Is there a rule of thumb for the decrease in value of complete sets without instructions?

If it's a newer set, missing instructions will usually just knock a few dollars off the price, even for larger sets. There are usually enough adult fans buying sets for parts that it's easy to pickup cheap instructions on Bricklink. For example, instructions for the new Millennium Falcon can be purchased for less than a dollar in new condition on Bricklink.

However, instructions and boxes for rarer old sets often vastly impact the price. For example, instructions for the classic Airport Shuttle (6399) are currently going for $40 dollars used and $100 new.

Basically, for newer sets the difference in price should only be a few dollars. For older sets where instructions may have been lost or damaged, the difference can be much greater.


LEGO Juniors sets use normal LEGO System bricks.  In other words, they are exactly the same size as the "normal" LEGO bricks.

However, the Junior sets are specifically designed for younger children.  They often have large single-use pieces (for example, for walls or frames), and are generally very easy to construct.  They also limit the use of small or difficult to handle pieces as much as possible.

Depending on how advanced your son is, my guess is that Duplo is the most appropriate.  If he no longer attempts to put toys in his mouth, and can focus/concentrate on a task for a decent amount of time, and has started developing fine motor skills, then Junior would probably be the most appropriate.

For reference, LEGO labels the Junior sets as appropriate for 4-7-year-olds, but I have met only a couple 4-year-olds that I would give the Junior sets to.  Most 3-year-olds should probably be playing with Duplo.


If I were to make a LEGO fan how would I make it blow air on me?

A fan is just 1/4 of a drone, right? Check out this lego drone that actually flies, for inspiration. https://youtu.be/wUVvQk7XLd4

The blade part in question is 89509


How can I rotate an EV3 motor an exact number of degrees using RobotC?

The command that you are looking for is setMotorTarget as shown in the documentation here.

Essentially, you need to set the target rotation for the motor in degrees and then wait for the movement to take place:

//Sets motorA target to 50 degrees at a speed of 100
setMotorTarget(motorA, 50, 100);
// Waits for movement to complete
waitUntilMotorStop(motorA);


Why is there no set with much RC Straight tracks?

According to Brickset there are 8-8 straight track pieces in both of these sets:

7896
7499

This seems to be the maximum amount, even the large complete train sets do not contain more than 8 straight tracks.

You might have more luck purchasing them piece by piece from other AFOLs, or see if there is a Pick-a-brick shop in your area.


What LEGO set is this thrift store find from, dark red and dark grey?

It appears to be the main model from Ronin R.E.X. (70735-1):


Does LEGO no longer support NXT 2.0 at all?

LEGO officially stopped supporting NXT in 2015, however, as of 2019, the original NXT programming software is still available on the official LEGO MINDSTORMS web page.
The original NXT programming software and EV3 desktop programming software are both 32-bit, so cannot run on macOS 10.15 or later.
The new EV3 programming software based on Scratch does not work with NXT. So the only way to program NXT on macOS 10.15 is with 3rd party software such as NXC/NQC or leJOS or by installing a macOS or Windows virtual machine to run the old desktop software.


Alternative builds with Star Wars LEGO sets

There is a website, http://rebrickable.com/, that lets you enter the sets you have, and it compares the inventories to other sets to determine which other official sets you can build with those pieces. It also includes unofficial MOCs that other builders have submitted, and it will substitute other part colors if you choose.

For example, just entering the first six sets on your list, it suggested a mid-sized (360 piece) TIE Interceptor MOC (http://rebrickable.com/mocs/anincompoop25/tie-interceptor) for which you already have all of the pieces.


Identification of a piece, 1x1 bar piece with studs and handle

This is 4599b - Tap 1x1 without hole in end.


If the sets are indeed complete with all parts, minifigs, instructions and even boxes then I'd recommend Bricklink, as the collector community there would be more appreciative of these features. Whereas on Ebay and Craigslist you'd find more people who just want a playset and couldn't even tell if a set was complete or not.

For higher value sets (like yours) and for the european market I'd give Catawiki a look as well, as their reviewer and escrow system helps avoid scams and other pitfalls - for a higher fee for both buyers and sellers.

For price suggestions check these links below:

Slave I
Sandcrawler
TIE Fighter
Snowspeeder


What is the name or ID of this mechanical part with multiple pin connection points?

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


Where to find pictures of undersides of bricks? (possibly Lego clones about 25-30 yrs ago)

Could it be BRIX BLOX?  Came across these on eBay and thought about you...


Lego Commando Droid original or fake Legs

It seems unusual that somebody would go through the effort to fake the legs but not the rest of the droid.
It also not uncommon for official LEGO parts to exclude either a part ID or LEGO copyright stamp, this could be because the part was manufactured before it was the standard but most likely through design considerations.
It looks like there are no flat/continuous surfaces where either of these markings could be made legibly and without spoiling the characteristics of the part.
Looking at official set photos as well as reviews seems to prove that these parts are most likely real.


Is it possible to obtain a replacement part for a collectible minifigure?

LEGO will replace a part for free on their website, providing it was missing from purchase. Sadly replacement parts aren't available for Collectible Minifigures, but you can contact them to let them know.

Ensure the Minifigure packet has been fully emptied, it's quite easy to lose parts when you open the packet.


What is the basis of purism in LEGO building?

I'm not too sure how to answer that. I don't want to modify any brick whatsoever myself, save for the occasional eletrical wire cut, but on the other hand I don't really care what other people do.

Considering LEGO designers aren't purist themselves (Need this part in green? Ok, I'll paint a yellow one.), why bother? Why not cut your own baseplates to the dimensions you want, when you know LEGO produces them exactly the same way, by cutting large sheets?

Then again you have different levels of purism. Part modifications. Non-LEGO usage. Non-LEGO stickers usage. Brick printing. Brick engraving. *cough*Glue*cough*. MegaBloks. And frankly, to each his or her own.

What I can say however is why I'm mostly a purist myself, if that's of any help. I don't want to modify bricks, or use anything non-LEGO, simply because I feel it would be cheating. I see building as a challenge, and each challenge has its own rules and limitations. If the part I would need to build something does not exist, then I have the additionnal challenge of finding another way to build so that I don't need it. And that's the thrill I get from LEGO building: finding the right existing part to suit my needs.

But then again, I'm not purist enough to care about what others do. Sure, I'll point a finger at them, but it's all in good fun.

Of course, glue will get you more than finger-pointing. Heretic!


How should I connect two LEGO cylinders with pistons to measure the movement caused by sea waves?

It's difficult to suggest parts without knowing what sets are in your collection.  Here are some thoughts to help with assembling this project.

Notice that the snake consists of the following pattern:
float tube -> pump section -> float tube
The float tubes are the elements that keep the heavier pump sections afloat.  You'll need something similar to recreate this with Legos.  You could put balloons inside of the float sections instead of making the Lego portion watertight.
The float tube / pump section pattern is connected at right angles for each subsequent section.  This is the key in allowing the snake to flex in three dimensions (X, Y, Z).  There are a number of parts that you could use attached to the outside of cylinders to create this connection.
The arms driving the pistons are encased in a flex conduit that is larger than the arm itself.  It's hard to see in that diagram, but the arm driving the pump never bends.  Said another way, the arm only moves in one dimension - back and forth.  I don't know of any Lego parts that would allow for this configuration.  A technics rod plus a flex conduit would look pretty close to what you need.  But the Lego pieces with holes are generally sized to allow the rod with a pretty close fit.  And you need something with a sloppy fit in this case.
Measuring the motion is going to be challenging.  My first attempt would be to put a spring loaded slider against the piston along with a ruler next to the slider.  You could then measure the motion assuming you find a solution to the fit issue from #3 above.  If you wanted to convert that motion to an electrical measurement, you'll need some sort of transducer.  A mindstorms motor might do the job, but I have no idea about how to program and monitor for that type of a thing.
Finally, decide upon what aspect you want to measure to indicate the motion.  The edges of the tubes are actually moving in two planes of motion.  As the edge moves away from the piston, it rises up a little bit to accommodate the pivot point.


PosRegSetAngle should set the position of the motor relative to the position the motor was in when regulation was enabled. In what way didn't it work when you tried this?

It sounds like you may be asking how to wait for the rotation to finish. I'm not sure if there is a built-in way to do this in NXC or not, but I think that something along these lines should get you there:

# Enable regulation
PosRegEnable(OUT_A);

# Set target angle
PosRegSetAngle(OUT_A, 123);

# Busy loop while the motor turns
while (GetOutput(OUT_A, ActualSpeedField) != 0) {}


Serial tower stopped communicating with RCX 1.0

You could try with NQC.  By default it supports the Serial Tower and you can specify if you are using a USB Tower with -Susb .  It works on Windows, Linux and Mac.

The man page (documentation) can be found here or the in pdf format here.


Does the jumper plate have a Danish nickname?

I cannot find any cases of the Jumper Plate brick having a Danish nickname, the closest you might get to a Danish nicknamed would be a literal translation: jumper plade.

The Erling brick is a very rare case of a brick being named after its creator. I imagine most bricks created nowadays are produced by not one but several people. It's possible that such a catalogue of brick designers exists, but is not publicly available.


Identify this piece please? 2x2 plate with 8-sided bar running around it

2x2 Modified Plate with Octagonal Bar Frame, also called Parabolic Ring. Part number 75937.

Older version: http://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=30033#T=C

Slightly different newer version: http://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=75937#T=C


Can someone ID this part, a 1xY plate with an inverted slope?

I believe you are seeing one end of 2 of Part 52501 Slope, Inverted 45 6 x 1 Double with 1 x 4 Cutout in Dark Bluish Grey.


Where does this green plane fuselage piece come from?

