My Rainbow Slalom GBC module consists of two parts (plus a new ball bucket to collect the test run). The two halves have separate for ease of transport, but fit together quickly with a couple of Technic beams joining them at the bottom for stability. Its unput is based on the very reliable Brickworld 2018 ball pump, which has been extended to reach about 20 bricks above the input hopper. The diagonal slope then feeds into a brick built slalom module which brings the balls zig-zagging back down to output level.
Archives for August 2019
Community Cube – Micropolis Block #147
On 13th July, I participated in the 72 Hour LEGO YouTubers’ Community Live Stream event, taking an hour to host a slot with special guests Legolamaniac and Vega from Norway. It was a lot of fun. It was also a great way to engage with the wider LEGO community on YouTube and see new channels. During my slot, I built a Micropolis block while chatting with Legolamaniac and answering questions from the live chat. Here’s a better look at the block, which I called the Community Cube.
Wind Farm – Micropolis Block #146
As well as the recently-opened Solar Farm, the Green Energy Corporation in Micropolis has also heavily invested in wind turbine technology. This wind farm has just been constructed on the edge of town and can now generate enough power to supply at least a dozen residential blocks on a good day.
Rainbow Serpentine – A New GBC Module
My next Great Ball Contraption module is the Rainbow Serpentine. The original design was developed by Brian Alano, who had spotted something similar in European GBC loops and made plans of his version available online. This in turn was modified by Lawrie George, who replaced the large cogs in the centre of the curves with the rotating claw pieces to scoop the balls around the lane. I built my module from Lawrie’s plans, once again in rainbow colours with the parts I had to hand. It handles large numbesr of balls in the input hopper with ease, and translates into a steady flow which exits the module at the top behind the spinners.
Turntable Towers – Micropolis Block #145
My local LEGO Stores have had the 2×2 white turntable bases in their Pick A Brick walls for ages. I grab big handfulls every time I go, which means I have hundreds of the things. I have used them in the past for aircon vents and roof detailing, but this time I wondered if I could make them a feature of the cladding for a building. I chose a contrasting blue plate to go underneath, and interspersed them with 1×2 trans dark blue tiles for windows, and Turntable Towers was born.
Solar Farm – Micropolis Block #144
The Green Energy Corporation have been trying to get more eco-friendly means of generating power in Micropolis. They already have the Green Energy Biomass Plant which takes waste and generates heat from it. But they have just opened this Solar Farm on the outskirts of the city, where the sun’s rays can be harvested for electricty in a clean and efficient manner.