Answers.Body: <h1>Standing</h1>
  
  <p>The smallest area you can enclose a standing minifig in is just about 4x4x4 2/3 with the roof on:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/rwO9k.jpg" alt="Photo of enclosure - Standing">  <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8un8K.png" alt="LDraw build of enclosure - Standing"></p>
  
  <p>To reach this limit, you need to use the panels and windows to make room for the arms and more importantly the head, which is larger than a 1x1 brick.</p>
  
  <h1>Seated</h1>
  
  <p>To enclose a seated minifig in the smallest space, you will need to ensure that you've tilted the body completely forward (i.e. over 90&deg;), and again use panels to enclose the arms to achieve a 4x4x4 box:</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/QCOqt.png" alt="Photo of enclosure - Seated">  <img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dJJtL.png" alt="LDraw build of enclosure - Seated"></p>
  
  <p>Note that I've had to use two plates to lift the roof above the stud on the head - you can cheat a bit and lower it one plate if you use a roof with a hole in the correct place - in the photos I'm using a 3x4 tile with 4 studs that comes with the collectable Minifigures, and the head stud fits into one of the cylinders underneath, but the edge of the 2x3 plate won't fit.</p>
  
  <h1>Reclined</h1>
  
  <p>For a reclined minifig, I used a Slope brick, 33&deg; 3x2 to provide some support, and the smallest space I could fit that into was 4x7x2 1/3, however over the legs it's only 1 1/3 (I don't have all the parts to hand to photo this one I'm afraid, but I have proved the concept with some bricks):</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/6E11Y.png" alt="LDraw build of enclosure - Reclined"></p>
  
  <h1>With Accessories</h1>
  
  <p>Picking the Wizards Hat and Air Tanks, I was able to enclose the minifig within a 5x4x5 2/3 (one deeper and one one higher than the standing minifig):</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/4HsEn.png" alt="LDraw build of enclosure - Standing with accessories"></p>
  
  <p>Again the minifig is angled to fit in this space so that the rim is horizontal, and once again there's judicious use of panels: 1x2x3, 1x2x1 and 1x1x1 Corners.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-22T23:56:09.723Z
Answers.Text: You have a good answer, but I was looking for multiple bounds, I have changed my questions to make that more clear.
Answers.UserDisplayName: RedRiderX
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-23T13:04:04.677Z
Answers.Text: Sorry, yes I meant to come back with the response for sitting upright and reclined - will try and get that out tonight - wanted to ensure that front piece would fit across the hands without them sticking out.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T20:39:21.653Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-11-23T23:47:17.877Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2011-11-23T23:47:17.877Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.Body: <p>A minifigure with legs, torso, and head would be five bricks tall standing or four bricks sitting down. It's also one stud deep and two studs wide (four studs including arms)</p>
  
  <p>With the arms and hands extended parallel to the thighs, the arms take roughly two and half studs worth of space from the joint of the arm. The image below show's a diagram of a minifigure sitting down on it's side.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ludev.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
  <p>If you were to adjust both arms forward like a <a href="https://i.sstatic.net/uPLU0.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">boxer in a defensive stance</a> (albeit sitting down) the minifigure's arms will take the same amount of room in a different possition.</p>
  
  <p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dgt0c.png" alt="enter image description here"></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T18:40:42.523Z
Answers.Text: Note though that the minifig head is wider than a 1x1 brick, which means a sitting minifig needs space behind it for the head - often achieved using a panel.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Zhaph - Ben Duguid
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T16:14:04.893Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2011-11-18T16:14:04.893Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Body: <p>I want to make some minifigure-scale vehicles and devices, but I am wondering what the smallest possible minifigure enclosure might be.</p>
  
  <p>I know minifigures are not perfectly square. Their arms and heads keep them from fitting in a standard 4x1x5 shaped hole while standing upright (not that I would imagine that looking very good in a model). When in recline with the back of their legs connected to studs, they cannot lie totally flat and must lie at a certain angle.</p>
  
  <p><strong>What I would like to know is the practical bounds of a minifigure with NO equipment(hats, parkas, backpacks, ect.):</strong></p>
  
  <ol>
  <li><p>In a fully upright position</p></li>
  <li><p>In a fully seated position.</p></li>
  <li><p>In recline.</p></li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>It would also be a bonus if anyone would also give the bounds for a minifigure in these positions but with the maximum amount of equipment. </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T08:29:16.843Z
Comments.Text: An African or an European minifigure?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T12:50:18.703Z
Comments.Text: I assume you want the bounds for a standard minifigure without accessories and head-gear. Some items (eg. oxygen tanks, fedora hats) make quite a difference to minifig size.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Kramii
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T14:38:33.253Z
Comments.Text: @Kramii Yes, just the basic legs, body and head. I had forgot to mention that in the question. But if any one would like to give some bounds for a maximum amount of minifigure gear, that would improve the answer
Comments.UserDisplayName: RedRiderX
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T16:11:37.657Z
Comments.Text: @Ambo100 Since a minifigure can not be connected by the back of the legs and be in a fully flat position, its back has to rest on the studs at a slight angle. Like I mentioned in the question, minifigures are not exactly square :/
Comments.UserDisplayName: RedRiderX
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T16:13:35.547Z
Comments.Text: What exactly do you mean by in recline? Lying down flat or at an angle?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ambo100
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-18T22:54:17.267Z
Comments.Text: @Ambo100 Since lying flat without being connected by any studs is very similar to standing straight, I imagine those answers could be interchangeable. Lying at an angle with the back legs connected to studs, what I consider to be 'in recline', would be a very different answer.
Comments.UserDisplayName: RedRiderX
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2011-11-19T21:43:33.577Z
Comments.Text: I go by the the old LEGO adage: What people don't see, they imagine. If you can't see the minifigures legs, you just need the space required to house the head & torso in the model.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Major Stackings
Tags: <piece-information><minifigures><size>
Title: What are the practical bounds of a minifigure?
UserDisplayName: RedRiderX
ThreadText: # What are the practical bounds of a minifigure?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2011-11-18)
  
  I want to make some minifigure-scale vehicles and devices, but I am wondering what the smallest possible minifigure enclosure might be.
  
