Brick Assembly

[@StefanNoack]

Over 20 years ago, my grandma said jokingly: "One day they'll make computers so small, you'd need to be careful to not vacuum them up while cleaning the house." Well grandma, the day has come.

[@ANSWERTHECALLOFJESUSCHRIST]

What a visionary! 🤓

[@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece]

20 years ago we where there already. Smartcards have been containing computers for decades. They only got faster and more memory. SIM cards would be one well established example.

[@thefoxguy]

Wow. Your grandma can look into the future.

[@thefoxguy]

@@fgregerfeaxcwfeffece A SIM card technically isn't a PC, it's just something that stores data like a SD Card, you can't actually compute anything with it.

[@JeremyMartinez]

I’d like to see her portfolio 🎉

[@bigclivedotcom]

That is completely ludicrous. Good job.

[@graphdesign_id]

Hello :D

[@Shea7TDM]

Never in a million years did I think that at the beginning of the video this was going to actually be a computer inside a Lego brick.

[@anthonydelamare8612]

Running Roblox on a Lego brick 😂

[@Simon-ui6db]

Just come here from Adam Savage Tested youtube channel saying about your work. Holy moly thats impressive. He's also asking for you to reach out to him. He gave really high praise of your work (if you havn't already spoken). Freaking awsome.

[@davesmith9325]

Adam savage annoys me intensely.

[@Dylan-ee6qg]

It would be hard to convince me that the final product is real without this video.

[@paulpinecone2464]

It was hard to convince me that reality was real until Plato let me out of this cave.

[@JacobLeeson-zk1ol]

The one he made has lots of computer power because it was made with a raspberry pi. However screens this small that can display stuff like what he is using it for have existed for ages. Watches for example.

[@oa1700]

@@JacobLeeson-zk1ol Not quite. It's an RP2040 microcontroller, it barely has any computing power, and certainly cannot run an operating system (or at least a proper one, maybe it can run an RTOS or a really really basic UNIX one). And the screen is just a really low resolution monochrome OLED (presumably SPI protocol) one, watches usually have way better ones (referring to smartwatches).

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

🤯

[@AbsurdAsparagus]

this comment made me realize how we are gonna have to deal with AI. you have to show your work. like on a math test. just showing the answer doesnt mean you didnt cheat. you have to show your work.

[@McStebb]

I'm a tooling engineer professionally and I absolutely LOVE your tiny little fixtures. They were all a total joy to see in use. Full points!

[@kellyfrench]

That is what impressed me too. Including that the guide rails were Tecnic and when he extracted it from the mold he used a Lego utility tool. Now I wonder how it gets power because I didn’t see a battery, also are the top posts capacitive for screen selection? Very impressive!

[@SergioEduP]

@@kellyfrench If you look closely at the studs of the white block the brick was mounted on top there seem to be contacts along opposing edges, probably some batteries inside it. The capacitive controls also blew me away, I did not expect those at all!

[@nurmr]

@@SergioEduP Yep, that's a standard lego battery box.

[@DominicWellington]

Bonus points for using an actual Lego pry tool to get the brick out of the mould! Seriously though, amazing project; I am in awe.

[@_Simon]

And lego + shafts to keep the mold together!

[@Zaximillian]

I started laughing the moment I saw it.

[@KeithBond]

Ex toolmaker and longtime software engineer here... Tip of the hat to you sir. Pure craft. The best thing I've watched in a long time.

[@Rcdude10tc32]

These were my favorite bricks when I was a kid. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined this to be possible. If you ever sell this, even as a kit, please let me know. I’m in awe of how cool this is.

[@johnannan2506]

Could not agree more! Just amazing.

[@omrihadar8823]

I would also love to see a kit of sorts

[@wiebel7569]

This, for once, wouldn't do as a kit. The assembly itself is pure art.

[@chris11d7]

Would buy, need a command center for my Saturn V

[@civicbynature]

If you ever sell just the boards PLZ let me know. This setup being so small with the little oled screen has all lot of other fun applications I would love to place with!!!

[@stefanejegod8644]

This is genuinely impressive. I get putting a screen inside the brick and a cable to the base etc, but actually putting the microcontroller inside the brick as well?? AND.. make it compatible with the official Lego power modules is just a next level thing!

