How can a Mindstorms robot lift something very heavy? I have a small LEGO Mindstorms robot and it needs to lift heavy objects, but it doesn't seem possible because the motor cannot bear the load. What methods or mechanisms can I use to make the robot stronger?

I'm assuming that you meant "the motor is not powerful enough".

Surely you can use a gearing ratio & leverage to assist? Essentially you want the motor to turn many times for each small amount of distance traveled by the lifting arm. This means a small gear on the motor and a large gear driving the lifting. You may need to connect several gears together to get enough of a reduction, like the graphic here.

See the graphic "Reducing Gear Train" here.


How can I motorize City-scale wheels? I'd like to build city-scale (6 studs wide) vehicles motorized with either PF motor or clockwork. The primary problem right now is connecting wheel(s) to motor. Are there small enough LEGO wheels with axle hole? Any other idea on how to connect it to motor (with gears, friction, or by any other means)?

If i remember right, the tires of the small LEGO City wheels fit perfectly on a Technic 1/2 bush which then gives you an axle hole, but note that this is very flat on the ground. I don't know if its high enough to add a very small gear and build up the connection to your motor.


How do you make your own LEGO instructions? As per the title, how can I make my own LEGO instructions?

Use LDD. LDD is a free program made by LEGO that enables you to build LEGO creations digitally, and it automatically can produce instructions for whatever you build. The main downsides are that it's very hard to use and the selection of pieces is not amazing, and that it is no longer being updated by LEGO. I use this program. Another option is to use stud.io. I don't know very much about it, but what I know is that it's a program made by BrickLink, and you can make your own designs for stuff and buy them off of bricklink.


How do you display multiple items at once on an EV3 screen? I'm trying to make a program on the EV3 that will imitate the shutdown process.

At first, I wanted to make my life easier by naming the program "Shutting Down" and not interfere with the display in any way, because the program execution screen looks almost exactly like the real shutdown screen, however there is one small difference. On the default program execution screen, the line underneath the Mindstorms logo sometimes has parts of it intentionally white-ed out so that it looks like two lines, but the shutdown screen always has one straight black line that never changes. So I decided to go with Plan B.

Plan B was to interfere with the display and make it look 100% like the real shutdown screen. I am a bit new to this, though, and there's one thing about displays that I still don't get. And that is how I'm supposed to have more than one item appear on the screen at a time.

Here are the things I tried:

• I put all the displays in an infinite loop block without any wait blocks, hoping that without wait blocks it will display the images at such a rate that it gives the illusion that they are being shown all at once, but instead, it acted as if I did put tiny wait blocks here and there and the screen flickered, which is not what I want. What's stranger is that they came up in a lighter black than usual, kinda like the EV3 screen was physically dying.

• I put each display block with one play block behind it and nothing else, but the result was that only one of the displays would show up.

Here's the current program, without any display tweaks (other than the completely blank screen). I doubt it will help, but I don't mind if you steal my code and claim it for yourself. It's also possible that the code is messing with the display, but again, I doubt it. Just take a look:

At the start of the program, add a block that displays a custom image that is exactly the same as the shutdown screen (To make one, go to the tools tab at the top left, and in the drop-down, press "Image Editor") also, you can make a completely blank image for the second display block.


EV3 program runs fine when connected to PC but does not respond when copied to the brick I am building the race car mentioned in the LEGO Mindstorms discovery book using an EV3 brick.

The problem I am facing is that the driving program runs fine when the brick is connected to the PC via USB. I can run it, I can use the remote control and test the car to steer, move back and forward as long as I like.

However, once I transfer the program to the brick, and run it without PC, it responds to the remote only twice and then stops responding.

This is very weird because if there was a problem in the program, it should not run in the first place even from PC directly, right?

So I guess there is something wrong in my program when it gets transferred to the brick.

Thanks for the comments. I figured it out and the mistake was simple. I had two separate and independent program sequences each with its own start point in one program window. One sequence was for testing purpose to see if everything works and
 the 2nd sequence was the actual driving block. As I am new to this setup, I guess one window should have just one program sequence.

Once I deleted the test block and kept only the driving sequence, everything works fine. Posting this just in case some newbie might find it helpful in future.

For the veterans, I hope my understanding is correct that in one window, there should be only one start point.


Xbox to Robot Inventor? Is it possible to connect an Xbox controller directly to the Lego Robot Inventor(51515) intelligent brick?

Not with the standard software, not directly. You can however have the Xbox controller connect to your PC and "stream" your program, i.e. the program runs on your PC rather than the Hub and motor commands are forwarded... I found this quite disappointing when I was trying this...


Overview of online LEGO discussion forums? To help give an outsider an overview of the online LEGO community:

What are the main online discussion forums in the LEGO world?  Who hangs out where?  What are the popular special interest forums?

For example:

LEGO Message Boards is operated by LEGO® and appears to be targeted at (and popular with) the younger generation of builders.  The number of members and posts is not apparent.

This question applies specifically to online communities centered around the threaded discussion forum format.

Related questions:

Best online community for Lego Builders?

The main discussion boards for teen and adult LEGO fans are as follows:

EuroBricks Forum - this is one of the oldest and most established LEGO fan forums with a huge number of discussions going on at any given time. You can find everything here from news, to custom building, to contests.

Brickset Forum - this is the second largest LEGO forum, mostly focused on collecting LEGO sets.

Reddit Forum - this is a very active forum in the standard Reddit format, focusing mainly on breaking news, shopping deals, and helping out those who are new to the hobby.

BrickLink Forum - this is another very old forum, mainly focused on buying and selling LEGO.

BrickPicker -  for those who are into buying, selling and investing in LEGO. It has set & build reviews, availability information, deals on buying LEGO etc.

There are many other, smaller forums specialized on a specific topic (like customization, castle building, Technic building, LEGO Star Wars, etc.), but if you participate in any of the big ones mentioned above, you will be well connected and informed.


What can cause programmed NXT 2.0 motors to misfunction when small resistance is applied? I have robot built per the Alligator tutorial included with Mindstorms NXT 2.0. Everything works correctly if I hold it off the ground and make sure there is no load on the two leg motors. However, if I apply any resistance at all to the motors, then one of the motors will usually (~90% of the time) stop functioning correctly.  Whenever it stops it seems to be braking because it does not turn freely.
In the alligator program, I think it usually happens whenever the two motors are programmed to move simultaneously in the same direction for a certain amount of time.  If resistance is applied, then motor B will usually stop working. Of course, this makes the alligator basically worthless because it never ends up moving as there is always a little load when on the ground. I can typically get it to start working again by applying some manual rotation/resistance to either motor, but what works or not seems random.
I think I've noticed similar issues with other programs in the past, but I can't be sure. I have latest firmware v1.31 and we're using v2.0.f4 of Mindstorms Labview software.
My best guess is that the NXT firmware has issues with the motor control timing when two motors are moving together and one gets slightly off. However if that was the case, I'd expect everyone to have these problems (and the Mindstorms set would be basically useless.)
Are there any known/common issues that might cause a problem like this?  Any advice on how to troubleshoot?

It turns out that the issue is a faulty/weak motor connector socket.  While randomly trying to troubleshoot, I found that if I did nothing more than press or move the cable, the motor would act bizarrely.  Initially I thought it was a bad cable, but after trying additional cables it seems that it is more likely just a poor connection at the motor. I suppose it could also be a bad motor.  The actual cause is proving very hard to pin point.

And while one motor is definitely more problematic than the others, I noticed that all of them can be made to act randomly just by pulling on the cable ends.  I am now wondering if this is common issue with the NXT and I'm considering posting another question about it.

In answer to my own question, it seems that a faulty motor connection can cause erratic behavior.


Do LDraw files describe models, bricks, or both? Sorry if this is kind of a dumb question, but do LDraw files describe models (with translation and rotation values with references to bricks contained in other files), or do they describe the bricks themselves (such as the individual vertices, lines, polygons, etc.)?  Or do different LDraw file types work in different ways?

Both, often in the same file.

If you take a look at the .ldr file format specification you can see that each file is made up of an number of different types of "line", one of which is a Subfile Reference where you can specify the colour, position, rotation and scale of the model.

Other lines can then be added to describe Lines, Triangles, Quadrilaterals and Optional Lines, which are specified by their individual vertices.

For example, the 1x1 Brick [part:3005] has the following non-comment lines (I've added comments to show what it's doing):

0 Author: James Jessiman
0 !LICENSE Redistributable under CCAL version 2.0

0 // Meta line, causes the next line to be drawn "inside-out", to make
0 // the inside of the brick.
0 // Followed by a subfile reference for a "box with 5 faces".
0 BFC INVERTNEXT
1 16 0 24 0 6 0 0 0 -20 0 0 0 6 box5.dat

0 // Draw 4 quadrilaterals to fill in the edges of the base of the brick
4 16 10 24 10 6 24 6 -6 24 6 -10 24 10
4 16 -10 24 10 -6 24 6 -6 24 -6 -10 24 -10
4 16 -10 24 -10 -6 24 -6 6 24 -6 10 24 -10
4 16 10 24 -10 6 24 -6 6 24 6 10 24 10

0 // Draw another 5 sided brick for the outside of the brick
1 16 0 24 0 10 0 0 0 -24 0 0 0 10 box5.dat

0 // Draw a stud on the top using the "stud" subfile.
1 16 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 stud.dat

Common subfiles include the studs and tubes on bricks.

When you save a model in MLCad or similar as an .ldr file it's basically all Subfile lines.


What is this technic axle? In this video, Kooberz uses this piece:

You can see it in action in this video at 15:06. What is the piece?

This is a regular 3 module length axle (4519):


Where to get additional part library graphics for BlueBrick layout designer I love BlueBrick, the track and layout designer from developer  Alban Nanty. I have been using it for years and it is the best tool I have found for designing a full layout including train tracks.
However, the parts libraries available on the site do not include all sets. I am specifically interested in vintage town sets and to name just a few, the following are not included in the library:

6377 'Delivery Center'
6386 'Police Command Base'
6381 'Motor Speedway'
6389 'Fire Control Center'

Does anyone have links to BlueBrick library items for any of the missing sets, (not just the sample I listed above)?

It is possible to generate new library parts since they are made up of a gif image and an accompanying xml file, but I lack the creative ability to complete the library.

