title: NXT light sensor homework help

text:
# Question
Title: NXT light sensor homework help
* Read value from NXT kit using light sensor and show it in the middle of NXT screen.
* If measured lightness value is less than or equal to 50, right motor will stop and left motor will move with the power of 35.
* If measured lightness value is greater than 50, left motor will stop and right motor will move with the power of 35.

How can I do this?

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

for bullet 1

* Light Sensor
* Data to Text
* LCD Panel Display

for bullets 2 and 3

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

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

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Tags: nxt, programming, robotic, labview
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title: LEGO bag with no instructions or box

text:
# Question
Title: LEGO bag with no instructions or box
It's bag #2 and the only # I can find is 135149 and a date of 2011. There are 2 mini bags inside the large bag. It has some very long grey pieces and 2 blue wall looking pieces.

Thank you for your help

# Answer
It is from '4645 Harbour' which was produced in 2011 and bag 2 contains blue wall panels and stone grey 1x10s.

Instructions can be found here.
> 7 votes

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Tags: instructions
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# Question
Title: How big to make a perfect cube? And how to build it
I want to make a model, that involves many cubes. I want to make many individual cubes, then connect them together. I don't want my cubes to be that big. That leads to my first question: What is the smallest sized PERFECT cube I can make? My second question is: How do I make it?

> A perfect Cube: In LEGO terms: A structure whose dimensions are n x n x n, excluding studs.

And I forgot to mention that I can only have basic bricks. No plates or tiles. Sorry!

P.S. I really am annoying aren't I?!

Also, I don't require it to connect, and even if I could, I couldn't anyway,because I am using Basic Blocks. For the people asking, I am making a pillar, balanced

# Answer
> 6 votes
The smallest perfect cube you can make is a 2x2 brick with a 2x2 plate and a 2x2 tile on top.

And now I read that you're excluding studs, then you can use a plate instead of at tile, and obviously the order in which you stack the elements doesn't matter.

# Answer
> 4 votes
LEGO's height to width ratio is 6:5. Since the smallest common multiple of these numbers is 30, the smallest perfect cube you can make (excluding studs) is one that is 5 bricks high and 6 bricks deep and wide.

EDIT: On how to build it: start with a layer of 3 2x6 bricks. Then place 2x 1x4 on two sides to join the 2x6 bricks, and complete a square by using 2x 1x6. Now make alternating layers of 1x6 and 1x4 bricks to make it strong, and top it off with another 3x 2x6 bricks as the fifth layer.

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Tags: building
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# Question
Title: Does there exist software to test the strength of a designed LEGO model?
I would like to build furniture (chair, table,...) out of LEGO blocks. For this purpose it would be good to be able to test the amount of force a certain LEGO design is able to withstand. I would like to actually use this furniture.

1. Does anybody know of models or software I could use?
2. Are there people who tried this before and could give me some pointers?

So far I found some articles about different LEGO bonds and a few on combining LEGO techniques to increase the strength of the structure.

# Answer
> 1 votes
First step, have you read my paper? This should give you a good guide on what is the maximum force needed to break Lego.

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

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

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

# Answer
> 0 votes
Consider gluing. Large Lego structures such as a chair or desk are typically glued together. Lego bricks can withstand up to 950 pounds of force, so a glued model should be strong enough.

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Tags: software
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# Question
Title: Are there any benefits to using PF motors instead of EV3 ones?
Can someone explain to me the key differences between PF motors and EV3 ones? I understand that EV3 motors are 'regulated', presumably meaning that you can control their rotational speed depending on the wheels attached and so on, but apart from that, is there any reason to use PF motors instead (e.g., XL ones)?

One reason why this question comes up is I saw lots of non-EV3 motors used with EV3s in a recent robotics competition I went to. Also, large wheels which you apparently cannot buy anymore (not from Lego, anyway).

# Answer
The cost of a PF motor is about one third of an EV3 motor. If there is no need to regulate the motor, using PF motors is a way to save costs. Also PF motors are more compact. Its possible with lego converter cables to attach them to an EV3, however the NXT to 9V cable is hard to come by. Ofcourse there are DIY solutions (soldering) or third party components.
> 3 votes

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Tags: ev3, power-functions, motor
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# Question
Title: Has anyone automated the LEGO hand sorting process beyond "pawing & piling"?
I need to rephrase my question. Has anyone built or used a large pigeon hole/ chute/ bin collection system to sort LEGO elements? The sorting system doesn't need to be made of LEGO bricks. I just want to know if any of you studio builders sort your elements in a more organised fashion than the average fan. I'm trying to figure out if this is a project I should take on, or a boondoggle I should avoid...

# Answer
While they won't do the sorting *for you* like that clever youtube video, there are a couple of commercial sorting products that can help you bulk-group your legos by size as a preliminary sorting mechanism, through differently-sized grates.

Box4Blox has been around for a while. Good review of it at Brother's Brick.

Lego has recently produced their own similar Sort and Store shaped like a minifig head:

At our house we organize by color, and have a large bucket of each (mostly because its easier for the kids to help maintain the organization, hypothetically anyway...). I've toyed with the idea of getting one of these, pouring each color bucket through, and ending up with convenient size-groupings within each color. Should be much easier to find what we need.
> 20 votes

# Answer
I have a fairly large collection. Processing bricks is a lot more pleasant with my homemade device, which is vaguely similar to the devices above, but made from MDF.

Note that the commercial products have holes that are square, not round, so the size of bricks that is blocked by them is kind of variable. My sorter has two sorting levels, one with 30mm holes and one with 15mm holes. Because LEGO bricks are 8mm per stud, *nothing* 4x4 or over falls through the top level, and *nothing* 2x2 or over goes through the second. I could have done 22/23mm holes for 3x3s and 7mm for sub 1x1s, but empirically they're rare pieces and not worth the effort. The holes are laid out in a hexagonal grid, on a sheet of MDF large enough to cover - and fall straight through into - my storage boxes (450mm square, as that's the size the sheets come in). Spacing of the holes and thickness of the MDF was selected to ensure strength - MDF doesn't distort too much before breaking, and using MDF was important because it's cheap, common and unlikely to damage the bricks. There are sides to each tray to prevent spillage, and nodes on the underside to lock each layer into the one below.

The hardest part in constructing my sorting trays was finding drill bits for making 30mm and 15mm holes; I found only one 30mm spade bit in my local hardware superstore, and I had to go to a commercial tool supplier for the 15mm bit. I also needed a new drill, as my existing one couldn't spin slowly enough to make *round* holes with a spade bit.

So, here's the entire unit; you can see the sides to hold a reasonable amount of LEGO without spilling over:

And here's what LEGO swamping the 30mm holes in the top looks like. Most of the time I'm operating at this level; the second level can contain a large number of pieces given they're so much smaller.

The second level gets the smaller parts falling through while you're pawing through the top tier. You can see the spacing created by the tall corner posts, this is to allow a 2x16 plate (the longest part I'd expect to process - 128mm) to fall through if it wants too - but typically something that long won't fall from the top level, as its lowest centre of gravity lays it flat and so the great length won't fit through the topmost holes. If one were to slip into a hole, it could be raked into a position to fall, so about 10% or 20% of pieces as large as this fall through to this level.

The small detritus finds its way to the bottom level

Here you can see the locking nodes that prevent the tiers rotating and moving off the tier below.

Prior to building this I experimented with a number of designs and found that they had a common problem of clogging up. This experiences that to some extent too, but has a vast number of holes to minimize the impact, and a finger poked up from below can clear the blockage. Radar dishes and large cones, for example, are good at filling holes.

I do have a tumbler to separate out plates and other small items from bricks, but it requires a lot of work to cause the separation so I wouldn't recommend it as a sorting tool. I could supply an image for those with an academic interest.

I showed my device at my local LUG, and a year or so later another member went and made his own tennis-racket inspired LEGO sifter. I humbly suggest this device suffers from the same problem with square (or sometimes triangular) holes that the commercial devices exhibit.
> 22 votes

# Answer
I designed and built a lego sorting and storage desk for my son late last year. It has 16 bins and 16 corresponding holes in the top. It also has an interior baffle system to keep lego pieces from jumping into incorrect bin. I had to go through several designs to get it to work right, be ergonomic (all drop slots within reach while seated), and make it easy to assemble.

Although I have patent pending on the design, someone with reasonable skills could come up with their own version for personal use.

The table works well, but it is designed for center-of-room use to allow access to all the bins. My son and my wife often sit opposite each other at the desk while sorting to make things go more quickly.

We sort by type mostly, with simple combinations of blocks sorted to one side of the table, and non-block type pieces to the other.
> 12 votes

# Answer
Here's a video I found, featuring a fully automated LEGO sorter made out of LEGO itself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player\_embedded&v=6lZ9rSZwDzE

Keep in mind that the time it takes you to build and use one of these is probably greater than the amount of time it takes to sort by hand.

EDIT:

I don't think slots would work great as the bricks could fit into multiple shapes/sizes of holes. One thing you could try is a "panning for gold" method - put pieces in a bowl and swirl them around. The heavier ones should fall out. Don't know how well it would work, but it is worth a shot.
> 8 votes

# Answer
Yes. Jacques Mattheij made a pretty awesome machine using some feeders, machine learning, and air blowers to sort out the top 1000 parts by popularity. It looks like he's well on his way to sorting two metric tons of bulk LEGO: https://jacquesmattheij.com/sorting-two-metric-tons-of-lego

More discussion on Hacker News, including a bunch of comments by Jacques under the handle `jacquesm`: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14226889
> 5 votes

# Answer
We have a small business sorting LEGO for customers (www.brick-sort.com)... and we've tried many different machines. Bottom line is that, unless you're dealing in tens of thousands of parts, Pubby is right: *"...the time it takes you to build and use one of these is probably greater than the amount of time it takes to sort by hand."* I think people forget about the "using" part of this. Someone has to stand there and shake the basket. Someone also has to break-apart the bricks. I find that our minimum wage labor does the job much faster.

