LEGO Purism

[Siegfried]

Are you saying you have big hands or something? Because clearly you can assemble them again.

Well I do have big hands... but that wasn't what I was saying. Standard LEGO parts are designed for thousands of linking and unlinking... but some aren't. Parts like minifig hands, legs off the hips, arms off torsos and turntables will after relatively few cycles become loose and maybe even not stay together. That's partially why I said that... but it's also because they are (were in some cases) seen as a single piece by TLG. You can pull a LEGO motor apart but would it be OK to use the bare motor in a MOC? To me no, and that's how I see mini-fig hands. Other people don't, but that's their opinion.

[prateek]

I got 7.64/10 That's kinda wierd because I don't really consider myself a purist at all

[Peppermint_M]

I have only ever taken legs from hips once. For my sigfig. I don't like doing it, I worry about causing damage to such an assembly. The arms/hands/torso are easy to take apart and fix together. I take great care and so far only the really old ones that I was given in poor condition are loose/broken.

[fallentomato]

Parts like minifig hands, legs off the hips, arms off torsos and turntables will after relatively few cycles become loose and maybe even not stay together. That's partially why I said that... but it's also because they are (were in some cases) seen as a single piece by TLG.

That's interesting, I would have never thought of this as being something people would be opposed to. I store all my hands and arms separately. I've found that some of the older arms are more brittle and don't hold up to this as well, so I'm more likely to leave those attached especially if they are already starting to show signs of fracture. But aside from colors that out of production arms are very easy to replace, so it's not big loss to me if a few have broken out of the thousands I have.

I have only ever taken legs from hips once. For my sigfig. I don't like doing it, I worry about causing damage to such an assembly. The arms/hands/torso are easy to take apart and fix together. I take great care and so far only the really old ones that I was given in poor condition are loose/broken.

Really only once? I've done this so many times I couldn't even count. There are just so many hip/leg color combinations that you'll never find from the standard version. That said I don't like to do this all the time, so I always make sure I don't already have that leg/hip combination somewhere else. I've noticed that some times the hip joint will be weak, but again it's such a small occurrence relative to the number of legs I have that it's insignificant. T

[SuvieD]

Not a purist, though I am a show em your studs kind of guy. Extra parts are fine in mocs, I can't stand studlessness though, there is something unlego about being so smooth.

[ShaddowCroc]

I guess I'm a vague purist. I used to allow Mega-Bloks and generic brands into MOCs, but then I snapped and attempted to throw most of those away. I will however use fan-created pieces (Like BrickForge, etc.) if they look close enough to actual LEGO.

[-JD-]

If I ever find any M@g&blo$*s in my LEGO, I hit myself. Well, maybe not that drastic, but I get annoyed. I use LEGO products, but I do sometimes make custom things like paudrons and sails etc. I sometimes don't do this for certain MOCs which I want to be pure, but others I don't mind customs being involved.

[fallentomato]

Not a purist, though I am a show em your studs kind of guy. Extra parts are fine in mocs, I can't stand studlessness though, there is something unlego about being so smooth.

Yes, studs are lovely! Also, if you put tiles over all the studs, where are the minifigs going to stand?

Edited August 3, 2009 by fallentomato

[______]

Every time I see Mega Bloks in mixed in my Lego Boxes i shout Megablocks and throw the piece in the corner of my room, quite fun really. But I've always wanted Lego halo but I can't order outside of Britain because of postage prices so no brick forge() and I'm tempted by mega bloks Spartans!

[Peppermint_M]

They are selling the Halo stuff here in the UK? I would like some of the parts...

I can put the bricks into my Blok box and the weapons into my collection!

[The Who]

Well I do have big hands... but that wasn't what I was saying. Standard LEGO parts are designed for thousands of linking and unlinking... but some aren't. Parts like minifig hands, legs off the hips, arms off torsos and turntables will after relatively few cycles become loose and maybe even not stay together. That's partially why I said that... but it's also because they are (were in some cases) seen as a single piece by TLG. You can pull a LEGO motor apart but would it be OK to use the bare motor in a MOC? To me no, and that's how I see mini-fig hands. Other people don't, but that's their opinion.

Okay, I understand what you're saying now.

The first part is why I don't constantly interchange legs, arms, and hands. Only when it's required for a MOC.

Given that LEGO considers, say, a complete torso to be one part, your opinion also makes sense there.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

[Commodore Hornbricker]

I am a 99.9% purist also. I'll use other stuff once in a great while...a few after market weapons and I am planning on cutting down some brown wands and adding a dab of red paint to make some cigars. My avatar sails in the caribbean quite frequently and has developed a taste for them.

