The most awesome thing in the history of awesome things has just come to pass. The hack slappin’ crew at F.A.T. Lab has slipped the surly bonds of inoperable construction sets making it now possible to interlink your favorite blocks with the Free Universal Construction Kit. LEGO, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs and seven other sets are in the mix with adapters that add complete interoperability between all sets. If this doesn’t call for geek-induced twitches and high-fives and more twitches, nothing does.
The Free Universal Construction Kit
As I wipe the foaming drool from my chin, I can help but remember times using cardboard and tape to attach Tinkertoys and LEGOs together or just taping LEGOs to my brother, which begs the question, what about interoperability with human flesh? I suppose that’s up to you now, but thank to F.A.T. Lab, you have a great start.
F.A.T. Lab and Sy-Lab are pleased to present the Free Universal Construction Kit: a matrix of nearly 80 adapter bricks that enable complete interoperability between ten* popular children’s construction toys. By allowing any piece to join to any other, the Kit encourages totally new forms of intercourse between otherwise closed systems—enabling radically hybrid constructive play, the creation of previously impossible designs, and ultimately, more creative opportunities for kids.
You can download the kit at Thingiverse.com, or on the F.A.T. Lab site, and I suggest you do before some cranky lawyer decides people should not have fun and steals the joy away. As F.A.T.Lab themselves says, “Some may express concern that the Free Universal Construction Kit infringes such corporate prerogatives as copyright, design right, trade dress, trademarks or patents of the supported toy systems. We encourage those eager to enforce these rights to please think of the children.”
Indeed soulless raptors of corporate IP protection. Lay off. If you’re thinking of printing this yourself, you may want to consider the 3D Printer resolution, “According to Wikipedia, the precision of Lego pieces is less than 10 microns. As of early 2012, however, standard Makerbot printers have an XY resolution of 100 microns” and the high-end Objet printers have a resolution of around 42 microns. This no doubt improves every year and doesn’t mean at all that you can’t have fun with the adapters.
They also have a bad ass construction kit poster you can download, print, send to your sweetheart.
Thanks to Ian who will now be able to create the Log House Star Wars ship he’s always dreamed of. I think there’s only one thing left to say…
