buying parts for Australian leg0 builders

[squizz]

Hi, i'm intersted in peoples suggestions for buying parts for the Aussie lego freak. After just reading the post on Designer Hans new truck build i can see i'm going to need some experts advice on some good parts sourcing for us downunder. I have looked at Lego itself but i find their parts buying section quite limited. I've never used Brickshelf and would like to know if Aussie builders use them with relative ease? Thanx Ludders for you Han post, i can see this being a real challenge, both the parts sourcing and the build. I carn't believe your timing, i was going to post a question to see if anybody had some ideas of motorising and remote controlling the crane truck but this is sooo much better. Thanx Pete

[DLuders]

@ Squizz: There is an talented Australian Lego car builder/designer named Lego911 who frequently uses Bricklink.com to order his parts. Yes, the number of Bricklink vendors in Australia are rather limited, and the prices are high. However, there are hundreds of overseas vendors to choose from. Many accept payment (in their currency) via PayPal.com .

When building your Parts List for Han's creation, recommend using Bricklink's Parts Catalog function http://www.bricklink.com/catalogTree.asp?itemType=P to locate them. Bricklink's "Help" page http://www.bricklink.com/helpMain.asp will answer a lot of questions about how it all works.

[RohanBeckett]

I've been buying Technic sets, both new and old for about 6 years now... so I guess I've amassed enough parts to build nearly any other set that I don't own, as well as make modifications to models.

That said.. I have done a couple of bricklink purchases, when I needed some spares.. particularly for sets I buy off ebay, that have a few missing bits

One I've dealt with in the past is Technic Wreckers:

http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=praetorian

Unfortunatly, it looks like his shop is closed for the time being.. but you can unlock it and browse... it was definitely one of the biggest bricklink stores in Australia (670,000 parts!)

(although I bet 1/2 of those are black friction pins! :P )

I guess, like ebay, you can only go on the reputation of peoples' feedback... but I would wager that the larger stores are probably safer to deal with

RB

[Blakbird]

I buy all my parts via Bricklink. For a large model like Han's truck, expect to need 10-20 Bricklink to get all the parts if you are starting for scratch because no one will have all the parts. If you are in Australia, you will pay a lot for shipping.

[RohanBeckett]

I buy all my parts via Bricklink. For a large model like Han's truck, expect to need 10-20 Bricklink to get all the parts if you are starting for scratch because no one will have all the parts. If you are in Australia, you will pay a lot for shipping.

which is why I've only bought from Australian Sellers... yes.. you have to convert to $AUD.. but at least postage was reasonable.

That said.. currently.. 1 USD == 1 AUD! so it's not a bad time to buy stuff from the US right now! :)

RB

[Benly]

I buy all my parts via Bricklink. For a large model like Han's truck, expect to need 10-20 Bricklink to get all the parts if you are starting for scratch because no one will have all the parts.

Well you'll end up with a good boost to your feedback rating as a small consolation

Squizz, if you do plan on buying the parts all from scratch, do me a favour and get two lots will ya?

That said.. currently.. 1 USD == 1 AUD! so it's not a bad time to buy stuff from the US right now! :)

Except when stuff gets caught in customs... 2 Weeks since boarding a plane* and still yet to arrive in Australia.

*a plane is assumed. It may have boarded a rowboat.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Benly

[squizz]

Gidday Benly, at the moment i hav'nt bought any parts from anywhere yet. Mainly because i'm having trouble working out what parts i need. Because i'm not familiar wih all these part no's and part buying sites i'm finding it quite confusing.I was lucky enough to pick up a good auction on ebay not long ago so when that arrives i will be the owner of 2x 8421 sets so i'm hoping the extra parts list will drop dramatically.I know from Hans list i need quite alot of the link chain, which i see on the U.S ebay theres a few stores that have 100 or so lots. Does anyone know if these are a resonable price range? Thanx for the feed back anyway. Pete

[DLuders]

@ Squizz: Bricklink.com has a "Price Guide" feature for every part. For the 3711 "Black Technic, Link Chain", here is the webpage showing the Minimum, Average, and Maximum Prices bought in the last 6 months (look on the left side): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3711&colorID=11 . The right side has the "Current Items for Sale" (New and Used) -- you can see a great range of prices.