  I know minifigures are not perfectly square. Their arms and heads keep them from fitting in a standard 4x1x5 shaped hole while standing upright (not that I would imagine that looking very good in a model). When in recline with the back of their legs connected to studs, they cannot lie totally flat and must lie at a certain angle.
  
  **What I would like to know is the practical bounds of a minifigure with NO equipment(hats, parkas, backpacks, ect.):**
  
  1. In a fully upright position
  2. In a fully seated position.
  3. In recline.
  
  It would also be a bonus if anyone would also give the bounds for a minifigure in these positions but with the maximum amount of equipment.
  
  **Tags:** piece-information, minifigures, size
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: An African or an European minifigure?  
  > **username_2**: I assume you want the bounds for a standard minifigure without accessories and head-gear. Some items (eg. oxygen tanks, fedora hats) make quite a difference to minifig size.  
  > **username_0**: @username_2 Yes, just the basic legs, body and head. I had forgot to mention that in the question. But if any one would like to give some bounds for a maximum amount of minifigure gear, that would improve the answer  
  > **username_0**: @username_3 Since a minifigure can not be connected by the back of the legs and be in a fully flat position, its back has to rest on the studs at a slight angle. Like I mentioned in the question, minifigures are not exactly square :/  
  > **username_3**: What exactly do you mean by in recline? Lying down flat or at an angle?  
  > **username_0**: @username_3 Since lying flat without being connected by any studs is very similar to standing straight, I imagine those answers could be interchangeable. Lying at an angle with the back legs connected to studs, what I consider to be 'in recline', would be a very different answer.  
  > **username_4**: I go by the the old LEGO adage: What people don't see, they imagine. If you can't see the minifigures legs, you just need the space required to house the head & torso in the model.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2011-11-18. Score: 20 | Accepted answer
  
  # Standing
  
  The smallest area you can enclose a standing minifig in is just about 4x4x4 2/3 with the roof on:
  
  ![Photo of enclosure - Standing](https://i.sstatic.net/rwO9k.jpg) ![LDraw build of enclosure - Standing](https://i.sstatic.net/8un8K.png)
  
  To reach this limit, you need to use the panels and windows to make room for the arms and more importantly the head, which is larger than a 1x1 brick.
  
  # Seated
  
  To enclose a seated minifig in the smallest space, you will need to ensure that you've tilted the body completely forward (i.e. over 90°), and again use panels to enclose the arms to achieve a 4x4x4 box:
  
  ![Photo of enclosure - Seated](https://i.sstatic.net/QCOqt.png) ![LDraw build of enclosure - Seated](https://i.sstatic.net/dJJtL.png)
  
  Note that I've had to use two plates to lift the roof above the stud on the head - you can cheat a bit and lower it one plate if you use a roof with a hole in the correct place - in the photos I'm using a 3x4 tile with 4 studs that comes with the collectable Minifigures, and the head stud fits into one of the cylinders underneath, but the edge of the 2x3 plate won't fit.
  
  # Reclined
  
  For a reclined minifig, I used a Slope brick, 33° 3x2 to provide some support, and the smallest space I could fit that into was 4x7x2 1/3, however over the legs it's only 1 1/3 (I don't have all the parts to hand to photo this one I'm afraid, but I have proved the concept with some bricks):
  
  ![LDraw build of enclosure - Reclined](https://i.sstatic.net/6E11Y.png)
  
  # With Accessories
  
  Picking the Wizards Hat and Air Tanks, I was able to enclose the minifig within a 5x4x5 2/3 (one deeper and one one higher than the standing minifig):
  
  ![LDraw build of enclosure - Standing with accessories](https://i.sstatic.net/4HsEn.png)
  
  Again the minifig is angled to fit in this space so that the rim is horizontal, and once again there's judicious use of panels: 1x2x3, 1x2x1 and 1x1x1 Corners.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: You have a good answer, but I was looking for multiple bounds, I have changed my questions to make that more clear.  
  > **username_5**: Sorry, yes I meant to come back with the response for sitting upright and reclined - will try and get that out tonight - wanted to ensure that front piece would fit across the hands without them sticking out.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2011-11-18. Score: 8
  
  A minifigure with legs, torso, and head would be five bricks tall standing or four bricks sitting down. It's also one stud deep and two studs wide (four studs including arms)
  
  With the arms and hands extended parallel to the thighs, the arms take roughly two and half studs worth of space from the joint of the arm. The image below show's a diagram of a minifigure sitting down on it's side.
  
  ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/ludev.png)
  
  If you were to adjust both arms forward like a [boxer in a defensive stance](https://i.sstatic.net/uPLU0.jpg) (albeit sitting down) the minifigure's arms will take the same amount of room in a different possition.
  
  ![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/dgt0c.png)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: Note though that the minifig head is wider than a 1x1 brick, which means a sitting minifig needs space behind it for the head - often achieved using a panel.  
  
  ---
  
  