[UK] I need to pare down my large Technic collection

Huw · July 2014

I've been collecting Technic since I emerged from my dark ages in 1994. I've amassed some 225 sets in that time, apparently. I've kept most of the large ones built and once they'd been displayed for a few months they've been stored in zip-lock bags and in crates in my garage.

Trouble is, I'm running out of space rapidly and thus need to thin them out a bit, keep those I really like, maybe 30-40 or so, and sell the rest.

So before I start looking to put them on eBay or similar, are there any Technic fans here that would be interested in buying them as a collection?

All are 'as new', having been built and then stored and the instructions are as mint as when they came out the box. I don't have the boxes (no room to store them). Stickers have been applied to some sets, mostly the earlier ones, and some of them have subsequently peeled and cracked although I've been surprised to see many that haven't. There will be some inevitable discoloration of white parts in the earlier sets but it's not significant and not as a result of being left in the sun, just of ageing.

If you're interested we can discuss what's included and what isn't, prices, logistics and so on.

BooTheMightyHamster · July 2014

/faints

Oh, but Mrs Boo would kill me, then resurrect me by arcane means, just to be able to kill me again.
I would take that off you in a heartbeat, but I fear for the consequences.
If you decide to split it though, there are a whole bunch that are on my hitlist.

Huw · July 2014

Happy to split, I'm not expecting anyone to be able to take them all. LMK which ones you're after.

I'm likely to keep bikes, cranes, helicopters, forklifts and cool 'diggers' but all the cars, buggies and most others are up for grabs.

BooTheMightyHamster · July 2014

I'll work up a list - cheers!
To anyone else reading - if Huw's letting the #8880 Supercar go, then it's mine, I tell you, MINE!

Huw · July 2014

Yes I think I will let #8880 go. I've just unboxed it, actually, and it's in remarkably good condition, hardly any yellowing of the white pieces.

Huw · July 2014

Here's a fraction of the problem:

More here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/brickset/sets/72157646037277033/

I want to shift everything on the table, and most of what's on the floor. Yes, that is a complete set of Arctic sets there :)

I'm not looking to profit from the sale: I've owned, built, played with and enjoyed the sets but now I have to let them go (to make room for more, probably!) and don't feel they owe me anything, as it were.

There will be some like #8880 which'll be in high demand but I suspect many are not so I'll try and shift those as a job lot.

BooTheMightyHamster · July 2014

Clearly you and I have a a different definition of the word 'problem'.

Huw · July 2014

Here's what I want to shift:

#8851 (1984) Excavator (only one that's not complete, missing tracks)
#8620 (1986) Snow Scooter
#8640 (1986) Polar Copter
#8660 (1986) Arctic Rescue Unit
#8680 (1986) Arctic Rescue Base
#8852 (1987) Robot
#8853 (1988) Excavator
#8862 (1989) Backhoe Grader
#8825 (1990) Night Chopper
#8840 (1990) Rally Shock & Roll Racer
#8810 (1991) Cafe Racer
#8815 (1991) Speedway Bandit
#8820 (1991) Mountain Rambler
#8826 (1992) ATX Sport Cycle
#8828 (1992) Front End Loader
#8836 (1992) Sky Ranger
#8839 (1992) Supply Ship
#8868 (1992) Air Tech Claw Rig
#8818 (1993) Dune Buggy
#8824 (1993) Hovercraft
#8857 (1993) Street Chopper
#8872 (1993) Forklift Transporter
#8808 (1994) F1 Racer
#8812 (1994) Helicopter
#8816 (1994) Off-Roader
#8829 (1994) Dune Blaster
#8880 (1994) Super Car
#8210 (1995) Nitro GTX bike
#8225 (1995) Road Rally V
#8235 (1995) Front End Loader
#8280 (1995) Fire Engine
#8207 (1996) Dune Duster
#8223 (1996) Hydrofoil 7
#8230 (1996) Coastal Cop Buggy
#8286 (1996) 3-In-1 Car
#8408 (1996) Desert Ranger
#8425 (1996) Black Hawk
#8480 (1996) Space Shuttle
#8215 (1997) Gyro Copter
#8216 (1997) Turbo 1
#8222 (1997) VTOL
#8229 (1997) Tread Trekker
#8250 (1997) Search Sub
#8414 (1997) Mountain Rambler
#8437 (1997) Future Car
#8219 (1998) Racer
#8226 (1998) Mud Masher
#8248 (1998) Forklift
#8432 (1998) Concept Car
#8462 (1998) Tow Truck
#8444 (1999) Air Enforcer
#8445 (1999) Indy Storm
#8446 (1999) Crane Truck
#8448 (1999) Super Street Sensation
#8279 (2000) 4WD X-Track
#8457 (2000) Power Puller
#8465 (2001) Extreme Off-Roader
#8466 (2001) 4X4 Off-Roader
#8451 (2003) Dump Truck
#8453 (2003) Front-End Loader
#8454 (2003) Rescue Truck
#8433 (2004) Cool Movers
#8434 (2004) Aircraft
#8435 (2004) 4WD
#8415 (2005) Dump Truck
#8418 (2005) Mini Loader
#8281 (2006) Mini Tractor
#8282 (2006) Quad Bike
#8285 (2006) Tow Truck
#8272 (2007) Snowmobile
#8256 (2009) Go-Kart
#8262 (2009) Quad-Bike
#8264 (2009) Hauler
#8041 (2010) Race Truck
#8046 (2010) Helicopter