An example of a part image is shown below, (set 6394 'Metro Park & Service Tower')

Eurobricks LEGO forum has an index for additional Sets and Parts that can be added to Bluebrick. The sets that you listed above have not been recreated in Bluebrick so if you wish to use them, you need to recreate them yourself. This should be relatively easy if you find LDraw files of the sets you are looking for.

In case you wish to add new files to Bluebrick, please check the manual of Bluebrick by pressing F1 in the program. The online documentation is currently offline so I cannot directly link you to the info.


Bucket Wheel Excavator not powering up? I just finished to assemble the Bucket Wheel Excavator (42055) set, I inserted new batteries in the battery box and tried to power it up.

The LED on the battery box blinks for a millisecond almost imperceptibly, and nothing happens.

I now wonder what could be the problem, I tried with several different batteries without luck, tried to clean the metal parts, but still nothing.

How can I understand if the problem is the battery box or the motor?

As Phil B suggests you really must start by testing a motor by itself from the battery box. This will confirm whether that battery box is working or not.

My experience in Radio Control has taught me to test each "electrical" bit one at a time and in a logical sequence starting from the power source until the fault is identified.

For the future it worth testing electrical things like the motor and battery box before they get "built in" to a complex model.


How can I program a motor to rotate towards the source of sound? I have 3 sound sensors and a motor connected to four ports of the same brick.

My motor should rotate by some angle towards the highest sound detected by the sensor, and now I'm wondering how I'm supposed to do the following: write an infinite loop for continuous detection but once true the motor keeps on rotating for the same angle.

Is there some way to rotate for a certain angle, stop and then wait for the next sensor to detect the highest sound and then move again for the same angle and wait again?

I am using EV3 brick with NXT sound sensors and a large motor,
so far my logic for detecting the highest sound detected by the sensor is working but  I am facing problems controlling the motor.

To detect the highest sound you can use this code. It would help if you posted a picture of your bot, but with a general idea here you go:

FOREVER loop
{

if RightSensor > Left Sensor :
    if RightSensor > MidSensor :
        highest = RightSensor
    else :
        highest = MidSensor
else:
    highest = LeftSensor

if LeftSensor is the highest:
        turn left
if RightSensor is the highest:
        turn right
if MidSensor is the highest:
        do not turn
}


What parts are really required to motorize 10219 Maersk Train? The Official site detailed page states that:

  Motorize your Maersk train by adding LEGO Power Functions #8878 Rechargeable Battery Box, #8887 Transformer 10V DC, #8884 IR Receiver, #8879 IR Speed Remote Control and #88002 Train Motor!

So:

8878
8887
8884
8879
88002

Is it true that I need all of them (costs ~$150) to motorize the train, or can I omit some?

The strict minimum you need for PF motorization is:

Tracks. Sounds obvious, but don't forget these. Nope, there are none with the Maersk train.
A PF train motor
A PF battery box (plus 6 AAA batteries)

Now, as oezi says, it's a bit senseless to have a train which you can't control. Well, you can control it, but it's limited to switching it on and off (if you can catch it). Yet, it's a start.

Now, as far as limited control goes, don't neglect the polarity switch! If you place it intelligently, it will be easier to stop your train. Or you could even mimic the old 4,5v system and have your train switch direction automatically at both ends of a track. Just a thought.

Of course, for more serious control, yes, you'll need:

PF IR receiver
PF IR speed remote control

Note that all these elements (tracks, motor, battery box, IR receiver and remote) are also present in these trains:

Passenger Train
Cargo Train
Red Cargo Train (red battery box)

So it may be worth to do the math and see if you're not better off just buying one of these. Sets are usually cheaper than standalone elements, and considering the extra parts you'll get, it may be a wiser investment. Not to mention that they may be easier to find in regular shops, which means maybe Christmas discounts and the like. And the design of these trains is quite good too.

Of course, batteries are going to be a problem, so if you don't want to sink too much money in them you'd better use rechargeable batteries as fast as possible, or yes, switch to:

PF Rechargeable Battery
10VDC transofmer - or use a cheaper one

As you can see, it can be a costly investment in the long run, but nothing forces you to buy it all in one step, especially the rechargeable battery and charger which are far from cheap.


What are the set numbers for these Star Wars and Police sets? I recently bought some old sets and stumbled across these 2 set-remains. One is obviously a Star Wars set, maybe someone knows the number? I wonder if the other one, the future police, is a MOC instead of an official set?

The police vehicle is from  7035-1: Police HQ

based on Wedge 6 x 2 Left with Police World City Pattern

The last picture is from
7748-1: Corporate Alliance Tank Droid

based on Light Bluish Gray Dish 10 x 10 Inverted (Radar) with SW Tank Droid Pattern


Black 2x4 curved top piece of assembly This piece does not have an identification number on it. It appears to be part of a larger assembly. At each side are two 'legs', neither of which have stud receptacles, so it doesn't hook on to studs.

I'm guessing it slides down inside something as a top piece.

Can someone tell me what element it is?

Technically you don't ask what that element is, but I'm guessing that's what you want to know.

I think it is:
LegoFabuland Container, Side Bags / Saddlebags


Can you identify this white, blue, and green train body? Got that is a bag of parts. For some reason one part of train (it look like train to me) is upside-down by direction of stubs. Browsed through all 4 hundred sets by searching for 'train' on Bricklink but had not spotted that one.

I do not know much about LEGO, but that what you show in the photo looks like an airplane to me. Perhaps I'm right, perhaps I'm wrong.

Edit:

It's from A.I.R. Operations HQ (4620).


What is a better algorithm for wall following with an ultrasonic sensor? This wall following algorithm uses the ultrasonic sensor.  It has a horrible worst case behavior.  Place the robot about 3 cm too far from the wall.  Instead of moving closer to the wall, the robot turns toward the wall and spins.

Place the robot too close to the wall and it works very well.

The sensor points out from the right side of the robot, in front of the powered wheels.

How should the algorithm be changed to handle the "too far away" case?

If a significant distance from the wall, you'll need to turn 90 degrees in place clockwise, drive up to the wall and turn 90 degrees in place counterclockwise.
I'd suggest mounting a touch sensor in front of the vehicle handle the part of driving up to the wall, if that is not possible, estimate from the scanned distance how far the vehicle should drive.

If close to the wall but not close enough to have the wall-following algorithm work correctly, I'd suggest "wiggling":
Repeat the following steps until close enough to the wall:

rotate left wheel forward by a small angle while blocking the right
wheel.
rotate right wheel forward by a small angle while blocking the
left wheel.
rotate left wheel backward by a small angle while
blocking the right wheel.
rotate right wheel backward by a small
angle while blocking the left wheel.

In each step use the same angle (determine an optimal angle by trial and error)


How much tension can I expect to get out of a lego chain before it starts to give away? Assuming I am using the technic chain links to make a chain, how much force can I expect to be able to get out of the chain before it breaks?

Suppose I am using a 16t gear to directly drive a 24t gear and have it at the optimal tension for a short distance

And when it does reach its limit, will it break or will the links just snap undone?

P.S. - I don't currently own any of these pieces, and would like to get a rough idea first before I buy any and start playing with them - I am hoping to get a considerably larger amount of force from then than a rubber band before it starts to slip, say the full stall power of a PF M motor.

edit: theoretical test methodology:
Starting from Philo's motor comp, I would pick a motor that I had (say a PF M motor), and gear it up (so that it spins fast), say by 1:3 with a 24t driving an 8t - after that, I would put another 24t on the same axle as the 8t, and place the chain on it - then put another 24 such that the chain lands on it, and lock the last 24t gear's axle such that it does not move (perhaps the last 24t gear can be a clutch gear). Then turn on the motor and see if it holds - assuming it does, I would know that the chain can handle at least 1/3 (gearing) 11 N.cm (PF M stall torque from Philo) - from then I would change the gearing, perhaps with a 20t and 12t, or even 1:1 depending on how it seems to fare, and repeat the test until it does break. If the clutch gear starts to spin, I would briefly lock it in place with my hands to get an accurate measure.

Simply test it, then divide the force by 2 in order to stay the safe side.


Can you help me identify this set? I have this lone bag, and I think it contains a full vehicle, but it's from a bigger set, I believe, because of the number 2. Anyone know what set? I need instructions.
(Dear Lego, please put set numbers on bags!)
Thanks for your help!

This bag is part of Set 76015-1 from 2014

Ultimate Spider-Man,
Doc Ock Truck Heist


What adhesive can bond LEGO bricks to metal? The Scouts are making some Christmas decorations using LEGO, and we need to stick them on to some metal stands. Could anyone please advise the best glues and process (e.g. sanding, etc.) to join bricks to metal. Many thanks.

Have you considered screwing your decorations to the metal stand, using Technic brick holes to pass the screws? If done properly no harm is done to the bricks, and you will not fear a bad glue joint!


Execute program programmatically I want to program our Ev3 for FLL (class assignment), and I want to use an object oriented approach in a very procedural environment. Is there a programmatic way to execute another program inside the same project using the augmented LabView? (This is more like using other programs as methods rather than programs, and then calling the "methods" to do a certain task like pull a lever, push a button, move the wheels...)

This is more of a LabView answer than a Mindstorms answer, but you should be able to create a SubVI that represents a task, and then you can place that in the main VI.

This help document might be useful:
http://zone.ni.com/reference/en-XX/help/372962A-01/lvnxt/creatingusingsubvi/


How to connect chain links to the axle In my project I want append two 21 chain links to the axle 12.
Is this any axle connector with knob ending?

You probably want something a little similar to this:

There was a similar setup in the Bespin Cloud City scene that used a string attached to two studs that was wound around an axle in the same way.

As Phil B. suggests, adding an additional round plate on top of the chain will provide you with a bit more support for the stud, at the possible expense of making the winding thicker - it will tend to wrap around the plates then.


Received 2 LEGO bags with no instructions My wife and I received 2 LEGO bags and we are trying to identify what they are so my son and I can find the manual. I’ve attached pictures, thanks!

Also this picture shows the figures included.

Both are from Jungle Tree House (41059)

First polypag is identified by Container, Barrel Half Large with Axle Hole in Medium Lavender and Sand Green Mini Doll Friends Hips and Skirt

Second polybag has combination of Tile, Modified 4 x 4 with Studs on Edge in Dark Pink and Brick, Modified 1 x 2 Log in Lavender color.

Instructions can be downloaded from LEGO Service web page.


