets Mantis Shrimp
The term “shrimp” doesn’t typically evoke an image of a fearsome creature, but what if you combined the obscure and dangerous Peacock Mantis Shrimp with a Dragon? Lego builder, and imaginative creator, Joss Ivanwood, who takes pride in designing and building “dragons, robots, monsters, and more,” has merged the otherworldly mantis shrimp with a dragon. The use of bright colors, combined with what can only be assumed is an expert-level application of LEGO Technic joints, transforms a fish’s nightmare into a vibrant and imaginative reality.
LEGO Champion 100-T earthmover makes the grade
Construction vehicle kingpin Beat Felber is on a roll with functional LEGO models of the heaviest of heavy equipment. Riding right behind his impressive Terex Unit Rig comes another massive earthmover, the Champion 100-T Grader at 1/28.5 scale. The largest vehicle of its type to see general production, only 10 of these 100-ton machines were made by the Canadian manufacturer.
As with most of Beat’s builds, this model utilizes a suite of power functions to mirror the functionality of the real machine. Five motors control the blade alone, ensuring a clean shave grade. The rear bogies and front axles oscillate independently guaranteeing all 6 wheels maintain ground contact.
Here at The Brothers Brick we always admire builders who can fuse a personal passion with the possibility of LEGO, and once again Beat Felber has pushed LEGO potential with a scale model that achieves photo-accurate looks without skimping on functionality.
I spy a builder making blocks from LEGO bricks
Nostalgia bomb, incoming. This delightful build from Jonah Schultz is three things in one: a tribute to timeless preschool toys, an homage to the ubiquitous I Spy puzzle books from the ’90s and a showcase of an Iron Builder‘s ingenuity with LEGO bricks. There are so many details to love, from the perfectly proportioned BRIO trains in primary colors to the wonderful debossed lettering on the alphabet blocks, to the judicious use of specialized elements like the Bellville teddy bear, Duplo balls, and Race Car Guy accessory to complement the studs-free build. The most impressive feat of all is how the seed part – baseball bat in silver – is incorporated into the build as train axles, domino pips, and a camera button. And it’s a hidden object puzzle! Can you spy all of the secrets hidden in the picture?
LEGO Neon Evengalion mech stands ready to defend the Tokyo of the future
Tokyo-3, an alternate history version of the metropolis, is defended from attacking monstrosities called Angels by giant mechs with a single pilot. Marco De Bon enjoys building LEGO scenes including these mechs with sections of the fortified city. We previously featured two other Neon Genesis Evangelion blocks showcasing unit-00 and unit-01. But now unit-02 joins the line-up! The mech is skillfully built to hide any obvious LEGO joints. He straddles a highway that uses transparent blue window panes for force fields. Gold stud-shooters make the perfect rooftop machinery in the foreground.
A herbalist’s homey haven
“In a mystical chamber adorned with an array of glass jars, bubbling potions, ancient scrolls, tomes, and exotic flora, the air is thick with the scent of arcane knowledge and potent enchantments.” So begins Syrdarian‘s description of their spellbinding LEGO herbalist’s workspace. Everything you need to cast a spell or heal a malady is right here in piles and stacks, from the crystals on the floor to the jars on the shelves and the cut flowers on the worktable. Boxes and baskets of berries and flowers sit next to the staircase, while tomes of arcane lore rest where they can be readily perused.
The herbalist’s hobbies clearly range beyond plant lore, judging by the lute carefully placed against the wall and the pie and sweets tucked away on a shelf. Joining the herbalist are three different frogs, a rubber ducky, and a hungry mouse. The plates and brick elements in the wall (along with wands for the spindly table legs) give the dwelling a lived-in, ramshackle appearance. And lastly, we can’t fail to remark upon the clever way the windowpanes are formed—minifig hands in several colors.
Deadpool & Wolverine & Gwenpool get the fan BrickHeadz treatment
While you can’t buy buy buy official Deadpool & Wolverine Brickheadz from the LEGO group, mutant and merc fan Shipmaster steps up with fan variants that are too perfect to be pruned by the TVA. The headlining movie heroes are joined by lesser known fan favorite Gwenpool, who shares Deadpool’s meta superpowers (if not his penchant for blood and vulgarity). Shipmaster does a stellar job matching the characters’ comics appearances without skimping on LEGO skill. Binoculars make for the perfect ammo belt around Wade’s waist, and Wolverine’s “ears” nail the X-Men ’97 costume look, but my favorite technique is the log on Logan’s display stand.