What to do with a 25K pc collection? I know there are a lot of questions on how to sell your set, however, my situation is a bit different. I'm not sure whether I should sell my set at all vs. keep it.

I am currently spending a year in Israel and have started to recover my lego collection from my parents. Since I was a TeenageFOL/AFOL, as opposed to most people in their so-called "dark ages", I actually managed to keep hold of 99% of my former collection, which I'm guessing rivals some serious AFOLs' collections.

I estimate the collection approximately 25K pieces (not including approx. 3500 more that I currently have in the U.S., the bulk of the pieces are from the S.H.I.E.L.D. carrier). Here is a set list (last updated in 2001, hah):

http://guide.lugnet.com/set/mlist.cgi?m=88

I am now torn between the following options:

Bring the collection to the U.S. ...

a. ... for self-use, for me & my daughter as she grows up.
This is possible, though it currently feels overwhelming due to the magnitude of the collection. Given its size, it feels like I would probably need to dedicate an entire room to it. Not exactly what I had in mind for my real estate needs, to be dictated by LEGO (though I'm 100% sure others in this community have done so!!!). I do not currently have a dedicated room in my house to do so. Also, I'm not really sure whether I would actually be drawn to building with it, as my hobbies have shifted over the years and are quite distinct from lego, though I will always love it. Also I know that it could be a huge gift to my daughter... but only if I can balance the desire to keep things meticulously sorted, and the tendency to jealously guard against messes and just general fun playing/building/destruction. I've seen that the ginormous amount of pieces is simply overwhelming for a child at her age (close to 4)... or almost any age.

b. ... and keep it in storage. This seems like a futile exercise, since it would probably cost me a fair amount in shipping costs. I do, however, have sufficient space for this without any additional changes to my current home. (Unfinished basement + outdoors shed if need be)

Sell the collection...

a. From Israel: that would allow me to save on two rounds of shipping

b. From the U.S.: I'm guessing that might give me much better options for buyers.

c. In bulk: would save a ton of time & energy. But clearly the collection will not be worth as much in bulk.

d. Sorted into sets and/or individual pieces: obviously should bring in more money but gosh, what a time sink. I'm a busy professional mom who hasn't spent any meaningful amount of time on Lego in years. Plus, I'm guessing there will be some or even many parts missing / discolored / damaged which will lower the value of the set-separated collection without further investment.

Leave the collection in Israel, i.e. at my parents' house, for the grandkids' enjoyment (but not my daughter). This risks further messiness / degradation of the collection by my nieces and nephews. Has the clear upside of avoiding headaches of all types, and the clear downside of letting go of huge amounts of money and love poured into the collection over my T/AFOL years.

I've read a lot of posts on this SE so far, which have been very helpful. Following that, I plan on using Peeron and/or Brickpicker to estimate the value of the sets I own, if sorted, to decide whether I'd like to sell it at all, and whether it's worth the time to sort (I'm guessing that aside from a few sets such as 10001, the answer is probably not). I really appreciate a few people mentioning the low reputation issue for selling on eBay, which I'll pay attention to should I decide to put up some of the rarer / more valuable sets for sale.

If you had to suggest a course of action from those I described above, which would you gravitate to?

Since no one answered here, I will post an update on what I have done so far. I will update it in the future if that makes sense.

At this point I've recovered the collection to my apartment in Israel. I've started sorting the collection, mostly because after reflection I decided to reframe it as something actually fun to do, as opposed to a chore or something in order to make money (it would probably not be worth the value of my time). After I sort the collection I am considering rebuilding some or perhaps all of my old sets, see what condition they're in and whether and how many pieces are missing.

If there are any rare or valuable sets I may consider selling a few them. That said I have already seen firsthand how much my daughter is enjoying the collection, and it seems I will hold on to most or maybe even all of it. But I won't make a decision for sure until I am done sorting.

I asked this collection on Facebook and received a number of alternative suggestions that were not among those I considered initially:

Donating some or all of the collection to organizations that work with kids
Creating art with it
Opening a LEGO rental business :)
Giving some or all of it away to friends with kids

I will consider some form of hybrid options between these.

I mention these here in case they will help someone else with similar challenges.


DUPLO Train Shopping Resources I recently bought the 10508 train set for my 3 year old and he just loves playing with it. I am aware of the 10507 and 10506 sets to expand further.

Are there any other resources available to buy locomotives / coaches and track pieces, bridges, etc. that are not part of the above 2 mentioned sets but will work with the 10508 set?

You might consider buying duplicates of some of the train sets to get more tracks and bridges, or you can buy the pieces individually on BrickLink, the largest online LEGO marketplace. For example if I pull up the #10508 set on BrickLink and look at the parts selection, I can see that the straight train tracks are available for about a dollar each from many different sellers. Same for the curved tracks. Here are some direct links:

Straight tracks: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=6377&idColor=85#T=P&C=85

Curved tracks: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=6378&idColor=85#T=P&C=85

And you can do the same for other pieces, including the bridge section, etc. Here is the page for the main set where you can look at the parts selection and see the ones you would like to get more of: http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?S=10508-1#T=I

And here are all the DUPLO train sets ever made: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=S&catString=167.441


How are LEGO sets designed? I've often wondered how it is that LEGO goes about creating new sets. I can easily imagine a person sitting in a room all day with unlimited pieces of every shape but with some of the complicated sets we see these days there must be some sort of computer aid.

Do the designers model new sets on a computer which then figures out pieces and instructions or do they do build and tweak until things seem just right?

Can anyone provide insight into the process that LEGO takes on creating new sets?

I once had an acquaintance who worked at Lego as a product designer (I don't remember his exact title). His job was, simply put, to come up with new sets. There are some general constraints – balancing the different Lego worlds/themes (contemporary, pirate-age, Star Wars, Harry Potter, etc.), hitting certain price points/box sizes (limiting the number of bricks in a set), coming up with sets that work well together, targeting different age groups/motor skills etc.

LEGO also tries to design the individual pieces to be used in many settings. The same terrain/foundation was used with different paint for the anti-pirate fortress (which my sister had) and the dragon knights castle (which I had). In the old days it was fairly rare for Lego to make new brick types – it has become less so, as their manufacturing processes have become more nimble and less expensive.

As for the software used in designing LEGO sets, I know little about it. They do use software/brick simulation, but also work with the physical bricks, especially the old hands :)


What are these strange black disc LEGO pieces? What are these discs? Ammo maybe or ice hockey pucks? I did not find any id numbers.

That would be Sports Hockey Puck, Large:

It comes from the larger Technic-based Sports Hockey sets from 2003-2004.

(Puck in the above set has stickers.)


How to close color Sensor properly? I want to get data from the color sensor with Bluetooth. I can get data but when the program terminates, the color sensor dose not close even though I call function close() on the color sensor. The following code is what I did with EV3 Bluetooth connection.

RemoteEV3 ev3 = new RemoteEV3("10.0.1.1");
ev3.setDefault();
Keys keys1 = ev3.getKeys();
color_sensor = new EV3ColorSensor(SensorPort.S2);

do{
  color_id = color_sensor.getColorID();
  System.out.println("Here is color id: "+color_id);
  Delay.msDelay();
  keys1.waitForAnyPress();
}while(keys.getButtons()!=Keys.ID_ESCAPE);

color_sensor.close();

And it throws the following exceptions:

Exception in thread "main" lejos.hardware.DeviceException: unable to open port
at lejos.internal.ev3.EV3Port.open(Unknown Source)
at lejos.hardware.motor.BaseRegulatedMotor.<init>(Unknown Source)
at lejos.hardware.motor.EV3LargeRegulatedMotor.<init>(Unknown Source)
at lejos.remote.ev3.RMIRemoteRegulatedMotor.<init>(Unknown Source)
at lejos.remote.ev3.RMIRemoteEV3.createRegulatedMotor(Unknown Source)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:606)
at sun.rmi.server.UnicastServerRef.dispatch(UnicastServerRef.java:322)
at sun.rmi.transport.Transport$1.run(Transport.java:177)
at sun.rmi.transport.Transport$1.run(Transport.java:174)
at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
at sun.rmi.transport.Transport.serviceCall(Transport.java:173)
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport.handleMessages(TCPTransport.java:556)
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run0(TCPTransport.java:811)
at sun.rmi.transport.tcp.TCPTransport$ConnectionHandler.run(TCPTransport.java:670)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1145)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:615)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:745)
at sun.rmi.transport.StreamRemoteCall.exceptionReceivedFromServer(Unknown Source)
at sun.rmi.transport.StreamRemoteCall.executeCall(Unknown Source)
at sun.rmi.server.UnicastRef.invoke(Unknown Source)
at java.rmi.server.RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.invokeRemoteMethod(Unknown Source)
at java.rmi.server.RemoteObjectInvocationHandler.invoke(Unknown Source)
at com.sun.proxy.$Proxy0.createRegulatedMotor(Unknown Source)
at lejos.remote.ev3.RemoteEV3.createRegulatedMotor(Unknown Source)
at test_bluetooth.Bluetooth.main(Bluetooth.java:186)

I am not sure that color sensor is really closed because when I run the program for the second time it yields the exception that it's unable to open the port of that color sensor. However, after I restart the brick, it works fine for the first time the program is run, then I need to restart again to use that color sensor port. Can anyone tell me how to properly close the color sensor?

Looking at the stack trace in the exception you've posted, the error seems to be coming from a call to RemoteEV3.createRegulatedMotor:

at lejos.remote.ev3.RemoteEV3.createRegulatedMotor(Unknown Source)
at test_bluetooth.Bluetooth.main(Bluetooth.java:186)

After that, it's just going through the motions to try and open a port on a remote device...

From looking at the LeJOS source, that method isn't called by the main RemoteEV3 constructor when setting up the ports, so it is probably something you're calling in your main block.

Both Sensors and Motors need to be closed.

