Show us your Working Place/LEGO room

[JGW3000]

Since we moved to a town with an IKEA, my 'hobby' budget has gone down, but we now have lots of inexpensive furniture designed by Scandinavians in our house (and most of it is useful, including the one that caused the shoulder injury ). Options for building working areas with stuff from IKEA is almost overwhelming.

[legolijntje]

Now I need to get me some of those handy storage-drawer-unit-thingies.

I can really recommend the VarioPlus series which you can buy here. They're relatively cheap (the non-metal versions), they ship very fast to The Netherlands (from Germany I believe) and they're certainly not bad.

I currently have 17 (most of which are the standard cheapest layout) and I'm actually planning to buy a few more next week or so. I can take a few pictures if you want

[Jim]

I can really recommend the VarioPlus series which you can buy here. They're relatively cheap (the non-metal versions), they ship very fast to The Netherlands (from Germany I believe) and they're certainly not bad.

I currently have 17 (most of which are the standard cheapest layout) and I'm actually planning to buy a few more next week or so. I can take a few pictures if you want

Thanks man. Great tip! You made my day. They seem a lot cheeper than other systems.

One or more pictures would be great.

[legolijntje]

Thanks man. Great tip! You made my day. They seem a lot cheeper than other systems.

One or more pictures would be great.

Sure. I'll add a little background info too while I'm at it. It's the workspace topic after all and not the "Here's-a-picture-of-a-drawer-system" topic

Here is the workspace in all it's 'glory':

The 3 on the most-left all contain beams and liftarms, then there's 1 with axles and then 1 with all kinds of connectors. The one around the corner (with a lamp on top) is for all the pins and the one at the right of that one for all gears and misc. stuff. The last 6 are for bricks, plates and slopes.

Note that I have a lot of the older version the VarioPlus. At one point I wanted to buy a few more when I saw they updated their VarioPlus system (the current version). Luckily they are compatible with each other.

16L beams only fit in the 'medium' drawers:

I bought 1 drawer-thingy with 4 big, open drawers. They are big and easily accessible (open front) which makes them perfect for the often-needed pins:

Note that that the one with pins is a little higher than the standard version. This is the only drawback I can find so far with the VarioPlus series: they have a lot of different layouts, but they don't all have the same dimensions, which makes it a little difficult to mix them.

So, that's a very basic overview of my storage system. There's a lot more going on (for example the 2 small boxes under the beams drawers and there's a bunch more not on any of the images), but I don't have the time to give a full overview and I'm not very good in writing anyway

I plan on changing the system a bit though. I've bought quite a lot Lego lately (and planning on buying some more this year) and the focus is mainly on Technic. So, I'm planning on buying a few more of these VarioPlus drawers and put the bricks, plates and slopes in here. I don't use them very often and it creates more space for Technic parts.

As you can see I'm very organized. That's also a bit part of my personality, I guess I kinda like organizing things (not only Lego!). It's almost a seperate part of the Lego hobby I like on its own.

All images are here (altough most of them are also posted above).

[TinkerBrick]

The Allit Vario Series is just perfect. I use 4 of those on my desk.

[Jay Psi]

Old desk pic

I have the same desk in that exact configuration (my Lego space is pretty much what I get from opening the extra section), but my current chair it just too wide to swing around freely without it's armrests or sides hitting something. Would you kindly point me in the direction of that beauty you used to or still do park your rear on?

Edited February 26, 2016 by Jay Psi

[Alasdair Ryan]

Here is the workspace in all it's 'glory':

What.... he actually has some "Lego".

Now this might be just me that thinks this,but are you not just wasting a lot of money on parts bin to sort out your collection when you don't actually build anything.....Just spend the money on sets.

[legolijntje]

What.... he actually has some "Lego".

Now this might be just me that thinks this,but are you not just wasting a lot of money on parts bin to sort out your collection when you don't actually build anything.....Just spend the money on sets.

Well, it's just a matter of how you spent it. Yes, I could've spend it on Lego, or on food, or on electronics, or gave it to you, or whatever, but I choose this and I'm happy with it.

Sorting and organizing stuff is, idk, quite relaxing for me. I've recently bought a wireless headphone (I got crazy of those wires ) and it's very enjoyable and relaxing to put up some music and then sort stuff, or experiment a bit with parts or just build someone else's model (which is more often the case ).

[Geekphysique]

I have injured my back, so today I am building at my table. Can't complain about the surroundings though!

[Dafgek81]

Very nice aquarium you have there.

[Geekphysique]

Thank you! It's my other money devouring hobby.

[Dafgek81]

Yep I know, have a smaller version myself.

[Paul B Technic]

Enjoying a small person free building day.

