2019 Parts Fest #2: Introducing the Elements

Well our previous Parts Festival ended just weeks ago but we are ready to crack on with our next one! Over the coming weeks we will be showing you creations from the workshop we held at Skærbæk Fan Weekend in September which included many of these parts, and then we'll bring you creations made by our select group of AFOL builders from around the world.

Our lovely patrons have been enjoying an exclusive look at many of the Skærbæk creations already, as well as some work-in-progress pics from our builders as their MOCs come together. If you'd like to support New Elementary by becoming a patron (for US$1/ $3/ $6/ $12 a month or an amount of your choosing), head over to Patreon! But now it is almost time for you all to enjoy our new Parts Festival, so today let's commence by showing you the seed parts involved.

Minifigure, Weapon Pack Discs, Grappler, Grenade Tips, 13 in Bag (Multipack)

Let's start with Mini Accessory, No. 10 in Silver Metallic/ Flat Silver ( 40598 | 6266155) which is an accessory pack – or 'family mould' as they're known internally – with three unusual new weapons. You get four discs, one grappler and two sets of four kinds of grenades in every pack – although of course what exactly these pieces are designed to represent is very much up to you, and our builders! We have Batman to thank for this arsenal, and the pack is found in three sets: 76122 Batcave Clayface Invasion, 76120 Batman Batwing and The Riddler Heist and 76118 Mr. Freeze Batcycle Battle.

Minifigure, Weapon Pack Guns, Circular Saws, Nozzles, Mechanical Arms, 14 in Bag (Multipack)

We can't thank Batman enough! Our second family mould is Mini Accessory, No. 11 also in Silver Metallic  ( 50018 | 6266977 ) and this pack has seven different moulds in it. You get two of each. There's a circular saw, a cup-shaped thing, a kind of link and an array of different 3.18mm connector pieces that will blow your mind. It only appears in the pricey 76122 Batcave Clayface Invasion so far, and regrettably it might not appear too often in other sets: family moulds are 'expensive' for designers to include in sets because while they might only wish to include one or two parts from the pack, they must include the entire family. All parts are moulded at one time and immediately bagged, even before the robot comes to collect them from the moulding machine.

Friends Accessories, Marine Life, 12 in Bag (Multipack)

Our final family pack has nothing to do with Batman. Not yet anyway! Accessories, Marine Life, No. 1 in Vibrant Coral ( 49595 | 6262127 ) appears in four recent Friends sets: 41378 Dolphins Rescue Mission, 41375 Heartlake City Amusment Pier, 41380 Lighthouse Rescue Center and 41381 Rescue Mission Boat. Unlike many of the Batman parts, these clearly represent specific objects; how will our fan builders cope with finding new uses for them?

Plant Thallus, Seaweed

Plant, W/ 3.2 Shaft, No. 2 in Bright Bluish Green/ Dark Turquoise ( 49577 | 6262134 ) just had to be included. Again, it does look very much like one thing but it is so weird we couldn't resist seeing if people could come up with other uses for it. It comes in five Friends sets so far: the same four mentioned above as well as 41337 Underwater Loop. They each contain two of this element except 41378 Dolphins Rescue Mission which has three. Read more about it in Elspeth's analysis of part 49577.

Minifigure, Utensil Shepherd Staff

The Toy Story 4 sets have produced a surprising number of new elements this year and we were very excited about Tool, No. 10 in Medium Azure ( 49492 | 6256157 ) – that is, until we realised the curved section is thinner than 3.18mm and so clips cannot connect to it. Nevertheless it has proved a huge hit with our builders! Find Bo Peep's staff in 10768 Buzz and Bo Peep's Playground Adventure and 10770 Buzz & Woody's Carnival Mania!

Brick, Round 3 x 3 x 1 1/3 Dome Top - Open Stud

10770 Buzz & Woody's Carnival Mania! also contains a Light Purple/ Bright Pink version of Sphere 3X3X11/3, W/ Knob but we of course plumped for the Medium Stone Grey/ Light Bluish Gray version ( 49308 | 6263183 ) from 21045 Trafalgar Square.

Tile, Round 4 x 4 with 2 Hollow Studs

Sticking with Medium Stone Grey we included Plate 4X4, Circle, W/ 2 Knobs ( 32627 | 6250188) which is Frozone's CMF stand from 71024 LEGO Minifigures - The Disney Series 2. This is not actually a new mould; it appeared in White (6187472|33490) in 2017, in 70917 The Ultimate Batmobile... but was printed with multicoloured polkadots!

Note a couple of its qualities make it a less-than-universal piece: the two studs are offset, making it part of the jumper family, and its circular edge has no notches meaning it cannot be placed on studs that fall under its rim. But on the upside, just look at that beautiful underside!

Wheel 75mm D. x 15.8mm Motorcycle

Our next circular Medium Stone Grey treat is Motorcycle Rim Ø 75 Solid ( 46334 | 6268590) which is the new wheel from 10269 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, which Ben Davies reviewed for us. Its decoration is simple enough to give it other uses, but will its sheer size prove challenging for our builders?

