How can I power my LEGO pneumatic engine? I have just finished building a simple LPE, but have no means to power it. I live on a farm and have access to a small air compressor, would that work?

Since the compressor produces compressed air, it would certainly work, given you build adequate fittings and take precautions against overpressurization.

LEGO pneumatics have been tested to withstand as much as 8 bars or 120 psi, but you definitely should plan with safety margins. If your compressor can produce higher pressures, I'd suggest building in some kind of release or auto-shutoff valve to prevent damaging the LEGO parts.


Does anyone know which set included a 2 piece moon? I have a 2 piece moonlike miniset that apparently came included in some sort of larger space set. Anyone know what I'm talking about and where it comes from?

The collection includes a rocketship base with light-up and sound rockets. I assume its the same set as the moon. It's definitely not a Star Wars set.

Both the Countdown Corner and Mission Control sets included both a "Light and Sound" rocket and a multi-part "moon" in the form of the "Rock Arctic Globe":


Why do I not have the Brick Datalog app in the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 V1.10E firmware? I realize a similar question has been asked (you can view it here) however mine is slightly different.

I have a Lego Mindstorms EV3 Home Set 31313 and due to recommendation, I installed Lego Mindstorms Education EV3 Student Edition. I later changed my firmware on my EV3 to V1.09E. The next time I updated my firmware, however, I was unsure that the software was not installing the latest version so I ended up installing V1.10E using EV3 Manager. So it was to my surprise that the Brick Datalog app had disappeared!

Is there any way for me to get my app back without, of course, performing a downgrade and removing the ability for me to use Microsoft PXT?
TIA!

Interesting insight. I didn't notice that it was missing. (I wonder if there was not enough room in the flash memory for both this and the new MakeCode stuff - or maybe it was just an accident).

I managed to find a hack to get the Brick Datalog program loaded again.

Download this zip file.
Unzip the file.
Open Brick Datalog.ev3 in the EV3 programming software.
Download the project to your EV3.
Open the Memory Browser.

Browse to the Brick Datalog project, then click Download.

Select the Brick Datalog.rbf file (from where you unziped the file in step 2) and click Open.

Close the Memory Browser.
On the EV3 brick, you can now browse to the Brick Datalog project and run the Brick Datalog program (it won't be with the rest of the "apps" as in previous versions of the firmware).

How it works:

The brick apps use the same format as user-created programs on the EV3, so I just took the Brick Datalog app from the ev3dev lms2012-compat project (which is identical to the official LEGO version, but easier to get to). Then I created a new empty project in the EV3 Education software and imported all of the images and sounds. The software doesn't let you import .rbf files (the actual program), which is why it has to be downloaded separately via the Memory Browser.

I haven't tested this extensively, but it does seem to work.


How to parameter the ports in move tank block EV3? How do I parameter the ports at Move Tank block (in My Block)?

Create a My Block that looks something like this:

Then you can select the ports like this:

The 23 means ports B+C (see below).

From the help file:

Wired Input of Two Ports
If you configure a Move Steering or Move Tank block for wired port input, you will need to specify two different port numbers: one for the left motor port, and one for the right motor port. This is done by using a two-digit number for the Port input. The first digit of the number (the 10’s digit) specifies the port number for the left motor, and the second digit (the 1’s digit) specifies the port number for the right motor.
EV3 Motor Ports
(Left, Right)     Value of Port input
-------------------------------------
B, C              23
C, B              32
A, B              12
A, D              14

See the table above for the individual motor port number values. The table below shows some examples of Port inputs to specify two ports.


60197 Passenger Train control problem Weird problem here.

My son has had the 60197 train for about a year and I decided to try out the powered-up app for the first time today.

After what seemed to be some kind of software update, which took about 2 minutes, the app connected, but did nothing.

When I went back to use the remote that came with the train, the remote now only moves the train at maximum speed.

To make matters worse, stop does not work, instead pressing the forward or backward buttons on the remote always do the following:

First press: full speed forwards

Second press: full speed backwards

Third press: stop

...Which pretty much renders it unusable as full speed is rather unstable.

Also, channel B is now no longer working.

Has anyone else ever seen anything like this?

I have replaced the batteries in both units and have uninstalled the app and even tried with my phone off just in case something is interfering with the connection.

We are stumped!

I thought I’d update you on the situation for anyone else in a similar position.
I got in touch with Lego via email, it took a while for them to get back due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is totally understandable.
I received a bright breezy fun reply from someone called Ryan who said he would send me replacement battery box and remote.  Once I received these items, the train worked for about an hour and then stopped working.
After troubleshooting, I found that the connecting wire must have had a break near or inside the connector.  I contacted Lego again, and they sent me a replacement set of motorised wheels.
They asked me to send back the faulty items using a supplied label.
Absolutely awesome service from Lego.


Is there a current source for the LGEO parts library? I'm working on a povray render of a model. I've seen the LGEO (not a typo) part library referenced in various places, but I haven't been able to find a working download link.

Is there a current source for an updated version of this part library?

As stated in your "various places" link, the LDraw.org web site maintains an All-In-One-Installer (AIOI) which contains and installs LGEO and is updated in January every year so I assume they use the latest version of LGEO.

BTW, I found an LGEO quirk when launching POV-Ray from within LPub3D which I use for generating building instructions.  I kept the screenshot below highlighting how you have to tell LPub3D that LGEO is not available, even though the AIOI installed it:


Is it possible to create your own wheel? After my other question, i pretty much have a bicycle design all planned. My problem now is with wheels.

None of my LEGO wheels are big enough to work on a bike. And, the biggest ones are all pretty fat.

I was wondering if it would be possible to simulate my own wheels, that i could then attach to a LEGO creation.

It doesn't have to be made out of only LEGOs; i'm open to other building toys and materials as well.

You can always brick-build a wheel.  The curved slope pieces can closely approximate a circle.

For example, 12 4x1 curved slopes gives a circle with a radius of 160 LDUs (8 studs).

For more information on brick-built wheels, I suggest you refer to the "Brick Built LEGO Wheels Book":

http://www.ultimate-design.org/2014/05/unofficial-free-brick-built-lego-wheels.html


Has Lego Box 5508 been discontinued? The Lego Deluxe Box 5508 seems to be out of stock everywhere in the UK. I was hoping to get this set for my kids for Christmas, but it is nowhere to be found. Has it been discontinued? Or do they think that sets that only build ONE thing will spark young imaginations? The 5508 box has bricks, roof tiles, windows, doors and wheels and opens up a world of possibilities. Shame I can't seem to find one!

It's possible the set has been discontinued. Since its release in 2010 there have been many other Brick Buckets released under the 'Bricks and More' series.

For example; the 10663 Creative Chest released in 2013 is available in a similar price range but is more limited to building vehicles (no doors, windows and roof tiles for buildings).

If your kids are more into buildings and there are no other Brick Buckets in stock you can suplement your LEGO collection by purchasing the Doors & Windows pack as well as the Roof Tiles pack.


Can the EV3 software program switch block take inputs? Is it possible to input values into a switch block? For example, if I have a move steering block in switch statement, can I input a value for power from a math block outside the switch statement? If I have a move steering block inside a switch, it looks like all I can do is set the slider value.

Yes, it is possible to connect data wires from outside switch blocks and loop block to inside of them. Note: Switch blocks must be switched to the tabbed view by clicking on the  icon. Then just drag the output data wire from the math block to the input of the steering block the same as if the switch block was not there.


Is there a changelog for any firmware updates on an EV3 brick? When a firmware update is released for the Mindstorms EV3 brick, are there usually any changelogs for them explaining what's been added or changed? If so, where can they be found?

Update:

I have found a changelog in the firmware source code available on the download page at http://mindstorms.lego.com. The file is lms2012/doc/Implementation. Here is the history since v1.03 which shipped with the first retail EV3s.

