Which BIONICLE combiner sets do official instructions exist for creating?

This can be the format we use for a community wiki
"official" name:
Set(s) Release Date:
Set(s) required:
Model Picture:
Link to instructions:
"official" name: Akamai
Set(s) Release Date: 2001~
Set(s) required: Tahu, Onua, and Pohatu(8531)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: n/a
"official" name: Wairuha
Set(s) Release Date: 2001
Set(s) required: Gali(8533), Kopaka(8536), and Lewa(8535)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A
"official" name: Mata Nui Cow
Set(s) Release Date: 2001
Set(s) required: Pohatu(8531) and Gali(8533)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: http://www.bzpower.com/Imaging/stories/mukau_instructions.jpg
"official" name: Mata Nui Fishing Bird
Set(s) Release Date: 2002
Set(s) required: Kohrak Va(8551) and Nuhvok Va(8555)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: http://club.lego.com/en-us/BuildIt/BuildingInstructions/fishing.aspx (link now dead)
"official" name: Bohrok Va Kaita 1
Set(s) Release Date: 2001
Set(s) required: Gahlok Va(8550), Kohrak Va(8551) and Lehvak Va(8552)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: n/a
"official" name: Bohrok Va Kaita 2
Set(s) Release Date: 2001
Set(s) required: Pahrak Va(8553), Tahnok Va(8554) and Nuhvok Va(8555)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: n/a
"official" name: Bohrok Kaita Ja
Set(s) Release Date: 2002~
Set(s) required: Lehvak(8564), Kohrak(8565), and Gahlok(8562)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A
"official" name: Bohrok Kaita Za
Set(s) Release Date: 2002~
Set(s) required: Bohrok(8561), Tahnok(8563), and Pahrak(8560)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions:
"official" name: Wairuha Nuva
Set(s) Release Date: 2003~
Set(s) required: Gali Nuva(8570), Lewa Nuva(8567), and Kopaka Nuva(8571)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A
"official" name: Akamai Nuva
Set(s) Release Date: 2003~
Set(s) required: Tahu Nuva(8572), Onua Nuva(8566), and Pohatu Nuva(8568)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: n/a
"official" name: Bohrok Kaita Ja-Kal
Set(s) Release Date: 2003~
Set(s) required: Lehvak-Kal, Kohrak-Kal, and Gahlok-Kal
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A
"official" name: Rahkshi Kaita Za
Set(s) Release Date: 2003~
Set(s) required: Turahk(8592), Lerahk(8589) and Kurahk(8588)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A
"official" name: Rahkshi Kaita Vo
Set(s) Release Date: 2003~
Set(s) required: Panrahk(8587), Guurahk(8590) and Vorahk(8591)
Model Picture:

Link to instructions: N/A


Welcome to BricksSE!  No question is silly (Maybe duplicitous), but never silly.

Go to Bricklink.com
Create an Account.
Go to "Want" drop down menu.
Click "Wanted List".
Look for the blue box that says "+ Created Wanted List".
Important: Create and give the new list a meaningful name other than
"default" or all future uploads will be merged into one list named "default" (very annoying).
Go back to the "Want" drop down menu and click on "upload". You'll get the screeny below.
Find your build's file location.  Make sure your file is a compatible upload type.
Click, Hold, Drag, and Drop your file onto the upload screen.
Upload your pieces to the meaningful Wanted List name you've created.

The site fills in the magic of getting you connected to the people who'd like to sell you your parts.

Note the condition of each part after you upload can be new, used or any.

If you're buying Tiles, always buy them new.  Scratched Tiles always look bad.

For any type of brick, always buy these colors new too:  White, Yellow, Blue, Light gray.  They tend to also make your final build look... worn if bought mixed or used.


need help identifying which set these 3 bags are from

The two black sprocket wheels and the transparent dome from bag 4 suggest that this set is the Malevolence, but many easily identifiable parts are missing. However, your set also seems to miss at least a few bags (numbers 2 and 3), so it is highly probable that you have a partial set.


Tom Alphin has a template of labels you can download and print with the appropriate label printer.

Sample:


The mask in the first picture is from the Hero Factory set Witch Doctor.
The other pic looks like it's from the same set.


How can I stop the LEGO Cargo train 60052 wheels from skidding on track?

Replace or reset the rubber bands on the wheels. This trick works on the 80s era trains so should work here too.


List of Helpful Websites for Beginning Collectors

On top of the already mentioned:

http://www.lugnet.com/
http://lego.wikia.com/wiki/LEGO_Wiki
http://www.brickset.com/
http://www.peeron.com - Large set database and instruction scan library
http://www.bricklink.com - Lego marketplace selling millions of used and new parts and sets. This is also a nice reference for information and
inventories related to old sets.

I personnally use the following ones as well:

http://www.brickfactory.info/ - Online collection of Lego Sets instructions
http://rebrickable.com/ - Site allowing you to see what other Lego set you can build from your existing collection

After that, it all comes down to forums and more specialized websites that directly depend on your area of interest (sci-fi, military, castle...), your language, and your location.


Could I do datalogging in Mindstorms EV3 Home edition?

Data logging is one of the things you are paying extra for when you purchase the Education software. Data logging is turned off in the Home version frimware and there is no means to configure data logging using the Home version software.

The firmware is open source, so technically, you could download it, figure out how to build it and turn on the data logging in the firmware, but then you would still need to reverse engineer a way to configure it.

If you don't need a very high sample rate (10-15 samples per second or less, probably), you could come up with something using an existing remote control library to log the data via USB or Bluetooth. For example, LeJOS and MonoBrick both have remote control libraries that would make it easy to write your own data logging program.

For a higher sample rate, you could write a program that runs on the brick using a 3rd party firmware/SD card image.


What are the practical bounds of a minifigure?

Standing

The smallest area you can enclose a standing minifig in is just about 4x4x4 2/3 with the roof on:

To reach this limit, you need to use the panels and windows to make room for the arms and more importantly the head, which is larger than a 1x1 brick.

Seated

To enclose a seated minifig in the smallest space, you will need to ensure that you've tilted the body completely forward (i.e. over 90°), and again use panels to enclose the arms to achieve a 4x4x4 box:

Note that I've had to use two plates to lift the roof above the stud on the head - you can cheat a bit and lower it one plate if you use a roof with a hole in the correct place - in the photos I'm using a 3x4 tile with 4 studs that comes with the collectable Minifigures, and the head stud fits into one of the cylinders underneath, but the edge of the 2x3 plate won't fit.

Reclined

For a reclined minifig, I used a Slope brick, 33° 3x2 to provide some support, and the smallest space I could fit that into was 4x7x2 1/3, however over the legs it's only 1 1/3 (I don't have all the parts to hand to photo this one I'm afraid, but I have proved the concept with some bricks):

With Accessories

Picking the Wizards Hat and Air Tanks, I was able to enclose the minifig within a 5x4x5 2/3 (one deeper and one one higher than the standing minifig):

Again the minifig is angled to fit in this space so that the rim is horizontal, and once again there's judicious use of panels: 1x2x3, 1x2x1 and 1x1x1 Corners.


LEGO’s Pick-a-Brick service has only a limited amount of the total range of pieces ever produced. It contains a subset of the pieces available in current sets.

The Bricks and Pieces service (on the LEGO website under Customer Service) has a slightly larger range of pieces, but still limited to those that are currently produced by LEGO. This service is unfortunately only seasonally available (during busy seasons it goes offline).

For a broader range of pieces you have to go to third-party websites. The main ones are:

Bricklink: This site contains all the pieces ever produced by LEGO, and provides a marketplace where sellers all over the world sell these pieces either New or Used. Depending on the age and rarity of the piece, prices can be quite high or sometimes way cheaper than what LEGO charges. Just beware that shipping and handling costs are added on to your order, and those costs vary from seller to seller. Also, BL uses slightly different nomenclature for pieces than LEGO does, but searching by mould number (the little 4-6 digit number printed on each piece) should work. The rim you mention is this piece: Wheel 30.4mm D. x 20mm with No Pin Holes and Reinforced Rim and its listing shows all the tires that fit with this rim.

Bricklink has a competitor called BrickOwl, which offers a similar service.

Finally, you can also look for specific pieces in lots listed on auction sites such as Ebay, as they sometimes contain pieces you need at lower prices (especially when part of a bulk lot of other pieces that might be useful for you).


How to Download my orders from Bricklink

Check the Bricklink API feature. I personally have not tried it, but it looks like it should have all the features you need, namely downloading the order list and orders themselves.


Is there anything like a 'recipe generator' for LEGO models?

Yes there is! Rebrickable.com is dedicated entirely to doing so. You can save time and import your LEGO collection from Brickset.com (If you have an account). The site will then search for other sets and MOCs you can build from the bricks you have in your collection.


What are the exact dimensions of a DUPLO brick?

For the short answer, Duplo studs are indeed taller than twice the height of a Lego stud.  And don't rely too heavily on measurements you get from ldraw (and not just for Duplo).

For a really long-winded history on this...

First, note that when I authored the original Duplo parts I never actually measured them with a ruler or calipers, as there was no need.  The ldraw system assumes "perfect" dimensions in terms of other ldraw parts, so you typically measure parts by comparing them to other Lego pieces.  By this measurement, Duplo in ldraw (not counting the studs) is exactly twice the size of Lego.  In real life, any part is slightly smaller than the nominal measurement so that you can slide two parts next to each other without them hanging up on each other.  Duplo parts seem to be about twice as tolerant in this way, so I'd guess that in real life also the outer dimensions are very close to twice the size.

Some time in the 1990's, Duplo studs were changed.  They were made taller, and the inner hole got larger (making the stud walls thinner).  They also added bumps to the inside of the stud hole.  The ldraw Duplo stud has the taller height of the new stud and the perfect roundness and dimensions of the old stud hole.

