CMF Parts in "Make your minfiigure"

[Itaria No Shintaku]

Hi guys.

I noticed (that's quite pretty evident) that the parts for "make your own minifigure" in the LEGO Stores across Europe (across the world? any feedback?) are exclusively made of pieces from the CMF line. This reflects a lot on bricklink, the parts appearing in the stores got their price highly reduced, for the joy of us AFOLs.

I also noticed that by now two minifigure can be completed without their accessories being Series 4 Painter and Series 5 Egyptian Queen but I hope more in the future will come. Also, many torsoes from older minifigures apperared like S2 Spartan, S1 Nurse, even rare ones like S7 Galaxy Patrol or S8 Thespian.

Does anyone have insights on why this is happening?
Is it in the US the same?
Are there any chances to see more CMF in the future? (I am looking forward to special ones like the Elf's or the Spartan's headgear... who knows)

Please drop me a line if you have any info.

Edited July 7, 2017 by Itaria No Shintaku

[Darkdragon]

I've been seeing the same thing for a few years now in the USA. I don't try to figure out why, I just buy what I want if it's cheaper than Brinklink. BAM isn't a very cost-effective way to buy figures really, unless like you mention you can get rare parts.

[MAB]

45 minutes ago, Itaria No Shintaku said:

I noticed (that's quite pretty evident) that the parts for "make your own minifigure" in the LEGO Stores across Europe (across the world? any feedback?) are exclusively made of pieces from the CMF line. This reflects a lot on bricklink, the parts appearing in the stores got their price highly reduced, for the joy of us AFOLs.

 

2

The ones in the UK are not exclusively made up from CMF parts, but they certainly have some CMF parts in them from time to time. Some of the big (especially German) sellers on bricklink get lots of old CMF parts but this is normally direct, not through the BAM in store.  I guess LEGO dumps the parts that they no longer need, and this can be either wholesale or through the BAM in store.

 

[Anonknee Muss]

Lego makes a limited number of CMF's so they have pieces left over so with the leftover pieces they sell them in the B-A-M stations in the store as way of selling excess stock, Lego stores get a shipment of excess parts every 3 months. Also no, the stores I go to aren't exclusively CMF parts but it is awesome to see CMF parts available though!

Edited July 3, 2017 by J4ck

[rodiziorobs]

I see this quite regularly, as I have seen parts for the leprechaun, bobby, Egyptian queen, pizza delivery boy, etc. I have even seen parts for very recent series, like the babysitter hair from s16 (I saw this a couple months ago).

I think J4ck is right about the rationale behind it, its a way to clear out excess stock from either sets or CMFs.

I also think its a way for them to dump some less-than-perfect stock, since I seem to see tons of misprints there, everything from pies to cats (every single cat) to smudged faces...I like to get parts from there when it's worth it, but you have to scrutinize every piece.

Edit: here is a post I made in another thread with pictures of everything they had at the time.

Edited July 3, 2017 by rodiziorobs
for clarity, added link.

[Anonknee Muss]

2 hours ago, rodiziorobs said:

I see this quite regularly, as I have seen parts for the leprechaun, bobby, Egyptian queen, pizza delivery boy, etc. I have even seen parts for very recent series, like the babysitter hair from s16 (I saw this a couple months ago).

I think J4ck is right about the rationale behind it, its a way to clear out excess stock from either sets or CMFs.

I also think its a way for them to dump some less-than-perfect stock, since I seem to see tons of misprints there, everything from pies to cats (every single cat) to smudged faces...I like to get parts from there when it's worth it, but you have to scrutinize every piece.

Edit: here is a post I made in another thread with pictures of everything they had at the time.

Remember the monkey piece from the zookeeper in series Series 5, somebody claimed to have seen a new print in the BAM stations,

This monkey (which isn't in Brickset's database) but with a darker skin colour and think it had brown fur and I know this because I've sen it myself so maybe messed up and ego is dumping it or it is a new print and it got leaked or maybe a unreleased set and thye produced too many pieces we don't know about. After all, who knows?

[MAB]

Some unprinted or wrongly printed (right print on wrong colour part) parts have been "dumped" through the BAM boxes.