/******************************************************************************
 * APPLICATION VERSIONS
 *****************************************************************************/
/*! \page applicationversions Application Versions
 *
 *  This section describes the relative changes from previous version
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v109D
 *
 *-# As v109H but telnet enabled with password "Just a bit off the block!"                    \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v109
 *
 *-# As v1081 but version changed to 1.09                                                     \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1081
 *
 *-# Telnet disabled                                                                          \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v108
 *
 *-# Support for edimax added                                                                 \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v107
 *
 *-# As v1066 but version changed to 1.07                                                     \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1066
 *
 *-# ISSUE 4330 - sub call aliases block local issue UN-fixed                                 \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1065
 *
 *-# Bluetooth bundle changed to "BA9Q76VTQG" "com.lego.education.ev3"                        \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1064
 *
 *-# Bluetooth bundle changed to "BA9Q76VTQG" "com.lego.edu.ev3"                              \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1063
 *
 *-# Bluetooth bundle changed                                                                 \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1062
 *
 *-# Bluetooth bundle changed for test                                                        \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v1061
 *
 *-# "Brick Name" app implemented                                                             \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v106_140502
 *
 *-# As v105a but version changed to 1.06                                                     \n
 *
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v105a_140327
 *
 *-# IIC issue with automatic update blocking access fixed in "d_iic.c"                       \n
 *-# UART protocol escape future issue fixed in "d_uart.c"                                    \n
 *
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v105H_140211
 *
 *-# As v104x but version changed to 1.05                                                     \n
 *
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104x_140206
 *
 *-# ISSUE 4330 - sub call aliases block local issue fixed                                    \n
 *-# Number of memory handles rised from 250 to 500 (MAX_HANDLES = 500)                       \n
 *-# Color sensor mode 4 data checksum issue fixed                                            \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104w_140110
 *
 *-# Test app "Sensors" changed to use "Modes" instead of "Views" in mode change limit        \n
 *-# opINPUT SETUP - IIC third party sensor read/write issue fixed                            \n
 *-# opINPUT READY_IIC implemented                                                            \n
 *-# More documentation about sensor reading (see \ref thirdpartydevicedesign "Third Party Device Design Guidelines ") \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104v_131205
 *
 *-# Release of version 104u for testing                                                      \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104u_131205
 *
 *-# Corrected issue when connecting to several devices using bluetooth (c_bt.c)              \n
 *-# opUI_DRAW VALUE bug fixed (negative figures)                                             \n
 *-# opUI_DRAW VIEW_UBIT bug fixed (negative figures)                                         \n
 *-# opINPUT_DEVICE INSERT_TYPE implemented                                                   \n
 *-# opINPUT_DEVICE SET_TYPEMODE implemented                                                  \n
 *-# Corrected issue if trying to search for BT devices and allready connected to 7 devices   \n
 *-# Corrected issue if get remote bluetooth name fails in a bluetooth search                 \n
 *-# Bluetooth connect is not called if create paired device fails                            \n
 *-# Bluetooth connection attempt actively rejected if user presses X on the UI               \n
 *
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104t_131108
 *
 *-# Corrected remote bluetooth name issue                                                    \n
 *-# Corrected brick crashing if number of motors diff from 2 in sync'ed motor cmds           \n
 *-# Corrected filetransfer between SD cards in bricks - Folder type issue                    \n
 *-# Corrected filetransfer between SD cards in bricks - Filehandle issue                     \n
 *-# opFILE CLOSE_LOG changed to free up handle when logging in memory                        \n
 *-# SD card back key bug fixed                                                               \n
 *-# ISSUE 2636 - "Brick Program" app - test for attached sensor                              \n
 *-# ISSUE 3226 - opMATH MOD8, MOD16, MOD32 zero bug fixed                                    \n
 *-# ISSUE 3492 - opUI_DRAW LINE and RECT hang bug fixed                                      \n
 *-# ISSUE 3565 - Brick Hang with 3rd party sensor bug fixed                                  \n
 *-# Added TIInit_6.6.15.bts to the filesystem to support 1325A version bluetooth             \n
 *-# Special exception text added to headers: "lmstypes.h", "lms2012.h" and "bytecodes.h"     \n
 *-# opINPUT_DEVICE INSERT_TYPE implemented for test                                                            \n
 *-# IIC 3rd party hang and data instability issue fixed                                                        \n
 *
 *\version lms2012_v104H_130531
 *
 *-# Bluetooth transfer folder error fixed in cComCreateBeginDL                               \n
 *-# First release for AFOL                                                                   \n
 *
 *

Original answer:

The LEGO Group has not been publishing changelogs for the EV3 firmware. You should call customer support or write them a letter and encourage them to do so.

I have gathered some information mostly from the (unofficial) LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Facebook Page and also discussions with other MINDSTORMS hackers. This list is most likely incomplete.

v1.10E: Add USB support for Microsoft MakeCode (EV3 now appears as USB drive).
v1.09H/E: Disable telnet service (security issue in response to this German language article on how malware was discovered running on an EV3).
v1.09D: This is a new "developer" version of the firmware available on the LEGO Education website that has telnet enabled and there is now a password for root (see the readme.txt file that comes with the 1.09D firmware).
v1.08H/E: Add support for the popular Edimax EW-7811UN Wi-Fi dongle.
v1.07H/E: Add support for new Bluetooth chip shipping with newer EV3s (starting circa July 2015).
v1.06H/E: Work around checksum bug on EV3 color sensor RGB mode (used by custom block from David Gilday on the MindCuber)


Identify sets including tan building and gray engines These are the last two potentially identifiable LEGO parts received in my garage sale lot find back in 2019 that I am finally getting around to looking at.

The parts on the left picture are from
75178: Jakku Quadjumper
Right picture shows part of
71006: The Simpsons House


Helmet with flip-down binoculars is not in any of the databases The helmet has 10198 inside but I cannot find that on any of the usual part databases. Does anyone have any ideas?

It's probably a 3rd-party LEGO-compatible accessory, several 3rd-parties make such military themed accessories.

LEGO doesn't make very many modern-day military-themed pieces and I found similar pieces on one 3rd-party accessory shop. It's not an exact match, but it's pretty close. It might be that you have an older version of their product, or some competitor's product.


Mindstorms program - myblocks that work fine when run individually but when executed as part of a larger program, break We have a line following myblock, which follows the line perfectly if it runs alone.  However, if we include it as a block as part of a larger program, it goes haywire when it gets to that step and can't follow the line that it's on.  If we run our program step by step, it completes each task successfully.  Has anyone encountered this issue, and if so, any ideas how we can fix the problem?

We've figured out what the issue was - in the line follower we had issues with a loop breaking out consistently, so had changed it to a large motor block doing x number of cycles. when it was run individually, it worked fine as the number of cycles started from 0. When it was part of the larger code, it had already run that many cycles, so it immediately quit out of the line follower.


What are the dimensions of a LEGO brick? What are the real world dimensions of bricks? (starting with 1x1 brick) Plates? Studs? Does LEGO think of this in metric or imperial units or something else?

This image shows the dimensions in LEGO Units. 1 Lego Unit is 1.6mm (the thickness of the plastic wall).  In those units the stud's diameter is 3 (= 4.8mm).


Can Power Functions components work with the RCX? I don't have the RCX, and neither do I have any PF stuff, but as they both have wire connectors which are almost identical, I'm thinking that they can both work together and are compatible. Is this true? And can you connect more than one motor to one RCX port (RCX port has 4 studs but PF port has only 2)?

The RCX uses "electric system 9V" style connectors. These are not compatible with power functions connectors. The "electric system 9V" connectors have the connections built into regular lego studs (with the electric part of each stud carefully arranged to allow connections to be made between parts placed at right angles) while the power functions connectors have a special connector section that is not compatible with regular lego studs in any way.

As the other answer mentions the power functions extension cables (8886 for regular length, 8871 for extra-long) can be used as an adapter between "power functions" and "electric system 9V". This cable has two different connectors, one end is a regular power functions connector with "power functions" connections on the top and bottom. The other end is a special connector with "power functions" connections on the top but "electric system 9V" connections on the bottom.

There are a few caveats though.

The power functions only end of the extension cable can be a bit of a pain to mount, because the electrical positions won't stack on top of regular lego studs.
The RCX has a 1-plate high step next to the motor ports. This was not a problem for electric system 9V wires which had the wire exit near the top of the brick but the power functions connectors have a much larger cable exit lump. This means that the power functions adapter cable can't be placed on a RCX in the normal orientation. For the side motor ports you can exit sideways, but for the center motor port you either have to exit over the screen, use an "electric system 9V" cable between the RCX and the adapter cable (so now you have three sections of cable to deal with....) or use a 1x2 electric plate (part 4755) to build-up the connector on the RCX.
"Power functions" is a 4-wire system while "electric system 9" is only two wire. So while you can use basic power functions motors with the adapter cable things like the servo motor will not work and you can't supply power to things like the IR receiver from an "electric system 9V source.
For smaller models actually building your model may be a pain because of the extra wire length from the adapter and because the RCX was designed with old-style technic in mind while power functions was designed with new-style technic in mind.

As for connecting multiple motors you can do so physically but if the motors are under heavy load you may hit the current limits in the motor drivers, heck even a single "RC race buggy motor" can overload the drivers in the RCX.


By number of distinct colors, what official LEGO set has the most pieces? A recent question shows the "monochrome" Steamboat Willie set actually contains about 20 colors. I was expecting fewer, maybe a dozen or so at most. So this got me wondering...

By number of distinct brick colors, what official LEGO set has the most pieces?

For example:

1 color: ____?
2 colors: Maybe 27 pieces for 40045 Shark
3 colors: Maybe 1211 pieces for 21050 Architecture Studio
4 colors: ____?
5 colors: ____?
...
50 colors: ____?
....

Each transparent color counts as a distinct color, as does metallic and glitter, and historic colors count, too. As shared in a comment, Bricklink recognizes up to about 100 colors. Colors on mini-figures do not count.

Past or current sets count. The only stipulation is that the set is an official LEGO one. This question might show a trend in themes: Architecture for example probably wins on fewest colors / most pieces, while Creator might take most colors / most pieces.

A similar question asks: What Lego set has the most unique colours?

I have a few:

3 colors: 2882 parts for 3450
6/5 colors: 4502 parts for
40179. Note: color count depends if you include brick separator
as a part or not.
11 colors: 2428 parts for 10181
15 colors: 2455 parts for 2000431
23 colors: 7513 for 75192
37 colors: 2613 parts for 2000430


What is this BIONICLE limb piece? In Kooberz's video, he uses this piece.
What is it called?

Bricklink indicates that this is the "Bionicle Toa Nuva Leg Section."


What do these bags make? I am trying to organize my sons LEGO bricks and we cannot find a book or what these bags go to. Not even sure the bags go together?

Bag 5 has grey pieces and these long red things that look like you shoot them at something.

This bag has yellow wheels and lots of other grey, red and yellow and some black

Bag 2 with yellow and grey and black and little red and maybe two blue also a grey clear windshield piece

This bag has lots of grey light and dark and some red tan and black in it and a couple blue small ones

Bags 4 and 5 are from set 75050-1: B-Wing based on the red Arrow 8M For Spring Shooter, 4211725: Plate 4X6 26 Degrees and 4233485: Brick 1X2 With Cross Hole

Bags 2 & 3 are from 4202-1: Mining Truck based on 4210720: Plate 6X14, 4210794: Plate 6X8
, 4490139: Rim Wide W.Cross 30X20
, 4188313: Coupling Plate 2X2 and 4515351: Plate 4X4 Round W. Snap
 in combination with the different red parts


What is the rarest LEGO set ever produced? Is there a general consensus on what the "rarest" LEGO set of all time is? And if so, then what is it?

