# Question
Title: Is this minifigure with a white shirt showing a little orange monster worth anything?
I have a LEGO minifigure that I am unable to find anywhere on the internet. He has the classic smiling yellow head, with a white torso portraying an orange monster shaped as a 3D cube/hexagon, with little vampire fangs in its mouth and crossed eyes. He has simple red legs. Does anyone know how much it might be worth? I am thinking of selling it.

# Answer
> 5 votes
The whole minifig assembly reminds me of of those services that allow you to print your own image on a torso piece such as Minifigs.me.

I wouldn't be surprised if this minifig was made using the same service as I cannot identify the graphic. I suspect this minifig could have been ordered as a promotional item.

The actual parts themselves are so common that they might even be the cheapest parts you could get to make a minifig. The parts can be sourced easily for under a dollar assuming you bought the torso without a custom print.

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Tags: minifigure-identification, value
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title: Trying to identify Star Wars LEGO set

text:
# Question
Title: Trying to identify Star Wars LEGO set
I bought a second hand LEGO set and it came with a box of loose ends, with some partially built sets. I think this is a Star Wars set - any help in identifying it would be welcomed.

# Answer
> 11 votes
This appears to be Mace Windu's Jedi Starfighter (7868):

The instructions are available on LEGO.com if you want to try to make it complete.

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Tags: set-identification, star-wars
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# Question
Title: Battery Box 8881 not providing enough power
I bought a used 8881 battery box. It doesn't appear to work with anything. When I test it with a multimeter, I only get a voltage reading of ~0.5V.

I tested each of the batteries, they each come out ~1.6V (as I'd expect from a AA battery).

It *may* be that I'm not using the multimeter as intended, and that both the lights and the motor I'm using to test this are broken, but it seems more likely that there's a problem with the battery box.

Any thoughts on what the problem might be?

# Answer
> 4 votes
In case anyone else has this issue - cleaning corrosion off of the connections solved the problem!

To clean the contacts, I used white vinegar applied with a cotton-swab/cue-tip. I dried it off with a dry one, left it for about half an hour, and after that it worked perfectly. I watched this video to be sure there wasn't anything I needed to do that I was missing.

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Tags: power-functions, battery
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# Question
Title: Identify wall piece with jungle or Meso-American print?
I found an older piece and was wondering if anyone knew the part or set it came from.

# Answer
This is LegoBrick 1 x 2 x 5 with Jungle Pattern, which appeared in 2 sets from 1999: 5986-1 Amazon Ancient Ruins and 5936-1 LegoSpider's Secret / Señor Gomez's Expedition

(I first searched BrickLink for "Aztec" and "Mayan", which pulled up some Indiana Jones sets, and then tried "Jungle", which had this on the first page of results.)
> 8 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: How can I use the LEGO distance and color sensor from Power Up with the LEGO Mindstorms EV3?
I am asking how I can use the distance and color sensor from the LEGO Power Up series with my LEGO Mindstorms EV3. I know that they have different plugs but I am wondering if there is a solution to this problem.

# Answer
They are somewhat compatible. The EV3 has 5V on pin 4 of the input ports while Powered Up has 3.3V on pin 4. So there is a potential that the sensor cannot handle 5V and could be damaged.

Other than that, the pins are the same, so you could cut the cable on the sensor and splice it with an EV3 cable or buy a 3rd party extension cable (example) so that you don't damage your sensor.

The EV3 doesn't support output commands for UART sensors, so you won't be able to use the color output mode or the infrared output mode (this might be possible with ev3dev though).
> 3 votes

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Tags: ev3, mindstorms, sensor
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# Question
Title: What set do these LEGO parts belong to? Star Wars-type patterns, Bionicle connectors
Please help identify these Lego sets:

# Answer
> 7 votes
The round grey printed discs, the tan gears, the grey worm screw, the boat studs and the black rope in the first photo, the 6x4 and 6x12 grey plates from the third and fourth photo are found together in 10178: Motorised Walking AT-AT:  *(Thanks to Chronocidal for the additional info)*

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The blue sloped piece with the hexagonal sticker motif in the second photo could be from 7667: Imperial Dropship:

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The white Bionicle pieces on the third photo are definitely from 8747: Visorak Suukorak:

I believe the rest of the pieces are way too generic and could have come from many different sets, but somebody will definitely correct me if I'm wrong.

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There are a few non-LEGO pieces as well:

And

# Answer
> 1 votes
Definitely parts of the motorised walking AT-AT, rather than the clone wars walker, other than that I agree with the above.

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: What is water displacement value for LEGO solid hulls?
I'm building a boat model out of LEGO and I need to decide which boat hull to use. I need the smallest that can carry 485g of load. Where can I get information about water displacement of unitary LEGO boat hulls? I can compute upper bound based on the dimensions, but I'm afraid that will be a big overestimate.

# Answer
> 1 votes
It looks like the simpler problem would be to evaluate the boat hulls you could possibly find to see if any would displace 485 grams of water with enough free board to stay afloat.

Here is a list of all of the unique boat hulls I could find on bricklink that looked to me likely to hold water:

Boat Hull Unitary 16 x 8 Base

Boat Hull Unitary 22 x 8 x 2 1/3 (Set 6429)

Boat Hull Unitary 24 x 6 x 3 with Red and White Racing Stripes Pattern on Both Sides (Stickers) - Set 4002

Boat Hull Unitary 25 x 10 x 4 1/3 with 4010 and Police Pattern (Stickers) - Set 4010

Boat Hull Unitary 28 x 8 Base

Boat Hull Unitary 32 x 10 x 1 2/3, Base

Boat Hull Unitary 32 x 12 x 4, Base

Boat Hull Unitary 38 x 10 x 5 2/3

Boat Hull Unitary 41 x 12 x 5 with Light Bluish Gray Top

Boat Hull Unitary 48 x 6 x 5, Base (Catamaran Half)

Boat Hull Unitary 51 x 12 x 6 with Side Bulges, Base

Boat Hull Unitary 51 x 12 x 6, Base

Boat Hull Unitary 52 x 12 x 6 1/3

Boat Hull Unitary 52 x 16 x 5, Base

Boat Hull Unitary 74 x 18 x 7, Base

Duplo, Boat Hull 10 x 18 Bottom Section

Duplo, Boat Hull 12 x 24 Bottom Section

Duplo, Boat Hull 14 x 27 Bottom Section

Duplo, Boat Hull 6 x 16 with 4 x 4 Cargo Hold with Green Bottom

Duplo, Boat Hull 7 x 12 Bottom Section

Duplo, Boat Hull 8 x 15 Deck Studs with Red Bottom

Duplo, Boat Hull 8 x 17 with Police Pattern

Fabuland Boat Hull Large

There are over 200 variations of these parts with colors and prints. Have fun!

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Tags: piece-information, water, boat
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# Question
Title: Is there a reason why there's sometimes multiple "Bag 1" bags in particular sets?
When building some of the larger sets from Lego, there are sometimes cases where there's multiple large bags having the same number. This ends up being a bit of a challenge when the build space on my table isn't that large.

I'm guessing that Lego has a good reason for doing this, is it for packing efficiency, a logical step in the build (albeit a large one), or some other consideration?

This doesn't really spoil my enjoyment (except for part-hunting time), I was just curious about the reason.

# Answer
> 6 votes
I assume this is down to purely logistic reasons, like the available plastic bag sizes, the characteristics of the different packaging pipelines (it is known that LEGO takes extreme care when packing the bags with pieces, including multiple weighings to ensure not a single part is missing - the precision required to check for the presence a small element could preclude the range necessary for bags containing many and larger pieces), the locations of the different packaging facilities, and so on.

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Tags: manufacturing, packaging
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# Question
Title: Why are 2x4 bricks hard to get in certain colors?
I'm new to the Lego community, so apologies if this is a dumb question.

I am trying to understand how best to get hold of 2x4 bricks in a variety of colors in the brown and green spectrum but am a bit confused as to why they're apparently hard to get hold of at a reasonable price. I already have some from some Classic sets I picked up, but only a few from each. I'm just looking to scale up significantly on how many of these blocks I own so that I can build something large with them.

Pick a Brick doesn't even show brown and dark brown as options, for example. Meanwhile, BrickLink has only a handful of dark brown bricks available at rather expensive prices.

I (naively?) thought that 2x4 bricks would be some of the easiest to get hold of, regardless of the color.

What am I missing here? Is there a genuine shortage of these bricks? Is there a better way for me to get my hands on them?

# Answer
> 11 votes
Prices of bricks are determined by supply and demand, in your specific case, it is the supply side to blame. Check this site which shows how many sets was a particular colour of 2x4 brick contained in, and you'll see that there is no mention of the Dark Brown colour you are after. This means all such bricks for sale come from other sources than opened official LEGO sets that were parted out and sold by pieces, like designer bricks, not officially released sets and the like.

Brown bricks were found in 27 sets, but if you compare that number with the 650 sets for yellow ones, you'll see how it causes the difference in their prices (12 cents vs 53 for new ones sold in average in the last 6 months).

You haven't mentioned a concrete shade of green, but the numbers are similar in that area as well, except for the regular green: Olive Green (3), Dark Green (50), Green (309), Sand Green (18).

The rarity of these shades are best explained by the official LEGO policy of refusing to produce sets depicting realistic military equipment from the contemporary era: see for more here.

# Answer
> 4 votes
Just because the 2x4 Brick is the most recognizable of all LEGO brick does not mean it also comes in all colors. You are looking for Dark Brown and Brown in your question:

Dark Brown is not a color in which LEGO has produced this brick before. This listing on BrickLink shows all the colors this particular brick has been produced in, just use the selector above the picture and browse through the “Known” colors.

Brown on the other hand is a color in which this brick was produced, but this color has not been produced by LEGO for the last 20 years as it was replaced by a slightly different shade of Brown called Reddish Brown. You will find many Reddish Brown 2x4 Bricks for sale on Bricklink, Pick a Brick as well as Bricks & Pieces (Lego.com-\>Support-\>Replacement Parts-\>Buy Bricks). Just look for part 3001. You will not find Brown listed at LEGO.com, but might find some in Bricklink, however, they might cost more due to their status as a retired color.

# Answer
> 3 votes
You may see that under "Known Colors" Dark Brown isn't listed, which means there are no records of this brick it particular color to appear in any of sets.

However, this doesn't mean that LEGO has never produced bricks in Dark Brown. The only difference is that these elements have been produced for certain purpose - most likely to build some large model or other non-retail needs.

