MORE Illegal LEGO Techniques

LEGO pieces can be connected, but that doesn't mean you should do it.
Illegal LEGO Techniques can permanently damage your LEGO bricks!
Check this video to find out some examples of Illegal LEGO Building Techniques and why you shouldn't use them.
I'm Tiago, former LEGO Model Designer turned LEGO KZbinr so I live under the impression of knowing a thing or two about LEGO. You should SUBSCRIBE for more semi-decent LEGO related videos.
Here's Part 1 of the Illegal Lego Techniques Series ❯ • Illegal LEGO Techniques
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Thank you LEGO for sending this set for review. Views and opinions are my own.
#lego

[@TiagoCatarino]

It's legal to SUBSCRIBE Buy LEGO to support the channel ❯ bit.ly/3PRbzZe

[@_jonjo]

hi

[@zaidiatoranimation3947]

And it's legal to like the vid 😉

[@Panda-vm1vm]

Ye does not stress subscribers

[@Slamburgurr]

Your videos are so comforting to watch Tiago, keep em coming.

[@loveisthekey]

No. ILLEGAL

[@map-reduce]

This is a really well done video. I love the fact that you: - Explained what an illegal technique is - Showed an example of each technique - Demonstrated why it is illegal - Offered legal techniques to achieve the same results I wish all tutorial videos were this well thought out. Thanks so much!

[@piccolanpasalan]

and started with the thumbnail

[@kudriy787]

Because of stress lol?

[@KazNurAk]

He wasn’t a LEGO designer for nothing.

[@ChristophGangrel]

Tiago: "Those techniques are illegal..." Guy from Brick Bending channel: sweats profusely

[@BeyondtheBrick]

Alternative video title: How to Avoid the FBI Knocking on Your Door

[@pi172]

More likely the FE (Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste).

[@maxmania13]

Why ain’t there replies?

[@milkman4765]

@@maxmania13 IDK

[@rocket206]

Wait what are you doing here Are you the real one?

[@housesparrow9066]

😅Lol

[@MayoHosko]

As an ex designer you’re one of the most qualified LEGO KZbinrs to talk about this stuff

[@Blutzen]

I liked learning about which connections were stressing the pieces beyond spec, but the part I liked most was when you showed legal ways to achieve similar results

[@danielleanderson6371]

Something else to note with the plate between studs technique is that the studs on the plate prevent the plate from settling completely between the studs, unless you offset the plate. That makes it easier for me to remember that tiles are the ones that are legal for that technique, not plates.

[@roguesample]

So THATS why it’s hard to get translucent pieces off of those translucent pole pieces! Never thought about it being because of the piece materials. Sorry Lego, that one wasn’t obvious - please don’t send me to brick jail!😰🙏🏻

[@VortexBricks]

Ur not going to brick jail, but you have to do brick service for a month

[@jaco8822]

@@VortexBricks mans gonna have to step on lego for month

[@kimaboe]

@@jaco8822 That has to be against the geneva convention...

[@jaco8822]

@@kimaboe IT'S THE ONLY WAY THEY'LL LEARN

[@TheB3]

*The sequel we didn’t know we needed!* But I’ve been guilty of literally all of these at some point lol

[@DapperDemon]

I love that the lego haunted house, while by design run down looking, is still lego wheelchair accessible

[@florenthamel140]

I really love those videos of Legal/Not legal build. It shows that behind the "toy", there is so much - and quite serious - engineering ! Thanks Tiago for that !

[@bake4795]

Fun fact: you dont use this to avoid illegal techniques you use it to learn how to use illegal techniques

[@gdfish3532]

I think it would be cool to have more official stud reversal pieces, like a 1x2 and 2x2 plate with top studs on both sides for example.

[@jeremychicken3339]

That rare moment where Mega Bloks has the lead...

[@WideSmileOfficial]

It’s fun how some techniques may look illegal when their actually not

[@CreatorofSecks]

He covers the topic in the thumbnail first; what a legend

[@wayneb.7535]

Awesome video!! This is very insightful and gives a notion of the creative decisions LEGO designers need to be aware while designing the products.

[@TiagoCatarino]

This is like the tip of the iceberg when it comes to that!

[@Matt..S]

@@TiagoCatarino Is it legal to mine deep into that iceberg? We would certainly appreciate you doing so.

