Which train motor is more powerful, 9V or 12V?

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

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

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

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

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

LEGO® 9V Technic Motors compared characteristics


According to BrickLink, 60183 Heavy Cargo Transport seems to be the only set that has all of

Red 4 x 6 plate
White Tile, Round 2 x 2 with Open Stud
Tile, Round 2 x 2 with Open Stud


Why am I required to buy something on BrickLink before I am allowed to sell?

It’s not perfect, but it’s their way of finding reputable sellers. Any purchase counts so you can just buy 5 more cheap minifigs.


Looks like there are really two different questions here. Allow me to address the question regarding grooves on the tiles:

  What's the difference between tiles with and without grooves?

Basically, on tiles without grooves, the vertical edges run continuously straight from top to bottom. On tiles with grooves, there is a small lip at the bottom of the tile just large enough for a fingernail or a separator tool.

A visual comparison between the 1 x 2 tile without groove (red) and the 1 x 2 tile with groove (grey) shows the continuous vertical sides vs. the lip that forms the 'groove':

  Is the groove on the bottom?

Yes, it runs all the way around the bottom of the tile.

  Is one piece much more useful than the other?

The difference is mainly in the ease of removing the tiles once attached to another Lego element. As I mentioned above, the groove leaves enough space to prise the tile away from whatever other LEGO element it is attached to. In the case of the 2 x 2 Tile without groove that you reference in the question, according to bricklink, it was discontinued in 1978 after the 2 x 2 Tile with groove appeared in 1973, so I would guess that LEGO considered the 'with groove' to be a better design.


What internal electronics does the Control+ Technic Hub (88012) use?

TLG was kind enough to send me one of these, so I've done my part and cracked it open to see what is inside. The teardown was fairly easy to do without damaging any components. The only tool I used was a brick separator.
There are a few tabs around the edges that can be depressed to allow the main housing to come apart:

I'm not certain what the purpose of the small rubberized button is, but it is accessible from inside the battery compartment. This may be related to detection of a future battery pack.
The PCB simply lifts out:

On the bottom side, we can see that the main processor is an STM32L431RCT6. It's based on the Arm Cortex M4, can be clocked up to 80 MHz, and includes 256kB of flash memory.
The top side includes the remainder of the components of interest.

For Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, the Control+ hub uses a CC2640 from Texas Instruments. This is the same chip used by the Powered Up hub.
The motor drivers are LB1836 chips. They are dual drivers, and there are two on the board, one for each pair of ports. These are the same driver chips used for the Powered Up, Boost, and Robot Inventor hubs.
Overall, this hardware is very similar to the other hardware in the current generation of products (Robot Inventor, Powered Up, Boost, etc).


Good LEGO CAD Design Software with Technic elements and animation

Take a look at SR 3D Builder. I have not used this software myself but it looks like it may do what you need. It's free (for non-commercial use) and you can import your LDraw files.

Here is a link to some videos on YouTube

See below for the features list (taken from the website)

NEW Support for Piston - Rod mechanism
NEW Support for Linear Actuators and Shock Absorbers
NEW the Animation Console to easily create and animate your technic
models
Towball, HINGES and GEARS SUPPORT! Take a look to the Gallery  to see
what I mean
Connection Solver for quick connecting hinges and rotating parts
Support for RACKS and steering
Support for ANIMATED FLEXYBLE PARTS
Belt Generator with real connections
Now with GROUP management
New exclusive MirrorBuilding features  for quick build of symmetric
models. MUST TRY !!
Enhanced instructions editor to easily modify the order in which bricks are loaded in your model and/or take photos while building
Complex gear driven hinges support (quadrilaters deformation and
steering)
Great fully 3D building envinronment with reflection and
transparencies
You will see your model during loading time and can pause for
instruction steps
You can modify and save models (lDraw/MLCad .dat compatible format)
Fast selecting/moving/adding/removing you'll never see in MLCad
Copy/Rotation/Deletetion/Color change of single or multiple brick. Undo/Redo functionality
Real connections detection, not always the same near brick positioning
Brick selection by Block (means that solid connected bricks can be selected at once)
Grid positioning to speed up positioning of pieces
Automatic and precise positioning and orientering of most bricks according to connection detection
Automatic detection of rotation axles
You can easily load model from other known programs: it supports the
following formats

.dat files
.ldr files
.mpd files (only a few metacommand are currently supported)


When did LEGO have a groove in the center tube underneath?

I can give you some help, especially if you are talking about 2x4 bricks.  Last year, I embarked on a bit of a history project to trace the design changes in Lego, by looking at the 2x4 brick, from 1949 to today. (Such as changes in the tubes, like the slots you mention!) I talked to several very helpful collectors (some here on Bricks beta!), who gave me lots of helpful information.
I distilled it all down into this article:

http://snakeandboris.blogspot.com/2016/06/a-short-history-of-lego-brick-1949_6.html

(This link goes to Part 2 of the article, because it contains a link for Part 1.)
Keep in mind, though, that not all dates with Lego changes are hard-and-fast.  You will see a few "c." meaning it was AT or AROUND that time--because as Lego changed molds, they didn't do it all at once, across the whole world. They used the old molds for their normal lifespans.
There are even MORE sub-variations than what I have found, and there are links at the end of my post to some other good sources of information.
Good luck! One thing about this hobby I can tell you, there are lots of knowledgeable and kind folks to help you!


How many flexible tracks does it take to make a complete oval?

Each piece of flex track is equivalent to 1/4 piece of regular track. The standard train curves are 1/16th of a circle and thus an oval shape is not possible, however, with 64 pieces of flex track you could make an oval by squashing the circle a bit. 7499 comes with 16 flexible tracks, so you'll need 4 of them to make a regular train circle.

The flex track can be used to make a smaller circle than the regular track:

but as TheBrickBlogger pointed out, the flex track has performance issues and such a tight circle will be difficult for your trains to navigate. The trains tend to fall off if conditions are not perfect. Over Christmas I built a large layout under my Christmas tree and I had to remove all the flex track in order to prevent derailing. Part of that was due to my train design, part of it was due to the fact that the track was sitting on a mix of carpet and hardwood flooring, but part of it was that the train is very sensitive to bumps in the track and flex track exacerbated those issues. Depending on your engine design you might have more or fewer issues. If you are just pushing the train by hand, it will probably be fine.

Also keep in mind that the standard lego train car with fixed (not swiveling) wheels can only navigate a certain minimum radius. Lego puts the wheels 10 studs apart so that they can just barely make it around the fixed curves. If you build the small flex circle, or squash a 64-flex-track circle into an oval, your tightest curves will for sure be too tight for those cars to navigate.

Normally Lego sells curved track in an expansion kit. It seems that right now (May 2015) the only kit is the 7895 Switching track kit. That kit comes with 4 curved rails and so you'd need to buy 4 of them to make a circle. If that's not your ideal choice of parts, then Bricklink would be best. Or, use this as an excuse to buy a whole train kit, which comes with track, train cars, motors, etc. You can never have too much Lego.


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


Which part is this pin with varying diameter?

The part is a Technic, Pin 1/2 with 2L Bar Extension (Flick Missile), part number 61184. It was released in 2008 and used extensively in the LEGO Agents theme as "flick missiles".


Problem-shooting on 8070 "Super Car" with Power Functions

If built according to the instructions, the wheels should not be powered at all. The only motorized functions is opening the hood, doors and spoiler. Moving the wheels should not affect these functions, nor should the wheels move when operating the functions.

So my guess is that someone did a poor attempt at modding this model and you'll have to deconstruct the model further.


How to pause, and restart (without resetting), a timer block - ev3

I don't think there is a shortcut.  The timer sensors record how much time has elapsed since they were reset.  The starting of the program gives you the first reset for free.  So the psuedocode ends up something like this.  The button touched vs released is a personal preference.  I think of the interval as starting when the button is released and extending until it is pressed.

Set a variable "totalTime" to zero
Loop start
wait for button touched
Set a variable "intervalTime" = timer sensor value
Set "totalTime" = "intervalTime" + "totalTime"
Set intervalTime = 0
wait for button to be released
write to the LCD display "ready for next interval"
wait for button to be touched
wait for button to be released
reset the timer sensor
Loop end (forever)


You can look for missing data in currently available lists:

Old school Peeron (no longer updated)

Bricklink list most of the brick colors available for sale.

Rebrickable has attempted to bring all colors in one place.

Brickset has also some details.

Mecabricks has one also (as PDF).

LDraw project has such list.

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

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

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


I know that this question is old, but if someone else has this question, I have found that these error messages often appear when you are either trying to access a non existent array (i.e. you copied the block from another project and you did not change the name of the variable) OR when trying to access a value of an array with an index that does not exist (i.e. In an array of size 4 you are trying to access index #4 or index #5)


Generally speaking, you should ask LEGO to send you a replacement disc. In 2006 they sent the software without any further cost according to this forum thread.

Note though, the official software is almost 15 years old by now, and so it is likely incompatible with any modern computer. There is a version that is compatible with XP, but anyways it is generally accepted that the official software is far worse than the best generic alternative.