Regular Lego bricks used to have smooth internal walls, and the ldraw bricks still look like this.  Duplo bricks always had "splines" that run vertically along the inside walls for Duplo studs to clutch.  Regular Lego studs clutch against the outer wall of the Duplo brick instead.  This is how studs of different sizes can both fit into the underside of a Duplo brick.  Around (2003?) Lego started making the walls of regular Lego look like Duplo bricks.  I assume this is a cost-cutting measure where they now use less plastic to mold the walls, but now have splines like Duplo so that the walls are the old thickness in the places where studs need to clutch.

So... Duplo wall thickness is the same as Lego wall thickness from before 2003 or so.  It's 4 LDU (ldraw units) if that helps.  For reference, a plate is 8 LDU high without the stud, and a 1x1x1 brick is 20x20x24 LDU without the stud.  Studs in ldraw are 4 LDU high, but that is totally inaccurate.  Non-hollow studs are clearly more than half the height of a plate, and the real height of regular studs should be more like 4.25 LDU.

Be very wary of the measurements that you get from parts converted from ldraw format to POV-Ray.  L3P scales each part down just a little bit to let POV-Ray show edge lines.

There is no simple real-world conversion from ldraw units to inches or centimeters.  For more info on that, see my lugnet post from 2001: http://news.lugnet.com/cad/?n=5284.

Primo is another story...


What part(s) can I use to connect technic liftarms at a 90 degree angle?

You probably could use this, which looks exactly like it's the missing part of your puzzle:

You'll be interested to know that this part has intitially been proposed by the first four fans (MUPs, for LEGO Mindstorms Users Panel) working on the very first NXT kit and regularly ran into the same problem as yours. A lot of Technic fans now name the part after Steve Hassenplug, as Brian Davis started called it "hassenpin", eventhough according to him it was more a collaborative effort. It's nice to see that LEGO does listen to the people it invites to workshops (the big wheels in the Emerald Night are another example of this).


Should I buy the retail or education version of Mindstroms EV3?

Note that the Education version doesn't come with any software - if you want to use the full features of the Education EV3 brick (mostly around Data Logging), you will need to purchase the Education version of the software - thus making the price about £70-85 higher (which may still be cheaper than purchasing the Retail edition and adding the extra components).


What kind of Lego-compatible figures are these?

My first guess is that these are early generation Oyo Sportstoys (http://www.oyosports.com). The legs on the current version of Oyo figures are different (they have an articulated foot) but perhaps there was an earlier iteration of them that looks like the ones you have?


There will certainly be some mechanical and robotics questions that you'll need to figure out, such as where on the car to position the sensors, and how to ensure that the car is reliably reading both colors at every intersection. (Which brings up contextual questions like "are there discrete intersections?")

From a programming perspective, 49 possible options is kindof a middle ground.

You could have a systematic representation. For example, each color could map to a digit, and so the pair represents a two digit base-7 number of 2π/49 radians (where 0 means go back the way you came). I don't actually suggest that particular scheme, but something like that could work quite well.

You could just have a lookup table. Or a lookup table of lookup tables. In a C-like language that would look something like

table = [
  'red':  ['red': -90, 'blue': -45],
  'blue': ['red': +90, 'blue': +45]
];
turn_degree = table[first_color][second_color];

I would call that the "normal" approach, although you're getting toward the upper size of the table one might really want.

You could also treat one color as a modifier for the first:

first_table = ['red': -90, 'blue': +90];
second_table = ['red': -45, 'blue': +45];
turn_degree = first_table[first_color] + second_table[second_color];

This is secretly the same as that first option I gave (base7), but more flexible, easier to read, and easier to explain to kids. And you could use multiplication instead of addition if you wanted.

A robotics consideration: Will the car always correctly sense which color is the "first" color?

If not, then there's actually only 28 (21?) possible combinations. You can still use any of the above methods, but additionally you'll define an ordering of the colors (so for example, you'll just decide that green is "less than" blue). Then your "first" color will always be the lesser of the two colors, regardless of which sensor sensed what.

But seriously, how should you do this in a classroom?

If either sensor sees red, the car will turn left.
If either sensor sees blue, the car will turn right.
If either sensor sees yellow, the car will turn 15°.
If either sensor sees green, the car will turn 45°.
If either sensor sees orange, the car will turn 60°.
If either sensor sees purple, the car will turn 90°.
If either sensor sees black, the car will turn 135°.
If the car doesn't see two colors, or if the colors don't clearly say what to do, then the car just keeps going forward.

first = get_sensor_one();
second = get_sensor_two();
directions = ['red': -1, 'blue': 1];
degrees = ['yellow': 15, 'green': 45, 'orange': 60, 'purple': 90, 'black': 135];
if(contains(directions, first)){
  direction_color = first;
  degree_color = second;
} else {
  direction_color = second;
  degree_color = first;
}
if(!contains(directions, direction_color) || !contains(degrees, degree_color)){
  keep_going();
} else {
  turn(degrees[degree_color] * direction[direction_color]);
}


My 8880 Super Car: Quality criteria for potential buyers?

Besides the obvious quality checks, something that is quite important to me when buying second hand: in what state of assembly will the set be shipped?

Unless it's a set I'm desperately searching, I will almost certainly forego bidding if the set appears to be shipped entirely assembled.

Partially disassembled is even worse in my opinion.

Also not acceptable is the set entirely disassembled but all pieces thrown together, I believe this causes scratches on the pieces and makes it easy to have pieces missing (with the mistake possibly happening on my end while resorting the pieces).

Ideally the set is shipped entirely disassembled and the pieces sorted in zip-lock bags in a logical way: large pieces with large pieces, smaller with smaller... In such a manner that it's easy to check for completeness and I'll have fun rebuilding the set.

Problem is that the shipping manner is seldom described in any online advertisement, one needs to ask for this...


Identify Lego set containing a trailer with light-blue & purple color theme

Yup, good guess.

Comes form Set# 41026 Sunshine Harvest.


Can the Hogwarts Express train be motorised?

I'll assume you mean the most recent Hogwards express but this applies to most trains:

The simplest way to motorize most Lego steam engine sets that weren't made for motorization is to rebuild the coal car to sit on the train motor and contain the battery box. This typically results in a somewhat oversized coal car, but it's not ridiculously sized. If you are using the new Powered Up components, you don't need an IR sensor and you're done with just the battery box and motor. If you're using the older IR Power Functions you need to place the IR sensor somewhere: this typically involves rebuilding part of the locomotive. If you have the Power Functions train motor, but don't want to use the IR sensor, you can use the rechargeable battery box which has a built-in speed control switch. The downside is you have to catch the moving train to turn it off.

Building a powered self-contained locomotive is challenging as most steam locomotives are not wide enough to conceal a battery box, and the train motor isn't well suited to the typical spacing of the steam engine train wheels. Not to mention that its speed assumes small train wheels, so the larger wheels will spin as fast, but because of the larger diamter, the train will be faster. It's possible, but tricky, to build a steam engine where the front wheels use the train motor: I did it, but there are serious technical challenges to making it run reliably. I ended up having to switch the large wheels from a "flange, no-flange, flange" driver configuration to a "no-flange, flange, no-flange" configuration, so that the locomotive could go around corners.


Volvo Articulated Hauler (42114) doesn't operate the bucket

Two steps below taken from first instruction booklet for 42114 set. Since one end of clutch is locked it basically tells, that under normal conditions, clutch should not be spinning at all. Clutch is used as a safety feature within the build, when something get stuck, not to cause further damage to gears or human flesh. So in this case it should only begin spinning if the rest of gear train is having issues.

I'm not entirely sure what could be causing your issue of bed not operating, but I suspect one other tricky place could be the reason. Please pay attention to location of 20 tooth bevel gear for each side (highlighted in blue) in pictures below. One of these needs to be on top on one side and on the bottom on the other. If placed in same direction, one side will pull while the other will be pushing.


Why are Lego products so expensive in Europe?

To answer this question, we must first check the accuracy of your observation that "U.S. prices seem to be consistently around 70% of those in Europe given current currency exchange rates."

Using data provided by Brickset, which pulls data from the online listings at shop.lego.com, we can compare the prices of sets released in 2014 that are listed with prices in both USD and EUR.

I downloaded this data and used a spreadsheet to analyze the prices. Using the 2013 average USD to EUR exchange rate of 1.3282465 I converted retail prices from EUR to USD. On average, the retail prices on the US site are 77.06% of the retail prices on the sites where prices are listed in EUR.

So your observation is close to the apparent actual difference in listed prices, although it is closer to 80% than 70% on average.

The member states of the EU each set a value-added tax (VAT) on items sold in those countries. This rate currently varies from 15% (Luxembourg) up to 27% (Hungary). LEGO includes the VAT in the listed price in countries where it is collected. This means the listed retail price is higher than the actual base price of the set. If you assume a VAT rate of 25% and adjust the list prices accordingly, then comparing the USD prices to the EUR prices shows that US list prices are actually about 96% of EUR prices. This is an average - many sets sell at a similar or lower actual base price in Europe than in the US (when expressed in USD).

For example Set 60045 Police Patrol sells for $44.99 USD in the US. It sells for 39.99 EUR in Germany. The VAT in Germany is 19% and today's exchange rate is 1.3398. To get the base price of the set in EUR, divide the list price by 1.19. That gives us a base price of 33.60 EUR. Multiply that by the current exchange rate and the USD price you would pay in Germany for this set is $45.02 - just three cents more.

Here is the data I use in a spreadsheet format, sorted by their prices in USD. The calculated columns on the right show the EUR prices converted to USD and the bases of EUR list prices assuming 25% VAT.


How to build a limited slip differential?

If you haven't seen it, Sariel's limited slip differential technique might do what you want, but it's a little different than what you are asking for:

This setup doesn't provide a clean way of producing a fixed amount of torque to a wheel if it's partner is running free. It instead simply disables the differential if the wheels have been running at different speeds for too long. This isn't a perfect solution, but it is very simple and may work for you depending on exactly what you are trying to accomplish.


Where do I find the program to go with the LEGO 51515?

The "App" page does seem to be hard to find at the moment. I found it by clicking on this little icon on the MINDSTORMS "About" page.

