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Long post follows, for reflection by every kind of builder:
I’d like to take a moment to talk about a specific LEGO term: “MOCable”, and how this can be used by new builders to start a good part collection from scratch, or build a better one at lower costs.
MOC, in the LEGO world, stands for My Own Creation, and a MOCable set is one that can be easily repurposed away from the set and into a custom creation.
So what makes a LEGO set MOCable, and why are MOCable sets versatile?
Often, in the LEGO world, it’s not only about what we build, but how flexible new builds and rebuilds can be while using the same parts over and over again. This is restricted by the parts that each set has as we acquire them, and this in turn builds the overall collection a builder has to work with over time. Since most LEGO builders don’t consider the option to paint or alter the parts, most builders value parts that are reusable in new builds or to refine existing builds.
Thus, I feel that sets that feature a large number of reusable parts are the most “MOCable”, not because they can be rebuilt into other things themselves, but because the part selection is versatile over the longer term.
For example, the Saturn V set is highly reusable at the high end of the part and cost scale, with nearly all of its parts that are what we call “core colors”. Core colors in the LEGO world are red, white, blue, black, and yellow. The Saturn V is very heavy on white and black. The second reason that the Saturn V is MOCable is that it features many copies of the same part in those core colors, and the parts. This not only strengthens a builder’s collection of parts more easily, but generates parallelism which strengthens the theme of future builds.
Much like kit modeling, scratch building and 3D modeling, core “parts” in LEGO building are often repeated multiple times in close proximity, forming compelling superstructure, architecture, and greebling. In all of these modeling methods, having multiples of one part is very powerful. Hence, MOCable sets are very desirable to the LEGO builder.
The smaller a set is, the more MOCable it tends to be, only because buying multiples of the same set generates multiples of the same parts quickly and at a more efficient cost per part. This is especially true of the small Creator sets. These sets often contain many smaller parts in the core colors. This is why I recommend these sets as the most MOCable overall, and as the core for new builders who ask about starting LEGO again and are concerned with cost.
Build on, and build well.
What do you look for in a MOCable set?
#nerd! 😉
Haha Rich, I love that you love the nitty gritty details and planning like this. I don’t have much time to ponder an in-depth response right now, but subscribing to see what people say (and maybe contribute something useful at a later date…)
For someone starting “new” in Lego, I always recommend buying basic brick sets (multiples and on sale whenever possible). In 1998, Lego put out set 3033 – a plastic tub of 1200 basic bricks. This was normally sold for $20, but could be found on sale for as little as $10 (especially post Christmas), an awesomely ridiculous price considering what a basic brick tub costs now. I probably bought 30 of those (and wish now I had bought 100+). Those tubs form the foundation of my parts collection. Basic bricks are always useful, no matter what the theme or interest. Once there is a solid foundation, more parts specific sets (like the Saturn V) could then be acquired depending upon the builder’s personal interests.
In a MOCable set I mainly look for something I ordinarily would not build on my own. The most recent set that did that for me is set 60182 “Pickup & Caravan” ( https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pickup-Caravan-60182 ). It has a very nice parts selection and forms a very good base of a realistic vehicle and would be very easy to add onto.
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