Color Specific inventory list I can't seem to figure out the correct colors for Model #7150 TIE Fighter & Y-Wing inventory list.  My son has four different colors of "gray".  Two seem to be warmer in tone (almost a khaki color), and two seem to be coolor in tone (truly more gray).  He also has a blue-ish slate gray (more light blue than gray).  When the inventory specifies "old gray," is it referring to the light (khaki) gray?  And is the "old dark gray" the darker (khaki) gray?  Or is the inventory referring to the more cooler (truly gray) grays?  I'm SO CONFUSED!  Please help me!

Also keep in mind that color will change on some parts as they age (depending on environmental factors). New or less exposed parts in the "old grey" can be a different shade than original, aged parts in the same "old grey".  The blue-grey parts that you have might actually be categorized as a blue instead.

Check out how lego sells the colors today, here:
http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pick-A-Brick-11998

The peeron color table is here:
http://www.peeron.com/inv/colortable/3020

Check out your set here as well:
http://www.brickset.com/detail/?Set=7150-1

The colors in the grey family (or sometimes confused as grey) are referred to as on brick set (on peeron if different):
Black
Dark Grey (OldDkGray)
Dark Stone Grey (DkStone)
Grey (OldGray)
Medium Stone Grey (Stone)
Sand Blue

Your set has "Grey" and "Black" from this list.  If you ordered new parts from Lego, the lighter shade of grey would be "Medium Stone Grey" form this list.


Where did Octan come from? Why was it chosen? I have many sets that include the Octan logo:

Over time Octan has been the name of LEGO Cities, Oil Companies, and Big Businesses. It was chosen as a successor to Esso and Shell. It became big during the LEGO Movie too.

Why was the name Octan chosen, and what does it mean or refer to?

Octan, is simply Octane in Danish, which is a chemical in and associated with gasoline making it a sensible name for a fictional petroleum/energy company.

The LEGO Group (under pressure by a Greenpeace campaign) stopped the previous corporate partnerships, which had featured real world oil companies logos in LEGO sets, to distance themselves from the environmental protests associated with those companies.

All this can be found here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octan


Why does LEGO state the number of parts on US boxes, but not in Europe? I was reading Huw Millington's review of set 70700 Space Swarmer on brickset, in which he states:

  The box is almost square and this being from the USA, like all US boxes but unlike European ones, it states the number of pieces on the front. I'm guessing that it's some sort of requirement to do so in the USA, but I wonder why LEGO don't print it on European boxes. It's useful information for the consumer, after all.

Which I think is a very valid question.

Are there indeed such requirements in the USA? Are there other countries with similar requirements?

And I guess this will be harder to answer, but why doesn't LEGO just state it on all boxes anyway?

There is indeed a requirement that packaged products sold in the US must indicate the weight, volume or quantity plainly on the package. This is regulated by the FTC, which says in its requirements,

  The net quantity of contents (in terms of weight or mass, measure, or
  numerical count) shall be separately and accurately stated...

Canada has a similar law that says the net quantity of packaged products must be on the label.

The European Union's product labeling requirements do not appear to make the quantity a mandatory part of the product label. I do not think it actually prohibits putting the number of pieces on the packages, so it may not explain why The LEGO Company leaves that information off their European packages.


Why do LEGO sets have a minium age rating? Many LEGO sets have minimum age ratings, such as 7-12, 9-14, and 16+. Why is this? Are the models really that different in terms of complexity? Also, why does LEGO often indicate that sets are not recommended for children under 3 separately?

With children 3 and under, small parts may be a choking hazard. The sets that Lego markets to the parents of small children contain larger pieces that are easier to handle and harder to swallow (i.e. Duplo).

When a Lego set recommends "ages 10 and up", it refers more to building ability and patience than safety. These sets are generally more complex and larger than, say, sets an average 8-year-old would be comfortable (or capable) of building. These are only recommendations of course, not rules!


Is this element some kind of Technic connector? I am thoroughly confused about an element I have come across:

I have never seen a piece quite like this.

It's unlike any Technic connector I've seen, so I doubt if that is what it's for.

The two facing holes on the sides are standard stud diameter, but the tube on the top has angled faces, and doesn't look like any standard Lego width.

I'm starting to wonder if it might be part of some missile launching set, but if not, what kind of piece is it?

Hooray, I get to answer a question!

This is not a piece for launching missiles.  It's actually part of an old steering assembly from some late 80s and 90s Technic sets.

Here's what the whole thing looks like:

And a view of the piece in question:

And an example of how it is meant to be used:

The teeth on the outside of the piece help lock it into one of several different inclinations, so you can vary the angle at which the steering column exits the assembly.

Here is the piece on BrickLink: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2790 (ooooo four digit part number!)

Along with the bottom assembly: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2792

The main rack: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2791

And the steering arms: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4261


What are these parts? Building Tip: Traffic Light Lego Creator This look like a sturdy well designed set of traffic lights by LEGO. The constructing video links are below.

Unfortunately LEGO didn't provide the part details. I am no expert, can anyone help?

On the image I've put numbers next to unique parts. If you only know a few all good, we can collate them into a final list.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/kids/videos/creator/building-tip-traffic-light-252f2b716b40469a86f8688e5c8cad91

https://www.lego.com/en-us/kids/videos/creator-252f2b716b40469a86f8688e5c8cad91

01 - Part #6003 - Plate, Round Corner 6 x 6.

[Color] Dark Bluish Grey.

02 - Part #3795 - Plate 2 x 6.

[Color] Dark Bluish Grey.

03 - Part #3700 Technic, Brick 1 x 2 with Hole.

[Color] Black.

04 - Part #60897 - Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical - Type 4 (thick open O clip).

[Color] Black.

05 - Part #3024 - Plate 1 x 1.

[Color] Black.

06 - Part # 98138 - Tile, Round 1 x 1.

[Colors] Trans-Red, Trans-Yellow, and Trans-Green.

07 - Part #3069b - Tile 1 x 2 with Groove.

[Color] Black.

08 - Part #2431 - Tile 1 x 4.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

09 - Part #14418 - Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Small Towball Socket on End.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

10 - Part #60474 - Plate, Round 4 x 4 with Hole.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

11 - Part #3941 - Brick, Round 2 x 2 with Axle Hole.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

12 - Part #32062 - Technic, Axle 2 Notched.

[Color] Red.

13 - Part #6628 - Technic, Pin with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and Towball.

[Color] Black.

14 - Part #4519 - Technic, Axle 3.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

15 - Part #32073 - Technic, Axle 5.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

16 - Part #60485 - Technic, Axle 9.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

17 - Part #32034 - Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #2 - 180 degrees.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

18 - Part #32014 - Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #6 - 90 degrees.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

19 - Part #60187 - Hose, Rigid 3mm D. 4L / 3.2cm.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

20 - Part #4274 - Technic, Pin 1/2.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

21 - Part #32039 - Technic, Axle Connector with Axle Hole.

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

22 - Part #59443 - Technic, Axle Connector 2L (Smooth with x Hole + Orientation).

[Color] Light Bluish Grey.

NEW!

FAST'N'Fuss-less download option:

If anyone is planning to purchase said pieces, I've amassed a LXF file with all the parts.

Just download the file to your system, go to Bricklink.com, create a new wanted list, and from there drag and drop this file.

BOOM! You're ready to buy your pieces.


Is there a site with the (previous) monthly LEGO Store mini-build instructions? We have been going to the LEGO Store off & on for the monthly mini-build, but haven't been able to make it there for quite a few. I've been searching the web for the instructions for the builds we missed, but have come up short. LEGO posts the current models instructions for about a week and takes them down. Is there a site where we can find the instructions for the previous mini-build models?

A list of previous monthly mini models can be found on Brickset. The instructions can be found in the notes section under the sidebar on the right for each model.


What's a good age to start getting into Mindstorms with my child? What is a good age to start getting a child into LEGO Mindstorms? Also, how would you recommend introducing her?

I can't wait to start building robots with my daughter. She loves LEGO and the idea of robots, and I know she will have a blast. I know I will need to (and actually really want to) help her do everything.

I think I already know the answer (aka, now as she's almost 5), but I'm looking to see what suggestions others might have from their own experiences. Thanks!

I started at age 9 and it was just right for me. Since Mindstorms now comes with a modified version of LabVIEW, I'd maybe wait until they can learn how to use the software.


Coloring Multiple Bricks in LEGO Digital Draw I made the mistake of not coloring as I went while building a large object in LEGO Digital Designer.  I don't want to spend hours coloring each individual brick.  Is there a way I can box select the bricks and apply a color to them?

Yes.

I'm using:

Version (Program): 4.3.11.
Version (Brick): 2670.
OS: Windows.

Pre Setup:

We're using Extended Mode (Black Backsplash) of LDD, so we can have full access to all colors.  I have not tested the other two modes, Default (Blue Backsplash) or Mindstorms (White Backsplash).

If the model is in Default Mode.  No problem.

Copy the build to memory (CTRL+A) then (CTRL+C);
Open a new blank file in Extended Mode;
and Paste from memory (CTRL+P);
Give file a different name as not to overwrite the original;
Re-save.

Setup:

Use the "COLOR Selecting Tool" and select a piece's color you want to
change.
All of that color is now highlighted.
Use the "Invert Selection Tool" to reverse highlight everything not
that color.
Use the "Hide Tool" to make everything not that color disappear.
Use the "Single Selection Tool" to block select the visible pieces
that are getting a color change.
Use the "Paint Tool" and pick the new color being used.
Click the "Show all hidden bricks" button.

Done.

In Program Example:

Goal:  Switch Mega-Man blues into Leaf Shield greens.

Setup:

Use the "COLOR Selecting Tool" and select a piece's color you want to
change.

All of that color is now highlighted.

Use the "Invert Selection Tool" to reverse highlight everything not
that color.

Use the "Hide Tool" to make everything not that color disappear.

Use the "Single Selection Tool" to block select the visible pieces
that are getting a color change.

Use the "Paint Tool" and pick the new color being used.

Click the "Show all hidden bricks" button.

Done.


Displaying Minifigs and avoiding discolouration I have just made some frames (IKEA box frame, white mount board, 70 2x4 white bricks per frame, and super glue) to display some of my minifigure collection:

Really pleased with the results (and even my wife is happy to have them on display in the house).  I am however a little anxious about discolouration as some of the minifigures, especially the Star Wars ones, are reasonably valuable.  I will hang them up the stairs in our house which does face North, so may be worrying unnecessarily.  However would like to understand if there is anything else I should be doing to protect them.  For instance, is discolouration due to UV light, and can you buy a clear UV film to put on the perspex?