The app is distributed through various app stores:

Microsoft Store (Windows)
Apple App Store (macOS/iOS)
Google Play (Android/Cromebook)
Amazon App Store (Kindle Fire)

There isn't currently any option for Linux, but there is a 3rd party project call Pybricks that is working on supporting the 51515, so keep an eye on that if you use Linux.


Welcome Court!

Looks like  part# 42445 Bar 12L with 1 x 2 Plate End Solid Studs and 1 x 1 Round Plate End.

Part# 99784 Bar 12L with 1 x 2 Plate End Hollow Studs and 1 x 1 Round Plate End.

and

part #50747pb06 Windscreen 6 x 6 x 3 Canopy Half Sphere with Dual 2 Fingers and SW Tie-Fighter Pattern.

From
Set #9492 TIE Fighter.

Later!


Which type of LEGO bricks would be compatible with the Mega Bloks Blind Bag Figures?

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

mega bloks halo vs. lego star wars clones

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


Not sure what language you are using, or calls you are making before this, but:

float var_Min = var_R; if (var_G > var_Min) var_Min = var_G; if (var_B > var_Min) var_Min = var_B;

Should be (note the use of < rather than >)

float var_Min = var_R; if (var_G < var_Min) var_Min = var_G; if (var_B < var_Min) var_Min = var_B;

Your posted code is putting the maximum value into the minimum variable, messing up things down the line...

Another thing that will help is to not use the RawColorSensor call. Change your main task to this:

ColorSensorReadType csr;

task main(){
   csr.Port=S3;
   SetSensorColorFull(csr.Port);
   while(true){
       SysColorSensorRead(csr);
       RGBToHSL();
   }
}

And the first few lines of your RGBToHSL call to this:

R = csr.NormalizedArray[0];
G = csr.NormalizedArray[1];
B = csr.NormalizedArray[2];

This will normalize the values between the values of 0,255 (or at least roughly). I've had more luck with this call since it also tries to calibrate the values.

After this, you'll need to find the color values you're using with a tool like http://www.colorpicker.com/ . For example, orange would have HSV (HSB on that site) of (40,100,100). (The scaling on these values may differ). So, to detect orange, check if:
Hue>30 AND Hue<50 AND saturation>90 AND value>90.
Make sure there is play with your thresholds, otherwise the check will work once in a hundred tries.


This is a comprehensive walk-through:

http://gizmodo.com/exclusive-look-inside-the-lego-factory-5022769

The last video shows how parts are retrieved from the shelves, decorated, packaged in plastic bags and put into set boxes. It is probably exactly how you imagined the process :)


Are there any reports of fatal or life-threatening incidents with LEGO?

I'm aware of two serious incidents, but not life-threatening.

One, a young child put a rubber tire on their finger like a ring and went to sleep. This restricted bloodflow and caused swelling. IIRC, an ER visit was necessary but there was no lasting damage.

Another, a child removed a piece using their teeth, and accidentally bit through the element, which stuck to their teeth necessitating oral surgery.

I know multiple children have had bricks stick to their teeth. Always teach your children to use a brick separator or an adult, and never use their mouth or utensils (knives/forks) to pull pieces apart.

As for small parts, you should generally be safe if you follow the age guidelines. Sets with choking hazards are labeled as such.

To my knowledge, there have been no reports of fatal incidents involving LEGO toys, nor invasive surgeries.

DUPLO toys meet very high safety standards for younger children, if you're concerned. They're designed to withstand a great deal of force to prevent breakage (you could probably run them over and only get scratches), and are suited for infants and toddlers to generally handle safely.


Which Death Star?

Either way, I can't imagine trying to travel with either Death Star model that LEGO has produced.

Removing dust can be done with a mini-vacuum or some sort of blower, like a hair drier. Canned air is advised against as it has icky propellants that get on your bricks.


Help me identify this set? Rocky terrain with castle walls?

From the Megablok wiki:

9650 Raiders Keep


Just to clarify: this forum is manned by Fans of LEGO, not by the LEGO Group themselves.

That said, LEGO order confirmations sometimes take a little while to arrive (a couple of hours). You can always check your order status online (if you were logged in to shop.lego.com and/or have a VIP account), the US-based Order Status page is here.

Finally, if it's been longer than a day, call LEGO Customer Service. The US number is 1-800-835-4386 (check the LEGO website for your local access number if you're not in the US).


The bit held in the mech hand is a Ray gun.

The bit on the forearms is almost certainly a short bit of Hose, Ribbed 7mm D. 2L like zovits said.


According to Liam Nilsen from The LEGO Idea Studio, he believes the storage bins may have been produced in-house by LEGO and are not commercially available.

The online portfolio for GXN (the designers of the studio) mentions:

  Bespoke elements are accompanied by Open Desk furniture pieces, all
  fabricated by local makers and assembled on site.

I couldn't find the drawers on the Open Desk furniture site but it seems the parts containers are designed to fit snugly into the drawers.


How can I separate an 8H antenna from a modified 1×1 with ring?

Ah, yes. I have had this problem a few times. Here's what I do:

The first thing you're going to want is leverage. Connect one 1x6 plate to the underside of the Modified 1x1, one on top of the previous plate (but adjacent to the Modified 1x1), and one on top of both pieces.

Next, slide propeller piece 32125 over the tip of the antenna.

Hold the antenna upside-down (vertically), with the 1x6 assembly in your right hand. Move the propeller piece all the way up, but stop before it gets to the section the Modified 1x1 is on. Maneuver the antenna's stem into one of the four sides of the axle hole on the propeller piece, tilt it at an angle, and push up. There should be a slight pop and the 1x1 will move down the antenna.

Now that you have something to push on, simply remove the propeller, grab hold of the 1x6's with your right hand, and press into the base of the antenna with the propeller piece. It should pop out the rest of the way and then you're done!

Why does this work? Well, the propeller piece is perfect because it had a proper diameter to fit over the round tip, and the sides of the axle hole are a prefect dimension to hold the smaller thickness of the antenna stem, thus giving you a contact point for applying pressure. I suppose it's a bit over complicated, but it works for me. :)


The MindCuber program uses a special ColorSensorRGB block (see section 2.1 on the MindCuber EV3 Page). This block uses a "hidden" mode of the LEGO EV3 Color sensor to read raw RGB values. This mode is not available in the Commander app for Android or iPhone.

The mode you are seeing in the Command app (with only the red LED) is the reflected light mode.

If you want to see what the MindCuber program sees, then you will need to write a program using the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 desktop software along with the special ColorSensorRGB block from the MindCuber web page.

The MindCuber program does not actually care what color each square on the Rubik's cube is. It actually guesses which squares are white and then sorts the remaining colors by hue. So, observing the RGB values directly will probably not provide much insight. You will need to study the MindCuber program and copy parts of it to debug what the MindCuber program is "seeing".

There is also a list of troubleshooting tips on the MindCuber EV3 Page as well as a link to the MindCuber Facebook page which is the official way to get support for the MindCuber.


I think you have bags from set 75876-1 Porsche 919 Hybrid and 917K Pit Lane from the Speed Champions line of sets.

The Plate 4x4 Round Corner, in combination with the red and white color scheme, the tires and the transparent yellow 1x2 plates, as well as the fact that there are at least 6 bags (as per the numbers on the bags you have) drive me to this conclusion.


I'm not sure where are you looking, but it is readily available on BrickLink in seven colors: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=30031&idColor=85#T=C&C=85


The plastic is a bit heavier than water and should sink, however in practice I have experienced that 2x4 bricks (and the like) have a tendency to trap air inside them and actually float rather well.
It probably isn't failsafe, however for shorter periods of time (like a half to a full hour) would probably work fine.
(I haven't actually tested the time it could stay afloat, I'm trying it out now. When my small mini-boat has sunk, I will add the time here.)

Update:

24 hours have passed, it is still floating.

It sunk about 1mm compared to the beginning, but nothing of importance. However while I did push it around from time to time, it was still in still water and stationary most of the time. How it will perform during play is unknown.

Notice how the internal structure of the bricks causes the air to be trapped inside them.


What kind of metal/alloy were on the old LEGO 9V train tracks?

I'm not sure about LEGO, but Märklin, a company that specialized in building train models used simple stainless steel since 1982, chances are that LEGO did the same:

Stainless steel is relatively cheap
It doesn't oxidize (as the name implies)
The electrical charateristics aren't good, but you don't need a very good (and expensive) material like copper for something "small" like toy train tracks (Märklin shows that it works)
Märklin builT the electric "H0" trains since 1935, such an experienced company might have been a inspiring example when choosing a material

Like starblue said, nickel-siver might also be possible. Another indication of this speculation is the German Wikipedia entry wich says:

  Die Schienenprofile von Modelleisenbahnen [...] bestehen mitunter aus Neusilber [...]

Translated: "the rail profile of model railways [...] sometimes consist of nickel-silver [...]"


Is it acceptable practice to finish an incomplete set and sell it as complete?

New bricks of the same kind often comes from a slightly different mold. And pieces from different year will look different, especially white ones. So there is a high chance that difference will be seen.

Most ethical thing to do is to sell it as complete set, but in description clearly state what bricks was replaced.


What are those 6 extra studs for in 42000 Grand Prix racer?

Sariel's assembly video shows that he ends up not using those 6 studs for the car assembly

but wait! if you scroll down into the comments:

he explains that the pieces are used for the B-model:


Looks like a custom build, so no instructions.

I'm basing this answer off two parts in the pic:

Part #6046 - Brown Bar 9 x 13 Grille, appears in six sets with this color, and none of the sets seem to have a sub-build of this prison.

and

Part #2431px5 - Tile 1 x 4 with 'KEEP OUT' Pattern, appears in three sets with none of them resembling a hidden sub-build of this cage design.


The Adventures Tomb 2996 set you mentioned uses shutter holders to mount the door and a 1x6x1 arch to cover the space behind the doors:

It is also very common to use a 1x6x2 arch, as was done in Dark Fortress Landing 8802:

As I mentioned in another answer, these clips generally attach to the back of the door, not the side. The geometry is more complicated to completely fill if you want to have the doors hinge from the side.