[Digger of Bricks]

I used to see CMF parts in my local Lego store's BAM section years ago when I first started getting into the hobby. At the time, I didn't know of the significance or age of these minifigure parts, but thinking back now, I remember seeing all the parts to the S2 Witch and Mime. There were other CMFs, but those two were the ones I distinctly remember.

[DarrellBricker]

I see a lot of CMF parts in my Lego Store's BAM, as well. Not exclusively, but quite a few. I did get the hair, top, and dress piece for the Eqyptian Queen, for instance, but never found her "face." A lot of the Snake Charmer's parts could be found there recently, as well. They are usually missing a crucial piece, often the accessory but not always, to prevent you from getting the complete minifigure, however.

[Anonknee Muss]

22 hours ago, MAB said:

Some unprinted or wrongly printed (right print on wrong colour part) parts have been "dumped" through the BAM boxes.

Hmmmm, never noticed them to be honest.

12 hours ago, DarrellBricker said:

I see a lot of CMF parts in my Lego Store's BAM, as well. Not exclusively, but quite a few. I did get the hair, top, and dress piece for the Eqyptian Queen, for instance, but never found her "face." A lot of the Snake Charmer's parts could be found there recently, as well. They are usually missing a crucial piece, often the accessory but not always, to prevent you from getting the complete minifigure, however.

I've seen the snake charmer's cobra a couple of times, it's nice to see a selection of animals in the BAM stations. I've also seen a chihuahua, Monkey I described earlier, and another I can't remember.

Edited July 5, 2017 by J4ck

[Sven F]

Yep, this started about 2 or 3 years ago and the parts are getting more and more recent.  I have also seen parts from Agents and castle minifigures.  This must all be some kind of surplus.

I found both the grey and dark orange cats, seagulls, spiders, scorpions, chihuahuas, snakes.       No pigs or other dogs yet though.
I noticed this hairpiece was available without the reddish brown ear print, which basically makes it an exclusive part.

Accessories which consist of more than one element are never available, i suppose this would be difficult to control, so unfortunately no lbg bucket handles.

[Anonknee Muss]

On 5 July 2017 at 5:00 PM, Sven F said:

Yep, this started about 2 or 3 years ago and the parts are getting more and more recent.  I have also seen parts from Agents and castle minifigures.  This must all be some kind of surplus.

I found both the grey and dark orange cats, seagulls, spiders, scorpions, chihuahuas, snakes.       No pigs or other dogs yet though.
I noticed this hairpiece was available without the reddish brown ear print, which basically makes it an exclusive part.

Accessories which consist of more than one element are never available, i suppose this would be difficult to control, so unfortunately no lbg bucket handles.

You found Seagulls?! I really want to find the deep sea diving helmet from Series 8!

[williejm]

Yeah, seen the seagulls and the deep sea helmet both fairly regularly. The cobra seems to be the regular CMF animal in the BAM section lately though.

had a look this week and was delighted to find the grandpa 'bald' headpieces! 

[Itaria No Shintaku]

Yes! Here too! And also the "Evil Wizard" skirtpiece and the egyptian soldier's golden curved sword.

[DarrellBricker]

Oh, cool! I will have to get to my store as soon as possible - I want a couple of those bald head pieces ...

 

[Anonknee Muss]

18 hours ago, Itaria No Shintaku said:

Yes! Here too! And also the "Evil Wizard" skirtpiece and the egyptian soldier's golden curved sword.

Oh the gold scythe? That's pretty cool, I'm hopefully going to the Lego store in August and I'll be picking up one of the TLNM storage boxes and I'll be sure to check out the BAM stations!

[AmperZand]

On 2017-7-3 at 10:14 PM, J4ck said:

Remember the monkey piece from the zookeeper in series Series 5, somebody claimed to have seen a new print in the BAM stations,

This monkey (which isn't in Brickset's database) but with a darker skin colour and think it had brown fur and I know this because I've sen it myself so maybe messed up and ego is dumping it or it is a new print and it got leaked or maybe a unreleased set and thye produced too many pieces we don't know about. After all, who knows?

