Return of the Blue baseplate

[Brickbeard Bart]

Hello, I'm new around here...but not new to Pirate Legos. I got my first kit in the early nineties....managed to buy Eldorado's Fortress and various other sets from that series when they were on the shelves at Toys R Us in San Jose, CA when I was about 12 or 13. I'm 33 now and still a Lego fanatic, even have my 6 year old son hooked on them...(in fact hes got a lego themed Bday party this coming Saturday).

I just wanted to comment on here about the Blue Baseplate (32 x 32 stud) that had been out of production for so long....until I noticed just recently they started selling them again. I picked up 6 on Amazon for 5 bucks each. I've noticed just in the last day or so of discovering this site, that many of you use blue bricks on their sides or SNOT plates on your baseplates for water in your MOCs and dioramas...which looks allot nicer, IMO. I'm just wondering if this is really a brand new thing, or have they been selling them all along and I just haven't noticed? I seem to recall paying up to 20 bucks a piece for a good quality one on ebay or bricklink not too long ago.

Anyway, just thought I'd pop in and introduce myself, I look forward to learning some of your cool building techniques, especially those from the likes of members like Derfel Cardarn...I don't have that extensive of a collection of bulk bricks, mostly just official kits...but it seems like you need to drop some serious cash do do some of these huge dioramas! Or simply have been buying Lego steadily for 20 years

Happy building!

Bart

[curtisrlee]

Well then hello there sir!

Yes I believe the blue baseplate was put back on S@H recently. Anyways welcome here!

[legitimatealex]

1. Yes the blue baseplate made a comeback near the end of 09.

2. Depends on what you want if you want to drop a lot of money. If you want to make a big diorama you're going to definitely need a lot of dark gray and gray for stones and something like that is best gotten from Pick a Brick at an official LEGO shop. If you want one generic brick that you're better off ordering it from Bricklink. Common items are sold there cheaper than at LEGO.com. I personally haven't ordered anything off of there but my brother has and has been happy with everything. Pick A Brick is probably your best option for getting a bunch of bricks for cheap but selection varies from store to store.

Hope that helped.

[Commodore Hornbricker]

Welcome! I grew up in San Jose as well.

The blue baseplates have just returned for the first time in a LOOOONG time and like you I have shelled out lots for a few off Bricklink in the past. Doing the big dioramas can be expensive but there are different ways of accomplishing that. Someone like SlyOwl I believe reuses his Lego rather quickly in new projects so he builds photographs and takes apart for new projects. Derfel Cardarn is building an entire (and very amazing coastline) so he needs enough for many many large MOC's.

I like to buy sets throughout the year I like that have what I think will be usefull parts and colors. I buy parts I need from Bricklink that I need in quantities that would take forever to get just by collecting sets. I hope that helps.