PAB Cups: What Did You Get?

[NiceMarmot]

Have you tried http://www.wallofbricks.com yet? It's much easier to update than Brickbuildr so many people are switching to it. The Chicago store at least was updated this week, I didn't check the others.

Thanks for the heads-up on this site! So much easier to update than BrickBuildr.

[BrickDafki]

The 1x2 Masonry bricks have been available in Manchester (UK) on and off for about a month or two now.

They are available in Lille now as well. I'm working on updating http://www.wallofbricks.com for that shop.

I wish the movie that I've shot with my phone was better quality :-(

[Jareth]

Sunday september 15, 2013 Milwaukee Wisconsin

Cup 1

15 dark grey 6 x 16 plates

8 Light grey 1x4 bricks

2 yellow 1x2 bricks

8 white 2x3 bricks

106 trans blue 1x1 cone

63 black 2x4 wedge plate left

40 2x4 wedge plate right

cup 2

6 dark grey 6 x 16 plates

71 trasn blue 1x1 cone

173 yellow 1x2 bricks

8 light grey 1x4 bricks

44 white 2x2 plates with 1 stud

25 red 1x8 tile

71 blue 1x8 tile

Cup 3

47 blue 1x8 tile

66 red 1x8 tile

37 briwn 1x4 bricks

2 yellow 1x2 bricks

54 light grey 1x4 bricks

24 dark grey 1x2 brick corner

7 brown 2x2 plate round with 4 handles

89 trans blue 1x1 cone

[Cara]

This week saw the Santa Clara store get so much I couldn't reach the pick-a-brick cups! Good job I brought my own to reuse. Found the black travis brick, the 1x2 trans blue tile (came home with maybe a few too many) and picked up some extra gold cones. Now its waiting for that masonry brick to make it over here! Maybe in a few months given the delay on the other new stock.

I didn't see any more of the 1x1 round lbg tile on the wall. Though it might of been in one of the unlabeled boxes.

Edited September 17, 2013 by Cara

[Infernum]

Wow Cara! I wish my store ever got that stuff.

[Cara]

The problem is that they will sell out of it, and it will seem like it never happened.

While I was there a lady was choosing multiple large cups of items and finally went for 12+ boxes instead! So you might get lucky one Monday or Tuesday but if you go two weeks after that and they haven't had a shipment, you'ld think Lego never sent them anything as the wall will be empty of anything interesting.

[Infernum]

12+?! Wow, the most I've ever gotten is a large and a small cup at the same time. . I'm going to ask the employees about ordering some parts when I'm there next time. They'll probably still say they're unavailable.

[PenPlays]

Rejoiced at the sight of LBG 1x1 rounds! Didn't get as much as I wanted though. I hope there will still be some when I go back. Also got some black 5-sided SNOT bricks, some 2x2 rigid rounds (columns!) and some 1x2 reddish brown plates.

[jaysapathy]

Long time lurker, first time poster, etc. and I've got to tell you, this thread makes my man-nipples erect. Seriously. Poking right through the tee shirt.

Our first Lego store in the area opens Friday. It's a 20 minute drive away, and I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. One question I do have though, which doesn't appear to be covered in the pictures/textuals over the last 38 pages:

Does the PaB wall traditionally see smooth 2x2 bluish-gray pieces? The stuff us city builders usually use for sidewalks around building MOCs..

[meyerc13]

Does the PaB wall traditionally see smooth 2x2 bluish-gray pieces? The stuff us city builders usually use for sidewalks around building MOCs..

Something like this?

http://www.wallofbri....php?id=4211413

Edited September 19, 2013 by meyerc13

[jaysapathy]

Something like this?

http://www.wallofbri....php?id=4211413

That would indeed be it. A shame that not many stores are carrying it. If the new local store has them, I'm going to get 4 large cups full.

Tomorrow just can't get here soon enough. *sigh*

[jaysapathy]

So it's kind of hard to see behind the figures, but I filled my first actual, factual brick cup on Friday during the grand opening:

http://s23.postimg.org/72d3pnl6z/IMG_20130920_205524.jpg

After thinking it over for a week or so, I came up with some solid strategies for how to get as much as I could in the cup. The place was a zoo, so I set everything on the counter, and the wife and I got to work. Suddenly, everyone was interested in what I was doing. I was filling for about 45 minutes, and EVERYBODY WHO PASSED BY had to stop and gawk. I found myself giving impromptu lessons to people about my technique, how I was getting the most out of the cup, etc. In the end, I managed to get 688 pieces, .021 cents each.

The selection on the wall for opening day was somewhat slim, with mostly 2x2 / 2x4 blocks (this is, after all, a "family town" and the store is trying to cater to kids for the grand opening). There were a few nice surprises there though, with blue/red/green 1x2's, windows, and flowers. No greenery though. The guy I got talking to was telling me that the entire back room was full of boxes for the PAB wall, and they'd be gradually changing things out. During the hour and 20 minutes I was in the store total, I saw 5 PAB bins refilled. They were flying out the door (in small cups no less) just as fast as they could fill it. The place was pretty crazy.

The nicest surprise on the PAB wall were plates: black 4x6, gray 4x4/4x6. Filled as much as I could before I threatened to split the cup. Had to go buy more containers to house everything. Yum.

[Redhead1982]

I stopped in Munich's Riem Arcaden Lego Shop last Thursday and filled two cups. This is what I got.

All in all, the selection was not very impressive, but I was lucky to get some parts I need for my current WIP MOC.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Redhead1982

[Infernum]

How are olive slopes and foliage pieces not impressive?

