My Customization Philosophy

[Saber Scorpion]

My Customization Philosophy

Concerning cutting, gluing, painting, molding, and decaling of standard LEGO parts as applies to Minifig and Model customization.

A lot of fellow LEGO builders online tend to either like or dislike my creations based on their own concerns about what should and should not be allowed when creating a LEGO MOC. Well, I have my own feelings on the subject as well, and so that we can understand each other better, I have made this page detailing my LEGO-building philosophy (or policy, if you prefer). I simply ask that you, if you have any qualms over my LEGO building methods, please read through this page completely.

I've been part of the online LEGO building community since around 1998, and over that period of time, I've made a few observations about my fellow LEGO builders (especially AFOLs, or Adult Fans of LEGO). First of all, they usually fall into one of three categories... First there are the Classical Purists, who are often hard to find and only support building LEGO models with official parts, yellow minifigs, etc. On the complete opposite end of the spectrum are the Minifig Customizers, who are willing to use their knife, clay, paint, stickers, and more in order to get the desired results on their minifigs (LEGO people). However, they usually build ONLY minifigs, not actual LEGO models. And finally, there are the Liberal Purists, as I like to call them. They seem to be the most common these days, even though they are also the most hypocritical. They support using only official LEGO pieces and dislike cutting, painting, decaling, etc... and yet, for some reason that continues to confound me, they are often willing to use peach-skin minifigs, official LEGO stickers, and even some custom non-LEGO parts (weapons, usually) from such places as LittleArmory, BrickArms, and BrickForge. This last group is the main one I am trying to communicate to with this page.

Due to the fact that the Minifig Customizers, as professional as they may be, only customize minifigs and seldom build actual LEGO models, they usually form their own distinct communities, apart from other builders. You'll find your Purists and Liberal Purists at places like Classic-Space and your Minifig Customizers at places like MCN: the Minifig Customization Network. The problem in my case is that I do not fall into either of these two distinct groups. I enjoy building LEGO models AND I enjoy customizing minifigs. So I find myself between groups, and I feel like I need to explain where I stand. So without further ado, here are my own precise policies on LEGO building...

On Minifigs

First of all, I customize my minifigs. While standard LEGO minifigs are often times sufficient, they usually are NOT sufficient to accurately recreate characters from existing subjects like movies and video games. For instance, try to make an accurate representation of the Ninja from Metal Gear Solid without using decals... one that you can show to a random gamer and he will actually recognize who it is supposed to be without being told. In most cases, this is nearly impossible. Personally, I think there is nothing wrong with using decals on minifigs, since it is the very same thing that the LEGO company itself would do if they made official LEGO sets based on that franchise. Does LEGO use existing pieces from previous lines to make new ones? Not a chance!

Part customization using cutting or clay is much the same. When LEGO needs a special new piece (or even sometimes when they don't), they make a new mold for that piece. Take, for example, the helmet on the minifig to the far left in this photo. It was made specifically for Lando Calrissian in the Jabba's Sail Barge set. So far it has been used for nothing else, and it has only been included in that one single set. So why can't we make special helmets too? Furthermore, I would like to ask you purists a question: how many of you actually use the blobby, cartoony KK2 swords like he's holding there? The ones that all of the Knights Kingdom 2 LEGO minifigs use (and most of the Vikings)? They are unrealistic, hard to pose, too big, and look utterly silly. If I'm guessing correctly, you probably hate them, like most Castle builders do. So why not cut them up? Then you can make things like a Roman-style sword (like the gladiator is holding) or an Orc-style scimitar (like Gothmog is holding), which are far better-looking and more useful! Is it really such a huge loss of a LEGO piece that you probably aren't going to use in its normal form anyway? I don't think so.