Keeping this in mind, I would rather recommend you to look around for other generic video-editing software: Free software collection of a hobbyist LEGO movie group


Question about compliance of LEGO videos on Youtube and the new COPPA rules

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.


LEGO identification from white, grey, and blue pieces?

I think this is part of 9525-1: Pre Vizsla's Mandalorian Fighter


What sets have been named in a punny way?

Not a great pun, but the 2016 advent calendar was:

40222-1: Christmas Build-Up

Sort-of a pun/double-meaning on LEGO being a building toy, and the set being meant to build-up to Christmas.

The 2017 version also has the same name.


How can I create a visually appealing Castle wall from one colour?

Considering the very limited choice of bricks, I don't think you have much options.

The first is the obvious stacking of 1x2 bricks, which the added bonus that it can bend (slighly).

The second is the obvious stacking of 2x4 bricks, which is equally boring.

What I would suggest is to build windows in it, which you can easily achieve by mixing the two bricks. My LDraw PC is dead, so I'll need to explain this otherwise. Let's say that the wall depth is 2L, so basically from the front you'll see either bricks of 1 or 4. Let's represent these by "1" and "4444". What you can do is as follows:

  1444414444144441444414444144441444414444144441444414444
4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444
4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444 4444
 1444414444144441444414444144441444414444144441444414444
4444144441444414444144441444414444144441444414444144441
  1444414444144441444414444144441444414444144441444414444

Notice that there is a window every 5 studs, which is exactly the same as you would have if you were using the castle wall panels.

For the top, you can have a layer of 2x4 bricks in the other direction, so that they go one stud further in front and in back. End with a parapet build of 1x2 bricks.


You only need the official LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software.

LEGO provides a "EV3 Block Developer Kit" on the MINDSTORMS downloads page. This contains some minimal instructions on creating blocks. It also contains an older version of the EV3 software.

However, I have found that any version of the MINDSTORMS software can be used in "developer mode" by creating a file named MindstormsEV3.ini with the following contents:

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

Save this file in the directory where the software is installed, e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home Edition\, then start the software.


Can You Identify These Black Studless 2x4 Brick With Train Wheels?

Hey, there Happy Dog!  These train pieces?

Part #BB37 - Train Brick 2 x 4 x 1 1/3 Sliding Block with Wheels
Holder.
Part #Wheel2A - Wheel Spoked for Motor.

Together they appear in these LEGO sets.

See ya!


Does cleaning LEGO parts affect their value?

Cleaning coins reduces their value because being metal they form a natural patina with age. The patina is an indication of the coin's age, and supports its authenticity. Removing any of the patina through cleaning reduces the value because it removes this sign of its authenticity.

Cleaning LEGO pieces does not affect their value in the same way it does coins. It is generally accepted that used pieces will have some small scratches and will have lost some of the shine of new pieces. Unless the scratches are deep enough to be seen easily or the piece is damaged, these incidental small scratches have little effect on the value of used pieces or sets.

LEGO pieces do not scratch one another, although they may cause scuffs (which can be removed). Scratches are caused by substances that are harder than the ABS plastic LEGO pieces are made from. This is usually dirt and dust that contain small particles of grit. This can settle on the pieces and scratch them as they are handled. Many pieces are played with on the floor, where they pick up grit and can be rubbed into carpet or flooring that contains abrasive particles.

Cleaning them can remove this abrasive grit and reduce further scratching, but aggressive rubbing can cause more scratching. When I clean pieces, I like to let them soak in warm water and mild soap for several hours - overnight usually - with no scrubbing and just a gentle mixing around of the pieces. Then I drain the water and rinse them until there are no soap suds and spread them out in a single layer on a clean towel to air dry. This will get all but the most dirty pieces clean.

For pieces that are very dusty, I will soak them then run them under a tap and use the water pressure to clean off as much dust as possible.

For pieces with dried-on dirt or other substances, you need to scrape it off with something softer than the plastic, like a fingernail, or try using the thin edge of a brick separator which is the same type of plastic.


There's an FAQ that answers questions regarding the NXT <-> EV3 compatibility quite well:

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/support?ignorereferer=true

The main problem is, that the EV3 software won't run on a chromebook AFAIK. Only Windows and Mac OS are supported. If you have a MacBook you can use the new EV3 software on that one and program the NXT.


Knight's Kingdom II - the guardian (picture taken from bricklink)

http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?M=cas264

I searched on Bricklink catalog under, 'minifig leg assembly' using the keyword, 'brown,' using thumbnails.  Only had two pages to look through.


Those would be Waffle Bottoms, which seem to have been mostly phased out by 1969, except for the 4x8 plate that went until 1971. Having not read any deep history on old LEGO designs, I'm going with that was just what they went with to start, then realized that the tubes were much better.


How can I program a motor to rotate towards the source of sound?

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
}


Can you identify these parts? Sliding brick and plate with a groove

The plate is probably a Plate 1X8 With Rail or maybe Plate 1X2 With Slide

The Brick is a Sliding Piece 1X4


How would one add custom made 3rd party pieces to LEGO Digital Designer?

In the comments you wrote:

  ...For the record, I am willing to consider answers that address
  other software as well. But I currently only have the LDD, so am
  completely unfamiliar to any other software out there. – nijineko

Brinklink offers two programs that could be right up your alley:

Studio 2.0 - A popular alternative to LEGO Digital
Designer, and

PartDesigner - A side-tweak program to make custom bricks,
where    you're able to export directly into the Studio 2.0 program.


Anyone have the control block for the hitechnic color sensors?

It looks like the page listing downloads is down, but direct links to the downloads still work. I believe that this is the file that you're looking for:

https://www.hitechnic.com/upload/306-Color%20Sensor%20V2.zip


What to build with generic set of pieces

Many here have commented on the site Rebrickable as being the "go to" for the sort of thing you are looking for:  https://rebrickable.com/

Previous related inquiry on this site:
Is there anything like a 'recipe generator' for LEGO models?


What's the name of this curvy looking brick, 2x3 with an overhang

Bricklink refers to it as 'LegoBrick, Modified 2 x 3 x 2/3 Two Studs, Wing End'.

Lego Shop at Home refers to it as 'Plate w. Bows 2x3½'.


How to cross reference multiple parts in sets?

Although clunky you could consider using Microsoft Excel to do most of the work for you.

On Brickset search for the first part
On the top bar click CSV or (comma separated values)
Copy the text
Open Excel (I'm using 2010)
Select Cell A1
In the top right corner click the arrow bellow paste and select "Import Text Wizard..." (depending on the version this option may be in another place)
Selected Delimited and click next
On the following page select "Comma" click next
Select each row that is not "SetID" and select "Do Not Import" click finish (alternatively you can manually delete the extra rows after finish)
Repeat steps for the second part you are looking for. However Select Cell B1 instead of A1. You'll end up with two rows of SetIDs
Finally highlight both columns of SetIDs and select "Conditional Formatting", >"Highlight Cell Rules"> "Duplicate Values"

The cells that are highlighted will be the sets that contain both parts.


Just double click on program's name in the tab.


What are the best options for building a LEGO RC car?

I use a Mindstorms NXT brick and an Android smartphone for my remote controlled tank. The downside is that the NXT motors are slower than the regular Power Functions motors, and connecting PF motors to the NXT brick requires additional components.

Personally, I am satisfied with NXT motors and don't bother kludging PF motors. (Yet.)

Here is a modular truck design as an example: http://www.nxtprograms.com/MTV/index.html
I use this app for my remote control: https://market.android.com/details?id=org.jfedor.nxtremotecontrol


What is the brown ship in the Star Wars 2012 advent calendar?

According to BrickLink it is a Trade Federation MTT


What software was used to create the LEGO Movie?

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.


Is it possible to build a steering system without using gear racks such as part 87761?

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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


Does the LEGO (online) store ensure customers do not get repeated models in character packs?

I think I can answer this question myself now.
I have ordered twice, ordering five character packs in each. Across each of the sets of five, all of the characters I received were unique. However, there were two models in common between the two sets of five.
As zovits and Phil B. suggested in comments, it looks like employees will simply grab the next packs you have ordered form the box. Inside the box the packs seem to be ordered, so it is very likely that you'll end up getting unique models, but not assured.
If you would like all ten models, and can afford it, order ten packs at once.


What is the white building pictured in the San Francisco (21043) set?

I believe it is 50 Fremont Center/Salesforce West Tower (it's right in front of/besides Salesforce Tower);

I acknowledge that the scale seems off. I'm guessing it is the Fremont Center based on it's location, appearance, and that Lego didn't bother labeling it, as if Salesforce West is part of Salesforce Tower. Also, if you were to look at Salesforce Tower from Coit Tower, the white buildings position is pretty much right on (if other buildings weren't blocking your view).
  Additionally, none of the landmarks or their proximity to each other are really on scale in this Lego set.  I feel like it's more of a representation than a model.


What techniques can be used for laying plates at 45° angle?

Hinges can work, I have used this technique before, if you sandwich the hinges between two plates you get 45 degree 'bricks' that are quite solid.

In most cases, tiles and plates in the right place will keep sufficient contact with the base plate to have a stable model.


