Building Tips

Building Real World Objects From Lego

Written by Steve Demlow Monday, 21 December 2009 05:19

We often build Lego versions of real world objects such as regional trains, landmark buildings, etc.  This how-to gives some ideas to help you "Lego-ize" your favorite train, building, etc.

Reference Images

Collect a set of key images showing the object from different sides/angles and containing any specific details you want to capture.  Take pictures yourself if possible.  Search on Flickr, Google Images, etc.  Search for specific related web sites: the manufacturer, organizations such as a rail line or transit authority, fan sites, etc.  If you want ultimate detail, contact the manufacturer of a vehicle or the maintenance organization for a building and request architectural/mechanical blueprints.

Scale and Selective Compression

Decide on the scale of your model.  Select a few key features such as the windows, prominent arches or statues, etc.  Consider how you can represent just these features in Lego and the resulting scale.  For example, you will typically want to make windows 1, 2 or 4 Lego studs wide.  Figure out the corresponding spacing of the walls between the windows, add up the stud count of the windows + wall sections, and you have an overall dimension.

Decide whether to accurately represent every feature or to selectively remove some details while still capturing the key features of the object ("selective compression").  For example, if a building's front face has 10 stories with 16 windows per story, do you really need 160 windows in your model, or would reducing your model to 6 stories with 10 windows per story be adequate?  You can often capture the essence of an object without exactly duplicating the object.  Selective compression can significantly reduce the size and cost of a model without reducing recognizability.

Several other factors can help determine scale.  You may have constraints such as matching the size of existing buildings on a city layout or a standard width for trains (6 vs. 8 studs wide).  If the model must be portable, a smaller scale resulting in a sturdy model may be preferable to a larger model that has to be broken into parts to transport.  If your model will be standalone, consider where it will be displayed: Are there display case/space dimensions?  The cost of parts can also limit the scale, as can the availability (and corresponding cost) of key elements at different scales.

How Much Planning?

It's advisable to model some key features or especially tricky parts as early as possible. This helps validate the scale you've chosen, gives you more time to re-think critical designs, and helps to establish which parts you'll need for the complete model.  This modeling can be done either with real bricks or using a Lego CAD program such as ML-Cad; see ldraw.org.  The Ldraw suite of tools also lets you general inventories of the parts in your virtual model, which greatly helps manage the parts requirements for a more complex model.

The degree to which you should plan before constructing your model depends on your goals. If you want to build the model during a public event, pre-planning is critical so you can pre-order all the necessary parts.  If you have a deadline for completing the model and need to order parts, identifying and ordering those parts as early as possible will help keep you on schedule.  If others will help you build the final model, creating visual instructions via the Ldraw tools may be useful.

Not much planning is necessary if you want to let the design evolve as you build and aren't concerned about waiting for ordered parts to arrive.

Procuring Parts

Good sources for the specific parts you need include:

• Lego sets: Specific Lego sets may contain specialized parts you need or may offer a broad and cost-effective selection of general parts.  However, even in the best case you'll likely end up with leftover parts that you paid for but don't need for your model.  Consider whether you can potentially use the leftovers in the future since you're paying for them alongside the parts you want now.
• BrickLink.com: This is the online site for buying specific parts.  Create an account, enter the parts you need into the "Wanted" feature, and use the search tools to find stores that are selling what you want for the lowest prices.
• Online Lego Pick-a-Brick: Lego sells parts by the piece.  Typically you can get parts cheaper and faster via BrickLink, but Lego does offer some elements that are otherwise unavailable in bulk or priced higher on BrickLink.  Note that Lego Pick-a-Brick shipments come from Europe and typically take upwards of two weeks to arrive.
• In-store Lego Pick-a-Brick: If you live near a Lego retail store, check out their Pick-a-Brick selection.  Unlike online, in-store Pick-a-Brick is sold by volume.  If you need a smaller part that's available this way, you can save a lot vs. paying per-piece prices on BrickLink or Lego's online P-a-B.

Build!

The best Lego models usually evolve during construction, so embrace the chance to improve your Lego model as you build!