What can be assembled from Lego instructions. Lego crafts - what can be built from a construction set, ways to use structures and good ideas for using cubes

My kids (like most children I know) are Lego fans. Of course, loving parents cannot refuse their children to buy another set, although most often the available parts are 90% sufficient to reproduce new models.

And here one of the tricks of Legov’s marketers is revealed. Almost all Lego sets contain one or more unique pieces. And to pay, frankly, a rather high price for a small piece of plastic - no toad can stand that.
But we have a 3D printer and the only question is the model.
So, how can we make a printable model without knowledge of Sketchup/Solidworks etc.?
First, download LeoCAD - handy tool for virtual Lego simulation:

Next, go to LDraw.org and download the latest version of the parts library. We feed this library to LeoKad and look for the desired part in the list. In this case, we will try to make a rack 64448, a very convenient thing for building new structures:

Next File->Export->Wavefront-> *.obj and save this part to your directory.
Open Autodesk Netfabb (I don’t give a link; you understand why, but everyone knows where to get it and import the model. Right button on the model, Extras->Repair. After LeoCAD, the model turns out to be “dirty,” Netfabb perfectly corrects all problems automatically.

The next step is purely empirical, I don’t know why they converted millimeters into inches in the models, but this model needs to be reduced by 2.54 times: Part->Scale-> 39.4%
Well, the final step: Project->Export to STL
And start printing:

Of course, children are interested not only in bricks, but also in all sorts of artifacts such as buckets, wheels, etc.
Only with thin rings the printer is not very good, so I set the extrusion to 120% and after printing I go through all the holes with a 4.8mm drill. They don’t snap perfectly, of course, but children don’t pay attention to that.

The LEGO constructor is not just a children's toy. Adults love these blocks so much that they make unimaginable things out of them: from car bodies to unusual sculptures. Did you know that from these colorful blocks you can easily put together the most unusual items for the home? Give free rein to your imagination - and get to work!

Editorial "So simple!" shares with you ideas for unusual uses of LEGO blocks in everyday life and more.

What can be made from LEGO constructor

USB flash drive
Do-it-yourself original flash drive? Just a piece of cake! You'll need several LEGO pieces, flash drive, knife and glue. A little effort - and the unusual gadget is ready.
House for a pet
Your little friend will definitely be happy with such a secluded home.
Door stop
You no longer need to prop the doors open with anything. Convenient, you must agree!
Funny housekeeper
With such a universal organizer, your keys will always be in their place. This LEGO key holder is very easy to make, and most importantly, the dimensions and configuration can be changed as you like!
Flower pot
A great way to transform your boring plant pots and make a stunning home decoration.
Office accessories
Place small magnets in LEGO bricks and you'll get rid of office clutter once and for all.

And such an office organizer will definitely diversify the work process.
Picture frame
This extraordinary frame will cherish your warmest moments.
Gift wrap
Are you bored with the same monotonous gift paper? Then you will definitely like this idea! After all, such packaging is a gift in itself.
Bright chest of drawers
Why waste time on trifles when you can create a real piece of furniture! This unusual chest of drawers made from designer parts is a real miracle. It will be a wonderful addition to a nursery or an indispensable assistant in a creative workshop.
Bird feeders
Agree, it couldn’t be easier to make such a feeder. Very stylish decoration yard, and the birds are happy and well-fed!
Storage container
Well, a very cute organizer for the kitchen and more!
Original cup holders
With such convenient devices You can forever forget about annoying stains on your favorite table.
Unusual puzzle made from photographs
Be sure to try making a similar puzzle with your child. A very original idea!
Cute LEGO decorations
Using parts from the designer, you can easily make unusual jewelry. The girls will definitely love it!
Napkin holder
This napkin holder will easily decorate children's party! And most importantly, the children will be happy to help prepare the house for the party.

Looks impressive! After all, the scope of this

The LEGO constructor has long ceased to be just an educational game for children. Tens of millions of cubes are used to build full-fledged amusement parks for children and their parents. LEGO has made inroads into the film and gaming industries. Creative personalities they use the parts to create paintings and sculptures, and enthusiastic engineers use them to make car bodies. Looks impressive! Indeed, the limits of the use of famous figures are limited only by human imagination, and it knows no boundaries. In this article you will learn about unusual uses of LEGO bricks in everyday life.

Coin Sorter

To distant Soviet times my mother worked as a salesperson and dealt with kilograms of coins every day. I helped her sort them by face value. On the one hand, it was very cool to occasionally find memorable specimens, on the other hand, the boring activity quickly became boring. It’s a pity that in those days there wasn’t either the LEGO constructor itself or something like this. interesting recipe use of its parts. The mechanism can be adapted to any coin diameter.

Stand

During the hot summer, my computer likes to shut down due to overheating. Touching the surface on which the laptop is standing will result in a slight burn. Therefore, it is necessary to create an air “cushion” under it to provide greater ventilation and better cooling. Several cubes are ideal as a stand.

