MOC and Limited Pieces - Advice

[AG-Spike]

I am after a little advice from those with more experience than me. I have a few ideas I want to combine together to make a MOC spaceship. However my Lego parts are from my childhood, I am still understanding what possibilities and modern parts are available to me, and I wish to try out the ideas I have physically, and not rely on MLCAD to test out the ideas and angles, if you see what I mean. I don't really want to buy random Lego pieces, or end up buying several times over.

So really what I am asking is if there are such shops or places in the UK that I could almost 'browse', get ideas for how to build what is in my head, try building, and pay for what I use? I think I may be asking too much, but if you don't ask, you don't anywhere.

Failing that idea, maybe I should just use MLCAD and try out the ideas to the best of my ability, and then overbuy the pieces online, and just live with the extra cost, all be it a cost I will probably soak up in the creation or another.

The ideas I have in my head are insipred from a number of sources, or just simply new. The biggest source of inspiration has been Matt Rowntree:

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/355096 and his follow on project https://www.flickr.com/photos/104851154@N02/sets/72157649195887770

They are just incrediable to me, and don't plan on copying, but has inspired me and what I could achieve.

Any advice as my first major MOC would be gratefully received.

[rodiziorobs]

This sounds similar to me when I was coming out of my dark ages, so I'll share what I did.

I was overwhelmed by all the new pieces and colors, and didn't know where to begin. I started out just building with my existing collection--the newest set was probably from 1997 or so--so I could become familiar with the system again. Then I slowly picked up incomplete newer sets wherever I could find them for cheap (eBay, local classifieds, etc.). This meant I didn't always know or care what I was getting, but that I ended up with a lot of pieces and colors I had never seen before. I slowly learned things like SNOT building, creating smooth surfaces and curves (none of which really existed in the early 90's like they do today) using new pieces and techniques from those partial sets/mixed lots.

It gave me an odd assortment of things to try and figure out while the limited number of them made me try and find all the ways I could use them. This helped me realize which kinds of pieces I wanted to stock up on and which I only needed a few of. I probably have a little surplus of pieces I have never/rarely used from those couple years (it took me awhile to figure things out; YMMV) but I imagine most everything has been used somewhere or another.

Along the way I tried using LDD but found it too daunting, since I wasn't familiar with any of the pieces already. I use it occasionally now, but now I prefer to just let my fingers do the thinking with actual bricks once I have an idea in mind.

Good luck!

[Sid Sidious]

Try to join a local LUG (Lego User Group). These groups are made of AFOLs, and you might be able to find a member who will let you browse his or her collection.

[AG-Spike]

Thanks for the advice. I think I will just buy a selection of parts that I have in my head I will need, and more. I may buy part sets too, and get some PAB cups if there are bits I do not have a lot of. There are no LUG that close to me, so will try without first.

[dulsi]

I had the advantage of a child who has been buying lots of legos. I've built things in odd colors using his bricks. Then when I get the design working, I make it in leocad so that I can put it in the color I want and possibly add some finishing details. I did that the past two years to create party favors for my son's birthday party. The collection I purchase on ebay is old and doesn't have the color variety available now which can make buidling things annoying.