Heck, often times today, LEGO uses the same customization methods anyway. Take, for example, the Ferrari pit crew guys and the international soccer (football) team figs. They both come with blank torsos, and the builder has to apply the decals themselves! This is the same thing that minifig customizers like myself simply do for our own minifigs, like those shown on the right. We simply use our artistic talents to make the decals ourselves. LEGO also uses new cloth elements whenever necessary (such as the oversized shoulder pauldrons on their Sandtroopers), so why can't we? Admittedly, I try not to over-detail my model with cloth elements in order to keep it from turning from a LEGO minifig into a Barbie doll. This also loses the point of building with LEGO, as the minifig is no longer useful for sitting in a LEGO vehicle, which is, in my opinion, the very point of making a custom LEGO minifig in the first place. If you're not going to build vehicles and you would rather use cloth for your minifig's entire outfit, why not just customize action figures or dolls?

In short, while minifig customization is sometimes unnecessary and can be avoided, it sometimes is necessary to create the desired effect, and it really is nothing more than the LEGO Company itself does anyway. Besides, custom minifigs, when done professionally, can be awesome works of art in themselves... as long as you don't take it too far and start making dolls instead of LEGO people for LEGO models. And if you do not have the right equipment for creating decals, or you are not good at it, or if minifig customization is simply not your thing... that's fine, but don't fault others for doing what they enjoy and taking their LEGO hobby in a different direction. Or, in my case, both directions.

On Models

Now, customizing an actual LEGO model is an entirely different game, and different rules apply. First of all, cutting up LEGO parts in order to achieve the right result on your model is a no-no. The entire point of building with LEGO is to build your model as accurately as possible using the existing parts. Admittedly, LEGO makes new parts when it needs them, but if you're willing to do this yourself, then why bother using LEGO at all? Why not use model kits or something similar? LEGO minifigs have a much more limited range of parts and applications, but you can usually achieve any desired result with regular LEGO parts when building a model, if you are just inventive enough and have the right pieces. I admit that I once cut a LEGO part for my model of Metal Gear RAY (shown here), but I have greatly regretted it since then. Especially since, ironically, LEGO soon came out with a part which would have made the customization unnecessary (the two of them are shown above). Indeed, this is often the case, as LEGO sometimes does release their own, official version of the very part that the "cutters" were trying to generate in the first place. One of the most common part customizations performed for models is cutting a LEGO rod pieces slightly short. One day, mark my words, LEGO will probably release a rod piece that is about 3-studs long, and then all of those customizations will be rendered unnecessary, and indeed, hardly "customizations" at all anymore. I'm not saying it justifies them, but it's true.

Stickers (decals) are also sometimes applied to models. While I sometimes use a few decals on my models, I draw the line at the point where the decals become the model itself. These days more than in the past, the LEGO company often uses stickers for things like headlights and technological details, where ACTUAL LEGO headlights or LEGO "greebling" would have been far preferable. In my opinion, this is going too far. Again, if you are going to use stickers for all the details, why use LEGO at all? Why not buy a model kit that uses such stickers anyway, and get a more accurate overall shape? If you're going to build with LEGO, then use LEGO, not stickers. Otherwise you're losing the point.

And yet, in a move that I find completely baffling, many LEGO customizers that fall into my "Liberal Purist" group are willing to use such decals on their models, just because LEGO made them. Most prevalent are the use of Exo-Force stickers, which many Space and Mecha builders who otherwise despise all decals are willing to apply to their own custom models.

Much of the time, these are the same individuals who find my use of my own custom-designed decals to be abhorrent. Personally, I find this to be highly illogical. If one is willing to use decals that LEGO made for their lines, then what could possibly be wrong with making your own? In my opinion, it adds a greater level of artistic personalization to your model. I don't go so far as to add great quantities of detail using simple stickers (though this is often what the Exo-Force ones do), but I do like to include a few custom faction emblems, like LEGO did with most of their Classic Space lines. That is my policy for using decals on models.

