Building Cafe Corner via Bricklink

[jedi1984]

Ok, I used to find only good threads here on Eurobricks... then I stepped into this one and... the result is down here, eh eh:

I just started checking the pieces I have, but this project fascinates me!

Anyway I have a question for you, serious Bricklinkers: is there a way on BL to spot the best price for a fixed amount of pieces on a wanted list? I mean, let's say that I want to place an order of exactly 500 pieces of my wanted list, can I sort the results to show which is the store with the best total amount for all the stuff? I hope it's written in understandable English.

Btw, let me tell you one thing: as a noob "cafe corner bricklinker" I have to say that the price for that blue arch is [...] ridicolous!

[LEGO Guy Bri]

The easiest way, that I can think of, is when searching for a piece, it auto searches for the lowest price. At the top of the white box that displays all the choices to buy, there is a filter that says "Search within results", highlighted in a light gray area. There you can choose what condition, items per page, and the last will have the option to choose highest quantity. Then just hit search after your selection and scroll down to find the best price(s) for the quantity you need. I hope this is what you are looking for

[Jctriguy]

Anyway I have a question for you, serious Bricklinkers: is there a way on BL to spot the best price for a fixed amount of pieces on a wanted list? I mean, let's say that I want to place an order of exactly 500 pieces of my wanted list, can I sort the results to show which is the store with the best total amount for all the stuff? I hope it's written in understandable English.

Btw, let me tell you one thing: as a noob "cafe corner bricklinker" I have to say that the price for that blue arch is [...] ridicolous!

If you create a wanted list with min quantity listed and max price, it will allow you to sort lists of stores based on meeting those requirements. Once you have minimums listed go to the tab 'by shop' and it will show you a list of all stores that meet those criteria. I use BrickStore to create the wanted list by parting out a set and setting the price as the 6month average sale price or some % below that price. It isn't perfect, but is way faster than manually entering prices.

I'm 95% finished parting my Cafe Corner together. Had about 500 parts to start with and the remaining came from bricklink, PAB and Lego Direct. Still haven't ordered the dark red roof slopes, but I'm sure that will happen eventually. I'm planning to start the build with DBG slopes. It's a fun project trying to find the right mix of orders at 5-10 different stores. You make some mistakes on a few orders and win on some others, eventually you figure out a system that ensures decent prices and shipping costs.

[jedi1984]

Thanks, the thing of setting the average price with brickstore was exactly what I was searching for.

[Cian]

Have been working on this on and off between other BL orders and I'm down to the last 100 pieces or so, only a few of which are particularly painfully dear either (the Pet Shop bringing back the slopes has helped hugely)

The second floor windows - http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/4132 - are now the absolute killer as you can't easily substitute for colour and they're now approximately €15 each. The dark blue arch can be swapped out, the first floor window frames I've swapped for actual windows and the door I'm dealing with also.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[Kristel]

Have been working on this on and off between other BL orders and I'm down to the last 100 pieces or so, only a few of which are particularly painfully dear either (the Pet Shop bringing back the slopes has helped hugely)

The second floor windows - http://www.peeron.com/inv/parts/4132 - are now the absolute killer as you can't easily substitute for colour and they're now approximately €15 each. The dark blue arch can be swapped out, the first floor window frames I've swapped for actual windows and the door I'm dealing with also.

Anyone got any suggestions?

I use these with these for the second floor windows. Same effect for a fraction of the price.

[Cian]

I have some of both of those, will give it a go to see what it looks like.

Not going for 100% authentic as I've no intention to try sell it - just want something that looks correct enough from three foot away! Have the window inserts for the 'wrong' (original) frames already, time to throw them to Bricklink.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Cian

[cei]

Hi guys,

I'm starting my Cafe Corner build, but I need some advice on where to start.

Firstly, where can I get the best set of instructions? Peeron?

Secondly, is there a list of all the elements needed for the build? Is Peeron the best for this?

Thirdly, which are the really hard/expensive pieces to buy, and which do I get from Lego?

Edited March 3, 2013 by cei

[eurotrash]

Hi guys,

I'm starting my Cafe Corner build, but I need some advice on where to start.

Firstly, where can I get the best set of instructions? Peeron?

Secondly, is there a list of all the elements needed for the build? Is Peeron the best for this?