As a point of note, it's recommended that instead of connecting to the remote sensors directly as you're doing there, you instead use the createSampleProvider method:

RemoteEV3 ev3 = new RemoteEV3("10.0.1.1");
RMISampleProvider color_sensor = ev3.createSampleProvider("S2",
               "lejos.hardware.sensor.EV3ColorSensor", "Color ID");
float[] color_id= new float[1];
color_sensor.fetchSample(color_id,0);

It is apparently more efficient because instead of running the sensor driver on the PC and sending requests to the remote EV3 you're creating the sensor driver on the remote EV3 and sending the samples to the PC.


Why doesn’t part 30099 fit into the System? Part 30099 - Brick Arch 1x5x4 Inverted doesn’t seem to fit into the LEGO system. I cannot find a part that fits on the bottom stud and provides continuity to the concave slope of the arch. A tile is not high enough, and a cheese slope is too high. In other words, the height is 1.5 plates (1/2 a brick). Does anyone know why this is and/or have an example of a LEGO piece that fits this slope?

This picture might explain the reason:

As you can see, arches form a nice circle to fit round modified plate. All fits well, except the very bottom. Making the bottom edge fit the plate/tile nicely would result in gap with a round piece. The curve of this arch brick isn't full 1/4 circle to make it flush with a tile/plate.

However you may ask "Why didn't LEGO just extend the bottom curve to full 1/4 circle and cover the stud?". This seems to be an obvious solution, but that's a different topic and we may not know which decision caused the part to appear in existing form.


Were there any non "misson-x" sets from the LEGO Alpha Team Range (as in with the PC Game)? In the LEGO Alpha Team Range, there's "Mission: Deep Sea" and "Misson: Deep Freeze", but were there any sets in the same "theme" as the computer game (and the same characters)?

I think the original Alpha Team sets are the one's you're looking for, including the LEGO Alpha Team Secret Mission Collectors Pack which includes:

[bs:6771] with Ogel
[bs:6773] with Dash
[bs:6774] with Cam and Flex

There are also:

[bs:6772] with Radia
[bs:6775] with Charge, Crunch and Tee Vee (a robot)
[bs:6776] with Ogel and two minion commanders.


How do I sell complete LEGO sets still assembled? I have several complete items I want to sell. I have the instruction manuals but no boxes. They are still together. They include the old Death Star, and some other Star Wars, the complete Lone Ranger set and more.
How do I do this?

You can list the on BrickLink as complete, used, no box. Those are options you can select as you list each set. You can also list them on eBay, and just put in the description that the sets are without box, but with instructions and all the pieces included. This is a normal and accepted way of selling LEGO sets.


Identify this airplane axle holder from Little Prince MOC Can anyone name the circled piece in this picture?

Looks like this piece:

Plate, Modified 2 x 4 Thin with Bottom Struts to Pins

It comes in a few sets, usually as landing gear.


Lego Mindstorms EV3: programming language recommendation I am planning to build an autonomous car in LEGO Mindstorms that will use ultrasonic or infrared sensors and in the future also a camera for line tracking. Currently I construct my programs using the Mindstorms building blocks, however, I am wondering whether I should switch to a different programming language such as C/C++ or Java to have more flexibility especially regarding lane tracking algorithms with the camera. In this regard I have the following questions:

In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?
If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big community for leJOS and Java which is definitely a plus, although I could imagine that considering the fact that I would like to integrate a camera a language like C/C++ that works well with MATLAB or OpenCV for line tracking algorithms might also not be bad - what do you think would be the best idea for my use case?
Is it possible to use a different programming language without flashing my EV3 such that I can switch back to building blocks if I wanted to?

Thank you for your recommendations!

In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?

Yes, especially if you plan on doing image processing.

  If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big community for leJOS and Java which is definitely a plus, although I could imagine that considering the fact that I would like to integrate a camera a language like C/C++ that works well with MATLAB or OpenCV for line tracking algorithms might also not be bad - what do you think would be the best idea for my use case?

I'd recommend using ev3dev, as it seems more-powerful and leJOS development appears inactive.

ev3dev has a few languages you can chose from, though your choice may be limited somewhat by which languages support the image processing libraries you want to use.

  Is it possible to use a different programming language without flashing my EV3 such that I can switch back to building blocks if I wanted to?

With ev3dev, you run the software off a removable micro SD card. No need to replace the internal firmware.


What is this 2x4 brick with a clear bottom, a small hole at each end and a 6 brick high pole? It is a 2x4 with a clear bottom a small hole at each end and it is smooth on top with a 6 high pole coming out.

The brick has no numbers on it so I'm not sure what it is I have tried searching for it however I can't find it if anyone knows what set this is from that would be great.

It looks like it's 799c800:

This part was used to implement a simple "hand of god" steering system on a bunch of sets in the 70s.


Can anyone help me identify the motor/mechanism used in this? I've been trying to recreate the Useless Machine found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdKtgfmfA7s&feature=c4-overview&playnext=1&list=TLp4R5S7LPESk

In the description, there's a link to a brickshelf gallery that has detailed pictures of the insides of the machine: http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=416984

I think I've figured out most of the mechanism, but can't for the life of me figure out what motor is being used, and how the motor stops running once the arm is sufficiently retracted. There doesn't seem to be another switch hiding at the bottom... Those two things have just been bugging me for a while.

First post here, I'm only just getting into LEGO, thanks for the help!

The motor appears to be a very standard 9V motor, presumably using a conversion cable as the switch is a PF one.

As for how it stops, it's not that complicated: when activated,the mechanism pushes the switch back to its "off" position, which is what makes the motor stop. You'll probably think the motor direction is reversed and that's what makes the arm go back in the box, but that's not the case: the motor is actually off and what makes the arm go back is simply its own weight.


LEGO TECHNIC CyberMaster Software I come again to ask a favor. Can someone share the installation CD in English of LT 8482 CyberMaster or where can I download the software in English??

About 10 mins on Google didn't turn up any place to download the software, but you can always buy a CD from one of the sellers on Bricklink:

http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=43378

You might be able to get one of them to upload the CD


What is this orange winged thing without studs? It looks like some really old flying thing.

That piece is often used as a caterpillar track, or conveyor belt

It's hard to tell the colour in your photograph but it might be Medium Dark Flesh (a.k.a. medium nougat)

At the bottom of this page there are three sets which use this piece in that colour.

If you look carefully you should see the number "57518" shaped into the piece. Almost all Lego pieces have that a code on them that you can use to find them on sites like BrickSet or BrickLink.


Motorizing Hobby Train 10183 What are the PF motors available that will power the Hobby Train 10183?

Moving out from 9v tracks, will the existing 10183 wheels fit any other tracks?

Also, is there a difference between the PF motors used for the Technic models and for the train sets?

Much obliged for your help. This is my entry into Lego trains.

The motor used in Hobby Trains is the 9V train motor. This motor is externally identical to the new Power Functions train motor, so you should be able to replace one with the other.

That said, the problem with Power Functions is that where in 9V it was enough to have the train motor mounted on the train, in PF you will also need to provide an IR receiver and a battery pack. You would need to modify each Hobby Trains model to have it house those components and the connecting wires (one of which should go through the floor of the train to the PF Train motor, so you need a hole in the floor). Net, it will require some creativity, and some Hobby Trains models are better suited to this adaptation than others.


Buyer security on BrickLink I'm interested in buying LEGO bricks from BrickLink; the inventory is impressive, prices are good, and it is recommended by many LEGO builders.

Since you buy from unknown sellers abroad, I want to minimize the risk of scams or getting disappointed in some other way. What steps can I take to minimize this risk, especially concerning the payment method? Generally speaking, how big of a problem is non-serious BrickLink sellers?

I don't see much discussion of this at all on BrickLink's How to buy page.

As a buyer on BrickLink you place your order to the seller, who then must acknowledge your request and quote you a full price (including any taxes, shipping costs, or other fees; most buyers will lists these additional cost details on their individual seller page) if you don't like the price they quote, you can walk away.  If you agree then you need to give them the money.

Most of the payments on BrickLink are processed through PayPal, which for all of its many faults, consistently sides with buyers over sellers in cases of disputes, so you can not only dispute any problems using BrickLink's resolution tools, but also with PayPal to get your money back.

BrickLink also has a feedback and reputation system you can use to check a sellers previous sales; so you can see if the buyer has any negative feedback or problem orders, but also it can show you how much volume they are processing.  Someone making a lot of sales is likely to take the process very seriously.  BrickLink tends to take non responsive sellers NRS or non paying buyers NPB very seriously, if you receive 3 of these complaints your buying or selling privileges will be permanently revoked, so someone with a large positive BrickLink reputation, likely isn't having these problems.  BrickLink has a whole section on Problem Resolution you could read through if you are concerned in how the different processes work.

Also, if you are concerned about buying from another country, BrickLink allows you to filter sellers based on country.  Buying from only your country will likely limit what is available, but it can make the process simpler in terms of shipping, customs, and different currencies.


Please help me identify this partially assembled set, red and 2 large propellers? A sweet neighbor kid handed down his LEGO collection to us. I’ve been able to find quite a few sets by searching Google, but this one has me stumped.


Were these real giant LEGO pieces on the 2020 Late Holiday catalog cover? In a recent cover of the US LEGO Catalog we see kids playing with oversized LEGO pieces:

The toolbox (98368)
and wrench (4006) are very recognizable.
The tiara is distinctly
part 33322.
The banana is basically part 33085, but the colored tips are suspicious.

The debate my wife and I have been having about all of this is: did they really print out big parts like this or did they fake it with Photoshop?  I'm hoping that they went and did this Matt Denton-style and printed everything extra large, handed it to the kids and let them do whatever child models do.  My wife doesn't feel like the shadows work right, and she thinks they faked it in the computer.  I don't expect that we have access to anyone involved with making this catalog for an utterly authoritative answer, but maybe you're good at spotting the Photoshop signs.

I think that they photoshopped shadows in after setting up lighting to remove shadows so that the picture has shadows making it so it doesn’t look weird while not having shadows making the picture dark.


Is there a program to tell me if a specific parts list is available in a given colour? I want to build some models using the new 1x2 curved slopes which come in limited colours at the moment, the models need to have single solid colours if at all possible.

Is there a program or site that will let me put in the parts needed and preferred colour, and then tell me if they are all available in that colour?

