Lego bricks come in different heights. Lego Brick: advantages, characteristics, equipment for production! Thickened and elongated bricks

In England, a house was built from Lego bricks. It took 300,000 toy blocks. First, bricks of real sizes were made of them.

It turned out like hollow cinder blocks. Each of them took 272 Lego bricks. Volunteers helped. They were called by the author of the project - the architect James May.

The idea came to him in a conversation with friends. We sat in the bar and discussed what to build, if they had as much Lego as they wanted.

The conversation turned into a two-story house in one of the fields in Surrey. Even the load-bearing beams in the building were made of constructor, so that the frame could withstand human weight.

In the photo, lego bricks are colored

James May himself checked it. Upon completion of construction, he lived in the building for a day, without deviating from the usual daily routine. The Lego bed, as the architect noted, is harsh, but in general, the man was comfortable.

Building with toy bricks is an experiment. A few months after the construction of the house, it was dismantled. The reason is the lack of a building permit.

It would hardly have been given to a Lego house. However, there are real Lego bricks. They were invented before toy ones, in 1932. The author of the project was Ole Christiansens.

He led a team of joiners and carpenters. For almost a century now lego brick becomes material for real houses.

There are no problems with permission to build them, and you can live in buildings without fear that they will not withstand the weight of the guests.

However, so far, the material has not gained much popularity. If it's a lack of information, we'll provide it.

What is a lego brick?

Externally, a Lego brick is a standard, rectangular block. It differs from the usual two spikes on the upper side and two hollow grooves on the bottom.

When laying, the protrusions enter the cavities, being attached to the glue. Similar grooves, by the way, are in some aerated concrete blocks. As a result, the assembly of the walls resembles the folding of a Lego constructor.

From Danish, its name is translated as "game", "pleasure". The goal of making grooved bricks is to make building fun. Let's start with an external inspection of the details:

As you can see, the number of pins and inputs for them can be different. In modern bricks, they like to copy the design of parts from Lego.

But, the model created by Ole Christiansens contained only 2 protrusions and the same number of grooves. Over the centuries, the range has expanded not only in terms of the number of pins and inputs, but also the shape of the bricks. Consider the new market:

These blocks are experimental only in Russia. lego brick in Canada, for example, has vertical locks. These are shown in the first photo.

In domestic open spaces, they prefer vertical mounts, coupled with horizontal ones. The system is named Haener. Masonry with only vertical grooves is called Sparlock.

The shape and location of locks is not the only parameter that you should pay attention to when choosing lego brick. Characteristics, which determine both the features of the masonry and the quality of the blocks, we will consider in a separate chapter.

Characteristics of lego bricks

On the photo lego brick has larger or smaller holes. Depending on the area they occupy, the blocks are divided into solid and hollow.

The former are less than 25% filled. In the latter, respectively, the void accounts for more than a quarter of the area. If the hole occupies from 50%, an overuse of the binder is coming.

Some use cement. Ideally, you need glue. It sits on him lego brick. Technology implies the consumption of 15 kilograms of tile mix per cube of building blocks.

Otherwise, the essence of the characteristics given to bricks by cavities coincides with the parameters of ordinary hollow and solid blocks. Let's listen to one of their sales managers:

The climate in Belarus, from where the video "arrived" on You Tube, is milder than in the Siberian regions of Russia. The maximum frost resistance of lego blocks is -35 degrees.

Accordingly, buildings in Yakutia, the Magadan region, Tyva, Komi, in the north of the Krasnoyarsk Territory are not justified.

Although, it is worth considering the possibility of additional insulation of buildings and masonry in one and a half bricks. Filling nodes.

Between the rows you place, for example, polyurethane foam. So the Siberian version of Lego is ready. Below is an amateur, but visual photo:

Not only reinforcement is placed in the holes of Lego bricks. You can also hide communications, for example, pipes, in the wall. Why don't Lego buildings grow like mushrooms?

In Russia, the problem comes down to a small number of producers. Lego brick sizes do not tolerate rejection. Otherwise, the grooves do not fit.

Accordingly, blocks are recorded in marriage even with a millimeter deviation from the norm. Enterprises do not undertake such troublesome production and do not have the appropriate equipment. In the same place where it is, such buildings and entire villages made of Lego bricks appear:

The pictures show that outwardly buildings made of Lego blocks do not differ from ordinary brick houses. Both architecturally complex and simple solutions are implemented.

They are acceptable for seismically active regions. Masonry is one and a half times more stable than ceramic blocks.