[@AaronEiche]

This is absolutely amazing! I love it, and I was shocked at the Brick reveal, as I hadn't though it was actually that small while you were building it. The engineering of both the PCB assembly as well as the mold is superb I'm very impressed! A general reminder to anyone watching this - Sanding FR4 (the fiberglass that PCBs are made of) releases extreme dangerous particulates into the air. They are really bad for your lungs. Exercise caution and use a respirator.

[@4.0.4]

Ha... Good... To know...

[@InakiArzalluz]

@@4.0.4 **dies**

[@TheLensis]

Very cool! As a kid we always declared these exact bricks as our computers, little me would have sold an arm and a leg to have them actually do the blinky blink!

[@matthewvenn]

Love your 3d printed jigs! Amazing work, congratulations!

[@jasonlipavsky7371]

Just the time you took to make the jigs is impressive

[@drewskidmore9392]

Came here to make the same comment. The jigs were amazing.

[@Sabotage_Labs]

Lol...me too but in today's era...I was kind of a afraid to say Jig. My father was a tool and die maker and I've built and worked with more than a few jigs when I was a younger man. Now, I 3D print them. Funny kind a... My father past a way a couple years ago at 90. He HATED CNC machines. Hated computere, especially ones that would make his decades of knowledge and expertise useless. I suspect he wouldn't appreciate my 3D printer either. Considering I can design and print a part in hours that he we spend weeks to build a mold to make. I would at least hope that he appreciated that I use technics and math I learned while helping out in his shop. He hated that I went into a career of computer....until he saw a paystub when I was like 26yrs old...lol. My hands weren't all chewed up and full of bandsids, I didn't freeze in the winter or melt in the summer and I didn't have grease and grime in places I couldn't see or reach...either.😜 Different times. Yet...I can lose an hour watching KZbin videos of CNC machines doing just wild stuff.

[@echo-hotel]

Everyone is impressed with the screen. I’m here for the tiny jigs and now wondering why I haven’t been making them on my printer… 😅

[@chadbeardall3660]

Once I figured out what he was making, I wondered how he was going to power it. Then he just hooked it up to that battery box and I had to go back to the beginning to figure out how it all worked. Such an amazing job done here and a really eligant solution!

[@terisonk]

I grew up playing with the silk screened equivalent, vividly imagining them as functional computers. Amazing work, well done! ❤️

[@pwnmeisterage]

Children today can grown up without needing to pretend the printed "computer" blocks are actually functional computers. I wonder if this will stimulate their imaginations ... or if it will limit their imaginations.

[@freevbucks8019]

@@pwnmeisterage Both depending on how it's displayed

[@ausboss20001]

@@pwnmeisterage its sure stimulating my imagination because i can imagine about a million things to make using this one brick

[@jack-mil9150]

I am a PCB layout engineer and would LOVE to see the ECAD design files for this. Will you open source the project? I have never seen a 3D assembly with edge connectors like that; super ingenious

[@dmf.310]

This is incredibly impressive. The amount of different skills you have acquired to make something with this level of form and finish is inspiring. A+ content

[@bryangrossman]

The number of different skills being brought to bear on this project is staggering. Not only that but some of them you wiuld need to be exceedingly good at. Trully astounding ...

[@thommekm]

Thank you for sharing! It's totally interesting to see how such a brick is assembled and I'm also impressed how clean the moulded brick came out..

[@RandomBSOD]

the whole build is beyond impressive, but what really blows it all away are the tolerances on these 3d printed molds.... TOP NOTCH

[@MrJoegotbored]

This is the coolest thing! I had no idea what you were making until the 11 minute mark and then I audibly gasped. So cool!! And thanks for not ruining the video with loud music overlays.

[@chadbeardall3660]

Having played with so many legos as a kid, I got it when he started mounting the pcb on the mold. But yeah, audible gasp! Such an amazing project!

[@CaribouKH]

Coming from Tested and Adam Savage and .. I just cannot believe what I'm seeing!

[@NabilBennaniKerrout]

I love the use of 3d printed tooling and jigs you have pulled out, fantastic work, I can see a great deal of thought on each part of the process, kudos my friend!

[@jacobfield2214]

That is HELLA impressive. As soon as I saw the shape of the assembled PCBs I knew what you were trying to recreate, and I was not disappointed in the end result. Having it power off the old Lego 9v power brick is an impressive finishing touch.