Would love to find a way to put my collection on display to enjoy it, but ensuring that I don't ruin it in the process.

Taking a recommendation from our friends over on Photography there are a couple of options available to you:

The best and most common form of protection from fading would be the selection of UV glass or acrylic. Any framing store will have these options available at multiple price points with trade offs such as glare or less glare, scratch resistant or scratch prone, and tint(green) or no tint.
[Another option would be sprays - for example Krylon UV Resistant Clear Coating Spray] is made for use on artwork that is either outside or near windows. They offer the product in gloss and matte finish as well. Krylon is a very well respected brand, and I believe this will be the easiest and cheapest solution to the problem, albeit not necessarily the best.
Another spray on option would be Premier Imaging Products Print Shield. It is a lacquer based protective spray that is designed for inkjet prints. It also works on photo papers and canvas materials. They specify up to a 2x lightfastness increase, elimination of gloss differential, non yellowing formula, and a reduction in scuffing. The results have been tested by an independent lab (Wilhelm Research) to last up to 166 years with certain Epson papers and regular glass, and over 200 years with UV filtering glass.


1998 World Cup limited edition soccer figure I bought a limited edition World Cup soccer figure in Paris during the games in 1998, #3005.  It does not have the shell logo on the package -but does say limited edition on the right lower corner. The package also says collect both teams.  Does anyone know anything about this lego figure?

Is this the figure in question?

He's the limited edition English or Scottish team player. The other limited edition figure was a Dutch (Netherlands) player. Lego released an entire soccer theme in 1998 in conjunction with the World Cup, which you can see here on Brickset.


How to calibrate NXT motors to travel the same distance? The motors included with the NXT are not all created equal - when given the same input power level, they do not always go the same distance or turn at the same rate.

I measured this by creating a small program to turn two motors at the same speed, and measure their rotation. The results showed differences of over 100 degrees within less than a minute of driving.

Is there any way to either mechanically calibrate the motors, or easily account in the program for the difference in their powers once it has been determined? Given that the NXT can detect how far each motor has rotated, is there any way to have it automatically adjust the speed of one of the motors when it detects that it's "falling behind"? (Note that I'm using LabVIEW 2011 for programming this, but I would accept an answer that is just a code concept, if it could potentially be implemented in LabVIEW.)

You can't calibrate the motors, neither mechanically or in software. There is however several methods in the software to account for this.

The standard NXT firmware contains a synchronization mode which attempt to keep the two motors aligned. In NXC you can do this by using the function OnFwdSync like this:
OnFwdSync( OUT_AC, 75, 0 );
First parameter is the motors to sync, the second is the power and the third defines the difference in speed between the motors (used for the tribot).

This article tells how to do the same in RoboLab: How does NXT motor synchronizing work in ROBOLAB?

In NXT-G I think synchronization is on per default in the move block, correct me if I'm wrong.

I don't know how to do this in LabView. However I have heard there is some blocks to do this in the "NXT I/O»NXT Native I/O»Output" palette, try looking there.

You can make your own controller by looking at the rotation value. Calculate the difference and set the speed like this:

Motor A = power + weight * difference
Motor B = power - weight * difference

The weight is how much the difference should affect the motor speed, you will need to experiment a bit to find a good value here. You might also want to take the 100% limit in account. If the power for one motor goes over 100%, do this:

if( Motor A > 100 )
   Motor B = Motor B - ( Motor A - 100 )

if( Motor B > 100 )
   Motor A = Motor A - ( Motor B - 100 )


Lego 12v motor axle repair I had recently got my Lego 7730 for past Christmas and wanted to use it. I bought the Lego 7864 and went to test the red motor but all I heard was the motor and it didn't move. I decided to take a look inside to see what was up and found out that when electricity went to the motor, the motor would turn but the axles wouldn't. I looked at the axles and they were bad. Does anyone know how to fix or get new ones, cause I can't run my 7730 with bad axles, as they are stripped. Help me!!!!

It's difficult to answer definitively without a photo or video of the issue, but I'm not aware of a way to easily get replacement parts for this.

I'm sure you're already aware that you can buy a replacement motor on Bricklink, but that's going to set you back at least $100.

Internally, this motor drives a pair of gears on the axles using metal worm gears. One of the common issues with this part is that the metal worm gear slowly wears down the other gear until the there is a complete loss of contact and the motor spins freely without driving the train. It sounds like this may be what you are experiencing.

Here's a diagram of the internal components:

I'm not aware of a third party that provides replacement parts for this, and I'm sure that LEGO doesn't provide them anymore. One option could be to buy the somewhat cheaper black version of this motor and swap out the axles from there.


What other uses are there for pull-back motors? Sets 42010 and 42011 feature a pull-back motor. They have a very high torque for a very small numbers of turns, they then free-wheel.

I'm trying to find alternate usage for them. That is anything but connecting them directly to the wheels without gears, as putting any gear demultiplication is great while the motor is turning, but it quickly prevents the vehicle moving when free wheeling.

What I've managed to do so far:

Using it to launch a spinning top
Launch a rotor blade

Anything else ?

Yoshihito Isogawa made clock mechanisms from it (well... tic-tac generators) http://www.isogawastudio.co.jp/legostudio/modelgallery_model/b077.html
and http://www.isogawastudio.co.jp/legostudio/modelgallery_model/b078.html.

Majorna created a "programmable" pull back racer http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=69748&#entry1744425

...and another clock by neomomonga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3-CDFw4O38


How come themes like BIONICLE can afford so many new parts? LEGO is quite economical about introducing new parts in its standard sets. One reason is they need to fit in the system, but the other is that hard tooling molds for production is quite expensive.

How come for a theme like BIONICLE they are able to introduce sometimes over a dozen new parts in just one set?

Bionicle sets don't actually make as many new pieces as they did.

Typically, new pieces are weapons or heads, and LEGO company is already cool with green-lighting those. (They're sorta important.)

Gen 1 Bionicles did, admittedly, have a lot of new pieces, but Gen 2 sets, you will frequently find, try to recycle concepts and pieces, just in different colors or with different printing as much as possible.

Hero Factory was pretty revolutionary, with pieces that connected to themselves, (ball and socket,) but for that those were made, you'll see them incredibly often as staples of new sets. That particular kind of new-piece binge shouldn't happen again for a long time, if ever.

I don't know about a dozen pieces in one set though. You'll often find that "new" pieces are just old ones recolored, reprinted, or recycled.


How would one parametrically create a LEGO-compatible gear? If a gear was intended to smoothly mesh with standard LEGO gears, how should it be defined?
While I know that the mean diameter (average of inner and outer diameters) of a LEGO gear should be 1mm/tooth, but are there any specifications anywhere that describe the profile of a tooth so that I can get its shape correct when designing a gear intended to mesh with LEGO?
I know that others have asked about the module of a LEGO gear and I've seen the web page that describes how to make one with Solidworks, but I am not using Solidworks to create my gears, and I do not have the benefit of a gear wizard that can compute the shape of the gear from the teeth count and module.  I therefore need to know how to actually define the profile of the gear using either primitive shapes or splines, and for that I will need to know dimensions, such as the length of the tooth from base to outer edge, the widths of a tooth at its base and its outer edge, as well as particulars for any splines or circles that may be needed to help construct the shape so that the gears will mesh smoothly.

I have 3D printed gears that mesh well with Lego Technic gears. I had the same issue as you that although the module(m) = 1, the root and tip diameters are not specified anywhere.
I used digital calipers to measure the tip diameter as accurately as I could and got the following results:

Gear teeth (z)
Measured Tip Diameter

8
9.80mm

12
13.30mm

16
17.37mm

20
21.36mm

24
25.75mm

28
29.50mm

36
37.31mm

40
41.63mm

56
57.80mm

60
61.35mm

Doing a linear regression on this table yielded: TipDiameter = mz + 1.494
I used these parameters in Sketchup with the "Rack & Pinion" plugin to draw the involute gear profile. If you are a developer you can view the code of this plugin to see exactly how it calculates point coordinates and then uses these to create a curve entity for each part of each tooth. I can't imagine you want to do that by hand though!
Of course if you're printing standard technic sizes, you can always just convert the ldraw DAT file for the part you're interested in into STL and print that? It works surprisingly well (3D print on the left)


What internal electronics does LEGO Boost use? What specific electronic components are present inside the Boost Move Hub?

Here's what the main board in the Move Hub looks like from the top:

And bottom:

The Move Hub includes the following hardware:

Motors

The two built in motors are fairly standard DC motors. They include optics in the early stage of the gearing for rotation counting.

There are two LB1836 motor drivers on the board. They are dual channel parts, so presumably one is for driving the internal motors (A and B), and the other is used for driving the external ports (C and D).

Communications

Boost uses a BlueNRG Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) processor from STMicroelectronics for communication with the control device. More information is available here:

http://www.st.com/en/wireless-connectivity/bluenrg.html

This processor is fairly powerful in it's own right. Internally, it includes a 32 MHz ARM Cortex M0 with 12KB RAM and 64KB flash. This chip is significantly more powerful than the main processor in the RCX line.

CPU and Memory

The main CPU in Boost is an STM32F070 RBT6 from STMicroelectronics. This includes and ARM Cortex M0 internally. It has the following specs:

48 MHz clock
16 KB RAM
128 KB Flash

This part is in the same neighborhood as the CPU used for NXT in terms of clock speed and available storage.

Other features

There is a single push button present on the board to turn the device on and a single RGB LED that can be programmed via the Boost app. The battery box hold 6 AAA batteries providing 9V.


Is this an early Duplo mini figure? Just wondering if you have ever seen this figure before?

I've had it since I was a kid in the early 80's, and it's always lived with my lego (which was mostly hand-me-downs from my older brother - ie Space #897 rocket set).  It doesn't fit with Lego, but does seem to fit with Duplo.

Looking at early Duplo mini figures, they look vaguely similar, however the Duplo figures are squared off, whereas this figure's body is circular.

There's no markings to indicate brand...

Just a little mystery in my life.  :)

At last, I have your answer. The figure is from a "Giant Pre-School Loc Bloc" set, likely the "Playground" one shown in the picture.