This explains the rarity and the pricing.

And one more thing. 2x4 Brick also well known by its 3001 part ID is a (iconic) collectable item and people tend to pay these prices for odd colors. You may drool a little over this Flickr galery.

# Answer
> -1 votes
Lego bricks (not just 2x4 but any size) in certain colors - including dark green and brown - just happen to be rare and I think this is simply because Lego mostly refuses to sell those colors for no particular reason.

When I was young, the only dark green bricks I owned were 2 1x1 bricks which I found on the ground at Legoland.

So the most straightforward route to buying those colors is probably to go with a Lego clone brand.

# Answer
> -2 votes
### Consider buying parts from Lego clone brands instead.

If you're looking to buy bricks in colors that the Lego company hesitates to produce, you might want to consider purchasing sets from clone brands that produce modular building bricks compatible with Lego brand bricks.

Because Lego refuses to produce sets depicting modern military equipment and vehicles, many of these clone brands do so to fill the niche that Lego has produced. With a quick web search, it appears that Mega Bloks, Lepin, and Best-Lock all do so, and I suspect that many of the others do as well.

While these bricks wouldn't be official Lego brand bricks, they are compatible with them, and would likely be referred to as "legos" by the uncritical consumer.

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Tags: colour, bricklink, pick-a-brick
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title: Grapes on the vine

text:
# Question
Title: Grapes on the vine
I'd like to build a lego winery, similar to this one It looks like he's using the purple ice cream scoops for grapes, right? How do you think those are attaching to the plants?
How might I create something more like a rectangular vine/trellis area with vines and grapes on the vines? My current plan involves using a trellis fence and vines somehow, but I'm not sure about the specifics. Any suggestions?

# Answer
> 6 votes
Leaves and grapes are attached using Bar 1L with Clip Mechanical Claw

# Answer
> 3 votes
Might be a bit bulky (and my apologies for not verifying feasibility: my LEGO are all in storage for an upcoming move), but might something like this work, albeit bulkily? 1.) take a 1x1 brick with two SNOT studs on opposing sides and turn it upside down 2.) place a leaf on the top (hole end/"bottom" 'cause the 1x1's inverted) and one on one of the SNOT (side) studs 3.) place the grapes on the stud of the inverted 1x1 4.) Use the remaining SNOT (side) stud and attached the plant to the fence. I believe that the diamond lattice can fit a stud. 5.) separately, wrap a string with studs on either end around various elements and the fence to create the vines. (Though I like Monte Gardner's idea of hoses much better. :))

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Tags: design
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title: Is this part real LEGO or a knockoff?

text:
# Question
Title: Is this part real LEGO or a knockoff?
I bought a LEGO lot off craigslist a few days ago with some sets and some bulk parts. It included some parts that appeared to have been bought in bulk (maybe pick-a-brick?). It also had some random non-lego pieces as we all know is standard to find in these large bulk lots.

Amongst the bulk, I found around 40 of a 1x1x6 support pillar in dark blue color. The part seems somewhat rare and they go for around $5/ea on bricklink, but I'm having a difficult time figuring out if they are real LEGO.

Pictures of said part:

Evidence:

1. Top stud is hollow which Bricklink says is a normal variant of the part.
2. It looks the same as the 3D model of the hollow stud part on Bricklink.
3. There is no LEGO logo or part number anywhere that I can see.
4. There is a small seam that runs along the full length of the part on opposite sides.
5. There is a small number on the outside of the part on the bottom of the rounded section.
6. The part is the correct dark blue color when compared to other dark blue LEGO pieces.
7. The part feels like LEGO and has the new LEGO sheen.
8. I have other parts in my bulk collection that are basically the exact same as these. I would never have questioned that they were real LEGO before I found these.
9. They were only produced in three sets from 2006/2007: Cafe Corner (4), Piraka Stronghold (6), and The Chum Bucket (4).

Where did he get 40 of them at? Does anyone have parts like this in an official set that you KNOW are real that I can compare them to? Does anyone specifically have one of the three sets this part was found in and can help me do a comparison?

I would obviously like to sell these at some point if they were real, but don't want to sell someone fake LEGO. Thank you for any help!

# Answer
> 13 votes
I've shuffled through my pieces collection and found sadly none in dark blue, but all 17 I've found in either old grey or red have the same attributes you mention:

1. Top stud is hollow, with an H-shaped cutout
2. There is no LEGO logo or part number anywhere
3. There is a small seam that runs along the full length of the part on opposite sides
4. There is a small number (between 2 and 8) on the outside of the part on the bottom of the rounded section
5. The part feels like LEGO and has the new LEGO sheen

Single-digit number at the bottom:

H-shaped cutout in the hollow open stud:

Seam running over the opposite sides:

I'm 100% sure these are all genuine LEGO pieces, the red ones from 7419: Dragon Fortress.

# Answer
> 6 votes
My best guess, they are fake.

Mainly because of point 4 & 5

* Lego is always very keen on hiding the seam caused by the molding
* Lego include in most molds a mound number but they are always hidden out of view. Can you read the number?

I don't have this version of the part but the other non-hollow one in white. I checked for these two marks and couldn't find either a seam or number on them.

The cafe corner as a modular building has always been a very popular set and therefor copied by the different clone brands. You can still get 1 for 80-90 USD, which can explain why you got 40 of them.

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Tags: piece-information, clone-brands
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title: Export an object from Blender to LDraw

text:
# Question
Title: Export an object from Blender to LDraw
I have modeled a custom part in Blender and I would like to get it into LDraw format for use in LDCad and LPub3D.

I don't know much about 3D formats, but Blender can export collada, alembic, fbx, gltf 2.0, wavefront, and x3d.

I don't need the part to properly use LDraw primitives for my purposes (and I imagine that kind of conversion isn't possible), but just to convert the mesh into the sort of tris and quads that ldraw can understand.

# Answer
> 3 votes
In the end, I exported from blender to STL file and used http://marc.klein.free.fr/lego/stl2dat/stl2dat.html to convert to DAT. The final result worked well, and you can see the custom part used alongside regular ldraw parts in the build instructions here: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-68128/seejay/glittering-viper-rainbow-bears-starfighter/#details

The ldraw model was built in LDCad and the instructions were built in LPub3d.

# Answer
> 2 votes
I think LDPartEditor can do what you want.

https://nilsschmidt1337.github.io/ldparteditor/

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Tags: software, ldraw
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# Question
Title: Need help to identify a piece - green, like a 1x2 plate with 4 angled cubes hanging off at odd angles
Can you please help me to identify this?

I have no idea what to do with it.

# Answer
> 27 votes
That's a Creeper torso (officially 19734 Creature Torso Blocky with Cube Feet). If you're familiar with Minecraft, you'll probably recognize it once you know the context:

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: What is this 2x10 part with a center console and two holes?
I am fairly sure this part is from earlier than 1990. On the bottom are the characters "A" and "4". I checked Bricklink for yellow 2x10 parts but couldn't find anything. The 2x5 side with the cutout at the bottom is one level higher than the 2x4 back part.

# Answer
This is

Part # 870 : Vehicle Tractor Chassis Base 11 x 2 x 3
> 1 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Most cost efficient length for pneumatic hoses?
As the title says, I would like to know what the most cost efficient length of pneumatic hose (including 99021s) is, assuming the average length of each piece is 12cm (4.7") and I can cut large pieces.

# Answer
Here are all the 4 mm diameter pneumatic tube parts Bricklink knows about.

For each of these (filtered by color if necessary) we can take the part (for example Hose, Pneumatic 4mm D. 40L / 32.0cm), check its average sale price in the "Price Guide" tab (in this case at the time of writing US $2.66), then divide that by the length to get the unit price (US $0.044 for a LEGO unit or $0.083 for a cm). Repeating the process for all available lengths will result in a list of unit prices, sorting that gives you the best price to length ratio.

Or if you are looking to buy the cheapest piece from which the most 12cm pieces can be cut, you can then perform an integer division on the original length and arrive at the price of a single 12cm part for each avaialble length. For example, the 32 cm piece above nets you 2 pieces of 12cm lengths, so its unit price is $1.33. Whereas the 428 cm piece is currently on sale for $53.05, and can be cut into 35 pieces of the desired 12cm length, so it gives us $1.51 as unit price.

For reference, the actual 12cm piece costs on average $7.45, but the twice as long 24 cm one is sold for $0.75 on average, so there seems ot be no easy way besides checking and calculating the relevant prices for each available length.

The actual computations and sorting I leave to you or to other site contributors.
> 5 votes

# Answer
As per my knowledge, community's stand on pneumatic hoses is that they are not produced by LEGO but are sources from 3rd party. So it is somewhat OK to use 3rd party pneumatic hoses as a replacement. These are far more reasonably priced as well.

There is an option to buy pneumatic hoses by length starting at €2.50 per meter.

**Disclaimer**. I'm not affiliated with shared resource. Just happen to know of this opportunity.
> 2 votes

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Tags: piece-information, technic, shopping, pneumatic
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# Question
Title: What are the differences between Studio 2 and LDcad when working with Technic and EV3?
Information regarding different software has come up over the years, but I am looking for something current.

My goal is to create instruction books for some of my designs. Previously I used LDD, which was great for what it was, but frustrating to use with Technic parts and especially gears. And trying to get instructions out of it for a child to follow was.... But hey, it was free and worked. I'm ready to move on.

I will be working on a Windows system and my goal is to turn some models into a set of instructions. I will be working with WeDo 2.0, EV3, Boost and Spike Prime. LDD was great for slapping basic models together really quick but getting gears to align was a chore and linkages were impossible. From what I have heard Stud.io 2 has a great system for putting instructions together and a good rendering program built in. I am also interested in learning curves. How long does it take to get up to speed each program?

So simple question, what are the pros and cons for each program (keeping in mind my goals).

# Answer
> 3 votes
Please note that I think that software preference can very often be based on many factors that are difficult to enumerate and sometimes even more difficult to express. That said, I think there are a few important differences between the two specific pieces of software that you referenced that could be useful for answering your question. (Also note that my impression of LDCad is based on a much more limited experience as I am more often a Bricklink Studio user.)

### Interface

Bricklink Studio's interface is more similar to your previous software, LDD, in that by default it has "part snapping" enabled. The default camera viewport behavior is also similar in that clicking and dragging using the left and right mouse buttons perform very similarly (though not identically).