To clarify, of the sets that at some point were for sale to the general public, which one is the hardest to acquire? Tour and company exclusives should not be included, as they were never "produced" to the general public. As far as what quantifies "rarity," price, number produced, current avaliability, or etc, I'm not sure, and that's why I'm asking if there is a consensus on this.

This question is nearly impossible to answer with all the variables.  You might consider refining your question to a more realistic scope by eliminating sets like "Inside Tour Exclusives", Comic Con Exclusives, single minifigures like the gold C-3PO, or employee exclusives.

While probably not the "rarest" set out there, the 5004590 "Bat Pod" is annoyingly rare.  Sure you could piece one together, but getting one with the box and instructions is pricey.
(https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=5004590-1#T=S&O)

Some of the old HO scale cars in certain colors are extremely rare. I would think that many of the old piece packs/boxes are probably hard to find and/or buy.

Related: What is the rarest LEGO production element (colour/shape combination)?


Help identifying set from 3 sealed bags with Star Wars figs I got these three bags in a lot. Looks like there are two snow troopers and bag 4 has a bunch of fluorescent green circle pieces. Any help would be appreciated for this first time poster.

Welcome to Bricks.SE! Based on the 10 x 3 Wedges and your description, these bags likely belong to 75100 First Order Snowspeeder:

The instructions for this set are available here:

https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/6136428.pdf


What is LEGO terminology for measurement of normal bricks and common scales? Where can I find basic LEGO terminology illustrated with LEGO parts, e.g. what's a stud? What's a plate? I also need to know the names of the most common scales of basic LEGO kits, and measurement of a most fundamental part(s) at each scale.

Terminology

This is the most basic terminology in a single image:

A bit more verbose version is found in this slideshow, but there are a few factual errors, highlighted in the comments below.

The various parts are named based on their main characteristics, then their sizes in studs, as seen here:

After getting the hang of it, it's time to advance to the more complex terminology, with the help of the indispensable blog New Elementary.

Measurements

The fundamental sizes for the basic bricks are seen in this answer, or a bit more simply:

The height of the plates is 1/3 of the bricks, or 3.2 mm.

Scale

As for scales, this question is a bit complicated, as the basic reference unit is the LEGO Minifigure, which has weird proportions, resulting in inconsistent scales:

However, there are a few official ones, including:

minifigure scale (about 1:40)
microscale: anything way smaller than that, see these examples or these official ones.
midi-scale was only ever used officially for two sets, which are sized very differently, as both models are around 30 studs long, so it's 1:100 - 1:6000 which would definitely fall into microscale category.
towards the other end of the scale, there is life-sized, which of course does not get used much for official sets for sale, but rather for one-off projects:
and it is definitely possible to create larger than life LEGO builds:  Or models of microscopical structures, like cells:  or even of subatomic scale:


Which wheels are suitable for Power Functions M-Motor I'm attempting to build a small self-propelled LEGO robot. Initially I was attempting to use some cheap DC hobby motors but I spent a lot of time trying to attach LEGO wheels to the motor's 3mm spindle and could never get enough torque to make the robot move.

I have now purchased two official Lego M-Motors. Unfortunately I don't have any wheels with a large enough diameter so I'm now looking around to get some matching wheels for the motors. The wheels will need to have a diameter of at least 40mm (the motor's height is 24mm).

I have had a look around but am a bit bamboozled by all the options. Has anyone use one of these motors in a robot and have any suggestions for a wheel type?

The M-motor is directly compatible with almost all the wheels that LEGO has produced, and, with a little building, compatible with every wheel imaginable, even brick-built wheels.

If your problem is that the wheel is smaller than the diameter of the M motor, perhaps you want to attach the wheels to an axle, and then drive the axle with the motor.  There are many different gearing solutions variations that would accomplish this.

If you need to purchase one or more wheels, Bricklink is a great site to buy individual bricks.


What is the name or ID of this mechanical part with multiple pin connection points? Trying to locate this particular piece on BrickLink though I’m not having very much luck. It’s appears to be a grey bar piece/ zip line bar of some sort. Any assistance you can provide is greatly appreciated

I think this is Part # 30375 : Torso Mechanical, Battle Droid


Principles of D.I.Y. Minecraft microworlds Lego released 4 Minecraft microworlds which more or less fit together with each other in some meaningful way.

Just to impress my boys I've been making my own worlds on 6x6 plates or wing pieces.  I've only got two sets (The Forest and the Nether) so I can't see too much of a theme between them.

If I wanted to make a really big Minecraft mini-world, what principles would I employ to construct each of the cells?

There are two key ways these can "fit together":

Most obviously by size and connectors - all the worlds are built on 4 6x6 plates, and have a 1x2 with cross-hole brick at the bottom in the centre of at least two sides.
By theme (or in Minecraft terminology "biome") and features (forest, mountains, etc).

In terms of the four sets released, only two meet both of those:

The Village
The Forest (Ideas)

These both use the same shades of grey for the underground sections, and similar colours for the overground sections (greens, browns, etc.).

The other two sets represent completely different areas ("dimensions") within Minecraft accessed via special portals - there's no way to walk from a Forest biome to The End or Nether, so from a connecting point of view, neither of these really "connect" to the others.

So to create your own cells you'd want to follow the following guidelines:

Choose a Dimension (Overworld, Nether, End)
Work with 6x6 plates (or variants/multiples of)
Use a scale of 1x1x2/3 for most blocks (i.e. 2 stacked 1x1 plates) which can be capped with a 1x1 tile, for deep sections bricks can be used
Underground is typically 4 bricks tall, overground can be taller
Transition between biomes nicely (Forest - Beach, Forest - Jungle, etc.)


Was it once possible to put a 1x1 round into a minifig cup? I remember being able to put a 1x1 round brick into the top of a minifig cup before my dark age (the period of time that a person stops building with Lego, up to the time they pick up the bricks again), but I have tried it since and can't do it.

Was I imagining that connection, or have they redesigned the minifigure cup?

Is/was there another connection that I might have confused with the minifig cup?

(This would have been sometime in the 80's, but the bricks in my collection went back to the '70s.)

Is it possible that you are thinking of this goblet (2343)?

This part was fairly common, and it was introduced around 1985, so it was probably in your collection.

1x1 round plates attach securely to the top as shown in this lamp from the Pet Shop:


Do LEGO part counts on boxes include spare parts, brick separators and instruction manuals? I bought some LEGO sets recently and was wondering (for no reason), if the part numbers that are shown on the outside of LEGO boxes include (along with the number of parts needed to build the set):

The number of spare parts,
The brick separator (if one),
The instruction manual(s).

No. Set 30476 (pictured below) says it contains 33 pieces, but the set contains 3 extra pieces in addition to the ones needed to build the set. I believe it has always been this way.
Yes. When LEGO re-released the Taj Mahal, it contained exactly the same pieces except for the addition of a brick separator. The part count on the set's box was also increased by 1.
No, excluding the extra pieces, 30476 (pictured below) has exactly the 33 plastic pieces the manual says it should have.

Set 30476:


Where to find older sets (eg. Classic Space)? Can people share their experiences on how they locate older sets? Have you had luck with flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, etc.? Or is everything done through eBay and BrickLink? Any comments appreciated.

Some of the places you can buy old (discontinued) sets include:

Online

BrickLink
eBay
TradeMe
Amazon marketplace
Generic on-line toy stores that carry old stock
Some LEGO discussion forums have areas for buying and selling

Locally

Toy shops and LEGO stores sometimes carry old stock
Stands at exhibitions and shows
Garage sales
Thrift stores
Charity shops
Flea markets
Car boot sales
Jumble sales
Through newspaper ads
Lego User Groups
Other AFOLs

Other Alternatives

Buy the parts separately and assemble the set from them


Looks like total number of parts and sum of them differs on bricklink I've recently purchased the 42063 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure.  It was assembled and looked complete.  I took it apart and calculated total number of parts.  It was around 550. Then on link above I've read total is above 600. With about 10 extra still about 40 less. I rechecked individually starting with rare ones than actually went through all list.

Discovered maybe 3 small ones missing,  but again maybe I was  not attentive,  also discovered that some parts could be taken apart which I missed initially.  With extra it was about 570 finally.

Still about 30 less than expected total. My guess is that maybe total includes all stickers separately even when they are listed as 1?  Why else can be such discrepancy? Can somebody proficient with bricklink API sum up the list to check against total?

Brickset says 602 elements, brickset takes its data from Lego Customer Services.

Bricklink says 603 elements, bricklink count includes a stickersheet while brickset does not. To get the bricklink total, select "Part out" on the catalog page, it will suggest to add 603 pieces to a "wanted list".

Adding the number of elements in the back of the manual I get also 602 elements.
Going through the instructions and adding all element counts I get 598, this certainly does not include any spare parts, so about 4 spare parts seems right.

Conclusion, your set is lacking elements or you miscounted.
I think easiest would be to group by element and count and see if those counts match the brickset or bricklink list or the back of the manual inventory.
Plus side will be you have everything sorted and you'll know exactly what pieces are missing.


Sticker Identification Does anybody know where this sticker is used or the set number it's used in?

This piece is 42023pb005R - Slope, Curved 6 x 1 Inverted with Orange and Yellow Marbled Flames and 'G' Pattern Model Right Side (Sticker) - Set 8897, which is used in only 1 set: 8897 - Jagged Jaws Reef.

But once more, please look at the Catalog Search function in BrickLink and spend some time learning it - this is the third consecutive "What is this piece" question for pieces that are fairly trivial to find. Bricks with a curved end are called "Slope" and are a common type (other common types are "Plate", "Brick", "Tile", "Minifig", "Wheel" etc.). You can also use the search bar at the top of the BrickLink screen, just make sure you switch the Search Scope field to "Catalog Item".


