The Free Universal Construction Kit

(fffff.at)

113 points | by robinhouston 3 days ago

14 comments

  • lioeters 3 minutes ago
    > Note: all units are in inches.

    Not so universal as I'd hoped, but I love the concept and the organization behind it, Free Art and Technology Lab.

  • delichon 16 minutes ago
    These kits can have extraordinary longevity. I was playing with Lincoln Logs in 1967. Turns out they got started in 1918. Lego bricks have been around since 1945. The moat created by seriously delighting your customers at a young age is large.
  • datawars 57 minutes ago
    Very cool. Do two copyright infringements (one on each side of the adapter) cancel each other out? I really like it!
    • croes 51 minutes ago
      At least Lego‘s patent on the bricks expired. You can’t make mini figures but bricks shouldn’t be a problem
      • sixtyj 11 minutes ago
        Well done indeed

        I hope that Lego (not lawyers ofc) would appreciate such creativity approach and hire creators. (E.g. similar to acquihire of OpenClaw creator by OpenAI.)

        How many of us do think this way?

        I am always jealous (in good way) when I see similar projects.

  • srean 1 hour ago
    • Duanemclemore 19 minutes ago
      Zometool rules!

      I run workshops about the use of modular systems in facilitating non-expert participation in architecture. One I did (at the CAAD Futures Conference in 2023) was with Zometool. It was a blast and really successful.

      In preparation I also got to interview the late great Steve Baer, inventor of the Zome (among many other things - seriously look him up, he's one of the most brilliant people of the past 100 years imo). It was a huge honor.

      The book chapter the organizers were supposed to do about the conference workshops never materialized (hrmph), but I've done other little collaborative build projects since, so one day I'll document them all together.

  • fwipsy 1 hour ago
    Neat idea, but as an adult who builds little machines out of Lego Technic for fun sometimes, the adapter selection seems very limited. In order to make this idea "practical" you would need adapters with a variety of sizes, shapes, and orientations. I guess I'm not the target audience - I can definitely see this being cool for children.
  • culi 2 hours ago
    That's an awesome project. I'm sure there are many kids that have been gifted LEGO knockoffs that are not compatible with legos from adults that didn't know any better. A similar "interop" project for those would be great
    • bombcar 2 hours ago
      Almost all (back then, I hear the clone quality is much higher now) were "compatible" but had little to no clutch power, a wall built with some of them would inevitably break at the clone bricks.
      • onemoresoop 56 minutes ago
        Crappy tolerance in the clone parts. I hear the clones got much better now.
  • idiotsecant 1 hour ago
    I feel like the only way to summon the corporate lawyers faster would be to put a Mickey mouse on the box.
    • Rygian 1 hour ago
      Mickey mouse is in the public domain, at last!
      • LPisGood 18 minutes ago
        I think they would have a very strong case that using the mouse on a product is likely to confuse consumers about the origin of the product and therefore infringe on their trademark.
    • jadamson 1 hour ago
      If you go to the homepage (or look at the banner) the project is shut down since 2015.

      https://fffff.at/rip/

  • jojomodding 15 minutes ago
    Tell your kids about FUCK, the most fun way to play with them bricks...
  • cortesoft 1 hour ago
    No Construx? I built everything out of those as a kid.
  • flobosg 2 hours ago
    (2012)
  • pipeline_peak 2 hours ago
    When I was a kid I used to rate my uncles and aunts based off who got me Legos or Megablocks.

    Idk how I’d feel if they got me this.

    • andai 2 hours ago
      I was so confused recently, when I bought a toy car kit from some German brand which cost 25 euro and came with the pieces all joined together straight from the injection mold, so you had to twist them off one by one, and then the little injection spikes stabbed your fingers while you worked.

      Bought an almost equivalent set from Lego (stab-free!) for 9 euro. How does that pricing make sense haha

  • extraduder_ire 2 hours ago
    FUCK yeah.
  • DatumPlus 1 hour ago
    [dead]
  • analog8374 2 hours ago
    swank and deboner.