It's the rear end of an aircraft fuselage. It's part number is 54701c02.

It's from one of these two sets:


What material is used to make capes and cloth in LEGO sets and where do I get it?

The term acrylic is used for many mediums, like acrylic paint (liquid), acrylic fiber (clothing), acrylic rubber (flexible) and acrylic glass (really hard).

So, as you see, it is possible to make those capes out of a type of acrylic material.


There seems to be basically two choices. You can either build a larger version than the traditional cube, or you can build something that doesn't stay together very well.

There's a nice example of a small cube on Sebastians Sand's Brickshelf:

While this looks like it would work, I can't imagine that it holds together through many rotations.

If you are willing to build something a bit larger, there are some good examples available, but it looks like it gets fairly complicated.


What adhesive can bond LEGO bricks to metal?

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


Have any Lego sets been released with errors/mistakes in the build instructions? If not, why not?

My 7190 Millennium Falcon kit has a mistake where the inventory for the page doesn't include two pieces on it. So, invariably, when I'm building it I forget to include those two pieces, and they are left over until the very end, at which point I have to follow this process:

Say "Dammit"
Flip backwards through the booklet to find the page that last added those parts
Disassemble the model part-way
Add the parts back
Re-assemble the model
Say "There. NOW it's finished."
Swoosh the model a bit.

Here are the two instruction pages showing the error. On the second page you can see that the dark grey upward sloping pieces at the front are added, yet don't appear in the page's inventory list.


About 10 mins on Google didn't turn up any place to download the software, but you can always buy a CD from one of the sellers on Bricklink:

http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?itemID=43378

You might be able to get one of them to upload the CD


Why are some seemingly simple sets, so expensive?

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

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

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

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


How can I make Custom Instructions for my MOC?

LIC is the Lego Instruction Creator

it's a tool some people use to make instructions.
I would say it's for "power users" though, so it may not be for you.

If I were you I might change the title of this question to something indicative of your search for someone to do this work for you.
As you are probably aware, there are Lego forums which are devoted to MOCs -- so I would solicit for some help there  (Try https://rebrickable.com/forum/ )


In that same Eurobricks thread it says:

The legs (not hips) are from the Fantasy Era Crown King.

This is the minifigure this refers to:

For completeness, the torso (but not the arms) and the hips come from this Laval minifigure from the Chima theme:


What are all the different third-party accessories that I can get for an RCX?

About 8 to 10 years ago there was more RCX-compatible sensors makers on the web.  Today, I don't think we'll find them unless we dig into the Internet Archive.

It looks like Techno-Stuff is still making some RCX-compatible components.  Also, Mindsensors was making RCX-compatible components also but I couldn't find links to them through their website main page (It might be discontinued).  You can probably still buy some through eBay.  Here are two of their RCX compatible products:

UltraSonic Proximity Detector v2
Motor powered Sharp GP2D12 infrared distance sensor interface


There are some Books available that include building-instructions (i don't own one of these, but i would choose the most current):

The BrickGun Book (Book released in 2013, site has occasional updates as of December 2018 with more instructions)
Badass LEGO Guns (December 2010)
Weapons for LEGO Lovers (February 2009)
as Joubarc said the at least 4 years old Forbidden LEGO (July 2007)

to answer your question about magazines/reloading mechanisms: see this youtube-video that shows such a mechanism in detail (although it's a bit hard to perceive details).

in addition the book about LEGO Technic Simple Mechanics might also be interesting for you, if you want to try building a own gun instead of just "copying" from a detailed instruction.


Why is my EV3 status light pulsing? (ev3dev)

That is just the default state of the light when pybricks-micropython starts.
You can get help with Pybricks programming at https://github.com/pybricks/support.


Is it possible to sand/polish LEGO bricks?

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

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

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


Is there virtual LEGO designing software?

The LEGO Digital Designer that was the client/creation part of DesignByMe is Windows or Mac only.

This is regularly updated with the latest sets of parts available through Pick a Brick and similar tools.

It allows you to print off building instructions, or upload your creations to the LEGO site.

Previously, you were able to order a boxed set of your model for yourself, friends or family, however The LEGO Group discontinued this service in January 2012.


This is one half of a "hydraulic" cylinder used like in the bucket of 7685-1: Dozer.

This element is Fric. Element, Cylinder and used often used in combination with Stick 6M W/Flange


LEGO 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon: I need to store this set, not display it

First, movers are widely varying in quality.  You might get folks that are poets and scholars or you might get somebody that drops every box.  If you've gone with the cheapest movers or this is your first move, it is probably best to assume the worst.  To me this means it is comparable to shipping something through the Post Office.
Given the size of this set it is going to be difficult to get a box that is big enough for it to fit flat.  I would plan on building a plywood box the right size.  If you go with cardboard boxes, get two of different sizes so they can be nested.  Cardboard boxes of adequate width will probably be really tall.  You should cut the vertical corners of the box to make it shorter when the top flaps are folded together.
Then you need to find a material to go between the box and the model.  If you can get foam and cut it to shape that will be easier to deal with, but you could use bubble wrap or packing peanuts.  There's glue for bonding the foam to itself.  I've also used various sizes of towels for packing material around LEGO models.
Particularly if you use packing peanuts, make sure to bag the model before putting it in.  Things that stick out like the radome could get lost, so bag them separately.


Only for a given value of "fit".

Both of these pieces are part of set 70156-1, Legends of Chima "Fire vs. Ice".  On the front of the box, you can clearly see the blue ball 'sitting in' or resting on top of the white bowl, in front of the orange vehicle on the left.  It does not sit snugly inside.


How many hours of travel does it take to wear out LEGO monorail tires?

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


Slow down the mindstorms EV3 motor so target position is not overshot

There are two attributes in the python ev3dev Motor class called:

ramp_down_sp
ramp_up_sp

Link to documentation: http://ddemidov.github.io/ev3dev-lang-python/

ramp_down_sp Ramp Down SP: read/write

Writing sets the ramp down setpoint. Reading returns the current value. Units are in milliseconds. When set to a value > 0, the motor will ramp the power sent to the motor from 100% duty cycle down to 0 over the span of this setpoint when stopping the motor. If the starting duty cycle is less than 100%, the ramp time duration will be less than the full span of the setpoint.

ramp_up_sp Ramp Up SP: read/write

Writing sets the ramp up setpoint. Reading returns the current value. Units are in milliseconds. When set to a value > 0, the motor will ramp the power sent to the motor from 0 to 100% duty cycle over the span of this setpoint when starting the motor. If the maximum duty cycle is limited by duty_cycle_sp or speed regulation, the actual ramp time duration will be less than the setpoint.

Example:

from ev3.lego import Motor
b = Motor(port=Motor.PORT.B)
b.ramp_up_sp = 1000
b.ramp_down_sp = 1000
b.run_position_limited(position_sp = 0, speed_sp = 300)

What the ramp_down_sp does is when the motor is 1000 milliseconds away from its target (doing its own estimations) then ramp down the power from 100% to 0% over exactly 1000 milliseconds.

ramp_up does a similar thing, except ramps up the power from 0% to 100% over 1000 milliseconds.

This helps avoid unnecessary strain on the motors for applications where building up momentum is important.


Lego 3804, Mindstorms Robotics Invention System 2.0 on Windows 10

That set has an RCX in it, is that right?  I have several suggestions for you:

Have you tried running the software/installer file in compatibility mode?  I understand this software was designed for Windows 95 or 98.  If this is the case, there is an option in Windows to 'run in compatibility mode' by right clicking the .exe file, selecting 'properties' and then under the compatibility section, select whichever operating system the software was originally designed for.
I have found this article which may provide you with a
tutorial.  I am not personally familiar with the set, but I assume this software will work.
Failing all else, I suggest you try Brixc Command Centre .  This uses a derivation of C for programming your robot which, as I understand is not too different from the original Lego software.  This is freeware and allows you to program not only the RCX, but other versions of Mindstorms robots if that is of interest.  I personally use this all the time with my Mindstorms NXT sets and it works a treat.  It's a great way to introduce programming to people as well!

Hope these suggestions are of help!


Apparently, all that I was missing was a STOP block at the end of the thread. Hopefully my oversight helps future users.

The STOP block looks like so:


The main functional difference between these is the electrical connector. The one with the red switch uses the old style 9V connection, while the one with the orange switch uses the newer Power Functions connector.

These are both the same voltage (9V), and you can mix the two systems using the Power Functions Extension Wire (8886).

Here's an example showing a PF battery box powering buggy motors:


How hard is it to get a job within the LEGO company, straight out of university as a graduate?

LEGO has a list of open positions which you can consult. As far as I understand, the application process starts there and you have to register a profile to apply for positions. Some positions also list a direct point of contact who can answer questions on the specific position (usually the boss-to-be, I suppose).

I'm not sure where a mathematics background might be useful within LEGO, but I don't know the full organization by far, and there are certainly some positions where it's going to be useful. In any case, don't be too afraid by all requirements listed for given positions, they don't necessarily mean that someone isn't suited for the job. But that's probably a discussion for another site.

Of course, jobs for which experience is required will probably be out of your reach, unless you do have experience in the required domain. For example, you could very well be a good LEGO builder already and have a chance for a design job.

But the good news is that LEGO seems to be willing to attract young talents, in particular in the IT sector. I remember seeing recently a "job position" which was in fact some sort of one-day seminar for young graduates, so that they could see what the life at LEGO is. There are also open positions which specifically mention students.

In any case, enthusiasm about the LEGO brand is certainly useful, and of course you'll probably have to devote some thinking time about where you're willing to work and live, especially considering most central positions are in specific countries, with Denmark being the most important.


