In Episode 41 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with Dana Knudsen, longtime AFOL, Classic Space enthusiast, and one of the founding members of Old Grey Bricks. Dana shares how his childhood love of LEGO Space eventually led him back into the hobby, from rebuilding his original sets to discovering the AFOL community and setting out on a mission to collect every Classic Space set ever released.

Dana takes us through his journey of restoring all 74 original Classic Space sets, hunting down rare pieces, and eventually expanding his collection into nearly every LEGO Space theme that followed. He talks about joining Peach LUG, becoming its ambassador, and working alongside legendary Space builders like Chris Giddens and Mark Sandlin to create massive collaborative moon bases. Along the way, he shares how those friendships introduced him to a larger LEGO community that has become like an extended family.

The conversation explores some of Dana's most ambitious creations, including a collection of monochrome minifigure habitats spanning 50 different LEGO colors, miniature versions of all 74 Classic Space sets built to accommodate the blue Space Baby, and a massive 10-foot-tall David Bowie mosaic made from approximately 70,000 LEGO tiles. Dana also discusses the challenges of sourcing rare elements, experimenting with unusual building techniques, and why he builds for the enjoyment rather than chasing convention awards.

Dana reflects on the friendships he's made through LEGO conventions, the creative outlet that building provides, and why the AFOL community has become such an important part of his life. Plus, he shares some hilarious stories about his name being repeatedly mispronounced, including the convention award ceremony that accidentally gave birth to his alter ego, David Zuell.

Find Dana Knudsen:

• Instagram: @troublesbricking • YouTube: TroublesBricking • Old Grey Bricks: Find the show on YouTube • Gunpla Instagram: @troublesmeching

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

View the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/MLRLHzOIYQY

For more Tales From The Brick, visit https://talesfromthebrick.com.

Until next time... play well.

In Episode 40 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with Sam Aquillano, founder and editor of BRIKA Magazine, a quarterly publication dedicated to LEGO art, design, and the artists behind it. Sam shares how LEGO was part of his creative life from childhood through his career as an industrial designer, and how building with his own children eventually brought him fully back into the hobby.

Sam takes us behind the scenes of BRIKA Magazine, from an idea sketched out on his phone during a family vacation to launching the first issue in December 2025. He explains why he believed there was room for a premium print magazine devoted to LEGO as an artistic medium, how conversations with other AFOLs helped validate the idea, and why creating a physical publication people actually want to keep was important from the beginning.

The conversation explores how Sam finds the artists featured in BRIKA, the importance of telling the human stories behind their work, and the mix of photography, sculpture, mosaics, digital art, instructions, and other forms of brick-based creativity found in each issue. Sam also talks about working with artists including Kelly Bartlett, Eko Nwoko, Jeff Sanders of Brick Bending, Kate Hunter, and Shelley Corbett, as well as BRIKA's regular features like Assemblies, Constructibles, and The Missing Piece.

Along the way, Sam discusses discovering the larger LEGO community through BRIKA, attending his first LEGO conventions, the surprising resurgence of print magazines, and his goal of helping LEGO gain greater recognition as a legitimate artistic medium. He also gives a preview of what's ahead for BRIKA as the magazine enters its second year and continues telling the stories of LEGO artists from around the world.

Find Sam Aquillano & BRIKA Magazine:

• Website: brikamag.com • Instagram: @brikamag • BRIKA Magazine app: Available on iOS and Android

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

View the video version of this podcast at talesfromthebrick.com.

Until next time... play well.

In Episode 39 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with Cody Wells, owner of C3Brix, custom LEGO artist, educator, and longtime member of the LEGO community. Cody shares how LEGO became an important part of his life as a child, from building a ghost trap to conquer his fear of sleeping upstairs to recreating toys he saw on Saturday morning cartoons. Years later, rediscovering his childhood LEGO collection during one of the darkest periods of his life helped reconnect him with something that had always given him a sense of creativity and belonging.

Cody takes us through the unlikely path that turned that rediscovered passion into a career. He talks about moving to New York, finding his LEGO community through I LUG NY, building his first mosaics in a small apartment, and taking on increasingly ambitious commissions. Those projects eventually included an eight-foot LEGO sandcastle for Resorts World Casino and custom creations for professional wrestlers including Daniel Bryan, Sheamus, Jerry "The King" Lawler, and Finn Bálor.

The conversation also explores the evolution of C3Brix from custom builds into a unique LEGO store in New Hampshire filled with retired, collectible, and hard-to-find sets. Cody shares how education has become another major part of his work, including a summer tour that took him through more than 24 states for 140 library events, five week-long camps, and other appearances. He talks about bringing LEGO experiences to communities across the country, meeting families who traveled hours to attend his programs, and why making those experiences accessible to kids remains so important to him.

Along the way, Cody and Jon reminisce about the early days of the LEGO community, BrickShelf, custom builds, wrestling, Classic Space, and the never-ending problem of finding enough room for a LEGO collection. Cody also shares what's ahead for C3Brix, from continuing his travels and educational programs to eventually making the store the focus of the next chapter of his LEGO career.

Find Cody Wells & C3Brix:

• Website: C3Brix.com • Instagram: @C3Brix • Facebook: C3Brix

To find the best LEGO deals, check out the Bargain Bricks app.

View the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/V2sgKLlt3Eg

For more Tales From The Brick, visit talesfromthebrick.com.

Until next time... play well.