Brick Fest Live Sacramento - Setup

 

Setup was the same as always, though by the time we unloaded, parked the car and got started, it was already almost 1PM.

The setup uses two 8 foot tables.  In the past the center module has always been near the table break.  This has put large stresses on the joints where the modules connect to the center.  This time I started building on one end and very near the end of the tables.  This would place the table break somewhere in the the last two modules on the left side.  I was hoping that those modules were less susceptible to the stresses.  It turns out this was a very good decision.

This next set of pictures shows the various stages of setup.  Basically I start on one end and just move down the line  When I get to the modules with the cliffs and hanger bays, these are assembled as a slice and then that slice inserts into the next one.  The other important item is to check power as I go.  I do not want to have the whole display assembled and then some small buried doesn't work.  That would not be good.

The big change was we were moved to our own area and thus had a 360 degree display.  People could see both the front and back.  This was a big change for viewing the back, since people could only see it from the side at an angle.  This time they could as close to the back as the front.

And we are done!  

This time the asembly took between 2 and 2.5 hours.  So we finished with assembly around 3:15PM.  Then we spent the next hour, detailing, fixing things that came loose during transport, etc.  Thus we left the hall just after 4:30PM.

Space Port Cliff

Ever since I first built the space port, I wanted to somehow have a passageway go into the cliff wall.  In the past few months I have concentrated on the other direction, thus the floating platform.  Now I am starting on this idea.

First off, to meet the level of the Space Port back entrance, I needed to lower the cliff base platform.  This picture shows the transparent light blue glass passageway that will go through the cliff.

This is from the back side of the cliff.  Again the base platform had to be lowered in the center.  From this view you can see the hole for the LED lighting wiring.

Here  I am playing with space utilization.

Which leads to this layout.  More storage for the jet packs on either side.  Computer screens on either side of the passageway.  These screens will be used to provide information on scheduled missions.

Then we have one more display where the Balcktron Logo will go.

Here the cliff is about 75% complete.  What is different here, besides the passage is how the cliff was modeled.  The Space Port is always intended to the be at the end.  Otherwise the floating platform will not have space on a normal table top.  And it is always meant to be on the left end.  This is more a function of the floating platform and how the maintenance shed is oriented.  Thus the cliff to the left of the passageway has not been mined back like all of the other cliffs.  There is no sand green walkway.  Even to the right of the passageway, the cliff is not fully teraformed.  The sand green walkway ends abruptly and there is still rock there.  

About 90% complete.

Now it is done.  This took a few cups of coffee to complete.

Here is the backside in its current form.  Not sure this is the final detail.

A close up view.  Part of the reason I am not sure this is done, is the blank walls above the computer screens  But there may not be anything I can do about that.

This is what it looks like backing the Space Port.

Here is a side view showing the passageway connecting to the Space Port.

There is no LED Lighting yet.  The bottom floor will be well lit.  As with the the other cliffs, not sure what goes on the second floor.  The hanger area behind this will also be different and have more living space detail.

Space Port Rebuild

 The Space Port module was next on the list to be rebuilt and the controller moved inside.  This includes completely rewiring this for lights and a motor.

There are LED lights on both sides of the first floor.   Also there are lights in the control tower.  One side will have two LED controls plus power.  The other side will have the equivalent two LEDs plus the LEDs for the control tower.  Here we run the wires from the controller over to where the axle goes up to the radar antenna.  By using the far hole, I can keep the wire under control.  The 1 x 2 modified plate with pin hole (part number 11458) is used to route the wire. 

This side had the motor, so it was a little more complicated, plus it had both the two LEDs plus the control tower.  I added the 1 x 6 technic brick to help route the wires and keep them away from the gears.  This also shows the single motor approach and gearing.  This is minimal gearing down, the rest of the slow down is handled by the PWM function in the Brick Buddy.

This just shows where the controller ended up.

 This shows how the motor cable was routed.  It is mounted underneath the 2 x 4 plate.  This holds the cable in place and keeps it from moving.

And the how the wiring connected to the Brick Buddy.
 

 This is the back 2/3 of the bottom floor with the flooring installed.  Also noticed how the exhaust grills are recessed.  I particularly like this look.

Now the support for the radar towers is built up.  I have changed the back since eventually there will be a path through the rock wall and into the hanger space.

 This gives a better view of the back.

 A view from the front.

The remaining bottom flooring and walls are now installed.  This part has not changed from the original, other than using module build techniques to be able to easier take it apart.

This composite shows how the wire comes up from under the flooring, through the radar tower support and then across the ceiling (not shown).  I used a 1 x 2 plate with pin hole to guide the wire a way from the axle.  It will then pass through the top of the wall.

Here is the completed first floor with all the walls.

This is how the LED lighting wiring was installed.  Again I use the 2 x 2 plate with pin holes and a 1 x 2 plate with pin hole to guide the wiring.

After building the cliff wall with the entrance built into the cliff, I modified the back slightly to have a better physical interface.

Completed Space Port, at least for now.

Cliff Rebuild

At Brick Fest Live in San Diego, during packup, I dropped a cliff onto the floor.  I did not have the presence of mind to take a photo.  Later I did not have the heart to take a photo of it in the box in pieces.  This picture above shows it after some reconstruction.

Here is the first floor and cliff support structure redone.  Nothing changed here.

Here I have finished the cliff support structure.  This cliff is the one that had the window built in.  I added a shelf with coffee and doughnuts.  Plus some non-descript bottles underneath.

A close up of the window.  I may need to clean this window eventually.

Here I have started the process of rebuilding the cliff.  Actually most of what you see, survived the drop.  

This is the finished cliff.

Now I need to reinstall the LED lighting.  I was never satisfied with what I had done in this section.  A single light in front of the Blacktron Logo was just not the answer.  I decide to install two.  Also the two top side computer screens were not really visible from the floor because of the posts for the transparent light blue windows.  So I move the computer screens out a few studs, so they are easier to see.

I had already run the wire from the connection point at the bottom, up through the hole in the first floor and behind the 1 x 1 round bricks.  In the support structure, I had used technic 1 x 4 bricks so I could take advantage of the holes in the bricks.  Since the wire was pretty much cut to size, I needed something to support the LED module while I soldered on it.  So I built a small work surface that would capture the LED module, thus I don't have to chase it across the space.

 Here is the second LED module prepped for soldering.

These two pictures show how the wire is captured and held in place.  There is a stack of two 1 x 1 round plates ( you can only see the tan one that is on top).   The wire is held in place by the gap between the two round plates.  It is just big enough to hold the twisted pair wire. 

The final result.  It is much better than before.

Brick Fest Live - Sacramento

 

 A week to go to Brick Fest Live Sacramento.  What will be new?

• The tower lights on the Floating Platform.  
• Hoping to have the beginnings of the cliff wall with the path way through for the Space Port.
• Some much needed maintenance

This may be the last show for the year.  I will be spending the upcoming winter working on finishing the cliff wall all they way around the display.  With that feature will come more detailed living areas (bunk room, gym, cafeteria) and hanger detail.

For now, we keep building😋