LEGO trains typically use a 2x8 plate for their sleepers (ties), with a stud protruding from each rail, giving a 40mm centreline gauge for the track and 64mm width for the sleepers - this is 5.5mm wider than O-Gauge - so might be a little hard to find off the shelf.

Lots more detail can be found on L-Gauge.org.


As Phil B commented - you'd probably be better off with Studio now. This was originally developed by a team at BrickLink, and when they were acquired by The LEGO Group made the following statement:

  What about Studio and LEGO Digital Designer (LDD) – what will happen with the two digital building experiences since they’re quite similar?
  The LEGO Group is planning to support and evolve Studio and will review opportunities for both services following the closing of the deal.

So going forwards, Studio is the supported option. If you feel you really must stick with LDD, please also ensure that you use the last-but-one version, as the very latest version is missing a number of elements.

Finally, ensure that you download the installer from official sources (such as the LEGO CDN as linked in that answer), rather than "free software" sites, which might have tampered with the package.


What is the easiest technique for large builds?

I recommend getting 15-20 small-medium tupperware containers (you can get them pretty cheap now). Separate the pieces in a way that makes sense to you. Tupperware has flexible sizing and they are transparent, making it easier to identify pieces from the side of the container.

You don't have to completely put each individual piece in its own bin. But, for example, you could put 1x1's of all colors in one tiny bin, all transparent pieces in another, etc.

The important points on choosing your bin contents is:

Make it so you know exactly which bin to reach for when you need a
certain piece. The bin should have a clear theme in your mind.
Ensure that you don't put difficult to tell apart pieces in the same
bin; they should be easy to differentiate even when only seeing half
of a part.

The first rule and the second are often conflicting. One thing I recommend is to keep even-length and odd-length pieces separate. Don't put 3 and 4 longs (of the same color and type) in the same bucket, but 2 and 4 is fine.

Half an hour sorting the pieces at the start can save much more than half an hour in the build, as well as making the build more pleasant and fun.


It looks like you have discovered a bug. You should report it using Help > Give Feedback.

For working around the problem, the only thing I know to do is to cut the blocks with the black wires and then paste them back in. This seems to get rid of the black wires.


How do I run the LEGO Technic V6 engine using a Lego electric motor?

Assuming that your motor already has a Technic axle available, you'll need:

Any Technic motor. You probably want an M motor (8883).
An appropriate battery box or other power source. If you selected the above motor, you probably want the PF battery box that uses AA batteries (8881).
Any Technic elements that you want to actually mount the motor onto the V6. In the case of the above, you could get away with a shorter axle and a few Technic pins. If I were you, I'd either purchase a small Technic set (e.g. https://brickset.com/sets/42088-1/Cherry-Picker), or an assortment of Technic elements on Bricklink.

Most Technic motors aren't especially fast (~400 RPM). If you want an RPM up in the thousands, you'll need at least a couple of gears as well.


The "Red Support 1 x 6 x 5 Girder Rectangular" answers this.

It's only in two sets, and in 3368 there are 10, which your picture doesn't show, so this is probably 4430 Fire transporter.

EDIT: There are no "Trans-Light Blue Panel 1 x 2 x 2 with Side Supports - Hollow Studs" in 3368, so this is definitely 4430.


It would be difficult to get the exact rotations that you are talking about using Power Functions parts. The servo motor would be your best option, but its range is fixed to +/- 90 degrees from center. If you use a controller with variable speed, it will rotate through 7 steps to get to 90 degrees in either direction.

If you're willing to look at Mindstorms, there is a servo motor with a built-in rotation sensor that was released with both NXT and EV3. These can both be rotated to and from any position, and they are accurate within 1 degree. It sounds like that's the best option to meet your needs.


Where do I find Mindstorms building plans?

Official building instructions for NXT 1 models can be downloaded here: http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/support/buildinginstructions/8527-/T-56.aspx


Is this translucent blue ramp-like brick from an old Space Explorer set?

No. It's older than that.
This element has been in 9 sets, in trans-dark blue (as pictured) it has been in 4:
https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=4228&colorID=14&in=A
that bricklink says came out in 1981 and 1983


Will learning about EV3 transfer to Lego RCX software/hardware?

As far as the standard software is concerned, it's probably way too different so that your knowledge of one won't translate easily to the other. If the workshop uses third-party software, though, the gap might be smaller.

As for the construction of a robot and the principles of how to automate it, this should be closer, but there are still noticeable differences, for example using studless beams in newer kits versus studded construction in the RCX.

There is some backward compatibility, mind you, but it's more on the hardware level (meaning with the aid of converter cables you can use RCX motors and sensors with an NXT and that should hold true for EV3 as well).


Mindstorms NXT NXC RemoteStopProgram fails compilation

Try changing which version of BricxCC you're using to one of the later releases:
http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net/test_releases/?C=M;O=D

What version are you using now?  I duplicated the compile error on v3.3.8.9, but I didn't get the compile error on v3.3.8.11:
http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net/test_releases/test_release20131007.zip

Hope that works!

PS: I didn't test anything, as I'm not using the feature -- I just saw it would compile on a different version.

If you use this, make sure you review compiler settings, as it looks like the newer version has [x] Enhanced Firmware option checked by default (which you may or may not have installed on your NXT brick, if using stock LEGO firmware).

Update #1:

According to https://sourceforge.net/p/bricxcc/code/HEAD/tree/NXT/history.txt, it may be a known issue that was fixed in a newer release:

Version 1.2.1.r5 (2013-02-16)
   :
- Fixed definition for several Remote* API functions which sent direct/system commands
  to other NXT devices via Bluetooth or RS-485

So, it looks like 1.2.1r5 or newer version of NBC command-line tools may be required.

Also, the test release I downloaded (v3.3.8.11 of GUI) has nbc.exe v1.2.1.5, while the other version I have (v3.3.8.9 of GUI) has nbc.exe v1.2.1.4 -- so this may be the issue.

Update #2:

For Linux, see https://sourceforge.net/p/bricxcc/code/HEAD/tree/386/ and https://sourceforge.net/p/bricxcc/code/HEAD/tree/x64/ 32 and 64-bit binaries, respectively.


There is not one made by LEGO. However, there are a number of 3rd-party options:

Fatcatlab makes a Humidity Sensor (EV3 only).
Vernier makes a relative humidity sensor that can be used with the Vernier sensor adapter (EV3 and NXT).
There are also several temperature and humidity sensors from Grove that can be used with the mindsensors.com Grove sensor adapter (EV3 and NXT).


The top figure is

sh367 - Justin Hammer
from Set # 76077-1 : Iron Man: Detroit Steel Strikes

for the second figure, see the answer of shea


Will playing with a PF train motor by hand damage it?

Unless you do extreme things it should be fine.  All the gears insides the Train motors, Power Function motors and the NXT motors are made of Nylon while the pinion attached to
the motor is made of metal.

Image Source

Since Nylon is much stronger than ABS plastic (normal LEGO plastic), the ABS would twist, tear or brake before damaging the nylon gears.

In fact one of the activities in the NXT manual (page 34) is to manually spin the motor by attaching a wheel to it and rolling it like a paint roller.  LEGO seems to trust that it is made to survive that kind of usage.

As for the electricity generated by rolling the motor, I'm pretty sure that the NXT brick is protected for that (given that LEGO expects this kind of manipulation).  On the other hand I would not connect a sensor directly to a motor and do this.  I would assume that the trains components are also protected since it is very likely that kids would roll the train by hand.

Extra info:

Link to other LEGO trains motors opened.
Link to opened Power Function motors.
Link to opened NXT motors.


How do I connect a LEGO wheel to axles so it can be powered?

Normally when wheels are powered using an axle they have an axle hole, whereas your wheels have a pin hole, and a 3mm mini pin hole.

So you should probably buy some wheels with axle holes anyhow, for future building.

However, in the meantime, there are tricks to driving parts which use a pin hole, for example, a lego 55981.

You simply use either this, or this and this

There is also a 2L pin version here or a 2L axle version here

There are other clever ways to do it too but this should be enough to get you started. I am not familiar with a way to drive the other wheels you mentioned
unless I have forgotten a way, these are not really designed to be driven at all nor easy to be driven because they have a 3mm 'mini' pin hole, which fits into a 3mm 'mini' pin.

The reason I say 'clever' is because these friction pins act as clutches, if there is not enough torque required to drive the wheels then they will slip and rotate independently of the wheel.

If there is sufficient torque then they will grip the wheels pinhole and drive it.

This has both positive and negative effects depending on what you're doing.


I found the resolution of the EV3 motors by attaching a 90° connection to the motor, and a long axle with a pointer at the end so I could see changes in small angles.  By running a loop a large number of times with settings of 360°, then with 360.5°, then 360.75°, and watching for when the changes trigger actual accumulation of ending point, I found that there was no difference between a rotation of 360° and 360.75°, but at 361° the difference appeared.

I'll try the same setup with an NXT motor and let you know the results.

So it's like a step function with an interval of 1°.

I have building instructions and the program that I'll but on Rebrickable sometime this week.

Hope this helps.


Are coloured bricks used by Set Designers recycled to make black bricks?

Short answer: No.

Long answer: After searching around the web and finding nothing related to this subject, I fired an email towards LEGO Customer Service asking them this very question.

Today I have received this reply:

  Dear Adam,

  Thanks for getting in touch with us and sending us this question.

  I have investigated the case further with our LEGO® product specialist team and I received the following answer from them:

  No this is not true, the designers build the sets and then they have to get approved. If the set isn’t approved the bricks and sets stay out or on the designers desk, and the set is taken apart the bricks are used again.
  I hope this information will help to settle the debate.

  We want to make sure we're doing a good job for you, so you’ll always find the link to a four-question survey in our emails. Please tell us how we did today:

  LEGO Survey link

  Please let us know if you need anything else.