When sorting by color, yes, it helps to have a table with a big hole in the center where you can toss the bricks (a bucket underneath catches them). The problem with collection trays affixed to the side of the table is that they fill-up quickly.
> 3 votes

# Answer
The most promising approach that I have seen is being used by LETZGO (http://www.letzgo.co.kr/home) a Korean start-up that aims to make Lego affordable by offering Lego sets on a rental basis. Naturally the rental process makes sets liable to lose/damage pieces and so they appear to have developed an automated process for sorting and to verify the integrity of sets.

There is footage of the system in action here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WD1sM-b2Qc

It appears to weigh pieces in addition to using various computer vision processes to effectively identify pieces individually.

It sounds like they may be considering open-sourcing some of this system (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck7IOx2Pp3c). Show your appreciation and share some love with the creators! (and cross your fingers they are willing to share their work!)

An automated Lego sorting system developed by the global Lego community would truly transform the hobby of Lego!
> 3 votes

# Answer
You and I arrived at similar solutions. I used plastic buckets to sort by size:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Lego-Brick-Sorter/
> 2 votes

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Tags: organisation
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title: LEGO mindstorm EV3 control using FPGA

text:
# Question
Title: LEGO mindstorm EV3 control using FPGA
I need advice on this issue. I want to build a communication between EV3 Mindstorms and FPGA. I want to control the different actuator/sensor of the EV3.

The idea is to test functionality of my digital system and its ability to interact with Mindstorms. Interface could be Bluetooth or else.

Could you please give me an idea about this?

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

You would need to make connectors to connect the pins to your MindStorms/PF motors, but that should be fairly easy. However, one concern would be whether the board is able to channel enough power through the pins into the motors: Lego motors are 9V whereas typical FPGA pin output is 5V.
> 1 votes

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Tags: ev3, bluetooth
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# Question
Title: Can't find the LEGO set number for this item, black car with clear light blue canopy and front wheels?
What LEGO set number is this item?

I just want to rebuild it after buy buying many boxes LEGO.

# Answer
> 1 votes
This vehicle is missing some pieces, but comes from set 70162 Infearno Interception from the Ultra Agents series. It came out in 2014.

# Answer
> 1 votes
That's from set 70162 Inferno Interception.

Here are the instructions that you're looking for:

http://cache.lego.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/6093658.pdf

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Tags: set-identification, instructions
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# Question
Title: Identify set for Star Wars parts, dark grey base with 4 studs and embossed Star Wars logo
Would greatly appreciate help in matching this to a Star Wars set. Front and back 2"x 2"plate with top back ridge. Dark gray color. I have nine pieces.

# Answer
> 3 votes
This is Tile, Modified 6 x 6 x 2/3 with 4 Studs and Embossed 'STAR WARS' (30566):

It appeared in 4 sets back in 2000, always in dark gray. The sets are:

* 3340-1 Star Wars #1 - Sith Minifig Pack
* 3341-1 Star Wars #2 - Luke/Han/Boba Minifig Pack
* 3342-1 Star Wars #3 - Troopers/Chewie Minifig Pack
* 3343-1 Star Wars #4 - Battle Droid Minifig Pack

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Tags: set-identification, star-wars
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# Question
Title: Please help identify set with 2x3 and 3x4 red slopes with blue and yellow triangle printing?
Any help identifying the set these bricks come from would be appreciated. They possibly look like awnings maybe to a town storefront.

# Answer
Part 3297px18 - Slope 33 3 x 4 with Blue Triangles with Yellow Borders Pattern appears in 5 sets.

Assuming for a moment that all 4 of these bricks come from the same set, there are two possible sets that you could have (there is one more set that has 1 of the 3x4 and two of the 3x2 slopes).

1. 4226 Building Monsters \- contains 4 of each.

2. 9287 Bonus Lego Basic Town \- contains 12 of each.
> 3 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: How to get double the speed from 2 regulated EV3 motors?
So I've noticed that if I connect two EV3 motors to one another (with gears), I still get exactly the same maximum speed as if I had a single motor.

So, my question: how can I get twice the power/speed out of two motors?

**Update:** here's an interesting observation: if I get both motors to spin as *unregulated*, I get a much higher speed than if I get them to spin in a pair (e.g., B+C move tank).

**Update 2:** ended up building a differential as per accepted answer:

# Answer
> 7 votes
By adding two motors together with gears, you have doubled the torque the motors provide. Power = torque x speed, so if you don't want the doubled power from the motors to go to the torque component but to the speed component instead, I think you should use a differential and put the motors on both outputs of the differential, and use the input to feed your construction. I haven't tested this out though.

EDIT: Here is a picture I found that shows how 4 motors can be joined into a single output with 5 different motor combinations (and many more different speed combinations):

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Tags: ev3, ev3-g, ev3dev, motor
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# Question
Title: A 90 degree turn with Wheel part number 56145
I'm making a program for my ev3rstorm and I want it to have a 90-degree spin turn. I use the standard part ev3rstorm wheelbase or rather, treadbase. Using the move tank block (I use that block all the time) how long should I move back/forward at 75/-75 power?

Wheel picture:

# Answer
Use your gyroscope sensor, set your program to have the Move Tank block turn very slowly in the "On" mode, and then use a Wait block checking the Gyro sensor until it sees an absolute change of 90 degrees. Then add a Move Tank "Off" block. That's the closest you will come to 90 degrees.
> 2 votes

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Tags: ev3, programming, robotic
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# Question
Title: Please help identifying these parts, brown and dark grey base with light brown feet
I recently got hold of a huge box of mixed LEGO Star Wars. Any idea which set this piece is from?

# Answer
These parts are from:

9491-1 : Geonosian Cannon
> 6 votes

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Tags: set-identification, star-wars
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# Question
Title: Which sets are these parts from? White and brown cycles with no wheel?
Any ideas about these half assembled pieces that were given to me in a big star wars LEGO box?

Thank you!

# Answer
These are from a number of different Star Wars Battle Packs:

Clone Troop Battle Pack (7913):

Endor Rebel Trooper and Imperial Trooper Battle Pack (9489):

Snow Trooper Battle Pack (8084):
> 5 votes

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Tags: set-identification, star-wars
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# Question
Title: Need help identifying the set for these parts green pieces
Probably LEGO Star Wars, but no idea which set.

# Answer
The wedge piece is 43712pb023 Wedge 6 x 4 Triple Curved with Air Vent and Hatch Pattern (Sticker) - Set 7734 and comes from set 7734-1 Cargo Plane.

The tubular brick is 6042 Brick, Modified Octagonal 2 x 2 x 3 1/3 with Side Studs. It came in only three sets in Green, all from 1997, all from the AquaZone theme. These sets are 2160, 2161 and 2162.

The other two pieces are too generic to be attributed to a specific set.
> 4 votes

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Tags: part-identification, city
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# Question
Title: How do I keep LEGO boxes looking their best for as long as possible?
I want to buy a few cool sets for investing purposes or to give to my kids later on if they prove to be poor investments. I'm not going to open the boxes they'll just be stored but it might be nice to display them on a shelf or something to remind me of why I like them.

So how can I keep the boxes looking their best for the next five or ten years? I assume that fading from sunlight damage is the biggest problem so what needs to be done to prevent that?

Note that I'm asking about the boxes here and not the bricks which is covered in this question: How can I store LEGO bricks as long as possible?

# Answer
> 10 votes
While the LEGO plastic elements are very durable and should be considered as safe as long as they remain in their box, the boxes themselves are much more vulnerable.

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

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

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

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

# Answer
> 6 votes
Just keep them away from children, and store them on the shelf. the boxes are very easy to dust off, and they will not be harmed form the dust.

Also, **do not put anything heavy on top of the LEGO boxes**! I have had experience with this, and it leaves a crease in the box. Actually, you should not out ANYTHING on top of the box, unless it is another empty LEGO box. Or a full LEGO box. I would say that the maximum weight would be the heaviest LEGO box, because the weight is spread out. Only put other LEGO boxes on top of the box. They were meant to be stacked.

# Answer
> 0 votes
Please do not stack the Lego boxes, especially the big sets. They are going to crush the lower ones.

If you need to, at least make sure to put a board or something between the two layers to distribute the weight evenly.

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Tags: storage
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title: When was the pink brick released?

text:
# Question
Title: When was the pink brick released?
I am a student researching Lego for an essay. I was looking at when the first pink bricks were released. I have researched and found that they were initially released between 1949 and 1956 and were discontinued and then reinstated around 1978, but other sources have said they were released in 1994.

I would like clarity of what actually happened.

# Answer
> 6 votes
There are two shades of light-pink in LEGO's history that were included in official sets. (Please note that there are other, rare shades of pink that never made it into mass production but were used as test colors or for special projects.) The older light-pink is simply called "pink" in the BrickLink Color Guide, and also often referred to as "Paradisa Pink", as it was in the LEGO Paradisa line where the color was most prominent. It is a softer, lighter shade, and was produced between 1991-2006.

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

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

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

# Answer
> 4 votes
Paradisa Pink (17 Rose) was the first in 1991. BUT, Lego used Medium Dark Pink (16 Pink) in Modulex parts as early as 1983!