LDCad's interface is much more reminiscent of actual CAD/CAM system interfaces and can take some work to get used to. The default viewport behavior is very different from LDD. It also does not have "part snapping" turned on by default but instead uses "grid snapping" by default. It does have "part snapping" available though, as the documentation notes, the behavior can be somewhat inconsistent.

### Automatic rotation

Bricklink Studio includes a certain amount of automatic rotation when adding new parts to a model that can help in many instances. For example, if you add an axle to a model, rotate that axle slightly, then add a gear to that model Studio will most likely automatically rotate the gear to fit the axle for you. That said with even a few parts it is likely you will have to rotate one or more parts in order to get them to mesh well in the model. Again, studio does make this relatively simple since you can pretty easily select multiple parts and rotate the collection on a single point.

LDCad does not appear to do any automatic rotation when adding new parts though it does allow rotating multiple selected parts.

### Flexible Parts

Bricklink Studio has a very small set of flexible parts and is pretty much limited to axles, hoses, chains, and studded strings.

LDCad includes a much larger selection of flexible parts, importantly for Technic based builds: rubber bands. There is a learning curve associated with using them, but that they are present at all is a huge plus.

### Instruction Generation

Bricklink Studio includes a mode that enables relatively easy generation of instructions. I have personally found it to be pretty decent but still need to usually tweak the output a bit to make some steps clear.

I did not find any default support for instruction generation in LDCad but since it is using LDRAW files by default it would be relatively easy to use those files in one of the several instruction generators that are available separately.

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Tags: software, ldraw, bricklink-studio
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# Question
Title: Is it possible to power supply an EV3 hub through the battery slot with 10 V?
I have two USB power banks that according to USB standard supply 5 V. I want to power my EV3 brick using my two USB power banks wired in series and to the EV3 battery slot.

Can I power supply an EV3 hub through the battery slot with 10 V?

# Answer
> 2 votes
Don't ever put power-banks in series or paralel !!! They are not plain batteries.

Unless you are an electrical engineer that understands the exact circuitry inside the power-banks this is in general NOT safe.
Wiring multiple power-banks together can lead to serious problems. Like premature wear on the power-banks or even damaging them completely (as in "overheating until they catch fire").

And, in this case you don't need to as David already said in his answer. One should suffice.

# Answer
> 4 votes
Yes. The EV3 technically only needs 5V to run. And just the EV3 by itself pulls around 200mA at that voltage. However, motors could be a problem. They can pull up to 1A when stalled, which could overload the power supply. Without knowing the technical specifications of the actual power supply, it is hard to say what it is actually capable of.

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Tags: ev3, battery
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title: Most inseparable combinations?

text:
# Question
Title: Most inseparable combinations?
Some combinations of pieces are really hard to get apart – really hard. Can some answerers provide a list of “dangerous combos“? For example, a 2×2 with a round 2×2 on bottom. Also, if possible, provide a good way to get them apart!

# Answer
> 10 votes
A 1x1 round plate on the bottom of a 1x1 square plate is pretty difficult to get apart. The Santa's Workshop set uses transparent 1x1 round plates stuck until 1x1 plates with a clip on top to make Christmas lights. I just left the whole thing assembled; I'll probably never bother taking that apart.

Also: if you stick some brand-new 4x4 plates together it can be very very hard to separate them. Lots of clutch, lots of rigidity, so even with 5 brick separators it is difficult work.

# Answer
> 19 votes
My son did some extensive research on this subject, which yielded this beauty:

That’s a light bulb cover stuck into a Duplo stud. While it may look harmless, I found it impossible to get sufficient hold of the lightbulb before levering it out with a very thin screwdriver.

# Answer
> 6 votes
I have a 3062b (round 1x1 open stud) stuck in the middle of a 6067 (boat mast section base 4x4) and I can't get it off. The round 1x1 fits over the post thingy in the center of the mast base and the side walls of the mast base prevent access to the grove at the bottom of the 1x1 round. The inner diameter of the mast base is small enough and tight enough that any antenna type pieces inserted through the bottom can't catch the lip at the top of the 1x1 round on the way through.

# Answer
> 5 votes
I'd say a 4265a on a 3649 are among the hardest to separate. But a 3647 is more painful due to the teeth

http://rebrickable.com/parts/3749

http://rebrickable.com/parts/4265a

http://rebrickable.com/parts/3647

# Answer
> 5 votes
A 1x1 tile stuck inside the bottom of a 2x4 brick is very difficult to get out. No Brick Separator will help you there.

# Answer
> 3 votes
The Brick Separator can be employed successfully in a majority of cases where bricks are stuck together.

The hardest thing to remove I believe is Technic pins 4459 wherever used. See separate question.

# Answer
> 2 votes
Generally, early BIONICLE body bricks can encounter issues with this, due to their bulky, specially-designed nature. For instance, the Toa Mata body gearbox has a particular danger area inside it. If one places the #2 axle connector hub horizontally inside the neck area and sticks a 2-long axle in either side, the result is completely irreversible.

This is akin to some of the 'brick paradoxes' mentioned in this blog post, which I found linked in a question while browsing the tag selection a few days ago. There are plenty more to be found in Technic construction; after all, Bryson's Second Law of Repairs, a corollary of Murphy's Law, states: "If you fool around with a thing for very long you will screw it up."

# Answer
> 2 votes
Also, part 99009 and Part 99010 is another one that is extremely hard to disassemble as highlight in this question. (The current brick separator will not work in this situation.)

# Answer
> 1 votes
Another inseparable part is the if you put enough of them together side by side many times

# Answer
> 1 votes
A 1x1 tile stuck to a 1x1 round plate was the hardest, I think harder than the accepted answer above, until I used two LEGO brick spectators in opposite directions. Put the stuck pieces on top of one separator facing north, pry with a second one facing south. Pops them apart beautifully.

Small plates stuck together can be separate using two LEGO separators, but both in the same direction.

# Answer
> 0 votes
A 1x1 round tile on 1x1 round plate.

You can't use a brick separator, because tiles don't have studs.

# Answer
> 0 votes
I found a 1x1 round plate with one end of a "string with end studs" stuck on top of it surprisingly difficult to get apart with my bare hands, without ripping the string off.

If you have 2 brick separators available (one above and one below), or a plate and a brick separator it is easy as you can lock each piece, but with bare hands it is completely impossible.

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Tags: disassembly
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# Question
Title: What is the max current for the EV3 I/O port's VCC pin (pin 4)?
The LEGO EV3 Hardware developer kit says that the fourth pin of input or output port provides a voltage of 5 volts but doesn't give the the maximum current that can be drawn from the pin.

What is the max current that can be drained from the VCC pin (pin 4 at 5V)?

# Answer
As seen in the schematics, pin 4 of all of the input and output ports plus the 5V on the USB host port is connected to VCC5V/VCC5VIGEN, which is supplied by U23 (the analog/digital converter is also connected to this, but current draw for that is negligible). U23 is a TPS2041BDBVR which limits the current to 1A and has a continuous current of 500mA.

So all ports and USB need to be considered at the same time and must not exceed 500mA on average or 1A peak.
> 4 votes

---
Tags: ev3, electronics
---


title: Chromebook Lego Mindstorms EV3 trouble

text:
# Question
Title: Chromebook Lego Mindstorms EV3 trouble
I want to make a crane in LEGO Mindstorms EV3 and I've already downloaded the software but as you can see below some coding pieces here are not in the Chromebook version.

Should I download the software on a Microsoft computer or can I work around this issue.

# Answer
> 1 votes
LEGO EV3 Classroom from LEGO Education is available on Google Play.

This is an Android app, but newer Chromebooks have the ability to run Android apps.

This app contains pre-made programs for the four base models: puppy, robotic arm, gyro boy and color sorter.

# Answer
> 0 votes
The fact that certain coding blocks cannot be seen on certain devices (esp. mobile) is usual. Most people, including me, do not understand why these blocks are not shown on these devices. I believe that some of these missing blocks are the following:

•Loop Interrupt

•Custom My Blocks

•Messaging Block

•Timer

•NXT Sound Sensor

•And way more.

Because of this, you can only make simple programs on these devices. Trying to make the Mindstorms software think you're on a desktop when you're really on an iPhone would probably be too sophisticated for an average person. I can show you the screenshots of how limited you are to programming on my tablet, too:

https://pasteboard.co/J2khG1i.png

https://pasteboard.co/J2khY6Q.png

https://pasteboard.co/J2kikuo.png

It seems like Desktops are the only devices that have all the programming blocks.

---
Tags: ev3, mindstorms
---


title: Which Harry Potter sets are these?

text:
# Question
Title: Which Harry Potter sets are these?
A very generous person gifted many 20-year-old Harry Potter sets to my son. All but this set of pieces had instructions and boxes. I’m not sure what is left. For minifigs there’s Harry, Dumbledore, Draco, a suit of armor, and a Phoenix. Any ideas as to what these are?

# Answer
On the left of the image, you have 4730-1 The Chamber of Secrets, and on the right of the image you have 4709-1 Hogwarts Castle

The Chamber of Secrets came with Minifigs of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Gilderoy Lockhart, Ginny Weasley, and Tom Riddle, as well as a Basilisk (giant snake) and Fawkes (Phoenix)

Hogwarts Castle came with Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Rubeus Hagrid, Peeves, and a Knight.

While available as separate sets, they also came together in a "kit" with the addition of 4705-1 Snape's Classroom
> 8 votes

---
Tags: set-identification, harry-potter
---


# Question
Title: What Mega Bloks set is this? Purple-ish, roughly egg-shaped vehicle
I need the theme and set name please.

# Answer
> 10 votes
This is part of megaconstrux set # 97110

Covenant Spectre Ambush

from the Halo theme

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


# Question
Title: Need help to identify this LEGO set - white, gold, grey, blue, and earth tones
I need help identifying this LEGO set. I lost the box. I just have the pieces in their plastic package.

# Answer
I looks like it is some of the parts of Master Wu Dragon, set number 70734.

It's the only set which contains both Pearl Gold Wedge 4 x 3 Open with Cutout and 4 Studs and Dark Orange Slope, Curved 4 x 1 Inverted according to Bricklink.
> 12 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Take off a small 1x1 piece from bigger LEGO surface
**In general, what is the best approach to take off small pieces from a surface like the one in the picture?**

### How to proceed

What should I do if

* I don't want to deal any damage to LEGO itself?
* I want to take it off as soon as possible?
* I want to do it in the simplest way possible?

# Answer
> 7 votes
Any part that has a stud on the surface can be fairly easily removed by using leverage from a different large part added to the top of it. This takes advantage of the inherent "clutch power" of the stud/anti-stud connection and the increased surface area of the larger part to concentrate the force used to remove the part in a lateral direction.

