Is 32013 a drop-in replacement for 3651?

Dimensions are, respectively:

3651 - 0.8cm x 1.6cm x 1.1cm
32013 - 0.8cm x 1.6cm x 0.8cm

Distance between one axle and end of another also did not change. So for most builds it should work.

Incompatibilities include:

Obvious lack of studs
Use as in Lego Technic Universal Set 8034 as a locking mechanism for lift system, as seen on the box:

This answer was posted as Community Wiki, please add incompatibilities if you know them


Is LEGO mindstorms good for a robot warrior or a small size soccer robot?

An option that comes to mind is building a Raspberry Pi-based robot. But it's not likely to be small nor easy to put together, code and all.

I think going for a LEGO robot would be easiest; motors, electronics and power source have all been taken care of. You "only" need to connect them and program the EV3 brick. There are numerous YouTube videos of Mindstorms soccer robots that can inspire you.


On what plane is 6912 Super Soarer based?

I would go for another British aircraft: Sepecat Jaguar

It's twin-engine also.


How can I attach a Technic Linear Actuator to a EV3 Medium Motor?

First of all, let's identify the parts you are trying to attach.

The EV3 medium motor is a pretty accurate description, I'll assume it means this.

The linear actuator is more ambiguous, it can mean both the smaller and the larger variant.

For the smaller one, I'd use two 3 x 3 technic beams or two technic triangles, one on each side of the motor, attached by technic pins in the first case or half-pins in the second. The axle can be connected via an axle joiner.

For the larger actuator, I'd use two quarter brackets and two hybrid beams for spacing.


How many themes have been released by LEGO?

In much the same way we had with the question on categorising bricks, I think this is something better handled by other sites out there:

BrickLink's list of Set Categories, or from their main catalogue page you can see a dropdown with themes listed.
Peeron's Theme Tree starts here, with the core LEGO System themes starting here.
BrickSet also has a list of themes, as well as the Theme Browser which lists the most popular on the page, and the complete set in a dropdown.


Please identify these two Star Wars ships

The top one is 8087: TIE Defender

The bottom one is 8099: Midi-scale Imperial Star Destroyer


Which current wave (2018 onwards) Harry Potter set should I buy to make 12 Grimmauld Place?

Indeed, there haven’t been any models of 12 Grimmauld Place as of yet, and even though the house features in a number of memorable scenes in the movies, even those scenes have never been depicted in an official LEGO model since the inception of the theme 20 years ago. I am still keeping my hopes up this will be a set, perhaps even including the folding motion to make it appear magically! One can only hope ....
It is actually quite common to turn official LEGO models into alternate builds, even if the set is not an official 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 model. This is called a MOD (covered in this question here on this site). A famous one in the AFOL world is the MOD that turns 10214 Tower Bridge into a proper Modular Building.
There are several websites that feature MOD designs. The best known one is Rebrickable, where AFOLs can upload designs for any set (including MODs) and allow people to match up the pieces in their collection to the design, sell the instructions etc.
Another well-known site is Eurobricks, where scattered throughout the vast amount of forums and threads you can search for [MOD] in a posting title and find a lot of examples of MODs.
Back to the question: To make 12 Grimmauld place you need a set with lots of windows, 1xN bricks and a door. Looking at what sets are currently available, I think set 75980: Attack on the Burrow is a good candidate.

As you can see, it has lots of bricks including masonry profile bricks, as well as windows and a door.
I went ahead and tried to build 12 Grimmauld Place. Here is what I built using only pieces from 75980. Did I come close enough?


Which was the first set / minifig with two faces to choose from?

A quick search on Bricklink gives the following results:

Catalog: Parts: Minifig, Head: Search Results for dual sided

Unknown year (41)
2001 (1)
2002 (10)
2005 (4)
2006 (7)
2007 (4)
2008 (4)
2009 (18)
2010 (27)
2011 (43)
2012 (86)
2013 (90)
335 Total Parts (View All)

This search was caried out at http://www.bricklink.com

Assuming that the Bricklink data are complete and correct, there are 41 double sided heads without a known release date, and the trend seems to have started in 2001 with this one:

Minifig, Head Dual Sided HP Quirrell / Voldemort Pattern


What do these numbers on the top of these mini linear actuators denote?

First two digits represent week of production followed by a year.

20X8 - 20th week of 2018.

These codes used for quality control. LEGO Customer Service may ask you to provide this number if there were an issue with a set or particular part.

Similar code exist on box seals too.


Can several users control one Powered Up train using different devices?

As far as I know, this is not possible using the current stock firmware. The battery box can only pair with one device. The UI on the battery box is a single button, and for simplicity the device is either in a mode where it is looking for a device to pair with (flashing light) or already paired (solid light). There isn't a way to pair it with another device once it is already paired, and pressing the button while paired cancels the current pairing.

I'm hoping to put a train in my office before Christmas and it would
be great if multiple people could install the app and change the
speed.

There are ways to allow multiple people to control a device, but it will likely require a bit of software development.
Update
My students and I have been working on a possible solution to this problem that I wanted to share. We've created an open source project for the Raspberry Pi called twitch-powered-up that allows a LEGO model to be streamed from a webcam and controlled via simple natural language commands on Twitch chat. Here's the basic idea:


The steps are made of 4218: Garage Roller Door Section without Handle pieces in clear transparent.

They are inserted into 2420: Corner 2 x 2 Plate pieces.


What is the quality of LEGO replicas on Aliexpress?

You might be interested in the excellent, hilarious and comprehensive Communist LEGO report. It tells you all you can expect, from the good brands to the bad brands. At a minimum, it'll get you rolling of your chair with laughter.
A summary taken from the document:

Brand List 2015
LEGO is a global brand and has been the subject of many copies over the years. The US company Tyco were the first with ‘Super Blocks’ in 1984, after LEGO’s brick patent expired in 1983. Almost every attempt at cloning has been inferior, mainly due to production costs being lower resulting in inferior grade materials and poor fitting pieces. Set design has generally varied from mediocre to rubbish. However, the recently invigorated factories of China have begun to churn out various LEGO clones. It’s worth noting that the potential Chinese domestic market is far, far larger than that of Europe and America combined. There are many Chinese companies making LEGO copies, with new ones starting up at an astounding rate. Minifig copying seems to be endemic, taking advantage of enormous demand for collectable box sets that LEGO cannot do due to contractual reasons. A brief trawl of the AliExpress export website finds a list of 50 companies making plastic building blocks, with probably at least half doing LEGO clones. Most if not all are based in Chenghai, the toy capital of China. Some companies appear to source their products from each other and subcontract, so working out exactly who makes which branded kits is not always straightforward. Many are of random quality and there is a lot of chaff and little wheat. The following is an incomplete list of some of the more actively promoted brands. By the time you read this, there will probably be more. It is interesting to note that many Far East websites list the keyword ‘Enlighten’ above ‘LEGO’.

Net: Some knock-off brands are getting really good and compare in quality with LEGO. Some are absolutely horrific. Some are complete cloners (and will likely disappear soon when the LEGO lawyers swoop in), some have found a niche that LEGO doesn't cover and will likely stay around.


Most cost efficient length for pneumatic hoses?

Here are all the 4 mm diameter pneumatic tube parts Bricklink knows about.
For each of these (filtered by color if necessary) we can take the part (for example Hose, Pneumatic 4mm D. 40L / 32.0cm), check its average sale price in the "Price Guide" tab (in this case at the time of writing US $2.66), then divide that by the length to get the unit price (US $0.044 for a LEGO unit or $0.083 for a cm). Repeating the process for all available lengths will result in a list of unit prices, sorting that gives you the best price to length ratio.
Or if you are looking to buy the cheapest piece from which the most 12cm pieces can be cut, you can then perform an integer division on the original length and arrive at the price of a single 12cm part for each avaialble length. For example, the 32 cm piece above nets you 2 pieces of 12cm lengths, so its unit price is $1.33. Whereas the 428 cm piece is currently on sale for $53.05, and can be cut into 35 pieces of the desired 12cm length, so it gives us $1.51 as unit price.
For reference, the actual 12cm piece costs on average $7.45, but the twice as long 24 cm one is sold for $0.75 on average, so there seems ot be no easy way besides checking and calculating the relevant prices for each available length.
The actual computations and sorting I leave to you or to other site contributors.


Are there any theoretical works about possiblity of self-replication of LEGO systems?

It really depends on the level of self-replication you desire, and your willingness to introduce additional non-LEGO components to the process.

First off, assuming a pure solution, there is no way for LEGO blocks to produce more LEGO blocks.  You can't make a mold for making an ABS plastic part out of parts made from ABS plastic.

Even if you could produce the parts, you'd still run into some problems.  If you were just assembling brick by brick, you could easily replicate such creations.  But as soon as you need to assemble components using technic axles or pins, there'll be some difficulties.  LEGO just doesn't have pieces that are small enough or precise enough to maneuver axles and pins with any precision.

Obviously, this is simply speculation, but I fail to see a way in which LEGO elements could both manufacture and assemble all the elements to create more self-replicating systems.


1 x 2 brick with square hole on top identification

Well, between my comment and zovits "seconding" the idea, I think it's safe to assume we've established what this part "was".  I did a lot of searching earlier online, looking through people's collections of non-production and prototype rare parts and couldn't find this "version" of the part.  So, whatever the story of how it came to be, I would certainly consider this to be a rare keepsake.  Here is a photo of the inside of these bricks with the square insert from the "finger" easily identifiable.

I couldn't bring myself to attempt a disassembly since I apparently don't have many of these and they aren't the more common color of Black and Dark Gray.  Perhaps Rin Rio-Oki will happen upon this question and take the initiative of dissecting one?  Fingers crossed ;)


Is it possible to use EV3 MicroPython with Windows 7?

Sadly no! The EV3 software does not support Windows 7 or Windows 8. Because of how long ago Windows 7 was made, and the time EV3 was made, it simply cannot support it.

Or maybe it is your fault. The USB cord might be damaged or something, we don't know.


Tips on shipping large sets (super star destroyer, 2001 Discovery ship)

I would suggest that you first ask the buyer what they would like. For example I would definitely prefer to get the set fully disassembled as I would like to build it from scratch.