LMK what you're interested in and make me an offer.

drdavewatford · July 2014

All those lovely boxes discarded - it's like a dagger to the breast, @Huw. Did you not keep ANY of them ? For shame.

You keeping the Williams F1 ?

CCC · July 2014

What's that I see on the wall? Is it Wills's Railway Locomotives?

Huw · July 2014

Yes it is, I have quite a few sets of Willis's train cards.

Dave, sadly not. Not sure whether to sell the Williams and silver champ or not yet...

Ickelpete · July 2014

Huw you are a bad man there is so much there I would like but am afraid my funds would not be sufficient!
Peter S

Duq · July 2014

Thought I saw 8258 on the floor there but it's not in the list...
If you're selling the Williams or the big Ferrari F1 then I'm definitely interested.
You're selling 8480?? The best Technic set ever? Surely that's a typo...

For people who want an easy view of the list:
http://brickset.com/search?query=8851-1,8620-1,8640-1,8660-1,8680-1,8852-1,8853-1,8862-1,8825-1,8840-1,8810-1,8815-1,8820-1,8826-1,8828-1,8836-1,8839-1,8868-1,8818-1,8824-1,8857-1,8872-1,8808-1,8812-1,8816-1

http://brickset.com/search?query=8829-1,8880-1,8210-1,8225-1,8235-1,8280-1,8207-1,8223-1,8230-1,8286-1,8408-1,8425-1,8480-1,8215-1,8216-1,8222-1,8229-1,8250-1,8414-1,8437-1,8219-1,8226-1,8248-1,8432-1,8462-1

http://brickset.com/search?query=8444-1,8445-1,8446-1,8448-1,8279-1,8457-1,8465-1,8466-1,8451-1,8453-1,8454-1,8433-1,8434-1,8435-1,8415-1,8418-1,8281-1,8282-1,8285-1,8272-1,8256-1,8262-1,8264-1,8041-1,8046-1

Huw · July 2014

Thanks Duq. 8258 is staying. 8480 is cool, but it's white and white discolours. I had to replace the 1x16 beams 10 years ago and I haven't rebuilt or looked at it since.

Ickelpete · July 2014

I agree with duq I am surprised to see 8480 in the list also 8868, 8880 and 8448 all of which I have been looking for in good condition for years.

Supersympa · July 2014

Brings back so much memories!
I had a few of those sets in the 80's and i played and played so much with those...

Huw · July 2014

^^ Yes they are all great sets, but there is only a finite amount of space in my house! They've been in storage for years and although it would be great to get them out to display them, my cabinets are full with newer stuff.

As I said above I've enjoyed owning them but now I'm happy to let someone else do the same.

