This post covers how to sort a Designer or Creator set. For the other parts of this series, select a link below:
Part I: Sorting Bricks
Part II: Sorting Sets
Part IV: Storing It All
The simplest way to sort out a set is to build it. However, Creator and Designer sets pose a problem to this strategy. These types of sets include instructions for multiple models, and it is rare for one or a combination to use ALL the pieces. One way to tackle this problem is to simply build all the models one at a time to make sure you have the pieces for them, but this approach takes a long time and can cause you to miss some pieces. I have found that the quickest and most direct method is a hard inventory.
To take a hard inventory, find the inventory in the back of the instructions (or online if you don't have it) and lay out each type of piece one at a time. While this method is an unnecessary hassle for a normal set, it works wonders for Creator or other multi-build sets. Once you have laid out all the pieces you can find to the set, write down the ones you are still missing, so you can find or replace them later.
Once you have found all the pieces in the inventory, it is a good idea to build all the models one at a time after the fact. The inventories in the instructions sometimes have misprints, which you have to catch yourself. Misprints are more common in older sets, when the inventories were a new thing. You may also want to check your inventory against Bricklink, theirs are very reliable.
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| This is a picture of the inventory I took for my Deep Sea Predators Designer set (4506). As I later built the models, I discovered I needed one piece that was not in the inventory. Even with this setback, I was able to sort the set completely in under three hours. Note that it will take longer if your pieces are not organized as directed in earlier segments. |
Great tips. And so much more fun to build when the pieces are all there!
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