The LEGO® 1x1x2/3 Plate with Open Stud

Is it a brick? Is it a plate? No, it's…both? 

Last December we were introduced to a new member of the 1x1 family: the LEGO® Minecraft candle, aka Plate 1 x 1 x 2/3 with Open Stud (86996). My initial reaction to this stocky newcomer was that it would undoubtedly be useful, but how exactly? Today it's my task to find out.

Products in this article were provided by LEGO®; the author's opinions are their own.

It has appeared in 20 sets so far in a respectable, albeit fairly muted, range of colours:

• Black (6388352)
• White (6383985)
• Yellowish Green (6382547)
• Olive Green (6382541)
• Medium Nougat (6383946)
• Dark Orange (6382577)
• Red (6397571)

I’ve yet to acquire the most recent addition (Red) which was released in June, though I’m more interested in the Medium Stone Grey (6401023) ones. They have been spied in the upcoming 76911 007 Aston Martin DB5 which Kev recently reviewed, and also 10305 Lion Knights' Castle which Ben reviewed on Monday. The castle actually comes with 83 of the Medium Stone Grey, and in what feels like some kind of terrible tease, also includes a solitary one in Dark Stone Grey (6388133)!

Aside from White, I felt the initial colours available were a bit limiting so I was excited to see Black ones show up as this year progressed. With no Bricks & Pieces to rely on any more, I hunted for a set that included them in a decent quantity. 

I know, I know. Any excuse to get a LEGO Speed Champions set right? Fortunately 76909 Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance & Mercedes-AMG Project One contains a whopping 18 1x1x2/3 plates, so I don't feel too guilty about it. If you're grabbing one too, consider using our affiliate links; New Elementary may get a commission: USA LEGO Shop | Australia LEGO Shop | UK LEGO Shop/for Europe 'Change region'.

Given the crazy techniques the theme typically offers I was a little disappointed to see them as mundane filler brick to negate the use of stacked 1x1 plates. Then it hit me - the element's generic use is actually one of the best things about it because it'll be fairly easy to acquire - something not often true with new parts. 

 

Hopefully it will be commonplace in all our collections soon so I guess we should find out what it's good for!

Analysing the 1x1x⅔ Plate (86996)

I’ll start with a speedy-quick recap of my initial analysis from my review of 80108 Lunar New Year Traditions. 

As I alluded to earlier, It's basically two 1x1 plates on top of each other but with the exciting addition of an open stud, originally intended to accommodate the extended base of the small flame element as seen in Minecraft sets. It's also the latest in a small family of ⅔ of a plate high 1x1 elements. Technically there’s a family member missing from my line up though…

Rotate a headlight brick by 90° and it too is two plates tall with an open stud on top and an antistud below. It's almost as if someone chopped bits off a headlight brick to make the new plate - more on that later.

On the hunt for techniques I kept realising that a pair of apollo studs (1x1 round plates with open stud) would often get the job done just as easily, and with greater clutch power. Where the new element does come in handy is when you need a secure bar connection without sacrificing the look of a nice flat surface. A good example of this can be found on the wingtip of Buzz Lightyear’s XL-15 Spaceship which I recently reviewed.

Similarly it's great for compact stud reversal in areas that can’t be hidden away. This works particularly well with the 2L bar also introduced last year as you're not left with any excess bar to contend with. Had the 1x1x2/3 plate been around at the time, I suspect this technique would have been used in place of the 4 apollo studs on Hedwig's tail feathers from 76391 Hogwarts Icons Collectors Edition.

During my initial analysis I mused about threading a bunch onto a flex tube to create some fancy brick arches and architectural details. Now that the quantity in my possession exceeds a grand total of one, I can try that idea out.

Tom Loftus' MOCs inspired by the 1X1X2/3 Plate

Riverside Stroll

Watch me eat my words about the other colours not holding much potential. Here I used them all at least once to represent weathered and water-stained areas on this riverside vignette - Yellowish Green and Olive Green at the base of the arch and Dark Orange and Medium Nougat on the brick wall. I even snuck a black one into the Jonas Kramm-inspired lamp post build.

Headlight Workshop 

Of course I would never actually deface a headlight brick! However, the mental image of a kit-bashed origin story for the plate compelled me to make it in the brick. Bragging rights to whoever can guess the part I used for the disembodied stud on the work bench. You may also be able to spot a couple of elements that will feature in an upcoming parts festival - it'll be out of this world. Speaking of...

The Space Ranger

With the film's recent release and having revisited the XL-15 earlier, I was itching to build something Lightyear related. The 1x1x2/3 plate proved to be the catalyst I needed. 

Last year I made a series of cats in a blocky, minimalistic style so naturally I had to build a Sox with the same approach. I thought the element’s clean look and open stud would be Purr-fect for his computer-compatible tail with the addition of a screwdriver piece. Things soon got out of hand because I thought you just can’t have a Sox without a Buzz. 

Before I knew it I was recreating his less iconic (but in my eyes cooler) XL-15 orange flight suit along with an IVAN auto-pilot cartridge and his rank plaque to accent the display stand.

My intention was to use the new plate in Buzz as well but I only managed one inconsequential use in his innards. 

Closing Thoughts

Between this and the curved slope I looked at previously, it seems I have a knack at selecting incredibly versatile yet rather mundane elements to analyse. I suppose you could call them ‘fertiliser elements’ rather than seed parts - both incredibly useful but lacking an enduring wow-factor. 

However, as the go-to choice for filler instead of fiddly stacked 1x1 plates, the 1x1x2/3 plate should be pretty easy to come by. Throw in the fact it has significant value for compact SNOT work for areas where looks matter, I’d say this element is a win-win-win situation.

Editor: Chris Baginski

READ MORE: LEGO® 10305 Lion Knights' Castle - all the new and interesting parts

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