If you live near a LEGO store, or you visit a LEGO store regularly, you probably have quite a few Pick-A-Brick cups from shopping for bulk LEGO pieces at the LEGO Pick-A-Brick Wall. PAB cups are very sturdy, slightly frosted clear plastic cups in two sizes, with a lid that securely snaps on. The lid of the cup has a stud with the LEGO logo, and the bottom of the cup has a hole, so the cups are stackable. Because of the high quality, PAB cups are not just convenient for shopping at the LEGO store, but they can also be reused as storage containers for loose LEGO elements. The only question is how to store the cups themselves? 🙂
I recently ran across a simple, but classy solution by LEGO fan Spencer Hubert, who built shelves for his PAB cups that are both functional and look very nice. The shelves are 5-inch wide with 3 1/4-inch holes, which allows the cups to sit securely, and also makes them easily removable. If you are interested to make your own Pick-A-Brick cup shelves, Spencer will show you all the details about how they were built in the video below.
Spencer’s Pick-A-Brick cup shelving system holds 64 cups (eight shelves, each holding eight cups), but if your wall-space and needs are different, you can easily adjust the design to hold more or less cups. Making these shelves does require some woodworking skills, however if you give yourself some time to do them slowly and carefully, you should be able to copy Spencer’s design by following the steps in the video.
You can also make the shelves simpler, without beveled and rounded edges, which will save some time. And you may use premade shelving support to mount the shelves to the wall instead of making your own. All in all, this is a great DIY project, if you would like to make your own Pick-A-Brick cup shelves for sorting and storing LEGO.
If you do have some PAB cups, but would like to get more, you can get empty cups at either eBay or BrickLink. Here are the listings on BrickLink: large PAB cups, small PAB cups, PAB cup lids. And here are the listings on eBay: EMPTY PAB CUPS ON EBAY
What do you think? Do you use PAB cups for sorting and storing your loose LEGO pieces? How do you like these PAB cup shelves? Are you planning to make your own? Or what other ways did you find useful for storing your PAB cups? Feel free to share in the comment section below! 😉
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For LEGO fans who already have all the LEGO sets they would ever want and still have leftover money (is there such a person?), there are some interesting LEGO-related monthly subscription box services to try out. These services can also make unique gifts for LEGO-loving kids, teens, and adults. Below, we will discuss some of the popular LEGO subscription services, and what they are about. 🙂
➡ BRICKLOOT LEGO MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION BOX: BrickLoot was the idea of nine-year-old Parker Krex. Parker has been an avid LEGO fan since he was three, and he has been looking for ways to make money to fund his hobby. With the help of his entrepreneur parents, Parker came up with BrickLoot, a subscription service that sends out a box of LEGO-related goodies every month. Items include custom LEGO kits and minifigures by members of the LEGO fan community, small sets from LEGO-compatible brands (mostly Chinese knock-offs), various products from LEGO customizers, stickers, art-prints, etc. Brick Loot has three different subscription plans, based on how long you sign up for. The cheapest plan is $24.95/month + shipping on a six months subscription plan. Super expensive for what you get, but this is pretty much the case with all LEGO and non-LEGO subscription boxes. You are paying for receiving a box of mystery items in your mailbox every month, and some people really like that. In the video-player below, I have included a review of a BrickLoot box so you can see what the typical content looks like. And you can also visit BrickLoot.com directly for more information.
➡ BRICKBOX LEGO MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION BOX: This is a very similar service to BrickLoot, so the monthly subscription box will include some LEGO items, some items by imitation brands, and some parts/minifigures/stickers/etc. from LEGO customizers. BrickBox keeps its subscription plan simple; you either pay month-to-month or sign up for a full year at a time. However, instead of just offering the same box content to all subscribers, BrickBox offers three different size boxes; the standard BrickBox for $29.99/month + shipping, the BrickBox Mini for $19.99/month + shipping, and the BrickBox Loot is for minifig collectors for $13.99/month + shipping. Again, if you just look at the content, these are super expensive, but that’s just how subscription box services work. I have included a video-review of the service in the player below, so you can see the content of a recent box that was sent out to subscribers. And you can also visit BrickBoxClub.com directly for more information.
➡ BRICKSWAG LEGO MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION BOX: Yet another monthly subscription service with LEGO-related content. It is similar to BrickLoot in that the boxes are the same for all subscribers, but the prices are a little cheaper if you sign up for a longer period of time. The six months subscription plan is $23.45/month + shipping, and there are some longer and shorter options as well. Here again, you will get a mix of LEGO and non-LEGO items that you may or may not find useful, fun, or interesting. I have included a video-review of this service as well in the player below. And you can also visit BrickSwag.com for more information.
➡ MINIFIGCLUB LEGO MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION BOX: If you only want genuine LEGO pieces, and you are into minifigures MinifigClub might be the right option for you. Th MinifigClub is run by LEGO fan Jorran Beebe, and deals exclusively in LEGO minifigures. The subscription service allows you to select the theme you would like to get minifigs from (i.e. LEGO Star Wars, LEGO Super Heroes, LEGO Friends, generic LEGO minifigures, etc.), and you can also select if you would like to receive four or six minifigures each month. Monthly subscription fees can run anywhere between $22.99 and $34.99/month + shipping, depending on the theme you choose (licensed themes are more expensive), and the number of minifigs you select. You can visit MinifigClub.com for more information.
➡ BRICKS-ON-THE-DOLLAR LEGO POSTER SUBSCRIPTION: Bricks-on-the-Dollar is run by a LEGO fan named Clutch. Clutch is mainly a BrickLink seller, but he also branched out to other ventures through his YouTube channel, including starting a subscription service for fan-made LEGO posters. It’s a pretty unique idea, and some of the artwork is actually really nice. The subscription is only $10/month with shipping included, or you can also buy posters individually for $13. Visit BricksOnTheDollar.com for more information.
There are many other LEGO-related monthly subscription services, but these are the most well-known ones that have been around for a while, and could generally be trusted. As you can see, they offer a mixed bag of genuine LEGO products, high-quality items from LEGO customizers, and low-quality fillers. Each of the services has their plusses and minuses, so if you are interested in any of them, make sure you check out the details and read/watch reviews.
Personally, I like the posters with original artwork offered by Bricks-On-The-Dollar the most. It’s a nice way for talented artists to share their LEGO artwork, and it also allows LEGO fans to own something very unique – all for a very reasonable price. The other services I’m not so sure I would ever subscribe to, but I also don’t subscribe to snack boxes, and beauty product loots, and clothing clubs, so I’m not part of their target audience. But plenty of people like these services, so if you are one of them, I hope you found this brief overview of LEGO subscription services helpful.
What do you think? Have you ever tried any of the LEGO-related subscription services? Or are you planning to? Is there a service that you really like and would recommend to others? And are there services you would warn against? Feel free to share your thoughts and own review in the comment section below! 😉
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