Root Vegetable with Stud on Top and Pin on Bottom

Vegetable, No. 1 in Medium Nougat/ Medium Dark Flesh ( 37681 | 6233214 ) has not actually been used as a vegetable: it is Chip's acorn from 71024 LEGO Minifigures - The Disney Series 2. Frankly it's a bit weird, but hopefully the combination of weirdness with some decent connection points will bear fruit... or veg?

Minifigure, Hair Smooth Mop Top

Will Byers from Stranger Things has infamously dull 'pudding bowl' hair and that makes Mini Wig, No. 269 in Dark Brown ( 55532 | 6270953 ), his hairpiece from 75810 The Upside Down which Elspeth reviewed for us, generic enough to be considered for a parts festival. Of course the single connection point will be a challenge, but we're hoping for some humorous uses!

Plate, Round 1 x 1 with Binoculars (Robot / Droid Head)

Design Plate, 1X1X2/3, No.1 in Dark Stone Grey / Dark Bluish Gray ( 52494 | 6263570 ) has fewer connections than you might hope. It clearly takes its design from the minifigure binoculars but unlike that piece, you can't attach parts to the 'lenses'. However, the piece has so much character we decided to include it anyway. You may be surprised that it only comes in Friends sets; it is the head of Olivia's trusty robot pal. There are two in 41382 Friends Advent Calendar and one in 41387 Olivia's Summer Heart Box, 41376 Turtles Rescue Mission and 41381 Rescue Mission Boat.

Panel 1 x 6 x 4 1/3 with Window and 4 Pin Holes

Also in Dark Stone Grey: Brick 1X6X4 1/3, W/ 4.85 Hole, No. 1 ( 49699 | 6263879 ) is hard to categorise. Is it a door? A window? A frame? A panel? A complex slope? And look, there are Technic as well as System connections.  It comes in three spacey City sets: four in 60228 Deep Space Rocket and Launch Control as well as in 60229 Rocket Assembly & Transport, and there are seven in 60227 Lunar Space Station.

Bat Body

Nobody:

LEGO: Here's a headless bat.

Always up for a challenge, we've included Bat, W/ 3.2 Shaft in Earth Blue/ Dark Blue ( 51450 | 6267507) in our array of seed parts. Might its regular geometry prove decorative? Time will tell. It is Balthazar from The LEGO Movie 2 in Vampire Bat form and is only found in 70837 Shimmer & Shine Sparkle Spa! to date... and perhaps forever, unless Batman wants it for something like a hat stand.

Slope 25 8 x 1 x 3

Toy Story 4 is also responsible for this new element, and although it may initially feel like a POOP part that could be made from smaller slopes, Roof Tile 1x8x3 Deg 25 No 1 in White ( 49618 | 6262530 ) has unique qualities that Ben Davies examined for us. Whether it is interesting enough to find nice parts usage in our festival remains to be seen.

Minifigure, Utensil Hockey Stick

2019 brings a redesigned version of the hockey stick (93559) that has been around since 2011. The new version, Mini Figure Hocky Stick in White ( 64000 | 6276148), has a slightly more angular head but most notably the whole shaft is now a 3.18mm bar. The old version was tapered along most of the shaft's length.

Note that at time of writing, BrickLink have not added 64000 to their catalogue. The one set containing this new version incorrectly includes 93559 in the inventory instead.

Technic, Axle and Wire Connector

SPIKE Prime from LEGO Education introduced the handy Wire Clip, W/ Cross Hole in White ( 49283 | 6278194 ) however as the theme's release has now been delayed until 2020, the piece has premiered in Technic 42099 X-treme Off-Roader, which also contains one in Bright Red/ Red and Bright Blue/ Blue. What else might that clip hold onto, other than wires?

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We also like recolours at New Elementary and so we always include some, particularly for inclusion in the workshops. I won't go through all of those but here are a couple of noteworthy ones.

Minifigure, Weapon Slingshot with Yellow Band Pattern

The slingshot originally appeared in Reddish Brown with Sand Yellow/ Dark Tan and was paired with Bart Simpson and Dewey Duck minifigures but now Weapon, No. 22 in Medium Stone Grey with Bright Yellow/ Yellow ( 57023 | 6275294 ) has appeared in 75810 The Upside Down.

Boat Ship's Wheel with Slotted Pin

What with Fabuland's 40th anniversary this year, and our predilection for round grey parts in this festival, we couldn't resist including Fabuland Ship Wheel in Medium Stone Grey ( 52395 | 6278555 ) which appeared in two sets this year: 21317 Steamboat Willie (read Elspeth's review here) and the 'Vintage Mickey' CMF from 71024 LEGO Minifigures - The Disney Series 2.



That's the lot... and what a lot there is! Those family moulds have really upped the seed part count this time, so our builders will be spoiled for choice. We can't wait to show you what they have come up with, and will commence showcasing some of the most inspiring and interesting Skaerbaek builds here on the site tomorrow!

READ MORE: We review LEGO Ideas 21320 Dinosaur Fossils

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