I picked up one of the chimps below at the BAM at the Westfield Shepherd's Bush store a while ago. It wasn't well printed though, so I ordered another on BrickLink. The skin colour is dark brown. The fur is black like the CMF chimp's.

On 2017-7-5 at 9:20 AM, J4ck said:

I've seen the snake charmer's cobra a couple of times, it's nice to see a selection of animals in the BAM stations.

Yup, I got a spare cobra at the BAM, too  .

2 hours ago, J4ck said:

Oh the gold scythe? That's pretty cool, I'm hopefully going to the Lego store in August and I'll be picking up one of the TLNM storage boxes and I'll be sure to check out the BAM stations!

The CMF Egyptian soldier's sword wasn't a scythe piece; it was a khopesh.  

In my experience, LEGO stores in the same city have pretty much the same sets for sale at any point in time, but there are sometimes significant differences between what's on offer at the BAMs.

I always check BAM pieces carefully before I buy them. Kids love to play with the minifigure parts in store but don't always treat them well. I've seen BAM parts scattered on the floor around the BAM station, stepped on by adults and returned to the station by the store's staff! I wash all the parts I get through BAMs. I have come across some pretty yucky things  while rummaging among the BAM parts including half eaten biscuits and sweets .

 

[Anonknee Muss]

3 hours ago, AmperZand said:

I picked up one of the chimps below at the BAM at the Westfield Shepherd's Bush store a while ago. It wasn't well printed though, so I ordered another on BrickLink. The skin colour is dark brown. The fur is black like the CMF chimp's.

*insert picture here*

Yup, I got a spare cobra at the BAM, too  .

The CMF Egyptian soldier's sword wasn't a scythe piece; it was a khopesh.  

In my experience, LEGO stores in the same city have pretty much the same sets for sale at any point in time, but there are sometimes significant differences between what's on offer at the BAMs.

I always check BAM pieces carefully before I buy them. Kids love to play with the minifigure parts in store but don't always treat them well. I've seen BAM parts scattered on the floor around the BAM station, stepped on by adults and returned to the station by the store's staff! I wash all the parts I get through BAMs. I have come across some pretty yucky things  while rummaging among the BAM parts including half eaten biscuits and sweets .

I saw them at a Lego store but at the time I wasn't interested in them enough, there's too many good parts! Next time I go I'll buy one!

A khopesh, thanks for correcting me :)

Oh yeah the BAM Stations have parts delivered every quarter of a year.

I've never had such a bad BAM experience, all of my experiences were pretty good apart from the lack of female heads that one time  

[antp]

On 04/07/2017 at 11:23 AM, MAB said:

Some unprinted or wrongly printed (right print on wrong colour part) parts have been "dumped" through the BAM boxes.

Indeed, some time ago I got unprinted light blue pants (officially it only exists with print) in BAM, cf my post there:

http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/94037-legoland-non-production-parts/&do=findComment&comment=2797722

 

[Anonknee Muss]

@Roebuck

[Roebuck]

16 hours ago, J4ck said:

@Roebuck

I have to go abroad to check  Where in Paris in spring, but they did not have any animals, so I did not buy any figs there 

[williejm]

4 hours ago, Roebuck said:

I have to go abroad to check  Where in Paris in spring, but they did not have any animals, so I did not buy any figs there 

yeah I think the animals 'go quick' when put into the BAM section. Certainly true of the gulls! So it's good to get there at opening time before the kids have strewn everything on the floor...

[Anonknee Muss]

1 hour ago, williejm said:

yeah I think the animals 'go quick' when put into the BAM section. Certainly true of the gulls! So it's good to get there at opening time before the kids have strewn everything on the floor...

Cobras are still there at my local store.

6 hours ago, Roebuck said:

I have to go abroad to check  Where in Paris in spring, but they did not have any animals, so I did not buy any figs there 

I should have got that seagull when I had the chance haha! Hopefully the monkey is still there.

[Nexo Bricks]

Started to see some Series 7, Series 9, and Series 16 parts pop up at the BAM station.

[Anonknee Muss]

21 hours ago, Nexo Bricks said:

Started to see some Series 7, Series 9, and Series 16 parts pop up at the BAM station.

Series 16!? What pieces specifically?