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#2491 TECHNIQUE DISCUSSION: Birch trees

Most forest-y builds have the usual trees with brown trunks, but the MOCs we show today have a special touch. Birch trees are beautiful and unique trees with black and white stripes, which presents a variety of challenges to create using LEGO bricks. But these builders found a way, and we’ll break down the techniques for you!


Builds by @mountainhobbit @edge_of_bricks @ranghaal @tomaszbartoszek.art @hacimbricks and gGh0st on Flickr and js_customs581 on Reddit


Number 2491 TECHNIQUE DISCUSSION: Birch trees. Most forest-y builds have the usual trees with brown trunks, but the MOCs we show today have a special touch. Birch trees are beautiful and unique trees with black and white stripes, which presents a variety of challenges to create using LEGO bricks. But these builders found a way, and we’ll break down the techniques for you! Swipe for the stripe!

To start, official LEGO designers have tackled the birch tree, and their solutions are fantastic! In set 43242 Snow White Cottage, seaweed part 30093 form spindly branches and black angled bars make the stripes. In set 10270 Bookshop, layers of black technic double pins and white connectors make the trunk. The slit in the connectors allows a stripe of black to show through!

This gorgeous fall cottage by @mountainhobbit has an autumnal vibe with pumpkins and yellowed leaves on the birch trees. There is a super unique technique used for the branches here. Horns clip onto the leaves to form the branches. Some horns are not actually attached to the trunk! Trunks also become thinner as they go up, going from 2x2 round brick to cone to technic connector to candle to bar.

These two builds of classic birch trees by @edge_of_bricks and @ranghaal angle branches using two clever techniques. @edge_of_bricks uses a 1x1 with bar and a mechanical arm to angle this branch. 1x1 studs form the black stripes. @ranghaal has their branch rotated with a single stud connection between plates.

Both of these MOCs hide genius part use in their tree trunks! @tomaszbartoszek.art incorporates stud shooters, which are found towards the base, as are rubber bands and minifigure hands. gGh0st on Flickr hides a broom, which is rubber banded onto the trunk.

This great MOC by @hacimbricks combines many of the techniques seen in previous slides – NPU, rubber bands, and alternating black and white plates! This build is a bit thicker than the others, with a 2x2 footprint for the stocky trunk. To make the leaves more full, a bar connects leaves pieces. NPU comes into play with a life preserver piece in the trunk. Next to the main tree is a stump, with a 2x2 round plate for the top of a chopped tree.

Last but certainly not least is this gravity defying birch tree by js_customs581 on Reddit that slots a hose piece into a jumper plate! Did you know a minifigure hand can slot into the inside of a hose? These minifigure hands and rubber bands act as the black stripes! Which technique impressed you the most? Let us know in the comments!

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