Materials guide for LEGO selling & shipping

Many members have asked for a centralized place where they can go for shipping box information. I'm going to pin this post and update it as new information is provided. I just want to take a few minutes and thank those who wrote the following articles. They are still very good reference materials for the LEGO storage and shipping process. I may develop this into a blog article eventually.

Fcbarcelona101's : Selling LEGO : Basic Materials Guide
Mos Eisley 's : LEGO Storage Wars

Incompetech's Catalog of Amazon.com Box Sizes - (thanks No More Monkeys)

Amazon Boxes Sorted list by length - courtesy of pstebbing

I've scoured the forums and here is a list of box sizes with basic set information:

Boxes:
24x20x8 : Super Star Destroyer; Death Star, Roller Coaster, UCS Sandcrawler, Assembly Square
24x20x6 : Thicker sets like Town Hall, Tower Bridge
24x16x6 - 60052 Cargo Train, R2-D2, Maersk Line Triple-E, 7939 Cargo Train
24x16x4 - Helm's Deep, Vampyre Castle, Black Pearl, Friends Riding Camp, Parisian Restaurant, High Speed Passenger Train, Jabba's Palace, Downtown Diner
24x20x4 : Grand Emporium, Pet Shop, Imperial Shuttle, Haunted House, Palace Cinema, Fire Brigade
24x14x4 : Dolphin Cruiser, Coast Guard Patrol
24x4x12 - Dolphin Cruiser, Coast Guard Patrol
20x16x4 - Volkswagen Camper Van, Olivia's House, Sonic Raider, Sopwith, Creator Bike Shop, Batcave, Quinjet, Moria & Ambush
20x16x6 : Thicker sets like the Republic Gunship; City Cargo Plane
20x14x4 : Attack on Weathertop, Hulk 's Helicarrier Breakout, X-Wing 9493, Black Gate
16x16x4 : Gungan Sub, Pre Viszla, Tie Fighter
16x10x4 : Council of Elrond, Desert Skiff, City Grand Prix Truck
16x10x6 : Thicker sets like Creator Family House, Hillside House
15x12x4 : Funhouse, Orc Forge, Tumbler Chase, Daily Bugle Showdown, Hulk Lab Smash
12x12x4 : Uruk Hai Army, City Cargo Truck, Creator Treehouse, City Fire Emergency
11-3/4x8-3/4x4-3/4 : Wolverine Chopper, Arctic Batman, Power Armor Lex, Droid Escape, Cloud Cuckoo Palace
12x8x3 - Battle Packs, CA Avenging Cycle, Catwoman, Gandalf Arrives, Holiday sets
10x8x4 : Battle Packs, CA Avenging Cycle, Catwoman, Gandalf Arrives, Holiday sets

Envelopes:
4x8 : Minifigs & small polybags
6x9 : Polybags small & larger
10.5 x 16 : Larger shipments of 3 x polybags or more

Packing Tape : buy in bulk or on sale : you can throw some in during a Staples coupon promotion to get up to free shipping
Walmart.com Duck Brand Packaging Tape
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Standard-Grade-Packaging-Tape-Clear-189-x-110-yds-6-Rolls/product_380107

Retailers:
Uline.com : holiday sale starts first part of November (usually 30% off)
Staples.com : use coupon promotions - $10 off $30, $20 off $75, free shipping over $60
Walmart.com
USPS Priority Mail (free boxes at USPS.com)

 

Michigan Box Company:

Flat Boxes 18"-23" L  (thanks pstebbing)

GBE Packaging (thanks pstebbing)
 

PackingSupplies.com

http://www.packaging...ated_boxes.html     (thanks pstebbing)

 

Bubble Wrap:
3/16" thick x 350' ft x 12" wide - eBay

 

Sams Club

3/16" - 12"x240' $12.98 (In store) ($.05/LF) (thanks pstebbing)

I like to use large and small retailer plastic bags to wrap items in, even after I bubble wrap it.

For battle packs and even small sets, I sometimes use Wal-Mart, Target, or plastic bags from any store. Additional packing isn 't really needed. Usually like 2 bags on bottom, one to wrap the item, and two bags on top. Make sure to cover the corners of the item real nice to provide extra padding.

Rule of thumb : ship & pack all of your items the same way you 'd like to receive items you've purchased.

Shipping Paper:
Collect it when you receive shipments.
http://www.amazon.com/Pratt-Multipurpose-Packaging-KPR30241200R-Length/dp/B00AI652CM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408061459&sr=8-1&keywords=pratt+kraft+paper+1200?