If the buyer doesn't care which way you ship it, fully disassembled is still the safest way. It will take up less room and also it is less likely that parts will be damaged or warped in shipping. You can pack loose parts in ziplock bags.

If the buyer would like the set partially disassembled you can take it apart in the most logical sections, then first wrap each section in cellophane wrapping (the kind used for food). Cellophane protects an assembled set the best because it "sticks" to LEGO leaving little or no gaps, so parts won't fall off. Once you have done that, use bubble wrap around the sections to protect them from bumps while shipping, then place them in the box or boxes.

Also, use FRAGILE stickers or stamps on the box. They do help. And make sure you buy full insurance to cover any loss or damage. Even if the buyer doesn't want to pay for it, it is worth it for your own peace of mind. Hope this helps some! ;)


A piece with no place in Heartlake Stables

That part is the new Brick Separator which LEGO includes in most bigger sets:

It's not part of the construction itself, but is a tool to allow you to easily disassemble constructions. You can compare it with the older version in this question on how to separate 1x2 plates.


How to fix the 4.3V output supply of a NXT 2.0?

Finally I've found a solution. It is not perfect since I wasn't able to find the schematics of the NXT-2.0 nor could I reverse engineer it. But this workaround seems to work pretty well.

This workaround works at the following conditions:

You have an NXT-2.0 (not a NXT-1)
The 4.3V voltage for the motors and sensors is no longer there (Voltage at C61 is zero.)
The 5.0V voltage VCC_RS485 has still 5.0V (Voltage at C57 is 5V)

As you can see in the image below I soldered a 1N4007 rectifier diode between the positive terminal of capacitor C57 and the positive terminal of C61. The cathode of the diode has to touch C61.
Ensure not to touch the test-point T41 close to C57 since this should have 3.3V on NXT-2.0 (while it had 5V on NXT-1).

A silicon rectifier diode causes usually  a ~0.7V drop. So it makes 4.3V from the correct 5V source. If you don't have an exact drop of 0.7V don't worry: The NXT motors work also with the Lego-EV3 and according to the spec. of the EV3 that brick sends even 5V directly to the motor-sensors. (So even a wire instead of the diode might work - but I used the diode to stay on the safe side)

To solder the diode you have to open the NXT and to disconnect the battery holder, which requires some desolder work.

Dependent on your skills this might be some tricky work. Please don't blame me if this kills your NXT totally. Only do it if your feeling qualified to do it and if you've understood the explanations above.


What is this Mandalorian helmet/jetpack from?

This is part# x50px2

Minifigure, Headgear Helmet SW Rocket Pack with Jango Fett Colors Pattern

it belongs to Jango Fett (Balaclava Head)

From set 7153-1: Jango Fett's Slave I


Can you identify this Black Plane or Spaceship with black arches for wings?

This is not a set,

The Tile 2 x 2 with Gold Crown on Light Bluish Gray Background Pattern  comes from 70404-1: King's Castle

the Brick, Arch 1 x 5 x 4 in Black does not appear in this set so it is probably a part of a MOC


It is from set 70404 King's Castle from 2013. Hope that helps.


From an unofficial Legoland Windsor fan site 'Completely LEGOLAND Windsor'.

  Road Vehicles

  The cars, lorries and buses all appear to move and steer on their own,
  never leaving their set paths, yet not using any rails. How on Earth
  do they manage that? Beneath these paths are cables that emit a
  low-level radio wave specific to each vehicle - the vehicle picks up
  this signal, and uses it to steer. When the vehicle reaches one of the
  charging points dotted around it's track, it stops. One of the
  computers registers this, and a timer is started. When the timer
  reaches zero, the power to the charger is cut, and this signals the
  vehicle to continue along it's path. Outside park opening hours, the
  vehicles stop on the charging points and recharge fully overnight.

  Trains

  The trains work in a similar fashion to the road vehicles, but follow
  tracks instead of radio signals. When a train approaches a station,
  the train passes over 'slow down bars', which tell the onboard
  microprocessor to slow the motor. When it reaches a charging point,
  one of which is located at each station, a signal is sent to the
  control room, at which point a timer is started both in the control
  centre and in the train's microprocessor. Unlike the road vehicles,
  which can only go forward at a certain speed, the trains can go
  forwards, backwards, and vary their speed.

  Boats

  The boats are attached to rubber loops, which can clearly be seen
  under the water. These are driven by motors controlled by the
  computers in the control centre. A piece of metal on the hull of the
  boat allow sensors along the boat's track to detect the boat, and let
  the computer know where the boat is. The computer then uses this
  information to initiate various sequences, such as raising bridges, or
  opening and closing locks and powering water pumps.


Why is there such a small supply of dark red 1x4 bricks?

I don't know if there are any particular issues with manufacturing 1 x 4 bricks in Dark Red, but I suspect not. Instead, to understand why dark red 1 x 4s are relatively rare, it is interesting to consider why other colours might be relatively popular.

Popular Colours

Younger children like strong primary colours + black and white. At the same time, older children rarely object to primary colours. For this reason, there is a bias in LEGO's colour selection towards the primary colours. For this reason, Red, Yellow, Blue, White and Black have been part of the LEGO spectrum for a long time. This means that there is already a large number of bricks in these colours in circulation. Indeed (at the time of writing) there are well over 1,000 1x4s in each of these colours available on BrickLink. Green bricks have not been around quite as long, but you would expect them to be popular with children for a similar reason. Indeed, there are a good number of these available, too (over 700 lots today).

Space, Star Wars, castle etc. have required lots of Greys, so these are available in larger quantities. As you would expect, these are also available in larger quantities (over 700 lots each for the modern greys, around 300 - 400 lots for the older greys).

You would expect newer, bright colours to be popular with children. In addition, Lego aimed at girls has resulted in increased quantities of pinks, purples and pastel shades. This would account for why Orange (600+ lots), Lime (500+), Dark Purple (250+),  Bright Pink (250+), Medium Blue (250+), Dark Pink (100+) and Purple (50+) are relatively popular, but less common than the primaries and the greys.

Transparent 1x4s used to be used as windscreens etc. in older models, so there are quite a few of these in circulation (200+ lots on Bricklink).

Less Common Colours

Earthy colours - browns, tans and - have been required for a variety of models, typically representing desert or other natural phenomena. Tan, for example, has been a feature of Pharoah's Quest, various Star Wars sets, etc. This is why there are relatively large quantities of Tan (600+), Reddish Brown (600+), Dark Green (200+), Brown (100+) and Dark Tan (50+) lots available.

The quantity of Maersk Blue (100+ lots) is a special case, in that the licensed models that require this colour also require 1x4s in larger quantities.

Rare Colours

Then there are the rarer colours for 1 x 4s, where there are less than 50 lots of each colour available on BrickLink at the moment. These include Light Yellow, Medium Orange, Light Purple, Pink and our friend Dark Red (+ a few others). I suspect that there are so few of these simply because TLG have had not identified a market for models that contain 1 x 4s in these colours.

Ultra-Rare Colours

For completeness, it is interesting that there are a few colours that are ultra-rare (<10 lots available) in 1 x 4 brick format: Magenta, Transparent Green and Chrome Gold, for example. Sometimes these ultra-rare bricks exist because they were used in a small number of sets that are themselves very rare, or because they were prototype bricks, because they were used in "special" models like the ones in theme-parks, or because the person listing them on BrickLink has misidentified their colour.

(The astute reader will notice that I've omitted Dark Blue, Sand Green and Sand Blue from this analysis, each of which has 200+ lots of 1 x 4s listed on BrickLink as of today. To be honest, I have not yet investigated their relative popularity compared to Dark Red. Suggestions would therefore be welcome.)

Conclusion

In conclusion, I suggest that the relative scarcity of Dark Red 1 x 4 bricks can be explained in terms of TLG's marketing strategy, both current and historic. TLG has always sold bricks in sets that are designed to appeal to children, and its marketing people appear to think that children are disinterested in a product that contains large numbers of Dark Red 1 x 4 bricks.


Starting Lego robotics projects low-budget with the intention of expanding later

According to the WeDo 2.0 FAQ

Is this a new plug system?
Yes, this is the new LEGO Power Functions plug that has been optimized also to meet potential future needs.
What does that mean for the existing plug systems on other Power Function and MINDSTORMS products? Will they also be changed?
Yes, eventually we will convert to the new plug system after a transition period. The exact timing of this transition has not been determined.

However, if you want to build something today, WeDo is a good choice since it is compatible with the current Power Functions products.
There is also the 3rd-party SBrick that works with current Power Functions products but uses Bluetooth Low Energy like WeDo 2.0.


I have found the linked .doc file by using the Wayback Machine, consider making a donation to their awesome service if this has saved you time and/or money :)
But in order to reduce load on their servers and provide a backup, I have reproduced the contents of the document below:

Anatomy of a Monorail Switch
Introduction
This document describes the features and components, both internal and external, of a LEGO monorail switch (or point). Suggestions on how to disassemble and reassemble the switch are also given.
For those few reading this that are unaware of the operational features of a monorail switch, the switch rails (point blades) can be changed both manually, from a slider at the side of the switch, and also semi-automatically, by trip levers set into the running rails of the branches. These trip levers change the switch rails to the correct branch if a train comes down the branch with the switch set against it.
DISCLAIMER: The content of this document is provided “as is” for information only. Neither the author of this document nor the hosting web site will be held responsible for any damage sustained while attempting to follow the content of this document.
External Features
The following annotated photos show the key external parts of a monorail switch

General top view of the switch

General bottom view of the switch
Internal Features
The following annotated photos show the key internal parts of a monorail switch

Underside view of the track bed

Top view of baseplate
Sub-parts
Track bed
Part numbers 2880 (right) and 2885 (left)

Part 2880 – Right trackbed external (top) and internal (bottom) view
The left trackbed (part 2885) is a mirror image.
Baseplate
Part numbers 2881 (right) and 2886 (left)

Part 2881 – Right baseplate external (top) and internal (bottom) view
The left baseplate (part 2886) is a mirror image.
Switch rails (point blades)
Part numbers 2882 (right) and 2887 (left)

Part 2882 – Right switch rails.
The left switch rails (part 2887) are a mirror image.
Switch
Part number 2883

Trip lever
Part number 2890

Each monorail switch contains two of these parts
Lever rod
Part number 2911

Each monorail switch contains two of these parts
Switch wheel
Part number 2884

Spring

Operation
Set to straight branch

External view showing position of switch, “unused” switch rail and raised trip lever on the curved branch.

