One of my favorite LEGO blogs is New Elementary. It is run by Tim Johnson (a.k.a. caperberry) from the UK. Tim’s focus is on taking a look at new LEGO elements (thus the blog’s name) released by the LEGO Group, and analyze their shapes, colors, angles, connection-points, interaction and compatibility with other pieces, etc. Tim’s articles are very throughout without being boring, and demonstrate the usability of each new piece with excellent photography and detailed analysis. If you build your own LEGO creations and like to use interesting parts and tricky building techniques, or you are just wondering what a strangely shaped new LEGO piece can be good for, I highly recommend checking out Tim’s blog. 🙂
One of those strange new pieces Tim has been recently looking at is the 6×6 Hexagonal Modified Plate with Pin Hole, used as a shield in the 2017 LEGO Nexo Knights Battle Suit sets. The piece not only has an unusual shape with interesting angles, but also unique connection-points and curious texturing. Tim did an excellent analysis of the piece in this article, and this follow-up article (all images below by New Elementary).
When a new LEGO element is especially intriguing, Tim also calls on and collaborates with, other LEGO fans to really see how far the creativity and usability can be stretched. For the LEGO Nexo Knights hexagonal shield, he organized what he calls the Nexogon Parts Festival. LEGO fans from all over the world have taken up the challenge to use the part in creative ways. Below I will show you some of my favorites so far.
The LEGO Classic Space scene below was created by Kevin Levell. The dome incorporates several hexagonal plates, along with regular plates, all clipped together with hinge elements. The little spaceship for Benny and the moon rover also use the hexagonal plate in their frames. You can read more about them here: Nexogon – Classic Space Scene
Because of the geometric shape, texturing and color (it only comes in light-gray at this point), the hexagonal plate is an obvious choice for mechanical creations. The mech you see here by Li Li is an excellent example, with the hexagonal plate giving shape and texture to the torso. You can read more about it here: Nexogon – Mecha with Drone Detail
The C-shaped modern building by Christian Benito pictured below, uses five of the hexagonal plates for shaping the towers. This structure is a great example of micro-building, and taking advantage of the characteristics of large pieces, and incorporating them into smaller models. You can read more about it here: Nexogon – Coronae Softworks
While the hexagonal plate looks quite mechanical, there is also a face hiding in its shape (doesn’t everything has a face if you look hard enough?). Check out this cute little bear-monster-mech creature by Tom Klatt. Notice that this creation also uses another interesting new piece from the #21130 LEGO Minecraft Nether Railway set (brown Pentagonal Wedge Plate with Center Stud and Raised Tab, used for the face). See more here: Nexogon – Patterns with Pentagons
These are just a few examples and ideas from LEGO fans about using the new hexagonal plate, and there will be more coming, so if you are interested, make sure you check at New Elementary for upcoming articles. I basically just wanted to bring to your attention this unusual and very versatile new piece, and all the fun and science LEGO fans have been having with it. If you would like to try the piece out yourself, it is available in the recently released LEGO Nexo Knights Battle Suit sets, which you can find under the LEGO Nexo Knights section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? Do you have any of the hexagonal plates yet? Did you try building something unique with them? What would you use them for? Feel free to share your own ideas in the comment section below. 😉
And you might also like to check out the following related posts:
Wow! These are fascinating! I love all those weird shapes! I might have to try this.
Yeah, it’s an interesting piece to work with. I have five of them (from the five Nexo Knights packs), and they are definitely fun. I especially like the little bar section in the middle of each side for attaching clips. 🙂
Awesome! I’m surprised nobody used them for helicopter propellers. That was my first thought.
That’s a good idea! 😀
Apparently Lego’s official part name is “Rotor”, so it might have been one original idea.
I like the parts, but I don’t want to buy these costly nexoknights sets to get a lot of them, so I think I will probably never have one. 🙁
The Nexo Knights Battle Suits (the only sets the shields appear in), are only $10, and they are great sets, so it’s not that bad (they also have that new mech-base part, and a bunch of other interesting pieces). But if you do need several of the shields, you might want to wait until they are listed in quantity at BrickLink. They are great parts, and even with just one you can have some fun. 🙂
Thanks!
The Combo NEXO Powers Wave 1 set (70372) has 5 pentagonal wedge plates and the hexagonal rotor plate (and a few other pieces) for $4. That’s still expensive, but if you just want those plates, it’s cheaper than buying the battlesuits.
One of the official(?) photos from the Amazon product page (https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Knights-Combo-Powers-Building/dp/B01L0VXFTK/) even shows a spheroid made by combining multiple copies of that set.
Oh, wow! I knew about the Wave 1 set as it is also sold directly by LEGO, but I have never seen those pictures! Awesome spheroids! 😀
Thanks!