Bearded Castle Guy

How easy this is to do depends upon how BIG the PaB wall is, for smaller walls this would work, for one like the MoA LIC (MPLS) not so much , especially since there are a few parts from my photo set that I've added 3 or 4 times now.... I don't necessarily wish to purchase one of each of these parts, especially since some of the parts I've been starting to get allow stacking (aka they're not tiles or cheese slopes)for maximum cost effective ratio. I just fit a decent amount of bins into a photo and went click (most shots hold 24 bins in a 4 by 6 pattern, camera turned sideways). A few bins, mostly black are.. indistinct but I just shot a pics moved, framed shot the next one (some bins benefit from the overhead lighting more than other bins). A couple of the bins I'm going to leave un-updated as I don't remember the contents and the mass of black didn't turn out a recognizable shape. Next time I'll know to get a close up of any black pieces or others that look likely to show up as a dark indistinct mass (some of the dark brown parts were this way). It's taken me a fair bit of time to get all the pieces entered so far and I've got 20ish more to go but i wanted to see it a bit more... accurate even if it's likely already changed somewhat already

PaB walls seem to run in 'bursts' as well, the day of or right after a shipment of fresh boxes the selection improves. I believe that selection various based on whats available in their order cycle as what they can order does change periodically. I've done a partial BrickBuildr update of the Minneapolis LIC tonight and will finish later this week. Bear in mind I collected my photos late on Sunday afternoon so the selection has a number of duplicates that will likely be consolidated when they get a chance to refill the bins on a less busy day/fresh shipments come in.

If you want to be sure you remember everything for updating purposes, take a digital camera and then take photos... It can be a pain to do that a lot tho...

I've gotten $2 bills in change from a local gas station, I know they used them for years, I tend to use a credit card now so am not sure if they still use them or not.

TRU varies their sales weekly, sadly the set I'd be most likely to buy is 30% this week with a magnet that holds little interest compared to week 2 or week 3 magnet sets.

I suspect that a large part of why LEGO has split releases into two major release waves is twofold: One, production capacity, it's not infinite at any one point, nor is permanent expansion of it cheap, especially if said capacity goes unused later. Two, Purchase saturation (or if you prefer overload) too many new sets at once impacts overall sales (say if they only released one major release wave a year). I'd hope that we'd retain some level of a 'Castle' line even if LOTR does wind up being licensed for production. I do recall Space have some gaps in releases during the Star Wars age but I could be mistaken. Personally I believe that they've found that a summer wave release for Castle works for sales of the line, it has enough 'draw' that the calendar release date of info at the New year changeover isn't required. So to me this lack of information doesn't concern me in the slightest. I *LIKE* Kingdoms and would be sad if it's a 2 waves and gone sub-theme for Castle but I think there pretty much always be a Castle theme of some sort. It's possible that there may be even be gaps in the theme, although I hope that they learned their lesson in ignoring a core theme. I am quite excited over the 10223 Kingdoms Joust announcement, it's either a nice send-off to the Line or a strong addition to a continuing Line, but it'll be a while before we find out which it truly is.

Well the link to the 'local' reseller is an Australian based company so I expect he's there. Perhaps Jonwil might be able to order some from on of the US or other area's resellers since his doesn't stock the parts he wants.

I was afraid they'd be glued :( You should be able to minimize the effects from the glue from the legs to torso connection, fortunately none of these 'figs have any leg printing. I may still try and pick up a couple of these (weeks 2 and 3) but am unlikely to to bother with multiples of either of them as I had originally thought I'd try for..... Conservation of my dollars I guess, not a bad thing.

I'm too lazy to dig out links but I know there's at least a few pics of the MoA LIC Mecha on Flickr. MoA, LIC or perhaps TwinLug would be good tags to search under... The MoA store also has those cubby's.

I know some of the local folks have pictures of the Mall of America (MoA, in Minnesota) LEGO Imagination Center over on Flickr, both pre and post Remodel. The two biggest most impressive display's to me are the gaint Mecha (manned robot) on the top and the version of Brickley that basically runs the length of one side of the store.

The term K boxes has been around awhile and it *Does* refer to the various boxes that single parts are stored/shipped in, such as used for filling a PaB wall. From what I recall fans learned about the term from factory/theme park model shop tours (as I recall it was around the time Carlsbad opened or a bit afterwards I first recall hearing the term) and/or from model builders. So it may be more a non-store level term or usage may have changed internally without us outside fan knowing that it has. I have some memories of there being different sizes of K boxes, such as a K7 or K8. A bunch of the discussion happened over on Lugnet back when so if someone wanted to do a more in depth research of the history of the term that's where I'd start searching.

USA, week of 9-4 to 9-10 Target has City themed sets on sale. The Minneapolis/ST Paul version of the AD has Prisoner Transport and Satellite Launch Pad for $15.

I just got a 1974 Value pack (containing Smugglers Hayride, StarQuest and FireCracker USA subsets). Box is a bit smushed and the seals open but before they took the photos I suspect it was MISB, the Instructions are just pristine looking like they've never even been unfolded. It's the way it was packed that leads to think that the box damage from packaging, no matter I don't usually buy sets for their boxes. I do plan on photographing the various sub bags as it's rare to be able to document bag details from a set this old. I also found a London Escape for $38.48 that will donate it's pieces to the med-evil collective pile of pieces(except the fleshie 'fig parts, those will be segregated due to lack of proper application).

