Why did Technic bricks have holes in the studs?

From principles of molding, you want a uniform part thickness throughout if possible. This facilitates plastic flow as well as dimensional stability (you want uniform shrinkage on cooling.) Removing a divot from the underside of a stud serves this purpose in a regular brick.   The Technic brick with through holes would have had a large amount of solid plastic under the stud compared to regular bricks, which could create undesirable shrinkage and warping from stress in cooling. So removing the top divot helps there.

However, if you examine a 1x16 beam from Expert Builder, you can observe a plastic channel running along the underside between studs 4 to 13 (which are injection gates; also stud 8, or 9.) The 1x8 doesn't have this. This channel would let the plastic flow away from the injection gate without turning too many corners. It's also possible LEGO used a reciprocal molding action where plastic is pressed in one gate, then another, in a rocking action, to facilitate welding of the multiple injection streams. Solid studs might lessen the effectiveness of this process, but the channel helps it. If the channel was necessary to produce a 1x16 beam back in the day, and the channel forced hollow studs, then the hollow stud style was the only way to make a 1x16 beam. The technical difficulty of making a new, longer brick (beam) may have influenced the look of the whole Expert Builder system.

That's only my theory, but you can still see the channel for yourself.

My tests also indicate the hollow stud separates from another beam more easily than a common solid stud would.

It remains possible though that they were just maximizing the usefulness of the part by making the stud hollow. Though the fun part of being an engineer is maximizing more than one property at once.

So my thought is the hollow stud came from various molding principles. Cost of plastic comes after that (and yes, if you can save a bit, you do.)

Another interesting trivia: the Technic studs were each freehand drafted in the early Expert Builder instruction booklets. I joked about reproducing this while showing some Lego employees (in 2001) what could be done with non-representational rendering, for instance a pen-and-ink renderer with random jitter.


Looking up all sets that have this piece in tan, had me guessing at Set #5771-1 Hillside House.

EDIT:  At least two maybe a third set...

Looking at white fence in upper right corner of 2nd pic.

Set #3938 Andrea's Bunny House.

Again looking at that upper right hand corner of 2nd pic.

I spy with my little eye a tan cone that is not in the previous sets.

Set #Set 3937 Olivia's Speedboat.

Possible 4th???


I would keep it very simple with just building the organs with regular bricks. Color code each organ. I have never seen anyone do this with LEGO bricks so can't link to a picture, however I can imagine than it could be done easily. Basically you would end up with a pipe-system. ;)


Alternative products compatible with LEGO

there are at least:

KRE-O (not sure if this is compatible in size, but it looks exactly like LEGO)
Enlighten
Best-Lock
Blockmen (out of production)
Cobi (wich you already listed)
SuperBlox
iDol
Kazi (looks like poor quality)
Sluban (out of production)
Mega Blocks
Super Blocks (out of production)
Custom-Crazy
Sidan Toys
Arealight
Brickforge
Christo
BrickWarriors
Oxford
Little Armory
Nanoblocks (not sure, but looks smaller than LEGO, so this might not be compatible)

Note that some of this only produce custom accessories for minifigs, very small sets or exact copies of the official sets, no own really "big" sets like LEGO does


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

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

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


It is not LEGO. Parts from the 90s are well documented, and I can't find this part on BrickLink when searching for the word "Tree".


This is an official LEGO piece. It is called 57467a Minifigure, Weapon Harpoon, 4 Grooves in Shaft and has been produced for almost 20 years, appearing in 37 sets.

Chrome Silver is the common color, Flat Silver (the one on the left in the picture) is the rarer color, only appearing in 1 set - 70800 Getaway Glider from The LEGO Movie - but this piece is still cheap on BrickLink, so no real value increase despite its rarity.


Value/Where to sell my old Lego collection

Generally, I see LEGO collections like this sold by the pound.  I don't generally pay more than $8/lb (including shipping, if applicable) on large used lots, because they are rarely 100% clean, like-new condition LEGO bricks.  Most collections include poor quality pieces, as well as many non-LEGO brand and non-LEGO-compatible toys that have somehow been thrown in.

If you guarantee 100% clean, like-new condition LEGO pieces, the price would go up to maybe $12/pound.  However, in my experience, very few collections that have actually been played with will meet this standard.  Play wear isn't terrible, but it's definitely not like-new.

In the US, eBay is a common way to sell.  You might also try Craigslist to avoid the shipping hassle.

Some items are more valuable and are worth selling separately. In particular, train components and licensed minifigures (like Star Wars, Spiderman, Avengers, etc.) are probably worth the time and hassle.  Other minifigures (like town, space, western, etc) I would just include with the bulk lot, as separating those out and selling them individually will be a lot of work for minimal gain.

If you really want top dollar and are willing to put your time time, the best way is to probably start a BrickLink store, and sell all the parts individually.  This might be a great opportunity to start a side business.  It will, however, require you to inventory your entire collection, as well as manage the shipping, customer challenges, etc.

Good luck with selling your collection!


Harley Davidson chain belt running jolty

Okay, it seems I indeed made a mistake during building, which I solved afterwards:

When assembling the rear mudguard, I noticed that the rear wheel had quite a bit more variability in its sideways adjustment and was quite a bit off center, specifically too far to the left. This caused the chain belt to either run slightly skewed or have friction on some part of the frame. When I adjusted the wheel more towards the center, it ran a lot smoother.

However, this was only part of the problem. The actual mistake I only realized at the end when seeing a little yellow half-stud wide technic bush, which I missed in instruction step 25 already, where it was placed under the gear on which the chain runs and is supposed to space it further away from the frame. Fortunately I was able to repair that without dismantling the entire thing.


According to the docs (emphasis added):

  Warning

  This function requires the enhanced NBC/NXC firmware version 1.31+

Make sure you are using the enhanced firmware provided with NXC and not the official firmware from LEGO.


Check if Cross Block 90° that is placed in step 53 of instruction book 1 is in the correct orientation with the round hole placed over the motor axle.

Mounting it the other way will prevent rotation of the motor.


How did they make the LEGO Batman cutscenes?

Most likely Autodesk Maya and possibly some other tools based on LEGO internal parts libraries like the Easy Builder Tool or Brick Builder.

All of those games are made by Traveller's Tales. In a video on the development process for their Jurassic Park title you will see that they use Maya to create and animate their models (the right screen would be very familiar looking to a Maya user).

More-than-likely this is the same software they use to animate their cutscenes, and I doubt they have changed software packages since then.


NXC compiles to machine code that runs in a virtual machine running on the NXT. The EV3 has a completely different virtual machine that is not compatible. So, of course programs compiled for the NXT will not run on the EV3.

The developer of NXC and BrixCC started working on support for the EV3 when it first came out, but has not been actively working on it for some time now. If you are interested, you can find more information at https://mindboards.org/ (search for "BrixCC EV3").

I you would like to use a text based language for the EV3, the most active projects are:

http://www.ev3dev.org
http://www.lejos.org
http://www.monobrick.dk
http://www.robotc.net


Mindstorms EV3 unable to drive two motors simultaneously

Most people with port problems have port C failure. I had similar issue. In my case it was factory defect: SMD chip (U26 on board, see image and HW dev kit pdfs) was soldered with a twist and had two legs broken, but they touched the chip and sometimes signal was getting through. They are used for tacho input. So in some modes when it runs fullspeed it works OK (remote control or built-in motor control), but when it is required to turn for degrees or rotate with a given speed it just spins fullspeed without a stop since it does not getting tacho from the connected motor.

I replaced the chip (74HC2G14GW-G) and now everything works fine. I don't think they solder chips by hands, so it could be some defective batch.


Since no answers were given for two days, I'll convert my comment to a full answer:

If you haven't found anything yet but have access to a photocopier, you could try making a copy of the back side that contains the eyelets. The resulting print will be a 1:1 paper version of the back side, which you can tape on the wall intended for hanging the cases and drill through the images of the eyelets:

Be sure to align the sheet correctly, using a bubble level or such.


In 2008 The LEGO Group partnered with the Cuusoo Social Creation Platform as a way for (initially) the Japanese market to suggest new LEGO sets for development and sale in that region.

This resulted in two products making it into production - The Shinkai 6500 and The Hayabusa.

In October 2011 the site was opened out to the rest of the world, and it looks like the next set or even theme to come into production through this site is going to be based on Minecraft which achieved the requisite 10,000 votes and has now passed LEGO review.

Unlike previous sets that were designed by fans, or sets created through Design byME, LEGO Cuusoo offers a 1% royalty to the designer for sets that are produced through the scheme - full guidelines are available.

When voting on a suggestion, users are also asked to suggest a price range they'd be willing to spend on sets based on the project.

CUUSOO, which means 'imagination' or sometimes ‘wish’ in Japanese, has been developed with CUUSOO SYSTEM, a subsidiary of Japan-based Elephant Design that has worked with open innovation and crowd sourcing for more than 10 years.

The first two models only required 1,000 votes to get into the review stage while the site was limited to Japan, and took 420 and 57 days to reach the threshold. When the site moved into the global beta the threshold was raised to 10,000 votes. The Minecraft project took just 48 hours to reach that goal.


BrickSet has a list of items in the Space: M-Tron theme.


Is there a good place to find upcoming LEGO conventions?

There is the LEGO ambassadors network calendar:

https://lan.lego.com/calendar

This contains all events organized by RLUGS (LEGO communities recognized by LEGO), which are the largest events generally.

