Knock-off LEGO-compatible bricks

[Roger]

Just wondering if people had any opinion on the knockoff not-actually-LEGO bricks that some companies make.



Cheers,
Roger

[Dukayn]

Generally lesser quality bricks, don't seem to have the 'snap' of Lego bricks. Also the plastic isn't as sharp, often sporting rounded edges where Lego bricks have very distinct angles, and the plastic isn't as robust or as thick. Colours are often duller.

That said, they are often very cheap and are usually pretty compatible. I recently picked up a K-Nex Drag Racer kit for a couple of dollars and it should work OK, but the non-Lego bricks will probably be fairly easy to pick out close up.

[Roger]

Hmmm, interesting.

[Joshua A.C. Newman]

My friend Ben Lehman brought me some bootlego from China called Li Gao. They're pretty terrible. Estar's Anvil uses them as armored skirts. Some are too loose and some are too tight.

[Dukayn]

My latest frame uses some parts from a K-Nex drag racing car, and they're not bad actually. You can tell the difference - rounded edges, matte finish, plastic not as thick - but they clip together nicely (at least so far) and seem to do the job.

[David Artman]

I have a BIG tub of a US-made LEGO knockoffs (can't recall the brand ATM; all basic bricks) which I use for stations, terrain, and buildings. Works fine, in that regard, and about a third the price of a similar LEGO bucket.

But nothing replaces LEGO Technics/Bionicle for functional fittings that stay together well--I REALLY hate frames that fall apart when I try to remove an attachment. Best bet is to lurk various retailer sites, watching for sales on niche kits that go out of production. I've gotten some really good greebles and core pieces out of kits slashed to 2¢-per-piece or less.

And don't eschew the occasional yard sale! Silly teenagers (or empty nesters) sometimes sell of huge boxes of random bits, thinking that they won't go out and rebuy it all when they get nostalgic and have some real folding money (*ahem* not that I did that!).
HTH;
David

[MittenNinja]

I'm tempted to buy some of those halo megablok sets to get my hands on a bunch of purple stuff.

[jonbro]

I'm tempted to buy some of those halo megablok sets to get my hands on a bunch of purple stuff.

Or you could get some lego friends! I really want to figure out a campaign setting that is purple and lime.

or pink and orange.

[MittenNinja]

I'm tempted to buy some of those halo megablok sets to get my hands on a bunch of purple stuff.

Or you could get some lego friends! I really want to figure out a campaign setting that is purple and lime.

or pink and orange.

those barely have any purple for the price. at least some of those halo sets are 80% purple parts.

[Curon]

I'm personally picking up some of those "Enlighten Blocks" toys for my upcoming project. They have an olive drab set of blocks that I'd love to use for that military feel. Hopefully, when I get them, they aren't too terrible (and are at least somewhat compatible).

[randolph]

Over 20 years ago, I had in my collection some LEGO compatible product. It came in playsets, and the most useful piece I can recall now was a 1x1 double-sided plate with a ridged edge (the edge was almost like this); the only ones I had were light gray. As you can imagine, they could be exceptionally useful for frame building. Does anyone know the name of that product? Or anything else that has a double-sided 1x1 plate, for that matter.

[potsticker]

Over 20 years ago, I had in my collection some LEGO compatible product. It came in playsets, and the most useful piece I can recall now was a 1x1 double-sided plate with a ridged edge (the edge was almost like this); the only ones I had were light gray. As you can imagine, they could be exceptionally useful for frame building. Does anyone know the name of that product? Or anything else that has a double-sided 1x1 plate, for that matter.

Most likely those were Tyco blocks.

[randolph]

Most likely those were Tyco blocks.

Wow, yes! That's it!
...
Argh, they're no longer produced.

Anybody know of an alternative connector piece still in production?