LEGO and 3D printing seem like a perfect match. Small parts can be easily printed at home and then used to recreate LEGO sets or to create new models. However, during 2019 LEGO started to pursue unofficial LEGO parts or sets that were posted and shared online. That caused, for example, the extinction of the biggest website dedicated to 3D printed LEGO parts, PrintABrick.org. At the point of this writing, the website seems to be no longer accessible.
Other websites, such as Thingiverse and MyMiniFactory took down a big amount of resources from their sites and have only kept very simple resources. There are, however, still a few hidden gems to be found out there, and, in this post, we are going to bring them to you.
Where can I find the best 3D LEGO printing plans?
At the time of this writing, the best resource available only for 3D printing plans and sets is grabcad.com. Unlike other websites, this one has managed to keep a huge amount of resources that allow you to recreate LEGO sets. You can also find some non-official printing plans in cults3d.com, and Thingiverse still has some hidden gems within all its resources.
10266: NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The first 3D LEGO printing plan on the list is the NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander. This set, which was officially released in 2019, is also available to be downloaded on grabcad following the link above. The designer, dk, has done an incredible job recreating LEGO sets, and we will find him many more times in this list.
This set is recommended for ages 16 and above. The original set contains 1087 pieces and it features a detailed replica of the Eagle lunar lander with separate ascent and descent stages.
Lego The Don (Open Rescue)
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Br Barry Parker
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is, to our knowledge, a non-official one. Using the bricks that were uploaded by other users, the designer designed this robot inspired in the ev3 and Mindstorm themes.
The design was done for RoboCup (open Division) and challenges students to design a more compact yet complex design.
8419: Excavator
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Ariful Hasan
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is another original LEGO set. Even though this is not specified on the page where you can download the information, a quick look at the set is enough to realize its origin.
The original set contains 286 pieces and it is recommended for ages 8 and over. The resource created doesn’t seem to have the building sequence, but you can check the original instructions on lego.brickinstructions.com and you should be able to build this.
21045: Trafalgar Square
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
This 3D LEGO printing plan is also created by dk, the most prolific designer on this list by far. This is a recreation of the original set from LEGO, which was released in 2019.
This set features Trafalgar Square from London and it contains 1197 pieces. Recommended for ages 12 and over, printing this set will bring countless hours of fun.
According to the designer, this was an interesting set to create. In it, you can find a lot of SNOT, and a few techniques he had never before seen. SNOT stands for Studs Not On Top and it means building structures where you use hinges or other techniques to change the direction of the bricks, so they are not one on top of the other as it’s done traditionally.
70654: Dieselnaut
Resource: grabcad
Designer: JIBRIAN CELIS
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan has been created by JIBRIAN CELIS. This set is part of the Ninjago theme, and, with 1,179 pieces, it is a complex one to print. Recommended for children ages 9 to 14, building it should not be such a complicated task.
The official set features the Dragon Hunters’ Dieselnaut tank. It includes, among other characteristics, an opening minifig cockpit, crane function, and a hidden rear compartment. If you are interested in this set, please be aware that the printing will take some time.
9394: Jet Plane
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is also created by dk. This set is a recreation of the Jet Plane, which was released in 2012 and it is part of the Technic theme.
This set contains 499 pieces and it is recommended for ages 9 to 16. This set features a red jet with swing-wings, moveable flaps, opening cockpit, and retractable landing gear.
8808: Buggy
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Kenny
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is a recreation of a vintage original Technic set from LEGO. Released back in 1994, the F1 Racer / Buggy is a very popular set despite its age.
According to the author, the components used in this recreation are table-driven and were used previously as a lesson on generating intelligent components. The parameters in the parts contained a number of units length and width as well as switches determining height, whether it was a Technic or standard piece, and whether it was flat-topped.
The original set contains 94 pieces. If instead of the Buggy you would like to recreate the F1 Racer, Kenny has also done that one and you can find it on grabcad by following this link.
Marble Run Building Block Brick – Set Basic
Resource: cults3d
Designer: jtronics
This one is not really a LEGO set, but it uses some LEGO pieces as a base and we thought it looked so cool that had to be added to the list. It is basically a marble run, where you place the marbles on the top and they go down different routes depending on how the marble rolls going downwards.