[@TheJacklwilliams]

It’s akin to writing a hit song with a 15 piece band. Your knowledge and use of the mixed materials and tech behind this is absolutely unrefutable. Top that off with the design you bring into play here and I’m in awe. Thank you. It’s just this kind of thing that gets my creative juices flowing for the work that I am doing and, it’s combined with a front row tutorial on how to, do this thing. Priceless. Absolutely PRICELESS.

[@HeatherBarron]

I am so completely impressed, not only with the build itself, but the tooling & jigs you developed to support the process the entire way. Thanks for the show!

[@alexgian9313]

I'll second that. Impressive accuracy of design and build!

[@luca5247]

That's just amazing engineering, it's mindblowing thinking that a single person went through hardware design to manufacturing (tools AND products), programming, curcuit design... The whole stack. Thank you for sharing, it's truly inspiring. Also... please... we need some update on the keyboard! :)

[@hershes]

So many points throughout this video I had audibly gasped. From realizing that tiny panel was a display, to me being reminded I was watching a video called “*Brick* Assembly” with that reveal. Getting it to be interactive?? So awesome!

[@thiagoennes]

I have no words for how amazing this is.

[@ivarmh]

Just got here from the referal from @Tested. This is just fantistic! A true childhood fantasy brought to life. Thank you for this!

[@HerrBlauzahn]

This is the most amazing thing I've seen in a long time. Truly impressive.

[@curtis7428]

I love the design of your PCB the way you make the solder connections to both be physical connections and electrical connections is inspiring. and in all the little jigs you've made. and molds and everything great job!!!

[@BloodAsp]

My jaw dropped after I realized what you were making it into. BRAVO!

[@parkerhemming9388]

The process you've created to make each brick is so amazing. I love the 3d printed guides for each step of the way. So cool!

[@AndrewTSq]

this is so cool on every level. from the 3d printed jigs to a working lego piece wow.. i am so impressed.

[@dadjake]

The fitment of everything, the precise solder joints, the tools that are perfect for their job... This doesn't look like it's the first time you've built this, but holy shit, what a beauty.

[@maffsie]

This is such a neat build - extremely clever use of PCBs to reduce overall size. The end result is beautiful, thank you for sharing!

[@thomasrosebrough9062]

WHAT!! THATS AMAZING!!! I was already very impressed with this video and then I saw you pull it out of the mold AND ITS A LEGO SCREEN. Genius idea, well executed, and an amazing result. Wow and wow.

[@Karlemilstorm]

I didn't know what I was watching but when you pulled out a freakin lego brick I was stunned, hahaha. Nice work.

[@KirtFitzpatrick]

That's insane. And the idea to make the studs touch sensitive buttons is genius, but that fact that you actually got them to work is jaw dropping. Well done. More please. ;-)

[@benm4784]

I just saw the product on the engineering mastodon server! I truly did not comprehend what I was looking at, this is an incredible marvel of design and assembly

[@ItsDrMcQuack]

The studs are capacitive!!! THAT'S what those little tabs are for. This is amazing

[@CoolAsFreya]

Your soldering skills are very impressive! Even with a big chunky iron you manage to get clean unbridged connections that look pretty clean!

[@kamnxt]

That's the magic of good flux!

[@jt7442]

Holy wow. Simply wonderful! Best video I've ever seen. I literally shouted "NO WAY!!!" when you started using the top buttons!

[@MarkSmithIsJudy2k]

This is just amazing. I love all the content you've produced around this project.

[@gnomebob]

the use of 3d printed parts to aid with precision assembly demonstrates such incredible planning. without which Im sure a project like this couldn't be possible

[@thekodanator]

This is the coolest new (to me) project ive seen in the last several months!!! This is fantastic! I giggled when you pulled it out of the mould.

[@fredfred2363]

@ancient - all the bigclive followers are discussing your skills. Everyone's seriously impressed. To accrue all them skills, you must have been playing in engineering a long time... 👍🏻😀🇬🇧

[@wadebrewer7212]

This is hands down the most amazing thing I've seen in a very long time.

[@williammadisondavis]

today the algorithm blessed! Rarely watch lego videos but today I'm happy I bored binge watched a bunch of lego gear ratio vids and the likes because this is one of the neatest inventions I've seen in a very long time. Kudos-

[@joveaaron-real]

I didn't know that you were talking about a Lego brick! Amazing work.

[@Porygonal64]

I had a dream about this a few days after watching, that's how impactful this video was!

[@ciscoserrano]

Who else is here from Adams recent lego video?