For example, by placing a 1x6 plate over the trans-yellow 1x1 plate and then pushing the 1x6 plate away from the trans-orange plate will likely pull the trans-yellow plate up fairly easily.

LEGO also produces a purpose built tool called the Brick Separator that uses both that technique as well as giving additional leverage by pushing the part with the under or over-hanging ledge on the top and bottom of the front of the tool.

# Answer
> -2 votes
so take a thin lego piece and use it to make the small piece fly off

---
Tags: disassembly
---


# Question
Title: LEGO 3069 tile 1x2 (dark?)grey with red and gold pattern and with yellow and white pattern
Does anyone know the exact names of the tiles or which set they belong to?

## Gold and Red

## Yellow and White

# Answer
The first tile is Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Copper and White Circuitry, Red Rectangle and 4 Squares Pattern
Appearing in these 10 sets.
It looks like yours is Dark Gray.

The second tile is Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Vehicle Control Panel Pattern
Appearing in these 82 sets.
It looks like yours is Dark Bluish Gray.
> 12 votes

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Tags: part-identification
---


title: Which lego set is this shuttle from?

text:
# Question
Title: Which lego set is this shuttle from?
I found this shuttle in my old LEGO box. I tried to find the instruction but couldn't. Do you know which set this is from?

# Answer
This is from set 7151 Sith Infiltrator from the first wave of Starwars sets from 1999.

It is the only set that contains Windscreen 3x6x5 Bubble with that cockpit pattern, as visible on this picture:
> 11 votes

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


# Question
Title: Is there any way of knowing how many bags came with a set?
I have just acquired 9474 Battle of Helm's deep and have some others where the box is open and I don't know if all the bags are in there. For example this set it looks like bag one has been opened, and I have three bags each of 2 and 3.

# Answer
**Instructions**

If you cannot find a review, most sets detail which bags you will be using for each stage within the included instructions. LEGO provide a easy lookup for most instructions included in sets if you do not have a physical copy.

**Online reviews**

An easy way to find out these sort of things is to find a review online, for sets of this size there are often quite lengthy details.

> A total of **9 bags**, each with 1 or 2 smaller bags inside.

**Weight**

To be sure you could also weigh all the bags, add them up and deduct it from the known weight (subtracting the box and instruction weight). Physical information of sets including dimensions and weights can be found on LEGO set databases like Brickset.com
> 11 votes

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Tags: sets, packaging
---


# Question
Title: What is the max current for the LEGO EV3 motors (pin 1-2)?
The LEGO EV3 Hardware developer kit says that the first and second pin of output port provides a current of max of 700 mA with 1 A but the motors appendixes don't have the maximum current that can I (safely) supply to the motor.

What is the max current that the motors can safely drain?

# Answer
It is important to consider not just the current itself but also the amount of time that the current is applied. Since the motors are not 100% efficient, there is energy lost to heat. If there is too much heat, the motor will be damaged.

So, while it is no problem to run the motors at maximum current by stalling the motor for a short amount of time (a few seconds), it is not OK to stall it for a long period of time. I accidentally did this once with an EV3 medium motor and I noticed the problem after a few minutes because I could smell a burning smell coming from the motor. I have also been at LEGO conventions where motors are running all day long. Even though they are not stalled, some of the motors eventually quit working and have to be replaced.

The motors themselves do have internal protection that is supposed to cut off power to prevent overheating problems due to too much power for too long (see *R7* in both the large and small motor schematics in the hardware developer kit and datasheets). But based on my experience, it doesn't seem like a good idea to completely rely on this protection.

So unfortunately, I don't have an exact answer in amps. But if you are running the motor for short periods of time with plenty of time in-between to cool down, it should be OK no matter what the current is.

---

For reference, these are my best guess for the data sheets for *R7*.
> 1 votes

# Answer
The amperage drawn by any motor depends on the voltage supplied and the resistance (load) on the axle. Even if you provide the motor with more ampers than it could safely take, it will only consume as much as the voltage and load require.

As for the maximum value that each motor can draw when supplied with 9V, potentially unlimited amperage and given an unlimited load to move (stalled), see the comprehensive component characteristics comparison compilation by Philo. Here we can see that when given 9V, the EV3 large and medium motors will consume 1.8 A and 780 mA respectively when stalled, so those are the maximum values they can draw from any 9V power supply.

See also this Q&A over at Electronics.SE about motors, the relevant values and their relations.
> 2 votes

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Tags: ev3, mindstorms, motor
---


title: MINDSTORMS 51515 exporting code

text:
# Question
Title: MINDSTORMS 51515 exporting code
I have created a MOC that I am going to put on Rebrickable. But the code is so complex I can’t do what I normally do and take a screen shot of the code and they replicate it. Does anyone know how if possible to upload the `.lms` files I found on my iPad to a Windows computer. I have the transfer of the files from iPad to Windows but I don’t have the ability to use a Windows computer to test opening it.

# Answer
I don't have an iOS device, but in the Android/ChromeOS version, there is a *Share* option when you click the  button next to the project name. You can use this to email the project, send it to Dropbox/OneDrive/Google Drive, etc. The exact options will depend on which other apps you have installed. The shared project (`.lms` file) can be opened by others on any OS with the same or newer version of the MINDSTORMS programming app.
> 3 votes

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Tags: mindstorms, robot-inventor
---


# Question
Title: Fix Power Functions cable near connector (L motor)
We have a broken cable on the power functions L motor. I've fixed an M-motor before in the engine, but this time the cut is near the connector.

Unlike the M-motor, this connector doesn't have the clips to open. How can this connector be opened to shrink the wire? The L-motor has a different connector than the M-motor, it looks like this:

# Answer
> 3 votes
Since there are no visible clips on the connector, it is probably not possible to open it without damaging it. Instead, you could purchase an 8886 or 8871 extension wire and use it to replace the entire cable (assuming you can open the motor).

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Tags: power-functions, repair
---


title: Does this scabbard really exist?

text:
# Question
Title: Does this scabbard really exist?
My son has seen a kind of backpack scabbard in a Ninjago magazine, and would like to get a real one for his collection. It holds a single large sword - all the others he has hold two swords, either in parallel (in the style of the Witcher!) or in the form of a cross.

I have found this unofficial 3D model, but would rather be pointed towards the real thing if there is such a thing.

# Answer
It seems to me drawn item might not represent existing element accurately. It is very close to Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pad Single with Scabbard for 2 Katanas. Could be pictured at an odd angle.

OR

Some modification of Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pads with Scabbard for Two Katanas and Bar Hole

The only one I could find for holding single katana is Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pad Single with Star Lettering and Scabbard for 1 Katana, but shoulder piece is covering minifigure's right side.

There are some other elements that could hold two katanas:

Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pads with Scabbard for Two Katanas

Minifigure Scabbard for Two Katanas
> 9 votes

---
Tags: part-identification, ninjago
---


# Question
Title: Reinforcing a pair of Bent Double 11.5 Liftarms under Rotational Tension
I purchased a clone MOC out of interest a few months back, this following set.

Because it does use clone pieces, I knew there was a high chance of breakage and poor fit, especially in the tensegrity arm actually supporting the upper structure. The arm failed today, so my plan is to replace and reinforce the original arms with official Technic parts.

My plan is to use the 5x3 L beams from Technic to alleviate the strain on the angled portion of the liftarm, which is taking a lot of weight. The arm, removed from the set, currently is bowed in due to the strain.

Because the snaps happened on the outside corner, I was wondering if attaching L beams on the outside or inside corners would be sufficient, or if there is another method of reinforcing this liftarm so that the stress in that region is reduced.

Adding the L beams in parallel with the liftarm would distribute tension to the L beams rather than just the angled bit, which should reduce the stress.

Alternatively, adding them underneath would (hopefully) add compression on the L beams in the opposite direction.

I believe that the official technic pieces should be a bit stronger on the replacement liftarms, but I'd like to reduce the strain in this area anyways, so alternative solutions are also welcome.

# Answer
> 2 votes
The replacement part is available in trans clear plastic, I would suggest using them to either replace the existing beams or be connected to either side. It will be a bit cheaper if you decide to use white beams instead.

The poor quality of the clone brand pieces is one thing, but I think you might want to consider tackling the issue of weight. If you are already happy with making modifications to the structure, consider removing or substituting some of the pieces in the floating castle.

---

Perhaps in addition to any modifications I would also suggest using a clear fast-setting super glue.

I use Loctite Clear Super Glue to adhere tips to my pool cue and it can last well until the tip has worn down. It is best to roughen up the surface a bit before applying the glue so that it adheres better.

Make sure you only glue the pieces and not the actual connections if you want to be able to dissemble the model. Give the glue plenty of time to set without putting any tension or compression on the joint.

The result will be nearly invisible, and could even be stronger than the original beams depending on the quality of plastic used.

---
Tags: technic, clone-brands, repair
---


# Question
Title: Is there a catalog of Lego building techniques?
As a Lego noob watching Lego Masters, I spot certain techniques being used time and again, without any real explanation (Lego Masters is great for entertainment, but offers little to no instruction). For example, curves can be created by alternating 1x2 bricks and 1x1 "barrels" (or cones).

Is there any kind of online catalog of Lego techniques? Does such a thing exist? Not only would this allow me to learn more rapidly, but I could also refer to the technique by its correct name.

# Answer
> 25 votes
Swooshable has a great collection of SNOT (studs not on top) and advanced techniques, it is probably the closest thing you will get to an online catalogue.

They seem to have updated their SNOT section with some really pretty renderings, piece information, videos and step by step instructions. Most of the articles for advanced techniques lead to external sites.

There are also techniques for making LEGO fonts and an introduction to building techniques and many other cool things.

---

There are a also few books I can recommend, they are all from the same publisher (no starch press) but are probably the best resources.

## The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition

I have both editions but I prefer the second as it is in full colour and much more compact. It covers among many other things:

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

## The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition

The best book there is for Technic builders, it covers the basic concepts, mechanics, pneumatics, motors and other more advanced concepts.

## The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines

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

---

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

# Answer
> 8 votes
I think it is impossible to have a catalog of ALL building techniques. New solutions being invented each day using old and newly released parts.

There are couple of Flickr groups I could suggest for interesting solutions people end up with for their models:

1. LEGO Techniques
2. News LEGO Techniques

You can also stumble on NPU acronym in LEGO community, which stands for Nice Part Use. It is often used for naming a combination of elements connected in unusual way.