  Happy building!

  Ildikó
  LEGO® Service


The "Extra Large" grey baseplate is 15"/38cm square, with 48 studs to a side.
Alternatively, the moulded castle baseplate had a greater volume (with height), and a base size of 32x48 studs and 6 bricks high (15"x10"/38x25cm) (in other colours as well):

Tim offered up the following, also with a base size of 32x48 studs, 6 bricks high (15"x10"/38x25cm) (it came in a few other colours too):

Peeron also lists a 48x48 Raised with Staircases and Pits:
Peeron.com
As well as a very old "Giant Base Plate" and a "Road 3-way Curve with Gray Pattern", both at 50x50 studs.
Joubarc suggested the "Boat Hull Floating 74 x 18 x 7":
Peeron.com
Stretching the definition of "Single Piece" somewhat, the "Electric Technic Control Centre with Yellow and Red Buttons" from the Technic Control Center was a beast of a part:
Peeron.com

Made this CW to allow others to add their contenders


Please identify if these pieces are part of a set, medium grey and red Technic bricks with a window

At first glance it looks like something out of Model Team set, like one of the trailers.

There are two types of standard Technic pins, black friction pins and grey frictionless pins.

Black friction pins are used to build strong connections and grey frictionless pins have low friction and allow parts to spin easily.

It seems odd that the two pins connecting the Technic bricks as shown below use grey frictionless pins as I have never seen an official LEGO set that wouldn't use black friction pins for this case.

The window also stands out as an odd feature in this build.


I'm not a leJOS expert, but from looking at the docs, I don't think that the rotateTo method works the way that you are expecting:

  public void rotateTo(int limitAngle)

  Rotate to the target angle. Do not return until the move is complete.

So here's what your code is actually doing:

Motor.A.rotateTo(40); // Rotate to 40 and return when rotation is finished
while(Motor.A.isMoving()) { // The motor won't be moving
    // Execution never gets here
}

The rotateTo method takes an optional immediateReturn parameter that allows it to return without waiting for movement to complete:

  immediateReturn - if true do not wait for the move to complete

Replace your calls to rotateTo(angle) with rotateTo(angle, true), and you should be on the right track. Something like this should be more effective:

Motor.A.rotateTo(40, true); // Begin rotating to 40 and return immediately
while(Motor.A.isMoving()) { // The motor will be rotating for a time
    // Execution should loop here until the motor stops
}


Were these real giant LEGO pieces on the 2020 Late Holiday catalog cover?

I think that they photoshopped shadows in after setting up lighting to remove shadows so that the picture has shadows making it so it doesn’t look weird while not having shadows making the picture dark.


Fix for monorail sticking at monoswitch?

Maybe the plastic is worn off just enough that the switch is not pushing the pins completely anymore.

Debug step 1:
When the train pins are in the switch zone there shouldn't be a lot of space between the point of the pins and the face of the switch. If it looks too loose that could be the problem.  A way to test this would be to put some clear scotch tape on the faces of the switch.  The faces are highlighted in red in this picture:

If the problem persist you could add more layer(s) and test again.  After four layers if this doesn't fix the problem I would try something else.

  Results: The switch works with four layers of tape. The new question is "Between the motor pins and the switch, which one is worn out? One or both?"

Debug step 2:  Testing the switch with a second motor would be helpful. Do you have a second motor?  In any case let's inspect the motor pins and the switch faces.

The two motor pins are (I assume) made of plastic.  The end point of each pin should not not be worn down. One way to check that is to compare the two.  If one is rounder then the other that gives us important information.

The switch faces (highlighted in red in the previous picture) should be a perfectly flat surface.  Is there a slight groove at the height where the motor pins hit the switch? Again. this would be important information.

  Results: The switch faces are not worn but it looks like the motor pins are rounded off.

Debug step 3:  Testing & fixing the motor pins.

Before trying to fix the motor pins I would suggest one last test.  With no tape on the switch, you could add tape layers to the motor pins and try to reproduce the successful test of step 1.  This should work without problems.

As for fixing the motor pins.  I would suggest to use one epoxy glue drop at the tip of each pin. After the epoxy is cured you could test and if necessary sand off any excess thickness.

  Results: Epoxy on the motor pins fixed the problem.


The gray part is a 43713   "Wedge 6 x 4 Triple Inverted Curved".  It has appeared in 231 sets since it was introduced in 2003.  Your picture looks like light gray.  This part has only been in 28 sets in Light Gray or Light Bluish Gray.

I found it on bricklink by searching for "curved 6 x 4".  I also tried "curved 4 x 6", "fuselage", and "bow" (as in the bow of a boat) before finding the right search.


What is this 11x6 white and dark grey motorized LEGO piece with blue buttons and a transparent blue panel?

This part is called

Micro Scout with Dark Gray Base

the white version on your photo comes from

9748-1: Droid Developer Kit

(pictures via Bricklink)


I've managed to get leJOS working on macOS Sierra, minus Bluetooth support. Bluetooth support is officially broken and has been for a while. There also hasn't been a new release in years, so a fix likely won't come. Otherwise it still works, if you jump through some hoops.

Guide:

1. Fantom Driver:

First, you need to install the "Fantom driver". You can find on the Mindstorms download page.

Extract that ZIP, and you should have a installer package named MAC legodriver.pkg. Unfortunately, it may or may not install. Some people say it installs for them, but it doesn't install for me.

If it doesn't install, someone has created a script that can unpack the installer and get around the compatibility issues.

2. Legacy Java 6 with 32-bit support:

You need to install Apple's legacy Java 6 package with 32-bit support. Sierra isn't listed as supported, but it still works.

This legacy version of Java probably won't become the default if you have a new version installed, but that's fine, we will configure leJOS to use this version later.

(Incidentally, there were some plans to make it support 64-bit Java, but I wouldn't hold my breath.)

3. Download leJOS:

Download and extract leJOS for Mac as instructed here.

4. Setup environment:

You need to setup some environment variables as vaguely specified here. You will want to add something like the following to your .bash_profile, .profile, or other shell startup script, adjusting the NXJ_HOME to where you extracted leJOS.

# leJOS
export LEJOS_NXT_JAVA_HOME="/System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Versions/1.6.0/Home"
export NXJ_HOME="/Users/<USER>/<PATH_TO>/LeJOS/leJOS_NXJ_0.9.1beta-3"
export PATH="$PATH:$NXJ_HOME/bin"

(The LEJOS_NXT_JAVA_HOME variable is how you tell leJOS to use the legacy Java version.)

5. Profit:

Now when you open a new shell, the leJOS commands should work.


Did LEGO ever make bricks without the LEGO logo?

Yes and no. If you found normal basic bricks without the LEGO logo, then they are definitely not Lego.

However, some parts are too small to have the logo. Things like utensils from the Friends theme, balls, technic pins, etc. don't have room for the logo, but this doesn't mean they aren't made by Lego.

The very first Lego bricks (2x2 and 2x4 bricks in 1949) also didn't include any logo or markings on the bricks. They also had completely hollow undersides, and slots in the side walls. But I suspect this is not what you have.

As for the bricks with two different fonts of LEGO, these may be made by Samsonite (under contract with Lego) in the 60s–80s. They were notoriously careless with keeping the logo straight on the stud, or even having the same type of logo on multiple studs on the same brick :)


Turn a tank a specific number of degrees

The math you're suggesting may work for going straight forward or backward where slipping is limited.  For a turn, it will not come close.  Even getting the center of rotation of the turning robot will be difficult.  The tracks will have to slip.  A tracked robot can not turn without those tracks slipping.  Differences in friction will alter the turn. More weight on the left or right, front or back of the robot will alter the turn.

Even abandoning the tracks for wheels is not guarantee that the math of how much the robot should turn will match reality.  This is not to say abandon the math, just a hint that it will only give an approximation.


Building a full-size lamp using LEGO bricks

The lamp is made by LEGO artist Sean Kenney. Along with some other items, he sells the lamps on his website. They are available in a range of styles and colours, but they are quite expensive.

Since he is selling the lamps I think it is unlikely the plans are available, although the pictures on his website are quite high resolution so you may be able to replicate the design. (I have no idea about the legality of such though).


This is called Middle Ring, or with the Bricklink terminology "Light Bluish Gray Technic Driving Ring Extension":

You can buy it here on Bricklink.


The "My Own Train" series only lasted from 2001 - 2004, so it had a relatively short life span.  For the most part, they were very nice sets with rich details.

It most likely didn't resonate with collectors since the trains were available in various different colors, with or without a tender — this made it prohibitively expensive to own the collection since the price of the blue train was the same as the green train, and yet the only difference between sets were a few bricks that were switched from blue to green.  I, myself, bought a small and large train with tenders and the wagons, but I didn't bother with all of the other colors.

The other minus for the "My Own Train" series was that it didn't include any mini-figs, so it made it felt geared toward adults and yet, they weren't any more challenging in building than normal 9v trains.


This is Part# 4150px1.

Okay, I didn't call/write LEGO for answers. This is just speculative guesswork (and I should be ashamed).

First off, sorry, for not giving you time to explain the full relevance of the Disney clocks with regards to your question.  There are other clock patterns besides this pattern, and the "Just-Before-Midnight" Disney pattern.

So, I was trying to get your connection, until I thought about what you wrote, and what I thought in my mind.

You wrote the Disney clocks all have a different time (11:53).  I thought in my head "Just-Before-Midnight", because in many fairly tales, Midnight, is the magically important event.

So, it got me thinking: If I were a Danish LEGO designer, and I was making toys for school aged children, then what would be a magically important event to a grade schooler? If an adult's time could ever be important to a child, what time would that be?