Internal view showing “at rest” position of the internal mechanism
Set to curved branch

External view showing position of switch, “unused” switch rail and raised trip lever on the straight branch.

Internal view showing “at rest” position of the internal mechanism
From straight to curved

This annotated photograph shows the motion of the internal parts when moving the switch rails from the straight branch to the curved branch. All joints (due to the angles they make), and hence the parts, have a “preferred” direction of travel and these all coincide with the direction they must travel for the mechanism to work smoothly.
From curved to straight

When moving the switch rails from the curved branch back to the straight branch, the reverse of the motion shown in the annotated photograph above should happen. However, the joint highlighted has a problem. This joint is very close to a “point of singularity”, that is, where the joint is in such a state that it can move one way or the other without preference. If it moves in the direction of the red arrow, the mechanism will effectively lock the switch rails, if in the direction of the green arrow, the switch rails will change to the correct position. Due to the slight wear on the parts in this particular switch, the joint has actually gone past the point of singularity “in the wrong direction” and its preferred direction is now upwards! (This also explains why you can sometimes get a stuck switch to work by placing on its long straight edge and gently tapping it, as gravity will pull the joint back the correct way.)
Disassembly Procedure
It would appear from external inspection that the baseplate can be removed from the track bed by simply turning the switch upside down, releasing the five retaining clips (see underside image above) and prising the baseplate up and out. If you attempt this it will not work (even if you manage to release all five clips at the same time) as the baseplate is also glued to the trackbed at various places.
Baseplate retaining clips
Whether the five retaining clips were originally intended to fully hold the baseplate to the track bed or whether they were only intended to hold the two parts together while the glue dried is unclear. Whatever their original purpose all they successfully do while trying to part the baseplate from the trackbed is to get in the way.
Given that it is almost impossible to hold them in the unclipped position while freeing the glued parts and that they are likely to fracture due to stress while freeing the glue, it is easiest to carefully cut the lip from each clip thereby releasing the baseplate from their grasp.
Glued supports
With the retaining clips removed it is now necessary to part the glued supports. Using a blunt thin wedge (such as a jewellers screwdriver), carefully insert it between the baseplate and the trackbed at the end of the straight branch and lever the baseplate upwards. Take care not to cause stress marks. If the baseplate won’t lift, don’t force it, try the end of the curved branch, don’t force it, try a different place on the end, try slightly down one side, don’t force it, try the other side, try further down a side, and don’t force it. Eventually the glued joint between the trackbed and the top of the support at the end of a branch will fail and the baseplate will lift sufficiently to get a long bladed craft knife in. Carefully using the craft knife separate the trackbed from the glued supports at the end of each branch and around the area where the frog would be on a standard two-rail switch. Don’t try to cut through the supports with the craft knife, use the blade to apply pressure where the top of the support has been glued to the trackbed – as if you were trying to cut through the glue.

Photo of the removed baseplate, highlighted to indicate the position of the glued supports.
Once sufficient supports have been release it is possible to start removing the trip levers, lever rods, switch wheel and switch. Doing this provides more room to work inside the switch and also reduces the chance of damage to an internal part should the craft knife slip.
The glued long supports by the straight edge of the switch should be attempted last. Take extra care over these as you have to prise the trackbed and baseplate quite a long way apart to reach the knife all the way from the other side and this will cause a large amount of stress on the curved side wall of the trackbed. This is not made any easier by the fact that this is the wall with the three switch rail access slots in it which weaken the wall.
It took me a good hour and a half to fully separate the baseplate from the trackbed.
Assembly Procedure
Before re-inserting the internal sub-parts, using a sharp craft knife, carefully de-burr the supports, underside of the trackbed and any place where the blade slipped. Then remove all swarf from the parts, either with a lint free cloth or by blowing.
Insert parts
Replace the switch rails (point blades) if you removed them. Turn the trackbed upside down and insert the sub-parts starting with the switch wheel. Make sure that the switch wheel fully engages with both the spring and the switch rails. Insert the trip levers into their slots. Insert the switch onto its runner and connect to the straight branch trip lever. Insert the trip levers into their slots and join the curved branch trip lever to the switch wheel and the straight branch trip lever to the manual switch with the lever rods. Finally replace the baseplate.
Test operation
Before re-gluing the baseplate check the operation of the switch. The only real mistake you can make is to use the wrong slot in the switch wheel to engage the switch rails. If you do this the switch rails will not fully travel to the straight position but stop about 3/8ths of an inch short.
Glue baseplate
Important note: Observe all usage instructions and hazard warnings while using liquid glue.
To complete assembly it is necessary to glue the baseplate back to the trackbed. One option would be to apply a tiny blob of plastic model glue to the top of the supports released during disassembly. However, this runs the risk that the glue will spread where it is not wanted and seize an internal part or that an internal part will be dislocated from its correct position while the baseplate is inserted.
It is therefore preferable to “dry assemble” the switch and use liquid glue (also known as MEK) to secure the baseplate to the trackbed. Check the internal parts one final time (for burrs and swarf) and assemble the switch. Test the operation and then use some temporary means to hold the switch together. I use copper wire, metal paper clips (the big ones with arms that fold over to open them) and modellers G-clamps with soft metal faces (and not elastic bands, sticky tape or masking tape as I’ve managed to glue all of these to the plastic models in my youth!) Once the switch is held temporarily, turn it over and make sure it still works (and doesn’t rattle!), then, when satisfied that all is correct, turn it back over and using sparing amounts of liquid glue (and being aware of where any excess will run) glue the baseplate to the trackbed.
Thoughts
Lubrication
As all the internal moving parts are plastic there seems little to be gained from attempting to lubricate a “sticking” switch. The “sticking” is most likely to be cause by wear on the bearings/sliders or from foreign matter causing an obstruction. If the former, there is very little that can be done. If the latter, a strong blast of air (from one of those cans of air for cleaning computer keyboards) is probably a better bet as most lubricants (being sticky themselves) will only cause the foreign matter to combine into larger obstructions or aggravate the situation by attracting dust, etc into the internal mechanism. Also, the most obvious places to apply lubrication (in the switch running groove, on the lever rod bearings, on the switch wheel bearing and slot and under the trip levers) are almost impossible to reach without disassembling the switch.
Design – Brilliant or Flawed?
On initial inspection the design of the internal mechanism seems brilliant – economy of parts, reuse of parts between left and right switches and simplicity of function. However, I believe that there is a major design flaw in the design that failed to allow for normal wear over the life of the switch. The position of bearing for the lever rod on the switch wheel is very close to a point of singularity. This means that as the bearings wear the mechanism (when activated from the trip lever on the curved branch running rail) can either change the switch rails to straight or lock them in position.
Do you need to replace everything?
The only internal parts needed are the switch wheel and spring. With just these two parts the switch rails can be moved from straight to curved to straight by “the big hand” and will lock in position. Adding the manual switch enables the switch rails to be changed from the side and adds the possibility for motorised/pneumatic operation. The curved branch trip mechanism seems to cause the most problems (and was totally jammed on the switch I disassembled that gave rise to this document) and is beginning to fail on a number of other monorail switches I have. I therefore omitted the trip lever and connecting rod when I reassembled my switch. This is not a problem for me as the curved branch of this switch enters a siding, so a train should never be set to run through it when set to the wrong direction.


You can run C++ programs directly on the EV3 (Stackoverflow). An Eclipse plugin is also available.

If you want to run the C++ program on Windows and connect to the EV3 remotely you can use c4ev3's ev3duder, to establish a connection to the device and then keep sending direct messages to the motors over that connection. Check out moveEv3.pl for an example.


What is a "MOD" and how does it differ from a "MOC"?

It's MODification, "My Own Design" is silly.
Also used quite extensively outside of the LEGO community, e.g. in gaming a MOD is altered game code you execute, either to cheat or too change graphics for fun.

So an existing set where you altered things to is a MOD.

A MOC is created from scratch.


How long are Star Wars exclusives usually in stock for?

I don't think there's any rule about that, and most probably various factors influence the length of time for which a set is available. From experience, I'd tend to say that most sets last around 2 years, but it's certainly not fixed in stone, so don't take my word for it.

Considering exclusives usually mean more benefit for LEGO, it would make sense for example that well-selling sets are produced for a longer time - if it sells, there's less incentive to stop producing it, apart from production issues (the number of set in production at a current time being limited, and the same is true for parts so if the set has specific parts maybe it'll be phased out faster).

In the past, LEGO has even reissued sets which were in high demand, the best example being the Maersk ship for which LEGO had said there would be no more of them because they hadn't any granulate left of that colour, until Maersk intervened and a reissue was possible.

However, there is now another help for that, as LEGO recently created a "retiring soon" page which should give an good indication of soon-to-retire sets. It may not always be accurate, it seems to be limited to the US at the moment, but if your set is on the list, it's probably a good idea not to wait too long. But if it's not on the list, it doesn't necessarily mean you can sleep on it too long either.

Of course, some sets land in the Sales & Deals page at the end of their life, and when they do, you better act real fast or risk having to pay more than list price (example: the modular Green Grocer, which had been heavily discounted before selling out in a matter of hours, if not minutes. Good luck finding a cheap one now.). It may actually end up that way with the "retiring soon" page as fans hurry to buy the sets there, and there are indeed a few which are now sold out.