I know about Bricklink and Brickset (but not a registered user of either), so I can do it part by part if I need to.  I could also use LDD Manager to get a list of buyable bricks from a LDD file containing all bricks in all colours, although I would still need to check another site to find out what sets they are in.

Is there an easier way?

If you're up for a bit of programming, Rebrickable.com has an API that can query part+colour and return matching sets.

Get Part Sets
Use this service to get a list of all sets that a specific part/color combination appears in. This is best used after calling the get_part function to retrieve the list of available colors.
URL    /api/get_part_sets
Method    GET
Parameters    key - API Key
part_id - The Part ID to look up (e.g. 3001)
color_id - The LDRAW based Color ID to look up (e.g. 0 = black)
format - How to display output data. Valid values: xml, json
Returns   INVALIDKEY - The API Key is invalid
NOPART - The part/color could not be found or has no sets
 Output data.


Where can I find a LEGO collection of minifigure photos? I am looking for a collection of LEGO minifig photos - something like this, but with each minifig pictured separately in a full-length portrait. I have not been able to find such a collection on the LEGO website or elsewhere.

Here are three options that have what you are looking for:

1) Brickset has the highest quality and best organized photographs of minifigs, but they are far from complete. For example, as of this writing, the gallery does not have any of the City theme figures. The collection is growing all the time. For example, here is their collection of Batman figures:

Pros: Free to browse. Very good quality. Well-organized.
Cons: Far from complete.

2) BrickLink has a fairly thorough catalog of almost every part and minifig ever made, and they have individual photos of most of the minifigures, for example:

Pros: It's free to browse. It has almost everyone.
Cons: It's inefficient, the photos aren't all high quality, and it may not have every figure. Organization and naming are not always obvious when looking for a specific figure.

3) The Unofficial Minifigure Catalog. This is a series of catalogs that attempt to document every minifigure ever produced. It's available as a printed book through Amazon (~70 USD), as a PDF e-book through Lulu (25 USD), and as a smartphone app. Here's a sample page, taken from Amazon's "Look Inside" feature:

Pros: High quality photos, thorough, well-organized.
Cons: Costs money. Harder to search and find specific photos. Takes effort to convert to individual digital photos if that is what you need.


Lego MOC joining query I have a building query.
As you see the picture (attached).
I really don't know how the creator can attach the "3829c01" steering wheel to the "4070".
I try so many rod like parts can't get through the hole of "3829c01"
Hope anyone can help.

Thanks!

I was able to find a few elements that are able to make this connection possible. I'm guessing the designer used some type of bar-sized element which is made from a different material that is able to compress slightly more than regular ABS. For example, the softer plastic used on some minifig weapons seems to work nicely:

Another option could be flexible Technic tubing. I was able to make this work, but it feels like a very tight fit. This tubing could also be cut to length under some definition of LEGO purism.

Of course, as Kramii pointed out, this could also just use non-standard elements or part modification.


Why did LEGO create different canister for the Visorak? I have the six original Visorak (Sets 8742, 8743, 8744, 8745, 8746 and 8747) with different canisters (or boxes).

For example, my Suukorak (8747) has a white canister, and my friend's has a black one.

Here's a picture showing the canisters:

Some canisters are colored the same as their lid while others are black.

Why?

I heard a similar question about old cars and how one owner had a hood made of steel and another . . . same make, same model, same year . . . had an aluminum hood. The answer as to why was simple . . . it's the metal the manufacturer had at the time. My guess is once the molding machines are loaded with a color they keep using it until it runs out. Some of the colors were versatile and looked good on multiple sets so they could make more of those before switching colors.


Is there on/off function on the 8879 IR Speed Remote Control? Just got 8879 IR Speed Remote Control yesterday. Does it have an on/off switch? We don't see one.

No, it doesn't have a specific on-off switch.

But like most remote controls, it uses very little power unless it's actually transmitting. I find that self-discharge in the batteries is more of an issue than the tiny power use testing to see if you're using the controls.

Where this can be a problem is if you throw the controller in with a bunch of loose Lego, and a button ends up pressed. That will drain the batteries quite fast, because the controller is constantly transmitting (just as it would if you used your finger to press the button). So the main thing I worry about is making sure the remotes are all stored with nothing touching the controls.


Strain Gauge on LEGO Bridge I had an idea to teach my son (almost 4) about bridges and large structures from an engineering point of view. I thought that it would be cool to build a large bridge and put a strain gauge on it. One of those foil like strain gauges. Then I would drive some heavy LEGO cars filled w/ pennies over it and we could watch the resistance change on the strain gauge.

My question is, would it be possible to get some meaningful results out of this? I see a number of problems.

1) I've never used a strain gauge before, and I'm wondering if the pulling apart of the bridge due to the various forces is an appropriate use case for a real strain gauge. The deformations would get rather large quickly since we're working with bricks and could possibly render the strain gauge useless.

2) The introduction of the strain gauge itself, glued onto bricks radically would change the way that the forces are distributed. The strain gauge now acts as a physical support holding two bricks together.

Lego bricks can withstand a fairly high pressure before they deform, but Lego creations tend to deform more easily at the various connection points. Therefore it's possible to build a relatively easily deformed bridge using long pieces, such as technic beams. You could build a bridge that deforms easily and then show how it flexes under the various weights.

As for using a real strain gauge, that might be overkill, but if your bridge is fairly bendy you could probably compensate for whatever structural rigidity you'll get from the guage itself. Also I'd go with putting the gauge on a separate, flexible piece (such as paper or plastic) and just pin it to the bridge using normal lego parts. Presumably you don't need super-accurate measurements for this demo?

Lego also has some springs and shock absorbers which can possibly be used to help with your design. Either use them to make the bridge flexible, or use the compression of the shock absorber as your measurement of how deformed the bridge is.


135149 is all info I have My son got some LEGO bricks in a bag as a present from good will, but no instructions were included. The only info I have are numbers on the bag 135149 and 2011. One of the small pieces has 62361. But no luck to have any info with numbers.

2011 is probably just the year the bag was copyrighted, not anything useable to go on.

The other number on the bag is not really useable either.

Part 62361 is Vehicle, Mudguard 1 1/2 x 6 x 1 with Arch a part that has been in 98 sets. There are probably numbers on most other parts in the bag too, but pictures are usually better.


Has anyone just "built a tower"? I've heard stories about it, but has anyone simply built a "tower" out of lego pieces and bricks? By a tower I mean lots of bricks on top of each other.

It's actually quite a common thing to build. So much so that TLG has held a number of tower building events at their theme parks and at other locations. Here's a photo of what I believe is the current world record. This was completed in Prague and is 32.5 meters tall.


Help identifying Star Wars set from troopers and white pieces My nephew handed down his LEGO pieces to my son. Most of them seem to be Star Wars. I need help to identifying them so I can download instructions.

Appreciate your help!

Seems to be mostly from one set with a mixture of Minifigs and accessories.

Set #10195-1 Republic Dropship with AT-OT.  (Referencing your picture, these are generally the bricks below your Minifigs.)

Some Minifigs and accessories.

Set #8084-1 Snowtrooper Battle Pack. (Referencing your picture, some of your Minifigs come from this set.)

Headgear: Part 61182 Minifigure, Headgear Helmet SW Rebel Scout Trooper. ( Comes with a black visor shown in your picture.  Headgear used on the figure directly below, which is NOT in your picture.)

Trans-Neon Light Saber: Part #30374 Bar 4L (Lightsaber Blade / Wand).

Chrome Hilt: Part #64567 Minifigure, Weapon Lightsaber Hilt Straight.

Minifig: Part #sw0178 General Maximillian Veers - Goggles Print and Dark Bluish Gray Helmet.

Minifig: Part #Sw0166 Shadow Trooper.


Connecting an axle to a stud on the ground for railings I'm trying to build railing using axles and connectors and am not finding an easy way to get the axles that go to the ground to connect in a way that would be best for my design. Three options I've found so far is using 4032, 3941, or 3713. I like 3713 because it has a smaller profile, but it cannot be placed directly on a stud, which causes two problems: 1) the railings are slightly inside of the plate (less problematic to me); 2) I cannot cover the surrounding studs with tiles, which I'd like to do. Seems another option could be using 11458. That would also offset the railing, but I could cover the stud with a 1x1 tile. I could also use a technic 3700 or 32064, but again, offset and you lose the smaller profile. I'm wondering if I'm not missing some socket sticking straight up that would solve the problem.

For the axle with stud on one side you could also use a smaller pin connector 18654.


Is there a way to glue already built sets? My son who is now 16 no longer plays with his Lego sets. He would like to preserve some of his larger sets like Jabba the Hutts sail barge. Is there anything we can spray or paint on to hold them together? Or do we need to take it apart and glue it?

Although it can be done (I will share below), I would sincerely discoure you from gluing your LEGO sets. You will very much regret it later. Here are the reasons why: LEGO is meant to be a building toy - put together and taken apart many times. Once you glue a set it completely looses its usefulness and becomes nothing but another item to take up the shelf and collect dust.

LEGO has generational value. Your son may have lost interest now (very common in teen years), but may want to get back to the hobby later. He will definitely regret gluing his sets. Also, even if he doesn't get back to the hobby, if he will decide to have kids in the future, they will greatly appreciate having the opportunity to play and build with LEGO. Many LEGO fans inharited their LEGO sets from their parents and even grandparents. The long-term value of LEGO is truly amazing.

And this brings up the third point against gluing LEGO. The sets you mention have significant value that will only rise when the sets get retired. If your family ever gets into financial trouble and need to get some cash quickly, you can sell those LEGO sets - but not if they are glued.

I would encourage you to consider just boxing the sets (either built or taken apart) and just store them away carefully. It is really your best option that would keep both the value and the usefulness of the sets.

Having said that; if you still want to glue the sets, yes, you will need to take them apart and glue them. The most gentle glue that would not damage the LEGO elements too much but will hold the model together is simple white school-glue. You only need to add very little in between elements so the glue doesn't come out at the edges.

