# Question
Title: How can I prevent my finger from getting injured between gears?
Recently I was building a prototype for a LEGO tank chassis and I tested it, but my finger got caught between the gears, resulting in my finger getting cut. Are there any ways to prevent that from happening?

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

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

Just lift your wrist and the motor will stop immediately. No need to quickly flick that switch on the battery box anymore.
> 4 votes

# Answer
If your geartrain contains z24 gear you can substitute it with z24 clutch gear. It has built-in safety mechanism - it would slip under certain toque and as result of this it will stop transfering motion if gears placed after it would stop or get blocked.
> 2 votes

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Tags: motor, safety
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# Question
Title: Selling complete sets, Assembled or Disassembled?
I have several complete Lego sets that are assembled. I would like to sell them and want to know if I should ask a higher price if I disassemble them and organize the pieces? I also have the instruction books that go with them.

# Answer
A good part of the LEGO experience is building the set. There is little joy in buying a LEGO set that was already built by someone else. So you are right, that a disassembled set is usually viewed as more valuable. However, consider the following points.

When people purchase a LEGO set, either new or used, they expect the parts to be sorted in some way into bags. So, taking apart the sets you have and putting them into baggies is not considered an additional service you're providing and buyers are willing to pay extra for.

Shipping a fully assembled set puts a lot more liability on you than shipping loose parts. If you advertise the set as fully built, and someone buys it, if any of the set gets broken or pieces fall off (which will likely happen in shipping), the buyer has all the rights to be disappointed and demand a resolution from you (shipping the set back to you at your expense, getting a partial or full refund, etc.) Also consider that shipping a fully built set is going to be more expensive, as you will have to use a lot more protective wrapping and a larger box.

As far as how much you can sell the sets for, that will be dictated by the market. You can certainly start out by listing your sets at the higher end compared to other listings, but it will be up to the buyers to decide if its worth it to them. If they don't buy, you will have to consider lowering the price, keeping the set for yourself, or selling the parts in bulk or individually.

If you are looking for angles to make your listing more attractive, here are some things buyers are looking for and willing to pay more for: Clean pieces, no damage or fading to the pieces, minifigs, instructions, and box (if provided). Stickers are clean and nicely applied without any fading or curling. The pieces are nicely organized in baggies based on color, piece type, or building steps. The set comes from a smoke and pet free home. The set belonged to an adult collector (or if from a child, the pieces are cleaned and sanitized). There are clear and detailed pictures included with the listing.

Hope this helps some. Any other questions, just post it as a follow up, and the community can give you more info.
> 7 votes

# Answer
Let me add another perspective to TheBrickBlogger’s answer: when I buy a used set on EBay, I like to have some sort of a visual guarantee that the set is complete and as described. The only way to get that confirmation is by seeing pictures of the built set, ideally from all angles.

So, when I sell used sets on EBay, I will make sure the set is fully built, take pictures from all angles, take pictures of areas where pieces are missing or stickers are less than perfectly applied, and then list. Then, depending on the size of the set, I take the set apart (potentially sort it, but that is not a must) and make a clear note in my listing that the set is complete (with either “missing the extra pieces” or “missing minifigs” or something like that if necessary) and will be shipped disassembled in a ziploc bag.

By including pictures of the built set, I give the buyer a visual confirmation of what they can receive, and at the same time insure myself against “but the minifigs are missing” claims that can be easily disproven by just looking at the picture.

As a buyer, even if the set is built when I receive it, I will still disassemble the set, wash the pieces, and do a full inventory to make sure all pieces are included (using the inventory at the end of the manual, or using the BrickLink inventory in BrickStock). So there is no difference for me between a set that is shipped assembled or disassembled, apart perhaps for the extra effort in taking a built set apart.
> 5 votes

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Tags: shopping, disassembly, value
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# Question
Title: How can I improve my rackless steering design?
I am trying to build a vehicle with a sturdy steering mechanism powered by the servo motor. When I was a kid I did this all the time with a rack and pinion design, but now I don't have any of the rack bricks.

