I can't make heads or tales of anything!

[willy431]

Bought a huge lot of mixed sets. No manuals. And the figures are a complete mess...even arms--hands and seperate legs are off! I snapped a few pics of the strange shapes and some print hoping someone might recognize something so I can try to pull some sets out of this mess! Even a theme would help so I can start looking on brickset or bricklink.

Thanks for any help!

[Guest betsy805]

This is why you have kids. Groom them to do this.

 

Just set the box in front of them and say - separate and then you get to eat dinner.

This.  My kids get a penny for each megablock or nonlego item they find.  Child labor at its finest

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

This.  My kids get a penny for each megablock or nonlego item they find.  Child labor at its finest

 

You have them throw it in the trash right?

[Guest eightbrick]

Unbelievable! We need to get the brothers mack to add another tier to your award shelf. You are such an asset to this forum. Thank you so much!

Thanks. I have a bunch of school stuff I need to work on so it might be awhile before I can work on picture two or the rest of FCB's stuff: my apologies for that, sorry. I know where most of the pieces are from in pic 2 but it takes awhile to gather links and write it out.

[Guest eightbrick]

Anyway... here's what I saw that hasn't been covered yet. Dates and set numbers are specific to the item's color/printing:

First Picture:

• The black quarter-circles appear in two Alpha Team sets (circa 2002); 4788 Ogel Mutant Ray and 4795 Ogel Underwater Base: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30117&in=S
• The light gray LURP (Little Ugly Rock Piece) appears in 8 sets (circa 1996-2002): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=6083&in=S
• The black wall corner with stone printing (circa 1988-1995) appears in 7 sets, all castle: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2345pb06&in=S
• The massive light bluish gray panel with the window in the middle (2004-2006) is found in 6 sets in that color (All Knight's Kingom 2). In black (above it in pic), it is found 3 sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=48490&in=S
• The 12 by 12 baseplate with a little thing on each corner (2001-2004) is found in two sets in dark bluish gray and four sets in black. Mostly used as a base for junorized buildings like Jack Stone: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30645&in=S
• The plain black corner of a wall is found in 18 sets (mostly classic castle): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=48490&in=S
• The dark gray strangely shaped doorway (1997-2001) is found 7 sets (either castle or Jurassic Park Studios): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30101&in=S
• The light grey vehicle cab with two seats is found in 4 sets in that color, all from the Adventurers theme: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30149&in=S
• The black tower -like piece with one window is found in 7 sets (again mostly castle): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30246&in=S
• The black castle turret/battlement appears in 12 sets (Castle and Time Cruisers): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=6066&in=S
• And lastly the trailer base/ramp (with two tracks) in light gray appears in 4 1999 Town sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30263&in=S

Phew...

Picture 2:

• The black wing with the "Air Show" sticker is found only in set 6582 Daredevil Flight Squad (1999, Extreme Team): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30119pb02&in=S
• The brown wagon in the back is Megabloks, probably the Dragon/Castle line. Not sure what set or from what piece (sorry, I don't really care for that stuff lol)
• The Trans Green Canopy (1998) is found in 3 Stingray sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2418bpx1&in=S
• The Trans Red Cockpit with Shark Designs (1995-1996) is found in 3 Aquasharks sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2507pb01&in=S
• The Trans Red Curved Canopy (2002-2013) is found in 4 sets, but given the nature of the other sets in the lot I would guess it is from either Jack Stone or Alpha Team: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=x224&in=S
• The 1x2x5 Light Gray Brick with the Jungle Minifigure Design is found in 2 1999 Adventurers sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2454px6&in=S
• The white 1x4 brick with blue triangles is found in 6 sets (1996-1999), mostly basic style buckets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3010p02&in=S
• The half globe/meteor piece in trans light blue is found in 6 sets. Here's the link to the top piece:http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30286. And the bottom: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30342.
• I believe the light bluish gray wall corner with brick and ivy patterns is found in 7948 Outpost Attack: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=87421pb05, but a similar piece appears 7946 King's Castle (I have a hunch they are the same piece but Bricklink says otherwise): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=87421pb12&in=S
• The purple pieces are from an oddity, set 4575 Pulse (2001 Racers Xalax set). Good thing I have a couple of these, otherwise I would have never guessed: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=4575-1
• The spike chain is either in Flat Silver (in which case it is from 8922 Gadunka) or Pearl Light Gray (in which case it could be from 4 different sets - from Fantasy Castle, Bionicle and Space Police 3): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=57562&in=S

Now I need to get back and work on FCB's massive lot Hope that helped, happy sorting!

