Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Lego source

This is topic Lego source in forum Film-Yak at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 12-06-2012, 11:17 PM:

My brother (who lives near Boston) just asked me if I know of a source to purchase a box of Lego parts. Not a kit to build a motorized fire truck or crane, but rather enough parts to build a lot of different things, one at a time.

His youngest son has gotten very much into Lego and is building cars, conveyor belts, various machines - all powered by Lego technic and Lego mindstorms motors - with various arrangements of gears, worm drive, clutch, differential, pneumatic activator (etc) - entirely mechanical though, no computer controls.

So, does anyone know of a source for these kinds of parts? In his words, "I don't know enough about what I'm looking for to be confident of a complete purchase on ebay (do I have what I need, if I buy those motors and this lot of gears...or do I also need a gear box, another battery pack,and ....)"

Posted by Matthew McBride (Member # 6598) on 12-07-2012, 08:53 AM:

Depending on which set you buy, you may or may not have all the parts you need to build what you want. A lot these box sets have just what you need to build the one item or possibly two other types of items. For a source you can try the LEGO store as the sell individual pieces. You just tell them what you want and they bag it up for you. My wife and I have definitely used for my nephew who is very much into them. Ah I wish there was such a store around when I was younger when I played with them. I know most of these stores are in just about any mall you go to, however that here in the US, I can't certain up there. Though I bet you can order directly from their website. Lego Store From the look of it, you may have to do some surfing through the site.

Posted by Stephen Brown (Member # 292) on 12-07-2012, 04:48 PM:

There are plenty of random bit sets on ebay if you do the search, otherwise you could try this store...

Bricks to the World

Posted by Mike Frese (Member # 4361) on 12-08-2012, 10:52 PM:

eBay is the best way.

Posted by Mike Olpin (Member # 1115) on 12-12-2012, 09:29 AM:

I've never seen Technic bricks in any Pick-a-brick bin at the Lego stores. Most kids collect sets over time, and eventually have enough parts combined to build bigger more imaginative projects.

Lego Technic was always my favorite growing up. I loved figuring out how to get the gears to work together to do what I wanted. I have a rudimentary understanding of rack and pinion steering thanks to Lego!

Posted by Marcel Birgelen (Member # 6801) on 12-12-2012, 09:44 AM:

http://www.spareblocks.com/

They sell Lego by the brick. Might still not be really cheap, but might sill be cheaper than buying a lot of boxes that contain a lot of unwanted bricks.

Posted by Frank Cox (Member # 6258) on 12-12-2012, 11:36 AM:

Thanks guys! I have passed all of this information along to my brother. My knowledge of Lego (and his) is pretty much nil. When we were growing up we had a Meccano set that we used to build cars and cranes and the like. I don't think anyone around where we were had Lego. In fact, I'm not sure that I have seen an actual Lego set/model in real life to this day.

Posted by Daniel Schulz (Member # 1881) on 12-13-2012, 05:55 PM:

Lego stores in larger malls have bulk bins. Not sure if you pay by the pound or by the piece.