What are the common uses of the roof pieces in the Sydney Opera House set? The Sydney Opera House set comes with many curved white pieces to form the roof. I am concerned about whether buying this set will leave me with useless parts that cannot be easily applied to other builds. Are these roof parts just like the boat hulls in the pirate ships? Or, prior to the Sydney Opera House set, did they serve any common function?

You can see the inventory of the opera house on Brickset.

The majority of the roof pieces you seem to be concerned about are these bow pieces, of which you get 34 pairs and one extra left piece.

These pieces are fairly common and are used typically in cars, boats, planes, spacecraft, and other aerodynamic structures, as well as building roofs, robots, and other objects where you need a curvy shape. For example, the white pieces were used in a Ninjago copter set:

34 matched pairs is a lot of these for a normal person to have, so if you never plan to rebuild the opera house you might not use them all (though you could just consider it a challenge to come up with as many builds as you can that use these). However, the set itself has 2989 parts, so that leaves over 2900 pieces that are not white bows that you can presumably reuse in some other construction.


How do you open a logfile (.rdf) downloaded from an EV3 brick? I have been logging data for a few sensors, and would like to import that data into Excel. What exactly do I need to do? I remember reading somewhere that LabView can export logging data (I have the Education version) but I cannot get LabView to open the datalog files.

In the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Education software:

Open a new experiment.
Go to the Tools menu and select Data Log File Manager.
Browse to the the .rdf file and click the Import button. (It can be on the brick or on your computer.)
Close the Data Log File Manager
On the Tools menu, select Export Datasets
Save the file as a .csv file
Open the .csv file in Excel


Doubt about minifigures of LEGO Star Wars on BrickLink not having accessories like weapons another user recommend to me in another post this page to buy miniatures for my growing collection of minifigures of LEGO Star Wars.

My question regarding the page is simple, there is a large assortment of minifigures of all the years, but why no one includes their accessories? For example, laser sheets or blasters ...

Can the originals be obtained in any way within the page or is there any other method to obtain them?

I've been looking at Amazon, but the prices are very high ... But they do include the minifigures accessories.

Any ideas?

As you've noticed, the Starwars Minifigs don't come with accessories - this probably makes it easier for the sellers and buyers in terms of sorting: for example the battle packs often came with 3 or 4 different characters along with 2 different weapon styles - there's no definitive "this character has this style of weapon".

The weapons can be found using the Parts - Minifig, Weapon category - there are (at present) 4 guns tagged with (SW), as well as the various different lightsaber hilts (listed as Weapon Lightsaber Hilt), various generic weapons (pikes/spears) and the newer "Shooter Mini with [...] Trigger" that is appearing for more play value over authentic weapon styles (another reason why you might want to buy the weapons separately).

In terms of lightsabers, the beams themselves are listed as Bar 4L (Lightsaber Blade / Wand) under the Bars category (there's also Kylo Ren's Bar 4L / 2L Crossed).

If you're after more "realistic" weapons, then third party producers may be what you're after. BrickArms do a nice line in Sci-Fi weapons that include Han's DL-44 and the Imperial issued EL-11, DC-15, DC-15S and D9-AR.


Identify the set from this partially assembled purple and white car with a blue flower sticker on the hood? I have loads of complete Lego sets, distributed into bags and without instructions.


LEGO Power Functions M-Motor 8883 characteristics I have a couple questions about LEGO Power Functions M-Motor 8883 (http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-Power-Functions-M-Motor-8883):

Is it synchronous or asynchronous?
It is powered by AC or DC?

The basic LEGO Power Functions motors (M, L, XL) use a fairly standard DC motor internally. The terms synchronous and asynchronous only apply to AC motors.

I'm not sure exactly where you are headed with this question, but if you are curious about whether or not PF motors can be controlled directly from a simple voltage source, the answer is yes. You don't need any complex control circuitry for the basic motors. Power is fed directly from the PF control lines (the middle two wires) to a DC motor.

The following image shows the internals of the PF XL motor. It is electrically identical to the M motor. You can see that it has no control circuitry, and connects the control lines directly to the terminals of a basic DC motor. The only additional components are a couple of capacitors to help eliminate signal noise.

More detailed information on the PF system can be found here:

http://www.philohome.com/pf/pf.htm


Can't figure out what set these marvel-related bags belong to I can't figure out what set these bags go to. I see an Iron Man minifigure in one of the bags and the bag has 741R9 on it.

A distinctive items in Bag 1, Trans-Light Blue -Dish 6 x 6 Inverted (Radar) Webbed  Type 2, exists in 15 sets.  2 of these contain Iron Man

Of these Set 76125-1: Iron Man Hall of Armor also contains the Bright Pink and Lime Green round 1x1 plates seen in Bag 3


I can't figure out which lego model these doors came from I've been searching for 5 days, but I can't figure out or find this type of door.  I am sure it's from year 2000 upwards because I bought this from a mother whose child is all grown up, thank you for taking the time!

UPDATED LISTING THE CORRECT STOCKADE DOOR - Thanks to TheBrickBlogger

The two left doors are 30223 - Door 1x5x7 1/2 Stockade and they appear in 11 sets.

The middle one on your picture seems to be Reddish Brown, which is in only 1 set, 7036 - Dwarves' Mine, exactly decorated the way you have the door (with the pyramid shape in Pearl Gold on top).

The left one is the same door in black; there are 5 sets with this door. None of the doors visible on the pictures in Bricklink is exactly as you have it - so likely it was used by the previous owner in a MOC, unless it is one of the not-clearly-visible doors in 7419 - Dragon Fortress, which has 4 of these doors in the set (all other sets have 2).

None of the sets that these doors contain the net, but out of the 46 sets with a 71155 - String, Net 10x10 square there is only one where the net is folded double and squeezed between the 1x4 plates on your picture.

This particular set is 7048 - Troll Warship and you see the net being used in exactly the same way to trap a minifig, so my best bet is that this net comes from this set.

The sets I describe here are all from the period 2003-2008, so that would have been the previous owner's key years of LEGO collecting.


Will playing with a 12V train motor by hand damage it? This question is similar to one for PF motors.

The 12V motor bogie has considerably more resistance than does the newer PF bogie motor, which may be moved very easily when not operating.

So, if one pushes a 12V-motorized train by hand, will it cause damage to the motor?

See title "Set 7865: six wheeled Lego® train motor (12V, 1980 - 1990)" on this page for the specific motor I'm referring to.

Side note: I've noticed that the connected headlights in the train don't illuminate when pushed by hand (and have asked a question specifically in regards to this).

As you can see in the picture below the friction has to do with driving the worm wheels via regular gears while pushing the unit by hand and yes, I guess the gear teeth on the wheel axles could be damaged because of the gear ratio.


Are there two versions of the set 6205? I own the LEGO set 6205 and I noticed from another picture on Brickowl and Bricklink the wing design is different. Is there an alternate version or did someone who had the set mix up the pieces and build it the wrong way?

To figure out which party made a mistake, compare everyone's work with the official art displayed on the box.

Short answer: Go compare images against the box art.

Detailed answer:

First, let's investigate and try to understand what the OP is talking about with some build dependency in the wing area of Set #6205.

So, upon going to both Bricklink and Brick Owl, we see the same curious image both sites are using, that seems to conflict with the original box art.

Hey, look, the fabled alternate build!

So, let's compare:

LEGO alternate builds tend to add something of value that is visually or functionally appealing.

Focusing our attention at the original's wing design, notice how the
tapered flow traverses smooothly back to the stern of the ship, versus
the squared off-bluntness of the alternate.

So... where's the further-appeal rational for the alternate here?
is LEGO offering us a battle damaged version?

Let's nitpick this image's authenticity further.

A) The reflective glare obstructs the minifig, giving us that shine-on-you-crazy-diamond effect only the Pink Floyd fan would appreciate.
B) The shot of the canon weapon is skewed here, but if official, would be aesthetically squared, and oh so perfect.

Furthermore, there is no proof of the existence of "Dash-Two" instructions.

When LEGO offers multiple builds of a set, they tend to add a dash
"-" and a sequential build number at the end of the set's name.
So, if one existed, it would read "6205-2".

Dashy-Two, Dashy-Two! Where are you?

Finally, just Look at it.  On the surface it looks like a build mistake that anyone of us could make, but seriously, after looking deeper, does anyone really think LEGO would approve this?

So, taken it in all together, these detail errors just wouldn't fly at LEGO.

Conclusion: The 6205 alternate build image is simply bogus, and should be ignored as an innocent mistake at Bricklink and Brick Owl.

But... That was some very impressive attention to detail, young Justan Ryan.


Best adhesive to fix a model for long term display? What is the best adhesive to make a model into a permanent display like into a Christmas decoration or an ornament? I want for this model to withstand being packed and unpacked year after year.

I would suggest standard Elmer's glue (also referred to as school glue). It won't harm your LEGO so you can later remove the glue if you need to, but it is strong enough to keep a set together under normal use.


What part can I use to get the connection This is what I have..

Would like to connect the long "thing" to the square base.. not sure which part will give me a angled elevation
In case you are wondering what I am trying to do.. this is what I am trying for the same exact purpose
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PcL6-mjRNk

This may call for a bit of re-designing. I don't think there's a special piece for angled elevation, because you can mimic the effect with a gear.

Use a 24- or 40-toothed gear, and attach your "arm" to it. This has the advantage that you can connect it to a servo or motor using a few more gears - I assume you want to mimic the ball-throwing device in the Youtube clip.

You can connect the gear to your base in a number of ways, although personally I'd build the base from "normal" technic beams (e.g. the 16x1 types), If you insist on using your current base, you'll have to add a construction that you can put the axle through.


Can anyone identify what kind of block these hinged blocks are? They all link together. I added a normal Lego brick to compare size.

I have had no luck with Google.

Woah! I haven't thought of these in years... Flashback to FLEXIBLOCKS!!!


Are LEGO minifigs' arms supposed to come off? I can get the arms off my LEGO minifigs, however, will doing so repeatedly wear them out?

No, they are not meant to come off (and neither are their hands) and I imagine that doing so repeatedly will cause them to become loose, as is the case with hands.