Nearly a month later, while doing unrelated research, I found "Giant Brix Blox", a second possible source of these types of figures;

It makes since given that sources claim Loc Blocs & Brix Blox were both imported from the Japanese company Kawada.


LEGO figures from the loading screen of Instructions App Where could I find these two LEGO minifigures? I've found this screenshot in the LEGO Instructions app.

At this point in time we probably won't get an exact match for each piece, but this is what we've got so far:

A01. Part #87991 - Minifigure, Hair Tousled with Side Part.

A02. Minifigure Head: Unknown ???
A03. Part #982pb062 - Arm, Right with Blue Short Sleeve
Pattern.

Part #981pb062 - Arm, Left with Blue Short Sleeve Pattern.

A04. Minifigure Torso: Unknown ???

Alexander O'Mara and Michael Verschaeve have pointed out this unknown color variant of Part #973pb2346 - Torso Hoodie with Zipper
over Lime and Green Striped Shirt Pattern.

A05. Part #53118pb01- Minifigure, Utensil Video Game Controller
with Silver Controls, Blue and Red Buttons Pattern.

A06. Part #41879 - Legs Short.

B01. Part #15427 - Minifigure, Hair Female Ponytail Off-center.

B02. Minifigure Head: Unknown ???
B03. Part #981982 - Arm, (Matching Left and Right) Pair.

B04. Minifigure Torso: Unknown ???

Michael Verschaeve has further pointed out this unknown color variant of Part #973pb2680 - Torso Female Hoodie with White Laces,
Blue Scrollwork, Kangaroo Pocket Pattern.

B05. Minifigure Utensil: Unknown 2x2 Tile w/Instructions App Pattern???

B06. Part #41879 - Legs Short.

"?" Minifigure Utensil: Unknown Utensil in Girl's left hand???


How to build a flywheel crankshaft piston pattern with technic? I'm not sure of the name of the pattern, feel free to edit title if you have a better name for the pattern commonly used in engines. I was just wondering if anyone has built this specific pattern in technic lego. The piston part is not important, i only need a flywheel that takes a cranckshaft forwards and backwards repeatedly. Does anyone know some common patterns for this, with a large raduis on the flywheel?

Here's one simple way to accomplish this using just basic parts:

This isn't quite a pure Technic example, but that construction is almost exactly what was used on the steam cylinders on Emerald Night:

Depending on exactly what you are trying to do, there are also some specialized parts that make building decorative pistons simple. For example, here's the V8 from the 8880 Super Car:

There's also the much earlier piston design on 853:


Dimensions for EV3pieces I need to know the dimensions of the EV3 pieces for a school project (in mm). Does anyone know?

I don't know of any comprehensive parts dimension reference, but following should help you get started.
You can calculate part dimensions using fundamental dimensions of LEGO parts. The distance between holes in technic bricks is 8 mm (8 mm is one of core dimensions in whole LEGO).

So for example, lets take a beam (aka liftarm) with 7 holes, then length is 8mm*7=56 mm, and width is 8 mm.

Same rule for pegs, e.g. black pin with friction (used to connect 2 beams) has length of 8mm*2 = 16mm, diameter of 4.8mm - 6.2mm (depending on what part of pin you would measure).

LEGO technic axels follow same rule: their length is a multiple of 8.

You can read more on LEGO dimensions at  http://www.robertcailliau.eu/Lego/Dimensions/zMeasurements-en.xhtml


Can I get a JSON value from the internet without flashing a custom FW on EV3? Got an EV3 for X-Mas. My old NXT brick was broken. So now I have a ton of motors and sensors and all. First project I'd like to create a Bitcoin piggy bank which performs some actions when it gets new funds. I would therefore need to query a JSON value every x seconds.

So is there a way to do this? Is there a way to give EV3 access the internet?

The easiest way to do this is with a 3rd party operating system. On the EV3, these generally run from a microSD card and do not touch the firmware in the flash memory of the EV3, so technically, you are not flashing a custom firmware (think dual-boot). The major 3rd party OSes are ev3dev, leJOS and MonoBrick. All of these have Internet access from the brick itself.

To do this using the official firmware only, you won't be able to access the Internet directly from the brick. So, you will have to have an application on a computer or a smartphone that accesses the Internet and relays information to the EV3 using Bluetooth messaging.


What sites are available to sell original boxes? A couple of years ago, I stumbled across a site (not Ebay) where LEGO fans buy and sell items.  I have some large boxes for various sets to sell.  All my son's LEGO collection is in plastic boxes, and I don't think he has any interest in keeping the boxes.  I also have all the original instructions, and noticed somebody talking about some really high prices.

Can any of you refer me to a good site for selling, other than Ebay?

I do sell on Ebay (going through closets and such as awe downsize), but I figured these would be more interesting to LEGO collectors.

You probably came across BrickLink.

They sell pretty much anything LEGO related, including original boxes and instruction books.


Are both of these slope designs genuine LEGO? Are both of these slope designs genuine?

I am reasonably certain that this is just a mold change at some point, but it doesn't hurt to ask.  I also have two textured types in dark blue, and one smooth type in sand blue.

It looks like it could be either #3049 or #3049c. Part #3049 currently exists in Sand Blue in at least three sets. As for the change in smooth and rough texture you may wish to read this answer by Joubarc.


Identify wall piece with jungle or Meso-American print? I found an older piece and was wondering if anyone knew the part or set it came from.

This is LegoBrick 1 x 2 x 5 with Jungle Pattern, which appeared in 2 sets from 1999: 5986-1 Amazon Ancient Ruins and 5936-1 LegoSpider's Secret / Señor Gomez's Expedition
(I first searched BrickLink for "Aztec" and "Mayan", which pulled up some Indiana Jones sets, and then tried "Jungle", which had this on the first page of results.)


What are these pieces for? I got these pieces from set 76119 "Batmobile Pursuit of Joker", but the instructions don't specify what the pieces are for. What is their purpose?

According to the official description, these are for customizing the completed build:

  This LEGO Batman toy playset includes 2 minifigures and children can customize their builds, minifigures and weapons with the included pack of 10 assorted Bat elements.


Last help question of the day for this novice Thanks for all of the help in identifying parts to a tub of LEGO I received back in 2019 but have not looked at until yesterday because my daughter has started getting into LEGO. I am so thankful for this community since I am a novice. I took a look through the Sterilite tub of LEGO again today and pulled some more creations that I thought would be worth a try posting here. For what it is worth, I appear to have parts from the following sets: Lego City Ambulance Helicopter; T. Rex Transport; Republic Fighter Tank; Yodi's Jedi Starfighter; The Phantom; Hogwort's Whimping Willow; Minecraft The Waterfall Base; Jakku Quadjumper; Tie Striker; Jokerland; Piranha Attack; Hulk v. Red Hulk; Simpson's House; The Penguin Arctic Roller; Airport Cargo Plane; Nexo Knights 70320; The Batmobile; The Riddler Riddle Racer and City Ferry. Another user helped me identify portions of sets from Mighty Micros Wonder Woman v. Doomsday; Minecraft The Dungeon; Hoth Generator Attack; Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 Mini John Cooper Works Buggy; Minecraft The Chicken Coop; and Mighty Micros Spider Man v. Green Goblin.  I doubt I have any complete sets at this point though. Does anyone recognize parts of any sets listed above or otherwise here, and which set? I saved what I thought was the hardest for last.  I don't even know how to describe the pictures.  Thanks so much!

#1 was the hardest to find, I searched for sets with the Black Engine, Large, eventually I found that 70905 The Batmobile contained all the parts in the image, although the engine isn't visible.

#2 was a little easier, I searched by Dark Bluish Grey Mudguard. Of the four sets, 75877 Mercedes-AMG GT3 was the only match.

#3 I cross-referenced the yellow slopes and the dark grey trap door frame to find 76078 Hulk vs. Red Hulk

#4, #5, and #6 all appear to be parts of 75178 Jakku Quadjumper, although the lime brick 1 x 1 round appears to be a colour substitution.

#7 is the centre of 75971 Hanzo vs. Genji

As well as a tea cup from one of these sets

#8 has the front of Hulks car from 76078, and parts from these sets:
The torso from one of the models of 31058 Mighty Dinosaurs

Part of the carnivorous plant from 75904 Mystery Mansion

The Joker's hat from 76035 Jokerland

Catwoman's motorcycle wheel from 70902 Catwoman Catcycle Chase

One of the wings from 75129 Wookie Gunship

The ghost vacuum from 71242 Story Pack - Ghostbusters: Play the Complete Movie.

Some of the detailing on the front and underside from 70911 The Penguin Arctic Roller

The large black leg is from one of the many Star Wars buildable figures with black legs


Can the scabbard hold a castle sword I wonder if the Dark Gray Minifigure, Weapon Sword, Shortsword part No: 3847a fits in the Minifigure, Utensil Scabbard with Shoulder Strap part No: 95348

Scabbard on bricklink

Sword on bricklink

Yes, it does, and it fits beautifully! In fact, it's one of my favorite combinations as the sword is not too long and thus doesn't drag on the ground.


Optimal way to remove door from frame What is the best way to remove the transparent door from the white frame?

I am asking this since I want the door to last as long as possible without damaging the slot or bump.  Any method will do, but the less vigorous, the better. Also, the method is to be without tools apart from a brick separator:

This is probably useless, but just in case...

I usually remove the door by folding it outwards until both points snap. I do it this way mainly because it's the quickest and easiest way. I've never had a door or frame break after doing this.

If you really want the door/frame to last as long as possible, my first obvious suggestion would be to never disassemble the the two pieces unless you have to.

A more practical solution would probably be to remove one point of the door at a time. In the example below, I removed the top piece first. Once you remove one corner the other side will disconnect without being 'clicked', it simply slides out.

You probably would want to alternate which side you remove the frame every time so that you don't wear out one side faster than the other.


Looking for instructions to build a hobbit hole without 'custom set pieces' I've searched on 'rebrickable' for anything hobbit related, but I can't find it.

This is what I'm thinking of:

  79003-1: An Unexpected Gathering

I'd rather buy a large bucket of 'free for all' lego bricks, that can be made into the Hobbit hole, but I've not found any instructions.

Are there any instructions for a similar structure?

I have an alternate plan you might consider:

Reference: here's the entry for that set on Brickset
It looks like there aren't many custom pieces used in this set, as seen in the parts list
You could download the actual instructions for the real set, and then just swap out some pieces, removing the color combinations that you don't have

I hope this helps in some small way!