However, where I live, all sorts of communities and individuals organize events, it is quite a challenge to keep track of all of them.


How to find out if an element is out of production

I don't know about official word, but according to BrickLink, that Conveyor Belt hasn't been included as part of a set since 1975, so I think it's safe to say that it's not in production any more.

However, if you're looking to buy one, people are selling them.


How do I make the Mini Cooper (model 10242) motorized?

Here is the only example I can think of.

We can see an example in the following video @0:39 by PPUNG DADDY:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvVJXhs_Q3s&t=38s

Here is the servo-motor:

And the IR receiver on the rear, next to one motor. The battery is located behind the driver's seat:

We have a better view at the end of the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvVJXhs_Q3s&t=1m31s

In order to do the same build, you would need:

What we clearly see in the video:

Rechargeable Battery Box (or the cheaper but bigger Battery Box)
Servo-Motor
IR Receiver
L-Motor

What is not shown but necessary:

a remote controller: IR Remote Control or IR Speed Remote Control (allow to control speed of the motors but it responds more slowly)
mount front wheels on a steering: see the front of this car for example: there are some fixed and free parts
mount rear wheels on rotating axis with a differential gear between the 2 wheels
some gears in order to transfer the movements from motors to the wheels:

direction on the front wheels from the Servo-Motor (but there may be some simpler setups)
gears between the differential and the L-Motor

These pieces would cost between 80 to 100 $, € or £ (I used the Brickset's average prices).

I don't have this model so I can't tell you what exact parts are required, sorry.


How do you open a logfile (.rdf) downloaded from an EV3 brick?

In the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Education software:

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


How many parts were in Advent calendars of yore?

You can find an overview of all advent calenders with piece count in this link

http://brickset.com/sets/tag-Advent-Calendar


Which set is this black LEGO Technic car with skull and fire stickers?

This car looks like the secondary/alternative model from set# 8167, "Jump Riders":


In lego mindstorm EV3, can you make the individual programs in a project into functions which can be used in the other programs?

You can turn parts of your program into custom blocks by selecting them and choosing Tools -> My Block Builder from the menu. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CApCoGQJRcU for a  tutorial on this feature.


Note: I have no particular knowledge of how monobrick work.

You're never escaping the while (true) loop. The example you're pointing too use an event-based model, and it looks like you prefer a loop. This is what you want:

class R_Main
{
    public static void Main (string[] args)
    {
        R_Main main = new R_Main ();
    }

    public R_Main()
    {

        var sensor = new EV3ColorSensor (SensorPort.In2);
        bool continue = true;
        ButtonEvents buts = new ButtonEvents ();
        buts.EscapePressed += () => {continue = false;};
        while (continue)
        {

        }
    }
}

But depending on the internals of monobrick this might not work at all.


How do I build a paper feeder with LEGO to transfer a single sheet of paper from a deck robustly?

There are many ways you can approach this problem using LEGO. I would recommend the 8547 Mindstorms NXT 2.0 set, as it includes the software required to program a basic paper feeder including a microprocessor (NXT Brick), three motors, four sensors (ultrasonic, two touch and a colour sensor) as well as plenty of other parts which you can use to construct the paper feed.

Set 8547 also comes with four wheels with rubber tyres which can be powered by the motors to feed paper. These tyres will have more enough traction to pull without damaging the paper.

A colour sensor can be used at a fixed point to detect the start of a new page or a motor can be calibrated to perform an X amount of rotations required to feed one sheet of paper. However if you wish to feed the paper, you need to consider the strengths and weaknesses of the method used as well as when and where it is likely to fail.

  I am new to LEGO but I think creating the apparatus with LEGO can reduce the cost.

You may be able to reduce the costs by purchasing the essential parts from Bricklink. Although it can't be guaranteed that you'll be able to get all the parts in one purchase and it may be more expensive to buy the parts separately.

  I will use for processing more than 2 million pieces of paper.

If you're looking for something reliable that can scan that many sheets of paper, you may find it more economical to have find a professional archival company that can process your documents/images.


Yes, maxi sized mega bloks are compatible with LEGO duplo and LEGO system pieces, but only if the duplo piece is 2x2 studs or larger or the LEGO piece is 4x4 or larger. Also, you can only connect LEGO system pieces and duplo pieces to the undersides of maxi size mega bloks.


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

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


Where can I buy bulk DUPLO sized bricks?

Duplo is less often stocked than normal LEGO, but this (US) Bricklink store seems to have quite some in stock. You might find other Bricklink stores in different parts of the world that have stock as well.

Another option is looking for the 10622 Duplo Large Creative Box, which was on Black Friday sale at Walmart recently. It can still be found on Amazon and eBay, but contains many "other" kinds of bricks apart from your basic 2x4 and 2x2 bricks. Also, at ~$0.30 per brick (MSRP) this might not be your cheapest option - the Bricklink store I linked earlier has 2x2 bricks for as little as $0.12. Also check out last year's 10557 Duplo Creative Tower - it has more pieces (200 vs 193) and sells for less on Amazon currently.

You can also find bulk lots of Duplo bricks on eBay, such as this one. Price with shipping is still ~$0.30 per brick.

EDIT: Two more options:

1) If you're in North America, go look up a second-hand baby/children's clothing store like Once Upon A Child. I went there today and found several sealed bags and boxes with Duplo blocks. Common price was ~$6 for a bag. It was difficult to see what was in each item, but this might get you something.

2) You can look at Mega Blocks - their large bricks don't interconnect with LEGO or Duplo, but depending on what you are trying to do that might not matter. You could always stack them sideways, or modify them, or even (yikes!) glue LEGO bricks on top to make a connection.


Unfortunately older stickers are difficult to remove and reapply because the sticky part of the paper tend to rip off and leave a residue on the LEGO element itself. But the fact of the matter is that applying that taking off and re-applying even a new sticker is a challenge and it will almost always be visibly damaged at least a little bit.

Your best bet is just to get new stickers. You can find pretty much any sticker-sheet LEGO ever released all the way back from the beginning, and many times in new condition. In fact several Bricklink stores specialize in selling old stickers.

Just go to Bricklink, type in the set number and look at the inventory listing. The sticker sheet will be included there. Then see which seller have it at what prices and choose the one you like the most.

Here is the general listing of all LEGO stickers: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catType=P&catString=160


Grey Clone-Brand Brick With a Single Short Tube on the Bottom?

As luck would have it I stumbled upon your answer today sorting through my own mess. It's a Tyco brick. Although the picture doesn't show it, the one I have has a white sticker with the word "DANGER" in red on one side. Hope someone finds this useful.


What's the purpose of the decoration on the BrickHeadz piece?

According to LEGO, it's the BrickHeadz icon with the series number.

  He also stands on a buildable baseplate with series number and BrickHeadz icon for easy display -- Batman Brickheadz LEGO Shop page

If they release another series of Brickheadz, those sets will probably have a similar piece with a "2" on it.


How did this 1x4 plate look like before modifying?

My guess is that it was a Hinge Vehicle Roof Holder 1 x 4, but there are probably several pieces you could have modified to look like that.


Set to run a program within another program using NXT-G

As far as I remember there is no possibility within NXT-G to programmatically execute another program. Moreover, as I understand it the default firmware simply doesn't have that possibility (the command to start a program is a direct command which must be sent via bluetooth and can't be used in a program). Maybe other programming languages using other firmware can do it, but I don't know about that.

However, you could encapsulate certain parts of your program in your own blocks, which I would say are similar to C functions. As such, it will simplify your main program, and you can reuse blocks in different programs (but the blocks themselves are included in the program file, it's not like a library which would be a different file). You should probably read a tutorial on how to make your own blocks to decide if it's a valid solution for you.


Those pieces are:

Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Handle on Side - Free Ends

And

Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Clip Horizontal on End


What is a better algorithm for wall following with an ultrasonic sensor?

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

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

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

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


Technic 8858 Rebel Wrecker alternate model impossible to build?

Welcome to LEGO Answers! That's a great question.

I don't actually have this set, but I believe the issue is that the linkage piece that you are using comes in two separate variants:

The variation is subtle, but the small flanges that you mention in your question were added in a variant that came later than the set you are trying to build. This is what prevents you from connecting ball joints from different sides, and is one of the cases where part variants are not equivalent for particular building scenarios. You really need to use 2739a here rather than 2739b.

Hopefully you still have the original 2739a parts around, but if not, you can pick them up on Bricklink relatively cheaply.


I don't believe there is a single piece that exists. It's certainly possible to create a mechanism much smaller than the one shown as well as one with fewer pieces.

In theory a single piece would not be possible, the mechanism consists of a minimum of two pieces for it to be possible: a rotating drive and a sliding yoke (as well as several additional pieces to keep everything in place).

Rotational Drive

There are many ways to create a rotation drive, they all consist of an axle (of any length) and can use pulleys/gears, and liftarms cranks.

1 + 2

For the first two examples I've used a Technic, Pin with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and Towball (6628) but you can just as easily use a standard pin (2780) as it's much more common.

2

A similar setup to 1 but with two  Technic Cam (6575) pieces.

3

The third example with two pieces is probably the simplest and most compact, it uses the Technic, Liftarm 1 x 3 with 2 Axle Holes and Pin / Crank
(33299). This setup is limited to movement between five studs (up/down, left/right).

Sliding Yoke

Here are two examples I've made of a sliding yoke. They are identical apart from the beams used. The first one can move five studs and the second can move three studs (possibly the smallest combination). You can of course use any length of beam to create larger yokes.