This can be a really cool set to build with your children or even on your own. And, you can also print the LEGO pieces to use them as bases if you don’t have any lying around at your home.
Marble Run Building Block Brick – Set Starter
Resource: cults3d
Designer: jtronics
Similar to the one above, the set starter is also a great option if you want to build a marble run. It follows the same idea as the one above, but it has fewer pieces and it is cheaper to purchase.
The designer has taken into account printing tolerances when designing this, so it is recommended that you follow the print settings in order to get the best results.
Castle For Interlocking Brick Figures
Resource: cults3d
Designer: WW3D
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is a non-official castle set. This set was designed for the 10th birthday of the son of the designer. It maxes out a 300×300 build plate, but it has been split into nine different parts to print on smaller machines.
With the settings that the designer used, the weight of the finished castle was 873 grams of PLA and the print time was 48 hours.
42094: Tracked Loader
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Another design from dk, the official version of this 3D LEGO printing plan was released in 2019. Containing a total of 827 pieces, this set can be built for anyone over the age of 10, making it a perfect option for young teenagers.
The official set features a working boom and claw, 2-speed winch, rotatable cab, and rugged ground-gripping tracks. When built, the official set measures over 6” (17cm) high, 13” (35cm) long and 5” (15cm) wide.
10251: Brick Bank
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Erick Guevara
This 3D LEGO printing plan is one of the most complex ones from the list. Built by Erick Guevara, this set recreates the official set released in 2016. With 2,380 pieces, this set will take a lot of time to build, but it can be an interesting experiment for someone really interested in the Modular Buildings theme.
This set features a bank, a secretary’s office, a bank manager’s office, a laundromat, and a detailed façade and sidewalk. The designer has some pictures of the set built and he has done an excellent job.
8258: Crane Truck
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Next on the list is this Crane Truck. Also designed by dk, the official set of this one was released back in 2009. This set contains 1,877 pieces, so it will be quite some work to print the whole thing. This set is recommended for children ages 11 to 16.
This set will take very long to print, but it will also take very long to build. The assembly instructions are on 4 booklets, for a total of 187 steps, each of them made by up to 22 sub-steps. Overall, a very challenging set to print and build.
LEGO Formula 1 Car
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Miguel Valverde
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is a Formula 1 car. Even though the designer does not state it, the model looks very similar to the 42000: Grand Prix Racer set, so we are pretty sure it is a recreation of this set. This set has 1,141 pieces and it was released in 2013.
Part of the Technic theme (a very common theme for 3D printing enthusiasts), the original set features an opening engine cover, independent all-wheel suspension, a V8 engine with moving pistons, adjustable rear spoiler and realistic steering.
21047: Las Vegas
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Dk is also the designer of this 3D LEGO printing plan. The official set was released in 2018 and it contains 501 pieces. Recommended for people over 12, it is a great present for teenagers or adults. It does not have such a big amount of pieces, so the printing shouldn’t be as time-consuming as with the previous set.
This set features attractions located on and around the Las Vegas Strip. These include the Bellagio Hotel, the Luxor Hotel, the Encore Hotel, the Stratosphere Tower, and the Fremont Street Experience. It also features the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign with the desert and road depicted in the tiled baseplate.
75190: First Order Star Destroyer
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Fernando Murillo
The next 3D LEGO printing plan on the list is from designer Fernando Murillo. Based on the original set released in 2017, it contains 1,416 pieces, which will make it a challenge to print. This set is recommended for children between 9 and 14 years old.
Featuring one of the most famous flagships from the Star Wars: Episode VIII, this model measures over 5” (14cm) high, 22” (56cm) long and 12” (32cm) wide when built.
21046: Empire State Building
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Another 3D LEGO printing plan recreated by the king of the list, dk. This set was officially released in 2019 and it contains 1,767 pieces, which will take some time to print. Recommended for ages 16 and above, this set is more geared towards adult enthusiasts that enjoy the Architecture Collection and are looking for a challenge.
This set the LEGO® Architecture interpretation of the Empire State Building. The set features detailed facades, a silver-colored antenna tower, and a tiled base plate with the Fifth Avenue and the surrounding roads, complete with 6 yellow cabs. When built, this set measures over 21” (55cm) high, making this set the tallest LEGO Architecture model at the time of its release.