How do I make my own LEGO stickers? I'd like to make my own stickers like the ones produced for LEGO sets using a design I've made in Photoshop.

What do I need to make stickers for LEGO, what kind of printer do I need?
Will the stickers be able to come of my LEGO bricks cleanly?
Can I also get sticker paper on a transparent sheet?

At office/stationary stores such as Office Max or Staples you can get printer friendly sticker paper. The 'AVERY STICKER PROJECT PAPER' comes in clear or white.  You can shop around for different finishes. Some are more paper like and other are more like plastic.

From experience this is only good for flat surfaces.  To ensure maximum adherence, I recommend to clean the surface with a soft soap.  After the surface is dry, rinse it with 99% alcohol and let it air dry.  this will remove any remaining oil or dust.  You can then apply the sticker to the surface.

You can print you design directly to it and cut it to size using scissors or a craft knife. For complex shapes, you can use a swivel craft knife:


How to control a RCX from a Mindstorms NXT I have both an RCX and an NXT.
I would like to control the RCX brick from the NXT (and possibly communicate back to to the NXT from the RCX). I would like to avoid purchasing the Mindsensors RCX to NXT Communication Adapter which is no longer available in their store, and instead control the RCX via inputs to one of it's sensor ports via outputs from an NXT sensor port.

The physical connection can be achieved with the NTX to RCX converter cable but I am unsure how to control the output from the NXT sensor port to emulate any of the sensors that the RCX can recognise.

I found this post on another forum asking a very similar question, but the people who responded don't seem to have understood OP's intent, it is however worth a look for the illustrations.

This then is really a question about programming the NXT to gain fine control over the output from a sensor port to emulate a RCX sensor and if it is even possible.

I am open to solutions in any programming language/environment.

I think you're overlooking a very simple yet elegant solution: connect a NXT motor to the motor port (no problem there, that's what it's for), connect a RCX rotation sensor to the RCX (again, the intended purpose), and by now you should pretty much know where I'm going with this: connect the rotation sensor mechanically to the NXT motor.

Considering the NXT motor has a good precision, you can easily you this to send messages from the NXT to the RCX; but of course you'll need to invent the protocol yourself; that is, decide what these messages mean. And you won't have feedback from the RCX to the NXT (you didn't ask for it though)

I know you don't want to purchase anything, but for reference, there is now the IR Link Sensor made by HiTechnic and sold directly by LEGO, which is presumably easier to use (and you can get feedback through it, too).

I don't think you'll be able to use a converter cable directly; you'll need to use some intermediary electronic, possibly using the I2C protocol. This prototype board solution (also from HiTechnic) should do the trick if you use one of the outputs to drive the RCX input (you can probably use an analogue one).

And if it's more ports you're after, you'll want to consider their multiplexers too.


Color Chart Rosetta Stone After discovering disparities between LEGO color names and families and 3rd party sites, I attempted to compile a sort of Rosetta Stone for the colors. Certain this is not complete but I believe a good start. Hope it helps. https://lego.pandorasdigitalbox.com/lego_color_rosetta.php

Any construtive ideas on how to improve it, or simple help completing it would be greatly appreciated.  Any suggestions or experiences you’d like to share would be welcomed too.

You can look for missing data in currently available lists:

Old school Peeron (no longer updated)

Bricklink list most of the brick colors available for sale.

Rebrickable has attempted to bring all colors in one place.

Brickset has also some details.

Mecabricks has one also (as PDF).

LDraw project has such list.

It would also be good to define term "LEGO color". Is it for everything released by TLG or just the bricks with LEGO logo on them?

Last thing to note. People still keep finding genuine LEGO bricks made in officially not produced colors. So it is hard to mantain a complete list.

There are few people obsessed with LEGO colors, including Ryan Howerter. He has compiled a list of colors and details around them. If you wish to see these parts and participate in discussion you can get over to Ryan's Flickr picture gallery.


Can't send multiple commands to EV3 using Python I want to use Python to send commands to an EV3 brick. In C++ things work as expected - for instance, this starts the motor on port A and then stops it after a while:

#include <unistd.h>
#include <fcntl.h>

int main()
{

    // command to start motor on port A at speed 20
    char start_motor[] = "\x0C\x00\x00\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA4\x00\x01\x14\xA6\x00\x01";

    // command to stop motor on port A
    char stop_motor[] = "\x09\x00\x01\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA3\x00\x01\x00";

    // send commands to EV3 via bluetooth
    int bt = open("/dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort", O_RDWR);
    write(bt, start_motor, 14);
    usleep(500000);
    write(bt, stop_motor, 11);
    close(bt);
}

When I try the same thing in Python, however, only the first command is executed (the motor starts but it doesn't stop):

import time

# command to start motor on port A at speed 20
start_motor = '\x0C\x00\x00\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA4\x00\x01\x14\xA6\x00\x01' + '\n'

# command to stop motor on port A
stop_motor = '\x09\x00\x01\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA3\x00\x01\x00' + '\n'

# send commands to EV3 via bluetooth
with open('dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort', mode = 'w') as bt:
    bt.write(start_motor)
    time.sleep(5)
    bt.write(stop_motor)

I have also tried: suppressing the \n; using os.open('dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort', os.O_RDWR); using bt.flush(); using os.fsync(bt); using bt = open(... (instead of with); and changing the mode and buffering arguments of the open method. Nothing worked.

Well, it does work if I close the tty and open it again, but this sounds inefficient:

# ...
with open('dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort', mode = 'w') as bt:
    bt.write(start_motor)
time.sleep(5)
with open('dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort', mode = 'w') as bt:
    bt.write(stop_motor)

So, what am I missing here?

(OS X 10.9.3, Python 2.7.6, EV3 [31313])

Works for me if you set buffering to 0 and get rid of the newlines.

import time

# command to start motor on port A at speed 20
start_motor = '\x0C\x00\x00\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA4\x00\x01\x14\xA6\x00\x01'

# command to stop motor on port A
stop_motor = '\x09\x00\x01\x00\x80\x00\x00\xA3\x00\x01\x00'

# send commands to EV3 via bluetooth
with open('/dev/tty.EV3-SerialPort', 'w', 0) as bt:
    bt.write(start_motor)
    time.sleep(5)
    bt.write(stop_motor)


Is there any other way to program the Lego Mindstorms NXT other than the provided software? I'm curious to know if there is any way to program the NXT other than the provided software.

I don't necessarily have any issue with the software.

Does the program created by the software translate into an actual programming/scripting language? If so is that language proprietary to Lego or is it a common programming language?

The programming interface used by LEGO creates programs which make use of the standard firmware, that is, the one provided by LEGO.

If you look at alternatives (see also this answer for more information), you'll notice that quite a lot of them use the same firmware.

This means that the programs they produce use the same language which is interpreted by the standard firmware. One advantage is that you can have a mix of programs on the same NXT brick and it doesn't matter with what they've been originally written.

If you're interested to know more about the standard firmware and how to program it, you can download the Mindstorms Software Developer Kit. One of the interesting aspects of it is that you don't always need to create programs but you can send direct commands to the NXT as well - meaning you actual programming logic can sit on another connected device (PC, smartphone,...).

Others alternate languages use a different firwmare altogether, which means you can't mix languages at all. But if it uses a language you're more familiar with, it may be worth trying. (You can always revert to the standard firmware anyway.)


Can you identify this Black Plane or Spaceship with black arches for wings? Can anyone help me to ID this incomplete LEGO set?  It looks like a black plane or spaceship to me.

This is not a set,

The Tile 2 x 2 with Gold Crown on Light Bluish Gray Background Pattern  comes from 70404-1: King's Castle

the Brick, Arch 1 x 5 x 4 in Black does not appear in this set so it is probably a part of a MOC


How To Disassemble the LEGO Boost Hub? I can get the hex screws off and pry apart the plastic tabs on the bottom plate, but for the life of me I can't un-clip the back tabs.

Any ideas on where to press/pry?

Here's a YT vid on the disassembly, but the still picture shots with no commentary may not be what you need for a good walk-thru.

I don't have a Hub, but wish we all had a pic to make sure we're talking about the same piece.

Regardless, I'm gonna take a crazy shot at it.  Let's Go!

We have two gray rectangles:

Big Gray Rectangle on the Left.
Small Gray Rectangle on the Right.

I think you're stuck here. (See the picture).

So, you took out the two hex screws, (two empty black holes on the Big Gray Rectangle), and you say you can't get further.  Correct?

Instead of trying to remove the Big Gray Rectangle plate, first remove the Phillips screw in the middle holding the Small Gray Rectangle down.

Look at the next picture.

See how the Small Rectangle has a lip design that overlaps, and locks down our Big Gray Recky-reck?

You should be good from here.

EDIT+++++++

Real issue: White Tabs won't release.

Look at this next image of the Big Gray Rectangle removed below.

Focus your attention to the white tabs.
Do you see the notches on the tabs?
The inverse of those notches are on the inside lip of the Big Gray
Rectangle.
When all notches are together it forms a Mechanical Lock.
We have to disengage both tabs together.
Position the entire piece like the picture below.
Get two flat head screw drivers.
Put both screw driver heads on the LEFT side of both tabs.
Hold both screwdrivers in one fist like Wolverine's daughter.
Now pivot to the LEFT which should separate the physical locking of
the two pieces.
You might need your other hand to lift Big Gray    Rectangle  up
and off.


Lego Mindstorms Ev3 home edition on Mac OS Mojave bug - bricks sometimes go blank I have a fresh install of Mojave and of Mindstorms Ev3 home edition.  It seems to work fine but then randomly all the information disappears from the blocks at the bottom of the screen, and sometimes in the program too.  See screenshot.  This problem persists until I restart the software.  Any tips?

Note: easy way to reproduce this problem is clicking on a block link from the documentation area, like the 'Loop' block in the screenshot below.  It seems to cause the corruption every time.

I contacted Lego support and they got back to me with a fix, which worked great.  It also has greatly improved the performance of the application.

  For this issue fix, please install Mono for Mac OS found at the link below:

  https://www.mono-project.com/download/stable/

  and choose Mono 5.10.1


What glue should I use for permanent LEGO construction? The incredible precision of LEGO parts makes them attractive for building precise jigs, but the fact that they can come apart fairly easily isn't so helpful for this application. Can anyone recommend methods and materials for gluing LEGO bricks together to create permanent assemblies?