PS. Oh, and it is possible to build circles with usual, non-round bricks, you just need a bit of space:

# Answer
> 5 votes
I'm working on a Youtube channel where I explain Lego techniques, but I only just started the project. I've got two videos right now.

Link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApO8jYdw4k8plpvEVI8zCQ

---
Tags: building
---


title: Robot Inventor Bluetooth not working

text:
# Question
Title: Robot Inventor Bluetooth not working
A while ago, I started up the Robot Inventor program and noticed the computer was not connecting. When I clicked the "Connect" button, the loading "circle" simply started spinning either indefinitely or for a few seconds until the "Connect" button showed up again. The Bluetooth on my Dell E5540 is on, and the 2 devices are paired.

# Answer
Maybe this project legoBTLE4pi could help you. It connects a Raspberry PI via Bluetooth to a Lego Powered Up Brick and does all the funny stuff.

The project is ongoing (nice TUI etc) but everything works.
> 1 votes

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Tags: programming, bluetooth, robotic, robot-inventor
---


# Question
Title: In LEGO: How to build a revolving magazine rack for 2x3 tiles?
I've been trying for months to come up with a design or parts for a 4-sided spinning magazine rack, like the old wire-style you would see in book stores. I need it to be fairly stable so I can put in/pull out 2x3 tiles \[printed with magazine covers.\] The problem I'm having is the racks are so minimalist that i can't find the sweet spot between form & function. Bonus points if the rack rotates, but not necessary.

I humbly bow down to those who can design such a rack and shower them with good karma (e.g., not finding bricks in the dark with your feet.)

A thousand thanks for your ideas or designs!

***UPDATE***: Apologies for delays, I've got a lot going on, my LEGO are in storage and it's taken me days to find piece info on Brickset. (I'm not very familiar with piece names.) Here are some additional pieces I've tried, along with some clarifications...

**The post of the magazine rack** \- this part seems simple enough: a flat tile with a technic pin and a series of other pins and bushings, with the option to stack in the actual rack building pieces. Hopefully no images are required for this part.

**The individual \[magazine\] racks** \- this is where I struggle. My thought is some bar-type items, though I have tried other things like 1x2 plates with clips. I *think* the racks/magazine holding parts probably need to be connected to the post at the top and bottom of each rack for stability, but a simpler design may work. Some of the pieces I've tried for building the rack and it's connection point(s) to the post include:

= 2566: ASSEMBLY ELEMENT Ø3.2

= 4733: Brick 1x1 w/ 4 knobs

= 40244: TUBE 1 M Ø4.85 W. (rotated 90 degrees: pin hole for post, clips for racks)

= 98397: HANDLEBAR W/3.2

= 243226: CLAMP 1X2

= 2540: PLATE 1X2 W. STICK

= 48336: PLATE 1X2 W. STICK 3.18

= 4623: PLATE W. HOOK 1X2

= 3839: MINI HANDLE

= 53989: BAD ROBOT ARM

= 30377: SPACE SKELETON ARM

= 30374: LIGHT SWORD -

Again, a truly sincere thanks for anyone who can come up with a design. This magazine rack will be part of a tributary diorama for a dear, dear friend. Thank you for your considerations.

Here are two more parts I've tried or considered using...

= 98284: LegoPlate, Round 2 x 2 with Pin Hole and 4 Arms Up

= 48723: LegoTechnic, Axle Connector Hub with 4 Bars and Pin Hole

...and also this, thinking it would be better for two attachment points, but with no success...

= 35366: \[Part 35366\] Bar 2 1/4 x 5 1/4 Double Squares (BrickHeadz Glasses Square)

# Answer
> 4 votes
I'm gonna suggest a different, non-conventional approach. This revolves around offsetting some 6016 3x4 grille, so each 2x3 tile fits through several grilles at once:

For an even more minimalistic look, rely on 4733 1x1 brick with studs on 4 sides and 2555 1x1 tile with clip, then add your own 1x1 brick/plate column:

Given the difficulties of making this kind of build look both minimalist and functional, I'm gonna suggest something that some people might see as a heresy: mod your bricks by cutting them. Cut the bottom-most grille so that only one slot (instead of three) remains, and cut the next-to-bottom-most grille so that only two slots remain.

In other words: in the following image, cut by the red line.

Beware of some safety precautions and advice when cutting plastic. Do wear safety goggles.

To prevent the 2x3 tiles from slipping through too far, consider blocking the slot nearest to the column with a disembodied 983 minifig hand (available in black):

# Answer
> 12 votes
I suggest using 4175 1x2 plate with ladder together with 3839 1x2 plate with handles SNOTted together with the help of 4070 1x1 brick with headlight, one 2x2 plate and 2 1x2 plates, like so:

Yes, the whole thing is upside-down. This is normal.

This contraption will hold the 2x3 tile snugly, thanks to the offset provided by the lip of the headlight brick. The handle plate will prevent the tile from sliding to the sides while allowing the tile to wiggle a bit. This can be seen in this top view:

Build a few of those, and place them on top of each other in a ladder-like manner, like so:

Add an upside-down 2x6 plate with a 3937 1x2 hinge brick base plus 3938 1x2 hinge brick top, so the entire structure *hangs*, like so:

...add a column to the center of the 2x6 plate, and the rest is pretty much symmetrical. It might be possible to attach extra hinged plates at the base of the structure for extra stability.

Unfortunately, this design is somewhat bulky. I cannot think (right now) of any other slanted-SNOT design that is more compact. On the plus side, this slanted design offers perfect functionality when getting tiles in/out of the racks.

If you want more than one 2x3 tile per rack, or a looser fit, try getting rid of the headlight bricks, rotating the handle plates 90°.

---

EDIT: I've been fiddling a bit with your suggestions of 98397 Utensil handlebars and space skeleton arm... just to remember about the existence of other arm pieces like 93061 Arm Skeleton, Bent with Clips at 90 degrees. Together with some 85861 1x1 plate round with open stud, 63965 Bar 6L and 4032 2x2 plate round, it's possible to do something like:

However, I'm not entirely sure if the bent skeleton arms will have enough grip. If they do not, some of the handlebar pieces might drop, and individual racks might rotate out of place.

Note that I'm using four bars there - using one bar doesn't provide enough room, and the individual racks would collide with each other. Hence the 1x1 round hollow plates.

# Answer
> 1 votes
Perhaps try 4 copies of Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Bar Handle on Side with Free Ends, for the "base" of each level, with Flag 2 x 2 Square as the "rack"?, and 2x2 bricks (square or round) up the centre? Then stick the whole thing on a 2x2 turntable base.

Depending on clutch strength, you might need another part on the diagonals, to stop the flags from opening out too wide.

---
Tags: building, design, moc, snot, connections
---


# Question
Title: Can I use the EV3 IR Sensor with a power functions remote?
In other words, I want to control my Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot with my Lego Power Functions remotes. The EV3 has an IR sensor, and the PF remotes are IR Remotes, but will they work together?

# Answer
> 3 votes
The EV3 IR Sensor is compatible with Power Functions 8885 remote the but not the 8879 remote.

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Tags: ev3, power-functions, sensor
---


title: Lego Wedo 2.0 projects

text:
# Question
Title: Lego Wedo 2.0 projects
I am new to Lego. Got an ESM for my son when the pandemic started. Now we got a Wedo 2.0. Please suggest me any good set of project instructions or book which will help him to learn.

# Answer
## Instructions and project collections

LEGO's own WeDo project site is a great starting point.

NayaCreations' 65 projects on Brickssafe

Daniele Benedettelli's LEGO WeDo 2.0 Archives contains many projects, some free, some paid.

## Youtube collections

Top 20 Wedo 2.0 in 2020 | Lego wedo projects.

22 Amazing creations by Lego Wedo 2.0
> 3 votes

---
Tags: instructions, wedo
---


# Question
Title: Lego Commando Droid original or fake Legs
I have some LEGO Commando Droids. The torso, head and arms are original with the LEGO logo, but the legs have no logo. They do however have numbers on them (here 2, on others 4 or 3) The legs are in terms of form and material identical to the original legs.

# Answer
> 3 votes
It seems unusual that somebody would go through the effort to fake the legs but not the rest of the droid.

It also not uncommon for official LEGO parts to exclude either a part ID or LEGO copyright stamp, this could be because the part was manufactured before it was the standard but most likely through design considerations.

It looks like there are no flat/continuous surfaces where either of these markings could be made legibly and without spoiling the characteristics of the part.

Looking at official set photos as well as reviews seems to prove that these parts are most likely real.

# Answer
> 0 votes
Looking at the pictures of this element I found that some, probably early version, indeed have a part number in plain visibility. Sometimes when mold worn out and LEGO makes a new one they could update the location of the marking. Making it far less visible and using hair thin text.

I don't have this element to tell for sure if this element is fake or not. However, I could suggest couple of other places to look for. First, the most obvious one - check if logo and/or part number haven't moved to the very bottom of the legs (the under stud part of it).

Next option, which is a little more interesting and not as obvious, might be already seen on one of your pictures (below). Picture is a little fuzzy, but the shading tells me there could be some text rotated counter-clock wise.

---
Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Need help identifying this non-Lego set - looks like a grey spaceship
This all came in a sealed pack. I can't seem to figure out which set it is - does anyone have any ideas? I'm sure there are more pieces to it.

# Answer
**Tl;dr**: most likely parts from Sluban or Oxford.

---

# Original Post

@Zhaph is right that the tail fin looks like the one on the Kre-O Starscream:

*Yours*:

*Kre-O:*

---

I started looking for other Kre-O sets that use the piece. I found the Toy & Game Instructions page which included sets with strikingly similar pieces.

The Kre-O Star Trek USS Vengeance - A4364 Instructions (PDF) cockpit is eight studs long while the cockpit in your photo looks to be about six studs long, but they have the same geometry.

*Yours:*

*Kre-O:*

The Kre-O Transformers Battle for Energon - 98812 (PDF) includes six-by-two stud sloped bricks that look like they could match the upside down brick in your photo.

*Yours:*

*Kre-O:*

---

Unfortunately, it looks like the Kre-O inverted slopes (at least in Kre-O Transformers Destruction Site Devestator - 36951 (PDF)) are closer to LEGO's inverted slopes than the ones in your photo.

*Yours:*

*Kre-O:*

*Yours:*

*Kre-O:*

It's hard to tell if your six-stud-long slopes are curved or not, but they look closer to LEGO Slope, Curved 6 x 1 than they do the ones from Kre-O (at least the ones from the USS Vengeance).