9390: Mini Tow Truck – 5:1 Scale
Resource: Thingiverse
Designer: metalman7
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is a recreation of an official model, but in this case, the model is scaled up 5x. We like the idea, especially when the designer puts the original and the 3D printed version one next to the other and you can see the difference.
The original set contains 136 pieces and it is recommended for children between 7 and 14 years old. The recreation, since it is only scaled up, should contain the same amount of pieces and it should probably be easier to build due to the larger size.
10268: Vestas Wind Turbine
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The next 3D printing plan has also been created by dk. The Vestas Wind Turbine was officially released in 2018 and it is part of the Designer theme. With 826 pieces and recommended for ages 12 and over, this is a good set to print and build. Not too big to become too time-consuming, not too small to be too simple for LEGO enthusiasts.
This set wants to celebrate renewable energy technology with this buildable science toy. When built, the set measures over 39” (100 cm) high, 24” (62cm) wide and 12” (31cm) deep.
21303: WALL•E
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Jakob
The next 3D LEGO printing plan comes from designer Jakob, also from the website grabcad. This set is a recreation from the official set WALL•E, which was released in 2015. With 677 pieces, this set can be printed in a manageable time and it can be a very fun set to put together.
The set is recommended for ages 12 and over, and it will be fun to print and build for anyone that is a fan of the movie. When built, this set measures over 7″ (18cm) high, 6″ (16cm) long and 6″ (16cm) wide.
60103: Air Show
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is created also by dk. The official set of this recreation was released back in 2016. Containing 670 pieces, it is recommended for children ages 6 to 12. The size and age make it a perfect give for your young children.
The set features a hangar big enough to hold a plane, a gasoline barrel with roll-out hose, an old-fashioned plane with a turning propeller, and two jets with opening cockpits.
42094: Tracker Loader
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Dario
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is done by designer Dario and it features a Tracker Loader released in 2019. This LEGO Technic set contains 827 pieces and it is recommended for everyone over the age of 10. With less than 1,000 pieces, it can be printed in a manageable amount of time.
The set features a working boom and claw, a 2-speed winch, a rotatable cab, and rugged ground-gripping tracks. When built, this set measures over 6” (17cm) high, 13” (35cm) long and 5” (15cm) wide.
75192: UCS Millennium Falcon
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
This 3D LEGO printing plan is probably the most impressive recreation from the list. Also done by 3D printing plan master dk, in this case, he has recreated a set with no less than 7,541 pieces. This set was the largest set ever produced when it was released.
I can only begin to imagine how long that will take to print! But, if you are a 3D printing expert and a LEGO & Star Wars fan, this can be a really cool experiment to take on.
8067: Tow Truck
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Ulf Steinfurth
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is a Tow Truck. Even though it is highlighted as item 8087 on the page, it is actually a recreation of set 8067, which was released in 2011. Part of the Technic theme and with 292 pieces, this is a nice set to print. Recommended for ages 8 to 14, your children can get into the Technic sets with a set that does not require as much expertise as others within this theme.
The main figure of this set is a mini mobile crane that measures over 8” (20cm) long and 11” (28cm) tall. However, this can be easily rebuilt into the tow truck highlighted in the title.
10246: Detective’s Office
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Jesus Manuel Ruiz
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is also part of the Modular Buildings theme. In this case, designer Jesus Manuel Ruiz has recreated the Detective’s Office set. This set, released in 2015, contains 2,262 pieces, making it a very time-consuming endeavor, both to print and to build.
This set features a detective’s office, with several decorative elements such as a desk, a filing cabinet, a wanted poster, and a wall lamp. This set is recommended for people over 16 years old.
75187: BB8
Resource: grabcad
Designer: JUAN GARCIA
The next 3D LEGO printing plan from the list is a recreation of the BB8 set. Released in 2017, this set contains 1,106 pieces and it is aimed at children between 10 and 16 years old.
This set features authentic detailing, and wheel-activated rotating head and opening hatch with a non-functioning welding torch. BB-8 without stand measures over 9” (25cm) high and 5” (15cm) wide. The display stand measures over 10” (26cm) long.
21041: Great Wall of China
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is the Great Wall of China and it has been recreated by dk. This set was officially released in 2018 and it contains 551 pieces, making it a size suitable for printing within a reasonable time frame.
