How do you display minifigs?

All_That_Rocks

LuLego said:

Does the job. I hate to promote Blox over Lego but it seemed wrong to cut genuine lego baseplates to size.

The problem I’ve found (and this would have been the same with real lego) was sticking the baseplate to the felt backing on the kasseby unit. I used double sided tape and it seems to have stuck, for now.

@andhe

Thanks for this @Lulego . I've adopted this method and liking the result.

stlux

Finally also started getting frames for my minifigs. Started with this one:

GIR3691

Having parted out a ton of Clearance Brickheadz, I've built up a good supply of the 22885 SNOT brick. They're perfect for doing an absolute bare-bones minifig display system. Stick a bunch on a baseplate, and then use a Command strip to stick the baseplate to the wall.

datsunrobbie

For most minifigures I just use a 3004 1x2 brick and attach to the back of the legs. The 22885 brick will be very useful for the ones that did not fit on 3004. Thanks for the tip.

Switchfoot55

Although technically not minifigs, I'm currently dreaming up plans on how to display my Brickheadz collection and wanted to see if anyone had any photos or thoughts on how to achieve this? 

I was at a local craft store recently where I've picked up some frames to display my minifigs before at great prices. I saw a shadow-box type frame they had which had nine compartments. I instantly thought this would be a great option and would allow me to buy multiples of said frame and group themes together in a nice way. However, the compartments were only 3" (7.62 CM) square. 

I don't own a massive amount of Brickheadz and have only a handful built with another 10-15 waiting to be built. But even the ones I have were taller than 3". Which means I either have to find a larger compartment frame, or think of other options. 

So, thoughts? Suggestions?

jnscoelho

@Switchfoot55 I'm using DUPLO bricks to build a sort of display. It's still very preliminary, but goes something like this:
I have to increase the height between levels and make 2 or 3 more levels to fit the shelf and to display all that I currently have...

jnscoelho

The idea is to do something similar to this:

PJ76uk

Switchfoot55 said:

Although technically not minifigs, I'm currently dreaming up plans on how to display my Brickheadz collection and wanted to see if anyone had any photos or thoughts on how to achieve this? 

I was at a local craft store recently where I've picked up some frames to display my minifigs before at great prices. I saw a shadow-box type frame they had which had nine compartments. I instantly thought this would be a great option and would allow me to buy multiples of said frame and group themes together in a nice way. However, the compartments were only 3" (7.62 CM) square. 

I don't own a massive amount of Brickheadz and have only a handful built with another 10-15 waiting to be built. But even the ones I have were taller than 3". Which means I either have to find a larger compartment frame, or think of other options. 

So, thoughts? Suggestions?

I use IKEA Besta cabinets to store the majority of my Lego builds and IKEA Kasseby Display boxes for my minifigures* but soon I may need another solution for my growing collection of Brickheads. Currently considering IKEA Sammanhang Display Boxes, need to purchase one then make some modifications like shelving, recolour etc.


*I made custom shelving out of wood sprayed black and glued into the frame with Mayka Toy Block Tape running the length of the shelves.

JooTog

@Switchfoot55 I am using the Ninjago display boxes. Although they are not technically stackable, I do have four of them on top of each other :-)

Picture is from the very first one. Let me know if you want to see the stack of four and I can take a picture when I get back home.

Hard to see in the picture, but the black plates are not directly placed on the gray plates; I used four 1x1 round plates for each figure.

I've been thinking about removing the black plates (and the round plates I added) and put the "base" tiles directly on the gray plates.
 

Switchfoot55

@JooTog, I like the look of that. If you'd be able to take a picture of them stacked, that would be great!

JooTog

Switchfoot55 said:

@JooTog, I like the look of that. If you'd be able to take a picture of them stacked, that would be great!

Here. I forgot that half of them still have CMF. The Batman ones are suppose to vacate the display and move to their own frame :-)

I had no issues with the displays "stacked", but they are very isolated (e.g. no bumps).

soothe777

I made this for some of my minifigs. I have since added a bottom row as the gap was a bit too big.

Onebricktoomany

^ must look like a chicken wing to the shark!

Brixfan02

Onebricktoomany said:

^ must look like a chicken wing to the shark!

That one took me a minute (:

SumoLego

Onebricktoomany said:

^ must look like a chicken wing to the shark!

More like a drumstick. 