Hmm, maybe the few minutes before 3:00pm, the time school lets out and for them, the real magic begins?

So, I'm guessing, 2:57:38pm might be the same "Just-Before-The-Magical-Event" subconsciously embedded in every grade school boy or girl's head, and some random LEGO designer had the insight to try and capture it.


Yes, visually the simple smileys are the same now as in the past. The difference is in the stud. Some have a stud like what you have pictured above; with an open stud and others have a solid stud. Other than that, the face itself is exactly the same. You can three all three versions of the stud here (solid, recessed open and recessed blocked) here:  http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?pg=1&q=standard+grin+pattern&catLike=W&v=2


Without solving your homework, you will need at least the following blocks:

for bullet 1

Light Sensor
Data to Text
LCD Panel Display

for bullets 2 and 3

Loop (forever)
Switch (based on light sensor readings)
Motor Block (4 of these, 2 for > 50% + 2 for <= 50%)

And it probably makes sense to put bullet 1 inside the loop of bullets 2 and 3.


How can I make a mosaic from a given number of 1x1 bricks and a picture?

In case anyone familiar with JavaScript is interested, I wrote this script (tested in Firefox 19) which lets the user specify the number of tiles (bricks) of each colour and browse for an image file with the same number of pixels.

The luma (brightness) of each pixel is ranked and assigned one of the listed colours. Any ties are arbitrarily assigned to either possible colour (as JavaScript's sort is unstable).

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/55/Mona_Lisa_headcrop.jpg/20px-Mona_Lisa_headcrop.jpg  is an image which fits the example tile count.

 <title>Make mosaic given tile colour count</title>
 <form onSubmit="return false;">
  <textarea id="counts" rows="3" cols="80">// Ordered from darkest to lightest
colours = [ '#000000', '#993300', '#cc0000', '#ff9900', '#ffff00', '#ffffff' ];
tiles   = [       110,        40,        80,        60,       120,        90 ];
tileWidth = tileHeight = 16;</textarea>

  <input type="file" id="file" size="80" />

  <input type="button" value="Go!" onClick="loadImage()" />

  <canvas id="canvas" style="background:#808080;border:2px groove;"></canvas>

 </form>


How many minifigs have actually flown in space?

Actual Minifigures In Space
There have been a number of videos posted from the ISS mission, where we can clearly see one of the astronauts (Satoshi Furukawa) on the station holding a model with some minifigures:

On the Gallery Pages they list out "Working and living in space - This is the LEGO models shown in the videos"
In the shots there are there are at least 7, if not 8 minifigs (assuming that each hair and face is part of a complete minifig, rather than having the bodies reused for the shots):

This appears to be the first time actual articulated minifigs have officially gone to space.
A Romanian named Oaida Raul sent the Lego Shuttle [bs:3367] up on a weather balloon to "the edge of space" on 31 December 2011, but hasn't released actual figures of the altitude reached:

2001: A Brick Odyssey

Two Canadian Students sent a Minifigure up to the stratosphere in January 2012, high enough to see the curvature of the earth, which can be seen reported on the Toronto Star's pages:

Minifigure Statues
Before then the closest thing to a minifig officially sent to space are the three custom built aluminium Minifigure statues that went up on the JUNO space craft this year:

JUNO Spacecraft to Carry Three Figurines to Jupiter Orbit

The Roman god Jupiter, his wife Juno and Galileo Galilei
This wired article concludes:

This unique project has put a smile on many Nasa and Lego employees' faces and stirred up interest from other state space agencies, as well. Will LEGO minifigs take another trip in space soon? Time will tell. But until that day, keep an eye on the sky for the fastest moving toys in the universe.

LEGOSpace.com's insistence on not supporting deep-linking fails me, but if you go to the Education Blog and scroll to Thursday, August 04, 2011

LEGO® Minifigures on a mission to promote space research
Three LEGO® Minifigures leave earth on the Juno deep-space probe today on a five-year mission to Jupiter to broaden awareness of the importance of planetary research.

Pictures of Minifigures
Prior to these two missions, previous missions have been promoted as sending Minifigures to space when in fact what they actually contained were pictures of minifigures:

LEGO bricks and products have been on several space missions. The latest mission with NASA was in 2004 when two astronaut minifigures hitched a ride on the Spirit and  Opportunity Mars Exploration Rovers.

When in reality what happened was:

Today, Opportunity returned pictures from Mars of another three “LEGO Bricks” and Sandy Moondust, the second “astrobot” representation of a LEGO Minifigure.


Why did LEGO stop selling sets for <1.5 year old (Primo etc)?

I can't comment on why Lego stopped selling Primo. But I can assure you that Duplo is fine for children. The smallest pieces are way too large to choke on, as far as I can tell. Small babies probably don't know how to put the pieces together very well, but that doesn't stop you from building a little house or car or something and letting them play with it.


Why do Technic beams have an odd number of holes?

It's to make them fit with the original Technic bricks which have an even number of studs and the holes go in-between.


How to store a matrix of values and pick out certain elements and compute the difference?

This application does seem to be pushing the limits of the official software provided by LEGO. If you are interested in C/C++ (or any other programming language), check out http://www.ev3dev.org.

I like to say that ev3dev is not firmware since it runs from a microSD card and is not loaded into the flash memory on the EV3. Nevertheless, it is an alternate operating system for the EV3 with the goal of being able to program in any language that you like. You can find a list of existing programming libraries here.


If you could design using Technic Axle 32 as your primary member that would probably be cheapest. You can get 500 of them for under $1 each on BrickLink, and making an Eiffel Tower shape out of those could be fairly strong. You'd be using axles in compression which isn't ideal so you'd need to be careful about bending forces, but in terms of cost per metre of height that's about as good as you can get. 32 studs is about 25cm, so your 40 metre tower is about 160 axles high. Assuming four legs (because Lego makes rectangles easier than triangles) you'd need 480 axles for the legs, plus another hundred or so for bracing. If you could work out a way to use only 3 legs the structure would be lighter.

You'd use axle connectors to join them end to end and either Technic liftarms or string for bracing (compression and tension respectively). There are Technic link parts in a few lengths that are lighter than liftarms, like this 15-long one and the tension member at the bottom would be a baseplate (or several baseplates)

If you made it modular using a "platform" that was, say, 16 studs square you'd end up with extra internal legs but a very easy to build structure. Say you make a tower that's two metres tall (8 axles) and tapers from 32x32 to a point. Four of those next to each other would support another similar tower on top of all of them. And so on, but the inside towers will end up with 2,3 or 4 towers sitting on top of them. A better design would make set of four symmetrically located parts "unique" and thus use fewer total parts but at the cost of the whole model being significantly more complex. On the other hand, I think you'd be able to get more than 2m out of each stage of such a tower.

I might have a go at a short version of this tonight if I can find my collection of long axles and see how stable it is. Somewhere in the garage is about 20 of them, so I should be able to get a metre tall fairly quickly and easily... if I can find those axles.

An alternative part that would involve a lot of SNOT techniques would be single train rails. Or even the modern click-together rails. I can't think of a good design for those off the top of my head, though.


This steering wheel is from 4613-1: Turbo Chopper, as this is the only one with an orange version of this element.


LEGO have instructions for all their recent sets, and many older ones available directly from their website:

https://wwwsecure.us.lego.com/en-gb/service/buildinginstructions

There you can search for a specific set number, or search by theme ("Star Wars TM") and year of release - for example 75101 can be found here.


What are the known software tools for the EV3?

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

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


Parts shown in your picture are from Bandit's Secret Hide-Out (6161) set. Here you can find inventory of this set to collect all the parts. Baseplate, Road 32 x 32 7-Stud Curve with Rocks and Ruts Pattern is unique to this set.


How to improve the range of an IR receiver?

The best options to improve IR reception is to actually modify both the receiver and the remote (though the remote is more important to upgrade than the receiver).

Common modifications include replacing the transmitter/receiver element with higher range/power components (this may be at the cost of space), or adding reflectors behind the elements  to better send/capture the IR signal (aluminum foil works as a great DIY reflector for closed spaces.


Where can one find the documentation for the LEGO Mindstorms Robot Inventor software?

Official Docs
There is supposed to be Word Block Descriptions for the block language under Help & Support in the Settings, but that seems to be missing at the moment (in v10.0.2). Hopefully it will be fixed in the next update.

For Python, there is a Knowledge Base on the side of the screen. Click the book icon to show or hide it.

Unofficial Docs

Prime Lessons has documentation for both SPIKE Prime and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor.
Laid Back Koala made PDFs for both word blocks and Python and shared them on the Eurobricks forum


Old style minifig legs (70s). Sets that have it


Program a full rotation of a NXT motor in X seconds

The problem can be restated:
360 / 20 = 18 deg / sec = 1 deg / .056 sec

One degree is the smallest increment provided by the rotation sensors.

NXT-G has a timer sensor with 1/100th second resolution.

In pseudo-code:

Set a motorPower variable to 10
Start a timer
Loop until rotationDegrees >= 360
    If timeElapsed * 18 > rotationSensorDegrees
        motorPower = motorPower - 1
    Else
        motorPower = motorPower + 1
    End If
    MoveBlock (power = motorPower)
End Loop
MoveBlock (stop)

Of course, use of the 8 tooth and 40 tooth gears to give a 5 to 1 reduction would give even better results.  Even the best programming will have trouble offsetting bad mechanics.


.3DS is a 3D image file format, a rendering of what you designed in LeoCAD.
All information necessary to recreate your build (i.e. what bricks to use) will be stripped from it. I suppose that theoretically this information can be recreated for small builds, but for medium-sized to large builds, this will simply be infeasible.
Hence I think it quite unlikely that it's possible to import .3ds back into LeoCAD.


