📖 BrickPlan Blog

A complete reference to brick parts names — bricks, plates, tiles, slopes, Technic and minifigure parts — with common part numbers and how to look them up.

Learn core brick building techniques: correct pressing, interlocking, SNOT, overhangs, ball joints, plus fixes for common mistakes and a practice house build.

Twelve brick building techniques mapped to the problems they fix — sagging floors, visible studs, weak corners, creeping cantilevers — with measurements and diagnosis steps.

The best Chinese brick brands of 2026 ranked on part precision, clutch feel, original design and value, with part-count price benchmarks and a buyer's checklist.

Chinese bricks vs LEGO compared on tolerance, clutch, colour, design, instructions, availability, durability and price — with a practical verdict for each use case.

A Gobricks (Gao Zhuan) parts review: tolerance and clutch consistency, build feel, what the plans cover, where it falls short, and who should pay the premium.

A beginner's walkthrough of brick blueprints: what each section does, how to read part numbers and step images, and a practical build workflow from sorting to finish.

What cheap LEGO alternatives are worth buying at $25, $50, $100 and $200: cost-per-part maths, used-market rules, bulk parts strategy and where not to save money.

What compatibility actually means for brick parts: stud geometry, clutch force, colour and finish variance, which part types interchange, and five tests to run yourself.

A hands-on review of five popular military brick MOC blueprints, covering build difficulty, part counts, part quality and finished display value for tanks, jets and ships.

A hands-on review of Qiji MOC instructions, covering part quality, build difficulty, 4-8 hour build time and value for 800-3000 piece technic and military models.

A hands-on review of five sci-fi brick MOC blueprints, covering piece counts, build difficulty, standout parts techniques and finished model size.

A hands-on review of SEMBO MOC instructions and parts: difficulty ratings, print quality, bag numbering, finished-model stability and whether the licensed sets are worth buying.

A detailed look at Double Eagle Technic MOC instructions: part counts, build difficulty, gear and motor quality, motorised conversion, and who should build them.

A detailed review of five sports car MOC blueprints covering build difficulty, part precision, mechanical functions, and finished display by skill level.

A detailed review of five warship MOC blueprints, from the Bismarck and Missouri to the Liaoning carrier, Type 055 destroyer and Type 093 submarine.

A full review of Mould King Technic MOC instructions: part quality, motor and app control, build difficulty, wiring tips and who should attempt a 6,000-piece build.

A 2024 ranking of ten Chinese brick brands, from Qiji and Sembo to Double Eagle and Gobricks, with part quality, themes and LEGO compatibility notes.

A 1,560-piece Caterpillar excavator MOC at 1:20 scale: three-joint digging arm, 360° slew, plus parts sourcing, build tips and difficulty notes.

A hands-on look at a 2,450-piece micro-scale Hogwarts Castle MOC: module layout, Gobricks and Panlos colour matching, difficulty, build order and lighting tips.

A detailed review of the 1:8 Lamborghini Sián MOC: 2,680 pieces, a working V12, 8-speed gearbox, scissor doors, part sourcing, build order, and tuning tips.

Which LEGO alternative to buy depends on the job: display models, Technic mechanisms, kids' play, or a bulk parts bin. A decision guide with the evidence for each pick.

Learn how LEGO-style parts are classified and named, from 2x4 bricks and plates to Technic gears, plus a storage system that speeds up every MOC build.

Review of a 1:35 scale 99A main battle tank MOC: 1,850 pieces, slope-brick turret, working tracks and suspension, color tips, build steps and FAQ.

A 760-piece, 1:35 T-Rex fossil skeleton MOC with poseable joints, plus build difficulty, off-white color matching and display advice for beginners.

A complete 2024 guide to finding MOC instructions: download platforms, official brand resources, community forums, and how to judge instruction quality.

We built sets from ten Chinese brick brands and scored part precision, build feel, original design and value. Here's which brands are worth your money in 2026.

A step-by-step BrickPlan walkthrough: create an account, browse and search MOC plans by category and difficulty, download PDFs and parts lists, build, and upload your own models.

Learn what a MOC is, which tools to use, how to read and modify building instructions, and how to design and share your first brick model from scratch.

Learn every brick part type — bricks, plates, tiles, slopes, Technic and special elements — plus color matching, BrickLink numbers and a starter buy list.

Ten places to find LEGO MOC instructions in 2026, ranked by whether you need a plan, a design tool, inspiration, parts or a build-along video — plus a search formula.

A beginner's guide to Keeppley brick sets: five starter kits from Doraemon, Pokemon, Detective Conan, Crayon Shin-chan and Hello Kitty, plus build tips.