learnt from experience, never use storage box with division

[ks6349]

bought a new set of LEGO today, and bought a plastic storage box with dividers to help sorting. Very disappointing way of working with LEGO,

storage box looks big but actually small, can't hold even 500 pieces, 

and even if you are working with sets of less than 500 pieces, it's very 

not convenient to find out a particular part from a full stored cell. You may need to take out all parts of a cell.

I think the best way is to use individual food box, and purchase a number of 

such box of the same size, which is not too large, not too small, but already

larger

than any single cell in a storage box.  Storage box is really for "storage" only

, not good for finding a part or taking it out when you are building a set.

 

Am I right? Or any better idea??

[Johnny1360]

Strange I have 5 such boxes and they work very well for me, granted I generally put multiples of the same part in a single compartment though. 

[ukbajadave]

I find the biggest problem with these kind of boxes is accidentally pulling out the divider, then having to shuffle it back into place without disturbing the two different contents. It can also be difficult scooping little parts out.

I generally use takeaway food containers. Super cheap in bulk and big enough to hold 15l beams.

[deraven]

I guess it would help to know what kind/size of box you're talking about, but I would agree in general:  those are good for storing sorted parts, but not for doing the actual sorting / building a large set.

I also use small to medium size food containers for sorting or separating bags for a larger set, and that works well for that purpose.

[ks6349]

3 hours ago, deraven said:

I guess it would help to know what kind/size of box you're talking about, but I would agree in general:  those are good for storing sorted parts, but not for doing the actual sorting / building a large set.

I also use small to medium size food containers for sorting or separating bags for a larger set, and that works well for that purpose.

Reasons are... They are mostly "deep", but they are not "broad" enough for those storage box, so after you've sorted the pieces, it's not as convienient

to find out a single particular piece from the fully occupied cell. A single food storage box

is always more handy, at least it's not easy, even if you are working with 3000 pieces sets, that they are fully filled for one box for one color, then there is always more space for your fingers to do the search work

Edited November 4, 2018 by ks6349

[MAB]

Why do you need a storage box for a set? I use a tray. No depth issues, but easy to sort parts into colours or types and leave in a pile.

[ukbajadave]

You could use a tray (or the dining room table) for a new model when the parts are already separate. Once the parts get shuffled in with the rest of your collection its hard to beat food tubs for convenience and value, and all the half filled tubs will stack on top of each other to save space when you aren't building.

This is the only divider box I have. I use it for beam/connector type bits and they can be awkward to get out. Thinking about it this type of box may work much better for larger elements like beams and axles?

[deraven]

8 hours ago, MAB said:

Why do you need a storage box for a set? I use a tray. No depth issues, but easy to sort parts into colours or types and leave in a pile.

Yes, this is what I was getting at.  I mean, whatever you enjoy is fine, but I don't understand sorting a set before putting it together.  I just use a couple of trays and dump in the parts from each bag as I go.  A little basic sorting like larger pieces or a huge number of one color/type either into a separate tray or a corner of a larger one, but beyond that it's just as fast to search the tray for a part that you know is there vs. taking the time to sort everything out beforehand.

For actual storage of sorted parts in a general inventory, there's no issue of depth vs. width because there's not real digging for a part since that's the point of having the parts sorted in the first place.  Of course, if you're just starting out and you've just sorted "similar" parts together or by color or something, I understand that... but then I'd use larger bins to begin with as well until you're ready to do finer sorting.

For my trays (when building sets or working parts when MOCing), I use the inner cardboard trays from previous Lego sets, food service trays, or the wider and more shallow plastic food storage bins and those seem to work well.

[ks6349]

2 minutes ago, deraven said:

Yes, this is what I was getting at.  I mean, whatever you enjoy is fine, but I don't understand sorting a set before putting it together.  I just use a couple of trays and dump in the parts from each bag as I go.  A little basic sorting like larger pieces or a huge number of one color/type either into a separate tray or a corner of a larger one, but beyond that it's just as fast to search the tray for a part that you know is there vs. taking the time to sort everything out beforehand.

