So easy! Make LEGO MILS Plates From Start to Finish

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Have you ever made one just to give it a try?

[@williamhershey9713]

I will be doing this soon

[@resaledragon]

Just knowing that yellow is the cheapest 2x2 is worth the sub and like alone!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Haha hopefully the demand won't go up. Thanks!

[@524steve2]

My daughter and I just built our first Modular……the Boutique Hotel. I’m glad that I found your channel! I’m going to build us some MILS before our city gets any bigger! LOL! Great stuff! I’m really enjoying your channel. Thanks for the inspiration.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Awesome and welcome! Mils are fantastic and best to start right away if that’s the direction you want to go! Which modular is next?

[@524steve2]

@@LittleBinsandBricks I think the Bookshop may be next. We actually intended to buy that…….but walked out with the Hotel after seeing the display!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

@@524steve2 definitely get the bookshop as that will be retiring next most likely!

[@JediTim28]

So glad I found your channel. I purchased enough LEGO for 25 plates, however, I found out that the lavender 2x2 were the cheapest...as least is was when I purchased 2,000 bricks. The reason I went forward with this was your video on moving the modular. I moved two today, the Cafe Corner and Grand Emporium. Glad I followed your advice to have the instruction manual as I definitely needed it. This also gave me a good opportunity to do a good cleaning on the building. Now I need to move the Diner and the Fire Brigade. Then I have quite a few that aren't built yet...just missing the Green Grocer. Thank you for posting the video and making it look easy.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Awesome! Yes, the cheapest color switches around so it’s definitely good to be open to all colors! It really is easy to move them as long as you stay focused! Good luck on the rest and thank you!

[@comic-book-enthusiast]

ive never heard of a MILS in till i saw your video thanks for the tips ,loved the video btw , you talk well to the camera ,

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Thank you! I have a microphone to get set up!

[@mybricksandme6152]

Your logic cannot be argued with.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Thanks! I want it to be simple!

[@williamhershey9713]

Would you please also do videos of the rivers, etc?

[@baileychris1975]

The 2x3 bricks are not required, they can be replaced with 2x2 bricks. Also the technic bricks are not reqiured, I connect my plates together with tiles and what not (saves a little $). Love the channel!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

You are correct! I will use any assortment that I have available. I like to keep each of mine separate though as I move them all too often. I may never pin them together at this point.

[@davidseter1780]

Ok, I see you did mention getting different color 4 x 4 color plates to match the base plate of the modular, perfect!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Totally but only if you want to keep to the original color, not a big deal for all of them I bet!

[@davidseter1780]

@@LittleBinsandBricks Also just scored hundreds of 2x2, 2x3 and 2x4 non-Lego bricks for these mils dirt cheap locally so no taxes or shipping about 3 cents per, yay! Serves these non-Lego pieces right to be hidden away so as not to offend the purists! Lol

[@jedisith3864]

Hey sara, just watched this as a first video of yours. You are so much better than the kids doing "leaks", "hauls" and the obnoxious "sealed collection". Great to find a builder with real content! Keep it up and don't let the "algorithm" edge you into the low substance, flavour of the week zone. Instant subscribe after such a useful video :)

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Thanks so much! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Appreciate that! Thanks!

[@dd_zzero6827]

Looks like the same exact system Bevins Bricks did back in 2020.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

It’s a variation of all the styles out there. I use all sorts of bricks/plates in there though depending on what I have.

[@williamhershey9713]

Please do that Bricklink video

[@cosmo9362]

I’m just about to start building a city and I’m glad I found your channel. I finally have a spare room since my last child moved out 😂 Have you used this method for Lego trains? I’m hoping to have a number of trains in my city. Thanks

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

I have not yet but will as I have a couple myself but space with a train and a city is tough. If you really want a train or multiple trains, start with them. Then add your city around it. You would simply build your mils and add the track to the top. You can easily dress it up and make it look cool from there.

