Hello everyone. Well, I'm currently aiming to get heaps of baseplates to be a Earth floor for many of my scenes. I've been trying to get green's, tan's, blue's and white's mostly.

I'vebeen rather annoyed at the fact that they are so expencive.

And i've started wondering - WHY are theso expencive? Don't get me wrong, i fully understand the fact of rarity and demend ect. for the BL prices.

But heck, $5US and $10US for 1 peice, new in the shop? (obviously I'm refuring to the green and grey ones here) I just don't understand. It's one single mold. No licencing, and its a mold thats been around for many, many years, so there's no extra costs of a newer mold. I personally find it outragious, and really dissapointing.

Then, my next question is, why are they so rare? these days, hardly any sets have normal baseplates. It's raised, or nothing. And the only colour you can buy seperately is green in 32 x 32 or grey in 48x48. What about selling other colours like brown, white, tan, black, and so on...

Sure i can buy them off bricklink, but thats really expencive for baseplates which are no longer made.

I really hope there is a reasonable answer as to why A) These are so expencive, and B) Why there is so little variety in whats availible in the way of baseplates.

-Legoman

I agree, they are very expensive. And where I live, its 6 for green and 12 for light bley, and without Bricklink, those are the only two sizes available. It is an OLD mold (hehe, rhyme ), and I think they should be less money. I also with there more of a variety in stores. But the high prices are outrageous. Come on LEGO, lower the prices please.

I don't think $5 for the green baseplate is too much, it's a huge piece!

However why they don't have blue at the very least bothers me. Plus the prices in the P@B is insane! I think that is only because the shipping for those is so much.

Actually, baseplates aren't molded at all. A very long sheet of plastic is heated up and then in pressed with studs on both sides. Also, TLC doesn't charge only for piece count, it obviously has to charge for it's raw material, therefore a very large piece will cost more dude to the large about of plastic. Just fork out the money. You'll not going to need more than one anyway unless you keep your models together or are building something huge.

In the mean time, it would be really cool if TLC tried to see if they could, using new technology, make a baseplate into a huge plate with stud recepticles on the bottom. Imagine the possiblilities!

To answer your first question: Base plates are so expensive because of how much plastic they use, and I imagine that they would be harder to produce because of there size. But in the big scheme of things, they're not really that expensive. I paid 12 USD for a a 48x48 bley base plate, the largest size they come in (for my super-secret project), and I still don't regret it.

And to answer your second question: You're right- base plates are becoming really rare among sets these days. The last time that I can remember a base plate being in a set was in 2004 for a few HP and Spider-Man sets. Who knows what for, but my hypothesis is that they've become too expensive to produce, and sets just look better without it. For example, the Jungle Duel set from the IJ theme was separate components (tent, table, etc.), but I think if it had been built 5 years ago, it would have been built on a base plate.

I was wondering this same thing the other day. Even though they contain more plastic than the average piece they are comparable to tree or 4 large pieces by weight. I would certainly buy more if they where sold for less or even if they where sold at the same price in a greater variety of colors. Also the last set that I remember with a large baseplate would be either Market street or Town plan, whichever came later.

Maybe a good question to an 'ambassador' might be "Could we get more options for baseplates at some point? As consumers, we would like blue, tan, brown,...maybe available through SAH?"

Baseplates are still around *everywhere*, although often in Creator sets or Exclusives.

10189 Taj Mahal - 6 16x32 blue baseplates

10182 and 10185 are both on 2 16x32 green baseplates

10181 Effiel Tower had 4 32x32 baseplates

The Castle Giant Chess set had *2* 48x48 light bley baseplates

All the Creator sets have used 16x32 baseplates in green or in dark bley. The 2007 tan Creator house had *3* 16x32 baseplates in dark bley. There are more green ones in the upcoming House set.

Even System sets are still producing them, in large sizes and small. Eg:

8637 Farm has 2 16x32 baseplates

The 2008 Police HQ had a 32x32 baseplate with driveway and 1 16x32 baseplate

The recent Service Station set had the same 32x32 driveway baseplate with an 8x16 baseplate

8637 Volcano Agents base - 1 16x16 baseplate in dark bley, with 2 8x16 baseplates

7641 City Life has 3 8x16 baseplates!

You could pick up very cheap 16x32 tan baseplates from the Krusty Krab set in 2006. That wasn't exactly a million years ago

In point of fact HP sets rarely if ever used baseplates - they were largely built on 8x16 or 8x16 bricks! (and later ordinary plates)

This is all just off the top of my head. I am sure I have missed heaps of examples!