How can I find the original bag listing for 42083 Bugatti Chiron? I'm buying a used set (42083 Bugatti Chiron to be specific) and I would like to sort the parts in their original module bags. However, I can only find the complete part list, not the parts per module. Does anyone have a pointer as to how to retrieve the original sorting?

As far as I know there is no such resource on the internet.
It's asked from time to time on other fora and groups I frequent, mainly from people who have a collection of bags and want to gather entire sets.
The best that can be done to get the parts per module is disassembling the set in reverse order of the instructions...


How to make a street-light style torch I need to light up my streets so the citizens of my castle can get around at night. I'd like to do something like this:

From Etsy listing:

From https://www.pixtastock.com/illustration/58823117:

(I guess in some places they call this a 'sconce')

I looked around on Bricklink and the closest I found was this lantern below. But it looks like it only attaches to a hand, so I can't put it on the wall.
Any suggestions?

Tree Palm Top was used as lanterns in old pirate sets, for example 6285


Indentify old LEGO kit, classic car with bird driver I have 2 parts left from a kit I had as a kid. I'm trying to find out what the kit was? I'm ALMOST sure the driver was a pose-able bird man, many thanks!

Looks like it could come from one of two Fabuland sets, Bonnie Bunny's Camper or Charlie Crow's Carry-All. The radiator piece also comes in The Fabuland House.

Given your bird man as driver, I'm going with Charlie Crow's Carry-All.


Can you identify this bevelled grey 2x1 piece? I found this incredible MOC of the Ghost In The Shell robot and found a piece I have never seen before.  Is it a LEGO piece and, if so, can you help me identify it?

Link to the image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/coleblaq/31984689954/in/faves-43378406@N08/

It's 99563 LegoMinifig, Utensil Gold Ingot (Bar) in Light Bluish Grey.

Originally used for Gold pieces, nowadays regularly found as bricks and other wall decorations, for example on the ground floor of 10251 Brick Bank.


NXC Saturation algorithm for limiting motors? What is a good algorithm in NXC for control saturation? I want to make sure my motors don't turn past a certain angle, or they will break the model.
I could do something like:

if (angle > 45) {angle = 45;)

But that would be a hard limit. I'm looking for a smoother limit.

By "smoother limit", if you mean "when it gets closer to the limit, it will softly land there by slowing down" then:
I recommend using PID control where the response (how fast the motor is moving to the limit) is controlled proportional to the error (how far away from the limit you are).

Wikipedia has a good intro to PID control: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PID_controller


Can someone tell me what this part is? I wanted to make something from the "Forbidden LEGO" book and I came across a piece, I don't know what the part number is.

The piece has 5 peg holes, one axle hole, half a gear, last of all I don't know, but in the instructions, it looks like there are 2 half peg holes. What is the part?

This is Technic Gearbox Half. It's very easy to find by searching "technic gear" on BL.

The item number is 32166, and it was available in the early 2000s (specifically from 1999-2002).


Why does Lego restrict the number of colors per shape? There are many shapes and many colors of Lego elements. Some color/shapes are rare and hard to find. Why does Lego restrict the number of colors available per shape?

The problem isn't with molding machines, but with storage.  Every distinct element (part/colour combination) has to be stored until it's no longer going to be used in production; presumably some are stored for spare parts and other ancillary uses.

The robotic warehouse has only a certain number of slots (a mere 0.5 million), so there's only so many different combinations that can be held at any one time. To make space for a new element, another needs to be retired - and retired plastic is wasted plastic.  And waste costs money, and businesses hate that.

There's another force at play here too: pretty much every set has at least one element that is unique to that set - it seems to be not so much as a business rule, as business very firm guideline. The economic implication is that if the value of the non-unique elements in a set is $10 and the set sells for $12, it doesn't mean the set is overpriced; instead, it implies the unique element has a inherent value of $2. Harmony is restored to the LEGO secondary market. This business logic can be used to explain why licensed sets are often much worse value per brick than non-licensed - each unique minifig adds over-the-odds value.  Perhaps this stretches credulity too far?

The best argument for having one unique element per set is: without a unique element, it's conceivable that someone could build this LEGO set with pieces they already own!

Few of the molds LEGO uses are running 24/7.  Swapping out molds takes about three hours, during which the molding machine (one of 64) is inactive and you have expensive European labour fussing over a machine.  Swapping colours, on the other hand, isn't such a big deal.  Stop the plastic flow, empty the mold and remove the capture box, flow the new colour for  a while until the old colour's properly flushed, then start capturing this new colour (toss all the parts molded in two colours at once into the recycling bin).

I'm hoping it's obvious why you've got to store different colours of the same part separately. I'm also hoping you can remember that LEGO makes quite a few copies of each set it sells, so that box of purple 1x4 curved slopes you see above isn't actually all that many from TLG's point of view.  They have to mold every part for a given set they're going to sell, then store them all prior to assembling them in a batch. The vast bulk of LEGO is sold around Christmas, and they don't warehouse a vast amount of the completed sets (you've seen how much air is in a box of LEGO), just enough to keep the channels flowing.  Basically, they've got to be able to store a good portion of the whole year's production, because they can - and do - assemble bricks into sets faster than they can be molded.

As an aside, this is why LUGBulk runs early in the year, when they know what they've got too much of lying around and are comfortable that there aren't going to be any production shocks.

Production planning is done well in advance. If a particular set turns out to be gangbuster-crazy popular and requires additional production (a recent example: Friends), LEGO can dip into its reserve of parts but the more unique a set (or even line) is, the less likely you are to have those parts in reserve.  This is, in fact, an argument against having unique parts - but there's only so many models you can put a bright reddish violet slide into.

As for getting the same slide in other colours... really? You want it in Pearl light gray? In reddish brown?  In tan?  Remember that LEGO is sold as sets (models), and coincidentally comprises parts in various colours; if a particular part/colour combination isn't necessary to make any of the more than a hundred models marketed in a year, you're not going to see it turn up in the secondary market.  Unique elements that turn up in expensive sets are going to be expensive, as those few Bricklink stores that do buy expensive sets for parting out aren't going to buy many of them.


Technic 8071 assembly problem I am busy attempting to assemble Technic 8071, and have encountered a problem.

On page 83 of the first manual, a yellow gear (4203493) together with a grey splined rod (4211815) is added to the sub-assembly in diagram 13.

A little later, in book 2 page 4, diagram 14, two sub-assemblies are being joined, but the yellow gear is in the way. If you remove the yellow gear, everything goes together just fine.

I have backtracked through the instructions and re-assembled everything carefully, but there remains the possibility that I have made a mistake. Right now, it looks to me as though the documentation is incorrect. Can anyone confirm either that they have encountered the same problem, or that on the contrary, they have assembled the kit successfully? Is it just that I'm looking the wrong way at the diagram?

Edit: Added a couple of pictures

This is the image from the Book 2, Section 14, Page 4 on the instructions from the Lego Website - source. Does yours look like this?

To me it does look like it's not quite right - if you lift the yellow gear out, move the second part into position and then put the gear back it in it looks like it might fit, although the yellow gear wouldn't turn.

I'd advise contacting Lego support, or see if you can pick out the way the person put it together in this YouTube timelapse video.


What is the use of a single ultrasonic signal? The EV3 ultrasonic sensor has an advanced mode that includes an option to use single or continuous sensing as described in the Help page:

  You can choose whether the sensor sends a single ultrasonic signal or continuous signals with the Measuring Mode input.

What is the purpose of a single ultrasonic signal? In what situations may the sensor need to send a single signal?

I'm not an EV3 expert, but my understanding is that continuous mode stores results into a buffer that can be read nearly instantly. Single mode will need to wait to hear a ping back before reporting results.

Continuous mode will give you a faster response time. However, if you are using a number of ultrasonic sensors, they may interfere with one another, and using single mode should prevent this.


Lego Mindstorms education NXT 9797 software for a MacBook Air Where can I find Mac OS compatible software for the Lego Mindstorms Education NXT Base set (9797)?

You can download software for programming the LEGO Mindstorms NXT robots on macOS directly from the LEGO Mindstorms website.

The software is packaged in an ISO image, and there are instructions for how to install it also available on the same page.

Keep in mind that this is the retail version of the software, designed for use with the 8547 NXT 2.0 set, not the education version. The programming functionality for both sets will be the same, but the retail software does include some features specific for the 8547 set, such as building instructions, and does not include some features that the educational software does, such as data logging.


Identify 2011 set number, red car with criminal minifigure This bag is from a 2011 set, it's 150-250 pieces and it appears to be a car.

This is from set 60007: High Speed Chase based on Chains M Plate M 5 Ø¸3, 2 Hole. There are only two sets with this part in Medium Stone Grey. The other set is the Star Wars UCS B-wing


Is it possible to build a steering system without using gear racks such as part 87761? Is it possible to use part 6575 (and together with other Technic pieces) as an alternative to part 87761 for a steering system? (I am trying to use Technic pieces from Technic 42030 set to simulate this MOC). If possible, how do I go about it?

Part 87761

Part 6575

It's possible to build a steering system without using a gear rack. Rack and pinion steering is simply one of the easiest ways to translate the rotational motion of a steering wheel to the translational motion needed to adjust the wheels.

Here's one example of using tie rods and a knuckle to accomplish steering:

That's obviously quite complicated because it incorporates suspension as well as steering, but it's too pretty to not include. This basic concept is what is often used on go carts because it's dead simple, and mechanical advantage isn't very important on vehicles that small:

This design can be simplified to not need ball joints as long as all the moving parts stay in the same plane. Here's an example of Ackermann steering implemented that way:

You could swap 6575 into that design instead of 2825 pretty easily.