Summary

In summary, this is my policy in short:

- For minifigs, anything goes that is necessary to achieve the desired results, so long as your LEGO minifig can still be used for its intended purpose and does not end up looking like a doll.

- For models, only official, unmodified LEGO parts should be used, or the entire point of building with LEGO is lost. For the same reason, decals should only be used for minor details like emblems and not as a substitute on major parts of the model that LEGO parts could be used for.

In conclusion, to you Purists and Liberal Purists out there: I hold no illusions that this page is not going to change your mind or make you build differently than you want to... although I would appreciate it if you would now consider at least giving other methods a try. But mostly, I simply ask for you to give my creations and those like them the same level of respect and credit you would to builders who do not use decals. Just because builders like myself do not build using the same methods as you is no reason to lower your rating of our creations or simply dismiss everything we make. LEGO is, in essence, still just a toy, and we all play with it in the way that we enjoy.

- Scorp

[DLuders]

One of the most common part customizations performed for models is cutting a LEGO rod pieces slightly short. One day, mark my words, LEGO will probably release a rod piece that is about 3-studs long, and then all of those customizations will be rendered unnecessary, and indeed, hardly "customizations" at all anymore. I'm not saying it justifies them, but it's true.

The #4519, 3-studs-long (3L) Technic Axle has been around since 1988: http://peeron.com/inv/parts/4519 .

In regards to "customizing" Lego models by "cutting" parts, there have been times when I have had to cut down a 12L red Technic Axle because I did not have a 10L red Technic Axle. Since they're quite rare and expensive, WHO CARES whether it's cut or not? The ends of the axles are often hidden from view anyway. The 100%-Lego "purists" are often foolish with how they spend their money and time. Why hold up a project just because one is missing a part because it's the wrong color or length? Most of the time, folks are not in some sort of contest, nor are displaying their MOCs at public exhibitions, at Legoland, etc.

I personally don't have a problem with any Lego users PAINTING their parts, adding custom stickers, etc. It's THEIR MOC. Lego can do a lot of things, but it can't do everything. Sometimes it IS necessary/desirable to customize parts.

Edited July 1, 2010 by dluders

[Asterios]

wonders what catagory I would fit into? I make custom minifigs and I use BF and BA parts to add to them and decals and stickers and paper, but I do not cut LEGO or such or make clay parts, also I do build structures and such, so where would I fit?

[Siegfried]

And finally, there are the Liberal Purists, as I like to call them. They seem to be the most common these days, even though they are also the most hypocritical. They support using only official LEGO pieces and dislike cutting, painting, decaling, etc... and yet, for some reason that continues to confound me, they are often willing to use peach-skin minifigs, official LEGO stickers, and even some custom non-LEGO parts (weapons, usually) from such places as LittleArmory, BrickArms, and BrickForge. This last group is the main one I am trying to communicate to with this page.

How can someone who uses peach-skin minifigs and nothing else be anything but 100% purist? As I've said many time on this board Pirates was a theme that, at the time, "offended" my sense of what LEGO was. Sails? Big hull pieces? Custom faces? A LEGO builder craves not these things. But I've come to accept these, and now they are seen as normal, even classic by some. (I still find that part a bit odd.) Peach figures are much the same. Regardless of if you like them or not, they are 100% official parts and in no way custom.

So how can using peach figs and official stickers (without cutting them) be anything but "purist"?

Other than that I do agree that there is a weird middle road with purism, but I do think this is the wrong angle; BrickArms and similar are more relevant to the "why not M$g! Bl*ks?" debate. To me customisation of official parts is a separate issue.

Ultimately though, how you use LEGO is your choice and right, just as it's the right of people who critise your work to express their opinion. If you feel they are being rude tell us, but other than that it's just as rude to lecture people and accuse them of being hypocrites.

(On an admin note, why aren't you using your old account?)

