Are you a tidy or untidy Lego Technic builder ?

[doug72]

Are you a tidy or an Un-tidy Lego Technic builder ?
I am OK when building Lego sets with numbered parts bags and following printed or downloaded instructions.

Sets without numbered bags, I sort out before starting to build in to various containers for: beams, gears, axles, panels etc.

When building MOCs that usually go through several stages of trial & error and re-builds, I tend to be un-tidy in that any discarded parts are consigned to a large tray and not to their correct storage drawers etc.

About once a week I then have a big sort out and return parts to their correct storage locations.

With GBC module testing I also go hunting for lost balls !!
Its amazing where they hide.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Doug72

[Lipko]

I only "save" parts for later use when I stumble upon an interesting part. I don't sort.

I have 4 groups:
1."important, rare parts"
1/b. "very important/ rare parts" in plastic bags
2."big wheels"
3."motors, pneumatics, 'nshit"
4."the rest"

Seldomly I dispose some less interesting parts from group 1 to group 4 if parts don't fit into the box any more.

[Clawp]

I am more of a tidy person... I got ~52 boxes/trays just for the technic stuff(mostly ferrero rocher boxes) and 2 hardware organizers for non-technic parts and few boxes with link chains for tanks/cranes etc.

When I build mocs i know where to look for certain pieces... with the new bought sets I tend to scatter them on my desk or bed.

The disassembly of built sets/mocs goes all in a single box then I sort them by category and put them in their box.

[Mechbuilds]

For official lego sets, dump the numbered bags on the table and push out the build fast. 

Afterwards breaking sets or mocs into bigger chunks that i disassemble one at a time and put the parts in organizers. (3 big ones currently. Desperately need a 4th one.)
But most of the time my working table has one bin with chunks or parts to disassemble and organize and mocs that are too big for the bin laying on the table waiting to be disassembled. 

Always having current wip in the center of the table. 


So tidy but not that tidy. 
I also never keep mocs assembled over a month. They're always disassembled for the next project. 

[nerdsforprez]

Untidy wishing I were tidy.....

[aol000xw]

1 hour ago, Clawp said:

 I got ~52 boxes/trays just for the technic stuff(mostly ferrero rocher boxes)

A lot of Lego boxes and a lot of Ferreros... win/win

I use those Stanley sorting boxes that got smaller yellow boxes inside.

I also got a ton of chinese food round plastic containers I use for sorting before building.

Edited February 19, 2020 by aol000xw

[Duky]

i am relative tidy. Maybe because of my zodiac sign "Virgin". I use a lot of sortimo boxes, to sort all of my pieces.

Furthermore i got some small cases for rare parts. Normally, it's simple to me to find the correct pieces.

 

[ukbajadave]

3 hours ago, Doug72 said:

...building MOCs that usually go through several stages of trial & error and re-builds, I tend to be un-tidy in that any discarded parts are consigned to a large tray and not to their correct storage drawers etc...

A man after my own heart! I cannot build except by trial and error so I start with everything neatly sorted in boxes and end up with a big pile of discarded bits which eventually get sorted back into the boxes they started in

[Gray Gear]

I only do MOCs and my desk is almost always covered in many different pieces all over...I hate this, but when I build in the flow I don't have time to sort pieces 

[astyanax]

After each building session, I put all lose parts back into the hardware organizers, and all partial assemblies go into a big drawer. My desk is always completely empty overnight.

[Touc4nx]

I'm pretty untidy when I build, leaving the parts I used to try something on the ground for days (until the Roomba comes )
However, my parts are in big box by “category“, like the slopes ore the plates, or technic beams. And for most of technic parts except panels, beams, angled beams and gears, I have Ikea boxes with compartment, to keep everything sorted. There is one box for axles, one box for connectors, one box for pins, one box for half beams and one box for suspension, engine and the special parts.

 

[dr_spock]

Totally untidy MOC-aster.  I MOC on the fly without too much fore-thought.  I try this and then try that.  Who's got time to keep tidy in the moment the creative juices are flowing strong?