[Norro]

I took this a while back and ended up with 99.?%

1) Pure: if Lego made it and you didn't cut/brasso/etc it, you're grand. Stickers on the 'wrong' piece, misprints, prototypes are all fine. Mangling isn't

2) I'm as pure as they come, although I don't disassembling figs and turntables etc...

3) I'm not a big fan of mixed MOCs. I don't rant, I just ignore them...

God Bless,

Nathan

[______]

They are selling the Halo stuff here in the UK? I would like some of the parts...

I can put the bricks into my Blok box and the weapons into my collection!

I haven't seen them yet I just thought they hadn't sold them anywhere yet actually.

[blueandwhite]

Not a purist, though I am a show em your studs kind of guy. Extra parts are fine in mocs, I can't stand studlessness though, there is something unlego about being so smooth.

This is something I agree with wholeheartedly.

I'm not opposed to studless MOCs per se, but I do find that there has been an increasing effort to make everything studless. Studless water, studless walkways; studless surfaces of all kinds. I use tiles where it suits my fancy, but I'm not going to go out of my way to make a studless MOC. Five years ago studless was something unique. Now it's pretty much expected in most high-level builds. Well regardless, my castle moats will always have studs.

[larry marak]

Lego purism is an example of obsessive/compulsive behavior. The "victim" cuts him/herself off from a world of remarkable new parts and a broad spectrum of colors in return for the availability of a wide variety of parts in a variable range of colors.

I haven't got a moc that doesn't use parts from at least 3 manufacturers. Where would the world of bricking be without plates with studs on 3 sides, 75 degree slopes with a 2x4 base and a 1x2 top, hexagonal plates, 1 x 24 stud long bricks, the lanterns and trees from IntelliBlox or for that matter the intergration of "Quarks" (Uberstix) between the underside of brick tubes. The tube and stud building system developed by TLG from its creator Kiddiecraft, has been public domain for decades now. A brick is a brick people.

Larry Marak, the clone ranger rides again!

And I guess that with posts like the above I will always remain just a vassal on Eurobricks. :-)

Edited August 6, 2009 by larry marak

[Siegfried]

Lego purism is an example of obsessive/compulsive behavior.

As can ranting about other brands at every opportunity. Seriously guys; let's just say our opinions without insulting others. It's an interesting conversation but saying that being a purist is a sign of madness or that you are a snob is borderline trolling. This is a LEGO forum afterall.

And I guess that with posts like the above I will always remain just a vassal on Eurobricks. :-)

Nope. Another 30 or so posts and you're a citizen.

Extra parts are fine in mocs, I can't stand studlessness though, there is something unlego about being so smooth.

I agree. This whole if-your-MOC-looks-like-LEGO-it-sux attitude gets right up my M%g$ Bl*ks

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

My pleasure.

[larry marak]

Admonition received and accepted.

Now my wife is a lego purist. Her entire supply of parts are Lego. To keep her happy, I have to keep all my parts in the garage. But I'm not bitter. All it took was one part by another manufacturer that didn't have sufficient clutch and she became a purist.

The advantage of being a purist is that part numbers, inventories, and plans are on line at Bricklink and Peeron. Lego has been until recently the only brick maker you can order additional parts from, a tremendous advantage to hobbists. (the newcomer is Knex, which has a PAB program and will sell you any component from any instruction set they have in stock).

[allanp]

After seeing the discussion this morning about a creation posted by the Brothers Brick that wasn't entirely made of LEGO it got me thinking about the phenomenon of LEGO purism. I was wondering what everyone here thought about it. So I've got a few questions for you all:

1) How do you define LEGO purity? What is allowed in a "pure" LEGO creation? Some things to consider are non-LEGO plastic elements (competitor brands and fan imitations) other non-LEGO materials (cloth sails, non-LEGO string, paper, cotton) , modified LEGO elements (cut, filed, painted or otherwise changed), stickers, specialized/<insert that tiresome argument> elements (BURPs, Bionicle pieces, chases and boat hulls etc.) and non-system themes (Belville/Scala, Duplo, Galidor, Clickts, etc.)

2) Are you a purist? That is, do your own creations live up to the purity standards you set forth in #1?

3) How do you feel about "impure" MOCs? Do you treat them differently? Avoid them all together? Treat them the same as any other MOC?

1) Using parts and materials only supplied in any and all lego products in any theme as they come out the box. No glue. No cutting/modifying of parts. No competitors parts.

2) Yes. 100% of the time.

