Category Archives: LEGO

You’d probably expect a lot of the posts on a LEGO website like The Brothers Brick to be about LEGO, and you’d be right. If you’re browsing this page, you might want to consider narrowing what you’re looking for by checking out categories like “Space” and “Castle.” We’re sure there’s something here that’ll fascinate and amaze you.

LEGO Microscope by Carl Merriam

LEGO certainly has some small elements, and Carl Merriam has really taken that idea to the next level with this fabulous microscope. I’m impressed with the build, and the presentation, and that’s what originally caught my eye. Then I read the description:

“A little more tinkering and I connected the focus to a magnifying glass and fiber optic light in the eyepiece, so adjusting the focus knobs would actually bring the writing on a LEGO stud in and out of focus.”

So in additon to be a beautifully presented, excellent build, it actually works.

Bravo, Carl. Bravo.

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.

A Bear at the Fair: the Fighting Pits

Gideon_83 has made this fantastic cutaway vignette of a medieval middle-eastern fighting pit, wherein man and beast face each other in a barbaric clash.

His next most recent model—a more placid look at the toll the shifting desert sands take—strikes my fancy as well. It’s a beautiful use of a few colors and just a few simple pieces.

Cyberpocalypse Now

One of the most spectacular collaborations unveiled at Brickworld 2013 was a cyberpunk city full of tall buildings lit up with working lights. I had the privilege of providing a bit of input on the Japanese signage (a lot of which is very, very silly), and I was overjoyed by how wonderful the end result was.

Like all great collaborations, the display involved many builders — Carter Baldwin, Chris Edwards, Nate Brill, Kyle Vreze, Forest King, Ignacio Bernaldez, Sam Wormuth, and Alex Valentino.

It’s beautiful in the dark, but you can see a lot more of the detail in the light.

Some of the signage is built from EL (electroluminescent) wire, though there’s plenty of brick-built lettering too. Carter saved my personal favorite for himself — a big building in the background that says “Foreign Girls” in giant red letters.

Chris Edwards’ main photo has links to lots more photos.

Nova Wing

The Suboken LEGO Projects are something new that recently popped up on my radar. I assume the SLP are two builders based on the profile pic but any more info would be appreciated. Regardless, they are creating some cool-looking ships and their photo-editing puts them over the top. It looks like there is a complex backstory going here as well. I’ll be keeping an eye on this project. As for this ship, I love the menacing lines and the use of the giant wing pieces. Those are not easy to incorporate into a build. I would hate to see this on my six any time or anywhere!

LEGO Balloon from Wizard of Oz is full of hot air

Dave Kaleta (davekaleta) has been working on this beauty for quite some time in preparation for a collaborative display at BrickWorld. It is a very elegant piece of work. The sleekness of the balloon and the integration of the words into the structure of the envelope are both awesome. I want one of these hanging from the ceiling in my LEGO room!

Chrome Block City review

Chrome Block City is a Bricklink store that specializes in selling a large selection of custom chromed Lego elements. This is our first time reviewing their products, which the owner has sent to me for sale in the Creations for Charity fundraiser later this year. Below is a video of the review along with a summary of pros and cons.

Pros:

Large selection of parts and colors.
Very limited quantities on most items, making them exclusive to the few owners.
Same clutch strength when used with regular Lego elements.
High quality of chrome paint on most items.

Cons:

Chrome parts are expensive due to their quality and cost of production.
Some parts with bar shapes have minor exposed areas that are not chromed. Contact the seller before buying if this is a concern to you.
Underlying printed patterns on the original elements may be visible. This can be cool if the pattern is appropriate but may be distracting if the pattern is out of context.

Overall, Chrome Block City’s large selection of chromed elements means there’s a good chance you’ll find something that appeals to you in an interesting shade of chrome. Many of their items are one-of-a-kind, which means you can take pride in being the owner of an exclusive chrome Lego piece. Despite the high quality of most elements, a few will have imperfections as mentioned above and in the video, but they are not significant enough to be recognized without a close inspection.

The Typewriter of a Mad Genius

I like to think that H.P Lovecraft wrote on a typewriter like this one by Matt Armstrong (Monsterbrick). To me, it’s the cthulhu face/octopus that makes it.

Brickworld walkthrough videos

For those who weren’t at Brickworld two weeks ago, there are two walkthrough videos of the convention by Paul Vermeesch and Josh Hanlon. The video by Paul features two narrators, Max Pointner and Ian Spacek, in an edited coverage of the exhibit hall. The other video by Josh features himself and Matthew Kay as the commentators in an in-depth look at many of the creations on display. Sit back, grab a snack, and enjoy the best MOCs that Brickworld has to offer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P2VOHUNIfps

LEGO Mosaic of Marvel’s War Machine uses 40,000 pieces

This stunning mosaic, by Adam Meyers (AKA getdamonkey), is real eye-candy. I love the technique of stacking different transparent colors in order to achieve colors that LEGO doesn’t make. It isn’t a technique that I have mastered myself but I do love it. The technique really makes this particular mosaic pop! Awesome job, Adam, simply awesome.

ChromeBricks new releases and review

ChromeBricks is a longstanding Bricklink store that sells custom chromed Lego elements. I reviewed a sample of their products several years ago, and I recently received some of their new items for a review. Below is a video of the review along with a summary of pros and cons.

Pros:

Flawless quality of chrome paint. I love the deep shade of chrome red.
Same clutch strength when used with regular Lego elements.
Two-toned chrome weapons are unique and awesome.
Underlying color of Lego element has similar color to chrome paint.

Cons:

Chrome parts are expensive due to their quality and cost of production.
Connections between minifigure parts and accessories are tight, requiring effort to swap.

In conclusion, ChromeBricks offers top quality chrome elements for those with a budget for them. Their crimson red chrome is eye-catching and their unique two-toned weapons are outstanding. The tight connections between their chromed minifigure parts might diminish the play value, but I suspect most buyers will not subject them to heavy use.

The Brothers Brigade

Well boys and girls, there is a new super hero team in town. If you thought The Avengers or Justice League were cool, just take a look at The Brothers Brigade. Twelve super powered, super cool individuals from around the World (well, most of them are from the U.S., but they do have three token foreigners). They are fighting evil and taking names.

Full Character Bios:
Front Row (L-R)
Tripod, Gold Member, Mad Physicist
Second Row (L-R)
Artist, The Stud, El Capitan
Third Row (L-R)
The Surgeon, Archaeology, Knight Farmer
Back Row (L-R)
Justice of Space, Mr. Naked Train, Death Pixie

Danish Gothic

Seb Toutouille (spidertoutouille) has recreated the iconic 1930 painting “American Gothic” by Grant Wood using minifigs and a bit of forced perspective.

It’s not quite perfect — I think the farmer could’ve and should’ve held the pitchfork vertically — but it’s a lovely scene nevertheless.