Best/most needed bricks for castle building?

[daisy]

I want to try to build my first lego castle. My daughter wants a castle themed birthday party later this summer. I think it would be fun to build a lego castle for it. Unfortunately i don't see much out there in current castle sets, so I think I will have to come up with my own. (I did pick up an inexpensive little bricks and more castle set so at least I have a knight and a castle door/windows)

I am pretty much a novice so it won't be anything massive. But i will be making a trip to chicago in the next month or so and get to visit the legostore PAB wall. So what would be the best finds /really important bricks for castle building?

(BTW If there is already a thread on this please direct me, I did a search but couldn't find anything)

[Darkdragon]

PAB is a really expensive way to go for basic bricks. They just don't fit in the cup very well.

I suggest light bluish-grey, dark bluish-grey, tan, dark tan and I suggest buying it on bricklink in bulk. However, you are competing with just about every castle builder on those colors and so it can be very tough. :(

[daisy]

PAB is a really expensive way to go for basic bricks. They just don't fit in the cup very well.

I suggest light bluish-grey, dark bluish-grey, tan, dark tan and I suggest buying it on bricklink in bulk. However, you are competing with just about every castle builder on those colors and so it can be very tough. :(

Thanks for the advice. Good point bigger the brick more expensive it gets in a PAB cup.

I am planning on filling a PAB cup or 2 anyway, since I wouldn't be getting to a lego store but once a yr or so. So was wondering if there were some specific thing to grab up that are often available.

Had a feeling greys/tans were in high demand, can't seem to find them in to many sets.

Maybe I will build a pink castle Daughter would love it (she is a pink fan), maybe less competition for those bricks, since there are couple pink buckets out right now. (Which we will have) Pink and grey look nice together. then i can build up my greys and tans over time - and it would be good practice for building a "real" one. (I like to build houses & cabins too so those colors are always on my radar)

[ZCerberus]

darkdragon is right- I have a pick-a-brick nearby my house and I will only buy plates (especially translucent ones) and tiles when I am there unless I see some other rare part that I can't pick up for way less on bricklink.

For pick a brick, I often times see 2 x 2 tiles. I always fill the bottom of my PAB cup with 1 x 1 plates or some kind as well to make sure I use as much space as possible. I often also see the 1 x 2 x 3 round top windows. They can be a good buy as well. Keep an eye out for flowers as well. Always seems to be a lot of flowers in the the one in Minnesota.

The major parts I would sugges investing in on bricklink are:

1 x 1 and 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 light and dark bluish gray bricks

1 x 4, 1 x 6 x 2 and 1 x 8 x 2 arches light bluish gray

1 x 2 and 2 x 2 inverted slopes in light bluish gray

1 x 2 and 2 x 2 slopes in light bluish gray

If you want to get into more advanced techniques and some advanced detailing I would get these:

jumper plates

headlight brick in light bluish gray

1 x 2 tile light and dark bluish gray

1 x 1 round plate in light and dark bluish gray

brick with stud on 1 side

[daisy]

Thanks

The list and the pab cup tips are helpful.

[Durins Bane]

Id say a light bley 1x2 is king for castle building.

[meyerc13]

Don't give up on finding LEGO castle sets quite yet. I've still been seeing quite a few of them at Barnes and Noble stores. If you've joined their member program, they've been emailing 20% off coupons every few weeks. I've probably picked up four more of the Outpost Attack sets there, which are great for castle buildings.

Some people have reported finding some of them at TJ Maxx and Marshall's stores, but I haven't personally seen any there.

Another option for parts is the Bricks and More Knight and Castle Building Set. This is a great set to pick up a few of at Toys R Us when they are running one of their BOGO sales.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but there's also the Kingdom's Joust set which is great as a set and also as a parts pack.

[daisy]

Don't give up on finding LEGO castle sets quite yet. I've still been seeing quite a few of them at Barnes and Noble stores. If you've joined their member program, they've been emailing 20% off coupons every few weeks. I've probably picked up four more of the Outpost Attack sets there, which are great for castle buildings.

Some people have reported finding some of them at TJ Maxx and Marshall's stores, but I haven't personally seen any there.