I am starting to take interest in how folks arrange minifigure collections.  Totally confused as to how the Butterfly Girl and Chicken Man snuck in there...

soothe777

I am starting to take interest in how folks arrange minifigure collections.  Totally confused as to how the Butterfly Girl and Chicken Man snuck in there...

I change up the figures all the time. I only bought a few figures from that series with the butterfly girl and who doesn’t love the Easter chicken.  

nexander

Gave my first minifig display a bash and very happy how it turned out. More importantly the wife is too as its for her!

sguser

My 644 slots Star Wars minifig display. Still have around 70 remaining slots to fill though...

PJ76uk

sguser said:

My 644 slots Star Wars minifig display. Still have around 70 remaining slots to fill though...

Wow, just wow...

Is it a custom frame you made yourself?

Keilup

PJ76uk said:

Wow, just wow...

What he (she?) said...

Bosstone100

@PJ76uk - what are the dimensions on that sucker? Looks huge. 

SumoLego

It looks even bigger in-person.

SumoLego

sguser said:

My 644 slots Star Wars minifig display. Still have around 70 remaining slots to fill though...

Looks like a sideways door!

sguser

 @PJ76uk - I got my carpenter to custom-make the display with a single piece flip-down tempered glass door with aluminium frame to hold the glass (which is extremely heavy).

@Bosstone100 - The acrylic backing to mount the minifig measures 225 cm (length) x 100cm (height) for 46 columns x 14 rows (total 644 minifigs). It was custom-made by a very talented fellow Lego fan, whom I have previously bought smaller versions for my Ikea Ribba frames

sguser

This was how the acrylic board looked like (before mounting) after fixing in all the 4x4 (yes, it's not a typo) minifig base plates. Quite a tedious task trying to fit in all 644 pieces of the base plates into the laser-cut slots 

Decided to share this since I've not seen similarly sized displays being done before by anyone

Addicted2Oxygen

That is a very impressive display frame @sguser. Very jealous ;)

sguser

SumoLego said:

Looks like a sideways door!

Yes, it's like a glass door with aluminium frame mounted sideway - With door hinges along the top margin

sid3windr

That looks amazing @sguser !

Keilup

sguser said:

Quite a tedious task trying to fit in all 644 pieces of the base plates into the laser-cut slots

Laser-cut.  Wow sounds tedious to get it lined up so well.  So is there a dab of glue to hold each 4x4 in the slot or is it cut so well that they wedge in nicely?

This thing really is a beauty.

PJ76uk

Must be a pain for @sguser to keep moving around the figures every time a new print of a figure came out!

sguser

Keilup said:

Laser-cut.  Wow sounds tedious to get it lined up so well.  So is there a dab of glue to hold each 4x4 in the slot or is it cut so well that they wedge in nicely?

The laser-cutting work is very impressive! All the slots are consistent and precisely sized and allowed me to nicely wedge in the 4x4 minifig base plates without the need for glue. 

However, these 4x4 plates (right in photo below) that I used are not Lego made ones - I believe Lego only makes 4x3 plates (left in photo below). I bought these Lego-compatible plates from a china seller on AliExpress. 

I used 4x4 plates instead of Lego's 4x3 plates as the extra row gives me more space to fit in the bulkier minifigs (eg those with backpacks etc)

However, due to probable quality control issues, only about 85% of the plates are perfectly made and fitted tightly; The remaining 15% of the plates were too thin and were too loose when I tried fitting them in. 

I just put aside these "faulty" plates and used those 85% of the plates that fitted tightly. 

Thankfully I ordered quite a lot more plates to allow me to do this.

samtheq

Very nice! I'm curious--no Jabba? Also, why did you decide on 644? Because that was the available space? What about room for growth?

SumoLego

samtheq said:

Also, why did you decide on 644?

That is the answer to the equation.

sguser

samtheq said:

Very nice! I'm curious--no Jabba? Also, why did you decide on 644? Because that was the available space? What about room for growth?

You have very sharp eyes! Both versions of Jabba is still sitting on the shelf inside their unopened boxes (#4480 & #9516).

Also, why did you decide on 644? Because that was the available space? What about room for growth?

I settled on a 44 columns x 14 rows layout to create enough space between minifigs without feeling too overcrowded. In this case, it's 15mm space between 2 columns of plates and 69mm height between 2 rows of plates

The max number of minifigs that I could theoretically pack into the same area is actually 58 columns (with 5mm space between each plate) and 18-19 rows (with 50-53mm height between each rows (total 1044 - 1102 slots). 

But that would mean:-

(a) The acrylic board is potentially much more fragile due to the tiny connecting space between the laser-cut slots

(b) There will be insufficient height to fit some of the taller minifigs with larger head gear or longer weapons

(c) Aesthetic-wise, it'll not be too pleasing as it'll look too sparse with only 60-70% of slots filled up ( with my current minifig collection), and too over-crowded when fully populated with the 1000+ minifigs

As for space for future growth, I'm planning to move out the astromechs & droids to smaller 50cm x 50cm Ikea Ribba frames with similar design for base plates insertion

sguser

Like this 77-slot display of mine:-

SumoLego

sguser said:

I think I just got an idea of how to dress up the risers on my basement stairs!

sguser

Just wondering if anyone here labels their minifig collection that is on display?

Maybe something like the photo below that was mentioned in another post https://forum.brickset.com/discussion/25020/star-wars-mini-figure-display-labels  quite some time back? 

Unfortunately the original poster @Bromwich has not been active for the past 11 months.

I'm thinking of embarking on enhancing my display in a similar way and hope that you can share your personal experience / suggestions on how to obtain / make the labels.

Bosstone100

Probably a lot cheaper than mine. I was getting times printed for each figure at $2 a pop.

CCC

It looks like LEGO are getting in on the display frame game now too ...

(seen on EB)

andhe

Yeah saw this on thebrickfan the other day. I guessing the frame won't be of as substantial quality as an 'actual' picture frame (ie wood). Weren't the batman/avengers ones cardboard? Fun fig though the studmuffin joke seems a bit adult-oriented.

stlux

Looks like the #853611 (Marvel) and #853638 (TLBM) frames, but without the Super Heroes branding. Relatively flimsy, and no protection from dust. Main draw is that inflatable duck without the Batman/Joker branding from the TLBM CMF's.

datsunrobbie

I put this together yesterday to help with sorting. Made from a $2 plastic dry-erase board, 132 1x2 bricks, and a bottle of Loc Tite Professional Super Glue. 

Bosstone100

^ looks pretty good although I'd be a little about cracking legs like that. 

sguser

I usually sort my minifigs on a couple of 48x48 grey base plates. But I can see this is a cheap & space-saving way as a temporary placement for sorting out the minifigs.

But probably not a long term solution from dust, UV light & curious little fingers unless it can be enclosed by some sort of cover.

I’ve never tried putting minifigs this way (studs to receiver holes at the back of the minifig leg), not sure whether the risk of cracking legs is higher with repeated putting in & pulling out? Anyone with experience displaying your minifigs this way?

datsunrobbie

I also use this off-brand board I found at Savers for sorting. The 1x2 bricks tend to come off the board before letting go of the legs. I have not noticed any cracking, but my eyes are not that great close-up. I've actually been putting a bunch of figures on the board, taking a picture, and then use a Nabi Big Tab 20 to blow up the picture so I can see what I'm sorting. 

kbw

My minifigure situation has quickly gotten out of hand. This has been a nice thread to scroll through and get some ideas. Not sure how I want to yet - DIY or just buying something. There’s the whole situation with organizing these things too, which requires some thought imo. At any rate, it’s cool looking at everyone's collections and displays.  

SumoLego

This thread can give you all sorts of interesting and expensive ideas for displaying minifigures.

kbw

SumoLego said:

This thread can give you all sorts of interesting and expensive ideas for displaying minifigures.

Indeed. I have also noticed that most threads are quite effective at delivering interesting and expensive ideas in general 

stlux

Added extra seating to the towers of #75956 Quidditch Match to display the HP CMF's:



With some Hogwarts Houses over-represented (well, Gryffindor) and other characters not belonging to any House, distribution is not perfect but will do for now.

Inspired by the Quidditch match by Eurobricks member aukevin here.

stlux

Assembled my SDCC Unikitties and expanded my Unikitty display a bit.

Not sure whether Apocalypseburg Unikitty/Super Angry Kitty/Unisithy would win in a fight (or maybe Camouflage Unikitty would beat them with a surprise attack?), so appointed N-POP Girl to reign over them all.



Still some work to do:

• Needs more pink/flowers/general fluffiness 
• Need to get parts to build Unikitties to display the alternate faces of the SDCC Unikitties
• Put it all somewhere dust-free