The big LEGO Builder's Book

 

  • The big LEGO Builder's Book

    Posted by Huw, 31 Oct 2012 09:52. Filed under Book review.

    The Big LEGO Builder's BookThis 400 page paperback, The big unofficial LEGO Builder's Book: Build your own city, has just been published by Heel Verlag GmbH, and my pre-order from Amazon landed on the doormat yesterday.

    It's written by Joachim Klang and Oliver Albrecht who, according to the introduction, are active members of the German AFOL scene and 1000Steine.

    It's divided into two sections. The first provides instructions and inspiration for building a micro-scale LEGO city like that shown on the cover. Most of the 30 instructions are for vehicles of some sort although some small buildings and trees are also included. The second, much smaller section, has instructions for five minifig scale 'professional models', four cars and a helicopter.

    The Big LEGO Builder's BookThis page, showing the last page of one set of instructions, and the first of another show how it's laid out: A nice photo of the finished model, shown in the context of the micro-scale city followed by several pages of instructions that end with a parts list.

    The Big LEGO Builder's BookThe LDraw suite of tools have been used (by Lutz Uhlmann) to create the step-by-step instructions, which are extremely well done and superbly clear: on a par with official instructions, in fact.

    The models use a lot of advanced building techniques that you might not find in official models, so from that point of view, it's educational, and in fact there are a few pages showing such techniques at the front of the book, some of which I've never come across (like using lever handles jammed into the bottom of plates to join them bottom-to-bottom).

    If you're looking for building inspiration, I highly recommend this book: there are many models in it that make you think "'wow, that's cool!" and which are likely to have you reaching for your parts drawers to build them yourself. My only criticism is that the writing on the spine is the wrong way up: the text should start at the top and end at the bottom: why do some publishers think otherwise?!

    You can order it now from Amazon:

      

     


    18 comments, latest one posted 7 months ago. (Commenting has ended on this article)
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Comments

Posted by darthdc in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 10:36

Is this available in stores too, or just via Amazon?

Posted by ChicoCheco in Czech Republic, 31 Oct 2012 10:48

The cover picture reminds me about the Simcity 2000 PC game. This might be a good chrismas gift for AFOLs

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 10:53

^^ I'd say it's unlikely that WHS/Watersones will sell it given its subject matter and that it's published by a German publisher.

Posted by tinusv in Netherlands, 31 Oct 2012 10:54

"My only criticism is that the writing on the spine is the wrong way up: the text should start at the top and end at the bottom: why do some publishers think otherwise?!"
This is the "normal" way it is done in Germany. I also hate it, but apparently it is standard over there. Why they also do it for an international orientated book is also a question for me :S.

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 11:36

Ah, that explains why the LEGO Collector book is the same. Thanks :-)

Posted by suedeapple in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 13:42

The book looks ace! - Deffo one for the chrimbo list!

Posted by brixton in Canada, 31 Oct 2012 15:32

Considering that I have a LEGO city and I'm looking to both improve and expand it, this book is a must buy!

Posted by Ulli in Germany, 31 Oct 2012 15:44

"My only criticism is that the writing on the spine is the wrong way up: the text should start at the top and end at the bottom: why do some publishers think otherwise?!"

In my opinion, the "German"-Way, in this special case, is the right way.
If you have the Book´s on your shelf, you can bend your head slightly to the left, an ran through the title by reading from left to right, and as if you read from the "top to the bottom" of your shelf. If you have the name in the "English-Way" on the spine, you have to read the title in a Way as if you are reading from the "bottom to the top". This is a rather unnaturally way to read a list or something similar!
I hope that everybody understand, what I mean... ;-)

Posted by Nerd in United States, 31 Oct 2012 16:23

It doesn't require too many old or rare parts to build the sets, correct?

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 16:30

^ Generally, no.

^^ Trouble is, we all bend our head to the right to read the other 99% of books on our shelves :-)

Posted by CapnRex101 in United Kingdom, 31 Oct 2012 18:32

Great book by the looks of it, thank you for bringing it to my attention. I have ordered a copy, definitely a good way of brushing up on your building skills (and discovering new techniques).

Posted by Thunderburt in Netherlands, 01 Nov 2012 06:03

People should drive at the right side of the road: why do some countries think otherwise?! ;-)

Posted by Jelippo in United Kingdom, 01 Nov 2012 06:45

Is this in whsmiths??

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 01 Nov 2012 06:51

^^ LOL! It's quite interesting reading the history of right vs. left on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right-_and_left-hand_traffic#History

^ Unlikely

Posted by crazytaxi in Netherlands, 01 Nov 2012 11:13

I saw that the English version of this book is coming out on 28th of November (@ amazon/bookdepository). The German version is already out (1 november). But how can you have an English copy of the book?
Thanks!

Posted by Huw in United Kingdom, 01 Nov 2012 14:48

^ It's out in the UK already, Amazon sent it to me. It's odd that is now says "This title has not yet been released.
You may pre-order it now and we will deliver it to you when it arrives." though. Maybe the Brickset effect has struck. Let me check my Amazon Associates report...

Later... Interesting, 7 have been ordered via the links, none have been shipped. Maybe they weren't supposed to ship them yet.

Posted by crazytaxi in Netherlands, 01 Nov 2012 18:42

Thanks for checking this. I just have to wait when the book is released then... Look's to me that this is a great book.

Posted by Mickitat in Germany, 02 Nov 2012 04:08

A review on Amazon Germany complained that there are too few instructions for buildings, not even those on the cover are included and that it is mostly vehicles of all types. I am mostly interested in the buildings, can you give a few details about them?

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