[jaysapathy]

Stopped in again last night to find out my local store had restocked for the third time in three days. So much win. Bricks are flying out the door like they're giving away money. The guy I talked to before said they'd opened 20 boxes since the store opening. Whoa.

Picked up a boatload of thick, tan 1x3 pieces, which as it turns out, I needed and didn't even know it.

Now if they'd just put out the smooth 2x2s..

[TheLegoDr]

jaysapathy - they had mermaid tails in the build a minifigure?? that's awesome. I always try to grab the unique pieces out of there, but rarely do they have any. Maybe it was more for the opening?

As far as filling a cup, it seems everytime I've taken my time to do it, everyone! (even employees) look at me funny and in amazement. You'd think the employees would be used to it, but they look at me like I'm crazy. Although I don't know how much more you're actually getting by lining everything up exactly to fill it as much as you can. Have there been any examples shown? I know it would depend on types of pieces, but if you are doing smaller pieces or 1x2 bricks/plates, would there be a discernible difference?

Redhead1982 - very impressive. I'd love to be able to pick up some cheese slopes and leaf pieces!! I'd probably buy a few cups worth of each.

[Infernum]

I'd probably buy a few cups worth of each.

As would I!

[jaysapathy]

jaysapathy - they had mermaid tails in the build a minifigure?? that's awesome. I always try to grab the unique pieces out of there, but rarely do they have any. Maybe it was more for the opening?

When I was putting the minifigs together, it was interesting to see mermaid tails/torsos and long female hair. They also had tommy guns. Every figure got one, except the mermaid. She got two.

As far as filling a cup, it seems everytime I've taken my time to do it, everyone! (even employees) look at me funny and in amazement. You'd think the employees would be used to it, but they look at me like I'm crazy. Although I don't know how much more you're actually getting by lining everything up exactly to fill it as much as you can. Have there been any examples shown? I know it would depend on types of pieces, but if you are doing smaller pieces or 1x2 bricks/plates, would there be a discernible difference?

I've been in there three times since the opening filling PAB cups, and every time I end up holding some sort of impromptu seminar on how to properly pack a cup. Whether it's another AFOL, a father filling a cup for his kid, or some guy who thinks he knows what he's doing and gets put to shame by my simplistic methods, everyone takes interest in me. Except the guy who was there last time -- he got a large cup filled with nothing but 1x1 rounded translucent red studs. He got in line behind me and was teasing me about still being able to see air inbetween the pieces.. And then dropped his untaped cup on the floor because he wasn't paying attention. I had red studs in my shoes after that.

As far as the second half of your question, perhaps I'm not understanding. Are we reading the same thing? This thread is full of useful information that relates directly to what you're asking. I would recommend starting at page one and reading through to page 39, absorbing all the information. That's what I did. :D

[Cara]

Although I don't know how much more you're actually getting by lining everything up exactly to fill it as much as you can. Have there been any examples shown? I know it would depend on types of pieces, but if you are doing smaller pieces or 1x2 bricks/plates, would there be a discernible difference?

There can be big difference. I normally fill one small cup up and then restack those contents into a different cup. I did this with the 1x2 lavender plates recently at the store and could get approximately 1.5 times as much in the cup (I use small cups) by connecting them together into a big block. The 1x1 travis brick (connectors on every side) on the other hand I did connect into columns and fitted the columns in neatly but when I got home and tested it the amount more that I managed to fit in the cup was about 20 bricks, fairly negligible for the time spent!

[splatman]

(snip 8<)

about 20 bricks, fairly negligible for the time spent!

Look at the bright side, lady, you have got 20 more bricks then you would have otherwise. :D

[TheLegoDr]

Jaysapathy - I was asking about numbers, not how to pack. I also know how to pack a cup, but was wondering how much you actually gain by doing so since it is time intensive.

Cara - thank you for your response. In that situation, 20 extra pieces is good, but I agree probably not worthwhile for the amount of time it took.

I'm sure I'll continue to pack them as well as I can.

[jaysapathy]

Jaysapathy - I was asking about numbers, not how to pack. I also know how to pack a cup, but was wondering how much you actually gain by doing so since it is time intensive.

Again, read the thread. There's statistics laid out all through here, you just have to look carefully. Most people are reporting an average of 20% more if you pack it properly. I myself ran an experiment with my pile of thick tan 1x3's last night: by throwing everything willy nilly in, they took up the entire cup. If I stacked them, it took up less than half the space. Depending on what you're doing, it's incredibly space efficient to stack, but for other things it just doesn't matter.

[Rook]

For the dozens and dozens of PaB cups over the past 2 years nothing was more shocking to my fellow LUG members when I grab a large cup of olive cheese this last weekend. :D

[dr_spock]

For the dozens and dozens of PaB cups over the past 2 years nothing was more shocking to my fellow LUG members when I grab a large cup of olive cheese this last weekend. :D

Should we challenge you to do a store window display with every one of those olive coloured cheese?

[meyerc13]

I have to agree that the packing 'bonus' really depends on what you are packing. I didn't bother counting, but a couple of months ago I picked up two cups of 1x4 log bricks. First, I filled a cup at the wall, then used the counter area to pack it. I found that using my quick and dirty packing method, I could fit almost 1.5 cups of unpacked into a single cup. Definitely worth it in that case.

However, sometimes I just want a jumble of various pieces of various sizes (doors, windows, wheels, plates, bricks, barrels z-plates (no idea what these are really called, but you probably know what I'm talking about), etc.) and I would never even try to pack a cup like that. Instead I layer, small pieces, then large pieces, then small pieces, then large pieces... I have found that I can get to a point where the air gaps are minimal and the parts don't rattle much when I shake the cup, I usually call that good enough.