Legolopnik

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 02/17/2020 at 17:42 • Filed to: Legolopnik

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Pretty much every Lego set these days comes with this Lego whatchamacallit. I suppose they count it as one of the pieces. Have any of you Lego-ers ever used it? I never have. I usually just pitch it out.

CB > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:44

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I have a bunch. I usually use a knife to separate the tough pieces.

Khalbali > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:47

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I’ve used it, works pretty decent actually, I’m a terrible nail-biter so it's a lifesaver for me.

facw > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:47

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I saw this in a kit I bought for a friend’s daughter and thought it was neat and might save some fingernails. I’ve never actually tried to use one though.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:47

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I have used them. They sometimes work. When they don’t, it’s fingernails, and in desperate times use your teeth. (I know I’m a monster) 

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:47

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They come in handy for pushing studs out

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:49

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When I was a kid and played with Lego daily, these things got used often.

Tekamul > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:51

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Definitely useful.  I wish they existed when I was a kid.  It would’ve kept some teeth marks off my 2 x 10 plates.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:51

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Yup...when I played with Lego a lot as kid I used them, but...

*puts on his old man hat*

Back in MY day, we didn’t have no stinkin’ fancy brightly colored orange brick separators with stud removers! If you wanted a brick separator, you’d get it in any color as long as it was GRAY and we had to separate our own damn studs, thank you very much!

shop-teacher > Khalbali 02/17/2020 at 17:52

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Same here on both counts.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/17/2020 at 17:53

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I still have that one. It blew my mind when it came out.

oldmxer > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 17:57

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it’a multi tool for getting things apart, i am in the middle of this with my grandson now, i don’t have to use it so much yet, he’s only 2 and he thinks he should drop ever ything i build to watch it come apart

ttyymmnn > CB 02/17/2020 at 17:59

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Yup. My little Swiss army knife is perfect for that. 

Tripper > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:04

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No I just torture my fingers

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/17/2020 at 18:05

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Oooh yeah I remember the grey ones!

I think they went with orange to make them easier to find. 

shop-teacher > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:06

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I don't use them often, but when you've got a stubborn piece they're pretty clutch.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/17/2020 at 18:07

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Also, when these first came out, you had to buy them. They didn't just come with sets. I think I paid 4 or 5 bucks for mine 

Chariotoflove > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:08

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Never seen that before.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:10

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Element separator. Yes. I have a couple dozen.

ttyymmnn > shop-teacher 02/17/2020 at 18:10

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Funny you should say that. Lego calls t he way that the bricks stick together   “clutch.” It’s what separates Lego from the cheap knock-off bricks. The tube was added to the underside of the brick to increase the clutch. This also explains why the Lego quasi-superhero guy is named Clutch Powers.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/help/bricks-building/brick-facts/how-do-lego-bricks-work-408100000009086

https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/help/bricks-building/brick-facts/comparing-lego-bricks-plates-and-duplo-bricks-408100000008378

ttyymmnn > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 02/17/2020 at 18:11

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Of course it has an official name. I use my Swiss army knife in a pinch. 

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:14

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My go-to if these fail is also orange:

ttyymmnn > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 02/17/2020 at 18:16

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My element separator. It’s never let me down. The blade is thin enough to get in most joints without scratching up the bricks. The tweezers also come in handy for doing stickers, though I usually use a larger pair. 

facw > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:19

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The tweezers also come in handy for doing stickers 

Unless your knife is brand new, I think you are lying, I’ve never seen a Swiss Army Knife keep it’s tweezers for any length of time :P

I do assume I could order a 500-pack of knockoff tweezers from China for $10 these days though...

Meanwhile that nail file would come in handy when you tear a nail separating pieces by hand.

facw > oldmxer 02/17/2020 at 18:20

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I mean spectacular brick explosions are half the fun...

nFamousCJ - Keeper of Stringbean, Gengars and a Deezul > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:25

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That's what teeth were for. 

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher 02/17/2020 at 18:28

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I think we still have 4 around somewhere that came with a few sets!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > shop-teacher 02/17/2020 at 18:28

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The ones I have (I think we have like...4 between my brother and I) came with sets, so I guess we got ours a bit after they arrived on the scene!

ttyymmnn > facw 02/17/2020 at 18:30

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I still have the tweezers and the t oothpick! On this knife. I have at least two others   that is missing at least  one or the other.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:39

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That’s a gastafanator, also known at a takeraparter.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/17/2020 at 18:41

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Unrelated but always related:

I need to buy 10-inch blades for my table saw and chop saw. How many teeth? I’m leaning toward 40T on the table saw and 60T for the chop saw. What say you?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:42

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Many of my 8s have teeth marks.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Khalbali 02/17/2020 at 18:43

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I use my teeth and many of my Lego bricks have teeth marks. Not really...

ttyymmnn > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/17/2020 at 18:49

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I thought it was a Flicknauer. 

punkgoose17 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/17/2020 at 18:51

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Before the grey separator we had to use our teeth or the bricks were just stuck that way forever.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > punkgoose17 02/17/2020 at 18:52

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Sounds accurate! :P

jminer > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 18:52

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I used to just always use a knife, but those are great for separating plate bricks from each other.

shop-teacher > punkgoose17 02/17/2020 at 18:53

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I have so many bricks with tooth marks on them ... So many.

shop-teacher > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 02/17/2020 at 18:53

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Well, I'm a bit older than you are.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/17/2020 at 18:56

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I always buy 60T for both. 40T is kinda rough. It’d be good if you’re ripping wet lumber  or something where you need a bit more rip and a bit less smoothness.

