Joe's Crab Shack Crab Claw

Tool Classification: Nondestructive Tool

The Crab Claw was developed by Joe's Crab Shack as an alternative to the unwieldy set of pliers most seafood restaurants give diners to help them separate the crab meat from the shell.   I love this thing!  It's safe and has a soothing soft yellow color.
And when using the pliers-of-death, I usually wound up hurting myself more than the crab legs.

While working with this tool in its original capacity, I though that it would work equally well in separating my Lego plates.

Using the Tool:

This tool is softer than the ABS plastic used to create Lego bricks and plates, so you run little risk of causing damage.

Both ends of the crab claw have useful prying points.  But you may look at this and say "How am I going to get either end between anything? They're too thick."

Well, the answer lies Underneath!

When you have offset stacked plates this tool is great in popping the plates apart from the underside of the bricks.

Where Can I Get One?

This tool can be obtained from your local Joe's Crab Shack for the cost of a meal.  Many of these have "Stolen From Joe's Crab Shack" printed on the side, but don't feel guilty about taking it home.  They just throw them away.  And having said that. Don't try to get one for free by digging in the dumpsters. That's just rude.

Lego Tips:
Getting The Most Out of Your Pick-a-Brick Cup

The Wall

As you walk past a Lego store, one of the most eye-catching features are the rows of colorful circles along the back wall.  These are not a decoration, this is the Lego Pick-a-Brick (PAB) wall.  Each circular cavity contains hundreds or even thousands of copies of a single Lego building element.  These can be anything from blue 2x4 bricks or pink 1x1 round plates to space ship cockpits, barrels, and even horses! 

Depending on the size of the store there can be more than 200 PAB bins. When visiting the Lego store at Walt Disney World's Downtown Disney location, their PAB wall was 36 bins wide and 8 bins high!  In all fairness, there weren't 288 different Lego elements. Many of the bins were duplicates, and they normally only used the bottom 6 or 7 rows, using colorfully backlit photos to fill the rest. But all the same, it is a magical sight to behold.

The Cups

So the next question is "How Can I Take These Home?" This is where the PAB Cups come in.  There are two sizes of cups: Small and Large, costing $9 and $16 respectively.  All you do is pull the size cup out of the rack, jam in as much as you can and slap a cover on it.  The cover does not need to snap in place, just touch the top of the cup.  The store workers will gladly tape the cover on so it doesn't explode and fill the back seat of your car with Lego Goodness.

But are you getting the most for your money?  Have you filled every vacant space within the cup? Could you fit just a couple more 1x4 tiles along the side? 

The first time I filled a PAB cup was at the down town Chicago store.  Being a guy with good space evaluation skills I felt I was ready for the challenge!  I started clipping bricks and plates together and testing them inside the cup.  I kept at it until I had a fully packed PAB cup, leaving no additional space.  I was heading for the checkout when my wife called and asked where I was as more than two hours had passed... oops...  So, while I am confident that I Got My Money's Worth on that PAB cup, I'm not so sure about the relational costs though. (As an added note, it took me about 2hrs to get it apart too.)

If you search the internet, you can find tons of examples of how to get the most when filling the PAB cup, but when it comes to purchasing BRICKS, this is the best solution I have seen.

169 Bricks in a Large Cup

I don't know who first came up with this design, but it is as close to perfection as I've seen.  Getting 169 2x4 bricks into one large PAB cup is REALLY Cool and at ~10.5 cents per brick the cost is very reasonable. Another great thing about this procedure is that it only takes about 10-15 minutes to do it.

The diagram at right shows how to construct each level. The one trick it to rotate Level 1 90 degrees from the rest of the levels.
Once levels 1-6 are placed into the cup, you will need to apply some pressure to deform the cup sufficiently for the cap to touch the top edge of the cup.

84 Bricks in a Small Cup

If you don't need that many bricks, or you don't have the extra $7, or you just want a Small PAB cup, then you can use Levels 4-6 to get 84 bricks.  But, where I said you needed to apply some pressure to get the 169 bricks into the large cup, you need to apply a lot of pressure to get the 84 bricks into the small cup.  This may be enough pressure to actually crack the small cup.

Final Note

This design uses 2x4 bricks being aligned the same way.  This does make the levels rather unstable.  Rotating the bricks 90 degrees will still take up the same space, but will provide more stability. 