Another option for parts is the Bricks and More Knight and Castle Building Set. This is a great set to pick up a few of at Toys R Us when they are running one of their BOGO sales.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but there's also the Kingdom's Joust set which is great as a set and also as a parts pack.

Thanks. I will have to keep checking barnes & noble and TJ Maxx. (Neither had castle the last time I was there) I did pick op one of the bricks and more sets. Hopefully will pick up 2 more if a bogo comes up soon.

I never looked real closely at kingdom's joust. Wow! It is a bit pricey, but great parts and a great value, technically can afford it, just need to be able to justify the expense

Got to get my husband into lego (I think there are "wife moderated lego nuts" on here, well I am husband moderated )

[Angeli]

The major parts I would sugges investing in on bricklink are:

1 x 1 and 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 light and dark bluish gray bricks

1 x 4, 1 x 6 x 2 and 1 x 8 x 2 arches light bluish gray

1 x 2 and 2 x 2 inverted slopes in light bluish gray

1 x 2 and 2 x 2 slopes in light bluish gray

my personal choice ;) but I would suggest that you buy them via bricklink, and hammer a good price via e-mails with the seller, they like to bargain :)

Edit: oh, he said that also :)_ bah :) then I've got nothing new to add :)

Edited April 21, 2012 by Angeli

[ZCerberus]

my personal choice ;) but I would suggest that you buy them via bricklink, and hammer a good price via e-mails with the seller, they like to bargain :)

You own bricks that AREN'T red master drow?

[Darkdragon]

You own bricks that AREN'T red master drow?

Yeah some black arches.

[NiceMarmot]

There is a thread for this already, but I can't find it either.

In my experience, you're going to need (in light bluish gray or tan, unless otherwise indicated):

• 2x4 bricks for walls
  
• 2x2 bricks for wall-ends and doorways
  
• 1x2 and 1x1 bricks for various places
  
• 1x3 bricks for the crenellations (or use 1x2 bricks)
  
• longer 1x bricks for the walls just under the crenellations; I tend to use 1x4, 1x6, or 1x8s
  
• Window 1 x 2 x 2 2/3 with Rounded Top (reddish brown)
  
• window panes for the above windows
  
• arches for doorways and windows (3659 or 6182 for windows, 3307 for doorways)
  
• 2x2 corner bricks are useful for recessed arched windows
  
• 2x2 and 2x1 inverted slopes
  
• plates for roofs and walkways
  
• stairs
  
• various dark bluish gray slopes for rocky landscaping
  
• green plants (Bamboo Leaves and Plant Flower Stems mostly)
  
• green plates for grass
  
• blue plates for water
  
• reddish brown, tan, and dark tan plates for dirt
  

I disagree about PAB cups -- I think they are the cheapest way (in the USA) to acquire bricks for castle-building (with certain exceptions).

You can get 169 2x4 bricks in a large PAB cup (see how here), plus say another 20 or so 1x4 tiles down the sides, a few 1x1 round plates, and 12 or so 1x2 bricks around the bottom. At $15/cup, that's $0.08 per 2x4 brick, less if you factor in the other tiles, 1x2 bricks, and plates. Tan 2x4 bricks in any real quantity (you're going to need hundreds) are at least $0.12 each on BrickLink in the US. Dark tans in quantity are $0.13, dark bluish grays and light bluish grays are $0.15. As for 2x2 bricks, tan ones are $0.06 on BL, but better than $0.04 in a PAB cup. If you see light bluish gray 2x2s at the PAB wall, load up -- they're $0.09 each on BL in quantity.

Many other bricks are much cheaper in the PAB wall than on BrickLink. For instance the arched window frames are about $0.10 in quantity on BL; but only occupy about $0.058 worth of space in the cup, and you can fit something inside them. The bamboo plants are $0.04 in quantity on BL, and I'm sure you can cram them into a PAB cup tight enough to blow that number away. Same with the Plant Flower Stems; you can really pack a ton of them in.

Of course -- you also need to factor in gasoline, sales taxes, and your time.

And Medieval Market Village is another great set. At $99.99 full price, its 1601 pieces are about $0.06 each, a very good price per part ratio. Sometimes you can find it on Amazon for $89.99.

Edited April 21, 2012 by NiceMarmot