The strength of the material allows you to build load-bearing walls from it. At the same time, working with Lego and transporting it is easier than ordinary bricks.

The weight of the novelty is about 3 kilos. This is the mass of one block. At the same time, in terms of density, it is not inferior to the standard one. Besides, lego brick house characterized by minimal moisture absorption.

It does not exceed 6%. This prolongs the life of the blocks, because building materials are destroyed by gaining moisture. Lego masonry can withstand 150 cycles. But, these are words.

The novelty of the material so far does not allow checking the longevity of blocks with grooves. The same thing that can be checked, it is better to look visually. We offer a video test from one of the manufacturers in Yekaterinburg:

Lego brick making does not involve roasting. The strength of the blocks is due to dense compaction. Technologists call it hyperpressing.

It is based on cold welding. Particles are connected by the force of pressure, not heat. It turns out that the main equipment for the production of blocks - lego brick press. We will tell about it further.

Equipment for the production of lego bricks

Machine for the production of lego bricks can be manual and industrial. The latter is powered by electricity. This gives maximum power and, accordingly, performance.

Manual machines do not require energy or are low-power. These are purchased for their own needs, individual construction.

Not only houses are built from Lego blocks, but also gazebos, fences, and fireplace masonry. Let's consider some of them.

Pictured is a Lego brick fireplace

Pictured is a Lego brick fence

Pictured is a gazebo made of Lego bricks

lego brick machine, in fact, there is a press. Low productivity implies about 1,000 blocks per shift. It is considered an 8-hour working day.

The average output is 2,000 bricks. Industrial presses create 700-900 blocks per hour. Such machines can withstand up to 1,000,000 operating cycles.

The minimum is 600,000. Lego brick production on manual presses it is designed for a maximum of 500 cycles. One block comes out in 15-30 seconds.

This is an average. In budget presses, there is only one form for bricks. Let's look at an example of such a setup:

There is equipment, lego brick which comes out 6-8 pieces at a time. These are industrial machines. Their pressure is 30 tons.

There are also cars with 40 and even 60 tons. It is this pressure that provides a density of 1,550-2,000 kilograms per cubic meter.

The catch of most manual machines is low pressure. Usually, it is several tons. They are not enough for the product to reach the desired density.

You can no longer build load-bearing walls from such blocks. Just enough for gazebos, wells and fences with fireplaces.

Therefore, acquiring artisanal Lego for serious construction is a risk. To understand the difference between simple and industrial machines, just look at a couple of professional machines:

In the photo, equipment for making Lego bricks

Manual machine for lego bricks can give a relatively high-quality product when using a high-quality sand.

Also, on industrial equipment, blocks can be obtained that leave much to be desired if the raw material is weak. What this means will be explained in the next chapter.

Composition of lego bricks

Lego brick mix depends on the region of production. In Moldova, for example, screenings of carbonate rocks are used.

We are talking about stones containing calcium carbonate, that is, limestone, shell rock, marbles. In clayey areas, kaolin is used.

With an abundance of sand, add it. The particles are fastened not only by pressing, but also by cement. Always add a little water.

The quality of the blocks depends precisely on the percentage of elements, the fineness of their grinding. So, lego brick composition clay-sand formation implies 8% cement, 2% water.

55% is clay and 35% is sand. However, most manufacturers use conventional crushed stone screenings.

It is difficult to verify the ratio of components in it. The emphasis is on the nuances of working with the mixture. Let's hear from the professionals:

Implementation machine drawings for lego bricks the highest class will not give proper results if the amount of sand in the mixture is more than 35%.

The sand is not crushed. Meanwhile, for high-quality Lego blocks, an ash fraction is needed. Perfectly smooth bricks are obtained from such raw materials.

They do not even need to be leveled with plaster. This saves money in terms of interior decoration. You can choose the color of the walls. The color depends on the composition or the addition of a special pigment.

Lego brick color

If do lego brick diy or in the workshop from the screening of carbonate rocks, white, possibly slightly grayish or beige blocks will be obtained.

Crushed gravel is of different composition. Granite chips, for example, are reddish. Clay is also red, orange, or brown.

However, white kaolin is considered the highest quality. When pressed, it gives a minimum number of pores, and therefore, the most "indifferent" to moisture and dense.

lego brick matrix painted in bright colors is used, as a rule, for facing facades, fireplaces and other decorative components. Blocks without adding dyes go to the main construction.