So, in short, don't wait too long if you can avoid it. Just because LEGO has sent a retired set to a kid doesn't mean they'd do the same for you :-)


I found these images of parts and want to find their part numbers

You can find all of these elements listed on Bricklink under "Technic, Steering" category
Assembled combinations are:

Technic, Steering Portal Axle, Housing with Dark Bluish Gray Technic, Steering Wheel Hub 3 Pin Round (92908 / 92909)

Technic, Steering Axle with 2 Pin Holes and 2 Axle Holes with Dark Bluish Gray Wheel Hub (23801 / 92909)

Technic, Steering Axle with 2 Pin Holes and 2 Ball Joint Arms with Dark Bluish Gray Wheel Hub (11949 / 92909)

Technic, Steering Arm with 4 Ball Joints with Black Wheel Hub (x872 / x873)

Technic, Steering Axle with 2 Pin Holes with Dark Bluish Gray Wheel Hub (11950 / 92909)

No listing as an assembly

No listing as an assembly

Technic, Steering Axle with 2 Pin Holes with Dark Bluish Gray Steering Wheel Hub 3 Pin Holes Round (11950/ 35189)

These assemblies consist of following individual elements (listed by the time of the first appearance on a picture):

92908 - Technic, Steering Portal Axle, Housing
92909 - Technic, Steering Wheel Hub 3 Pin Round
23801 - Technic, Steering Wheel Hub Holder with 2 Pin Holes and 2 Axle Holes
11949 - Technic, Steering Wheel Hub Holder with 2 Pin Holes and 2 Ball Joint Arms
x873c01 - Technic, Steering Arm with 4 Ball Joints with Black Wheel Hub (x872 / x873)
11950 - Technic, Steering Wheel Hub Holder with 2 Pin Holes
92910 - Technic, Steering Ball Joint Large Open with C-Shape Pivot Frame
92911 - Technic, Steering Ball Joint Large Receptacle
35189 - Technic, Steering Wheel Hub 3 Pin Holes Round

Check out these URLs where you can find which sets each of these elements was included in and you can also purchase ones you need directly on Bricklink.


I am assuming that you want motor a to copy motor d and motor to is controlled manually(with your hands).

You can use the motor sensor to sense the degree of movements of motor d, then use link it to how much motor a turns. However, as motor d will still retain the degree it has been turn, motor a will continue moving even after motor d has stopped(unless you turn back motor d). To counter this, you have to use the switch block and a bunch of compare blocks. You will have to make it so that if motor a's degree is the same or more than b's degree, the motor degree will reset. However, if I turn d counter clockwise, d's degree will be negative and the comparison(same or more than)will not work and it will keep spinning. Thus, I added another switch block that will compare motor a's degree and motor b's degree, this time resetting the motor's degree when it is a is equal to or smaller than d.

This way what ever rotation done to d will happen to a.

Hope this helps you!


Can't create block: "Use of a block which no longer exists"

Try exporting(saving locally) the block that shows error. Then delete it from the program and import it from where you saved it


Is there a current source for the LGEO parts library?

As stated in your "various places" link, the LDraw.org web site maintains an All-In-One-Installer (AIOI) which contains and installs LGEO and is updated in January every year so I assume they use the latest version of LGEO.

BTW, I found an LGEO quirk when launching POV-Ray from within LPub3D which I use for generating building instructions.  I kept the screenshot below highlighting how you have to tell LPub3D that LGEO is not available, even though the AIOI installed it:


Can anyone help id this partial build/set?


Bluetooth will not connect Error code: -142016

LEGO's Bluetooth support page has a limited amount of support for Bluetooth errors. It mentions further Bluetooth support can be found in the user guide on:

Pages 36-45 for NXT 2.0
Pages 28-37 for NXT 1.0

Where can I find instruction booklets?

You may also get in contact with LEGO's customer support.


What products, if any, have ever been recalled by LEGO?

There is a list of recalls dating back to 2002 on the LEGO site, so that's a start.

It contains two items:

A specific version of the IR remote, typically used for trains.
A one piece toy truck, only sold in the USA.


I would suggest not using hinges of any kind, but just making a plain panel with a tile on top, resting on a tile in the wall. For an example from LEGO itself, have a look at booklet 2 of the instructions for set 7094. Notice they use panels instead of flat tiles which is even less visible from the outside (although they did it not for that reason but to make sure it was easier to remove).

In your case, you'll want to block it from behind (with slopes at each corner for example) as you don't want it to go into the structure.

To remove it, you'll either need to draw it by some protruding fixture if you can fit one in, or push it from the inside by another mechanism (for example, pushing on something on the top would activate a lever which would push the wall)


This is from https://makecode.mindstorms.com/troubleshoot
Check that you have the newest firmware; on the EV3 brick:

Go all the way to the right to the wrench tab

Go all the way down to the menu called 'Brick Info'

The information dialog that appears should say something like:
Brick FW: v1.10E

If you have a version which is less than this, then you need to upgrade. Unfortunately, this can only be done from the very buggy EV3 Manager at https://ev3manager.education.lego.com/


How do I make my logo/mascot into a custom LEGO model?

The cheapest way to go about doing this is to design it yourself, like you said, using one of the LEGO cad softwares (LEGO Digital Designer, LDraw, MLCAD, etc.).  Then, buy the pieces and build it.  However, that takes a lot of time, and unless you are experienced, may not turn out so good.

The easiest (but also likely expensive) way to do this is to hire a LEGO certified professional.  The LEGO certified professionals are LEGO enthusiasts who have turned that passion into a business, and are officially recognized by LEGO for their work and skill.

http://aboutus.lego.com/en-us/lego-group/programs-and-visits/lego-certified-professionals

I would contact a certified professional and see how much they need to design and build your logo.


Minecraft The Nether 21106 microworld set bags?

Based on the brickset review the set contains 5 bags an 2 instructions  and 1 loose brick separator (see photo of the box), so I think you have the complete set


Some of the more popular programs used when designing MOCs are:

LEGO Digital Designer
MLCAD
SR 3D Builder

There are some other ones available but those three seem to be most preferred editors. They all have quite similar set of features but their user interfaces are very different. I encourage you to try each of them out. If you wish to find most extensible software, MLCAD seems to be rather old and stable platform to build upon.

I myself use pen & paper for concepts and ideas and LEGO Digital Designer for designing.


Does anybody know the part number of this tile?

That's Train Level Crossing Center Rail Cap Insert 2 x 14 x 2/3. Although as naming suggests it is 2/3 of a brick, so it must be two plates high.

Picture from Bricklink:

And here is a list of 6 sets it was part of.


Are only two new train sets available in August 2018?

Those are the two City-themed trains that are currently available. LEGO is currently transitioning to a new electrical system for trains, so that may explain the relatively low number of trains available. There are a couple of other trains available if you are interested in something outside of the City theme.

There's Winter Holiday Train (10254):

And also the new Hogwart's Express(75955) (currently backordered):

These are just the sets currently available directly from TLG. LEGO has produced many, many trains over the years. You can find out-of-production train sets on secondary markets such as Bricklink or eBay.


Little round knobs under the ark of the covenant

Since I'm not the author I won't be able to provide instructions, however it is quite easy for me to identify the pieces you are asking about.
"Little round knobs" are Brick, Round 2 x 2 Sphere with Stud / Robot Body (20953)

Bars are attached with the help of Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Light Attachment - Thick Ring (4081b)

That's how it would look in the assembly:


Can I use the original Lego Boost to create the R2D2 droid set?

Theoretically possible, but I think you'll find that the droid set contains quite a bit of lego elements that are rather rare, and hence difficult to find in your own collection or from other sources like bricklink.
But at least the electronics can be re-used from the 17101 set.

I myself bought the 75253 boost commander droid set.
You can build all three models, but motors and hub needs to be switched from model to model.
Since I had a couple of 17101 Lego Boost set lying around, I used those components to complete the other two models.
You do need a couple of extra parts, which are a bit easier sourced from your own collection or bricklink:


Facebook ads for cheap LEGO : legit or scam?

I raised this same question on Reddit.

Two people over there pointed out that the website was actually selling pants instead of LEGO.

So I just tried to access the website through https://hide.me/en/proxy.

When I use their Dutch proxy, the site can't be loaded at all.

When I use their American proxy, the site is shop for pants.

When I use their German proxy, the site is shop for LEGO sets.

So I guess it could not be a scam more obviously.

Not only are they scamming people by "selling" items at ridiculous prices that they're never planning to deliver, but they're "selling" LEGOs in one part of the world and pants in another part on the very same website!

I've never seen anything like it.


Part differences between main and alternate models of 8285 set

Rebrickable has an option to compare set's main models and some of the B-models as well. However there is no inventory for second model for 8285 set available on Rebrickable. The best I could find is a LDraw file available on Eurobricks.

I've imported this file as a custom list on Rebrickable that could be used to compare with sets and MOCs. Imported file gave me some errors (so final result won't be 100% accurate) and I had to tweak this list a bit as there were wrong color or part type used on a file sourced from Eurobricks.

In the end it gave me a number of 83.% shared parts between both versions. Main model needs the rest 17%, which is roughly 320 parts (92 unique) that are not in B-model (excluding spare parts).

I would like to note this set comes in multiple inventories as it known to be initially released with some parts in Metallic Silver, which later were changed to Light Bluish Gray.

List of parts you would need for main model (not 100% accurate, but very close; may have some minor discrepancies due to issues with source file of alternate model):


Different kids are motivated by different kinds of sets. Some kids need directed building to focus them, and so a set with instructions helps them. Other kids just need useful parts.

I'd recommend getting basic bricks to start, something from the Classic line. Or else get something from the Creator line, many of those sets come with instructions for alternate models. This is a good lesson on how the same inventory of pieces can make more than one set. On Lego's Website you can check the set descriptions for Creator sets that are "3 in 1".

Larger sets will cost more, but the models will be more challenging and will offer more opportunity to build more things (as it's usually easier to build things if you have more pieces).


I am looking for robot constructor general plastic parts

The first picture is from Elector,
 the second is kai robot.

They are both robotic kits from Iran, you can order kits from their site.

If you are looking for a Lego solution,
the Lego Eduction program has robotic kits like  Mindstorm and WeDo, or you could look at Lego Boost


Remove decals from LEGO Friends mini-dolls

Pure eucalyptus oil works excellent, won't damage your minifigs, (and it smells good too!). You can get it in small bottles at health-food stores, pharmacies, and Asian stores. You don't need much, so a small bottle can last you a long time.

Just pour a little of the oil on a piece of cotton or soft towel, and rub over the printed area you want to remove. It gets wiped off almost right away. If it is a small area you want to remove, use a Q-tip. Just be careful not to touch areas you want to leave intact as the oil works pretty fast. Wash off the minifigs with pure water afterwards.

You can also use Brasso (the metal polish), but it takes a bit more rubbing and it smells really bad. But it does a good job in general and won't damage your minifig. It is also easier to control than the oil on small surfaces as it is more like a paste and won't run like the oil could. Make sure you rinse the minifigs off really well once you are done.


