Does anyone else live in fear... (of new sets missing pieces)

[Farmer Harv]

So I'm on my fourth Lego set ever, the UCS B Wing, and I realized that almost every time I look for a piece, and every time I look for a small piece that I don't spot immediately, I'm afraid it simply won't be there and my build will come to a grinding halt for weeks while I wait for the part to arrive. I don't know if it's from reading about build stopping missing piece stories I've read on the forums, Lego's easily found "my set has a missing piece" section, or some holdover from when I was a kid, but for some reason I'm sure it's going to happen to me.

I've never been a sorter, preferring to merrily root through the pile like a pig looking for truffles, but maybe I need to start? Anyone else ever have this fear? Does it go away? Is is manageable? Do I think too much (according to my wife that's a rare enough occurrence anyway)?

Or should I trust in the Lego packaging machine's abilities and hope to achieve a zen like state while assembling the model, and if something is missing it's a karma thing, and I should move on to something else. Like posting in forums. :-)

Edited March 27, 2014 by Brickdoctor
Fixed typo and clarified title.

[jodawill]

I don't think it's healthy to love in fear. If that's the way you feel about your relationship, you should consider breaking things off.

[TheLegGodt]

I dont think he was talking about his relationship...

The first few big sets I built I had the same fear. It goes away (I have built many many big sets since 2010). Anyway, if a piece is missing usually it's a very insignicant part that I have spare pieces for so I can (temporarily) supplement with. But of the 100 sets it happened like 3 times...

Brick happily ever after and trust in LEGO

[Robianco]

I've bought 4 sets marked as incomplete in the last 2 weeks... 8038 Battle of Endor, 9468 Monster Fighters Castle, 7657 At-St and 4876 Hogwarts Castle... I think there was a total of a £10 BrickLink order to make the parts up.

Building 4 sets where you KNOW things are missing is kind of fun... especially when you know you can get the parts quite cheap and ultimately get the sets for a lot less that way. it's part of the fun for me.

By the way... I think Jodawill was referring to the typo in the header... I think it should read 'Live' in fear...

Edited March 26, 2014 by Robianco

[tkatt]

"live in fear..."?

I don't worry about missing pieces, unless I've bought a used set.

There has been only one time (in 30 years) I had a new set that was missing a piece. Before calling Lego I checked all the possible places it could be. I found it in one of the polybags I had put in the trash. Now I never throw the packing bags away until I'm done with a build, just in case.

[Chills]

I have about 142 sets, and every one that's come from LEGO has been complete; not one piece missing. I am a sorter, so when I open the bag I like to sort by color and piece.

Now when it comes to used sets I only buy ones that are said to be 100% complete. That being said of the 2 dozen or so sets I've bought used only two or three have actually been 100% complete. Of the sets that weren't complete the sellers have always been helpful about supplying the missing pieces.

I wouldn't live in fear of missing pieces. What's the worst that can happen? One is missing, TLG sends you a new one, and you have to hold off on your finished set for a week. Big deal.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Chills

[Godtshep]

I've bought 4 sets marked as incomplete in the last 2 weeks... 8038 Battle of Endor, 9468 Monster Fighters Castle, 7657 At-St and 4876 Hogwarts Castle... I think there was a total of a £10 BrickLink order to make the parts up.

Building 4 sets where you KNOW things are missing is kind of fun... especially when you know you can get the parts quite cheap and ultimately get the sets for a lot less that way. it's part of the fun for me.

By the way... I think Jodawill was referring to the typo in the header... I think it should read 'Live' in fear...

I found a missing piece in 8038 as well...

But I don't think I live in fear of this happening.

[Farmer Harv]

Ahhh, the eeeevil iPad autocorrect rears it's ugly head again. Is there any way to edit the topic header? Or is that a mods only thing?

Anyhoo, it looks like I just need to build more! I'm sure there's something about just facing your fears, so building more and more seems like excellent therapy. :-)

[rollermonkey]

I have so rarely had a missing piece that it doesn't even cross my mind. Heck, we get so many extra pieces, I'm more likely to wonder what extras I'm going to get rather than worry about a missing piece.

When I saw the title, and in the SW forum, I was wondering what kind of interesting SoNE build/story it was going to be... Like some stormtrooper was secretly dating Palpatine's (never before known) daughter, and they were worried about being caught, or something like that.

[Galaxy Explorer]

I've only had two instances where I was missing a part in a set, and even then there were alternate parts included. I can't remember ever worrying about missing parts, but I do remember seeing a kid at a Target asking his mother for a set and she said no, because it was probably missing parts. Made me giggle a bit.

[Bricktimus]

Im exactly the same! Ha ha ha!