Can you identify a box that says LEGO Extra Parts no. 058?

It's a Samsonite supplemental pack

058-1: Small wheels


Where can I find "hacker" information about the NXT?

You can start with the Hardware Developer Kit which includes "documentation and schematics for the NXT and related sensors", supplied by The LEGO group to help you "design and develop your own sensors and actuators [motors] that can interact with the NXT".

I've not really looked at the latest ones, but the original O'Reilly Unofficial Guide to LEGO Mindstorms was very good, and covered things like creating your own sensors for The Robotics Invention System - looking at the descriptions of the newer ones, they don't appear to require soldering irons or alternative programming environments :(.


Looking for an affordable high density storage solution for my individual bricks

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

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


You don't need to open the motor to get the lubricant in. Electric motor oil is thin enough to work in if you hold the motor with the shaft uppermost and slowly rotate the shaft by hand while squirting a small amount down the shaft.

Don't use a lot - try a small amount, and see how well it works. Add more if needed.

(this one I found on Amazon)


I don't think that spray paint would be very durable.  Even if you used a primer specifically designed for plastic the paint would scratch off fairly easily.  Also, spray paint would add a noticeable amount of thickness to the brick and could interfere when trying to mate the brick up with others.


Where can I download the LEGO Mindstorms NXT 2.0 IDE?

LEGO has made it possible to download a stand-alone installer for NXT-G 2.0. It's compatible with both Mac and Windows.

Alternatively, you can download a disc image of the NXT-G 2.0 CD.  The link contains instructions on how to use it (as it isn't as easy as downloading just an installer).


Can I build UCS Death Star by buying bricks separately?

There is a whole site dedicated to working out how you can build a particular model using parts from other sets - Rebrickable. A combination of that and Bricklink would be cheaper as you'd end up with fewer extra parts.

There's also a thread on EuroBricks where someone has done what you're doing and there are some useful tips (mostly about buying as much as you can from a small number of sellers to avoid huge postage costs). Brickset's "links" tab is handy for more information on the set.


PictoBrick is a good one. It works with real LEGO colors and parts and will give you a parts-list: http://www.pictobrick.de/en/pictobrick.shtml


Instructions for LEGO bag dated 2007 bought at a Thrift store

Based on the parts, it looks suspiciously like an internal part bag for 10232 Palace Cinema - which means there's no specific instructions to make something with just those parts - the whole set of instructions can be found online.

To clarify - a set like Palace Cinema will have a number of "Numbered" bags that correspond to part of the building instructions, and those bags sometimes contain smaller sealed bags of small parts - it looks like this is what you have there.

This is based on the two black doors - these seem to be fairly rare these days and the other parts (especially the 11 new dark red 2x2 tiles) fit nicely with the contents of that set.

Note that the year printed on the bag is the date the bag design was introduced - according to BrickSet the pink circles  were first produced in 2008 - and of the 80 sets that it has appeared in, only one of them contains the black doors as well.


Transfer BrickOwl wishlists to BrickLink

You can try using rebrickable.com.
Here's a more detailed guide:
http://rebrickable.com/blog/2015/bricklink-brickowl-integration
In case you have an LDD version of the model you wish to build, check out my question here.


NXT motors spin when in air but stop on ground

NXT and EV3 motors don't slip unless set to coasting. This means that any external means to speed up or slow down the motor will be counteracted by the motor control. I believe basically one or more of your motors is acting as a brake for the others because the controllers believe that they should act that way to obtain the desired speeds you programmed them.
Even if all things are equal (desired motor speed, direction and wheel diameter), other minor variations within the motors can cause variations in the total speed that are counterproductive...

I once created a sumo bot having three motors, the intention being two motors for tank steering and an additional motor to provide extra power. I think this is similar as to what you are trying to achieve. My solution was to combine the motor speeds with differentials (as present in several technic vehicle sets)...


How can I use System and Bionicle elements together?

since the bionicle-pieces only have holes for technic-connections and no studs to use then directly with bricks, you'll have two possibilities:

build some kind of "adapter" using technic-pieces. you could use pegs to connect the bionicle-piece with some kind of technic-brick.
put the studs of your system-bricks into the bionicle-pieces technic-holes - which may not be the best idea

I'd prefer the first option - it's easy, more robust, not controversial and just need two or three pieces in most cases. for example a brick with axle-hole and a small axle or a brick with hole and a simple peg is all you need to get started.


What is the name of the piece that is often used to switch gears?

That is Part 6641 - Technic Changeover Catch.

Also known as "Technic Transmission Changeover Catch".


What would make these store display Star Wars sets particularly valuable?

These displays are indeed rare, because LEGO demands that retailers destroy them after use, and most of them oblige. The sets inside are unfortunately glued together, so they don't have much value. They are valuable to collectors of displays, but that is a fairly limited audience.


App (Win/Android) for managing and cataloging Lego sets

Brickset allows you to do all of the things you mentioned. It's very simple to use, but it also has some optional advanced features. You can read more about keeping track of your collection on Brickset here: https://brickset.com/mycollection

There are some Brickset based apps providing options for Android and Windows 8+, although I'm not familiar enough with them to be able to recommend one that would work for you.


Is there a baseplate with connections on the bottom?

You can certainly combine a number of LEGO parts to build the sort of element you are hoping for. If you want just one part to do this as simply as possible, I'd recommend a 16x16 plate:

This part is about 5 inches by 5 inches and has studs on top and antistuds underneath. You can find it on Bricklink:

http://alpha.bricklink.com/pages/clone/catalogitem.page?P=91405

There have also been some large bricks (up to 12x24) that might work for you:


If you see steep discounts on many LEGO sets, it's a scam.

LEGO and their retail partners rarely discounts their products to 50% or more, and when they do it's rarely on current products. A site offering such steep discounts on a large variety of current products simply isn't credible.

You might find substantial discounts on knockoff brand sets, but if they present them as genuine branded LEGO products (with the LEGO logo), that's clearly still a scam.

Yes, con sets lives up to the name, it's a phishing scam.

If you try to make an order (using fake data!) you will find a page on the website asking you to enter your credit card information.

This payment information does not go through a 3rd party payment processing website (those images mean nothing), they expect you to enter your credit card information directly into their system.

Very few legitimate merchants are allowed to collect credit card information directly, because it's difficult and expensive to secure the data and pass the necessary security audits.

Not only will you not get the products, your payment information will be used by criminals.

Known issue.

On a side note many LEGO fan communities and LEGO themselves are aware of these scams and they've been going on for some time (no doubt they will ramp up for Black Friday). Unfortunately between the shell games these scammers play* and Facebook's general inaction against malicious and dishonest advertisers they will probably continue.

* Often the advertising targets a specific region with a unique domain for that region, and if you visit the website from an IP address outside that targeted region you will see a generic clothing shopping site (in an effort to evade detection).


Tips for getting enough bricks to make a MOC with unified style

Buying random LEGO sets hoping that it will have parts that will fit with what you want to build is an expensive process that can leave you with a huge number of unwanted pieces, and still not have what you want.

Having said that, it is still a good idea to buy some sets that have a good number of pieces and/or building styles that you like and fit your project. For example, if you are planning to build a Star Wars scene, narrow down what scene you would like to build, and see if LEGO has already done any sets from that setting.

LEGO actually considers all their sets as "seeds" that will hopefully inspire LEGO fans to expand on further. So, you buy that Star Wars set that fits your idea, then you start to expand on it. LEGO designers probably already worked out some of the most iconic features of that setting, so all you need to do is expand on them.

If you have a good number of parts, but they are in a rainbow of colors, you can still work on the project you want, but focus on the shapes and techniques rather than the colors. Once you are happy with the design, you can swap out the wrong colored pieces with the correct ones by purchasing them on BrickLink or at LEGO's Pick-A-Brick section.

It is sometimes difficult however to ignore a bunch of bright colors when all you want to build is a mostly gray space-station. So you can combine building with the bricks you have, and virtual building in LEGO Digital Designer. Once you are done, you can count exactly how many bricks you need to buy in which color.

In general I found that even if you are on a smaller budget or lacking space, it is a good idea to have a fairly large stack of bricks in one neutral color (grays, tans and white are the best in my experience), so you can model pretty much anything without being distracted by a rainbow of colors. This way you can work out the shape, size and design of pretty much anything, and then later switch out the pieces with the correct colors. This technique also significantly reduces the cost of projects, because you don't end up buying sets and pieces you don't want.

However if you are completely against shopping on BrickLink or at Pick-A-Brick, there are some sets that might work with your Star Wars project. I'm particularly thinking of the LEGO Minecraft sets because they contain large quantities of basic pieces in earth-tone colors (tans, browns, greens, grays, blues, white and black). They are pretty much the same as the LEGO Classic Brick Boxes that you purchased already, but with earthy tones. They are very useful for creating more realistic landscapes, buildings, etc.


Is there a good way to build a dome on the top of a building?

As a dome is typically a hemisphere, this topic about building spheres might be very useful for you. There's also an automatic tool to construct spheres that you could use to get an ldraw-plan.


