>>8158285>How does bricks and pieces work, can you really just directly order any in-production parts directly from lego, including rare things normally only in expensive sets?Yes, with some exceptions.
>>8158291>not all pieces can be ordered by siteThis is a big one. A lot of big, unique pieces will automatically and perpetually be listed as "out of stock" on the website. HOWEVER, if you use Lego's 1-800 number and actually call them and speak to a rep, you can usually order these pieces because the Lego reps have access to a wider inventory than what the website displays. Things like the big cat and mammoth molds fit this category of "always listed as out of stock online, but available through phone support".
The second exception is that pieces that only exist in a licensed set (like a Disney set, or an Angry Birds The Movie set, or a Spider-Man set) can't be purchased. However, if the piece exists in both a licensed set and a non-licensed set, you can purchase them. An exception to this exception is that while their computer system won't let the reps add licensed-exclusive parts to your regular order for purchase, if the rep is feeling particularly generous they can include licensed-exclusive parts as "free replacement" parts.
The easiest, quickest way to order parts through phone support is to have the element numbers ready to go. You can find these by going to brickset, finding a set that has the piece, then checking the set's inventory. This is also the number that appears next to the piece in the inventory at the back of the set instructions. It's usually seven digits long and begins with a "6".
