Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

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jozero
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Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by jozero »

Hello,

New to Lego and the forum. This very likely has a very straightforward answer but I can't find it. I'd like to create my own Modular Buildings, and want an overview of what my customization options are.

I'm aware of Lego Pick A Brick http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pick-A-Brick ... es-ByTheme but it's not friendly for exploration. I've downloaded LEGO Digital Designer but it looks like software from the early 2000s & also isn't friendly for just exploration. I subscribe to the Lego magazine and while fun isn't really aimed at creating. Bricklink.com is an excellent resource when you know what you want, not so much for learning.

Is there a PDF or orderable catalog of Lego Parts ? How do folks here find parts for their designs ? Much like buying carpet or choosing wall colour, and Want a nicely laid out grid where I can overview and compare several items.

Thanks.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by DeGobbi »

short of building it in one of those lego building programs , or ldraw and such . I don't know how else you would be able to plan an entire moc ahead . Plus sometimes 1/2 through a moc you need to change something and now you need a different piece. I would go with alot of basic 1 by X brick and windows as a start . as they are going to be the thing you need the most . Maybe using some instructions from brickset.com to help the planning .
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by soundwave »

Hi jozero,
welcome to the forum.
Ultimatley Bricklink may be your best bet for your projects.
Peeron.com is a good resource to look up what pieces exist and when they were last available and in what sets.
Lego shop at home can be useful but rarely a good value.
The newer Lego sets have a part inventory at the back of the instruction manuel. Each part has a Lego element ID nummber.
You can use this number on the shop at home tool to look up pieces quickly to see if they are available from shop at home.
I am not aware of a part catalog (other than Peeron) but there are constantly being new elements introduced and old ones being discontinued.
other options :
There is a Lego store in Bellevue, Washington that has a bulk Lego selection.
Some benefits on becoming a club member with us is that you can get access to order bulk pieces directl from Lego's factory in Denmark. Also some of us combine orders on Bricklink to save on shipping.
hope that helps.

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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by AC »

For me I usually plan my MOCs in my head. I will sometimes, if I am away from my Lego, hand draw what the general look of the MOC. As for buying lego bricklink is most likely your best option. It takes some getting used to but when you get the hang of it keep track of what you bought and know that things sometimes take longer to arrive than expected.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

Most of my MOC project lego comes from bricklink because it is the cheapest option- also I buy loads of the pieces I know I need a bunch of.. and a few of those I am curious to try out.. and I buy box sets with colors/pieces that are useable in my preferred genre- medieval & castle.

I learnt a lot from building Medieval Market Village & Diagon Alley.. and I looked at other people's MOCs online alot to study others' techniques & brickwork. Borrow/Steal ideas and go from there.

I find it easiest to build lego when I draw plans or base it on something already existing, and then use pieces I have available.. and go from there. Not too keen on planning a MOC entirely out of pieces I *dont* have! :D

Oh- also sometimes I will make "draft" mocs.. prototypes if you will.. so, that also serves as a great learning tool

Cheers!

edit: Just wanted to add- if it was me wanting to try MOC some modular buildings- first thing I'd do is buy a couple of the modular building sets- they'd have alot stuff that would be useful in MOC'ing- and learn a bunch techniques as well. You can disassemble the projects later on for your MOC or sell them.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by timtosino »

RadStar wrote:
edit: Just wanted to add- if it was me wanting to try MOC some modular buildings- first thing I'd do is buy a couple of the modular building sets- they'd have alot stuff that would be useful in MOC'ing- and learn a bunch techniques as well. You can disassemble the projects later on for your MOC or sell them.
Sounds like a trip to Bellevue is in order anyhow.. I just assembled the Pet Shop and there's some wild building techniques in there. Did you try looking on Lego's website for the instructions for the Modular Buildings? I'm not sure if they have them on there but it's worth a look.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

Another idea would be to buy the instruction books off Briclink and build with your own bricks if possible.