There is also 9 Light Reddish Violet, which replaced 17 Rose in 1994, before being replaced in turn by Bright Pink (222 Light Purple) in 2004. This middle pink was close to Paradisa Pink, but less yellow.

There are officially two versions of Dark Pink: 22 Medium Reddish Violet and, after 2004, 221 Bright Purple. These are almost identical.

Clikits used 295 Flamingo Pink for a few parts in 2006. It's too bad that they didn't make more parts, it's really a nice color!

I have a fleshy-pinkish Automatic Binding Brick from the early 50s, but this was before Lego started giving their colors names and numbers.

Barring transparent or more purplish/reddish colors, that's all the pinks I know of. I'm curious about your sources for the 1949 and 1978 dates. I've been trying to compile all color information here: http://ryanhowerter.net/colors

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Tags: history, colour
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title: Code for PID for EV3-g

text:
# Question
Title: Code for PID for EV3-g
I want to use PID for my Ev3. I used PID for NXT-G before, but I have never used EV3-G before and don't know how to get PID. Could someone please post a screen shot of the code or upload the file?

# Answer
> 3 votes
This is EV3-G code for a PID based on PID Controller for Lego Mindstorms Robots by J Sluka. It uses the steering parameter of the Move block instead of power levels of the Motor block. The interesting parts are setting the Kp, Ki, and Kd values.

# Answer
> 1 votes
The best documentation I have found for PID is "A PID Controller For Lego Mindstorms Robots" by J. Sluka

J. Sluka Send me an email at: Lego at InPharmix dot com

It is written for the NXT and needs to be updated for the EV3. But it has really helped me out. I am working on a maze solver and used PID to follow the wall. I prefer to program the EV3 in python and have included the code here.

```
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# so this script/program can be run from Brickman

from ev3dev.ev3 import *
from time import sleep

import ev3dev.ev3 as ev3

print('Auto Driver TubeBotEZ.py')
# File EV3 Python TubeBot.py
ev3.Sound.speak('python Tube Robot easy 2').wait()

LeftWheel = LargeMotor('outA')
RightWheel = LargeMotor('outB')
ir = InfraredSensor()
# assert ir.connected, "Connect a single infrared sensor to any sensor port"

ts = TouchSensor()
# assert ts.connected, "Connect a touch sensor to any port"
# can have 2 statements on same line if use semi colon

# Put the infrared sensor into proximity mode.
ir.mode = 'IR-PROX'

DelayTime = 0
Target = 10
Error = 0
Integral = 0
Derivative = 0
LastError = 0
Kp = 3
Ki = 0
Kd = 0
PID = 1
Time = 400
LeftPower = 1
RightPower = 1
MaxTurnPower = 200
Iteration = 0
Distance = 0
SpeedFactor = 300
y = 0
Speed = 100
OldDistance = 1000
DistanceL = 1
DistanceR = 2

Beginning = '{:3d}        Start                        Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
    LeftPower, RightPower)
print(Beginning, Ending)

#ev3.Sound.speak('Start').wait()
sleep(DelayTime)
Battery = True
#Sound.speak('Point 1')
while Battery:
    Leds.all_off()
#    Leds.set_color(Leds.UP, Leds.GREEN)
#    Leds.set_color(Leds.DOWN, Leds.GREEN)
    Leds.set_color(Leds.LEFT, Leds.GREEN)
    Leds.set_color(Leds.RIGHT, Leds.GREEN)
    # Phase 1
    if True:

#        Sound.speak('SQUARE WALL')
        sleep(DelayTime)
        DistanceL = ir.value()
        LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
        RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
        #sleep(DelayTime)   # Give the motor time to move
        #LeftWheel.stop()
        LeftWheel.wait_while('running')
        RightWheel.wait_while('running')
        #sleep(1)
        DistanceR = ir.value()
        if DistanceL != DistanceR:
            if DistanceL < DistanceR:
                while DistanceL < DistanceR:
#                    print('in Left loop')

#                    Sound.speak('Left').wait()
                    sleep(DelayTime)   # Give the motor time to move
                    DistanceR = ir.value()
                    LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                    RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                    sleep(DelayTime)   # Give the motor time to move
                    LeftWheel.stop()
                    LeftWheel.wait_while('running')
                    sleep(DelayTime)
                    DistanceL = ir.value()
                    Iteration += 1
                    Beginning = '{:3d}      Left      in                    Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
                    Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
                        LeftPower, RightPower)
                    print(Beginning, Ending)
#                ev3.Sound.speak('Re set Right').wait()
                LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                sleep(DelayTime)   # Give the motor time to move
                LeftWheel.stop()
                LeftWheel.wait_while('running')
                sleep(DelayTime)
                Iteration += 1
                Beginning = '{:3d}       Left out                     Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
                Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
                    LeftPower, RightPower)
                print(Beginning, Ending)
                Sound.beep()
            else:
                while DistanceR < DistanceL:
#                    print('in while close loop')

#                    ev3.Sound.speak('Right').wait()
                    sleep(DelayTime)
                    DistanceL = ir.value()
                    LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                    RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                    sleep(DelayTime)  # Give the motor time to move
                    LeftWheel.stop()
                    LeftWheel.wait_while('running')
                    sleep(DelayTime)
                    DistanceR = ir.value()
                    Iteration += 1
                    Beginning = '{:3d}          Right   in                   Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
                    Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
                        LeftPower, RightPower)
                    print(Beginning, Ending)

#                ev3.Sound.speak('Reset Left').wait()
                LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-30, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=30, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
                sleep(DelayTime)  # Give the motor time to move
                LeftWheel.stop()
                LeftWheel.wait_while('running')
                sleep(DelayTime)
                Iteration += 1
                Beginning = '{:3d}          Right   in       out            Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
                Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
                    LeftPower, RightPower)
                print(Beginning, Ending)

                Sound.beep()

        Beginning = '{:3d}       Finished                     Left Distance {:>4.0f}     Right Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, DistanceL, DistanceR)
        Ending = '        LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
            LeftPower, RightPower)
        print(Beginning, Ending)
        Sound.beep()

        Beginning = '{:3d}    Target {:3.0f}    Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, Target, Distance)
        Ending = '    Delta {:>4.0f}    Integral {:>5.0f}    Derivative {:>5.0f}    LastError {:>5.0f}    PID {:>5.0f}    SpeedFactor {:>5.0f}    LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
            Error, Integral, Derivative, LastError, PID, SpeedFactor, LeftPower, RightPower)
        print(Beginning, Ending)
        sleep(DelayTime)

        while not ts.value():  # Stop program by pressing touch sensor button
                # Infrared sensor in proximity mode will measure distance to the closest
                # object in front of it.

#                    Sound.speak('FORWARD')
                    sleep(DelayTime)
                    Iteration += 1
                    Distance = ir.value()
                    if Distance < Target:
#                        print('in Distance < Target loop')
                        Leds.set_color(Leds.LEFT, Leds.RED)
                        Leds.set_color(Leds.RIGHT, Leds.GREEN)

#                        Sound.speak('RIGHT')
                        sleep(DelayTime)
                    else:
#                        print('Close else')
                        Leds.set_color(Leds.LEFT, Leds.GREEN)
                        Leds.set_color(Leds.RIGHT, Leds.RED)

#                        Sound.speak('LEFT')
                        sleep(DelayTime)

                    Error = Target - Distance
                    Integral += Error
                    Derivative = Error - LastError

                    if Integral < -MaxTurnPower:
                        Integral = -MaxTurnPower
                    if Integral > MaxTurnPower:
                        Integral = MaxTurnPower

                    if Derivative < -MaxTurnPower:
                        Derivative = -MaxTurnPower
                    if Derivative > MaxTurnPower:
                        Derivatine = MaxTurnPower

                    PID = Kp * Error + Ki * Integral + Kd * Derivative

                    if PID < -MaxTurnPower:
                        PID = -MaxTurnPower
                    if PID > MaxTurnPower:
                        PID = MaxTurnPower

                    LeftPower = SpeedFactor + PID
                    RightPower = SpeedFactor - PID

                    if LeftPower < -900:
                        LeftPower = -901
                    if LeftPower > 900:
                        LeftPower = 902

                    if RightPower < -900:
                        RightPower = -903
                    if RightPower > 900:
                        RightPower = 904

                    Beginning = '{:3d}    Target {:3.0f}    Distance {:>4.0f}'.format(Iteration, Target, Distance)
                    Ending = '    Delta {:>4.0f}    Integral {:>5.0f}    Derivative {:>5.0f}    LastError {:>5.0f}    PID {:>5.0f}    SpeedFactor {:>5.0f}    LeftPower {:>5.0f}    RightPower {:>5.0f}'.format(
                        Error, Integral, Derivative, LastError, PID, SpeedFactor, LeftPower, RightPower)

                    print(Beginning, Ending)
                    LeftWheel.run_timed(time_sp=Time, speed_sp=LeftPower)
                    RightWheel.run_timed(time_sp=Time, speed_sp=RightPower)

                    LastError = Error

#    Leds.set_color(Leds.UP, Leds.RED)
#    Leds.set_color(Leds.DOWN, Leds.RED)
    Leds.set_color(Leds.LEFT, Leds.RED)
    Leds.set_color(Leds.RIGHT, Leds.RED)
    LeftWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-20, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
    RightWheel.run_to_rel_pos(position_sp=-400, speed_sp=900, stop_action="hold")
    Sound.beep()

```

---
Tags: mindstorms, ev3, ev3-g
---


# Question
Title: Identifying this turbine piece with a stud and a Technic axel
I promise that I don't simply dump photos on here without researching them. I've been using Bricklink's system for 15 years, and it still perplexes me occasionally...such as this bizarro part.

