Mike Walsh's LEGO® Blog

Judging LEGO at the NC State Fair

Mike Walsh — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:52:46 +0000

It is time once again for the annual North Carolina State Fair. For the past few years (3?, 4?) Joe Meno and I have been judging the LEGO competition. It is fun to help out and only takes a couple of hours to complete. Yesterday Joe and I braved the rain and headed over to the Fair. I’ll post some pictures once the Fair has started, don’t want to spoil any surprises. A couple of observations:

There were 101 entries this year versus 82 last year. It seemed like there were more and the numbers confirm it. There was a 25% increase in entries.
While the total number of entries was up, the number of entries in the North Carolina theme categories was down, particularly in the older (ages 10-18) age group.
There were no K’Nex entries at all this year. Historically there has always been a few and we’ve tried to judge them objectively.
There were no official LEGO sets entered this year! We did not have to disqualify anyone this year which is a first since I’ve been judging. There were a few models that “borrowed” some ideas from official LEGO sets but nothing we had any issues with.

If you are going to the Fair this year, make sure you swing by the Hobbies and Handicrafts building and check out all of the entries. There is also a small NCLUG exhibit on display as well so check it out too!

First BrickLink negative feedback

Mike Walsh — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 13:51:42 +0000

I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. After 600+ transactions, I picked up my first negative feedback on BrickLink recently. It isn’t the end of the world but it would have been nice to know there was a problem so I could do something about it. I’ve made mistakes before and will likely make them again. It happens. How a seller handles a mistake is really what matters and I don’t have a lot of respect for a buyer who doesn’t give a seller the opportunity to fix a problem. If I make a mistake, I do my best to correct it as quickly as possible at no additional cost to the buyer. I’ve even ordered missing parts from another store and shipped them to a buyer if I didn’t have them myself.

In this particular case the buyer never told me there was a problem, I just noticed it on my feedback page. I don’t deny that I made a mistake, shame on me for not checking the set again for completeness. I would like the chance to fix it though.

NCLUG exhibit at the NC State Fair

Mike Walsh — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:45:24 +0000

NCLUG has been asked to provide a display for the NC State Fair. The exhibit will be on display in the same location as the LEGO entries. The LEGO exhibits have historically been located on the north end of the Hobbies and Handicrafts building which is near the NC State Ice Cream shop (which is easily one of the best deals for your dollar at the Fair).

The group is still batting around ideas but it looks like it will be some sort of Halloween themed exhibit. I am not sure what I am going to do, if anything at this point. After a pretty quiet summer, I have a lot going on at work right now. I don’t have any good ideas either. Hmmm. Decisions, decisions.

Judging at 2011 NC State Fair

Mike Walsh — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 17:38:55 +0000

Joe Meno and I have been asked to judge the LEGO category again at the 2011 North Carolina State Fair. If you’re interested in competing this year, the State Fair Premium Book is available online. The LEGO categories fall under Handy Crafts and Hobbies in section EE. We had suggested they add an adult division but that still hasn’t happened yet. Maybe in 2012! We’re looking forward to seeing some excellent entries. Remember – no kits! Every year we have to disqualify half a dozen entries because they are official LEGO sets. Historically there have been fewer entries in the North Carolina theme category so take that into consideration when submitting an entry. Also, make sure your entry is on a sturdy base!

More Service Packs found

Mike Walsh — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:15:58 +0000

Last night I went through another box of old goodies and found some more Service Packs from about 10 years ago when I was buying LEGO regularly. I think that the fact that these Services Packs have been in a box for the last 10 years is a pretty good indication that I don’t really need them! This is what I found:

3446 2×2 White Windows (8)
~~3492 2×2 Black Tiles (5)~~
~~3493 2×2 White Tiles (2)~~
3494 2×2 Red Tiles (6)
3507 1x4x3 Clear Panels (2)
3733 1x4x3 Grey Train Windows (9)
3734 1x4x3 Blue Train Windows (10)
3736 Blue Train Doors (10)
~~10003 1×2 Sand Red Bricks (1)~~
~~10005 2×4 Sand Red Bricks (1)~~
~~10007 2×4 Sand Red Ridge Roof Tiles (1)~~
~~10008 2×4 Sand Red Roof Tiles (3)~~
10046 Brown Tiles (1)
10050 Grey Fences (8)
~~10061 Black 1xN Plates (1)~~
10062 Red 1xN Plates (3)
10063 Green 1xN Plates (3)
10064 Light Grey 1xN Plates (8)
~~10065 White 1XN Plates (3)~~
~~10113 Cypress Trees (2)~~
~~10114 2×2 Sand Red Roof Tiles (1)~~
10145 Assorted Light Grey Bricks (1)
10146 Assorted Dark Grey Bricks (2)
10147 Assorted Brown Bricks (2)
10148 Assorted Light Grey Plates (5)
10149 Assorted Dark Grey Plates (4)
10150 Assorted Brown Plates (5)
2000661 Ghosts and Skeletons (2)
~~4143836 1×1 Black Plates (2)~~
B002 1x4x3 Clear Panels (7)

Download 2011 April Clearance Inventory (541) a spreadsheet with more details and links to the BrickLink Price Guide. Warning: Some of the prices on the Price Guide are downright silly. Someone actually paid $80 for a package of 1×2 Sand Red bricks. Yikes!

Interested in any of these things? Make me an offer. I am particularly intetested in any trade offers which include a Canon 40D or 50D body (my 40D broke about two weeks ago) or an iPad.

Update: I have listed these for sale on BrickLink.com.