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I wanted to get the discussion started on our big events for the year. To reiterate, we need to have three events each year with 10 people participating in each event to maintain our LUG status. Also, I vaguely recall that are expected to have one non-local event each year, although I am not well-versed on the specifics. Finally, we need to notify LEGO at least three months in advance of each event to be eligible for LUG support (which basically means they send us random sets / parts for conducting events.)
Philly Brickfest, which was recently mentioned, is a potential candidate. We seem to have fairly good participation at Greenberg’s Fall Train Show. What are other candidates for events in which we have significant participation?
Also, what collaborative projects could we possibly take on? Very recently discussed projects are a Kennywood rollercoaster The roller coaster parts would all be donated to the LUG. In the unending search for irony, does anyone like the idea of a FRIENDS Death Star?
I’d like to emphasize that the LUG has a ridiculous supply of red light bricks. The lights turn on when the button is pressed but do not stay on once force is no longer applied to the “on” button. How could those be put to use? One idea that comes to mind is sequentially lighting a long line of lights by either having a vehicle (train, monorail) travel past them and press each button in sequence, or having a wave machine that uses undulating gears to press the light buttons in sequence, like on an runway for spacecraft.
Honestly, a light up roller coaster would be the ultimate, but one could probably do that much more easily by putting the lights ON the roller coaster itself, than having the roller coaster activate them.
Since this is a new thread, I am going to tag a bunch of people in hopes that we can start brainstorming before the next meeting. 🙂 @laura @tfdesigns @rcgrier3406 @randomdan @timf @bengood921 @erunaamo @lwquestie @finntegotash @bacon1986 @pete @skippermike @hacim @hannah133 @zaximillian @zbauer @jackrimer
I wanted to get the discussion started on our big events for the year. To reiterate, we need to have three events each year with 10 people participating in each event to maintain our LUG status.
Is that why we do it? I haven’t read the rules in a while. #badAmbassador #impeach #GregforAmbassador
Philly Brickfest, which was recently mentioned, is a potential candidate. We seem to have fairly good participation at Greenberg’s Fall Train Show. What are other candidates for events in which we have significant participation?
I don’t think we’re allowed to use conventions like PBF that are put on by for-profit groups… but I haven’t read the rules in a while.
I think the easiest ones are International Children’s Festival, Santa Trolley, Greenberg, and maybe Maker Faire (but we didn’t do that this year, and given the 90-day advance notice thing, we need to be careful not to tell TLG we’re doing something and then not following through, or we jeopardize our Event Support brick…)
In the unending search for irony, does anyone like the idea of a FRIENDS Death Star?
Shades of that FRIENDS guillotine that got censored from the BrickLink contest, Greg… you’re a bad influence on me! But I’ll tell you after I find out whether Episode VIII is decent or makes me die a little inside.
One idea that comes to mind is sequentially lighting a long line of lights by either having a vehicle (train, monorail) travel past them and press each button in sequence, or having a wave machine that uses undulating gears to press the light buttons in sequence, like on an runway for spacecraft.
Honestly, a light up roller coaster would be the ultimate, but one could probably do that much more easily by putting the lights ON the roller coaster itself, than having the roller coaster activate them.
This could be really cool! What do you mean, “ON the roller coaster itself”…? On the train? The tracks?
“ON the roller coaster itself”…? On the train? The tracks?
Put the lights on the part that moves,
the train, the seats, the roller coaster cars! Maybe we could jam two light bricks per 2×4 seat, facing opposite directions, which would be 8 lights total on a roller coaster with four rows.
Well, as I’ve mentioned a few times, the Trolley Museum is very interested in having a “Brick” theme event that would involve a weekend exclusively dedicated to LUG displays and activities, all themes & ideas would be welcomed. I was thinking of it as a sort of brickfest(esque) event where there are displays, raffles, games, build challenges, etc.