No response when controlling the Mindstorms EV3 brick over Bluetooth

Using the documentation from here, here, here and here, the command for playing a tone should look something like this:

0x0F, 0x00,            // size of message = 14 bytes
0x00, 0x00,            // message counter = 0 [can by any number]
0x80,                  // command = DIRECT_COMMAND_NO_REPLY
0x00, 0x00,            // 0 bytes for global variables, 0 bytes for local variables
0x94,                  // opSOUND
0x01,                  // CMD = TONE
0x81, 0x32,            // VOLUME = LC1(50) [50%]
0x82, 0x0B, 0x02       // FREQUENCY = LC2(523) [C5]
0x82, 0xF4, 0x01,      // DURATION = LC2(500) [0.5s]


Is it possible to buy a bulk of 1000s of basic bricks (mostly 2x4)?

The LEGO Store has the Pick-a-Brick service, which allows you to bulk buy elements, up to 999 of any one element apparently.

It's not necessarily the cheapest, for example 2x4's are GBP£0.19 each, so purchasing 999 of them would cost me £189.81 plus shipping - there's no obvious savings/discounts for bulk ordering.

As Refro points out, BrickLink might be a better option: the prices are more variable, but often cheaper than PaB, discounts for bulk purchases can be found from some sellers, but shipping costs might be higher depending on where the seller is based relative to you.


Can I use two ultrasound sensors at a time?

theres a single shot mode (at least when using NXC, NXT-G is very limited in fuctionality) for ultrasonic sensors. if you use that and don't read from two sensors at the exact same time, you can pass around interferences. to read more about that, please take a look at:

http://www.mindsensors.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=134
http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/nl/roboticstroubleshooting/thread/81a4680d-20a7-46bc-bdba-e7041566c93c


The sixth LEGO CUUSOO set is the upcoming Exo Suit. See announcement here: http://blog.lego.cuusoo.com/2013/10/21/results-of-winter-spring-summer-lego-reviews/


The "wheels" are really the hubs, mostly from the various Speed Champions cars among others.

The inside of the wheel takes a standard stud, so you should be able to use:

Plate Modified 2x2 with Pin Hole
Technic Pin 1/2
Wheel Cover 5 Spoke

Beyond the primary question of how to build these particular wheels, there are a few common themes among wheels and axles across the system (there are clearly more than those shown here, but these cover most of the typical "official" connections you'll come across at the moment):


How to run 2 motors at the same time in the new EV3 version?

If the 2 motors are configured as a drive base, use the pink move blocks.
For an arbitrary number of motors or non-drive-base cases, you can use broadcast blocks to run things in parallel. Here is an example that shows how to run 4 motors for a specific number of rotations:


Buying another kit instead of 8293-1: Motor Set?

You have several alternatives, and you can combine several approaches if you've got the cash:

You can buy individual Power Functions parts from a LEGO shop or from various other vendors. The advantage is that you'll get the specific parts that you're interested in. The down-side is that it'll probably cost you more than buying a set like 8293.
You can buy a bundle from eBay. Several vendors make up their own kits that are similar to 8293 but with a slightly different mix of components.
You can buy a set that contains Power Functions. This tends to be fairly cost-effective if you're interested in the parts that the set contains, but with the disadvantage of a larger initial outlay. Of course, you could re-sell anything you don't want if you're prepared to put in some effort. The other advantage of buying a kit is that you'll probably learn some new techniques during construction.

If you go for (3), some of your options are:

8110 Mercedes-Benz Unimog U 400
9397 Logging Truck
9398 4X4 Crawler
41999 4x4 Crawler Exclusive Edition

Personally, if had the cash, I'd go for a 41999 (assuming it is still available). It includes a great selection of Power Functions components including remote control and IR receiver, a lot of generally useful parts, several exclusive parts (perfect for eBay?) and... well, it's just very cool.


In this context, DTC means direct to consumer. These sets are typically only available directly from TLG either online or from LEGO retail stores.

Here's the original source and discussion for the DTC set that you mentioned and several others:

http://www.brickset.com/news/article/?ID=2900


What set is the safari car in the 2020 catalogue from?

That's a new 60267 set to be released this year under City theme:


How firm does it need to be? Wouldn't something like this be enough?

If not, you can try to lock the parts into place with "cheese" slopes, but it's not as neat:


Can you help me identify this set? (Emergency vehicles maybe?)

Looks like Set# 60060-1 Auto Transporter.


What is this 2x4 brick with a 2x3 rounded plate with hole attached?

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


What are these numbers for this element name?

Bricklink lists it as

  Technic, Axle 5.5 with stop

The blue number is the length of the axle. It is mentioned in the part list to distinguish axles of different lengths in a set.

In this case, the length is 5.5, so yes, it is written as 5,5 because of the locale.


Which minifigure is this? Angry face with a moustache and a green playing card shirt?

This minifigure is a mixture of several other minifigures.
Torso Western Bandit Card Suit Vest and Gold Fob Pattern / Green Arms / Black Hands

has been used for just one minifigure called Bandit 3. Legs are matching yours so these two most likely come from the same minifigure, which appeared in 5 sets.

However your example is missing top hat and is using different face - Minifigure, Head Moustache Thick Angry and Long Hair and Stubble Pattern - Blocked Open Stud. It appeared in 13 sets and could be part of any of these 5 minifigures.


How do I center a 2x2 plate on a 3x3 plate?

I saw this technique in LEGO's Disney Castle for offsetting parts of a column by half of a stud.  You can see the column on the left in this picture is shifting half a stud above a 3x3 plate:

Of course you can do it too!  Here is the process:

Take your 3x3 base plate and stick 1x1 "dots" between each of the studs.  The "dots" are LEGO part 4073 which BrickLink calls "Plate, Round 1 x 1 Straight Side".  So you end up with 4 dots on your 3x3 base.  I didn't have a 3x3 handy so I start with a 4x4 to demonstrate:

Those dots form a new layer that is half of a stud off from the base plate (3x3 for the OP, 4x4 in the pictures).  So you can just stick your next plate on it. (2x2 for the OP, 2x3 in the pictures)

Addendum

A friend wanted to verify this and so we get to see the parts originally requested:


What set is this sealed bag of pink, purple, and white bricks from?

Based on the White Plate, Modified 2 x 2 with Bar Frame Octagonal, Reinforced, Completely Round Studs and the Dark Pink Brick, Modified 1 x 2 x 1 1/3 with Curved Top

This bag is part of 10696-1: Medium Creative Brick Box


How can I find out what parts are in a Lego set?

Here are the options that I'm aware of along with some basic pros and cons:

Rebrickable

Rebrickable provides set inventories for nearly all sets. It includes sets from all time, and is still being updated as new sets come out. Rebrickable also provides all set inventories for offline use via its download page.

Bricklink Inventory Reference

Bricklink probably provides the most complete and up to date set inventory data. These inventories are also very detailed and include extra parts, sticker sheets, etc. If you are a seller on Bricklink, you can also part out sets into your inventory which could be useful to you at some point.

Brickset / Lego.com

TLG provides nearly complete inventories for sets online via the replacement parts page. You can use this to get part information from your sets, but the interface is lacking because this isn't really what the page is meant for.

Brickset provides this same part data in a format which is much better for viewing. Simply search for a set and use the "Parts" tab to view contents if they are available.

These resources have a couple of downsides:

They only include relatively new sets.
Set inventories aren't as complete as Peeron or Bricklink.

Peeron

This site is great for old sets, but it isn't updated anymore.


Has LEGO Made A Minifigure-Scale Shopping Cart Piece?

The 41118 Heartlake Supermarket contains a Friends scale shopping cart. This is how it looks like:

There is, however, a cute little MOC design with Window 1 x 2 x 2 2/3 Pane Lattice Diamond with Rounded Top on both sides and 1x2 tile modified grilles. This is, I think, a perfect shopping cart:

@MindS1 This is how far I got with it. The panes bend the grilles quite a bit. I would consider this an illegal building technique. I also don't see how the droid arms connect to the wheels and to the basket part.


These are Panel 4 x 4 x 6 Corner Convex Ribbed

They were mainly use as decorative pieces on corners in classic space sets.

In light grey they came only in one Set: Solar Power Transporter

(photo from Bricklink)


A pump is one of the most classic GBC (Great Ball Contraption) modules but is indeed difficult to get right.

One of the best illustrations I know is on this site:

Unfortunately, most of the site is in German, but the pictures are usually illustrative enough and I think it's a good source of information for ball machines in general, not only LEGO ones. The best is of course to get in touch with one GBC builder at events and ask for information.
EDIT:

Here is a picture based on the model at aforementioned site:

Here is a video showing the mechanism in action.


What is wrong with a Lego pneumatics system that won't go?

I was going to recommend lubricating the pistons, but seeing you already did exactly that, I can only say you should try to isolate the source(s) of the problem.

Since you have at least one working cylinder, the compressor and the feed tubes should be all right. This leaves the following possible points of failure: switches, subsystem hoses, working cylinders. Try disconnecting the hoses from the switches to see if the valves work well, and try connecting the compressor directly to the hoses the valves control to check the individual pneumatic circuits.

If a hose has developed a leak, you can also find it using a long hose (to protect the electronics) that is known to be leakproof and a bowl of water.

If the pistons are proven to be stuck, you can try the steps outlined in this answer.


What sites are available to sell original boxes?

You probably came across BrickLink.

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


Which set do these parts belong to? - Red Robot from 90s or early 00s?

These are parts from the 7314: Recon Mech RP set, from the Life on Mars theme, released in 2001.


Using the full sticker sheet for #60150 Pizza Van set as an example, there are a few options.

If you have the full sticker sheet, you might be able to find a part number for the sticker sheet (in this case 29583/6174606), it can usually be found at the bottom and/or near 'LEGO GROUP'. Use either Bricklink sticker search or Google to find the original set. Older LEGO sticker sheets might only use the set ID.
A lot of sets, particularly those released in the last two decades and particularly CITY sets will use the set ID on vehicle number plates. Usually for number plates, the first two letters will be the initials of the set designer and the following number would represent the set ID. They can also be found in more creative places such as a tail number for a helicopter.
Google Image Search has a function called 'Search by Image', this can be found be pressing the camera icon in the Google Images search field. Take a picture of the sticker sheet, or a single identifiable sticker. Ensure that the photo is in focus, well lit and from directly above and upload.

