Storage solutions: HectorBart
Posted by Huw,
HectorBart uses a SQL database and a Chrome browser extension to help keep on top of his parts collection:
As I am still (only just) a TFOL I don’t have a huge collection. I do, however, have what I would call an unusual (some would say overcomplicated) system that I thought I would share.
Most of my storage is centered around loose parts though I also collect sets. The bulk of my sets are older Star Wars, Classic Town and City, but I will collect just about anything that piques my interest.
Most of my sets are listed on Brickset, but over the last year I haven’t been very good at adding my new ones. Sets are stored in plastic boxes and drawers which I keep under my slowly progressing city layout in the garage. I also have some displayed in my bedroom on wine box shelves.
I am trying to collect as many Star Wars minifigures as possible, which I display in a glass fronted display case above my layout. My self-imposed rule is to buy at least one Star Wars figure with every BrickLink order that I make.
Now the interesting section (at least I hope it is), my part storage. My secondary hobby revolves around computers, programming and electronics, for this reason I decided to integrate both hobbies together with my storage solution.
Before a 3 year “dark age” I had my pieces sorted in small parts drawers which I labelled with a description. This solution was fine for a small amount of drawers but it became difficult to read through the descriptions on a large amount of drawers to find one type of part. When I came back to LEGO I remembered this and came up with a solution.
I still use small parts drawers but I now label them with a letter and a number. The letter corresponds to the drawer unit and the number corresponds to the drawer, this is important in a minute.
After I had my drawers labelled I started inventorying my parts into a SQL database. This contains an entry for every element of each different colour that I own. Each entry also has a field where I can enter the location of that part in that colour. This means that when I need a specific part, I just query the database with the part number and colour and I am given the drawer that it’s in.
To begin with I was also recording the quantities of elements I had available, but I quickly realised that it was inconvenient having to update the quantity every time I needed to use a part.
Since creating this system I have made some enhancements. For large parts that don’t fit in the drawers, or parts that I have in large quantities, I have used plastic tubs that are labelled with ‘BOX’ and a number rather than a letter and a number. I have also made it easier to add and update part entries in the database by creating a Chrome browser extension that adds functionality to BrickLink.
From each part on BrickLink I can choose a colour, type in the desired location and any comments about the part, and then add it to the database. I can also list the locations of all of that part with the click of a button. The pictures below should help you see what I mean.
There are still plenty of improvements for me to make, but it works for the time being, at least until BrickLink XP comes along and I mighr have to rewrite my browser extension.
I have various other types of containers and boxes for other things. For example, I recently organised my minifig parts into some organiser trays, but I didn’t want to make this article too long by mentioning all my storage methods.
I hope you found this interesting, I haven’t really seen any homemade inventory systems quite like this, but I am sure there must be someone else with something similar!
83 likes
28 comments on this article
I am glad to see another programmer here, who also wrote some pieces of code to support his collection! Well done. Nice.
You may recall my database here:
https://brickset.com/article/51516/storage-solutions-juggleman
Wow, this is an epic solution, congrats & thanks for sharing it with us!
Kids today... Back in the day we were sorting patrs by thier colors. We had red, blue, yellow, black and grey bins. Light bluish grey... Pfft... There were no such color...
Nice programming skills usage! To be honest though, I only really came here to say:
monorail Monorail MONORAIL!
@juggleman said:
"I am glad to see another programmer here, who also wrote some pieces of code to support his collection! Well done. Nice.
You may recall my database here:
https://brickset.com/article/51516/storage-solutions-juggleman
"
Thanks! I must have missed your article, I might have to take some ideas from your solution because that looks great.
@Lego_lord said:
"Kids today... Back in the day we were sorting patrs by thier colors. We had red, blue, yellow, black and grey bins. Light bluish grey... Pfft... There were no such color..."
:) And I only wish that they still made light grey!
Wow, the way you keep track of your collection using a database like that is very impressive!
@bananaworld said:
"
Nice programming skills usage! To be honest though, I only really came here to say:
monorail Monorail MONORAIL!"
Thank you. Monorail was actually the first LEGO I bought after my 3 year break, it was only then that I could afford it! :)
That's in interesting collection; the diversity of the sets alone is fun, but the added value of your database, combining two hobbies, make it even more impressive. Then there is the monorail that so many collectors enjoy! I think the wine box display might be a first for this series, too. Very cool. Thanks for participating in the series!
Awesome seeing your article! ( @juggleman - yours too!) I love the initiative to inventory all your pieces! I can see advantages to having all of them encompassed in a database however like you said constantly adjusting inventories could be tiresome. If ever there is a solution to this, it would be interesting, like RFID embedded in every piece lololololol I know sorting/organizing my collection and bricks I acquire is a constant process/activity I have worked into a relaxing habit during my evenings. Keep up the great work, it can only lead you to great places!
I’m glad I’m not the only one who always checks a sellers Star Wars figs in BrickLink, it’s costing me a fortune!
Interesting. I think I'd always assumed that most peoples collections are based on the sets they had/wanted as a child. So it's surprising to see a TFOLs collection stretching back to more retro stuff (Monorail, the yellow lego land sets etc). Perhaps there's an interesting survey in that info.
Thanks for your sharing... I am a newbie to Lego and like your storage especially this drawer. Could you please let me know where you purchase it? thanks a lot
Gotta have a Boomer-rang with lego ;D
My storage system feels so inadequate now LOL
I keep my loose LEGO in a series of unsorted bins. For sets, I have some on display and some stored in drawers or clear plastic shoeboxes.
Hello.