Putting flipped plates together as close as possible

this way it can open and close

Blue = 4276 Hinge Plate 1 x 2 with 2 Fingers
Yellow = 4275 Hinge Plate 1 x 2 with 3 Fingers
LightBlue = Plate 2 x 4
White = Plate 2 x 2
Pink = Plate 1 x 4
Light Bluish Gray = Plate 1 x 3
Yellowish Green = Plate 1 x 2
Red = Tile 2 x 2
Green = Tile 1 x 4


How do I have an else in conjunction with an if statement with two conditions?

You can put all of the logic outside of the switch block and use the "Logic" input of the switch block. You can do exactly what you have described in pseudo code since there are "less than"/"greater than" blocks and an "and" block.


Update Dec 2016

There is now an app for chromebooks on the chrome store:

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/lego-mindstorms-education/jhnhfnolmcleankdkhfklakpchnccipg?hl=en-US

I have used it to program EV3 version of the bricks. It connects via bluetooth to the EV3 brick (I don't think USB is even supported).  The bluetooth connection can be buggy at times and I've found myself having to re-pair the brick.

The chrome app saves programs in a format (.ev3m format) which is not compatible with the Mac/Windows desktop versions of the programming app.   Attempts to load programs written on Mac/Windows (.ev3 format) will not load in the app.  Suffice to say transferring programs between a chromebook and the desktop version of the EV3 programming software is difficult and perhaps not possible. There may be a way to download the program from the chrome app onto the brick and then pull the software using the 'Memory Browser' tool into the desktop version but I haven't had time to look into it.

My chromebook has only 2 GB of RAM and the program sometimes struggles to load so I recommend at least 4 GB of RAM in your chromebook.

There is a pretty good Q/A article here:

https://education.lego.com/en-us/middle-school/explore/c/ev3-chromebook-faq


It is not LEGO but a clip for a Playmobil cannon.

https://www.libble.de/playmobil-7683/p/561335/


They are custom parts from altBricks.
From their interview with Brothers-Brick a few years ago:

TBB: Were there any structures you just couldn’t find a way to recreate purely from LEGO bricks?
Alice: I know the purists will cringe, but I used a few pieces made by altBricks because they fit so perfectly with the elegant, flowing style of the Elven architecture. The panel piece is one of my favorite pieces in this model since you can can apply it in so many different settings: tower-top decorations, windows, and balcony railing to name a few. I also used their 1×2 column since I like the fine texture of the fluting and the back has a nice arched opening as well.
David: In the bridge section, the altBricks element was key, since tan telescopes were not available and I really needed to project that sweeping flowy look. I tried to remain as purist as possible, but in a build like this we needed that part to really get the look we wanted.

This is also confirmed on Alice's Flicker photostream where she captions a few of the shots with:

Elven 2x2 panels by altbricks.com


NXT software on Windows 10 isn't detecting NXT brick

You need a newer version of the Lego Fantom Driver.
You can download it here as part of the whole software kit:
https://education.lego.com/en-us/downloads/retiredproducts/nxt/software
If you want JUST the driver on it's own, scroll to the advanced section at the bottom of this page:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/mindstorms/downloads
And grab the NXT Fantom Driver file

Unzip the downloaded file, then follow the usual "install driver from disk" under win 10 procedure.
The driver works perfectly fine under windows 10:

But some of the driver installers for 64bit have an error in the install script, and need to be patched before they work.  If your driver setup (Assuming you use the exe setup method) fails, the instructions to patch the driver can be found here:

Your installation will fail if you are using a 64bit-Windows. The reason for this is a slightly defect setup.ini-file, which refers to a LegoMindstormsNXTdriver64Supp.msi which does not exist.
I don’t know when Lego will fix this (current version 1.2.0 still has the problem), but there is an easy workaround:

Download the File, Unzip it

Go to „NXT Fantom Drivers\NXT Fantom Drivers\Windows\1.2\1.2.0, open setup.ini in your favorite editor (still using notepad???)

Search for the line „[LegoMindstormsNXTdriver64Supp.msi]“

In the next line, enter another, valid path (even if it has nothing to do with the Driver-Support). e.g. change it to   „Path=Products\LEGO_NXT_Driver_64\NXT_D02\LegoMindstormsNXTdriver64.msi“.

Save the file

Start the normal setup.exe

When the installer asks you which components you want do install, deselect the „LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT x64 Driver Support“ LegoInstaller

Finish the rest of the installer with the defaults, everything should run smooth now. The Driver-Support files are not necessary for normal use


Rebrickable.com offers the ability to add sets as well as individual pieces to your account.


As per the answer to your other question, please consider part 731c04 - Yellow Technic, Shock Absorber 6.5L, Complete Assembly - Hard Spring. Not only is it still in production compared to 95292c01, it also has a much wider range of availability and hence costs you less to procure as a piece on BrickLink ($2 vs $10).


How do I add the lms2012 library as a dependency within Visual Studio

lms2012 is the entire virtual machine that runs on the EV3. It is meant to be compiled using Eclipse on Linux. There is really no use trying to include the whole thing and build it in Visual Studio on Windows because it doesn't have the required Linux libraries.

If you are trying to develop your own remote control program, then just copy the relevant header files from lms2012 and include them in your source code. The data types and #defines from the header files are really all you need.


Why doesn’t part 30099 fit into the System?

This picture might explain the reason:

As you can see, arches form a nice circle to fit round modified plate. All fits well, except the very bottom. Making the bottom edge fit the plate/tile nicely would result in gap with a round piece. The curve of this arch brick isn't full 1/4 circle to make it flush with a tile/plate.

However you may ask "Why didn't LEGO just extend the bottom curve to full 1/4 circle and cover the stud?". This seems to be an obvious solution, but that's a different topic and we may not know which decision caused the part to appear in existing form.


What all fits into 4532 "Container, Cupboard"?

The door that is listed as compatible can be attached with its handle inside to make a smooth surface at the front. It could become hard to open however.


What LEGO set is this? White pieces, brick separator, and blue pilot Clone Trooper?

The minifigure  is  501st Clone Pilot (75004)

So it should be this set

Z-95 Headhunter


How much current do the LEGO motors draw?

YES!  Philippe Hurbain (Philo) has put together a great and very detailed write-up on those and many other LEGO 9V electric motors.

You can find it here:  LEGO 9V Technic Motors compared characteristics

Your current draw for that specific motor @ 9V is:

No load:              65mA
Loaded (3.6 N.cm):    310mA
Loaded (6.0 N.cm):    480mA
Stalled (11 N.cm):    850mA

I was about to ask this very question when a friend pointed me to this write-up.
Hopefully someone else will find it as useful as I did.


Difference between LEGO Castle and LEGO Kingdoms

LEGO Kingdoms is a sub-theme of LEGO Castle. LEGO Castle is one of the oldest LEGO themes, and through the years it had various sub-themes like Knight's Kingdom, Fantasy Era, Dark Forest, etc.

The current LEGO Castle theme is simply called LEGO Castle without a sub-theme name and I think that is causing the confusion. The previous LEGO Castle theme released between 2010 and 2012 was called LEGO Kingdoms. The only set that is still available from LEGO Kingdoms is the #10223 LEGO Kingdoms Joust set.

At the online LEGO Shop you will see that the two themes are listed separately. The reason being that they are actually two sub-themes of LEGO Castle, even though the current one doesn't have an official sub-name. So to be clear, LEGO Castle is the theme, with two current sub-themes; LEGO Castle and LEGO Kingdoms.

LEGO has always listed sub-themes separately. For example when LEGO Kingdoms first came out there were still some LEGO Fantasy Era sets left from the previous years, and although they were both sub-themes of LEGO Castle they were kept in separate categories. The same thing is happening now, except this time one of the sub-themes have the same name as the main theme. I hope this is not too fonfusing...(c;


I think that is 7937 "Train Station"

Method:

I recognised the white girder piece as being in the Saturn V set
Bricklink then shows all other sets with that piece
Of the eight sets that have that piece in white, the 7937 also has two blue chairs and some grey ladders.


LEGO Mindstorms 9797 (NXT Education base set) Software Download

I contacted Lego and they gave me this link for a PC:

https://fileshare.corp.lego.com/node_share_links/119233?token=7a9527d5-cd94-491c-88b3-689587eae5ae
I don't have the link for a Mac, but you can ask Lego for it.


Why do I not have the Brick Datalog app in the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 V1.10E firmware?

Interesting insight. I didn't notice that it was missing. (I wonder if there was not enough room in the flash memory for both this and the new MakeCode stuff - or maybe it was just an accident).

I managed to find a hack to get the Brick Datalog program loaded again.

Download this zip file.
Unzip the file.
Open Brick Datalog.ev3 in the EV3 programming software.
Download the project to your EV3.
Open the Memory Browser.

Browse to the Brick Datalog project, then click Download.

Select the Brick Datalog.rbf file (from where you unziped the file in step 2) and click Open.

Close the Memory Browser.
On the EV3 brick, you can now browse to the Brick Datalog project and run the Brick Datalog program (it won't be with the rest of the "apps" as in previous versions of the firmware).

How it works:

The brick apps use the same format as user-created programs on the EV3, so I just took the Brick Datalog app from the ev3dev lms2012-compat project (which is identical to the official LEGO version, but easier to get to). Then I created a new empty project in the EV3 Education software and imported all of the images and sounds. The software doesn't let you import .rbf files (the actual program), which is why it has to be downloaded separately via the Memory Browser.

I haven't tested this extensively, but it does seem to work.


How to differentiate Cellulose acetate vs ABS LEGO bricks?

LEGO switched from cellulose acetate (CA) plastic to ABS plastic in 1963. They continued to distribute CA pieces in sets until their existing supply was exhausted, so during the transition beginning in 1963 both types of pieces were sold in sets. In North America, LEGO pieces were manufactured beginning in 1961 under license by Samsonite, which continued to distribute CA pieces mixed in sets until about 1970.

Distinguishing CA from ABS pieces based on intrinsic criteria is something of an art.