Lego brick - reviews

In 2016, about 10 factory models were produced on the Russian market lego. Brick buy offer Yekaterinburg, Saratov, Muscovites.

Building materials are also produced in Tula and Rostov-on-Don. There are few reviews about blocks and the construction of them. The shortage is associated with the novelty of the material on the Russian market.

Lego brick in Moscow discussed on the House forum. For example, a certain Dmitry spoke there: “Since the adhesive layer goes both in vertical and horizontal seams, the problem of blowing was solved.

Assembling directly adult constructor, entertaining. True, I have a feeling that in our country they do not know what the geometry of a brick is. I culled a lot in size.

Dmitry Moskvitin also spoke about the size of Lego. The man gives practical advice: “We need to buy the largest possible bricks.

They are easier to shape to size. The smaller the product, the more marriage. At least we have.

In Canada, they say, brick to brick fits perfectly even with small sizes, but we are not in Canada).”

The opinion of Stanislav Grivin from Tula is also interesting. The man apparently makes Lego blocks. Stanislav writes: “I steam the brick after molding.

Offhand, the quality is improving by 10 percent. 5 houses have already been rebuilt. The clients are happy. I cannot understand when the rule “the construction market is an ungrateful market” will work.

Lego brick price

The view on the cost of products varies between consumers and manufacturers. The latter need, as they say, to beat off the machines, replace them as they wear out. Professional presses cost from 2,000,000 rubles. A manual machine can be found for 30,000.

Consumers are interested price for one. lego brick they sell, as a rule, from 10 to 25 rubles per block.

The cost depends on the material, the degree of hollowness, dimensions. Standard brick parameters: 250 by 125 by 65 millimeters.

By the way, it was these blocks that were made from toy James May. And here is the building that was demolished, but remained in the memory of people and in the pictures they took. The architect did not fail to take a picture next to his creation.

Such a modern building material as "Lego" - a brick, reviews of which speak of its excellent quality, is an example of that very simple and ingenious solution. This product has some improvements compared to conventional bricks. In the 1st half of the twentieth century, the Danish builder Ole Kirk decided to make a brick with a distinctly new shape. Namely, with such that the resulting product helps to lay itself. This is how "Lego" was created - a brick, reviews of which received from professionals in the construction industry indicate its reliability and ease of working with it. Read more about this and more below.

Product Description

Lego bricks, reviews of which speak of the effectiveness and ease of use of this material, have two convex spherical holes on their upper surface. Get a brick on a specific machine. The lower plane of the product is equipped with two holes with a concave sphere. This is a characteristic feature of products such as Lego bricks, reviews of which indicate the high practicality of the material. The presence of such a geometry ensures a clear fixation of this product during construction work. Docking of elements is carried out using an adhesive solution. The geometric dimensions of the finished product are:

length - 250 mm;
width - 125 mm;
height - 45-80 mm;
weight - 3.5-4 kg (depending on the components that make up the product);
maximum withstand pressure - 300 kg/cm 2 .

Bricks "Lego": the composition of the mixture

In this regard, there are several varieties. Brick "Lego" can be made from the following compositions:

Clay-cement. It uses components such as clay (90%), cement (8%) and water.
Composition based on different screenings. This also includes screenings (85-90%), cement (8%) and water.
Clay-sand. This includes four components: sand (35%), clay (55%), cement (8%) and water.

When planning production, the availability of raw materials should be taken into account. This is an important condition. Bricks, which are obtained by pressing, require raw materials with a fine fraction. This must be taken into account in order to achieve the required strength. Brick "Lego", obtained from screenings, has the highest strength characteristics.

The production of products such as Lego bricks, reviews of which indicate their reliability and efficiency, requires special forming dies. With their help, a surface is created with the necessary smoothness and with certain parameters of given geometric dimensions. For the full-fledged production of these products, you should have the entire set of matrices that allow you to obtain halves of these bricks and fitting products. They are used for finishing work.

Equipment Description

To make Lego bricks, reviews of which indicate the practicality and ease of use, you must have an appropriate machine. Its design includes units of a certain category, which are mounted on a metal frame. For example, equipment such as Legostanok makes it possible to produce Lego bricks in a semi-automatic mode, the composition of the mixture for the manufacture of which is indicated above. The indicated products are obtained in this unit by the pressing method at high pressure. In this case, the subsequent firing of the product in thermal furnaces is not carried out. With the specified machine, it is quite possible to make Lego bricks with your own hands.