Shipping Labels & Printers:
Dymo 450 & Dymo 400
Brother QL-700

DoNotInsertIntoMouth's : How to setup your label printer for shipping on eBay


Feel free to post a follow-up or point out anything I missed. I 'll update it with what everyone wants added. I hope this is helpful.

Orgasmic!

Awesome stuff. Thanks!

I love this place

Emazers tipped me off on another box for the Dolphin Cruiser, so I included it above.

This is an excellent resource, consolidated information is always welcome, Thank you!

Well done.

This is perfect! Thank you so much! 

Fantastic thanks

Thanks guys!  I mean it, if you have something to add, just message me or post in here.

Thanks exciter, this is excellent.

 

Got dimensions to add, incl some 2014 sets:

 

Boxes:

24x16x4 - Parisian Restaurant, 60051 High Speed Passenger Train

24x16x6 - 60052 Cargo Train

24x20x6 - Tower Bridge

20x16x4 - 31026 Creator Bike Shop & Cafe

This has got to be my all time favorite site, bar none! Thank you for the incredible info; and thank you even more to the Macks for pooling your collective genius in conceiving this site. I promote it in every way I can!

I like the 18x12x12 box for 21050. Allows about 1" for packing peanuts. If you want to use it for other sets that are less cube-like, it has fold indentations every 2" I believe to get it down to 6".

Don't forgot about packing used sets properly once inside shipping boxes. Larger Ziplock bags get pricey and isn't durable enough. Instead, I put the elements in those heavy duty mail carrier envelopes. Nothing is worse than having a box arrive with elements scattered inside the shipping box especially if there's a quarter sized hold in it.

Here is my original post for more info.

http://community.brickpicker.com/topic/10057-shipping-used-sets/page-2#entry277836

regarding shipping used sets...

i used ziplock bags but had the occasional bag get sliced during shipping. i now put the set (elements) into those flat plastic-like envelopes used for usps, fedex, and ups shipping. these seldom ever tear and stay sealed. then i pack these inside the shipping box regardless whether i'm including the lego box.

i always place instructions inside a folder or flat cardboard envelope and seal it. this keeps manuals protected.

i encourage to give it a try.

Or if you are Kmart:  A plastic bag and tape.

I have recently received couple messages from potential ebay buyers saying my shipping cost is too high.

 

I would like to ship the item with tracking no matter it is large or small sets. Any suggestion which way I could provide a "cheaper" shipping?

 

now with global shipping center available, I ship the package to the center. I would not know how much ebay global shipping center would charge from there. This potential buyer is asking me why my shipping cost is so much and other sellers could provide 28 dollars shipping to Nederlands and would like me to match it (for 21050 set).

 

Any advice?

Exciter - do you want to add Amazon box codes for the reference? http://incompetech.com/gallimaufry/amazonboxes.html

If someone is reusing their boxes, could be very handy to have sizes and codes in the same place.... 

Exciter - do you want to add Amazon box codes for the reference? http://incompetech.com/gallimaufry/amazonboxes.html

If someone is reusing their boxes, could be very handy to have sizes and codes in the same place.... 

 

Thanks, I'll add it.  That's a nifty little reference.

Why don't i see anything in OP?

Why don't i see anything in OP?

I don't se anything either...  That is, all I see is: "Many members have asked for a centralized place where they can go for shipping box information. I"

Why don't i see anything in OP?

I don't se anything either...  That is, all I see is: "Many members have asked for a centralized place where they can go for shipping box information. I"

I don't see anything too. I noticed that something has been happening to certain posts over since yesterday, which is when I noticed that all the Amazon UK deals in the Daily Lego Deal thread mysteriously disappeared.

I'm checking into it.  Thanks for the heads up.

 Hmmm

I have found small bags , like 2 mil size, are awesome for storing minifigures.

 

Also use Storage containers with drawers from Amazon.

 

Also I would add that Ebay is badass for materials if you do a little searching and auction sniping.

Question about the box sizes:

Are the dimensions listed for the Lego boxes themselves, or are they dimensions for a standard cardboard box that best fits those particular Lego sets? For instance, if I buy a 24x20x4 from ULINE, will a Palace Cinema fit in it or will it not quite fit because the cardboard box is exactly the same size as the PC box?

Awesome info btw. I've been buying cardboard boxes that are pretty close to the set dimensions and then cuttiing them down to minimize extra space. I learned how to do it quickly and neatly from a dude at a box store so it's worked pretty well, but I'm always looking for a more efficient system.