3) It depends on the use of impure items. If it is a custom sticker (for authentisity) or chrome plated part then that looks impressive and really nice although not 100% pure. A MOC that uses a part(s) that has been made completely from scratch to be used solely as a lego part and to the same quality, tolerances and standard and out of the same plastic as a pure lego part is VERY impressive and as close to being pure without being 100% pure as you can get. However the use of cut, filed, glued (modified in any way) parts and non lego parts is cheating and therefore unimpressive, I see them not as lego MOCs but MOCs made with the help of lego. I frown upon them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CP5670]

This is something I agree with wholeheartedly.

I'm not opposed to studless MOCs per se, but I do find that there has been an increasing effort to make everything studless. Studless water, studless walkways; studless surfaces of all kinds. I use tiles where it suits my fancy, but I'm not going to go out of my way to make a studless MOC. Five years ago studless was something unique. Now it's pretty much expected in most high-level builds. Well regardless, my castle moats will always have studs.

I agree with this. I like studless models, but the majority of MOCs you see are like that these days. I get the impression that some builders almost see the studs as a defect and something that must be covered up at all costs, which makes you wonder why they choose to build with Lego at all instead of some other medium. I use tiles as accents all the time on my MOCs, but I try to maintain that blocky Lego look.

1) Pure: if Lego made it and you didn't cut/brasso/etc it, you're grand.

I actually use Brasso just to polish used pieces and remove fine scratches, especially on transparent parts.

Admonition received and accepted.

Now my wife is a lego purist. Her entire supply of parts are Lego. To keep her happy, I have to keep all my parts in the garage. But I'm not bitter. All it took was one part by another manufacturer that didn't have sufficient clutch and she became a purist.

Ironically, low gripping strength has been one of the quality problems with Lego in recent years, although it's less of an issue today.

[Commander Assassin]

I'm somewhat of a Lego purist. I always use the stickers TLC provides, but always have to put them on perfectly. I'm fine with decals as long as they're top-notch quality and placed perfectly on. I prefer fleshie to the original yellow, but still like the yellow on some of my figures. I am open to quality made Lego compatible items like Brickarms, Brickforge, Little Arms Shop, but say no to other building kit companies like Mega Blocks and Best Lock. The one area where most people would say I'm a purist is that I do not like sculpey made pieces. As for cutting lego to make custom parts, I'm fine as long as there is no gluing.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Clone Commander Assassin

[Ronan Dragonov]

1) In this builder's humble opinion LEGO purity is using only official LEGO bricks, stickers, etc. Generally speaking, if LEGO is printed on the box the parts came in or on the brick studs its kosher. Gluing, cutting, painting, and filing bricks and other parts is verboten. As for non-LEGO bricks the only place such abominations have in a MOC might be in vignettes featuring a MEGA-BLOK fig under interrogation or a MEGA-BLOK brick being studied under the strictest quarantine.

2) I am a purist. I don't even like using official LEGO stickers.

3) I do not avoid 'impure' MOCs, Mandrake, "But I... I do deny them my essence."

[Tom Bricks]

I am a 100% Purist. I don't modify bricks or use clone brands because I believe it takes away from the quality of the creation. I am also slightly opposed to snot even though it's Lego. I only use it on rare occasions and I prefer using tiles or leaving it as studs.

[ziljin]

I only use Lego pieces. Although I have some megablocks which I foolishly bought as a child. Man they are not as good as legos. I am hesitant to throw them out, but I am definitely never using them.

As for the studless vs non studless, I will make MOC's of both. Since I am going to focus on WH40k MOC's focusing on Orks, and maybe some Imperial Guard later. Since they are shoddy architects, I don't have a problem with studs all over their tech. I am going to see if I can figure out how to creatively make studs show up on the sides as rivets, dents and other types of small detail on the vehicles.

EDIT: And as for products such as brickarms, well its way too expensive for my tastes. I would rather spend that money on more bricks to make my own weapons.

Edited August 8, 2009 by lego40k

[shackleton]

I took the test giving myself an 8 to start and am proud that I ranked 7.96/10. So as far as statistics go, I am a purist? For the most part I stick with anything made by LEGO, including Scala, Belville, Modulex and the like. However, officially I am not a fan at all of Galidor(my apologies for those who like that product line). I have found studless vs. studded a horrible battle for solo builders. It seems to make it harder for some of us. I am fond of the products of Brickarms and Brickforge, but agree their use in MOC's is limited. I also have used engraved bricks for my designs, but only done professionally not by myself. I DO NOT use any clone brand anywhere in my builds. I give them to a preschool class to destroy as only little kids can . I think as far as MOC's are concerned if they are not all LEGO brand pieces they do not qualify for a LEGO MOC and should not be allowed on such sites as MOC pages. I dislike it when a claim is made to the sole use of LEGO parts yet you can clearly see the mega bloks from the pic. Enough of my rant, hope this explains my position on the purity of my LEGO builds.