Operating principle

In this case, certain actions are taken into account. The mixture prepared for the formation of bricks is poured into a specially adapted hopper. Then, with the help of a dispenser, it enters the molding compartment. The mixture is then compressed under high pressure with a hydraulic press. As a result of this, a ready-made "Lego" brick is obtained. Equipment, reviews of which are positive due to the ease of implementation of the workflow, as mentioned above, is considered using the Legostanok machine as an example. It has a three-phase electric motor and an oil pump, which creates the necessary pressure in the hydraulic cylinder. Thanks to the mechanized compression action, this machine achieves high pressure and increases the productivity of the process. Its presence will allow you to produce Lego bricks with your own hands, even without special skills and experience.

Description of the machine

The parameters of this type of equipment are optimal for placing it in a limited area. With the correct organization of labor and the process of preparing the mixture, high results are achieved.

The main components of the machine are certain units:

Loading bunker.
The batcher of mix with the drive manual.
Forming chamber.
Matrix. With its help, a certain geometry of the holes of the Lego brick is set. It is located in the molding chamber.
Electric motor.
Oil pump.
Hydraulic Press. It works from oil, which pumps the pump.
Unit stand.

Description of the workflow

The specified machine can function both in semi-automatic mode and in manual mode. It all depends on the chosen technology. Manual mode refers to the molding process when using the type. He is able to create the necessary force in the press sole.

In the semi-automatic mode of operation, the operator opens the valve on the hydraulic line at the required moment, and molding is carried out using a hydraulic press. This mode helps to increase the productivity of the equipment in the range of 1.5-2 times. The above machine has these functions. "Lego" - a brick, the reviews of which are positive due to the reliability and efficiency of the material - while it turns out to be of better quality. The reason is that the required pressure is reached for effective adhesion of the mixture at the molecular level.

Brick production technology "Lego"

The manufacturing process of this product includes several stages. Namely, carrying out:

preparatory work;
molding;
pressing bricks;
storage of finished products with appropriate exposure for a certain time.

Next, we will consider each stage in more detail. Preparatory work includes the delivery of the required raw materials, their sorting and preparation of the required mixture for molding. In order to increase productivity, it is recommended to use additional equipment that will allow you to bring the components to the required fraction (if necessary) by sieving and mix raw material additives. In the presence of large volumes, the finished mixture is fed into the receiving hopper of the equipment using a conveyor. Then, the required volume of the substance is sent to the matrix for formation by means of a dosing device. This is done automatically by the operator. After that, the dispenser returns to the sub-bunker space. Then the valve is opened, which supplies oil to the press. After that, the mixture is compressed for a certain time. Further, with the help of a pusher, the finished brick is advanced and transferred to the temporary warehouse area, where the resulting products must be kept for three days. After that, the products can be shipped to the consumer. The period of time before the start of product use should be at least 21 days.

To maximize the productivity of the machine, two people should be involved in the production process and automation of preparatory work should be carried out.
Receipt of finished products can be carried out with the help of one operator. This will significantly increase the time for the manufacture of a certain number of bricks.
Obtaining high-quality products directly depends on the components used and their dosage in the mixture. The necessary indicators in each specific case can be achieved empirically.
To ensure permanent orders, a semi-automatic type machine should be used. As a result, the pressure during the formation process will increase. This, in turn, will lead to the possibility of obtaining high-quality and neat outwardly Lego bricks, the composition of the mixtures for which is indicated above.

Application area

Brick "Lego" is a product of the latest generation with increased density and a special shape. This product has improved technical characteristics. Bricks "Lego" in comparison with the usual "brother" provide the perfect appearance of the facades of various buildings for many years. Also, the water absorption of this product is only 5%. As a result of this, a wall built of Lego bricks will not absorb moisture and various dirt. This product cleans up quickly with water. Also, the products have high frost resistance, are environmentally friendly and suitable for use in various climatic conditions.

The scope of the Lego brick was initially determined by its ability to maintain an ideal appearance for a long time. Therefore, it is often used for facing various structures, as well as for finishing indoors. However, all wall structures can be made from Lego bricks, especially when foam concrete is used as a filler.

How to work with Lego bricks?