Another option is to just wrap the whole set in thin plastic sheet (the kind used for wrapping food). This is more for storage and moving the set around, but the tight-fitting plastic prevents the set from falling apart.


EV3 Brick: Powers on then off and won't stay powered on I have an EV3 brick that when I press the power button the red lights all come on - the display shows starting up but after 3 seconds it powers off. The same happens when I press the power and right keys to update.
Any suggestions on how to get the unit to power on properly or is this not a software issue?

If the batteries are new and not even the update mode stays on, then something is wrong with the hardware. You should reach out to LEGO customer support to see if they can help.


How is this brick attached to the pregnant minifig? While Google-image-searching pregnant minifigs (don't ask) I came across this fig, and other variations on it, but I can't figure out how the 2x2 round brick is attached.

They used an adhesive of some sort. You can see from the side that the piece is attached flush to the body of the minifig, and there is no additional gap between the torso and legs pieces to account for any sort of bracket.


Which train motor is more powerful, 9V or 12V? I recently picked up LEGO bricks again and due to lack of space I'm planning to build a multilevel train layout.
I do have a descent amount of 12V track along with trains and switch points, but I was wondering if it would be a good idea to switch to 9V.

Because there will be a lot of inclined track on this layout I was wondering which train-motor-units are more powerful.
The ones I have, 12V from the gray era, or the track-powered 9 volt ones?

12 volt:

9 volt:

A user on YouTube posted the following video that tests a lot of the various train motors in Lego history for their pulling strength.

The battery model train from the 1960's destroyed the competition.

Pulling Power of LEGO Trains 1966 till 2009 (Systems: 4.5V 12V 9V IR)

The newer engines do not have rubber traction to grip, so they have a tendency to slip more.  The lack of weight on top of the engines also hindered some of its ability.  The newer engines tend to be faster, but not more powerful.

Another link that summarizes many of the various Lego motors (unfortunately, it didn't include the 12v line):

LEGO® 9V Technic Motors compared characteristics


Where can I get a large number of LEGO bricks cheap? Yes, I see other people's amazing MOC's all the time, and think, "man, I could totally do that if I had enough bricks." The problem is, I don't really know where to look for a whole bunch of LEGO bricks that aren't in set form. I would really like the pile to include normal and Technic bricks, as well as some specialized parts such as gears, transmission pieces, wheels and tank tracks, but don't need any minifigure parts.

MOC-ers use BrickLink.com, the Unofficial Online LEGO Marketplace. It is similar to eBay in the sense that buyers and sellers are from all over the world, but BrickLink is only for LEGO. All elements are neatly organized into categories, and every LEGO element ever made is catalogued. Link to BrickLink Catalog Page: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogTree.asp?itemType=P

You can build up your Wanted List, then purchase the pieces you need from various sellers. (By building a Wanted List you can find sellers who have most of the items you need, thus reducing shipping fees.) Most BrickLink sellers have very reasonable prices and excellent service - they are LEGO fans themselves. Just make sure you check their feedback and terms before purchasing.

BrickLink is a MOC-er's heaven. :)


Building a more-efficient water propeller? I enjoy making Power Functions-controlled boats to race (in water) in various LEGO convention competitions (which require 100% genuine LEGO pieces).

Usually, these boats end up being paddle boats, because of how inefficient all the LEGO propellers are. Supposedly Propeller 2 Blade Twisted (4745) is actually the most-efficiently shaped LEGO water propeller.

There are a number of problems with this propeller.

The blade are thick.
There is no good way to attack an axle to it.
The shape of the blades is sub-optimal.
It's on the small side.

Is there a way to build a more-efficient one, out of several pieces?

The LEGO RC boat by Slewentogzz claims to have a top speed of 3 km/h, it uses a custom propellor built out of Technic parts.

The actual rudder parts appear to be Technic Panels #87080 and #87086. These panels are very common and are available in over 60 sets.

There are two more parts in a similar design (#64683 and #64391, they are one stud longer each so you can make a slightly larger propellor.

Images: Slewentogzz Lego Creations

Video: "Lego RC Boat with custom built propeller (3,0 km/h!)"


How many spaceman minifigure variations exist? I was looking at collecting all the different Spaceman minifigures.  So I'm wondering how many different types(styles) of Spaceman do exist.  Color variations is not necessarily but it would also be interesting to know that.

Note: Only astronauts (not robots & aliens)

So far I only have those three:

A full list of space related minifigures can be found on Bricklink here as well as under the Town theme. If you count fantasy themes there are also many astronaut minifigures under Alien Conquest, Blacktron, Life on Mars, Mars Mission, Space Police, etc...

There is also the Spaceman from the 1st Collectible Minifigure series.


Wiring and Controlling an 88004 servo from a RaspberryPI My 88004 servo does not move at all. Don't know how I should connect the wires correctly.

I think the inner two cables are C1 and C2 and the outer two GND and VCC.

When I connect 6.5V to the outer two cables the breadboard connector cables smoke up. I connected one GPIO from the RaspberryPI with a PWM frequency of 1200Hz to C1 and kept C2 at GND but nothing happened.

I found a video on youtube with a wiring diagram for an Arduino to 88004 but there is also GND and VCC connected with outer cables.

I orientated my Code like from the page How to control a 88004 Servo Motor with a Raspberry Pi?

Nothing happened with this Code (but I think the problem is my wiring):

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)

GPIO.setup(12, GPIO.OUT)
GPIO.setup(16, GPIO.OUT)

Left = GPIO.PWM(12, 1200)
Right = GPIO.PWM(16, 1200)

Left.stop()
Right.stop()

Left.start(100)

Smoking breadboard connectors are never a good thing - so check your wiring to make sure all is connected well. Also, make sure that you have the GND of your powersource connected to the GND of the RPi, so that all voltages are relative to the same ground potential. Finally, I'm not sure if the Servo will work with 6.5V - it has been designed to work on 9V. A different powersource might give better results.


Unhappy minifig faces I dislike how many current sets and mystery figures come with negative expressions such as sad, angry, and mad. Sure they have their place and purposes, but I'd prefer my son not have so many grumpy looking LEGO dudes--I liked the old "every minifig had a smiling face" styles better for that reason. Is there a cost-efficient way to get replacement minifig heads with more appropriate expressions? A way to provide feedback to the Lego group?

The classic minifig head can be purchased on Bricklink, and it isn't terribly expensive even in large quantities:

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3626cp01&colorID=3

You can leave feedback on this issue via LEGO Customer Service.


LEGO Star Wars age limits? Want to buy my boyfriend LEGO for Christmas as I know he'd love it, but am very confused about the age limits on the boxes! If I buy one age 8-14 for example, is it too simple? Don't want to offend him either as he's 20 :P
Recommendations of sets would also be appreciated!

For a guy who's 20 you can ignore the age limits. LEGO used to label set with "N..99" age limits but these days that sort of humour is less appreciated. It's still true, though.

I suggest focus more on what he's interested in, and what you think he'd enjoy building. Within the LEGO Star Wars range there are quite a lot of options. If he's mostly into collecting toys I suggest starting small, but if he's into spending hours building stuff there are options that go right up to metre-long display models.

I think your main risk is social or financial. Even if you misjudge his interest, if he's into Star Wars he's likely to build it, display it, and just not ever get round to buying more. But especially the first time, don't spend more than you're willing to have him go "what? No" at, and maybe be careful about where he opens the gift. If he has judgey relatives who might say "hahaha kids toys grow up" or similar, try to avoid. It's all obvious, but many AFOLs have had experiences like that.

That said, I've given LEGO for work "secret santa" events as well as other random times, and it's usually gone down well.


How to turn the NXT at an angle with NXC How can I program, with NXC, a Lego NXT to turn a specific angle?

I've tried using wait() but the problem isn't solved.

Can I use RotateMotor()? What parameters should I use? For example if I want it to move in a square, what kind of parameters.

This depends on the exact configuration of your robot, including but not limited to the distance between the wheels (if it's a differential drive robot), the diameters of the wheels, the gearing (if any is used) between the motors and the wheels.

A simple solution would be to experiment with various parameters and making corrections based on the direction and magnitude of the observed error. For example, if you send an order of RotateMotor(100) and see that your robot turns about 30°, you would try again with RotateMotor(300).

Another possible solution is to write a program that displays the values read from the motors' encoders, perform the required maneuvers by pushing the robot by hand, and noting the displayed values. In theory, those values would be the ideal parameters.

Of course, the most sound and correct solution is to whip out your geometry skills and calculate the exact angle the motors need to turn, but this approach tends to fail when reality does not behave perfectly (as in skidding, measurement errors, friction, etc.)

All in all, I'd recommend picking a starting value, trying it on your robot, observing the results, making adjustments based on the observations and starting over the loop.

For reference (if you hadn't already found it): NXC RotateMotor command


What plane is the Aviation Adventures set based off? The title states my question. I think it looks something like a Japanese Zero fighter, but it's slightly off.

My understanding is this model's design is meant to resemble a WWII style warbird, but probably not any specific model.

LEGO has a pretty strict policy about creating army-related sets, and when they do they are usually fantasy-based.

  Are there any chances that Lego will ever start producing modern day warfare Lego, with tanks and helicopters and what not?

  We have a strict policy regarding military models, and therefore, we do not produce tanks, helicopters, etc. While we always support the men and women who serve their country, we prefer to keep the play experiences we provide for children in the realm of fantasy.

  -- Gizmodo - Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Lego

The most-modern military planes they have made so far are WWI models of Red Baron and Sopwith Camel.

For this reason, it would make sense that they would avoid making it look exactly like any specific military plane.


What is the rarest LEGO production element (colour/shape combination)? What is the rarest LEGO element according to the following criteria:

Genuine LEGO elements, not those available through third party vendors or otherwise modified elements. (So nothing from Brickarms.com, ChromeBricks.com, etc.)
Not prototype elements such as the Red Ghost, Yellow or Red Train Rails, etc.
The same element of a different colour counts as a different element,
(so the rarest colour/element combination)
No special production elements such as the 14k Solid Gold LEGO Employee Brick 2x4 Brick in Display Box or Gold C-3P0.
No elements that were only part of sets produced not to be sold, such as the unique Sticker for Set 4000001 which is part of set LEGO Inside Tour (LIT) Exclusive 2011 Edition - Moulding Machines or the Green BURP from the Wind Turbine - Vestas promotional set.

