From posts on

the blog
Tips&Bricks

THE UNOFFICAL GUIDE TO

BASIC BUILDING TIPS
Created by Alex Johnson

BUILDER’s
HANDBOOK
Table of Contents
Brick Classification ...................................................................1
Colours .....................................................................................2
Scales of MOCs .................................................................... 2-3
Planning ...................................................................................3
Starting your MOC ....................................................................4
LEGO Digital Designer ............................................................. 4
Part numbers ............................................................................5
Buying LEGO bricks..................................................................5
Restarting .................................................................................6
Continious improvement ...........................................................6
Links ........................................................................................7

Created by Alex Johnson Images rendered in Stud.io

Information from the posts on the Facebook page Tips&Bricks

All builders credited for their technique, if they could be found

 T I P S F O R B E G I N E E R S

TIPS

Brick Classification
4 studs
in width
Bricks are usually classified in 2 areas - their size and type.

The size of the brick depends on how many studs 6 studs

it takes up, such as a classic 2x4 brick. This has 2 in
studs in width and 4 in length. 1x1 length
1x2 2x4
4x6

There are many types of bricks; which can be split up into the categories of bricks, plates, wedges,
modified plates, modified bricks, round bricks, slopes, curved slopes, technic beams/liftarms, technic
bricks, technic linkers and rods
Bricks
Plates
Wedges Modified Even if a piece or
plates Modified
bricks brick has an angle
to it, it is still
classified by how
Rods many studs it takes
Round up, such as this
bricks example, the2x4
Slopes Technic wedge
linkers
Technic
Curved
beams/ Technic
slopes
liftarms bricks

1
 Colours
Here are the most common colours that you are likely to use in your MOC:

Scales of MOCs
When designing your MOC, you have to decide what scale to make it at. Here are 6 scales you might
want to use:

MICRO MIDI REDUCED MINIFIGURE LIFE-SIZE CUSTOM

2
 Minifigure scale
Micro-scale (or mini-scale)
- used for buildings and
- generally used for large
most sets
dioramas or huge ships that
- very common scale for
you want to make to a small
MOCs
scale
- technical scale is
- uses lots of small pieces
around 1:40 or 1:50
and therefore minimal detail
(comparing human size
to minifigure)
Midi-scale
Life-size
- in between micro and
- based on a 1:1 scale
reduced
- used for weapons or
- not that common
other objects
- contains no interior
- may have working
functions
Reduced scale
- used for MOCs that are too
Custom scale
big to be made in minifigure
- a scale created by the
scale
builder
- used a lot for Star Wars sets
- any size they think will
and MOCs
be the best
- not an official name (none
given)

Planning
When you are ready to start your build, where do you start? It can be hard to find a good way to begin
building so here are some tips for planning to get the wheels moving:

1. Reference material - If you are basing your MOC on a real thing then find clear pictures of
what you want to build. This is important to get the proportions, colours and a lot of other things right.

2. Get a game plan - Think about what parts you will need, the scale you will build it to and any
techniques you might need to utilize.

3. Basic sketches/designs - Start sketching rough ideas and dimensions on paper or if you
prefer, design some key parts on LEGO Digital Design. This will help you visualize what it will look like as
the final product.

4. Alternative solutions - Consider alternative ways of building if your idea doesn't work or
look how you wanted.

3
Starting your MOC
After you have some rough plans for your MOC, it’s time to start building. Here are some tips on how to
start building or designing and what to include at the start so you don’t have to go back and put them in
later.

1. Use technic – If your MOC is bigger than micro-scale, it’s a good idea to incorporate technic
before the main design work goes in. This will make your MOC structurally sound and allow you to build
around it, instead of going back and putting it in later.

2. Rough dimensions – Map out rough

dimensions by using base plates. If you are designing
your MOC in design software (see page) then you can
make a “cage” out of bricks to work inside. This makes
you aware of the size, but this could always change
throughout the building process.
(Note: some builders do not use rough dimensions, as
they consider it to be limiting)
“Cage” of
dimensions Technic bricks
and beams

LEGO Digital Designer

LEGO Digital Designer or LDD is a design software you can use to design your MOCs. It is free to
download (link on the last page) and lets you build in a digital software without physical bricks.

