Modifying Lego: Acceptable or Heresy

[eurotrash]

A situation arose when, in the middle of an intensely productive building frenzy, that I discovered that I had none of these pieces in my inventory

I did, however, have a bunch of these

Therefore I took a Dremel with sanding disk and modded four of these to fit. It took less than 30 seconds to get four hacked pieces.

So, my question is

Would you modify a piece to make a MOC work?

Edited September 19, 2014 by eurotrash

[Toa of Gallifrey]

I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to MOCing (I do mix System, Technic and CCBS, though) so I don't think I'd mod a piece. I wouldn't take away points from an MOC for having modded pieces, though.

[rodiziorobs]

I've done it before, but then I really messed a piece up..and ended up not even needing it anyway. That was two years ago, and I haven't done it since.

I am still open to modding parts, but now am very wary, and would only do it after knowing it was absolutely necessary.

[HawkLord]

I don't mod parts, but I don't fault others for doing it. It's kinda like the custom pieces that some companies make - its just not my cup of tea.

[Lego Otaku]

3mm flex tubes are often cut down to size because either smaller size in specific color is crazy expensive or because it doesn't exists. I've also cheated a little on the 3x2 tiles with clip by grinding the clips off making it a regular 3x2 tiles. LEGO never released regular 3x2 tiles, and using either 2x2 and 1x2 or a pair of 2x2 corner tiles may not work (not enough room for a 2x3 plate for example)

I only modify current production part and only when it's not rare. Definitely not anything that's out of production like medium blue minifig hands, Momorail specific parts, or cypress tree as people would probably kill me for ruining them

[obsidianheart]

Hey, it's your LEGO.

I've done worse.

Recently.

[jodawill]

Personally, I'm completely against the idea of modifying parts. Sticking to the current assortment of parts is one way of inspiring creativity. And ruining parts just seems like a sin to me.

[alanyuppie]

As a purist , and LEGO being LEGO , there are always workaround to most of our projects. Better to mod your overall/intended design to make use of available parts or hit the marketplace for intended parts.

Well, there are always exception though.. modding a part to mimic another official parts sounds fine though, but that's a crude way of "solving problems" and shorten the MOCing experience tremendously. I hope I'm not the only finding more enjoyment in the building and rebuilding process to adapt to the parts I currently have.

[CptPJs]

When I was a kid, my hand-me-down Lego had a few snapped plates in it because my cousin needed different sizes... But I mean, as long as you do a better job than he did, go for it! :P

[L@go]

My answer is: Yes. It took a while before I stepped across that line, but I figured a) it's my LEGO and I'll do what I want with it, and b) what do the LEGO designers do when they design a new set and come across a problem that can't be solved satisfyingly with a part that already exists? Yes, they modify. By chopping and grinding and painting.

If anything, blame LEGO! I mean, if they'd made the part I needed I wouldn't need to bring my saw out ;)

So here's what I did when I needed a six-wide mudguard piece:

MURDER!! by L@go, on Flickr

Don't worry, the yellow guy is over it by now. Or maybe he just lives in constant fear that this will happen to him, too. Then again, the black one - or, rather, the two black ones - live on in this car:

Ruby Roadster 3 by L@go, on Flickr

I've also modified some parts by sanding down edges because I discovered too late that what seemed to work in MLCad didn't actually work in real life - there wasn't enough room for a wheel to turn freely. Now this part has been slimmed down and turned into this, so I wouldn't have had to do it :)

And I've chopped some bits off a windscreen because it didn't look right with the whole 'cockpit' surrounded by glass:

Gone Overboard 11 by L@go, on Flickr

So there - that's my story of sacrilege. For those of you who are considering this: Be warned, once you cross over to our side you might not be able to make it back...

Edited September 20, 2014 by L@go

[Mikuri]

Don't go to the dark side!

I am against modded pieces, at least in my collection. You can do whatever you'd like. But I like when I'm able to replicate a MOC, so modded parts are annoying.