[@kz.productions]

Series idea for Tiago: (day 6) Tiago should make a subreddit where people can post Mocs that he reviews and gives feedback monthly/weekly. It’s going to be good for both the fans who are looking to improve and will probably take Tiago less time to make.

[@javiervegasregidor1049]

It will be nice to follow up this with legal wayd to combine regular Lego pieces with Duplo. My kids are starting to left Duplo behind and that will be a great way to keep them useful

[@TiagoCatarino]

Regular LEGO bricks can be stacked onto Duplo bricks!

[@blaze3766]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="180">3:00</a> I don't understand why LEGO doesn't produce a tile with studs on both side just for that purpose. I have such a piece from a non-LEGO brand and I think it would come in handy for LEGO. I'm surprised how some non-LEGO brands have a bigger variety of parts and that LEGO doesn't make their own counterparts to catch up with the competition. I guess LEGO is still at the top so they don't worry as much to make decisions that would probably cost them a lot of money for no immediate advantages but they do update their inventory with time so I hope they will produce tiles with studs on both sides at some point.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Yeah... I'd love to have that piece made in LEGO. It would be so insanely helpful for builds!

[@pewpewdragon4483]

Seeing that they have the inverted tile piece now, I think its almost certain that Lego doesn't plan on making any double-sided plates any time soon or ever. I mean if they had a double-sided plate, they wouldn't need to introduce inverted tiles, or any inverted pieces for that matter. I reckon they must've tested such a piece already and maybe concluded that it creates more problems than it solves. Surely it would make many if not all the inverted pieces redundant and obsolete. But maybe inspite of that, the convenience and versatility might actually bring about more benefits than drawbacks and Lego is just sitting on wasted potential as they so often have.

[@ericpaul4575]

There m

[@Abremoch]

Oh I wanted to know about this topic for a long time! Great video and awesome explanations!! Thanks!

[@ryanishere07]

I think he’s the only channel that shows the thumbnail showcase first instead of other channels where it saves for lasts or just not show at all

[@GubstersGarage]

Perfect timing! As I was looking for stud reversal techniques to use on my build 😊

[@TiagoCatarino]

You’re welcome!

[@jackandmonty5105]

Another banger as all ways Tiago! Great job 👏

[@OfflineRocket]

The Poli Carbonate one reminded me exactly of a set when I was a kid! Almost impossible to get the lights off of the Lunar Limo from Space Police (set 5984)! I remember having the lights at the front, with that exact colour of cone! Hated trying to remove it!! Makes me wonder if that was illegal now

[@mirramirraonthewall]

I keep forgetting “illegal techniques” means things that can hurt the bricks not combing Legos with other brands like Mega Contrux (would love to hear his opinion on other brick brands and how they compare to Lego)

[@TiagoCatarino]

Well I would consider that illegal and come after you if you did it. so there's that

[@trewerd]

I never thought about that. Whether or not competitors that advertise that they are "compatible with leading brands" are actually so, given strict Lego standards and measurements.

[@Pystro]

@@trewerd Well, if Lego wanted to hurt their competitor's reputation, they could probably find incompatibilities (or problematic dimensional variability) if they just searched hard enough. Then again, Lego's strategy seems to be to refuse to acknowledge their competitors entirely.

[@mirramirraonthewall]

@@trewerd I’ve built some of the mega contrux Pokémon sets, and something definitely feels different from Lego pieces, though I don’t quite know what. It could be the kind of plastic, the design, or something else. It’s kind of why I’d like to hear a Lego expert’s option on the matter, since they might have a better understanding of what makes it different. I haven’t combined any of the pieces with Lego sets I got, I mostly like to build display pieces for my self or desk, so I also don’t know how compatible they are either.

[@tobiasrosch9386]

I think in theory, the competitors are 100% compatible with Lego. However in real life there are differences in production accuracy (= worse tolerances) between them, since in most cases they come from different manufacturing plants (talking on microscopic level, micrometers). You can even see this within the Lego universe, that some parts have for example more clamping force than others as they come from different plants. Sometimes even the same parts in a different color have a different clamping force. As for non-Lego parts, I have made the experience that the parts' range is wider between too loose and so tight, that it leaves stress marks from bending after a few days. So tolerances are higher. But I would not generalize that statement for all competitiors. After all, there is a difference between "illegal by design" and "bad production tolerances/low quality".

