Towers of blocks fall down
December 19, 2011 10:31 PM   Subscribe

 


I approve of this kind of planking.
posted by vidur at 10:54 PM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


Apparently, Kapla also means "success" in Klingon.

In Xanadu, did Kapla Khan
A stately pleasure dome decree...

(Great video. I like how the towers are limited in height by the point at which the builder's head touches the ceiling.)
posted by chavenet at 10:59 PM on December 19, 2011


Love it. I want to get a Kapla set for my son but find the sets pretty pricey; I can't imagine how much this guy paid for all of those Kapla blocks.
posted by zardoz at 11:00 PM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


Well the guy in the first video needed 23 sets, @ 70 bucks each on amazon that's $1620 bucks.

Or 180 bucks per hour. Very cool though.
posted by neversummer at 11:11 PM on December 19, 2011 [1 favorite]


This is the perfect combination of slow, planned destruction and tinkling sounds.
posted by not_on_display at 11:18 PM on December 19, 2011


Einstürzende Neubauten
posted by stbalbach at 11:28 PM on December 19, 2011 [5 favorites]


Haha! I love this one - the first time it stops the one friend's indignant voice is saying "exactly like I said it would! Exactly like I said!"
posted by kavasa at 12:02 AM on December 20, 2011


It's like an Angry Birds level that destroys itself!
posted by bicyclefish at 1:25 AM on December 20, 2011


Apparently, Kapla also means "success" in Klingon.

*Ahem* that's Qapla'. (Or  for those of us with the proper fonts installed.)
posted by XMLicious at 1:35 AM on December 20, 2011


I like. Bought equivalent in South Africa, where it's called "Planx" (suggest you add that tag). Certainly astoundingly cheaper than in Europe, or, at least, than in Switzerland. I love the sound.

One time we built a tower in the living room, just 1x1 planks, until we could fit no more on top. The wood then absorbed moisture and the tower increased in height so the top was jammed against the ceiling! This was cool, and we started building cantilever offshoots.

One day we were in the next room when suddenly it exploded. Figure it swelled up so much it needed to give. Pity. It was starting to be decorative and useful.
posted by Goofyy at 1:37 AM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]


My kindergarten had the exact same box design 18 years ago. I hope they never replace the pictures of the bearded austere carpenter man or that post-war kid in the thick sweater in a pale room playing with his gloves on.
posted by rowancluster at 3:36 AM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]


I notice that the videos all seem to refer to "Kapla" rather than "Kapla Blocks." Does this mean Kapla fans aren't as much of pedantic douchebags as Lego fans?

There's only two good ways to refer to them: the colloquial "Legos" or the full-on "Lego® brand building blocks."
posted by explosion at 4:30 AM on December 20, 2011


Who else jumped to the end just to see the destruction? Because let's be honest that's the most awesome part of this thing. I know I did.
posted by Fizz at 4:45 AM on December 20, 2011


I love that it shows him cleaning it up afterwards.
posted by Gorgik at 5:47 AM on December 20, 2011 [2 favorites]


This just isn't tedious enough for my tastes. I'd prefer it if the videos began with someone whittling each block by hand.
posted by orme at 5:52 AM on December 20, 2011 [2 favorites]


Is this something you'd need to not own a table saw to understand?

Seriously, somehow I missed the existence of these, and while I admire their simplicity and understand the value (and inherent fun) of playing with blocks, I'm kind of shocked to learn that my offcuts box, that I normally have to beg someone with a fire place to dispose of, could be used to make the better part of a house payment.
posted by Kid Charlemagne at 6:07 AM on December 20, 2011 [1 favorite]


The video is cool and I appreciate this kind of hobby, but people really spend $70 (or the Euro equivalent) on a shiny box of kindling?
posted by Think_Long at 6:20 AM on December 20, 2011


Yeah, right away I went to check into getting some for the kids. $300 for 1000 pieces? I'll stick with Lego, thanks.
posted by CaseyB at 6:50 AM on December 20, 2011


Instead of having a planned place and time to start the destruction, I'd like it better if once they are done they would let loose in the room a cat or a small child.
posted by benito.strauss at 7:20 AM on December 20, 2011 [4 favorites]


*slow clap*
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 7:52 AM on December 20, 2011


I love how unsystematic the dude in the first video is. He's all, "I'm gonna start over here and then... oh... doesn't connect. OK. I'll take this down and fix it... And now I'll start stacking these ones in the middle here and fill in the rest later..."
posted by that's candlepin at 8:03 AM on December 20, 2011


We have some Kapla blocks and the kids love them. They've been one of the longest-lasting toys we've bought besides Lego. The kids build towers with them but also use them to make roads and things like that. I have noticed cheaper versions showing up in our local fancy-pants toy stores and in the gift shop at the hands-on science museum.
posted by not that girl at 8:04 AM on December 20, 2011


I was really enjoying that first video, but it turns out I found the end most compelling, when he was cleaning up all the piles of blocks to leave a clean floor. Something might be wrong with me.
posted by vytae at 10:13 AM on December 20, 2011


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