[@davidyoung518]

you never know where a "Savage hole" will take you!!

[@pellesomethingsomething]

Aye.

[@CalebJamesForsythe]

Same

[@Tomyb15]

Simply amazing. While you were assembling the pcb using the blue plastic pieces I thought "it'd be a real shame to waste all the effort with the pcb work by using a 3d printed (filament type) brick to house it. I would use a resin printer or even use a mold to cast resin for the brick" and then you bamboozled me and actually did it. The blue plastic was just for assembly!

[@ItsDrMcQuack]

This is astounding. The level of care and attention to detail throughout the entire process had my jaw dropping several times ! That was something I'd expect for factory production, not someone tinkering in their shed. And the result! Just incredible.

[@markfallu2389]

Every single thing about this is incredible - spectacular from conception to delivery and everything in between!

[@AppliedCryogenics]

This sort of excellence brings me joy. Thanks for filming it!

[@enokstenhuggare2131]

at 7:40 it struck me "hey this is going to be a lego piece". hats off to you, really well done.

[@mike0rr]

I'm a bit lost as to how the power it connected to the final brick. I see an exposed USB for most of the video but at the end it looks like its able to interface with a battery block. You should do a video on that last bit. Very amazing work. The engineering behind the circuit board construction it amazing in itself.

[@LeNerdz1]

Me too

[@bradeng7]

USB used to load the program to the chip that makes the pretty screen. Once it’s flashed, only needs power to run the sketch on repeat - usb never required again.

[@mike0rr]

@@bradeng7 Yeah, I understand how a micro controller works... That's why I was asking about the power delivery to the brick, not how the screen and / or controller works. I was interested about interfacing the design to the Lego power block

[@Geeksmithing]

I appreciate all of your efforts into the work holding and fixturing! Congrats on your hardwork being viewed and appreciated by so many!

[@joemieszczur9735]

holy crap, youtube is two for two. someone fixed the algorithm for sure. i'm working on a project to build a dashboard for my moped. i want something more open source so anyone can tweak it for whatever features you want, similar to how the 3d printing controllers went. my first iteration is done, and i have been looking for interesting ways to house it. this video had it all lol. using interesting pcb's to resin, and 3d printed jigs. i would love to see the whole project.

[@corncobjohnsonreal]

This is how every single Lego brick is made

[@Phyzzius]

It took me a while to realise what kind of brick you were talking about, but man this is amazing. If I could buy this (as kit or assembled), I totally would.

[@captainglume]

Wow! That is very very impressive. Well done. Back in 2000 we were doing lego shows and thought putting in iPaq's into drive in movie screens and LED landing lights was the pinacol. Woo that looked so good. ♥

[@R3cKi7]

Adam Savage Tested fans represent! this is crazy!

[@RenSkywalker2187]

I clicked this with no idea what it was, no clue at all what you were making. This is amazing omg

[@alan_felt]

I popped in thinking ooh, small electronics. Then you pulled out the brick from the mold and my jaw dropped. I had no idea, this is incredible!

[@roidroid]

Haha same. Figured that any DIY minimal/miniaturized electronics project will automatically be interesting, coz you know the maker has had to think a lot about it - So I clicked play. But then there was 3d circuitboard structures ❤️, and 3d printed jigs ❤️, mini silicone moulds ❤️, steps taken to protect electrical connectors ❤️, and a full potting into what became the product's COMPLETE housing ❤️, and a surprise nostalgia as the finale. Earned a subscription from me. Love this basement product fabrication stuff.

[@alan_felt]

@@roidroid Well said, ditto to that!

[@masterredwood]

watched this without knowing what it was, didnt know it was a LEGO brick assembly... 9/10 would recommend watching blind and confused.

[@mstrVLT]

Amazing work, a child I imagined it, but now I see it

[@mattmurphy7030]

This is one of the most incredible projects I've seen on KZbin. The result is just so perfect. Great job!!

[@michaelrichey8516]

The meticulous planning is very inspiring.

[@brine80]

Wow! I loved lego's as a child, and now my own kids play with them. Watching this blew my mind, I actually had no idea what the end product was until it came out of the mold. And its size appeared much larger during assembly than it actually is, which threw me off even more. This is amazing! And not just because of the end product, but the fact that you made this from scratch using pcb's and home made parts that were needed while building. I would love to have had this as a kid, even now things like this could change the game of imagination for young builders.