The beams are connected with a Technic, Pin 3L with Friction Ridges Lengthwise (6558) and a Technic, Pin Connector Round 1L (18654) or you can replace both pieces with a Technic, Pin 3L with Friction Ridges Lengthwise and Center Pin Hole (87082)

There are twelve pieces in both builds. You can reduce this to 10 if you remove the black standard pin, red connector and black axle with a Technix Axle with a stopper such as this piece and a Technic bush (3713).

This build can be reduced to 8 pieces if you make the substitutions shown above.


Is there any rhyme or reason to the sizing of LEGO boxes?

This is marketing department wizardry.

From a pure engineering point of view, the closer to a perfect cube (or rather sphere) you are, the greater of internal volume you can enclose with the same amount of material.

What does this mean? By not making cube shaped lego boxes, Lego isn't trying to be as efficient as they can be when it comes to their box design. This costs them more in terms of packing materials, shipping container size, and store shelf capacity.

And yet, they are happy with this choice because the marketing department has determined that big pictures of sets on the front of the box attracts consumer's attention and results in greater sales. In a vacuum (say at a LEGO store), they could be any size and the packaging would not be competing with other products (cough, cough mega blocs), but in the real world both companies are in a arms race to catch the eyes of uninformed grandparents who don't exclusive buy LEGO for their grandkids. So big, wide box fronts are ideal. If LEGO could get around the other problems of cost, shipping, and shelf limitations, they would make every box set look like it contains a big screen tv.

The ratios of height and width are interesting, as they seem to dance around a ratio between 4:3 to 16:9. (I cannot think of too many sets that are taller than they are wide). Some will be due to the dictates of the set inside (baseplates or special pieces), but LEGO clearly favors a ratio that mimics TVs and monitors. This is probably because they can keep the box height constant but play with box width to accommodate bigger sets. This makes it so that stores don't have to do shelf resets all the time, or mix sets of differing heights.


How can I tell if my gold C-3PO minifigure is legit?

Yes, that sounds like the genuine article - LEGO was unable to chrome each part separately, so there are bare spots where you describe. Only the customs will have been made up of individually chromed parts.


Can anyone help me identify the motor/mechanism used in this?

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

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


Colours

It's difficult to tell which colours are used the most. I have six different colours of bricks that are I'd consider essential for every day city building:

(Monochrome) Black & White
(Primary) Red, Green & Blue
(Secondary) Yellow

I chose these six colours because they are  commonly sold in buckets and tubs and are widely available. They tend to have the best brick to price ratio around and they are also very versatile, you can build most models out of these six colours. They also happen to be the only six colours that can be recognised by a NXT/EV3 colour sensor.

As your collection builds, you get a better idea about what kind of things you like to build. A builder specialising in medieval models would probably find colours like grey and brown essential.

Bricks

A good ratio of parts is variable depending on your needs.

Say for example I wanted to build a the wall in the image below, I'd require 40 1x2s and 8 1x1s. That would be a ratio of five 1x2's for every 1x1.

Of course, this isn't going to apply to everything you build, you'll need to make an educated guess based on what creation you're trying to make.


How would I make a decal for a 2x2 dome brick or a 2x2 round slope brick?

The problem of creating a flat sheet that could be fitted onto a (semi)spherical surface (a dome head) is known to be impossible to solve perfectly, but there are viable approximations of varying precision. This matehmatical paper details one such approximation (for spheres, but the process can be modified for domes) using petal shaped pieces. By varying the number (and so the width) of the petals the approximation gets closer to ideal, but even with three petals a reasonable quality can be reached. Of course, much trial-and-error can be expected.

AFAIK The LEGO Group uses pad printing, this can be quite expensive to set up but produces the best quality prints.

For the R5 heads the process is much easier since the surface of this head piece can be flattened into a shape called an Annular Sector. With some measuring and calculation (and maybe some trial-and-error) it should be possible to design a sticker that fits this kind of head.


Please help to identify spaceship-like LEGO set

Between the blue pin and the grey plane nose bottom pieces there is a characteristic white wedge piece, which I have searched for. This piece exists in three different designs, each of which is only contained in sets that don't resemble anything like the build your image depicts:

https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-4264027
https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-4614247
https://brickset.com/sets/containing-part-6249584

On another path, I searched for the 2x2 brick with two balls, under the golden plate at the back, with the same results:

https://brickset.com/sets/containing-design-17114/
https://brickset.com/sets/containing-design-57908

So this leads me to think that your build is not part of any official sets, or it could be a somewhat modified part of a set.


Best Way To Make This 8x8 Grate Plate Flush With The Wall?

JMK!

This is what I came up with:

Studless overall look.

Studless (Gray) window paneling and thickening.

(Black) window pane connecting pieces Part #6541 Technic Brick 1x1.

(Flame Yellow) window frame connecting pieces Part #87087 Brick, Modified 1 x 1 with Stud on 1 Side.

Bird's eye view.

LEGO Digital Draw build file: HERE.


This is
Part # 45301pb023 : Wedge 16 x 4 Triple Curved with SW V-wing Starfighter Pattern (Sticker)
It appears in
7915: Imperial V-wing Starfighter


What is this snapping brick for / which set is it from?

Looks like the Duplo Car Launcher and according to Bricklink this appears in at least 4 different sets: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=31080c01&in=S


Are there any African American LEGO minifigures besides the ones from the "Sports" basketball series?

There are a few on Bricklink, if you search by part colour:

 3626bpb212

 3626bpb159

 3626bpb749

 3626bpb424

 3626bpb214

 3626bpb573

 3626cpb1088

 3626cpb1124

 3626cpb1067

 3626cpb0906

 And the standard smiley is also available.

If you search for the older Brown colour (instead of the current Reddish Brown) you find that there are basically only the very rare Lando head, as well as the old NBA heads.


Minifig hands, officially, are not to be removed. Lego doesn't make many accessories that fit the arms of the minifigs. The arm is slightly larger than the standard bar piece and so normal claw-shaped attachments don't fit. The minifig handcuff piece, which does fit over the wrist, is larger than the standard claw pieces.

You'll need to look to third-party solutions like the brickwarriors piece you linked in your question, or make your own pieces.


How can I add additional detail to large walls?

Classic-Castle.com has a guide for making castle walls more visually appealing. Key points:

Different colours, shades and textures of bricks add subtle imperfections.
Break up the monotony with windows, doors, arrow slits, balconies and other structural features.
Use timber (brown/tan) as well as stone (grey) bricks and try out adding different materials.


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

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


Are there Powered Up compatible connectors available?

There do not appear to be any compatible connectors available currently. You can obviously splice cables from the official components, but that's expensive and makes those components unusable.

I hope that someone has a better answer, but the best that I've been able to do so far is to use a modified SATA connector. I first saw this in a video that demonstrated that the pin separation is the same between the two connectors.

Here's a standard SATA connector:

With a little Dremel work, you can expose the pins and reduce the width enough to fit the SATA connector into the Powered Up hub:

Here's the Powered Up connector for reference:

Notice that the SATA connector uses one extra pin. The pin on the right is extra and will not make contact with anything.

The first 6 pins line up with the hub just fine:

The SATA connector is unfortunately a little too thin to fit snugly:

If you can get it wedged in using some sort of shim (paper, cardboard, etc) you should be able to get a good connection.


I've got some of the left-hand side version with the solid pins and no markings in red.
They are most definitely original Lego as I never owned any non-Lego parts.
I'm fairly certain they came with the 1978 firetruck set nr. 620.


Has Anyone Motorized Ocean Explorer Set #42064?

Here is a video of 42064 as RC model but no building instructions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7P5WEdphSE


Power Function Converter Cable for LEGO MINDSTORMS

No, there is no replacement yet except soldering your own cable or using third party products. Basically the answers in that question of 5 years ago are all still valid.
Mind that LEGO is transitioning to a new power functions system (with motors and sensors as in the boost and WeDo 2.0 products), perhaps we'll see solutions for that quite soon.


Measurements (LDU) of Lego tracks Set 151

Well, obviously one way to measure that would be empirically - you have the tracks, you have the baseplates...

As for the maths, let's see... a full circle of these tracks has a diameter of 5 straight tracks as measured from the centre of the sleepers, that translates to 80 studs. The radius is 40 studs, or 800 ldu.

The outer, ridged track, is 2 to 3 studs further depending on which border you consider (and assuming you want borders instead of stud positions). So the radii for the border of that piece of track are 840 and 860.

So, assuming the track circle is centered around (0,0), and using the usual way of considering circles in math (counterclockwise from (1,0)), your first piece of outer track starts at (820,0) and (830,0).

