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Knock off legos

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You can definitely feel the difference in the plastics and how they come apart. Putting them together is not the biggest concern.
 
I am willing to be LEGO is mainly successful due to their quality control, patents, marketing and licensing with other brands.

It's not that difficult to make small ABS blocks with tight tolerances.
It is difficult to make the quantity and variations they do, consistently with high quality control.
You need high grade tool steel, thousands of tools, tool maintenance/replacement and part inspection/rejection.

Just think about the number of pieces they make. I would love to see their tool storage/maintenance facility.
 
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edro said:
I am willing to be LEGO is mainly successful due to their quality control, patents, marketing and licensing with other brands.

It's not that difficult to make small ABS blocks with tight tolerances.
It is difficult to make the quantity and variations they do, consistently with high quality control.
You need high grade tool steel, thousands of tools, tool maintenance/replacement and part inspection/rejection.

Just think about the number of pieces they make. I would love to see their tool storage/maintenance facility.
Click to expand...

...a bunch of really good machines and robots
http://lego.gizmodo.com/exclusive-look-inside-the-lego-factory-5022769
 
I've tried, sticking to real deal. I can tell the difference pretty easily, BUT depending on your use they might work for you (maybe hidden structure pieces etc).

Legos are extremely expensive, very expensive hobby. Don't ask how I know....
 
edro said:
I am willing to be LEGO is mainly successful due to their quality control, patents, marketing and licensing with other brands.

It's not that difficult to make small ABS blocks with tight tolerances.
It is difficult to make the quantity and variations they do, consistently with high quality control.
You need high grade tool steel, thousands of tools, tool maintenance/replacement and part inspection/rejection.

Just think about the number of pieces they make. I would love to see their tool storage/maintenance facility.
Click to expand...

Here is the factory itself, there is a small bit of tooling in it. A good amount of video of their automated warehouse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvboxkAi35Q

And a retired tool:

8yztMIn.jpg
 
anyone go to the lego factory? it's great. They have a area where you can go in and see how they make them. You also get a souvenir.
 
Oh, also, check out Pley. It's like Netflix for Lego sets. I plan on using it when my kids are old enough. Of course I'm just pretending that the subscription will be for the kids.
 
dank69 said:
Oh, also, check out Pley. It's like Netflix for Lego sets. I plan on using it when my kids are old enough. Of course I'm just pretending that the subscription will be for the kids.
Click to expand...

Pley defeats the underlying point of Legos (though many/most don't do this anymore) and that is:

1: Build
2: Destroy
3: Goto 1

With Pley you build a set, admire it, then return it.
 
Homerboy said:
Pley defeats the underlying point of Legos (though many/most don't do this anymore) and that is:

1: Build
2: Destroy
3: Goto 1

With Pley you build a set, admire it, then return it.
Click to expand...

Everyone knows the reality is:

1) Build
2a) Put on display to collect dust
2b) Put back in box to collect dust
2c) Put into giant tub with all other sets to collect dust
 
Dice144 said:
Wow! Didn't expect this many responses. Guess I will try the Lego by the pound on Ebay/Amazon. Thanks all
Click to expand...

At this moment I have a tab open with 5-6 lbs of Lego's from Amazon and looking at the sellers...:sneaky:

It's for the kids, I swear.

*oooh, I should look for Lincoln logs*
 
dank69 said:
Everyone knows the reality is:

1) Build
2a) Put on display to collect dust
2b) Put back in box to collect dust
2c) Put into giant tub with all other sets to collect dust
Click to expand...

My son (and I) have 4 or 5 20 gallon tubs filled with Legos (there is a 10 gallon bucket filled with the manuals). Some buckets are 100% loose Legos, other are filled with remnants of "chunks" of some of the sets. Quite honestly, I spent what would have been a good foundation of his college tuition on those set.

It is currently our dream to reassemble all the sets but the task is daunting to say the least. We've separated most of the figures and their accouterments and now I think we're going to find some bigger chunks (Death Star or some Harry Potter sets) and attempt to piecemeal them back.

At which point we will then

1) Build
2a) Put on display to collect dust
2b) Put back in box to collect dust
2c) Put into giant tub with all other sets to collect dust
Click to expand...
 
I insist that our bigger sets dont get taken apart, the smaller ones and our pick-a-brick hauls all get lumped together eventually
 
Building Precision Molds is serious business.

Yes, many are polished to mirror quality for a seal when they are under pressure when the plastic it injected, and have removable inserts.

Like the vast amount of things that are made out of plastic.

They are high end tooling, you should see some of the high speed progressive dies out there.
 
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Here is a slow one, just for comparison.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8d3YCtr5pA

Some of them run so fast they are a blur, and you can not see them once in operation.

Those take a bit if skill to build, and even keep operation.

I'm not sure they are even widely used these days, one slight mistake can kill the die.

You can punch out millions of parts with just one of those in a week for a specific part, but they are high maintenance.
 
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dank69 said:
Everyone knows the reality is:

1) Build
2a) Put on display to collect dust
2b) Put back in box to collect dust
2c) Put into giant tub with all other sets to collect dust
Click to expand...

I went the 2c route as a kid... Then I bought a few sets to screw around with recently, went the 2a route. Sold all the more recent sets once I got tired of them collecting dust for like 50% off.
 
Slew Foot said:
Thats kinda neat. $250k per mold? They make them out of plutonium or something?
Click to expand...

That's what ultra-precision costs. One of our clients has a gauge that can detect variances of 1/5000" using a small bubble on the end of a pin. It cost $1.2 million. A mold that's designed to make millions of units and hold them to a 1/64" spec for $250K is actually not a bad deal.
 
Fritzo said:
That's what ultra-precision costs. One of our clients has a gauge that can detect variances of 1/5000" using a small bubble on the end of a pin. It cost $1.2 million. A mold that's designed to make millions of units and hold them to a 1/64" spec for $250K is actually not a bad deal.
Click to expand...

Fun fact: There are ~62 Lego bricks for every human on earth.
 
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