[@Kinegos]

I'm just starting out with a few used modular buildings and getting my MILS plates together. One of these is the Assembly Square set. How do I make a MILS plate for this set? The set uses a 32x32 baseplate + a 16x32 baseplate so I need a footprint of 48x32, which I can't figure out how to make a MILS plate. Is it best, to just make 2 32x32 MILS plates and build on top of the two as a unit? Thanks! I just found your channel and have watched quite a few, great job!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Hey, I would simply build on the 32 and 16 provided. Build them as one with and joint them with 2x4 bricks down the middle to create one large footprint to then turn into a mils plate. You don’t want to make them two separate plates for stability.

[@sonicboomr]

I just gotten the Assembly Square set..I've combined the 32x32 and 16x32 wide plates to make one 32x48 mils since I won't need to separate the buildings. It looks a bit strange but it's really stiff

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Awesome. Mine is joined up as well. Doesn’t split. So easy to move!

[@ingridwinn9082]

I make mine 2 brick high. 1 is good enough for most projects I just prefer 2. That means a lot of trips to the pab wall.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Oh my, I guess so! I'ld love to hear some of the extra advantages!

[@ingridwinn9082]

@@LittleBinsandBricks depends on why you would need 2 brick high. If you move your bigger buildings around a lot it's good. I plan on moving sometime. Some people go to conventions

[@Bredelin]

Thank you so much for this Video and the other one building MILS roads. We just started planning to move our city and were looking for a better system. The only problem now is the price but concidering all the benefits we just might ignore that.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Yes, cost is certainly a factor but the benefits are fantastic! Just need to budget somewhere else!

[@Bredelin]

@@LittleBinsandBricks and to be honest. Most people (like ne) might already have at least a few parts at home. I just used my old bricks i played with as a child. The other thing is. For most beginner Cities the cost should be less than a modular. That‘s affordable for most of us. Lego never was a cheap hobby.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

@@Bredelin totally, I’ve used some pretty ugly bricks inside. Plus, you’ll always have the money for what you want to have it for, seems to be common with most LEGO folks I know. If you’re considering a city, it’s not a cheap thing!

[@saintjamesmodernart]

Instead of using 64 4x4 plates, have you tried making one with a 32x32 plate on top? Would cut down on the number of 2x2 bricks that you would need as well. In another video you mentioned that you bought some of those off brand base plates. Don't want to mention the brand here, but there is one that has 32x32 plates. They call them stackable baseplates but they are actually just plates. Holes underneath and not flat on the bottom like a base plate. James

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Yes I do have some of them. They could work but I found the connection strength to really vary from plate plate. Not consistent quality at all from that batch at least! Though it could be done if necessary!

[@saintjamesmodernart]

@@LittleBinsandBricks , O.K. Was just wondering if you tried them. I have and they (the brand I bought) seem fine. I have seen reviews on AMZ for some brands and they said some spots were not as tight or even to tight fitting but I figured since it's going to be a MILS plate do we really need every connection out of 32x32 to be perfect. Anyway, look forward to you next videos. James

[@BrianF2668]

Great video How do i go about making a mills plate for the assembly suqare?

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Thanks! Well you would take the 32x32 and 16x16 and secure them with Bricks up the seam of the two and then build the mils plate out from there. You can also build the two plates separately and then pin them before transferring the building. Or! Get ready for this, build it on two full plates and add more walkway, park area! Then you don’t have the odd half plate size!

[@jasonh8470]

Buying the yellow 2x2 bricks was a brilliant move. I’m all about saving money when I can when it comes to buying LEGO. Great video as always. I’m curious. Is it cheaper to buy 4x4 plates or a 32x32 baseplate?

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Gotta save the money!

[@imariosf]

Starting to build MILS plates and wanted to know what color you suggest for the top 4x4s?

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Well I paired each modular with the color of the base plate it came on if you want to get very specific. Other than that a lbg works well and of course green for outdoor spaces. Finding them now is the tricky part!

[@darkknight3457]

It would be awesome if you would sell the mill plates already made.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Well MILS aren’t as cheap as they once were and supplies are harder to come by!