Flat baseplates aren't dead at all. Actually, since the relaunch of Castle, the only type of plates we do see less of are the raised baseplates that nobody seems to like much! The only big 4 sets (non Belville) to use them since 2005 are the older Police HQ, the 2006 Hospital, the KK2 10176 Castle and 7627 Temple of the Crystal Skull.

To judge price you really shouldn't be counting pieces, instead count how many studs there are.

Baseplates have a Lot of those, hence they cost so much.

All those studs sure do make for a lot of possibilities for building stuff, thats what you're really paying for, possibilities.

Actually, baseplates aren't molded at all. A very long sheet of plastic is heated up and then in pressed with studs on both sides.

Really? Do you have any evidence for this? I've never heard that before... That might well explain it.

Also, TLC doesn't charge only for piece count, it obviously has to charge for it's raw material, therefore a very large piece will cost more dude to the large about of plastic.

Yes, I know that much. But the actual plastic is probably the cheapest part of lego. Most money goes to designers, licencing, mold's ect...

Besides, baseplates don't actually use that much plastic. It's just very spread out plastic (look up it's weight in the BL guide if you question me there).

Just fork out the money. You'll not going to need more than one anyway unless you keep your models together or are building something huge.

Well, as i said, i use them as base's for my Star Wars scenes... Which are fairly large. At this point, i DO fork out the money, i'd just rather get them a bit cheaper

To answer your first question: Base plates are so expensive because of how much plastic they use, and I imagine that they would be harder to produce because of there size. But in the big scheme of things, they're not really that expensive. I paid 12 USD for a a 48x48 bley base plate, the largest size they come in (for my super-secret project), and I still don't regret it.

Yes, I agree that they would be harder to produce because of their size, but still...

And BTW, there are actully 50x50 baseplates

Baseplates are still around *everywhere*, although often in Creator sets or Exclusives.

10189 Taj Mahal - 6 16x32 blue baseplates

10182 and 10185 are both on 2 16x32 green baseplates

10181 Effiel Tower had 4 32x32 baseplates

The Castle Giant Chess set had *2* 48x48 light bley baseplates

All the Creator sets have used 16x32 baseplates in green or in dark bley. The 2007 tan Creator house had *3* 16x32 baseplates in dark bley. There are more green ones in the upcoming House set.

Even System sets are still producing them, in large sizes and small. Eg:

8637 Farm has 2 16x32 baseplates

The 2008 Police HQ had a 32x32 baseplate with driveway and 1 16x32 baseplate

The recent Service Station set had the same 32x32 driveway baseplate with an 8x16 baseplate

8637 Volcano Agents base - 1 16x16 baseplate in dark bley, with 2 8x16 baseplates

7641 City Life has 3 8x16 baseplates!

You could pick up very cheap 16x32 tan baseplates from the Krusty Krab set in 2006. That wasn't exactly a million years ago

In point of fact HP sets rarely if ever used baseplates - they were largely built on 8x16 or 8x16 bricks! (and later ordinary plates)

This is all just off the top of my head. I am sure I have missed heaps of examples!

Flat baseplates aren't dead at all. Actually, since the relaunch of Castle, the only type of plates we do see less of are the raised baseplates that nobody seems to like much! The only big 4 sets (non Belville) to use them since 2005 are the older Police HQ, the 2006 Hospital, the KK2 10176 Castle and 7627 Temple of the Crystal Skull.

Shutup you....

To judge price you really shouldn't be counting pieces, instead count how many studs there are.

Baseplates have a Lot of those, hence they cost so much.

All those studs sure do make for a lot of possibilities for building stuff, thats what you're really paying for, possibilities.

Ah... That makes a bit of sence i guess...

OK, well it seems most people are happy to pay the price for them. However, I Continue to want more colours

-Legoman

i have a few green and grey baseplates that i picked up over seas. I never really use them except for when i do the odd stop motion. they are great for that!

