Storage and Sorting LEGO

[Jim]

4 hours ago, MxWinters said:

Hope you all don't mind me posting this in this thread, but I thought you might be interested. Ill post another update when I have the desk and shelves built.

Not at all. That's what this topic is all about 

Love Google Sketchup!

[MxWinters]

47 minutes ago, ArneNielsen said:

That is a massive task indeed! I just wish I had the available space to do something similar, but a 3-room apartment dont leave much free room. Most of my LEGO bricks are in large boxes in a basement room I rent in a house a few hundred metres from mine, but its still a challenge to find what I need in a little box in a big box in a big heap of big boxes...

Yeah it will take a good few hours to build that desk and wall unit. It will take 3 2440x1220 sheets of plywood to build it. Luckily B&Q (a chain hardware store in the UK) has a cutting service so I get them to cut the sheets to the sizes I need and once I get them home, tis just a matter of glueing and screwing everything together. I live in a 4 room flat (although one of those rooms, one could hardly call it a room) but my living room is a fair size so I have the space to build this desk. This will be the third desk I've built for my living room. One for my computer, one for my electronic bench and now this one for my LEGO. Lol, even though I have a lot of my LEGO in these containers, I still have 3 boxes of normal LEGO system bricks here and at my parents, although I almost never play with the system bricks.
 

1 minute ago, Jim said:

Not at all. That's what this topic is all about 

Love Google Sketchup!

Just checking since my post was more of a drawing of what I want to build rather than my actual storage racks, better safe than sorry .

Its ok for this kind of thing but its useless for making stuff for 3D printing though. But since most of the other CAD programs want stupid money for crap software or a subscription (which I flat-out refuse to do), then Sketchup it is.

[ks6349]

How to sort sets with a large number of bricks? While not too detailed, not too rough though. It would take too long to be too detailed, but not really useful being too rough

 

Should I sort by color or size, shape? What's your advice

Edited July 3, 2019 by ks6349

[willrevs]

Hi does anyone have any tips on efficiently sorting lego, not how to categorise, but just the sorting process in itself?

 

[bonox]

pay kids to do it or offer a portion (10% for example) to anyone willing to sort huge piles.

 

otherwise divide and conquer - bricks, plates, specials, technic etc, then come back to each and bricks, plates into 1x, 2x, 4x etc and so on.

[MAB]

On 6/27/2019 at 4:46 AM, MxWinters said:

This second image is of the plastic food containers I have like half of my LEGO collection in. Still need to sort all my plates, tiles, technic beams and other bricks.

 

I'd go "lids off" in your new storage system. If there is just enough of a gap to get the tubs in and out then dust getting into the tubs will not be a problem.

I used to have similar boxes and it is amazing how much time you waste taking lids off and putting them back on again and you really notice it when you don't need to do it.

On 7/3/2019 at 6:37 AM, ks6349 said:

How to sort sets with a large number of bricks? While not too detailed, not too rough though. It would take too long to be too detailed, but not really useful being too rough

 

Should I sort by color or size, shape? What's your advice

What do you mean by sort sets? Sort parts of a set, or sort out a set mixed in with many other sets?

20 hours ago, willrevs said:

Hi does anyone have any tips on efficiently sorting lego, not how to categorise, but just the sorting process in itself?

 

For what reason are you sorting? The method will depend on what result you want.

If wanting unique piles by brick type and colour for a storage system, then first do a rough sort into "class" - brick vs plate vs technic vs other (depending on what you have) - then sort each of these into different brick types, then finally by colour.

But if you are selling job lots by colour, then you'd do a different search by colour. Or if selling by type (eg. only bricks, or only plates), sort into type.

[MxWinters]

5 hours ago, MAB said:

I'd go "lids off" in your new storage system. If there is just enough of a gap to get the tubs in and out then dust getting into the tubs will not be a problem.

I used to have similar boxes and it is amazing how much time you waste taking lids off and putting them back on again and you really notice it when you don't need to do it.

During extended periods (e.g. longer than a month) when I not building anything I will put the lids on, When I start building something I will take the lids off and store them under the desk. Otherwise taking 200+ lids on and off all the time will get annoying fast. There is 100mm between each shelf so there is enough space to allow the lids to be placed on the tubs and for my hand to pick parts.

While I'm on this topic, I should post an update, due to family stuff, I haven't been able to do anything to this desk this week. However I have made a jig for the shelving units to ensure the spacing between the shelves, shelf angles ect is consistent. I have also managed to squeeze another shelf on the wall unit, bringing the total of plastic tubs I'm able to store is 228. I am hoping to start work on my desk next week. I am also hoping to post details of my artic lorry towards the end of next week as well.