The solution can also be used to save space in the kitchen. In the same way, the baking sheets can go into the dishwasher.

Small items organizer

Forget about searching for keys, wallets and other pocket small things with the help of an original organizer. If you're too lazy to drill holes in your bricks, LEGO sells pre-punched keychains.

Educational game

Why not kill two birds with one stone? Combine the development of children's fingers and thinking with learning to read and count. Use a regular marker to write words and numbers onto the cubes. Learning grammar will become much more interesting.

Task Manager

No successful undertaking is complete without planning and setting goals. A design studio from the UK offered its original approach to controlling the movement of projects. The basis was formed by Lego parts.

But any concept is really good if it can be translated into reality. The Lego calendar is successfully used by some companies to plan the work of 20 employees.

Lens cap holder

Do you like photography or video shooting? Then you are familiar with the “problem” of a loose or lost lens cap. Attach Lego pieces to the lid itself and the strap - a simple and practical solution.

Office hacks

Place tiny magnets in the cubes and your paper clips, staples and holders will find a home. The mess on the table is over!

No magnets? No problem! You can make stylish cups for pens and other office items.

Rack

For any nonsense, usually lying around, you can make an unusual stand. For example, for a phone...

... joysticks, and even...

... shaving accessories!

Picture frame

Can a photo frame surprise? Certainly! Flight of thought and Lego pieces will help you.

A flower pot

Lovers of indoor plants should love the idea of a designer pot. Usually the rapid growth of a flower is accompanied by worries about purchasing and replanting into a larger pot. With Lego you can modify any existing pot to the required size.

Theme house

Why waste time with pots when you can speed up a whole house! Perhaps this will be a playroom for children, but adults will also want to visit it at all costs.

And what unusual options Do you know the uses of Lego?

How Lego is made. aslan wrote in May 10th, 2013

Today we will go to the city of Billund in Denmark to visit the factory that produces the world famous LEGO designer. Let's look at the production process from the inside, and follow the progress of processing and packaging of the famous designer.

These bricks lie in front of the Lego Group headquarters in Billund.

The company was born in 1932. Its founder was the Dane Ole Kirk Christiansen, who was the foreman of a team of carpenters and joiners. In 1947, the company expanded production and began producing plastic toys. Since its introduction in 1949, LEGO elements in all their versions have remained compatible with each other. So, for example, elements created in 1958 are still paired with elements released in 2010, despite radical changes in the design and shape of the elements over the years.

All parts of LEGO construction sets are manufactured according to a certain standard with high degree precision, which allows you to connect them without significant effort. In addition, after connection, the parts must be securely attached to each other. To ensure these conditions, the design elements are manufactured with an accuracy of 2 micrometers.

Since 1991, with the beginning of the era of computer video games, the Lego company suffered losses for 11 years, correcting this situation only with the release of new robotic sets.

The process of creating Lego bricks is actually not that complicated. The production of designer elements consists of pouring liquid plastic into a mold and placing it under a press. The mold cools, opens - and you have a finished brick in your hands Lego constructor. Then comes the second, more complex part of the process - processing, adding artistic details such as suits, ties, etc.

This is the reception area at Lego headquarters. Pay attention to the ceiling and chairs - they seem to be made from construction bricks.

All Lego sets are made from the same plastic based on acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene. It comes to Lego directly from suppliers and is then stored in giant silos. It is usually either red or clear, and piece-specific dye is added to the molding machines. This is a container filled with liquid plastic based on acrylonitrile, butadiene and styrene, with the addition of individual dyes.

This is a molding machine. First, very hot plastic is poured into molds right side. It then spreads through small channels and enters the pressing area through very small incisions. When cold water poured into the molding machine, it helps the plastic cool and the mold opens, allowing the bricks to fall freely onto the conveyor belt.

Currently, there are about 7 thousand active forms that are used in the production of Lego. However, in general, the company has more than 9 thousand of these forms at its disposal, many of which are waiting in the wings on the shelves, like this one, for example. The average form costs about 72 thousand dollars, the cost of the most complex and expensive is 360 thousand dollars.

Here you can see how plastic is poured into the pressing area of the molding machine.

In this photo we see two ellipsoidal parts that have just been in the mold. After a few seconds they will fall onto the conveyor belt.

This photo shows a mold for making ellipsoidal parts from the top photo.

The produced bricks and other elements can later be used in different ways. These blue pieces can be used both as heads for tiny figures and as decoration for other elements.

Thousands of purple Lego bricks that were under pressure just a few minutes ago.

This is one of twelve molding modules located in Billund. Each module, or dedicated production room, houses up to 64 working molding machines, divided into two blocks of 32 machines each.

A robotic arm removing waste from the melting process and making parts from a molding machine. The plastic will be sent back for melting and will be used very soon.

Basket for production waste.