Google will try to find keywords to match the image uploaded, this isn't always helpful so you may need to replace the keywords with 'LEGO', 'Sticker' and if possible, the theme that the set might belong to.

If everything else fails, you can use the registered trademark year to narrow down the year it was produced/released. In this case, the release date must be during or after 2017. It's possible that a sticker sheet could be reprinted in following years to correct a flaw in the design and that the year could change.

Tips

The first sets to have stickers were released from 1971 onwards.
[Source]
Steps 2 and 3 can also be used to identify some printed parts.
If you find a sticker attached to a rare part or a part produced in a rare colour, it might be worth finding that part on Bricklink and finding the sets that it is used in.


Try to use this (Windows XP x86):

RIS v2.0 software -> http://www.mediafire.com/download/vrg2iajcv4uxkf3

Updated USB Tower drivers -> http://www.philohome.com/sdk25/tower164.zip

Also maybe you have a faulty RCX or IR tower. Try to change the battery of the IR tower.

I recommend the use of the Windows XP x86 (32 bits) for install the RIS v2.0 software. You have to uninstall any QuickTime installed in the PC and install the QuickTime that comes with the RIS v2.0.


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

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


You could try the MonoBrick Communication Library.  It is supported for Mac OS and does use Bluetooth as a way of communicating with the EV3 brick.

MonoBrick was listed by IntroRobotics with three other software development resources for EV3.


Is there a convention for part and/or set numbers?

Usually, the LEGO group doesn't seem to have much organisation, at least in the past. That's why you can find sets with two different numbers, or two different sets with the same number.

Now the keyword here is seem, as I suppose there was some logic to it even in the past.

But nowadays there is some logic, and even if not all of it is understandable, you can at least spot some key elements, such as:

When I was a kid and they started the 4 digits scheme, the first digit indicated the global theme pretty clearly. 8 was Technic, 6 was LEGOLAND, 77 were trains, and so on. At least for trains, they tended to use round numbers for bigger sets, ending in 0 or 5.
Now, the first digit seems to have lost its significance, and sets in the same theme are  usually attributed a range of numbers, with the small set getting the lowest number. It's not an absolute rule, and I guess it depends on availability or other factors.
Sets in the 10000 range are LEGO shop exclusives. Usually, you will usually only find them on Shop@Home or in LEGO retail outlets, but not in regular toy stores.
Sets in the 20000 range were used for the BrickMaster series, with each set accompanying a BrickMaster issue.
Sets in the 20200 range will seemingly be used by the "LEGO Master Builder Academy" sets
Sets in the 21000 range are architecture sets.
Sets in the 30000 range are usually small promotional polybags

In addition, there are 7-digits numbers floating around which are probably some other form of internal numbers. For specific things without a set number, that's usually the only thing you'll find.

For parts, you have to distinguish design ID (identifying a specific mold, regardless of color) and element ID (identifies a unique design/color combination).

I don't know how design IDs were or are attributed, but it seems there is now some sequential logic behind it. Note that changes in design which don't affect the functionality (hollow bars at the bottom of 1x bricks, for example) don't usually lead to a new design number (while peeron will append an "a", "b", ... to indicate the version, LEGO doesn't do that internally).

Element IDs used to be a juxtaposition of design ID and color ID, so a Black (26) 2x4 brick (3001) would be simply 300126. These numbers are still around for parts which existed when that scheme was used. 300126 is still the element ID of a black 2x4 brick.

However, at some point (not sure when), they changed this to use a 7-digit number for the element ID, which doesn't have a relation to the design ID or color any longer. These seem to be sequentially attributed, and it could be that they share the same sequence as internal set numbers (but that's just a guess, really). There are also numbers for individual instruction booklets, which ROSCO used to scan for directly on the LEGO site.

As for where to find these, that's more difficult. You'll notice I link a lot to BrickSet, that's because I feel they do a fantastic job of cataloguing sets. Peeron has a good database too, but it's usually slower.

For parts, you'll need to go to Peeron, or BrickLink, but they sometimes differ in their numbering when the official number of a part isn't known. Note that they usually use design IDs and not element IDs, although there is some work in progress regarding that.

Of course, while internal LEGO aren't exactly public, you can find design IDs embossed in elements, and element IDs in the back of all instruction leaflets. Also, the online pick-a-brick and the customer service "replacement part" function let you browse recent sets and see what the design and element IDs are for given elements.


How do I find information about discontinued LEGO sets?

Welcome William. Please check out either Brickset or BrickLink to find this information. Both websites have a big database containing tons of information on LEGO sets and LEGO parts. BrickLink is more comprehensive, but a little bit more difficult to navigate.


What is this piece slightly longer than a 2x2 plate with grooves and a hole?

This looks like a PLATE 2X2 ANGLE, which is broken. There is a rough side shown on the picture.


Are there LEGO compatible CAD Files For Injection Mold Manufacturing?

Look here: http://www.thingiverse.com/tag:LEGO

But be aware- as a single person manufacturing a LEGO compatible item, you might be open to litigation. You would probably win, but winning very frequently bankrupts people either way. Do you really require a unique piece that LEGO does not make? There are many custom sets around that are a kit of LEGO manufactured pieces.


These are Basic Figures

fab13a  : Basic Figure Human Boy Blue, Black Legs, Brown Hair

from 390-1: Helicopter

and
- fab13c : Basic Figure Human, Black Legs, White Hat

from 392-2: Fire Engine


Is it unethical to distribute 3D models of Lego bricks?

Almost certainly no, but with some caveats:

The LeoCAD parts library is based on the LDraw parts library, which has a Legal Agreement here.

The vast majority (and I would assume the entire subset used by LeoCAD) are covered under the Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0:

You are free:

to Share — to copy, distribute and transmit the work
to Remix — to adapt the work
to make commercial use of the work

Under the following conditions:

Attribution — You must attribute the work in the manner specified by the author or licensor (but not in any way that suggests that they endorse you or your use of the works).

However there are parts in the library that are not covered by the LDraw Contributor Agreement (CA), and these are covered by the more restrictive NonCA agreement. You are expressly forbidden from sharing, or making derivative works of these parts (creating 2d renderings of the elements isn't considered a derivative work, but converting the parts to a different format is).

All part files should have a license comment in their header stating either:

0 !LICENSE Redistributable under CCAL version 2.0 : see CAreadme.txt

or

0 !LICENCE Not redistributable : see NonCAreadme.txt

You should check those parts you wish to adapt, and proceed accordingly.


Can you identify this yellow LEGO vehicle?

The set name is Cool Cruiser (5767). This is a 3-in-1 Creator set with pictured model being one of these three:


Bracket identification, 1x2 plate with 2x2 sideways overhang

The pieces are Bracket 1 x 2 - 2 x 2 and Bracket 1 x 2 - 2 x 2 Inverted. The grey piece is actually the inverted one.


If you are 100% sure that the batteries are in the correct direction and the batteries are brand-new, unplug all of the cables from the EV3 brick and try again to make sure they could not be causing a short circuit. If it still doesn't now power up, contact LEGO customer support.

In the US, you will be directed as follows...

  We have a dedicated Tech Support team for MINDSTORMS products. They can troubleshoot the problem and either resolve the issue or help you to get a replacement part. Tech Support can be reached at 1-877-680-2800 from Monday through Friday, 7:30am - 5:30pm CST.


What technic vehicles are built to scale for 75114 First Order Stormtrooper?

Obviously The Lego Group has not released any sets specifically designed for the constraction figures, but some sets would still be reasonably sized. I've never asked a storm trooper, but let's assume he is 6 feet tall, or 72 inches. According to Brickset's information, 75114 is "over 9 inches tall" That makes the scale for the figure about 1:8.

Now bringing in the Lego Porsche 911 GTR, we find from its description that it is "22 inches long" The actual car's specs put its total length at 178.94 inches, which I have rounded to 179. So the car's scale is 1:8.14, which would mean that it is "to scale."

Now I don't have either set, so perhaps another user can provide photos of whether this figure actually fits in the car. I suspect it would not, which doesn't upset the reality of this situation. I'm not sure that John Boyega would fit in a $175,000 car in full storm trooper attire.

If the scale still bothers you, we might work with this actor's height at 5' 9" or 69 inches. That makes the scale for 75114 1:7.7 This would definitely make the scale believable enough if all you wanted a photo of the figure leaning up on the technic model.

Additional info: 42021 and 42022 are not to scale; 42029 is close; 8070 is also worth looking into....

That gets you back to 2011. I may have missed some so please comment below if you see any I missed!


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

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

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


Drive motor via Power Functions IR with own power source

Which of the above pins would I need to power to achieve this?

You would apply the (-) side of your power source to GND and the (+) side of your power source to +9v.

Do I need to provide a constant 9v to the IR receiver for it to function?

Generally, yes. However, lower voltage or suddenly losing power will not harm the part.

Can I rely on the IR receiver to vary the speed of the motor?

Yes. The IR receiver handles the speed regulation.

What would happen if the IR receiver was powered with less than 9v? My power source may not always spin fast enough to develop 9v so I am wondering what would happen in this case.

I haven't tested this, but I would expect it to lose range, provide less power to the motor, and at some voltage level under 9V completely stop functioning. This shouldn't cause any damage to the part.

It sounds like you are powering this from some type of generator. Make sure that you have protection in place to ensure that the IR reciever isn't power by significantly more than 9V.

Welcome back to the hobby! If you're looking to simply interact with PF motors at a low level, the control lines are simply attached directly to a 9V motor, so you can use those much like the old 9V motors. The basic motors aren't steppers or anything complicated.


Can anyone identify this octagonal dish piece for me?

I believe it's yet another MEGABLOKS part. You can see it on the top of 9321 Cyborian rover holding the yellow antenna, for example.


Were there ever any smaller sets, marketed as being combined to create a large official set?

