PAB Cups: What Did You Get?

[Lego Otaku]

I went back to Troy. Originall I wasn't planning on it but rather was going to go garage sale hunting. I kept following signs and making stops and by about 10 AM I noticed I ended up almost half way from my house to Troy so I decided to run the rest of the way.

The staff there were especially nice today. They let me pick bricks that weren't on the wall by pulling some boxes out of their back room. I ended up with 2 boxes ($70 each) and 8 tightly packed large PAB cups. Among the notable haul: white horses and black scorpions, brown 1x2x3 window frame (rounded top) and pearl gold window that went into that frame, dark red bricks, 2x2x2 barrels, dark blue 2x2 slopes (corner), and too many more. The entire haul ended up nearly 50 pounds total (about 23Kg for non Americans) Yes I asked about other bricks but they didn't have other animal or some bricks or slopes in certain colors :(

I ran out of time (wasn't planning to spend 2 hours packing!!) and I have to get kitchen cleaned and ready for making food for wedding shower tomorrow. But I will post one detail: one very hot $70 box contains about 8,000 neon-orange flame pieces that goes $0.20 on Lego web site and averages $0.03 new on BL. 8,000 would be $240 from BL or $1,600 from lego web site. :D It's the newer style with round base, not with pin, so it can't be chained into long flame but I couldn't resist huge load of bright orange pieces. :D A cheap way to really inflate my collection by piece count.

Today's haul probably got me enough to build a good sized castle on 32x48 base plate with mixed white and dark grey bricks.

Picture and detailed piece counts coming in a day or 2...

PS today plus May 4 purchase combined was over $600... will a generous moderator please change my title to "Spent too much money on Lego" ;)

Edited May 13, 2011 by Lego Otaku

[NiceMarmot]

8,000 neon-orange flame pieces

Wow! 8000? What are you going to do with all those? Build a Hell MOC?

[AndyC]

Today's haul probably got me enough to build a good sized castle on 32x48 base plate with mixed white and dark grey bricks.

And then set fire to it.

[Roodaksta]

I'm pretty much new to the whole PAB cups and have a question about them: How exactly do you pick the bricks you want? Do you just simply pic random bricks to add to your collection or do you just pick the bricks you need for an MOC? Thank you for answering in advance.

[fred67]

Nowadays I'll only fill up a cup if there's something really awesome (which I haven't seen in a while, actually).

I agree, but my problem is on Saturday morning I drop my son off at martial arts and then have two hours to kill (it's not worth it to go home). I don't always go to the LEGO Store (maybe every two or three weeks), but when I do I have about an hour and a half to spend there.... even then sometimes I rush a bit because on Saturdays by 11:00am the store is packed with monsters... little screaming kids.

[unbornchikken]

I'm pretty much new to the whole PAB cups and have a question about them: How exactly do you pick the bricks you want? Do you just simply pic random bricks to add to your collection or do you just pick the bricks you need for an MOC? Thank you for answering in advance.

I would say that it comes down to either knowing what you want (MOCs/MODs/recreating sets yourself/etc.) or knowing what is valuable (rarity of piece and/or color, price on bricklink/etc.).

If you aren't really sure of what to get or what pieces are harder to come by, think in terms of what you have (or don't have) that's hard to mass when buying sets (foilage, doors, windows, containers, etc.). Outside of that, I think most would agree that as you're building up a collection you can never go wrong with getting regular bricks in colors you enjoy using.

Hope that helps!

[Roodaksta]

I would say that it comes down to either knowing what you want (MOCs/MODs/recreating sets yourself/etc.) or knowing what is valuable (rarity of piece and/or color, price on bricklink/etc.).

If you aren't really sure of what to get or what pieces are harder to come by, think in terms of what you have (or don't have) that's hard to mass when buying sets (foilage, doors, windows, containers, etc.). Outside of that, I think most would agree that as you're building up a collection you can never go wrong with getting regular bricks in colors you enjoy using.

Hope that helps!

Ah, thank you for answering, Thank you very much.

[Lego Otaku]

I need to revise my estimate for orange flame pieces. I made an estimate based on the box weight but when I used the scale (removed the box's weight) I got slightly more than my estimate. Revised estimate: about 10,500 flame elements (or more than $2,000 worth from Lego web site). I have not sorted the cups or weighted the other box yet, been busy with food preparations.