The best I have come up with is an axle connected to a universal joint connected to the steering bar (see pictures - note that some of the chassis has been removed to expose the steering).

The problem with this is that the steering is slightly offset to one side. Also the axle can easily pull out of the connector if there is any resistance to the steering.

Is there a better design I can use, while still keeping the vehicle relatively compact?

# Answer
Look at the instructions for set 42048 Race Cart. It has rack and pinion steering without using a rack. It basically uses the same 2-long beam as you use on the servo, but uses it to push two pins with towball end either left or right. You can find the instructions online at LEGO.com.
> 3 votes

# Answer
I replicated the basic geometry of your steering build to use for illustration. I came up with two simple solutions that will work with your current setup. The steering servo is represented with a "M" motor because all of mine are in vehicles at the moment.

The drag-link with ball joints setup can be greatly improved upon with ease, I just wanted to use examples that applied specifically to your current design.

I realize this question is old, I wanted to provide an answer for anyone that runs into a similar situation with their build and comes across this post.
> 3 votes

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Tags: technic, power-functions, steering, motor
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title: Finding a Piece with a Picture

text:
# Question
Title: Finding a Piece with a Picture
I have been trying to find this Lego Piece for a while now and I just can't seem to find it. I saw this Lego Warthog MOC on Youtube by hachiroku24 and wanted to build it, but I can't seem to identify the main part of the turret. The piece is the black one in the lower middle and I can't seem to find it anywhere. Anyone have any ideas?

Here's the video URL for a better look at the piece:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg2NBk0SaIY&t=1s

# Answer
> 7 votes
The piece is question appears to be part# 15071, via Bricklink:

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

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Are these LEGO Star Wars bricks genuine or fake?
I bought some LEGO pieces from eBay, and I'm not sure if they are genuine LEGO.

I compared them with my LEGO, and every piece of my LEGO has the logo ©LEGO on it. However, only some of the ones I bought have this logo, and some do not.

You can see the © symbol on the top gun, the bottom is a gun from my own LEGO collection. If you flip them over, my gun (bottom) has some numbers (I think manufacturing number) and the word LEGO on it. The new one (top) has nothing. Is the top gun just an older LEGO, or a fake knockoff?

Additionally, some of the battledroid torsos have the © LEGO mark on them, as well as some numbers, and some of them have just © and nothing else.

It is the same with the battledroid heads. On the left, my genuine part has the ©LEGO and numbers on the other side. On the new ones in question (right), there is nothing.

# Answer
> 2 votes
I can't find an official source for this statement, but with the exclusion of a few rarities like test bricks, and perhaps a few other cases, every piece of genuine LEGO will have the brand stamped on it somewhere.

You've taken photos of pieces together that clearly ought to have come from the same mold, where one displays the LEGO brand and the other does not. That seems like solid proof that you've purchased fake parts to me.

As an example of how similar clone bricks can be, here are some battle droids made by LEPIN: https://cheap-bricks.com/lepin-05025-star-wars-homing-spider-droid/

It's hard to see, but I can make out the © on the trigger of the stormtrooper's weapon.

# Answer
> 2 votes
The Star Wars blasters in question are real LEGO. I grabbed a hand-full of Star Wars blasters from my collection and laid them out for comparison. All of these came from sets I bought, brand new. The "C" guns on the left outnumber the LEGO/part numbered version on the right.

Another hand-full of the short blasters yielded similar results, a lot of them being the "C" version.

I sorted through my battle droids and only some had "LEGO" stamped on their chest. The ones without it had the "C" mark inside their mid-torso with the part number either on the left or right side of "C". ALL versions had LEGO stamped inside their back stud. All of the droids with the "C" torso had no markings on their necks. Only the droids with "LEGO" on their chest had necks with markings. ALL droids had "LEGO" stamped on the rear of their legs under the clip. Some legs had the part number on the front, some did not.

