How to build a brick tower crane
To build a brick tower crane, set blue bricks and gray ballast on a green plate, stack a red and white mast, add a long red jib, hang a gray counterweight and a yellow cab, build a yellow peak with a red light, then a black trolley, yellow hook and tan crate. 71 pieces, 7 steps, ages 10–13.
The tower crane build at a glance
| Pieces | 71 (26 kinds) |
|---|---|
| Steps | 7 |
| Ages | 10–13 |
| Colors | blue, red, white, yellow, light gray, dark blue, tan, black, green, clear |
| Finished size | 26 × 12 studs, about 19 cm (7.3 in) tall |
| Special pieces | None: plain plates and bricks |
Parts you need
8× blue 2×4 brick
6× red 2×2 brick
5× white 2×2 brick
5× yellow 2×2 brick
4× light gray 2×4 brick
4× red 2×4 brick
4× blue 1×4 brick
4× dark blue 1×4 brick
4× light gray 2×2 brick
4× red 1×4 brick
2× light gray 2×8 brick
2× tan 2×4 brick
2× white 1×8 brick
2× yellow 2×4 brick
2× white 1×4 brick
2× black 1×2 brick
2× white 1×2 brick
1× green 2×8 brick
1× red 2×8 brick
1× white 2×6 brick
1× green 4×8 plate
1× white 2×4 brick
1× black 2×2 brick
1× red 1×2 brick
1× clear 1×2 brick
1× yellow 1×2 brick
Step-by-step instructions
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1 The strong cross base
Lay the green plate down and add blue bricks. Put long legs out in four directions and gray ballast blocks in the corners so it can't tip!
Find: 8 blue 2×4 bricks, 4 light gray 2×2 bricks, 2 yellow 2×4 bricks, 2 white 1×4 bricks, 1 green 2×8 brick, 1 green 4×8 plate
Did you know? Real tower cranes stand on a concrete foundation that can weigh more than 100 tonnes.
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2 The tall striped mast
Stack ten little square bricks right in the middle, red then white. Your mast grows taller than your hand!
Find: 5 red 2×2 bricks, 5 white 2×2 bricks
Did you know? Tower crane masts are built from steel sections, and the crane can lift new sections to make itself taller.
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3 The long red jib
Lay gray and white long bricks across the mast top. Then cover them with red bricks so no gaps line up. The long arm points forward!
Find: 4 red 2×4 bricks, 2 light gray 2×8 bricks, 1 red 2×8 brick, 1 white 2×6 brick, 1 white 2×4 brick, 1 red 2×2 brick
Did you know? The long arm is called the jib, and the short arm behind it is the counter-jib.
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4 Counterweight and cab
Hang four gray bricks under the short arm. That's the heavy counterweight! Then tuck the yellow cab with its clear window under the front.
Find: 4 light gray 2×4 bricks, 1 yellow 2×2 brick, 1 clear 1×2 brick, 1 yellow 1×2 brick
Did you know? Counterweights are big concrete blocks that balance the load so the crane doesn't tip forward.
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5 The pointy peak
Stack three yellow squares on the jib above the mast. Lay two long white bricks across the top, then add the red warning light!
Find: 3 yellow 2×2 bricks, 2 white 1×8 bricks, 1 red 1×2 brick
Did you know? Cranes have red lights on top so airplanes and helicopters can see them at night.
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6 Stepped tie bars
Build little staircases of thin bricks from the white top down to each arm. Every step hides under the one above!
Find: 4 blue 1×4 bricks, 4 dark blue 1×4 bricks, 4 red 1×4 bricks
Did you know? Tie bars pull up on the jib like strings, so a long arm can be held up without bending.
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7 Trolley, hook and load
Snap the black trolley under the middle of the jib. Hang a thin black-and-white rope, then the yellow hook and the tan crate swinging high in the air!
Find: 2 tan 2×4 bricks, 2 black 1×2 bricks, 2 white 1×2 bricks, 1 black 2×2 brick, 1 yellow 2×2 brick
Did you know? The trolley rolls along the jib on wheels, moving the hook closer to or farther from the mast.
Questions parents ask
How many pieces do you need for a brick tower crane?
71: 8 blue 2×4 bricks, 6 red 2×2 bricks, 5 white 2×2 bricks and 23 more kinds. The full list is in “Parts you need”.
Are these tower crane instructions free?
Yes. Every step is on this page.
What if I’m missing a color?
Use a brick of the same size in another color. The shapes hold the model together; the colors are only for looks.