I swear I went though nearly every possible category this weekend (and all of the Technic groups), and I can't find it.

Can anyone please help?

# Answer
> 7 votes
It's part 4869 - Engine, Smooth Large, Center.

---
Tags: part-identification, vintage
---


# Question
Title: Can you identify these curved grey parts?
Any ideas which set they belong to?

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

---
Tags: part-identification, set-identification
---


title: Who else produces Duplo-sized blocks?

text:
# Question
Title: Who else produces Duplo-sized blocks?
I gather that Mega Bloks Mini Bloks are the same size as Duplo, and are compatible with it. Do any of the other major brick manufacturers make similar bricks?

Knowing the possibilities can help when sorting out collections of bricks purchased second hand.

# Answer
There are several Chinese companies making DUPLO clones, many are listed in this fascinating article by Anthony Tomkins of UK LUG The Brickish Association.

Communist LEGO, a review of some Chinese copies
> 6 votes

# Answer
Coko definitely does (See here: http://www.edex.com.au/coko-baby-blocks-transport-set-26-pieces.html). Not sure in which countries they are available.

There is another question around about a mystery company with an umbrella/smiley/anchor logo on the studs. I've only found System-size bricks and plates from them, but the asker implied she had found Duplo-sized bricks as well. (Third-party blocks with a smiling face or an umbrella with 2 dots on each side)
> 4 votes

# Answer
We own Polish Wader's "mini block" set. It is mostly compatible with DUPLO, yet some combinations of "foreign" blocks stick poorly to each other. WADER bricks have octagon studs and their logo imprinted.

Also, Ukrainian Tigres produces some simple brick sets http://tigres.com.ua/catalogue/plastmassovye-igrushki/konstruktory/konstruktor-122-el/ The forms of these are copied from WADER. However, their studs are round.
> 3 votes

# Answer
I know this is an old question, but someone out there might be Googling this like I did. A Chinese made one "HongYuanSheng" matches perfectly.
> 2 votes

# Answer
A short time ago I bought a marble run from **Hubelino** because they are compatible with Duplo. I bought a set without bricks, so I can not tell anything about the bricks they also sell.
The tracks match very well and give a lot of fun.
> 2 votes

# Answer
In older secondhand duplo sets, I've often come across Tyco brand blocks. They are easy to tell apart because they have flat tops on the studs and the plastic is often imprinted with the brand name somewhere.

K'Nex makes some "Kid K'Nex" sets with sesame street themes that come with blocks that look a lot like duplos as well. But the heights of the bricks and studs do not match, so they're very easy to tell they aren't duplo as well.
> 1 votes

# Answer
I saw these on Amazon. They have great reviews, but not sure about them yet: 500 piece DELUXE Basic set of Duplo compatible Building bricks by Smart Builder Toys Link: https://amzn.com/B016DQLQ20
> 1 votes

---
Tags: compatibility, 3rd-party, duplo
---


# Question
Title: Set Identification from Garage Sale Score
Sorry for the immediate request upon joining, but you guys all seem so knowledgeable that it might save me a bunch of searching!

We picked up some used and (mostly) built LEGO, and I'd like to try and find all the instructions that might be available before I tear them apart into pieces. My son is still pretty new to the LEGO world, so he likes to have the specific instructions and hasn't quite hit the "use your imagination and build whatever you want" phase.

If you have a few moments to delve into set identification, I'd really appreciate the help! I have about 15 things!, but I recognise that this is a ton to ask for! But, if you know what this F1-type car is, my son wants to try building it first!

# Answer
Responding to the gallery from the original question:

Photo #1

7124-1: Flash Speeder

Photo #2

7316-1: Excavation Searcher

Photo # 3

8644-1 Street Maniac

Photo #4

4743-1: Ice Blade

Photo #5

8650-1 : Furious Slammer Racer

Photo #6

8356-1 # Jungle Monster

Photo #7

4743-1: Ice Blade

Photo #8

7315-1: Solar Explorer

Photo #9

4098-1: High Flyers

Photo #10

don't know

Photo #9

8643-1: Power Cruiser

Photo #11

7314: Recon Mech RP

Photo #12

7315-1: Solar Explorer

Photo #13

7141-1: Naboo Fighter

Photo #14

6616-1: Rocket-Dragster

Photo #15

4587-1: Duel-Racers

Photo #16

7313: Red Planet Protector

Photo #17

7316-1: Excavation Searcher

Photo #18 7312-1: T-3 Trike

Photo #19

8650-1 : Furious Slammer Racer

Photo #20

don't know

---
> 4 votes

# Answer
# 20 appears to be an assortment of parts from this power racers collection, with several additions that are not part of the set.

https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?S=8383-1&in=S
> 0 votes

---
Tags: set-identification, star-wars, racers
---


# Question
Title: EV3 T-Rex we build keeps toppling over on step
I'm building the standard T-Rex project from Benedettelli's book.

We double checked construction and also step my block - all looks correct.

Any pointers appreciated.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I built a walking machine when I was a kid several (*cough*) decades ago, and it had a similar problem. We finally figured out that what I had built was very front-heavy. Weight has to be balanced equally, forward and backward, over the "hips" of the creation. Pick up the creature by the top of the hips and see which way it swings. I solved the problem by adding a longer tail. You might also try putting the head up in a higher position or moving a battery case rearward.

---
Tags: ev3, robotic
---


# Question
Title: Instructions for building this bird? Parrot from session at Legoland Windsor in 2013
I built this bird at Legoland Windsor in 2013. It was in an instructor-led session where a Lego expert showed us some SNOT techniques and we all made the same model.

I've had the model on my shelf at home and although it's nothing too special my kids have expressed an interest in making their own.

Does anyone recognise it (ignore the colours as we had a free choice) and know of any instructions? I'd rather not dismantle and reverse engineer it!

From memory, the instructions were shown using a projector and were slightly pixelated, like from a computer design app rather than the slick instructions in normal Lego sets. So this may be a MOC by the instructor rather than something published, but you never know.

# Answer
I don't have a copy of the instructions, but I've recreated the model making some educated guesses:

Here are two highlights of the internal construction: The first shows how the feet tie into the body.

The second shows the basic SNOT work to attach the sides to the model.

The full instructions are available here.
> 4 votes

---
Tags: instructions
---


# Question
Title: How to inventory a large collection of LEGO sets
I have a fairly large collection of LEGO sets, most of them still as completed models. I also have all of the instruction books organised into plastic wallets which are stored in two A4 folders.

I'm looking at creating some kind of inventory of my LEGO sets. I'm thinking an Excel spreadsheet is the way to go. I would like to include information such as original price, current value, number of pieces, e.t.c.

I'm looking to see if anyone has some kind of template I could use or a quick way to automatically pull information from a site like Brick Picker or BrickLink. And also have information like current value be automatically updated.

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

Clicking on the set name gives you an overview screen with key set details such as piece count etc.
> 3 votes

# Answer
A custom spreadsheet solution gives you great flexibility and leaves you in control of your own data. Be sure to use a spreadsheet tool that supports the use of web images in cells (Google Spreadsheets, for instance); then you can easily use online resources to automatically show thumbnail pictures of your sets on each row (given the set number). This makes it so much easier to navigate your sheet.

In addition, you can harness the power of websites such as Brickset, Rebrickable and Brickpicker to get current valuations of your "brickfolio", or enable powerful database features that let you make queries on your collection. Note that some of these support the exchange of collection data as well as batch-style import, so that you don't have to tediously enter your collection set by set.
> 3 votes

---
Tags: inventory
---


# Question
Title: Can you find the set for these Star Wars space ship parts? Dark grey with some dark grey detailing?
Just wondering if someone can identify these parts so I can locate the correct instructions.

# Answer
> 5 votes
The set is 7673, The MagnaGuard Starfighter.

Instructions are here.

I was able to verify the dimensions of the cockpit piece using Lego Digital Designer. Once I knew it was 4x8x3, I was able to use brickset.com to identify the set as this piece only appeared in one set.

# Answer
> 2 votes
These are part of 7673-1: MagnaGuard Starfighter.

---
Tags: set-identification, star-wars
---


# Question
Title: Lego Star Wars ship identification, white and grey body, grey wings, dark red and yellow trim?
I really appreciate the help from you all earlier but I have one more LEGO set I need identified. I tried looking up by parts but couldn't find what I was looking for any suggestions from you all? I am even wondering if they are all from the same set.

# Answer
> 8 votes
This is 8019-1: Republic Attack Shuttle

---
Tags: set-identification, star-wars
---


title: Lego® Train 60051 alternate IR remote

text:
# Question
Title: Lego® Train 60051 alternate IR remote
I live in Uganda and purchased the LEGO High-Speed Passenger Train (60051) for my two sons. I am wanting to know if anyone knows of a different remote control that I can use besides the brick remote that comes with the set.

Reason being my youngest son was in a house fire before being adopted and doesn't have fingers making the standard remote impossible for him to use. Any options that I can order from abroad and get shipped over would be so much appreciated.

# Answer
There are some limited options for third-party remote control add-ons but Lego doesn't license or endorse them and they're not (as far as I know) made with improved accessibility in mind. However, it may be possible to modify the standard remote using pieces you have or can get.

For example, the train remote has an axle hole in the round speed controllers. If you put in a technic axle, you can attach certain technic beams to it, which would act as a handle for turning the control. You need a beam with an axle hole, such as this one

The holes in the side of the remote will accept technic pins and there are studs on the top, which would allow you to build a frame on the remote if you needed a more robust build or if you wanted to build a larger button that could activate the red stop button.