The first thing to look for is warping. CA plastic is much more prone to warp than ABS, which is perhaps the main reason the switch was made. If you find an old piece that is warped, odds are it is CA. You can check for warping by placing a piece on a flat surface and checking for any "wobble." Another good method is to build a simple brick wall with the pieces and look for gaps or poor connections.

Generally CA plastic is much shinier than ABS plastic when it is in good condition. CA pieces will lose the shine with wear, so this is not always possible to see.

There are also some tell-tale clues in the colors.

Red CA pieces have more orange than the ABS version.
Yellow CA pieces are not as bright as ABS pieces.
Blue CA pieces are a brighter shade than the ABS version.
Black, white, gray and clear CA pieces are harder to differentiate. Transparent CA bricks can be somewhat brownish, while later transparent bricks, made from polycarbonate, can have a bluish cast.
Green CA bricks are very scarce, but some green plates are CA.


Getting the IR Tower working with RCX and RobotC

Please see this question: Lego Mindstorms RCX RIS 2.0 IR tower Windows 7 / Windows XP driver
Basically there are no 64bit drivers available and the OP on the question I linked to says he had no luck with an XP VM either.


Why did Lego use the same number for two different sets?

I recall someone asking this to a Danish employee at a public event in the US around 2003. In a very humble voice the LEGO employee simply said "We forgot." LEGO employees were admitting before that to using brickshelf for old instructions because they didn't have digital company archives yet.

It's possible they knew about the numbers and saw no problem with reusing the retired number. It's we obsessive fans that are the problem! When I was a kid, making my first LEGO master catalog, I was upset to discover 540 had been reused, for Swiss Villa, 1973 and Police Units, 1979 (before they assigned it to Basic Building Set, 1985. Argh!)

You can find many examples with this Peeron search Change the -2 to -3, etc to find more layers. Open a set, then edit the URL to -1 to see what it clobbered (sometimes Peeron has the newer set inventoried first as -1.)

So you can see how they are still doing it. But mostly it is done to impulse items, promos, basic bricks, and non-brick lines. I can't find a core set bumping off another set number after 2000 (see Scorpion Buggy for example.) Maybe they have stopped after that?


2x2 plate with round section and rubber bristles?

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.


How to turn the NXT at an angle with NXC

This depends on the exact configuration of your robot, including but not limited to the distance between the wheels (if it's a differential drive robot), the diameters of the wheels, the gearing (if any is used) between the motors and the wheels.

A simple solution would be to experiment with various parameters and making corrections based on the direction and magnitude of the observed error. For example, if you send an order of RotateMotor(100) and see that your robot turns about 30°, you would try again with RotateMotor(300).

Another possible solution is to write a program that displays the values read from the motors' encoders, perform the required maneuvers by pushing the robot by hand, and noting the displayed values. In theory, those values would be the ideal parameters.

Of course, the most sound and correct solution is to whip out your geometry skills and calculate the exact angle the motors need to turn, but this approach tends to fail when reality does not behave perfectly (as in skidding, measurement errors, friction, etc.)

All in all, I'd recommend picking a starting value, trying it on your robot, observing the results, making adjustments based on the observations and starting over the loop.

For reference (if you hadn't already found it): NXC RotateMotor command


Why are 2x4 bricks hard to get in certain colors?

Prices of bricks are determined by supply and demand, in your specific case, it is the supply side to blame. Check this site which shows how many sets was a particular colour of 2x4 brick contained in, and you'll see that there is no mention of the Dark Brown colour you are after. This means all such bricks for sale come from other sources than opened official LEGO sets that were parted out and sold by pieces, like designer bricks, not officially released sets and the like.
Brown bricks were found in 27 sets, but if you compare that number with the 650 sets for yellow ones, you'll see how it causes the difference in their prices (12 cents vs 53 for new ones sold in average in the last 6 months).
You haven't mentioned a concrete shade of green, but the numbers are similar in that area as well, except for the regular green: Olive Green (3), Dark Green (50), Green (309), Sand Green (18).
The rarity of these shades are best explained by the official LEGO policy of refusing to produce sets depicting realistic military equipment from the contemporary era: see for more here.


Why is there a hole in the large surf board (6075)?

This part is sometimes used to build a windsurfer as shown in Stephanie's Beach House:

The hole is larger than a stud because it is designed to receive a towball connection of some kind, usually a mast such as this one:


Can I control 2 NXT bricks from a computer using bluetooth at the same time?

Yes, this is definitely possible! You can connect up to 7 different NXT devices from one computer and one Bluetooth dongle (theoretical limit). I have tested this with the RWTH - Mindstorms NXT Toolbox for MATLAB) successfully with 5 NXTs on Linux and with at least 2 NXTs on Windows.

In real life, it depends on your Bluetooth hardware. Your Bluetooth stack or driver software should provide several serial COM-ports. You can then connect each virtual serial port to a seperate NXT device, and access them via those different serial ports.

If you go the direct way via the official LEGO NXT Bluetooth SDK you mentioned, you can retrieve different handles to multiple NXTs.

Oh, and for the record: You can also connect multiple NXTs via USB, and you can also mix and match with Blueooth.

Regards, Linus


Can anyone identify this Lego set please?

That's V-19 Torrent (7674). Instructions are available from LEGO to download or from Bricklink to purchase.

Identified by Trans-Clear Technic, Shock Absorber 10L Damped - No Spring, which is available in this set only.


Help identify Mega Bloks pieces - giant blue hands, blue and white striped arms and feet, boards/snowshoes

The robot could be this one:

But I don't know about those boards. Mega Bloks makes minifig-size boards though.


Can you help identify my new LEGO set? Round glass door, black and red hoods, gray and black with a few red pieces

As Phil mentioned, it's hard to give a definitive answer without a picture to help, but based on your description, it sounds like you may have at least part of Death Star Final Dual (75093):

This set is the only one I'm aware of that:

Is mostly gray with a little red
Includes a non-printed black minifig head
Includes a black hood element
Includes a red element that covers the entire face
Includes large round transparent elements


Can't get EV3 to work with touch sensors

Are you sure that the button is being completely pressed? A quick test would be to hold the robot and manually press the touch sensor. If the wheels start turning backwards, then there isn't anything wrong, you just need to make sure the button gets pressed completely.

If you're sure the button is being pressed, then it's probably a software problem. It seems like you have a conditional block, is it reading the same port that the sensor is connected to.

You could make a really simple program that has a forward tank movement inside a loop and make the exit condition for the loop be to exit when the button is pressed. If you put an end block after the loop, the robot will drive forward forever until the button is pressed.

Hopefully one of those options will help you fix the problem!


Choosing scale for train models: what scale is "L-gauge"?

TLDR: Scale for train MOC is a personal preference based on the needs.

Longer version:

There is a lot of personal preferences here. Like, how do you decide if the LEGO track geometry should translate to standard gauge? Why not any other track gauge available in other countries? How do you scale the model if it originally use slightly wider gauge? So there's already some flexibility in how strict you should be considering the scale of your train based on the track gauge.

Next thing is to decide if you want your train to operate within your LEGO city layout or just for the looks? LEGO trains are built in 6-stud wide size. People tend to design their own trains in 6-, 7- and 8-stud width size. They look good in city layouts - not too big and do not cause any serious troubles operating even on LEGO tracks. And somewhat to scale. I've made 48 cm (1.5748 feet) long 8-stud wide scale model of a train loco myself. It could operate on standard LEGO train tracks. And yes, it looks a little ridiculous on curves, but still works. However this scale doesn't let you design detailed interior, so compromises must be made.

Now if you prefer designing your train for the looks and operate it on some train layout (that could be made from LEGO compatible 3rd party elements) only from time to time you can go with whichever scale that fit your needs. It could be wider, longer, so train track geometry is the limit. As you mentioned your initial scaling suggested your train is going to be 2 feet long, which is less than half a foot longer than my model and you are not limiting yourself with just LEGO tracks, there shouldn't be a problem running your model on larger radius 3rd party (LEGO compatible) train tracks.

It is also worth mentioning some people use LEGO tracks as a narrow gauge. In such case train model, is obviously quite wide and it no longer fit into LEGO city (minifigure scale) layout. However there is plenty of space for details.


Why did LEGO switch the direction of flag elements in 2008?

I asked them over chat and the answer was :

  There's no a special reason, it's due to the mold. I know, it's not very romantic!


Where is the 15068 PLATE W. BOW 2X2X2/3 in LDD?

Could not find it by typing numbers (15068 bricklink id or 605109 lego id)
but simply browsing it is simple enough to find.

Open the 7th category of bricks, 4th element:

I'm using the latest ldd version (4.3.11)


Is it safe to try different firmwares on EV3?

I tried Lejos and removing the SD card and rebooting was enough to go back to original firmware.


Where can I find the misspelled Luke Skywlaker pen?

The closest I could find is a forum thread where a member called "slow 2.0" writes that (s)he has two of these and might be willing to sell one of them. The catch is the thread is from 2010 and the user hasn't been active in the forum since 2014.

Update Since the thread no longer has the image, here is how it looked like:


Is there a way to remotely operate the push-button light brick?

Yes, the easiest way would be to get the following: a powerfunctions remote control, battery box, moter, ir reciever,   and z-motor. The total cost is $36 and you can get all this on LEGO.com except for the z-motor, that part you have to get in a LEGO set as the following: 8052. 8053, 8110, and the LEGO Technic yellow actuator which I can't find the set number of right now. get a 1x4 axle (usually black) put it at the far end of the z-motor and into the light brick. Get another 1x4 axle and put in  the other end of the z-motor and into the regular motor, hook the regular  motor into the receiver, and the receiver into the battery box. Make sure the remote control and the receiver are in channel 1. Make sure the green light is on, on the battery box. The battery box could stay on for about a week without needing new batteries. flick both of the levers on the remote and the  light should turn on. You could also get the rechargeable battery box where it plugs into an outlet and never needs batteries. You could run 32 lights on 1 remote.


Please identify LEGO sets based on these parts

You have the fuselage of 4618 Twin Rotor Cargo:

The red windshield is from one of these sets (the yellow sticker does not belong):

70706: Crater Creeper
4621: Jack Stone Red Flash Station
4796: Ogel Mutant Squid
9320: Voyage into Space (Journey Into Space Set)

And the 2x3 slope is from one of these sets.