BrickLink says that it's called the  "Pin with Friction Ridges Lengthwise WITH Center Slots."

However it may also be the "Pin with Friction Ridges Lengthwise WITHOUT Center Slots."


Two separate functions of 5282 RC remote?

With only using existing non-modified LEGO parts a mechanical solution with a servo motor, two polarization switches and cluch gears is thinkable, but this is all really cumbersome...

It's a bit ironic really, there's a bit of (trivial) circuitry in the 2x2 black brick before the wires of the LED lights split that causes the LEDs to work no-matter the polarization, because LEDs by their nature only work when the correct polarization is applied...

One solution would be to modify the circuitry in the 2x2 plate.

Schematics are here:
http://www.philohome.com/pf/pflights.htm

What basically needs to happen is that the diode bridge is removed and the C1 wire is soldered through to the + side of the leds (to the resistors) and the C2 wire to - side ...

Same for the other pair of leds but switching C1 and C2...


Bionicle sets with staffs identification

These are indeed Bionicles

Green: 1418: Matau

Blue: 8543-1: Nokama

Red: 8540: Vakama

I think the last one is 8542: Onewa, with the mask of 8545-1: Whenua

more information on the Bionicles theme and the story line from Brickipedia
the Turega have a page on the Bionicle Wiki


Miniature Lepin box door stuck inside box itself

Finally, I did it. I wasted two days waiting for answers when the solution is actually very simple.
I just lifted the box cover with my fingertips just a tiny bit, so that there was enough space to stick something thin between the box cover and the box itself. I did not lift as much as possible because:

My fingers would slip and drop the box lid again, because the remaining space to lift it all the way out would be too tight

I need enough space to stick something thin in between.

Then I got a thin-blade knife, as zovits recommended, and pulled it down like a lever, making the other end go up and force the cover out. Easy!


Have you looked into the Power Functions Control Switch at all:

This allows you to switch the direction of a motor.


This is a Lightsaber hilt (Minifigure weapon) part# 64567. The color looks like light-bluish gray in the picture, which was in 201 different sets.  You can look through the many sets on Bricklink:  (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64567#T=C&C=86)

These are very common parts in many Star Wars sets, but come in quite a variety of different themes.


Those look like the Playmobil clip-on necklace pieces. Playmobil doesn't have the same level of part listing that LEGO does, but I was able to find this picture of the yellow one being worn.


Why do LEGO sets have a minium age rating?

With children 3 and under, small parts may be a choking hazard. The sets that Lego markets to the parents of small children contain larger pieces that are easier to handle and harder to swallow (i.e. Duplo).

When a Lego set recommends "ages 10 and up", it refers more to building ability and patience than safety. These sets are generally more complex and larger than, say, sets an average 8-year-old would be comfortable (or capable) of building. These are only recommendations of course, not rules!


There's a part on the front of the model named Wedge 10 x 3 Right with White Stripes, Yellow Triangle and Gray Lines Pattern (Stickers) - Set 8093

This piece was available in a single set - 8093-1 Plo Koon's Jedi Starfighter:

The model in question is not the same as the set which means it is someone's unique creation (MOC).


I think it's quite limiting to only consider parts in the standard EV3 sets. Many technic sets have gear switches. I believe the cheapest set currently available that has it is the Race cart (42048), the switch can be motorized as was done for example in the motorized excavator (8043). Also the pieces are readily available on bricklink quite cheap.
I think it is a great idea to have a gear switch in a sumo bot, but the only reliable way to do it is use pieces designed for that.


LEGO Mindstorm NXT memorize line followed (LeJos)

I will preface this by saying that I'm just going to summarize what I suggest you do, as writing out the code step-by-step would take quite a while, and you writing the code will help improve your skills.  I recommend checking out the LeJOS API while I describe some of the classes, it is pretty easy to look them up there.

If you want to know the location of the robot, you need to use some sort of Pilot class.  To me, it sounds like you want to use the DifferentialPilot (of course, use the Pilot class that controls your robot, for instance, a triangle robot).  You create the DifferentialPilot with a wheel diameter, distance between the wheels, the Motor that is on the left, and the Motor that is on the right.

Create a Navigator, and give it the Pilot so that it can control the robot.  Next, create a Timer that will poll the position of the robot however often you want (maybe something like every second?).  I think you get the position from the Pilot.  Call addWaypoint() on the Navigator with the x and y position (which I think you can pull the pose from the Pilot).

Now, modify your line-following code so that it uses the Pilot's controls (travel(), rotate(), etc.).

When you have followed the line, you should have a list of Waypoints that you can use to navigate the same path, without using the line-following code.

You can then call followPath() on the Navigator, and the robot should follow the path.

Of course, it is important to make sure that your DifferentialPilot or whatever is as precise as it can be, so measure and refine the wheel diameter until you get really good accuracy, using whatever surface you are going to be using in the end.  If you have any questions about calibration, I would recommend a new question, but for now, I have a video here which covers it and shows the step-by-step process (hopefully this doesn't count as advertising, it is not intended to be any).

Hopefully I was clear, it can get a bit jumbled together after programming NXTs with LeJOS for a number of years!


Is it possible to build a decimal to binary converter (binary counter) with LEGO?

Yes, of course, you can

As jncraton mentioned in a comment:

  The answer to whether this is possible is definitely "yes". NAND gates can be built, and the required logic can be implemented using NAND gates. The questions is primarily about how this can be achieved.

Logic gates in LEGO

As you can see here folks have put extensive work into creating logic gates in LEGO.  The article referenced has AND and NOT gates.  You would need to put those together to get the aforementioned NAND gate.  If you're not familiar with logic gates it may be surprising that NAND gates can do it all.

Binary counters

As this articles shows you can build a binary counter out of flip-flops and NAND's.  And as wikipedia shows you can make a variety of flip-flops out of logic gates.

Now put it together

I'm sorry there aren't LEGO-level instructions for making all of this happen, but hopefully those are enough leads for you to figure it out.  Good luck.  I hope you put this together and turn it into a lovely youtube video or article to show us all how you did it.  You'd probably be a hit too on the LEGO convention circuit.  You can do it.


Unfortunately, LEGO does not offer instructions for this set on their website. Fortunately, there are scanned versions you can find on letsbuilditagain.com or brickinstructions.com


With thanks to Uli,
Mega Bloks Skylanders Battle Portals


Modified 3x2 Plate with Rubber Bristle Bottom and snap-on cover?

So, the curiosity bug bit me again.  The mysterious part appears to be a Kre-O "Motion Brick" which appeared in various sets. In my research I found that there is a variation (hollow vs. solid) in the studs, as shown in the picture.


Alternative (back of box) builds of 7822 Railway Station - is there an 'official' configuration where the track terminates at the station?

Here you go: http://goichot.free.fr/lego/7822/8.JPG

Have been looking myself for hours as I have two 7822 sets but no box...


Do LDraw files describe models, bricks, or both?

Both, often in the same file.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Common subfiles include the studs and tubes on bricks.

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


Can you extract a program from the EV3 brick to the computer?

Update:

There is a tool at http://ev3treevis.azurewebsites.net/ that can be use to create a new .ev3 file from a .rbf file recovered from an EV3 brick. Some information will be lost, but at least simple programs should be able to be recovered.

Original answer:

You can extract the compiled program from the EV3. Compiled programs have a .rbf file extension. However, these files only contain EV3 VM bytecodes and cannot be converted back to the EV3-G project file format (.ev3p file extension).

Details about extracting the program from the brick and what you can do with it has already been answered here.


Mystery 2x14 grey brick - cannot find instructions with this piece mentioned

This is item no 812

Train Level Crossing Center Rail Cap Insert
2 x 14 x 2/3

made for item no 813, the railroad crossing.

(source: bricklink)

It replaces the 12V straight insert (i.e. it closes the middle gap) when using a 4.5V train system.


Is it okay to put rechargeable AA batteries into the EV3?

According to the posts in this Eurobricks thread, it is indeed possible, even if there are a few caveats to keep in mind (like the maximal current the batteries can supply versus the maximal current the attached motors can draw).


Only thing I can think of is to write the ID in a text file manually and use the file block to read the ID.
To do that: Use an application like notepad++ to create the text file. Make sure the line endings are just a newline character, not the carriage return.
Save the file with .rtf as extension.
Use the memory browser in the EV3 software to upload the file to the brick in the project folder of your program...
Alternatively, modify your program temporarily to write the ID first to file (manually select the value in a File block...), don't forget to close the file (second file block).


I don't know what pieces you have in your collection to build the perfect most creative piece separator, so my answer will be based on, "What common items do many people have on hand in a house?"

Try a dull butter knife.

EDIT:

Or we can just ignore what I said, and make something simple with pieces many of us should have.

Find any sized beam 5 pin holes or above.
Insert some pegs in the holes.
Place stuck pieces on top.
Apply downward pressure mainly holding from the black piece (Part 32017) to create a starting point of separation.
Once a gap has started it can be easily "unzipped" apart by running a
finger nail/plastic knife down the gap.


What colors does the NXT Color Sensor support?

It depends on which version you're talking about.

NXT 1.0 Light Sensor: This sensor should detect up to 100 shades from white(100) to black(0).

NXT compatible Hitechnic Color Sensor: This sensor will detect 17 colors including white(17) and black(0) or 100 shades from white(100) to black(0).

NXT 2.0 Color Sensor: This sensor can detect 6 colors including white(6) and black(1).

To complete the list (even though it is not backward compatible with NXT) -
EV3 Color Sensor: This sensor can detect 7 colors which are the same as the NXT 2.0 sensor plus “No Color”?  Yes, according to LEGO's website, this new sensor can detect when there's no color.  Does this means white or that the detector is not sensing a color?  This needs to be validated too.