They are in pretty much perfect condition so by all means make me an offer! I'd rather they went to a Bricksetter's good home for less than I might get in auction, than a potential trader if I put them on eBay.

SirKevbags · July 2014

I never even look at new Technic sets but I may have to buy #8680 which I owned as a boy just for the nostalgia.

Ickelpete · July 2014

Huw I will send you an. Email when I get home.

Schwallex · July 2014

This might be a dumb question since I can guess your answer, "I don't have any spare time at all", but still: have you not considered simply taking the models apart?

A single Billy bookcase easily accomodates up to 100k parts. In fact, all my Technic stuff is neatly tucked away on a single shelf. That's 26 sets plus some 10k loose parts, so very much on par with what I'm seeing in your images. With those parts I can build absolutely any set at all released in the last eight years or so, plus a few select ones going further back. And yours cover a much larger time period still. Literally pounds of rare parts, and in pristine condition, too. Sounds like a keeper.

Plus, taking apart so many models at once will actually save you a great deal of time, as opposed to sorting in a set at a time every three months, as us mere mortals do. Synergy FTW.

And even with no time at all, you can hire someone to do it for you for a serving of fish and chips. I know I'd do it.

Huw · July 2014

You make a fair point. I guess one has to question whether, having taken them apart, one would ever build them again and thus is it worth holding onto them? Particularly given that there's a constant stream of newer, cooler, better Technic sets every year.

I do exactly as you suggest with my regular 'System' sets but even that has got to the stage where I'm running out of room to stack the storage boxes they are kept in.

Wiseman_2 · July 2014

A lot of nice sets there, and I'd like to make an offer on a couple of them; but while I've been using Brickset for years, I've only just gotten around to joining the forum, so I'm not sure on the established procedure for doing so, and I'd certainly appreciate a pointer in the right direction :)

CCC · July 2014

^ Click Huw's name, then on the next page click "Message". That will allow you to send him a message.

Do not enter you message on the page right after clicking on his name, as that is writing on his "wall".

Huw · July 2014

Yes that is the way to do it, but... Schwallex might be onto something. My motivation for selling is space, not money, and given I'd have to take many of them apart to post I might as well dismantle them and store in as little space as possible.

The thought of digging out instructions and sticker sheets, finding boxes, packing, traipsing to the post office, paying a King's ransom for postage and so on is also putting me off.

So, for now, at least, the sale is off.

I'm sorry for wasting everyone's time and getting hopes up but at least posting this has helped me achieve clarity about what I want to do with it all: I'm going to dismantle and bag up individual sets released before 2004 and for the > 2004 (new grey) sets, assimilate the parts into my collection given that those I was planning to dispose of are not much good anyway :)

Thank you @Schwallex.

Schwallex · July 2014

@Huw: it's cool, if anyone gets offended or sad, you can just put the blame on me. (^_^)

But I'm sure everyone will understand. People have been there and know how it works.

1. First you frantically collect everything, amassing a collection the size of a small sun.
2. Then one fine day you can't sleep at night thinking, "great Scott, what have I done?"
3. Then you frantically sell everything, parting with a collection the size of a large planet. Maybe even doing a little dance, and thinking how for once, "Step 3: Profit!" actually applies.
4. Then one fine day you can't sleep at night thinking, "great Scott, what have I done?!"

The only difference between 4 and 2 is that you have enough room for a bed to weep in. A negligible and fleeting consolation at best, since the very next step is, invariably, "goto 1".

zipsforbananas · July 2014

I totally understand, I'd have loved to get #8868 back, but not at the expense of causing a far bigger AFOL than me to fall for that dreaded stage 4 that I felt with Lego, Scalextric and Star Wars action figures after my teenage guitar-hoarding years. :D

Duq · July 2014

Hmm... Let me talk to my legal team about this...

You probably made the right choice. If you change your mind in future you know where to find me.
At least now I have more pocket money for my trip to Windsor and Westfield in a few weeks time ;-)

Ickelpete · July 2014

I completely agree with your decision I am sure you would have regretted it after a few months.

[UK] I need to pare down my large Technic collection

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