I would tend to say that any part produced for only one set would qualify, especially if said set is priced high. Looking at the inventory of 10179 Millenium Falcon UCS for example, the following candidates come to mind:

Light Bluish Gray Boat Mast Rigging Long 28 x 4
Dish 10 x 10 Inverted (Radar) with Radiating Spokes Pattern on Concave Side although it's printed so I'm not sure you're willing to accept it. I would have mentionned minifigs as well, but only Obi-Wan Kenobi (Old, Light Flesh) is exclusive to the set and its individual parts are used in other sets.

Considering the price the set goes for nowadays, and the fact that most people who buy it will probably build it once and leave it so (that is, if they open the box at all), I think the grey boat mast rigging is a very good candidate. There are four people selling some on BrickLink as of february 2013, but a glance at the prices asked comforts me in my reasoning. Even the printed radar dish is cheaper.


What is the easiest way to sell Lego sets for a good price? I have a HUGE collection of LEGO sets that I want to sell. Ebay is too cheap and Craigslist takes too long. Is there an easier and faster way to get some good money?

Unfortunately, even with the best market conditions, there is always a trade off between selling things at a high price and selling things fast. That's just a principle of marketing.

That said, you might consider these options:

BrickLink / Brick Owl

These are sites that specialize in trading LEGO. I can't comment further, as I've only used these sites as a buyer, not as a seller. As a buyer, I've been impressed.

Both Bricklink and Brick Owl take a commission for each order that goes through.

Local Ads

Some people still rely on newspaper etc. adds for their purchases. Although they reach a smaller audience, they have three advantages over eBay:

Ads are generally a fixed price, so fees don't depend on selling price - ideal for large lots of LEGO.
If you sell locally, you don't have to charge postage, as buyers can generally collect.
It is arguable that people who mainly buy from local adds are generally less well informed about "realistic" prices than people who use web-based purchasing options, so may be willing to pay a little more (although this cuts both ways - they may under-estimate the true price of things, too).

eBay

Despite your aversion to eBay, it is still be your best bet, simply because you'll reach such a large market. Prices on eBay are driven by the market - by what people are willing to pay. For this reason, I'm not sure that it makes sense to say that it is "too cheap".

To get the best price for your LEGO, I suggest using the fixed price listing feature, setting the price at the lowest you're willing to accept. Of course, it may take a little longer to shift your collection if your prices are at the high end of what the market can tolerate. An excellent picture and a good description make a big difference, too, as can your willingness to ship overseas. If you do decide to ship internationally, don't make the mistake of underestimating postage costs.

I use eBay for all my LEGO sales, and I'm generally happy with the results. The only down-side is that the fees can be quite high, but I generally accept that for the convenience.


LDD part library missing I have deleted the LDD part database (part library) by mistake.
As many of you know, LDD can no longer run in online mode, which means it can't update itself.

Is there any possibility to download the parts from somewhere or recover them somehow?

Here's an archive of the LDD part library for you to download, but I am not certain if it works. Give it a try.
Alternatively, if that link ever breaks down and you have Windows 10 you can right-click on your recycle bin, press open, then right-click on the library file pending deletion and press restore. It will come back.
P.S. If you doubt you will ever use this feature again, you can disable it by right-clicking recycle bin, clicking "properties", and selecting "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted".


How big to make a perfect cube? And how to build it I want to make a model, that involves many cubes. I want to make many individual cubes, then connect them together. I don't want my cubes to be that big. That leads to my first question: What is the smallest sized PERFECT cube I can make? My second question is: How do I make it?

  A perfect Cube: In LEGO terms: A structure whose dimensions are n x n x n, excluding studs.

And I forgot to mention that I can only have basic bricks. No plates or tiles. Sorry!

P.S. I really am annoying aren't I?!

Also, I don't require it to connect, and even if I could, I couldn't anyway,because I am using Basic Blocks. For the people asking, I am making a pillar, balanced

The smallest perfect cube you can make is a 2x2 brick with a 2x2 plate and a 2x2 tile on top.

And now I read that you're excluding studs, then you can use a plate instead of at tile, and obviously the order in which you stack the elements doesn't matter.


Why do LEGO parts break? I disassembled the Airplane set 7893 with normal pressure on the bricks and it happened that some parts broke like dry brittle leaves, see picture. The storage conditions have been in the open and some of the blue bricks show a bit of discoloration. I bought the set online and do not know what happened to it in last 10 years or so. The set is not that old, made 2006 or later and I wonder what can cause this weakness of the bricks?

In my experience, this happens when the lego has been washed with a too strong detergent or too high temperature...


Help to identify a unique minifig head I have a minifig head that I can't find on the Brickset website or else where. Not sure where it came from but found it amongst a pile of odd bricks my kids had collected years ago.

The head is probably from before 2002 (last time any of them played Lego). I thought maybe from the Legend of Chima range, but couldn't find it in the sets or minifigs and don't have any other models from that range.

I don't have a figure that might match it but I'm just intrigued to know what it is.

It's one of the Indians from the Western theme, from 1997:
http://brickset.com/minifigs/ww016/Indian-Tan-Shirt-Quiver


How long does official Lego monorail track last? Given the high cost of official Lego monorail track, I was wondering how long it tends to last/if there are any maintenance tips or tricks? I'm planning on using power functions to reduce the start/stop strain, but is there anything else to increase longevity?

Try to keep the track in mint condition. For example, don't expose it to extreme heat or cold. Keep it away from any pets or children who don't know better. Looking at some pictures, it seems that the vehicle on the monorail runs on a gear. Try interchanging gears every so often so that the gears don't wear and the teeth don't get bent or break.


What is this large drag-grey piece? I see it being sold with 9v train tracks, and it is about the same size What is this piece?  I see it being sold with 9v train tracks

That's part 42936 Track System, Straight Track 16 x 8 x 2.

It was used in the Racers track system and was found in sets in the early 2000s such as 4588 Off-Road Race Track:

It really has nothing to do with 9V train track, but sellers don't always understand the details of different track systems and simply sell elements that look like track together.


How to read the EV3 display Is there a users guide or something similar that describes in detail all the images that one sees on the display? There seems to be a lot of stuff there, but no explanation.

For most of the screens, you can find detailed descriptions in the Users Guide found on LEGO MINDSTORMS download page. Additionally, there is some information in the help file of the EV3 programming software.

The best resource I have come across that shows "everything", though, is the Apps > General Information: Userinterface section of the documentation from the lms2012 source code. The source code is officially available from the "Advanced..." section of the LEGO MINDSTORMS download page.

You can also find the compiled documentation hosted at http://ev3.fantastic.computer/doxygen/uiapp.html.

I've included the relevant images below as well in case links break.

Although this shows "everything" it does no have much in the way of detailed descriptions. On the other hand, it does provide some hints to some obscure things that are not documented anywhere else.


Starting Lego robotics projects low-budget with the intention of expanding later I've been digging around for cheap ways to build and control simple devices and was looking at the Mindstorms sets when I found WeDo and WeDo 2.0.  WeDo appears to be compatible with Power Functions sets, but WeDo 2.0 uses a different connector which is similar to, but not the same as, Mindstorms.

I'd like to start low-budget (suggesting WeDo as my starting point, because those controllers are much cheaper) but I want the option of expanding to more of the Mindstorms functionality in the future.

For my purposes, right now, WeDo seems adequate, but it looks like a dead end (unless the WeDo 2.0 connector is the future, in which case maybe EV3 is the dead end!). That's antithetical to the reasons I would even consider Lego in the first place.

Digging further I see rumors that WeDo 2.0 and Mindstorms may be set to converge in the future.  So even if I convince myself that i have no choice but to start with EV3, that could still turn out to be incompatible with future parts; but on the other hand it may turn out that my cheap WeDo 2.0 controller would work with future Mindstorms accessories.

Perhaps WeDo 2.0 and EV3 are compatible using just a cheap adapter, like how PF1 parts are.  I don't know.

In brief; if I want to expand my kit in the future, and I don't want to spend a lot of money today, then what should I buy?  Is there any concrete information available about compatibility or future kits that would help me make this decision?

According to the WeDo 2.0 FAQ

Is this a new plug system?
Yes, this is the new LEGO Power Functions plug that has been optimized also to meet potential future needs.
What does that mean for the existing plug systems on other Power Function and MINDSTORMS products? Will they also be changed?
Yes, eventually we will convert to the new plug system after a transition period. The exact timing of this transition has not been determined.

However, if you want to build something today, WeDo is a good choice since it is compatible with the current Power Functions products.
There is also the 3rd-party SBrick that works with current Power Functions products but uses Bluetooth Low Energy like WeDo 2.0.


Please help to identify the LEGO Set Please help to identify the LEGO Plastic Bags # (Pack 1-610S7, Pack 2-210S7) I can't even scan the code, it is too small from the camera. These are the packs left over from my son and the boxes were thrown out.   Thank you]1

These parts belong to 42060 set.

Identified by unique combination of Technic, Liftarm 1 x 3 Thick with Black '40 1977 - 2017' and 24 Tooth Gear Pattern

and Technic, Panel Fairing # 2 Small Smooth Short, Side B in Orange


Advice on selling a lot of Lego? I have a bin of Lego with a bunch of $100+ sets. The bin contains 29lbs. of Lego. I want to sell them, how should I price them? There are sets like 7743 and such. They are in pristine condition. There might be other small objects in the bin, but I don't know what. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Sincerely,
Nathan

Post an auction on ebay, and let the buyers determine the worth.  Include a lot of pictures of what is in the lot, so buyers know what they are getting.  If you go random, the most folks will pay is what it is worth with all low valued pieces.

If you want to make more money, sort the Lego out, and see if you can complete sets.  For some sets the complete set will sell for more than the individual pieces, for other sets the individual pieces will sell for more.