There are 16 segments of track to a full circle, so the angle for one segment is 22,5°, or pi/8. So the end of your first track part is at (840*cos(pi/8),840*sin(pi/8)) to (860*cos(pi/8),860*sin(pi/8)), or (776.06,321.45) to (794.54,329.11)

Expanding further, you get the following segments for the short border of the outer track:

(840.00,0.00)-(860.00,0.00)
(776.06,321.45)-(794.54,329.11)
(593.97,593.97)-(608.11,608.11)
(321.45,776.06)-(329.11,794.54)
(0.00,840.00)-(0.00,860.00)
(-321.45,776.06)-(-329.11,794.54)
(-593.97,593.97)-(-608.11,608.11)
(-776.06,321.45)-(-794.54,329.11)
(-840.00,0.00)-(-860.00,0.00)
(-776.06,-321.45)-(-794.54,-329.11)
(-593.97,-593.97)-(-608.11,-608.11)
(-321.45,-776.06)-(-329.11,-794.54)
(0.00,-840.00)-(0.00,-860.00)
(321.45,-776.06)-(329.11,-794.54)
(593.97,-593.97)-(608.11,-608.11)
(776.06,-321.45)-(794.54,-329.11)

Hopefully that makes sense. Watch out, these are the coordinates of the borders; for the coordinates of the studs (that is, the center of the studs, which I think is more interesting, but I don't know what your goal is) we'll have to use a radius of 850, and move 10 ldu along the tangent to find the stud. So to find the stud after the segment, we'll do (850*cos(pi/8)-10*sin(pi/8),850*sin(pi/8)+10*cos(pi/8)). For each segment N starting from 1, the studs are as follow:

start stud: (850*cos((N-1)*pi/8)-10*sin((N-1)*pi/8) , 850*sin((N-1)*pi/8)+10*cos((N-1)*pi/8))
end stud: (850*cos(N*pi/8)+10*sin(N*pi/8) , 850*sin(N*pi/8)-10*cos(N*pi/8))

End the two studs in the center of the track are basically and end stud if the angle was pi/16, and the start stud of the next track, or:

first middle stud: (850*cos((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16)+10*sin((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16) , 850*sin((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16)-10*cos((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16))
second middle stud: (850*cos((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16)-10*sin((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16) , 850*sin((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16)+10*cos((N-1)*pi/8+pi/16))

The four studs of the first part of track are thus at coordinates:

start stud: (850.00,10.00)
first middle stud: (831.72,175.63)
second middle stud: (835.62,156.02)
end stud: (789.12,316.04)


What set do these large white pieces with Technic pins and an orange winch come from?

It looks like part of a Jack Stone 4618-1: Twin Rotor Cargo


How did the LEGO Duck become a classic icon?

I sent the question to LEGO customer support and they replied:

  The LEGO Duck became a classic icon because it was the first LEGO toy
  ever to be released.

  We do not have any lists of where would sell this product however I
  imagine it would be sold at some antique markets or antique shows so
  keep a look out!

  We do not have any idea for how much it is worth as it is priceless in
  our eyes and not sold by LEGO any longer. It also does not have a set
  number which may be why it is hard to find on the internet.


What is inside the "weight element" brick?

I did the unthinkable!  ...I had to know.

I opened one of my two weighted bricks.  One of the two ends has a glued on cap that I've cut around using an utility knife.

The piece of metal it contains fit almost perfectly in the cavity.  I don't know metals but it has a rainbowish kind of sheen to it.  Here's a close up:

I'm now gluing it back with super glue.


Are Samsonite gears compatible with modern Technic gears?

They are not compatible, the teeth are completely different.

Notice that the red old gear has 9 teeth and is the same size1 as a current 24-teeth, as illustrated by below:

The axle hole however is compatible, so you could have a construction using both types.

1. Actually, the distance between axles to have two of these red gears mesh is the same as the one required for two 24-teeth ones (60 ldu).


Dichotomous key for identifying / discovering LEGO pieces?

Closest thing that I know of is the peeron site - you can use google to search only peeron by adding "site:peeron.com" or you can use the peeron website to find the part.  Start by looking at the part list for a few sets you have (or see for sale) and then when you get used to the terminology you should know how to search for the unknown part.  It lists all sets/years that the part came from, and all colors it is available in, and uses Lego part numbers and set numbers (it ads an extra digit to set numbers that have been reused by Lego)

brickwiki says:

Peeron is a set database with set inventories and an instruction scan repository (PICSL1) run by Dan Boger, with the help of a number of volunteers (Clark Stephens, TWS Garrison and a number of developers).

[ . . . ]

Peeron is one of the three major sources (with BrickLink and LDraw.org) for nomenclature and classification, it maintains a color list, and assigns (in cooperation with LDraw) names and numbers for parts that haven't yet been named.


Interface between keyboard and NXT mindstorm

I think you should buy a Bluetooth Card for your PC to connect the NXT with your PC. After that you should program your Bluetooth Card to send specific Bluetooth Signal to the NXT while you are pressing a key. Next you should program your NXT to "react" to the specific signal sent from PC... That's all, it's not too easy...


Unable to connect to NXT using NeXTTool via USB cable

Joubarc's idea would probably be your best bet - try downloading the file to the NXT using the official LEGO software. If this fails, you know something is wrong with your brick. If it works, it's probably a problem with your program. Did anything major happen between the time it would work and the time it wouldn't? If so, this may be the culprit. Trying it on multiple bricks is also another avenue I would suggest. There is an official Mindstorms Help Section on the LEGO Message Boards located here. They have experts who will probably be able to correct your problem.


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

The instructions are available on LEGO.com.


AFOL stands for "Adult Fan Of LEGO".

From an unofficial LEGO acronym glossary:

  AFOL

  Adult Fan of LEGO. The most common term used to refer to LEGO fans who are adults. Generally pronounced to rhyme with “hay-foal”.

Or from Brickipedia's glossary (also unofficial):

  AFOL - Adult Fan Of LEGO


EV3 Multiple conditions: wait sensor activation for N seconds or

Here's some pseudocode that does what you need:

Reset timer
Loop block:
    Sensor block, output logical TRUE when condition is reached
    Timer block, output logical TRUE when X seconds have passed
    Logic block, outputs logical TRUE if sensor OR timer is true
End loop when it receives TRUE from the Logic block.
Switch block:
    if sensor = condition, SEQUENCE B
End switch
SEQUENCE A

The sensor and timer blocks' logical data wires are connected to the logic block. The logic block is set to "OR", which ends the loop if either one is true. Then you use a switch to decide whether or not to execute SEQUENCE B, and after that, SEQUENCE A happens regardless.


What are all the different accessories that I can get for an NXT?

Power
9798 Rechargeable Battery

Connectivity
LEGO 8528 Conversion Cable
Supports connecting sensors and motors from older LEGO® MINDSTORMS® RIS 2.0 (#3804) to new MINDSTORMS NXT Intelligent Brick.
LEGO 8529 Connector Cables
Enables connection of sensors and motors to your LEGO® MINDSTORMS® NXT.
LEGO 9847 Bluetooth Dongle
Allows remote control of the NXT instead of using cable.
Sensors
MS1048 RF ID Sensor
Manufactured under licence by Codatex. Reads 125 kHZ transponders of type EM4102. Various additional transponders are also available.

HiTechnic NAA1030 Angle Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Measures axle rotation position and rotation speed.

HiTechnic NAC1040 Acceleration / Tilt Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Measures both acceleration and tilt in three axes.

HiTechnic NBR1036 Barometric Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Able to read both atmospheric pressure and temperature. Can be used as part of a weather station or to measure altitude changes.

HiTechnic NCO1038 Colour Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects an extended range of more than 15 target colors.

HiTechnic NEO1048 EOPD
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. The EOPD (Electro Optical Proximity Detector) uses an internal light source to detect the presence of a target or determine changes in distance to a target.

HiTechnic NGY1044 Gyro Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Accurately measures direction and amount of rotation.

HiTechnic NIL1046 IRLink Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Uses Infrared signals to communicate with trains, Power Functions Motor controller and the Mindstorms RCX.

HiTechnic NIR1032 IRReceiver Sensor
Decodes commands from a Power Functions Remote Control.

HiTechnic MS1034 Compass Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Able to measure the earth's magnetic field to determine direction in which it is facing. Has a built-in calibration to help reduce magnetic interference from other sources.

HiTechnic NMS1035 Magnetic Sensor
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects magnetic fields that are present around the front of the sensor in a vertical orientation.

HiTechnic NSK1042 IRSeeker V2
Manufactured under licence by HiTechnic. Detects infrared signals from sources such as the HiTechnic IRBall soccer ball, infrared remote controls and sunlight.

LEGO 9846 Ultrasonic Sensor

LEGO 9845 Sound Sensor
Can measure sound pressure levels up to 90 dB.

LEGO 9844 Light Sensor (Output: can also be used for as Lamp)
Can distinguish between light and dark

LEGO 9843 Touch Sensor
Detects when it is being pressed by something and when it is released again.

LEGO 9749 Temparature Sensor
Can measure both temparature -20°C to +120°.
LEGO 9694 Color Sensor
Acts as a Colour Sensor distinguishing between six colours; as a Light Sensor detecting light intensities, both reflected light and ambient light; and as a Colour Lamp, emitting red, green or blue light.
LEGO 9799 Vernier NXT Sensor Adaptor
Allows you to integrate Vernier sensors with the Intelligent NXT brick and the NXT Software.

Motors
9842 Interactiv Servo Motor
Can also be used as a rotation sensor.


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

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

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

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

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


Unfortunately, you cannot use the LEGO 8528 (NXT to RCX adapter) cable with sensors on the EV3. You can use it with motors though.

This is because the adapter cable only connects to pins 1 and 2 on the MINDSTORMS (RJ12) connector. On the NXT input (sensor) ports, pin 2 is GND.

On the EV3, however, pin 2 on the input port is no longer GND. It is used to tell the difference between NXT sensors and EV3 sensors.

Without a proper ground (GND), the sensors will not work correctly. This is why the videos for modifying the cables use pin 3, which is GND on the EV3.

Furthermore, for those not restricted by the rules of a competition that can make their own cable, you also need to know that the EV3 firmware lacks the ability to send power pulses needed by "active" RCX sensors. From the NXT hardware developer kit:

So, don't expect the RCX Light sensor or the RCX Rotation sensor to work with the EV3 even if you make your own cable because it lacks this feature.