I have noticed that the hands come off a lot easier nowadays compared to 1970s/1980s vintage Lego, but I'm rarely sadistic enough to rip their arms off :)


Direct control of EV3 I need to control a car with an EV3 brick. I want to control it remotely. The trouble is, I'm using an education set so I don't have the remote. What means of controlling it remotely could I use? I already tried it with some Android phone apps but none of them worked quite right. It's a car that uses rack and pinion steering and the apps seemed to be better suited for skid steering. Is there some other way I could have remote control of it? Perhaps through a laptop or a Playstation controller or something else?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

There is always the .NET API for Windows 8/ if you don't mind programming an app yourself (this would work for Windows/Windows Phone 8). The sample provided would allow you to control the individual ports of the brick but it doesn't take much to change this to control multiple ports from one button press.
https://github.com/BrianPeek/legoev3

Sadly this solution is probably no good if programming isn't your strong suite :/


Where can I download the English LEGO Catalog for 2005 to 2014? I tried Google and found a LEGO catalog that is mostly in German.

May I know where can I download LEGO Catalog (English version) for the year 2005 to 2014, in PDF format?

Brickset.com maintains an archive of all catalogues they can find. Unfortunately it only goes up to 1999 at this time.


Is there any way to find misplaced bricks in LEGO NXT Programming? I am working on a Mindstorms NXT project. Due to annoying bug (cannot find terminal hotpoint thingy) I can't delete a specific block, and if I do so, part of the program will be cut off from the main sequence. I deleted that block and the bug happened, and not knowing what happened, I saved it. I reopened it to find out that part of the program was cut from the main sequence and I tried searching the whole empty space but wasn't able to find it.

Is there any way of retrieving the lost blocks (other than searching) since the file size is still the same, meaning the lost blocks are just lying around somewhere.

I have had this problem in the past, and have not been able to find a solution, other than program it with the software meant for programming EV3s, as it is backward compatible (except that Bluetooth doesn't work, so that may be a problem as your photo shows Bluetooth blocks). Hope this helps!


Where can I find instruction booklets? Is there any place where scans or PDFs of instruction booklets can be downloaded?

Yes, from themselves, for sets from 2002 onwards.

D-N-D Bricks(archived) use to have a lot of older sets' instructions.
List of archived instructions.


What software was used to create the LEGO Movie? So I've just seen the LEGO Movie and I was amazed at the such intricate details of all the minifigures and sets.

I was wondering if anyone knows what software was used to create the film. Animal Logic, the studio behind the film, have said that they used Maya to model the bricks.

The Lego Movie Complete B-ROLL (2014) footage briefly shows that the animator is using Autodesk Softimage 2012 (at about 8:57) to move the limbs of a digital minifigure.

10 minutes in to the video we can see an animator going through frame-by-frame a partially rendered draft of a scene from the movie. The animator has the ability to draw and possibly annotate on each frame. It's not clear what software this is, it may have been created in-house by the production company.

At 11:15 an employee at what appears to be the LEGO Denmark office shows Phil Lord (co-director of the movie) a minifig from what appears to be a different piece of software used for modelling/animation.

At 12:46 we can see a very short demonstration of LEGO Digital Designer. This software was created before the movie, specifically  for designing LEGO models, it is also free and can be downloaded from the LEGO website.


Does the Power Functions IR Remote Control 8885 make a good remote for a car? I have the Power Functions IR Speed Remote Control 8879 and it's great for, well, the train it came with and maybe other applications where you don't need precise control. 8885 looks like it would work for a car but does it speed up the motor the further you press up the joystick? Is the joystick spring loaded in that it returns to "stop" when you let go or it it more like the helicopter remotes of late where you press the joystick up and it keeps that current speed? Do the joysticks move left to right and up and down?

The two sticks on that remote are pure on/off switches (well, forward/off/backward) and come back in their central position if not maintained pushed, and don't move laterally either.

There are two classic ways to control a car with them:

Use each switch to control a motor and wheel (or set of wheels) - so you have to push both levers to advance, and only one to turn. That's how the first PF Motorized Bulldozer is built and it works great for that kind of model.

For a more realistic car, however, you'll need to use one motor to control the forward/backward movement of the car (that's the easy part), and the other for the direction. That's slightly less easy, but you can usually achieve it with some kind of spring-loaded mechanism that puts the direction to straight forward when you're not pushing the lever. Some people have used that part to do it, but I've never tried it myself:

Edit: as I said, using the 8879 remote by itself to control a vehicle directly may be difficult, but I forgot it's a Technic part by itself, which means you can build something else on top of it. See Sariel's modification for a good example with which you can easily control a one-motor-per-wheel model.


Eneloop NiMh batteries not powering 42030 loader Is it because the batteries are only 1.2V? It works fine with Duracell alkaline batteries.

Most likely, the manual states you should use 1.5V ones.

There's also a review on lego.com that states there may be a problem with the battery terminals with some makes of batteries. Worth checking.


Help identify Duplo Toolo brick I found a thick brick in my set, but couldn't find it on Bricklink by part number. It's look like an Intelligent Brick, but there are no extended pins.
Thanks!

UPDATE [11.01.2020]:

Currently I have these Sound Key bricks:

● - pin
○ - no pin

41489  45752  45753
 ○ ○    ● ○    ○ ●
 ○ ○    ○ ●    ● ○

According to sound manual from 3590 set, I missing last row of sounds (CHUCA..CHU. DRRILLL...DRIL.). After going through all the pin options, I found the right sound in this combination:

 ● ●
 ● ●

And it should be part number 45751, which is replaced by 41489 in my set.

Thanks all!

It's Part #41489c01 - Duplo Toolo Sloped Brick.

In comments you wrote:

  "I also thought that its #45751c01, but the number on brick is 41489" – k1psead

Good question.  This is what LEGO.com says about the molded numbers on individual pieces.

So, LEGO is saying the molded number is this piece's specific Design Number and that we can plug this number in on their Part Database and find the piece.

Let's try it...  Hmmm... Seems that answer is flawed.

So, how did I find it?  My initial search for "Duplo 41489", came with the search results below.

We both now know that there is a Star Wars set with this number, who's popularity has, unfortunately, skewed the wanted results for a piece. So, we can ignore anything Star Wars...

...Look at the third result with no reference to Star Wars.

The third result is pointing to Peeron, another LEGO Set Inventory Database, where the molded Design Number of this piece is set up correctly.

Let's double check by searching the number through Peeron.com HERE.


I need help identifying the set for 37 bags We bought a set of returns of which one should have been the 6020 piece Hogwarts castle.  We received 37 bags that are represented in the pics below packaged neatly in the Hogwarts box.  We have bags 1-37 with no instructions and no idea which set they belong to.  We might as well build it since it's here.  :)  Any help would be great.

I believe you have a mix of at least two sets: 11005 Creative Fun and one of either 10717 Bricks Bricks Bricks or 11717 Bricks Bricks Plates.

Bag 36 contains a Door 1 x 4 x 6 with 4 Panes and Stud Handle (Medium Blue) which was featured in 5 sets.
11003 Bricks and Eyes
10264 Corner Garage
10703 Creative Builder Box
10702 Creative Building Set
11005 Creative Fun
10260 Downtown Diner
31025 Mountain Hut
31065 Park Street Townhouse

Bag 36 also contains a Plate, Round 4 x 4 with Hole (Dark Tan) which was featured in 22 sets.
41167 Arendelle Castle Village
75958 Beauxbatons' Carriage: Arrival at Hogwarts
11005 Creative Fun
11013 Creative Transparent Bricks
80102 Dragon Dance
71730 Epic Battle Set - Kai vs Skulkin
70674 Fire Fang
41395 Friendship Bus
71043 Hogwarts Castle
76129 Hydro-Man Attack
70668 Jay's Storm Fighter
70667 Kai's Blade Cycle & Zane's Snowmobile
70675 Katana 4x4
70677 Land Bounty
70680 Monastery Training
30534 Ninja Workout polybag
40342 Ninjago 2019 Minifigure Set blister pack
75270 Obi-Wan's Hut
75937 Triceratops Rampage
70840 Welcome to Apocalypseburg!
70419 Wrecked Shrimp Boat
75255 Yoda

These two pieces have only appeared together in 11005 Creative Fun.

However, bag 32 contains a Slope, Curved 3 x 1 x 2 with Stud (Lime) which was featured in 19 sets - none of which were 11005 Creative Fun.
11011 Bricks and Animals
10717 Bricks Bricks Bricks
11717 Bricks Bricks Plates
70803 Cloud Cuckoo Palace
10703 Creative Builder Box
10702 Creative Building Set
8961  Crystal Sweeper
45810 FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Jr Challenge 2019 - Boomtown Build Inspire Set
41345 Heartlake City Pet Center
71367 Mario's House & Yoshi - Expansion Set
41339 Mia's Camper Van
60270 Police Brick Box
7676  Republic Attack Gunship
75021 Republic Gunship
21208 Resort Designer
76134 Spider-Man: Doc Ock Diamond Heist
70922 The Joker Manor
41455 Unikingdom Creative Brick Box
60125 Volcano Heavy-lift Helicopter

Bag 32 also contains a Slope 45 2 x 4 (Lavendar) which was featured in 7 sets.
10717 Bricks Bricks Bricks
11717 Bricks Bricks Plates
10704 Creative Box
41340 Friendship House
41108 Heartlake Food Market
41310 Heartlake Gift Delivery
41253 Lonesome Flats Raft Adventure

These two pieces have only appeared together in 10717 Bricks Bricks Bricks and 11717 Bricks Bricks Plates.


Why are some seemingly simple sets, so expensive? My son has fallen in love with the Lego City series.  Alas, I let him watch a YouTube from the video game, and as we look to reward good behavior with reasonable sets, we are seeing very odd price patterns.

Within the Lego City series, a simple set, like a small car or helicopter might be $10.  But the police station might be 70-80 dollars.  Ok, more complex set, I suppose I can accept that.

But then we look at some of the medium size sets and the prices on Amazon seem very high.  (Any prices I quote for specific things are meaningless since they seem to change).

But we are seeing 200 and 300 dollar sets? That seems a bit extreme.

Without examples, it's difficult provide a precise answer, but I'll give it a shot.

Since you mentioned Amazon, I assume that's where you are getting your pricing information from. As you noted, prices from many retailers will fluctuate based on supply and demand, and that can often explain why a set is expensive.

Amazon in particular lists many sets which are no longer in production. As an extreme example, the UCS Millenium Falcon is currently listed at over $3000 USD even though its MSRP is just $499.99. Popular items tend to be more expensive on sites like Amazon after the item is no longer being produced by TLG due to shrinking supply.

