How to Keep a Brick Build Log: Photos, Tables or Video

Short answer first: the best brick build log is a photo plus spreadsheet combo. Shoot one or two photos per step bag, then keep a single table tracking time, difficulty and notes. It costs nothing, takes about five minutes per session, is less work than filming everything, and is far clearer than text alone. When you're done, you can post the whole log on the brickplan.cn community.

1. Photo Logging

The key is a fixed angle and consistent light. Put your phone in a stand and shoot from a 45-degree overhead angle under white light, taking one or two frames per step bag. A 3000-piece set ends up at roughly 80-100 photos from start to finish.

If you want to stop halfway through a build, one photo of your current progress is enough to pick up later — no more tearing things apart and starting over because you lost your place.

2. Spreadsheet Logging

Use Excel or a paper sheet with three columns: step number, time spent, notes. On a 3000-piece set counted across 10 step bags, total build time lands around 6 hours, or about 36 minutes per step on average. Reading the sheet afterwards shows exactly which step slowed you down, and the next build of a similar instruction style can go about 20% faster.

3. Comparing the Three Tools

• Photos have the lowest barrier to entry and capture the most complete information. Suitable for everyone.
• Spreadsheets win on structure. Best for builders who want to review their work and improve.
• Video vlogs are the most engaging to watch, but editing takes two to three times as long as the build itself. Beginners should think twice.

As for apps, your phone's built-in notes and camera roll already cover about 80% of what you need. There's no reason to buy dedicated paid logging software.

4. Why a Build Log Is Worth Keeping

A build log is more than a souvenir. When a piece is missing, it lets you quickly work out which step bag the problem came from. When a friend borrows your instructions, you can hand over your own build time and difficulty rating so they know what they're getting into. And after logging 20 builds, you'll start to see your own building rhythm and preferences clearly.

FAQ

Q: What tools should I use for a brick build log?

A: Your phone's camera roll plus a notes app is enough — photos for progress, a table for time. If you want to go further, a cloud notes app supports syncing across devices and separate folders per set.

Q: How do I log a half-finished build so I can continue later?

A: Photograph your current progress first, then bag the remaining pieces according to the parts list and label the bag with the step you stopped at. Next session, the photo and the label let you pick up seamlessly.

Q: Any tips for the photos in a build log?

A: Lock in a 45-degree overhead angle, use white light so part colours don't shift, shoot one or two frames per step bag, and take close-ups of unusual techniques. That's more useful than 100 random shots.

Q: How long does each logging session take?

A: About five minutes once you're used to it: roughly one minute for two photos, three minutes to fill in the table, and one minute to sort pieces. Across a full 3000-piece set, logging adds up to about one hour total.

Q: Where can I share a build log?

A: Post it in the brickplan.cn community threads with the source of your instructions, your build time and a difficulty rating. Other builders can use your log directly to decide whether the set is for them.