MachineBlocks
Customise LEGO compatible bricks online and export print-optimised 3MF or STL
Opens machineblocks.com
About MachineBlocks
MachineBlocks is a toolkit for printing building blocks that fit with LEGO. On the website you pick a starting example, such as a classic brick, plate, tile, slope, arch, Technic beam or storage box, adjust its size and features in the online editor and download the model.
The bricks are shaped with 3D printing in mind rather than copied from moulded parts, and a calibration tool helps you tune the fit of studs and tubes to your own printer, which is the part most printed bricks get wrong. There are examples for text and icon bricks, base plates, containers and corner pieces. Output is 3MF by default, with STL as an option.
Behind the web editor is an OpenSCAD library that advanced users can run locally, shared under a non-commercial Creative Commons licence. It suits parents, LEGO fans and teachers who need missing sizes or custom parts, and it is not affiliated with the LEGO Group.
What you can make
- LEGO compatible bricks and plates
- Technic style beams and bricks
- Brick storage boxes
- Text and icon tiles
How to use it
- Open the examples and pick a brick type
- Adjust size and options in the online editor
- Run the calibration print if the fit is off
- Download 3MF or STL and print
Good
- Calibration tool for a good clutch fit
- Large library of brick types
- 3MF and STL export
Not so good
- Fit still depends on printer tuning
- Non-commercial licence
- Editor works through examples rather than a blank canvas
What you'll need to print it
Materials and parts that give the best results with MachineBlocks.
Matte PLA for signs and Gridfinity
Matte filament hides layer lines and cuts glare, so raised lettering on signs and nameplates stays readable from any angle and a drawer full of bins looks uniform.
- Bambu Lab PLA MatteWide colour range with AMS-ready RFID, ideal for multi-colour signs.
- Polymaker Panchroma Matte PLA (formerly PolyTerra)The former PolyTerra line under a new name: soft matte look and good value for printing Gridfinity in bulk.
- SUNLU Matte PLALow-cost matte option for large batches of bins and baseplates.
PETG for functional and outdoor prints
PETG handles heat, sunlight and repeated flexing better than PLA, so Gridfinity bins in a hot garage or signs mounted outdoors keep their shape.
- Bambu Lab PETG BasicUpgraded formula that Bambu says matches PLA Basic for strength while staying impact-tough; low price per spool in multi-roll bundles.
- Polymaker PETGHigh-flow replacement for PolyLite PETG: strong, low-odour and quick to print.
- Overture High Speed PETGGood-value PETG in a large colour range for functional parts in bulk.
0.2 mm nozzle for fine detail
A 0.2 mm nozzle lays thinner lines, so tiny keychain text, small HueForge features and delicate edges come out sharp instead of blobby. Keep abrasive glow and wood filaments away from stainless 0.2 mm nozzles.
- Bambu Lab Hotend A1/A2 - 0.2 mm Stainless SteelDrop-in 0.2 mm hotend for the A1, A1 mini and A2L.
- Bambu Lab Multi-Size Hotends KitBundles a 0.2 mm hotend with larger sizes, with versions for H2, X2D/P2S, A-series and X1/P1 printers.
- Bambu Lab Hotend P1 Series - 0.2 mm Stainless SteelThe 0.2 mm option for P1S owners.
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