Thirdly, which are the really hard/expensive pieces to buy, and which do I get from Lego?

The Instructions are easy enough to find on the web. Here's one link http://www.brickinstructions.com/instructions.php?code=10182&set=Caf%C3%A9%20Corner

Here's a parts list http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemInv.asp?S=10182-1

If you haven't yet discovered the infinite joy of Bricklink then I'd suggest having a quick play around there. It's as ugly as a three day old pizza, but it's easy enough to create wanted (Parts) lists and search for BL shops that sell them.

Good luck in your hunt!

[cei]

Thanks! I most certainly know Bricklink well, though I wish it was more functional!

[kermit]

I tried sourcing the parts and for the first floor alone the total parts came up to $120 .............just the first floor. It makes you appreciate the price that we get our modular buildings from lego for.

[Andy D]

I seem to re-read a lot of this thread each time it gets bumped, (I'm glad it gets bumped) and I just thought I would share my CC build experience.

I Bricklinked the CC a couple of yers go, back when a NIB cost about $400, not the ridiclous $1000 or more now. I built mine for between $250 and $300, I seem to remember somewhere around $275.

I did not use any expensive parts, even back then the DB arch was a couple of dollars and I couldn't see that price as worth it for one part.

The DR slopes were very scarce even back then, so I substituted just red in place of all the dark red pieces and it looks good. Every now and then I look at this thread, look at my slopes and think, "do I want to replace them for $50?". Well, the answer remains a resounding NO!

Today you can get red slopes for $.05 and dark red for $1.50, hmmm, my red slopes look just fine.

If you are not a purist, or are planning to try to sell a new CC, substitute some parts and outside of LEGO purists you will be the only one who will ever know.

I don't know about any of you, but $50 is a good start on a new MOC.

Just my $.02

Andy D

[Cian]

Last Bricklink order shipped (Although one earlier one is still AWOL, but I've found German post to be surprisingly inefficient and getting things before) for this. Set is structurally held together

One raid on existing parts, 8 Bricklink orders, 1 PAB order and one customer services order, and a few substitutions/omissions - first floor windows changed to actual 2x3 white windows with glass; second floor windows as per Kristel's suggestions, dark bley arch and a backwards door (that still cost a packet) for the staircase; left out the parrots on the top. About €300 in total and that includes somehow managing to order 42 rather than 4 dark blue 2x2 bricks; ordering the grey curves for the bottom floor twice and ordering 30 new and 30 used dark red 1x2 bricks - must make sure to clear my wanted list properly! Also didn't look for exact part variations when there's two that work identically.

Everything is new parts except some of what I raided from my stock - although I'm considering replacing any even slightly old white parts in the Hotel sign with brand new.

Now, on to Green Grocer. Learnt my lesson on number of Bricklink orders - sometimes its best to get more off a dearer shop that has more stuff than try to get off multiple cheaper, Ireland isn't a cheap shipping location for the mainland EU - and to make sure to triple check before ordering!

Edited March 12, 2013 by Cian

[TheLegoDr]

I've put mine on hold for so long. But I agree with most, just substitute pieces that look good. No reason to buy the expensive pieces unless you want to sell it for a lot more than you built it. I did buy all of the dark red slopes because those look great, but I will pass on the dark blue-gray birds and the dark blue pieces. I plan on modding it quite a bit on the interior, so that won't bother me. But I do want the exterior to look as close to the official release as can be because I do appreciate how it looks. I've heard of someone modding the middle section one brick taller to make it not look so flattened, so I may do that whenever I get around to building it again.

[Cian]

Got the vast bulk of parts for Green Grocer ordered now. Had just about 900 already, ordered ~400 from PAB where the price was within +15% of Bricklink averages (as often the average for people that'll ship to Ireland is higher anyway, and this way absolutely guarantees new parts - had some tooth marked 'new' elements recently from BL).

Two large BL orders have brought me down to about 300 parts of 34 elements. Have put in for the sand green hinge base and most of the sand green bricks on the part replacement service, it shows them all as in stock except the 1x8s.

These can generally structurally be swapped for 2 1x4s (When one is used) or 1 1x4 + 2 1x6s (when two are beside each other) it seems, and these are both available from Lego and SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper on BL.