If you want to maximize profit do some research on sites like ebay, bricklink, brickowl and see what the parts you have are selling for.  If not, then just post it as you described it here, as an auction on eBay, and see if anyone bids.


Which set does this small bag of LEGO pieces belong to? I just received a box of LEGO bricks and have no idea what sets they make up. This packet was in there unopened and thought someone might know where they are from?

All the pieces shown are used in Day 17 of the 2012 LEGO City Advent Calendar (4428).

It looks like you only have 10 out of the 14 pieces required to build the model, the other pieces must have either been removed at some point or were never included (which is unlikely).


How do I increase axle speed using gears How do I increase speed of my output axle 24 times using 8, 16, 32, and 64 tooth gears using LEGO Mindstorms components? I checked Sariel's website but it was no help.

You can't do this with the gears you've listed, but I'm not sure that you've listed the proper gears. I don’t believe that 32 or 64 tooth gears exist. I at least don't have any.

You can do this by combining common 8, 16, and 24 tooth gears. The following gives 3:1 × 2:1 × 2:1 × 2:1 = 24:1.


DUPLO Train Action Bricks I have the weirdest thing with my son's set.  Currently one of the yellow action tiles honks the horn but the other yellow brick does not.  No matter the lighting conditions, the position, orientation, etc. They both used to work and suddenly one is specifically not reacting. If it was different colors not responding I would assume battery issue is affecting the color sensor, but they are both the same color surface finish.  Any thoughts?

You may want to contact the LEGO customer service about it and see if they can provide a replacement brick. Assuming your train is 10874 or 10875, they should still have it in stock and you can probably just order a new one via a replacement part order.

On the other hand, since the recognition appear to be indeed color-based this might not help at all.


Spike Prime remote command using screen I am trying to execute commands using the -X switch on the Spike Prime Hub but all I get is either nothing, or unknown command errors.
Here is what I tried so far:
screen /dev/ttyACM0 -X 'print("test")'
screen /dev/ttyACM0 -X $'print("test")/n'
screen /dev/ttyACM0 | 'print("test")'
screen /dev/ttyACM0 | $'print("test")/n'
The piped commands gave me unknown command errors. When I change the main.py and add some prints, they are shown even if printed before I login. So stream wise that is working no matter when I login.
Another issue occures with the rshell rsync. I had to add a switch to stop the sound files from syncing since they crash rshell. Also rshell stops the code execution on the hub. I tried the above commands before and after rshell rsync call. When I login the hub after rshell I can enter python commands without hitting ctrl+c. Before rsync I have to stop execution with ctrl+c before I am able to type.
But the screen command does not execute python in all cases. Any ideas ?
The main task I want to achieve is that the hub continues execution after rsync. I wanted that with a screen command. But the whole Spike Prime software seems buggy and sluggish from the open source point of view.

With the prime hub you need to exit the hub default process before you can send commands using ctrl-c.
Ctrl-c is the character 0x03.
This is my python script that I use to send micropython scripts over to my hub:
https://github.com/gpdaniels/spike-prime/blob/master/simulator/run.py
It has lots of nastyness in it like this:
port.write(b'\x03')
time.sleep(0.1)
port.write(b'\x03')
time.sleep(1.0)

To try and get the hub to stop the running script and behave.
Also there's functions to read the serial input from the hub until it sees the >>> characters which indicate the REPL is ready to receive python commands.


LEGO train 60198 isn't working Battery box on my LEGO train 60198 is flashing green and orange, then after few seconds it suddenly turns off itself.

I've tried resetting it by pushing the button on the train until it turns purple, but then straight away it starts flashing orange again. After that it turns off itself.

Please explain what is wrong with it.

LEGO guide shows the orange blinking appears when batteries are flat.

.

Have you tried using fresh batteries in your train?


Apart from the LEGO brick, is there any other hardware that has an NXT firmware written for it? I am trying to find out if you can upload LEGO NXT byte-code to any other hardware, so I am just checking to see if anyone has ever written the LEGO firmware for any other hardware. Maybe hardware like an Arduino, Raspberry Pi, etc.

LEGO itself does not make specific firmware/software to support other devices other than the official NXT brick but...

...you can still use Arduino and Raspberry Pi (and more) with the NXT components including the NXT brick.  Personally, I mix LEGO and electronics all the time.

Arduino & Raspberry Pi are flexible development platforms and they can easily be interfaced with other devices. Also, the NXT devices (i.e. The Brick or peripherals) can be interfaced by something else than the official LEGO hardware & software.
On the other hand, the effort needed to run the LEGO firmware (probably through an emulator...) on a new device is way harder than to interface the systems.  Remember that this is a firmware and it expect to run on the exact device it was built for.

Arduino & NXT:
There is a lot of Arduino-NXT hardware components that you can buy or even make yourself.  For example you could use this Arduino shield called NXShield-D and it's software.

RaspberryPi & NXT:
Pi is still relatively new but, since it's a full computer, it is very easy to use.  To interface with NXT you can use the GPIO pins but thanks to the USB port, somebody already made the NXT-python to control the NXT brick.


Are there any books on the history of economic, marketing and design choices of LEGO and the company? I am interested in the history of economic, marketing and design choices made by the company, that shaped the product line (or individual sets) and the LEGO experience that we all love. Preferably about the post-2000 years.

Yes, there actually is a book that discusses just this subject AND it's primarily focused on the post-2000 years:

Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David Robertson.

I highly recommend this book - while professing to be a business book, it gives huge insight into the companies design-reasoning and history.

Amazon Link here.


How to dump the micropython filesystem from the SPIKE Prime (and Mindstorms v4)? I'm interested in tinkering with the micropython filesystem and/or firmware in the SPIKE Prime hub and was wondering:

How to dump the micropython filesystem from the SPIKE Prime hub?
Is there an online resource somewhere to download old micropython filesystems for the SPIKE Prime hub?

Using rshell I've managed dump the micropython filesystem of my hub after updating it to v1.0.03.0034-c3879ab.
rshell
connect serial /dev/ttyACM0 115200
rsync -a /pyboard ~/spikefw

Note: These commands are for linux.
(I also managed to partially dump the initial version on the hub v0.5.01.0000-42a938e, but ran into issues with binary files as I was using ampy at the time.)
I've not found any online resources for the micropython filesystem or the firmware of the SPIKE Prime hub.
Interestingly it seems the the initial version I have v0.5.01.0000-42a938e is comprised of the micropython source code (*.py files) whereas the updated version v1.0.03.0034-c3879ab only contains pre-compiled micropython bytecode (*.mpy)
The license file included with the micropython code, and the headers in the files, state that the code is licensed under the MIT license, so I've uploaded it to my github please feel free to PR more versions.


What set do these pieces belong to? Black pieces rotate, if it helps?
Thanks

Having checked various different parts (including severely underestimating how widespread Trans-Light Blue Brick, Round 2 x 2 with Axle Hole is) I believe that this may be LEGO Friends: Pop Star Show Stage, based on Bright Light Orange Plate, Round 4 x 4 with Hole, which only appeared in 10 sets


Bionicle parts for own bionicle figure I need Bionicle parts to make my own Bionicle.
Any good set recommendations?
 Any LEGO set will do.  It does not have to be Bionicle.

There aren't many sets with big Bionicle part variety. I'm not sure what you are looking for. If you need specific parts I suggest to look for them on Bricklink. If you need to increase your Bionicle parts collection it might be better to look for local sales as Bionicle/Hero Factory are usually quite cheap.


What kind of track is the Emerald Night set compatible with? According to What different types of lego train tracks exist?, there have been many different kinds of LEGO track. Which kind of track can I purchase that will be compatible with this train?

The set is from the "RC / Power Functions Era", so it's meant to be compatible with those tracks.

Luckily for you those are the only tracks for sale in ordinary stores today.

As the answer to that question says, those tracks have "roughly the same mold" as the 9V track so the train is as compatible with those - I've also seen an Emerald Night set equipped with a 9V motor run on such track.

The gauge of that track is roughly (the profile of the rails is a little different, so depending on how you measure it, there might be a small difference) the same as in the previous eras, so the train can probably also be used on those tracks.

I remember a problem with some parts not moving smoothly through each other when driving backwards, but that is probably independent of the tracks.


Best way to manage LEGO blocks Maybe my question is not suitable for this forum, but I figure this is the place where people have the most experience, so, here goes.

My 4 year old son loves to play with LEGO and we encourage him. We built a few sets together and he mostly builds stuff from his own imagination. He likes to build new sets with us and to follow the schematics, even if we don't have all the parts (we try to make changes as needed).

The problem is - we have gathered a big LEGO box of parts from about 7-8 sets and looking for a specific block is becoming more and more difficult. When we build sets together it's my job to find the parts and his job to follow the schematic. Needless to say, it may take me 5 minutes to track down a specific part and it takes us too long to build the set. Once a set is built he plays with it for a while (a couple of hours or days) and then comes back apart.

For now we try to keep the parts sorted by color, but for some colors (grey or blue) we have too many parts and we need to empty the bag on the floor to look for parts (and this gets messy).

I wanted to ask for advice on the following topics:

What's the best way to sort LEGO blocks so that they are easier to find and in a way that they don't take too much space (e.g. I wouldn't want to have to sort them by shape - it's too many of them!)
For some sets we don't know if we have all the parts (obviously because we don't have those exact sets). Is there an "app" that I can tell which sets we have and that can generate a part list from those so that I can look to see if I have the needed part? Or, better yet, tell the app what I want to build and it should tell me what parts I have (without keeping track of color - only shape) and what I'm missing? I'm thinking it's not an impossible app and something like this may exist, but I haven't found it yet.
Now comes the "sci-fi" part. Can I find a phone app that can use the camera to "scan" a bunch of parts thrown on the floor and do image recognition of the part that I need in order to highlight it? Image recognition can do shape recognition, so, again, it should be possible to implement - I just haven't found any.

Any tips on handling LEGO for better management is welcome.
Thanks!

The best way I've ever seen this done is exactly the same way you'd see a handyman manage all of his nuts, bolts, and screws. The general idea is that you have lots of small compartments for each of your different kinds of legos - and it can be up to you whether you separate by color, or just by shape and size.