This is one area where, as new versions are coming out, the possibilities of the sensors are diminishing.


Look at the bell in the Lego kit for Big Ben (#10253). Building instructions are here (Step 276).

The bell itself is made from several round plates and parabolic reflector dishes. It's not hollow, but it could certainly be made to swing.


Sadly, my friend, this is less of a LEGO problem, and more of an issue with the kind of basic tech EV3 runs on. It can't afford to have a backup, it needs to be compact. You'll have to put them back on file by file.


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

I would tend to say that any part produced for only one set would qualify, especially if said set is priced high. Looking at the inventory of 10179 Millenium Falcon UCS for example, the following candidates come to mind:

Light Bluish Gray Boat Mast Rigging Long 28 x 4
Dish 10 x 10 Inverted (Radar) with Radiating Spokes Pattern on Concave Side although it's printed so I'm not sure you're willing to accept it. I would have mentionned minifigs as well, but only Obi-Wan Kenobi (Old, Light Flesh) is exclusive to the set and its individual parts are used in other sets.

Considering the price the set goes for nowadays, and the fact that most people who buy it will probably build it once and leave it so (that is, if they open the box at all), I think the grey boat mast rigging is a very good candidate. There are four people selling some on BrickLink as of february 2013, but a glance at the prices asked comforts me in my reasoning. Even the printed radar dish is cheaper.


What is the largest Lego kit commercially available?

In 2008, LEGO released an exclusive Creator model of the Taj Mahal, with 5922 pieces, the most in a commercial LEGO set.

It is no longer available at the LEGO Shop, but it's still commercially available from other retailers. Here's its Amazon product page.


Where can I get parts lists from sets by numbered bag?

I'm afraid there's no registry keeping records of elements included in each numbered part.
Instructions for 75093 set show which parts of a set could be assembled from each numbered bag, including parts for each step. You can then collect elements listed under each step to combine into numbered bags of your own. Getting all extra pieces might be a little hard, since you cannot check what is included in sealed bags. However you can guess which ones should have been included in opened bags. You can check which Extra parts come at the bottom on Bricklink's page for 75093 set.


Is it possible to power Boost or Powered Up hubs using wall current instead of batteries?

This isn't possible out of the box, and there aren't currently any adapters available from TLG to support this as far as I know. I did come up with a modification to make this possible, though.
My goal was to allow me to modify the hub to receive external power in a way that did not damage the hub and would be totally reversible. Ideally, I wanted a solution that could also still work with batteries without having to undo the modifications.
I started by removing the contacts that connect the battery holder to the main hub. These could probably be left in, but the next step is to solder wires to them, and I wanted to make sure I didn't melt any plastic.

Now we solder on some wires. I chose to use Dupont connectors here so that I would have a very small and detachable connection.

Now we put the battery terminals back.

A nice feature of this setup is that in its current state, batteries can be installed and the box still fits perfectly inside the hub.

From here, you could probably get away with running wires directly out of the hub if you didn't mind it not closing completely. If you didn't mind damaging the hub, you could also cut or drill a small notch at the bottom for the wires. I opted to run the wires out of some holes that already exist in the bottom of the hub.

From there, it's simply a matter of connecting the two wires to a suitable 9V supply. If you attempt this yourself, it is critical to match the voltage and polarity of the batteries, or you risk damaging your hub.


I'm looking for a good LEGO Modeling Program

The most commonly used one is Lego Digital Designer (often called LDD).  This has the advantage of being free and quite easy to use, including automatically snapping connections together.  However, it is only available for Windows and Mac.  Also, LEGO has discontinued support for it.

There is a system of programs based on LDraw.  These programs tend to be harder to use, but much more flexible.  Some of them, like LeoCAD, are fairly user-friendly.

A recent arrival is Stud.io.  It's in open beta but seems quite user-friendly.  It also has the advantage that it integrates with BrickLink.  It will tell you how much a certain part (or your whole model) will typically cost on BrickLink, and if a certain part is unavailable in a certain color.

One caveat is that none of the above solutions has all available parts in it.  Most common parts are available in all three, but some of the less common or older parts are not.  Some parts -- especially the very new, or very specialized parts -- are not available in any of them.


How do I update my NXT firmware using EV3 software

EV3 software will not download firmware to the NXT brick.  For that you need the NXT-G software and a downloaded firmware file from Lego.  1.31 is the latest version.

So if you're running EV3 on NXT, you shouldn't throw out the NXT-G software. Once in a while, it's still needed.


There has been a slight change to the Pearl Gold/Warm Gold color recently that might explain the difference in color between those pieces. See this article on Reddit. Perhaps the right two “Flat Dark Gold” pieces are the newer recolor of Pearl Gold? I recall Jang from JangBricks talking about this as well in his videos.

Here is the picture from the Reddit article showing the new Pearl Gold on the top, and the old on the bottom.


How many different types of Lego bricks have been produced?

One source places the number of different types of LEGO elements that have been made at 2,200. It is unclear whether or not DUPLO, Clikits, or Bionicle etc, etc, are included in that count.

 How Many Different Types of LEGO Elements Exist?
 2,200 different elements—or types of pieces

 How Many LEGO Elements Are Manufactured?
 Approximately 19 billion each year
 or, 2 million per hour
 or, 36,000 per minute


Does anybody know the LEGO number for this white ship with 6 wings?

This is not a LEGO set, it is a clone brand. The indentations on the slopes show this. You will also find that the studs do not bear the LEGO logo.


How does LEGO decide the color of internal set pieces?

Going for contrast to help you build?

This is probably the primary reason most of the time.

One Eurobricks user once said they asked a set designer about it, and they confirmed they do it to makes it easier to follow the instructions:

  I had an opportunity some time ago to talk to a designer at TLG, and he told me that they use other colors to make it easier to follow the instructions and build the model.


What is meant by the statement about "minifig replicas" in the 2020/2 catalogue?

These 2 sets 75243 & 75258 are 2 of the 20 years anniversary sets.
LEGO included in each of these sets an additional minifig on a stand based on the minifigs released during the first years. These initial star wars figures still had the yellow heads before they moved to flesh colored heads. So they have recreated / replicated these original minifigs.
The original (2000) minifig: princess-leia

The new replica (2020): princess-leia-(20th-anniversary-torso)

For comparison, a modern (2019) version of the same character: princess-leia-(white-dress-detailed-belt-crooked-smile)


What are good books for building techniques of LEGO Technic

In addition to Sariel's excellent book, I'd suggest Yoshihito Isogawa's "Tora no Maki" (Book of secrets) downloadable PDF book, and his Ideas books in print. All are full of clever mechanisms, easy to reproduce and integrate into bigger constructions.
See: isogawastudio.co.jp


Is there a way to buy printed pieces to replace stickers?

No, Lego does not sell custom printed bricks in small quantities (I suspect if you wanted thousands of the same design it would be a different story).

To get your search to work you need to use the advanced features, specifically by removing results that contain 3D: print on ABS plastic -3D

That turns up mostly links on screen printing, which would be awfully fiddly to do with Lego pieces.

A friend has a printer that will print properly on Lego, but it was not cheap to buy. IIRC it's an inkjet that takes special cartridges, presumably using the same sort of ink that the screen printers use. If you're willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars on buying a printer I can ask him for details. My solution would be to pay him to print bricks for me, as I also prefer not to use stickers, but I rarely use decorated bricks so that hasn't yet been necessary.


What is considered the most valuable LEGO set?

I believe it's the Ultimate Collector's Edition Millennium Falcon (10179).

With a $500 MSRP, it was already one of the most expensive sets available when it launched in 2007. In 2012 it is rare to see it for less than $1500 used but intact, and closer to $2000 if you want it new. There may be some smaller sets that have a greater percentage gain (a set that was $2 going to $20, for example), but I suspect at $2000 and a $1000-1500 difference, this is the largest magnitude.


Yes, maybe called Bilda-Brix.

I was given set for Christmas when I was 4.5. This would have to have been 1951.

Don’t remember any instructions, just used my imagination to build houses, towns and even battle ships! They were mostly red, some white hence I could have opposing battle ships. LEGO with its kits to build a specific thing has always seemed to me to demand less of the imagination.


this is a Playmobil cape, from the Zorro figure


Do tools exist to help me translate a real world object to a LEGO design?

Lego Digital Designer (~140mb, Mac and PC) is quite useful for creating 3D designs. I haven't personally used it that much but it is quite a powerful tool. It will tell you the number of bricks used in a model as well.

At a pinch, MS Paint (pixel-based), Google Sketchup (find some templates for bricks) and Minecraft could even be used for planing builds.


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

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

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

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

Brickset: https://brickset.com/

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

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

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

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

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


Which set are these Mega Bloks pieces from?

These pieces are from Mega Bloks "Warriors: Future Force" set# 9528 "U-240 Assault".
(Instructions: https://support.megabrands.com/media/playbooks/9528.pdf)

Even though the picture is low resolution, you can see the orange parts on the three barrel turret better:


Why do official Lego sets sometimes use 1 large part when several would work just as well?

Some of the reasons (including some you've mentioned):

To make building easier / sturdier, so that the set is more suitable for its intended age range
The larger pieces are sometimes cheaper than the component pieces would be
The component parts may not be part of the current inventory of parts available to designers
To make the build interesting
To provide an interesting variety of parts

In the case of the set you mention (and this is pure speculation) it is possible that 1x1x5 bricks are more expensive to make or that they were unavailable in the right colour at the time the set was designed. At the same time, the designers might have felt that the 1x2x2 bricks reduced the part count to the extent that the set was viable for the intended market.