[Guest betsy805]

You have them throw it in the trash right?

of course!  It's a little embarrassing when we go to the store and they start telling the sales clerk that their job is to find mega blocks for mommy because mega blocks are bad.

[nolanfan34]

Finding hair makes me want to basically never buy any lot off of CL ever again. I am at the bottom of a 10 lb box, and don't even want to finish it, so disgusting.

[seapotato]

Whoa. I'm in a similar situation, sorting through tubs of loose bricks, as well as bags of built sets that all fell apart when we crammed stuff in a bag. It's a nightmare to sort through, especially since I don't have that much space. Eek. Finding food bits in the tubs, gross.

 

How do you post pictures on the threads?

[justafrog]

Whoa. I'm in a similar situation, sorting through tubs of loose bricks, as well as bags of built sets that all fell apart when we crammed stuff in a bag. It's a nightmare to sort through, especially since I don't have that much space. Eek. Finding food bits in the tubs, gross.

 

How do you post pictures on the threads?

 

Click on "More Reply Options" when you do your reply (bottom right, I think, of posting box) and you'll get an attach files option.

 

When you create your own threads, it's there at the beginning, bottom left.

[Guest eightbrick]

Click on "More Reply Options" when you do your reply (bottom right, I think, of posting box) and you'll get an attach files option.

 

When you create your own threads, it's there at the beginning, bottom left.

Yep, you can do that or you can upload them to flickr/photobucket/Brickpicker Gallery by following the upload prompts on each of the sites. Then, you can click the little tree picture icon in the toolbar thing where the post is and enter the direct link to the photo. Make sure that it's the direct link (copy image URL). Good luck!

[comicblast]

Picture 2:

• The black wing with the "Air Show" sticker is found only in set 6582 Daredevil Flight Squad (1999, Extreme Team): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30119pb02&in=S
• The brown wagon in the back is Megabloks, probably the Dragon/Castle line. Not sure what set or from what piece (sorry, I don't really care for that stuff lol)
• The Trans Green Canopy (1998) is found in 3 Stingray sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2418bpx1&in=S
• The Trans Red Cockpit with Shark Designs (1995-1996) is found in 3 Aquasharks sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2507pb01&in=S
• The Trans Red Curved Canopy (2002-2013) is found in 4 sets, but given the nature of the other sets in the lot I would guess it is from either Jack Stone or Alpha Team: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=x224&in=S
• The 1x2x5 Light Gray Brick with the Jungle Minifigure Design is found in 2 1999 Adventurers sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2454px6&in=S
• The white 1x4 brick with blue triangles is found in 6 sets (1996-1999), mostly basic style buckets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3010p02&in=S
• The half globe/meteor piece in trans light blue is found in 6 sets. Here's the link to the top piece:http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30286. And the bottom: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30342.
• I believe the light bluish gray wall corner with brick and ivy patterns is found in 7948 Outpost Attack: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=87421pb05, but a similar piece appears 7946 King's Castle (I have a hunch they are the same piece but Bricklink says otherwise): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=87421pb12&in=S
• The purple pieces are from an oddity, set 4575 Pulse (2001 Racers Xalax set). Good thing I have a couple of these, otherwise I would have never guessed: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=4575-1
• The spike chain is either in Flat Silver (in which case it is from 8922 Gadunka) or Pearl Light Gray (in which case it could be from 4 different sets - from Fantasy Castle, Bionicle and Space Police 3): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=57562&in=S

Now I need to get back and work on FCB's massive lot Hope that helped, happy sorting!

 

 

Anyway... here's what I saw that hasn't been covered yet. Dates and set numbers are specific to the item's color/printing:

 

First Picture:

 