For clarity and any doubts someone may have, here is a typical example taken from a site selling off-brand "Lego" sets using pictures of real Lego sets and pieces:

"HonestJay" indeed.

# Answer
> 0 votes
These are most likely Lego. The similarities in the molding is far too similar for these to be fake (unless someone spent obscene amounts of time creating very accurate fakes). The most suspicious thing to me is the © on the trigger section of the rifle. Other than that, they are just too identical to be a knock-off.

Also, the sheen on the plastic seems appropriate. Maybe a little bit aged on the droid head in question, but they tend to dull with age anyway. These look to be genuine.

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Tags: star-wars, clone-brands, accessories, ebay
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# Question
Title: You know you have been LEGOing too long when
Inspired by this webpage on raytracing I was trying to find out whether something similar exists for LEGOing (playing with LEGO). However, I couldn't find any references to jokes like "You know you have been LEGOing too long when you are getting excited about the difference between bright light orange and yellow".

Are you aware of any jokes about playing with LEGO, possibly by people who think that LEGO is for kids only?

# Answer
You know you have been LEGOing too long when

## you have permanent stud prints on your fingers

(That's technically a tattoo pictured, but you get the idea)
> 6 votes

# Answer
I know i have when my kids get tired of waiting for me in the Lego store & leave me to go to Starbucks
> 6 votes

# Answer
When you've been waiting almost 40 years for your favorite colors to become real. The Lego Movie 2 colors (teal and aqua!!!) and the teal brick separator are like a dream come true.
> 5 votes

# Answer
When you're correcting anyone and everyone that says "Legos" regardless of their age.
When you're editing every question and answer I post to correct Lego to LEGO. :P
When your Lego collection is worth more than your car and/or house.
When you have an entire room in your house dedicated to Lego.
When you want to show every child and parent at the PAB wall how to get the most in their cup, but usually manage to keep your mouth shut.
When you spend more time sorting pieces than building with them.
When the "book" collection is your house is 90% Lego manuals.
When your Lego collection is larger than your kids collection.
When you buy multiples of sets "just for the parts".
When it's mandatory to walk down the Lego isle in any store that has one.
When you can't complain about your wife's shoe collection because it pales in comparison to your Lego collection.
When you have developed a legitimate hatred of stickers in Lego sets. Either because it seems "cheap" or, no matter how perfectly you apply them, some will wither and die with age.
When you've rolled up to the check-out with a shopping cart overflowing with storage drawers and/or containers.
When your fingertips are numb from pulling 1000's of Lego pieces apart, but it doesn't stop you.
Ok, I should stop now...
> 3 votes

# Answer
...when you´re a dedicated AFOL and cannot laugh about Lego jokes
> 2 votes

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Tags: afol, popular-culture
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# Question
Title: I need help finding what set these pieces are from, AM 02066 and AM 02067
I recently found a bag of pieces from an older set that I lost the instructions to, and I don't remember the set name. The set was a blue plane, and the cockpit pieces say AM 02066 and AM 02067. I put this set away in 2007 when someone threw it so it is old and I can't find it anywhere.

# Answer
> 2 votes
The set you are referring to is Mega Bloks set# 9728, Blue Thunder. Instructions can be found here: https://support.megabrands.com/media/playbooks/9728.pdf

# Answer
> -1 votes
The set "gold hunt" from Lego Agents contains a sizeable blue plane. Any chance that's it? It's from 2008, not 2007, but it's another blue plane that comes to mind.

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: What is the rarest LEGO set ever produced?
Is there a general consensus on what the "rarest" LEGO set of all time is? And if so, then what is it?

To clarify, of the sets that at some point were for sale to the general public, which one is the hardest to acquire? Tour and company exclusives should not be included, as they were never "produced" to the general public. As far as what quantifies "rarity," price, number produced, current avaliability, or etc, I'm not sure, and that's why I'm asking if there is a consensus on this.