I'd prefer to avoid thick adhesives like epoxy or hot melt glue, as I suspect that those might make it difficult to get the bricks to snap together completely. I think most bricks are made of ABS plastic, so I'd guess that a solvent like acetone might work to weld them together, but I've never tried it. Does anyone have experience gluing bricks together?

The LEGO Group have recently started using solvents to "weld" elements together (notably the Minifigure legs to the magnet blocks), which are fairly heavily controlled in pure forms in most countries under drug legislation.

  I have discovered that LEGO is not using glue at all, but a solvent, that actually loosens the surface of the ABS plastic and allows the molecules to combine. Once the solvent evaporates, it leaves behind a cleanly fused surface with no residue at all.

  Reading further on the subject, I found that LEGO has been using two types of solvents. One is called MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone) and at some point they switched to GBL (gamma-butyrolactone). I’m no chemist, so I had no idea what these are, but I read that both of them are water soluble at certain temperatures. So, I thought to try loosening the seal between the minifig and the magnet by hot water.

However, as the opaque LEGO bricks are made from a styrene based plastic (ABS), most "Plastic Cement" or "Polystyrene Cement" glues should work to fix your parts together permanently (as these typically contain the same solvents as TLG use, i.e. MEK/Butanone). As with most other plastic gluing projects, care should be taken around transparent elements, as well as ensuring you don't use too much and have it leak over the exterior of your model.


What products, if any, have ever been recalled by LEGO? The question says it all. Have there ever been any recalls of products by LEGO? If so, what were they?

There is a list of recalls dating back to 2002 on the LEGO site, so that's a start.

It contains two items:

A specific version of the IR remote, typically used for trains.
A one piece toy truck, only sold in the USA.


What is the LEGO EV3 rpf file? I read the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Communication Developer Kit's document.

I have a question in 4.2.1 (Start program “Demo” on EV3 brick) it is mentioned "The file-extension is "rpf" and NOT "rbf", so how can I generate the rpf file?

rpf stands for "rudolph program file" [source] (I believe "Rudolf" is the internal code name for EV3.)

These are the files created using the "Brick Program" utility on the EV3 brick. Once you have created a program on the brick, you can upload the file using the EV3 desktop software. You can find the files in the BrickProg_Save folder.

However, after explaining all of that, I think the documentation you linked may be a bit misleading. The file extension does not have to be .rpf. The file just has to be an EV3 bytecode file, so a .rbf file could be used too. They probably just chose that example since the Demo.rpf file is installed by default on the EV3.


Does Toy 'R Us (or more expensive-than-average) retailers have more extra parts than average? I haven't bought LEGO sets for a while, as my kids are just getting old enough to make the sets, but I am assembling the LOTR sets which I find impossible to resist.

I bought Gandalf Arrives (9469) and Shelob Attacks (9470) from Toys R Us at what seemed like an awful mark-up for them, but I noticed that I got quite a few extra pieces. Then I bought another The Orc Forge (9476) from Walmart and got marginally more than I paid for.

If this is idle speculation, I'll delete the post, but if there's something to it I'd like to know!

The number of parts shown on the box of the LEGO set indicate how many parts are included without the spare parts. Spare parts tend to be added for the smallest pieces of a set that can be lost easily.

Spare parts tend to be fairly consistent between identical sets regardless of where they are sold and sets with a greater amount of parts will generally have more spare parts.

I wrote to LEGO customer services, here is a quote from their response.

  When it comes to spare parts, it is random what pieces are included in
  which sets.  We always want to make sure our fans have a little extra
  to go with their awesome imaginations.

  LEGO Direct Consumer Services


Where are the 2 by 2 turntables in LDD? I just updated to LDD to 4.3.9 today and I can't find the 2 by 2 turntable pieces. What section are they under now?

You'll find them in the hinge parts category (next to minifig one) under the name "Turn Plate 2x2", number 3679 / 3680. Brickset uses LEGO names for parts, this can help finding them in LDD


Will the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software run on macOS 10.15 Catalina I'm currently running macOS 10.14 Mojave and I see this warning when I start the EV3 programming software:

Will it stop working if I upgrade to Catalina?

Is there an alternative?

I just updated to Catalina Beta 10.15 and as expected, the software no longer starts.

The same happens with both the Home and the Education version.

Source: https://education.lego.com/en-us/support/mindstorms-ev3/software-launch-issues

Alternatives

If you are an existing EV3 Desktop software user and depend on being able
to use existing programs or curriculum, it is highly recommended to either not upgrade macOS or to install a macOS or Windows virtual machine, such as Virtual Box, on your Mac to run the old version of the LEGO EV3 desktop software. There is no direct replacement for this software and no way to automatically convert programs to any of the new software alternatives.
At the end of November 2019, LEGO released a macOS version (English only) of their new programming software based on the Scratch programming language. This software is good for basic programming, but lacks advanced features like data logging, file access, brick-to-brick Bluetooth messaging, and 3rd party sensor support. Home. Education.
For users needing advanced features, the LEGO Education MicroPython for EV3 is the recommended solution. Download.

Info below is kept for historic record.

Updated LEGO announcement (September 2019)

LEGO has made an announcement about a replacement software.

  The current version of the EV3 Lab software is not compatible with the upcoming release of Apple’s operating system for Mac computers, called ‘Catalina’. 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. The first release of EV3 Classroom will be in US English, followed by the other 15 EV3 languages in spring 2020.

  To continue to enjoy an uninterrupted EV3 experience, we recommend that you upgrade to the new EV3 Classroom app before updating to the new OS version. For further questions and support, you can to reach out to Technical Consumer Service at https://education.LEGO.com/en-us/support.

Original LEGO Education announcement (June 2019)

The LEGO Education website says:

  Attention Mac Users: This Software will not work with future versions of MacOS. We are aware of this and we are looking into a solution.


What is the function of this device? What kit? Black remote with 5 buttons and 3 AAA batteries? Some kind of IR device #s on cover 41305 #s on outside case 4252

LEDs appear to be IR transmitter and receiver. Red and white
LEDs also seen.

It's a Spybotics remote from 2002.

It came in 4 sets, and works with the receiver in those sets. I found this page which talks a bit about them.


Looking for an affordable high density storage solution for my individual bricks As my collection of bricks is growing, my storage space is limited and I'm increasingly interested in doing my own MOCs, I'm looking for a high density storage solution to keep my individual pieces organized efficiently without spending a fortune on it.

The most interesting solution I've found so far is the PapiMax storage box set. However, the price of £85.96 (about €95 or $140) just seems way too steep IMO for only 8 boxes.

Can anyone here recommend a storage system that is similar to the PapiMax storage box set in terms of efficiency but more affordable?

Note that I live in Belgium, so a storage system only sold in the US is probably not going to be an option, considering the huge shipping & import costs that go with shipping from the US to Europe.

Very specific to your region (and mine):
The ALDI chain carries the following hobby sorting drawers from time to time (about once a year):

They are very cheap, about 7 Euro for each type and they are VERY popular with AFOLs in Belgium and the Netherlands. Unfortunately it is hard to predict when ALDI offers these and they are often sold out immediately.


What is the best way of getting muck out of bricks? I purchased a large bulk load of bricks for my 7 year old. Most have washed up quite well, but some of the bricks have various substances stuck in their underside.

The types of foreign substances vary, eg. mud, playdough etc.

What are good ways of getting the muck out of the bottom of bricks?

best way i found so far is simply using a plastic-toothpick (wooden ones should also do the job). just get the muck out as good as possible and then wash the bricks again the remove the rest.

if the muck is too hard for a toothpick, use a metal needle or a very thin screwdriver - but only do this if you can't avoid because you might be scratching/damaging the blocks (wich shouldn't be so problematic to the inner- and underside, but anyway you should avoid it).


Which part number goes to these LEGO wedge pieces? I'm trying to identify these two parts, plus the color on the greenish one.

The white one appears in 51 sets. It is piece #43713 "White Wedge 6 x 4 Triple Inverted Curved".

The second piece looks like its color is "sand green", which is color #151. It is part #47759 "Wedge 2 x 4 Triple", which appears in one set in sand green: 70840 "Welcome to Apocalypseburg!"


Why do official LEGO PDF instruction books have such poor quality? More often than not, my boys are working from PDF instructions downloaded at the LEGO site. The quality of those PDFs is poor. I'm sure you've experienced the jagged, pixelated lines and the bricks so dark you have to figure out the size through a process of deduction.

I'm familiar with the sites that offer user submitted scans, and occasionally we find what we need at one of them, but why is it even necessary? Is it a case of LEGO wanting to leave some motivation to pick up the actual sets with the actual instruction booklet? Is it something far less calculated than that, maybe just a legacy process for generating the PDFs that needs to be updated?

I'd be grateful for any insight!

Mσᶎ' comment has dealt with the technical reasons quite eloquently, and I'd guess Mσᶎ' analysis is likely correct.

However, I suggest that we can dig a little deeper to guess why the process hasn't been fixed.

Disclaimer: the following is pure speculation. I don't work for TLG (I wish!) and have no special knowledge or insight into the company or its policies.

A Revealing Question

In my mind, the important question is why the instructions are published as PDFs at all? Whilst LEGO is a passion for the fans, it is also a business. The PDF instructions are provided as a free service to TLG customers: they receive no direct financial benefit from the publication of their instruction books.

So, why do they bother? Presumably for indirect business benefits. Things like:

The hope that customers will buy bricks / sets to make up sets they don't own
Easier to deal with customer enquiries regarding lost instructions
Customer good will

Costs and Benefits

Assuming this is the case, we can speculate that TLG have not invested in better PDF instructions because they don't consider the additional benefits will be covered by the cost of improving the quality.

Do many people really purchase bricks based on these instructions? I doubt it.
The poor quality PDF instructions are probably good enough for customer enquiry purposes, or at least TLG may perceive that it is.
TLG may perceive that customers in general don't care about the instructions quality - the few of us who do may not provide sufficient incentive to improve things.

The bottom line is that these instructions are provided on a goodwill basis. Unless TLG receive incentive to improve them, they probably won't.

A Call to Action

So, if you really care about the instructions, what can you do?

I suggest that it might be worth contacting TLG's customer services. If they get enough complaints, they may consider making improvements. Alternatively, they may consider it worthwhile providing a paid service for obtaining better quality copies of instructions.