• The black quarter-circles appear in two Alpha Team sets (circa 2002); 4788 Ogel Mutant Ray and 4795 Ogel Underwater Base: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30117&in=S
• The light gray LURP (Little Ugly Rock Piece) appears in 8 sets (circa 1996-2002): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=6083&in=S
• The black wall corner with stone printing (circa 1988-1995) appears in 7 sets, all castle: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2345pb06&in=S
• The massive light bluish gray panel with the window in the middle (2004-2006) is found in 6 sets in that color (All Knight's Kingom 2). In black (above it in pic), it is found 3 sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=48490&in=S
• The 12 by 12 baseplate with a little thing on each corner (2001-2004) is found in two sets in dark bluish gray and four sets in black. Mostly used as a base for junorized buildings like Jack Stone: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30645&in=S
• The plain black corner of a wall is found in 18 sets (mostly classic castle): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=48490&in=S
• The dark gray strangely shaped doorway (1997-2001) is found 7 sets (either castle or Jurassic Park Studios): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30101&in=S
• The light grey vehicle cab with two seats is found in 4 sets in that color, all from the Adventurers theme: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30149&in=S
• The black tower -like piece with one window is found in 7 sets (again mostly castle): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30246&in=S
• The black castle turret/battlement appears in 12 sets (Castle and Time Cruisers): http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=6066&in=S
• And lastly the trailer base/ramp (with two tracks) in light gray appears in 4 1999 Town sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=30263&in=S

Phew...

Very nice. If you don't mind sharing, how do you find all of those? I was stumped after 5 pieces. LOL. Do you just keep looking around on BrickLink/Brickset? By the looks of it, you use BrickLink more often. Do they have a larger database?

[akohns]

I bought a small collection that was almost this dirty. I vowed never again! 

[boxofcorey]

Very nice. If you don't mind sharing, how do you find all of those? I was stumped after 5 pieces. LOL. Do you just keep looking around on BrickLink/Brickset? By the looks of it, you use BrickLink more often. Do they have a larger database?

 

Just grab the item number molded into the LEGO piece, put the number into Peeron and it will tell you what sets the piece belongs to based on what color it is.

 

It's a simply and easy process if you do it on your own, Brian is just going above and beyond by not only posting the sets but also going out and finding the item numbers of the particular pieces, which is not as easy a task.

 

EDIT - You can do the same thing on Bricklink, but the interface is clunkier and the load times are TERRIBLE.

[comicblast]

Just grab the item number molded into the LEGO piece, put the number into Peeron and it will tell you what sets the piece belongs to based on what color it is.

 

It's a simply and easy process if you do it on your own, Brian is just going above and beyond by not only posting the sets but also going out and finding the item numbers of the particular pieces, which is not as easy a task.

 

EDIT - You can do the same thing on Bricklink, but the interface is clunkier and the load times are TERRIBLE.

Oh, maybe I was a bit unclear. I'm mainly wondering about finding which set a piece comes by looking at the piece. Obviously when we are trying to help members out here on BrickPicker, we can't figure out the mold number, since we don't have a physical piece. Sorry 'bout that!

[CNH1974]

$40 for 45 kg and people expect it to be pristine

It make ps my recent find look mega expensive.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330999027986?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

This turned out to be approx 11kg, twice as much as expected, but it has been stored for a long time. But I have made approx 10 classic space sets and some town, plus there is a good proportion of a 7740 train set in there and loads of extra track.

[tonysbricks]

$40 for 45 kg and people expect it to be pristine

It make ps my recent find look mega expensive.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330999027986?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

This turned out to be approx 11kg, twice as much as expected, but it has been stored for a long time. But I have made approx 10 classic space sets and some town, plus there is a good proportion of a 7740 train set in there and loads of extra track.

Very cool find and you should be able to make some good money. The volume of track alone will probably break even and afol go nuts for classic space. I am jealous!!

[Guest eightbrick]

Very nice. If you don't mind sharing, how do you find all of those? I was stumped after 5 pieces. LOL. Do you just keep looking around on BrickLink/Brickset? By the looks of it, you use BrickLink more often. Do they have a larger database?

 

Just grab the item number molded into the LEGO piece, put the number into Peeron and it will tell you what sets the piece belongs to based on what color it is.

 

It's a simply and easy process if you do it on your own, Brian is just going above and beyond by not only posting the sets but also going out and finding the item numbers of the particular pieces, which is not as easy a task.

 

EDIT - You can do the same thing on Bricklink, but the interface is clunkier and the load times are TERRIBLE.

Actually, I don't look at the piece number as I don't have the a lot of the pieces in person and the resolution isn't high enough to see the ID #. However, I have very good visual memory (words, not so much), and can identify a lot of the pieces by the theme they come from, if nothing else. I am excellent at IDing anything 2001-on because while I don't have a lot of sets from that time period, I did spend many hours drooling over catalogs from that era in my childhood. For example, the purple pieces I remember because they are quite unique pieces and colors, and then I remembered I have a couple oddly colored pieces like that from sets called Xalax Racers. Personal experience is my biggest tool. I don't use Peeron out of personal preference and because Bricklink has an intergrated price guide if I'm searching up figures.