As both the LXF file and the video are unavailable, I can only guess at the problem you are facing. But if the linear actuator is clicking, it means the built-in clutch is engaging, as the forces keeping the actuator from moving are too large. This can't be solved by adding a clutch gear (even with gearing), as if the newly added clutch gear is rated to slip at a lower force, it will slip before the linear actuator, and if it starts to slip at a larger force, the linear actuator will still start clicking first.
The best way would be to redesign the linkage to require less force to operate, but it might not be possible in your case:

To save space, I insisted on having a fixed, almost parallel LA

This rules out another possible solution: doubling the linear actuators involved, as two parallel linear actuators will start clicking at a doubled force.
The only remaining advice I can give is to reduce the forces involved, either by attempting to redesign the linkage, or incorporating other means to provide force to assist the linear actuator, like springs, rubber bands, torsion bars, flexible elements, pulleys or even counterweights.


What is the difference between Star Wars UCS and Master Builder Series?

Both the Master Builder Series and UCS will continue. Here's the official distinction from the LEGO Star Wars team:

  The Master Builder Series models are large playsets and beside being complex builds they are characterized by having many play features and functions, interior details as well as a range of minifigures. Ultimate Collectors series will remain highly detailed display models providing complex builds with a focus on authenticity and both Ultimate Collectors Series and Master Builder Series will continue as a way to highlight the unique characteristic of each style of model.

It seems like this distinction should help address some of the confusion from fans that UCS sets such as Assault on Hoth (75098) feel very different than the typical large display models.


Why do several of the 2016 Star Wars sets include stands for the minifigs?

The stands you see aren't actually part of the set. They're there to make it easier to photograph the minifigs, and get photoshopped out in the final version of the set pictures.


Why are there always holes in Duplo bricks?

Plastic molds are designed to have an even thickness wherever possible (I think it helps with cooling), so a having a hole in the stud made sense to keep the brick's walls consistently thin. The hole could have been placed on the underside of the brick, but putting it on top had the obvious advantage of being compatibile with standard bricks.
Interestingly, DUPLO baseplates have their holes on the underside rather than the top. I believe this is because baseplates are vacuum formed instead of injection molded.


Why the use of different colors for the inner bricks?

LEGO uses different colors on interior (non-visible) parts of a build to make the building process easier. Different colors (especially contrasting colors) are easier to recognize in printed instructions. There might also be a cost-saving factor involved, as those colored bricks might be in larger supply at the factory and hence easier to source for a given set.


I need download instructions for this set, but I don’t know the number, light green and black pieces

This bag is from 70736-1: Attack of the Morro Dragon

Based on:

6116600: Ninja Sword

6109561: Blade 10M W/Ø3.2
6039194: Stone 1X2X1 1/3 W. 2 Plates 2X2

and a double check with the instructions.


Does any one know a model or set number for my son's broken piece?

Without seeing a picture it is difficult to determine exactly what you have, but after a bit of research I think you have MEGA BLOKS set #1916: Spider-Man Super Tech Hero from 2004.


Does Power Functions 88002 fit a gray-era train and run on gray-era tracks?

As seen in this video, it is possible to add Power Functions to set 7745 and run the train on gray tracks

Lego Train 7745 with Power Functions

photo from Brickshelf gallery

Another video
Lego 7745 powerfunktion


This is EV3-G code for a PID based on PID Controller for Lego Mindstorms Robots by J Sluka.  It uses the steering parameter of the Move block instead of power levels of the Motor block.  The interesting parts are setting the Kp, Ki, and Kd values.


How can I assemble 2 opposing gears so that the axle rotations are perfectly parallel?

How can I get 2 opposing gear's axles to be perfectly parallel? Are there any good workarounds?

You could use an idler gear. It will even out the offset.

Yet, at the same time, it (or any odd number of idler gears) will cause both axles to spin in one direction.

On the other hand, two (or any even number of) idler gears will not affect the asynchrony of the axles, but will bring back the offset.

Then again, placing a single idler gear crosswise will compensate the offset without changing the desired clockwise/ counterclockwise movement.

Besides, here's two 8 tooth idler gears in line. Both axles seem to be perfectly in parallel to each other.

Unfortunately, that's actually because of the large amount of play involved. So this solution just benefits from the wiggle and does not run too reliably.

Edit:

  Are there any older or special gears that are useful here?

At least theoretically.

Having an uneven number of teeth, these nowadays obsolete gears from the early 70s would work as well.

As you can tell from the overlapping grey gears, the axles are quite parallel (minus some backlash).


What kind of software can I use to design LEGO MOCs?

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

Another possibility mentioned by Alex in the comments is LDCad.


What Mega Bloks set is this? Purple-ish, roughly egg-shaped vehicle

This is part of  megaconstrux set # 97110
Covenant Spectre Ambush

from the Halo theme


How do I keep LEGO boxes looking their best for as long as possible?

While the LEGO plastic elements are very durable and should be considered as safe as long as they remain in their box, the boxes themselves are much more vulnerable.

As you mention, direct sunlight may be damaging to the printing, but you'll also need to be wary of humidity and possible shocks.

As a minimum, I'd recommend storing them in another cardboard box, if possible an original one from LEGO as dimensions will match better. If not, you'll need to make sure there is sufficient padding so that your LEGO box doesn't move freely in the cardboard box. Padding might be a good idea anyway if you aren't too sure of how careful you'll be with the outer box, a dented corner happens very fast.

Of course, you'll want to store the boxes in a dry area, and out of reach of other hazardous elements (cats come to mind - shredding boxes is the raison d'être of some, the rest prefer peeing on everything which you'll want to avoid too).

All this isn't exactly specific to LEGO, but my last bit of advice would be to turn the boxes from time to time so that the weight of the elements settling inside don't always affect the same side. Or at the very least, store your boxes flat. If you were to store a big box on the same side, the bricks inside will put enough pressure on the side that they'll eventually deform them.


The Lego instructions are available auf Deutsch but you might have to type the set numbers in one at a time in order to see the set names displayed.
For older sets German Catalogs might be available on Brickset to find out the names the "manual" way.


What is the identity of this 4-wide car bumper part from a photo?

It's [Part 50949] Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Racers Car Grille


Can you identify the set? Maybe a crane?

Based on the pieces in the photo is looks like the remains of set# 4957 Ferris Wheel.

They had apparently built one of the secondary/alternative models from the set.

(Building instructions here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/search#?search&text=4957)


Chicago Blackhawks logo Lego building instructions

This is the closest you're likely to get, I made it myself. Basically, LEGO art is a form of pixel art. The 2x2 brick is the best brick for this purpose, but often you can use blocks of other length to make the build faster, and more sound. All I did here was take a basic Blackhawks logo, apply a pixelation filter, and then hand-integrate all the pixels into the basic LEGO pallet. I also hand-placed studs for reference, and used a non-LEGO color for the background, and a shadow, to remove confusion. Then I squished all the pixels down to LEGO proportions.

You will be using a lot of yellow, 2 light grey, 4 dark grey, a good bit of black, some green, some orange, and a little bit of white and blue.


What was or is the longest running Lego set?

I'm going to stretch your definition of "set" and say "32x32 green baseplate". You could get set 745-1 in 1978...

...then 840-1 in 1980, then 813-1 in 1986, then 626-1 in 1996:

And since 2015 there's 10700-1, altough it seems that the shade of green is different than the previous iterations:

Since those sets have exactly the same piece count (one) and each piece is functionally the same, I will argue that the green 32x32 baseplate set has been in production since 1978 until today (2019). That's over 40 years.

If you consider these to be different sets because they have different set numbers, then the record goes to 1996's 626-1, with 19 years.


The answer depends on your definition of "legal". In the strictest sense, it means "can be used in official LEGO sets", and in this case, this is definitely not legal, as the axle is not designed to bend that way, unlike the many various hinge and joint pieces.

On the other hand, "legal" might mean "does not cause damage to the pieces", and in this sense it is a borderline case, as you can see the end of the axle retaining its slightly bent shape, but it's nothing that couldn't be fixed with a little more force applied in the correct place and direction.

Whereas on the far end of the legality spectrum, the status of any technique or piece is subject of individual opinion or decision. You are certainly free to employ any combination of parts, use 3rd party parts, paint, glue or cut pieces to your heart's content and shouldn't fear any reprisal from the LEGO Police. Collections curated by others, events or competitions might (and often do) apply a restriction on at least a subset of these, so if you are not in the position to judge the legality, it's best to directly ask those who are.

EDIT based on Michael's comment:

Another criterion in the definition of legality is often "can be easily taken apart by a child", which this design is clearly not.


What are the tiny, single-peg, statuette figures from the SHIELD Helicarrier called?

As you say, the figures used in the LEGO Games are called Micro-figures - these appear to be based on LEGO Part 90398 - Minifig Trophy Statuette, while Marcus refers to them as "Tiny Figures" in his video, the press release that is talked about on most of the sites calls them "micro-figures" as well - I guess LEGO can't call them "Nano-Figures" as that would clash with NanoBlocks - and most of the Games are now retired, so they can re-use the term.

