Building CUSTOM Lego models (MOCs) - What you need to know!

[@brickwarsnet]

This is such a great video. As a fan of custom creations (which is how I was introduced into the world of MOC designs) I think you nailed pretty much everything. I feel like part of my job as a MOC designer is educating new individuals that are interested in my builds. This provides such a high level overview in addition to several resources for navigating BrickLink, creating wanted lists and managing your parts as your receive them - that I'd like to embed your video directly into my page!

[@CraftedBricks]

Thanks Corey, to me this video came out well, and I hope gives people some insight and knowledge into what is involved in building a custom Lego model. As you know from both your design work and also building customs yourself - it is so much fun!

[@zealot777]

Awesome Simon! I needed this video about 10 years ago as I had no direction in "adventuring" into the MOC world. A friend of mine mentioned that is an absolute must was to build a model following original LEGO instructions...it's a form of "training". Also I regret "parting out" sets for parts when I should've used Bricklink. Thank you for helping the LEGO commnunity and me. Cheers mate.

[@CraftedBricks]

No problem Zealot777, and that is an interesting and relevant thought, you do need go through a 'training' period of building standard sets before you can venture into the custom Lego model building world, I may mention this/or something similar in a follow video on this subject I plan to make later on in the year. Take care! Simon

[@brockrowley]

Another great video Simon ☝️

[@CraftedBricks]

Thanks Brock, I hope you are doing well mate!?

[@DamienWrightAU]

Awesome video Simon, was super stoked to give you some insights from my experience. Thank you for getting me into MOCs and Mods!

[@CraftedBricks]

You are welcome Damien and THANK YOU for a cool video idea that I think turned out very well and will be of help to anyone seeking to know more about what's involved in building a custom Lego model! Have a great week! : )

[@AlboLego]

Great job, Simon, as always. And thank you for everything! :)

[@CraftedBricks]

Thank you too Alberto and I'll be in touch when the next video is done as I'm trying out that 'arm mod' idea - hopefully it works!

[@XianneTV]

wow! that's amazing!

[@abelrovers]

goated channel

[@abelrovers]

instant sub

[@CraftedBricks]

Thank you Abel, I really appreciate that! Have a superb week ahead!

[@abelrovers]

@@CraftedBricks Thank youuu ! You tooo

[@TheRealFeechLaManna]

Essential knowledge/experiences!

[@CraftedBricks]

I hope this video was helpful / informative. I'm thinking of doing a similar one on 'mistakes to avoid when buying custom Lego model instructions'. ...but I'll wait to see how this one resonates with viewers.

[@TheRealFeechLaManna]

@@CraftedBricks Sounds like a great idea!

[@danielley4212]

Very helpful. Thank you very much

[@CraftedBricks]

I'm glad this helped!

[@alyssaholland2400]

Great tips and tricks shared! I’ve recently come across this channel and have subscribed as I really appreciate the level of detail you provide in your videos 🙂 I’m venturing into MOC building this year and would love a video on more general insights on how to get started with MOC building for beginners like myself. The interest is there, but I get stuck on how to start and what building techniques to use since all I’ve ever built are standard sets. I think a tutorial like that would be fantastic! Either way, thanks again for making great content!

[@CraftedBricks]

Hi Alyssa, thank you for your support and comments! Do you mean designing and building your own creations from scratch (MOCs) or building other custom creations from instructions say published on Rebrickable, like many of the models I've featured on my channel? I can give you some relevant beginner tips if you let me know which avenue you are venturing into. : )

[@alyssaholland2400]

@@CraftedBricks Thanks for the quick response! My comment was referring more to the first option you mentioned around "designing and building your own creations from scratch (MOCs)."

[@CraftedBricks]

Ah I see - this is actually a harder one to give you tips for as designing your own Lego creations really comes down to just 'giving it a go' and experimenting. But I can recommend one exercise that will help! Download and install Studio (www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/download.page). Then pick a small to medium sized Lego set that you like, but that you think you can improve or mod. Then following the Lego instructions build that model digitally in Studio. Then once your model is built in Studio play around with using different parts and or colours to change the model. You'll start to see models in a different way and this will get you into the spirit and practice of designing MOCs, even from scratch. Good luck with it and have fun! : )

[@alyssaholland2400]

@@CraftedBricks Thank you very much for taking the time to provide such a detailed response! I will definitely heed your advice and greatly appreciate the tips. It seems like the main thing I should glean is to just start building and experimenting and from there I will hone my building techniques. I’ll give it a go!

[@TesGon]

Your Constrictor 2 MOC was the one that got me into researching more about MOCs in general. Now I design them myself...that how far it got me. P.S Mirkos B-Project...I have instructions for it and it's my next HUGE build after I visit Billunds Legoland in May. It's going to be epic.

[@CraftedBricks]

That is so good to hear! Not only that some of my videos inspired you to get into MOC building but that now you are designing your own (which I've seen on Flickr!). I've got instruction for the B-project and some of the parts I need too. But I won't take it on this year, I'm hoping to have the time to build K2-SO instead this year. It's calling to me! Have a superb week and thanks for sharing. : )

[@majora56]

I don't build custom sets, but I have used Bricklink to build retired sets (Betrayal at Cloud City, UCS B-wing and UCS Super Star Destroyer to name a few). The only trouble I have had is buying new parts in White as they're never the same shade. At the end of a build I always have a few discoloured parts here or there that really detract from the overall experience.

[@CraftedBricks]

Oh yes, BrickLink is definitely a good option to pick up discontinued sets at 'reasonable' prices, well more reasonable than say eBay or similar sites. And I understand your pain on varying shades of some Lego colours, New Dark Red is notorious for the same issue you speak about with White. Medium Stone Grey can be the same. I'm finding though that for more recent MOCs that I'm building or working on I'm getting less colour variation, maybe as older stock of parts is used up? Thanks for sharing Lachlan and have a great week! Cheers, Simon

[@victortai7987]

Where's the viva supercar video, Simon? 😊

[@CraftedBricks]

Hi Victor! I'm pretty sure when we chatted last I said I had a few videos to make before I got to the Super car. My next video is on the Mandalorian megafigure build. Then the one after that is going to be on the CaDa supercar. Both videos are a ridiculous amount of work ~30-40 hours each = building + filming + photography + editing. So I have a lot of very late nights ahead of me!