How do you guys with big collections take time to sort?

[wolfwing]

heh just got my 12 pounds of lego in been sorting for about 3 hours :> And even with some bionicle/technich that I can put aside to sort later, it's still a very slow process :> How do you guys deal with it all? :>

Right now I have ship parts, universal *all in a big box don't have enough smaller ones to sort into smaller piles." barrels/round parts, wheels, slopes/walls, multi angled/overly long slopes, random parts, equipment, and parts that are in pieces that need to be put together..:> And it's still alot just to get 20% of the box done...:> Any tips or what you do while sorting? Right now I'm catching up on my youtube videos, but thats still slow :>

[fred67]

heh just got my 12 pounds of lego in been sorting for about 3 hours :> And even with some bionicle/technich that I can put aside to sort later, it's still a very slow process :> How do you guys deal with it all? :>

Right now I have ship parts, universal *all in a big box don't have enough smaller ones to sort into smaller piles." barrels/round parts, wheels, slopes/walls, multi angled/overly long slopes, random parts, equipment, and parts that are in pieces that need to be put together..:> And it's still alot just to get 20% of the box done...:> Any tips or what you do while sorting? Right now I'm catching up on my youtube videos, but thats still slow :>

Storage and Sorting LEGO

I don't think that really answers you're question... which seems to be how to do it quickly, which I can't answer.

[ThatGuyWithTheBricks]

Actually, the way sort my lego is by color. If you can find find a drawer with a lot of little shelves, you can save a lot of time finding parts.

[wolfwing]

I'm planning to get those hobby/workbench drawer sets for the smaller pieces.

On technich's do they have much use in building? I know I should keep some of the pins and such for movable lego diarama's and such. How many people use the holed beams for their moc's? Should I keep them seperate, or use them for support and hidden stuff?

[Ralph_S]

heh just got my 12 pounds of lego in been sorting for about 3 hours :> And even with some bionicle/technich that I can put aside to sort later, it's still a very slow process :> How do you guys deal with it all? :>

Right now I have ship parts, universal *all in a big box don't have enough smaller ones to sort into smaller piles." barrels/round parts, wheels, slopes/walls, multi angled/overly long slopes, random parts, equipment, and parts that are in pieces that need to be put together..:> And it's still alot just to get 20% of the box done...:> Any tips or what you do while sorting? Right now I'm catching up on my youtube videos, but thats still slow :>

One of the ways I manage is by not sorting 12 pounds of random LEGO in one go. My collection has been sorted since I was about 10 years old and when it was a fraction of the size of my collection. As the collection expanded I kept sorting what I added to it, one set, dismantled MOC or bricklink order at a time.

Opinions differ on what the ideal way is to have things sorted. I sort some things by colour, and generally separate between large plates, small plates, wedge plates, bricks and slopes within the same colour. I also have separate boxes with Technic parts, hinges, transparent parts, windows, wheels etc.

I'm a bit surprised about your question about 'what you do while sorting'. I focus on the sorting. I will have some music playing, but if I try to do something else (like watching TV) during the sorting it takes at least twice as long. I normally try to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Cheers,

Ralph

[wolfwing]

One of the ways I manage is by not sorting 12 pounds of random LEGO in one go. My collection has been sorted since I was about 10 years old and when it was a fraction of the size of my collection. As the collection expanded I kept sorting what I added to it, one set, dismantled MOC or bricklink order at a time.

Opinions differ on what the ideal way is to have things sorted. I sort some things by colour, and generally separate between large plates, small plates, wedge plates, bricks and slopes within the same colour. I also have separate boxes with Technic parts, hinges, transparent parts, windows, wheels etc.

I'm a bit surprised about your question about 'what you do while sorting'. I focus on the sorting. I will have some music playing, but if I try to do something else (like watching TV) during the sorting it takes at least twice as long. I normally try to get it over with as quickly as possible.

Cheers,

Ralph

Well I just bought 12 pounds, so I'm sorting it at a go now, got plans on ways to make it easier to sort later, just need to find some good containers for different things.

[Brickaroo]

Nothing worth having in this world comes easy.

[Aanchir]

Given the perpetual messiness of my basement, I often spend more time sorting than I do building. And, regrettably, from all appearances I'm better at sorting than I am at building.

When I sort, I stack similar parts if possible. That's the only tip I can really offer.

[Ralph_S]

Well I just bought 12 pounds, so I'm sorting it at a go now, got plans on ways to make it easier to sort later, just need to find some good containers for different things.

If that's the case, you are just going to have to slug it out. It may be a big job now, but it'll be worthwhile in the long run.