Edit to add:

I've just received an email from LEGO promoting the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier proclaiming the "introduction" of "Microfigures":

  And now, introducing microfigures! Includes Iron Man, Captain America, Hawkeye, Nick Fury, and eight S.H.I.E.L.D. agents!


Opposite brick of Brick, Modified 1 x 2 with Studs on 1 Side

Your best chances are with Technic, Brick 1 x 2 with Holes. Although LEGO considers such connection illegal depending on application (see slides 2, 11 and 12 of this presentation by Jamie Berard). However it works without major issues.


Any reasons for the introduction of the new-style raised arch?

Although I can't think of any sets that make use of this technique, I have found that the Slope, Curved 4×1 Double No Studs fits perfectly under the new-style arches.


What was the 12v AC socket for on the 7864 transformer?

I had one of those, and afaik it was just used for the lights.  I had like 2 light poles in my set and they where used for that.   lights is about the only thing that could take AC current instead of DC in lego.  Those weren't LED's at the time.  I just can't find any pics online from the ones I have(had...).

Edit: Found it, it was powering this light brick: http://guide.lugnet.com/set/1140


Lego Technic 60C01 Clutch Gear Bore size

Outer (hub): 6.8 mm/.268 in./ 17/64 in.
Inner (shaft): 4.9 mm/ .193 in./ 25/128 in.
Teeth (key): 3.32 mm/ .1305 in./ 17/128 in.

-These are close/approximate, not exact due to the tolerances and/or wear. I measured 4 different gears with a digital caliper and the measurements were all within .10 mm of the listed measurements. The measurements even varied slightly within a single gear depending on side and orientation.

Also, I think you can find the answer to your second question about pitch here: "What is the "Module" of a LEGO gear?"


What are the special features of the Ferrari F1 Racer 1:8 kit?

From the Instructions for 8674-1 - Ferrari F1 Racer 1:8 you can see that the pistons also go up and down and the body can be removed.  From the box picture posted the set was part of the LEGO Racers, specifically the Ferrari subtheme.


You are almost there: Right-click on a part. One of the options is "set as origin". This centers the view on this part. "Reset origin" does exactly that.

Otherwise, navigation is done by rotation (rmouse+move), panning (space+rmouse+move) and zoom (scroll).


Simplest approach for rail sets automation

I've wanted to do something similar since I took part in a public event last year and we had trains running continuously on separate little ovals. My ambition was to have two stations, each with some switches, and run one train at a time between them and switch it to an empty track where it would stop.

Since I already had two RCXs, my solution was to place one at either station with light sensors to detect incoming and outgoing trains. I motorized the switches (using a modified version of instructions I found online - I could make some instructions if you wish), and wrote a program that allows the RCXs to communicate with each other about the state of the trains and the switches.

There were two tricky parts: one is that although you can send PF commands from an RCX, there is no feedback from the PF receiver so you'll have to resend the command several times and hope for the best. The other is that the communication between the RCXs is affected by the PF commands. When you send a PF command, the receiver in the RCX will end up in a state where the next serial byte is lost, and although there is collision detection for the communication between the RCXs, there is nothing similar for the PF commands (the sending of which requires the disabling of all interrupts on the RCX).

My solution was to design a protocol for communication between the two RCXs such that they, in effect, negotiate whose turn it is to send PF commands and stay silent when the other RCX is sending. This worked very well in my living room, where the trains would happily run and stop and be handed back and forth between the two RCXs (since you can't easily ID the trains, you have to know where they are). I then tried to set this up at an event, but unfortunately the room was anything but compatible with PF. Possibly because of the fluorescent lights, the PF IR range was severely limited and the trains would not receive the signals from the RCXs.

A solution based on NXT (or EV3) could probably be a lot more powerful and reliable, especially since you'll have much better ways of detecting the trains. Even so, I suspect they'd run into the same problems in some showrooms as my RCX solution.


Is it possible to change the OS in the EV3 Mindstorm Brick

This can usually be achieved on the EV3 with a bootable SD card - you would set that up with a new firmware image and a loader that copies it across to the brick.

The leJOS team have ported their codebase to the EV3 - so with a bootable SD card you can indeed load a modified version of the firmware onto your EV3 brick.

You can then use their WiFi stack to communicate with your brick via a USB dongle - whether they support 802.15.4 yet (or ever will) I couldn't say.

  The WiFi stack is loaded to allow connection to the EV3 via a supported USB WiFi adaptor. This allows you to connect to the EV3 via Telnet, SSH and NFS and makes program development very simple.


Who is this minifigure: black trousers, blue shirt with id and rescue item, sunglasses

Looks like this guy but without the hat.


Who produces these sets of Venetian gondolas, and is there more of it?

Apparently these are designed and distributed by a Venice shop holder, named Steve

http://havetwinswilltravel.com/2018/09/11/lego-shop/


Programming/running a NXT brick with a dead screen, via PC?

There is a tool called NeXTScreen that is available here that will let you see the screen (and remotely control the NXT). There are similar tools for OS X and Linux on the same page.

Once you have this setup, you should be able to use any programming environment that you like. The screen viewing programs should be able to run at the same time as anything else.

For example, you could use the screen viewing program to pair via Bluetooth, then program the NXT using NXT-G and use use the "run" button in NXT-G to start the program remotely.


What's the exact opacity and translucency of transparent bricks?

I have a couple friends in the LEGO company, so I asked one of the guys behind piece creation about this. It turns out that TLC itself doesn't have this information.

The problem is,  lab-testing the exact opacity and light absorption depends on certain ideal conditions. These conditions, like for any test, require the material to be identical in every way to the other materials except for the tested variable.

But there is no piece that comes in every color! And even worse, each batch varies slightly from the others. TLC's QA department is good, but not that good.

So while this is certainly a worthy concept to test, you will likely find that your own results will be the most thorough ones you can get. I recommend that you personally do whatever you need to find your answer, and maybe tell us in a comment or on chat what you found!


Has LEGO ever released a police/law enforcement-themed minidoll?

Couldn't find specific police officer digs, but we can cobble one together until LEGO makes one, cough, official...

We're using the following two images as visual templates to see what we kinda want our finished product to look like.

Note: Police hat vs. Equestrian hat.  We can only choose one.

The Part Recipe List:

Part# 92254pb01 - Mini Doll, Hair Combo, Hair with Hat, Long Ponytail, Side Bangs, Hole
in Back with Black Horse Riding Helmet Pattern.

Part# 15530pb01 - Minifigure, Headgear Hat, Police with Gold Badge (printed) Pattern.

Part# 36904 - Mini Doll, Head Friends with Sand Blue Eyes, Red Lips and Smirk
Pattern.

Part# FTMpb003c01 - Torso Mini Doll Friends Bright Light Blue Polo Shirt with Dark Blue
Sailboat Pattern, Light Flesh Arms with Hands with Bright Light Blue
Short Sleeves Pattern.

Part# 61482 - Minifigure, Utensil Handcuffs.

 Part# 3069bpb260 - Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Silver Police Badge with '2101' and ID Pattern.

Part # 92253c00pb41 - Mini Doll Friends Hips and Trousers with Back Pockets with Sand Green
Vertical Stripes and Light Flesh Feet Pattern.

Part# 92253c00pb05 - Mini Doll Friends Hips and Trousers with Back
Pockets with Tan Shoes Pattern.


6752-1: Fire Rescue

Instructions:

Book 1
Book 2
Book 3


What is the design number of this brick?

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

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

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


Late 1970s hospital and helicopter building brick set

These blocks appear to match your description, would this be the type of brick you are talking about?


You may want to contact the LEGO customer service which will usually provide a replacement motor free of charge.


Is there a Ubuntu Linux LEGO instruction manual creator?

LeoCAD is available for Linux based OSs as well as Windows and Mac, and supports Step creation as well as general model creation.

There are a few other workflows detailed in this answer to a similar question.


Missing LEGO instructions for this set from 2015

Judging from the beige 8x8 plate at the back it should be one of the ones in this list

http://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-4624223

Without seeing any of the other bags my first guess would be this one

http://brickset.com/sets/41101-1/Heartlake-Grand-Hotel


Why isn't the Sad Clown's torso in Stud.io?

Stud.io only has a small selection of printed parts, but there is hope. Stud.io’s Part Designer tool can help you with your clown torso. Here’s how:

Using a paint tool (like Windows’ Paint3D), save only the center bit of the torso to a PNG file, using the above torso image as your master.
Open up Part Designer and choose the option to modify a part. Search for the torso part (Part Designer does not care about the color).
Once the torso part is loaded, choose to add a decoration using the proper option in the left side menu (bottom-most option in my version).
Now open up your PNG file and position it over the torso so that the pompoms line up with the middle of the torso.
Save your part, import it back into Stud.io, go to your Custom part library (selector on the top left side of your screen above the Parts Library) and use the torso as you want.

All these steps shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Good luck!


LEGO bricks getting brittle, easily breaking. Insight needed

For whatever reason, several Lego sets from 2008 are known to have had this issue. The trouble seems to be part specific. For example, the Lego Bionicle Karda Nui set 8686 Lewa Nuva that contained four Technic Beam 5 with Two Ball Sockets in FabuLime (Lego part number 4539223) often cracked upon initial assembly or disassembly. Replacement parts obtained directly from Lego exhibited the same issue.