One of the main advantages of working with a product such as a Lego brick is the ease of installation. Compared to the "classic" analogue, installation will not cause any difficulties. Having a special shape and having two guide holes, the Lego brick is laid quite simply:

It will be sufficient to carry out the installation of only the first row using a level and guides. There is no difficulty in this either. Further, the rest of all the rows themselves are aligned during the laying process, thanks to the corresponding guides.
Installation requires a minimum amount of glue. Lego bricks fit perfectly together. As a result, 500 pieces of glue take no more than 25 kilograms.
Even an inexperienced master will be able to carry out an ideal dressing of the seams, since the installation of the Lego brick along the guides completely eliminates the presence of traditional errors. At the same time, the laying speed is 2-3 times higher compared to a conventional analogue.

Possessing low water absorption and high density, Lego bricks are not afraid of pollution. If excess glue extends beyond the seam, they can be easily removed with a spatula after complete drying.

Since the masonry, during the construction of which Lego bricks are used, has through holes along the entire height, it is very convenient to carry out reinforcement. If it is planned to erect low-rise structures (for example, fence elements), then installation can be carried out without glue or mortar at all. Lego bricks are laid out "dry", and after that, reinforcement having a diameter of 10-20 mm is inserted into the masonry holes, and cement is poured. As a result, the strength of the masonry is increased, and the stability and reliability of the wall geometry is also ensured. It must be taken into account that the filling should be carried out in stages, that is, no more than 6 rows in 1 run.

Convenient is the use of holes for gaskets The presence of cavities in the walls is great for this. Then you can fill the holes with concrete mortar.

Eventually

Currently, Lego bricks are considered as a material of a new generation. They are still treated with interest and wariness. But more and more often, "Lego" (brick) reviews from builders are positive due to the quality of the material and ease of installation, as well as favorable prices, practicality and impeccable appearance. And those are pretty strong arguments.

When it comes to Lego bricks, it is very difficult to separate the seeds of popularization of a new product from its real working qualities. Even the term itself, using the name of a well-known toy company, does its best to simplify concepts, which is not always beneficial. Especially when it comes to professionals or advanced amateurs.

To dispel the childish image of a wonderful building product a little, let's call a spade a spade.

So, the term Lego brick, literally translated from English, sounds more detailed and complete - interlocking brick, which means interlocking bricks, blocking brick, that is, a brick with a lock.

Now, when discussing and searching for information regarding price, characteristics and application technologies, the possibilities are significantly expanding, especially for those who decide to make a Lego brick with their own hands.

Simplicity and financial benefit

Why is a house built of Lego bricks so good? Of course, simplified styling technology. Indeed, if we touch on this very costly aspect of any construction, then the savings in time, and with it paid man-hours, during the erection of the walls of a building structure are significantly smaller. Added to this is the aspect that the number of highly paid professionals can be kept to a minimum.

This does not mean that botanists will build a house for you in their free time, a professional bricklayer is still needed. But with the main work, such as: lifting the material, laying straight sections, mixing glue and applying it, sane handymen or students can do it. Their prices are several times lower than those of professionals, and the quality of work when laying Lego bricks will still be on top.

Well, and if the amount of work is small, or the construction time is not of fundamental importance, you can always try to do everything yourself. Here, in addition to reducing cash costs, the pleasure of the work done and the result is also added.

If we turn to the technology of making Lego bricks, and not go into details of the composition and proportions of the mixture from which it is produced, a very simple scheme emerges. We have a filler - sand, screenings, shell rock and a binder, cement. All this is thoroughly mixed, water, plasticizers and other chemicals are added, after which, using a matrix and a press, this mass is molded according to the planned dimensions.

As a result, after a short drying, we get bricks of various strengths and appearance, which, depending on the technical and decorative indicators, are used for the construction of load-bearing walls, interior partitions, recessed structures, and so on. In principle, wherever an ordinary brick is used, the only difference is that there are much more types of pressed Lego bricks.

Lego brick laying features, or a fast-paced start-up for novice builders

At the beginning of this article, it was no coincidence that we were ironic about botanists. We in no way wanted to offend anyone, but the events of recent years, due to financial shocks, are increasingly driving people away from their jobs, forcing them to look for themselves in new, more profitable and demanded industries. One of these niches was and remains construction, in particular, the work of a bricklayer.

It is hard to imagine that waking up in the morning on a difficult Monday, a person decides to pick up a trowel and immediately begin to give out highly paid volumes. To become a qualified bricklayer, you need to expel more than a dozen cubes under wise guidance, make and fix a bunch of "jambs", spend a lot of time and effort. Lego-brick will help the beginner save this resource and quickly move from the rank and file to the honorary officer corps.

The fact is that it is almost impossible to lay an interlocking brick unevenly. You just need to learn a small theoretical part, be careful and diligent. Everything else will happen almost without your participation.

