How To Build Custom Lego Sets
At this bespeak, LEGO isn't only a toy, it'south a way of life. The little edifice blocks take acquired a devoted following the world over, from both kids and adults. We've covered LEGO from stem to stern on this site, but if you've been edifice advanced sets for years, maybe yous're fix to start designing LEGO creations of your ain.
Of course, anyone tin make a new LEGO cosmos out of existing sets, or more commonly, combining the pieces of existing sets. Merely for anything over almost a hundred pieces, you'll demand a plan, both for edifice the set itself and for acquiring the specific pieces you need.
Here's how you lot do that.
Design Software
If you want to make a LEGO set with hundreds or thousands of pieces, yous desire to plan information technology out first. The easiest way to exercise that (without spending a mortgage's worth of money on randomized pieces) is to apply a software tool to build a set virtually. At that place are three notable options at the time of writing.
BrickLink Studio
BrickLink Studio, sometimes but referred to as "Studio" or "Stud.io," is the best option for almost builders of intermediate to advanced skill. This free design tool is published and maintained by BrickLink, the biggest secondary market place for LEGO pieces (see below). It features tens of thousands of LEGO parts, all of which tin be modified and placed within its virtual build space. It's available on Windows and Mac.
Studio mirrors professional design software with its multi-window interface, and its search tool is the best way to go the part you need. It's likewise possible to motility the parts in the virtual world with near-infinite diverseness, twisting and turning them in the space with warnings for what volition and won't work. My favorite feature is the stability tool, which can tell you which parts of your LEGO model are most likely to fly apart nether stress.
Studio includes a system for replacing parts you utilise that aren't available (for case, if you color a function that LEGO doesn't make in that colour option). Once you're prepare to go on, the program can assist y'all make your own LEGO instruction volume, render the creation in 3D graphics animations, and buy your listing of parts directly from the BrickLink store.
MecaBricks
MecaBricks isn't the nearly powerful LEGO design software effectually, only it is the only one that's available in a full web interface. That also makes it the only option if you're using ChromeOS or trying to design LEGO on a telephone or tablet. The interface supports virtually of the tools that BrickLink Studio does, albeit without some of the fine control.
A particular highlight is an like shooting fish in a barrel way you can browse the parts library or view and edit user-submitted models in the online repository—again, all without needing to install any software on your local machine. The interface is impressively quick, fifty-fifty when handling complex or transparent parts.
LEGO Digital Designer
LEGO makes its own pattern software, though information technology was unfortunately discontinued in 2022. Still, the software is available every bit a free download, and it'south a practiced style for beginners to get used to designing LEGO sets in a virtual surroundings. The interface, in item, is much more kid-friendly.
LEGO Digital Designer shouldn't be relied upon as the be-all, finish-all of LEGO design software—its selection of bricks is pretty paltry compared to other customs-made tools, and information technology no longer allows you lot to buy bricks direct from LEGO. All the same, it might be useful for kids to plan out before proceeding to a physical pattern in a store.
Finding LEGO Pieces
If you have your design ready to get, it'due south time to discover your pieces. Maybe you can fill out some of them with your current collection, just when y'all tin't find the remainder, it's time to get-go hunting online.
Official LEGO Pick A Brick
Boxed LEGO sets aren't the simply mode to buy LEGO pieces. LEGO sells them, direct to the public and one at a time, via the Pick a Brick system. At the time of writing, there are approximately 1500 LEGO bricks available directly from the manufacturer, 1 piece at a time. You can select the parts that you need, add them to your cart, and have them delivered to y'all in one or 2 weeks. Searching by color, shape, or the official LEGO part number (easily constitute in whatsoever of the tools above) is recommended.
BrickLink
LEGO doesn't sell all of its parts direct to the consumer—quite a lot of them tin can only exist bought every bit part of a specific fix. There's nothing malicious well-nigh this, it's simply that plenty of parts have such a depression demand that they aren't set for individual sale. Enter 3rd political party marketplaces, of which BrickLink is the most robust.
BrickLink connects thousands of private LEGO merchants, many of which have enormous and well-cataloged inventories, with terminate buyers. Yous can shop the BrickLink site for the more esoteric parts that you need, then check out and pay multiple vendors all at one time, getting all of your parts delivered to the same place.
Ownership via BrickLink is expensive and slow compared to Pick A Brick since different vendors sell parts at different prices and you'll need to pay split up shipping for each seller. But it's oft the merely way to detect specific parts, and the systems tools make them like shooting fish in a barrel to find.
Loose Collections
If you're trying to build up a massive collection of your own LEGO pieces, and you lot aren't concerned about specific pieces, then bulk lots are what yous desire. LEGO sells its ain bulk bins at retail, in unmarried- and multi-color packaging. But that's not the best bang for your cadet.
The way to build up a massive LEGO collection in the cheapest possible way is to buy majority, loose pieces. Used LEGO sets are okay in this regard—LEGO pieces are durable, and LEGO sets missing their box, instructions, or even some pieces tin can be had cheaply. But to actually maximize the value and minimize your cost per part, await for large lots of LEGOs without any organization at all.
Yous can discover these loose lots on secondary markets like eBay, or locally in pawnshops, garage sales, and flea markets. Compared to buying sets or searching for parts on BrickLink, the value is 5-10 times the amount. Some retail chains, like Half Cost Books in the US, are starting to stock loose LEGO every bit well. Skilful hunting.
Local Tools and Groups
If you're in a hurry or you lot simply desire to connect with fellow LEGO lovers in your local area, you accept a few options.
The LEGO Store
LEGO has become so huge that most major metropolitan areas have at to the lowest degree one official LEGO Store. These stores sell LEGO sets, special limited items, memorabilia, and individual parts separated by color on the "Pick & Build" part wall. LEGO Stores as well take access to some exclusive items, and are more likely than regular retail stores to have larger or rarer sets.
The LEGO Store is usually constitute in malls or in other defended shopping areas of major cities.
Independent LEGO shops
LEGO Stores can't be everywhere, and where they're non, enterprising contained business organisation owners are picking up the slack. Independent LEGO shops sell accurate LEGO sets and bricks, as well every bit buy and sell used sets, but aren't officially affiliated with LEGO. The nearest i to me is Rogue Brick in Fort Worth, Texas. (Incidentally: these shops never really have the trademarked term "LEGO" in their name.) You can find them past searching for LEGO Stores or toy stores in your favorite mapping app.
Independent shops oft have a huge amount of loose bricks for auction, and some even accept dedicated play areas where you and/or your kids can simply sit down and build with their huge drove, then pay for the bricks you use when you're ready to leave. Indie shops also function as hubs for the local LEGO community, frequently hosting displays of custom-designed sets, contests, sometimes even adults-only nights where grown-up LEGO fans are encouraged to come in without kids to distract them.
LEGO fan and student groups
If you lot're looking for a local group to share your creations or selection up some tips, cheque out the social media hubs for your surface area. Meetup.com and Facebook'southward Grouping pages are popular options. Meeting regularly with swain LEGO fans tin can exist a peachy style to meet people and share your experiences. These groups are often chosen the local LEGO User Group (LUG).
If you attend a higher or university, there's an fantabulous risk that there's already a LEGO User Group at your school. If you're having trouble finding one, check the official LEGO Administrator Network, a site from LEGO itself offer a directory of LEGO-focused edifice groups.
Source: https://www.reviewgeek.com/37000/tools-to-get-started-designing-your-own-lego-creations/
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