[vexorian]

I don't get it, are you talking about cutting stickers, or using them on pieces they were not designated to be with? Cause if you are talking about using the stickers with no modification on the parts they are designated for then I don't think how could that not qualify as purist. If you are talking about putting LEGO decals on minifig torsos/legs/heads then I can't see how anyone would call himself a purist if he did that...

[blueandwhite]

In conclusion, to you Purists and Liberal Purists out there: I hold no illusions that this page is not going to change your mind or make you build differently than you want to... although I would appreciate it if you would now consider at least giving other methods a try. But mostly, I simply ask for you to give my creations and those like them the same level of respect and credit you would to builders who do not use decals. Just because builders like myself do not build using the same methods as you is no reason to lower your rating of our creations or simply dismiss everything we make. LEGO is, in essence, still just a toy, and we all play with it in the way that we enjoy.

- Scorp

Hello Scorpion, welcome to Eurobricks.

Now, I respect your right to share your opinion, but as a dedicated purist I'm going to tell you right off the bat that calling me and others hypocrites is probably not the best way to make an introduction. Everyone has the right to enjoy the LEGO hobby as they see fit; purists and customizers alike. That being said, you can't just ask somebody to bend their philosophy towards this hobby because they don't share your beliefs. We all enjoy this hobby for different reasons. Let me make this very clear; I respect your right to enjoy this hobby, but I don't necessarily respect the techniques you use.

As somebody you would probably call a purist I've always admired the many skilled builders in the fandom for their ability to work with the limited set of tools provided by LEGO. That means no cutting, gluing or customizing. Finding new and exciting building techniques to get around the shortcomings of existing bricks is what LEGO is about for me. I hold builders like Sly Owl and DNL in the highest regard for their ability to use a variety of basic bricks in the most unexpected and exciting of ways. For me their MOCs would not be nearly as exciting if they were built using knives and glue. I'm not going to condemn a builder for cutting their bricks or making decals but I'm not going to hold them in the same regard either. I'm sorry if this doesn't fit with your philosophy on building.

[LuxorV]

Hi Saber Scorpion, and welcome to Eurobricks!

Thanks for sharing your views on the debated questions of customisation modes.

I must admit I'm one of the Purists out here (sometimes boredering on the 'Liberal Purist' side, using custom removable decals and BA and BF items), and I don't think I'll change in the near future. On the other hand, I can appreciate and enjoy the efforts and results of more... will we say active? customisers like you.

The nice thing with LEGO in general and customisation is that you do not have to follow any specific rules when creating your models and figs, so it's more than natural to have different views and different approaches to our common hobby

Btw, I'll move this thread to the Minifig Customisation Workshop, where this discussion can find better aim.

[Asterios]

Hi Saber Scorpion, and welcome to Eurobricks!

Thanks for sharing your views on the debated questions of customisation modes.

I must admit I'm one of the Purists out here (sometimes boredering on the 'Liberal Purist' side, using custom removable decals and BA and BF items), and I don't think I'll change in the near future. On the other hand, I can appreciate and enjoy the efforts and results of more... will we say active? customisers like you.

The nice thing with LEGO in general and customisation is that you do not have to follow any specific rules when creating your models and figs, so it's more than natural to have different views and different approaches to our common hobby

Btw, I'll move this thread to the Minifig Customisation Workshop, where this discussion can find better aim.

Luxor I'd say you and me are of the same mind bend when it comes to minifig customization, we will use BF and BA items and make decals and other assorted acces. for our minifigs but we pretty much draw the line at actual cutting and damaging of LEGO, but the question that begs answering is where does the line of purist and non-purist lie? and are there other forms of non-purism? like sadistic non-purist? (those that cut and glue LEGO)

[LuxorV]

In my mind, a purist only uses official, un-modified LEGO parts.

Adding a removable decal or using a custom produced LEGO compatible item can be seen, as Saber Scorpion says, as 'Liberal Purist': as long as you do not irreversibly mod a piece that is.