 

Basically, my thought process is something like this:

a) Do I have the piece/know what it is instantly off hand

b ) What theme does it look like it is from (eg. a trans yellow cockpit could very well be from Blacktron 1). Symbols are very helpful in this step.

c) What color is it? A very useful tool if you don't have an eye for telling what era the piece is from is to learn the difference in piece color between the old and new dark and light grays.

d) Any designs? If there is a number or sticker with writing on it, it will show up in the Bricklink database (eg.  type in "Yubi" in Bricklink and you will get results for stickers and pieces with that word on it).

e) If all else fails, guess what category it is from on the Bricklink catalog and start looking (eg. if it looks like some sort of animal, it's probably in the animal section). I found the raised two-track gray piece thing for cars to go onto because it looked like a late 1990s piece that was probably used in Town sets (which were highly juniorized in that period) so I started browsing 1990s Town sets.

 

EDIT: Another step I use a lot is if I think I have seen the piece somewhere in another set, even if its a different color I find that set's inventory and then find the piece.

 

It is important to enjoy doing this kind of thing because it is very time consuming (these 2 pics took me an hour and a half total about- that said I was multitasking with other things). If you don't enjoy it, post pics here because some members (myself included) do.

 

Hope this offered a bit of insight into my weird thought process.

[CNH1974]

Very cool find and you should be able to make some good money. The volume of track alone will probably break even and afol go nuts for classic space. I am jealous!!

 

Yes I have discovered that 1980's Space is the most profitable ( I bought some for

[CNH1974]

Actually, I don't look at the piece number as I don't have the a lot of the pieces in person and the resolution isn't high enough to see the ID #. However, I have very good visual memory (words, not so much), and can identify a lot of the pieces by the theme they come from, if nothing else. I am excellent at IDing anything 2001-on because while I don't have a lot of sets from that time period, I did spend many hours drooling over catalogs from that era in my childhood. For example, the purple pieces I remember because they are quite unique pieces and colors, and then I remembered I have a couple oddly colored pieces like that from sets called Xalax Racers. Personal experience is my biggest tool. I don't use Peeron out of personal preference and because Bricklink has an intergrated price guide if I'm searching up figures.

 

Basically, my thought process is something like this:

a) Do I have the piece/know what it is instantly off hand

b ) What theme does it look like it is from (eg. a trans yellow cockpit could very well be from Blacktron 1). Symbols are very helpful in this step.

c) What color is it? A very useful tool if you don't have an eye for telling what era the piece is from is to learn the difference in piece color between the old and new dark and light grays.

d) Any designs? If there is a number or sticker with writing on it, it will show up in the Bricklink database (eg.  type in "Yubi" in Bricklink and you will get results for stickers and pieces with that word on it).

e) If all else fails, guess what category it is from on the Bricklink catalog and start looking (eg. if it looks like some sort of animal, it's probably in the animal section). I found the raised two-track gray piece thing for cars to go onto because it looked like a late 1990s piece that was probably used in Town sets (which were highly juniorized in that period) so I started browsing 1990s Town sets.

 

EDIT: Another step I use a lot is if I think I have seen the piece somewhere in another set, even if its a different color I find that set's inventory and then find the piece.

 

It is important to enjoy doing this kind of thing because it is very time consuming (these 2 pics took me an hour and a half total about- that said I was multitasking with other things). If you don't enjoy it, post pics here because some members (myself included) do.

 

Hope this offered a bit of insight into my weird thought process.

 

It also comes from experience. If people selling vintage lego put good pictures up I can usually work out from what sets the pieces are from. This is where I like auctions that are badly described but with good photos So if I can see that there are valuable sets there I will put in a "high" bid. Obviously there are risks that the sets are not complete but you also factor that into your bid.

 

However I can do that for a pile of 1980's Lego, but show me a pile of late 90's 00's I would not have a clue

 

 

I am currently sorting out this lot:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161087491015?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

as well as the other one I posted above. I have found some red train wheels of a design I have not seen before so I may turn them over to your expertise

[Guest eightbrick]

 

However I can do that for a pile of 1980's Lego, but show me a pile of late 90's 00's I would not have a clue

 

 

That's perfect because I suck at vintage stuff, but am good at anything 1990s-on. We will make a good team