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This is probably old hat for many on this forum, but I have this nerdy impulse to see how I can get the most lego pieces into a pick-a-brick container. I'm sure everyone who has purchased one of these containers full of lego pieces has their own methods to pack in the bricks, but I thought it might be interesting to see what those methods are for future personal reference.
A few years ago, I had an opportunity to go to Orlando, FL for a convention our company was putting on. It was my first opportunity to actually visit a Lego Store, which was a very pleasant experience. As a gift for one of my kids who was into legos, I decided to purchase him a large pick-a-brick cup filled with miscellaneous lego pieces. Being a combination of nerdy, curious, and penny-pinching, I decided to experiment (in the store) to determine how I could get the most parts into a single cup.
My ultimate solution in the store was to snap the large pieces together into a single larger unit and then fill in the voids between these larger units with smaller pieces. I figured doing that would eliminate the most "empty space" in the cup. In hindsight, I wonder if it might have been more efficient not to snap the pieces together because there are voids in the back of the individual pieces that could hold partial pieces (and in some cases whole pieces). That said, snapping pieces into other pieces does fill some of the void the other pieces. (Yes...I am a nerd for even bringing all this up).
This discussion is a bit off the wall, but I am just curious how those who consider themselves professionals at this sort of thing pack the cups.
Moved to Buying/Selling by YC 1/29/12
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A Lego Discovery center is opening up about 10 miles from me...they have a Lego store there, does anybody know if they have PAB there as well? (I heard that Lego doesn't run the store, that Merlin Entertainment does)
We are getting a Lego store this spring that is about 40-45 minutes away and need all the info I can get...
http://brickupdate.com/images/120123_lego_pick_a_brick4.jpg
These are typically given out during the holidays. You have to spend xx+ amount in order to receive one PAB box. Sometimes, you might be able to get more than on PAB box with your LEGO purchase. Speaking of a LEGO Store, the city of Vancouver is also getting a LEGO store in April.
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/2253/holiday-pick-a-brick-boxes
Not to go off topic, but what are the dimensions of these boxes? Does the purchaser get to pack them or are they handed out in packed condition by store employees?
Outside of the holiday giveaways, the best bargain, if you have kids, is to have a birthday party at a Lego store. They offer the boxes at $5 a pop as party favors, and you can usually buy extras so its like getting large PAB cups for $5 each instead of the regular $14.95.
And with that said, I am actually off to the Lego Store right now to fill up a bunch of the holiday boxes.
The Holiday boxes can be filled from the day after Christmas until the end of March. The birthday boxes can be filled anytime.
Until now, I've only known about the cups. I've got to get some boxes!!
I've walked out twice now without them marking the boxes, and yes they know I'm doing it, and really, I'm the honest type so it doesn't matter, I just throw the boxes away when I get home.
I have used them for temp storage of parts when I am done using them at a store.
I believe that doing the "right thing" has brought me many blessings in life, it draws like minded good people to my world and circle and keeps bad people at a distance. I'm sure that sounds crazy to some people, but truthfully I live a blessed life, why would I want to mess it up with bad Karma?
Tiles are great space fillers especially small ones. The lime 1x2s I added just as filler yesterday would have costed £7 on BL, pretty good for an £11 cup!
I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. Keeping them at the same price despite inflation increases just isn't realistic. Apparently the Build-A-Minifigure prices have increased as well.
Sigh.