Answers.Body: <p>I see you already found the answer, but in general, you can use <a href="http://rebrickable.com">Rebrickable</a>. After registering, in the <em>My RB</em> menu you can upload the parts you have and the site will tell you which sets you can build out of them. It will even show partial matches, listing the bricks you still need to build them.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-20T18:54:34.983Z
Answers.Text: This is a pretty good idea, if you have the patience to accurately enter in all the parts, and provided you can adequately describe the parts in the first place, not to mention finding the right colours. I usually find it easier to locate parts by first finding a set of mine which has the part, then searching the inventory of that set, which is the opposite of what you've suggested. So, points for this being a valid algorithm, but I doubt it is practical.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Mr. Shiny and New 安宇
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2013-12-18T14:38:03.710Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2013-12-18T14:38:03.710Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: egak
Answers.Body: <p>In addition to the other answers supplied, look for pieces with stickers on them. Often these contain the set number. A license plate on a Lego car is almost always the set number.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-01-26T06:22:04.600Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-01-26T06:22:04.600Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: S.L. Barth is on codidact.com
Answers.Body: <p>You need to find the rare/unique pieces, and that generally just comes from years of building different sets.  You just know which pieces will be exclusive to a set or at least a limited number of sets.  Then search that piece on bricklink and see what sets it appears in (hopefully only 1!).  Get the inventory of that set online (bricklink, peeron, etc) and see if you have more bricks that make up the set.  If yes, then you're on the right track.  Minifigs are generally the easiest pieces which will tell you what you have.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-01-24T18:23:45.243Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-01-24T18:23:45.243Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: mlhammer
Body: <p>I have a bag of lego pieces that make a set of something but I don't have a box or instructions.  Is there anyway to determine what set it is so I can download/buy an instruction sheet for it...or at least know what I am building?  </p>
  
  <p>I found a part piece with a number on it and found out what it was...Spiderman's doc ock ambush.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-17T20:08:29.927Z
Comments.Text: possible duplicate of [How to sort complete sets from box of unsorted LEGO](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1598/how-to-sort-complete-sets-from-box-of-unsorted-lego)
Comments.UserDisplayName: jncraton
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-17T22:05:58.277Z
Comments.Text: post a picture, or a link to the picture if you can't post it. From the amount of pieces, style and color, it won't be too hard to figure out the series, the approximate year, and then the set.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Stephane Delcroix
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2013-12-18T18:14:39.457Z
Comments.Text: Basically, _ask us_, we seem to be pretty good at that game :-) But yeah, a picture is kinda mandatory
Comments.UserDisplayName: Joubarc
Tags: <set-identification>
Title: Determining what set I have from a bag of lego pieces?
UserDisplayName: Kayla
ThreadText: # Determining what set I have from a bag of lego pieces?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-12-17)
  
  I have a bag of lego pieces that make a set of something but I don't have a box or instructions. Is there anyway to determine what set it is so I can download/buy an instruction sheet for it...or at least know what I am building?
  
  I found a part piece with a number on it and found out what it was...Spiderman's doc ock ambush.
  
  **Tags:** set-identification
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: possible duplicate of [How to sort complete sets from box of unsorted LEGO](http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1598/how-to-sort-complete-sets-from-box-of-unsorted-lego)  
  > **username_2**: post a picture, or a link to the picture if you can't post it. From the amount of pieces, style and color, it won't be too hard to figure out the series, the approximate year, and then the set.  
  > **username_3**: Basically, _ask us_, we seem to be pretty good at that game :-) But yeah, a picture is kinda mandatory  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2013-12-18. Score: 8
  
  I see you already found the answer, but in general, you can use [Rebrickable](http://rebrickable.com). After registering, in the *My RB* menu you can upload the parts you have and the site will tell you which sets you can build out of them. It will even show partial matches, listing the bricks you still need to build them.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_5**: This is a pretty good idea, if you have the patience to accurately enter in all the parts, and provided you can adequately describe the parts in the first place, not to mention finding the right colours. I usually find it easier to locate parts by first finding a set of mine which has the part, then searching the inventory of that set, which is the opposite of what you've suggested. So, points for this being a valid algorithm, but I doubt it is practical.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2015-01-26. Score: 5
  
  In addition to the other answers supplied, look for pieces with stickers on them. Often these contain the set number. A license plate on a Lego car is almost always the set number.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2014-01-24. Score: 3
  
  You need to find the rare/unique pieces, and that generally just comes from years of building different sets. You just know which pieces will be exclusive to a set or at least a limited number of sets. Then search that piece on bricklink and see what sets it appears in (hopefully only 1!). Get the inventory of that set online (bricklink, peeron, etc) and see if you have more bricks that make up the set. If yes, then you're on the right track. Minifigs are generally the easiest pieces which will tell you what you have.
  
  
  ---
  
  