You can search sites like brickset.com and others to find information about the year a set was released and its MSRP. In general, if a set was released more than 3 years ago, it is no longer in production and you will probably pay a premium to get it new and in its original box. You can also start by shopping at LEGO.com where all of the sets will be currently in production.


The program downloaded from the education ev3 programming software has a error "VM program validation" I cannot run the program from the ev3 software.It only shows "VM program validiation" How do I stop this from happening?

How did you download the program to the EV3? According to this post on the Mindstorms forum this can occur if there was a problem sending the program, usually via poor quality Bluetooth adaptors.

You can confirm this if the downloaded program is only a few bytes in size on the Brick.

If this is the case, try downloading the program via a USB cable.


Is it possible to change the battery in a 54604 light brick? I got 4 of these in in a bulk lot of Lego, but the lamp is getting quite dim in a couple of them.

Is it possible to change the battery in a 54604 light brick?

It looks like the brick should open, but I don't want to force one apart and break it.

There's a YouTube video which explains how you can replace the battery in that light brick.

You can also find the owner's explanation on the Eurobricks forums.

Quoting from that site:

  What you'll need:

  ExoForce Light brick (obviously)
  A small screwdriver (or other item with a long, thin shaft) (my s'driver was 2mm (0.07 inches) thick)
  A small 3V battery.

  Put the point of the screwdriver into the hole in the brick (where you'd normally put the fiber optics cord).
  Using quite some force, lever the screwdriver until the 'lid' pops up at the front.
  Insert the screwdriver into one of the small gaps at the side where the 'lid' pops up, and lever the lid up again.
  the lid should come right off. From here, you can shake the brick and the battery should fall out. Simply slide the new battery in and
  click the lid back on.


Need help identifying these 7 lego pieces! I need help identifying these 7 pieces. Please assist!

What I tried so far is logically trying to figure out their categories, but unfortunately I couldn't find them, or there were hundreds/thousands of matches. If anyone knows, I'd appreciate a share. :)

Thanks!

Minifigure, Footgear Roller Skate
Leg Skeleton
a scarf to be worn around the neck for minifigs, I can't remember the name
No idea
Minifigure, Footgear Ice Skate
Carrot Top / Twig
Technic, Link Tread


How does the Space Shuttle dock the ISS? The IDEAS International Space Station (21321) comes with a miniature model of a space shuttle. And while that has its place on the space station's stand, the official LEGO product page literally includes the statement "dock the shuttle" with a picture (that's also on the box) of the space shuttle approaching the front of the ISS model in order to dock. It seems to be a genuine "play feature":

But I have no idea how the shuttle is supposed to actually dock, i.e. how to fixate it onto the docking module in a stable and permanent way, given that it has studs facing each other. Besides this picture there is no hint on how to do that and the instructions don't include guides for that either. I also thought maybe it's the other way around (although that would possibly contradict physical reality), but the bottom of the shuttle is covered in float tiles.

So is there a way to actually dock the space shuttle to the ISS? Is there an official build way that the instruction is just coy of mentioning? Does that possibly involve the hinged parts with the airlock prints on them that are right next to the supposed shuttle dock? Or are there any "inofficial" ideas on how to accomplish it, possibly involving additional parts?

I know there are concerns about the space shuttle being a bit out of scale for the ISS when measured against reality and that a custom bigger shuttle might be more appropriate anyway. However, I still wonder how to dock the officially included shuttle model.

It looks like LEGO did not intend to make Shuttle attachable to ISS despite the statement. At least not with a stud-on-stud connection like the set is designed right now.

As seen in picture below, Shuttle is docked using a connection port inside storage bay with its doors open. Not sure if it is possible to replicate opened doors in scale Shuttle and ISS are built.

However if you neglect the lack of this feature and accept the docking with storage bay doors closed a little modification could solve the issue. Existing Fez piece attached to ISS isn't deep enough to accept Tile, Round 1 x 1 with Bar and Pin Holder (to invert stud to anti-stud) so an addition of Plate, Round 1 x 1 with Open Stud aka "Apollo stud" in between both of them will help modifying the docking port.


NXT brick output ports not working properly My NXT brick will not let motors run.  When I download a program the motor will move forward and backward and then stop - sort of a wiggle.  Another motor will not work at all.  This happens for all three ports.  Any suggestions.

Try putting a Wait block after the motor block. Set it to wait for 5 seconds.

I think your program just terminates after one block. Please post your program next time you have a mindstorms question.


Can you identify this LEGO plane set? Sadly this LEGO plane crashed today. No one was injured, but I do not know where the instructions are, or the LEGO kit/product number. Can someone help me identify which kit it is so I can look up the instructions online?

That's one of the alternate models for Ocean Explorer (31045):

The instructions are available on LEGO.com.


Are there any LEGO movie/game posters? I'm trying to find some posters for my childrens room and everytime I find something on EBay etc .. they are all A4 or A3 :(

I'm guessing it's a simple process as getting a nice quality version image and paying a Copy/Printing shop to print one in A2 or A1.

Does anyone know of any links to Lego movie posters that are in a quality that is acceptable for such a high print?

Or links to shops already selling em?

Sample images:

Clones Wars, Indiana Jones, Harry Potter, BatMan, LOTR.

As this is for personal use (sigh - I can't proove that unfortunatley :( ) that I shouldn't have any issues with copyright etc?

Appologies: for not having enough rep to create valid/accurate tags.

If you subscribe to the Lego Club (availability depends on your location) you will receive the official Lego Magazine and often a free poster is included. The March/April 2014 edition contained a reversible poster with the Lego City theme on one side and the Disney Princess theme on the other side.

Occasionally, you may receive promotional Lego posters with some purchases at the Lego Shops (or online shop). Brickset lists a few of these here.

Bricklinks is place where you could purchase posters that are no more available from Lego. Here is a list of all posters on Bricklink.


What set is this head from? Could somebody tell me what set this head was used in. I swore it came from an Indiana jones set, but after looking it up I guess not.

This is part 3626bpb0402:

This part is present in six sets, but if you are getting it confused with something from Indiana Jones, my bet would be on it coming from this Prince of Persia set (7573 Battle of Alamut):

Here's the complete minifig with that head from the set:

Here's the list of other sets if that isn't the right one.


What strategy should FLL teams use to pick their next robot mission? FLL teams compete by running their robot on missions.  The robot leaves the base, does a task, and then returns to base.  Each mission is worth a few points.  The goal is to collect the most points in a 2 and 1/2 minute run.

The tasks are at different positions across a 4' x 8' obstacle course.

Some missions are easy, others very difficult.

Some missions require intricate Lego constructions.  Some require difficult programming.  More than one task can be accomplished before returning to base.

What strategy should an FLL team use to pick the missions to attempt?

Given there are about 15 missions that each take somewhere from 10 to 30 seconds to run and the team has 5 missions that work most of the time and the 5 missions consume the 150 seconds available, what should the team work on next?

First off, that website is horrible, so much clicking on expandable things, a terrible UI.
The PDF download of the rules is better.

Looking through the missions I notice a few things:

None of the missions have significantly bigger point values to make them obvious choices over other missions.
The missions are all based on end state and cannot be repeated for multiple points

So it appears you should simply try to maximize the number of successful missions accomplished in the limited time period.

Some missions should obviously be combined since they are handling similar pieces and would be easily doable with the same robotic manipulators.

Such as:

Moving pipe sections for: pipe removal, pipe install, pipe construction
Moving Big Water pieces for: fountain, flower, and water collection
Manipulation of levers or handles: flow, water treatment, faucet
Picking up, moving, and aligning pieces in the field: pump addition, rain, manhole covers, sludge, water well
Moving objects from the base onto the field: tripod, water well, slingshot

Also some missions must be done before other missions:

Manhole covers removed before a tripod is placed
Pipe removal before pipe install

The best bet is to pick a group of tasks that a single robot build is likely to be able to do well and go from there.

Some thought might be given to completing the furthest missions first, so that traveling past already completed missions doesn't mess something up.

You might start by sorting the task into groups like I have done, try to judge the inherent difficulty of the mission, and rank them comparing with point totals.

On a final note: As this is a competition for children to learn about engineering and robotics, you should really just explain the rules/different objectives/point values and help the kids pick a strategy themselves.  The planning process itself is as much engineering as the programming and building of the robot.


Is there a standard scale for building "minifig scale" creations? I've seen many impressive models built to "minifig scale" (e.g. the enormous USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier), but is there a standard (or at least widely adopted) scale e.g. 1:60 that these models obey?

It seems any scale based on the height of a minifig won't work due to the fact the minifigs are not well proportioned for people. For example, I stand taller than my car (as do most people) yet trying to build a LEGO car that is less than four bricks high would be extremely difficult and result in an unusual looking model.

Are there any tips on choosing a scale that allows well proportioned looking models, that doesn't dwarf the LEGO minifigures that ride in/on them? Is "minifig scale" dependent on the type of model (vehicle/castle) or generally deemed to be whatever looks about right?

It's usually 1:40, based on the minifig size.

However, keep in mind that a minifig doesn't have the same proportions as a full-size human being, so scaling from real-world to minifig-world is not an exact science. Just have a look at LEGO cars, you'll see that they don't really match real cars.


Lego Mindstorms NXT software error I have installed the retail version of the NXT software. Due to pitiful performance on my Mac (OSX 10.7 Lion) I followed guidance on other forums and uninstalled Flash 11 and reinstalled 10.

Now when I start the application, I get the following error:

I have read on one site that a patch is necessary, but the linked patches are for the EDU version of the software as opposed to the retail version (I guess?) so they won't even install properly.

Any suggestions are most welcome. I see that there are other alternatives out there to program the NXT, but frankly for the cost of this product, this software should just work. (Lego, I hope you're listening.)

Here we go. I was browsing around looking for answers when I stumbled upon this thread: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4158314?start=0&tstart=0

One person mentioned Lego tech support sent him a link to an ISO. It looked like maybe it was a newer ISO than the one I was using, so I tried it: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31950731/MINDSTORMS%20NXT%20Retail%20MacWin%202012-06-21-1305.iso

It worked great! No patches, no nothing. Just installed that, restarted, and suddenly I have NXT-G working on Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5. Word.


How do you support upper floors in tall buildings? When I build a skyscraper out of LEGO and the floor above is weak do I remove the flooring from above and a pillar underneath and then put the floor back or something?

Extra support in form of pillars/walls underneath (remember that also weighs something and as such should be supported) is one (and probably the most widely used) solution, another would be to build the floor thicker, and depending on how weak the floor is and how much it has to support yet another solution might be to just not care.