[@andrewchapman2024]

This is very informative. Thank you for the info.

[@hdawood81]

I dont know. I feel the quality control is probably not upto the mark recently. e.g in the downtown diner set from 2018, the sound recording machine has 5 light blue headlight pieces that connect to each other. I built the set once, put it on display for some time and then disassembled and put in ziplock bags. When I wanted to build the set again, I noticed all those headlight bricks were cracked, along with several 1x1 white bricks. Also, with creator haunted house set, several 1x2 bricks have cracked :(

[@bricebricegb]

Now I just want to see a lego build implementing every illegal technique

[@96Assassine]

Always wondered why some transparent (bar) pieces were harder to separate. I think I still have some that are stuck together.

[@kyliecunnington7711]

How would you go about safely gluing lego? A strong enough bond to make it sturdy but not going to break the pieces while being properly removed?

[@Yinsterbricks]

Very informative 😊👍

[@zaneicemaster4031]

Bruh it's sad you had to sacrifice some of your lego pieces to make this video 😭😭 Great video as always tho Tiago!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Rest in Pieces

[@zaidiatoranimation3947]

🤣😂

[@Aaron-M00J]

What about reversing two 2x2 plates using a bucket handle?

[@profBricks]

Bravo, Tiago. I really enjoyed this

[@Froggsroxx]

I love that all these pieces have specific names

[@NZ_Legend]

Tiago! As someone who doesn't create MOCs.. please upload instructions on the ultra ball! I NEED IT!!

[@BeardedNerdSE]

I'm a bit wary of the technique used at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="219">3:39</a>, I find it really hard to pull them apart. For some reason the modified 1x1 plates with O-ring also get really tight around regular bars. Those are some theoretically legal techniques that seem to be slightly off to me, and I've had to discard pieces that I just couldn't separate.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Yeah, PC plastic, specially bars and other elements that go with them are sometimes an issue

[@hqrryp0tt3r19]

The first „illegal technique“ is also used by Lego at least once. It’s in the building ideas 226 set on page 41

[@adamgoss3638]

Regarding the bit near the end, about transparent bar bricks - are the transparent Lego parts made of a different kind of plastic from non-transparent ones?

[@xaviers2ndaccount354]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="309">5:09</a> IMO when you add more tread pieces, it eventually becomes legal,as it will require less and less force to connect the ends

[@seymourlego1]

Another brilliant video Tiago 🎉🎉🎉

[@ARDIZsq]

I'm not usually one to fall victim to illegal building techniques, but I'll admit, I've done the Technic pin in the tube part of a brick countless times. To be totally fair though, this was back before I knew inverted tiles were a thing, and even then, I'm sure they don't come in every color just yet. Plus they're super hard to find in bulk. Glad to know what I was doing was wrong though, gotta find a different method now.

[@WizardOfOss]

As for stud reversal.... it still surprises me that unlike so many other brands, Lego doesn't make plates with studs on both sides, those are so convenient! And Cobi goes even a few steps beyond, with not just regular double-studded plates, but also thin plates (similar to base plates) with studs on both sides. Or the opposite: bricks with no studs at all! And they make the ultimate SNOT piece: just a double stud! I'm pretty sure Lego would never make those as it is very easy to put those in places that makes it (nearly) impossible to remove them. Still, so extremely usable...

[@TiagoCatarino]

Hopefully LEGO will do some in the future. Any day now…

[@klockibymichael4825]

wow it very nice video thx for find this illegal techniques

[@endcore282]

I have a question, I don’t know the names of the elements but in the Lego dimensions starter set is a unusual connection it the bat Mobile rebuild 3. Is that connections legal

[@YourNeighborNat]

If you don't mind me asking, is putting a PL.ROUND 1X1 W. THROUGHG. HOLE on each side of the technic pin hole of an ANGLE ELEMENT, 0 DEGREES [1] considered illegal considering the illegal technique talked about starting at around <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="225">3:45</a>?

[@Gzilla313]

I love these "the science of Lego" videos!

[@TheTransformersFanEver]

About the brick reversal section; what if we dont have the parts needed to do those methods, or the technique doesnt fit the parameters of a build?

