Lego Greebles Parts Interest?

[kresty]

Well, this is a little premature, however when I get back it should be pretty easy to figure out from my photos what Lego bricks work on the bottom, and then of course I'll end up buying some...  And I can post the LDD file.  Would other folks be interested in a run of Lego?  Warning: It might be a surprisingly pricey: A quick guess is at least 500 bricks, maybe as many as 1000.  It could be $100.

The other way to do it would be to cast them, then all you need is to borrow your kid's Lego.  So, alternatively, if Lara's making a Lego version anyway, would folks be interested in cast parts?

[savagecreature]

Well, this is a little premature, however when I get back it should be pretty easy to figure out from my photos what Lego bricks work on the bottom, and then of course I'll end up buying some...  And I can post the LDD file.  Would other folks be interested in a run of Lego?  Warning: It might be a surprisingly pricey: A quick guess is at least 500 bricks, maybe as many as 1000.  It could be $100.

The other way to do it would be to cast them, then all you need is to borrow your kid's Lego.  So, alternatively, if Lara's making a Lego version anyway, would folks be interested in cast parts?

I was planning on going another way. I'm going to build (I was actually going to ask you for help) the skirt in lego, then I was going to vacuform a one piece skirt with the lego as a chuck. I think, for me anyway, something that large cast would be too heavy and on the expensive side, too. (a mold that size would not be cheap)  Vacu-form is cheap and fast and easy to install.

that having been said, I would love to see your LDD file.

[Lichtbringer]

I think lightweight would be the key - so vacformed, or cast in a very light stuff (no idea if that would be doable without spending an arm and a leg).

[pakrat77]

I'd be interested in a cast depending on cost and a vacu-formed version to be sure.

[kresty]

I was planning on going another way. I'm going to build (I was actually going to ask you for help) the skirt in lego, then I was going to vacuform a one piece skirt with the lego as a chuck. I think, for me anyway, something that large cast would be too heavy and on the expensive side, too. (a mold that size would not be cheap)  Vacu-form is cheap and fast and easy to install.

that having been said, I would love to see your LDD file.

Of course!  But I won't get to it 'til after the trip.  I thought Vacuformed would be good, but I couldn't figure out how to deal with the size/width of plastic.  (it'll be bigger than the Lego?)

[kresty]

Since I have the plans now, I'm wondering if there is interest in Lego bricks for one of the sections.  I could consider casting but I haven't done that before, so that might be a bit tricky.  It seems like Savage and Alan/Giles are interested in doing casts or something, so maybe they'd like 750 bricks to build a section from.

The "rule of thumb" is 10 cents per Lego brick, however these have larger bricks than average and with 20 different kinds of brick they will need to be sourced from multiple places.  I expect it to be $100-120 for enough black bricks for a section, probably mostly from bricklink.com

Other sources of Lego brick:

Alternative sources would be your kid's Lego collection, particularly if you don't care about color.  Also bulk used brick from craigslist or the like could be sufficient - except those probably won't have enough of the flat tiles unless you're really lucky.

Most Lego sets, even the basic building sets, don't have enough "regular" brick.  Ignoring the color and flat tile parts, LEGO Education Brick Set 4579793 is currently "cheap" on Amazon and gets close, however it's $50 and missing lots of the bigger bricks.  You might be able to make due either with smaller bricks from that set or by having it hollower than my plans.  Unfortunately there's no tile in that set which is half of he parts

Lego Pick-a-Brick online looks like it'd be a little over $150 (+tax & shipping).  The "wall" might save money, but bigger bricks don't fit the bucket well.

[jollyg]

Hi All, with the 750 bricks you mention above, what will that weigh? I do think the vacuum forming is a great idea or even going down the ABS 3d printing route for just the façade to reduce the weight. I don't think we will know until it has been built. Time to 'borrow' my sons lego...

[kresty]

Hi All, with the 750 bricks you mention above, what will that weigh?  I do think the vacuum forming is a great idea or even going down the ABS 3d printing route for just the façade to reduce the weight.  I don't think we will know until it has been built. Time to 'borrow' my sons lego...

It's going to be "heavy".   Lemme figure it out.... Yes, some sort of lightweight system is probably better, this offer is expecting folks to want a single side to create a mold from. 

The hard bricks to find for the mold/borrow story are the tiles.  Tiles are $33+shipping from Lego Pick a Brick, alternatively I'll probably get enough for extras but it won't save much.... I'm wondering if the 1x2 black tiles are on the "wall" at the Lego Store.  That'd make it *way* cheaper.

[jollyg]

Ok managed to get a stl file for 1 side of the skirt as per kresty design, conversion and google were fun!!!. The conversion has caused some bricks to disappear. Will post it if I can in the files for any of you to work on it, also needs cutting in two as way too big for a printer bed unless you have an industrial sized one. Going to try and fill the gaps but still would work with them.

[kresty]

Here's my version: http://www.rebeldroids.net/gallery/displ...play_media

I think that this is probably "easy enough" to print to not really be worth doing a run of Lego bricks. Lemme know if people want Lego and want help collecting them. (Lara has to get a lot for her droid, so I should have some).