[Noisemaker]

I don't like modded pieces usally and I've always used only original lego parts :)

The only set of modded bricks I partially like are the 9V/PF railway track, but only because they're available in a very small variety of pieces and their geometry is not so good for certain MOC (8 stud between each rail is too much space in my opinion)

By the way, IMHO, condider that if you're using modded parts in your MOC you cannot share your project so easily because usually modded pieces are not so appreciated and used

[dr_spock]

I tried modding pieces for a MOC. I didn't enjoy it as much, probably because I got ABS dust everywhere from the cutting and filing.

I am not against modifying pieces but there should be full disclosure that modified pieces are used.

[Andy D]

I am not against modifying pieces but there should be full disclosure that modified pieces are used.

I haven't modded parts either, just because I've not found a serious need (yet). I feel it is OK as L@GO pointed out, the LEGO designers have to mod to create new parts.

But I strongly agree with dr_spock that when modded parts are used in a MOC they should come with full disclosure.

Just MHO, YMMV

Andy D

[Legotom]

I am planning a 9v train MOD to incorporate PF. The only possible way to do this will be to cut some bricks and plates to make room for the battery and the PF sensor. But this fills me with a slight feeling of terror and will be the only brick chopping I do. All the rest of my MODs and MOCs are pure Lego parts, it's just in this instance there really is no other way.

[bricklayer]

I dont see an issue......think of it this way, TLG simply hasnt made that part yet.

I doubt TLG would mind either.The whole point og lego is to think creatively.

[Paul B Technic]

I have a couple of times in the past where a part does not exist that I needed.

[Aaron]

If it's yours, you can do whatever you want with it. That's my philosophy.

[fred67]

I have modded a few parts (see the Harry Potter wands, for example, in my signature). I've also clipped bars to make them the length I need. I don't see how that's so bad if people cut the hoses to length, also. I think it was even in the Space Needle Architecture set... wasn't one of the steps to cut the hose to length?

Anyway, I've never cut a brick... I simply don't think the occasion arose where I needed to. I don't know if I would, but I think I might. In Eurotrash's place, I simply would have ordered the pieces I needed from BL and waited before cutting... I don't think it would ever occur to me to cut a piece to be line another piece I could buy (but requires patience). At the same time, they're his bricks and I'm cool with that.

I do think of LEGO as a constrained medium that requires special thought to get what you want, and part of the creativity is directly a result of the limitations. At the same time, sometimes things just don't work and require a little something extra. The LEGO designers have to make quite a case to get a new piece made. But then it's the same with us... if we can make the case to ourselves (they're our bricks, after all), then I think we can justify it, too.

[MAB]

Well, there are always exception though.. modding a part to mimic another official parts sounds fine though, but that's a crude way of "solving problems" and shorten the MOCing experience tremendously. I hope I'm not the only finding more enjoyment in the building and rebuilding process to adapt to the parts I currently have.

I'm the opposite, I'm not against cutting / modding a part to create a new part that lego doesn't make, if it is really needed. To mod one to make a part that lego already makes is a bit crazy to me.

[robuko]

I wouldn't do it myself, because I agree with Fred that the limitations spur creativity. I don't have any objection to others modding pieces or using clone parts or custom parts, as long as it is disclosed.

[Heppeng]

Its a bit tough to call. I have shortened 12v train track straights as it is otherwise impossible (note I did not say difficult, I really mean impossible) to create the railway the size and shape needed, particularly as I am running a double track (and in places trebble) with restricted space so cannot have massive spaces between tracks that the standard straights dictate.. But I would not do it to create a piece I could just buy.

[tedbeard]

LOL I might do it with that piece in particular since I have dozens of them and no need for that many but generally I avoid cutting.

[Boxerlego]

When it comes to modifying parts, I will say its acceptable but it depends on the part for me. Good example are the axle, to me the axles are perfectly acceptable to modify because the only thing to modified is the length If I cant find various ways to build with it I wont modify it. Another acceptable aspect I focus on when it comes to modifying parts is the quantity of supply, if it feels like a part that will be in production for a long time those are the parts I lean on to modify.

[Chills]

It doesn't bother me at all if others MOD their pieces like that, but I don't think I could ever do it.

I would have this gut-wrenching fear that I would destroy a piece I might need intact later on.