[@jumpy_jumpers]

"legalize it - don´t criticize it" (Peter Tosh)

[@goncalonunesdepaiva9870]

Muito bem Tiago, outro grande vídeo continua o bom trabalho.

[@Toboter]

I love these videos!

[@gordzilla8443]

This was hard to watch 😢 Imagine the horrible people who do this naturally! It’s unbearable! 😫

[@aggelosaggelos5696]

i wanna ask something, the piece commonly used for Sideview mirrors on small cars,the 1*1*1 with a thing with a hole and studs on the side,has a small gap inside it,why is that?

[@chahtanerf9676]

The tile in between the studs will still damage the tile. I tried to use a tile like that for barriers in a Nerf Battle MOC concept and noticed marks and almost gouges from the studs.

[@bartomiejwozniak1455]

@Tiago Catarino if you place some tiles between studs like you put plates in <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="34">0:34</a> then the long, green plate will be also stressed and bended. So is this technique really legal?

[@smashed9135]

Amazing video!

[@IncapableLP]

"Fans love stud-reversal!" *laughs in COBI*

[@RedNifre]

Could you explain the bracket problem at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="205">3:25</a>? I feel that it is illegal, but why aren't the sides of the brackets not 5 units tall with the studs centered like they look like? What's going on with that shape? Also, does it become legal when you have them separated by one brick between? Feels legal to me.

[@captaintrips2980]

"You really don't want to destroy your Lego, right?" When we got bored with the simple Lego sets of the early 70s, we really destroyed our Legos. They melted nicely, especially when thrown into a campfire. Or there is much mischief one can do with a sack of Legos. Throw them where people will step on them barefooted in the dark. Throw a handful in a skateboard park. Flush them down your enemy's toilet. Seriously, I only wanted to know what illegal meant in your terminology. I recall using rubber mallets, fire, glue, hammers and drills to make my illegal Lego contraptions.

[@samwoolley9865]

great video as usual!!!!

[@TiagoCatarino]

Thanks!

[@tastybuds8756]

The reason people do illegal building trucks is because some people are bored with the normal way of putting bricks

[@gjacobson76]

Tiago, how can a new element idea be submitted to Lego? I have some ideas and I think the building community would love them if Lego actually made them.

[@mcgustavoglitchy4]

did you know ive seen if you put the studs in the gaps of other studs, its not as bad as if you put studs on top of each other like <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="11">0:11</a> so basically sometimes its legal thats also why the ones with no studs are legal, the studs put pressure on other studs

[@andrasszabo1237]

Tiago @<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="252">4:12</a>: it's legal, at least Lego uses that in 8064, the car's steering limit stop is the same as your illegal example.

[@TiagoCatarino]

Ok, if it does, then it’s illegal! LEGO has come a long way in regards to building standards and rules have been set in place for situations such as those

[@BrickHQ]

This is helpful to know

[@alexwang2383]

Connect four one by one with one stud on side and it creates a cube

[@LegoMasterGoji]

Hey man, I hope you don’t mind but I used a snippet of your video for one of my shorts.

[@caesar7734]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="204">3:24</a> I did not suspect this being illegal

[@jynxdaddy]

Are the megaphone rockets in the drone from the Artemis Lunar Research Base set illegal? The piece they connect to has cracked for me.

[@snowcloudshinobi]

a friend once showed me that first "technique" and i was immediately filled with disgust. lol

[@smashed9135]

Can you make a part 3 please?

[@RebelliousRobot]

Not sure how legal it is to put a half pin in a 1x1 brick with 4 studs on the side, but last I checked, it certainly didn’t feel tight.

[@The-Crystal-Warrior]

Is connecting a plate to a technic beam using 2 pins with studs on the illegal ?

[@DZstudios.]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="281">4:41</a> is there any legal alternative to this?

[@slushosaur]

How about that aqueduct in the front of the big Hogwarts Castle set 71043? Pretty illegal build in an official set that was made in more recent years :P

[@TiagoCatarino]

Indeed! Harder to explain the measurements on that one though

[@slushosaur]

@@TiagoCatarino yeah I'll be honest I had to watch a breakdown video with a simplified structure build to get what was wrong, but once you see it you can practically hear the bricks screaming XD

[@WattoXtreme]

The recent promo “Ray the Castaway” actually has 2 illegal buildings techniques

[@serplunk7146]

My right ear loved this.