*Yours:*

*LEGO:*

*Kre-O:*

---

I did find another similar match and in the correct color: the Ultimate Soldier XD F-18 Fighter Jet (Ad Blocker Warning) as referenced in this forum post.

---

Unfortunately again, the only details I can find about the brand (beyond the brick sets sold at Walmart and Amazon) seem to be about the figures, not building sets. There are a few sites archiving these figures if you're interested.

---

I would have thought that the turbine piece would have been the easiest to identify, but I haven't come across anything close. Do you have more pieces that might be unique enough to give a clue?

---

I'm curious to know if the molds from Kre-O's tailfin ended up being sold to someone else. That might explain both the nearly identical piece in the Ultimate Soldier sets (down to the injection sprue) and the obscurity of the set you're looking for.

---

# Edit 1

According to the unsourced Wikipedia page for Ultimate Soldier, the Ultimate Soldier brand of die-cast figures was reintroduced as a line of military-themed building toys in 2014.

This forum thread contains conjecture about the acquisition of the die-cast tooling by either JSI or All-Go. No mention of the building toys.

> JSI bought some of the 1/18 tooling, there are a couple of company's sniffing around the 1/32 molds, but on my friends last trip to China(he's been back about a week) the 1/32 molds are either crated up of sitting inside and outside :rolleyes: the plant :lol: while other projects have taken over the factories.
>
> if they stay in weather to long they will be junk soon :huh:

> For all intents and purposes, 21st Century is effectively gone. All-Go's attempt at resurrecting the line fell back into the mire it tried to spring from after reissuing the two 1/32 planes - the mistake they made there being twofold: they reissued paint schemes that had been done already (and at half the price) AND they no longer included a pilot figure. A lot of merchants dumped excess stock upon the failure of the planes to sell, and discounters like Tuesday Morning ended up with them.
>
> JSI seems to possess the bulk of the 1/18 molds and have reissued several of 21C's vehicles in that scale.
>
> As far as 1/32 goes, status remains unknown. Still a lot available on ebay, but obviously not at Wal-Mart prices. I have built several of the kits myself, and while plainly being more toy-like than your normal kit, they do clean up nice and if you get them at the right price are a bargain. I managed to snag a case of BF109F's for $20 a couple of years back.

---

If the date provided by the Wikipedia page is to be believed, then there must be another explanation for the identical parts. I doubt that Hasbro would be selling good molds in 2014 for a line of toys they were still producing in 2017.

So I checked who was actually making the toys for Hasbro. The Kre-O line is produced by the Oxford toy company in Korea. Their website is next to impossible to navigate in English, but with a little luck I came across this set with a familiar tailpiece.

I couldn't find any closer matches on their website, but Wikipedia mentions that they made a line of military-themed sets. Using Google Translate, I searched `옥스포드 군사 장난감` (oxford military toy) and found some sets that also contain pieces that appear to match the molds of your pieces.

There's your slope again (apologies for the poor quality):

They even have the square-shaped negatives in the bottoms of some pieces:

---

The Oxford military sets appear to be the source of the Ultimate Soldier sets still available on Amazon/Walmart. Just as they were rebranded "Kre-O" for Hasbro, it appears Oxford sets are/were rebranded "Ultimate Modern Soldier" for 21st Century Toys.

*Oxford:*

*Ultimate Soldier (Amazon):*

I'm still looking, but I'm nearly certain that your set was produced by Oxford. Either for one of their own lines or to be licensed by another company.

---

# Edit 2

Completely by accident, I have stumbled on Sluban.

*Turbine:*

*Tailfin:*

*Square recesses:*

*Cockpit:*

*Slope:*
> 7 votes

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification, clone-brands
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# Question
Title: Motorized Excavator (8043) set alternatives
I'm on the search for a motorised excavator set and have the 8043 in mind. It is now retired and no longer available. Are there any alternative currently available sets? I have looked at a few options including motorizing my 42006 set but it doesn't make sense financially.

My second question is, why are LEGO not replacing retired sets with current versions? Is it due to popularity? Design cost vs sales?

# Answer
> 6 votes
I'm afraid there is no other excavator in LEGO Technic line like 8043. It is quite unique in that it has both driving and its functions motorized. Which is why it keeps its value even on second hand market. In case your collection consist of more than 42006 set you can look into "bricklinking" 8043 set for yourself. That is, look into buying missing bricks to build 8043 set of your own collection. In fact, owning just 42006 set means you already have 45.3% of 8043.

If you are fine with fan designed LEGO model I can suggest looking at excavators on Rebrickable. All models have instructions (paid or free).

Answer to why LEGO doesn't keep same type of model for a long period of time is quite simple, I think. If you got excavator released two years ago (which is the usual life span for Technic models), you don't really need a new one. You'd probably want to get dump truck, super car, plane or some other model that you don't already have. And if you already got all the types, and LEGO keeps making sets of the same type you'd probably won't spend money on newer models, which is something LEGO doesn't want to happen.

# Answer
> 2 votes
The 8043 Motorized Excavator from 2010 is retired, but in 2019, LEGO released the 42100 Liebherr R 9800, an excavator in the PoweredUP series of Technic models.

As of May 2021, the 42100 is still available in the LEGO shop, where the Liebherr co-branded excavator sells for $450 US and is described as:

> High-fidelity replica model, operated via the LEGO® TECHNIC™ CONTROL+ app and powered by 2 advanced Smart Hubs and 7 motors.

For comparison, the Bricklink price is about $225 for a used 8043 and about $700 for a new one (in May 2021).

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Tags: technic, sets, remote-control
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title: Parts for a 4 Candle set

text:
# Question
Title: Parts for a 4 Candle set
I want to build several stands with 4 candles. Here's my plan from bottom to top

* 3 round 1x1 bricks for the base
* a palm top to branch into 4 parts
* a round 1x1 brick on each of the 4 bars
* a pin holder on top of each of those
* a candle flame tucked into the pin holder.

I don't have these parts yet, so I'm hoping someone can verify this will work before I buy them. If not, do you have any other suggestions?

# Answer
> 8 votes
In principle, this will work although as D M notes (assuming a non-inverted build), the 1x1 bricks won't attach to the palm top correctly as they aren't long enough - a 1x1 round plate with hole on the bottom will help - either the same colour as the candle or as a part of the holder.

You might find that the candles are too close together for you as they would end up touching:

If you aren't worried about stability, by inverting the the 1x1 round bricks and resting the pin-holders upside down for a more "used" look, however the pin holders aren't secured:

Other options you might consider include using:

The Haunted House set uses a Pearl Gold Technic Knob Cog in its chandelier, shown with the Candle element:

# Answer
> 7 votes
LEGO has dedicated element for "candle wax" - Minifigure, Utensil Candle. This may be another option.

Its diameter is smaller than of 1x1 round brick, so you can put 4 of them together on single 2x2 round plate without touching. Here is an example, where you can see the difference in diameter (1x1 round plate is same as 1x1 round brick). Parts used in pictured build are listed here.

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Tags: design
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# Question
Title: What is this piece called? two connected cylinders
Hi, I'm putting the pieces together for a Vostok spacecraft. I'm stuck at this piece, can anyone help me identify it please?

# Answer
That would be

Part# 30360 : Cylinder 3 x 6 x 2 2/3 Horizontal - Round Connections Between Interior Studs

or

Part# 93168 : Cylinder 3 x 6 x 2 2/3 Horizontal - Square Connections Between Interior Studs

Both are essentially the same part, just a mold variation
> 10 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Control Lego Technic Control+ Hub via Python
Is it possible to control the Lego Technic Control+ Hub with Python?

I have tried using Pybricks but that didn't work well for me.

# Answer
> 4 votes
Yes, it is possible to remote control a Technic Control+ hub with Python using a library such as pylgbst or bricknil.

You can also write MicroPython programs that run on the hub directly using Pybricks.

You can get support for Pybricks at https://github.com/pybricks/support/discussions. There is a Bluetooth troubleshooting guide to help with connection issues.

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Tags: technic, software, python, control-plus
---


title: How to make a 1 ldu offset?

text:
# Question
Title: How to make a 1 ldu offset?
LDraw units are defined so that a simple 1x1 brick has a side of 20 ldu and a height of 24 ldu.

Using simple building techniques, it's easy to create 2 ldu offset, as illustrated in this picture, where the gap between the two red bricks is 2 ldu wide:

Of course, it's also possible to build any kind of offset, including 1 ldu, using continuous techniques such as parts gliding on axles, as illustrated in this picture:

But is it possible to build an exact 1 ldu gap without this kind of cheap trick?

# Answer
(Note: my HDD crashed recently and until I get that fixed I can't really make LDraw images. I did create one for this beforehand, but it's on the same HDD.)

As jfyelle said the solution consists of using one LEGO element which has an odd ldu dimension somewhere. There is such an element, which isn't even new or particularly rare, that is, the Fence 1 x 4 x 2:

The centre part has a thickness of 6 ldu, which means that there are 7 ldu on each side. So if you add a 2x4 plate in it, the thickness of the plate (8 ldu) means that it will stick out by exactly one ldu. If your fence is one red brick, just put a 1x4 brick and a 1x4 brick with for knobs on the other to connect to the plate. Your two red bricks should then be 1 ldu apart.

I did learn that trick from Didier Enjary in his excellent Advanced Building Techniques Guide which is well worth reading. That document contains a whole chapter on offsetting, but curiously the 1 ldu offset isn't listed explicitly; rather, the fence element and its 7 ldu offset is mentioned casually in the SNOT section.
> 14 votes

# Answer
There is another piece with an odd LDU dimension: the 1x1 bracket is 3 LDU thick. Paired with an Erling brick, which has a 4 LDU offset built in, it's a very compact way to create a 1-LDU offset, like psiaki has done here:

Then it's just a matter of translating the offset into a gap between bricks using standard bracket pieces like I have done here:
> 10 votes

# Answer
LDUs are synthetic units for LDraw, a lego design software.

(I am personally convinced that the correct answer to your question is that there is no way to create a 1 LDU gap and that we are very fortunate to have the Erling brick to create a 2LDU gap.)

If you look at the 2 links provided, you'll see that both the Erling and the standard lego brick dimensions only have even values. There is no way to end up with an odd number in these conditions.

