Did you ever wish that you could be a minifig, so you can ride all those awesome LEGO vehicles? While scientist haven’t figured out yet how to shrink ourselves at will, how about making LEGO bricks bigger, so we could at least feel like minifigs in comparison? So far, the closest we could get to experience this is to visit a LEGOLAND Park, where many of the rides and attractions are shaped like giant LEGO elements. And now, with the ever-advancing technology of 3D-printing, people can also print larger versions of LEGO pieces, so they can build their favorite sets in larger scale. 🙂
LEGO fan and super-geek Matt Danton from the UK runs a YouTube channel where he experiments with everything from hexapod walking robots, electronics, hacking, coding engineering, to 3D-printing and more. His channel is fun, so if you like geeky stuff, check it out. Some of Matt’s latest projects included up-scaling a couple of old LEGO Technic sets from his childhood, using 3D-printing technology, then building the original LEGO set and the up-scaled set together with his nephew. Matt also discusses the different plastics he experimented with, the challenges he ran into while printing large LEGO pieces, the cost of 3D-printing, and more. Below, I have included videos of both of the projects. Enjoy!
➡ 3D-PRINTED GIANT LEGO TECHNIC GO-KART: The #1972 LEGO Technic Go-Kart was released back in 1985. It comes with 98 pieces, and a working steering mechanism. Matt decided that this was a good set to try to recreate in a larger scale as it didn’t have too many pieces. However, since the bed of Matt’s 3D-printer isn’t very large, it was challenging to print some of the bigger and longer parts. Also, the set comes with many intricately shaped LEGO Technic axels and gears, which created some problems. However, all in all, after around 170 hours of printing, Matt was able to accurately up-scale all 98 parts of the set, and then build with them.
➡ 3D-PRINTED GIANT LEGO TECHNIC FORKLIFT: For his next project, Matt decided to tackle something bigger. The #850 LEGO Technic Forklift from 1977 includes 210 parts, and working steering as well as fork. This project took around 500 hours of printing, and also ran into some challenges, especially with finding the right type of plastics that would work best for printing and durability.
Really fun projects, aren’t they? When Matt and his nephew are handling the large pieces, it certainly plays tricks on your mind! If you are interested in 3D-printing Matt shares his printing files at Thingiverse.com. The first project was printed on the now discontinued Lulzbot Taz5 3D-Printer, and for the second project, Matt upgraded to a Taz6 3D-Printer that’s available on Amazon. He also used a LulzBot TAZ Flexystruder Tool Head, and a LulzBot TAZ MOARstruder Tool Head with the printer. Matt got his 3D-printing filament at a UK-based supplier called 3DFilaPrint.com, but you can also get filament from LulzBot and other suppliers on Amazon. The black PolyFlex filament for the tires is from Amazon.
What do you think? How do you like these 3D-printed giant LEGO sets? Have you ever experimented with 3D-printing before? What LEGO sets would you like to 3D-print? Feel free to share your thoughts and discuss in the comment section below! 😉
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That is awesome! Seeing the giant versions being put together and working just like the original LEGO sets is so cool. I almost want one…. 😀 I also don’t know much about 3D printing, plastic types, and such, so these videos were quite interesting and informative.
Matt’s innovation for parts that didn’t print easily in one piece is also noteworthy, like for the lower parts of the turntables on the forklift, which I wouldn’t have thought to split into two pieces just to reduce friction. I guess the screws have to be a very precise length and size as well to avoid causing interference as the turntable rotates. Overall, excellent projects. 🙂
Also: https://brickset.com/article/31558/nexo-knights-set-revealed-in-lego-life-magazine . The Tech Critters (the real LEGO ones, that is) look to be quite complex pieces. I wonder what their backs look like, since they can be fired from stud shooters. Also, it’s odd that Jestro is on the Knights’ side… did he join them at the end of the last season?
There was another 2018 Nexo Knights set on the back of the December store calendar: #72003 Berserker Bomber. It comes with Macy, a “detachable winged eye”, and 2 other minifigs, I think. The bomber itself almost looks almost like a heliplane. And the Knights are still fighting Monstrox, who has gone from the book to stone statues to… viruses? That transition seems very reminiscent of the Overlord in Ninjago…. 😕
Jestro is the tragic character in Nexo Knights. He is actually a good guy at heart, but was taken over by the Dark Side. I like those little spider thingies. And yes, Monstrox is like the ever-morphing Overlord. 😈
This is brilliant! I so wanna do this!
Yeah, me too! 😀
Okay, this is seriously cool. I had no idea 3D printing has become so advanced! It was super interesting that the axels were printed vertically. Great videos!
Industrial 3D-printing is even more advanced.
Next, I want them to build one of the modulars and move in! 😀
LOL! 😀
That Would be great, because I can make my extra LEGO room out of LEGO and it would be literally out of LEGO bricks. Lol!
Though all of these Technic holes would be kinda drafty…
Naw, you can just plug them with Technic pins. 😀
Yeah, why not? 😀