Manias in building?

[Bricksonwheels]

When I miss a part in a particular area in a certain color, I wont built it in an alternative color as a temporarily solution. I just can't stand a color disturbance..., a rather wait for the part to arrive. :classic:

[nerdsforprez]

I gotcha..... But when you're working on projects that cost hundreds of dollars...at least IMO, utilizing bricks efficiently becomes a must....

That image actually sent a shiver down my spine. I know it won't be seen ever, but I feel uneasy when I do something like this.

I also tend to over-brace things, which ends up hurting my fingers when I decide to change something underneath the armor.

[lcvisser]

I was just reminded of another thing, maybe not related to building per se: I can't throw away LEGO. I have cracked u-joints, cracked toggle joints, cracked bushes, pins with teeth marks, etc. that are not really useable anymore. Yet, I can't get myself to throwing them away, even when replacing them would only be a few euro's in total (even for the old-gray parts). Somewhere in the back of my head there is the argument "what if you want to rebuild those old sets?", even though I know that never is going to happen... (Recently, I did throw a few toothed half-bushes, since I have a ton of those, and some broken flex thingies that were really useless once broken.)

[flyboy01]

I’ve just realised I have another one – I have issues with taking anything apart! Once I’ve built it, that’s it, it stays together! If I want to build something else, I buy more parts. The only exceptions are either things that haven’t worked, things I decide I don’t like, or official sets for space purposes. But generally, I like to keep things built. It causes significant cost and space problems! I guess in some ways this defeats the purpose of a re-useable product, but who said logic came into this!

Well, I have the exact opposite problem, I can't keep them built! I build it, then five minutes later I want to build something else, but I don't have the pieces nor the money to simply build it with existing parts or buy them.

[nerdsforprez]

I’ve just realised I have another one – I have issues with taking anything apart! Once I’ve built it, that’s it, it stays together! If I want to build something else, I buy more parts. The only exceptions are either things that haven’t worked, things I decide I don’t like, or official sets for space purposes. But generally, I like to keep things built. It causes significant cost and space problems! I guess in some ways this defeats the purpose of a re-useable product, but who said logic came into this!

Same here..... call it collecting or neuroses.... not sure which. But I never take things apart either. One day im gonna have to though... and I admit I am not looking forward to it.

[Captainowie]

How about in LDraw? I rotate all my gears so that the teeth mesh properly, otherwise it drives me crazy. And of course, all attached axles must be rotated to match.

Wow, that's intense. I have done that a couple of times in the past, but found it just too time consuming.

I was just reminded of another thing, maybe not related to building per se: I can't throw away LEGO. I have cracked u-joints, cracked toggle joints, cracked bushes, pins with teeth marks, etc. that are not really useable anymore. Yet, I can't get myself to throwing them away, even when replacing them would only be a few euro's in total (even for the old-gray parts). Somewhere in the back of my head there is the argument "what if you want to rebuild those old sets?", even though I know that never is going to happen... (Recently, I did throw a few toothed half-bushes, since I have a ton of those, and some broken flex thingies that were really useless once broken.)

Me either. I have a container filled with broken bits, hoping against hope that TLG will start buying up broken bits from fans ("Send us 1kg of old/broken bricks and we'll send you 1/4kg of new bricks" or something) as a way to source ABS. Of course, transporting and cleaning old stuff will likely make it more expensive than brand new ABS anyway. But I still can't bring myself to throw them away.

[Immo]

I agree that most of those mentioned above are not "manias", but obsessions or compulsions.

I have many of those, as well, but those alignment-related mostly occur when the given model is done. While prototyping I tend to ignore the alignment of the splits on the bushes. Colour symmetry is a must, though. I also tend to hide that ugly spots left from mould casting. God, I hate those. Temporary solutions? Bah, horrible! Misaligned stickers? Monstrosity! The really annoying and senseless thing is my aversion to mixing parts from the sets that keeps me away from making a larger model out of two smaller ones. The case: 9390 and 42001. I wanted to buy 9390 mostly because I wanted to build a mix of those two sets, but couldn't get myself to mixing parts from those sets after I got them. What if a part from 1st one will accidentally become a part of the 2nd one after I rebuild the original models (which are small, but really nice)? Unspeakable! That part will miss his friends and family!

I also have some "legomanias" - sometimes I just jump into building and struggle with one problem even for few hours non stop. Or can't fall asleep, because the MOC is unfinished while it's 3am already and I gotta go to work. I also have "legodepressions", where I just can't seem to build anything properly. But, it also happens with my writing, so I guess it's an inherent trait of me dealing with "creation" of any kind.

[Boulderer]

I can relate to the stress of mixing sets. I can't bring myself to do it either.

[nerdsforprez]

Saturdays are great for building. Been building all day. Noticed another OCD (i.e. "mania" by the OP) trait when building. When looking into a large bin or something of Lego, and I have my sights set on a certain piece.... I HAVE to have that piece. Even if there are dozens that surround it..... if I have targeted it.... then I HAVE to have it.

The project I am currently on uses approx. 500 connector axle pins....was never much into having them all oriented the same way. But after reading this post I have arranged ALL of them, all 500 or so, in the same direction...