[Lego Otaku]

Got some free time before I sleep so I got the rest in and counting them. Second $70 box is white 1x3 bricks, about 1641 pcs total. Also got:

White Horse: 12

Black Scorpions: 210

2x2 cream corner plates: 630

2x4 dark red bricks: 78

4x6 black plate: 102

1x2x3 window frame with rounded top, red-brown: 209

pearl gold lattice window for above frame: 418

2x2 dark blue convex slope: 317 (did not see price guide when I checked BL)

ladder gray with clip one end: 20

2x2x2 red-brown barrel: 71

1x1 dark grey brick: 331

1x3 dark grey brick: 43

2x2 dark grey corner brick: 56

1x2 dark grey brick: 164

1x1 trans plate mixed red and yellow: 1006 (too lazy to sort those!)

1x1 round trans-light blue plateL 1441

Grand total piece count: 17249

No wonder the whole lot were so heavy. OTOH this haul adds about 15% to my total collection by weight. (about 300lbs 136Kg before, 350lbs 159Kg now)

Two picture to show part of my haul: (assuming I got the link right)

Since I had many pictures, you can view them all at

Includes spreadhseet of piece counts, cost if I bought them new at BL or at Shop @ LEGO.

[JimBee]

I'm jealous of your haul, Lego Otaku. Thanks for the spreadsheet and pics. It's amazing how little you paid for that amount of Lego, and even more so when compared to the BL and S@H prices. You could make a lot of money by just stopping at PaB and reselling the pieces on BL.

Looks like I'm going to have to make a stop at the Lego store soon, I need those new pieces.

[Lego Otaku]

I'd like to add just one more picture:

If your store has some really nice employees, they can bring out open boxes from the back room for you to add to your PAB cup. I wasn't limited to what's on the wall that day. I went through a total of 8 opened boxes. It's best to ask them early in the morning when there's few customer and they aren't busy at all.

[Toadtorrent]

I can't compete even the slightest to Lego Otaku either in terms of quantity, quality of selection or quality of available PAB cups, but I'm still happy with my haul:

I don't even have photos for that matters, but they had lots of pallisade bricks and brown tiles for floor work...and hopefully the PAB selection will improve over the coming months. These were purchased from the new Toronto store.

As you can see and as has been discussed ad nauseum, S@H PAB prices are insane.

Is it worth it to go PAB if the drive is 20km + driving each way? Hard to say financially given the cost of gas and wear and tear on the car vs. BL quantity prices plus postage, guarantees of getting the parts you want, and time saved from cup loading...but the experience of checking out the store was fun...and I'll likely be back for more tiles and log bricks...factor in cashing in 200 VIP points and you can't say "no" to a $10 cup of over 750 parts!!

Edited May 17, 2011 by Toadtorrent

[Lego Otaku]

I can't compete even the slightest to Lego Otaku either in terms of quantity, quality of selection or quality of available PAB cups, but I'm still happy with my haul:

<snipped>

BWAHAHAHA

Nice collection BTW.

Is it worth it to go PAB if the drive is 20km + driving each way? Hard to say financially given the cost of gas and wear and tear on the car vs. BL quantity prices plus postage, guarantees of getting the parts you want, and time saved from cup loading...but the experience of checking out the store was fun...and I'll likely be back for more tiles and log bricks...factor in cashing in 200 VIP points and you can't say "no" to a $10 cup of over 750 parts!!

20km is like 12 miles. With an average car that is easily around 1 gallon or 4 liters per round trip. About $4 in USA, no idea what the gas price is like in Canada. That would be a short trip worth doing once in a while (maybe once or twice a month) depending on how much money you have to spend on LEGO. I have to do a lot longer than 20km. It's 90 miles or about 145 km one way to my nearest store :(

[Toadtorrent]

Nice collection BTW.

20km is like 12 miles. With an average car that is easily around 1 gallon or 4 liters per round trip.

Thanks!!

You're right on the mileage though...return trip is about 50km or about 30 mi...but at a rate of wear and tear + gas at around $0.40/km = $20 in "car cost" (the amount amortizes insurance, wear and tear, etc. at car rates about 20% below what my company reimburses). $20 buys another cup, or at least the shipping on a few BL pieces. I'm used to walking or biking everywhere...so with traffic (more the real issue) it's not really something I have the desire to do too often for what really amounts to "impulse" purchases.

Knowing I'll need more brown tiles to "floor" some buildings, or more pallisades to build some log forts however, means I have a purpose and reason to go there.

[Janel]

I'd like to add just one more picture:

If your store has some really nice employees, they can bring out open boxes from the back room for you to add to your PAB cup. I wasn't limited to what's on the wall that day. I went through a total of 8 opened boxes. It's best to ask them early in the morning when there's few customer and they aren't busy at all.