On a quick glance at a big box store website, this seems like it might be a good inexpensive starting point:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Husky-28-Drawer-Small-Parts-Organizer-222169/205053254


Can you identify the set for these two LEGO bags? Looking to identify the following 2 bags

Bag 6    identifying possible help = 741R7  2015 Lego Group  135149
Bag 8    identifying possible help = 142R7  2015 Lego Group  135149

I am hoping the minifig heads might help.

Let me know what you experts think.  I just randomly found in my stash.

This is set # 70909-1: Batcave Break-In

Based on

Plate, Modified 10 x 10 Octagonal Open Center

and

Hips and Legs with Jacket Tails Pattern


Is the LEGO Mindstorms Education (not Home, not Scratch based) Edition for Mac OS gone? I am starting a robotics and programming club with some 9-12 year olds and for the past week I have been developing activities using my Windows version of LEGO Mindstorms (the education / teacher edition) on my Windows 10 PC.

In the classroom I will be using we have an assortment of Mac OS Laptops (thankfully not running Catalina). I wanted to get the same Education Edition for the Mac because the Mindstorms Home Edition is hideous and lacks many features, plus I have developed a lot of educational resources that depend on it.

However, now that LEGO seem to be testing the waters with the new Scratch based Mindstorms for Mac OS, the Education / Teacher edition of the classic LEGO Mindstorms seems to have vaporized and they have left no trace.

Does anyone know where I can get the educational (not home) version of the Classic LEGO Mindstorms development environment for the Mac OS?

It looks like LEGO have indeed completely pulled the previous version.
According to the announcement last year (emphasis added):

Mac Catalina Issues
[…] We have therefore decided to replace the current EV3 Lab software and EV3 Programming App with a completely new app, called LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3 Classroom. Featuring a coding language based on Scratch, EV3 Classroom will initially launch for macOS in November 2019 and in spring 2020 for iOS, Windows 10, Android and Chrome. EV3 Classroom will offer a consistent experience, features, and content across all devices.

As such, it would appear that this is the only official release you can now download for MacOS from their site.
If you have not yet upgraded your Mac to Catalina, you might be able to use the Mindstorms Lab download from the Retired Products section, where the same warning is included.
If you're unable to locate it on the Retired Products section, a direct link may be available here: LME-EV3_Full-setup_1.4.2_en-US_OSX.dmg


What kind of LEGO are these? Can somebody tell me what are these round heads and these strange cars?  I bought these from a bazaar. The heads are round. There weren't any bodies, just heads. The cars are strange. Looks like from ninja. They look like they won't be LEGO.

These parts were used in large figures as a part of LEGO Knights Kingdom II sets.

"Strange cars" are actually torso/body piece used for these figures.

As an example Large Figure Torso KK with Santis Pattern - Series 1


What are the possible differences between LEGO elements? I'm in a technical school in the Netherlands and we received the following questions for an assignment:

What are the other possible differences between LEGO elements?
What are the different forms of LEGO elements?
In which different colours can the LEGO elements exist?
In what packaging form can the elements be found?

Where can I find information on these various questions?

Really 4 questions in one.

To try to address question 3,

  In which different colours can the LEGO elements exist?

these links to other similar questions may help:

How many different colours of LEGO bricks are there?
Is there a list of colours currently in production?


Part differences between main and alternate models of 8285 set Someone is selling the alternate model of the 8285 set

But I'm really more interested in the main model of that set.

Does anyone know how many bricks I'm going to be missing when only the bricks from the completed alternate model is included?
Do you know where can I download an inventory list for the alternate model?

Rebrickable has an option to compare set's main models and some of the B-models as well. However there is no inventory for second model for 8285 set available on Rebrickable. The best I could find is a LDraw file available on Eurobricks.

I've imported this file as a custom list on Rebrickable that could be used to compare with sets and MOCs. Imported file gave me some errors (so final result won't be 100% accurate) and I had to tweak this list a bit as there were wrong color or part type used on a file sourced from Eurobricks.

In the end it gave me a number of 83.% shared parts between both versions. Main model needs the rest 17%, which is roughly 320 parts (92 unique) that are not in B-model (excluding spare parts).

I would like to note this set comes in multiple inventories as it known to be initially released with some parts in Metallic Silver, which later were changed to Light Bluish Gray.

List of parts you would need for main model (not 100% accurate, but very close; may have some minor discrepancies due to issues with source file of alternate model):


What's the smallest LEGO component, based on its largest dimension? There's already a question asking what the smallest component is.

However, according to its answer, the smallest piece would be the screwdriver.

It is pretty small, but its length is over 2 studs, perhaps even exactly three (I don't have one on hand to check). A regular 1x2 plate is smaller in that regard.

What is the smallest piece measured by its largest dimension?

The smallest I could come up with is the 1x1 round plate. Is there anything smaller?

This tiny tiara piece is smaller than the 1x1 round plate on all sides (middle piece in my image below).


Advanced mode in EV3 ultrasonic sensor The EV3 Ultrasonic Sensor has an “Advanced mode" which measures either in centimeters or in inches. When exactly do you use this mode? Why doesn’t the sensor send just a single ultrasonic signal?

From the official LEGO education site:

  Measure – Advanced - Centimeters

  The Measure – Advanced – Centimeters mode is similar to the Measure – Distance Centimeters mode, except that you can choose whether the sensor sends a single ultrasonic signal or continuous signals with the Measuring Mode input. The distance in centimeters is output in the Distance in Centimeters."

I can only guess to the reason why LEGO implemented this “Measuring Mode” option in a separate Advanced mode, but most likely it is to hide the subtle difference, which might be difficult to understand at first, from beginner users. The default measuring mode is the easiest to understand.


Fixing a not working Power Functions L motor Four of my PF L motors don't work. How could I make them work again? I didn't find any information about L motors, only M and XL.

Since the basic architecture of the motors in a line (in this case PF M-L-XL) are the same, the tips you have found for the other models would most likely apply for your case as well.

Otherwise I'd recommend some basic troubleshooting steps:

Ensure you have a working battery box and cable by setting up your functioning motor. Once you have confirmed that it runs OK, you can be sure that if after swapping the motor for a broken one, the problem must be in that motor.
Check if you can turn the motor's axle manually by inserting a Technic axle and turning it by hand. It may be more comfortable if you add a gear or a wheel to get a better grip. If you can't turn it at all or only considerably harder than the working one, you should suspect some mechanical failure (e.g. broken gears inside).
If you have a multimeter, you could check if the electrical characteristics of the broken motors match those of the working one. A significantly lower resistance between the contacts is a sign of a short circuit, while a significantly higher one indicates a broken wire. With a bit of jerry-rigging you could also measure the current flowing through a motor that should be running from a battery box and comparing it to a normal motor's to see if there is too little or too much current.
You could also try opening up the motor and checking for broken or burned parts, foreign objects or debris, etc. Note, the above guide is for the M motor, but the same principles would apply for the L motor as well.

If none of the above helps, try contacting LEGO, as they would be able to provide replacement parts or further advice.


Lego Mindstorms RCX RIS 2.0 IR tower Windows 10 64-bit driver I found this question:
Lego Mindstorms RCX RIS 2.0 IR tower Windows 7 / Windows XP driver
and I wanted to ask if someone found a solution.
But due to my lack of reputation I couldn't create a comment asking ... further
my system differs to the original post.

Kind regards

As many of the RIS 2.0 questions here suggest, you may be better off finding a different way of talking to that pedigree of brick.

Virtual machines and other operating systems running other software are your best choices at this time. Running old, unsigned 32-bit drivers on Windows 10 presents a nearly impossible set of hurdles just to push a few bytes to a brick.

I maintain a fork of NQC, for example, and I'm pretty sure I'll never try to get the USB tower part of that updated for Windows 64-bit.

Another option is to find a classic serial tower and use a USB to serial dongle. I've had some success on that on OS X and earlier Windows releases.


Is there any legit positive impact of LEGO on mental health? Is there any legit research done on the impact of LEGO on mental health?

For instance, does it positively affect kids’ mental development or does it help with stress, anxiety or any other mental-health issues?

Yes.

Here is a study that demonstrates one way to use LEGO in ADHD counseling.

If you are looking for a more rigorous outcomes-focused methodology, there's another study that looked at the impact of LEGO on social skills development in children. It found significant improvement compared to the control in a pre-test, post-test study.

If your interested in the developmental side of LEGO, here's a study that shows a correlation between complex LEGO play in 3 and 4 year olds and their secondary school mathematics achievement.

On the adult side, here's a study that shows a decrease in workplace stress after a group LEGO activity.

I'm sure there are loads more, but that's what a quick search on Google Scholar turned up.


Torso and legs with different LEGO logos. Are they genuine? I have a torso with rounded edges and "Lego" stamped on top. The arms not stamped.
I also have a torso with straight edges and "Lego" stamped on top. The arms are stamped.

Are these both genuine?

I also have hips with 2 different logo's on them (see the image below). The one with the LEGO mark is not stamped on the bottom. The one with the (c) LEGO mark is stamped at the bottom.

Are both of these legs genuine?

Both rounded shoulder and sharp shoulder LEGO torsos are genuine (as long as the LEGO logo is on the neck-stud). They are just manufactured at different facilities. Most people never even notice the difference, but once you do, it's hard to un-see it. ;)

The arms with stamps were mostly seen on the early LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series, but later they were made the same as other minifigs with no stamps on the arms. This is likely because of the complaints from LEGO fans that they didn't like the unsightly stamps on the arms.

The legs are also genuine. Different orientation of the LEGO logo on them is very common, and also just means they made at different facilities.

Changing the orientation, placement, and even size of the logo is very common, and LEGO elements with these different variations are popular items to collect by those who are really into LEGO's history and unique elements.


Logging and performing mathmatical calc. during run? Is it possible using the new EV3 to log data, and peform mathmatical calculation on the data while it's being logged, and peform some and thereby trigger some event if some value has been reached??

As far i can see, it is possible doing seperatly..

