Back into lego! How do you organize while building?

[Delta62]

Hey guys,

Hope all is well! If this subject has been talked about before, please feel free to move it.  I finally gave my self that push to get back into Lego and now I am back building again. It feels good to be back in the game where i have been away from it from a long time. It really helps keep my mind busy and imagination flowing.  Now i just need to finish organizing my bricks before I can build lol. I don't know why but I'm in the mood to build something from Star Wars: Rouge One. Though its been done before, I was thinking of that Imperial Zeta class cargo shuttle called rouge one in the movie. Maybe a UCS version, considering I have plenty of grey bricks and technic pieces and the collectable black series ship for a visual aid. Just at a curiosity, How would you organize your bricks for building? would it be by piece, color or just build it as you organize? Just wandering because Its been a while since i have built anything. I use to build as I organize but I'm willing to try something different. Also what is the best way to start building that Imperial Zeta Class cargo ship? Should I begin with the hull or the cockpit section? I have found some lego instructions on Kylo Rens shuttle and the AT AT walker, they were pretty helpful to get angled cockpits and sections. Browsing through official Lego instructions is really helpful when you have no clue where to start building.

So you know what I'm talking about. http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Zeta-class_cargo_shuttle

[Littleworlds]

First of all congratulations for coming back to lego! For me, the organisation happens during storage. I sort my bricks by type usually. So all 1x2 bricks go together, small times go into their own tub, same applies for rounded slopes, etc etc. That works pretty well for me. I also tend to preselect some pieces I know i am going to need for my current project - and sometimes I actually use them!  

All in all this way works pretty well for me. Its a rather loose approach, since I do a lot of experimenting when building. I don't use instructions, unless I build an official set and don't plan ahead too much on which parts I am going to need. Others are just the opposite and plan very thoroughly ahead and use the LDD to build their sets on the PC first. Whatever works! 

[ColletArrow]

Personally, as I have a small collection of parts, they are organised by colour; as I know (roughly or exactly, depending on part) how many of each part I have in each colour, I know where any part is likely to be. It also doesn't take too long to find a part in a small box of only one colour. Any parts I come across during a build I think would be useful are kept aside in small piles, and either used or returned afterwards.
However, this only works because I have a small collection; if you have more bricks, sorting them by type, usefulness or how frequently you use them may be a better solution.
In terms of where to start, I would start with the section I have already thought about how to build, or a section that's relatively simple; that will give you a sense of how large you want to go, and ultimately where to head next. As the cockpit of this model is likely to be more prominent, I would perhaps start there.
But what do I know? I've never built one of these before! My line is smaller, more common vehicles. An entirely different approach may suit you and your build!

[Delta62]

Thanks it really does feel good to be back into the world of Lego, and thank you for the suggestions, sounds like we think the same thing when it comes to Lego. Great minds think a like! I do use LDD a lot and that helps too when I am stuck on a building project or trying to plan it out. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I have a huge bucket filled with Lego parts, mostly grey, bly, red and blue, plenty of black too. I usually go by parts when organizing but i come to realize i have way to much lol and I run out of containers. These parts are mostly from Lego Star Wars, Creator and Ferrari sets. Maybe i should try assorting from color? I usually start with the cockpit area too to get a sense of scale. I do want this ship to be mini fig friendly. Is there a way you can make a ship with out it being too blocky?

[dulsi]

I generally start with what I consider the tricky parts of the build. For my raccoon car, I started with the spinning tail and the face at the front of the car. For a four armed ape, I started with the center body because I knew I didn't have a lot of ball joints so I needed to use "Technic Axle Connector 2 x 3 with Ball Socket, Open Lower Axle Holes" pieces to connect to the body. For that ship, I would probably do the areas you want to fit minifigures. That drives the size of the rest of the ship. Also I recommend looking online at other people's designs. You may not have the pieces to do the same but they can give you inspiration. Plenty of people have made ships that don't appear blocky to me. My designs are still rather blocky but I think I'm getting better.

A lot of the time I don't worry about color initially. That's less of an issue now that I bought a big collection. In the past I'd build a prototype, build it digitally, recolor, and order parts.

For sorting, I sort by type.

[neepheid]

I've only recently got back into Lego, so I only have a few sets - 8860, 8845, 8074 (en route) and 42065.  Remembering the one massive bin of Lego as a child - time was less important than annoying one's parents with the swooshing/rumbling sound of a child fishing for a particular piece of Lego amongst thousands - I got one of these things from Ikea to start with at least a degree of organisation:

From the top left:

pins,bushes,steering arms etc.
cogs,racks,pulleys etc.
axles,shocks,pipes etc.
bricks
plates
all Technic bricks, plates, beams, wheels etc. in the big one at the bottom.

Will probably outgrow this in a year, but it's a start and I do find it keeps everything pretty organised - even if it is a bit of a rummage.  Trying to find one of my six axle pins in a sea of regular pins is a bit like a game of Where's Wally.  After that, I'd probably start subdividing by size/function rather than colour.  Colour last.  If I have to start subdividing by colour too then I think I'll need a Lego room in the house :)