A Boy and His Longtail > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 02/17/2020 at 19:06

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Is this the time to be pedantic? I dunno maybe. Anyways, the official name is a Brick Separator .

https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/brick-separator-630

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 19:09

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I usually dont throw them out, which means I have a dozen or so sitting around 

ttyymmnn > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/17/2020 at 19:10

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I throw them out because I have a dozen or so sitting around.

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > A Boy and His Longtail 02/17/2020 at 19:14

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Odd, I remember seeing it as element separator the first time I saw it. I wonder if they changed the name.

Thisismydisplayname > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 19:29

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They work better than teeth

zipfuel > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 19:42

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Love these things, of course most of our Lego sets are used by my kids as toys so take-apart and rebuild is c onstant. I really like being able to break the fiddly bits without resorting to teeth...

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 20:11

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It’s called a brick-breaker and as a guy who collects architecture legos religiously but only has space to display 2 at a time, I also use them religiously. They’re exceptionally good once you understand how to use them. The sharp end is for removing tiles from studs since LEGO only sells tiles with grooves now (the groove is specifically for brick-breakers). The other end is removing studs from studs. If you can’t get 2 flats to split (especially 2x1’s) mount the bottom one on something larger and sort of push the brick breaker  toward the seam as you’re prying. Then pop the first one off. I take apart multi-thousand piece sets and never chip my nails. 

Khalbali > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/17/2020 at 20:13

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I definitely did that as a kid, my mom got rid of all my childhood Lego though so all I have now are newer sets I've bought as an adult.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Khalbali 02/17/2020 at 20:19

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There was a Lego starter set that lived under Grandma’s couch my entire childhood which meant it showed up more than 50 years ago. When they cleared out Grandma’s house, none of my cousins was as sentimental as I am, and all the memories went out either in a yard sale or in a dumpster.

ttyymmnn > notsomethingstructural 02/17/2020 at 21:38

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I mentioned to my wife the other day that I would like to get some Lego set or other. She said, “You don’t have room for it.” I replied, “You say that like it’s a problem.”

feather-throttle-not-hair > Tekamul 02/17/2020 at 21:46

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When these came out I was juuuust kinda at the end of my (1st) lego phase and it completely blew my mind. I too had been using teeth and fingernails as a child.

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 22:11

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I know logically, that's the thing to do, but I cant do it. 

ttyymmnn > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/17/2020 at 22:45

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I find it extremely hard to throw out Legos, even the extra little useless pieces that come with the sets. 

Cash Rewards > A Boy and His Longtail 02/17/2020 at 22:48

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It’s always time to be pedantic

functionoverfashion > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 22:53

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We have a bunch, and call them Take-apart-inators because Phineas and Ferb... every invention of the villain of that show is some kind of “-inator” it’s pretty funny actually, some good jokes that the kids don’t pick up on. 

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 22:58

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I have quite a stash so they end up in that. 

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 02/17/2020 at 23:10

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Yeah man just get 5-6 bankers boxes and fill em up and keep them on top of the armoire because you’re terrified they’ll be damaged in a flood even though you live in a 3rd floor apartment

What I’m saying is it’s a really short road to total delusion and it all starts exactly the way you’ve described

ttyymmnn > Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap 02/17/2020 at 23:31

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We have three large storage buckets full of Legos. It started with one storage bucket that was gifted to us. Lots of old castle pieces, horses, knights, etc. We added to it steadily over the years. However, most of it is specialized set pieces, and there aren’t enough basic building bricks. But then again, none of us is all that creative. 

ttyymmnn > functionoverfashion 02/17/2020 at 23:33

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That’s a great show. My boys watched it bunch when they were younger. “I know what we’re gonna do today!”

A Boy and His Longtail > Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. 02/18/2020 at 00:44

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It may have been at one point, I can’t say for certain. I’ve always known it to be a brick separator, but I suppose it could have been called something else before or maybe it’s called something else elsewhere. That would be curious if it did have a name change, though 

DC3 LS, Fuck Hyundai, now and forever > ttyymmnn 02/18/2020 at 01:19

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I think it’s designed to be the most painful one to step on.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn 02/18/2020 at 10:05

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Clutch has definitely decreased from when I was a kid...

Having strong fingernails with a little exposed edge is pretty “clutch” when it comes to taking apart LEGO pieces.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ttyymmnn 02/18/2020 at 10:08

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Tweezers for sticker?! Brilliant.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 10:32

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Do you have a favorite brand?

ttyymmnn > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 02/18/2020 at 10:33

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Yup. And I’ll often attach the sticker piece to some other part of the model to make it easier to hold. And always put the sticker on before attaching the part to the model. 

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/18/2020 at 10:55

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I like Diablo blades. There are better blades out there, but Diablo is a good reasonably priced blade. I’m not good enough to rate dropping $100+ on a Forrest blade.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 11:44

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Diablo is a very common brand that I’ve bought a number of times. I am happy to have your product endorsement on that. Thank you for the 4-1-1.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/18/2020 at 14:50

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Yeah, it’s nice that you can get a decent blade at any Home Dumpo.  DeWalt blades are pretty good too.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 15:32

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I was thinking the same thing.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 15:38

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Oh, you mean Home Despot?

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 16:15

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What’s different about a “slide” blade? Compound mitre saws, yes, but how are the blades different?

Also, would you rate a DeWalt blade as comparable to the Diablo?

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/18/2020 at 16:41

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Also yes.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/18/2020 at 16:42

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The rake angle (I think that’s the right term, but I don’t have time to look it up right now) on the teeth are slightly different.  The idea is to keep the saw coming back at you, I think.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > shop-teacher 02/18/2020 at 21:38

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Diablo was cheaper on Amazon -- $35 -- versus $40 at the Despot.

shop-teacher > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 02/18/2020 at 22:11

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Good to know. I never think of ordering stuff like that.