# Answer
I don’t think there is a consensus, as much as there isn’t a consensus of what constitutes “rare” (is it availability at release, production volume, current market availability?) or what is considered a “set” (is a collectible minifigure a set?). Also, how far back do you want to go? Are LEGO sets from the 50s and 60s included, even the one-piece cars?

From recent LEGO offerings, I think the Batpod is a good contender. Only 750 were available (but a few more popped up at the launch of the new VIP Rewards site, so there might have been up to 1000 of these made).

LEGO made some pretty rare models in its early days, such as the 1957-1958 Opel Kapitan, with only 8 copies known to exist (according to LEGO historian Gary Isztok).
> 6 votes

# Answer
This question is nearly impossible to answer with all the variables. You might consider refining your question to a more realistic scope by eliminating sets like "Inside Tour Exclusives", Comic Con Exclusives, single minifigures like the gold C-3PO, or employee exclusives.

While probably not the "rarest" set out there, the 5004590 "Bat Pod" is annoyingly rare. Sure you could piece one together, but getting one with the box and instructions is pricey.
(https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=5004590-1#T=S&O)

Some of the old HO scale cars in certain colors are extremely rare. I would think that many of the old piece packs/boxes are probably hard to find and/or buy.

Related: What is the rarest LEGO production element (colour/shape combination)?
> 6 votes

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Tags: sets
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# Question
Title: Which set is this black LEGO Technic car with skull and fire stickers?
Please help me to identify the LEGO set. Thanks!

# Answer
> 4 votes
This car looks like the secondary/alternative model from set# 8167, "Jump Riders":

# Answer
> 3 votes
This an alternate build from set 8167 LEGO Jump Riders as seen in the instruction booklet.

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Tags: set-identification, technic
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# Question
Title: BricxCC not seeing Serial Tower in Windows 10
Same problem with both the native 9-pin serial port and with a USB to 9-pin Serial adapter. Using Lego's original cable.

1. Start BricxCC Version 3.3 (Build 3.3.8.10). It asks for the connection method.
2. Choose any option for the Port (I've tried them all with the same results), and RCX or RCX2 for the Brick Type. Standard Firmware.
(Actually, there isn't any firmware in the brick yet. Need to do that as soon as it connects, but I can't even get that far.)
3. Click OK. Communication fails immediately. "No connection to the programmable brick. Certain options will be unavailable."
4. Acknowledge the message. Click "Find Brick", and repeat from #2.

A google search turned up a note about using a terminal emulator to talk to the tower directly. 2400baud, no handshaking, should echo characters in the terminal, and the green activity light should make sense. That DOES work, for both the native port and the USB to serial adapter.
Using https://sourceforge.net/projects/realterm/ on Windows 10, fully up-to-date as of this writing.

* When I close the native port, the green light comes on and stays on, and remains on while BricxCC tries to connect. It turns off when I reopen the port in the terminal emulator.
* When I close the USB adapter, the green light turns off, and remains off while BricxCC tries to connect. It stays off when I reopen the port in the terminal emulator, except to indicate activity as expected.

I tried running BricxCC in Compatibility mode for Windows 98/ME, and then for Windows XP (Service Pack 2 & 3). Same result.

Any ideas?

# Answer
> 1 votes
A bit more fumbling around led me to an actual installer:
http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net/test\_releases

I was hesitant to use that because of the word "test", but in fact that's what's needed to work at all. Download `bricxcc_setup_33810_20130220.exe` from there and run it, and it "just works".

---

The situation above came from a zipped archive, not the installer. Having rejected the "test" version, I then found the archive, unzipped it, and tried to use it. Apparently, it was missing something that the installer includes. Comparing the installed program directory to the unzipped one definitely confirms this!

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Tags: mindstorms, rcx
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# Question
Title: Which set are these Mega Bloks pieces from?
Please help me identify which Mega Bloks set or sets these bricks are from. Any help is appreciated.