We have a committee that was formed at the Q2 meeting (Myself, Tom, Pete, and Josh) that is supposed to look into what we want to do for the event. I need to get moving on that front. The full event would not be able to take place till 2019 at this point as the museum already has its events schedule set for next year, but I did manage to get “Brixtravaganza” (as I’ve dubbed it) added as part of “Trolley Fair” at the end of June 2018. It will basically be a less intensive ‘dry run’ of the event to give us an idea of what will be required to run a full event. I was thinking we could also possibly invite other LUGs to participate. Let me know what you all think, I am planning on posting the thread for it at the beginning of 2018.
Cheers
One person who might be interested in attending a Washington PA event is Dan Brown, the owner of the LEGO museum in Bellaire, Ohio.
In the unending search for irony, does anyone like the idea of a FRIENDS Death Star?
You had me at “Death Star”.
On the plus side, I don’t how this build would be anything other than super popular with the public, and it would be easier to store, transport, and set up than say, a giant ravine. But it would be a major undertaking requiring a lot of pieces.
>> I’d like to emphasize that the LUG has a ridiculous supply of red light bricks.
Define ‘ridiculous supply’.
>> One idea that comes to mind is sequentially lighting a long line of lights by either having a vehicle (train, monorail) travel past them and press each button in sequence, or having a wave machine that uses undulating gears to press the light buttons in sequence, like on an runway for spacecraft.
That does sound pretty cool. Presumably you’re planning on keeping it together for awhile, so the first problem that comes to mind is the batteries. Exactly how the lights are being turned on, for how long each time, and how frequently, all become considerations, because those parts are famous for not lasting long at all, and so the answers could make the difference on whether or not the lights will make it through a weekend of public hours or not. I was worried that the cost of batteries would be prohibitive, but I found a forum where somebody claims he got 100 from Hong Kong for $3.22 including shipping. But it does mean getting out the small screwdriver to take it apart and replace the battery for each time, which means the light parts have to be able to be easily removed from the build.
>> Honestly, a light up roller coaster would be the ultimate, but one could probably do that much more easily by putting the lights ON the roller coaster itself, than having the roller coaster activate them.
By ‘ON the roller coaster itself’, I assume you mean the lights are on the train of cars, and they pass by a fixed stationary piece and each light brushes up against it as the rollercoaster train passes by, lighting up each one in turn. That sounds super duper awesome. I’ll also be super duper impressed if you can make it happen, cause I don’t see that one possibly working. I’m having trouble envisioning anything that will sufficiently push the light buttons without stopping the whole train of cars. I think using a monorail or 9V train would work better, but I can still see big problems there.
>> I don’t think we’re allowed to use conventions like PBF that are put on by for-profit groups… but I haven’t read the rules in a while.
Wait, how’s that now? That eliminates quite a few things. How is Greenberg not a for-profit group?
– Someone else did it, (of course,) but we can make our own version of the FRIENDS Death Star. 🙂
– I was thinking that the lights would be mounted on the roller coaster train in such a way that the lights remain lit.
– We would need no more than 8 light bricks at a time and I think we have hundreds of light bricks. That would give plenty of time to replace batteries throughout the show.
>> – I was thinking that the lights would be mounted on the roller coaster train in such a way that the lights remain lit.
>
>> – We would need no more than 8 light bricks at a time and I think we have hundreds of light bricks. That would give plenty of time to replace batteries throughout the show.This sounds a lot more workable, and would look good. You have two trains of cars, so when the batteries on one start to go, you pull the whole train and put the other one on. Then while the second one is running, you can pull the light bricks on the first one (and put them in the ‘replace batteries later’ bag) and replace them with fresh bricks.
For these hundreds we have, how many have had the tab pulled that keeps them from lighting up prematurely?
Also, I’m pretty sure you’re gonna want a transparent 1×2 brick in front of each light to help spread out the light. I put both red and yellow ‘naked’ light bricks on my GBC in 2014, and the ones aiming towards the audience didn’t look like much.
Well, so far the idea of putting lights on a roller coaster just occurred to me when I was starting this thread. The first step would be building the roller coaster,and that would be a very big step.