Hmmmm. Do you happen to live in michigan and are you referring to the somerset mall Lego store? I love that place. Just got another 3 large pab cups there and a bunch of other stuff. They pulled boxes from the back and we were excited to see stuff that wasn't brought out the week before when they pulled for us. I'll have to post what we scored there. We passed up on any boxes but I'm sure well be getting some in the future. We've dropped over $1000.00 there in the past 3 weeks on sets and minifigs and pab finds. Now that we know it's there ( just found it about 3 weeks ago. Lol ) I'm sure it's going to be a trip we make a few times month tho it's a good hour and half drive for us.

[freakwave]

Nice haul! However, the flames are the new type, right? the one you cannot connect?

I envy your windows!

PS: what do you do with 10k of flames?

[Lego Otaku]

Hmmmm. Do you happen to live in michigan and are you referring to the somerset mall Lego store? I love that place. Just got another 3 large pab cups there and a bunch of other stuff. They pulled boxes from the back and we were excited to see stuff that wasn't brought out the week before when they pulled for us. I'll have to post what we scored there. We passed up on any boxes but I'm sure well be getting some in the future. We've dropped over $1000.00 there in the past 3 weeks on sets and minifigs and pab finds. Now that we know it's there ( just found it about 3 weeks ago. Lol ) I'm sure it's going to be a trip we make a few times month tho it's a good hour and half drive for us.

Yep on both counts. I just wish I didn't live so far, it's about $30 in gas for the round trip -_- Now if LEGO store would open closer, like Saginaw or Flint, I'd be very happy. (although my wallet won't be happy...)

Nice haul! However, the flames are the new type, right? the one you cannot connect?

Yes, newer style with round base, no pin.

I envy your windows!

PS: what do you do with 10k of flames?

Set my castle on fire? Or maybe do a little MOC of hell with Osama bin Laden in there... with 70 "virgin" skeletons. I have lots of trans red and yellow 1x1 plates, and I got lots of trans orange cheese slope from last year, that'd do for lake of fire. :lol:

[Janel]

Yep on both counts. I just wish I didn't live so far, it's about $30 in gas for the round trip -_- Now if LEGO store would open closer, like Saginaw or Flint, I'd be very happy. (although my wallet won't be happy...)

One in the Lansing area would be great for me! :) But the manager at the Troy store said there are no plans for another Michigan store anytime in the near future. :(

[kibosh]

Yep on both counts. I just wish I didn't live so far, it's about $30 in gas for the round trip -_- Now if LEGO store would open closer, like Saginaw or Flint, I'd be very happy.

Small world! I think I was there last week when you made this haul. I bought 4 or 5 large cups myself. I thought those boxes of dark gray bricks looked familiar!

Lucky, this store is a 5 mile drive from my office. I go almost weekly to see what's new.

[Lego Otaku]

Small world! I think I was there last week when you made this haul. I bought 4 or 5 large cups myself. I thought those boxes of dark gray bricks looked familiar!

Lucky, this store is a 5 mile drive from my office. I go almost weekly to see what's new.

Could have been you. I was there May 13th (Friday) around noon time, and I remember some guy who was there filling a few cups of dark gray bricks and grabbed a handful of reddish-brown 2x2x2 barrels as well. He didn't stay as long as I did.

[Dropsy]

Small world indeed, I am in Michigan as well Kalamazoo area. Sad that the Chicago store is closer than Troy, but wife family is in Bloomfield Hills so plan on going to Troy soon.

Good finds guys!

[Janel]

Wow.... 4 Michiganders in one thread..... cool.

I was happy when they brought out a box of black whip/ariels and a box of flat gauge pieces and also black 2x2 round plates with an eyehole. And was glad that they got rid of the hero parts in the wall. :)

[Janel]

Wow.... 4 Michiganders in one thread..... cool.

I was happy when they brought out a box of black whip/ariels and a box of flat gauge pieces and also black 2x2 round plates with an eyehole. And was glad that they got rid of the hero parts in the wall. :)

[Dropsy]

Wow.... 4 Michiganders in one thread..... cool.

I was happy when they brought out a box of black whip/ariels and a box of flat gauge pieces and also black 2x2 round plates with an eyehole. And was glad that they got rid of the hero parts in the wall. :)

Do you just ask them about the boxes? Any dark tan bricks there yet :)?

[LegoCityMann]

Today @ Beachwood, Ohio store. Large Cup

214 Trans Clear 2x1 Plates

4 White base Steering wheels

130 Brown 1x4

125 Red 2x2 Plates

8 Green 1x3