Ready to Transport... Energize!
/As you may have heard, Brickworld Chicago is back! And surely we all know what that means! Yes, drinking beer out of a PAB cup—but that’s not important right now. I’m really talking about what can sometimes be a monumental challenge for LEGO builders: Packing!!!
Egad, the horror of it all! Boxes, spray foam, miles of tape, bubble wrap, plastic wrap, and of course, more tape. And then there’s transport, which is something totally different altogether. Bumpy roads, cramped luggage, or the occasional horseback ride can really shake up a meticulous LEGO build.
Since I sadly won’t be going to Brickworld this year, I thought it might be fun to share some of the other contributors’ packing and transportation solutions. Are you ready for the organized chaos?
Doug Hughes: “Boxes jammed into a suitcase. What could possibly go wrong?” We’ll see what TSA has to say about that! I hear LEGO sometimes registers as plastic explosives in their scans, plus, do they know which way is up!?
Geneva Durand: “Remember, nearly everything in the picture first made the five thousand-mile journey up from Chile!” That’s some well-traveled LEGO! (And I’m sure there was some rebuilding to be had.)
Simon Liu: “Getting ready to take off, eh! All I need is my LEGO and a large Double Double from Tim’s!” (Simon didn’t actually say that, but it sounds Canadian enough.) Looks pretty organized. I think he’s done this before…
Ted Andes: “I have collapsing crates I use. I line them with a garbage bag, in case parts fall off so I don't lose them. Most MOCs I try to I put in Ziploc bags (also in case parts fall off, so at least they are easier to find what MOC they belong to).” I hope nobody else tries to throw those bags away or take his stuff to a yard sale.
John Cooper: “I’m not heading to Brickworld Chicago, but when my wife and I attended the LEGO Inside Tour in 2019, getting the exclusive sets home undamaged was a top priority. I assembled custom boxes, just slightly oversized allowing for a little bubble wrap. Not much else fit in our carry-on-sized suitcases that we had been living out of for 12 days! Everything else had to travel home in a duffle bag or was discarded. Priorities!”
Dave Schefcik: Dave didn’t actually say anything about his process, he just kept posting pictures. And more pictures. Each one getting more frantic than the last. So here’s a slideshow of a sampling. Don’t ask me how he got a 12-foot-tall Saturn V rocket plus all his other builds in that tiny Honda. (Nice vanity plate there, Boss!)
So, there you have it, gang! It’s always interesting to see how different people solve the same problem. (Kind of like when you’re strapped for new BrickNerd content because everyone’s going to the convention. Seriously, there are at least 15 BrickNerd contributors there!) So if you’re going, good luck! We’re all counting on you!
Be sure to look for the BrickNerd Convention Headquarters at Brickworld! I hear they are giving out some sweet swag!
What kind of transport or packing challenges have you faced? What do you think of the BrickNerd solutions above? Let us know in the comments below!
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