Flash update breaks the Mindstoms NXT viewer

This is fixed using the NXT software version available from http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/downloads/software/nxt-software/ instead of CD that came with the NXT set.


Can you identify some parts on the Chinese New Year Temple Fair set #80105

Part #24866 - Plate, Round 1 x 1 with Flower Edge (5 Petals).

Part #32607 - Plant Plate, Round 1 x 1 with 3 Leaves.

Part #87580 - Plate, Modified 2 x 2 with Groove and 1 Stud in Center (Jumper).

Part #19119 - Plant Flower Stem with Bar and 6 Stems.

Part #49307 - Brick, Modified 1 x 1 x 2/3 No Studs, Curved Top.

Part #15070 - Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Tooth Vertical.

Part #36017- Minifigure, Weapon Sword Hilt with Dragon Head.

Part #64644 - Minifigure, Utensil Telescope.


How do I remove a racing helmet from a garbage can?

If the helmet were jammed head-down, you can use a needle-nose pliers to grasp the edge of the tube in the inside of the racing helmet, as shown, and then pull them apart. You may need to twist them apart as you pull.

In your case, since the helmet is jammed head-up, you need a way to push it out from the bottom. I suggest drilling a small hole through the tube recess in the bottom of the trash can. Unless you are intending to hold liquid in the trash can, there will be no functional impact whatsoever. The aesthetic impact is also minimal. I used a simple 3/32 wood drill bit I found in my garage. After drilling the hole, just push the drill bit through, and it should dislodge the helmet with minimal scratching. You can also pull the drill out and try pushing with another thin object. A wood skewer, for example, would be sufficiently rigid and less likely to scratch the helmet.


Why do technic bushings have a flat side and a wavy side?

The answer is studs. Note that there are more pieces with the same ability.

Orientation of the bushing does matter when you run a rotating axle through a technic plate. Have the round side of the bushing pointing towards the studs. Otherwise the axle might lock up.

Here's an example from set 852 where this technique is used to attach the helicopter's rotor and propeller to an axle.


My grandson wants a LEGO motor. What should I get?

You say he is looking for a "Power Motor", which sounds like he is referring to the LEGO Power Functions line. The bare minimum you need to get a spinning motor would be one of the battery boxes and one of the motors.

Battery Boxes:

AA Battery Box
AAA Battery Box
Rechargeable Battery Box (requires Transformer 10V DC)

Motors:

M-Motor
L-Motor
XL-Motor

(They also make a servo-motor and a train motor, but these are made for special purposes.)

The terms you listed however refer to the different generation of Mindstorms robotics.

EV3: Current generation
NXT: Previous generation
RCX: First generation (rather old and difficult to use with modern computers)
NXT-G: The GUI used to program the NXT robots.

Mindstorms do include motors, among other things, but are mainly geared towards use with robotics.


How can I prevent my finger from getting injured between gears?

Here's an idea for a stop switch using a remote control and one's wrist.

Place your wrist on the switch to start the motor. With your hands free you're still able to carefully adjust your running gears. But what if something (or someone...) gets stuck?

Just lift your wrist and the motor will stop immediately. No need to quickly flick that switch on the battery box anymore.


Help identifying Star Wars set from troopers and white pieces

Seems to be mostly from one set with a mixture of Minifigs and accessories.

Set #10195-1 Republic Dropship with AT-OT.  (Referencing your picture, these are generally the bricks below your Minifigs.)

Some Minifigs and accessories.

Set #8084-1 Snowtrooper Battle Pack. (Referencing your picture, some of your Minifigs come from this set.)

Headgear: Part 61182 Minifigure, Headgear Helmet SW Rebel Scout Trooper. ( Comes with a black visor shown in your picture.  Headgear used on the figure directly below, which is NOT in your picture.)

Trans-Neon Light Saber: Part #30374 Bar 4L (Lightsaber Blade / Wand).

Chrome Hilt: Part #64567 Minifigure, Weapon Lightsaber Hilt Straight.

Minifig: Part #sw0178 General Maximillian Veers - Goggles Print and Dark Bluish Gray Helmet.

Minifig: Part #Sw0166 Shadow Trooper.


Does Enlighten Brick mainly produce copies of old LEGO sets?

Enlighten Brick is a Chinese LEGO knock-off brand.

A lot of, if-not most of, the sets the produce are basically copies of existing LEGO sets, either current ones or popular retired ones.

From their website though, they do appear to have some of their own designs.

Edit by Phil B: Word of Warning: By buying counterfeited sets (such as these Enlighten Bricks copies of LEGO sets) you are sponsoring illegal activities, which if not stopped might ultimately cause irreversible damage to the LEGO brand and the high quality, original sets it provides. Enlighten can offer sets for less than what the equivalent LEGO set would cost purely because instead of investing in R&D they have stolen LEGO's Intellectual Property.


Do you know which set these large grey ball and socket pieces belong to?

The top two pieces there (not the 2x2 square) are

Cylinder Hemisphere 2 x 2 Ball Turret Socket Base

and

Cylinder Hemisphere 3 x 3 Ball Turret

The top appears in 28 sets, the simplest of which is this ion cannon


Identification for harness/hose/pipe + wings

It's 30191 Strap 12 M:

This is listed as x169 on Bricklink and Peeron, and is also called a stretcher holder, as that was it's original use when it was first created in 1998:

Edit: It's acceptable and even preferred to post new questions to identify new parts. With that said, the wing part in your updated question is 15082 Animal Wing with Shaft:


What are the arched things above a wheel called?

That is a Vehicle, Mudguard 2 x 4 with Arch Studded (and a darn hard part to figure out at that).


Use D output in 42099 (4X4 X-treme Off-Roader) set

At the time of writing this, it is not possible to use the Control+ hub and motors in any other configuration than the already existing preset ones. This situation is expected to change, but there are no promises regarding functionality or timeline from LEGO.


There really isn't a "on" for the Duplo studs.  All Duplo studs are hollow studs.  In the interior of the stud, depending on set and the year of the piece, the stud will read:

  DUPLO

or

  LEGO


Tufts MAZE LabView Program Will Not Run on EV3

LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 was not releases until 2013, so I think it is safe to say that the software in question was designed for the NXT only and will not run on the EV3.


What are the holes on the backs of MegaBlocks Call of Duty characters for?

The hole on the back of the figures is mostly used for backpacks and other accessories as shown here in the figure on the left:

In addition, it is also used sometimes to secure the figures into position. For example, in some open cockpit vehicles there is a peg at the back of the seats, that the hole on the back of the figures can attach to. This keeps the figures more secure in their position.


The most amount of pieces [ever] per set

The largest LEGO set by piece count is :
31203: World Map (2021)
Piece count : 11695
Second:
10276-1: Colosseum (2020)
Piece count : 9035
Followed by :
75192-1: Millennium Falcon (2017)
Piece count: 7541

Largest Techic set :
42100-1: Liebherr R 9800 (2019)
Piece count : 4108
Second :
42082-1: Rough Terrain Crane (2018)
Piece count : 4057


How can I blow a stream of air for up to two minutes at a time?

I think whether the official pneumatics parts would work for this project would depend on how much force and pressure is required to sound the particular harmonica that you are considering. I did find someone who has figured out what the pumps are capable of producing however I can't seem to find a reference for what the tubing systems are capable of supporting.

As a previous answer mentioned, an LA would be unlikely to be able to change notes fast enough so it would be much simpler to put a tubing endpoint at each one of the holes and then control which are active using switches and toggles. However if you do plan on powering multiple end points (which I understand is pretty common in typical harmonica playing) you'll have to think about whether you'll be able to supply enough pressure for all of the notes at the same time or not, and may require multiple compressors.

I would think that the design would end up being something like an M motor based compressor connected to one or more air tanks feeding a manifold with enough outputs for each harmonica hole and then adding a switch inline on each of those outputs.


Here's an archive of the LDD part library for you to download, but I am not certain if it works. Give it a try.
Alternatively, if that link ever breaks down and you have Windows 10 you can right-click on your recycle bin, press open, then right-click on the library file pending deletion and press restore. It will come back.
P.S. If you doubt you will ever use this feature again, you can disable it by right-clicking recycle bin, clicking "properties", and selecting "Don't move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted".


Has Lego discontinued presenting alternate configurations on the backs of modern boxes?

I don't have enough reputation to post a comment, but in response to this comment by user3509 (and the similar answer from MartenFerret):

I would also hazard a guess that for brand sets part of the deal was that alternate models weren't allowed for copyright reasons - for example, a Star Wars X-Wing set can only build an X-Wing. Lego then probably made all sets follow the same design pattern for their own brand cohesion.

The original 7140 X-Wing model released in 1999 did have the traditional alternate builds shown on the back of the box:

So if it's a licensing-based decision, it was a later one.


BrickLink: Sell items as whole set and/or individual parts

The specific feature you're asking doesn't exist. However, you can make notes on your set listings and say that you're willing to part out the set.
In addition, there are sophisticated tools for buyers to create wanted lists and check which sellers have all or most of the parts they need. So, if for example, they are looking for several parts from the same set, sellers who have those parts will automatically show up for them. Sellers don't have to do anything extra besides listing the parts to have this feature active.
Based on my personal experience as a BrickLink seller, my suggestion would be to list the sets you have for a few months (sets sell well during the Christmas season, so you may want to list it until the end of the year). Then, if they doesn't sell, part them out and sell the parts individually.
Also, consider listing the sets on eBay. In general, sets sell quicker and for more than on eBay. eBay buyers are more casual LEGO fans and are usually looking for gift items, sets from their childhood, etc.. BrickLink buyers are more project-focused, and they are looking for specific parts for their custom projects and not whole sets.