As a side note, RXC motors will work with the LEGO 8528 cable and the EV3 because pins 1 and 2 on the output ports are for motor + and -. They work exactly the same as Power Functions motors as described here.


Are there any LEGO base plates that are compatible with Duplo?

A regular LEGO base plate will work with DUPLO bricks. As demonstated in this question, the two systems are compatible in a number of ways. Here's an example of System base plates with DUPLO bricks attached:

It should be noted that not all DUPLO bricks will be able to connect to a System baseplate. Some examples of incompatibility are round bricks and some of the minifigs and animals. In order for these to connect you'll need a DUPLO brick or baseplate on top of the System baseplate.


What are some "Illegal" LEGO combinations?

I do not think it is up to us to determine what is considered an Illegal Technique - TLG (The LEGO Group) determines this for their commercial products. It depends on how much of a purist you are whether you apply these constraints in your own builds.
That said, LEGO Designer Jamie Berard has made a presentation in the past that highlights most Illegal Techniques.

Some examples:

Studs-on-side bricks cannot have their side stud in the hole of a
technic brick
Bricks mounted SNOT style onto Ehrling/Headlight bricks cannot sit
directly above a normal stud (the minimal height of the LEGO
embossing makes that combination illegal)
Technic pins have to be fully inserted into technic holes, otherwise they stay in compressed state which causes stress on the element.
Plates cannot be inserted with their studs into technic bricks, unless it is a 1x1 plate (so only 1 hole is used) and there is no brick attached to the technic brick directly above the inserted plate.
As mentioned by you already, you cannot insert plates between studs (this used to be a valid technique 20+ years ago, but is no longer considered "legal" by LEGO).


Lego with hollow posts underneath - dates?

I can confirm that some bricks have hollow posts.  I ran across this in attempting to answer a "how much does a brick weigh" question.  What I thought was a homogenous batch of bricks turned out to have a few with hollow posts.  The bricks were all purchased new in the last three years.

From a "material cost productivity" standpoint, it will be in TLG's best interest to migrate to the hollow posts since parts from these molds will require less material to serve the same function (but not immediately).  An expedient time to do this would be when a mold is at end of life requires replacement.  So, I would expect to see significant variation continue for years to come.  The balance point is the cost of replacing a single mold with the reduction in processed material costs over the expected remaining life of the mold.  So the older the mold is the less cost effective it is to replace prematurely, but the newer one represents less time in service to amortize the mold over fewer piece parts... both of these things mean that the replacement will likely be when the mold normally reaches end of life.  Since the useful life is very long, it is more likely that we are seeing parts from line or factory expansions.


LEGO logo is visible inside hollow studs on genuine parts. While it is hard to identify if pictured items are genuine LEGO parts, such elements have been produced as LEGO:

Window 1 x 6 x 3 Panorama with Glass

Window 1 x 3 x 2 could be either one of these.

Door 1 x 2 x 3 Hinge on Left

Window 1 x 1 x 2 could be in two versions: with integrated glass (single piece) or with glass that can be attached (two pieces together).


Any ideas on this mostly white and dark red set?

Based on the White Wedge, Plate 6 x 12 Right, the Light Bluish Gray Technic, Steering Wheel Small, 3 Studs Diameter and Dark Red Wedge 3 x 4 with Stud Notches

I think these parts belong to

75003-1 : A-Wing Starfighter


LEGO figures from the loading screen of Instructions App

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

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

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

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

A04. Minifigure Torso: Unknown ???

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

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

A06. Part #41879 - Legs Short.

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

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

B04. Minifigure Torso: Unknown ???

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

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

B06. Part #41879 - Legs Short.

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


What are the measurements of the different Lego instruction booklets?

Yes.
There are over 30 types, depending on box size. Some of them look more like books. Some of them are impractical, and haven't been reintroduced since their debut.


What are the bricks in this picture/video?

These are all fairly common parts that shouldn't be hard to find. It looks like they are a cheese slope (50746), a 1x1 tile (3070), and a 1x1 round plate (4073).

These parts are common enough that they are available in many sets, or you can purchase them separately from LEGO Pick-a-brick. If you're looking for a more affordable secondary market, you could also check out Bricklink.


70915 Two-Face Double Demolition excavator gun won't load

It appears that you don't have the white round piece pushed in far enough. It should be sitting further in, so you can load the 1x1 round plates (bullets) over it.


This is part 3626bpb0402:

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

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

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


Last help question of the day for this novice

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

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

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

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

#7 is the centre of 75971 Hanzo vs. Genji

As well as a tea cup from one of these sets

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

Part of the carnivorous plant from 75904 Mystery Mansion

The Joker's hat from 76035 Jokerland

Catwoman's motorcycle wheel from 70902 Catwoman Catcycle Chase

One of the wings from 75129 Wookie Gunship

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

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

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


What is the difference between these hole shapes?

These are 3 different versions one the same shape / function that fit over axle.

The right one is the oldest from the 80
The left one came next
The middle one came after that.
To make it more confusing, lego is now back producing the right shape again

What I can remember had the original one a lot of clutch power and was hard to be removed.

Personal I think the left one had some problems with manufacturing, due to the small tabs.

I believe the middle one broke easily.


According to the book, LEGO NINJAGO: The Visual Dictionary (Masters of Spinjitzu):

  Eyebrow notch caused by an explosion

The relevant page can be previewed on the Amazon page for the book:


Adding Power Functions to LEGO Mack Anthem Truck (42078)

There is this thread on Eurobricks:

42078 Mack Anthem Mods and improvements

Also this youtube video

KlikBriks Lego Technic MACK Anthem (RC MOD) l Instructions


Lego Star Wars ship identification, white and grey body, grey wings, dark red and yellow trim?


How can I motorize 42077 Technic Rally Car with LEGO Power Functions?

With some Power Functions elements and a few extra pieces, it's pretty easy to turn the Rally Car into an RC car.

Here's a quick demo video of my design in action.

And here are the instructions I made for it.

Required extra pieces

First you are going to need some extra pieces:

Power Functions:

1x - Servo Motor
1x - IR Receiver
1x - Battery Box
1x - L-Motor (alternately you can use an M-Motor but it is not as powerful)

Technic:

1x - 5L beam
2x - 2L thin beam
4x - Axle Pin with Friction Ridges
2x - 3L axle

In addition to that, you will need a Power Functions remote, and possibly some extra pieces to build the remote. If you don't have a remote already, there are instructions for one at the end.

Disassembly

To add power functions, you will need to disassembly it a bit to remove the engine block and manual steering system.

Remove doors.

Remove roof sides.

Remove roof gear and pull the blue pins out one step.

Take the center of the roof off with the front window frame.

Detach the trunk.

Detach the hood.

Remove seats.

Remove fire extinguisher.

Remove manual steering.

Removing the steering system is a little tricky, but doable.

Locate the place where it attaches to the back.

Push up on the grey piece to detach it from the small black pieces, so you can slide it back and remove all the yellow pieces.

All of these pieces should be removed.

Also remove the black and blue pieces that hold it.

After they are removed, the engine block will be easier to remove.

Removing engine block

On the back, locate this area.

Partially detach it temporarily.

Remove the gear and axles.

Reattach the section.

From the underside, locate where the engine block attaches at the back.

Push up to detach the engine block and the white pieces and pins that attached it.

Check alignment

At this point, you going to want to make sure the front gear attached to the gear rack for steering is perfectly vertically aligned like so. If not, slide the pin out and adjust it. It needs to be vertical for the servo motor to attach to it.

Locate pieces

In these sections you removed, you will find some other pieces you will need.

Disassemble them to find these pieces.

Add drive motor

Build this.

From the underside, position it to slide in the back into the differential area.

In this area, you are going to need to add the black gear.

Hold a black gear in place, then slice the axle and motor into the holes.

Add steering motor

In the front, flip up this white panel.

Slide the dark grey in the gear out one stud.

Build this bracket.

Insert it here, then slide the red pins out one stud.

Through the seating area, insert the servo motor into the bracket and push the red pins back in.

Now if the axle is correctly aligned, you can just slide the axle into the motor.

Flip the panel back down.

Adding Battery Box

Build the following.

Slide the batter box into the back here.

On the sides, attach it with the pieces you just built.

Re-assembly

Reattach seats.

Reattach hood.

Reattach roof center, and slide the blue pins back in.

Reattach the trunk to the blue pins.

Hold the trunk in the up position, and reattach the roof sides.

Reattach the doors.

IR Receiver

Attach black pins to the receiver, and attach it to the spoiler.

It's tricky, but run the wire through the crack down to the batter box.

Now run the wires from the motors up through that crack, and attach to the IR receiver, servo to blue, engine to red.

Turning the car on.

Turning the car on/off is as simple as opening the hood and switching the orange switch on the battery box.

Remote

You can build the following remote with a few extra pieces.

Power Functions:

1x - IR Remote Control

Technic:

2x - Axle Pin 3L with Friction Ridges
2x - Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1
2x - Axle 2L
1x - Liftarm 1 x 4 Thin with Stud Connector (or the version without the stud connector)
1x - Wheel 30.4mm D. x 20mm (or some other wheel rim)

Build sticks.

Attach sticks.

Build arm.

Attach arm.

Attach wheel.

Happy building!


