help for first bricklink order

[FarzamLee]

Hi everybody there! I'm pretty new here, after months I managed to register

It's my very first post here... And I wanna make my first Lego parts order with help of you experienced Lego fans.

My sets and parts are not so diverse, I recently have just got into Lego again.

I have the following sets:

42043

42030

42009

8053

8261

8262

8292

8294

8283

8284

8287

8415

5206 (XD)

8441

Not so diverse as I mentioned. I have a few non-Technic sets which are not so important

with the following sets, I can build a few things but I want to invest 5000 SEK (ca. 520 euros or ca. 580 dollars - excluding shippment) to buy some individual parts. I think its a relatively small budget but it can give me a boost

I havent ordered any Lego parts online before, I want to know whats the most diverse and also cheapest bricklink or brickowl or etc. store to buy Technic parts. my budget isnt much so I want to have maximum amount of parts possible. a store which is has a cheap and diverse collection of Technic parts...

btw, I prefer new/unused parts

I also would be thankful if you help me what parts should I buy to be able to replicate most of the mocs and my own building needs... you experienced fans can give me a great boost in knowledge

[RohanBeckett]

I don't think anyone can say what parts you should order...

it's more of a case of 'what do you want to build now, or in the future'

I build Great Ball Contraptions

as such, I have a few wanted lists in Bricklink that are filled with all sorts of interesting parts that I want, in order to build some of the amazing GBC designs I see out there.

There are plenty of 'perpetual buy' parts (eg: 40t gears are always useful), so if I happen to be browsing a BL store, and they have a couple, I'll always add them into an order.

every so often I'll just have a fun browse around a few large BL stores, and see what they have...

and then other times.. I have a project that I wanted to get started on.. so it'll be more of a deliberate shop - I NEED this, this and this parts...

[nerdsforprez]

Welcome to EB!

While this really is a greart community, I am afraid it may not really help much in your question. You mention "diverse" in your post alot, and I guess my anwer would include the same. Building is just too "diverse" to give you a straight answer. We would need to know what you would like to build. Color of the MOC/set, functions, PF elements, etc. are all important to consider. Brickowl versus BL? You really first still need to know what parts you need, then look at the BO vs. BL question. Although I will say that BO is gaining, but BL is still the most comprehensive way to buy LEGO out there..... cheapest? Perhaps not, but it all depends what you are looking for. Heck, even buying from TLG directly, through pick a brick, can be cheaper for some parts. Emphasis on SOME. As I mentioned, concern yourself not only with functions you will need (actuators? pneumatics? motors?) because these can also add heaftily to the price.

For what it is worth, for someone who has been back in the building game for about four years, after buying dozens of sets and finally having built up a pretty good collection of parts, it seems like I really never am lacking for parts but in the liftarms arena. Special parts, i.e. motors, actuators, etc. I have plenty of. Connectors, pins, and axles, for some reason have all built up at a steady pace to a point that I don't them anymore. Liftarms and panels, that it is the only area I really shop on BL anymore for.........(for the most part)

[FarzamLee]

aw please excuse me for some confusions I made happen. I will give more details from now

I have been looking everywhere on the net and I have found many things that I really like to build

Welcome to EB!

While this really is a greart community, I am afraid it may not really help much in your question. You mention "diverse" in your post alot, and I guess my anwer would include the same. Building is just too "diverse" to give you a straight answer. We would need to know what you would like to build. Color of the MOC/set, functions, PF elements, etc. are all important to consider. Brickowl versus BL? You really first still need to know what parts you need, then look at the BO vs. BL question. Although I will say that BO is gaining, but BL is still the most comprehensive way to buy LEGO out there..... cheapest? Perhaps not, but it all depends what you are looking for. Heck, even buying from TLG directly, through pick a brick, can be cheaper for some parts. Emphasis on SOME. As I mentioned, concern yourself not only with functions you will need (actuators? pneumatics? motors?) because these can also add heaftily to the price.

For what it is worth, for someone who has been back in the building game for about four years, after buying dozens of sets and finally having built up a pretty good collection of parts, it seems like I really never am lacking for parts but in the liftarms arena. Special parts, i.e. motors, actuators, etc. I have plenty of. Connectors, pins, and axles, for some reason have all built up at a steady pace to a point that I don't them anymore. Liftarms and panels, that it is the only area I really shop on BL anymore for.........(for the most part)

hmmm...