And you don't have to use just 2x4 brick.  The important thing is to keep the overall shape, with each level being 4 studs thick and the same number of studs per row.  So, instead of 169 2x4 bricks, you could get 338 1x4 bricks, Or 507 2x4 plates, OR 1,352 1x1 bricks! Although, 1x1 bricks really wouldn't hold together, but you get the idea.

Plastic Spoon

Tool Classification: Nondestructive Tool

Ok, this one is rather simple, but HEY, it works! 
Many of us store our Lego elements in various containers or multi-compartment storage units. A simple plastic spoon doesn't take up much space in your toolbox, but when you are digging for a small part it is a godsend!

Chopsticks

Tool Classification: Nondestructive Tool

I have found Chopsticks to be one of my favorite Lego tools. At one point I was watching a PBS special, and saw Japanese workers placing electronic components in the circuit board is using chopsticks.  I have always used chopsticks eating, but never thought to use them with my Lego.
Chopsticks are ideal for:

• Digging in small containers for specific parts. 
• For reaching into already constructed sections, and removing dislodged pieces, placing pieces, and pressing loose pieces into place.
• You don't need to use imported sets of painted and lacquered chopsticks, any disposable set of bamboo chopsticks got your last take-out meal are ideal.

And for those of you who say that you don't have the dexterity to use chopsticks, if 3 billion people can use them effectively every day, So Can You!

The Lego Brick Separator

Tool Classification: Nondestructive Tool

When you hear the phrase 'Lego Tool', the first thing that probably comes to mind is the Lego Brick Separator.  That funky piece of orange plastic is really a remarkable tool and I bet some its uses will surprise you.
While the tool is called a 'brick' separator, its really a 'plate' separator.  Who really needs help separating two bricks?
The orange brick separator has several obvious features:

• The front end has brick connection points allowing the tool to attach to the top or bottom of a Lego brick.
• It also sports a Technic axle sticking out of the top like a stubby unicorn-horn.  This is intended to help you push Technic axles out of other Technic parts.  I personally find this feature not very helpful and it gets in the way of other uses.
• One often-overlooked feature is the very thin prying section at the back end of the tool.  This is very helpful when prying up Lego tiles and depending on your hand strength can even be slipped between two plates.

Another thing to note is that the orange brick separator (96874) which has been included in more than 150 sets since it's 2012 release, is not the first version of this tool.  The original brick separator (6007) has been around since 1990, and while it doesn't have all the bells and whistles (Technic pin and prying section) that the new one does, in many ways it's still my favorite.

The Brick Separators and Their Uses

The first thing to note are the differences between the two separators.  As mentioned above, the orange tool has a Technic pin and a handy prying section, and the old tool is physically larger, but the biggest difference is the brick attachment angles.  The newer tool has a lower attachment angle, which in itself is not a bad thing, but it does make some things harder.

Introduction to
Olar's Lego Tools & Tips

Before I get started with the tools, I need to provide some framework.

What is a Tool?

• Dictionary Definition:
  Tool (n):
• An implement … for performing or facilitating mechanical operations.
• Anything used as a means of accomplishing a task or purpose
   
• My Definition:
• Anything that allows you to reduce the time or effort it takes to make your MOC a reality

Why Do We Use Tools?

I'm sure this question has been on your mind for a long time.  View the short video below and it may answer some of your questions...

 Why We Use Tools Video

Olar's Lego Tool Classifications:
 

My tool classifications are based on the Hippocratic Oath First Do No Harm Unless You Really Want To

	Non-Destructive Tools: Tools that perform their function with little to no risk of damaging the Lego Bricks.
	Potentially Destructive Tools: Tools that must be used carefully to ensure that they do not damage the Lego Bricks.
	Destructive Tools: Tools intended to permanently modify (damage) Lego Bricks. These tools must be used carefully and only under adult supervision.
	Ancillary Tools: Tools that do not directly interact with the assembly or disassembly of Lego Bricks, but that make the Lego building process run more smoothly.
	Philosophical Tools: These are methods or procedures that help you with the building process.

Welcome to
Olar's Lego Tools & Tips!

First I need to say, "I Love Lego!"

I came out of my dark ages about 3 years ago and have never looked back.  I originally posted a discussion on the AFOL16+ Flickr site asking what tools people use when working with their Lego bricks.  Since then I have done a presentation and Brickworld Chicago and decided to continue on with this theme.

I will be posting tools that I use when building my MOCs (My Own Creations) as well as tips and techniques I have picked up.

Feel free to comment or tell me about things you have learned!

Thanks

Olar Fin