Moving the tiny directional control arrows is probably beyond what you could achieve with any Lego add-ons.

Adding structure around the remote to make it easier to manipulate will be much sturdier if you stick to using technic parts.

I threw this together:

which has a red liftarm beam for controlling the speed and a dark grey liftarm beam for the stop button. It's not perfect: the stop lever can be over-extended and flipped upwards so that it no longer engages, but it can be easily reset. The construction is pretty strong and not likely to fall apart.

If this sort of fix helps with your son's issues and you need more information about how I did it, what parts I used, etc, please don't hesitate to comment on this answer.

Some technical details: The axle holes on the buttons line up directly with the holes in a technic beam but the built-in technic holes on the side of the remote are half a beam in from where the resulting platform lines up, hence, I had to first attach a half-beam to the remote on the side, then attach the 90-degree beams to that. I'm not much of a technic builder so there may be more elegant solutions.
> 5 votes

---
Tags: trains, remote-control
---


# Question
Title: Why the use of different colors for the inner bricks?
I'm currently building the set 10221 and it's not the first time I notice that the colour of bricks used for the inner parts (parts that aren't visible) of the set are different from the main colour of the set. For example: the main colour of this set is light grey/light bluish grey but bricks for the inner parts are in blue, red, tan, etc.

Is there any reason for LEGO to use different colours (some are difficult to find if bricks are bought separately) for those sections of the set?

# Answer
> 3 votes
LEGO uses different colors on interior (non-visible) parts of a build to make the building process easier. Different colors (especially contrasting colors) are easier to recognize in printed instructions. There might also be a cost-saving factor involved, as those colored bricks might be in larger supply at the factory and hence easier to source for a given set.

---
Tags: building, colour
---


# Question
Title: Set identification - 4 bags of mostly yellow grey and black, some Technic bricks?
Any ideas which set(s) these 4 bags belong to?

# Answer
> 3 votes
Based on the yellow windscreen and the red tiles 1 x 4, these bags belong to:

6753-1 - Highway Transport

---
Tags: set-identification, creator
---


# Question
Title: Is it possible to fix a broken EV3 Port?
I have an EV3 running RobotC version 4.55.

The medium motor connected to Port A does not run, but if I connect it to another port (B,C,or D) it works. I tested it manually through the EV3 motor tab and with a program. I also tried connecting other motors to port A and they do not work there.

Is there something I can do to "revive" port A?

# Answer
It sounds like the polyfuse (the fuse that protects the motor circuit) or the motor driver (the chip that switches power on and off to the motors) has failed.

You can contact LEGO customer support and let them know about it. They will probably replace the EV3 if it is determined to be defective.

Or, if you are the do-it-yourself kind of person with surface mount device soldering skills, you could attempt to replace the components yourself.
> 1 votes

---
Tags: ev3, mindstorms, repair
---


# Question
Title: What set do these large grey circular pieces belong to? (possibly a Star Wars set)
I got these pieces in a bag full of random pieces.

# Answer
> 4 votes
The decorated 10x10 dish is easy, it has only been in 7748

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

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

---
Tags: set-identification, star-wars
---


title: Can you ID these storage bins?

text:
# Question
Title: Can you ID these storage bins?
I've seen snapshots of official LEGO Group design studios in books published by DK and the like. They use neat, removable drawer inserts for sorting elements, but I haven't found them available anywhere online.

Does anyone know if these specific bins/drawer units can be purchased anywhere? Are they unique to the LEGO Group, or perhaps produced internally for internal use only?

Source of images: *LEGO DC Universe Super Heroes Visual Dictionary,* 2012, DK Publishing (New York)

# Answer
> 2 votes
According to Liam Nilsen from The LEGO Idea Studio, he believes the storage bins *may* have been produced in-house by LEGO and are not commercially available.

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

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

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

---
Tags: organisation
---


title: Which is the largest U.K. LEGO shop?

text:
# Question
Title: Which is the largest U.K. LEGO shop?
The LEGOLAND Windsor claims to have the largest U.K. Shop for LEGO, but the Leicester Square store claims to be the largest LEGO shop in the world. Which is the truth?

# Answer
The **LEGO Store in Leicester Square** which opened in 2016 has an area of 914sq m

(Source: Evening Standard, Telegraph)

The **LEGOLAND Windsor Big Shop** is 'one of the UK's largest shops for LEGO' according to their website. In 2015 the website stated the store was '... the UK's largest one-stop shop for LEGO'. It appears as if the Leicester Square store has taken over.

The LEGOLAND Big Shop is operated by the parks owner Merlin Entertainments. As it is not an 'official' LEGO store it does accept VIP cards or have a standard pick-a-brick wall.
> 1 votes

---
Tags: lego-store, legoland
---


title: Optimal way to remove door from frame

text:
# Question
Title: Optimal way to remove door from frame
What is the best way to remove the transparent door from the white frame?

I am asking this since I want the door to last as long as possible without damaging the slot or bump. Any method will do, but the less vigorous, the better. Also, the method is to be without tools apart from a brick separator:

This is probably useless, but just in case...

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

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

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

You probably would want to alternate which side you remove the frame every time so that you don't wear out one side faster than the other.
> 6 votes

---
Tags: disassembly
---


# Question
Title: Can you identify this minifig and its set?
I would like to know what set this minifigure belongs to.

# Answer
> 5 votes
The legs appear to be LEGO, the torso and head are from the old Mega Bloks Dragons series.

---
Tags: set-identification, clone-brands, minifigure-identification
---


# Question
Title: Can you identify this truck with spikey wheels?
I would like to know what set this partially put-together truck belongs to.

# Answer
> 3 votes
Legends of Chima 70004-1: Wakz' Pack Tracker

---
Tags: set-identification
---


title: Can you help me identify the set?

text:
# Question
Title: Can you help me identify the set?
These pieces are part of a large box I received and I am thinking they belong to a Star Wars set, but I have searched fruitlessly and haven't found which one.

# Answer
# Top left:

Darth Maul's Sith Infiltrator 7961-1

# Top Right:

ARC-170 Starfighter 8088-1

# Bottom Left:

Sith Nightspeeder 7957-1

# Bottom Right:

One of 3 Alpha Team: Mission Deep Freeze sets. I think it's Ice Blade 4743-1, if that's the same sticker I see on the side.

# Bottom Center:

No direct matches, but appears to be a sticker from a Hyena Droid Bomber 8016-1 on the wrong color of piece.
> 5 votes

---
Tags: set-identification, star-wars
---


# Question
Title: Help me figure out what sets these minifigs belong to!
I was given a huge box of LEGO bricks from my neighbor and these are the last men I can't figure out what sets they come from. If anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated!

# Answer
> 5 votes
Numbering your minifigures 1 to 19 by going from left to right, top row first, I see the following:

1. gen035 - Skeleton with Round Brick Head (Ninjago Bowling Pin) from set 2519 Skeleton Bowling.
2. Same as 1
3. Same as 1
4. oct027 - Octan - Racing, Blue Legs, Blue Helmet 4 Stars & Strips, Trans-Light Blue Visor from set 9293 Community Workers. Note that the minifig head in this figure is not correct in your image - it was likely swapped out by the previous owner.
5. The torso is 973pb0510 - Torso SW Armor Clone Trooper Pattern (Clone Wars). There are several minifigs that have this torso, including 8 with white arms and black hands. A full list is located here: https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=973pb0510&in=M
6. Not LEGO.
7. Not LEGO.
8. Torso is 973px83 Torso SW Dark Gray Shirt, Belt with Red Buckle Pattern (Padme), which belongs to sw025 Padme Naberrie from one of two sets from 1999: 7131 - Anakin's Podracer or 7171 - Mos Espa Podrace. Note that the arms must have been swapped out by the previous owner as the original minifig had blue arms.
9. Either njo007 Kai (missing his headscarf) or njo052 Kendo Kai (missing his Kendo gear). Appear in 7 sets from 2011/2012.
10. sw258 - Hoth Officer (with another minifig's head on top). From set 8083 Rebel Trooper Battle Pack.
11. cc4066 Actor 1. From polybag 4066 - Actor 1, released in 2001.
12. njo013 - Lord Garmadon (Ninjago). Could also be one of 2 other Lord Garmadon minifigs (with different gear). Part of several Ninjago sets from 2011.
13. Not LEGO.
14. Not LEGO.
15. Not LEGO
16. sw401 Imperial AT-ST Driver from set 9679 - AT-ST & Endor.
17. The torso is 973pb0318c01 Torso Speed Racer Pullover Open Collar, Diagonal Wrinkles Pattern / Blue Arms / Light Flesh Hands from the Speed Racers theme. The legs do not belong to this torso. Torso belongs to sr001 Speed Racer, Blue Pullover from set 8158 - Speed Racer & Snake Oiler from 2008.
18. Another likely Castle related torso that I haven't been able to identify yet. Seems to have a sticker on it.
19. Thanks to Samuel L.(!), this torso is 973px67c01 Torso Police Vest, White Shirt, ID, Yellow Star Badge Pattern / White Arms / Yellow Hands. It was part of 11 minifigures in the Classic Town theme, and those minifigures appeared in 18 sets.

---
Tags: minifigures, minifigure-identification
---


# Question
Title: What is the difference between the plastic used in mainstream minifigs and the plastic used to make the popular collectable series of minifigs?
What is the difference (if there even is a difference) between the plastic used in mainstream minifigs and the plastic used in the popular collectable minifig series?

It seems to me that the collectable minifigs are a bit more brittle than their average brethren.