If there is a solution, it must involve a brick that has an odd dimension in some direction.
> 3 votes

# Answer
Using 42446 bracket with a regular 36841 bracket you can create pretty small builds.
> 2 votes

# Answer
This is a very very silly solution, but it *should* be possible with gears.

Get the ratio correct and you'll be at 1/4 rotation per 1ldu. Then slide in one of these: , lock the axel and you're capable of any ldu spacing.
> 1 votes

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Tags: building, size, ldraw
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# Question
Title: Any cheap Technic sets with a good variety of parts?
I want to start building a module like GBC Miniloop 01, but when I check the part list some are very hard to find. How should I get started with miniloops?

BTW, I got a very big set, Bucket Wheel Excavator 42055, and wanted to be able to do MOC's based on the parts in there. There are still many parts not included that I need for building this small GBC Mini loop.

Any suggestions?

# Answer
> 4 votes
In answer to your question "I want to build a Great Ball Contraption and have LEGO set 42055, what other LEGO sets do I need to buy?" the answer is: None. You've got all the bits needed, even a motor.

Instructions to make a Great Ball Contraption from LEGO set 42055 are available for purchase for about USD25, and advertisement for the instructions can be see on YouTube. The are other instructions available - like https://www.bricklink.com/v3/studio/design.page?idModel=140147

The PV instructions are just one of dozens of alternative 42055 builds.

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Tags: technic, building, gbc
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title: Blue rounded 1x4 piece identification

text:
# Question
Title: Blue rounded 1x4 piece identification
There aren't any LEGO markings. Does anyone recognize the sticker? It's most likely from around 2013. I would like to know what set it is from.

# Answer
> 2 votes
The distance from the bottom right corner of the brick in your image to the top of the plate-part is 67px, which for a plate is 3.2mm. The full distance from the bottom right corner of the brick in your image to the top of the brick is 609px, which equates to 28.78mm, close enough to the 28.8mm a 3 brick-high piece would be (3 * 9.6mm). Well spotted @rschulz

This is not LEGO. Searching for 1 x 4 x 3 on BrickLink does not bring up any *Brick, Modifieds* that have rounded corners on one side, let alone a bottom plate. Nor are there any 1 x 4 *Plate, Modifieds* that have an addition like the above.

While LEGO pieces are well served with publicly accessible and searchable parts databases, MegaBlocks and their ilk are not. Your best bet - assuming this is a MegaBlocks part, and the part was stickered in accordance with whatever instructions come with the set - is a laborious search of a MegaBlocks set database, looking for an image of a 2 on a blue part of the model depicted on the box art.

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Tags: part-identification, clone-brands
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title: Prepare for Wedo WRO

text:
# Question
Title: Prepare for Wedo WRO
My son is 5 years old and completely hooked on to Wedo. I would like to unlock the possibilities for him to explore his area of interest. One such avenue can be to prepare for competitions like WRO. Please advise on any information about the competitions - what are the things that need to be learnt. Also any open resources available for preparing can help.

# Answer
> 2 votes
LEGO has this page which mentions World Robot Olympiad (WRO) and FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL). There's a tag for FLL () on Bricks.SE so you can see what other folks have asked about it.

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Tags: wedo
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# Question
Title: EV3 Brick: Powers on then off and won't stay powered on
I have an EV3 brick that when I press the power button the red lights all come on - the display shows starting up but after 3 seconds it powers off. The same happens when I press the power and right keys to update.

Any suggestions on how to get the unit to power on properly or is this not a software issue?

# Answer
If the batteries are new and not even the update mode stays on, then something is wrong with the hardware. You should reach out to LEGO customer support to see if they can help.
> 2 votes

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Tags: ev3
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# Question
Title: Grey pieces: 4x12 plate with cutouts, 2x4 hinge with only four studs on one side, 1x2 plate with big cylinder on the side
Can someone tell me the part numbers of the following pieces? Unfortunately there aren't any numbers on the pieces.

# Answer
The hinge is 3149c01. The engine is 3475 (or possibly other, similar molds).
> 11 votes

# Answer
RSchulz has correctly identified two elements, so I'll address the last one which is Vehicle, Base 4 x 12 for Steering Gear (803). Light Gray colored version was available in 3 sets.
> 11 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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title: Identify a non-Lego Santa set

text:
# Question
Title: Identify a non-Lego Santa set
Yeah so basically I tried the usual sites, but even putting in “North Pole sign” came up with nothing except one kinda similar. I can’t find anything on this set. Please help.

# Answer
> 3 votes
I could not find anything for 'Santa's letters' and the parts with 'North Pole' where showing different stickers on Bricklink,

Based on the design of the bricks and the strange colour used for the characters I strongly suspect these are not LEGO bricks.

The 2x2 slope for example does not show a visible LEGO logo on the studs and each stud is quite different. The bags they are packaged in are also not standard.

It will be quite difficult to identify this set if you cannot find a box, instructions or some other markings/part numbers. Clone-brands rarely have an online set database where you can find sets or an official website.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I was not able to find anything in a Google search for *compatible +"santa's letters" building construction* \- this appears to be a product that hasn't made an impact on the Internet.

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Tags: set-identification, clone-brands
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title: Is this a fake LEGO torso?

text:
# Question
Title: Is this a fake LEGO torso?
I recently purchased a new 52 Nightwing LEGO minifigure from Bricklink, to replace my damaged one, but I think it may be fake.

I compared the two, and I found a few differences, which I have not seen on a LEGO torso before:

1. ridges / grooves around the neck
2. a slimmer print on the neck
3. and the edge of the torso is a little wider

BUT, there IS a LEGO stamp on the top of the neck. Can anyone confirm if they have seen this before or if the torso is fake?

Here are the images: The order is real, suspected fake, comparison between torso edges:

# Answer
I note the printing of the light gray doesn't line up on the sides compared to the dark red texture line. The light gray on the top is in the same position relative to the red printing, but on the questionable torso the light gray printing doesn't continue the dark red printing.

The dark red printing on the questionable torso seems to be in absolutely the correct position; the known torso seems offset a little to the left. Thus the observation that the light grey printing on the sides being out of place.

The light gray printing would be placed in a single pass, so I think your suspicion that this is a fake is not unreasonable, but given the imperfection of the original, I'm not willing to make a definitive call.
> 1 votes

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Tags: minifigures, minifigure-identification
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title: Identification of a fence-like part

text:
# Question
Title: Identification of a fence-like part
In the pictures of a very large Rivendell moc of some years ago I came across a fence-like piece(I have encircled one of them). I have tried to identify it myself by browsing through the parts catalog in Bricklink but wasn't able to find it. Does anyone know which part this is?

# Answer
> 9 votes
They are custom parts from altBricks.

From their interview with Brothers-Brick a few years ago:

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

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

> Elven 2x2 panels by altbricks.com

# Answer
> 1 votes
Here's a higher resolution image on Flikr. It's a 1 x 2 x 2 part.

I can't find it either. Your best bet might be to ask the builder, Alice Finch.

You can see the same part used in windows.

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: What version of Lego Digital Designer has all the parts that LEGO ever added?
I would like to know what version of Lego Digital Designer has all the parts that the Lego company has ever added to the program, before the program was discontinued. I was able to find more parts from someone on Eurobricks forum but I still need more bricks.

# Answer
> 6 votes
I believe that the last version that had a complete set of elements was 4.3.11, however that has dependencies on Adobe Flash, so will likely not work on most modern systems that have now removed Flash.

The last release, 4.3.12 has a known issue with missing parts. However you can use the parts library (`Assets.lif`) from 4.3.11 with 4.3.12 - this can be extracted from the installer if you open it with an archive explorer (i.e. 7zip or similar).

Bear in mind that:

1. To see all the parts, you may need to enable "Extended Mode" (View | New themes | extended).
2. LEGO Digital Designer is no longer actively supported. However The LEGO Group have purchased the team behind Studio, which is actively developed and has new parts regularly added.

Edit to add:

Glad you've managed to get it working in your preferred version. I'm not aware of people adding more elements to the official library files, but I've not really looked for it.

Whilst we can't say exactly what The LEGO Group will do in the future, they did say when they acquired BrickLink that:

> The LEGO Group is planning to support and evolve Studio and will review opportunities for both services following the closing of the deal.

They also released a video last December (2020) where they updated on the future of both BrickLink and Studio.

> In addition, we're going to upgrade the Studio software every month to improve the user experience and enhance it's performance.

Finally, as a quick test, I was able to find the Fright Knights Witch and Bat Lord heads and torsos fairly quickly in Studio:

Others are likely available.

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Tags: software, ldd
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title: Chandelier with candles

text:
# Question
Title: Chandelier with candles
I want to make a hanging chandelier with candles. The centerpiece is Technic Knob Cog. My initial thought was to design it just like the Big Ben Church bells (step 278). However, I don't think that technic pin with bar extension will interface correctly with the technic knob cog as I think it needs an axle to hold it right? So I guess I need a way to hang a short vertical axle from a very long horizontal axle (or set of connected horizontal axles).

# Answer
I'll confess - my inspiration for that element in my answer to your 4 candles question came from set 10273 - Haunted House which uses it for exactly that purpose - instructions are here (180MB), it's on page 119:

It uses a Technic, Axle 5 with stop to hold the knob cog up, and it's inserted into a Technic, Axle and Pin Connector Angled #1 that's hanging from a beam made from Axle Connectors 2L (Smooth) and Axle 2 Notched.
> 9 votes

# Answer
I just realized you can put an axle through the 180 degree connectors just like you can a technic pin. Then, you just need a bush or something above the vertical axle to hold it in place.
> 3 votes

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Tags: design, castle
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# Question
Title: Finding out what sets these bags belong to?
I recently opened up a Sterilite box of LEGO from a garage sale to find some unopened bags. How can I figure out what sets these belong to?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

The Bags have numbers on them if that helps...424R8 is on a Bag 2 and a Bag 4. 324R8 is on Bag3 and a Bag 5. 211R7 is on a Bag2. 407R8 is on Bag 3. 450R6 is on a Bag 5.

# Answer
Based on

First bag 2, first bag 3, bag 4 and first bag 5 (pictures 1, 3, 5 and 6) are from 75953: Hogwarts Whomping Willow
> 6 votes

# Answer
Key part : Torso Female Jacket with Silver Zipper, Light Nougat Neck, Bright Light Orange Shirt with Dark Red Raptor Pattern / Olive Green Arms / Light Nougat Hands

Key parts : Plate 6 x 12 in Bright Green , White Brick 2 x 10 and Red Apple
> 3 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Identify sets including tan building and gray engines
These are the last two potentially identifiable LEGO parts received in my garage sale lot find back in 2019 that I am finally getting around to looking at.