Production at the Lego factory is virtually waste-free, as plastic is put to good use. However, some of the waste generated during the production process is still sent to the trash bin.

Pipes through which plastic granules enter molding machines. The noise this creates is reminiscent of the noise that would be caused by billions of grains of rice moving through plastic pipes.

The molding machines are used for four weeks before being taken out and thoroughly cleaned. In the photo we see a company employee performing this procedure.

At this stage of production of the figures, arms, legs, heads and other additional parts and elements will be attached to them.

The robot attaches hands to the figurine.

Here you can see how the machine stamps faces and shirts onto the figures.

This display shows the weight of a small bag of Lego pieces, known as a pre-tare. The weight should be between 94.9 and 95.7 grams. This pre-pack weighs 94.94 grams, so it passes inspection. However, as the display shows, five bags were too light and one was too heavy.

Pre-packed Lego pieces on a conveyor belt, at the end of which they are weighed.

This is the packaging department, most of the parts are in bags that go into the container automatically. But some bags are too big and you have to shake them by hand to evenly distribute the parts and make the bags flatter and thinner.

Hundreds of cardboard blanks that will be used to make boxes for Lego sets with the theme " Star Wars».

This machine controls the height of the boxes so that they can close tightly and pieces do not fall out during transportation.

Boxes of Star Wars-themed Lego sets on an assembly line.

This machine automatically closes the boxes and seals them.

Boxes of Star Wars themed Lego sets are fully packed and ready to ship.

This machine takes two ready-made boxes of Star Wars sets and places them in boxes of six.

A worker picks up two boxes that accidentally fell from the conveyor.

Each of these boxes contains six boxes of Star Wars themed Lego sets.

Now these boxes will go to the Czech Republic, where they will go to the official Lego distribution center, to the warehouse of the plant in the city of Kladno, which, by the way, produces 35-40% (over a million parts) of all the company’s products. There is a giant robotic warehouse, one of the largest in Europe, where orders are processed and products are sent to retail outlets around the world.

If you have a production or service that you want to tell our readers about, write to Aslan ( [email protected] ) and we will make the best report that will be seen not only by readers of the community, but also of the site

There are many ideas for Lego construction, but not every one can be completed...

For some reason, some are not inspiring. Others are inspiring, but impossible due to sparse details. Still others I really want to do, but there are no instructions.

Here are 5 good ideas. They are complex and challenging enough, but interesting enough to motivate. Only commonly found parts are used in crafts. All were made from old Lego bricks and brought to their logical conclusion by a 7-year-old Lego fan named Semyon.

Will be of interest to children from 5 to 99 years old. Instructions are included in case you want to assemble these.

And if you want to get more ideas, what can be made from Lego bricks, click or on the picture below.

Lego helicopter

Semyon's Lego crafts turn out so colorful because we don't have sufficient quantity bricks of the same color. But when they are found, Semyon prefers to replace them with one-color ones - he likes it when it’s beautiful. The photo shows attempts to make the helicopter red. This is why it is important to sort parts not only by type, but also by color.

The helicopter had to replace some parts (for example, the landing gear) with those available from the collection. Resourcefulness and ingenuity are part of playing with Lego.

Assembly instructions:

When you see such a craft, you are surprised at how easy it is to assemble such a symmetrical beautiful design. But there is one catch. It is not difficult to assemble the parts of the structure, but it is impossible to connect them into a whole. The structure is very fragile and falling apart. I tried, but I didn't succeed. But Semyon succeeded:

Instructions:

Lego robot

This interesting robot turned out to be quite durable. It’s not even immediately noticeable that there are not enough hands in it.

But we needed parts that could not be found. You might be able to do it using these instructions:

Instructions for a Lego robot

Candy machine

This is a very fun craft and not at all difficult. Who doesn't love receiving candy like m&ms or Skittles? When testing a machine gun, the main thing is not to overdo it, as in this video :)

Unfortunately, the instructions for this device are hidden somewhere - I can’t find them. there is a similar one.

Lego house-shop-cafe

When I saw that the child was going to take on this project, I thought it was a hopeless idea. Of course, this is interesting - a 3-story structure that opens up like a book. There are so many interesting things inside. There is a bicycle on display - where can I get a bicycle?

But Semyon saw everything differently. The bicycle was replaced with a weight (also for sports) and other improvised materials. This is how the first floor turned out. And then, unfortunately, it was not possible - the instructions contained inaccessible parts.

But the first floor is also a success for such a project. It turned out to be a completed house that you can play with. The hardest thing is to see that it is possible when it seems that it is not. If you manage to complete this project to the end, please write to us about your success.

And here are the instructions

Until I caught up with my son’s hobby, sometimes I would sweep the Lego bricks that crunched under my feet into a trash bag. How ashamed I am now! There must have been rare details that are so lacking now. And we would also have more details one color - the crafts would become more beautiful. If you, like me, don’t have enough patience, sweep it not into a trash bag, but into a carpet bag:

Carpet bag for toys