Cab ~
Technique Week II: Day 7
Or really Day 8, but whatever.
The final technique! This one is my personal favorite. Two years ago, I came up with this technique, which allows for bricks that are 2 plates high and 2 studs wide to be spaced half a plate apart from each other. Ever since, I've been trying to come up with a way to fill those 1/2 plate gaps, and this is my best solution. :)
This technique, much like the one that inspired it, is based on clip-and-bar connections. The two key pieces are 1x2 grille tiles and minifigure neck brackets, along with some trusty 4L or 5L bars and 1x1 tiles with clip. This one is more complex than the others, so I'll explain it step by step:
1. Select a brick color (or colors). Gather up a bunch of 1x2 grille tiles and 1x2 plates in that color and connect them together to form the "bricks" in the wall.
2. Select a "mortar" color. Gather up a bunch of minifigure neck brackets and 1x2 grille tiles in this color. You'll probably want to go with light or dark bley for this one.
3. Gather up a bunch of 1x1 tile with clip pieces and rod pieces. Connect all the 1x1 tiles with clip to the studs of the minifigure neck brackets.
4. Construct a supporting structure. This just has to be something that props up all the rod pieces so you can form a backbone for the wall. However, this gets a bit tricky. In this technique, each layer of bricks is actually 22 LDU high, or in conventional terms 2 plates plus 3/4ths of a plate. This is because when you stack two 1x2 grille plates so their tops interlock, the result is 1 and 3/4 plates high. In order to get all the bars lined up properly, it's easiest to make a support structure that has horizontal 1x_ plates that are each 1/4th of a plate apart.
The easiest way I know to create 1/4th plate offsets is to place two 1x1 plates on the sides of one of these ("Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Light - Thick Ring") and then to connect those 1x1 plates to snot pieces such as 1x1 technic bricks.
5. Connect the rod pieces to the supporting structure, then connect the minifigure neck brackets with 1x1 tiles with clip to the rod pieces so that the holes of the brackets are all facing sideways. Each minifigure neck bracket should be placed 2 studs apart from the next one, and they have to be staggered as seen in the picture.
6. Finally, stack the 1x2 grille tiles of the background color uspide down into the "bricks" you prepared in the first step so the grille tiles of the background color are 1/2 of a plate farther inward than the "bricks". Then, insert these structures in between the minifigure neck brackets.
The result is a wall that, despite being comprised mostly of loose pieces, is quite sturdy. You can hold it at a 45º angle and the brackets will safely keep all the loose pieces lodged in. In addition, there are no prominent gaps!
The one issue with the technique is that the horizontal lines are 5/8ths of a plate wide, while the vertical lines are only 3/8ths of a plate wide. However, this isn't all that noticable unless you look straight at the wall – it looks balanced when viewed from an angle.
If anyone has seen this technique used before, please let me know! Also, if anyone figures out a way to make all of the mortar lines exactly half a plate wide, please do share it with me! I've been trying to solve this technical problem for a year now and would love to know if there are other solutions. :)
Check out this awesome build by Sandro Tagliaferri to see the technique in action!
Technique Week II: Day 7
Or really Day 8, but whatever.
The final technique! This one is my personal favorite. Two years ago, I came up with this technique, which allows for bricks that are 2 plates high and 2 studs wide to be spaced half a plate apart from each other. Ever since, I've been trying to come up with a way to fill those 1/2 plate gaps, and this is my best solution. :)
This technique, much like the one that inspired it, is based on clip-and-bar connections. The two key pieces are 1x2 grille tiles and minifigure neck brackets, along with some trusty 4L or 5L bars and 1x1 tiles with clip. This one is more complex than the others, so I'll explain it step by step:
1. Select a brick color (or colors). Gather up a bunch of 1x2 grille tiles and 1x2 plates in that color and connect them together to form the "bricks" in the wall.
2. Select a "mortar" color. Gather up a bunch of minifigure neck brackets and 1x2 grille tiles in this color. You'll probably want to go with light or dark bley for this one.
3. Gather up a bunch of 1x1 tile with clip pieces and rod pieces. Connect all the 1x1 tiles with clip to the studs of the minifigure neck brackets.
4. Construct a supporting structure. This just has to be something that props up all the rod pieces so you can form a backbone for the wall. However, this gets a bit tricky. In this technique, each layer of bricks is actually 22 LDU high, or in conventional terms 2 plates plus 3/4ths of a plate. This is because when you stack two 1x2 grille plates so their tops interlock, the result is 1 and 3/4 plates high. In order to get all the bars lined up properly, it's easiest to make a support structure that has horizontal 1x_ plates that are each 1/4th of a plate apart.
The easiest way I know to create 1/4th plate offsets is to place two 1x1 plates on the sides of one of these ("Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Light - Thick Ring") and then to connect those 1x1 plates to snot pieces such as 1x1 technic bricks.
5. Connect the rod pieces to the supporting structure, then connect the minifigure neck brackets with 1x1 tiles with clip to the rod pieces so that the holes of the brackets are all facing sideways. Each minifigure neck bracket should be placed 2 studs apart from the next one, and they have to be staggered as seen in the picture.
6. Finally, stack the 1x2 grille tiles of the background color uspide down into the "bricks" you prepared in the first step so the grille tiles of the background color are 1/2 of a plate farther inward than the "bricks". Then, insert these structures in between the minifigure neck brackets.
The result is a wall that, despite being comprised mostly of loose pieces, is quite sturdy. You can hold it at a 45º angle and the brackets will safely keep all the loose pieces lodged in. In addition, there are no prominent gaps!
The one issue with the technique is that the horizontal lines are 5/8ths of a plate wide, while the vertical lines are only 3/8ths of a plate wide. However, this isn't all that noticable unless you look straight at the wall – it looks balanced when viewed from an angle.
If anyone has seen this technique used before, please let me know! Also, if anyone figures out a way to make all of the mortar lines exactly half a plate wide, please do share it with me! I've been trying to solve this technical problem for a year now and would love to know if there are other solutions. :)
Check out this awesome build by Sandro Tagliaferri to see the technique in action!