Which was the first set / minifig with two faces to choose from? Some of my minifigs (like Iron Man, and Bilbo Baggins, and Harry Potter) have two different faces to show different emotions (usually something happy and something unhappy or upset or angry). How long have they been doing that? What was the first minifig to have 2 different faces to choose from?

A quick search on Bricklink gives the following results:

Catalog: Parts: Minifig, Head: Search Results for dual sided

Unknown year (41)
2001 (1)
2002 (10)
2005 (4)
2006 (7)
2007 (4)
2008 (4)
2009 (18)
2010 (27)
2011 (43)
2012 (86)
2013 (90)
335 Total Parts (View All)

This search was caried out at http://www.bricklink.com

Assuming that the Bricklink data are complete and correct, there are 41 double sided heads without a known release date, and the trend seems to have started in 2001 with this one:

Minifig, Head Dual Sided HP Quirrell / Voldemort Pattern


LEGO Friends lost instructions Where do I find instructions for LEGO Friends that my daughter has managed to lose but are also discontinued?

You can find downloadable copies of LEGO instructions for any set (there might be a few exceptions but not for standard retail sets) at the LEGO web site: https://wwwsecure.us.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions


Why did LEGO switch the direction of flag elements in 2008? Having just gotten back into LEGO this year, I noticed that the flags in my new sets are mirrored from all the flags I used to have. On the left is a green flag from 4162 FreeStyle Multibox from 1995, and on the right is a red flag from 10404 Ocean's Bottom from this year — notice that they flow in opposite directions:

According to BrickLink, this change was made in 2008, and the original mold stopped appearing in sets in 2010.

What was the reason for this change?

I asked them over chat and the answer was :

  There's no a special reason, it's due to the mold. I know, it's not very romantic!


Removing glue from Lego bricks When I was five my Dad used some kind of a good glue to put together a set together so I didn't loose any pieces. Putting the ethics of that action aside, I want to split the bricks from another and remove the glue. I tried heating up the set in boiling water but the glue didn't budge. Any ideas out there?

Tough job.
You can try using some nail polish remover to try to start breaking down the glue.
From Removing Super Glue, which they give for advice for people that accidentally glue their fingers together, this procedure might also work for the bricks.

...even though Super Glue is incredibly strong, it has one weakness: acetone.
Acetone is often found in household nail polish remover, and a small amount on the end of a Q-tip or cotton swab applied directly to the glue should dissolve the bond without damaging the skin.

A lot will depend obviously on how much glue was used inside the bricks, but perhaps a little crack and a small screw driver to help pry them apart and keep applying the acetone to the reachable edges can help break them apart.
I don't know if acetone will do something to the brick's color or structure, so proceed carefully.
Good luck.


Tips for hair loss problem in HeartLake world? Is there anything to do to prevent the rubber hairs (or hats) from leaving Stephanie's head?

In my opinion, hairs and head stuffs for Friends don't stay in place as well as they do in the minifig's world.

My daughter is fed up with those girls with hair loss problems!

Any tips?!

My LEGO Friends minifigs are just fine. Their hair doesn't come off that easy. Perhaps there is some difference in the mould and you ended up with some loose ones? It happends to regular minifigs too where the hair/helmet fits very loose or very tight. You could put a little bit of tacky-glue (blu-tack) inside the hair pieces to keep them on while still being able to remove/change them.

Also, I have to ask; are these minifigs directly from LEGO? There has been some sellers on eBay selling knock-off Friends minifigs from China. At first glance they look just like the real thing, but they are of lesser quality.


Can you identify the large transparent windows in this Ideas submission? Can anyone identify the large curved transparent windows in this aviary build?

I believe this is Panel 6 x 6 x 9 Curved Top.

I couldn't find the other one that's containing the brown parrots, however.

Correct me if I'm wrong, because there were a few other parts like this which were almost identical.


Bionicle sets with staffs identification I bought this series of 4 lovely small monsters/gods at a garage sale.

Body, arms, legs and hands are made of Technic and are studless.

Help me to identify:

if they are part of an official set of The LEGO Group, and which one?
which are parts such as the masks, the foots (which are also used as
the support of the masks), the weapons?

Update: This might be from the Bionicle / Turaga (BrickLink) or similar range. So any links to introduction to this series would be welcome.

These are indeed Bionicles

Green: 1418: Matau

Blue: 8543-1: Nokama

Red: 8540: Vakama

I think the last one is 8542: Onewa, with the mask of 8545-1: Whenua

more information on the Bionicles theme and the story line from Brickipedia
the Turega have a page on the Bionicle Wiki


Was there ever cadmium in LEGO bricks? I remember a rumour from my youth in the late seventies / early eighties, that there was supposedly cadmium in older (relative to that time) LEGO bricks.

Searching for LEGO cadmium yields quite a lot of hits, but so far, nothing conclusive.
I also note that LEGO has never recalled any old bricks, which I admit would be next to impossible: how would the general public be able to distinguish between older and newer bricks?

Has cadmium ever been used in LEGO bricks? If so, in what quantities?

How about other toxic metals?

I asked Gary Istok on your behalf in this Brickset Forum thread, who is an expert on LEGO's history. He said the following:

  When LEGO replaced the Cellulose Acetate bricks circa 1963 with ABS
  plastic for non-trans parts, and polycarbonate for the trans ones,
  they had a problem with the red and yellow parts.  For some reason
  (I'm not a chemical engineer)... red and yellow ABS parts were more
  difficult to color to TLG standards.  So Bayer and Borg-Warner (the
  chemical companies that produced the ABS and other plastic pellets
  worldwide) added Cadmium, a heavy metal, as an additive to those 2
  LEGO colors to help in the coloring process.

  Although Cadmium will not leach out of the LEGO bricks of that era (kids could safely chew on those LEGO parts), the longer term landfill
  issues of Cadmium laced LEGO getting into the ground, did become an
  issue with environmentalists.  So TLG had their plastics makers
  Borg-Warner (for USA, Canada, Britain, Ireland and Australia) and
  Bayer (for continental Europe and Asia) work on removing the cadmium
  from the red and yellow elements of that era.  I don't know the
  chemical specifics of that action, but by 1973 LEGO parts were Cadmium
  free... and have remained so.

  Next question.... can you tell Cadmium parts (1963-72) from Cadmium free parts?  Generally yes... but it's easier for red bricks, which
  are a darker red color with Cadmium.  Yellow LEGO parts with Cadmium
  are also a darker color, but the difference between Cadmium and
  Cadmium free yellow parts is less noticeable... especially with used
  or dirty yellow elements.


What minifig and set is this shirt from? I’ve googled trying to figure out where this piece came from but I have no idea.

Please help me figure out what minifigure this shirt from? Also, if it’s from a larger set.

This torso belongs to Deadshot as he appears in 76053 Gotham City Cycle Chase.


Train with two Powered Up hubs I'm building a motorized train. The locomotive has two Powered Up train motors, one at each end. However, no matter where I place the hub inside the locomotive, the wires on the train motors are too short to both reach the hub.
So, I have decided to try to connect each motor to a separate hub. The problem is that the motors have to spin in the opposite direction. I know that if I put one motor on the "A" output of one hub and the other motor on the "B" output of the other hub, then I can control the motors independently, but I was wondering if there was a way to program the hubs so that I can control both motors together. Is this possible? If so, what would an example program look like to do this? I can also program in Python and Java if that helps at all. Below is a picture of my current setup.

Yes, what you require is perfectly possible to implement in the Powered Up app on nearly any recent smart device.
You do need to program a bit, there's a graphical programming interface which you can get to after tapping the "Create" button.
Since you mention that you're experienced with actual programming languages like Python and Java, you should have no difficulty figuring out what the code blocs do.
You'll have the option to either work with sliders that will be present on some makeshift GUI on your smart device to control the speed, or you can chose to connect a remote as a third device (the other two devices being the hubs) and work with the input from the remote...
Addition: I've found the following example program on reddit:

It's a successful attempt to control the train with the remote just like when the remote would be connected directly... it maintains a variable with the speed of a the train, which can be increased or decreased with the + and - buttons on the train remote, and then the speed is set to the motor. The only change you would need to make is setting the negative of that speed on the second train motor which will be connected to the second hub.
That hub will be the third device connected, which is important for the port selection in the code blocks...


How many copies of each set are produced? Is there any way to find out how many copies of a set were produced? I would like to know how rare some of my older sets actually are.

There is an indication of the rarity of a set in the LEGO Collector's Guide.

I assume it's the same in the second edition as well, as this is what the two reviews of it on Brickset have to say:

  Rarity Rating. This would be more useful if it represented actual production or sales figures instead of market trends.

  The rating system is the same, and unfortunately the explanation (do you still remember? "This rating evaluates the rareness of the certain item (and not its value!) considering a complete item in very good condition including building instruction, all stickers AND box (if applicable). Markets like eBay, BrickLink and other sources have been considered for this evaluation - on a global level."[copied from my feedback to the 2008 edition review]) has not been extended, highlighted or moved to a place where it will be less ignored. Additionally, this rating will always give room for discussion, especially as it would require continuous updates.

So you can see both reviews consider this rating system to be pretty much useless (and the reviews of first editions weren't better) and it doesn't indeed compare to actual figures. However, the fact that they weren't able to secure any is probably a fairly good indication that these figures are not available to the general public. (And knowing LEGO, there's a chance that they haven't kept figures themselves from the distant past anyway.)

So while this is far from an actual answer to your question, the rarity rating of the Collector's Guide is probably the closest you'll ever get. Maybe a future edition will have more, but I wouldn't count on it.


Can EV3-G MyBlocks be recursive? Imagine I create a MyBlock called function1 from a line of blocks. Can I call that block from within itself?

This is the program for the block recursiveTest.

Will this block function properly?

No, EV3 MyBlocks cannot be recursive. If a MyBlock contains a copy of itself, then the following error will be produced upon compiling:

For some reason, LEGO's programming software has become progressively less immediate about notifying you that this cannot be done. In EV3-G, it waits until compile to let you know that you can't do this. In NXT-G (the software for programming the NXT), trying to put a MyBlock in itself produces an error upon placing it. And in the Robotics Invention System 2.0 (the software for programming the RCX), it simply won't let go of the MyBlock you're dragging if you try and place it into itself.

If you want a programming language for the EV3 that supports recursion, I'd like to offer LeJOS EV3 (Java-based, free) and ROBOTC (C-based, costs money) as alternatives. They're both EV3-compatible, and support recursion.