For actual storage of sorted parts in a general inventory, there's no issue of depth vs. width because there's not real digging for a part since that's the point of having the parts sorted in the first place.  Of course, if you're just starting out and you've just sorted "similar" parts together or by color or something, I understand that... but then I'd use larger bins to begin with as well until you're ready to do finer sorting.

For my trays (when building sets or working parts when MOCing), I use the inner cardboard trays from previous Lego sets, food service trays, or the wider and more shallow plastic food storage bins and those seem to work well.

Hi. The reason I use food container is that.

Yes, I am not advanced. I only sort by colors,

and for the big pieces, I will put them elsewhere,

usually not a lot.

Finer sorting? I thought of that, but I can't think 

of how "fine" I should do. I think the extra time

spent on fine sorting doesn't worth that because in the

near future, I will only do sets not more than 2000 

pieces. And I am not advanced, what is MOC?

[deraven]

3 hours ago, ks6349 said:

what is MOC?

My Own Creation (result of the builder's own creativity and efforts vs. building a set from instructions).  This may help with terminology in general:

https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/1188-the-eb-glossary/

[ks6349]

A last question. The plastic storage box (made of PP) I purchased was not even wrong, it had bad plastic smell that persists, and some very tiny powder residue. 

I was so foolish and filled my LEGO pieces into it. Now I've thrown away the storage box. However, could it already contaminate the LEGO? Should I do anything to clean my LEGO  

[Foreman-Alex]

44 minutes ago, ks6349 said:

A last question. The plastic storage box (made of PP) I purchased was not even wrong, it had bad plastic smell that persists, and some very tiny powder residue. 

I was so foolish and filled my LEGO pieces into it. Now I've thrown away the storage box. However, could it already contaminate the LEGO? Should I do anything to clean my LEGO  

You could probably just use soapy hot (no more than 40°C) water with mild detergent.

[ks6349]

1 hour ago, Foreman-Alex said:

You could probably just use soapy hot (no more than 40°C) water with mild detergent.

what kind of detergent? 

[Johnny1360]

I generally just use dish washing detergent, not the kind you put in a dishwasher but any kind should work as long as it's safe for your skin you should be okay. 

[MAB]

On 11/4/2018 at 6:47 PM, ks6349 said:

 

Yes, I am not advanced. I only sort by colors,

 

 

It is personal choice, but often sorting by type is more efficient than by colour when it comes to finding parts. If you look for a red 1x2 brick in a pile of red, it is hard. If you look for a red 1x2 in a pile of 1x2s of all colours it is much easier. Even in a cruder sort of 1x1,1x2,1x3 and 1x4 bricks of all colours it is still easier. 

[Johnny1360]

32 minutes ago, MAB said:

It is personal choice, but often sorting by type is more efficient than by colour when it comes to finding parts. If you look for a red 1x2 brick in a pile of red, it is hard. If you look for a red 1x2 in a pile of 1x2s of all colours it is much easier. Even in a cruder sort of 1x1,1x2,1x3 and 1x4 bricks of all colours it is still easier. 

This is how I sort my pieces as well. I have found it is much quicker and easier to spot color differences than minor shape differences. I will say though once I get an overwhelming amount of a particular color I may separate them from the pile. 

[ks6349]

After washing and cleaning of the LEGO pieces, do I need to put them close to heater or just fine to put under UV to let them dry itself?

In addition, I would like to ask for second opinion on if I can use detergent to clean my LEGO... As I know, sometimes detergent is picky, and not for everything, ????

Edited November 6, 2018 by ks6349

[ukbajadave]

As far as washing Lego goes I'd think any soap safe for your hands should be ok. Make sure you give it a good rinse and leave it to gently air dry, I don't think extra heat or UV are needed and might eventually damage your bricks.

I usually sort by type too unless I have lots of something (Beams are sorted by colour and then by size) or very little of something. If I have only 1 or 2 of a part a separate pot is a waste, I'll put it with something of a contrasting colour. Dark grey bits with yellow rather than black for example.

[ks6349]

6 hours ago, ukbajadave said:

As far as washing Lego goes I'd think any soap safe for your hands should be ok. Make sure you give it a good rinse and leave it to gently air dry, I don't think extra heat or UV are needed and might eventually damage your bricks.