[Benly]

Gidday Benly, ... I was lucky enough to pick up a good auction on ebay not long ago so when that arrives i will be the owner of 2x 8421 sets

G'day mate

You nabbed TWO 8421's?!? Would you mind me asking how much those set you back?

Just this morning I managed to get all the parts for Hans' creation up onto a BrickLink wanted list. However, a very quick shop search shows that it isn't exactly cheap. Just from the quick search I did, I think it'll come up at well over $1000 AUD for new parts. I haven't done a search for used parts however.

[squizz]

G'day mate

You nabbed TWO 8421's?!? Would you mind me asking how much those set you back?

Just this morning I managed to get all the parts for Hans' creation up onto a BrickLink wanted list. However, a very quick shop search shows that it isn't exactly cheap. Just from the quick search I did, I think it'll come up at well over $1000 AUD for new parts. I haven't done a search for used parts however.

Hey mate,around the grand mark is seriously pricey. Whoe i did'nt think it would get that high! As for the 8421's i scored one from the U.K for 250au and the second i'm still waiting to turn up from Asia, this was a big purchase of multiple items but each model worked out about 80au. So if it turns out i'll be stacked to the roof with parts......but the o'l storey, i ain't counting the chickens before they've hatched. Imagine what price the parts of Hans new low loader model will come in at??? When you say put up a 'wanted list', does that mean people will get back to you with parts of the list, or full list? I havn't been able workout that site.

[skyliner]

Hi, i'm intersted in peoples suggestions for buying parts for the Aussie lego freak. After just reading the post on Designer Hans new truck build i can see i'm going to need some experts advice on some good parts sourcing for us downunder. I have looked at Lego itself but i find their parts buying section quite limited. I've never used Brickshelf and would like to know if Aussie builders use them with relative ease? Thanx Ludders for you Han post, i can see this being a real challenge, both the parts sourcing and the build. I carn't believe your timing, i was going to post a question to see if anybody had some ideas of motorising and remote controlling the crane truck but this is sooo much better. Thanx Pete

Yes, the truck is impressive, big at 3747parts! having built alot of moc's over the last few years, sourcing the parts is never cheap. I would start with set 8258 crane truck, this will give you a good start for many of the parts. Bricklink is the place to source the rest. i find shipping costs 40% of the cost of building an moc, using bricklink, some sellers really charge high postage. i would say this moc will cost about £300gbp + postage costs of £180gbp just an estimate.

sky

[Benly]

Hey mate,around the grand mark is seriously pricey. Whoe i did'nt think it would get that high! As for the 8421's i scored one from the U.K for 250au and the second i'm still waiting to turn up from Asia, this was a big purchase of multiple items but each model worked out about 80au. So if it turns out i'll be stacked to the roof with parts......but the o'l storey, i ain't counting the chickens before they've hatched. Imagine what price the parts of Hans new low loader model will come in at??? When you say put up a 'wanted list', does that mean people will get back to you with parts of the list, or full list? I havn't been able workout that site.

Wow, $250 is quite the bargain. You'd be hard pressed to get a used one for that amount.

A wanted list is more or less just a shopping list. Sellers won't contact you to offer a quote. What a wanted list can do is organise the items that you want and then produce a list of shops which can best accommodate your needs based on how many items they have that you want. The shopping is still all done by you, and a bit clunky at the best of times.

Shipping's always a pain for us Aussies though =(

[squizz]

Wow, $250 is quite the bargain. You'd be hard pressed to get a used one for that amount.

A wanted list is more or less just a shopping list. Sellers won't contact you to offer a quote. What a wanted list can do is organise the items that you want and then produce a list of shops which can best accommodate your needs based on how many items they have that you want. The shopping is still all done by you, and a bit clunky at the best of times.

Shipping's always a pain for us Aussies though =(

Nah, not new mate. I wish at that price, but very good nic and well looked after.

[flyz]

Han uses modern building techniques that require new parts from recent sets, like 60484 and 87082 which aren't exactly cheap.

I reckon getting power functions, pneumatics and the wheels will cost you $150-200 USD.

It's expensive but I think the rewards are well worth it.