Earlier you asked a question about Technic elements. I keep all my Technic element separate from regular system elements. I have separate boxes for beams with studless and studded elements separated. I have another box with smaller containers for pins, axles, gears, connectors etc.

Whether these parts are useful for MOCs obviously depends on the kind of MOCs you build, so there is no easy answer to that question. My MOCs always consist mostly of system elements, but I often do use small Techic elements as well. I use beams for structural strength in some of the larger ones.

Nothing worth having in this world comes easy.

Indeed!

Cheers,

Ralph

Edited September 10, 2010 by Ralph_S

[dr_spock]

If you have kids, hire them to sort for you.

Otherwise, it is patience, some nice music and lots of storage containers around me to toss pieces in.

[blueandwhite]

Sorting simply takes time. Assess what your priorities are and gather the necessary trays. You may choose to sort by colour or element type (or in some cases both). Twelve pounds of LEGO isn't really a significant amount to sort through. There's no easy way to do this. Still, if folks here can manage 100-200 lbs of LEGO, I'm sure you'll be able to sort your collection without too much difficulty.

[gotoAndLego]

The time required depends on how OCD your sorting method is. My general system

Slopes

Bricks

Plates

Wings

Technic

Then you can get more specific, like 1x1s, 1x2/3s, Plates. Tiles, Kinds of slopes, kinds of arches. Bigger pieces, pins and connectors, studded technic beams, smooth studless beams. Then, depending on how you build you can separate greys from colors of certain parts. So greay, black and white bricks, old-school bright color bricks, newer muted color bricks like POP sets.

Edited September 10, 2010 by gotoAndLego

[Tervlon]

I have an unsorted bin that when I have a few minutes here or there (like when I'm waiting for my wife, etc) I'll dip an empty cup in and sort through it and repeat. Its 5 min here or there and it really helps in the long run. I'll do long marathon sorts from time to time but I try to keep things organized as I go to avoid that.

Truly the key is a little at a time. Sorting by set or MOC or PAB cup, etc

[wolfwing]

Sorting simply takes time. Assess what your priorities are and gather the necessary trays. You may choose to sort by colour or element type (or in some cases both). Twelve pounds of LEGO isn't really a significant amount to sort through. There's no easy way to do this. Still, if folks here can manage 100-200 lbs of LEGO, I'm sure you'll be able to sort your collection without too much difficulty.

Hmmmm maybe quanitiy is the answer get used to sorting tons at at time...anyone willing to send me 200lbs of lego for me to sort into my collection?:> J/k

[gotoAndLego]

Hmmmm maybe quanitiy is the answer get used to sorting tons at at time...anyone willing to send me 200lbs of lego for me to sort into my collection?:> J/k

I'd be happy to sort your bricks into my collection.

[charlieboy]

I find the easiest and quickest way is to make the wife do it! I bought a huge amount a while back,would have filled my bath tub! I started sorting by colour in the middle of the lounge,my wife got so stressed with it taking so long she pushed me out the way and got stuck in.Job done!

Defo go for colour first,we did and still have it boxed that way.I buy quite a few instructions books from bricklink etc....The later books have the parts list in the back and so with boxes of coloured parts,its very easy to find parts thats way.Works well for moccing too.

[prateek]

If you have kids, hire them to sort for you.

Or hire me

In all seriousness though, most people that have big collections build them over time, and down sit down for countless hours at a time to sort, as Ralph said.

[Modulex Guy]

Or hire me

In all seriousness though, most people that have big collections build them over time, and down sit down for countless hours at a time to sort, as Ralph said.

Or be like me, where I have a massive collection, over 1/4 million bricks easy, still be sorting after I started a year ago.

All my bricks were mixed amongst bins and now I'm sorting by color and by part, so I'm still sorting through it all.

[Ronan Dragonov]

Get some DVDs and lean into it. The Great Brick Sort of 2008 (~38,000 bricks) took me two weeks and 4 seasons of Seinfeld among other DVDs.

[madoka]

I've concluded that I need to hire workers.

[peterab]

On sorting I try and keep my collection sorted at all times to avoid the huge sorting jobs, but I've never bought 12 pounds at a time.

On technich's do they have much use in building? I know I should keep some of the pins and such for movable lego diarama's and such. How many people use the holed beams for their moc's? Should I keep them seperate, or use them for support and hidden stuff?

I use a surprising amount of technic for SNOT in train cars, and others use it for carriage frames. The beams can be useful for brick effects on modular houses. I know space builders will use it for getting just the right angle on their ships etc.

ETA:

I've concluded that I need to hire workers.

Slaves work cheaper, and it's sometimes hard to find willing workers to sort your lego. A whip works well on slaves

Edited September 12, 2010 by peterab