Lighting for LEGO #10244 Fairground Mixer
Several people have asked about a lighting kit for the amazing Fairground Mixer, so we created this topic to track the discussion.
We have looked at several ways to light up the set, but the challenge is the three spinning car sections, which are attached to the main spinning section. We could use slip rings (like we use with our Ferris Wheel Kit), which allow power to be provided even when wires rotate 360 degrees, but these rings are expensive, and the kit would require four of them, which might price it out of reach.
Another option is using coin cell battery packs underneath each car (3 total) to power the lights in that section, but the drawback here is that batteries would need to be replaced, and also each section would need to be manually switched on and off.
Again, this is still a work in progress. What have you tried with your Fairground Mixer set, or which option above would you like to see us make? Let us know!
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First, yea! I'll have to keep an eye on the Ferris Wheel to restock.
And here my first thought was to be lazy -- my hallmark -- and just grab that nifty black light specialty one and make the glow-in-the-dark parts... glow.
Intrigued to see where this one may lead... 🙂
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As quickly as those groups of 3 are moving, lights on the seats themselves would probably be a blur. Maybe just lights on the arms and center piece, and on the tops of the fence connectors? And/or a light post at the top of the stairs so the lego people don't fall off :).
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Lisa Sullivan Good suggestions! We definitely will be working on a kit for the new carousel, so we may as well get the entire fairground covered....
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Like ears, everyone has opinions.. even me.!
I'd say skip lighting the cars -- even LEGO didn't have any trans "light" pieces there, and looking at a real one at the county fair pics, it's not often lit.
Instead, light the pair under each arm and the end 2x2 round trans bricks, and MAYBE the upper wedge arms... though I like the stairs light (single pick, easy).
Perhaps to minimize controllers, even the outer 2x2 trans rounds could be blinking pico lights. Admittedly, it loses that coordinated flash look, but all options are on the table.
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Now that I've loaded up on my daily dose of bubbles (non-coffee, soda pop guy), I'd like to change my vote: steady-on lights in the three outer 2x2 round bricks, and controller-driven sequence lights in the three arms -- though I rue LEGO for not having more space within the center to hide it in there (which would be epic and awesome, all wrapped up into a single delicious enchilada).
... Side note/inquiry: relevant for both this set's ticket booth and perhaps the modular Palace Cinema 10232: what have y'all done (if anything) for marquee lights? Or did I miss 'em?
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Paul George Thanks for the votes, Paul! We'll definitely take all of this into account. Truth be told, we still have our Mixer in our storage room boxed, so we need to pull it out and get building!
RE: the Palace Cinema, yes we have a full-fledged marquee with synchronized lights in the works. More on that soon!
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Rob Klingberg Yea! Can you show your hand as to if the marquee is more of a "kit" or a just a stand-alone controller offering?Just thinking two steps ahead of myself as to applications where a sequencing pattern could be handy, and folks grab the needed pico lights (up to the supported max, I reckon).
.. okay, revealing my own thoughts: a lifetime ago (80s) as one who liked lights, electricity, and sparks: I used a sequencing Christmas light controller to thread together 4 strands of lights to flash in "bands" s to simulate motion in a haunted house river... and pondering how such a feat could be done in our Disney castle moat.)
Like, in this pic, I'd use their 4-light sequence to make strands to flash in a red - yellow - green - magenta pattern.
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Paul George OK, sharing more than I'd planned 🙂 but since you asked, the marquee kit will be a self-contained replacement for the marquee in the LEGO set. Swap out some parts, swap our parts in, connect to controller, and voilà! There are so many lights in that marquee (we will have separate sections for the top and bottom part) that the only way to make a true kit was to pre-mount all of the LEDs (36 in total). It will be a drop-in-place upgrade and will look really awesome. Again, coming soon-- as soon as the Disney Castle kits slow down a bit. 😀
Beyond the marquee kit, we have been working for more than three years on a large-scale lighting control system that will allow a single controller (like our current LEC) to control up to 30 Pico LEDs in a number of patterns (Knight Rider, airport landing lights, etc.). This too is slated to release later this year. Keep an eye out for that news as well. It's going to be a busy year for us!
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And 'cuz I like to comment on stuff... of the two, I'd vote for carousel light-up before mixer. My totally unfounded speculation is in terms of owner base, I'd bet there'll be more Carousels in the landscape than Mixers...
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Paul George Limited re-stock on Ferris wheel kits, yea! And happy to shout it out, 'cuz I just ordered mine... so y'all are welcome to rush for the one remaining one. 😀
