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| | | Author: | tons_of_bricks  | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 09:49 | | Subject: | How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 136 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
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| | | | | Author: | rab1234 | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 10:05 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 58 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| 1. Go through the box and throw everything under about 25 cents into the bulk
bin for local resale. Everything of any value gets roughly sorted with similar
parts.
2. Add parts to inventory and final storage in zip bags.
3. Profit.
In Selling, tons_of_bricks writes:
| | So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
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| | | | | Author: | jgrossman1025 | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 10:13 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 54 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| I do it very much like you do, except i sort color, then piece type while you
swap those. I also put into baggies, then add to inventory, so I think I have
1 more step than you.
Thanks, Noah
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| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 11:00 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| In Selling, tons_of_bricks writes:
| | So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
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This is exactly how I sort as well. I pause to clean and dust thoroughly at step
2. For smaller batches, I combine steps 4 and 5 by having the bin out right where
I am sorting.
~Jen
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| | | | | Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 12:40 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 49 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| In Selling, tons_of_bricks writes:
| | So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
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I do it very similarly, although one of those original categories is non-minifigure
decorated pieces, so they get their own bin. It's easier for me to list all
the decorated pieces at once rather than with each part type.
My system uses closer to 22 initial sorting categories of various-sized bins,
rather than 40. For step 2, I don't wait until each bin is full, I sort a
predetermined amount into the bins (usually around 20-25 pounds) and then break
down and list all the bins consecutively. My final sorting system for picking
orders uses approximately 2,500 labeled plastic drawers rather than several hundred,
along with a few dozen boxes for oversized/overflow parts and nested ziploc bags
sorted by theme for minifigures.
Lastly, in the final step, I use a tablet to walk around and pull parts onto
a tray, lay them out on a table, and then inspect them once again for damage,
color, quantity, etc. as I bag them up for shipping. This way they end up triple-checked,
which is why I have a virtually nonexistent error rate below 0.1% of orders.
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| | | | | | | Author: | swabaxter | | Posted: | Sep 15, 2023 05:28 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| In Selling, Brickitty writes:
| | In Selling, tons_of_bricks writes:
| | So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
|
I do it very similarly, although one of those original categories is non-minifigure
decorated pieces, so they get their own bin. It's easier for me to list all
the decorated pieces at once rather than with each part type.
My system uses closer to 22 initial sorting categories of various-sized bins,
rather than 40. For step 2, I don't wait until each bin is full, I sort a
predetermined amount into the bins (usually around 20-25 pounds) and then break
down and list all the bins consecutively. My final sorting system for picking
orders uses approximately 2,500 labeled plastic drawers rather than several hundred,
along with a few dozen boxes for oversized/overflow parts and nested ziploc bags
sorted by theme for minifigures.
Lastly, in the final step, I use a tablet to walk around and pull parts onto
a tray, lay them out on a table, and then inspect them once again for damage,
color, quantity, etc. as I bag them up for shipping. This way they end up triple-checked,
which is why I have a virtually nonexistent error rate below 0.1% of orders.
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As a buyer I'm really pleased to hear how thorough these examples are in
managing used Lego. In the type
of model building that I do it's essential to me that used parts are essentially
indistinguishable from new
ones. So things like colour fading, physical damage and contamination are just
not acceptable.
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| | | | | Author: | kzinti | | Posted: | Apr 28, 2023 14:02 | | Subject: | Re: How does everyone sort used? | | Viewed: | 53 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
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| In Selling, tons_of_bricks writes:
| | So we're looking at trying to streamline of processing our used pieces. Currently,
we figured we handle each piece about 6 times from start to finish, and we'd
really like to cut that down a bit. Here's our current process.
1. Get a box of used pieces, break it down into about 40 or so broad categories
(brick modified, tiles, plate 2x, etc.).
2. When one of the boxes of those categories gets full, we'll break it down
to individual pieces.
3. We then take each individual piece and separate them into colors and putting
aside the decorated items.
4. We then take the colors, do the final deep lookover for fakes, defects, etc.
then count what we have.
5. We list each item, putting them into one of our several hundred organized
and labeled bins.
6. When ordered, we pull the piece from their bin and package it up, sending
it to the customer.
So how does everyone else go through the steps? As you can see, each piece is
handled quite a bit, but because of the quantities we deal with, we can't
figure out a way to combine any steps that will still be efficient.
|
This is interesting, because I've learned through practice that brains work
differently. I sort out the major stuff first, 1x bricks and plates, 2x bricks
and plates, 3+x bricks and plates, then slopes, trans parts, wheels/tires, and
technic/misc. That makes it easier to go back and sort by color, then by size.
When dealing with large quantities, the bricks and plates sell best, and you
can get them listed quickly, then take your time on the slopes, and technic/misc
stuff which tends to be onesie-twosie type pieces. This is how I sort, but my
wife and kids are color first, then by type, then pretty much how you've
laid out. They can't sort the way I do, their brains have problems registering
things that way, and they go much faster by color, whereas I can fly through
by seeing shapes. In the end, do what works for you, maximum output from the
minimum effort. Leave the slow/low volume movers for later.
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USA, Missouri
United Kingdom, Scotland