[@minervszombies]

I'm still confused as to why <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="204">3:24</a> does not work but <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="211">3:31</a> does. Shouldn't the studs on the side be at the same height for these two pieces?

[@evanepic3599]

we need a Lego Legal Eagle Collaboration.

[@alexmelik4030]

If someone would tell me that 25 years later internet will try to sell me bullsh*t about what can I and what can't I do with my Legos, I'd think them deeply insane.

[@kk_bricks8043]

Fantastic!

[@toomasviires8374]

-"Hey mate, what you in for?" -"Murder, what about you?" -"Changed direction in Lego, illegally" Starts to cry

[@ethanlounsbury1260]

Why do you like the word element SO MUCH!

[@samday6621]

The beauty of illegal brick construction is that Lego police can do little to a human (unless stepped on)

[@ethanplaysroblox6253]

Concorde set has one too

[@Nikioko]

Some of these techniques are not illegal. They have been used in official sets in the 70s already, like the 358.

[@SwitchbackSylveon]

Not gonna lie I have probably tried the ring of treads before, only to realise I didn't have enough tread pieces.

[@radiodjrobot]

Is it legal to fit a 1x2 grill piece in between 2 studs?

[@TiagoCatarino]

That is a good question! It feels like the element fits within the family of tile elements so I would say yes, but I would have to ask somebody at LEGO

[@radiodjrobot]

@@TiagoCatarino Thanks so much for replying! I’m star-struck…

[@wplays4271]

I have a question. Would a CMF minifig base (a 3X4 plate with studs only on the middle row) be able to be put vertically on a 4X4 tile? Similar to what’s shown on the thumbnail. It’s a bit of a dilemma for me, since it is a plate. But does have studs

[@TiagoCatarino]

Not aware of what a 4x4 tile element would be. Tiles usually don’t have studs for you to vertically connect an element

[@TiagoCatarino]

Regardless. The minifigure base feels like it belongs on the plate family of elements therefore it would be illegal I feel

[@Pystro]

You could do the test shown in the video: Get 3 identical 2xN plates, put several plates on the first, tiles on the last and see where the middle one falls when you put several of your piece in question on it.

[@wplays4271]

@@TiagoCatarino Oh sorry. I meant a studded 4X4 plate

[@orien2v2]

T can axles be used for stud reversal?

[@kingbobsrobloxaccount4502]

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="20">0:20</a> if you do this with a brick and plate, is it still illegal? Cause bricks are not that easy too legitimately break unles they are old brown ones.

[@leronpereira6859]

Tiago always "Restless in Pieces", bro 😋☺️🙏🏼

[@longnguyen-td6vy]

The People at Legoland actually use some illegal Technic

[@BMLOdontchaknow]

You'd think theres some reason LEGO made it possible to stick pins inside tubes though

[@TheOtherGuys2]

I think I might have invented a new illegal building technique. Maybe someone can tell me. The part being stressed is a long Technic axle piece which is connected to the wheel base of a vehicle on one end, and the body of the vehicle on the other end. It allows the body to rock side to side relative to the wheels by twisting the axle, and functions as a suspension system by holding the body upright and allowing the wheels to bump up and down while the vehicle is moving. Technically as a build that's just sitting on the shelf, there's nothing wrong with it, but I try not to build dust collectors.

[@ubermausse306]

Here's a good one, is it illegal to mix brands? Because Lego's rival, Mega Bloks, has TONS of stud reversal pieces, and cooler minifigs too....

[@adamgackowski8559]

Hm, I quite don't understand the problem at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="236">3:56</a>. Could someone smarter than me could explain how second plate stresses the brick?

[@TheeFlashbackMan]

can't believe he showed us how to build curvy things "legally"

[@TiagoCatarino]

You’re welcome!

[@TheeFlashbackMan]

it's like you're telling us about a legal drug u can get without prescription but it makes u high sorry, couldn't find a better metaphor

[@gibarizt]

🔴What is the Name/Number of Green Lego Plate in Minutes <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="176">2:56</a> ?

[@anhkriva5274]

Ive lived my entire life without knowing lego police is a thing.