Im just into technic and anything built with technic, such as vehicles, GBC circuits and things such as technic spirographs...

your are right that building is so diverse, but I think I am still lacking some parts/part-counts which are really necessary. Lego isnt cheap and buying them individually isnt cheap either. I was looking for a store that has a good count of "Lots" and a reasonable price, some stores sell some parts at a 10 times greater price comparing to some other. I wonder if all these get unified a day...

I would be happy if you help me find a store as I cant find out myself... around 10000 stores are out there...!

note: most of things I find are from rebrickable...

I don't think anyone can say what parts you should order...

it's more of a case of 'what do you want to build now, or in the future'

I build Great Ball Contraptions

as such, I have a few wanted lists in Bricklink that are filled with all sorts of interesting parts that I want, in order to build some of the amazing GBC designs I see out there.

There are plenty of 'perpetual buy' parts (eg: 40t gears are always useful), so if I happen to be browsing a BL store, and they have a couple, I'll always add them into an order.

every so often I'll just have a fun browse around a few large BL stores, and see what they have...

and then other times.. I have a project that I wanted to get started on.. so it'll be more of a deliberate shop - I NEED this, this and this parts...

you are right pal... would you tell me what parts or what kind of parts are more common in GBC? and i would be happy i you could give me some information about experiences you had with shopping methods and stores and etc. ?

Thank you everybody for all your attention ;)

[Oliver 79]

Hi there.

Welcome to EB!

It's a difficult question to answer. All the parts I regularly use come from official sets. You have a couple of decent kits in your list which have an excellent selection of parts. Personal, if I had your budget, I would by the 42054 Class and maybe the 42054 volvo EW60E.

The only Bricklinking I do is for specific parts for other peoples MOC's. Or I'll make the model in LDD to see what I need. Do you use Rebrickable? This will tell you the parts you are missing for other MOC's.

It's like RohanBeckett already said, "what do you want to make?"

[suffocation]

If you're into MOCs - especially big ones - then the 42055 is a tremendous part pack and much more affordable than any comparable BL or BO order.

[dr_spock]

Figure out what you want to build first and what parts you're missing. Queuing up parts from BL may be good to have on hand but then it may not be the best use of funds if they sit around unused. Unless you plan to challenge yourself one day by not using BrickLink and build with what you already have on hand.

$580 might be better spent on sets like Bucket Wheel Excavator with lots of parts. You can stretch further if the sets are on sale.

Common parts for GBCs are PF motors and gears and 14mm balls.

[RohanBeckett]

Yes.. I've had a BWE just arrive today! and although I'll enjoy building it - it's primarily a parts pack.. SO many 5x7 frames!

as for GBC stuff:

• Motors
  
• PF switches/extension cables / old 9V train controllers
  
• Clutch Gears
  
• 40t gears
  
• regular bricks/plates/tiles (lots of tiles!)
  
• tracks/treads/chains
  
• And of course, the 'usual' parts, of beams/liftarms/gears/pins/bushes...
  

I have 4 buckets of wheels/tyres that I never use, as well as things like Linear Actuators that are rarely used in GBC's

It takes a while, but it's nice eventually building up a collection, where you can easily build anything you want, with minimal extra ordering

[zux]

Get the parts you need onto wanted list. This is simply good to figure out what and how much you actually need. Then use the option to buy all pieces from Wanted list, so you can figure out which stores have most of the pieces you need. I don't really like that, so I look for my pieces manually (it is a great adventure! =) ). Good thing about buying at Bricklink is to have pieces you actually need and something nice-to-have. Add some of these nice-to-have pieces if you still have some budget or spare weight you could use (keeping in mind shipping might be costly). Some bricks are good even in Used condition (but please read sellers terms for condition of used parts he accept), which is cheaper.

If you need to build up general stock of new pieces - look for used sets.

Don't be surprised by low prices for some pieces, you will end up spending more (cheap pieces in larger numbers)

[1980-Something-Space-Guy]

Mainly I recommend that if you believe you are very interested in a set, get it. You are more likely to want to build something similar to it, so you'll be able to put the parts to good use.