Like with every moc, there are pieces that can be used, and pieces that cannot be used. Some pieces may rarely be used at all, and some may not even exist. What about altered pieces, do they count as moral in terms of creating a good moc?
The reason I’m asking is because of two confrontations I’ve come across in the build of my moc. The first is the CCBS frame used as the middle section of the upper torso. I’m using the CCBS frame included in the 2015 Onua set. However, it has external ball joints on the end that are not needed at all, and I have thought about cutting the ball joints off. I could use a frame from the 2016 uniters, however the gear at the waist interferes with the outer small ccbs frame.
The second issue involves a piece for the head. Using a string piece with minifigure grips to go through the Y joint in the head and connect to the collar. Again, there is an obstruction. The ends of these string pieces are connected to studs. I would have to cut off the ends in order to thread the string to the head’s Y joint and connect to the collar as well.
I’m not counting the hood piece in this matter, as that is creating a piece and not altering one.
In conclusion, would altering these pieces be immoral? Again, I would be cutting off sections of pieces to allow better building of the moc.
Actually the armless and gear less hf torso does exist; I got one with the Rey build able figure.
Second; it depends on who your talking too but unless that Mocs here to stay and will likely never change mod all the parts you want.
Though that’s the reason I never paint or mid parts; I don’t know whether that moc will stay together or always use that peice. I have one moc I needed pink shells for but I went with orange and yellow becuase I don’t want to ruin future uses if the moc doesn’t stay.
I’ve seen the armless ccbs frames, that’s not what I’m looking for. The 2015 onua frame has two ball joints on the top arms. I’ll be cutting off one set of the ball joints to make an open axel, which will be covered.
This moc will definitely stay, working on it for an entire year and there’s no way I’m letting it go.
Well, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with making new parts out of pre-existing ones- that is, if you aren’t planning on rebuilding the sets they come in.
I’ll use a simpler example with one of my sets: Destiny’s Bounty.
If I wanted to destroy this set, I could build it back, with the exact same parts. However, this is only the case if I didn’t want to destroy the set.
Now, say I wanted the string part to be used in the exact same scenario as yours, or to snap the chains for an edgy, phantasmagoric MOC?
See, the strings are vital to this set. The strings serve to heighten or lower the sails, which I also might want to cut for MOC’s dress. However, the Bounty is both an expensive and lovely set, and cutting the parts would leave me in a desperate search for new parts off of Bricklink, or some other site.
Now, I could’ve used Bricklink in the first place, so that puts those out of the question; buy extra parts from LEGO, Bricklink, external LEGO sales, or a friend.
Tl;dr- if you plan on building the set again, buy extra parts. If not, just don’t do it; it isn’t worth slaughter.
Well I do plan on buying a double of Onua’s ccbs frame. Just in case. I don’t have the string pieces at all, I’d have to order them from brink link. (Still color debating)
So basically it’s perfectly okay to alter pieces as long as the moc is permanent.
Thank you. I just get nervous about this kind of stuff, always best to get opinions from others. I won’t get to edit these pieces until August, but maybe earlier.
If you could use those pieces later on in other MOCs, you should do it. However, if you would be making them overspecialized and pretty much unusable, don’t.
In terms of morality, its entirely your own decision. If you’ve went and brought the sets virtually whatever you do to them is your choice - and nobody really has any right to tell you that its wrong to do so.
Only downsides that i can see is that you could edit the piece wrong and end up with a useless piece OR alternatively somewhere down the line you realise you need the piece in its original form and would have to try and get another from somewhere.
Though i would suggest finding alternative methods, as chances are high the pieces you want to exist - especially from what you are describing here.
Personally, I’m all for modifications unless you’re doing it for a competition that specifies only “proper” LEGO pieces. We only have limited parts to work with, so why not ■■■■■ some things around? Of course it should be basically still LEGO but if you have a customised mask or torso or something, no-one should complain. There are no “illegal” builds, in my not-so-humble opinion.
While it’s all your choice of modifying the torso or not, consider what the outside ball joints are doing. If their in the way, try to work around it before taking them off. And if they’re just there hurting the aesthetics of the moc, try attaching armor or something before taking them off. But if you do decide to take the ball joints off, obtain another one of the part(s) you are going to modify so at least there’s a replacement if you decide that you shouldn’t have modified the piece(s).
The frame is the one for the 2015 Onua. It has two ball joints on each side of the upper end. The inner ball joints are being used, the outer ones are not.
The specific string I plan to use is the one with the series of minifigure grips along it.
The outer ball joints do get in the way, however it’s the only ccbs frame that has the inner ball joints that are being used. Adding armor, even Y joints, widens to torso too much. I’ll just be cutting off the outer ball joints to expose the axels, which can be covered with bohrok eyes.
I think that’s a good idea, go ahead! It’s not like there’s any Lego Police.
Weeeelllll, there are and they have departments literally everywhere including space, but they’re tiny and made of plastic so unless they throw themselves under your feet you’ll be fine.
I suppose cutting off the pieces on the ends could work, it seems fairly easy to make sure you don’t cut off the square pieces next to the balljoints, though you probably would be better just making a custom torso.