All that goes beyond this (from using 'glued' decals to cutting and glue-ing pieces) is non-purist. I do not contemplate further degrees in this category, since the mere act of using an irreversible technique is enough to identify it, imo.

Btw, I do not add any 'moral' meaning to these categories, as somebody could also say a purist is not bold enough to try more complex techniques, and the discussion could rage on forever .

On a side note, just to be complete, I see those who make custom sculpey parts (but do not glue them to minifigs) as 'Liberal Purists' too.

[Superkalle]

I'm a purist. And proud of it. It's like you say Saber, if you start cutting, glueing etc, what's the point in using Lego at all. Why not take the full leap and move onto clay, balsa wood or any material. There's nothing worse than seeing a thumbnail of a MOC and you get that "wow"-feeling, but then when you zoom in you start seeing all kinds of cheating, and you feel you've been robbed of the candy.

[Shadows]

Let's see where I stand ...

I won't modify official parts through painting, cutting, bending, melting or whatever, but I will brasso print off things that would otherwise not be good enough to use. A good example is the white bicorne with black printing that I turned solid white or the drawer full of faded torsos I keep just in case I ever want a blank one.

I have never printed and applied a decal, but I've made hundreds, both official and original designs and colour variations. I must not be too morally opposed, or I'm like the drug dealer who never samples his own poison. I might use some of those faded torsos one day to make figures that TLG skips in the SW line, but not until they stop making them (which will be never, if they think the way I think they do).

I've bought a few things from the various 3rd party parts makers, but have never really become excited about any of them. On the other hand, if one wanted to send me samples, I'd probably devote an entire episode of EB News Presents to them. So again, I must not be too morally opposed and I'll sell out cheap.

I love parts in colours they aren't supposed to be in, but only official parts officially produced. Paint is the third most offensive thing I see out there (the first being chroming, don't even get me started on that and the BL price guide and ... GRRRRRRR and the second being cutting). I think it's less because of the act and more because I'm sick of "here's my custom clone trooper" displays where the figure has one new line painted on it. Crookedly.

Bottom line... I'm not likely to get overly involved in any of it directly, but I can appreciate a good looking custom. Does it stop being LEGO at some point? Sure, there's a line, but I'm not exactly positive where it is, though I always know when I see it. Mmmm, contradictory.

[Omicron]

I do what gets the job done. That's the customizer I am.

-Omi

[Henchmen4Hire]

Heh, I customize action figures and I've never seen these kind of "factions"? in that community, so this is a little surprising.

If someone wants to hack-away at their LEGOs, so what? The argument of "well you might as well move on to clay and balsa wood" is, no offense, ridiculous. Gluing two LEGOs together doesn't automatically make you a great sculptor or wood-carving expert, nor should it even imply that you SHOULD move-on to doing that.

People alter their LEGOs because they want something new that's still compatible with their LEGOs. Maybe they want to make a Justice League with them, I don't see any Wonder Woman mini-figs, and I'm sure not gonna wait 10 years for it to be officially made, har har. Why is it even a problem as to how they go about doing that?

The only reason I don't take a dremel to my LEGO vehicles is because the modifications are usually obvious due to how perfect a machine-made LEGO brick is, and there's usually a less-destructive way to incorporate whatever features you want anyway.

Live and let die! :)

[Saber Scorpion]

(On an admin note, why aren't you using your old account)

I forgot the information and didn't care to look for it. Maybe I will trie again. Thankyou for reading!

[LuxorV]

(On an admin note, why aren't you using your old account)

I forgot the information and didn't care to look for it. Maybe I will trie again. Thankyou for reading!

Hey, I had a feeling you already had a profile here, but forgot to check...

Let me konw if you find the info of the other account and want to get back to that (best option). Then you must stop using this new one.

Else, just keep using this and do not use the other anymore from now on.

This is not our normal politic about double accounts, but I think we can make an exception given the long time since you last used the old account.