Ultrasonic sensor option missing in Wait block in Labview I have hooked up the EV3 brick and the Ultrasonic sensor (on port 4) from the older mindstorms set 8527, and using the most recent Labview software on windows 7.

I am trying to test the model for distance and to stop a few cm from the wall. The WAIT block in Labview does NOT have an option for Ultrasonic Sensor, but has one for Infrared Sensor, which does not seem to work. Has anyone noticed this missing menu option?

*NOTE: The EV3 displays the distance in cm when the unltrasonic senor is connected to port 4 on the EV3.

Once you download the block from the Lego site, you can import it into the LabVIEW by using the Tools tab and then Block Import, but first you need to be in an open program.  LabVIEW will prompt you to browse your folders to find the downloaded file, and then select Import at the bottom of the window.  Finally, you will need to close LabVIEW and reopen it to begin using the block in all of your programs.


42042 Crawler Crane: conversion to remote control After many years of "Lego drought", I have decided to reinvest in some. Amongst a lot I have purchased is a Crawler Crane, half built, with all the parts to complete the build.

However, instead of building as the instructions, has anyone here actually converted this to remote control, so you don't have to keep reaching for the back of the crane to operate the shift levers?

I've seen a few videos on YouTube, but they don't explain the how to make the modifications.

There's a nice looking mod on Rebrickable that includes full building instructions.

This includes the following PF components:

2 L-Motors - drive
1 M-Motor - tilt cab
1 M-Motor - boom elevation
1 M-Motor - rotate
1 M-Motor - winch
3 IR Receiver
3 IR Remote Control
1 Battery Box


Will Lego repair a bad motor? I have the Electric Technic Micromotor:

http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/5119-1

and it simply won't come on. I seem to recall at some point someone telling me a long time ago, that if you sent parts to Lego, they'd repair them. Do they have a warranty or lifetime guarantee? How would I go about getting it repaired?

I also have several of the Electric Technic Mini-Motor 9v, probably about 8-10, and three of them aren't working. Anyone have any success fixing those?

The LEGO customer service does provide replacements for defective parts, but only for parts which are still in production. Sometimes you'll need to send the broken part back to them. They don't repair the parts as such, just replace them.

As for the micromotor, you're out of luck as it's not produced anymore. They might provide another motor as a replacement, but that's not going to help you much.

Your next option is to buy a second-hand one, for example on Bricklink (service pack or motor alone)


Stuck on 42066 Air Race Jet model B I've successfully built model A of the Air Race Jet but with model B I've got stuck on page 7, instruction 8. How do you do that?

Nice job finishing Model "A"!

As for Model "B", known as "Private Jet", follow this link and head on over to Youtuber THINK LOUDER's speed build of this model.

First, Mute the video.
Second, Pause the video.
Third, Open the setting for video playback, which is the "Gear" icon
in the bottom right hand corner of the video, to slow down the speed to "0.25".
Forth, Play the video and skip to minute 1:47 into the video.
Fifth, and finally, Watch how this guy builds up until minute 2:04 into the video, which is where you are stuck, page 7, instruction 8.

Good luck! You can do it Bro!


Can I safely dissassemble a 74569 motor (the old, fast 9v one) I have an ancient 74569 motor:

Unfortunately, it's broken: The shaft spins freely by hand, but when I connect power to it, it doesn't spin at all.

I would like to see if I can just open it and place a new DC motor inside, but without breaking it if possible – has anyone opened one of these before or posted instructions as to how?

I was thinking something like this motor:

would fit inside it, but of course I would check the dimensions first and make sure it's not a bad solder joint or something else.

I see Philo has disassembled its replacement here, but I don't see anything similar for the 74569.

Well, I opened it up without much success, and took some pictures of the process:

At first I tried pushing/prying the light grey tabs away from the dark gray "bottom", but those weren't budging

So plan B: wedge it apart:

It was opening, but I was also distorting the plastic in the process - perhaps if I had a hot air station or something, I could have of softened it, but eventually it gave way:

I didn't open it just yet, but rather went to work on the other side - I made my way around from the front/back, as it seemed easier than going at it directly from the side. Anyways, it was much easier than the first side, and I got it open:

Nothing fell out, and I didn't rip any wires out by opening it, so I proceeded to take out the motor:

This is where something finally fell out - there was a little "spacer" disk (visible in the top-left) that was between the end of the axle and the back side of the plastic housing.

After that, the electrical connection assembly slid off easily - not sure what the component is or how to test if it's good, but it seems like it was made such that it's replaceable - no solder was used, just metal "crimps"

This is where I found out that the motor itself is good if I just connect a battery to it directly, so I think I may end up drilling some holes and have a DIY wire coming out the back - all the contacts on the inside seemed good and clean, but unfortunately the bottom seems to be rusted to the point of not making contact anymore.

I think it will snap back together just fine, but it will have scars from the surgery.

For anyone curious, the motor itself is a mabuchi 70586, but any FC-280 motor should fit.


I need help with a broken LEGO motor I have a LEGO motor and it broke but I didn't know why so I took apart the LEGO motor to see if the wires were the problem.  I tested the wires to see if they were working but they weren't and I can't find where they are broken so any advice on what I should do?

The easiest solution, provided that motor is still in production, is to contact the LEGO customer service using the "broken part" button, or via telephone directly which might be easier for a part such as a motor.

They'll usually provide a replacement without problem, but be advised that by opening the motor yourself, you probably voided any sort of warranty and may need to pay for a replacement.


How can I use bluetooth on my phone to run a program on the EV3 brick? I tried the Commander app but it seems to just let you control individual motors.

I would like to run the various programs I have made using an input on the phone through Bluetooth

Is this possible and if so, how?

There is an Android app called EV3 mailbox that can send messages to the EV3 brick. You can trigger your program to run in different ways by sending out different mailbox messages.


What are some free kid-friendly tutorials to get started with Mindstorms Nxt 2.0? My daughter (10) got the NXT 2.0 for christmas. It doesn't really come with any tutorial. I'm looking for something she can follow which will teach her to use each of the sensors and slightly more advanced topics like executing a 90 degree turn (how to find exactly the # of rotations of each wheel to do that for your particular turning radius).

Can be any free resource (YouTube videos, etc.)

You can find some free instructions at http://www.nxtprograms.com/ and at http://thenxtstep.blogspot.com/p/building-instructions.html. But I am not sure if you can say they are kid-friendly.

And here is another one:  http://legoengineering.com/curriculum-submenuteachingresources-142.html


Is it possible to shrink down a wheel? I have a tire 6581 which is stretched to the point it doesn't fit perfectly with the balloon designated for it, at one place it is kinda popped out. It is caused by my stretching it when I was younger for the sheer curiosity how much it can stand. Is there any way to undo this stretching and make the tire once again fit perfectly?

You won't be able to make it fit perfectly again. If plastic is stretched over a certain point it is irreversibly damaged.

But you can try to heat it a little to shrink the wheel overall. But it's not guaranteed to work. If you use a lighter you can affect a smaller area but be sure not to burn your part.


Help identifying parts for a novice Thanks for all of the help yesterday.  I am so thankful for this community since I am a novice.  I took a look through the Sterilite tub of LEGO again today and pulled some more creations that I thought would be worth a try posting here.  For what it is worth, I appear to have parts from the following sets:  Lego City Ambulance Helicopter; T. Rex Transport; Republic Fighter Tank; Yodi's Jedi Starfighter; The Phantom; Hogwort's Whimping Willow; Minecraft The Waterfall Base; Jakku Quadjumper; Tie Striker; Jokerland; Piranha Attack; Hulk v. Red Hulk; Simpson's House; The Penguin Arctic Roller; Airport Cargo Plane; Nexo Knights 70320; The Batmobile; The Riddler Riddle Racer and City Ferry.  I doubt I have any complete sets at this point though.  Does anyone recognize parts of any sets listed above or otherwise here, and which set?  Thanks so much!

first picture
based on

BRICK 2X8
4x4 plate
4x10 plate

Is 21119: The Dungeon

Second picture
Based on

6167798: Plate Round 4X4 with Ø16mm hole
projectile

is 75239: Hoth Generator Attack

Third picture
Based on

LATTICE TOWER 2X2X10 W/CROSS
Different red part

is 75894: 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 MINI John Cooper Works Buggy

Fourth Picture of the bed is from the Simpsons house
Fifth picture is 21140: The Chicken Coop

Sixth picture some minecraft set, probably hard to pinpoint which set
Seventh picture
76070: Mighty Micros: Wonder Woman vs. Doomsday and 76064: Mighty Micros: Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin

Last picture
75129: Wookiee Gunship Microfighter

Eighth picture no idea, looks like own creation of someone


Where does the left hobo's head come from at 0:18 I identified the right one (Emperor Palpatine), but I can't find the left one's head. Any help?
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=befr11mPESE

It appears to be this minifig, but the face is further customized with a marker. If you look at the eyebrows and the eyebags they have the same lines. But the mouth and nose and painted over, and the hair is darkened as well: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3626bpx109&in=M


What is the difference between the two train motors 8866-1 and 88002-1? At the Lego store the other day they were talking about a "more powerful" train motor for the Maersk train (I was asking about adding a second motor to the red cargo train so it would go uphill). But I think it's the same motor that already comes with every other train out now. I bought an spare train motor (was on sale online) and I think THAT is the old version.

What is the difference between the two (beside the power cable)?

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=84711#T=S&O=

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=99046#T=S&O=

Well the power cable is the main difference, as one motor was made for the short-lived 9V RC system while the other is the current PF one.

However, that doesn't mean the internals are the same. From Philo 's motor comparison page, you'll see that the PF motor is better, and that fortunately the performances are much improved [over the RC one], with an efficiency and power even exceeding the old 9V train motors.


Does everything produced by The LEGO Group count as "LEGO pieces"? I'm wondering if things like LEGO store plastic bags, LEGO boxes, instruction booklets, packaging etc., count as "LEGO pieces" if I incorporate them into a build for the purposes of posting as a purist LEGO MOC?

There is no official answer on this, as “purist” LEGO is a consensus, not a definition. That said, there are several examples of pieces LEGO doesn’t classify as a part that are used in MOCs, such as:

The pin used to keep bundles of 4 train tracks together.