In regards to the assorted bags earlier, the fact that the various wedges were only form one side is part of why I was thinking grab bags... Wedges in a PaB wall, I have NEVER seen them mix parts deliberately in a PaB bin at the local store, I've seen them pull the last few pieces from a bin and fill it with a completely different part. I assume the last few pieces went to to where ever they stockpile the parts for the grab bags until they are ready to fill them.

It appears they were used as part of a diorama, since it's just glue where the bottom of the feet holes are, the Torso's and heads were removable just like normal. I am fairly pleased with the buy, if I get unlazy I may line them up for a photo, but that just may not happen We'll see how it goes. Oh, I also got a single Red lance, looking on Bricklink it was only in a single Oriental Expedition set 7414 (that set came with 2, they were used as part of the attachment for the cart the elephant pulled). Despite that they go cheaply, 1 cent or 2 cents on the bottom end prices, for new ones....

Well they're not sorted and the picture quality is meh but here are some 'Recent Recruits' The Lion Knights here are slightly outnumbered by the Dragon Knights atm....

Confirmation! Excellent! TY Hartfan for sharing that (my LEGO magazines tend to ship later than most for some reason). I can only hope the local TRU reopens before Bricktober happens, I expect it to but who knows (it's converting to a TRU/Babies R US by absorbing the next store space over on one side). Want week 2 and week 3 ones for sure, maybe week 4 if I haven't blown my budget by then...

Two ideas: Grab Bags, they look like it at least but the ones I've seen usually have a added price sticker (but I'm in the US). Usually Grab bags are made up of the pieces picked up off the floor, sets that have been busted open (in transit or returns, etc) and the like. The other possibility is I've heard that most(some?) of the Euro based PaB is done by WEIGHT not by the cup. Since I've never been over there I cannot say for sure if this would be the correct bag for that or is they have minifig parts in said selection. The bags DO look longer than any I've seen used for Grab Bags but I can recall at least 3 different designs now, and I don't see them that often (too frequent visits are bad for the pocket!)

I'd personally say that's a safe assumption...

I've just received about 30 used castle 'figs from an online purchase. Some have accessories, some don't. Used means a few have GLUE in their feet... and the remains of cardboard or a thin corkboard on the bottom of that (the pics failed to show that). At least it looks like HOT glue which should be relatively easy to remove given it's fairly soft as glues go once dried (and they are part of the 'rabble' anyways. It appears like it's only 2 with the glue so that'll be easy to deal with later. Five Black Falcons (with shields). Three Crusaders (Four shields). Five Dragon Masters (Two shields). Nine asst generic Armored torso's (though one is obviously Fright knight in origin). Two Orcs. One Fright Knight. Other Assorted rabble. In said rabble there is a Princess Storm Torso, the arms have been switched out at some point tho. Five black Bullet helms as well :) Not bad all at under $2.45 per 'fig on average (inc shipping).

PM sent.

I find that can Never have too many tiles, you have some varieties there that I cannot say I've seen at the local PaB wall but I get there on a hit or miss roughly monthly cycle. When I see a tile I haven't gotten before I tend to get a bunch if I can, uncommon colors or pieces don't last long on the local PaB wall so i have to grab them when I see them. In general my view I don't want that cup to even rattle, if it does I failed to pack it tight enough :) I pay the same if I fill the small spaces or not and I don't like paying for 'air' in my cup. If I cannot use the small pieces I can trade them or even give them to my nephews....

Castle is a 'Core' theme for LEGO for a reason, it does have a passionate following, it may not get the fancy TV commercials these days but still does well, I'll shop a store and they have a nice supply of Kingdoms and the next visit their shelf will be empty. Kingdoms is fantastic overall, it is better than the jellybean knights for sure.... I like the fact that Kingdom's has a modern yet classic vibe to it. The new minifigs while a bit busier on the prints are nice, and having some non military variety is key to me. I've had a few other priorities for my LEGO budget so far (clearance sales!) so haven't picked up all the new line yet, but I will be doing so. The Kings Carriage Ambush is one that I feel is a bit high for what it is, but I'll still get at least one, I've already got multiples of the 2 smaller sets from this years Kingdom's release.

@hoboman The Target I shop got a single shipment in with the Target Practice in, ever since any resupply has been the 30080 Ninja Flyer and there is the basically never selling Toy Story and Atlantis poly's taking up space as well... The Target my sister in-law shops had two shipments in the same time frame, I suspect people in your area just are not buying the Target Practice poly's so you still have stock, since the time I found the ones i bought I've been in... seven different locations, ZERO Target Practice poly's.... If you think there is any chance of you wanting them, buy them while you can.... In general, just a reminder, Target uses the same SKU # for whichever polybag's they are sticking on the registers. This mean you cannot just take the receipt, get the number and have them check other stores. You'd get the quantity of that SKU but the register lumps the Toy Story, Atlantis, NinjaGo, the Target Practice or any other variety into that total and there is NO way to know how many of any particular poly any location has lumped into that assortment number. I've tried already.....

I've heard that their first meeting went well.