Because of the consistent high quality of Lego manufacturing, on the rare occasion that we find a bad part, we tend to blame ourselves for the part failure. Logically, if the trouble is exhibited across the entire set (example: brittle parts) then it is probably safe to assume environmental issues like exposure to sunlight or temperature extremes. However, if the problem is only exhibited in a single piece handled with proper care, it is reasonable to assume manufacturing issues.

In my experience, Lego warranty part replacement services will never admit to or discuss known issues with Lego sets or parts. It must be against company policy. However, much to their credit, they will replace any part they have in inventory, no questions asked. So, if you have an issue like this again, contact them immediately. The catch is 'parts they have in inventory'. For older sets they might not have your part, so you would have to use a service like BrickLink.

I have thousands of Lego sets. Rarely, I have found a malformed or missing piece. The odd brittle piece problem seems to be confined to several 2008 sets. Maybe Lego was experimenting with new pigments, ABS formulations, or manufacturing processes that year?


Is there a way to convert stud.io files into LDD files?

Yup.

Both programs (Stud.io and LEGO Digital Draw) can read the LDraw extension (*.ldr).

Overview:

I'm using Windows 10.
I have NOT ungraded to the Stud.io 2, but I think it shouldn't matter
in this case.
In Stud.io, we will be exporting the file into the *.ldr format.
In LDD we will be importing a *.ldr file to be readable in LDD.

The Method:

Download ".io" file from BrickLink to your PC.
Open in Stud.io. and export save as a .ldr file.
(File > Export As > Export As LDRAW...)
Open LDD and import file. (File > Import model) Here you will also have to toggle the file format, *.ldr, you wish to import.
Find your *.ldr file and get to modifying.

Know Annoyances: Ghost Switching 1x4 Bricks.  Tubeless vs. Tubes files.

The final leg is to order your model through Bricklink via Stud.io, but Stud.io can't recognize the default tubed version of this 1x4 Brick. So, you'll be saying to yourself, but I've never used this tubeless version in my build, so what gives?

Apparently, the conversion into the LDraw format changes tubes into tubeless. This is annoying becasue it's not immediately clear why you're not able to find sellers for 100% of your wanted pieces, not understanding that a switch happened early in the conversion process.

Just a heads up.  In LDD you could search for these 1x4 tubeless pieces, and manually switch them out to tubed then re-save the file, or just mentally note to add the proper amount of tubes pieces in Bricklink.  Either method is just as annoying as reading this brick of text...

See  ya!


Control Lego Technic Control+ Hub via Python

Yes, it is possible to remote control a Technic Control+ hub with Python using a library such as pylgbst or bricknil.
You can also write MicroPython programs that run on the hub directly using Pybricks.
You can get support for Pybricks at https://github.com/pybricks/support/discussions. There is a Bluetooth troubleshooting guide to help with connection issues.


Help me plan and acquire pieces for my Star Wars MOC?

Here are some good pointers for building large scale projects:

Duplo is your friend. If you have duplo, or have the opportunity to buy duplo for cheap, it can be extremely useful. You can use it to easily build up the insides of landscape areas, without making everything obscenely dense. This will help with budget and weight.
Build the base nice and strong. Make sure all of your baseplates are attached well to each other, and that you have a permanent building surface. My greatest recommendation would be to buy a sheet of plywood, and build on top of that. This way, if you ever need to move the model, you can pick it up in one piece. You can also make the model so that it splits in certain areas so that it is easy to move around. That is up to you, but make sure you are able to move things around and/or repair things easily.
For scenery that you need to replicate, allocate an exact number of parts for each of those pieces of scenery, and simply alter how you build it each time. It will speed up the process of building as well as add variety to the model.
Details come last. That being said, have an idea of what details you may want to incorporate as you are building some of the superstructures. This way, you can integrate things better in the future, and the model won't appear so haphazard.
Used pieces are an alternative method of coloration. Buying used pieces means that many of them will have slightly different tones of coloration as a result of age. When building in a large scale, this actually adds a really nice touch of realism to a model so that you have a much more diverse gradient of colors.
Don't be afraid to use unorthodox building methods. When you're in a large scale, things can look very different since everything will be seen at once. When building, be sure to periodically take a step back from your work to see how a detail actually fits into the scene.

Hopefully this will help get your project off the ground!


It does not seem as if it would ever be possible to come to a definitive assertion—or even a sufficiently precise  approximation—of "how many LEGO bricks exists." For the English Wikipedia article "Lego" in the "Manufacturing" section informs,

  Annual production of Lego bricks averages approximately 36 billion, or about 1140 elements per second.

Although this quotation conflates "bricks" and "elements" thereby ambiguating whether it refers specifically to bricks or generally to any LEGO component, it nevertheless indicates that the number of LEGO bricks is indefatigably increasing. Thus, even if a total number of LEGO bricks in existence could be concluded, that number would immediately be inaccurate as a result of additional bricks continuously manufactured. Furthermore, as Eran perceived in the comments, LEGO bricks eventually disintegrate or become unidentifiable as LEGO; therefore, even if there were documentation of exactly how many bricks were produced up to any given time, it would still be infeasible to establish how many LEGO bricks exist because it would be extraordinary difficult to ascertain which individual LEGO bricks are currently in existence.


Can the RCX connect to infra-red on a computer?

As far as I remember, the protocol LEGO uses is incompatible with standard IR protocols used in PCs (not even the same frequency, if I remember correctly).

The NQC FAQ has some more explanation on why it's not possible, but their short explanation says it all:

  Quite simply, these protocols are incompatable. (sic)

You may have some success using a NXT brick and the IRLink sensor, but I'm not sure how far you can go (for example, I'm not even sure you can upload a firmware, and you need to be able to do that).

The easiest way is to stick with the IR tower, and in addition of the serial-to-usb converter mentionned by Zhaph, don't forget there's a USB version of the IR tower available on Bricklink (see here or here).


How do you make your 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.


Is this gray clip hook an original LEGO part?

This looks to be Arm Piece with Towball and Clip.

There are quite a lot of copycats these days. So there is always a chance it is clone piece. To confirm this is genuine LEGO piece best thing would be to look for LEGO logo, but it is not always available on small pieces. Alternatively you can look for "30082" which is a part number.


Is there a way to glue already built sets?

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

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

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

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

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

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


Will playing with a 12V train motor by hand damage it?

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.


How do you construct odd-angles on buildings

Scale is the obvious answer. The Legoland model is huge, which means you're not seeing the brick-level quantisation as easily (quantisation is most obviously seen in mosaics but that works in 3D too).

Getting the same effect at smaller scales usually means a lot of SNOT and using sloped bricks. These days there is a huge range of slopes available, from 4 high, 1 deep to 1 high, 6 or 8 wide. If you flip those on their side (SNOT) that gives you a wide range of angles. But of course this can be very expensive as you end up using a lot of rare sloped parts. For micromodels this can be the only workable approach, and a carefully selected stack of cheese wedges can look great.

A simpler SNOT approach is to use tiles with hinges to minimise the discontinuities at the corners. Instead of a brick width (5mm) you have 1/3 of a brick height (8/3 mm = ~2.6mm), and it's often possible to move things so that there's no obvious discontinuity, just the tile end that's at 90° rather than the actual angle. If you're building a brick or stonework wall using a lot of 1x2 tiles with 1x1 tiles as the endworks can be very effective, especially if you mix the various shades of grey. Like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legoarts/5548508462/ Modifying that technique to have a backing plate, hinges, and extending the plates 1 stud past the edge of the plate to reduce the "height" offset works well.

Another approach is to give up on studs altogether and use Technic beams. That gives you rounded corners instead, but can be effective with larger models (but the colour palette is limited and it can be expensive). This allows you to easily build round structures and varying curves.

For smaller curves it's possible to bend Lego walls. If you search for lego circular walls there are a lot of images. The basic technique is to mix in more round elements as the curve gets sharper. I've also seen a Lego wave built this way out of transparent 1x2 plates.


1 x 6 Bricks

According to BrickLink, 1 x 6 bricks like the ones you describe were made between 1955 and 1969.

4 x 6 Plates

According to BrickLink, there were no 4 x 6 plates with square holes (so-called waffle-bottom plates.) There were, however, 4 x 8's made between 1954 and 1971.

Windows

Don't know...

White Blocks with Clear Inserts

The white blocks with clear inserts could be wheel holders, made between 1959 and 1992:

Or some kind of light brick:

It sounds as if your bricks are relatively old, probably made sometime in the 60s. If some of them look a little distorted and don't grip very well, they're probably made of Cellulose Acetate rather than ABS, which would fit with the dates.

To provide any degree of accuracy, however, we really need more information, preferably photos. Also, it might help to know what part of the world you're from, as back in the day there were sometimes different sets for different markets.


If you need a fast motor but not having too much torque, yet powerful enough
 - consider using a PF L-motor. It has roughly half of the XL-motor's torque, but twice as much rpm.