Here is a short video that clearly explains the main aspects of laying Lego bricks.

So what do we see? In a short period of time, a nimble Malaysian worker laid 154 bricks to peppy music. With standard dimensions of 250x125x65 of one piece, we have 0.3 cubic meters of masonry. The prices for masonry are different on the territory of our vast country, but for a basic minimum, you can take, for example, 2000 rubles per 1 cubic meter. It turned out - about 600 rubles of earnings. Not bad?

The most difficult and responsible thing is to lay the first row, it requires the exact level and correction of each brick. When erecting a building box, such a place will be the corners of the future building. If there is no experience, it is better to entrust this matter to a professional. But then you just need to follow the laying scheme, do not forget about reinforcement and embedded elements - things will go much more cheerfully.

Of course, it is impossible to grasp all the details of building walls on the fly, but with the desire and due perseverance, the learning process, and with it the paid or saved result, will come much faster.

Comparison of technical characteristics. Lego brick vs classic

On the net you can find many opponents of Lego technology leaving negative reviews. But take a closer look - basically all the shortcomings of the Lego-brick are far-fetched and have nothing to do with practice. Most likely, these are the same professionals who are terribly upset by the price cuts and the arrival of new people in their business. Let's compare the Lego brick with the usual burnt counterpart in terms of the main technical indicators.

Data taken from open sources. As a starting point, we took the strength of the brick. It can be different depending on the production technology. M150 is the recommended minimum strength for the construction of load-bearing structures.

What conclusion can be drawn from this blitz analysis?

With the same strength, the weight of a Lego brick is less. This means that the cost of lifting the material to the place of work falls, and the structure itself will be lighter. This, in turn, reduces the requirements for the overall bearing capacity of the structure, which will ultimately reduce the cost of the project as a whole.
The water absorption of the pressed lego-brick is 2.5 times less than the usual one. This means that its service life in the conditions of an unstable winter climate of the middle zone will be longer, and indoors with the same ventilation schemes, the humidity is lower.

Otherwise, everything is the same, which means that there are no special obstacles to the use of Lego bricks.

Now a few words about the price at which you can actually buy one and the other material. At the factory, it will be approximately the same and will be from 10 to 15 rubles apiece. But it would be incorrect to talk about the cost without taking into account transportation costs and the cost of unloading and loading operations. These are inherent associated costs that need to be calculated based on the conditions in which the construction takes place.

Therefore, it is difficult to analyze here, but ceteris paribus brick-lego has one indisputable advantage - it can be made directly at the facility, thereby significantly reducing all associated costs and time. Yes, this is not a reservation, in the season there is a queue for bricks at the factories, but this is simple and garbage in terms of time.

Lego brick with your own hands. Brief overview of equipment and manufacturing technology

Before thinking about the organization of production, you need to accurately weigh the pros and cons, including cost and cost data in the analysis. The first and main thing to understand is the scale and organization of the technological process. Brick production is not a garage-sized occupation. This process is large-tonnage, requires large production areas and verified logistics for the supply of material and the delivery of finished products. This is when it comes to business.

If you make Lego bricks for yourself, you need to calculate the profitability of this venture based on the volume of your construction site and the cost of production at the construction site.

According to the standard technology for making Lego bricks, the following composition and proportions of the mixture are recommended:

Sand - 10%
Screening of crushed stone - 70%
Cement M500 - 20%

Cost of materials:

Sand - 520 rubles / tn
Screening - 185 rubles / ton
Cement - 175 rubles / bag

Consumption and estimated cost per 1 ton of mixture

Sand - 52 rubles
Screening - 130 rubles
Cement - 700 rubles

From 1 ton of the mixture, 285 bricks are obtained. The cost of purchasing materials - 882 rubles. The cost of one unit is 3 rubles 09 kopecks. The number of ready-made Lego bricks per shift is from 900 to 4000 pieces in 8 hours (depending on the power of the machine).

The cost does not include:

Possibility to buy bulk cement, which is much cheaper
The cost of the plasticizer, they are different in terms of consumption and efficiency. This needs to be analyzed separately.
The cost of transport services for the delivery of materials
Workers' wages
Depreciation and maintenance of equipment
The cost of electricity if the press is not manual

Equipment for the production of Lego bricks on the Russian market is presented in a wide range. The simplest and cheapest solution to the problem is a manual molding press and a small concrete mixer. The cost of this device will be in the region of 45-65 thousand rubles. Of course, one cannot count on serious production volumes in manual mode, here we are talking about 500-800 pieces per shift with intensive work with a partner.