I usually sort by type too unless I have lots of something (Beams are sorted by colour and then by size) or very little of something. If I have only 1 or 2 of a part a separate pot is a waste, I'll put it with something of a contrasting colour. Dark grey bits with yellow rather than black for example.

In addition, how can I keep the best condition of the minifigures? I remmeber when I was as a child playing LEGO, the print on the minifigures (eye, nose, mouth etc) often faded over time. Is it fine just rubbing them with dry cloth from time to time?

How do you guys sort by type??  I think I 'll need MANY MANY storage plates if sorting by type.... Now I need only 8 or 9 storage box to do the sorting only, and for the small items, they'll be put into just one box.

Edited November 7, 2018 by ks6349

[Kalahari134]

I use a load of these:

https://www.therange.co.uk/diy/tool-storage/organisers-and-cases/xl-organiser#443967

Sort by brick, then (if common) by colour.

Edited November 7, 2018 by Kalahari134

[ks6349]

On 11/8/2018 at 7:10 AM, Kalahari134 said:

I use a load of these:

https://www.therange.co.uk/diy/tool-storage/organisers-and-cases/xl-organiser#443967

Sort by brick, then (if common) by colour.

Here in my country , USD 1 for this, not the exactly the same one, but similar, however, the volume for each cell is smaller

Last night, I played a set with approx 1000 pieces. I only sorted by color. Yes, it was quite painful at the beginning when I only sorted by color. However, how to sort by type? I don't understand. There are just I believe more than 50 different types of pieces and maybe many of a particular type only have 1-2 pieces. I don't understand how should I sort? Any experieced advice?? Thanks!! 

 

 

[zux]

3 hours ago, ks6349 said:

Last night, I played a set with approx 1000 pieces. I only sorted by color. Yes, it was quite painful at the beginning when I only sorted by color. However, how to sort by type? I don't understand. There are just I believe more than 50 different types of pieces and maybe many of a particular type only have 1-2 pieces. I don't understand how should I sort? Any experieced advice?? Thanks!! 

Sorting by colour is great when you have sufficient space to store each part-colour combination separately. Otherwise it is advised to sort my form/part type. In such way it is much easier to find required piece in needed colour rather than looking for that tiny part amongst similarly shaped parts of the same colour.

Edited November 9, 2018 by zux

[ukbajadave]

4 hours ago, ks6349 said:

...However, how to sort by type? I don't understand. There are just I believe more than 50 different types of pieces and maybe many of a particular type only have 1-2 pieces...

 

 

I suspect no two people will sort the same but my method has developed over time, now it makes sense for me and I can find the parts I want. I don't have a separate pot for every single element but rather types so a small pot for half bushes, a pot of gears, a pot of clutch parts etc. If I have a lot of one type (pins) they get further divided, Frictionless, Blue, Black, and so on. I'm mainly a Technic builder but you could do the same with system bricks i.e. wheels, windows and doors, minifigs and then bricks and plates further sorted by size or colour.

 

 

[62Bricks]

For large Technic sets I prefer to sort the pieces into IRIS LEGO sorting trays. These are designed for LEGO and have 6x6 and 6x10-stud compartments that are molded (no danger of pulling out dividers). Also, they stack securely so if you are using limited space or need to clear up your work area for other uses in between building, it makes it very simple to keep things in one, easy-to-move stack. You can still buy them new, but they are expensive. I have just collected them in used lots over the years and also purchased some from a Bricklink seller for about $5 each.

[ks6349]

6 hours ago, 62Bricks said:

For large Technic sets I prefer to sort the pieces into IRIS LEGO sorting trays. These are designed for LEGO and have 6x6 and 6x10-stud compartments that are molded (no danger of pulling out dividers). Also, they stack securely so if you are using limited space or need to clear up your work area for other uses in between building, it makes it very simple to keep things in one, easy-to-move stack. You can still buy them new, but they are expensive. I have just collected them in used lots over the years and also purchased some from a Bricklink seller for about $5 each.

I bought some sorting trays before which were made in China or Taiwan, they were offgassing and the bad plastic smell did not go away after weeks. I just threw them away and got something else made in Japan. At least no offgassing