The PF XL-motor has high torque, considering its intended application with LEGO. This is known to cause some serious damage to gears if the assembly isn't rigid enough. It is essential to have your gears braced properly from both sides. Otherwise your gears will be slipping and/or grinding under load. In your picture you have your gears braced from one side only - this will cause you problems. You need to construct rigid bracing from the other side as well.

I find Sariel's Gear Ratio Calculator useful for finding the right gears for your application.


This looks like 10667 Construction:

You can grab the instructions from Brickset.


All 3 of the sets you listed actually use the same type of tracks, they are Technic, Link Tread Wide with Two Pin Holes #57518.

In my opinion this type would be your best option for driving a robot for a number of reasons:

Since they come as links the tracks can be made any length you want, allowing a lot of flexibility in designing the robot.  These are virtually the only link-based, variable-length tracks LEGO makes that would be suitable for driving a robot.
They are very sturdy and do not break or come undone easily at all.
They fit very securely on the cogs and practically never slip.  This is true even with a moderate degree of slack on the line, making it not necessary to measure the distances between/around the cogs to perfectly match the length of the track.

If you are going to be using these on your robot, you will need some cogs to drive them.  These tracks can be driven with the Technic Tread Sprocket Wheels #57520 (small - 6T) and 57519 (large - 10T).

I would also recommend getting some Technic, Link Tread Attachment, Double, Rubber #14149.  These handy little rubber grips fit on the tracks to give them better traction.  They work especially well on smooth, hard surfaces and for gripping stuff to climb over.


I really expected someone with chemistry leanings to explain to us what was "migrating" out of the rubber with time or temperature, to make them "greasy"...much like cocoa butter will migrate outside of M&M's that have gotten too hot in their package.

The question "chicks" linked to gives some good answers though, and it's encouraging that no one has had any storage tragedies.  Still, I would advise keeping them out of the usual culprits though:  sunlight and hot temperatures.


How do I see which stores have all the parts I want on Bricklink?

The way to do it is to make a wanted list in BrickLink, selecting all the different pieces and quantity of each that you want.

Then select all of the items by checking the boxes next the items you want or selecting the upper box to select them all and then click the green buy items button, this then brings up a list of stores selling the items.  The list is sorted by which store has the most of your selected items available to sell.  The two important columns on this list under each store is "unique lots" which is how many of your different parts the store has followed by "item count" which is the quantity of those items they have.

If you then click on the individual store, their shop will have a wanted list tab, which will show you everything on your wanted list that they have to sell.

It's not uncommon to have to purchase from multiple shops to get everything (different items and quantity) you need/want.  So it often requires checking multiple stores to combine it into the smallest number of purchases, I am not aware of any automated method of doing this, I just end up opening multiple tabs in my browser from the list of stores generated by my wanted list query and figure out the best option myself from there.


What set do these large grey circular pieces belong to? (possibly a Star Wars set)

The decorated 10x10 dish is easy, it has only been in 7748

Those round corners aren't in that set. In light bluish gray (that you have one of in the picture), it has been 5 sets, in dark bluish gray (that you have three of in the picture) it has been in 4 sets, there are no sets that have contained that piece in both colors. You can find the list of those sets on bricklink by following a few links from the linked page about the part.

The conclusion is that there are parts from at least 3 different sets in that picture.


Exist some piece official or unofficial of Lego with the names of the minifigures?

That part is Tile 4x4 with studs on edge. It's available in many colours but there are only a small number of printed variants. Rebrickable shows 27 printed variants, 12 of which are Star Wars prints like the one in your question.

I'm not aware of any third-part labels or stickers but you could probably print your own if you're handy with Photoshop or the like. The black unprinted version of that part is very cheap on Bricklink.


Do the minifigure utensil cups stack like 1x1 bricks?

No. The diameter on top of the cup is larger than stud, but also smaller than the outer diameter of anti-stud.


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

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

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

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

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


How to unplug black friction pin connectors

Take your cross axle:

And push it into the hole where your pin connector had stuck


Why do many minifigures have printing on their neck pegs?

It is explained and demonstrated in this documentary from the LEGO factory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnRRDIFNxoM&t=3m33s

While the machines in Denmark use a sensor to detect the paint on the neck-posts to attach the arms correctly, the machines in China use a more sophisticated modern camera to detect torso print, and they don't need the paint on the neck-post. This is why minifigures made in China (collectible minifigures, magnet and keychain minifigs, etc.) do not have the paint mark on the neck.


Is there a way to draw LEGO figures using Blender?

First note that this question is a possible duplicate of Do any programs exist that allow you to build your own LEGO manuals?  With that, here is the answer:

(optional) Create a model in LEGO digital designer or LDraw and export it as a LDraw (*.ldr) file.
Install LeoCAD, and either open the model that you made in LDD/LDraw (recommended) or create your model directly in LeoCAD.
Export your model in LeoCAD as a 3D studio (*.3ds) file and import that in Bender.

I learned this technique from this very site less than a week ago and have already tried it out.  So far, it works great and has given me loads of ideas.

Edit: The Linux version of LeoCAD currently does not export to the *.3ds file format, so you can not set up a pipeline that way; I know this from experience.


Is it legal to sell a custom element that provides a Technic pin connection?

I am not a lawyer, and I recommend you consult one before you start dropping money on injection molds, but as far as I know this should be fine. SBrick definitely already does this:

In most jurisdictions, patents have a term of 20 years or less. The Technic pin connection dates back to Expert Builder in 1977, so it is not patent encumbered at this point.

The two patents that you linked to from the late 1990s appear to be for ZNAP, which uses a different connection system:


What Is The 3-stud Wide Red Cabinet Frame Piece In Picture?

Hey Nancy!

Part# 4532 Container, Cupboard 2 x 3 x 2


In my experience, this doesn't work very well. The gaps between LEGO bricks are too wide to hold water. The water will be contained for a short amount of time, but it will eventually leak out through the cracks.

Here's an experiment showing how your first example works. Notice the water leaking out the crack in the bottom right:

The leak continues to grow:

I haven't personally tested this with running water, but I can only imagine that this would increase the rate that water will leak out.

If you're interested in building some sort of running water feature, you may want to take a look at this answer that suggests waterproofing the bricks using liquid latex after assembly.


What is the most compact way to make a flat six pointed star in LEGO?

Hexagonal symmetry and angles in 15, 30 and 60-degree proportions are scarce among LEGO elements.

I think the smallest single piece that approximates a six-pointed star is the basic flower:

I myself don't practice freelance brick modification, but someone with fewer scruples might easily trim one of these into a 6-pointed star shape.

Another piece that has hexagonal symmetry is the old pulley wheel:

The holes are arranged at 60-degree intervals around the center. Putting two of these pulleys together and inserting half pins into the holes will give you 6 studs arranged at what could be the points of a 6-pointed star:

I added a 1x1 round plate to three of the studs to offset the gear shift handles. This construction is a little shaky, as the half pins will rotate. Not sure if it's compact enough for micro-scale - the star ends up about 2.5x2.5

You could get a 6-pointed star of about the same size using two triangular roadsigns:

These have clips on the back. Putting them face-to-face would give you a clip on the front of the star, and you'd have to find a way to hold it in place, but it would have the advantage of being fairly thin. The color options on these pieces are limited, though.


Is it a stupid idea to buy every brick in an end of sale set?

It's a good idea, but it often doesn't work well in practice. In general, rare parts from rare sets are more expensive, so you will frequently spend more money buying all the parts for a set. As a classic example, let's look at the Airport Shuttle:

This set is expensive on the secondary market, so it could be tempting to buy the parts for it instead of the complete set. However, many of the parts are very expensive individually. The motors and monorail track are specialized parts, relatively rare, and haven't been produced in 25 years, so they are priced accordingly.
Perhaps the most egregious example of this is the single molded piece of plastic that covers the motor:

That piece is currently $67 USD used on Bricklink.
These same economic factors apply to current sets as well, so it is often hard to save money buying the parts.


What is the correct input voltage for the 9v Lego train speed regulator?

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

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

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

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


Considering that color has been produced explicitely and exclusively for Maersk sets, it's highly unlikely they would change it. Most people seem to agree that the same color has been used for all Maersk ships sets.

That said, you'll also need to consider that even if LEGO never intended to change the color, small variations in hue are always possible (red and purple are much more susceptible to this). Also, in the case of Maersk, LEGO used their entire supply in 2006 and said at the time that they wouldn't issue Maersk sets again because of that. However, Maersk realized the demand was high (LEGO did consider making a version fo the ships in another color altogether at some point) and agreed to have LEGO make a new batch to later on. So these are in effect different batches, separated by a few years, which means any hue change will be more likely to be noticed than if it appeared gradually over time.


What set is this brown (wall?) element from?

It looks like this piece; Door 2 x 5 x 5 Swivel, Flat Base.

In this case it was part of LEGO Set 6089, Stone Tower Bridge.


This is from page 87 of a document showing how to run NXT bricks using EV3-G software.

It uses the light sensor, not color sensor.  You'll want to set the mode of the color sensor.

Inside a loop that will stop following a line if the left button on the brick is pressed.