This Technic hub piece was never originally intended for standalone use (it was part of a pin joiner) but has been used by MOCcers due to having antistuds on both sides (within a 1x1 brick footprint). It was later used as a standalone piece in official sets before being replaced with a new design.

The iconic brick separator is not intended as a regular LEGO piece, but has a whole class of MOCs based on it. I have seen it used as railway station roofs, spaceship wings etc.

Net, I think the general consensus is that if it has been produced by LEGO and you can find a way to incorporate it into a MOC, your creation is still considered “purist”. At the least it gives you good arguments for any debate that might arise.

Curious to see how you will incorporate shopping bags in a MOC ... I can imagine one being used in a rather large scale MOC where you utilize the LEGO logo on it as part of a display.


Question about compliance of LEGO videos on Youtube and the new COPPA rules I make some LEGO videos and post them on Youtube. I'm wondering whether I should flag them as "for kids" or not. Most (if not all) of them are not intended to be specifically for kids, but for all people. They are mostly videos of my MOCs. According to my interpretation of Jangbricks's video on the subject, all LEGO videos (LEGO being a toy) should be flagged as "for kids". Is my interpretation correct? What should I do? Any answers are appreciated.

For the time being, it would be smart practice to mark any videos related to LEGO as "for kids," even if that is not your target audience. At the current moment, we know very little about what quantifies as "for kids," but "toys that appeal to children" most definitely includes LEGO. I suspect that we will learn more in the coming months as literally millions of YouTubers try to figure out what their content should be categorized under. At the moment, the risk is simply not worth it. Video deletion, Channel termination, and being fined large amounts of money are all possible if I read everything correctly. With that all said, I am not a lawyer, so I highly recommend you go ask the folks over at the Law Stack Exchange.


How many hours of travel does it take to wear out LEGO monorail tires? I've seen some pretty impressive LEGO tire driven/cushioned monorail displays that put miles of wear on the track and the train cars that ride on it.
I'm hoping a monorail expert can tell me (about) how many hours of travel do you get out of the rubber monorail train wheels before you have to replace them?
Do you have to use something to clean the tire marks off the track, or does it wipe away?

I went to Brickcon 2012. I asked Joe Meno about his red Monorail and he was most helpful. He flipped it over to expose the undercarridge and he was able to show me LEGO tires with fifteen hours of running time. The tread does indeed wear off and the tires actualy begin to split. The rubber doesn't cling to the rails themselves, but residue does begin to accumulate below the tracks. The ease of clearing the area of the tire debrie all depends on what you have built below the track. It can be blown clear, or wiped away.   These two sizes of tires were used to run Joes train.    ...The tread on the driven tire is beginning to wear down.  ...and you can see the non-powered wheel has begun to separate.


Where can I get LEGO bricks to build a life size wall? I would like to create the structure, meaning walls of my stand in an exhibition, made by LEGO bricks, so I wonder if I can order great quantities of bricks just to create this and if I can talk to an engineer who can design for me a particular product made by Lego's bricks.

Who can I speak to? Can I receive a quotation for that?

I'd ask someone like Warren Elsmore to help with this. He's done many unique creations for organisations all over the world, and he's written 3 books about LEGO.

Although I would also consider this idea.
These guys rocked up to BRICK 2014 in London this past weekend and built the walls of their stand with their product of LEGO storage bricks. It worked great. The dimension are huge and still recognisable as LEGO. It would also be heaps cheaper than trying to build it from standard size bricks.


Technic beam centering for beam with even length I design stereo camera housing for robotics (3d printing). I want the housing to be able to connect to both LEGO Classic and LEGO Technic blocks. I designed 2 groups of 4x4 holes/pins on the bottom/top of the case for LEGO Classic. This works fine using the camera as "intermediary" piece (connecting bricks both from bottom and top and incorporating the camera into a LEGO robot).

However I also want Technic to mate the camera. I came up with holes for Technic pins which make some of the "Classic" holes deeper. The problem is Technic uses odd number for beams so they can center with one hole. Is there a part (maybe 2-sided double-beam) that would connect even to odd and allowed me to center the camera on LEGO Technic properly?

Sure I could move the holes one step to sides (make beam 5 fit) but that would produce the same problem on the Classic side (centering, using 7x2 or 8x2 instead of 6x2).

Camera bottom side (hole in the center is for tripod screw):

Camera top side:

Hmm...  I don't know...  I personally, wouldn't try to reinvent pin placement of Technic holes and Studs. I'm not saying being creative that way is too challenging. What I am saying is that, we should work with examples, or in this case parts that already bridge Classic stud width with Technic holes.

Placing pins where the studs belong seems akin to reinventing the wheel, when we could be building off the long work history already put into the wheel's design, and spring board off that instead.

With that said, I'd point you to a Technic 2 x 4 plate with three holes.

Replicate it, split it in half (lengthwise), and embed the top on to the top of the camera housing.  Take the split bottom half and embed that into the bottom of the camera housing.

Visually, to me, the stud width of your design looks like a Technic 2x6, but there seems to be enough room to jam a Technic 2x8 in there.

For my brain to work, I like pictures.  So, for piece inspiration, I'd go to Bricklink's database and just type "pin", "pins" or "holes" and look at the pictures of parts that have a key word in them.  Doing this expands the possibilities of what could be done to make your design solid.

Also for me, it's easier to reverse engineer things I see.  So, for ideas I would BL search these parts, look up the sets that they were in, and watch a Youtube * speed build of one of these Technic sets to see how the part was used, and maybe come across an ingenious way someone mated Classic studs with Technic pinage.

(* When dealing with Youtube. Time is precious and limited, so remember we can reclaim some time by speeding up YT playback with the settings "gear".)

EDIT

Another design compatibility suggestion:

There are no pictures showing the total height of your camera rig.  I'm just imagining it inside a robot, or something, and the height of it doesn't conform to the standard bricks built around it.

Try to standardize your work, by making  sure the total height is equal to a pillar of bricks, and round the entire height to the nearest brick.


Can anyone find a photo of the "LEGO bricks, not LEGOS" insert? Debates aside; I have been told that there used to exist a message either in Lego catalogs or inserts in boxes that reads as this:

  The word LEGO® is a brand name and is very special to all of us in the
  LEGO Group Companies. We would sincerely like your help in keeping it
  special. Please always refer to our bricks as 'LEGO Bricks or Toys'
  and not 'legos.' By doing so, you will be helping to protect and
  preserve a brand of which we are very proud and that stands for
  quality the world over. Thank you! Susan Williams, Consumer Services.

Does anyone have a photo of this insert or catalog text that they could share?

Here you go, from a scan of a 1985 catalog at Retroist. (I'm still looking for a version without the Retroist URL smeared across the bottom.)

The text reads, verbatim:

Dear Parents and Children
LEGO® is a brand name that is very special to all of us in the LEGO Group Companies. We would sincerely appreciate your help in keeping it special by referring to our bricks as "LEGO Bricks or Toys" and not just "LEGOS". By doing so, you will be helping to protect and preserve a brand that stands for quality the world over.
If at any time we can be of service to you regarding our products, please feel free to write to us.
Susan Williams

The text you quote above is slightly different and may be a variant from a different year, or perhaps it's just slightly misremembered.
It's from one of the "mini-catalogs" that came with the sets, so this was both a catalog and a box insert.


Where does Saul's head come from at 0:12? I'd like to build the same figure but I am unable to locate the head.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UajSKjQUDPE

Minifig, Head Dual Sided Brown Eyebrows, Black Eyes with Pupils, Wrinkles, Smile / Determined Pattern (SW Han Solo) - Stud Recessed


Please help identify set with 2x3 and 3x4 red slopes with blue and yellow triangle printing? Any help identifying the set these bricks come from would be appreciated.  They possibly look like awnings maybe to a town storefront.

Part 3297px18 - Slope 33 3 x 4 with Blue Triangles with Yellow Borders Pattern appears in 5 sets.

Assuming for a moment that all 4 of these bricks come from the same set, there are two possible sets that you could have (there is one more set that has 1 of the 3x4 and two of the 3x2 slopes).

4226 Building Monsters - contains 4 of each.

9287 Bonus Lego Basic Town - contains 12 of each.


Is code written for NXT bricks compatible with EV3 brick (for Johnny 5 building)? My son is mad on the robot from Short Circuit (Johnny 5) and I want to build robots with him. We have a copy of Daniele Benedettelli's "Creating Cool Mindstorms NXT Robots" and I was planning to start with the simpler Johnny 5 build (miniJohnNXT) which is on the author's website. We only own simple Lego at the moment so I need to invest in a kit which has bricks, sensors etc. So I have a few questions. I've looked around the web but most questions focus on NXT/EV3 compatibility of hardware, not software.

Which kit should I buy given that we want to build the miniJohnNXT
(but will obviously also do other builds)? The NXT kit (8527,
currently about £170), the EV3 retail kit (31313, currently £218) or
the EV3 education kit (45544, currently £371)? I realise I'll have
to get extra parts whichever kit I get, but the brick seems the main
cost.
Will the code written for the NXT brick to control Johnny5 work on
the EV3 brick? (I assume so, but need to check)
Given that the "eyes" part of the robot is an ultrasonic sensor
(53792) in the NXT kit, and in the EV3 retail kit is an IR sensor
(95654), will this cause big problems with the coding, or can I just
modify it relatively easily (or put and ultrasonic sensor elsewhere
on the robot?).

My gut feeling is to get the EV3 retail kit as the EV3 brick is newer technology than NXT, so likely to be more forwardly compatible (I think we have years of Lego ahead of us) and the EV3 education kit seems really overpriced, but if the coding won't work except with NXT then I'll get an NXT kit instead.

I would advise the EV3 retail version. An NXT costs more than it should because it is getting difficult to find. You can buy additional motors and sensors separately in an official LEGO store or order them from the S@H website. The EV3 education kit cost more than it should because it's "educational". You will not need to modify the Johnny 5 build much to accommodate for the different motors sensor and intelligent brick.
No, but you'll be able to view the NXT code in the new software and it shouldn't be to hard to reproduce the EV3 equivalent. The code blocks are similar.
There is a new ultrasonic sensor (45504) just for the EV3 brick. It's sold as part of the educational kit but you can also buy it separately (which is in my opinion more cost effective). I suppose you could also modify the code to work with the EV3 IR sensor, but range and precision are significantly poorer for distance sensing. However with the IR, you can set it up to track the IR beacon, or you could use it as a remote control.


