Universal Adapter Set for Construction Toys

3D Printing & Imaging Fun & Games

I am descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates. Also, I went to college and stuff. I am a long-time contributor to MAKE magazine and makezine.com. My work has also appeared in ReadyMade, c't – Magazin für Computertechnik, and The Wall Street Journal.

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@seanragan

March 19th, 2012 26

Not a physical product, of course, but a physible one, consisting of almost eighty free 3D models from anonymous designers at the Free Art and Technology collective :

The Free Universal Construction Kit offers adapters between Lego, Duplo, Fischertechnik, Gears! Gears! Gears!, K’Nex, Krinkles (Bristle Blocks), Lincoln Logs, Tinkertoys, Zome, and Zoob. Our adapters can be downloaded from Thingiverse.com and other sharing sites as a set of 3D models in .STL format, suitable for reproduction by personal manufacturing devices like the Makerbot (an inexpensive, open-source 3D printer).

I’d vote against the naughty acronym, personally, but they do thrive on controversy, those F.A.T. peeps.

The Free Universal Construction Kit

More:
Lego bricks builders wish they could buy

26 thoughts on “Universal Adapter Set for Construction Toys”

Chris says:

March 19th, 2012 at 9:41 am

This is so cool. Between my childhood Lego collection, my brothers childhood K’Nex collection, and my son’s Duplo collection… the possibiities are endless. Just the Lego/K’Nex adapters are worth their weight (or double, or triple their weight) in gold. Now to convince my wife I need a makerbot…
LDM says:

March 19th, 2012 at 10:05 am

No love for Construx?

Thomas Pickett says:

May 30th, 2013 at 10:06 am

Yeah I was looking for that too.

3D-Printed Connectors Let Your Lego Bricks Talk to Your K’Nex, Settle Their Differences | Got2.Me says:

March 19th, 2012 at 12:14 pm

[…] [Free Art and Technology via Make] […]
ZP says:

March 19th, 2012 at 2:00 pm

If only I was still a kid….Oh wait, I can be! This is a total want. When will they be available in a store near me?
JBee says:

March 19th, 2012 at 2:02 pm

Genius idea but are they serious with that name? I’m not a prude but it shows zero respect for the kids this is aimed at. (And if they are solely targeting nostalgic grown-ups then they are idiots for jeopardizing a huge potential audience.) That acronym is a dealbreaker, sorry.
3D-Printed Connectors Let Your Lego Bricks Talk to Your K’Nex, Settle Their Differences « « Fix-Singh - Gadget RepairsFix-Singh – Gadget Repairs says:

March 19th, 2012 at 3:05 pm

[…] [Free Art and Technology via Make] […]
3D-Printed Connectors Let Your Lego Bricks Talk to Your K’Nex, Settle Their Differences | Toy Helicopter Remote Control says:

March 19th, 2012 at 5:17 pm

[…] [Free Art and Technology via Make] […]
3D-Printed Connectors Let Your Lego Bricks Talk to Your K’Nex, Settle Their … | photoeditordownload.com says:

March 19th, 2012 at 7:22 pm

[…] [Free Art and Technology around Make] […]
Eric says:

March 19th, 2012 at 7:46 pm

They missed zax too.
MikeIa says:

March 19th, 2012 at 8:03 pm

And I thought I was hot stuff the day ~35 years ago that I discovered that the Tinker Toy sticks fit into the bolts from my Playskool Wood Toy Builder set….
MAKE | Poster Pixelater says:

April 4th, 2012 at 9:02 am

[…] The project is called subpixel, and the tool itself is made from a piece of laser-cut acrylic, nine razor blades, and nine rubber bands. You may recall the F.A.T. collective from their recent 3D-printable universal construction toy adapter set. […]
Thinking Outside the (LEGO) Block | M O O N I S H says:

July 7th, 2012 at 10:28 am

[…] The Free Universal Construction Kit allows you to bind multiple construction sets together with these 3D printed adapter pieces. There’s no stopping you now! Via MAKE Magazine. […]