There are two shades of light-pink in LEGO's history that were included in official sets. (Please note that there are other, rare shades of pink that never made it into mass production but were used as test colors or for special projects.) The older light-pink is simply called "pink" in the BrickLink Color Guide, and also often referred to as "Paradisa Pink", as it was in the LEGO Paradisa line where the color was most prominent. It is a softer, lighter shade, and was produced between 1991-2006.

The current light-pink is referred to as "bright-pink" in the BrickLink Color Guide. It was introduced in 2003 and is produced to this day. It is a much brighter and bolder color.

Besides these two light-pink colors there are also darker pinks: the older medium-dark-pink (1992-1996), the current dark-pink (1994-), and also current magenta (2000-).

You can find detailed information on them in the BrickLink Color Guide, and you can see sample parts in each color here: BrickLink Color Guide with Images.


What is the fastest way to estimate the number of pieces in a large collection?

What a tricky (bricky!) question.
Let's estimate...

By Weight

So, can one estimate the number of bricks in a bag or box by weight?

In fact, they do weigh bags and boxes over at the factory to make sure there aren't any parts missing. But of course they're just comparing expected weights.

That's why you can't simply weigh a big mix of unknown bricks to
calculate their number. There's no reference.

However, you can use a scale to estimate a number of bricks, if you have sorted them out individually.

If you keep your pieces in trays or drawers and you have a big bin of identical pieces (2x4's, 2x1's, ...), you can estimate them by weighing them.

Weigh them all, then divide by the weight of a single one.

Gets close. Speeds things up.

By Numbers

Anyway, try to narrow things down. To do so, collect as much data as possible.

Which sets do you own?
Look up the number of pieces per set.
Take into account if you bought an incomplete set. How much is missing?
Did you mailorder pieces?
Can you estimate the amount? Maybe check your orders/ accounts.
Did you buy a considerable number of bulk?

All this should already give you a rough number, considering the sets/mailorder/bulk ratio.

By Eye

Do you sort out your Lego into trays and drawers? You could count some of them, calculate an average amount and project it.
What about the relevance of certain parts? Do they count? Where there's lego technic, there's plenty of technic pins. You could simply leave out those piles of pins and separators or
weigh them. If they're sorted out, of course.

(Disclaimer: Do not take this last part too seriously...)

Or is it all in ONE BIG BIN?

Well, let's see.

How can one estimate the number of people in a crowd?

Take an aerial view, divide it into sections, count people in one frame and multiply by frames. As long as people are spread out evenly, you should get close enough.

Example: There are (maybe) 63 minifigs in this picture. Count all minifigs in one of the frames and multiply them by four for a rough answer.

How can one estimate the number of jellybeans in a jar?

Find out about jar and jellybeans, diameter, height, volume. Calculate. As long as you're not getting peckish, you should win big.

Now, how can one estimate the number of bricks of completely different shapes and sizes in ONE BIG BIN?

In theory, you would stirr everything to get one humongeous mass.
That is, you want bricks, pins, wheels, minifigs, separators all next
to each other, not in different layers with small parts at the bottom
of the bin. Next, pour it out and spread it evenly. Take a photo. Use the method
mentioned above.
Or, leave it in the bin. Take out one cup full of Lego,
count the parts, determine how many cups your bin holds and
extrapolate.

Conclusion: You're better off counting. While sorting out.


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

Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 2

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

Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 3


What are Good LEGO (or similiar) sets to play-prototype machines working with fluids?

There are a number of Lego Pneumatic sets with airtight tubes, valves and switches which could be put into use with fluids. One is 9641, Pneumatics Add-On Set.

Bear in mind that the pneumatics sets can command a much higer price than those sets with a similar number of parts, and buying individual pieces can also get expensive. Have a look at BrickLink to see what parts are avalible.

There is also a Simple & Powered machines set which comes with sails that could be used as a wind turbine, or a basic pump, but if you wanted to use steam or liquids with Lego you would have to be very careful.

A company called LPE Power has made some very detailed and very powerful pnuematic engines however I doubt they would work with water.


How much is Sheriff's Lockup #6755 worth?

Set 6755 is basically an older version of set 6764. There are several listings on that page missing all the minifigs - they seem to go for ~$40 (or at least those are the current asking prices).


Identifying this turbine piece with a stud and a Technic axel

It's part 4869 - Engine, Smooth Large, Center.


Your best bet would still be BrickLink. Many sellers there accept cash, checks or money orders, so you don't necessarily need paypal or a credit card. However if you would like to work on fixing the bite-marks on the head you pictured above, there are several things you can do:

If the bite-marks are not too deep, you can sand down the area with very fine sand-paper to make it more even. The sand-paper must be very fine, otherwise the surface would end up getting even, but rough. I have found wet and dry sand-papers the best as it can provide a very smooth finish.
You could try your nail-varnish idea, but please note that nail-varnish actually melts the plastic, so use only very little. You might also try other type of clear varnish that is fairly thick. Make sure you try it first on a piece you don't care for to see how it reacts with the plastic.
Because plastic is fairly soft, I found that sometimes you can smooth out bite-marks just by the back of a kitchen knife. :)


How to tell the different ages of pieces

According to Leggodt.nl, the molding pip was moved from the side to the top of a stud beginning about 1974, but as Kramii points out there is no hard cutoff date, as LEGO used molds until they were worn out and included existing stock in sets until it was depleted. So you may find mixed types of bricks in sets between 1974 and 1979. By about 1980, the side-pip bricks were gone.
The element numbers were printed on the bricks subsequent to the "patent pending" period, which was when many bricks had either "pat. pend." molded underneath, or places where those words had been obscured. Obscured "pat. pend." bricks appeared in sets as late as 1978, which is also when the LEGO logo on the top studs was changed (according to Gary Istok's LEGO guide). I believe this is when the element numbers started to be molded on the underside of the pieces, but again there would be a transition period. By 1980 in the US, all modern pieces were in use.
The hollow-stud minifig head appeared in 1992 and was a change based on product safety requirements (to prevent choking.) According to an article at Gizmodo, LEGO decided to re-introduce the solid-stud heads after reviewing changes in safety laws. According to Peeron.com 1992 was the last year the solid-stud heads were included in sets and they began appearing again in 2006.


Is there a step-by-step guide to extracting a parts list from LDD to bricklink?

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


NXT brick not executing programs correctly

There are a few options for the cause of the error. It could be at the microprocessor level, meaning that the execution of the program is wrong, or it could be at the motor driver port, meaning that the NXT tries to drive the motor attached to the specific port but can't due to some electrical failure.

The first option can be eliminated by using other forms of output (e.g. screen) instead or along with the motors, the second can be analyzed by swapping motor ports and testing them individually.

However, in any case you probably won't be able to repair it yourself, so you should contact Lego instead if the existence of the error is certain.


Why did the dark grey color of bricks change?

(I can't believe this hasn't been asked yet, so I'm still looking for a duplicate.)

In a nutshell, yes, everybody noticed and it was actually one of the biggest consumer backlash  the LEGO company had to endure. Fans vowed to never play with LEGO again, and so on. The fact that the LEGO company did the change unannounced, and even happily mixed both palettes in some sets, didn't help. Then they said the new colours were there to stay, and nowadays I'm not sure there are many fans left holding a grudge against this (apart from the ones who did really quit the hobby, I suppose, but then they aren't fans anymore, are they?)

And no, it wasn't a matter of factory change but a deliberate change to make the overall palette more satisfying and attractive for children, who are the target consumers of the LEGO company. Case in point, kids nowadays don't know about the old grays, and don't usually care.


How to convert a model from "LEGO Digital Designer" Extended into non-Extended?

Copy and paste works:

Open the model in Extended mode
Copy the design
Close the model
Open a new, empty document in "Standard" (non-Extended) mode
Paste the content

The bricks that does not exist in Standard mode will not be shown, leaving gaps in the model.


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

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

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

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


How do I export LEGO Mindstorms programs on the Chromebook

One of my students figured it out.  I have highlighted the buttons in the picture below.  The symbol with the arrow pointing to the box is import.  The send symbol allows you to email or store the file on Google Drive.


These are instructions from "LEGO Books - Idea Book #1 or 221", that was released in 1973.

YouTuber BrickTsar uploaded his entire childhood book HERE.

Similar to the LEGO Idea books I had as a kid in the late 80's, these types of books were made with multiple sets in mind.

So, there isn't a focus on one specific set. The focus was you nagging your parents on what was vital for your next birthday.


Identify 2011 set number, red car with criminal minifigure

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


Mindstorms EV3 - Continuous low battery alarm

Update: we made it work, after trying many things, see below.

Opened the brick and inspected it for obvious signs of problems but saw nothing. Even tried with the screen disconnected.

We tried, as suggested in the comment above, with a firmware update. Even though the brick will stay on for only a few seconds, it was enough for the computer to recognize it and see were able to begin the update. It completed without problem, showing that the batteries were ok. After restarting it behaved in the same way. We tried firmware 1.09 and 1.10.

We tried ev3dev, from an SD card. It will also shutdown once it finished booting. But after many tries, it booted and displayed the main ev3dev menu, on which we could see the voltage being 5.10, getting lower gradually until it reached 4.60 and it shutdown.

It seemed obvious it was a hardware issue so we decided to desolder the battery contacts and inspect the board properly. There must be something in the circuit sensing voltage, maybe a resistor going bad and being unable to divide voltage properly. We immediately saw the sign of acid going through the board, with that green/blue colour. We cleaned it with a wire brush, resoldered and it worked! Both the brick's firmware and ev3dev worked perfectly, now seeing 9.10 volts.