>> Well, so far the idea of putting lights on a roller coaster just occurred to me when I was starting this thread. The first step would be building the roller coaster,and that would be a very big step.
I figured, but I wanted to make sure you guys avoid the whole putting-a-lot-of-effort-into-a-plan-that-isn’t-ever-going-to-work thing, cause I’ve already done that more than once with GBC.
To reiterate, we need to have three events each year with 10 people participating in each event to maintain our LUG status.
At Q3, we tabled this discussion for Q4. Good idea bringing it up in advance to start to air out ideas and thoughts. Although I have no hard data at my fingertips as proof, my intuition is that the International Children’s Festival, Greenberg’s (November) and Santa Trolley have historically garnered the greatest amount of consistent group participation. Other annual events, like LVRR Train Show, Cranberry Library Summer Reading display, Greenberg’s (July), Pumpkin Trolley, and Cranberry First Night, have had variable participation rates year-to-year. So I would propose ICF, Greenberg’s (November), and Santa Trolley for 2018 as our LUG Support events. Also, S.W. Randall displays have arisen this year under Rich’s guidance and leadership. So that could also be nominated for a 2018 LUG Support event.
I don’t think we’re allowed to use conventions like PBF that are put on by for-profit groups… but I haven’t read the rules in a while.
As I recall, Lego has classified fan conventions as “private events”, even though they have a public component. Whatever the ultimate reason, my understanding is that fan conventions are NOT permitted to be used for LUG Support purposes.
Whatever the ultimate reason, my understanding is that fan conventions are NOT permitted to be used for LUG Support purposes.
Thinking about this, maybe the LUG can’t use Brickfair because the “fan events” gets support, like sets to giveaway as prizes. Maybe its because all the effort is concentrated in one area reaching fewer people than LUG’s could reach if they were each at separate locations. IDK, its just a guess.
Hi,
First timer to this thread, but long time member of the forum. Maybe I wasn’t tagged because I’m a newbie, or because my brain isn’t much for storming in recent days.
I see a lot of discussion of the red bricks, which is cool. you can also use mindstorms to press (and hold) the lights to make some digital board or even just illuminate a display of sorts with depressed lights – it doesn’t have to be a “flashing” or short duration. I do encourage the use of the unique gift of having a superfluous amounts of a certain part in creative ways though. Capitalizing on the ‘bulkness’ of lug inventory is one of the major benefits of why we do what we do the way we do them when we do the things we do. (yinz follow?)
Not to reset the thread entirely though, but I anticipate changes to the way LUG support will look and function in 2018. There have been official LEGO discussions for the past 6 months at AFOL conventions about the changes, though nothing set has been communicated. Though the initial description of requirements for lug support were misstated above (specifically, having to have a non-local event), I’d just recommend not progressing on plans that require LUG support consideration until we know what we’re dealing with. The plan to choose 3 specific events, to ensure the LUG is taking them seriously, is noted though, and will be discussed further at the Jan 6th meeting. I’m hoping we have more information to share by then.
you can also use mindstorms to press (and hold) the lights to make some digital board or even just illuminate a display of sorts with depressed lights – it doesn’t have to be a “flashing” or short duration
I overheard Tom talking about this particular idea with someone else at the last LUG meeting, then promptly forgot about it. The memory was rekindled while sorting the box I currently have which contains a bunch more of the light bricks.
My brain cannot get past the idea that if each light were pressed independently of the others, there would have to be a separate motor for each light pressed. This is compounded by the problem that a mindstorms brick can only handle three motors. Then you are talking all kinds of machinery to turn on small very small lights.
On the other hand, it seems that if you wanted to have the lights produce waves, then you only need one motor and a whole bunch of gears.
P.S. I did not tag admins on this thread because I assumed you received all the messages regardless.
These red light bricks interest me. I would like to incorporate these bricks into interactive displays that visitors to our displays can touch. The second reason that I want to experiment with them is to see how useful they are for atmospheric lighting within enclosed spaces. @randomdan seems to support the more powerful 9V lights for this purpose, but after seeing the light brick usage in the Creator Family House set, I want to explore this part in combination with other transparent parts.
