I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
I would look up the set on here, get the parts list and go from there.
Building is fun, but if you have a lot to go through…
Also, you can print-out the parts lists and multiple people can look.
If it was me I’d sort as much as possible all the parts into categories, bricks,
plates, slopes etc.
I would then use BL’s parts list for each set you know to pull the pieces together,
make a note of those you can’t find so you can order them later.
Once I had all the parts together for a set I’d build it if I wanted a break
from sorting or leave it until later after sorting all the sets.
If you have unusual pieces that don’t fit the list of sets you have you can find
the set from looking up the part you’ve found here on BL, post pictures on forum
if you need help with any.
In General, beshur writes:
Hi.
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
If it is a mix of City and Star Wars, I'd be tempted to sort by colour first,
then roughly by part type within each pile. You could do it the other way sorting
by parts, but City and SW tend to have reasonably different colours so you are
at least partially splitting the themes by sorting by colour. It doesn't
even have to be properly by colour, just do all the greens, all the blues, etc.
Especially if you are not used to different part types, sorting by colour can
be easier.
Then for each set you think you have, pick out the parts needed for one set from
each pile before attempting to build. Again sorting by colour here helps, as
the instructions list parts by colour so you can spread out one colour pile at
a time and work on that colour then put that colour away and go for the next
colour.
I did not mention that I did a very rough color sorting in the very beginning,
you confirm that it makes sense)
In General, yorbrick writes:
If it is a mix of City and Star Wars, I'd be tempted to sort by colour first,
then roughly by part type within each pile. You could do it the other way sorting
by parts, but City and SW tend to have reasonably different colours so you are
at least partially splitting the themes by sorting by colour. It doesn't
even have to be properly by colour, just do all the greens, all the blues, etc.
Especially if you are not used to different part types, sorting by colour can
be easier.
Then for each set you think you have, pick out the parts needed for one set from
each pile before attempting to build. Again sorting by colour here helps, as
the instructions list parts by colour so you can spread out one colour pile at
a time and work on that colour then put that colour away and go for the next
colour.
I did not mention that I did a very rough color sorting in the very beginning,
you confirm that it makes sense)
For a completely unknown mix, it is often better to sort by type but for hopefully
known sets sorting by colour is quicker and just as useful for picking the inventory.
I suggest doing at least an initial sort before trying to build sets. Going through
12 kg of lego to find a specific part would be maddening, and even more so if
you discover that you don't have enough parts to complete the set.
I suggest the following:
1. Pick out all minifigures, and minifigure parts. Often, whether it is worth
it to reconstruct a set depends on whether you have the minifigures. It is easy
to source a missing 2x4 brick, but finding some minifigures is challenging.
2. Sort in broad categories. For example, separate out all the bricks, all the
plates, technic pieces, minifig utensils and weapons. This can be done quickly.
3. Sort out all non-lego as you go. Also sort out any badly damaged or unusable
parts.
4. Set aside parts that look very unfamiliar, that you are not sure are even
lego. Everyone has a story about the highly valuable part they threw out because
they didn't think it was lego.
5. After sorting by broad categories, re-sort into more specific categories.
For example, separate the 1X bricks from the 2X bricks into their own groups.
Same with plates.
6. After you've sorted into enough specific categories, start: a) Sorting
by colour, b) rebuilding minifigures, and c) matching parts to set instructions.
d) Searching the catalogue to identify those strange parts.
In this way, I think with a couple of people working at it, 12 kg should be manageable
without too much stress.
I suggest doing at least an initial sort before trying to build sets. Going through
12 kg of lego to find a specific part would be maddening, and even more so if
you discover that you don't have enough parts to complete the set.
I suggest the following:
1. Pick out all minifigures, and minifigure parts. Often, whether it is worth
it to reconstruct a set depends on whether you have the minifigures. It is easy
to source a missing 2x4 brick, but finding some minifigures is challenging.
2. Sort in broad categories. For example, separate out all the bricks, all the
plates, technic pieces, minifig utensils and weapons. This can be done quickly.
3. Sort out all non-lego as you go. Also sort out any badly damaged or unusable
parts.
4. Set aside parts that look very unfamiliar, that you are not sure are even
lego. Everyone has a story about the highly valuable part they threw out because
they didn't think it was lego.
5. After sorting by broad categories, re-sort into more specific categories.
For example, separate the 1X bricks from the 2X bricks into their own groups.
Same with plates.
6. After you've sorted into enough specific categories, start: a) Sorting
by colour, b) rebuilding minifigures, and c) matching parts to set instructions.
d) Searching the catalogue to identify those strange parts.
In this way, I think with a couple of people working at it, 12 kg should be manageable
without too much stress.
This won't be helpful at all, but typically, I just look at it (my mountain
of bulk bricks) and cry a lot. There are also lots of thoughts like, "dear
me, what have I gotten myself into?" that pass through my head a lot too.
Usually, I just wander off and watch Netflix or such for a while.
This won't be helpful at all, but typically, I just look at it (my mountain
of bulk bricks) and cry a lot. There are also lots of thoughts like, "dear
me, what have I gotten myself into?" that pass through my head a lot too.
Usually, I just wander off and watch Netflix or such for a while.
Ok, that was exactly my reaction when I've opened the box at home.
In General, kzinti writes:
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
This won't be helpful at all, but typically, I just look at it (my mountain
of bulk bricks) and cry a lot. There are also lots of thoughts like, "dear
me, what have I gotten myself into?" that pass through my head a lot too.
Usually, I just wander off and watch Netflix or such for a while.
This won't be helpful at all, but typically, I just look at it (my mountain
of bulk bricks) and cry a lot. There are also lots of thoughts like, "dear
me, what have I gotten myself into?" that pass through my head a lot too.
Usually, I just wander off and watch Netflix or such for a while.
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
...
Some good replies in this thread. I would add that before you start sorting to
look up the prices of sets for which you have instructions for. If the sets aren't
worth very much, it may not be worth the time to sort (unless you are keeping
the sets).
In General, beshur writes:
Hi.
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
I was a bit irresponsible this weekend and bought a 12kg of mixed Lego from a
local seller for "my son". It has some of the instructions as well for
the supposed contents in the box.
If for your son, don't see how it's "irresponsible" Sounds like
a cool dad thing to me.
Now we have a hard time sorting it - because it's in one huge 55L box and
all the small pieces are in the bottom.
Sorting to what end? For your son to enjoy, or to market the parts?
The good thing is that there is not so much variety - there is a big police station,
a smaller set of Lego city with tram etc., a number of star wars sets and some
more.
My strategy is the following:
1. Try to build as much as I can with the instructions provided.
2. Determine what's missing, how complete the sets are.
3. Check what we want to keep and what to sell.
Is it a good way to do it?
Please share what you do with bulk lego.
Thanks!
Never having dealt in used LEGO and therefore bulk lots such as yours, I'd
assume the answer to "How do I sort 12kg of Lego?" is straightforwardly,
one part at a time Maybe try sorting by color first, is an idea?
However you proceed with the task, have fun with your boy
Spain, Catalonia
Netherlands, Utrecht
United Kingdom, England
Canada, Ontario
USA, Missouri
Maybe try sorting by color first, is an idea?