What are the characteristics of "Miniland" scale? I have heard many references to "Miniland" scale. From what I have seen, this style of building mostly includes figurines that are larger than normal mini-figs.

What are some other characteristics of "Miniland" scale?

Mini style {used in LEGO sets and by collectors, not Miniland}

Mini scale/style is typically much smaller than normal LEGO. In Mini scale/style, figures are formed with 2-3 blocks.

Mini scale/style {if I remember correctly} didn't gain popularity until recently. It's so far been popularly used in the LEGO Architecture sets, and in a few others of common landmarks.

It's also common to see three-to-five-dollar packages that contain buildable models {sold in the LEGO stores} in the Mini scale/style.

Examples of Mini sets include:

4837 Mini Trains
5761 Mini Digger
5864 Mini Helicopter

Miniland style {used by Legoland amusement parks and a few LEGO sets}

I believe that the LEGO amusement parks use something close to miniland scale. It is, however, much different than normal Mini style/scale. One notable fact is that the people have larger heads. I know this is true for the one in Billund, but I'm not sure about the one in California.

Here and here are the pages of Minilands Billund and California, respectively. The Billund miniland doesn't have its' own page, but it's on the interactive map at the link provided.

A Miniland Flickr group is here if you want to see what Miniland style/scale is.

EDIT! As Zhaph-Ben Duguid pointed out, the Legoland amusement parks are called Miniland, but do not use the Mini scale/style. They use a strange hybrid between DUPLO and LEGO Mini scale/style. It is actually not the more common Mini style/scale used in sets. I've updated this answer to reflect that.


From which set is this bag? All grey 1x1 round bricks and 2x2 domes I received this bag together with a used set. It is bag number 1 and it says copyright from 2007. The content is >10 of round 1x1 bricks and 2x2 round dome bricks, in dark bluish gray and light bluish gray each.
These are very useful parts, but I wonder whether it is better not to open it when it comes from a valuable set.
Jncraton found it in 42055. Bag(s) 1 contain the dump truck and the debris.

However, I don't know why the bag says "2007".

That's got to be the bag of aggregate from Bucket Wheel Excavator (42055).


Can anyone tell me what these LEGO sets are? Can someone help me identify these part built LEGO sets?  They may be Star Wars or Ninjago .

At least some of these parts are from 4433 Dirt Bike Transporter.

The clue is the sticker on the assembly in the top right corner of the image. Number plate stickers typically indicate the initials of the designer (for modern sets) and then the number of the set. In this case, "DM 4433", which matches the set number 4433.


Can I use the NXT 2.0 programming software with my educational set? I have bought the 9797 NXT base educational set. It didn't include any software.

I know that I can freely download the NXT 2.0 software (which was included in the 8784 retail set). Is it possible to use this version of the software with my education set?

Yes, you can - I have done so on numerous occasions, and actually prefer to use the retail software over the education version even when working with the education kit.

The NXT bricks in the two sets are exactly identical. You might need to update the NXT's firmware before using the brick with the retail software, however.


How can I remove old LEGO bricks that are stuck together? Brought my childhood LEGO sets from 1970's and 80's for my kids. The pieces attach much tighter together than sets purchased recently.

Can something be done to loosen the attachment without damaging the bricks?

Try using this brick separator tool

Source: https://shop.lego.com/en-US/Brick-Separator-630

A simpler version used to come with older sets. Some of the images demonstrate how the tool may be used with different kinds of pieces.

Source: http://www.philohome.com/remover/remover1.htm

Two brick separators may be used for maximum separating efficiency for certain types of stuck brick situations.

For example, when two plates are stuck together:

Alternatively, using it as a lever to remove tiles

Source: http://thebrickblogger.com/2010/11/lego-brick-separator/


Can I use the WeDo USB hub with normal Linux distributions? I haven't found a lot of detail on the WeDo USB hub.  Is this device usable with Linux?  I found one article that indicated the OLPC XO had support for it, but it implied there was custom support added for that particular system.  And this ad implies it will work with Linux.

Has anyone used this with a regular Linux distribution?

Lego's education catalog implies that the WeDo software is required for the hub to work. It states:

  The two-port hub controls motors and sensors, transmits power and data
  to and from the computer, and is automatically detected by the WeDo™
  Software when connected to the computer.

I found some info regarding WeDo software, the manual has this to say:

  Q: What is the full detailed information on the compatibility with different platforms?

  A: The WeDo™ software 1.1 is supported on Windows XP and Vista operating systems with the latest service packs. It is also supported
  on the Mac 10.5.xx operating system with Mac Intel processors. A
  minimum of 512 MB Ram is required and 300 MB of hard disc space. The
  WeDo software 1.2 is supported on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7
  operating systems with the latest service packs, as well as the Mac
  10.5.xx and Mac 10.6.xx operating systems with Mac Intel processors.

In general, Lego software seems to be supported only on OS X and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. All of the software mentioned in the Lego catalog (Lego Mindstorm Education NXT Software) indicated support for OS X 10.4 or later, and Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Linux support was not mentioned.


A Technic set from ~1997 with a long grey batter box I had a Technic set when I was a teen, about 1997 (by looking at the wheels, see picture). From what I remember, it was a tank truck. In its tank it was carrying 3 C batteries. In the picture, you can see the tank closed above, opened in the middle and on the right, the numbers written on the parts. The number "1-01" (or "1  01") is on the tank's three parts. The other (4351) is only on one of the three parts. I'd like to know its set number so I could find its instructions.

Looking at that part and doing a little digging, could this be the set you were thinking of. it is not a Technic set as such, it is a much older set but it seems to be the only one with a tanker and that wheel in.

Basic Building Set
Item No: 740-1
Year: 1985

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=740-1#T=I


What material is the LEGO laptop made of? What material is the LEGO laptop piece made of? It does not feel like their normal rubber and it certainty doesn't feel like ABS.

It could be polyethylene or ABS. My guess is polyethylene because it is more flexible.


Death Star 10188 Help with step 8 on page 76 On step 8 of page 76 I do not understand what holds the two sections together.  The "LEGO Flat Silver Technic Axle Joiner Perpendicular with Extension (53586)" has a smooth bore where it attaches to the "LEGO Medium Stone Gray Technic Cross Block 1 x 3 (Pin/Pin/Pin) with 4 Pins (48989)".  And directly under the first part is a Technic pin (part# 4211815) in yet another smooth bore opening (part# 4526985).

I do not see any clips, pins or other means of attaching these two components.

The "LEGO Flat Silver Technic Axle Joiner Perpendicular with Extension (53586)" smooth bore piece  is secured to a technic pin on piece "Technic, Pin Connector Perpendicular 3L with 4 Pins (48989)" installed in step 5, with the relevant pin marked in step 7 in my marked up directions below:

The smooth bore piece connects to the pin holding them together, with the lower axle connection preventing rotation.


Can you identify a box that says LEGO Extra Parts no. 058? I got a box that says LEGO Extra Parts. Think number is #058 any help?

It's a Samsonite supplemental pack

058-1: Small wheels


What are some uses of part 93589? I discovered that part 93589:

Was used in the Creator set Extreme Engines (31072):

This element strikes me as the sort of part-out-of-other-parts that was created to serve a single purpose: the front end on specific race cars. For most cases, it seems like the 4x1 slope curved can do the job quite well minus the slight curve at the front:

The element only gets used in the main model. What are some other uses for this part? Why was it created?

This part was introduced for licensed polybags in the Racers Ferrarri line (30195 and 30190):

It has been used that way a few other times since then, but it has also been used a few other ways in released sets.

It was used in 95012-1 BARC Speeder with Sidecar to round out the back end of the CIS speeder nicely:

And identically in 75017-1 Duel on Geonosis:

The part was also used to create a nice nose for a dragon in 70736-1 Attack of the Morro Dragon:

It has also been used in a couple different City sets to round off aircraft components such as the engines on 4209-1 Fire Plane:

And the top of the Helicopter in 60010 Fire Helicopter:

This part has only appeared in about a dozen sets in six different colors. It's fun to have another shape to play with in models, and this part adds some unique possibilities to possible builds.


What is the basis of purism in LEGO building? LEGO purism is the idea that LEGO constructions should be made with only with official LEGO blocks with no modifications. Other bits of plastic, papercraft, metal supports, and so on are frowned upon.

What is the reasoning to why one might build using solely LEGO elements? Is there something particular about LEGO as a building toy to which inspires this way of thinking?

I'm not too sure how to answer that. I don't want to modify any brick whatsoever myself, save for the occasional eletrical wire cut, but on the other hand I don't really care what other people do.

Considering LEGO designers aren't purist themselves (Need this part in green? Ok, I'll paint a yellow one.), why bother? Why not cut your own baseplates to the dimensions you want, when you know LEGO produces them exactly the same way, by cutting large sheets?

Then again you have different levels of purism. Part modifications. Non-LEGO usage. Non-LEGO stickers usage. Brick printing. Brick engraving. *cough*Glue*cough*. MegaBloks. And frankly, to each his or her own.

What I can say however is why I'm mostly a purist myself, if that's of any help. I don't want to modify bricks, or use anything non-LEGO, simply because I feel it would be cheating. I see building as a challenge, and each challenge has its own rules and limitations. If the part I would need to build something does not exist, then I have the additionnal challenge of finding another way to build so that I don't need it. And that's the thrill I get from LEGO building: finding the right existing part to suit my needs.

But then again, I'm not purist enough to care about what others do. Sure, I'll point a finger at them, but it's all in good fun.

Of course, glue will get you more than finger-pointing. Heretic!


How many styles of element separators has LEGO produced? I used to use other LEGO elements to separate tightly bound pieces in my collection. My thumb nail and I were quite pleased when I first discovered an actual brick separator LEGO introduced to ease the task. How many styles of LEGO element separators has LEGO made available to the general public?

Bricklink lists two:

OLD: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=6007

NEW: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=96874

There is one other 'separator', but it doesn't look like it's very good for bricks: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=x1220

ETA: The Clickits Separator! http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=clikits021


Lego Motor for cycling a tool I am curios to know if I can utilise the Lego Power range to rotate a transducer to a set point and return to its original position and if so is it able to cycle the movements repetitively? Ideally I would like to set the motor to run  to between say 0 degrees around to 240 degrees and then back to 0, 100 times although these figures could change.