Here's an even simpler example with a motor mounted perpendicularly to avoid even needing to use any gears:


What is the design number of this brick? Attached is a picture of one of the bricks from the Dinosaur Set 31058. It is however not listed in the content list on lego.com, so I have not been able to find a replacement.

That's 98613c01 - Hero Factory Arm / Leg Extender with Ball Joint and Ball Socket on BrickLink.

LEGO call this item Ball Cup High Friction W. Rubber and use 74261 (design ID) and 6106472 (Element number) for latest sets.

LEGO doesn't always have full list of parts within a set as this depends on parts availability (maybe some other reasons too). You would get much better set inventory on BrickLink. Check your set - 31058 on BrickLink, where you can find the part you are looking to identify.


Identify the set these LEGO elements are from I have a LEGO set without any instructions:

Which set could it be, how can it be assembled?

Thanks you

No set listed on bricklink or brickset contains 4 of the rounded 1x2 plates in yellow, at most 2, so this is either no set or it is not listed yet on those sites. Also it's a relatively small amount of bricks (48), too few to amount to a set.

https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=35480&in=S&colorID=3&ov=Y


Where can I buy replacement stickers for the set 8018? I need replacement stickers for set 8018. I've bought a used set and I'd like to change around the sticker position.

You can get replacement stickers on BrickLink. Here is the link to the 8018 stickers: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=8018stk01


What different types of LEGO train tracks exist? I would like to purchase some used LEGO train tracks off of ebay. I am not, however, very familiar with the different choices of track systems are out there that I might come across. So I would like to learn more about the existing types of track systems. What kinds has LEGO used at various eras in their history? Are they inter-changable? If I'd like train tracks that are compatible with the currently available new LEGO city train sets, what types of tracks should I consider?
If possible, I'd love to see photos of a basic piece of each kind side by side to see the differences.

The main LEGO train systems are all roughly compatible. They all use a 6 stud gauge, so with a bit of fiddling, you can use all of the systems together. If you want to be most compatible with the current track offerings, you're better off with 9V and RC/PF track. This question discusses the specific compatibility issues in more detail.

There are several other train systems that have been used that are not compatible (DUPLO trains, 4 guage rails, etc), but I'll just cover the common 6 gauge systems here.

The different types of train track can be divided into a few main eras.

Blue Era (1966 - 1980)

A track section consisted of 2 rails connected by regular 2x8 plates. The rails themselves were blue.

Trains could be either pushed by hand along the track, powered via 3 batteries (4.5V system), or powered via a third conducting rail added to the center of the track (12V system). Here are what the conducting rails for the 12V system look like:

Some people still prefer the 12V system because it included more remote controlled components than the later 9V or RC/PF systems. With later systems, the only thing that is easily remote controlled is the train itself, whereas the 12V system included remote controlled points, light, and decouplers.

Each era included straight track, curved track, switches, and cross track.

Gray Era (1980 - 1991)

These rails are generally the same as the blue rails aside from the new gray color.

The sleepers were moved closer together (3 per section rather than 2), and they were changed to a specialized part to improve the strength of the connection. Here's what the sleepers look like:

The trains of this era were still either powered by 4.5V batteries or the 12V conducting rails.

9V Era (1991 - 2006)

The 9V era completely changed the track components, and did away with the old 4.5V and 12V voltages. Rails sections were a single piece, and they were all conducting.

The 9v system included straight, curved, switch, and cross track.

RC / Power Functions Era (2007-)

In 2006, LEGO switched back to non-conducting rails with roughly the same mold as the 9V track. Trains are now all battery-powered under either the RC or currently the Power Functions and Powered UP systems.

This era included the first and only crossover switch (7996) :

It also introduced flexible track:

Switches are also available, but a cross track has not yet been released for PF track.


LEGO family identification I found this little guy here, I remember I already had it in my childhood (~30 years ago).

Could somebody tell me what LEGO family it is?

The grid size is 2x2 LEGO studs, it just fits right onto one Duplo stud.
On the inside I see the LEGO logo and the following indication "4 01".

Seems to be 4224c01: Basic Figure Finger Puppet Female (bfp001)

It appeared in two sets:
1050-1 Basic Pack (1986) and 1089-1 Lego Basic Figures (1985)

Edit (thanks to @Mark comment):
While Brickset list only 2 sets with this figurine, BrickLink lists 25.


EV3 not recognized by PC when attempting firmware update after interrupted update I have just sent the following inquiry to Lego Customer Support:

  I aborted a firmware update and now the Intelligent Brick does not get past the "Starting.." message when it is turned on. I followed the instructions at http://www.legoengineering.com/ev3-gone-wrong-what-to-do-when-your-ev3-stops-working/ and I can get the Brick to switch to updating, but the EV3 software on my PC does not see that the Brick is connected via USB cable. Is there anything else I can do? The Brick is new and should be covered by warranty - how would I send it in to exchange it?

I'd appreciate answers to either question.

You have done the right thing by contacting Customer Service. They'll be able to help you potentially fix this or replace the part if needed.

I know you said that you already tried this, but I wanted to list the steps for a firmware update here in case others find this question. Here's the exact language from the EV3 user guide:

  Forced Firmware Update

  If  you  need  to  update  your  firmware  manually,  follow  the
  steps   below.  (Note: the EV3 Brick still requires a USB connection
  to your  computer)

  Make sure your EV3 Brick is turned off.
  Hold down the Back, Center, and Right buttons on the EV3 Brick.
  When the screen says “Updating”, release the buttons.

  If the manual firmware update does not make your EV3 Brick work  the
  first time, repeat the manual update process.

Here are some general things to try if you haven't already:

Take out the EV3 battery and unplug from your computer and just let the brick sit for 30 seconds or so. Repeat the above steps.
Reboot your computer, or try using another computer, and repeat the above steps.
Try using another USB cable and/or USB port and repeat the above steps. This is unlikely to help in your case since the cable just worked for you, but it could be helpful to someone else.

Please post back here if Customer Service is able to provide a fix for this issue, as I'm sure it will help out someone else.


Are the plastic bags inside the LEGO box recyclable? Are the plastic bags inside the LEGO box recyclable?

Also, why aren't the plastic bags inside the box not completely filled? If The LEGO Group didn't want it completely filled then why not decrease the bag size?

According to this bricksetforum thread (and also true of the LEGO sets we have around right now) the LEGO bags are #5 plastic which is accepted by Whole Foods and some municipal recycling services.
This thread
has interesting commentary on bag packing considerations.  Not surprisingly LEGO Group is optimizing for efficiency and dependability.  The bags and their weight also affect the QA process which includes weighing the bags.
2021 update - the future is getting here
LEGO is reportedly moving to paper bags.  This is a double win of going with a renewable resource and wider recycling availability.  LEGO themselves have a page on their sustainable packaging that says:

We will begin to test paper bags in our boxes which means goodbye single use plastic and hello recycling bin! First, we will trial recyclable paper bags that are made from Forest Stewardship Council certified paper. They will be designed to help children understand the importance of recycling and ensure they have the best possible play experience. Our new bags will be phased in over a four-year period from 2021.


What is this 2x2 headless driver body part? I found this Black 2x2 Piece which looks like a drivers torso, but I have no idea where it comes from.

Only found this piece, Part# 30599, that looks kind of similar, but mine has no head...

Any ideas?

FOUND IT its Brick, Modified 2 x 2 Racer Driver No Head
Item No: x351

How can I delete the post?

I just confirmed your own self answer, and yes, you are right this part is indeed

x351 Brick, Modified 2 x 2 Racer Driver No Head

This unique piece appears only in 20 sets.  Look HERE to see where yours might come from.


Need help fudging a group in 8039 So, I'm building "8039 Venator-class Republic Attack Cruiser ™ Star Wars TM" and I've hit a snag.

I need help fudging the instruction from page 76 of book 1 for that set (see picture below).

I'm out of piece number 4158830 and the variant (Technic Cross-block 2x1) that is one brick shorter.  I also tried the 2x2 Cross Block Fork but that splits the L-beams.

Might not be ideal, but have you tried replacing each Crossblock 2x3 with a Crossblock 90 and a Technic Lever 2M?

You lose a little bit of stability on the bottom edge with only two pin connections instead of four, but I think it'll do the job just fine. The new parts list is then:
 2x Crossblock 90 Deg
 2x Technic Angle Beam 4x2 90 Deg
 2x Technic Lever 2M
 1x Cross Axle 3M
 1x Cross Axle 5M


Is it possible to sand/polish LEGO bricks? I have an old white and rare brick which got scratches and dirtying which I cannot wash away. Any ideas on how to clean it? I thought about fine sanding or polishing but I am afraid that I damage the brick.

It is definitely possible, since ABS is a plastic that can be either mechanically or chemically affected. Cleaning bricks is a well-studied field, you will find useful information regarding this topic all over the internet, including here.

Polishing LEGO bricks is less heard of, but can be done either mechanically (another link) or chemically (another link). Note though, that any kind of polishing includes either removal or rearrangement of material, so the chance of damage is definitely not zero in any method. I'd suggest starting with the gentle and precise methods (file, hobby knife, fine sandpaper, etc), and only progressing to more drastical methods (acetone) if they fail.

When using acetone, be especially careful, as the vapours can't be easily controlled, and they are flammable (can burn down your house), poisonous (can kill you and your family), and can even melt the entire brick if given the chance! Of course the dangers depend on the amount and ventilation, but some of the above links depict clearly dangerous settings, uses and amounts.


What is the correct input voltage for the 9v Lego train speed regulator? I wanted to buy a transformer for the speed regulator, so based on this image, I bought a transformer with 12V DC output. It works.

However, discussing this with a fellow AFOL, he pointed out that his (original from LEGO) transformer has a 10V AC output, as seen in this image.

So... which one is correct? Or they both work? Or there are different versions of the speed regulator with different input requirements?

My speed regulator is clearly labeled as being 9-12V AC. I have an official 12VAC transformer.