I hope this helps someone else with the same problem.
Cheers


This is really nearly impossible unless you have a lifetime supply of super glue.

A good structure using Technic LEGO bricks will provide better support and a lot more "stick" to each other, making the creation less breakable. Building the structure in which the strongest side will take the most hits/pressure should be an excellent way to make the model unbreakable. Joining a Technic skeleton with other bricks should improve your model's durability. Technic and regular LEGO bricks create the best possible way for models to not fall apart.

Overlapping bricks (longer bricks preferred) like bricks can make a strong support for each other. Each piece helps each other support a piece, having no weak points unless layered unevenly.

Try making your models fall and see where they break most often. The place where they break off is probably a weak point and needs more support or the pieces used are just too weak for the job. Replace/rebuild to improve the overall structure of the model. Of course, long bricks are preferred as the pressure is more evenly placed, making the hits seem pitiful against the strong model.


Which Lego brick number is this? 1 x 3 connected vertically to a base

It's part 4169 Bracket 2 x 3 - 1 x 3 (Train Signal Stand)


I have two unopened bags of LEGO, I can’t figure out what set they're from

These are parts from
31091: Shuttle Transporter

Keyparts

Wedge, Plate 6 x 6 Cut Corner
Tile, Modified 2 x 3 with 2 Open O Clips


How to check the missing pieces of a given set?

You can use the Compare Sets function on Rebrickable for that (if the B model is an official model or a MOC on Rebrickable).

Here an example for both official models from the 42069 set.


Apart from the LEGO brick, is there any other hardware that has an NXT firmware written for it?

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

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

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

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

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


There have been various questions asked here previously regarding 3D printing, with very mixed results.  Here is a link if you are interested in the responses to those questions.

https://bricks.stackexchange.com/search?tab=newest&q=3d%20printing

The experience you are looking for to answer your question is slightly out of the scope of what we generally do here on Bricks StackExchange.  I would urge you to check out this more specific 3D Printing StackExchange site as it would seem more fitting and hopefully more helpful then what we may be here.

https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/


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

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

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


This question is a bit confusing. It mentions water slide decals, but then also asks about printing directly on the helmet.

Water slide decals are what their name implies; decals that can be slid on the item with the aid of water. It's not printing. They are basically very thin stickers.

Because water slide decals are so thin, they can easily mold onto non-flat surfaces. If they are larger, and the surface is very round or complex, you can score the decal with a hobby knife before applying it to eliminate any wrinkles.

But in general, yes, water slide decals can be used on LEGO pieces. The decals should come with instructions on how to apply them. You basically make them a little bit wet, and slide them onto the item from the special paper they are sitting on, then remove the protecting film from the top.

If the piece is going to be handled a lot, you should cover the decal with a clearcoat to protect it. Water slide decal supplies like clearcoat and application tools should be available at any hobby store.


Trying to work out where a 'spare' part goes on Wall-E (21303)

One is used in step 54 on page 49 and another one in step 65 on page 58. It's likely you missed the one from step 65 as it is just reinforcing the "flap" on the front of Wall-E - not a structural component.


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


Unable to change program name in EV3 IDE

I believe this only happens when there is already a program with the same name.

If you start a new project and add 3 new programs named 1-1, 1-2 and 1-3, it works as expected. But if you try to add a 4th program named 1-1, 1-2 or 1-3, then the name will revert back to the default name because there is already another program with the same name.


High resolution flat view box cover images

Lego does not release them for most sets so you might have to do what we at Brickset do when we want them and use software to correct the 'distortion'.


Set 8121, 8120, 8119, and 8122 are the only ones with a red box.

It also comes in black

See this link for a complete list of boxes

Catalog : Original Boxes: Racers: Tiny Turbos


How to inventory a large collection of LEGO sets

I would recommend taking a look at BrickPicker's BrickFolio feature. It allows you to maintain a list of sets you own, including place of purchase, purchase cost and seal code, and keeps track of the current EBay value on a month-by-month basis. It also tracks CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) - a measure of how well the set's value is performing over time.

Clicking on the set name gives you an overview screen with key set details such as piece count etc.


What sets are these electrical parts from, dark grey bases and remotes with orange and yellow buttons?

The Battery Boxes on the left are 5115 or 9831 (most likely the former) from the 9V system (immediate predecessor of Power Functions). These don't come from sets but were items that were available for purchase on their own.

The middle unit is 23323c01 Electric, Bionicle Motor Remote Control Receiver Unit, Complete Assembly (Manas) from set 8539 Manas from the Bionicle theme from 2001.

Finally, the two remote controllers on the right are item 23335c01 also from 8539 Manas.


What set has a monster food truck with a burger on top?

That is the Creator 3-in-1 Monster Burger Truck, set number 31104. It has a piece count of 499, and it sells on LEGO.com for $49.99. It was released in January 2020.


Average price per weight of new bricks in sets purchased for retail price?

The short answer is that for retail sets, anything under $20 USD per pound of actual parts is a great value. $50 USD per pound appears to be fairly common overall.

I calculated this based on the actual part weights of all parts in a set. I only explored recent Classic, Creator, and City sets as these tend to be a good value and use System bricks almost exclusively. I used recommended retail price and didn't account for sales or other deals that can be found on retail sets.

Here's a graph of recent Classic, Creator, and City sets showing that $50 USD is a reasonable median price per pound:

The best value are the Classic bulk brick boxes, and the worst value per pound are the City minifig sets.


Representing pregnancy on LEGO minifigs without a dome

The best piece to represent a round belly is the "Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom" (part 2654). The "dome" pieces are way too big. Connect the rounded bottom plate to the bottoms of two "Brick, Modified 1 x 1 with Headlight" bricks (part 4070), also known as the Erling brick. Use short legs to get the total height right.

Note that the pegs on the leg pieces are slightly larger than a normal stud, so they make for a very tight fit in the back of the Erling brick. They do fit with some force, and they are difficult to remove.

FYI, I experimented with a few iterations, including one using a 2x2 flat tile on a bracket, and this was the version that had my non-Lego fan wife exclaim, "Oh yeah, that looks good!"


When did Lego stop putting small catalogs into boxes?

To be fair, it is hard to tell and depending on definition you may even tell TLG has never stopped doing so. But it depends on the series.
Bricklink has a lot of catalogs in their item data base. Single leaflet catalogs are called "Mini" and small booklet ones are called "Medium". Catalogs you can find in store are called "Large".
While Bricklink's database can be considered the largest in terms of catalogs they have, for some reason they didn't record if any of these catalogs come in sets. So it is hard to say when/if did TLG stop including Mini and Medium catalogs. Looking at the data recorded in Bricklink I would assume 1999-2001 are the years when TLG stopped putting "Medium" catalogs into System/City/Technic sets. It also depends which series you are interested in, since Duplo kept getting their "Medium" catalogs for much longer. However you can also find that some of recently introduced Dots sets may have had catalog of "Mini" type in their 2020 range.


It's very unlikely to be lead, smaller batteries don't use it. If the batteries were old rechargables they might contain cadmium (NiCd batteries). Most likely what you had was a disposable AA battery which will be an alkaline cell. As you'd guess, you can neutralise that with acid. But not a strong acid - you don't want to dissolve away the metal parts of the Lego battery box!

There are a few how-to guides on the web that I found, like this one and this one They all suggest either lemon juice or vinegar as the acid, and focus mostly on

don't touch the battery gunk with your hands (or eyes!)
wash it before scrubbing it as well as after
use something disposable to scrub it with
and don't touch it with your hands

Personally I'd put on rubber gloves, dump it into a plastic bucket full of water (always put chemicals into water, never water onto chemicals), swish it around and see whether the mess washes off. That's easy and you'll end up doing it anyway, so starting there might save you even having to find the vinegar bottle.


How can I upgrade the firmware of an RCX 1.0 to an RCX 2.0?

The hardware of RCX 2.0 is identical to 1.5, and the only difference between these two and version 1.0 is the charging port which had been removed. So they're compatible and you can indeed use a newer firmware on an older brick.

You'll need the Mindstorms 2.5 SDK, which contains the latest official firmware. It's probably not on the LEGO site any more, but Philo has saved it for posterity on his site.

You may also want to use a compatible, but faster, firwmare from Dick Swan, you'll find it archived here.

As for uploading it to the RCX brick, I think there's indeed an option for it in BrickCC but I'm not too sure where, so I can't help much there. It's probably in the documentation somewhere.


What color has been produced in the highest volume?

Black.

Peeron.com has a colour table that lists how many pieces of each colour you would have if you had one of every set in their database.

Obviously their database is not complete, it doesn't relate to when ABS was introduced (but most of the pieces produced in all time will have been since then), and some sets have been produced in higher numbers, so that's not an incredibly reliable figure, but seeing it has more than double the closest rival, I think it's safe to assume that Black's the winnner.

I would think that it is partially due to the fact that technic pins come in black, and there can be hundreds of those in sets.

Incidently, the top 5 are:

Black
White
Old Gray
Red
Yellow


What is inside the LEGO Powered Up M motor?

Let's take a look. The first step to disassembling the motor is removing the small Philips screw on the bottom:

Now there are a pair of gray tabs in the back white section that we need to release. I found it easiest to cut them down with a knife. Once those are free, the white section slides backwards away from the motor. Try to do this gently, as there are several gears inside that may go flying and be difficult to find.

The motor will be left in the back section.