Instructions for newer sets arent available on Lego. The older sets are.
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jozero
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by jozero »

Really appreciate all the replies. So far I've bought the Pet shop and Grand Emporium, and while building them I'm definitely noting down interesting elements and techniques. My initial plan for a MOC is to build a structure like the townhouse half of the Pet Shop, which I really like. Like any good city each townhouse should be slightly unique.

So I could build the framework of the townhouse with a different colour by referencing the existing one. I guess my issue lies in the tiny flourishes that makes these existing modular buildings so special. Just as an example the curvy top part that finishes off the windows in the townhouses (the white piece that curves). Its those little parts that will really make a building stick out. The question is how to find these ? I like the idea of using real world buildings in inspiration, but then how do you go from 'finishing off this window with a curve top would be awesome' to 'hey Lego makes a unique piece that kind of does it, I can attach it and get the finish I'm hoping for".

By the way, this suggestion by Soundwave is great :
"The newer Lego sets have a part inventory at the back of the instruction manuel. Each part has a Lego element ID number."

I can look at the back of boxes at a store and then order special flourish parts. A quality catalog however that is meant for *browsing*, not searching, would be extremely useful.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by chump »

Also scour the various Lego gallery websites and blogs. I thought there was one specifically for modular buildings or is it just www.classic-town.net? See what techniques and pieces others are using. However, if you do "borrow" techniques without alternation and plan to display it publicly then do try to keep track of where you saw the idea from first, should you need to credit the source.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

Have you looked through Bricklink's catalog? I have actually found it useful once I understand how parts are organized.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by JamesH »

chump wrote:Also scour the various Lego gallery websites and blogs. I thought there was one specifically for modular buildings
I think this one use to be specific to modulars but has expanded a bit since (still a good resource though): http://www.brick-town-talk.com/
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

JamesH wrote:
chump wrote:Also scour the various Lego gallery websites and blogs. I thought there was one specifically for modular buildings
I think this one use to be specific to modulars but has expanded a bit since (still a good resource though): http://www.brick-town-talk.com/
WINNERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!! Wow great link. THANKS! I see a ton useful pictures.. wow
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by chump »

Then there's this thread, except JamesH seems to have taken the pictures down.

http://www.vlc.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2277
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

I am so taken in by aton of those modular buildings- alot of them I would build for my medieval themed town
I would love to take on building a some Modular buildings with the Medieval flavour (after my castle apartment tho!!)

Question:
What's the standard base size of the building? And for the sidewalk?
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michael
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by michael »

The building size can range.. depending on if it is a corner building or has a back courtyard area. The sidewalk is 7 wide. This page from the green grocer instructions might help (click here).


As for how to shop... I really mostly peruse flickr a lot of ideas and pieces that I find neat. Once you get familiar with the pieces, you know what to shop for. But I also use bricklink to find out what colours of each piece are available, what kinda cost they are running for, and for what sets they are included in. Bricklink does take some getting used to, but I find it very handy (even if it is missing some helpful features that would improve usability). I even sometimes just browse the bricklink catalogue. Skipping from set to set looking for neat pieces, or just flipping through the pages and pages of bricks by category.
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

Cool that one looks to be 32x32 with sidewalk at 7 deep, so building/property is 25 deep for modulars with width varying.
Can work with that no problem :D Thx for the pic!
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by AC »

Here is a link part of my flickr account. http://www.flickr.com/photos/43902575@N ... 228554044/
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by JamesH »

chump wrote:Then there's this thread, except JamesH seems to have taken the pictures down.

http://www.vlc.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2277
Thanks for pointing that out Pierre, I was doing some house cleaning on my hard drive but didn't mean it to be so literal! I restored them now.

It's not done to the cafe corner standard as I wanted to make it proportionally matched to the actual house. Using a 4 stud door as the scale a standard Vancouver lot (33x120) works out to basically be 3 32x32 stud baseplates. Which, unfortunately, is way too deep to work well with the standard modulars :( .
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Re: Making a MOC - Not understanding ordering Lego

Post by RadStar »

Also we discussed the Modular Building MOC "Bachelor's Pad" a while ago as well.

http://toysnbricks.com/forums/viewtopic ... 83&start=0

Its a great & original MOC that works well with Lego's Modular buildings.

Cheers!
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