Error message when using loop index as an array index to get value in arrays

After testing and researching for a while, I found out that the first  lines of code that controls the moving of the ultrasonic sensor is the cause of the error. Previously, the code will make the motor move 2 degrees, then get the measurement of the ultrasonic sensor and put it inside the numerical array. It then loops 130 times so there is 130 measurements and 260 degrees of rotation.

What I am doing is to replace the entire array with that one value. Thus, when I get the value of the array, I am getting an non-existent value. Also, the array starts from zero, not one, so using the loop index for the array will not work as the loop index will not display a zero value index.

Instead, I should use the 'write at index' mode of array operations. This way, it will add values to the array, not replace the entire array with that one value.

Now this is correct. Before that, I thought that the loop index was the cause of error.

First time answering my own question, Im so proud lol.


I bought a box of used LEGO and found these 4 bags in it

This is set 31025 Mountain Hut from the Creator theme. The Medium Blue window panes are in this set, and then the minifigure head you see in the top right bag identified this set.


How do I print images onto minifig body parts?

You can do that with scale model water decals. You can buy that in blank sheets and print out your designs with an inkjet printer. You can also use products that help those water decals set (adhere) and conform to the surface deformation and use scale model varnishes to seal it in place.

Shopping list:

Water decal sheets
Setting solution (sticks better)
Solvent solution (conforms to the surface)
Varnish/Finish

As stated in this other question about painting Lego bricks: Don't expect it to sustain the normal usage of LEGO bricks. This is good for display or light usage (like playing D&D with custom minifigures)


Looking for a Basic Lego set with mostly large bricks

If you can get to a Lego shop, there is a Pick a Brick wall with mostly large bricks that you buy by the cupful for less per brick than you would pay in most sets.

These two sites:

http://www.brickbuildr.com/view/pab/

, and

http://wallofbricks.com/

show you the current(ish) contents of the Pick a Brick walls around the world, they are updated by fans so they might not be up to date.


How to sell massive, vintage and unsorted lego collection with manuals?

Depending on what you have, your best bet is probably to re-build each set, and sell them as complete.  Try BrickLink if you're not in a hurry to sell.  You can see how much sets are selling for, and price yours accordingly.  You can list them until they sell, and they only charge a small percentage when the items sell.  If you want fast cash, sell them on eBay.

These two sites will get you the most bang for your bricks.


Are there any Star Wars vehicles that have not yet been produced in a Lego kit?

As far as I know, all of the most common vehicles have been produced, but I could be forgetting something. There are many obscure vehicles which have not been produced, but I don't see any reason to try to list them all. Some examples would be many of the pod racers from Episode I, many of the hundreds of vehicles shown on Coruscant, or several of the speeders seen in the Mos Eisley approach in Episode IV.
The most notable vehicle that I can think of that has not been produced to my knowledge are the Royal Cruisers from the prequels:

Update:
I had previously been mentioned the Nebulon-B Frigate featured in Episode V and VI:

The Nebulon-B has now been produced:


My closest bet would be the Car Repair Shop. However, there are lots of other sets that could match the description.

Edit #1:

The other potential candidates:

Weekend Home
Auto Workshop
Holiday Home
Houses
House with Roof Windows
Holiday Villa

In case none on these is what you are looking for, you could take a look at Bricklink and browse the results.

Edit #2:

Based on the picture you added, the 730-2 BASIC Building Set seems the most likely choice (it has both minifigs, the broom, the shovel, the faucet, the slanted windows). There are also many pieces from other sets: both the blue and the red-yellow propeller, the yellow spaceship engine besides the male figure, etc.


The piece is question appears to be part# 15071, via Bricklink:

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=123914#T=C


The most expensive (and second largest) LEGO set to date is the #10179 LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon released in 2007, with 5,195 pieces, and the cost of $500. Equally expensive (also $500), but much smaller is the recently released #75159 LEGO Star Wars Death Star with 4,016 pieces.

As far as what is the most someone paid for a LEGO set in a private transaction would be impossible to tell. You could use the BrickLink Price Guide for prices sets sold for in the last six months, and you can also do something similar for eBay, but there are many other places people buy and sell LEGO (social-media sites, forums, commercial websites, auction sites, and more). You would really have to narrow down what data you are looking for, and go from there.


Vision Command and Exploration Mars software for Mindstorms RIS 2.0

As it just so happens, I'm physically in possession of an English Vision Command CD. I've uploaded the iso here:

https://www.mediafire.com/?xo6xfjvnbzaaf7u

I didn't upload and post it in that other question you mentioned since I wasn't aware none of the Vision Command ones were English, but I've also updated the answer in that other question with this link for completeness.

Note that this software was originally designed for Windows 98. The very first thing you should do is run the install file in compatibility mode for Windows 98, otherwise you'll get an error telling you that your version of Windows is too new. And if you keep getting warning messages saying that this software has known compatibility issues, click "Continue anyway" for every one of them. I'm also wanting to say that you sometimes get an error when the camera itself is installing. In this event, just keep clicking "ignore" or "retry" or whatever until it finishes. I've been able to get the software to install and run on Windows XP, Vista, and 7, although the camera won't be recognized by your computer if your operating system is 64-bit. I'd be interested in seeing if that driver David Lencher linked you to would fix this problem for 64-bit operating systems.


Looking for instructions for Air Canada Mega Bloks polybag 99911/99912

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/Mega-Bloks-1997-Air-Canada-99911-New-Sealed-Fast-Shipping-/363045948319 has images, one of which is the back of the bag, which shows the instructions.


You can accomplish this with these two parts:

http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Converter-Cables-for-LEGO-MINDSTORMS-NXT-8528
http://powerfunctions.lego.com/en-us/Products/Default.aspx#8886


How can I build an (automatic) Mindstorms charging-station?

As a software engineer, you would probably be more at home in NXC, a C-like language compatible with the standard firmware. You can then use BatteryLevel().

If you want to use the standard programming environment, use this custom block.


I think you mean this part: Duplo Brick 1 x 2 x 2 Rounded Top with Bell

It comes with 3 different prints.

There are several sellers on bricklink selling the part.


What is this upside down roof peak or boat hull?

It looks to me like this is a Weighted Keel 2 x 8 x 4 (x149). I don't personally have this part, but it looks like your part is this part broken in two:

These were mounted under the floating boats of the late 70s and early 80s.


How should I prepare one (currently built) LEGO set before selling it?

I have bought several used sets and it's a mix - sometimes people send the entire set built, sometimes split into larger chunks, and sometimes broken apart into individual pieces. It all depends on the current state of the set (fully assembled, partly assembled) and on the dimensions and availability of the shipping supplies. In the US it is easier to break the set apart and fit it in one of the pre-priced USPS shipping boxes that give you a uniform rate.

As a buyer, I always break the sets I receive down to the individual items and then inventory the sets using the full set inventory. Time intensive but it assures me I get the full set, and that there are no short-cuts/substitutions etc.


This image of the same model shows that the whole set sits on a frame of bricks. In the inside, you could place bricks underneath wherever necessary to attach the water plates (not only 1x... but maybe 2x10, or several 2x4 in a row). They are invisible, so color and type don't matter. If this row of bricks reaches from one side of the frame to the other, it can shift to allow the longitudinal waves but it cannot curl up transversal(ly?).


Can I use the old 4.5V and 12V blue/gray era rails with newer trains?

You can absolutely run RC and PF trains on 12V track. You can leave out the center conducting rail since it won't be delivering any power to the train, unless you are planning to run both 12V and remote trains.

The main LEGO train sets have all used the same rail gauge, which is the main thing that matters.

If you'd like to use both your 12V track and the new RC track that you get, they can be joined together in various ways. Here's an example from a LUGNET thread:

There are also a few places where you can get third party adapters if you'd prefer to go that route.


Which pieces were used to make the flexible mesh skin for the life size Lego Bugatti?

There doesn't seem to be a difference in a shape of triangles (that's how they mention them in the video) seen in Dark Azure as well as Dark Blue colors. However there are two shapes - bigger and smaller triangles. Smaller triangle's edge is half the length of bigger one - you can attach two of these to bigger triangle.

Larger one requires parts listed below. I didn't include half bushes seen in some images (funny thing is that half of same assembly had them, while the other didn't) as they put too much stress into assembly. It is also worth mentioning LEGO used a lot of parts which cannot be found in any of sets.

Smaller one needs these:

Then they are connected together with either of two following parts (both seen in use). First one is made of rubber so it allows some twisting and stretching which is what allows the skin to take shape.

Warning. I've built both versions and some parts here are a bit stressed (definitely illegal connections involved) which means they could deform over time.

Note. I've missed 3 pieces of 3L half thickness Technic beams in smaller triangle in my assembly to cover some axles, however part list has correct amount.


Logging and performing mathmatical calc. during run?

Instead of using the datalog block from education version, you can create a custom version using the file access block. It's a bit more difficult, but more flexible...
You won't be able to directly use EV3 datalog management, but you can structure the file to be directly compatible with csv format, readable by spreadsheet programs.


Yes.

The current Mindstorms sets are completely Technic orientated and use the Technic pins (i.e. [part:3673:7]) to connect to the newer Technic Beams (i.e. [part:32316:7]) as well as the original Technic Bricks (i.e. [part:3894:7])

The various different size pins and axles are the way to interchange between these.


there are some lego-models that have a working gearbox built-in like the super street sensation (8448). just take a loot at the building instruction* to see how it works.

*page 18, 26, 72-81


Mindstorms crashes when connecting to EV3 with Bluetooth

This might help to the problems:
If you download the latest version of mindstorms by the Mindstorms-Site you´ll get the version 1.1.1.then you can connect via Bluetooth to the brick with the newest version EV3 (v1.o6H)
But if you are like me a teacher and using the educational version of Mindstorms (version 1.1.0 (note the last zero)), then you will have serious problems to connect your brick using Bluetooth in OS Yosemite!


Any list/database of sets and components online?

Brickset has a nearly complete database of LEGO sets with inventories,
There is also Bricklink, which is a marketplace , but also can be uses an excellent database


How can I get a direct hyperlink to a result on LEGO shop?

