New lego table build: should I drill holes to help get plates off?

[JonathanM]

I’ve built Mr 4 a lego table for Christmas.

 

It’s just two 48x48 base plates, so not huge. But, with all the city sets coming with lego road plates and other large (8x8 up to 16x16) plates as their building base, am wondering how I’m going to get them off it. Fairly sure brick separators work with 4xN plates, but 6xN, 8xN and 16xN are gonna be no-go. I tried and couldn’t get a road plate off without resorting to carefully using a knife to help get up a corner, and roadplates don’t have as much clutch power as a 16x16…

Have been thinking of drilling holes through it every 8 studs or so (centered between 4 studs) for an axle to be poked up from underneath to help get large plates off.

Thoughts?

[TeriXeri]

Put large plates on top of some round 1x1 studs or 2x2 round plate if you want to keep it intact on a non permanent setup.

Edited December 27, 2021 by TeriXeri

[MAB]

16x16 are quite easy to get off a baseplate. Use the pointy end of a brick separator and lever it.

[JonathanM]

15 hours ago, TeriXeri said:

Put large plates on top of some round 1x1 studs or 2x2 round plate if you want to keep it intact on a non permanent setup.

Yeah, I thought of that, but also thinking of a 4 year old using it who is unlikely to have as much forethought, unless I put enough 1x1 plates down to begin with :)

5 hours ago, MAB said:

16x16 are quite easy to get off a baseplate. Use the pointy end of a brick separator and lever it.

Hmm, will experiment. I haven’t had much luck when they’re really stuck down, but maybe need to alter the technique. Thanks!

[JopieK]

You can also use a knife, but of course you need to be patient and carefully pry under the plate bit by bit (uh, I mean stud by stud). (There was a time before the brick separators...).

[62Bricks]

This is one reason I usually recommend to people the best Lego building table has a smooth top and a low rim around the edge to keep parts from sliding off the edges. Removing parts from glued-down plates can be difficult. Also, you pretty much have to commit to the location of your structure when you start, and if you find out you need more room, or want to move it around, you're kind of stuck without re-building it. But maybe the main reason is that studs are not very comfortable to lean on when you're building.

[JonathanM]

11 hours ago, 62Bricks said:

This is one reason I usually recommend to people the best Lego building table has a smooth top and a low rim around the edge to keep parts from sliding off the edges. Removing parts from glued-down plates can be difficult. Also, you pretty much have to commit to the location of your structure when you start, and if you find out you need more room, or want to move it around, you're kind of stuck without re-building it. But maybe the main reason is that studs are not very comfortable to lean on when you're building.

Yeah, I think I would do that next time, though ATM having the studs is useful has Mr 4 still does a bunch of building with Duplo, which ofcourse doesn’t clutch tightly. Usability for a 4 year old is the key for now!

The base plates are stuck down using carpet tape, so I can get them off again fairly easily. With the new city sets having fairly stable plate bases, and new road plates tying things together I agree that leaving it smooth would probably be more useful longer term.

The best of both worlds is a baseplate with studs only every now and then (maybe ever 4-8 studs). That way things stay in place but can be easily moved about when needed. Could 3D print one maybe, or chamfer studs slightly to reduce clutch.

[allanp]

I think drilling holes should work. Alternatively could you make the 48x48 plates removable, so you can bend them to remove the plates? Maybe have them stuck down with Velcro (this stuff can be very strong when you use enough of it).

[Darkdragon]

On 12/26/2021 at 10:22 PM, JonathanM said:

Have been thinking of drilling holes through it every 8 studs or so (centered between 4 studs) for an axle to be poked up from underneath to help get large plates off.

This should work, maybe even every 12 studs so it's not as many holes.  Another option is to replace those 48x48 with some cheap off-brand baseplates that have less clutch.  I use some off brand baseplates in certain cases for this exact reason (when my son was little).