In Episode 37 of Tales From The Brick, Jon (8 Bit Bricks) sits down with Daniel Zimmerman, Master Model Builder at LEGOLAND New York and custom LEGO builder known online as TacoBricks. Daniel shares how a childhood obsession with LEGO never went through a dark age, eventually taking him from building MOCs in his basement and attending BrickFair with his mom to turning LEGO building into a full-time career.

Daniel takes us behind the scenes of life as a Master Model Builder, from maintaining Miniland and designing new models to teaching workshops, interacting with guests, and occasionally chasing rabbits out of the displays. He talks about building seasonal models, creating Miniland versions of celebrities and LEGO community members, working on massive projects for the park, and collaborations with organizations like Radio City Music Hall and the Newburgh Armory.

The conversation also explores Daniel’s work outside LEGOLAND, including custom commissions, writing and building for BrickNerd, and the six-foot-long 1924 Studebaker model that took 14 months to complete. Daniel shares the story of his first commission for one of his favorite bands, Slow Pulp, his passion for music-inspired builds, and the projects he hopes to tackle next, from AC/DC and Def Leppard logos to trains and more Ninjago creations.

Find Daniel Zimmerman:

• Instagram: @TacoBricks
• BrickNerd: Find Daniel’s builds and articles on BrickNerd
• Visit Daniel and the Master Model Builders at LEGOLAND New York

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

View the video version of this podcast at https://youtu.be/-THMbhZnw0Y

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

Until next time… play well.