PAB was 41 euro - was buying from S@H anyway so no extra shipping; Bricklink was 23 and 77 euro for two orders, Lego CS have quoted 20 but I still need confirmation they can supply + pay for that. Not sure the last order will exceed 40 euro. Compared to at least 400 euro for a second hand one, albeit with the 1x8s, its a hell of a saving. Of course, I'm not valuing the parts I had already there!

Edited March 21, 2013 by Cian

[timmyc1983]

I'm very interested to see how you go Cian, as i have 90% of the parts for my BL'd Cafe Corner and have already done an inventory in excel for my next project: Green Grocer haha. Not to mention all my MODs and MOCs in the pipeline too. But i will be sure to see how your GG unfolds and what sort of cost you are looking at altogether. Unfortunately, my spares tubs have suffered recently as i keep raiding them for Cafe Corner and other projects so i doubt i'll have much joy with them for GG, so i will be PaBing and BLing almost all of it..... Good luck for your final hunt!

[Andy D]

It amazes me how popular this thread continues to be! It seems that one of the first things new AFOLs do is BL a Cafe Corner (that's what I did). Now forever hooked on modulars. I BL'ed my CC before this thread started, I do wish it could have been around then, lots of very useful info here.

One of the best (I feel) is to subtitute some less expensive parts for some of the more rare/expensive parts. I stll don't have the birds in the windows, though I've been thinking bout just using some lbley 1 by rounds, from a distance it will look about he same.

Good luck to all still BLing your CC!

Andy D

[Cian]

Customer Services currently have the sand green parts I mentioned in stock (and 1x4s/1x6s which I had).

I actually bought the remaining parts last night, 50 euro to get virtually everything from one well stocked but dearer store and 13 euro for a 10 euro minimum order (and then shipping) to get 2.10 of decorated tiles - so I got a stack of other cheap bits I can keep as stock....

I'll figure out the exact total for those parts in a bit, but obviously its still not going to include the cost of the parts I already had.

The worst part of all of this is that I *was* an AFOL when Green Grocer was available but I stayed away from the modular line for a bit and ended up ordering FB/GE at the same time.

My CC rebuild has got (slightly) dearer as I managed to colourblindly order 16 new brown curved parts instead of dark red for the top floor roof. Now, the parts I did need are about 8c each. The parts I bought are about 80c as they're only in one single set

Edited March 21, 2013 by Cian

[cei]

Yeah, I was an AFOL when the CC was around, but stuck to Star Wars. GG was my first modular, which I massively regret!

[Andy D]

Yeah, I was an AFOL when the CC was around, but stuck to Star Wars. GG was my first modular, which I massively regret!

Do you regret buying the GG, or not getting the CC?

Andy D

[Cian]

Do you regret buying the GG, or not getting the CC?

Andy D

GG. I meant to type GG there, not CC. Was too late for it.

MS might have been on sale still but I've never actually wanted it.

[Lorentzen]

I am seriously thinking about Bricklinking the Green Grocer now, and perhaps with a few unnoticable replacings from expensive to cheaper parts.

I really enjoyed Bricklinking the Cafe Corner

If anybody have experiences with BL'ing The GG perhaps they could post in this thread

[Andy D]

I am seriously thinking about Bricklinking the Green Grocer now, and perhaps with a few unnoticable replacings from expensive to cheaper parts.

I really enjoyed Bricklinking the Cafe Corner

If anybody have experiences with BL'ing The GG perhaps they could post in this thread

Seems there is interest in BL'ing the GG as well, why not a new thread to help keep things more organized and easier to find?

Andy D

[timmyc1983]

So i finally received my last bricklink package today!!!!! much to my excitement.... My excitement soon dwindled when i realised two major bungles with the order not to mention i'd been waiting almost 4 weeks for this package which is well above the average of around 11 days for all the other ones.... Living in Australia is very annoying sometimes!!!!!

I think i am going to have to start anyway... I can't wait any longer.......

Edited March 22, 2013 by timmyc1983

[glendo]

I am seriously thinking about Bricklinking the Green Grocer now, and perhaps with a few unnoticable replacings from expensive to cheaper parts.

I really enjoyed Bricklinking the Cafe Corner

If anybody have experiences with BL'ing The GG perhaps they could post in this thread

i bricklinked a GG 6 weeks ago. i took a couple of months from the idea to the finished result.

http://aussielegofan...ar-green-grocer

Edited March 22, 2013 by glendo