Basically, the steering value of the motors is taken from the light sensor reading.


What set is this bag or black and violet pieces from?

Based on the following parts
303526: Plate 4X8 in Black
4211441: Technic Brick 1X4, Ø4,9 in Medium Stone Grey
6109934: Plate 4X4, 1/4 Circle in Bright Reddish Violet
281721: Technic Doub. Bearing Pl. 2X2 in Bright Red
This bag is from:
41105-1: Pop Star Show Stage


Where to start with a custom firmware for the NXT

The best resource I have found for compiling NXT firmware is http://nxt-firmware.ni.fr.eu.org/.


Build Instructions for Brown Fedora Hat at LEGOLAND Florida Resort Hotel

Hey Victor, I bring gifts!

This LEGO Digital Draw file should get you started, as you've asked.

Please consider this a rough draft of your Brown Fedora.  I'm calling it rough, because at this early stage, it was just made to look as close to the actual picture with no care for a sensible design flow.

For example, the file may have three stacked 1x4 plates, where there should be a 1x4 brick or corner piece there instead. The abundant plates were used to  guesstimate height levels, and left in place because due to the lack of reference material, every level may not be correct.

So, with the LDD program, it is possible to generate build instructions, but again, the design flow will not make sense until more data is collected from the field.

What You're Getting:

A link to my Google Drive folder that contains the LDD file (*.lxf), and all my collected reference material of pictures and videos.  Anyone is welcome to add their two brick clicks to this build.

Notes and Issues:

From What I Understand: LEGOLAND Resort is a hotel, outside but within some walking distance to an actual LEGOLAND theme park.  So, no one is actually squatting inside the park;).

Hotel guests spend the night in a LEGO themed hotel room.  The 5
Themes if available at a particular hotel are: Ninjago, Pirate, LEGO
Friends, Kingdom, and Adventure.

Field Research / Resort Locations: There are multiple LEGOLAND resorts, and it seems like I've traveled the world to find videos and
shots of this hat.

So far, only hotels Florida and Malaysia have our brown hat, all
other resorts I've searched, California, Windsor, UK, Germany, Japan,
and Dubai, all have a gray hat with a totally different design (and clearer pictures).
Build Discrepancies Between Images: Reference images for the top of the hat seems to be missing pieces, or pieces seem to be shifted between images/rooms. One reason I could come up with to explain the discrepancy is a hotel guest pawing the hats, and oops a piece comes off, then it gets reassemble wrong.
Lucky Mirror Shortcuting: We lucked out with the hat being symmetrical (*Sort of), which means we got away with building half, and just mirrored out the rest. Less work, Yay!
(*Sort of) Symmetry Explained. You'll notice in some images and shots that the left side of the tan band of the hat lumps out for no
apparent reason.

So,I google imaged Fedora hats, and you'll see some of them sport overlapping material pinned down with a swanky feather.

So, I think the designer built the staging for a type of hat
accessory.
Need more data (01). I have no great shots of how the hat connects to the tan mounting block, the actual size of the mounting block, nor how flush the entire piece hugs up on the wall.
Need more data (02). I have no idea if the designer scooped out the underside of the hat that no guest would ever see, unless some crazy curious guest pulled it off the wall to properly check underneath.

What Next?

So, basically the next step to finalizing some great build instructions is to collect more field material.

TO ALL FUTURE HOTEL GUESTS OF ANY LEGOLAND THEMED RESORT HOTEL.

Hey, please share your family's visit to any of these hotels.  We'd like to experience through you, the fun times in your room at a LEGOLAND Resort.

It would be great if we knew:

Which Country?:
What City?:
Which room theme you picked?:
What suite number You stayed in?:(Room comparison to control for build discrepancies.)
Name of the sculptured object you plan to share with the community?.

We can near replicate anything you've seen, but the level of replication depends on how detailed your pictures/videos are.

Hold your camera horizontal please (for the rest of my cough forsaken cough life);).
A non shaky, slow paced 360 closeup video of any design would be
ideal.
If you happen to have a loose off colored brick on hand, stick that
on it too. Doing so would help out when determining level height.


What is the use of a single ultrasonic signal?

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

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


How can I firmly attach a Technic triangle to a turntable?

Have to say I'm not a big fan of the triangles you've already posted. In my opinion the half beams on the corners are too close together, causing stress on the elements.
Triangular technic designs are certainly possible, the following elements are useful:

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=10288

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=57585


How to efficiently identify Lego bricks and find their names?

In my experience, the Bricklink catalog is the most complete parts list. It is organized in fairly logical tree by part type (brick, plate, wheels, slope, etc). Once you get familiar with it, you should be able to identify parts fairly quickly.

If you take a look at the 2 parts that you mentioned in your example on Bricklink, you can clearly see the difference between them:

3004:

3004px3:


You can find some information on I2C in FPGAs on fpga4fun. There are lots of I2C cores on OpenCores, too. The biggest challenge would be how to connect your FPGA to the peripherals. My advice is to get a tiny development board like this one, and then you need to supply power to it, but this can be battery-powered since FPGAs are typically low-powered.

You would need to make connectors to connect the pins to your MindStorms/PF motors, but that should be fairly easy. However, one concern would be whether the board is able to channel enough power through the pins into the motors: Lego motors are 9V whereas typical FPGA pin output is 5V.


Does anyone have any successful techniques in searching for lego bricks in a pile?

Properly sorting is the best solution, although it doesn't seem like that is what you want.

Before starting, it helps to have a quick look through the pile and pick out any interesting bricks you might use. If you don't have your mind set on an exact design, it can be just as much fun to build using parts picked out before hand instead of constantly searching.

Once you start building I recommend building as much of your creation before searching - keep track of a list of pieces that you need. If you can't immediately find an important piece, then use a temporary one that has the same functionality. Once you're done, go through the pile looking for each piece you need. It will be faster to look for several pieces at the same time as opposed to one.

For the actual sorting, I use the most distinguishing feature of the piece. If it's a unique color, then use that. If it's a strange shape look for that. The method I use for searching in a random pile is to focus on a small area - once I have verified that the piece isn't there I'll separate the area from the pile and move onto the next area. This prevents looking over the same area twice.


What components can be decorated in LDD?

If you want to add custom decorations to your moc, the eastiest option is to use Stud.io
It has a partdesigner program that can be used to add custom decals


Is the Technic hub putting the battery in series or parallel

The batteries are in series. Which gives (in theory) 6x 1.5 = 9V.
Actually it is a little less than 9V as batteries drop voltage a little when they are used.
They can drop as low as 1.2 V when they are nearly empty (giving about 7.2V minimum voltage).
The motors can make do with as little as 7V so they keep working with nearly empty batteries. The hub most likely (I'm not 100% sure) has an electronic cutoff switch that stops it from working at all if the voltage drops too low for reliable operation. This also prevents problems if one battery empties earlier than the others or someone inserted a mix of empty and full batteries.
When using multiple batteries in a device they should ideally be from the same brand, more or less same age and same usage level. Mismatched batteries are never a good idea in multi-battery operations.
Please note: Measuring output voltage on a battery is complicated. If you just apply a Voltmeter to the battery you measure without power being drained (aka without load, the Voltmeter itself is negligible). When under load a battery usually has a lower voltage then when unloaded. How much lower depends on both the load and the condition of the battery.
So it is really problematic to give you a precise answer on "how many Volt does it give". It all depends.


Mindstorms 2.0 can't download to NXT brick with error 142023

I believe that you need to run the Mindstorms Education program in Compatability mode.

The easiest way to do this is to:

Right click on the Mindstorms shortcut on either your start menu or desktop and select "Properties".
Switch to the "Compatability" tab.
Check the "Run in Compatability mode", and from the drop down that is then enabled select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)".
Ok out of the dialog.

That should solve your problem.


It is not spring loaded, meaning if you set a dial to a specific value it will stay there. There are two channels that can be controlled with the two dials, and either can be set in one direction ("forward") or the other ("reverse"). I put these terms in quotes because their exact function depends on your model, but in the simplest scenarios (like controlling two separate train engines) they act so.

A single channel (dial) can control one or more motors, but in the latter case all motors will receive the same signal which means they will rotate in the same direction with the same percentage of their maximum speed - different motors can have different maximum speeds.


Can you help me identify the set this dark grey pedestal sub-assembly belongs to?


Problem with the range for controlling Sunset Cruiser 8676

I had a 8378-1: Red Beast RC (which is practically the same hardware aside from running on a different frequency) that developed a similar problem shortly after I got it. One day the receiver only worked if the remote's antenna was about 2 inches away from the receiver's antenna.

I got it replaced, and it was indeed the receiver and not the remote with the problem. I later tried taking the busted one apart to see if it was something obvious I could re-connect, but nothing stood out as being broken.

Unfortunately, I think your problem is hardware failure. I don't know of any easy fixes, but would love to be proven wrong on that.


Are both of these slope designs genuine LEGO?

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


Just like in the other question, I would recommend a Technic frame with more depth than your original idea and some plating on top of it. This project nicely illustrates how to build stable Technic structures using beams in triangle configurations.