Advantages of design software

- Unlimted amount of bricks
- Wide range of parts
- Easy editing (copying/ changing colour)
- You don’t have to buy bricks to experiment with
- You can plan what bricks you need to buy

Disadvantages of design software

- No way to test physics and strength
- Unlimted parts can be hard to build with as there
are so many possibilities
- Not every part/colour may be available
- Takes time and practice to get used to
Theed Palace
Micro-scale
made on LDD

4
Part numbers
Every LEGO part has a number which
identifies it. You can find the number on the
inside of LEGO
Found inside
bricks, and in a
variety of
places on other
parts.

LEGO Digital
Designer will also tell you the part number if
you select a part.

These can then be used to search for the

piece when buying them and for finding them
on design software.

Buying bricks
Here are the best ways to buy the LEGO bricks for building your MOCs:

1. - The largest website for ordering parts, with a huge range to choose from. You
look through shops and choose what you want, then make orders. This is the most efficient as you can
upload a LDD file and it will automatically put the parts you need into your basket (link on the last page)

2. Pick a Brick - Run by the LEGO Group, the pieces here

are slightly more expensive than at Bricklink. However, you can
order all the pieces together, but there is a reduced range of
pieces

5
Restarting
Don't be afraid to restart your MOC, there are many benefits to starting a fresh:

1. Try out new techniques - Sometimes techniques just don't work or don't have the effect
you thought they would. Instead of adapting the technique, sometimes it’s easier to just try and use or
create another.

2. New possibilities - By starting over, you can think of new possibilities that may have been
hidden before because of a certain technique used.

3. Don’t waste your time - If you don't like the direction your MOC is going in, whether it’s
the scale or something else, it’s better to start again rather than wasting time thinking about if you
made the right decision, as you can always go back to the idea in the future if it turns out to work better.

Continuous improvement
Even when you have think you have finished a MOC, sometimes there is always something that could be
done better.

Continuous improvement means looking back over your build and refining it, possibly because of new
source material or a new piece, or just if you think of a different way to do something. Sometimes the
"improvement" won't help your build at all and it was perfect how it was, but often it can add those
little details, finishing touches and correct angles you were missing that first time you designed it.

Continuous improvement
Development of a Kylo Ren
BrickHead

6
LINKS:
Tips&Bricks-
A Facebook page that posts daily tips, tricks, techniques and MOC features

LEGO Digital Design - http://ldd.us.lego.com/en-us/download

A design software to create your MOCs, directly linked to the LEGO Group

Bricklink - https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page
A website where you can buy bricks for your MOCs from online stores

Stud.io - https://studio.bricklink.com/v2/build/studio.page
An alternative design software, directly linked to Bricklink

Brickset - https://brickset.com/
A website that has a database of all the LEGO sets ever made and various news articles

LEGO Gallery - http://ldd.us.lego.com/en-us/gallery

I website where you can access, upload and download MOCs and official LEGO sets

LEGO Tricks – https://www.pinterest.co.uk/keithblack7547/lego-tricks/

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/johnathonv/lego-techniques/
Pinterest boards that collect LEGO techniques from various builders

Swooshable - http://swooshable.com/
A website for LEGO articles on tips and techniques, especially SNOT techniques

Brickly - https://www.facebook.com/bricklyHQ/
An app that allows users to feature their MOCs to its growing community

LEGO MOCs – Community Builders - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1591646100896260/

A Facebook group dedicated to MOCs, tips and techniques as well Builder’s Handbooks

LEGO STAR WARS MOCs (DIEHARD FANS) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/301165213630238/

A Facebook group for sharing your own creations with a friendly community

LEGO Glossary - https://www.brothers-brick.com/lego-glossary/#S@H

A glossary made by the website Brother Brick that covers all the jargon used by LEGO builders

MOC pages - http://www.moc-pages.com/

A website with a library of 400,000 MOCs strong that is guaranteed to fuel your creativity

Brickowl - https://www.brickowl.com/
A simpler and alternative marketplace to buy and sell LEGO

MOC Recipes - http://mocrecipes.com/

A website with many LEGO techniques and detailed articles

Stack Exchange Bricks - https://bricks.stackexchange.com/

A website where you can post questions about the brick and get answers from experienced builders and collectors