# Answer
On thebrickblogger.com (February 9, 2017) there was a call to report issues with minifigures. Reading the answers I get the impression that issues with clutch-power, cracks and other problems are occurring with all sorts of minifigures, not only with the collectible series. This would mean that it is not a persistent problem with Chinese factories:

http://thebrickblogger.com/2017/02/lego-collectible-minifigures-quality-issues/

Looking at Ebay I also get the feeling that 90% of all problems will never be noticed because the owners won't open the bags!
> 1 votes

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Tags: minifigures, manufacturing, plastics, collectable-minifigures
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# Question
Title: Can someone identify this LEGO Model? Brown Technic set with huge dark grey wheels?
Can someone identify the name and/or set number of this LEGO Model?

# Answer
> 5 votes
It's set 4481 - Hailfire Droid. You've got it tilted vertically, it needs to rotate 90 degrees - the black rocket launch pods need to be on top.

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Tags: set-identification, star-wars
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# Question
Title: What's the name of this model? White spaceship, flexible panel with hexagon pattern?
Can somebody tell me the set number of this Model?

# Answer
Set 7315 Solar Explorer, from the Life on Mars subtheme from 2001.
> 2 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Yet Another Model to Identify, Dark Grey Motorcycles?
I have looked and looked through Google images to find this one. I'm also fairly certain that I don't have the major assembly connected to each other correctly. But does someone know what the set number is for this one?

# Answer
Looks like RoboRiders 8516-1 The Boss:
> 7 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Set 3368 Space Centre missing one 4211805
I've just bought a second hand 3368 Space Centre and I think there is a mistake in the instructions. According to the inventory there should only be one 4211805 in the pack

but the step looks like it requires two

The set was listed as complete so my question is, did Lego make a mistake and ship these sets with only one 4211805, or did the seller just go by the inventory and therefore leave out one of the 4211805s that came in the original box?

# Answer
This looks like an oversight in the inventory printed in the instructions. Your interpretation of the instruction step requiring two of these is certainly correct.

The Bricklink inventory shows 2 of these, so that's what would have been included in the box. The replacement parts page on LEGO.com also indicates that this set should include 2 of the 7M axles.

It's likely that the seller just checked against the printed inventory and didn't include the second axle due to the misprint.
> 5 votes

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Tags: instructions, inventory
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title: Can you identify this LEGO space set?

text:
# Question
Title: Can you identify this LEGO space set?
I've just purchased a random box of Star Wars LEGO at a car boot sale and there's a few bits in there that I'd like to identify the set for.

# Answer
It's not a Star Wars set, it's most of the main part from "70704 Vermin Vaporizer" from the Galaxy Squad theme.

The word "pressure" on the green tile hints that it's not Star Wars, as that would normally be in Aurebesh - the written script you see in the films.

It turns out the curved white roof tile (Circle 90G 6X6 Roof Tile) at the front was only used in three sets, which helps identify it.
> 9 votes

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Tags: set-identification, space
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# Question
Title: Can you identify the set for this red LEGO snowmobile?
A long time ago I got this pieces of what seems to be a snowmobile but I don't know if it is complete (with the pieces shown in the picture) or what would be the expected1 way of building it.

I have tried several configurations and none of them are completely satisfying. I don't know what was the original intention with the skis, the saws and the rear end.

Could somebody help?

---

1. Understanding, of course, that with a LEGO you have the freedom to try different configurations, not just the one suggested by instructions.

# Answer
It's 1710-1: Snowmobile (or the variant that came in a box, 1730-1):

The chain saw piece only appears in a few sets with that color.

Here you can see the instructions.
> 8 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Are there LEGO sets unique to the UK/Europe?
I'm going on vacation to the UK and am looking to pick up some sets for 2 collectors (if they have them). It's a surprise gift so I don't want to ask them about it.

I am wondering if there are sets exclusively sold in the UK or Europe that are not easy to find in the US?

# Answer
> 1 votes
I completely agree with what Gareth said above. There have been several sets sold exclusively in the Uk and Europe throughout Lego's production history. However, if what you are asking is recent or more unique/exciting ones, then I can think of a couple off the top of my head.

Lego BR toy minifigure sold(if I remember correctly) in BR stores in the UK: Brickset BR toy

Team GB series sold in UK and maybe Europe: Brickset GB team

DFB German football team sold exclusively throughout Europe(possibly only in Germany): Brickset DFB series

London bus given at store opening in London: Brickset London Bus

Royal Guard buildable figure exclusive at Leicester Square store: Brickset Royal Guard

I know the 2 Lego CLub Max minifigures is exclusive, but I dunno if it was only sold in UK/Europe: Lime Green Max and Regular Max

The lego House minifigure/ set was sold in Billund stores: Lego House set

The Legoland train is exlusive to Florida and Denmark: Legoland train

The 2 Nesquik bunny sets were available in Germany, New Zealand, and Australia(who doesn't like chocolate milk?): Nesquik

British exclusive minifigure Lester(not Chester, if you saw my edits): Lester minifigure However, it's been a while, so I don't think you can still get this from the scratch ticket.

Oh, alright, you caught me. I used Brickset. Sorry for the long post. This is about all that I could find/think of. Some of the entries that I found, I wasn't sure of, so I didn't post them. Please note that the places where they are sold are based only on my memory.

# Answer
> 0 votes
I suggest having a look on the Lego website and changing your region to compare what you get in different places.

I know that neither of these probably qualify as "unique" but in the past I've come across sets that have been discontinued/launched in one region before another. For example, the Maersk Sealand was available in the Far East after it'd been discontinued in Europe. The other difference you'll see is with "customisations" - namely the stickers. For example, the Football Team bus 3404/5/6 was sold in different colours and with different stickers in different regions - I know I have one with England stickers and one with USA stickers on.

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Tags: sets, shopping
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# Question
Title: Can you identify this set that seems to be from LEGO Star Wars? Dark grey circle pieces and clear canopy?
Can anyone help identify what set this is from please?

# Answer
The curved roof tiles are a key to finding this set:

76003 - Superman: Battle of Smallville

It's missing a fair few pieces, but that's the core of the flyer:

The clone trooper and the gold chest are rogue parts here ;)
> 5 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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title: How can I build a compact EV3 gearbox?

text:
# Question
Title: How can I build a compact EV3 gearbox?
I'm building a sumo bot in EV3 and would like to have both 1:1 and 1:3 gear ratios, with the first being useful for general driving and the second more for pushing other robots.

My problem is, I cannot seem to figure out how to get the actual gear switching (moving a + shaped pin left and right on both motors) working. I have only the EV3 parts. Advice greatly appreciated.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I think it's quite limiting to only consider parts in the standard EV3 sets. Many technic sets have gear switches. I believe the cheapest set currently available that has it is the Race cart (42048), the switch can be motorized as was done for example in the motorized excavator (8043). Also the pieces are readily available on bricklink quite cheap. I think it is a great idea to have a gear switch in a sumo bot, but the only reliable way to do it is use pieces designed for that.

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Tags: ev3, mindstorms, gears
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# Question
Title: What's the name of this curvy looking brick, 2x3 with an overhang
What's the name of the brick shown below?

I've searched many sites including BrickLink and Lego itself but to no avail. Help?

**EDIT** I think I found the name of this brick: 47456 Slope Brick Round 3 x 2 x 2/3 with Flap and Two Studs, Modified Wing End 2 x 3 x 2/3. Is this correct though?

# Answer
> 4 votes
Bricklink refers to it as 'LegoBrick, Modified 2 x 3 x 2/3 Two Studs, Wing End'.

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

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Tags: part-identification, slope
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# Question
Title: How to convert a model from "LEGO Digital Designer" Extended into non-Extended?
I'm using LEGO Digital Designer. My LEGO model I've designed uses parts that don't exist. This is a bummer because I am trying to buy the parts to realize my design in actual, physical LEGO bricks!

I hypothesize I created this file not noticing which mode it was in. My only recourse now is to somehow "scrub" the design of these invalid parts.

I'm using LEGO Digital Designer 4.3. When it starts up, it shows 3 tabs:

* LEGO Digital Designer
* LEGO Mindstorms
* LEGO Digital Designer Extended

As I understand it, LEGO Digital Designer Extended is a distinct mode from LEGO Digital Designer. The distinction is, Extended lets you use pieces that aren't in production. For example, you could pick a shape and color combination that have never been manufactured by LEGO.

How do I convert it to non-Extended mode? Alternatively, how do I figure out which pieces in my model are "illegal?"

One solution I've been experimenting with:

1. Export a .ldr file
2. Importing the .ldr export file into another program
3. The invalid bricks will be dropped, and from there they can be replaced

I'm on OSX so the ones I've successfully tried are:

# Answer
Copy and paste works:

1. Open the model in Extended mode
2. Copy the design
3. Close the model
4. Open a new, empty document in "Standard" (non-Extended) mode
5. Paste the content

The bricks that does not exist in Standard mode will not be shown, leaving gaps in the model.
> 4 votes

# Answer
1.View
2.New themes
3.LDD/LDD MINDSTORMS/LDD Extended
> -2 votes

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Tags: ldd
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# Question
Title: What is the name/number of this Technic brick with two arms ending in tiny clips?
What is the number of the brick shown below? I have been searching, but had no success. There is no number shown on the brick, but it has the LEGO logo.

# Answer
That's two Magnet Holder 2 x 3, it has part number 2607.
> 5 votes

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Tags: technic, part-identification
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# Question
Title: What are the common uses of the roof pieces in the Sydney Opera House set?
The Sydney Opera House set comes with many curved white pieces to form the roof. I am concerned about whether buying this set will leave me with useless parts that cannot be easily applied to other builds. Are these roof parts just like the boat hulls in the pirate ships? Or, prior to the Sydney Opera House set, did they serve any common function?

