I’ve been playing with LEGO for a long time. I’ve made several videos about them, from props, to organization tables, to sorters. I really liked the last LEGO sorter I made, but I recently decided to build a new Lego sorter that would be able to handle a larger number of bricks while still fitting on a tabletop. Let’s get into it.
The Initial Idea
First step—the white board! I sketched out several ideas first to get everything visualized. Many ideas wouldn’t work, but that’s ok. I really liked one idea that uses a pivoting container with interchangeable acrylic filters to sift the LEGO bricks by size.
This allows for a sorter to sit on a table while still being able to handle a large number of bricks. The pivoting motion means I don’t have to shake the entire box like before, and the different filters keep everything in just one box.
Creating a Design in Fusion 360
Once my idea was thought through, I moved to Fusion 360 to create a working 3D model of the LEGO sorter. This allowed me to easily generate models for 3D printing walls and laser-cutting filters that were very quick to prototype and test.
You can learn Fusion 360 too! Fusion360ForMakers.com
I also thought this might be useful as a reproducible product—something that anyone could make. Having the whole project modeled in Fusion 360 meant that every piece could be recreated by anyone with a 3D printer or laser cutter.
Testing the Prototype
To test the design, I laser cut the pieces out of MDF and 3D printed the walls. The pieces fit together nicely but did require some part redesign due to material thickness issues. After resolving the fit, I assembled a prototype sorter.
It functioned as expected, with the pivoting box and removable filters working smoothly. This confirmed that the core concept was sound. I also needed to add a little clip system to make sure that the filters could be locked in place. Super easy to do since everything was modeled already.
Completing the Build
With a working prototype, I moved forward with the full build. I laser cut acrylic pieces for the final sorter, allowing me to have a transparent box and colorful filters. The pivot stands were cut from plywood with edge banding covering the ends. I also 3D printed trays for the different pieces to fall into as I’m sorting.
After assembly, the complete Lego sorter was ready for bricks. I tested it by sorting a container of assorted Lego, and the sorter performed perfectly. It’s MUCH easier to use than my first iteration. And with a 3D model already made, I can keep iterating on it easily as needed.
Overall, this project allowed me to take an idea and follow the design process through to a finished build. The finished Lego sorter met all my goals, providing a way to easily sort large quantities of Lego bricks by size.
This customizable design could be replicated by others interested in making their own LEGO sorters. If you’re interested in building your own, let me know and I might make a set of plans!