The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide

Acknowledgments 1: The LEGO System: Endless Possibilities A Brick Vocabulary Sizing Up the Elements The Stud The Tube The Brick The Plate The Slope Specialized Elements Technic Arch Pieces Tiles and Panels Cylinders and Cones Baseplates Decorative Elements Precision, Geometry, and Color Why Precision Manufacturing Matters Fun with LEGO Geometry The Colors Review: The LEGO System 2: Back to Basics: Tips and Techniques Decisions, Decisions: The Best Ways to Connect Bricks Stacking Overlapping Staggering Building Walls Connecting Walls Straight Bricks Can Make Round Walls Bracing: Unseen but Not Forgotten Bracing = Beams + Columns Beams Columns Review: Basic Building Principles 1. Build big but think small. 2. Pick the right bonding pattern. 3: Minifig Scale: Oh, What a Wonderful Minifig World It Is! Scale: It’s All Relative Calculating Scale From the Ground Up: Creating a Minifig-Scale Building Building Two Versions of the Train Station Bill of Materials: The Parts You’ll Need to Make This Model Step by Step: Train Station Construction Details Submodel: The Train Station Roof Substitution: When Other Parts Will Do Substitute Walls Substitute Arches Substitute Windows Substitute Roofs Review: Building Techniques and Alternatives 4: Miniland Scale: The Whole World in Miniature Miniland Scale: Bigger but Still Small Creating a Basic Miniland Figure The Best Bits: Useful Pieces for Miniland People Basic Miniland Figure Mix-and-Match Parts On The Run: Making Miniland Figures Come to Life Miniland Buildings Creating a Scene: Combining Figures and Buildings Street Life: A Simple Downtown Scene in Miniland Scale Behind the Scenes Review: Miniland Scale, Big Possibilities 5: Jumbo Elements: Building Bigger Bricks Scaling Up: How It’s Done The Walls Are Closing In! Other Parts, Same Technique Building with Jumbo Bricks Other Scales: What Scales Work, and Why Picking the Right Scale Approximation Review: Jumbo Bricks Are Just the Start 6: Microscale Building: More Than Meets the Eye Microscale: Small Scale with Big Possibilities Getting Started: Ignore the Details Translating Ideas into Bricks Recap the Technique How Do I Know What Scale I’m Using? Decide on a scale before you begin building. Figure out the scale after you’re done building. Replacing Full-Size Parts with Microscale Stand-Ins Microscale Wheels Microscale Windows Instructions for Microscale House Recap of Replacement Parts Review and Suggested Subject Matter 7: Sculptures: The Shape of Things to Build Spheres: Round and Round They Go Divide and Build: Two Sections Means Twice the Fun Beyond Spheres: Sculpting Other Subjects Choosing a Subject Getting Started on the Sphinx Analyzing the Angles: Building the Head Special Features: Special Techniques Building the Foundation Last Review: Sculptures-In the Eye of the Builder 8: Mosaics: Patterns and Pictures in Bricks Two Types of Mosaics What Can You Do with Mosaics? How Big Should a Mosaic Be? What You Need to Make a Mosaic Designing a Studs-Out Mosaic Geometric Patterns Copies of Pictures Designing a Studs-Up Mosaic Design Grids for the Studs-Up Technique Mosaics on Edge Review: Mosaics of All Sizes and Shapes 9: Technic: Not as Technical as It May Seem Technic: A System Within a System Technic Pieces: An Overview Bricks Studless Beams Gears Pins/Axles Bushings Couplers Getting Started with Technic: Assembly Notes Gear Trains Going Vertical Technic Meets Basic Elements Putting It All Together: Building a Technic Model Review: What Is Technic? 10: Putting It All Together: Where Ideas Meet Bricks Thinking Like a Model Designer Limit Your Scope Getting Started: Pick Your Subject Work from the Bottom Up Let Reality Guide Your Design Decisions A Different Perspective Pick a Scale, Any Scale Color Concerns Elements of Design Bringing It All Together: The Final Design Step by Step: Shuttle Construction Details Something’s Wrong: Redesigning Doesn’t Mean You’ve Failed After You’re Done Review: Taking On the Role of Model Designer 11: Beyond Just Bricks: Other Things to Do Besides Building “I Give It a Nine Out of Ten”: Writing Reviews of LEGO Sets A Simple Review Sharing Your Review How It’s Made: Creating Instructions for Your LEGO Models Step-by-Step Pictures Computer-Assisted Instructions Having Fun: Making and Playing Games with LEGO Pieces Games You Already Know Original Games An Example of an Original Game: Connect-Across (Basic Rules) Designing Your Own Game Review: Enjoying Every Aspect of LEGO 12: Sorting, Storage, and Sitting Down to Build Something Sorting vs. Storing: What’s the Difference? Sorting Bricks: Divide and Conquer Small-Sized Collections Medium-Sized Collections Large-Sized Collections Storing Bricks Start Small, Keep It Simple Containers with Compartments Shoeboxes: Not Just for Shoes Anymore Keeping Track of the Little Pieces: Tackle Boxes to the Rescue Reuse Containers You May Already Have: Tubs and Buckets Deep Storage: Taking Care of Larger Quantities Setting Up a Building Area Review: Unique Solutions for Every Builder 13: Making and Using Tools for LEGO Projects Presser Tool The Ruler Pin Stand Tool Brick Separator Non-LEGO Tools Other Useful Items Review: The Right Tools for the Job A: Brickopedia Brickopedia Breakdown Review: Bricks, Plates, and So Much More B: Design Grids: Building Better by Planning Ahead Downloading the Grids About the Grids Design Grid #1 Design Grid #2 Design Grid #3 Design Grid #4 Using the Grids Effectively Same Model, Different Views Sketching or Planning Description and Date for Future Reference Drawing on Grid #1 Drawing on Grid #2 Drawing on Grid #3 Drawing on Grid #4 Review: From Grids to Bricks List of Key Figures Index Companion Website Updates