I was curious about the internals of this device, so I opened it up:

The circuit begins with 4 diodes in standard bridge rectifier configuration. This converts the AC input into a rippled DC voltage. The large capacitor (2200uF, 25V) then cleans up the ripples. There is also an LM317 adjustable voltage regulator configured to output various voltages depending on the dial setting.

This means that the input can be 9-12 voltes AC or DC because the rectifier simply passes DC current.


Separate LEGO Technic wheel from 3 pin hub How to separate a 3 pin wheel hub (part# 92909),

from this wheel (part# 44772),

in order to replace it with another wheel, such as part# 22969?

The main trick is to simultaneously push all three pins of the hub:

If you have another hub, and the wheel allows for this, take it and push carefully from the other side. If both hubs are half-way in, you should be able to pull out both.
Otherwise, take two wedge belt wheels, align them on top of each other, insert a pin into every second hole and repeat the above. There are various obvious variations of this approach using different parts, if you need a longer tool or don’t have the parts available.


Which subtheme did the "Space Monorail" sets come under? Many years ago I remeber attending a model railway exhibition and one of the railways was a Lego monorial that looked very "space" based. I've found 6990 (Monorail Transport System) and 6991 (Monorail Transport Base) but I can't find out what sub-theme they came under.

BrickSet lists 6990 under the Futuron space sub-theme and 6991 in the Unitron space sub-themes.

There was also a Monorail sub-theme of City.


Mindstorms start block is missing the start block is missing on my mindstorms NXT 2.0 programming space. i cannot run any program without it.

i have tried, restarting the programming window, placing a block and even just undoing to the point that it dissappeared.

So far nothing has worked

Try uninstalling the software and installing the latest version (if you weren't installed it)


How should I go about selling a large number of unsorted LEGO sets? Here is my problem.  Over the years my son had me buy a large number of Star Wars sets (including 10179, 10188, 6211, 7676, 7675)  and he built them.  Then he traded (or lost) most of the mini-figs except for those in the death star.  He has all but 3 and they are for sale on e-bay.

They all were taken apart and I am sure that 99% is in all of the 10 plastic staorage boxes I have.

My problem is how do I sell them and what to ask?  I see that the 10179 is going for 2400.00 new in box.  Really? Who would pay that much. It is just a Lego. I have a huge list of other star wars kits totaling 24 in all.  I can get all the kit numbers if you like.  Plus, I have 60-100 dollars of gift cards for the LEGO store that I will throw in to help get missing pieces or whatever from LEGO itself.

I am in the Sacramento area of California and found this site.  Thought I would throw it out there.

You have three basic choices, depending on how much time you want to spend:

Sell the collection as-is (with as much honest description as you can muster and great photos if you're selling on-line).
Sort the collection into sets and sell them as-is with parts / figs missing.
Sort into sets and replace missing parts / figs.

These three are not mutually exclusive.

Personally, I'd go with the first option unless you have a lot of time on your hands and are a real enthusiast. Otherwise, your time is probably worth more than any additional profits you might make. At the same time, there are plenty of us who would love to take on a collection like this.


DFB LEGO Minifigures I'm a big fan of LEGO still to this day I was wondering are the DFB LEGO Minifigures available in Los Angeles cause I live there hoping to get the LEGO because they look so great.

I believe that no official retailers outside of Germany+Austria+Switzerland go these. I bought mine on amazon.de.


What LEGO piece is this arc with ball joint? I cannot find a part number on it. It has the official logos on the studs. What is this? What theme does it originate from?
It looks like a combination of a 4x4 plate, a 5x2 plate and an arc with a ball joint.

That is the Vehicle, Trailer Base 4 x 13. It came in one set, the #378 Tractor from 1972.
Found by searching first 4x9 (didn't find it) and then 4x13 (the total length).


Looking to Identify a LEGO creator set with a hook Wandering the Internet not long ago I saw a LEGO set that I thought my kid would like because it had a hook (they are into tow trucks these days, so things with hooks catch their interest). Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the page nor write the name of the set down, and now it is impossible for me to find it again.

These are the things I remember about the set

It was probably a LEGO creator set, because at first I thought the box contained 3 different vehicles and then I realized that you could build 3 different things with the same pieces.
It had a hook of some kind (definitely) and probably a rope for the hook.
One of the vehicles that you could build with the set was airborne, probably an helicopter, maybe a train.
Other of the vehicles that you could build was a boat or ship (due to the size it looked more like a tiny tugboat).
The predominant colors in the set were red and black (maybe dark blue?).

Note: I don't think it was the LEGO Creator Cargo Heliplane.

Possibly 31045 Ocean Explorer?

Has hook
Tugboat appearance
3-in-1
Red and Dark Blue
one model is a plane

If that's not it, you can browse Bricklink for sets containing hooks. I'm guessing you probably saw the modern "Hook with Towball" piece


Best way to store instruction manuals? Currently I store LEGO set manuals and instructions in hanging file folders in a file box, grouped by set type. This makes it hard to dig through and find the one I need, and manuals tend to get tangled up and damaged.

Is there any storage method that protects the instructions better and makes them easier to find the one I need?

For physical manuals, I personally like to use clear presentation sheet protectors similar to the ones that @BradC mentioned. Regarding organization, I place the ones that I refer to frequently in some binders, sorted by theme, while sets that I don't use as much go into a set of hanging file folders.

If you don't mind electronic storage, you could download all of your manuals, either from Lego's site (for sets since 2002), or from other fan sites as noted in this Squidoo page:

  Still no joy? Let's try another site. Go to Worldbricks, choose
  Instructions Number and pick a number range from the dropdown list at
  the top of the screen, or Instructions Theme and pick a starting
  letter from the dropdown list.

  Without knowing the number or name, you can still find the set.
  Several sites provide databases of lego sets which you can search by
  theme, or using a single word you remember from the set name, or even
  just something related. Try LUGNET or Peeron, which will link you to
  instructions once you find the set.

Electronic viewing keeps my manuals in pretty good condition - I minimize touching and only pull them out when I build now, while if I just want to browse, I can fire up my computer.


Can you identify these arch-way pieces I'm considering starting a project inspired by some of the Arab-style buildings I've seen. Most of them use a sort of curved archway around the windows. I can't figure out how to duplicate it. Can anyone identify the pieces used here to form the curved archways?

Any other suggestions for making a cool arab scene (for a relatively new builder)

You are, most likely, interested in identifying following arch:

Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 2

The other arch as seen in second picture is the following one:

Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 3


How can I draw a microfigure on paper? I am a great drawer, but I cannot draw microfigures! You may think that because I am young I won't be great I really am, but I need help drawing this, on paper.

Since you'll be working at a scale you may prefer to use graph paper. You can print your own if you don't have any, this will make it easier. Use a ruler, pencil and a rubber to draw your microfigure.

A microfigure is roughly 2/7 legs, 2/7 torso and 3/7 head high, It should also be 3 squares wide. You may find the diagram below makes it easier to visualise:

At this stage the most important thing to concentrate on is symmetry.

  Symmetry is common in nature, human beings and even more so with Lego.
  Bricks wouldn't be as compatible as they are now if they didn't have a
  sense of symmetry.

For now, concentrate on the vertical symmetry (top-to-bottom). In my sketch I've drawn out the three boxes first and added a few rough outlines within the guidelines. These guidelines can be erased later when you have finished.

If you can draw Microfigures, you can draw Minifigures. All it takes is a change of scale.


LEGO stormtrooper pauldron dimensions Does anyone know what the size dimensions for Imperial and First Order pauldrons are? I want to make some custom ones.

Based on this information from Brick Owl, the Imperial pauldron would fit in a rectangle of dimensions 2.7 x 2.3 centimeters. The center hole on all capes must be able to clear the neck diameter of approximately 4.88 mm as was quoted here backed up by my own measurements.

If you are looking to make a pauldron for yourself, you might consider finding a trace of the desired pauldron and adjusting the scale until the image is 2.7 cm at the widest. Making a 5 mm hole will suffice so the piece does not fall too low on the shoulders. Hope this helps.


Early 1980s snap together shop/house scene toy Hoping someone can help.
I grew up in the 80s and LEGO was my life but one birthday my grandparents bought me a building set which included plastic panels that snap together. When all put together it made a shop and street scene.
From memory there were:
Grey path pieces that interlocked, beige panels for the house, red/brown panels for the roof.
The set also included green stems and little coloured flower pieces which when put together could fit into little holes in the grey path panels.
There were also a few other little pieces that made up the scene.
I’ve researched on google looking at old toy catalogues, I’ve looked on eBay but can’t find anything.
Hopefully someone has an idea as it’s really racking my brain trying to figure out what this early 1980s plastic snap together set was called.

Yes, I had the same sets, they formed roads for toy metal cars like Matchbox and Hot Wheels. The product name was Majo-kit, from a company called Majorette.


What dark green and lime BIONICLE do I have? If anybody could tell me what BIONICLE this is I’d greatly appreciate it, it’s driving me mad!

My answer totally springboards off of Alexander "Hawk-Eyes" O'Mara's astute observation of its suspected authenticity.  Nice job Alex.

I looked up BIONICLE knock-offs and got a video that named the brand as "конструктор последний воин", then Google Image searched that phrase for a pic of our Greenie Meanie, and Voila!:

Google translates the Russian/Mongolian to:

"конструктор последний воин":

"Builder of the Last Warrior".
And this guy is named "ЛИЗОРД":

"Lizord" or Lizard.
The toy maker is, "1Toy Растем вместе!":

"1Toy Growing Together!".

There seems to be an entire, Builder of the Last Warrior line, with at least one dedicated community called RUSBIONICLE.


