I recently discovered a very interesting YouTube channel that focuses on LEGO building techniques. I found the tutorials very helpful and enjoyable, so I thought to share them with you. The name of the channel is Back Room Builder, and is run by a LEGO fan who goes by the name Durazno33. The channel was only started this spring, but already has a good number of tutorials. Below I will show you some of my favorites. 🙂
➡ BACK ROOM BUILDER – HOW TO MAKE: Many of the tutorials by Back Room Builder focus on small creations using very clever techniques. These are some of my favorites because they don’t require a lot of parts, but the end result is impressive. These small builds can be incorporated into larger LEGO models to add interesting details. From the tutorials you will learn how to make a realistic looking LEGO palm tree, various lamps, a ceiling fan, a chandelier, a medieval well, furniture pieces, and more. You will also learn some other useful techniques in this series, like how to make a display-frame for your minifigures using LEGO plates. I have included all the currently available “how to make” tutorials in the video playlist below. You can watch them all in sequence, or select the one you would like to see by using the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the player.
➡ BACK ROOM BUILDER – TIPS & TRICKS: While the “how to make” videos focus on small standalone builds that can be used by themselves or added to larger creations, the “tips & tricks” videos are about building techniques that are part of larger LEGO models. So for example, you will learn how to build a cottage roof, castle windows, fences, modular sections and more. I have included all the currently available “tips & tricks” tutorials in the video playlist below. You can watch them all in sequence, or select the one you would like to see by using the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the player.
➡ BACK ROOM BUILDERS – MILS TUTORIALS: These are more advanced building techniques for LEGO fans who work on large collaborative displays, but you may also find them useful for your own creations. MILS stands for “Modular Integrated Landscaping System”. It is an international LEGO building standard that allows multiple builders to build their creations separately, and then bring them together as a cohesive display. It is used for the large displays you see at LEGO shows and conventions. The videos in this series show you how to make the basic element of the MILS module as well as provide some tips and tricks for building them. I have included all the currently available MILS tutorials in the video playlist below. You can watch them all in sequence, or select the one you would like to see by using the drop-down menu in the upper left corner of the player.
I hope that Back Room Builder will continue adding more tutorials to his YouTube channel. They are enjoyable, educational, and friendly. If you have some suggestions or requests for future tutorials, feel free to ask in the comment section below, and I will make sure Durazno33 sees them. And you can also subscribe to his channel for updates. 🙂
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Pure genius.
UPDATE: I had a chance to communicate with Joseph a bit and asked him a couple of questions that I thought you guys might find interesting. Below I have included the Q&A:
Is there anything you would like to share with our readers? “I’ll share what I call the build it, then shelf it approach to Lego. Often, I’ll start a project with this grand idea to make something cool. By the time I finish, I generally like what I make but often the first rendition of my creation doesn’t have the WOW! factor I’d like it to have. It’s times like this that I put the creation on the shelf and work on something else. Eventually and when I’ve feeling inspired, I return to work on that creation and fix the elements that I didn’t quite like or that needed some work. With Lego, there never truly is a final project, so in a way, we all do this. The point is to keep improving your builds bit by bit.”
What do you have in store for the channel? “As I build out my collection of ‘How To’ and ‘Tips & Tricks’ videos, I hope to inspire my viewers to take the add-on approach to their building by following my tutorials. They might begin with a couple MILS modules as a foundation, and then build a few medieval buildings, some trees, and/or a pasture. Then as they watch more videos, they can make more MILS and continue to develop their build in kind of like a large, Lego-based version of the board game Carcassonne. Eventually when I’ve made enough videos, I hope to finally reveal my own large, think 20+ baseplates large, diorama incorporating many of the techniques featured on my channel.”
These are great. I especially like his small builds. Will try some of them out this afternoon. The MILS modules are also very interesting. I never even knew there was such a standard, but it makes a lot of sense.
This is really neat. I like the small builds, but don’t have the pieces required for most of them.
I had no idea that axles fit into the log bricks.
Awesome! Looks like some very helpful building techniques on there!