The obvious advantages of manual equipment are low cost, compactness, mobility and the possibility of passing use. For example, having a manual machine for the production of Lego bricks on the farm, you can provide yourself with briquettes for heating from sawdust.

The cost of equipment directly depends on the force that the press produces and the amount of automation that speeds up the production process. Also, the higher this indicator, the better the output will be. The cost of such a configuration starts from 200 thousand rubles for a simple hydraulic press with a capacity of 1,500 pieces per shift and reaches 7-8 million for complete lines with an output of up to 10,000 products per shift.

Semiautomatic machine

Serious manufacturers offer services for the calculation and preparation of a business plan for such industries, develop mixture formulations based on local conditions, and provide technical support to the manufacturer at all stages of operation.

High performance automatic equipment

The meaning of this article is not limited to advertising individual manufacturers and does not provide a one hundred percent solution for getting rich quick. Here we tried to formalize the idea, the direction of a dream for a person with an active lifestyle. Reviews on numerous forums are also not the ultimate truth, here you can easily get to advertising tricks, sometimes not giving real information.

The main thing is to show perseverance, common sense and purposefulness, and the rest will follow and will definitely work out.

It, back in the first half of the 20th century, was created by Ole Kirk Christiansens. He led a team of carpenters. Lego brick production turned out to be beneficial.

The team quickly switched from selling ladders and stools to selling new products and building from them.

However, it was not possible to secure the rights to Lego bricks. In 2010, the court made a final decision that anyone can produce the material.

How the decision of Themis is justified, we will explain in passing the question of what the Lego brick itself is.

What is a lego brick?

Lego is a brick, similar to the details of a famous designer. By the way, it was invented by the same Ole Christiansens.

More precisely, Lego became a descendant of building bricks, invented by the master in 1932. The company was transformed into a gaming corporation only in 1958.

By this time, Lego bricks had acquired a familiar look, they began to be made of plastic. Initially, the blocks were larger, made of wood and had a maximum of 4 ledges and 4 grooves for them.

It was these bricks that became the inspiration for firms that wanted to build rather than produce toys.

They began to be made from a clay-sand mixture. It turned out bricks of a standard composition, but a non-standard shape.

On the photo lego brick represented by several types. This is the modern nomenclature. Initially, there was only the first model of the bottom row with two round holes.

These protrusions and grooves on the bricks were considered by the court to be additional technical functions. In other words, from the point of view of Themis, Kirk did not invent something new, but only improved the old one.

As for Lego toys, they have a special set of basic and additional elements. His court found unique.

By the way, you can also build large-scale buildings from the designer. There is a reason Legoland exists. It was built from 45,000,000 toy cubes.

In 2009, they wanted to move a two-story building built by James May there. With the help of volunteers, he built a house out of 500,000 toy bricks.

They were compiled in, comparable in size to the real ones. It took almost 300 small ones for each large brick.

Dismantling, transporting and reassembling the house at Legolande proved uneconomical.

James May did not receive a building permit. Therefore, the building was dismantled, saving only in the photo.

But, in reality, you can see lego brick houses familiar formation. About the characteristics of this building material, further.

Characteristics of lego bricks

Lego brick sizes comparable to those of a conventional one. The blocks are 25 centimeters long and 12.5 centimeters wide. The height of the blocks is close to 7 centimeters.

The width of the holes, if there are 2 of them, is usually 65 millimeters. The gap between the grooves is 6 centimeters.

On the sides there are gaps of 30 millimeters. The protrusions above the grooves rise by 0.2 centimeters. In schematic form, the calculations are as follows:

Lego brick making harder than usual. But, building from new blocks really resembles a game.

Only now the dimensions of the blocks should be millimeter to millimeter. Otherwise, as in the constructor, the parts do not fit together.

Bricks have to be rejected, incurring financial losses. If the blocks are molded correctly, the construction is carried out not only faster than from ordinary bricks, but also more practical.

So, communications can be “driven” into Lego holes. You don’t have to run pipes indoors, hide them under drywall boxes and other screens. How to get communications into the wall correctly, we learn from the following video:

As you can see, the Lego brick wall does not differ in appearance from ordinary masonry. True, the bonding solution is not visible between the blocks.

The hero of the article is put on glue. Use tile. The quality characteristics also differ. Lego is not fired, it is created under pressure.

