With all the incredible LEGO blind bag minifigs starting to pile up around here, I felt the need to find a good way to display some of my favorites. The obvious solution is to build something out of LEGO, but I wanted something that would take up the bare minimum of space and not topple over easily. I came up with an extremely simple solution, but it works great! Check it out…
The display base is barely over a half inch deep, so it can be used on a surface as shallow as a windowsill!
Materials: wood trim, white glue, spray paint, 1×10 LEGO strips
Step 1: Measure the length of the LEGO strips that you want to use. I used five black 1×10 LEGO strips, which made for a combined length of 14 1/2 inches. Cut the wood trim to that length.
Step 2: Spray paint the wood strip. I used black paint with black LEGO strips, but you could use any color you’d like.
Step 3: Once the paint is dry, glue the LEGO strips to the top of the wood trim.
That’s all there is to it. Simple!
The wood trim I used is only 5/8″ deep, so it can easily rest on top of an area as narrow as a door jamb. Try doing this with just a LEGO base, and it will be raining minifigs! The wood trim gives the base the weight it needs to keep the minifgs from falling over.
I made a bunch of these bases in just a few minutes. Here are a couple of them I have on display that sit atop a strip of chair rail moulding. Eventually, I’ll probably make a stackable display of some sort where these strips can be interchanged, but I’ll save that DIY project for another day!
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Tommy says
September 19, 2012 at 3:35 pmGreat idea, Brian!
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 3:44 pmThanks Tommy!
Dex (@Dex1138) says
September 19, 2012 at 3:43 pmCool! I’ve been thinking of ways to make something similar but only using LEGO.
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 3:44 pmI really tried to make something strictly with LEGO but it never had enough weight to keep from tipping over.
harleyvj says
September 19, 2012 at 4:11 pmThat is a killer idea, thanks! I will be making one of these.
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 4:20 pmExcellent! Let me know how it turns out.
BubbaShelby says
September 19, 2012 at 4:12 pmAwesome display solution!
I’ve taken a few of those large flat ‘ground’ pieces and hung them frame-like from the wall, then add bricks to the backs of the figures’ legs and display them that way.
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 4:21 pmThat sounds like a great way to display them. How did you hang the large flats? Drill a hole through it, or something more elaborate?
BubbaShelby says
September 19, 2012 at 6:51 pmNo, I just used a piece with a space in it (a trailer hitch type piece or something) and clipped it to the top, and put a nail through the space in the piece. No drilling or modification or anything, just using the legos as they are naturally designed!
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 7:10 pmGenius. 😉
Howie Decker says
September 19, 2012 at 4:30 pmThis is awesome – and ironic, since I just built my first Minifig stand this past weekend. I built a 4 tiered stand out of LEGOs, but it took time and a lot of bricks. It’s also too deep for a shallow shelf. Love your idea, might have to build one for each series of Minifigs!
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 4:51 pmDo it! (Though your solution sounds pretty good too!)
jboypacman says
September 19, 2012 at 5:01 pmThat’s pretty slick Brian!
Charles Pechonick says
September 19, 2012 at 8:13 pmI built a lego shelf out of an old tape cassette rack over the summer… already out of room on it though…
http://geekshowink.com/blog/?page_id=260
Brian says
September 19, 2012 at 11:20 pmNow I need to hit the yard sales to find one of those cases. 😉
Charles Pechonick says
September 20, 2012 at 10:32 amyou know, I use to see them ALL the time. Now that I want to build a second one, can not find a single one! so frustrated!
shezcrafti says
September 19, 2012 at 8:47 pmI’ll have to make one of these if and when LEGO ever comes out with TMNT minifigs!
kngfu says
September 19, 2012 at 10:51 pmVery cool!
Mike Gutierrez says
September 20, 2012 at 4:43 pmBrilliant!
Will says
September 21, 2012 at 10:51 amWish I’d seen this a week ago! I just built a bleacher system out of Mega Bloks. It’s heavy and won’t fit on a shallow shelf. Plus, I only have room for about 4 more figures. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but I’m sure the fiancee would love something that takes up less space, like the ones you created. Curses!
Brian says
September 21, 2012 at 10:57 amAll these comments are making me want to do a follow-up post where everyone shows the shelves they constructed!
Gary doss says
November 17, 2013 at 3:51 pmIf you also have a growing LEGO Minifigure collection, let me suggest the new Brick Rack display case.
It will hold, organize and display 175+ minifigures.
Examples at http://www.brickrack.com
Brian says
November 17, 2013 at 9:06 pmCool idea!