It isn't fixed in place, so you can simply slide it free of the housing.

We can see that the PCB contains only a few very simple components. I believe that the larger element in the middle is a resettable fuse, and the smaller one on the left is a capacitor across the motor pins to minimize electrical noise. The tiny black element on the right is a 2.2kOhm resistor between pins 5 and 6 that allows the hub to identify this as an M motor.

We also have the gray section of the motor:

Down in the end, there is a planetary gearbox that slides out:

The gearbox simply slides open:

It contains two sets of planetary gears:

Overall, this is very similar to the PF M motor with the addition of a small PCB and a resistor to facilitate the component detection used by Powered Up. It's worth noting that this is the same motor used in WeDo 2.0.


Can you identify this piece of non-LEGO submarine from a sketch?

If you are looking for the LEGO equivalent of it, it's a Slope, Curved 2 x 2 No Studs, 3 Side Ports Recessed: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=44675#T=P


This could be either Fence 1 x 4 x 2 Spindled with 2 Studs

Or Fence 1 x 4 x 2 Spindled with 4 Studs


How can I tell if my NXT motor is faulty?

If the one motor exhibits the same behaviour on any port with any cable and the other motors are working on all of the ports with any cable, then it is safe to say that the problem is definitely with the motor itself.

Make sure you swap cables as well as motors to rule out a faulty cable.

Also, check for signs of corrosion on the pins of the cables, motors and NXT. This kind of erratic behaviour is indicative of poor electrical connections.


What is the name/number of this Technic brick with two arms ending in tiny clips?

That's two Magnet Holder 2 x 3, it has part number 2607.


Fikko3107 is correct, it is in fact a LEGO rubber band holder, for storing two different sizes of rubber bands. It's purpose insofar as the Bohrok sets are concerned, I'm afraid I don't know enough about Bionicle to give you an answer. Perhaps the instruction booklet may offer some clues?

As masterX244 stated, it is unofficially known as the 'nnenn' element, so named after Nate 'nnenn' Nielsen, who was a talented and prolific builder who used it as his Flickr avatar and who caused quite a stir among the LEGO community by using cut, painted and modified elements from clone brands as well as official LEGO parts. His build were so good, and so numerous, that despite offending purists and building brilliantly in a range of scales, he very rapidly became known as one of the better builders among the community - unfortunately, he was taken too soon from us all in a car accident and we will never see any new creations from this remarkable man, mentor, husband and father.

Fortunately, for those who never got to know nnenn's inimitable style, his Flickr account lives on and can be viewed here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nnenn

He was also responsible for creating NoVVember (flickr.com/groups/921332@N22/pool/with/5203643999/), a month dedicated to starfighter builds based on the Vic Viper craft from the Gradius Series arcade shoot-em-up games (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vic_Viper).

LEGO (through the influence of set designer Mark Stafford) paid homage to his contribution to the hobby and the community by including his name on the Vic Viper inspired spacecraft that sits on the back of 7066: Earth Defense HQ (brickset.com/detail/?Set=7066-1).

His nickname is visible on the stickers, shown here:
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3315/5721097224_d1d5a13818.jpg


Looks like Part #6538c - Technic, Axle Connector 2L (Smooth with x Hole + Orientation).


Is there a Technique or Algorithm for Building Spheres?

This website generates a sphere in LDraw format: http://lego.bldesign.org/sphere/

Here's a link if you want to learn how it can be done: http://groups.csail.mit.edu/graphics/classes/6.837/F04/assignments/assignment5/
(there are other ways too)


How to minimize the impact of erroneous sensor readings?

I have quite some experience in Lego Mindstorms and I can tell you that their ultrasonic sensor is extremely inaccurate as you described - from what I read online, the ultrasonic rays travel in a V shaped path instead of in a straight line (it causes readings not to be linear with distance). Detecting an object with a round surface makes it worse, because the ultrasonic rays end up scattering all over the place.

What we (my team and I did) tried to do was to cover up half of each of the sensor's emitting and receiving outlet hole so as to force the ultrasonic rays to travel in straight lines. We also tried taking averages, root mean squares, differentials, integrals and what not of samples instead - but both did little to solve the problem, especially when sensing across distances that are far away (> 100 cm).

We ended up switching to one of Mindsensors' laser based distance sensors.


What elements do I need to create a smooth multi cheese slope ramp?

To create a smooth surface with cheese slopes they must be offset by one-half plate in height. There are several techniques to do this. Here is one using the common "headlight" brick. It has the advantage of being extendable to nearly any length.


Identify minifigure torso - yellow with blue "N" on front

i think you mean this part

Yellow Torso Nesquik Bunny Large 'N' Pattern / Yellow Arms / Brown Hands

from  4051-1": Nesquick Rabbit

or
4049-1:Nesquick Rabbit Film Set


3x3 black Technic bracket piece needs identifying

BrickLink calls it Technic, Pin Connector Toggle Joint Smooth Double with Axle and Pin Holes.

It comes in a number of sets listed here.


It is Hoth Rebel Trooper (Orange Chin Dimple)

With missing white backpack and goggles.


They are made of SBS rubber.
According to user "B. Lister" on eurobricks.com, these bands are silicon rubber, used in medical and dental work for long lasting connections and tension.
Source
However, a LEGO representative at a toy safety site indicated otherwise:

The colors and materials in ABS plastic do not rub off or leach and, in fact, meet the same material standards for safety that are required of plastic eating utensils. Tires and elastic materials found in some LEGO sets are manufactured from Styrene-Butadiene Styrene (SBS), a material commonly found in vehicle mud guards and shoe soles.

Source
SBS has some very similar traits to silicon rubber, including sterilization and long lasting properties. I noticed in the other answer that bike tire cuttings worked almost identically. They should! Those inner tubes also consist of a Butyl base.


Selling used LEGO is definitely legal, at least in most legal systems. One of the most basic property rights involves the right to transfer ownership as long as both parties agree on the terms. Even selling items under copyright (instructions, box art, games, etc) is legal under the first-sale doctrine.

I don't see any reason that any of the 3 things that you listed would be illegal. Here's a similar example which hopefully makes things more clear.

Let's say that someone builds computers and sells them. No one builds a computer from scratch, so the builder has to buy lots of components (CPU, GPU, RAM, hard drive, etc). Although each one of these components is likely covered by hundreds of patents, that doesn't actually matter because the builder bought the right to resell the parts. As someone selling MOCs, you have to buy LEGO bricks to resell. This is a valid use of your property rights.

To address your issues specifically:

Selling a MOC you build - This is legal because you are simply selling your own physical property (the used bricks) and your intellectual property (your MOC)
Selling the parts one would need for the MOC (+ instructions and part-list) - Again, you have the right to sell the parts. The instructions and part list are your intellectual property, but there may be issues with trademark (e.g. you can't brand it as a TLG authorized set)
Packing the parts and instructions into a self-designed box and selling them - This is essentially the same as 2 except with additional intellectual property of your own (box art, etc). Again, it needs to be clear that this isn't an official LEGO set.

In regards to the branding and trademark issues, TLG has a document available which provides a useful set of guidelines to use when referring to LEGO.

To be clear, I'm not a lawyer, and if you're planning to start a business selling packaged LEGO MOCs, you might want to consult a real lawyer first.


As far as I know (I use Education Edition but the menu on the Home Edition looks the same), all you need to do to rename a Project is to go to the File menu and use the "Save As" functionality to save your work under a different name. This will automatically rename the Project (as displayed on the Project tab) on your programming screen.


Building advice for "hunched" mech lower torso design?

This answer is pretty long and complex, so bear with me.

After a couple hours of toying around with LDD, I have finally come up with a design that suits my needs fully within the realm of "traditional" Lego Building techniques.

After digging around in the sub-categories in LDD, I stumbled across this block (here). This brick is essentially what made this entire build possible, as it allowed for the "hunching" for the lower abdomen to be captured.

To capture the hunching nature of this mech, I constructed 3 of these shapes to serve as the building blocks for the lower abdomen.

In the middle of the piece referenced above, a short staff was passed through down the centre of the piece in the hole provided in the centre. This assembly is then connected to a 1x1 brick with studs on all faces except the base. The piece of the staff that is sticking out at the back is covered up with a 1x1 cylindrical piece, making room for the "spinal" assembly of the mech. The entire assembly is then covered up with decorative assemblies and facades, as seen in the picture above.

The result can be seen below --

Unfortunately, no LDD file is provided, only images.

UPDATE

As requested by Aziraphale, here is a breakdown of one of the assemblies making up the hunched nature of the Evangelion Unit. Note the short staff going through the piece reference above, mounted to a 1x1 brick with studs on all faces, before being finished in a 1x1 cylindrical piece with a 1x2 detail plate.


What is the most cost effective way to get basic bricks in bulk?

The best and most cost effective way to get large quantities of brick, especially common ones, is via the LUGBulk program. You would need to be member of a LUG (LEGO User Group) that participates, and LUGBulk orders are due at specific times of the year. Search for a LUG near you and check.

Alternatively, you can go to your closest LEGO Store and see which common bricks they have in their Pick-a-Brick wall. If one of them is a piece you need, check with a store employee if they are willing to sell you a whole box. This used to cost $70 per box (independent of the type of brick inside) but I believe it might now be more ($100 IIRC).


1 . According to experimental results, a single Lego 2x2 brick can support about 950 pounds before failing.

This does not take the shape of the model into account - if you have a sharp point going down into the brick, it's probably going to fail a bit more quickly!