| Discussion Forum: Thread 308274 |
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| | | Author: | shanodin  | | Posted: | Aug 22, 2021 19:11 | | Subject: | Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 156 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
1. What's the best way to test 9V items? I have a 4558 Metroliner and have
no idea how to test whether it works! Is there a way to take apart the electric
motor (Part 590) to check on it?
2. Is there a good way to clean white pieces that are a bit yellowed? The info
I've been able to find online is pretty varied and nobody seems to agree
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget? Something you wish you'd known as a beginner
LEGO fan? I've tried looking on eBay but there are a lot of people with bigger
budgets than me there I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by what I don't
know!
I'm disabled and buying/cleaning/reselling old sets seemed like something
I could do to earn a little bit of money but wow, it's a competitive game
for sure.
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| | | | | Author: | crimson30 | | Posted: | Aug 22, 2021 19:34 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| 2. You probably read about retrobrite. My takeaways: I'm not sure how effective
it is in the long-term. And I tried it with and without tetraacetylethylenediamine
and didn't see a discernable difference, so maybe skip that and just use
hydrogen peroxide.
As for how to approach opening a store, maybe start with a niche that you are
most comfortable with. Ask yourself: what interests you? Parts? Minifigs? Sets?
Certain themes? Old stuff? New stuff? Where are you going to source things? Yard
sales? Sales at big box stores? (PS - these are all rhetorical questions)
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| | | | | Author: | popsicle | | Posted: | Aug 22, 2021 21:17 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 62 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, shanodin writes:
| | Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
1. What's the best way to test 9V items? I have a 4558 Metroliner and have
no idea how to test whether it works! Is there a way to take apart the electric
motor (Part 590) to check on it?
2. Is there a good way to clean white pieces that are a bit yellowed? The info
I've been able to find online is pretty varied and nobody seems to agree
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget? Something you wish you'd known as a beginner
LEGO fan? I've tried looking on eBay but there are a lot of people with bigger
budgets than me there I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by what I don't
know!
I'm disabled and buying/cleaning/reselling old sets seemed like something
I could do to earn a little bit of money but wow, it's a competitive game
for sure.
|
As to question #2: https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1263616
Phew! That was exhausting... Think I'll let others take on the other two
questions  
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| | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 03:05 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, shanodin writes:
| | Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
1. What's the best way to test 9V items? I have a 4558 Metroliner and have
no idea how to test whether it works! Is there a way to take apart the electric
motor (Part 590) to check on it?
2. Is there a good way to clean white pieces that are a bit yellowed? The info
I've been able to find online is pretty varied and nobody seems to agree
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget? Something you wish you'd known as a beginner
LEGO fan? I've tried looking on eBay but there are a lot of people with bigger
budgets than me there I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by what I don't
know!
I'm disabled and buying/cleaning/reselling old sets seemed like something
I could do to earn a little bit of money but wow, it's a competitive game
for sure.
|
Are you wanting lego for yourself or to sell? The last line suggests you want
stock. If you are selling, I wouldn't whiten yellowed bricks but just be
honest about their condition. If you do whiten bricks, make this clear when selling.
As to buying stock at good prices, you are a few years too late. The popularity
has gone up significantly and so there are few good sales prices for clearances
of new product and many people after well priced used lots.
If you are on a tight budget, buy for yourself after reading reviews of new sets,
or go for second hand sets if reasonably priced compared to what you can buy
new. Don't just buy something because it is cheap.
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| | | | | | | Author: | shanodin | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 16:04 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, yorbrick writes:
| | In Help, shanodin writes:
| | Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
1. What's the best way to test 9V items? I have a 4558 Metroliner and have
no idea how to test whether it works! Is there a way to take apart the electric
motor (Part 590) to check on it?
2. Is there a good way to clean white pieces that are a bit yellowed? The info
I've been able to find online is pretty varied and nobody seems to agree
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget? Something you wish you'd known as a beginner
LEGO fan? I've tried looking on eBay but there are a lot of people with bigger
budgets than me there I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by what I don't
know!
I'm disabled and buying/cleaning/reselling old sets seemed like something
I could do to earn a little bit of money but wow, it's a competitive game
for sure.
|
Are you wanting lego for yourself or to sell? The last line suggests you want
stock. If you are selling, I wouldn't whiten yellowed bricks but just be
honest about their condition. If you do whiten bricks, make this clear when selling.
As to buying stock at good prices, you are a few years too late. The popularity
has gone up significantly and so there are few good sales prices for clearances
of new product and many people after well priced used lots.
If you are on a tight budget, buy for yourself after reading reviews of new sets,
or go for second hand sets if reasonably priced compared to what you can buy
new. Don't just buy something because it is cheap.
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In an ideal world I'd buy some second hand sets/bulk lots, clean them up,
check what's there, and sell them, and use that money to buy LEGO for myself
Good to know about not brightening up yellowed pieces. Thanks.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | peregrinator | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 16:17 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| There's actually a bit of a demand for gently-used sets, you could buy a
set and build it yourself, take it apart and sell it for maybe 60-75% of its
original price.
In Help, shanodin writes:
| | In an ideal world I'd buy some second hand sets/bulk lots, clean them up,
check what's there, and sell them, and use that money to buy LEGO for myself
Good to know about not brightening up yellowed pieces. Thanks.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Llewyn | | Posted: | Aug 24, 2021 06:50 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| This is another interesting example of the costs of being (relatively) poor:
if you have the cashflow and space to keep your sets for a few years instead
of selling them now, the percentage is obviously higher than if you need to sell
one to afford your next purchase. Though without a US-style basement space still
becomes an issue fairly quickly...
In Help, peregrinator writes:
| | There's actually a bit of a demand for gently-used sets, you could buy a
set and build it yourself, take it apart and sell it for maybe 60-75% of its
original price.
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| | | | | Author: | hpoort | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 07:34 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, shanodin writes:
| | Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget?
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Have some nice builds of your own to shown around to make it known that you are
into LEGO.
Spontaneously, people will come up with collections of LEGO that were collecting
dust in cupboards and on attics. Chances are that you may even make them happy
by accepting these gifts for free.
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| | | | | | | Author: | shanodin | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 16:02 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, hpoort writes:
| | In Help, shanodin writes:
| | Hey there! I am new to Bricklink and have a question or two.
Lastly - do you have any tips for someone who is new to LEGO as an adult and
is on a very limited budget?
|
Have some nice builds of your own to shown around to make it known that you are
into LEGO.
Spontaneously, people will come up with collections of LEGO that were collecting
dust in cupboards and on attics. Chances are that you may even make them happy
by accepting these gifts for free.
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I love this idea, thank you
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| | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Aug 23, 2021 08:29 | | Subject: | Re: Couple of questions from a new user | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Help | |
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| In Help, shanodin writes:
| | 1. What's the best way to test 9V items? I have a 4558 Metroliner and have
no idea how to test whether it works! Is there a way to take apart the electric
motor (Part 590) to check on it?
|
You need to look at the condition of the metal parts, mostly the wires and rails.
I have herd of some instances of the wires becoming worn/brittle from flexing.
Someone who is qualified in electronics repair, has a temperature controlled
soldering station, and a love of LEGO, may be able to help there.
You should do a full up test of the motor, before taking it apart. Some 9V motors
do become available from time to time. That specific one was only used in trains.
Again, seek out someone who understands the item, and is willing to give you
a decent estimate on repairs. Electrical parts do not last indefinitely.
Nita Rae
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United Kingdom, Scotland
USA, Utah
United Kingdom, England
Netherlands, Groningen