Some of the LEGO Star Wars Mini Building sets contained additional parts that could be combined to make an additional model.

For example, the additional parts from sets 4484, 4485, 4486 and 4487 could be combined to build a TIE Bomber.

This additional model could be built at the same time as the primary model; the primary model and additional models didn't share parts.

You could buy special packs that contained all 4 sets.


Does soaking Lego pieces in isopropyl alcohol discolor or otherwise damage them?

First of all, sorry for your loss and we all wish you good luck recovering your bricks!

As for cleaning LEGO bricks, if you need to remove physically visible dirt, here you can find lots of tips on doing just this, or you can go over to the official LEGO website and heed their recommendations.

If the only problem is the smell of smoke, there is another question about getting rid of foreign scents, maybe you could find valuable information there. If I were in your shoes, I'd try the less aggressive, less risky methods first, and only gradually progressing towards the inorganic solvents if all the previous steps have failed.

There is a similar question over at Chemistry.SE, they might be more knowledgeable than us. But even if the ABS material of the LEGO bricks prove to be immune to the deleterious effects of alcohol, the minute amounts of other ingredients, coloring pigments or printed details might fare worse. LEGO however, recommends cleaning electric parts and pieces using alcohol though, but they specifically mention wiping, not soaking, and especially not for prolonged periods.

But if you really intend to use the alcohol bath, I'd recommend that you pick a few "volunteers" who will test the method before you apply it to the general populace, therefore only risking your less precious, more easily replaceable pieces.


Does the LEGO "Power Functions Extension Wire" (8886) work in both directions between old 9V and new Power Functions devices?

According to Customer reviews on the official website, this cable enable powering motors in both ways between old and new power functions versions:

  This cable allows you to power the new 9v motors from the old 9v system or vise versa..

Author: heavyD.

But there is an incompatibility between the old battery boxes and the IR receivers:

  This cable also powers new motors from the old battery box, but it cannot power an IR receiver, which requires the new battery box and all 4 wires of the new cable. (This cable only converts the 2 motor-powering wires.)

Author: Technic010.


What do the 'X' and 'K' codes mean for rubber bands?

The prefix 'x' means that the element design-ID used by LEGO is not known or was not known at the time it was entered into the Peeron database (www.Peeron.com).
If a design-ID is known, the people who maintain Peeron use that to identify the piece. Otherwise you get 'x' with some number...
This is indeed often the case with strings, rubber bands, gaskets as there is no room to print the design ID on the element.

I have no idea about your 'K' prefix, could you give a reference where 'x89' is refered to as K4 ?


Is there an organization who repackages old LEGO bricks into sets to give to underprivileged children?

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

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


What is an effective way to clean clear LEGO bricks?

Almost all LEGO can be washed with dish soap and warm water (Do not use dish washer soap though, it sometimes contains grit to help grind off dried food. This will scratch your bricks)

Second best option is windex, which isn't too bad for plastics.

I would advise against clorox wipes though. I believe they contain bleach, which while is great for getting things clean, it will react with the ABS plastic.

I tried bleaching some old lego a number of years back, and I soaked the bricks for a day or two and I found that, while they wer very clean, they also slightly expanded as a result of reacting with the bleach. They are very sticky, and are hard to separate now. Additionally, they seem a little harder and less flexible.

Note that this occurred after being immersed in a water bleach mixture for extended time. One swipe of bleach will probably not have much effect, but it shows that it does react with the plastic, so that is why I suggest against it.

Warm water and dish soap cures most problems.


What were the most and least popular LEGO themes?

By definition, the popular themes are the ones that sell well, and the unpopular ones sell less well.

TLG are in the business of selling LEGO.  It makes business sense for them to offer for sale themes that have already proven popular, and withdraw from sale those themes which are least popular.

Based on these two observations, it seems obvious that themes that have a long run are typically the popular ones,  whereas those that don't last long are less popular.

One major caveat to this line of reasoning is that TLG focuses on total profit, rather than total sales, so even of a theme is popular, TLG may still withdraw it if it doesn't make money. For example, lots of people claim that they would buy monorail sets if LEGO made them again, but TLG's research suggests that the cost of the moulds would make them unprofitable.

There will be other exceptions, too. For example, LEGO might only have a short run of licenced theme, not because it is unpopular, but rather because f the ternms of the licence. And, on some occasions, LEGO might simply make a mistake, and stop a theme too early or too late.

Nevertheless, the long running themes will generally be the ones with the best sales, ie. they will be the popular themes.

So, based on all this, I suggest that LEGO's own catalogues are a good source of information on which themes have proven popular, and which have been less so.

Assuming I'm right, I would say that City is the most popular non-licenced theme, with Police being the most popular sub-theme.

Star Wars is clearly the winner on the licenced front.

Least popular is harder to judge, because there are lots of themes that have only lasted a single season. Juding by the slating it gets, Galidor wasn't popular, but I don't have figures to back that up.

I'd be interested in actual numbers, if anyone has them; but do bear in mind that TLG may have commercial reasons for not wanting to share the whole story.


I did not have that problem but I checked that error from programmer's perspective. The source seems to originate here athough it can be also found mirrored on GitHub where the complete package can be downloaded. After short analysis of few files it looks that the message you quoted is sent on re-initialized link (connection). The link is reinitialized automatically if its state is either uninitialized or failed.

If you can observe exactly the same time till each failure, then it looks this can be rather software issue than a hardware one. It can be still related to what you wrote in the question (one end of the link shut down after 5 minutes) or it can be related to some other software-based conditions. Try with trivial scenarios first. Also ensure that the firmware of all involved devices is up-to-date.


What set(s) are these 2x2 hexagon bricks from?

You have the following pieces:

6037 - Brick, Modified Octagonal 2 x 2 x 3 1/3

6043 - Brick, Modified Octagonal 2 x 2 x 3 1/3 Corner

6042 - Brick, Modified Octagonal 2 x 2 x 3 1/3 with Side Studs

6032 - Brick, Modified Octagonal 2 x 3 x 1 2/3 Sloped

These were used in about 10-15 sets during a brief period from 1995-1998, most of them in the Aquazone theme, but some made their way into other themes as well (e.g. Castle).


EV3 switch block does not recognize text?

It looks like you have found a bug in the file block. I am guessing that the text after the first line must have the a hidden newline character or something like that that causes it to not the switch block values.

However, I was able to get it working with numeric values.

Sample data.rtf

1
2
3
4
5

Sample code:

I also noticed that it doesn't work unless the file has Windows line endings (CRLF). If you are using Notepad in Windows, this is not a problem.


What does imprinted information inside bricks mean?

Most elements will have their official "Design ID" imprinted on them - this is typically the longer number, and can usually be used on the Pick a Brick site or sites such as BrickLink and Peeron to track down additional bricks. Note that this is different to the "Element ID" that is printed in the instruction part inventories which has the colour encoded with it.

I've got the following three elements in front of me at the moment:

The 6x2 plate [part:3795:6] has the following:

© LEGO (highlighted in red)
03795 - This is the padded Design ID (highlighted in blue)
10 049 (highlighted in yellow)

The 4x1 tile [part:2431:6] has the following:

© LEGO (red)
2431 - This is the Design ID (blue)
15-10 (yellow) - 3 others in the same set had different numbers

The Plant Leaves 4x3 [part:2423:2] has the following:

© LEGO Group (red)
2423 - This is the Design ID (blue)
6•02 (yellow) - another one of these in the same set had the same number.

I believe the numbers highlighted in yellow are mould numbers - so the factories can track down imperfections with old moulds or similar.

Looking at an element that I have in rather large quantities now, the Tile 4 x 3 with 4 Studs in Centre [part:88646:0] taking four at random they all have:

© 2009 The LEGO Group
88646

But then each one has a different mould ID: 01-B04, 04-B04, 10-B02, 08-B08

With regards to the copyright statement - as you can see across from these examples, they use different versions depending on the space available. I guess they feel that having the part and mould ids are slightly more important than their copyright statement for tracking purposes.


I would go ahead and contact LEGO customer service and tell them about this. They will want to know as they have high quality standards and this might indicate a defect bigger than just your copy. Also, they are more than likely to offer you a free replacement figure - keep that one safe and disassembled until the one you have is too damaged.


A Technic set from ~1997 with a long grey batter box

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

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

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


Rare Lego Mursten box. Where can I sell it and what would I ask?

Your box is a 700/1 Swedish box (a 700/2 doesn't have that much blue space above and below the image).  Value depends on what is inside as well: the bricks/windows/doors, as well as if the interior cardboard partitions are still there.

Also, I know several collectors (with deep pockets) who would be interested if you still want to sell this set.


To work properly, the Forward 5 block on the NXT as well as the Move block of NXT-G require that TWO motors be connected on ports B and C. That's probably the problem you see... To test a single motor, there is the motor block.


I eventually made my design available for download over at Shapeways with a CC BY-NC-SA license (login is required in order to download the STL file).

I tested it at my local maker space in PLA on a µDelta 3D printer.

For the electrical contacts, I tried with pins scavenged from a DIP IC socket like Cyril suggested but the pins were a bit fickle and easily broke. I ended up cutting a sheet of conductive metal I had handy (iron alloy?) in thin bands with a paper cutter, folding the bands in two then using that as the base for the electrical contacts. Paper clips should also work.

The holes in the 3D-printed socket might have to be enlarged a bit, especially in the first layers of the print, with a needle heated with a ligher or dipped in acetone.

The resulting socket works nicely. Only time will tell how good they fare in the long run.

Cutting the metal sheet:

Resulting thin metal band:

The metal band is folded in two:

The folded band is inserted through one of the holes, folded again, then through the opposite hole:

Once the electrical contacts are in place, they are secured with hot glue on the back of the socket:

End result:

Snap!


Is there a catalog of Lego building techniques?

Swooshable has a great collection of SNOT (studs not on top) and advanced techniques, it is probably the closest thing you will get to an online catalogue.

They seem to have updated their SNOT section with some really pretty renderings, piece information, videos and step by step instructions. Most of the articles for advanced techniques lead to external sites.
There are also techniques for making LEGO fonts and an introduction to building techniques and many other cool things.

