Monolith-esque Lego computer makes us want to pick up a Brick Separator and build a civilization

Lego computers are about as old as the case mod scene itself, but while many have qualified as interesting, we've never seen a truly sexy Lego box before Luke Anderson's all-black "Lego Computer," which seems to distill all we've ever loved about high-end workstation boxen into lovable Lego form. Bonus points for full documentation of the project released under the Creative Commons license. Time-lapse vid is after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

[mrgrim @ Aug 8th 2008 10:10AM]

Holy crap... Way to much time on his hands..Its cool never the less..

[Ayman @ Aug 8th 2008 11:09AM]

But does it Play LegoCrysis ?

[Bunson @ Aug 8th 2008 1:14PM]

Wow, I think thats the first crysis joke i've ever laughed at. props man.

[whatishalo? @ Aug 8th 2008 10:13AM]

Is that a pre-made kit? Can't tell if he's taking status shots and displaying on the laptop or following instructions on the laptop(pre-made kit)

[Brandon @ Aug 8th 2008 10:17AM]

I would imagine that he planned it out first in some lego software to make sure he had enough pieces and what-not.

[lanoitarus @ Aug 8th 2008 10:31AM]

RTFA: He used a lego-cad program to design it and ordered exactly the bricks he needed. Baller.

[rock99rock @ Aug 8th 2008 10:15AM]

I *might* be worried about it melting. Safer than cardboard i guess.

Still sexy as hell though. Makes me wanna go in the attic and grab the ol collection and make one. Wouldnt be as nice though, being that itd look like a multi-colored POS.

Props.

[Kamokazi @ Aug 8th 2008 10:35AM]

I would guess the hottest it gets would be around 100F or so...behind the motherboard PCB in the area of the CPU or Chipset. Well within Lego specifications :-)

[rock99rock @ Aug 8th 2008 10:58AM]

Probably true :)

Either way, the more i watch the video, the more i want to try this out.

From the article-

"The total brick count for the model was 1039. I bought 199 extras, bringing the total ordered to 1238. The cost was $124.715 for the needed parts plus $14.488 for the extras. Since I had to order from four dealers, shipping costs were $24.10. So, the total for all the bricks came to $163 and change. Not bad, considering an actual Mini-ITX case costs around $100 plus shipping."

This is doable to the easiest degree, considering he has created a downloadable parts list, and assembly instructions with images.

Pure geek cred

[tfvlrue @ Aug 8th 2008 7:55PM]

The hottest components in the whole thing are actually the 12V DC power supply and the hard drives. The VIA processor/Mini-ITX motherboard runs so cold (34°C under load, 22°C idle). The hard drives run around 44°C. I recently added a second hard drive and an intake fan to take care of the extra heat.

[Blade Genexis @ Aug 8th 2008 8:58PM]

Man, if I were you, I'd build it anyway and just spray paint it black at the end. ;)

-Blade Genexis

[Flashpoint @ Aug 8th 2008 10:19AM]

I don't see a drive tray.

[Yevon @ Aug 8th 2008 10:40AM]

Probably because there isn't one. Ever hear about these external drive things? Amazing times we live in.

[Ryan Trevisol @ Aug 8th 2008 10:49AM]

External CD Drives FTL. I don't think it's out of the question to have an optical drive in here. He could have easily done a slot-loading drive in this case.

[bartoron @ Aug 8th 2008 11:15AM]

Building a drive cage would have been nearly impossible, since he'd need Lego pieces with raised circles on adjacent sides.

[tfvlrue @ Aug 8th 2008 7:55PM]

It was a conscious decision not to include an optical drive. There was literally no space left, even for a slim drive. Also, since I use it over a network with Microsoft's RDC, there was no need for one. I use Daemon Tools for any disc needs.

[stupid head @ Aug 9th 2008 2:46PM]

You blind or something. Oh wait, yea, u are.

[Nate @ Aug 8th 2008 10:22AM]

Those lego block USB thumb drives would be a nice addition

[Nate @ Aug 8th 2008 10:23AM]

Those USB lego block thumbs drives would be right at home.

[Spanky @ Aug 8th 2008 10:23AM]

Awesome

[Nate @ Aug 8th 2008 10:24AM]

Damn comments system.

[Yevon @ Aug 8th 2008 10:31AM]

This dude deserves serious bonus points for building this all in a yoga pose.

[CraigJ @ Aug 8th 2008 3:27PM]

Yes, but he needs to wash his socks...

[tfvlrue @ Aug 8th 2008 7:59PM]

:)

They are Joe Boxer socks, the foot part is gray! http://i8.ebayimg.com/04/i/000/c2/cc/3a11_2.JPG

[Danbo @ Aug 8th 2008 10:34AM]

"Lego Computer" by Luke Anderson.

"Get out more" by everyone else in the world.