Unfortunately the shop.LEGO.com website has a number of issues, and the fact that all transactions are handled server-side and not bookmarkable on the client is one of them (this might be intentional on behalf of LEGO but I don't know why). Other issues are that from time to time the website will refuse to display search results (it will just show you the home page of the shop if you do), or that the navigation buttons at the bottom of a category listing ("View: 25 | 1 | 2 | 3 >") take you back to the home page. For those the best solution is to either close your browser and open a fresh browser, or to use the Private Browsing/Incognito Browsing options of your browser to simulate creating a new session.

For background, the shop.LEGO.com uses Java Server Pages (jsp) which store their status in a cookie and in server-side maintained information. So when you navigate, your browser does not know where you've gone to - only LEGO's server knows.  This all works fine as long as you have an active session with LEGO, but as soon as your session expires (e.g. when you bookmark a specific place on the site and revisit that bookmark a few days/hours later) all that information is lost.

TL;DR: No you cannot save a direct link to a page on shop.LEGO.com as that site is programmed to store link information on the server, not in the client (as a browser URL).


Best mini LED spotlight for Lego display case?

I'm not sure exactly how many lights you are looking for, or the exact effect you are trying to create, but you may be able to get what you want using individual LEDs:

These have a diameter of 5mm, so the nose is able to fit snugly into an antistud. I've used them successfully in Technic holes and Erling bricks. The main advantage here is that you can actually brick build whatever lighting you would like to use, or just integrate this into the main model.

Here's an example of using these with Erling bricks that I saw on Eurobricks:

If you aren't comfortable wiring these up yourself, you can buy them prewired with a controller from LifeLites.

If you would like to be a purist, you could also use a number of the PF lights (8870), as they are roughly the same as using 5mm LEDs. PF lights are 3mm LEDs encased in plastic so that they fit snugly into Technic holes.


In my experience, this happens when the lego has been washed with a too strong detergent or too high temperature...


Where do the pieces numbered 4255629 go in the Death Star (set 10188)

There is one going in the small blue trolley on page 4. These pages don't show parts inventories, and the part is partly hidden, so it's very easy to overlook.

The other one is an extra, as explained in comment.


Yes. There is.
I have a few. They are really bad for connecting to things.
Like, BanBao bad. I can't really use them for anything.
But they do have the blobs.
So yes, there are those, and they are rare, for the same reason the "Pat Pending" ones are rare, mostly the age, and short transition period.


Based on the

yellow 30150 Container, Crate with Handholds

and

Trans-Bright Green Bar 8L with Round End (Spring Shooter Dart)

(also R2-D2)

You have:

75092-1: Naboo Starfighter


What is LEGO terminology for measurement of normal bricks and common scales?

Terminology

This is the most basic terminology in a single image:

A bit more verbose version is found in this slideshow, but there are a few factual errors, highlighted in the comments below.

The various parts are named based on their main characteristics, then their sizes in studs, as seen here:

After getting the hang of it, it's time to advance to the more complex terminology, with the help of the indispensable blog New Elementary.

Measurements

The fundamental sizes for the basic bricks are seen in this answer, or a bit more simply:

The height of the plates is 1/3 of the bricks, or 3.2 mm.

Scale

As for scales, this question is a bit complicated, as the basic reference unit is the LEGO Minifigure, which has weird proportions, resulting in inconsistent scales:

However, there are a few official ones, including:

minifigure scale (about 1:40)
microscale: anything way smaller than that, see these examples or these official ones.
midi-scale was only ever used officially for two sets, which are sized very differently, as both models are around 30 studs long, so it's 1:100 - 1:6000 which would definitely fall into microscale category.
towards the other end of the scale, there is life-sized, which of course does not get used much for official sets for sale, but rather for one-off projects:
and it is definitely possible to create larger than life LEGO builds:  Or models of microscopical structures, like cells:  or even of subatomic scale:


Trying to get a modified traffic signal challenge worked out

You can use finite state machine. In this case you will have these 5 states:

RUN

Action: turn on the motors for moving straight

Transition to state TURN in case of event: ultrasonic sensor detects obstacle closer than 4.5 inch).

Transition to state WAIT in case of event: color sensor detects red color

WAIT

Action: stop motors

Transition to state CONTINUE in case of event: color sensor detects green

CONTINUE

Action: move forward a bit while avoiding the flag

Transition to state RUN immediately.

TURN

Action: Turn the robot 90 degrees right, increment the rotations

Transition to state STOP in case of event: rotations = 4

Transition to state RUN in case of event: rotations < 4

STOP

Action: Interrupt the program.

Here is the code I've just scratched without a testing, let me know if it works:

You can enhance the state machine to check for the flag during rotations, too. :)

You can learn this robotics topic from the great book by Daniele Benedetelli - LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Laboratory.


Is the Lego Duplo Track System being discontinued?

It hasn't been officially announced yet, but there are at least four large LEGO DUPLO train sets coming this summer. This includes two extension train track packs with straight tracks, curved tracks, switches, bridges, and train crossings. The two full train sets will include more of the same tracks. The set numbers for the extension packs are #10872 and #10882, and the new train sets are #10874 and #10875. The official set names are prices are yet unknown. I would suggest to wait until the summer, unless you can get the older sets for a very good price.


No, it's not an acronym.

  The name 'LEGO' is an abbreviation of the two Danish words "leg godt", meaning "play well".

All-caps is how the LEGO company asks to have their brand treated.

  Using the LEGO® brand

  ALWAYS write the LEGO brand name in capital letters.
  ALWAYS use a descriptive noun after the LEGO brand name, it must never appear on its own.

  E.g. wrong use: I play with LEGO.
  E.g. correct use: I play with LEGO bricks.

  ALWAYS accompany the LEGO brand name by the Registered symbol ® in headlines and
  the first time it appears in copy text.
  NEVER use the LEGO brand name as a
  generic term, add a possessive ‘s,’ plural ‘s’
  or hyphen.

  E.g. wrong use: LEGO’s, LEGOs, LEGO-bricks.
  E.g. correct use: the LEGO brand’s, LEGO
  bricks.

  NEVER use the Registered symbol ® in connection with a company name.

  E.g. wrong use: LEGO® System A/S.
  E.g. correct use: LEGO System A/S.

  NEVER change or adjust the graphical design of the LEGO logo.

  Thank you for helping us protect the LEGO® brand!


I have bags 2 and 3 of the LEGO group 2011 but no instructions, can anyone identify these?

Looks like set 79108 Stagecoach Escape by matching the horse, saddle and the minifig head.


The set numbers are 30190 through 30196, use that to look them up on bricklink/brickset note that 30196 is not shown on your picture, it had some kind of special status in that promotion (I don't remember the details).


What can I do to clean a minifigure's torso?

In general, legos can be un-yellowed by soaking in a combination of hydrogen peroxide, oxyclean powder (or sodium percarbonate), under sunlight or UV light. Or use Retr0Bright. Certain colors of painted decorations (such as gold) will not hold up well to the cleaning, but plain pieces and some colors do hold up well.


Set identification - 4 bags of mostly yellow grey and black, some Technic bricks?

Based on the yellow windscreen and the red tiles 1 x 4, these bags belong to:

6753-1 - Highway Transport


How much do the PF XL motors help speed in the 4x4 crawler?

You can speed up the Bucket Wheel Excavator by adding an additional XL motor. It is not just about changing the motor, it is also about changing the gear ratios. There is a very good instructional video here: https://youtu.be/aLQh_VWzy9Y


What happened to Olivia in the 2018 Lego Friends sets?

Many adjustments have been made for 2018. The five main characters all still exist, but they have been changed somewhat. This was brought up on the Lego Ambassador Network, and generated enough interest to get an official response from the Friends team in Billund:

  Every year we strive to innovate and make our products even better for
  children all over the world. A lot of effort has gone into the
  development of the LEGO characters and universes across our entire
  product range, so it makes us very happy  when changes are noticed.

  LEGO Friends in 2018 looks a bit different than what it has in the
  past. To be specific, the 5 main characters have a slightly different
  look but also the city and the citizens of Heartlake City have
  changed.

  But what are the reasons for the change?

  Firstly, we want to assure you that all 5 friends are still there in
  2018. Andrea, Mia, Emma, Stephanie and Olivia – they all still exist! Also the character’s main interests and personalities remain mainly
  unchanged.

  What you will see in 2018 is an evolution of LEGO Friends, a
  progression of the story and characters to make sure children get an
  even greater play experience. Every year more than a million children
  and parents reach out to us and share what they love and what they
  would like to change. In the LEGO Friends range children told us that
  they would like even more differentiated characters and also suggested
  improvements to Heartlake City.

  We always take great care to listen to input from children, and the
  LEGO Friends team has worked hard to make even more engaging and
  relevant experiences for children – and also make the LEGO Friends
  universe more true to the actual world children live in.

  Taking a starting point in reality, we’ve made the characters more
  diverse in their appearance and have added more depth to their
  personality. And of course, they still live in Heartlake City. But
  just as the characters have changed, Heartlake City has become more
  differentiated and rich. There are different districts and there are
  other citizens that play a more active role in the story.

  The changes we have made does not change the fact that previous and
  new LEGO Friends sets will cater for great building and play
  experience in 2018 and beyond, and we hope to inspire even more
  stories and play opportunities for children in the future.


The EV3 Gyro Sensor now appears to be on "general release" and available in both US and UK stores:
http://shop.lego.com/en-GB/EV3-Gyro-Sensor-45505 - these seem to be available in most EU countries the LEGO Shop ships to.

You can order the gyro sensor from the UK Lego Education site http://education.lego.com/en-gb/lego-education-product-database/mindstorms-ev3/45505-gyro-sensor.

OR

If you look at the shipping options in the US Educational site, it will ask you a series of questions to determine if the item can be shipped to your area. If no other options are available, they will ship to you for a fee and ask you to approve the shipping fee before they send it out. It looks like you can get the parts from Lego if you want them bad enough.


Given that this is from a new set that is currently in production, you should contact LEGO customer service and they'll probably send you a replacement torso at no charge. LEGO has a pretty simple site to handle this:

https://service.lego.com/en-us/replacementparts#BasicInfo

You just have to enter your age and the issue that you are having, then you enter the set number (75043 in this case) and find the piece that is broken from the parts list. I just checked, and that torso is currently listed, so you should be in good shape. I've had this same torso issue, and they were happy to send a replacement.