[Lego_Hero]

I may be about to step off into a storm of OMG's, but I do whatever the heck I want with my minifigs. When I'm making superheroes or villains, I've drilled holes, glued pieces together, cut pieces, made stickers, painted torsos... you name it, I've probably done it. I've even mixed Mega Blocks with regular minifig pieces!GASP!

I do understand the purist side of the argument, and I've made several characters without customizing parts. I just don't see the big deal with doing what I want. There are so many cool things on this website, I don't see the point in even having this discussion. I only chimed in so I could mention that I found a drill bit that matches the arm holes on a minifig (that means four-armed guys, tentacles coming our of the chest, and tails!).

[Henchmen4Hire]

I may be about to step off into a storm of OMG's, but I do whatever the heck I want with my minifigs. When I'm making superheroes or villains, I've drilled holes, glued pieces together, cut pieces, made stickers, painted torsos... you name it, I've probably done it. I've even mixed Mega Blocks with regular minifig pieces!GASP!

I do understand the purist side of the argument, and I've made several characters without customizing parts. I just don't see the big deal with doing what I want. There are so many cool things on this website, I don't see the point in even having this discussion. I only chimed in so I could mention that I found a drill bit that matches the arm holes on a minifig (that means four-armed guys, tentacles coming our of the chest, and tails!).

What size is the drillbit? I kinda wanna add four arms to a minifig's back and 2 more on the sides, heh.

And I don't know what's up with people freaking-out over Mega Bloks, how else are you going to get sweet LEGO-type TMNT figs. :)

[Jasbrick]

Heh, I customize action figures and I've never seen these kind of "factions"? in that community, so this is a little surprising.

I think the term "factions" is appropriate and possibly one of the key points. People seem to feel the need to classify themselves as either one thing or the other. We all enjoy Lego and some of us use it in different ways... which is probably why the AFOL community is so strong. Diversity and imagination is a trademark of this hobby. What gets people riled (I admit, me included) is when someone with a different viewpoint tries to force that view as the accepted standard. I would never try to suggest that someone use custom pieces or modify a part when it is clear that they want to try and use unmodified pieces (sometimes out of a desire to be pure, sometimes out of a desire to challenge themselves by self-imposing a restriction on the parts available).

As someone who is about as pure as yellow snow I would like to suggest that sometimes us customizers (I am one, and not afraid to admit it) get very sensitive to criticism from those we label as purists and lose sight of some important facts:

1. Ok, we are free to do what we want but just because we paint, cut, glue does not mean that what we end up with is any good. Why should purists (I use this term without meaning anything derogatory) clap us on the back and say "wow" when what we have done is rubbish. We may love our creation (which is the reason I customise) but others may not... get over it.

2. Linked to above, it is far harder to create an absolute abomination using normal lego pieces than it is when people start to introduce the mess that can be created by paint, glue, sharpie etc... Pure lego pieces are clean, professionally printed and finished beautifully... how many of us customisers can say the same? So basically if you customise accept the fact that people will see the imperfections.

3. Builders that only use pure techniques get battered as well! I don't condone criticism (advice is my methodology for helping others to improve)but I have seen some very prominent builders get comments along the lines of "this looks wrong", "you should change this", "meh, your last one was better". So even though it would seem that there is a special place in hell picked out for those of us that customize, you will be pleased to know that we are probably not going to be alone.

So in summary, I agree with Saber Scorpion that he has every right to do what he does but I would like us customizers to up our game a bit and realise that if you are doing this for anything other than personal pleasure (the best reason of all) you need to be aware of the points I raise above.

Jasbrick

Edited July 5, 2010 by Jasbrick

[Henchmen4Hire]

Whew! Thankfully I don't have to worry about any of that because my work is always super duper awesome! ;D

Edited July 7, 2010 by DrNightmare

[The Penguin]

Some posts here just seem to be more like a cry for help!