# Answer
> 4 votes
You can see the inventory of the opera house on Brickset.

The majority of the roof pieces you seem to be concerned about are these bow pieces, of which you get 34 pairs and one extra left piece.

These pieces are fairly common and are used typically in cars, boats, planes, spacecraft, and other aerodynamic structures, as well as building roofs, robots, and other objects where you need a curvy shape. For example, the white pieces were used in a Ninjago copter set:

34 matched pairs is a lot of these for a normal person to have, so if you never plan to rebuild the opera house you might not use them all (though you could just consider it a challenge to come up with as many builds as you can that use these). However, the set itself has 2989 parts, so that leaves over 2900 pieces that are not white bows that you can presumably reuse in some other construction.

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Tags: sets, piece-usage
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# Question
Title: Were there ever any smaller sets, marketed as being combined to create a large official set?
I recall a children's magazine running an article about how to take a few smaller sets to create a big space ship, but I am not sure if that was official.

Did LEGO ever create some smaller sets, but market them in a way to convince buyers to buy several other sets, so that they could be combined to create a single large set from those?

# Answer
> 3 votes
A US exclusive which combined 6851, 6878 and 6887. (Brickset)

Instructions can be found on Peeron.

# Answer
> 7 votes
Some of the LEGO Star Wars Mini Building sets contained additional parts that could be combined to make an additional model.

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

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

You could buy special packs that contained all 4 sets.

# Answer
> 6 votes
Many BIONICLE sets were marketed in this way.

For example, here is an instruction booklet page showing 8533-1: Gali, 8535-1: Lewa, and 8536-1: Kopaka can be combined into Toa Kaita Wairuha.

I think BIONICLE has probably had the most combiner models, but other themes have had them as well. The earliest combiners I know of are the Slizer/Throwbot ones, though I don't think instructions were released for them.

Brickipedia has a large, though maybe incomplete, list.

# Answer
> 6 votes
The Mixels range was made this way. Here's the last page of just one of their instruction docs showing the combination of three mixels into a bigger one

# Answer
> 5 votes
There are a few Technic models which had this as a selling point, such as Race car 42011 which lists

> Combine with the 42010 Off-Road Racer for a super-fast Dragster with pull-back motor, adjustable rear wing and opening cockpit

as a selling point. Obviously Off-road Racer 42011 has the same selling point. These were 2013 models, but there are equivalent models in the 2017 releases: Stunt Truck 42059 and Stunt Bike 42058.

# Answer
> 3 votes
It has been fairly common to provide the ability to power certain Technic models by adding a separate motor kit.

Here's an example from the PF motor kit:

And another from a set from 1994:

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Tags: sets
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# Question
Title: What kind of track is the Emerald Night set compatible with?
According to What different types of lego train tracks exist?, there have been many different kinds of LEGO track. Which kind of track can I purchase that will be compatible with this train?

# Answer
> 5 votes
The set is from the "RC / Power Functions Era", so it's meant to be compatible with those tracks.

Luckily for you those are the only tracks for sale in ordinary stores today.

As the answer to that question says, those tracks have "roughly the same mold" as the 9V track so the train is as compatible with those - I've also seen an Emerald Night set equipped with a 9V motor run on such track.

The gauge of that track is roughly (the profile of the rails is a little different, so depending on how you measure it, there might be a small difference) the same as in the previous eras, so the train can probably also be used on those tracks.

I remember a problem with some parts not moving smoothly through each other when driving backwards, but that is probably independent of the tracks.

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Tags: trains, compatibility, tracks
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# Question
Title: Why is the LEGO IR Receiver V2 not widely produced? Or are they?
Basically, there are 2 different major versions of the LEGO IR Receiver, the unmarked V1 and the labeled V2. I've also read somewhere there was also a small hardware upgrade to the V1 Receiver at some point, also unmarked, dubbed V1.1.

The V2 IR Receiver came in the 2012 set 9398-1: 4x4 Crawler, and is apparently a much better piece of hardware than the V1 series. However it has yet to appear in any other set, or by itself, at least under that label. Some people have speculated the hardware was again silently upgraded, and the hardware on new ones is the newer hardware, without the V2 label. On the other hand, I know someone contacted LEGO customer service about it, but got an unconvincing response that the one they sell by itself is not the same as the V2 (unconvincing, because they didn't seem to know anything about it at first, and were possibly using the same internet resources we have available).

So my question is:

Is the V2 hardware widely available in new products? If not, why is it so rare?

# Answer
No, the V2 receiver isn't available in any new products. It's only available in the sets you mentioned.

The most likely reason it's not available in new products is that the production cost would be higher and hence also the set price which would make the sets less attractive for most lego customers.

Also there is an issue with the V2 receivers when having more than one M-motor on one output port while this is not problematic for the V1 receivers. It has to do with the high capacitance of the M-motors (for noise reduction) that tricks the V2 receivers into believing the motors draw too much current.

On the box of the 42030 set, V2 receivers are depicted, while the set itself only contains V1 receivers. I contacted lego support about this, they said that actual V2 receivers would likely cause the motors to possibly damage the set and that late in the design process they switched back to V1 receivers without updating the box art.

Performance wise, a good alternative for the V2 receiver is an sbrick.
> 5 votes

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Tags: piece-information, power-functions, remote-control, electronics
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title: How are LEGO bricks packaged?

text:
# Question
Title: How are LEGO bricks packaged?
This week I got a LEGO set gifted and while I was building and unpacking I thought about how the single pieces might come in their respective little bags? I had some fun fantasizing to the point where I'd really like to see the packaging machine.

Id love a video "how its made" style but I only found some on youtube from a LEGO HQ tour showing molding and storage but not the step for pieces from storage to package.

So does anybody know this? :)

# Answer
> 2 votes
This is a comprehensive walk-through:

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

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

# Answer
> 0 votes
The pieces are counted by weight, and placed into the bags which are then heat-sealed. If you are looking for a video, I can recommend one, it doesn't go too far in depth on how the pieces themselves are packaged, although that is part of it (skip to 33:26), but this documentary is certainly a good watch for anyone interested in the manufacturing of Lego:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zZjEuoPkLY

If you watch How It's Made, there are many on products with similar packaging processes.

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Tags: manufacturing
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title: LDD Seems to be missing a piece

text:
# Question
Title: LDD Seems to be missing a piece
So I'm trying to make an alternate version of the UCS Tie Fighter. I'm following the official instructions downloaded from the LEGO site, and I've come in to a problem. This piece, seen here (ID: 6089147 from the piece list) is missing from the LDD parts:

Now, I'm not sure if this is the best place to mention this, but well... there it is. If it's in some weird place that I haven't looked it would be great if someone could point me in the right direction, but as it stands I'm pretty sure it just isn't in the list. How would one go about telling the big wigs about this?

# Answer
> 4 votes
18677 IS in latest LDD update (mid march 2016), issued after announcement of LDD end of support... Just make sure to be in LDD Extended mode to find it, along with other plates.

# Answer
> 3 votes
I think this has to do with the fact that part 18677 Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Pin Hole on Bottom is a new part (has only been in production since 2015) whereas its counterpart 11458 Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Pin Hole on Top has been around since 2013. Couple that with the fact that LEGO recently announced the end of maintenance for LEGO Digital Designer (Brickset Article) with this explicit mention:

> ... but please do not expect any updates regarding functionality, **the adding of new LEGO elements** or glitch fixes.

It is likely that this part will never be added to LDD - you would need to switch over to an LDraw-based modeling tool such as mentioned in the answers to this question.

# Answer
> -1 votes
I just saw this part in my LDD, try the extended mode

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Tags: instructions, ldd
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# Question
Title: Which are the largest LEGO ships that actually float?
My kids are frantic about LEGO ships, and I was wondering which are largest ships ever made.

Of course, they need to be actually able to float in a pool.

# Answer
> 6 votes
The largest LEGO ship that officially floats in water is the Cargo Ship that comes in 7994-1 LEGO City Harbor:

It is the only set which contains the 74 x 18 x 7 Boat Hull, which is the largest boat hull LEGO has made.

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Tags: size, boat
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# Question
Title: Which set did this sealed bag of mostly grey LEGO bricks come from?
I bought a sealed bag of LEGO bricks with no box or directions and I am trying to figure out which set it is. It is all grey, black, and clear pieces and looks to be 100-150 pieces. Any help is appreciated.

# Answer
> 5 votes
As I mentioned in my comment to OP's original question, this is an inner bag of a larger set, not a full set. It is a bit hard to tell which set it could be, as the pieces are too common to narrow it down from just one image. I did look up the 3x4 hinge-plate, as that was the most uncommon, but it still appears in 45 sets: https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=44570&colorID=86&in=A

Upon more careful inspection, and narrowing down the pieces even further, it appears that this is the gray/black bag from the #10702 LEGO Classic Creative Building set: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=10702-1#T=S&O=

I came to this conclusion by verifying some of the other pieces in the set from the BrickLink Catalog, and also noticing that the 23mm D. x 7mm Offset Tread Black Tire only appears in the above mentioned LEGO Classic set from the list of 45 sets with the 3x4 hinge-plate.

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Can you identify the set that these bird-like LEGO assemblies came out of?
I would like to find out what set these pieces belong to.

