(Written by William)

We’re not driving behind a big-rig or playing fantasy sports, we’re talking LEGO drafting. Many new LEGO Users Groups (LUGs) may not have any idea what to do when they get together. Sure you can plan to participate in an exhibit or combine your resources to create something that one person would not be able to do alone, but what else is there?

In this article will talk about one possible activity that any LUG can do, no matter what the size, and that’s LEGO drafting. Just keep in mind, the prep work that goes into this activity may put some people off.

➡ WHAT IS LEGO DRAFTING & WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?

LEGO drafting is when a group of people get together and part out a LEGO set amongst the members. The process can be done with any LEGO set and quantity of sets. The idea is that each person wants more LEGO elements of a certain type, but they want to avoid purchasing twenty copies of a single LEGO set to get them.

➡ HOW DOES LEGO DRAFTING WORK?

First determine who wants to participate. Then set a price for the draft. Usually, this price involves the price of the LEGO sets divided by the participants. Before you begin drafting, decide how you want to split up the pieces. Once lots are drawn up, set a turn order for those people who are drafting. When all the lots are picked, the draft is done.

➡ ORGANIZING LEGO LOTS

The group should decide how a set is divided. You can choose color of an element, function of an element, monetary value of an element, or all unique elements. Make sure to stay flexible in the group regarding this method. You most likely will need to change how lots are divided because of conflicting interests.

A good example is the minifigures in the set. They are usually what costs the most in any given set and may cause problems if they’re bunched up. A good way to address this is to assemble the legs, torso, and head then set each minifigure as its own lot.

➡ RESULTS OF A LEGO DRAFT

By the time the draft ends you should have pieces that roughly equal the price you paid. For example, let’s say ten people split up two sets that cost $50 each. Your buy-in would have been $10. You should walk away with $10 of pieces. Another example would be if everyone bought a $20 set for the draft. Then you should walk away with roughly $20 worth of parts.

➡ SUMMARY

The draft may get slightly competitive at times depending on the pieces available. However, much of the stress can be eliminated if people talk about problems they see ahead of time. LEGO drafting is a great social activity that not only scores you LEGO pieces you want, but gives people topics to discuss. Perhaps you may guess what someone plans to build based on the parts they’re going for. Whatever the case, drafting is something every LUG should try at least try once. It’s fun! 🙂

Here are some other tips for LEGO Users Groups you might like:

• Secret LEGO: the LUGBULK Program
• Secret LEGO: the LUG Showcase Program
• Preparing Your LEGO Users Group for a Show
• Your LEGO Users Group Online Presence