Lego Tips and Techniques - Whip Antenna

Despite the Devo tunes that rattle around in my head whenever I see this part name, there are some fun times to be had.  Or maybe because of.  I have been collecting the wavy flags in all colors but have been looking for a way to display them.  They don't stack very well.  I had considered several of the longer bar elements but none of them seemed suitable.  I stumbled upon the whip (-it, whip it good) antenna as an alternative.  After discovering that the ball at the tip will allow holey elements to pass through, I purchased several in black.  Upon receiving them I made a further discovery.  Not only does the ball at the tip allow elements to pass over, it is also perfectly 3.2mm in diameter, the same as a bar.  The flags (and 1x1 round bricks, etc.) pass over the ball with just the right amount of friction to keep them in place.

But that's not all.  Being a sphere instead of a cylinder, there is some allowance for rotation.  The stem itself appears to be only 1.6mm, another typical LEGO dimension.  What fun can be had?  Let's meet Spaceman Bill.  Whaddya got there Bill?

"My whippin' Devo hat.  And some space probes.  Don't get too excited."

 Fabulous, fabulous.  Er, what do you intend to do with those?

"First, a forensics study on my space engine.  Multiple attackers."

 I'm sorry to hear that.  Did your forensics research lead you to any solid results?

"Yes, the assailants must look very funny.  And I don't feel so good.  Got any Anicin?"

Gah!  What happened!?

"What, nothing, are you crazy?  Check me out, I've got the force and I know how to use it!"

 Wow, that's impressive.  Will that help you with your research?

"Yes, my research is complete.  All I can say is that art ROCKS!  And space rocks."

 Spaceman Bill, I sense a deep disturbance in the force.

"Probably not.  Everything's pretty hunky-dory."

Well, there you have it.  Apparently Spaceman Bill has enjoyed a little too much time in deep space orbit with his spacial probes.

There are so many more cool things to do with theses pieces.  I could and have spent hours playing with them ever since I got them.  As to their original intended purpose for my uses:

The flags fit marvelously over the top, snap down right to the base, and can stack seven per antenna.  There appear to be about seven more colors that I'm missing which means I'm glad I ended up with four antennae.  Besides, as Spaceman Bill's photolog goes, 3 would have been way boring.