Any advice/help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks

It would be difficult to get the exact rotations that you are talking about using Power Functions parts. The servo motor would be your best option, but its range is fixed to +/- 90 degrees from center. If you use a controller with variable speed, it will rotate through 7 steps to get to 90 degrees in either direction.

If you're willing to look at Mindstorms, there is a servo motor with a built-in rotation sensor that was released with both NXT and EV3. These can both be rotated to and from any position, and they are accurate within 1 degree. It sounds like that's the best option to meet your needs.


How can the 12v Train 7823 Container Depot be used to load container ships as per Lego Catalogue As I kid I was always confused by the description of the 7823 Container Depot
 in the Lego Catalogues:

  ..."The crane can be raised so container ships can be loaded."

An example can be seen in this scan of a 1988 UK catalogue.

Now as an AFOL I am still confused by this. I still have the set from my childhood and although the end of the crane gantry does hinge up, it doesn't give the crane any extra reach. I suppose it is possible that the train track could be removed and the base plate be placed right next to the 'dock side' to use the crane to load/unload ships, but even then is it really necessary to raise the end of the gantry? There is already a lot of height clearance even without the gantry end raised.

Can anyone shed any light on what the Lego Group meant by this description?

Whilst there is quite a bit of clearance on the crane as it stands, the Container Ship (4030) was quite a high sided beast - although you can see that better on the catalogue page:

I would think that a bit of extra height from the hinge would be useful to make it over the edges of the ship - assuming you haven't raised the crane's base.

The alternative answer is that they are trying to make the model more real-world accurate, where the cranes lift up as the ship comes in, and then go back to flat to load:


Is there a LEGO clamping tool? Sometimes we cannot easily attach 2 LEGO pieces.

Is there a tool to help clamp together LEGO pieces that are very tight?

If you’re using regular bricks and plates, there is really no sure way to tightly lock them together. The only way to ensure secure assembly is to use special or Technic pieces.

If you use special bricks with “knobs” separating each row or layer with two rows or layers of plates, you can then use plates across the knobs.

A more secure assembly would be to use Technic bricks with connector pegs, separate each row with two rows of plates and use Technic beams across the connector pegs.

If you have a wall structure that is two units thick you can also use bearing elements which are 2×2 bricks with snaps.


What LEGO set does this yellow and lime green vehicle belong to? This appears to be a helicopter or submarine of some sort. It is lime green and yellow with luminous yellow trimmings. It has cables and elastic parts with yellow cylinders. I thought it may be LEGO galaxy squad or Alien Conquest but I couldn't find it. The remaining parts are mixed in the LEGO bin and I need to figure out what it is to use the instructions to find them. Any clues would be much appreciated.

It is part of Toxikita's Toxic Meltdown (70163) from Ultra Agents


What are these bricks with filled interior and holes/tubes going through? I recently bought at haul and found a bunch of these regular sized bricks. Can anyone identify the for me?

They are 2x4 bricks, but with holes in the side of the bricks:

From: http://imgur.com/a/hOGto

It says Lego on the stud, but no part numbers are to be found anywhere, so I guess they are old.

Any help is appreciated.

They were used until 1990 for trains, the holes are there to stick in the wheels.

This is the part: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=7049b
And these (for example) were the wheels: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=wheel2a


Verify authenticity of the Star Wars Snowtrooper minifig I recently acquired a number of Lego Star Wars minifigures from an online seller who's looking to dispose his full collection. However, after I bought some of them and carefully inspected each part at home, I get rather confused...

Helmet - There's no "LEGO" logo anywhere in the helmet. Is that legit?
Faces - All are black, round, with no "LEGO" anywhere. Is this legit too?
Torso - Only what seems to be "LEGO" on the stud connecting to the head that's somewhat "punched" in the middle. Legit?
Feet - 2 of them have the "LEGO" on the left feet, and 1 has both feet with "LEGO". 2 of the "LEGO" in the centre area do not have the copyright icon, and 1 has. Too many "LEGO"s also suspicious?
Weapon - This is the one that got me most confused. These 3 do not have the "LEGO" word on them, but there's a copyright icon and number on the side. They are numbered 2, 5, and 7. I can't make any sense here. So are they legit?

Sincerely looking forward to help please....
P.S. I'm restricted to posting only 2 pictures ."

It's hard to be certain without some more pictures or information to narrow down when these minifigs were produced, but it sounds like what you have are some of the older Snowtroopers with the helmet and backpack attached in a single piece. Based on that assumption and the details you provided, I think you are looking at authentic Lego, with the possible exception of the blasters.

Point by point:

I couldn't find a LEGO logo in any of my helmets, but it did look like there was a copyright icon in the central anti-stud.
Many of the older snow/storm/clone troopers have blank, black heads. The ones that do not have a solid central stud hole (but a triangular arrangement of holes) do not have a LEGO logo.
Your description matches my torsos. All have the LEGO logo on the top of the neck stud, somewhat obscured by what I assume is where the mold injected the plastic.
The legs all sound legitimate to me. I was able to find minifigs that matched the variations you describe.
These seem suspect. I was unable to find any in my collection that matched these patterns of printing. In all of mine, there was printing in the recessed "bolt" section of the barrel. None of them had printing on the trigger section.


Identify LEGO branded forklift piece Can you help me identify this forklift type piece of LEGO branded plastic? I can't really call it a brick, though it does clutch onto two standard studs.

That would be Vehicle, Forklift 2 x 2 Plate and Yellow Fork (Complete Assembly), but it is broken.

For future reference, searching for 'Forklift' in the 'Parts' category on BrickLink gave this result. From there finding the proper part was a matter of looking at the images.


How much does a LEGO character weigh? I am doing a science project and I need a 50g passenger for a car.  I need to know how much a LEGO character weighs!

About 3g (2.98g)

Based on a small sample of Minifigure part data provided by Bricklink, a minifigure in it's most basic form (Head, Torso Assembly and Legs Assembley) weighs about 3g.

A small hairpiece or cap will add about 0.3g - 0.4g

Large hairpieces/headgear can add about 0.9g - 1.0g.


Complete set of 2004 Knights Kingdom card images? Back in 2004 LEGO released a Knights Kingdom line of sets with trading cards for a trading card game. Those trading cards had some pictures and story information on them.

I was able to find pictures of most of them on BrickLink, but cards 50, 55, 62, 67, and 76 do not have images (although I did find a picture of 76, shown above).

Is there anywhere I can find a complete set of images, or at-least the images not available on BrickLink?

You can purchase, brand new, the complete set of cards, 1-80 on eBay HERE.

The price has the potential to be less than what's stated, becasue the seller is accepting "Make Offer" deals.


Trying to identify a mystery set, mostly black and dark grey I purchased a lot from Facebook that included a few fully complete with box sets as well as two bags with what certainly appears to be a full set. I started adding several of the more unique ones to rebrickable, but I either need to add a lot more, or I'm doing it wrong. This is my first time at this, so either is entirely possible.
Any ideas or leads would be appreciated. So far I'm leaning towards a Sith Star Wars or Batman kit given the colors. The assembled piece has a twin that is pretty much identical. The only unique pieces I found were a cockpit dashboard thing and the windshield design. The rest were sticker free, and there were no figures included.

I don't know if that is a cohesive set, but all the parts scream 2005 era Star Wars.
There is a x-wing canopy that gives me that idea, but the real smoking gun is the color combination of parts. There appears to be a lot of old (warm) dark grey, prior to Lego changing to the more (cool) bley they use today.
I think its just stray parts from that era. Enjoy all that classic dark grey, its great for mixing in with modern greys.


Mindstorms Software Versions Here is what I have:

Site licences for Mindstorms Software 1.0 (NXT) and EV3.
An upgrade to Version 2.0 for the NXT
9 NXT kits
4 EV3 kits
2 Renewable Energy Kits and Temperature sensors

My problem is that on the NXT units, the only version of the software which supports the Renewable energy/temperature sensors is 2.1, which does not appear to be an upgrade to 2.0, but is instead a education site licence version like the ones I have for NXT 1.0 and EV3. Without these I cannot access the blocks to use the Renewable Energy kits and temperature sensors unless I use the EV3 kits.

My questions:

Am I right, or is there a way to upgrade 2.0 to 2.1 or 1.0 education to 2.1?
is there a way I just haven't been able to figure out to use these sensors with the 2.0 software?
Is it worth updating all my existing material for the NXT bricks to program them from the EV3 software as well and dealing with the small issues or not?

I have tried contacting distributors, and looking online has only helped me find the appropriate sensor blocks for the EV3 software.

You probably don't need it, but the LEGO Education NXT 2.1 Software is still for sale through LEGO Education (at least in the USA). They do not advertise and upgrade price, but it does not hurt to ask.
The Energy Meter blocks are available for download on the LEGO Education website. I went to http://education.lego.com/en-us/downloads and checked the box "Blocks" under "Download Type" and it shows up in the list. It does not say if it is for NXT or EV3 though. Also, I found this for the NXT Temperature sensor.
I would not recommend using the EV3 software for programming the NXTs. There are a number of limitations, such as lack of support for 3rd party sensors and lack of support for Bluetooth. Also, I understand the programs take up much more memory this way.


identification of lego set by color and shape of inner box I'm trying to identify a lego set only knowing the color, shape of in inner package. The inner box is blue, dimensions are 18 x 11 x 2 3/8" and 9T plastic compartments,
There is a 1984 Lego Catalog included.  Tried to include a picture but don't know how to do it here.

The only 1984 set with corresponding dimensions seems to be 6080 King's Castle but I can't find any picture of a possible inner tray; and that's even assuming it had one (the box picture on this classic-castle forum post seems to point to the contrary).

There's another good candidate in 1985: 6392 Airport, but again I can't find any pictures of the box.

1983 brings us 6980 Galaxy Commander for which I can't find pictures of the inner tray either (but there's one on eBay where the seller promises pictures in the near future); 7824 Railway Station is close too but it's a bit too short I had it and I don't remember it having a blue tray (I'm fairly confident it was red).


Will using a bright LED to light my MOC harm my LEGO? I'm building a LEGO model and planning on lighting it with a bank of 5 battery operated LEDs. I know sunlight negatively affects several LEGO colors. Will a bright LED harm the elements in my MOC the same way sunlight would?

Ultra-violet radiation is emitted primarily by sunlight, mercury lamps, black lights.

LEDs emitting visible light will not produce a significant amount of UV radiation required to discolour LEGO bricks. However, LEDs can be manufactured to emit UV light,