Invert motor block in EV3 New to EV3 so this should be simple. I would like my simple wheeled robot to go backwards. So I put two invert motor blocks, one for port B the other for port C followed by a move steering block. The motors ran forwards! I then tried an invert motor black followed by a large motor block and that worked just fine. Does invert motor not work with move steering or am I missing something obvious?

In EV3, use a negative number for the power to go backwards.


How much does an average LEGO brick cost to produce? I know that LEGO bricks approximately sell for 10 cents per piece but what does it cost to make an average brick?

I found that looking to the website http://www.custompartnet.com/estimate/injection-molding/ is a great help to figuring out how much stuff costs.

I started with a quantity of 1 million, as Lego would make bricks in huge quantities.
Small envelope of around an inch for the standard brick,
.1 in thickness on the top is the most,
looked up the volume online, and
chose the other options logically.

Material and Production is all we care about, so...

2 cents + 3.3 Cents = ~5 cents per brick!

It might even be a little cheaper assuming they produce in China.


What is this 2x4 brick with a 2x3 rounded plate with hole attached? I found this LEGO brick and have no idea what it does, it’s name, or which set it is from. It is a 2x4 brick with a 2x3 base plate with a rounded end and a hole in it.

Can anyone tell me about this brick?

It's a magnetic base that minifigs are attached to.


Ninjago lightning and fire dragons I am searching (to buy) the lighting dragon and the fire dragon from the Ninjago series. I am not interested in other parts of those sets, I'm just searching for the dragons themselves.

I have searched Bricklink and Ebay to check if there are individual dragons sold, but I could not find them.

Does anyone have any hint where I can buy those dragons?

I can think of several possibilities:

Just be patient. They'll probably come up on bricklink or ebay eventually.
Buy the complete sets and sell off the parts / assemblies that don't interest you.
Buy the sets with someone else and split them for the parts / models that interest each of you.
Get the instructions, and buy the parts to make the dragons individually.
Create your own dragons from the any parts you already have or can get easily.

It depends on how much you want the dragons. If you really need them, I suggest (2) might be your best bet.


Pass sensor or motor port number as a parameter I want to create a block for one light sensor or one motor separately. Is it possible to give the number of the port as a parameter to a sensor or motor block via data wire? In NXT-G it was possible.

Yes, it is possible to pass the port number as a parameter to a sensor or motor block via data wire. It's just that it's manually selected by default. To change this, go to the port of the sensor or motor block, and select the top-most option which has the plug icon on it:

It will then create a data port for which motor port you want to use:

The same principle applies with sensor blocks. The input for both sensor and motor blocks is read as number, and you can validly enter a number 1-4 to represent which port.

In the above example, a variable is created, and that variable is then passed to both the motor and sensor blocks. Since it was set as 1, it will move motor connected to port A, and wait until the touch sensor connected to port 1 has been touched.


What are the known software tools for the EV3? The EV3 is coming in Fall/Summer of 2013 and we tons of unknowns that will come in EV3. I am curious what software EV3 will run and will older generation software run on EV3 (NXT 1.0). And my final Question EV3 will work with Apple and Android devices, so that would mean iOS and Android developers could make application for EV3 or will only Lego make apps for EV3.

The graphical software that ships with the EV3 set can program both EV3 bricks and older generation bricks. We assume that this means NXT 1.0 and 2.0 bricks. However, it is unlikely that NXT-G will work with EV3 bricks as EV3 bricks run a custom build of Linux, whereas older bricks run a custom firmware.

LEGO will create an offical app for both Apple and Android devices, but other app developers will be able to use the API to interface with the EV3. There will most likely be some documentation available (as it was for the NXT), and perhaps a SDK available for download.


Are there factories in China that produce raw LEGO-compatible blocks? Nowadays Chinese are getting really good at making LEGO-compatible blocks. Some sets are really unique and of very good quality. But still - we got our own ideas. I wonder does anyone here know any source in China, that produces blocks (not sets)? So blocks of requested shape and color. I would like to contact them somehow. They should exist, since set producing companies do not seem to produce blocks themselves, but rather taking them from somewhere else.

There are vendors that sell LEGO compatible blocks. One place to look for these is on AliExpress, which is an online marketplace affiliated with Alibaba, the world's largest retailer (wikipedia).

You can search around for what you want, but here are two sellers that I found as an example (1, 2).

Note that these don't appear to be significantly better prices than what you might find on a secondary LEGO market such as Bricklink, and quality varies a lot between brands, so I'd recommend sticking with Bricklink unless you are looking for massive quantities and quality isn't as important to you.

High quality LEGO compatible brick manufacturing requires very high mold tolerance and tight tolerances on the entire injection molding process. It isn't easy to do cheaply, and LEGO's scale allows them to be fairly price competitive on bulk parts among manufactures with similar quality.


Understanding the makeup of an XML .ev3p file When you unzip an .ev3 program, there are many txt and xml files that are inside. In particular, there is an xml file produced with the filename extension .ev3p, which seems to contain program instructions which the EV3 brick can then interpret and execute. I am interested in using these .ev3p files produced in order to analyze the correctness of programs.

To test this, I created two .ev3 programs: one which moves forward 3 cycles, one which moves forward 5 cycles. Upon text-comparing their respective .ev3p files, I found :

<ConfigurableMethodTerminal ConfiguredValue="3">

in the first file and

<ConfigurableMethodTerminal ConfiguredValue="5">

in the second file.

However, there are other small, unexplained differences between the respective .ev3p files. I need to know:

Is there any documentation that is provided by National Instruments that can give me insight into how these .ev3p files are produced and how they can be interpreted.

I personally doubt that there is any publicly available documentation of the contents of these files. However, you may gain some insight from the documentation in the "EV3 Block Developer Kit" available on the LEGO MINDSTORMS Download page.

Tip: rather than using the outdated copy of the EV3 software included in the EV3 Block Developer Kit, I have found that you can create a file named MindstormsEV3.ini with the following contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Tokens DeveloperMode="True" />

and save it in the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 program directory to enable developer mode on any installed version of the software.


Mindstorms EV3: Patrolling a number of rooms - what are my options? I want my Mindstorms EV3 bot to patrol a number of rooms autonomously on the same track.

What are my options?

line following, which requires a line and is relatively slow
setting a default program of moves, resulting in a collision sooner or later (missing accuracy)

Am I am missing something that is more accurate and faster?

For moving on defined path you can achieve amazing accuracy with LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 odometry combined with good gyroscope but this still will result in a collision sooner or later.

Examples of such systems can be found here and here

Both of these systems use MICROINFINITY CruizCore XG1300L gyro/accelerometer but there are other good gyroscopes.

The only way to limit the growth of positioning error (and eventual collision) are absolute positioning methods such as beacons, artificial/natural landmarks recognition or model matching.

The state of the art in robotics is SLAM which could be implented on top of system with LIDAR, odometry and possibly gyroscope, preferably with ready-made ROS SLAM algorithms and computation on PC (EV3 is too slow). Making such system work is quite involved and may take months of work.

I'm not sure if this would be any faster than following a line though.

You can also consider following the wall, with Maze Solving Algorithms to move around the rooms.


How do I get Batman out of DC Comics Super Heroes Character Encyclopaedia without damaging the book? I know less than nothing about LEGO, I bought the book because it was on offer and looked cool.
How do I get Batman out of the book without damaging the book? I can't seem to find any instructions

You simply open the front cover and you can take out the minifigs from the back. It won't damage the book at all.


Lego Classics alternative I've been looking at buying one of the classics sets for my young kids. My desire was to have a large collection of bricks that they could build houses/cities/etc with.

I thought that the Classics sets would be exactly what I'm after, but after looking at reviews, etc it seems like they contain very few normal blocks and contain a large amount of small, not that useful pieces (790 piece set only contains 67 4x2 bricks). Looking at reviews and blogs, it seems like this is fairly common feedback on these sets but I haven't seen where people have mentioned good alternatives.

Hence I'm wondering if anyone knows where I might be able buy in bulk a "large" quantity of "normal" bricks from (i.e.  1000 - 1500 prices).

Lego bricks can be purchased individually from Lego.com using their Pick-A-Brick service.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/page/static/pick-a-brick?icmp=HP-SHQL-EG-NO-pick-a-120

If you have an official Lego Store near you then buying bricks from their Pick-A-Brick Wall is a less expensive option once you figure out how to maximize the amount of bricks you can stuff into a cup.

There are also sites that sell individual bricks, often at a lower price:

Brickset: https://brickset.com/

Brickowl: https://www.brickowl.com/

You may also be able to find good deals on Ebay for bulk bricks already sorted by color and type.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC1.A0.H0.Xlego+bulk+bricks.TRS0&_nkw=lego+bulk+bricks&_sacat=0

I would recommend buying one starter set of basic bricks to compliment the basic bricks and provide them with some variety.  Sets like 10717 have minimal amounts of special pieces compared to other.

They have made sets in the past with a lot of basic bricks, many of them were sold under "Educational & Dacta".  One of the more recent releases was set# 45811 that looks like sells for around $40.00 on Bricklink.


How can I fix a flattened gear? I have an old small gear that somehow got flattened to an oval shape. The axle hole is too narrow to slide a bar through, although it is not completely closed shut.

How can I repair this gear?

The material deformation you are seeing is called ‘plasticity’.  It happens when a material under stress is deformed and doesn’t return to its original shape (this would be called elasticity).  In many cases (and it is the case with LEGO ABS plastic), this deformation weakens the material (as mentioned by Kramii).

To fix this part you have to deform it again thus breaking it even more.   Here are two things you could do:

Force it back into shape and put small amount of Krazy Glue in the cracked areas. Hopefully this will fill the gaps and give some strength back to the gear.
You could sacrifice an axle and glue (Krazy Glue) it permanently.  This would strengthen the gear a lot but condemn it to only be used with that axle.

I have a bunch of those small gears, I wish I could just give you one.


