62Bricks

Are you constraining yourself to new parts only? Those toothed toggle parts are about ten cents each on the used market. Probably the closest current parts are the notched hinge parts 30552 and 30553 which allow you to set two axles at a wide variety of angles. They lack the hole at the joint through which you can place a pin or another axle, so you'd have to build around that. There is also 41532, which would allow you to connect a hinged axle to a pin hole (using 30553) with a friction pin. That restricts rotation to a certain degree. You can also achieve angles of 30-degree increments using 57585 and some straight axle joiners:

As has been noted in other threads, the retail prices for sets at the LEGO stores in Manhattan are higher than at other stores. The PAB prices are the same as other stores, however, so that is still a good deal depending on the parts. The Rockefeller Plaza store is smaller in size than many other LEGO stores and is always crowded. The new Flatiron store is more roomy. This can make a difference if you're camped in front of the PAB wall for an hour or so filling cups.

You can skip the bulbs and just turn that backdrop around to catch natural light from the window. If it's too bright and casts shadows, try adjusting the blinds, moving your setup out of the direct sunlight, or taping a piece of parchment or waxed paper on the window to diffuse the light. Find out how to set the white balance on your camera, like others have suggested. If you don't have a tripod, use a tabletop and a stack of books to steady your camera so you can take longer exposures. Also, use the macro setting on your camera. It will give you better results for close-up photos. Another idea - get a large piece of paper or flexible cardstock and create a smooth backdrop. Tape one edge along the top of your backdrop and let it curve down to the bottom surface. That covers up the seam between the straight backdrop and the bottom surface and creates an "infinite" backdrop. My setup cost me almost nothing - a reused cardboard box with three sides cut away, a few pieces of printer paper taped on the inside surfaces to reflect the light and reduce shadows, and a bright white piece of cardstock for a backdrop. I'm not saying my photos are professional-quality, but just those few simple things really make a difference.

It is definitely a high-rent location, right on a corner across from a very busy park and one of the most iconic buildings in the city. Lots of tourists, but as I say, there was more looking than buying when I was there.

No, the list prices are higher than at other LEGO stores.

"What project are you working on?" and "What are you building?" must be in the new employee handbook because I have been asked this question at every one of the 5 different LEGO stores I have visited. It's nice that they are training their customers to show interest. I visited the new Flatiron location in New York a couple times this week and got the usual friendly help. Because it's a new store, some of the staff were brand-new and not quite up to speed. I was a little disappointed that on my first visit I was given a promo brick with my purchase, but not on the second visit the next day. I asked the clerk if they had any more of the promo bricks and she said "Oh, no, we ran out of those..." as if they had been gone for a long time. It was a very busy store, but for all the traffic there was not very much actual buying going on. I was only buying from the PAB wall, as the prices on everything else were higher than at most stores.

Happy to have spotted these in a recent ebay auction: Rare red waffle bottom 6x8 plate. A little chipped on one corner. Some classic tabbed windows:

Yes, full-spectrum LEDs also emit UV. Encapsulated CFLs emit less UV than a 60-watt incandescent.

On the left is a handful of old light gray 2x2 dishes with one light bluish gray mixed in, illuminated by incandescent bulbs. On the right are the same dishes under a full-spectrum compact fluorescent lamp. The full-spectrum light really helps distinguish the shades of gray on small parts. It works great for culling out old yellowed parts, as well. Works even better with brown/dark brown/reddish brown. Also highlights the differences in the modern white pieces - I didn't notice the variation in these tiles when I was standing at the PAB wall. When I got them home under the full spectrum light, I can tell some are of a more bluish hue: And if you are trying to distinguish old CA pieces, it helps contrast the difference in color and appearance. (ABS on the left, CA on the right)

I'm in the American Midwest and the closest store to me is in Kansas City. I'd like to see one in Omaha, Nebraska or Des Moines, Iowa. The next closest is in Minneapolis, Minnesota and Chicago.

It is normal, but it's not really wasted, as the plastic can be re-melted and made into more pieces.

There is no federal sales tax in the US

I just ran across another example - the old 6x8 waffle bottom plates are pretty common in white and sell for about 40 cents US on average. They are scarce in red, however. The most recent red one sold for $36!

There is a second LEGO store opening in Manhattan soon. Perhaps it will have prices more in line with stores in the rest of the country.

That logic appeals to me.

Yes, I know what Bricklink's definition is, but other sites, like Brickset, don't make a distinction at all. I'm wondering what actual Castle fans and collectors think.

The Castle theme has been around since 1978. Bricklink calls the sets before 1982 "Classic Castle" - what is the distinction between these sets and later sets? Is there a different point where Castle collectors draw the line for the "classic" period?

What I have done in similar situations is simply revise the listing or post answers to questions as part of the listings. I had an ebay situation where I was selling a vintage Forestman minifig that had also been re-released as part of a collectible set. I got a few questions about whether I was sure it was original and not the re-release. Since I got it in a bulk lot I could not be 100% certain, but in the same lot were other forestmen figures and pieces from the forestmen set the figure came in originally (like the printed baseplate) so I was 99% sure it was vintage. I just spelled out everything I knew about where I got it and let the buyers decide.

It's true there is not much demand for Bionicle parts right now. However in ten years or so those kids who grew up playing with them will be into their 30s which is when a lot of people tend to start looking to acquire the toys they had as kids. You can see that now with the high prices Classic Space sets are bringing. So maybe hold on to those bins of Bionicle parts for another decade. They might be worth the price of shipping by then...

Mostly just bricks and plates in the wall, but I get as much in white and the more muted colors whenever I can.

At the Oak Park Mall store in Overland Park, Kansas this weekend: Cup 1 (about 700 pieces): Cup 2 (about 1250 pieces, lots of clear cheese slopes): Cup 3 (about 875 pieces):

Count me in, please! [Edit to meet the new requirements:] I've been an AFOL since before there was such a term. I've also published a book on the history of NYC, so taking a trip to New York for a LEGO event is a double attraction for me.

I think August 24th was the last day for the mini cooper bag offer. The Chima bag started on August 25th.

The site goes down once a day for maintenance, usually around midnight eastern US time. It also goes down periodically for a few hours a week for maintenance. If you visit the site shortly before one of the scheduled outages you'll get a message about it, but while it is out you just get a server error.

In the case of an actual claim, you would have to substantiate either the market or replacement value of the collection (depending on the type of insurance coverage you have) so there would be no question of whether the insurance company believed you. The secondary market is large enough to document what it would cost to replace your sets.