[@AlphaXDE]

in combination with a print that maybe suggests a screen bevel or so it would look like the old screen prints from lego, just interactive :) The way it is now its like a free form display lego piece which obviously has more use cases. Awesome!

[@critical_always]

This is just insane! I still can't believe what I just watched. All along I thought this thing was bigger. I am in awe.

[@Muscleduck]

I saw the news about this brick a while back and seeing how it is made is really, really cool. I have zero use for this but I really want one. I'd love it if a kit became available at a somewhat reasonable price. Also, incredible thst you somehow found place to implement controls on this.

[@NicolasSaudemont]

HOLY MOLY !!!!!!!!!! I'm not sure I'm equipped enough to tell how impressed I am here ! The Idea is huge, the realisation flawless, and the result is beyond expectations ! Hats off to you man !

[@Roobotics]

I just adore this tiny little project. I wonder if you could consider trying to sneak an IRDA link in there, then you could feed in and out data and even do weird stuff like link them together or flash from a IR bootloader.. It'd be slow I'm sure, but also give some interesting flexibility while keeping interface things simple otherwise, not as complicated as wireless RF, etc!

[@哲子仮免]

Lego should definitely develop this piece. That is so stunning man.

[@Culpride]

I'm shure they looked into it. But LEGO makes plastic pieces for the high profit margin. They've developed and improved for decades to get production prices low. Remember "Spybotics", "Boost" or "Mindstorms"? If these electronics were a good business, they'd keep them around. A "Powered Up Electric 9V Battery Box" costs 50€+. Batteries not included. What would a working screen brick cost? If I had to guess I'd say nore than two figures (pun intended)

[@FrodoWills]

WOW! Are you planning on making these available for purchase??

[@wezm]

Thanks for this behind the scenes look. Loved all the jigs you made for assembly. The end result looks quite repeatable.

[@levistrnad2965]

can you release the parts for this? I would really like to make this for my self its such a genius design.

[@raulcastellanosjr.4754]

The coolest RP2040 project I’ve seen so far, no doubt.

[@DigitalOsmosis]

This is incredible! Do you have any plans to release the design or sell these?

[@mashermack]

I spent all video thinking "brick computer ah yea he's encasing that in a block of cement" or something then a Lego appears out of nowhere. wtf dude. speechless

[@YonatanAvhar]

Very, very cool. How is the final brick powered? The USB port is obviously unplugged, so where is the power from?

[@MikeGustafson101]

We live in very, very different worlds. The power you have, is incredible.

[@Muschelbu]

Great work! Could you please share the Part Number of the tiny display and where to get it?

[@u6bkep]

Seconded. I have been looking for a display like that for a project.

[@ancientjames]

www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001676905300.html

[@imba2484]

at first I wasn't super impressed, until I saw the finished product. my jaw dropped. awesome work

[@omrihadar8823]

Would you make the Gerber files and STLs available?

[@peteragurkis3590]

Did not know where there was going until the very end. Wow. That is a really cool and extremely well put together brick. Clearly a lot of planning and effort went into this. Nice job.

[@zeevro]

Are you selling/publishing source code for the hardware and/or software?

[@iowa_don]

Utterly MESMERIZING!! One of the coolest things I have ever seen in my 75 years. In a couple of minutes you go from what the heck is going on here to OMG I must have one!!!!!

[@Gin-toki]

This is really incredibly well made! Are you planning on selling some?

[@UhloMuhlo]

This is insane, absurd, and mind-boggling! I really love it! Congratulations, this is a great feat!

[@DougPaice]

This is just amazing. How many iterations did you go through? If you aren't planning on selling the finished product, I'd happily pay for the files.

[@ecopennylife]

Absolutely amazing, here from Adam Savage's Tested 😍

[@aborabee3]

Amazing work! I am very curious about the display you used and how you managed greyscale?

[@Kingofkeks]

When i first saw this project I was already in awe. And that was before i knew you even added friggin' touch control to that thing!!!! I thought it was just displaying random screens! You, good person are a master!

[@Hi-hw8tl]

Would you sell them or make instructions? How much does the production of one cost?

[@tigercat3864]

The main chip, Raspi Pico, costs 1/2 dollar. Probably $10 for all the parts. Now all you need is mad CAD/EDA skills, PNP machine, reflow oven, 3D printer, excellent soldering skills, mold making skills, tool making skills, and a ton of time.

[@joblessalex]

Just holy crap. Wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it built.