[MAB]

That makes sense. I have a roller cupboard (tambour doors) where I keep my tubs like that, so easy enough to pull down the door to prevent any long term dust.

[VBBN]

Found this at Home Depot yesterday for 30$, it's a cool solution if you want your organizers to be more mobile-

The individual bins can be removed, it's obviously not a great tabletop solution, but certainly has its uses.

Also found these for $5 each-

[MxWinters]

On 7/4/2019 at 7:23 PM, MAB said:

That makes sense. I have a roller cupboard (tambour doors) where I keep my tubs like that, so easy enough to pull down the door to prevent any long term dust.

The roller cupboard is a great idea. Not suitable for my use but still a great solution.
 

2 hours ago, VBBN said:

Found this at Home Depot yesterday for 30$, it's a cool solution if you want your organizers to be more mobile-

The individual bins can be removed, it's obviously not a great tabletop solution, but certainly has its uses.

Also found these for $5 each-

Bargin, nice find. Perfect for keeping spare parts in when doing truck trials and shows.

I just thought I let you know I posted a Seperate Topic for my building desk and shelving unit since it is a big DIY project and felt it needed its own thread instead of spamming this one up with updates. Ill post my finished desk in here once done.

[ks6349]

On 7/6/2019 at 1:16 AM, VBBN said:

Found this at Home Depot yesterday for 30$, it's a cool solution if you want your organizers to be more mobile-

The individual bins can be removed, it's obviously not a great tabletop solution, but certainly has its uses.

Also found these for $5 each-

I had similar tray made in Taiwan, it had strong unpleasant plastic smell and I returned it. Hope yours not smelly

On 7/6/2019 at 1:16 AM, VBBN said:

Found this at Home Depot yesterday for 30$, it's a cool solution if you want your organizers to be more mobile-

The individual bins can be removed, it's obviously not a great tabletop solution, but certainly has its uses.

Also found these for $5 each-

$30 for this guy????? Living in USA is really difficult. In Asia it's probably less than $10 for something similar.

Edited July 6, 2019 by ks6349

[evillvi]

hello

for the last few months ive been sorting my Lego collection by color and have now started by type. made this to help me sort but im curious about how those who have sorted before me did it? like what methods did you use? how did you keep pieces separated and so forth.

lego sorter https://imgur.com/a/BbuRB70

Edited October 17, 2019 by evillvi

[mdtvandy]

Has anyone figured out a way to make the Akro-Mils cabinets with drawers more mobile? A cart or something? 

[LucyCol]

16 hours ago, mdtvandy said:

Has anyone figured out a way to make the Akro-Mils cabinets with drawers more mobile? A cart or something? 

Akro-Mils make these dollies for transporting cabinets - they are not cheap

Edited October 24, 2019 by LucyCol

[Clutch Builder]

On 7/3/2019 at 9:57 AM, willrevs said:

Hi does anyone have any tips on efficiently sorting lego, not how to categorise, but just the sorting process in itself?

 

The method in this video is pretty good - I have tried it myself and it seems fairly fast.

[TheLegoDr]

I don't think I ever went over how I sort (not that anyone cares ).

Everyone always says sort by part, then color. Other say color! There is so much rivalry. There are a lot of different ways that will work for a lot of different type of collections/builders.

I have found what works best for me is a -- wait for it -- combination of both by color and by part type! Oh the humanity!

I have three separate areas of pieces (located in the same section mind you). One area is similar to akro mills style drawers on the wall. I am an eye doctor, so I was able to get contact lens bins from the contact lens representatives. They are approximately 1 foot tall x 1.5 feet wide x 6 inches deep containing 9 drawers each. I have 18 of them (and will likely get more). I use these for the small parts that will get lost in the shuffle. I have probably more categories than needed, but I always know where everything is at any given moment, so it works for me. But these categories are by color group AND piece type (like all blues, greens, reds, etc.). So I have drawers separated for plates of varying sizes together (as in all 1x1 blue group together, all 1x2 blue group together, etc.) and repeated with each color group for each size. So if I need a 1x4 or a 1x8 in a specific color, I know where to find it immediately. The only hiccup was the longer 1x12 or 1x10 plates, so those are grouped together by type with a mixture of all colors. Same goes for tiles, with the varying sizes up to 1x6 and 1x8 are mixed to save space. This continues for plate modifieds with hinge clips, flags, 1x1 rounds (trans separated), food items, brackets, snot bricks, etc. I can't really say each and every drawer's contents in this message because we would be here all day. Yes, I likely have too many categories; however, I know these will get lost with the other bins I have, so I keep them separate and know where to find them. My brain certainly works in this structured category system, so if my daughter asks where "x" piece is, I can tell her from across the room what bin to go into.