This may be an easy selection for the quarterly build challenge, even though my individual build time is booked all the way up through 2019 at this point.
My brain cannot get past the idea that if each light were pressed independently of the others, there would have to be a separate motor for each light pressed. This is compounded by the problem that a mindstorms brick can only handle three motors. Then you are talking all kinds of machinery to turn on small very small lights.
Negative. That’s a very basic design. You could design gears in such that they support. “Configurations” on subsequent revolutions of a master gear. To make a clock, you’d only need to program configurations to represent numbers 0-9. Certainly would take more smart engineering, but look at a watch, or even @hannah133 ’s build of that big clock thing. I’m on my phone now, or I’d pull up the link.
Okay I think I’ve been mentioned twice now so I’ll come in for some support lol here’s my two cents before I go back and read all of this.
I would love to see a bunch of those red lights used since there’s so many. I think it could be pulled off pretty easily with what josh mentioned; using gears and likely lift arms to push the lights on.
If you wanted to use mindstorms, we could go that route but they get so bulky I find using a motor and technic parts more space effective.
Lastly, I’m not sure what clock thing you think I made that you’re referring to though…
Wait, how’s that now? That eliminates quite a few things. How is Greenberg not a for-profit group?
It’s not a for-profit LEGO-related group. It’s a for-profit model train group. Big difference, in the eyes of TLG. I think. I haven’t read the rules in a while…
I figured, but I wanted to make sure you guys avoid the whole putting-a-lot-of-effort-into-a-plan-that-isn’t-ever-going-to-work thing, cause I’ve already done that more than once with GBC.
Lulz. I mean… I’m sorry for your loss.
Thinking about this, maybe the LUG can’t use Brickfair because the “fan events” gets support, like sets to giveaway as prizes.
I believe that’s the gist of it – they don’t want to give support to both the event and the LUGs showing up at the event. Maybe.
Hi,
First timer to this thread, but long time member of the forum. Maybe I wasn’t tagged because I’m a newbie, or because my brain isn’t much for storming in recent days.
Lulz. I mean… I’m sorry for your loss.
Not to reset the thread entirely though, but I anticipate changes to the way LUG support will look and function in 2018. There have been official LEGO discussions for the past 6 months at AFOL conventions about the changes, though nothing set has been communicated. Though the initial description of requirements for lug support were misstated above (specifically, having to have a non-local event), I’d just recommend not progressing on plans that require LUG support consideration until we know what we’re dealing with. The plan to choose 3 specific events, to ensure the LUG is taking them seriously, is noted though, and will be discussed further at the Jan 6th meeting. I’m hoping we have more information to share by then.
I second that emotion.
This may be an easy selection for the quarterly build challenge, even though my individual build time is booked all the way up through 2019 at this point
Yes, we all saw your thread; no need to brag about it over here, too… 😉
P.S. I did not tag admins on this thread because I assumed you received all the messages regardless.
Ok, so what I’m hearing is basically not to count on any of LEGO’s rules for LUG’s being the same and not to think about planning ahead.
Greg, I think there’s room for balance between not planning ahead at all and realizing that the rules are likely changing. I’d have to dig up my notes from Skaerbaek Fan Weekend to refresh my memory on what they were saying in September, but I don’t think Event Support was discussed much… I think it’s likely that for that portion of things, it’ll be fairly similar. But not guaranteed to be the same… hence Josh’s words of caution not to get too far along just yet with anything that’s banking on future support. That said, bricks we already have can certainly be banked on… 😀
Yeah, there’s merit in talking about forming a unified lug project for 2018, but I think there’s a logical disjoint between that effort and trying to tie in LUG support. The two are separate, and rightly so.
Lastly, I’m not sure what clock thing you think I made that you’re referring to though…
you do too! That thing! you build for the RMU physics professor…big gray box that spins gears…
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