# Answer
This is a partial #70003 LEGO Legends of Chima Eris' Eagle Interceptor released in 2013: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=70003-1#T=S&O=
> 1 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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title: Minifig wrist attachements?

text:
# Question
Title: Minifig wrist attachements?
I'm looking to attach a weapon to a minifig's wrist ala an Assassin's Creed hidden dagger (https://www.brickwarriors.com/hidden-blade/) or a wrist-mounted crossbow. What are my options to do this?

# Answer
> 5 votes
Minifig hands, officially, are not to be removed. Lego doesn't make many accessories that fit the arms of the minifigs. The arm is slightly larger than the standard bar piece and so normal claw-shaped attachments don't fit. The minifig handcuff piece, which does fit over the wrist, is larger than the standard claw pieces.

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

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Tags: minifigures, piece-usage
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# Question
Title: Looking to Identify a LEGO creator set with a hook
Wandering the Internet not long ago I saw a LEGO set that I thought my kid would like because it had a hook (they are into tow trucks these days, so things with hooks catch their interest). Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the page nor write the name of the set down, and now it is impossible for me to find it again.

These are the things I remember about the set

* It was probably a LEGO creator set, because at first I thought the box contained 3 different vehicles and then I realized that you could build 3 different things with the same pieces.
* It had a hook of some kind (definitely) and probably a rope for the hook.
* One of the vehicles that you could build with the set was airborne, probably an helicopter, maybe a train.
* Other of the vehicles that you could build was a boat or ship (due to the size it looked more like a tiny tugboat).
* The predominant colors in the set were red and black (maybe dark blue?).

Note: I don't think it was the *LEGO Creator Cargo Heliplane*.

# Answer
Possibly 31045 Ocean Explorer?

* Has hook
* Tugboat appearance
* 3-in-1
* Red and Dark Blue
* one model is a plane

If that's not it, you can browse Bricklink for sets containing hooks. I'm guessing you probably saw the modern "Hook with Towball" piece
> 12 votes

# Answer
From your description I would assume it was 31045-1: Ocean Explorer - Brickset
> 7 votes

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Tags: set-identification, creator
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# Question
Title: Can you help me identify this LEGO set? Sand green car with crumpled hood and engine on back?
Can you please help me identify this LEGO set?

# Answer
This vehicle is part of 10669-1: Turtle Lair
> 7 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Empty LEGO boxes: are they worth anything?
I have 4 garbage bags full of empty LEGO boxes, at least 20+ years old. Are they worth anything? Is there somewhere to post them for sale?

# Answer
On Bricklink.com vendors sell original boxes. You can see a listing of what's available here. For example, the King's Mountain Fortress from 1990 is offered for sale for about $65 USD. (I have the front and back flaps of that box, I wonder if I could list just those.)

Bricklink shows a price guide for products which have been sold recently; Some of the boxes show sales and some of them don't. Whether you can get any specific price for a box will depend greatly on the condition of the box, how you manage your bricklink reputation, and how patient you are.
> 6 votes

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Tags: shopping
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# Question
Title: Which blocks are these with small round knobs?
I have few blocks remaining from the block set I got as a kid. It's not LEGO bricks, but I also couldn't find which block type are these and who is making them. Does anyone knows from looking the images who is making these and if they are still produced so I can buy them.

Sorry if this is not right place to ask. Maybe you could point me to other place where I can ask.

# Answer
I think this is Marklin plus,
a building system by Marklin which ran from 1973 till the end of the seventies

also see http://www.metallbaukasten.de/marklin/plus.html

thanks to the comment of Jan Windemuth for pointing me to Marklin
> 7 votes

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Tags: piece-information, set-identification, clone-brands
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title: Are there any mirrored LEGO bricks?

text:
# Question
Title: Are there any mirrored LEGO bricks?
I recently built LEGO Creator 5770: Lighthouse Island which features a clever trick to build the lighthouse's lantern, using stickers on on a Slope Brick 2x2 and Slope Top 1x2x2/3:

Step 54 from Lighthouse Island Instruction Manual 1/3

It works reasonably well, but I'd like something better. Are there any official mirrored (or prismatic, but this seems even less likely) LEGO bricks?

# Answer
Bricklink search for chrome pieces

**Gold 2x4**

**Duplo: Chrome 2X4**
> 14 votes

# Answer
The Detective’s Office & Barber Shop (10246) includes the first mirror in a LEGO set. It was released 1st January 2015.

According to New Elementary, the piece is the same size as 1x4x6 windows, it comes in a bag with stickers to protect the sides from scratches and the part ID is 20193.

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Alternatively, there are also highly polished bricks available in chrome and gold that reflect more light then others. These bricks tend to be rare and expensive.

There is a non-purist solution that works well using metalic paper or tin foil which can be found in craft stores and supermarkets respectively. The material is relatively cheap, flexible, can be as small or large as you like and provides a decent reflective surface. You can use double sided tape to stick the material onto slopes or you can hold them in place using bricks.
> 11 votes

# Answer
My little sister had a lot of LEGO Belville, which has some glossy silver bricks and parts:

see the bin and the decoration-bricks on top of the grids - but I never saw or owned "normal" bricks or plates of this color which could be used to build a mirror or something.
> 6 votes

# Answer
LEGO have produced prisms. Here's one type:
> 5 votes

# Answer
There is the 'Chrome Silver Dish 2 x 2 x 2/3 Light Reflector' available from BrickLink.

This piece was available in many sets, one of which was the 3801 - Ultimate Accessory Set for MindStorms where it is used as a reflector around a 'White Electric, Light Brick 1 x 2 with Single Side Light' element.
> 5 votes

# Answer
There are also chrome bricks, such as the LEGO lightsaber hilt, that is hard to see your face on, but they are reflective.
> 4 votes

# Answer
One other mirror piece that hasn't been listed is the Mirror of Erised in 4721-1: Hogwarts Classrooms.

It too is a sticker, on another piece, in this case a clear window.

On the front, the sticker is reflective, with screen printing for the characters over it. On the *back side* however (the side with the adhesive), it is all reflective.

It's not perfect, it has a bit of a texture, but it is pretty reflective.
> 3 votes

# Answer
I had some gold bars from a LEGO City police set.

They are ten 1x2 Metalic Gold tiles in this LEGO Agents set:

I will also add that these bricks' reflections aren't diffuse - that is, they're as reflective as the back side of an iPhone, so they'd probably work pretty well as mirrors.
> 2 votes

# Answer
There is at least one Clikits set that contains an actual mirror: 7504 Friendship Frame / Mirror

The actual part is Clikits Mirror Insert 4 x 4, fits Frame clikits011 which is a bit large for use in the Creator Lighthouse but is an official LEGO mirror part.
> 2 votes

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Tags: piece-information
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# Question
Title: Sharks with frickin’ laser beams attached to their heads
The Lego Movie does not only feature sharks and lasers but also laser sharks:

However, a Lego shark only has one place where other pieces can be attached and that’s located on its belly. Hence, I am asking: **How can I attach a laser beam (or anything else for that matter) to my shark’s head?**

In the above still, the shark’s jaw seems to be detached, but that does not seem very healthy and still it only provides little space to attach anything.

# Answer
> 10 votes
The LEGO Agents Speedboat Rescue (8633) set has a set with laser sharks. The set uses a new version of the LEGO shark with two studs on the top behind the head.

Sadly the shark only appeared in two sets, this one and Brickbeard's Bounty (6243) and because of their limited release they are very expensive on Bricklink.

For the original shark you could use a small Technic rubber band (or any small rubber band) to attach a laser.

In the example below, The body of each laser uses a Technic pin joiner, the rubber band runs along the slot in the brick so it's kept in place. The back end of the laser is joined together with a flexible rubber axle connector.

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Tags: building, piece-information, the-lego-movie
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title: IR protocol for Duplo RC Dozer (2949)

text:
# Question
Title: IR protocol for Duplo RC Dozer (2949)
Does anyone know where to find the IR protocol for Duplo RC Dozer (2949)? I have the RC Dozer and no remote and wanted to use a universal remote to control it.

# Answer
> 1 votes
Actually, I have had some success through trial and error and found that a Spybotics remote will do the trick of controlling the RC dozer.

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Tags: electronics, remote-control
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title: Should I store greasy tires separately?

text:
# Question
Title: Should I store greasy tires separately?
Should I store my "greasy" tires separately from the ones that don't seem to sweat?

I'm hand-washing and sorting my bricks from a big, uncovered tub, and some of my earlier tires are really greasy, for lack of a better word... The rubber is, maybe, "sweating" something out with age? I dunno.

I read an earlier post, from 2014 or so, about tire storage, and it was helpful, but not as specific an answer as I was looking for. Any thoughts, yea or nay?

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

The question "chicks" linked to gives some good answers though, and it's encouraging that no one has had any storage tragedies. Still, I would advise keeping them out of the usual culprits though: sunlight and hot temperatures.
> 3 votes

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Tags: storage, wheel
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# Question
Title: Is it possible to build a decimal to binary converter (binary counter) with LEGO?
I have seen many papers on logic gates built with LEGO, but I want to make a decimal to binary converter. There should be a counter as an input, with each press of the counter, the output 8 block shelve changes its configuration giving a binary conversion of the count.

Please help me as to how can this be achieved or at least how should I start the project given that I am new in logic and boolean algebra!

# Answer
> 1 votes
# Yes, of course, you can

As jncraton mentioned in a comment:

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

# Logic gates in LEGO

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

# Binary counters

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

# Now put it together

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

# Answer
> 0 votes
The answer is yes: This is a "mechanical counter" with the base being 2. Google for "mechanical binary counter design".

# Answer
> 0 votes
You could adapt the following mechanical binary counter from wooden pieces to Lego

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uotLQjvaG34

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Tags: technic, electronics, mechanical
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