 

 

[Gray Gear]

1 hour ago, astyanax said:

After each building session, I put all lose parts back into the hardware organizers, and all partial assemblies go into a big drawer. My desk is always completely empty overnight.

I wish I could do that. Of course I do have my sorting system, but I am too lazy to sort, until I start a new assembly anyways.

[astyanax]

6 minutes ago, Gray Gear said:

I wish I could do that. Of course I do have my sorting system, but I am too lazy to sort, until I start a new assembly anyways.

It's a matter of necessity. The next morning you never know which parts the kids are gonna "borrow". Those left in sight on the desk are most at risk, but would also be the ones you'll need most. Better to sort & store everything and distribute the risk.

[Gray Gear]

@astyanaxOoooh that makes sense... I dont have that problem, and I never thought like that... 

[TechnicRCRacer]

Untidy! When I build a set I never sort pieces (except leaving each bag in its own pile) and for MOCs I always end up with pieces everywhere.

[TeamThrifty]

7 hours ago, Duky said:

Maybe because of my zodiac sign "Virgin"

Glad i'm not that zodiac sign!!

 

8 hours ago, nerdsforprez said:

Untidy wishing I were tidy

Yep.. thats me.

[AFOoLish]

All parts sorted into plastic boxes by shape except technic items which are grouped by type eg. tyres (tires) hubs etc. Work progress always within reach - even by the bed!

[Rudivdk]

2 hours ago, astyanax said:

The next morning you never know which parts the kids are gonna "borrow".

 I solved that by having my own Lego in a separate 'dad's room' on the attic of the house. They know that they can look, not take. And buying them their own Lego sets also helps deflecting their attention from mine...

I have a wall full of little wooden drawers (IKEA Moppe, 32 6drawer units) to sort all my ~120k parts. But my desk is always still full of bits and pieces, and fully covered with (discarded) pieces and assemblies when I am full-steam MOCcing. WIP and finished MOCs are kept on a few shelves above my desk. I usually sort all loose pieces and disassembled MOCs into a single tray every few days, and when the tray is full, it is time to sort into the drawer system, which can be in a few days also, or after weeks. Rare or ultra-usefull parts I keep out of the generic sorting tray, and keep them either on my desk or put them straight into the storage drawers so I can find them.

So all-in-all an untidy builder with a tidy storage.

[Clawp]

I get a nasty headache if I have to look for that 1 x 2 thin lift arm in a pile of 1k pieces... just by thinking at that I get nausea.

[ctx1769]

I like a clear desk before i start, but it does not stay tidy long 

Edited February 19, 2020 by ctx1769

[Lakop]

I don't like searching for the smaller parts so I tip them out and spread them out so I can get to them easily. Axles and pins etc are in sorter boxes (just thrown in) and organisers. Beams and bricks are in a Lego 8 stud and 4 stud storage bricks. Pneumatics, linear actuators, motors and wheels are in separate storage containers. I keep them all tidy it's when building that it becomes untidy.

H

[jotta93]

I guess I could be called an untidy-ish builder. I keep piling on parts when MOCing and only clean the desk and sort the parts when there's no more space. However, I really enjoy doing it

[LEGO Train 12 Volts]

12 hours ago, Doug72 said:

When building MOCs that usually go through several stages of trial & error and re-builds, I tend to be un-tidy in that any discarded parts are consigned to a large tray and not to their correct storage drawers etc.

 

About once a week I then have a big sort out and return parts to their correct storage locations.

I do the same with my locomotives: when I build a MOC there is a great mess around the room ...only when the CAD project is finished I return parts to their correct boxes

12 hours ago, Doug72 said:

With GBC module testing I also go hunting for lost balls !!

 

Its amazing where they hide.

LOL

[suffocation]

My only concern is that I've got plenty of Nero d'Avola, 'nduja and freshly baked walnut bread within arm's reach.