We’ve all received those curious extra LEGO elements included in many sets. Most BrickNerd readers are accustomed to them, but new LEGO builders might be a little worried about having leftover pieces after assembling their first set! Join BrickNerd as we take a quick look at the ever-evolving history of extra LEGO elements and how they have changed over the years. 40602 Winter Market Stall Why Extras Pieces? I’ve always wondered whether the extras are included to mitigate against packaging errors (due to the accuracy of the factory counting scales) or to cut down on customer service requests if customers lose a small piece. I can’t say for sure, but perhaps the answer is a little of both. No doubt, The LEGO Group (TLG) has done exhaustive analyses comparing the cost of including intentional extras versus the much higher cost of processing and mailing out a replacement. But when did the...

While primarily made from plastic, LEGO pieces come in all shapes and sizes, and materials. If you are looking for a more flexible option for building a MOC masterpiece, look no further! Today we’re taking a look at how capes and cloth have been used as NPU (Nice Part Usage) in LEGO MOCs. Just cause it’s fabric doesn’t mean it isn’t a LEGO piece… Cloth is a Classic Fabric elements have been around for a long time. The first LEGO pirate ships back in the late 80s had the first fabric elements. The famous Black Seas Barracuda was so popular, it was produced a second time and then was reimagined as a LEGO Ideas set! Absolutely Beautiful! LEGO took a few years to make capes for minifigures, with the first one used in the Dragon Knights castle subtheme in the 90s. Up until then, minifigs had to use a hard plastic...

The key to a great LEGO Feb-Rovery construction is picking a concept and going at it hard. Some choose to base their rover around a single part. Others take inspiration from long-lost LEGO Space factions. And yet another group may just want to work in a specific color palette. But then there are those like Maxx Davidson who take this theme month as an opportunity to answer a question that no one asked. In this case, it’s “What if mice went to the moon in search of cheese?” Following in the footsteps of Wallace and Gromit, here’s hoping these galactic gastronomes make it back to Earth with all the moon-muenster they can manage. And if you’re looking for more vehicles of the vast outer reaches from February’s gone by, check out our Feb-Rovery archives. The post The LEGO mousetronauts and their moon cheese appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal...

I am loving these LEGO Metroid creations as of late. It takes me back to the late 80’s when my brother and I would play it on our Nintendo system. The music and sound effects were as extra-terrestrial as they come, the alien baddies were totally awesome and finding out the main protagonist, Samus Aron, was female at the end; priceless! I recall the revelation squigged some kids out at school but I was all for it. The big boss at the end, as it turns out, was also a lady of sorts. She was responsible for laying all the Metroid eggs and defending her brood with all her armor-plated, teeth-gnashing glory. Benjamin Anderson has recreated the Metroid Queen nicely, even including the transparent organ at her abdomen that was her well-guarded weak point. The only way to defeat her was to get her to ingest bombs or power bombs. It...

Robin Hood, eat your heart out! You wish you were as cool as this LEGO figure made by Justus M., but clearly, you’ve missed the mark. This creation offers a wealth of terrific techniques, but I’m especially fond of the prolific use of minifigure accessories. The pistol drawstrings around the archer’s collar, the slingshots used as boot laces, and the arrow fletching made of red megaphones are but a taste of the brick-built craftsmanship at work. And if you want more characters celebrating medieval times, make sure to check out the other brick-built figures on Justus’s Flick page. The post Bow before this expert LEGO bowmaster appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Kyle Keller (TBB Managing Editor)