Mini First Lego League Trophy

Awww, look, quintuplets!

After three trips to the state competition, my Girl Scout First Lego League team, The Loopholes, won a trophy for strategy and innovation for the 2017-2018 season. Since it is hard to divide a trophy five ways, I decided to create a similar trophy for each of them to be proud of. There are not many building instructions out there for Lego trophies, so with the help of my 8 year old master builder, we came up with a simple and sturdy design that can be used by First Lego League and Junior First Lego League coaches. Cost will vary depending on what is in your collection and where you order your needed parts, but these averaged out around $7 for me.

Below is the parts list. Some of these (like the light grey hose) are common pieces in the FLL Mission kits. The starred pieces might look better in a different color. The hose might look better in black, but I used what I had on hand. The axle/ pin connector would be better in yellow, but it adds about .10/ piece in cost and I was on a budget.

1---4617492 Lt grey* hose, ribbed, cut to size

2---4206482 blue technic axle pin with friction ridges

3---4211483 light grey technic pin ½

8---4560177 dark grey axle 4 with stop

12---4210751 yellow technic lift arm, 1 x 3

4---4121667 black* technic axle and pin connector w/ center pin hole

12---4121715 black technic pin with friction ridges

2---5003119-1 lt grey ½ bushing

1---4107081 black technic axle connector with axle hole

1---370526 black technic axle 4

4---4239601 yellow ½ bushing

4---4107767 yellow technic axle and pin connector #6 90 degrees

4---4142865 red technic axle 2 notched

2---4107783 black technic axle and pin connector #2 180 degrees

1---4177431 black technic gear 12 tooth double bevel

1---4285634 lt grey technic gear 40 tooth

1---370626 black technic axle 6

1---87079 white 2 x 4 tile

1---3068b white 2 x 2 tile

2---15358 black technic panel plate 3 x 11 x 1

Scissors (to cut hose)

(Optional)

Printed labels

Double stick tape

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Because brand new Legos are awesome.

On a grey 4 axle with stop, thread three yellow 3 beams and one black connector with center hole. The cross profile of the axle locks into the connector to form the top rim of the trophy. Continue to add 6 more axles, and remaining 3 beams and locking connectors in a lattice type pattern, as shown in the third photograph.

Use the last remaining 4 axle with stop to "zip up" the lattice into a circle by threading through alternating beams and the top connector. The trophy cup will be really floppy and won't hold it's shape at this point.

This piece helps the trophy hold it's shape and is the connection point for the arms and stem. On the black 4 axle, thread the black axle connector with axle hole (to the center). On each side add a grey 1/2 bushing and an axle and pin connector #2 (180 degrees). Make sure the through holes in the #2 connector run parallel to the empty axle connector in the center. Add pins to the #2 connector on the opposite side of the empty axle connector.

Insert the black pins into the center holes of the yellow beams, between a set of the yellow beams. The empty axle socket should be facing opposite of the trophy bowl.

Slide a yellow 1/2 bushing to the center of a red axle 2. Repeat 4 times. Use these as connectors to form a square with the yellow axle/pin connector #6 (90 degrees) The yellow 1/2 bushing in the middle ensures that the spacing is correct for this piece stabilize the trophy's "cup".

Add black technic pins to the four corners of the square. Line up the pins in the corners of the square with the center holes in the yellow three beams, and insert the pins/ square. The cup should now be a stable octagon.

Use black technic pins to join two 1 x 3 x 11 panels into a larger flat panel. Add two technic pins to the two central holes at the rear of the panel and two grey technic pin 1/2 at the front of the panel.

On the technic axle 6, thread the small 12 tooth gear and the larger 40 tooth gear. The axle will be flush with the bottom of the 40 tooth gear. Insert the opposite end of the axle into the socket in the center brace of the trophy cup.

Using scissors, cut the grey hose to 2 lengths of about 21 ribs each. On opposite sides of the cup, insert black technic pins into the center hole of the black connector at the top of the cup Insert blue axle pins into the ends of the #2 (180 degree) connectors on the cross brace at the cup's base. Slide opposite ends of the hose onto the black pin and blue pin to create the trophy "arms".

Use a grey technic 1/2 pin to attach the 2 x 2 flat white plate to the front center of the trophy cup. Attach the tile on one of the corners, creating a diamond area for personalization. Stand the trophy upright and connect the two technic pins in the base to the two back holes in the technic 40 gear. Attach the 2 x 4 flat white plate to the two technic 1/2 pins at the front of the base.

The 2 x 2 tile and the 4 x 2 tile leave (a little tiny Lego sized) space for personalization that will mirror the official tournament trophies. I cut a tiny infinity symbol (my teams' logo) from sign vinyl using a cutting machine for the 2 x 2 tile. The label for the larger tile is printed on cardstock and attached using double sided tape, but you could print on sticker or label paper as well. I also used a tiny bit of double sided tape underneath the 2 x 2 tile, to keep it from swinging, but Lego purists may frown on that.

Celebrate your Lego season with a keepsake the kids will love!