All my contributions to BrickNerd to date have explored various topics in the LEGO train theme. However, none of these articles have offered the most fundamental and yet familiar type of informative content: instructions! There is nothing more unifying in terms of content in our vast hobby than a set of building instructions. Every LEGO set has them, fan community sites such as Rebrickable, MOChub and others are dedicated to sharing this content, and countless times as a LEGO fan, I have been asked “do you have instructions for…”. Therefore, as an experiment in generating and sharing this type of content, this article will show you how to build the ubiquitous, often ignored, but endlessly useful ISO shipping container. Since the concept of multi-modal standardized shipping containers was introduced in the 1960s, the ISO shipping container has become a vital backbone of global trade delivering products to every corner of the...

Look, I’m not a train guy. I can barely tell a caboose from a boxcar, and yet even I am in awe of Smile Leo‘s amazing LEGO train, depicting a China Railways DF11G locomotive. The first thing to notice is the variety of angles at which the bricks and plates all fit together for the smooth, rounded angles of the train’s nose. Next, check out the intricacy of the machinery around the wheels. With another model, I might just classify it as a bunch of greebling (you know, little mechanical details that are there just to look cool rather than have any particular function), but it’s clear that every meticulously chosen element mimics an actual train part. I can almost hear the churning of pistons and the whine of wheels on rails. The post A complex train build that never goes off the rails appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original...

If you’ve seen any of the Despicable Me movies you know that those chattery little Minions get up to all sorts of shenanigans when left unsupervised. Well, now they can do it in style with this fully loaded party bus. Did the Anti-Villain League approve of this excursion, or did someone leave the key box unlocked? LEGO Despicable Me 4 75581 Minions’ Music Party Bus includes 379 pieces and will be available on May 1st for US $39.99 | CAN $49.99 | UK £34.99 The LEGO Group provided The Brothers Brick with an early copy of this set for review. Providing TBB with products for review guarantees neither coverage nor positive reviews. Unboxing the parts, instructions, and stickers The set comes in a small rectangular thumb-punch box with the Despicable Me 4 branding. The party bus is featured in party mode in the parking lot of the Anti-Villian League. There is...

Everyone’s favorite little droid with a huge personality is back in brick form, built in LEGO by Ron McPhatty. Ron has managed to pack an impressive amount of detail into Chopper’s diminutive stature using solid building techniques. That yellow 1×1 tile on Chopper’s chest perfectly matches the original design, and the 2×2 triangular tiles match his patchwork metal plating. Ron also models a variety of Chopper’s exposed internal components with various LEGO pins, bars, and bushes. Even better, Ron has built Chopper to be in-scale with the new LEGO R2D2 set and provided Chopper with some added accessories that model his middle wheel and head arms. I’d argue that hijinks are un-a-droid-able! The post This little Star Wars astromech is bursting with personality appeared first on The Brothers Brick. Original linkOriginal author: Simon Friesen

A vertical kingdom of stone surrouned by towering pines overlooks a pale blue lake in Eli Willsea‘s stunning LEGO diorama titled Heart of the Kingdom. The whimsical architecture, lovely colors, and striking verticality are reminiscent of the Monument Valley games, but the details are utterly original and evocative. This build marks Eli’s return after a busy 2023 when he competed in three heats of the Iron Builder competition and is a clear reminder of why he’s a NPU (Nice Parts Usage) star. How to pick a favorite detail? The elegantly angled tooth bars serving as micro stairs? The grey roller skates adding a decorative touch to the 1×1 towers? The wands still on their sprue for the portcullis? I have to go with the grey popsicles flanking the cave beneath the castle. Even though there is nary a stud to be seen, with its right angles and clean lines, Eli’s model...