This is the first time I write a comment to an article. I have been reading many of the articles on storage solutions which I find really interesting and I was thinking about writing one about mine. I have something in common with @HectorBart. I have also some programming background I when I came back from my dark ages I started writing a program to keep an inventory of every part I have. The idea was not only to know what I had, but also to be able to know what I was missing to complete my old sets and also for being able to build those I was interested in. That was a lot of years ago. Now my database has more than 200 sets and more than 125K parts.
The application allows me not only to add my parts, but to import inventories from Bricklink, the orders I make, and also creating wanted lists for the parts I need to build any set for which I can find an inventory (that includes MOCs from Stud.io).
Now I am working in adding a similar solution to the one described by HectorBart, to help me locate the parts.
I have been a lot of years trying to decide if such an application would be of interest to Lego fans and if translating to english or making an international version would be worth the effort (I am spanish and the application is written in spanish), but always find time to be a problem for me.
I only have a small website where you can download the application in case you want to see it or download a little and incomplete user manual with some user interface images, also in spanish. https://sites.google.com/site/brickinventory/
If anyone would like some more information or would like to test the application, please contact me. Also, to the site admins, I could write something if it may be of interest describing the application.
Tactix makes great storage bins (the orange and black ones). Too bad the company seems to be on the brink of collapse. I have 3 of their shelf units but I can't find any more.
£1.45 for 6408. Those were the days...
I think you can track your parts catalogue in BrickLink as an inventory with locations. You would have access to all the BrickLink info on parts and custom locations to query where a part by color is in your storage solution. You can also pull this to STUD.IO for MOCs and know what you have and don’t have in inventory.
When you eventually expand your storage and have a system with two letters and four numbers, you absolutely MUST put a Finn minifigure in the compartment labeled FN-2187
Are you me? Our collection is so similar set wise. And i have 2 very similar display cases for my SW figs, which are what i mostly buy (50 mostly small sets, 500 minifigs lol). Nice database, programming is always easier than excel.
I have also been inventorying my sets with a database, one that pulls from Brickset's API at that, and adds my own data on top. I don't inventory my parts the same way yet, though — my set database is for public viewing on my website whereas I'd be the only one using my part database. Maybe I will throw something together now that at least two others have showcased their solutions.
Do you just not order from a BrickLink store if it doesn't carry any Star Wars minifigures?
@Andhe said:
"Interesting. I think I'd always assumed that most peoples collections are based on the sets they had/wanted as a child. So it's surprising to see a TFOLs collection stretching back to more retro stuff (Monorail, the yellow lego land sets etc). Perhaps there's an interesting survey in that info. "
That's true. Some of my first LEGO was a big box of classic castle, pirate and space pieces so maybe that explains it. A survey certainly would be interesting.
@legofactory said:
"Thanks for your sharing... I am a newbie to Lego and like your storage especially this drawer. Could you please let me know where you purchase it? thanks a lot"
The small parts drawers are available on Amazon from the company Durhand. Not sure if they are available in Canada though. I found some unbranded ones on eBay that are identical and sometimes cheaper. Hope you find what you're looking for!
@TheLegoFan said:
"Gotta have a Boomer-rang with lego ;D"
Who wouldn't, right?
@iglorenzo said:
"Hello.
This is the first time I write a comment to an article. I have been reading many of the articles on storage solutions which I find really interesting and I was thinking about writing one about mine. I have something in common with @HectorBart. I have also some programming background I when I came back from my dark ages I started writing a program to keep an inventory of every part I have. The idea was not only to know what I had, but also to be able to know what I was missing to complete my old sets and also for being able to build those I was interested in. That was a lot of years ago. Now my database has more than 200 sets and more than 125K parts.
The application allows me not only to add my parts, but to import inventories from Bricklink, the orders I make, and also creating wanted lists for the parts I need to build any set for which I can find an inventory (that includes MOCs from Stud.io).
Now I am working in adding a similar solution to the one described by HectorBart, to help me locate the parts.
I have been a lot of years trying to decide if such an application would be of interest to Lego fans and if translating to english or making an international version would be worth the effort (I am spanish and the application is written in spanish), but always find time to be a problem for me.
I only have a small website where you can download the application in case you want to see it or download a little and incomplete user manual with some user interface images, also in spanish. https://sites.google.com/site/brickinventory/
If anyone would like some more information or would like to test the application, please contact me. Also, to the site admins, I could write something if it may be of interest describing the application. "
That's cool. Shame I can't read Spanish, otherwise I would definitely give it a go. I think a lot of people would find your program useful so maybe an international version would be worth the effort.
@TCSBGDADY said:
"I think you can track your parts catalogue in BrickLink as an inventory with locations. You would have access to all the BrickLink info on parts and custom locations to query where a part by color is in your storage solution. You can also pull this to STUD.IO for MOCs and know what you have and don’t have in inventory."
That is true, and something that I considered. The reason I went for a custom solution over this was the control I had over how I could use it. I can change my code however I want and can easily add new functionality without having to wait for BrickLink to add it. Some of those features, like the Stud.io integration are definitely useful though, and something I might add in the future.
@LegoSonicBoy said:
"I have also been inventorying my sets with a database, one that pulls from Brickset's API at that, and adds my own data on top. I don't inventory my parts the same way yet, though — my set database is for public viewing on my website whereas I'd be the only one using my part database. Maybe I will throw something together now that at least two others have showcased their solutions.
Do you just not order from a BrickLink store if it doesn't carry any Star Wars minifigures?"
No, if a store has the parts I need then I will order from them, even if they haven't got any SW figures. I think I am going to have to start inventorying figures as well soon!