I don't think there is really a lack of them but at least in my case I need so many and the price is a bit steep. I don't really need them but I would like to have 1 baseplate per building in my town and well that's a lot of baseplates Also with the new pick a brick pallete lots of new pieces were added but baseplates where actually taken away . Now you can only buy 3 types of base plates and the 16x16 baseplates sell for 3.89 I agree we need some better options, and svelte corps I know there are tons available in sets but I would like more on pick a brick for MOCs

I was wondering this same thing the other day. Even though they contain more plastic than the average piece they are comparable to tree or 4 large pieces by weight. I would certainly buy more if they where sold for less or even if they where sold at the same price in a greater variety of colors. Also the last set that I remember with a large baseplate would be either Market street or Town plan, whichever came later.

Comparable to a tree or 4 large pieces? According to bricklink, a 32x32 plate weighs 107 grams, a large pine tree weighs 6.7 grams, that's about 16x the difference, and would be about 35x the difference for a 48x48 plate.

Personally I think baseplates are good value, it's just a pity they don't come in more colours.

I finally bought a big grey baseplate on my last trip to legoland, its fantastic.

My MOCs are not often dependant on baseplates, mainly because of their width, I prefer working in plate widths or brickwidths and baseplates can muck it up (I am looking for the plates to use on the volcano, replacements for the baseplates). This might be because of how "rare" they are and the bricklink prices but it's the case for me.

That said, I have the baseplates that came with the Spiderman Secret Origings set, a clear one from a Mosaic set my little sister bought in one of her 'we are at legoland and everyone is getting something so i want something too' moments (last year was dreadful, she wanted overpriced foam swords just to be bought something) a big grey baseplate, a desert baseplate with driveway from the Sphinx and two megablocks baseplates from a skatepark set.

I think the prices are fine. I just wish (like so many others) that they came in more colors...

Now you can only buy 3 types of base plates and the 16x16 baseplates sell for 3.89 I agree we need some better options, and svelte corps I know there are tons available in sets but I would like more on pick a brick for MOCs

I don't think that 3.89 is at all expensive, but you're right that there aren't alot of options out there. Bricklink is a good place to look for deals on alternative sizes and configuration, and with a razor saw, you can easiliy cut baseplates to the size you need.

Here's a good source for a blue baseplate. 30 bucks might seem like alot, but if you buy this pack, you can get a 32x32 blue baseplate for the same "price" as green 32x32.

http://www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=919

could you not just spray paint green or grey baseplates blue or brown or black etc.? or would the paint just come off on to the lego pieces?

Comparable to a tree or 4 large pieces? According to bricklink, a 32x32 plate weighs 107 grams, a large pine tree weighs 6.7 grams, that's about 16x the difference, and would be about 35x the difference for a 48x48 plate.

Personally I think baseplates are good value, it's just a pity they don't come in more colours.

I see what you did there.... however I think he meant "three or four large pieces."

could you not just spray paint green or grey baseplates blue or brown or black etc.? or would the paint just come off on to the lego pieces?

I don't know off chance if it would work, but I'm not trying it...

I can envision the paint getting lumpy in some spots and not being able to get decent use out of it.

could you not just spray paint green or grey baseplates blue or brown or black etc.? or would the paint just come off on to the lego pieces?

The only parts it makes sense to paint are the sides of pieces that are not coming into contact with other bricks. Painting a baseplate is silly because the paint is going to get scratched off in places the first time you put on and take off bricks. If you have area to cover, it's much wiser to paint the table you are building on, or to buy the baseplates.

could you not just spray paint green or grey baseplates blue or brown or black etc.? or would the paint just come off on to the lego pieces?

The paint would add thickness causing a tighter fit or even worse, not even fitting a brick.

The only parts it makes sense to paint are the sides of pieces that are not coming into contact with other bricks. Painting a baseplate is silly because the paint is going to get scratched off in places the first time you put on and take off bricks. If you have area to cover, it's much wiser to paint the table you are building on, or to buy the baseplates.

The paint would add thickness causing a tighter fit or even worse, not even fitting a brick.

It ends up a lumpy mess when you paint bricks, no matter what paint you use and how carefully you apply the paint. I tried to spray a brick (a mucky white one) and the paint scratched off. Acrylic looks dreadful (One door hinge painted so it wasn't blue but grey) and model paint looks good if carefully applied but scrapes off far too easily.

A baseplate painted would be hopeless as studs would gain thickness and the space between gets gatherings of paint gloop.

The only parts it makes sense to paint are the sides of pieces that are not coming into contact with other bricks. Painting a baseplate is silly because the paint is going to get scratched off in places the first time you put on and take off bricks. If you have area to cover, it's much wiser to paint the table you are building on, or to buy the baseplates.

woops! silly me! i should have realized that before