More dense, and hence stronger blocks are obtained. True, this requires a press weighing at least 30 tons. There are devices that press 40, 50 and 60 tons.

DIY lego brick you cannot create a density of 1,550 kilograms per cube. Meanwhile, it is precisely this density according to GOST that is minimal for the hero of the article.

Due to the greater density of the Lego brick, it is less water-intensive. Water absorption is no more than 6%. This makes the material suitable for use in areas with high levels of humidity.

Nothing to the hero of the article and frost. Lego brick in Moscow and other regions of the country withstands about 200-off cycle. True, this is just a theory.

The comparative novelty of the blocks does not allow to verify the statements of the builders in practice. But, there are already houses standing for several decades. In the photo they look like new.

Like ordinary bricks, Lego has several brands. One-story buildings are erected from blocks up to 100. For multi-storey buildings, M-100, 125, 150 and M-200 are used.

The designation largely depends on the press used, more precisely, its weight. Accordingly, the larger the brand of brick, the denser and stronger it is.

Especially appreciate the resistance of blocks to seismic movements of the earth's crust. In other words, Lego can withstand earthquakes better than ordinary bricks.

Withstands Lego bricks and criticism of aesthetes. Blocks are produced not only smooth, but also ribbed, imitating the surface of natural stone.

Such decorative options come in handy not only when laying walls, but also fireplaces, arbors, fences.

The latter, as a rule, are based on Lego pillars. The basics of laying pillars are shown in the following video:

Like regular poles, lego bricks are usually hollow inside. For fences, it is customary to take hollow blocks. Solid brick goes to the capital buildings, load-bearing walls.

In such a material, voids occupy no more than 25%. Hollow blocks also come with 60% air. This lightens the brick, reduces its cost, but deprives it of a margin of safety.

On the other hand, hollow models keep heat well and are often used as cladding of buildings, interior partitions.

Equipment for the production of lego bricks

Machine for the production of lego bricks- this is a press with a matrix, that is, a form. There are many containers for pressing in industrial models.

In miniature machines, you can get only one brick per approach. Its density, as mentioned, depends on the mass of the press.

Only domestic cars exert maximum pressure. Lego brick press western production will give a pressure of a maximum of 20 tons.

This is due to the climate of the producing countries. Weather conditions in Europe are milder. Such strong and frost-resistant bricks, as in Russia, are not needed.

Among the domestic manufacturers of machine tools, several firms have positively proven themselves. They have different specializations.

Manual machine for lego bricks small size, inexpensive, but inefficient, it is easy to choose in the "Artels of Builders" catalog.

Domestic steel is used here, but Legostanok sells devices made of Swiss alloy.

LLC "Dobrynya" also offers to produce lego brick. Equipment present on an industrial scale.

On the machines of the company, it turns out to produce large batches in the shortest possible time. Competes with "Dobrynya" "Atlant". He also has presses with a force of 60 and even 70 tons. Examples of such machines are below:

lego brick machine of this scale produces a block in 15 seconds and is powered by an electric drive.

Models for individual production, often manual, are not connected to the network. The speed of production on conventional presses is from 40 seconds.

What are Lego bricks made of?

IN lego brick composition clay, familiar to standard blocks, is not always included. The basis of the novelty is sand, water and Portland cement.

The latter is dominated by calcium silicate. It helps the cement set quickly. In addition, Portland cements are distinguished by fine grinding.

This is exactly what is needed for production. lego bricks. Matrix for him it can be filled, also, with gravel, shell rock, crushed stone, limestone, marbles.

Since a fine fraction is needed, rock screenings are used. Let's see the manufacture of one of the types of mixture in practice:

Lego brick mix has 4 main compositions and dozens of fantasy ones. If we talk about industry standards, cement accounts for 9 to 20%.

Sand should not be more than 35%. Otherwise, the strength of the blocks is lost. Clay can be 90%. Ash is included in one of the mixtures.

Its amount is 30%. Experts assure that the quality of bricks depends more on the composition than on the pressing force.

Lego brick color

lego brick in Russia available both natural and dyed with pigments. Natural does not mean identical.

Ash gives the blocks a gray tone. Clay makes legos reddish. If white kaolin or limestones are used, the bricks are light-colored. The admixture of sand gives beige shades.

The pictures show that the natural colors are pastel. If saturated colors are needed, pigments are mixed into the mixture for the production of Lego bricks.

Sometimes, they are deliberately distributed unevenly, imitating the color of different stones. Below is a summary of the work: