Member-only story
MAKERS
A Lego Addict Learns Simple Mechanisms
My journey of building a Lego steering system
I have been a Lego addict ever since I got my first taste in 2002. I remember rushing to the Christmas tree in my light blue saggy pajamas and tearing off the glittery gift wrapping like a rabid animal. Layer by layer, the red, green, and yellow paper flew out in a frenzy until I laid my eyes on the Lego set 4714: Gringott’s bank.
It was a very simple set with a few pieces attached together to form a classic scene from the Harry Potter movies. I built it up, played around with it for a bit, then smashed it to pieces the very next day. I was bored with the same drab playset and wanted to create my own masterpiece.
I stacked brick on brick creating spaceships, misshapen monsters, and weird designs that made sense only to the mind of a child. I would make, break, and make again — more than a thousand creations spanning over a decade. But, as I grew older, lego has become more than child’s play. It has become a vehicle for me to explore the engineering designs we see every day.
Starting My Journey
I wanted to start by building something functional and simple. After daydreaming for what felt like an hour, the image of a car popped into my head along with a…