The set contains the Great Wall of China on a standard Architecture baseplate. There are extensive mountains and greenery and there are two battlements on the wall. The wall and battlements are built from light tan bricks.
LEGO Yoshi
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Wendy Bardaji EVOLT
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is an original creation from Wendy Bardaji EVOLT. She made this model because she was after some advanced assembly training and wanted to do it in LEGO.
The set features a Yoshi shape with LEGO bricks and the pictures look very appealing. It looks like a great option because it is simple enough so that it can be printed fast, but complicated enough so that building it will be challenging.
10258: London Bus
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is a recreation of the London Bus. Released in 2017, this set contains 1,686 pieces and it is part of the Designer Expert theme. This makes it a very lengthy set to print but can be a very rewarding experience for 3D printing experts.
The set features a traditional London Bus with an array of brick-built features and details, such as large windows, the traditional bright red curved bodywork, or a panoramic windshield. This set is recommended for ages 16 and above.
10143: Death Star ll
Resource: Thingiverse
Designer: nickyp1
This is the only recreated official LEGO set we have been able to find in Thingiverse, which used to be one of the websites with more LEGO sets available. I am not entirely sure how this one survived the purge, but the fact is that it is still available.
This 3D LEGO printing plan recreates one of the most famous LEGO sets, the Death Star II that was released back in 2005. With 3,441 pieces, printing this will take a very long time, but it can be a very inspiring challenge for a 3D printing expert.
42074: Racing Yacht
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is the Racing Yacht. Released in 2018, this set contains 330 pieces, making it ideal for 3D printing. Recommended for ages 8 to 14, your children will enjoy getting into the Technic sets with this simple boat.
This set features a replica of a real-life racing yacht, with colorfully printed sails, a detailed hull, and a working rudder with wheel and tiller steering. The racing yacht measures over 11” (29cm) high, 14” (36cm) long and 3” (8cm) wide.
Customizable LEGO-compatible Text Bricks
Resource: Thingiverse
Designer: Lyl3
Our next 3D LEGO printing plan is this set of customizable LEGO-compatible text bricks. This is a customizer for creating LEGO® compatible rectangular bricks with the text engraved on the sides (all 4 sides). You can also use it to create bricks without any text. It can create bricks as small as 1x1x1 (plate height) or as large as 48x48x18 (6 normal bricks high).
This is a great printing plan if you have an idea in mind already that involves some text on the bricks but could not think of a way to put it to practice. It is also a great option for printing specific bricks without the text.
9390: Mini Tow Truck – 3:1 Scale
Resource: Thingiverse
Designer: reformy
This 3D LEGO printing plan is the inspiration for the previous set. Published a few months before the other one was published, it has clearly served as an inspiration for the previous author. In this case, the set is scaled up 3x instead of 5x, which makes it a bit less impressive in comparison.
However, the original idea for making a scaled-up version came from here, so we thought it also deserved to be on the list.
21037: LEGO House
Resource: grabcad
Designer: dk
The next 3D LEGO printing plan is another recreation from dk. In this case, it is the new LEGO House, designed by BIG. Containing 774 pieces, this recreation is still a good size for a home 3D printing job.
Recommended for people over 12 years old, the second floor of this set opens to feature the spacious interior. A great piece of modern architecture to be printed and built.
375: Classic Castle
Resource: grabcad
Designer: Neil Lantto
Our last 3D LEGO printing plan is actually a classic. It is based on the original set released back in 1978, the original LEGO castle. According to the designer, most parts have been reverse-engineered via physical parts. Some parts are modeled through extrapolating from incomplete data and pictures.
Containing 767 pieces, this castle is small enough to be a suitable option for 3D printing, while big enough to make the process of building it challenging. The fact that some parts are extrapolated from incomplete data and pictures can make the building process even more challenging.
Last words
And with this last 3D LEGO printing plan, we have arrived at the end of this post. If you enjoyed this post and would like to know a bit more about 3D printing LEGO, be sure to check “How To Print LEGO Bricks Using Your 3-D Printer” & “How To Make Your Own Building Block Toys”.
Learn More
If you are interested, here is a link to the entire Lego section found on Amazon.