Sourcing MOC Parts vs. Complete Alt Brick Kits: Which Is Right for You?

You found an incredible custom build online—a detailed anime mech, an intricate sci-fi fighter, or a modular cityscape. Your first thought is: "How do I actually get the bricks to build this?"

Builders typically face two distinct paths to bring a MOC (My Own Creation) to life: sourcing every individual element piece-by-piece across secondary part marketplaces, or purchasing a complete, curated alt brick MOC kit.

Here is an honest breakdown of both methods—comparing real-world costs, sorting logistics, shipping fees, and assembly experience—to help you choose the best route for your project.

Method 1: Sourcing Pieces Individually (Parting Out)

Parting out involves downloading a digital inventory file (XML or CSV) from a designer's portfolio and uploading it to secondary brick marketplaces. The platform matches your needed parts against independent seller inventories around the world.

The Advantages

• Exact Element Selection: You choose the specific brand or vintage year for every individual plate, tile, and brick.
• Color Customization: You can swap accent colors or replace rare exterior panel hues before ordering.

The Pain Points

• Multiple Shipping Fees: Rarely does a single merchant stock every part in your list. A 1,500-piece MOC often requires orders across 5 to 12 separate shops, accumulating substantial shipping and handling fees.
• Rare Part Price Spikes: If a designer used an element that appeared in only one retired set a decade ago, that single plastic piece can cost USD 5 to USD 20 on its own.
• Logistics and Wait Times: Tracking a dozen packages from different countries means builds often stall for weeks while waiting for one delayed envelope of critical structural pins.
• Zero Step Sorting: Parts arrive in bulk mixed bags from various sellers. You must hand-sort every single piece into organizers before placing your first brick.

Method 2: Buying a Complete Alt Brick MOC Kit

A complete alt brick kit packages the entire part inventory, custom components, and building instructions into a single boxed set, manufactured with precision-molded alternative ABS bricks.

The Advantages

• One Order, One Package: Every brick, plate, axle, and specialty part arrives together in a single shipment with zero multi-store juggling.
• Predictable, Fair Pricing: Alternative brick kits eliminate "rare element" speculation. You pay an affordable per-piece rate (typically 3 to 6 cents per brick) rather than inflated collector premiums on retired molds.
• Numbered Stage Bags: High-end alt brick kits arrange parts into numbered bags corresponding directly to step milestones in the manual, eliminating hours of pre-build sorting.
• Crisp Pad Printing: Key visual elements—such as control panels, insignia, and character emblems—are often pad-printed directly onto the pieces, skipping peel-prone stickers.

Things to Keep in Mind

• Fixed Colorways: Sets ship with the designer's intended color scheme. Builders who want custom recolors will still need to supplement pieces from their existing spare bins.

Side-by-Side Comparison

How to Choose Which Route Fits Your Build

Choose Individual Sourcing When:

1. You already own 70% or more of the required parts in your existing home bins and only need 50 to 100 specific filler pieces.
2. You are heavily modifying the designer’s layout and require custom color variations.

Choose a Complete Alt Brick Kit When:

1. You want to build a large, complex display set (1,000 to 5,000+ pieces) without spending hours managing order carts and import duties.
2. You want clear numbered stage bags so you can start assembling the moment the box arrives.
3. You prioritize value, premium clutch power, and clean pad-printed pieces for high-end shelf display.