Seriously, being a customizer myself, I can't say that I accept all forms of customs. That is, I, for instance, believe that there's no use modding or customising LEGO bricks. That just isn't right. In that point I agree with those who say that LEGO is about building and finding ways of how to create a certain effect (say, architectural). But I can't say the same about figs. While bricks have millions and millions of possible combinations, figs are limited to certain number of parts, colors and things like that. My point is that you can do whatever you like to the figs, create characters from every book, film, story, etc., but modding bricks is wrong. That is, of course, my opinion.

Now, to minifigs. I stay firm in my idea that despite the fact that a custumizer is allowed to do anything with the fig, id est paint, glue, apply decals, cut them, but you can't use non-Lego brands or materials. If you apply horns to your minotaur (for example) let it be horns from a LEGO (or brickforge, being the only exception) cow, not some MB filth. I wouldn't want to point at certain customizer companies and groups, but some of those over-detailed, highly complicated items just don't look LEGO-like, or anything that would fit into LEGO vision of the world. )

I hope I didn't bore you much with my speculations here.

Good day, ladies and gentlemen! )

[Omicron]

If you apply horns to your minotaur (for example) let it be horns from a LEGO (or brickforge, being the only exception) cow, not some MB filth.

This confounds me.

Why is Brickforge the sole exception?

-Omi

[Peppermint_M]

I love making custom figures. My philosophy is thus: Does it look awesome? If yes, go for it.

So, as I am not the best at detailed painting, I stay away from it. I do paint parts one solid colour, but only those parts I have multiples of. I will cut Lego, again, those parts I have many of.

I love to use clone brand tools, from Brick(custom) to Megablocks and crazy sets from China. I bought a mid sized order from Brickforge for some swords, I bought about 6 MB Dragons figure booster packs for the detailed and cool weapons. I bought a brick toy tow truck for the elaborate tools. I got Best Lock for khaki green army helmets. Sluban for flak jackets. They all look really great so I use the lot.

I'm not saying people should agree with me, but I think that you shouldn't dismiss other brand sets out of hand. (Which is why I review them once I have bought them for the cool parts).

[Lego_Hero]

I don't get the cry for help comment. Unless you're referring to why someone even thought they had to bring up this conversation in the first place. I've seen it before on another site a long time ago. Same opinionated responses. Don't forget: these are all opinions, and if you want to cut bricks or whatever, it's none of anyone's business.

That being said, I agree with what people are saying about customs and modding. It's not going to be to everyone's taste, so don't get bent out of shape if someone doesn't care for your work. I personally only comment when I have something positive to say about someone's work (or just to goof off, this is a hobby for me, after all).

Here's something funny though, I agree with Penguin that you shouldn't modify bricks. LOL! I've never been in a situation where a brick wasn't working for me and I thought, "I'm going to cut it in half". With all of the different bricks out there, you should be able to build in a way that you don't have to make a "new brick".

Where I diverge from Penguin is the use of other companies. There are a few pieces that I wish TLC would make that other companies have. I ONLY buy off-brands when I see a part (usually a minifig part) that I'd like for my collection, but I'm not above building things with mixed Lego and MB or Best Brick. I agree that the quality suffers if you don't limit the off-brand parts. Calling another company filth is a bit extreme, though. I'm sure there's some guy that works for MB feeling really sad right about now. I'd feel sad too, but that would be because I couldn't get a job at TLC (or is it TLG? I always forget).

Edited July 9, 2010 by Lego_Hero

[Henchmen4Hire]

MB makes some very useful pieces. I'm not sure why it is, but anytime I build something with LEGOs, I usually always find some MB bits to improve the design or playability. They compliment each other, improving on each other's weaknesses.

Now, finding the useful pieces in the colors I want, instead of the pale milky colors I usually see in MBs, that's a different story, har har. I tend to use MB bits if I can hide them in a wall or under the chassis or something.

Edited July 12, 2010 by DrNightmare