"Legal" and "illegal" techniques for building?

[Cloveapple]

I've been noticing comments about various building techniques or brick connections being "legal" or "illegal." Is this just slang for a general consensus that a build is okay or has serious problems? Or is there some all-powerful Lego judge who could put me in City Lego jail for committing an incorrect build?

[rollermonkey]

Nobody's going to put you in jail.

TLG designers aren't allowed to do certain things in sets that we can in MOCs or general building. I think the only example I know of is that a plate can be connected edge-wise between a row of studs... A 90-degree angle, without an approved SNOT brick, but it would be an "illegal" technique for a Master Builder to use.

I'm sure there's more, I just don't sweat it.

Edited February 3, 2015 by rollermonkey

[Pellaeon]

Yep, rollermonkey has got the basic idea. Lego designer Jamie Berard made a presentation called Stressing the Elements (pdf) a few years back that explains some of the techniques that Lego considers "illegal", usually because they can damage the bricks.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Pellaeon

[Cloveapple]

TLG designers aren't allowed to do certain things in sets that we can in MOCs or general building.

So it's an inhouse design rule. Got it. Thanks for explaining.

Yep, rollermonkey has got the basic idea. Lego designer Jamie Berard made a presentation called Stressing the Elements (pdf) a few years back that explains some of the techniques that Lego considers "illegal", usually because they can damage the bricks.

That makes sense. Thanks for the link.

[mostlytechnic]

Thanks for the link - but I noticed something. Page 24 of it shows a plate in a clip as an illegal connection, but isn't that what they're using as the computer screens in the new Helicarrier set?

Looking a little more, I see that the presentation shows a 2x2 plate where the helicarrier is putting a tile in the clip. Are the tiles slightly thinner perhaps? Or has the clip been redesigned since that presentation?

[Peppermint_M]

The clips look redesigned. I think the older ones had a slightly different recess inside the clip itself.

[Bob De Quatre]

The new 1x1 tile with clip is designed like a minifig hand, and so it can hold a tile without stress...

[tafkatb]

Someone else pointed out in the thread on 76042 that the "fingernail groove" along the underside of tiles provides just enough of a setback to keep it within the internal radius of the clip.

[Colin Klick-n-brick]

I had no idea that there were unwritten rules like, very interesting!

[neonic]

I've been noticing comments about various building techniques or brick connections being "legal" or "illegal."

In my opinion is everything else 'legal'.

Only, I don't cutting of painting parts myself. I like it to keep it original.

[Patman]

Yet another mystery cleared up....interesting! Makes sense, as the fit limits of Lego are somewhat elastic, and stressed plastic will break much more easily.

[Mr Meleca]

very funny reading, thank you