There are a also few books I can recommend, they are all from the same publisher (no starch press) but are probably the best resources.
The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition
I have both editions but I prefer the second as it is in full colour and much more compact. It covers among many other things:

Common vocabulary
Structural tips (Building round walls, bracing, columns, etc.)
Parts that can be used as substitutions
Advice on planning builds
Mosaics
Sculptures
An index of commonly used parts.

The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition
The best book there is for Technic builders, it covers the basic concepts, mechanics, pneumatics, motors and other more advanced concepts.

The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines
Also covers Technic concepts but from a minimalist perspective. The techniques are presented purely visually so it is up to you to work out how they work. It's a good book to flick through to get inspiration.

If you aren't looking for anything in particular, you can also have a look at the top questions with the 'building' tag on this site.


I have a vintage set box with the kids on it. Should I continue collecting era appropriate pieces to refill it?

Given the quality of LEGO bricks, I would argue that an original box filled with the correct amount of the correct bricks from the same time period as the box is INDISTINGUISHABLE from an opened box containing the original bricks after use, and as such I would recommend you continue your effort. Just make sure that the bricks are indeed from the correct period (i.e. Colors are right, LEGO vs. Pat. Pend. Vs no markings, hollow underside or tube or lattice, etc.). The only way for a collector to be absolutely sure of the authenticity of the box and its content is to buy a factory sealed box, which are extremely rare given the age.


Can anyone identify the brand of this non-LEGO brick with grooved sides and a lion logo?

Hang on - I recognize this! This is definitely from a knock-off brand my brother got a few months ago for his birthday. It's either from a brand called OXFORD in South Korea or from Coco, an illegal (i think) Chinese Knock-off.


The most obvious answer is probably the LEGO Heroica range, especially when played in "Campaign" mode; for more details see our Heroica tag wiki.

There are also a few examples of "Expert" rules that others have come up with, including our very own Joe Wreschnig's set on his dedicated site.

  Advanced Heroica PDF by Jason Glover/GreyGnomeGames (archived page)

Both of these make the ruleset more complicated and can encourage more of a team play than the usual competitive play that my kids make it.

LEGO Creationary is another game where the modelling requirements make it a slightly less child friendly game than some of the others.


8034 software RIS 2.0 - how to work it under Ubuntu 14.04?

Just to close the circle (and not just hide this info in the comments), I don't have high hopes this will ever work satisfactorily. At least without not a fair amount of hacking.

As per WineHQ, USB support in Wine is weak at best, and so BricxCC via Wine is probably a non-starter, as well, for the same reason.

You might have better luck with a COM port based tower. These can be had from eBay rather cheaply. Wine has documentation about presenting serial ports in Linux or OS X to COM ports in Wine.

Many of those USB serial dongle/cables that use FTDi chips can be used in Wine, as these can be used as COM ports (using the same facility I mentioned above) but the Lego USB tower is a special device that doesn't abstract well; it uses a very custom protocol above a thin USB layer.

Or you can switch to a less pretty IDE based solution like NQC or LeJOS that runs natively on Linux. The USB tower works reasonably well using native Linux enumerations and comms. It's a very simple half-duplex medium speed protocol with simple error checking and (AFAIR) no flow control.


I bought a second hand pack of pieces and it looks like it may be a specific set

A lot, but definitely not all, is likely from Race 3000.


How can I make a Lego heroica scale gladiator arena?

Let's assume that the Heroica figures are exactly half the scale of the normal LEGO minifigure.  That would be roughly 1:100.  At that scale, 1 meter would be roughly 0.75 studs long or the height of a standard LEGO brick.

Now let's convert the Coliseum dimensions:

Height: 50 meters  ~ 50 bricks high
Length: 189 meters ~ 142 studs
Width: 156 meters ~ 117 studs

To calculate the real dimensions of this LEGO construction, let's remember that a brick is 9.6mm high and the distance for 1 stud is 8mm (= 1 stud radius + the distance between two studs).

Using these values we get:

Height: 50 bricks = 480mm (~18.9 inches)
Length: 142 studs = 1136mm (~44.7 inches)@
Width: 117 studs = 936mm (~36.9 inches)@

@Those two distances are calculated by multiplying 6.4mm with the number of studs, and then adding 1.6mm for the last little bit of beam left after the last stud.


Can you identify these curved grey parts?

The bigger part looks like 47846 - Cockpit 10 x 4 x 2 Curved, which has been in 7 sets, but only in one in light bluish gray, that set (8096) only contains the two wedges that are quite common, they have part number 41749 and 41750.


EV3 additional build instructions - PDF download or print possible?

Edit to add:

PDF downloads are now available from the LEGO Site:

  3D Building Instructions

The images used for building instructions are available (jpeg images) in folder C:\Program Files\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home Edition\Resources\ContentPacks\Retail\nonlocalized\LEGO\pack0\projects (more or less, depends on OS and installation choices). Take care not to modify anything there, as you might need to reinstall the software!

It's a bit more complex for .ev3 project files containing building instructions (eg. downloadable bonus models):

Open the ev3 project file as if it is a zip archive.
Inside you'll find a file named ActivityAssets.laz. Open this one as
a zip archive too,
it contains all the images for building instructions. You can
extract those images to a separate location
then you can print those images or build a PDFfile, you can put that on your tablet...
take care not to modify the project files!

Remember that these images are the property of their owner (LEGO or model builder), use them for you own personal needs only!


Is there any reason behind fancy bricks in invisible places?

This piece is only two plates high, to have another piece in here you would need to stack two plates, which would

make the total pieces count rise, or more expensive
might be more difficult to tear down by hand
probably less sturdy (with a piece on it acting as a lever stacked plates could pry apart)

Sets designers are under constraints for both piece count, piece prices,
ease of setup/teardown and sturdyness so I guess this arrangement was decided.

Some examples of other sets with the same kind of piece for the same kind of purpose:

set 4435-1

set 60108-1

set 60148-1


How can I remove permanent marker from a LEGO brick?

I use pure Eucalyptus oil. It works wonderfully. Keep in mind that if you are using it on LEGO, it will also remove the original printing (but won't harm the plastic itself), so I wouldn't recommend it in that case. But other than that Eucalyptus oil can remove marker, paint, glue-residue, and all kinds of gunk much better and faster than products like Goo-Gone. I'm an artist and use it on a regular basis. Eucalyptus oil is available in small bottles at health-food stores, larger bottles at pharmacies (that's what I use), and also at some Asian stores (usually the cheapest).


LEGO doesn't make a gyro sensor for NXT, but Hitechnic sells a gyro third party product and Mindsensors has a combo gyro/accelerometer/compass (IMU). Both can be used with EV3, and LEGO also has a gyro sensor, included in the Education kit


The reading you have done about connecting input port 4 is for the NXT, not the EV3. The NXT has a special feature on that port for RS485 serial communications. This is not present on the EV3 bricks.

The EV3 bricks are designed to be able to be daisy chained via USB. There are "Message" blocks in the EV3 software for sending messages from brick to brick. I'm not sure about LabView and Matlab, but I suspect that have a similar block/function for sending messages.


What does the +/- dial in the Lego Defender model do?

Based on a comment found in the overview on Brickset, and that all of the others levers and their function seem to be accounted for, it seem very likely that it is the transmission gear selector.

-UPDATE BELOW-

From Brickset:

  "A new transmission system has two levers for engaging high or low
  ratios and a selector for changing gear – LEGO Technic’s most
  sophisticated gearbox yet."

Source: https://brickset.com/article/45677/introducing-the-technic-land-rover-defender

In other words, the transmission gears 1-?, rather than it's selection D/N/R and transfer case Hi/Lo.  The transmission looks too complicated to just be directional switch (D/N/R) and 1 gear range switch (Hi/Lo).

I have no idea how many gears it has, or if I am even correct.  It's all just speculation based on my observations.  Either way the set looks amazing!  I'm a sucker for vintage cars and all things 4x4.

Just confirmed from Lego.com:

  Opening doors allow access to an elaborate cabin with a working
  steering wheel, detailed dashboard and a new-for-October-2019
  transmission system with 2 levers for engaging high or low gear ratios
  and a selector for changing gear – the most sophisticated LEGO Technic
  gearbox to date! The interior also features forward-folding rear seats
  that give visual access to the 4-speed sequential gearbox.
  https://www.lego.com/en-us/product/land-rover-defender-42110

So it's a 4-speed transmission, nice!


Does there exist software to test the strength of a designed LEGO model?

First step, have you read my paper? This should give you a good guide on what is the maximum force needed to break Lego.

With these limits in mind, the next thing to note is that breaking doesn't equal bending. Lego will bend quite a lot before breaking so designing structures that a rigid will basically meet most requirements.

The best book to read is Sariel's Technic Builders Guide. This outlines a number of design patterns that maximize strength.

In general, you should think of Lego as weak steel. Triangles everywhere and vertical plates.


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

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


Best adhesive to fix a model for long term display?

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


The figure on the left is generally referred to as a Fabuland figure, although I believe that the entire Fabuland line actually featured animals. There were a few basic sets released in the 80s that included human Fabuland-style figures. That one is probably from this fire engine:

Before the introduction of the Minifig in 1978, there was the Maxifig that you noted in your question:

The precursor to the modern minifig was added in 1975:

LEGO released a history of the minifig that you might find interesting.

In addition to the traditional minifig, you may also come across Technic figures which were around for a time.

There were also the Creator figures that were only around briefly in the early 2000s:


What set does this Lego S.W.A.T van go to?

That gun is actually pure Lego. It's a Tommy Gun.