The second area is larger sterilite drawers from Target. These house the 2x and up plates, separated by size (but colors are together). So 2x2, 2x3, 2x4, etc. To save space, I did put 2x14 into a ziploc and place them in the 2x10 drawer, and likewise the 2x16 into a bag into the 2x12 drawer since there were fewer of them and didn't want to incorporate another drawer. Then we move onto the larger sizes, 4x have their own separate drawers depending on size, then 6x, and so on. I also have round plates into their own drawer, and wedge plates by size into drawers. Like I said, if I need to find something fast, I know exactly what drawer to go into.

The last area is premade shelves that were in the LEGO room before we bought the house. On these shelves I use 12 quart sterilite containers from Walmart. These containers are sorted by piece type within color schemes. Each of these groups are into ziploc bags. So if I have a ton of tan 1x bricks, I have them organized by those sizes. I have slopes, inverted slopes, round brick (if I have a lot in certain colors), brick modified, plate modified, arch, fence (again if I have enough to warrant it, like black), 1x brick, and 2x brick. These are sorted by color groups, so one container may house varying blues, but each blue is sorted into its respective color. So blue, light royal blue, dark blue, medium blue, aqua, etc. Same goes for red, dark red. One is just the varying pinks/purples. I have pearl gold, metallic silver, pearl dark gray. Etc, etc. The list continues ad nauseum.

I have over 300,000 pieces, so it takes up a lot of space. I need to manage it somehow and this worked for my brain. Yes, you have to pull the full sterilite container off of the shelf. Yes, you have to open and re-close ziploc bags so things don't spill out. But it has been a pretty effective use of space for me. I need things by color. I'd be miserable trying to sort out all of the tan 1x bricks from a giant tub of just 1x bricks of all colors. I don't build that chaotically. I build lots of Modulars or castles, so I will need specific colors in large quantities.

Again, it all depends on you and how you build for what will work best for you. With this said, I still hate sorting. I think it is tedious and annoying. I'd much rather build. As monotonous as I like things, I still find sorting to be a bane. But a necessary evil, so it will forever happen until I can't do LEGO anymore.

[scynox]

hello guys,

I think this topic is best place for this question instead of crating a new topic.

for two months I have been looking for some storage solutions like below in Sweden since I moved here. In the past I had similar boxes and they work best since my lego collection is getting big (40k parts total and growing, technic only). Now I have a new space/apartment/room etc and I can collect things again. I found some storage boxes through online but they are very expensive compared to what I paid in my former country. I am looking for cheaper solutions if there is any. I am also fine with price but must have good quality then.

what do you suggest guys? especially from Sweden or some other country but I should be able to order online to here?

thanks

Note: I am not sure if I can insert direct links to some shops etc but hopefully this shall not be a problem.

 

[Jim]

Inserting links is no problem at all 

[gyromuff]

All my sets are built and displayed.   Im a newbie so I still have lots of space.  Good to ser what others are doing though

[Capparezza]

12 hours ago, gyromuff said:

All my sets are built and displayed.   Im a newbie so I still have lots of space.  Good to ser what others are doing though

Oh, you just wait. Juuuuuust wait..... You'll be having your LEGO avalanche sooner or later

I got some of those drawer thingies for free, someone wanted to throw them in the trash so I was out on a rescue mission. I'm still pondering if containers without lids make any sense. In my flat dust is a real problem so I don't want to clean out those bins every now and then. Well, and off go the drawers to the basement where my wood working area is...

Edited January 23, 2020 by Capparezza

[splatman]

6 hours ago, Capparezza said:

In my flat dust is a real problem so I don't want to clean out those bins every now and then. Well, and off go the drawers to the basement where my wood working area is...

Build cabinets with tight-fitting doors for your containers. If you can make it work, use sliding doors. Unlike swinging doors, they will not whip up a dust cloud every time they're opened.

[Capparezza]

Yeah, that will work out if you make it DIY. But my point in case was: I wouldn't buy any storage system with open drawers (pre-fab, that is).

BTW, at the moment I'm using these: Keeeper (or OKT) Crystalbox Cornelia The lid is easily removable and a bit of a loose fit, but even so it keeps out dust just fine!

[Wimee]

I'm using Organizer Caddy XL (375 mm x 50 mm x 225 mm) from Hornbach.

[Wimee]

They also have these organizers in a box.

[splatman]

All I see is a gray Do Not Enter sign.