[Jim]

Note that that the one with pins is a little higher than the standard version. This is the only drawback I can find so far with the VarioPlus series: they have a lot of different layouts, but they don't all have the same dimensions, which makes it a little difficult to mix them.

I'm about to order some of these boxes.

This one seems to have the same dimensions as the others (305 x 170 x 435 mm):

http://v-shop-online.com/allit-varioplus-ladenkasten/varioplus-basic-d-21-kleinteilemagazin.html

I'm thinking of mixing these:

http://v-shop-online.com/allit-varioplus-ladenkasten/varioplus-basic-54-kleinteilemagazin.html

http://v-shop-online.com/allit-varioplus-ladenkasten/varioplus-basic-44-kleinteilemagazin.html

http://v-shop-online.com/allit-varioplus-ladenkasten/varioplus-basic-d-21-kleinteilemagazin.html

http://v-shop-online.com/allit-varioplus-ladenkasten/varioplus-basic-d-34-kleinteilemagazin.html

[Kristof]

^ Jim, legolintje,

I have bad experience with cheaper plastic frame organizers - pulling the drawers is sometimes very inconvenient, they don't slide evenly and tend to catch (which results in myself pulling harder and when it releases, all the content blows out...) - Isn't this the case? Because otherwise it looks like perfect purchase :)

[legolijntje]

^ Jim, legolintje,

I have bad experience with cheaper plastic frame organizers - pulling the drawers is sometimes very inconvenient, they don't slide evenly and tend to catch (which results in myself pulling harder and when it releases, all the content blows out...) - Isn't this the case? Because otherwise it looks like perfect purchase :)

Personally, I don't have that problem. Although the drawers in the older version (which isn't available anymore) were made of a better, sturdier plastic, I don't have that problem with the newer version either.

Although, when you stuff the drawer too full, the parts in it might get the drawer stuck (because, well, it's too full). But that's not a problem with the organizers, that's a problem with your collection being too large

Well, actually, there's 1 model (in my collection) where's there's a little bit of the problem you describe. Some models (including the 'basic' model) have a middle support pillar, for example this one. Some don't, like this one (see the part with the small drawers. not the big ones). The ones without a center-pillar have reinforced 'floors' with several horizontal reinforcement pieces. The drawers have a little plastic edge at the back to make it possible for them to hang without falling out. However, that plasic edge might get stuck behind those extra support pillars when you pull the drawers out and 'downwards'. So, the ones with a center pillar don't have this problem.

It's difficult to explain (especially in English, which is not my main language) and it doesn't affect all models and it's only when you pull the drawer in a certain way. I personally don't really mind, I almost never have a problem with it.

[Kristof]

^ You explained it eloquently ;) Thanks. I'm now strongly considering buying these.

[Edwin Korstanje]

I experiance the same with the plastic drawers, got also the metal version with hard plastic draws don't have that problem.

[Kristof]

^ Yeah, same for me. If only the metal ones were cheaper and easier to get...

[Jim]

I experiance the same with the plastic drawers, got also the metal version with hard plastic draws don't have that problem.

I don't doubt that they are much better!

However, I do need a lot of 'em and I don't want to fork out 500 euros for new storage containers. So, if you have an address for cheap metal ones.....yes please

[dr_spock]

I have a hard plastic frame organizer with hard plastic drawers. The drawers don't stick like soft plastic drawers in plastic frame. I don't close the soft plastic drawers all the way into the "click" point. It is easier to pull out without the hard pull spilling contents. The soft plastic ones are cheaper and leaving more $$$ for buying LEGO.

[DrJB]

I have injured my back, so today I am building at my table. Can't complain about the surroundings though!

Absolutely gorgeous. Is that a fresh or salt water tank? Can't really tell from the picture. The light intensity and colors say saltwater but the plants say fresh water. Which one is it? Also, that looks like a 210G tank, correct?

Edited March 5, 2016 by DrJB

[Dafgek81]

I guess fresh water.

[John Daniels]

I use plastic drawer units from Akro-Mills, they seem to be of pretty high quality. When I first purchased them I had to remove some extra plastic on 10% of the drawers, which was left over from the molding process. Now all of the drawers slide smoothly. Here is a link; Akro-Mills.com I use the 26 and 44 drawer units. I'm not sure if they are available across the pond, but I highly recommend them.

[Geekphysique]

Absolutely gorgeous. Is that a fresh or salt water tank? Can't really tell from the picture. The light intensity and colors say saltwater but the plants say fresh water. Which one is it? Also, that looks like a 210G tank, correct?

Fresh, it's 185 US gallons.

Here's a video:

I do enjoy building in this room, but there are hazards as my cats often steal pieces!