What kind of software can I use to design LEGO MOCs? What kind of software can I use to design LEGO MOCs? I hear the LDD is not so good to use so is there alternative software I can use?

A popular alternative is stud.io, provided by Bricklink.

Another possibility mentioned by Alex in the comments is LDCad.


NXT program not running We have multiple NXT Bricks. We can read sensor data and motor degrees from View. Some are running FW 1.31, others FW 1.28.

When we try a simple 5-step NXT program, the motors will not turn. We tries wait blocks after the move blocks. This only occurs on some of the bricks, and there is no correlation with the FW version.

Did you use in program the same motors as you check via View? For example, maybe you view A and B motors, but in program uses C and D?
If you have the following behaviour:

  You check motors via View, then create a program and it works. After
  that you substitute NXT brick for another one, check the same motors
  via View but that same program doesn't work.

In that case I'd suggest to refresh firmware.


Can you identify if this part is original? Recently, I bought a LEGO part from Bricklink (Technic, Steering Arm with 4 Ball Joints with Black Wheel Hub (x872 / x873)).

I'm not sure if it is an original part or not, because I don't see any LEGO trademark or ID number on the element and I cannot find any reference for that part. The only text on the brick is a single digit (e.g. "7").

Quality of the item is really good, so I believe it's original, but I need to be sure.

I got such pieces from sealed set (long time ago though) and none of these parts have any sort of LEGO brand identification.

So it could be legit part after all.


How can I wirelessly connect the NXT and an iOS device? I've seen videos around YouTube (like this one for a car) that show an ability to control a Mindstorms set via iOS (either iPhone or iPod Touch).  I am just getting started with Mindstorms, but find this type of possibility very intriguing. How can I set this up? Should I use Bluetooth or something else?

As stated in the description of that video, the big issue is that the iPhone won't pair with uncertified devices:

The car is built with standard Lego Mindstorms NXT components. Since iPhone SDK does NOT allow using non certified devices (which are limited to other iPhones and some headsets etc.) I have used BTStack library.

I guess this is why there's an official app for Android, but not iPhone.
Note that the app itself is only available on Cydia, which I believe requires a JailBroken iPhone to run:

LegoDrive is available on Cydia. Just install using Cydia on your iPhone/iPod, enter your Lego NXT's device ID and you can use LegoDrive too!
LegoDrive (formerly presented as iCar) demonstrates how to control a Lego Mindstorms NXT robot using (rotating and tilting) iPhone over Bluetooth.

Edit to add (08-Jan-2013)
The recently announced Mindstorms EV3 includes the statement that:

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 will also include full iOS and Android compatibility out of the box.

While the new "EV3 Intelligent Brick" features:

New Linux-based firmware, a USB port and SD expansion slot [which] offer nearly unlimited programming and expansion capabilities


Are variables always global with NXT? New to NXT software. What I'm trying to do is get my motor to go one of 5 distances, but I'm not sure how to choose between those actions. What I thought of was setting 5 variables to 5 sensors. The idea is that if I activate 1 of 5 sensors (left button, enter button, right button, touch sensor, sound sensor), it will know which of the 5 variables are usable and simply does that.

Yes, global.

5 variables may be 4 more than required. I think one is enough.

Set intSensor = 0
Loop until intSensor > 0
    If leftButton then intSensor = 1
    If rightButton then intSensor = 2
    If enterButton then intSensor = 3
    If bumped1 then intSensor = 4
    If soundVal > 50 then intSensor = 5
End Loop
If intSensor = 1 then moveForward(135)
. . .


Is there an organization who repackages old LEGO bricks into sets to give to underprivileged children? Does Lego have a program by which we can return old LEGO parts so they can be reassembled into packages for underprivileged kids? My kids, and now grandkids, have always played with LEGO bricks and I have a large collection of parts, not in their original boxes and would like to give them to an organization who would reassemble them into workable sets for disadvantaged kids. I hate to just throw them away as I must have several hundred dollars worth of parts.. Any ideas?

Another option is to locate a nearby BrickLink vendor and request them to sell the pieces and donate the proceeds to charity. So far as I know, this is the best way to donate, as the pieces are sold for their appropriate value and the money can be donated as you wished. You may consider donating the pieces to Creations for Charity as well.

If you really want to donate parts, the best way would be to use the money from other suggestions to purchase general purpose block sets, and donate those.


Fix Power Functions cable near connector (L motor) We have a broken cable on the power functions L motor. I've fixed an M-motor before in the engine, but this time the cut is near the connector.
Unlike the M-motor, this connector doesn't have the clips to open.
How can this connector be opened to shrink the wire?
The L-motor has a different connector than the M-motor, it looks like this:

Since there are no visible clips on the connector, it is probably not possible to open it without damaging it. Instead, you could purchase an 8886 or 8871 extension wire and use it to replace the entire cable (assuming you can open the motor).


Identifying various parts I bought a lot of various parts, but I can't seem to identify the following parts.

The grey wheels have rubber on one side of the axl hole
I'm thinking that that the black frame-thing isn't Lego, but wanted to be sure before tossing it.
The white wheels have circular holes, not axl holes.

I can't identify the black parts.

The toothed wheel is a string reel spool.

The rest of the parts appear to have come from a Robotics Invention System set from RCX-era Mindstorms:

The grey wheels with a different material on the inside are part 2983. None of those sets have 5 of these, though.
The grey bricks are touch sensors.
The white wheels are conveyer belt wheels.


What exactly is this Lego train motor? I bought this in the early 90s as a spare, since the type of Lego train was being phased out. Presumably the old 12V system.  The original train was given away but I still have this.  I want to sell it but need to know what it is.  It has the numbers 49 5 on the bottom.

It appears to be Electric, Train Motor 12V Modern.


Which type of LEGO bricks would be compatible with the Mega Bloks Blind Bag Figures? My husband collects the Marvel figures which come in the Mega Bloks blind bags. His birthday is coming up and I'd like to build him a display for his Marvel figures. I'd strongly prefer to use LEGO in order to build this display. I've read that certain types of Mega Bloks are compatible with certain types of LEGO bricks. (I will most likely have to purchase online so I won't be able to compare size in person before purchasing.)

How can I make sure that the type of LEGO I am buying will fit the foot holes of the Mega Bloks Marvel figures?

Mega blocks can stand on any Lego plate just as good as Lego figures. This is demonstrated in this battle scene between Lego and Mega Blocks figures:

mega bloks halo vs. lego star wars clones

Before you play this, I advice you to turn down the sound a bit...


Loop doesn't work, always inputs the same condition I have a loop but always inputs the same condition, please see the picture.

You have the motor power set to 1 and you are waiting for 1 full rotation. If the motor moves at all, it will take a long time to complete one rotation. Most of the loop is spent waiting for the rotation to complete (or if the motor is not moving at all, then the loop never actually loops).

Try using a higher power - at least 10. Also, use less than one rotation, or use time (just a fraction of a second) instead for the duration of the motor block.


Is there a way to remotely operate the push-button light brick? The push-button light brick seems to be popular with Lego at the moment, and included in quite a few sets.

I'd like to find a way of being able to operate it remotely, so that I can include the lights within a Cityscape and switch them all on and off easily.

The button obviously can be connected to a technic axle, but is there a simple way of motorising an on/off push?

(I know I could alternatively use the PF lights, but they don't always seem to be as easy to use in place)

Yes, the easiest way would be to get the following: a powerfunctions remote control, battery box, moter, ir reciever,   and z-motor. The total cost is $36 and you can get all this on LEGO.com except for the z-motor, that part you have to get in a LEGO set as the following: 8052. 8053, 8110, and the LEGO Technic yellow actuator which I can't find the set number of right now. get a 1x4 axle (usually black) put it at the far end of the z-motor and into the light brick. Get another 1x4 axle and put in  the other end of the z-motor and into the regular motor, hook the regular  motor into the receiver, and the receiver into the battery box. Make sure the remote control and the receiver are in channel 1. Make sure the green light is on, on the battery box. The battery box could stay on for about a week without needing new batteries. flick both of the levers on the remote and the  light should turn on. You could also get the rechargeable battery box where it plugs into an outlet and never needs batteries. You could run 32 lights on 1 remote.


Connected flexible 2 x 2 white plates - what set? I'm going through my old Lego collection and trying to identify the original sets they're from. The bulk of the Lego is from the 70s and 80s.

I have a piece that is two white 2 x 2 plates joined together by a thin cord. I seem to remember it joined a car to a cart or something like that, but I can't find the part in any of the sites I've looked.

Can anyone help me with this piece (either how to properly describe it when searching catalogues or possible sets it may be from).

That's an old 650 Hinge Coupling Nylon - Two Connected 2 x 2 Plates from the 60s.

It only ever came in 20 sets, but it's typically clear. It's listed as a possible alternate for the following set, but it's possible other sets could have had it as an alternate too.

901-2 2 Large Wheels with Accessories


Moving the motor to certain initial position I was assisting my child in EV3 missions, specifically, the 3rd mission of TRACK3R, the one where the robot has to grab two tires and put them elsewhere.

The mission requires to manipulate the Medium motor at about 90 degree turns: 90 degrees anti-clockwise means "close" and 90 degrees clockwise means "open".

It quickly becomes a hassle to reset the hand to the initial position, from whatever position is was left after the program exited. Forcing the motor to turn until it can't no more is not a solution, because the motor gets stuck, green LEDs on the brick are blinking, and the action block in the software does not advance.

If you are using the mode "turn by N degrees", it will become stuck. However, you can try using the other mode - "turn for N seconds" and it will work. It will work because the first mode will keep trying to run the motor until the motor turns exactly by 90 degrees, and so the program will appear stuck. In the second mode the motor will be on for specified number of seconds and then the program will go to the next block even if the rotation was less than 90 degrees.