This contraption must have been lots of fun to create. The LEGO skill shines through on these modules!
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“Idea: Develop a Mindstorms/Technic creation (not competition) in which people of all building levels can participate. Each person can build one (or more) module(s). All modules will be assembled to form a large “Rube Goldberg “-ish bucket-brigade type contraption.

A Great Ball Contraption loop was assembled on FreeLug booth during LegoWorld. Thanks to a strong ItLug participation it featured 18 modules at most (Italian team had to leave on Monday morning).

The GBC worked during the 6 event days, 7 hours per day. Reliability was very good - except some errant balls of course. At the end, we noticed some gears wear and stains of black paint from soccer balls on many modules but nothing serious. My Monitor module (to be documented here later) showed that about 15 000 balls travelled the loop each day, at an average rate of 0.67 balls per second.”

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The Alcohol Stove is the perfect DIY accessory for your next camping trip.

“Top burning alcohol stoves are generally dependable and easy to operate, just light and wait for your food or water to heat up. They also produce a circular array of individual flames similar to a gas range. The stove shown above is made of two 12oz pop can bottoms. Twenty-four jets were drilled around the outer base of the circular ridge on top of the stove, with a #71 drill (about needle size). The bottom section of stove is 20mm tall. The top piece is about 30mm tall and the inner cylinder is 40mm wide.

Simmering is fairly easy to do and you have many options, such as placing a cutout 12oz pop can bottom with a hole cut in it (or something similar - like a piece of foil) on top of the stove.”