Can anyone ID this ship, please? None of this looks familiar to me, but its incredibly complicated. A LEGO set or fan-made?
Thanks

Not a LEGO set. Following up on details in comments it appears that Dcbarkley has managed to identify pictured model as a LEGO set thanks to this answer. However, my initial (wrong) assumption was based on dark color of the bricks used in the model. Picking up quite unique piece for cross-checking eventually led to correct set identification. Below you will find original answer:

Confirmed with Slope, Curved 5 x 8 x 2/3. It appears to be used in Black, however there's no set produced to have these slopes in Black. In case Dark Bluish Gray was used in the model, then still, none of the sets having this slope look like your model.


Do you know what set these go to? These are more dark grey than green. Maybe from a jet or alligator or crocodile? !

Wedge 6 x 2 Right with Reptile Skin, Red Eye, White Teeth Pattern

Wedge 6 x 2 Left with Reptile Skin, Red Eye, White Teeth Pattern

These two wedges appear in The Batboat: Hunt for Killer Croc

Wedge 4 x 4 Triple with Stud Notches with Exo-Force Circuitry Pattern (Sticker) - Set 7705

As name suggest this piece comes in 7705 - Gate Assault

Wedge 4 x 4 No Top Studs with Two Red Arrows on Dark Bluish Gray Background Pattern (Sticker) - Set 7256 in your picture has incorrectly applied sticker.

Again, set is described in the name - 7256 - Jedi Starfighter & Vulture Droid

The last item depends on the color, it is either Windscreen 10 x 6 x 3 Bubble Canopy Double Tapered with Light Bluish Gray Jedi Starfighter Pattern and is part of single set.

or Windscreen 10 x 6 x 3 Bubble Canopy Double Tapered with Dark Bluish Gray Jedi Starfighter Pattern which appear in 3 sets.

Since you got a wedge piece from 7256 it is highly likely the canopy is from the same set.


Question about a Lego Compatible brand with "B L" logo My son has a small orange and grey space ship building set. It has two astronauts with it. The logo on the bricks shows the letters "B L" on them. We're trying to find instructions online so that he can put it back together. I'm not familiar with this brand and I have no idea where the gift was purchased. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

My guess is:

bestlock construction bricks, a inferior lego clone brand

Best-lock

logo should be this

the only grey and orange set i found

Space ship

couldn't find the instructions


Can you help me identify this LEGO set? Sand green car with crumpled hood and engine on back? Can you please help me identify this LEGO set?

This vehicle is part of 10669-1: Turtle Lair


How can I find the directions to this LEGO bag? I have a LEGO bag unopened but we lost the directions!  Can someone help?  I think it's Minecraft.

You can look for lego instructions at a couple of websites. Here are the links.

http://letsbuilditagain.com/

http://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-instructions

http://lego.brickinstructions.com/


How to build bridge using 4.5/12v train rails from 1969 Lego brochure I am interested in building a bridge for my layout and stumbled upon this forum post in which user 'Istokg' posted a picture of a train bridge made from the blue rails used in the pre-1980s train sets.

This is from a 1969 Lego publication which has been scanned and uploaded to brickfetish.com and can be found here.

Obviously this could be built with either the blue rails as shown or even the newer grey rails.
My question is: can anyone provide insight, (or even better, building instructions), on how it is constructed. Even the larger picture in the scan is still too small to see exactly how the rails are fixed to the main structure.

--------- Edit ---------

I finally have all of my Lego spares in one place and have had time to try a prototype build of the bridge using @62Bricks' LDraw file, but I have hit upon a problem:

The angles of the vertical rails where they connect to the plates at the top are such that it is not possible to attach the curved outside rails. This is best illustrated by the picture below:

As you can see, there is no way to attach the upper rail as the vertical rails attached to the studs on the lower row of the plates almost touch the studs on the upper row.

I thought at first this was due to my using 'Gray-era' rails rather than the 'Blue-era' rails used in the 1969 bridge and in @62Bricks' LDraw file but as far as I can see there is no difference between the two that would affect the outcome here. (I don't have any blue rails to test though).

Further supporting evidence is that at high magnification in LDraw, the stud on the plate can be seen protruding through the end of the rail, which is impossible in practice.

I do happen to have a straight rail where the end cap is broken off, I tried this with the approximate angle of the curved rail and was able to achieve something that looked about right:

I don't want to have to break the ends off my rails to make them fit and also the grip of the broken rail on the stud was much reduced, so I doubt a bridge made with this method would hold up well with the vibration of trains rumbling across it.

I am, therefore, stuck. I have my prototype bridge part built but I can go no further. I would love to hear any suggestions on how to proceed as well as any theories as to how Lego made the bridge in the picture work.

--------- Edit 2 ---------

After much experimenting with jumper plates and studying of the original picture, the solution was actually quite simple. (And identical to that suggested by @jcranton in the comments of the accepted answer):

By adding 1x1 plates under the connections to the vertical rails, the collision is avoided. (@jcranton's suggestion to use round plates I think is better than the square plates I have used).

The method above also means there is no need for double stacking the plates as shown in the LDraw from @62Bricks.

So my prototype is taking shape:

I have made a few other modifications, most notably dropping the level of the deck to accommodate the height of the trains I intend to run on it. I have also added reinforcement plates to the back of the sides to add rigidity as I intend to make the bridge wide enough for two tracks.

Here is an approximation of the bridge that appears on the cover of the catalog pictured above. Unlike the version in the picture, this model uses bracket pieces to attach the arched section to the rail bed. All the pieces in this build were available prior to 1994.

The arches are decorative and do not really contribute to the strength of the bridge. This is completely computer-generated and may not be very sturdy in real life. It would not be difficult to adapt the rail bed to give it more strength, however.

I put together an LDraw file with steps for building this bridge. The file can be downloaded from my MOCpage.


Set Identification: 2011 set, bag 3, #135149 Can anyone help identify which set this bag comes from?

This bag is from 75092-1: Naboo Starfighter

Based on

4655280: Plate 4X4 W/Angle
4260934: Left Shell 2X6W/Bow/Angle,Inv


Which official LEGO stores have the largest selection of bricks in their PAB wall? Official LEGO stores offer the opportunity to fill a cup (small or large) with LEGO elements from a wall with shelves, usually near the back at the store.
These are called PAB walls (Pick A Brick)
This is often one of the cheapest ways to purchase LEGO elements.
However, the size of the wall and hence the size of the selection, differs from store to store.
I was wondering, which stores have the largest wall ?  In Europe I think it is the one at Disneyland Paris, but I could be mistaken. I'm also interested in other countries/continents...

I cannot seem to find the official press release for Berlin flagship store re-opening in 2017, however various sources1, 2 state at that time it had the Europe’s largest ”Pick & Build“ wall. Latest news I could find related to this particular shop wall is couple of months old (in German). There's a picture representing all parts available for PAB with 144 parts/bins.
I've also found following picture on Imgur via Reddit post, showing the size of PAB wall


can someone identify this lego character for me? I have a mini figure that I can't find on the web or any where else (I also don't have any instructions for it). Not sure where it came from but I found it in a pile of lego at home that I collected years ago.

Can someone please tell me what number these 'pieces' are or tell me what lego set this came from. That would be great!

this appears to be
Robot Devastator 4 - Red Eyes

from the following sets

8101-1:Claw Crusher
or
8107: Fight for the Golden Tower
or
8112: Arachnoid Stalker or 8115: Dark Panther

Partlist for Devastator

Bricklink part list


Is there a step-by-step guide to extracting a parts list from LDD to bricklink? I'd like to build a model I have in LDD, but i don't know how to get my parts list (I exported BOM) into bricklink. I know there is rebrickable, but I don't see an option to import either .lxf or .xlsx... A link or guide would be very helpful.

Here's a great program that takes an LDD file and makes it an .xml file:
http://www.nolberger.se/lego/wantedbricks/
From there you can copy the text and paste it into your bricklink wanted list.


When and where was the first "official" fan organized Lego Convention held? I just attended BrickCon 2013 here in Seattle (I wore my new StackExchange T-shirt). When and where was the first "official" fan organized Lego Convention held?

According to the What is BrickCon? page, BrickCon claims to be the "longest running fan-based LEGO® convention". Its first edition took place in 2002.

Note that there are events which are older (LEGOworld in the Netherlands for example which I believe started in 2001), so I suppose BrickCon's claim is specific for conventions, and not exhibitions - although I doubt the line between both is very clear to start with (While LEGOworld is definitely directed to the public, there are fan-only happenings in the evenings)


Ain't no mountain high enough... - what is the tallest LEGO piece? What is the tallest LEGO single piece ever?

Clarifications

It must not necessarily be a purchasable block.
By tallest, I mean a piece preferably in its natural standing position, although also the lying longest pieces could go, provided their exceptionality fits the requirements...
No restrictions on the materials.

No restrictions on the materials.

Well then, probably a component to the old wooden furniture LEGO used to produce, like these:

5003483 - 3-Seat Playtable Creative Play Station Center Pack Duplo

Or the similarly designed 4509g - 3-Seat Playtable, 5004063 - 3-Seat Playtable, or 5003468 - 3-Seat Playtable Creative Play Station Center Pack.

IF-LTW2C - Activity Table and Chair Set

They did require some assembly, so I'm not sure if any parts stood up on their own, but you could probably balance a table leg for example.


Guide me on how to use my Mindstorm RCX kit on OS X Mavericks Any suggestions on how I can use my old RCX set on Mavericks? I have set up Xcode command line tools, and I am getting compiler errors while trying to download nqc through Macports. Even downloading gcc49 through Homebrew has not helped fix this issue. Is there any other option I'm overlooking?

I am currently maintaining my own fork of NQC for use on OpenBSD and OS X. As you have discovered, the recent compiler changes on OS X broke NQC in many places. Not to mention that the USB tower integration was pretty outdated. If you can compile it, it should work better than the ports version.

AFAIK, I am now the de facto maintainer for  NQC. (And may Crom have mercy on my soul, etc.)

Also, If you can find the right firmware (available around the usual places) you can update the RCX 1.0 to something like 2.x (or whatever the last release of the RCX firmware from LEGO is).

I make no promises this works at all, but I recall the last checked in version worked reasonably well with a serial tower on OpenBSD and a USB tower on OS X. A serial tower on OS X might work with the right incantations and USB/serial dongle.

If someone else other than me actually uses this, I might be prompted to cleanup my sandbox and commit my local repo (and fix bugs others find annoying.)