Instead of using the datalog block from education version, you can create a custom version using the file access block. It's a bit more difficult, but more flexible...
You won't be able to directly use EV3 datalog management, but you can structure the file to be directly compatible with csv format, readable by spreadsheet programs.


EV3 RMIregulatedMotor Regulation Problems I have problem with regulation of the motor when I control EV3 with Bluetooth.
Here is the code:

RemoteEV3 ev3 = new RemoteEV3("10.0.1.1");
    ev3.setDefault();
    RMIRegulatedMotor leftMotor = ev3.createRegulatedMotor("A", 'L');
    RMIRegulatedMotor rightMotor = ev3.createRegulatedMotor("B", 'L');
    EV3ColorSensor color_sensor = new EV3ColorSensor(SensorPort.S2);
    int color_id = color_sensor.getColorID();
    while(color_id!=7){
        leftMotor.setSpeed(300);
        rightMotor.setSpeed(300);
        leftMotor.setAcceleration(1000);
        rightMotor.setAcceleration(1000);
        leftMotor.backward();
        rightMotor.backward();
        Delay.msDelay(500);
        leftMotor.stop(true);
        rightMotor.stop(true);
        color_id = color_sensor.getColorID();
    }
    System.out.println("Establishing connection. Please wait ...");
    if(leftMotor!=null) leftMotor.close();
    if(rightMotor!=null) rightMotor.close();
    if(color_sensor!=null) color_sensor.close();

The problem is that the EV3's motor not continuously moving. It is stop a bit and then continue moving, it is kinda lagging or problems with regulation of RMIRegulatedMotor. However, if I change from RMIRegulatedMotor to RegulatedMotor and compile it directly with the brick not Bluetoothm, there is no problem at all.

Looking at your code, you're saying:

Set the motors to a speed of 300, acceleration of 1000
Run the motors backwards
Pause execution of your program for 500ms
Stop the motors
If you're not seeing colour id 7, go to 1.

Assuming that this was exactly the same code you had on the Brick, I'd guess the delays introduced by the communication will cause a stuttery motion that you might not notice when running it on the device.

If you pulled the following lines out of your while loop things would probably be smoother:

leftMotor.stop(true);
rightMotor.stop(true);


Any elements that can be connected to the cavity under a stud? Are there any elements that can be connected to the 'cavity' (i.e. the space) under a stud (e.g. on a regular plate or a regular brick)? The cavity measures about 2.4mm in diameter.

So far I've only tried a minifig hand peg (not the clip side, the other side) but unfortunately it is just a bit smaller, it has a diameter of about 2.3mm.

[Edit] I'm talking about the cylindrical cavity with a diameter of 1.5 LU as indicated in the overview posted here -- What are the dimensions of a LEGO brick?.

If I'm understanding you correctly, you're talking about the molding cavity directly underneath the stud (that actually goes up into the stud), and not the main tube cavities under plates/bricks (that are actually offset from the studs).

If that's the case, no, I'm not aware of any element that "intentionally" fits that space.

First off, I don't think that space is made with a high tolerance.  Looking at some of my bricks, the dimensions of that cavity are not nearly as uniform as the other features of the brick.

Secondly, I don't know how many System bricks have components that are not integer multiples of LUs.

You might get lucky and get a minifigure piece that has a detail that is 1.5 LUs, but you'd have to try a lot of them.


How can I have EV3 Commander App continue running the motor when I release the slider? I'd like to control a drawing robot that I am building with EV3 Commander App.

The problem is that EV3 Commander App stops the motor as soon as I release the slider.

Is there an option with EV3 Commander App that allows me to set the speed of a motor such that I don't have to keep my finger on the slider - and keep running when I release it?

The commander app is very limited in it's capabilities. Unfortunately it is not possible to control your own program with the commander app.

I have tried all of the built-in EV3 Commander control pads to see if any of them were suitable. The closest thing I could find to a solution would be to use the 'EV3RSTORM' control pad.

The 'Go', 'Back', 'Left' and 'Right' buttons keep all the motors turned on permanently unless you press stop of change directions. Unfortunately you won't be able to change the variable speed of the motors but you could change the fixed speed with gears.


Are these LEGO Star Wars bricks genuine or fake? I bought some LEGO pieces from eBay, and I'm not sure if they are genuine LEGO.

I compared them with my LEGO, and every piece of my LEGO has the logo ©LEGO on it. However, only some of the ones I bought have this logo, and some do not.

You can see the © symbol on the top gun, the bottom is a gun from my own LEGO collection. If you flip them over, my gun (bottom) has some numbers (I think manufacturing number) and the word LEGO on it.  The new one (top) has nothing. Is the top gun just an older LEGO, or a fake knockoff?

Additionally, some of the battledroid torsos have the © LEGO mark on them, as well as some numbers, and some of them have just © and nothing else.

It is the same with the battledroid heads. On the left, my genuine part has the ©LEGO and numbers on the other side.  On the new ones in question (right), there is nothing.

I can't find an official source for this statement, but with the exclusion of a few rarities like test bricks, and perhaps a few other cases, every piece of genuine LEGO will have the brand stamped on it somewhere.

You've taken photos of pieces together that clearly ought to have come from the same mold, where one displays the LEGO brand and the other does not. That seems like solid proof that you've purchased fake parts to me.

As an example of how similar clone bricks can be, here are some battle droids made by LEPIN: https://cheap-bricks.com/lepin-05025-star-wars-homing-spider-droid/

It's hard to see, but I can make out the © on the trigger of the stormtrooper's weapon.


Are these round black 1x1 pieces LEGO? A friend encountered two pieces of plastic in a bulk lot of LEGO she bought and was wandering if they were actually LEGO, a clone/custom brand or something else entirely...
She sent the following pictures:

There are no markings or numbers on the pieces.
They do seem to fit on LEGO studs:

I don't recognize the pieces so I assume they aren't LEGO.
But perhaps someone here can identify them?

These are Lego parts.

The part on the left is a hose end (752). It is found on the ends of hoses like this:

The one on the right is 6221 (Peeron 424).

This part was most commonly found in older Technic sets as a spacer or crank handle:


Why is there a hole in the large surf board (6075)? Why does the large surf board (part 6075) have a large hole in it? The hole is larger than a normal stud. An example of this part is found in red in Coast Guard Starter set (60163):

Here's a closeup of the board so that you can specifically see the large hole that I'm asking about:

This part is sometimes used to build a windsurfer as shown in Stephanie's Beach House:

The hole is larger than a stud because it is designed to receive a towball connection of some kind, usually a mast such as this one:


Are these trees LEGO parts? I've come across some trees from some bulk purchases I've made, and I can not determine if these are LEGO or "compatible" parts. Any ideas? The tree on the left is an official tree but the one in the middle is an odd aqua color, and the one to the right is very similar. Neither the middle nor right trees have any LEGO stamps on them anywhere, which is why I'm pretty sure they are from something "compatible" but figured I'd see if anyone else could identify them. My apologies for the photography.

A full list of LEGO tree parts can be found on Bricklink. I'd encourage anybody looking to identify a brick to use the part catalogue.

The two trees on the right are definitely not LEGO parts.


EV3 Unregulated Motor - different plus/minus power behavior I'm helping some fellow Bay Area LEGO User Group builders who want to use an EV3 to power a 9V train.
I'm using the NXT to 9V conversion cable (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x1676)
with the old 9V metal train track connectors (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=5306c01&C=0#T=C&C=0) and the Unregulated Motor (UM) block in EV3=G.

My first test was to have the train travel one second in one direction then one second in the opposite direction in an infinite loop.  The results were fine with the train going in the direction that used a negative power in the UM block, but either no motion or shaky motion in the direction that used positive power values.

I tested the track with a multi-meter and verified that the power was only consistent and steady when using the negative power.

On this site I found an interesting answer describing what is probably happening:
Using the unregulated motor block and conversion cable to light LEDs
But that answer is only partly applicable -- I found that if I put a one second Wait block between power changes, then the power is consistent.  But different!

So a power setting of +40% for one second moves the train one track segment, while a power setting of -40% for one second moves the train three track segments.  It looks like I can generate a workable program, but I'm curious about why this behavior is happening, and if there will be other surprises.

The answer is basically the same as the LED question that you linked. On the EV3 output ports, pin 2 is internally connected to pin 6. So, when you tell a motor to go in reverse (negative power value), pin 2 is powered, which in turn raises the voltage on pin 6. Both pins 5 and 6 are used for automatically detecting when a motor is connected.

So, when you use a negative power setting, most of the time (but not 100% of the time), it it will trick the EV3 into thinking there is a motor connected and the motor will stay powered. However, when you use a positive power setting, pin 1 is powered instead of pin 2, so the EV3 thinks that there is no motor connected (because nothing happens to pin 5 or pin 6). So, in this case, the device connection manager in the EV3 software takes over and resets the motor port, which causes it to stop sending power to the motor.

I attached an oscilloscope to pins 1 and 2, to see what is going on.

As you can see, the output is only turned on for 380ms, then it turns itself off. The motor was instructed to run indefinitely, but in reality, this is not what happens.

Since your test involved running the motor for 1s but it really only runs for 380ms, one would expect the car to run 38% of the distance as in the reverse case. You observation was 33% (one track length vs. 3), so that is quite close to what is expected.

As a workaround, you can Use the Unregulated motor block in a loop like this...

It is important to use two different "power" values. Each time you change the value, it turns on the output port again. If you use the same value, the software won't update the motor port and the device connection manager will take over and turn off the output.


Where is this piece in LDD? I'm looking for a certain piece for building my set in LDD. I've already looked through the extend theme, but I can't find it. If anyone knows where to find it, it would be super cool.

I assume you are talking about Lego Digital Designer since you mention "extend theme". Also assuming the design ID is correct (6163991) according to your screenshot and also the brickset database, searching for it in LDD in the search bar with updated bricks database and indeed in extended mode does not produce any results. I think it safe to conclude that the element is not present in the LDD bricks database. This happens, perhaps this will be corrected in a following database update but those only happen very sporadically anymore. Could be that the design ID is incorrect, which could be figured out by using the "Replace parts" service of lego, but this service isn't available this time of the year.