# Answer
The parts on the left picture are from

75178: Jakku Quadjumper

Right picture shows part of

71006: The Simpsons House
> 4 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Finding out if these are partial creations to any sets
I recently purchased a Sterilite box of LEGO at a garage sale and it contained some partial creations. Some of these look like they may belong to a set while others may be individual creations. Can anyone help me identify if any of these belong to a set? And which set? Thanks!

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

# Answer
> 5 votes

# Answer
> 2 votes
#4 looks like part of 75154: TIE Striker:

Based on the intersection of these lists: Sets containing Hinge Pl.Top 2X4 W.Ø4.85Hole and Sets containing Roof Tile 1X2 45° W 1/3 Plate in Sand Blue.

The 1x6 black-yellow striped tile is an "aftermarket accessory", as it only appears in one single set, which is definitely not this one.

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: Which is better for youngsters to learn - LEGO Mindstorms for LabVIEW or Scratch?
I have a lot of laptops with the 'old' LabVIEW Mindstorms. I am about to start teaching Lego robotics to a homeschooling group I'm a part of.

Here's what I have:

* a few old Windows laptops with the LabVIEW Mindstorms
* my Mac running Big Sur (that therefore cannot run the LabVIEW Mindstorms)

I can do a few things to make this work, like I can finagle running the old Mindstorms on the new macOS - (or try to anyhow).

But my question is: Would it be worth it? Assuming that its not impossible for me to run the old LabVIEW on my laptop AND assuming I can run the newer programs on the OLD laptops. Which would be better to teach "today's students"?

Is there something about the LabVIEW that would be worth kids learning over using scratch to program these robots?

I hope this all makes sense - its late and my head is spinning from all the information!

Thank you in advance!

ETA: The age group I'm teaching will be 13-15.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I have used Scratch and I did use Lego Mindstorms. I would prefer Scratch because its easier to learn the codes and there is way more coding blocks. Just that its a bit harder to connect your robot to Scratch so just follow their instructions carefully. Hope this helped.

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Tags: labview, scratch
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title: Help identifying parts for a novice

text:
# Question
Title: Help identifying parts for a novice
Thanks for all of the help yesterday. I am so thankful for this community since I am a novice. I took a look through the Sterilite tub of LEGO again today and pulled some more creations that I thought would be worth a try posting here. For what it is worth, I appear to have parts from the following sets: Lego City Ambulance Helicopter; T. Rex Transport; Republic Fighter Tank; Yodi's Jedi Starfighter; The Phantom; Hogwort's Whimping Willow; Minecraft The Waterfall Base; Jakku Quadjumper; Tie Striker; Jokerland; Piranha Attack; Hulk v. Red Hulk; Simpson's House; The Penguin Arctic Roller; Airport Cargo Plane; Nexo Knights 70320; The Batmobile; The Riddler Riddle Racer and City Ferry. I doubt I have any complete sets at this point though. Does anyone recognize parts of any sets listed above or otherwise here, and which set? Thanks so much!

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8.
9.

# Answer
first picture

based on

Is 21119: The Dungeon

Second picture Based on

is 75239: Hoth Generator Attack

Third picture

Based on

is 75894: 1967 Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 MINI John Cooper Works Buggy

Fourth Picture of the bed is from the Simpsons house

Fifth picture is 21140: The Chicken Coop

Sixth picture some minecraft set, probably hard to pinpoint which set

Seventh picture

76070: Mighty Micros: Wonder Woman vs. Doomsday and 76064: Mighty Micros: Spider-Man vs. Green Goblin

Last picture 75129: Wookiee Gunship Microfighter

Eighth picture no idea, looks like own creation of someone
> 5 votes

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification
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title: Can cherries connect to anything?

text:
# Question
Title: Can cherries connect to anything?
Can the Cherry Piece connect to anything such as a hollow 1x1 round plate or a 1x1 round brick?

# Answer
Yes, "Cherries / Cherry Pair" has 3.18mm connection also known as "bar". This type of connection is *in system* and is compatible with large variety of elements, including two you have mentioned.

Couple of examples:
> 18 votes

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Tags: piece-information, connections
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# Question
Title: Last help question of the day for this novice
Thanks for all of the help in identifying parts to a tub of LEGO I received back in 2019 but have not looked at until yesterday because my daughter has started getting into LEGO. I am so thankful for this community since I am a novice. I took a look through the Sterilite tub of LEGO again today and pulled some more creations that I thought would be worth a try posting here. For what it is worth, I appear to have parts from the following sets: Lego City Ambulance Helicopter; T. Rex Transport; Republic Fighter Tank; Yodi's Jedi Starfighter; The Phantom; Hogwort's Whimping Willow; Minecraft The Waterfall Base; Jakku Quadjumper; Tie Striker; Jokerland; Piranha Attack; Hulk v. Red Hulk; Simpson's House; The Penguin Arctic Roller; Airport Cargo Plane; Nexo Knights 70320; The Batmobile; The Riddler Riddle Racer and City Ferry. Another user helped me identify portions of sets from Mighty Micros Wonder Woman v. Doomsday; Minecraft The Dungeon; Hoth Generator Attack; Mini Cooper S Rally and 2018 Mini John Cooper Works Buggy; Minecraft The Chicken Coop; and Mighty Micros Spider Man v. Green Goblin. I doubt I have any complete sets at this point though. Does anyone recognize parts of any sets listed above or otherwise here, and which set? I saved what I thought was the hardest for last. I don't even know how to describe the pictures. Thanks so much!

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5.
6.
7.
8.

# Answer
> 4 votes
**#1** was the hardest to find, I searched for sets with the Black Engine, Large, eventually I found that 70905 The Batmobile contained all the parts in the image, although the engine isn't visible.

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

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

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

**#7** is the centre of 75971 Hanzo vs. Genji
As well as a tea cup from one of these sets

**#8** has the front of Hulks car from 76078, and parts from these sets:

The torso from one of the models of 31058 Mighty Dinosaurs
Part of the carnivorous plant from 75904 Mystery Mansion
The Joker's hat from 76035 Jokerland
Catwoman's motorcycle wheel from 70902 Catwoman Catcycle Chase
One of the wings from 75129 Wookie Gunship
The ghost vacuum from 71242 Story Pack - Ghostbusters: Play the Complete Movie.
Some of the detailing on the front and underside from 70911 The Penguin Arctic Roller
The large black leg is from one of the many Star Wars buildable figures with black legs

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification
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# Question
Title: Automating rotation of a block on a track
How do I rotate a block 180 degrees after an item (like a car or train) passes a certain point in a track?

# Answer
Here's an idea for converting the movement of a moving train to rotational motion track side. This is shown in set 6991:

The mechanism in this case is a tire hanging from a universal joint so that it engages the train without interfering too much:

This core idea could be mechanically adapted for other purposes, such as the 180 degree rotation that you are looking for.
> 2 votes

# Answer
If I understand the problem correctly, you have a track, on which something is moving in a straight line. Then you want to have another, stationary object to rotate when the moving something has passed a certain point on the track, right? Like a semaphore transitioning to another state after a train has passed a switchpoint?

If so, then the simplest solution would be to attach a piece of straight gear rack to the moving object and set up a gear by the tracks in a way so that the gear rack meshes with it as the object moves past. If the rack has exactly half the number of teeth as the gear, the gear will be rotated 180° upon their passing.

Possible combinations: 4566045: RACK W. BALL with 6 teeth:

and 4141454: DOUBLE CONICAL WHEEL Z12 1M with 12 teeth:

or: 374302: TOOTHED BAR M=1, Z=10 with 10 teeth:

and 4141455: DOUBLE CONICAL WHEEL Z20 1M with 20 teeth:

Due to the tight tolerances offered by these kind of teeth the alignment must be precisely calibrated and the passing speed should not be too high (especially if the rotational resistance or inertia is high) - in such cases knob or splat gears could provide better characteristics.

Or for very high speed applications the gear rack could be replaced with a long slope, which engages a single protruding piece and rotates it a bit by a horizontal axle while passing by. The resulting motion can then be amplified through adequate gearing to give 180° at the desired point and incorporate a ratchet to prevent returning after the slope has passed.
> 1 votes

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Tags: building, gears, automation
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title: Train with two Powered Up hubs

text:
# Question
Title: Train with two Powered Up hubs
I'm building a motorized train. The locomotive has two Powered Up train motors, one at each end. However, no matter where I place the hub inside the locomotive, the wires on the train motors are too short to both reach the hub.

So, I have decided to try to connect each motor to a separate hub. The problem is that the motors have to spin in the opposite direction. I know that if I put one motor on the "A" output of one hub and the other motor on the "B" output of the other hub, then I can control the motors independently, but I was wondering if there was a way to program the hubs so that I can control both motors together. Is this possible? If so, what would an example program look like to do this? I can also program in Python and Java if that helps at all. Below is a picture of my current setup.

# Answer
> 2 votes
Yes, what you require is perfectly possible to implement in the Powered Up app on nearly any recent smart device. You do need to program a bit, there's a graphical programming interface which you can get to after tapping the "Create" button. Since you mention that you're experienced with actual programming languages like Python and Java, you should have no difficulty figuring out what the code blocs do. You'll have the option to either work with sliders that will be present on some makeshift GUI on your smart device to control the speed, or you can chose to connect a remote as a third device (the other two devices being the hubs) and work with the input from the remote...

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

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Tags: trains, electronics, powered-up
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# Question
Title: Which Lego brick number is this? 1 x 3 connected vertically to a base
Please can someone help me to identify the brick in the picture. Thanks.

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

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Pirates of Barracuda Bay 21322 — are there instructions to build it as a seaworthy ship directly?
Are there official or unofficial instructions to build the ship directly, skipping the island stage? I figured that maybe, just maybe some fans prepared them.

The reason is that while it is great for adults as it is, to play with children it would make sense to use chronological order — play with ship, and then crash it.

# Answer
LEGO provide instructions for the alternative build.

However these are given as an 'alteration' of the existing set rather than steps from scratch, this means you must create the official model first before making the changes.

The steps to convert the ship are on pages 412 to 450 of the instructions. Digital PDF instructions can be found on the LEGO site but I have also uploaded an image gallery of all the steps.

It is entirely possible to simply skip building the island stages as you will not need most of those parts in the conversion and the majority of the ship will be built.

My advice would be to follow the instructions ignoring those stages and simply assemble the three parts of the ship, making any alterations necessary using the instructions in the later half.
> 5 votes

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Tags: sets, instructions
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