What exactly is a slope? What's the difference between a tile and a plate? Why is it bad to simply stack bricks in columns to make a wall? The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide is here to answer your questions.

Focusing on building actual models with real bricks, The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide comes with complete instructions to build several cool models but also encourages you to use your imagination to create your own fantastic creations.

Inside, you'll learn:

• The best ways to connect bricks and creative uses for those patterns
• Tricks for calculating and using scale (it's not as hard as you think)
• The step-by-step plans to create a train station on the scale of LEGO people (a.k.a. "minifigs")
• How to build spheres, jumbo-sized LEGO bricks, micro-scaled models, and a mini space shuttle
• Tips for sorting and storing all of your LEGO pieces

The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide also includes the Brickopedia, a visual guide to nearly 300 of the most useful and reusable elements of the LEGO system, with historical notes, common uses, part numbers, and the year each piece first appeared in a LEGO set.

The firm foundation for your LEGO hobby starts here!

What exactly is a slope? What's the difference between a tile and a plate? Why is it bad to simply stack bricks in columns to make a wall? The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide is here to answer your questions. Focusing on building actual models with real bricks, The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide comes with complete instructions to build several cool models but also encourages you to use your imagination to create your own fantastic creations. Inside, you'll learn: The best ways to connect bricks and creative uses for those patterns. Tricks for calculating and using scale. The step-by-step plans to create a train station on the scale of LEGO people (a.k.a. "minifigs"). How to build spheres, jumbo-sized LEGO bricks, micro-scaled models, and a mini space shuttle. Tips for sorting and storing all of your LEGO pieces. LEGO is a brand that is well-known and well-loved by kids and adults around the world, and LEGO modeling is more popular and sophisticated today than ever The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide brings together techniques, principles, and reference information for building with LEGO bricks that go far beyond LEGO's official product instructions. Readers discover how to build everything from sturdy walls to a basic sphere, as well as projects including a mini space shuttle and a train station. The book also delves into advanced concepts such as scale and design. Includes essential terminology and the Brickopedia, a comprehensive guide to the different types of LEGO pieces The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide combines techniques, principles, and reference information for building with LEGO bricks that go far beyond LEGO's official product instructions. Readers discover how to build everything from sturdy walls to a basic sphere, as well as projects including a mini space shuttle and a train station. The book also delves into advanced concepts such as scale and design. Includes essential terminology and the Brickopedia, a comprehensive guide to the different types of LEGO pieces.