[@mybricksandme6152]

Ok so while I go back through and still try to decide... I have a very important question... what about the builds that are not on square baseplates, and cannot be? Like the Disney Castle, or the carousel, Ferris wheel, roller coaster, Disney train station, the treehouse?? Or things that open, like this years haunted house? There has to be a way, yes??? 🤔🤔🤔

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

MILS underneath is the way to go if the structure can not be integrated as part of the MILS plate (replacing 4x4s for the plates the set is already built on). I will definitely follow up with a video on this but if you plan to use MILS in a city, your whole base will need to be MILS anyway, not just where the buildings/rides sit!

[@nyteflyer5016]

@@LittleBinsandBricks Is this follow up video still in your plans? I want to have a stiffer base for my Hogwarts Castle and some other noncity builds.

[@Aerospace_Education]

Where do you get your bricks from to make these? I'm new to the hobbie and don't have the spare pieces. Thanks a bunch for the video!

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

👋 I buy in bulk off of bricklink. I have a video that breaks down average cost as well.

[@Aerospace_Education]

@@LittleBinsandBricks Thanks. I just dropped some cash on bricklink. Very cool sight. For halloween I'm going to add the haunted house on a 32x64 MILS plate so I can extend the fence off the front and put the graveyard scene to the side. Will be a little weird in a city scape, but hey it's going to be halloween soon :) Thanks for the videos.

[@davidseter1780]

Like Jason H I was wondering if I can simply use another 32 x 32 base plate as a top layer instead of all the 4 x 4 plates or is there a strength difference? Great video, liked & subscribed. We have 6 modulars now and just waiting (patiently?) for an adult son to move out so we can take over their room! Lol.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Unfortunately the base plate does not have the stud connection on the bottom. You could try off brand plates I won't tell. Mine is 11 let's see how long we have to go. He's got a big room.

[@davidseter1780]

@@LittleBinsandBricks Ah yes I forgot about that issue with the typical baseplate, however, have you heard of Slab Dream Lab(Made In The USA, yay!)? My local Bricks & Mini Figs store just started carrying them and they have base plates that are 38 x 38 studs and they do have the stud connections on the bottom 2 wide all around the edge(sort of, hard to explain but they aren't exactly all the way out along the edge) and 4 wide in a cross pattern through the middle of the plate. I have 4 of them now and they cost me $7 each. There are some problems with the way the stud connections are laid out on the bottom but the whole plate is at least twice as rigid because of its construction than a normal Lego base plate.

[@Shaze-haze]

I went with 32x32 plates from Strictly Briks on Amazon instead of the 4x4 plates.

[@brickenmad4255]

This is a great way to use your 2x2s that are gross, discolored, or chewed on.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Yes! I have a bag full from long ago.

[@rommelcruz8983]

Where do you buy the parts specially the 4x4 plates?

[@CarsSimplified]

Good stuff! I've never built a MILS plate but I currently have something similar in the town I just started working on (got a few of the 30604 road expansion sets on clearance for $12 each) and it definitely isn't as durable. I just don't have a whole lot of base plates for the very bottom, so I might have to go with normal plates for now. I've been kind of out of the loop on Lego tricks for 20 years and I'm trying to catch up. Is it generally less expensive to get four 4x4 plates than one 8x8 plate?

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

It’s all about working with what you’ve got! I just got into LEGO really about a year ago other than building things with my son when he was younger. In general, the 4x4 is cheaper with a better range of colors. Though it’s always fluctuating!

[@baileychris1975]

Another cheap method is using round 2x2 bricks instead of regular 2x2 bricks.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Excellent tip, I will have to make sure I check on those as well!

[@JanoschNr1]

Isn't there a F missing? 🤔

[@rexstergamer1429]

this looks like you copied Bevins Bricks. but Great Job On The Vid!

[@rexstergamer1429]

and most of the mil plates are your own mocs.

[@LittleBinsandBricks]

Yea, everyone's are basically all about the same. Sometimes I seal all the way around with bricks too but that's not cost effective. I look for what's cheapest but switch out the 2x3 with whatever I have. I will use random plates on the top depending what's available.