[Biomech @ Aug 8th 2008 10:39AM]

Ha ha ha that was a really good stereotypical joke! [/sarcasm]

[Randy @ Aug 8th 2008 10:46AM]

And yet you're inside somewhere on a computer telling other people to get out more. Hypocritical?

[caleb @ Aug 8th 2008 11:26AM]

Seriously. I hope all those people with the "This guys got too much time on his hands" comments don't watch any TV or play video games. That is a *true* waste of time.

[Danbo @ Aug 8th 2008 11:28AM]

And here you are, sat indoors, replying to me; good grief, chill the f*ck out, was merely a throw-away comment.

Why is "massively defensive" the default geek setting when it comes to leaving comments? Sad that those most likely to leave comments on a lblog such as this are those least suited, in terms of possession of a personality, to do so.

[Steven Wentzel @ Aug 8th 2008 2:17PM]

I don't think it's massively defensive at all. I think there are two defaults. There's "massively douchebag" (i.e. you) and "not putting up with douchebags" (i.e. everyone that responded do your "throw-away comment).

By the way, if your comment is throw-away, why don't you just shut the fuck up and not respond at all?

[Pete @ Aug 8th 2008 10:43AM]

hey.... i'm gonna get out my mindstrom and penumatic lego kit out!!...

maybe i can program it to automatically turn on the lego fan cum plastic propeller and open up the lego hood up by itself when the thing gets too hot :)))

sadly.. my summer break is nearly up.

better try next time

[phil park @ Aug 8th 2008 1:33PM]

wow what a showoff. look how he intentionally made the case as a mini tower to show off to his friends. i may be impressed if it were a full tower with some sort of design on the side. i mean if you're willing to spend money on custom manufacturing the case, do it with some style or just buy a well ventilated case like the rest of us.

[Tony Bowman @ Aug 8th 2008 10:45AM]

that's the only LEGO case i've ever seen that i actually like.

[computer.dude.28 @ Aug 8th 2008 10:49AM]

So, this thing could like, disintegrate if you dropped it.

[Shunnabunich @ Aug 8th 2008 12:11PM]

Probably, but wouldn't you be just as worried about the case's contents following suit anyway?

[sean @ Aug 8th 2008 1:38PM]

Yes, probably.
Because dropping a computer in any other case is nothing to worry about.

[rv @ Aug 8th 2008 2:11PM]

Well, your comptuer would proably workafter a 3 foot fall. This one would be gone.

[mattkenny @ Aug 9th 2008 7:49AM]

@Shunnabunich:
I once dropped a computer down a flight of stairs and it wasn't damaged at all. I had just picked it from the store, but made the mistake of using the carry handle on the box. Just as I was near the top of the stairs at work, the handle broke off, and it bounced all the way to the bottom... Thank god the styrofoam packaging saved it.

[Dave B @ Aug 8th 2008 10:51AM]

Did I need another reason to love Legos? Aw man that's a thing of beauty!

[REV @ Aug 8th 2008 10:53AM]

I'll assume those striped pants are pajama pants. If so, he did all this in one sitting in his "sleepy clothes"?

I dunno. I'd want to get a shower in before I sat down to a project like this.

[Wwhat @ Aug 8th 2008 9:54PM]

Two questions: #1 Why? #2 Just because he has on a 'sleepy pants' he can't have taken a shower?

[Kurt MacD @ Aug 9th 2008 11:18AM]

#3:

Who the fuck cares? All of you? Who the fuck cares about even 80% of the random useless waste of alphanumeric characters that presents itself as a few hundred nerdy posts.

Besides, you guys should be either offering constructive criticism, ways of improvment in design (presuming you guys have read the actually contrusction plans), or just not saying anything at all. Just SHHHHHHutup!

[REV @ Aug 9th 2008 12:37PM]

Wow. Bitter much?

Go out and make a friend. It's going to be OK.

[mrgrim @ Aug 8th 2008 11:08AM]

Quick we have to keep the all spark cube from the deceptions..

[mrgrim @ Aug 8th 2008 11:07AM]

GIVE ME THAT ALLSPARK BOYY!!!!!!

[trialanderror614 @ Aug 8th 2008 11:08AM]

Opening the side of the case must be a nightmare.

[aDancingHobo @ Aug 8th 2008 11:13AM]

I love timelapse video! haha!

[DChen @ Aug 8th 2008 11:19AM]

not long before we see a "MegaBlock" copy of it..

megablocks...its just not the same...

[John H. @ Aug 8th 2008 11:25AM]

lol, brick separator, that little gray thing always came in handy!

[Mycroft @ Aug 8th 2008 4:10PM]

I have never once used a brick seperator in all my days toying with legos... waste of plastic better used for making more leogs, ask me. Use your teeth like a real man (boy, whatever).