Whilst building, if I cant find the part right away, im like "nope, missing part. Im screwed " haha

Then I find it like 10 seconds later..

I started sorting the parts and find that helps with the "missing piece anxiety"

[Brickdoctor]

Ahhh, the eeeevil iPad autocorrect rears it's ugly head again. Is there any way to edit the topic header? Or is that a mods only thing?

Fixed. And I clarified it; let me know if you don't like that.

And yes, I've done this many times. (Although it's not 'living in fear', it's more of a few minutes of panic when I think the piece is missing.) The most annoying occurrences are when you're either looking for the wrong piece or you've already found the piece and didn't realize it, because either poor lighting in the room, poor printing of the instructions, or both have you looking for a piece in the wrong color. And every time, I make a mental note to sort the pieces next time so I don't spend ten or fifteen minutes throwing loose bags and instruction booklets around looking for the one piece. And every time I get a new set, I forget to do that.

[Rogue Angel]

In the 200+ sets I've bought, I've never had a missing piece, so I don't worry about it.

[rollermonkey]

I think it happens most (not being able to find a part) when it's in a bag that 'doesn't make sense'. Like looking for a 1x6 plate and instead of finding it in one of the bags the other 18 were in, it's in a bag with single-stud parts because those other bags were twinned bags, and it was a part with an odd number being used. Or if they actually put 1x3s and 1x4s of the same color in the same bag. We're so used to these things not being the norm, that it throws us off when they break these patterns.

[Farmer Harv]

That's perfect Brickdoctor! Thanks!

[Brickity]

Yes it happens to me most of time when building a set, I get that little fear. But it doesn't affect me to a point that I live in fear :p

[LucasLaughing]

I've been buying sets and building LEGO for at least 10 years, and in all that time I've only had one set that was missing parts. Atlantis 7898 Angler Attack was short several parts, and missing the villain minifig.

In a strange coincidence, that was the first set that I built together with my new girlfriend; luckily we made it though that rough patch and are very happy over 2 years later...

[HJR-Holland]

The 10221 Super Star Destoyer contained one in dark bluish grey instead of in dark bluish grey. That was really odd, as the in dark bluish grey doesn't even appear in the 10221!

Ordered the extra part at LEGO, got it rightaway. Was the first time in 600+ sets bought that missed a piece.

[Kaitan]

I've only ever had one set with a missing part, that was the Death Star 10188 - It was Leia's head! TLG were a little bit reluctant to supply a replacement, there was a bit of tooing and froing with emails. I got the impression they thought I was trying to con them in some way, but they eventually sent me a new head.

[Cyberbricker]

I have over 200 (possibly a lot more ) sets and never had a piece missing, but should it happen i trust in LEGO or my own abillity 2 supply a new piece.

Brinklink is your friend.

[Chills]

Fixed. And I clarified it; let me know if you don't like that.

And yes, I've done this many times. (Although it's not 'living in fear', it's more of a few minutes of panic when I think the piece is missing.) The most annoying occurrences are when you're either looking for the wrong piece or you've already found the piece and didn't realize it, because either poor lighting in the room, poor printing of the instructions, or both have you looking for a piece in the wrong color. And every time, I make a mental note to sort the pieces next time so I don't spend ten or fifteen minutes throwing loose bags and instruction booklets around looking for the one piece. And every time I get a new set, I forget to do that.

YES!!! This has happened to me a few times; most recently when I was building the Ewok Village on my coffee table (which is solid wood... not the greatest color difference from the LEGO pieces). There were a number of times I either put the wrong color on or mis-sorted a piece because of the color, or thought I didn't get it out of the plastic bag.

[crazyjay]

In my 20+ years of building things. I think I may have had 5 sets come up with missing pieces. Lego has always been good about proper packaging of parts

[Only Sinner]

No, it's usually just a frantic search for a few minutes until I find it, and thats only if I hadn't properly sorted the parts to begin with. I think I have only ever had missing pieces twice. My Jedi Shuttle had the entire bag #1 missing! Thats only because I got it from Walmart and didn't notice the tapes had been reapplied. We all know the type of people Walmart attracts, so that should explain that one. That being what it is, Most new sets should always have all the pieces you need. I am quite fascinated with the sorting technology and programming.

*Truffles*- LOL

[Steel Tiger]

I have never been afraid of a LEGO set not having a piece, but I have been afraid of losing a very small piece in my carpet, and accidentally vacuuming it up. I actually had a nightmare while in the process of building Jabba's Palace.

Edited March 28, 2014 by Steel Tiger

[sithewok]

I always worry about it with the really large sets for some reason. I have vacuumed up a piece before, though, so I probably worry about that even more.