Your truck, however, seems like a custom MOC made of random clone-brand parts due to the randomness and low quality of the build. I doubt that a clone-brand company would publish that truck as a set if it looked like that.
I am currently failing to identify this part on your truck, it doesn't match the color scheme. It proves that your truck is made of multiple clone-brand parts from multiple sets, and maybe even multiple companies! I can not find anything like it in the google image search:

The closest I can find is this part, and here's the site it's hosted on:

From the comments:
You have also said that it says Lego on the studs, but I'm just going to assume that only some of them do because of that clone-brand part I've pointed out. Lego does not and will not make SWAT content, and besides that, the truck is a rather low-quality build, so it's certainly not "from a set". Why randomly put a lattice tile on the roof like that anyway? Why do you need two sets of headlights? And why is there a 4x4 round plate on the roof when you can simply access from the back instead? It makes me conclude this is a MOC.


What LEGO wheels would look like the three types used on the JPL Mars Rovers?

The first that came to my mind (for the MER-wheels) is the Wheel 70 x 28 mm Futuristic, with Black Tire:


Historically, what types of sets have proven to be a great investment?

The less sets there are available, the better the chances of a rising price. This implies the sets that will get more expensive with time are:

Sets that are or very close to being out of production
Sets that are expensive when they come out (> less sales)
Very large sets (expensive > less sales)
Licensed sets like Harry Potter or Star Wars (short production-time > less sales / collector's value)
Sets with unique/limited parts or colors like the maersk-ships
Collector's editions

But note that it's never so easy - licensed but small sets for example won't become very expensive as they usually sell very well, so you should look for a set with a combination of this criteria. For example: a very big licensed set like the Millennium Falcon.


Best sensor for balancing inverted pendulum

As you say yourself, you want to detect the tilt of the pendulum rod, so I'm assuming what you're after is actually its angle. Measuring anything else would probably result in tedious calculations anyway; and in addition, considering you'll want to try to keep the angle in a specific range, you'll need to know it.

As such, an angle sensor may seems the most logical choice; but a gyroscopic sensor will not only offer you the angle, but some indication of the current rotation speed as well, which will be useful if you want to mimic the behaviour of a servomechanism.

However, these two sensors are single-axis only, which means that if you want the rod to be able to swing in more than one dimension, you'll have to use one sensor per axis, which may prove cumbersome to build. In that case, the acceleration sensor is probably better.

All in all, all 3 sensors are probably usable somehow, but it really depends on what exactly it is you want to build, and what you've tried so far. I'd also recommend searching for similar projects; for example, there are numerous NXT "segway" robots out there, and there's a detailed tutorial on how to build one with a gyroscopic sensor. Note that the feat seems to be possible even using a simple color sensor to detect ground proximity instead of knowing the exact angle.


Interfacing Mindstorms NXT 2.0 with webcam

I would go and give a try to leJOS http://lejos.org/ if you can write Java.


When did LEGO stop producing Technic action figures?

The Technic minifigures last from 1986 to the year 2000. As far as I'm aware LEGO haven't released a statement on why the figures were removed. Minifigures are expensive and using them limits Technic sets to a certain scale.

Having a dynamic sense of scale allowed Lego to create the £9.99 ($10.90) 8045 and the £61.65 ($89.99) 8295, two variations of the same model. One basic and affordable, the other focusing on realism.


Chapter 1, Page 4, The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide:

  The tube is the other half of the mechanism that helps bricks stick
  together. Tubes capture the studs so that you can join LEGO elements
  and know they won't fall apart.


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


What is the point in having an instruction step with only one part?

I think it all boils down to simplicity of building instructions, which has increased tremendously through LEGO history. Just compare instructions from older sets (See USS Constellation for example) and recent ones and you'll see how far LEGO has gone in that regards.

Adding less parts per step, or having a full bill of materials per step are the most noticeable improvements; but there are other more subtle ones, such as recoloring of parts (Technic pins for example, but also hidden bircks - see Steamboat Willie for a recent example.

As such, I wouldn't be surprised there are internal rules on what can be done in building instructions, or recommended guidelines; and maybe "step 1 is just one part" is one; or maybe a variation such as "step 1 can't have more than one layer" - thing is, this is an internal LEGO process for which we'll presumably never know the details. Such rules could even depend on the set age range; something allowed in 11= sets might be discouraged in 7+ sets, for example.

Now why does LEGO do this? Keeping in mind their target audience, children, it's a fair guess that they want to make sure kids can build their models smoothly and without frustration, unless they risk giving up which could alienate them from LEGO altogether. I remember being stuck at step 5 when building my first LEGO Technic set, a tractor and that was indeed frustrating. Also, what we adults think children can do can be very different from what they actually will do; I've seen my nephew build a set recently and he was following instructions very very loosely. Which makes it extra hard to create good instructions for them. It's very likely LEGO does test builds with real children for that exact reason: see firsthand what works and what doesn't.

One more note: think one step where only one part is added is weird? What about steps where nothing at all is added?


LEGO MINDSTORMS is the brand name for a series of robotic toys produced by the LEGO Systems A/S.

The kits are centered around a programmable brick - a micro controller in a LEGO compatible housing that can be integrated LEGO products.

The kits include software that allow the user to write programs to command the brick to control motors and read data from sensors attached to the programmable brick. In other words, you can use it to create interactive LEGO models.

With some imagination and determination, you can do just about anything with it. Do a web search and you will find more examples of what other have done with their MINDSTORMS than I could possibly list.


Weights:

The 2 x 6 x 2 weight elements are pretty good.

Boat Weight
Train Weight

Magnets:

Train Magnets are also pretty dense, though not very large and are now rather pricey.

Rubber:

Any solid rubber wheels also pretty dense. Avoid the hollow ones full or air.

Batteries:

If you need a lot of weight, you might also add a battery box, full of batteries of course. These are the ones currently in productions, but older ones will work just as well.

AA Battery Box
AAA Battery Box
Rechargeable Battery Box

I've also seen people add AA batteries without a battery box, but that may be bending the rules a bit.

Other Electronics:

Most LEGO Electronics are actually fairly heavy. You could also add motors, old LEGO RC stuff, or even whole other Mindstorms or other robotics bricks.

Make sure to check the rules for your sumo competition to see if any of these are excluded.


What is the popular challenge of solving the Rubik cube as quickly as possible using LEGO bricks?

There's no "race" as this has been solved multiple times by different people (solving rubik's cube isn't that hard). just take a look at the CubeStormer (or, better, the CubeStormer II).

I also saw building-plans and programs for such a cube-solver (not exactly the linked one). If you like to rebuild such a thing: I'll add links as soon as i find them.

EDIT:
As promised, there's the Tilted Twister with building plans online. See it in action on this youtube-video. This is very slow compared to the CubeStormer, but looks like it can be built using only the NXT2.0-pack and doesn't need thousands of parts and multiple expensive NXT-logic-blocks.


Cleaning Bricklink pieces bought as "new"

No. 10 out of 10 orders were in perfect condition. Cleaning the bricks would have been a waste of time, and would have added unneccessary scratches.


Is there a list of the most common Lego Technic parts?

On Brickset, you can browse parts in the technic subcategory and you can  sort by "Set count", i.e. the number of sets the element appears in.

https://brickset.com/parts/category-Technic

So that would take care of your "most common" requirement. I'm afraid that "most important" or "helpful" is rather subjective and hence difficult to quantify and have lists sorted by those measures...


Does each LEGO set include a unique piece?

Most of sets doesn't contain unique elements, however there are exceptions. This (uniqueness) is especially common with minifigures or limited edition/availability sets.

The easiest set (polybag) to confirm the fact that only some sets have unique parts is to take 624210, which consists of 6 pcs. of iconic 2 x 4 bricks in Red, which were available in numerous sets. Another option, of a boxed set, is to take any set consisting of basic bricks, like 5576. Parts included in 5576 are widely available and can be found in multiple sets.

However if you take something exclusive, like 41999. This set contains some unique parts available in this set only.


Lego Digital Designer: Having Gears Interact with Toothed Bar

LDD is a design solution for static models. It is not a functional simulation tool. The gears turn with the crank handle if they are associated to the same group, but that is only because the gears, the axle and the handle share the same rotation point. The toothed bar does not share that same rotation point (and is likely not part of your "group" that contains the handle, axle and gears) and hence does not turn. If you made it part of the group, it would rotate around the center of the axle, which is not the effect you are looking for.


LabView Mindstorms - What does speed in seconds mean?

A speed in second makes no sense to me.

Are there more information about this motor, like to maximum rpm/power ? If so, maybe that the scale from -100 to 100 is some sort of percentage of max rpm/power, with the positives being one rotation direction and the negatives the other ?


The XL motor runs at approximately 220 RPM.  Therefore, the following gearbox from the ELEC 201 class LEGO Design module from Rice should be sufficient:


Looks like it might be a defective motor driver chip (though they are pretty tough!). What happens if you connect the motor on another port of the same brick? (with program change to reflect port modification)


I don't believe that LEGO currently ships to Slovakia via shop.LEGO.com. You can see the list of available countries in the "Regions" drop down in the top right on shop.LEGO.com:

I'm sure you are aware that there are plenty of other places to order LEGO that would ship to your country, but that doesn't help you if you're mostly interested in getting the current fountain promo as a freebie with some other things you are ordering.


I think the main problem is, that you use the "Motor on for # degrees". The program will wait until this command is executed (i.e. the required turn is made), and this can take quite long. The next measurement of the angle difference is taken after that. Having a high start deviation and/or fast turning rates of your reference motor, you will not get a stable result.
Instead I propose to use the angle difference for the "Power" input of the "Motor on" command. In that scenario the angle difference is measured very often, and the "slave" motor is following your "master" motor very pecisely.


Couple of observations:

Neither of these pictures shows complete sets
The parts you show in each picture most likely do not all come from the same set

From what I can see, you have the following parts of sets in the pictures, clockwise from top left:

Parts of a Y-wing (likely 9495 Gold Leader's Y-wing Starfighter ) plus parts of 7166 Imperial Shuttle

Parts of a Naboo Starfighter (likely 7660 Naboo N-1 Starfighter and Vulture Droid) plus parts of another set (the large grey wedge with the green stickers is not from 7660).

Parts of 10188 Deathstar mixed with parts of a 8039 Venator-Class Republic Attack Cruiser

More parts from the Venator Class Attack Cruiser (the engines on the left), plus a 7675 AT-TE.