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

Even though the picture is low resolution, you can see the orange parts on the three barrel turret better:
> 6 votes

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification, clone-brands
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title: Please help identify this set & figures

text:
# Question
Title: Please help identify this set & figures
Please help identify this set, and which sets these figures are from. Thanks!!

# Answer
> 4 votes
1. Set #8049 - Tractor with Log Loader.

2. ???
3. Part # NBA005 - NBA Ray Allen, Milwaukee Bucks #34.

4. ???
5. Part# NBA006 - NBA Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies #16.

# Answer
> 4 votes
The "04" figure is from the set you asked about in another post (Which set are these Mega Bloks pieces from?). It's from Mega Bloks "Warriors: Future Force" set# 9528 "U-240 Assault".

# Answer
> 2 votes
2. Looks like the Islanders War-painted minifigure head, but somehow mirrored from what is shown in Bricklink.

4. Is a clone-minifigure, not LEGO.

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification, minifigure-identification
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# Question
Title: How to make an object glow in Studio (BrickLink)
Is there a way to add glow colors to objects or parts in the BrickLink's Studio?

The thing I am trying to do is to make a glowing light bulb so I can have it as a light source in enclosed areas (Like any room) and have its impact on rendering (POV - RAY / Photorealistic Render (Eyesight)).

Is it possible? Is there any other lego designing software that supports this?

# Answer
> 3 votes
Looks like I solved my problem myself.
Here's what I did:

I exported the Lego model as *Collada (.dae)*, and imported it in *Blender*. Selected the material and changed *Diffuse BSDF* (Maybe changed for you) to *Translucent BSDF* (for cycles only), selected *Volume* as *Emission* and rendered.

Cheers

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Tags: software, design, bricklink-studio, rendering
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# Question
Title: Help separating a 6L stick with stop ring & 1x1 cone
I have a 6L stick with stop ring & 1x1 cone stuck together. I've been trying to separate them without success. Any advice?

# Answer
> 5 votes
Immerse the stuck assembly in soapy water, swoosh them around a bit, then try again. That should do the trick. It is okay to wiggle the piece a bit from side to side to try to loosen it up. Even ABS plastic LEGO pieces are somewhat flexible and they won't break if you flex them a bit.

If nothing else works you may have to resort to plyers. Use the kind that doesn't have ridges, so damage to the plastic remains minimal. Also, use shop gloves or something similar to make sure you have a good grip on the end that you are holding with your hand.

If you do resort to using pliers, try putting a wide rubber band between the pliers and the pieces to further reduce the damage to your bricks.

# Answer
> 1 votes
Use two pairs of pliers (one on each brick), that worked for me.

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Tags: disassembly
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# Question
Title: Can you identify the set? Maybe a crane?
We obtained this as part of a bulk lot. Please help me figure out which set it is from. A Web search found many cranes, but not like this one. Could be a MOC ;-)

# Answer
Based on the pieces in the photo is looks like the remains of set# 4957 Ferris Wheel.

They had apparently built one of the secondary/alternative models from the set.

(Building instructions here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/search#?search&text=4957)
> 9 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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title: Scarcity of electric parts: motors etc

text:
# Question
Title: Scarcity of electric parts: motors etc
Having bought parts in bulk several times I came to realization that electric parts are scarce resource in Lego world. The cost of plastic parts comes at around 10% of original price but there are so few electrics among them that I consider buying motors etc. separately and the cost would be times more as percentage of original price.

Most Technic sets are sold w/out electric parts, so most of buyers do not purchase electric parts, hence small after market. I talked to salesman in one shop - hardly proper sample, still - the quantity of pure electric sets sold is so small I could hardly imagine it's significant profit for Lego.

Web search did not show info on the topic. What are most probable reasons that electrics are not bundled in sets? Are there studies / discussions why this strategy was chosen by Lego?

# Answer
> 6 votes
Cost. If you look at any set with electric motors, etc. you will see a significant increase in the price of these sets. They have marketing research groups and accountants that somewhat dictate the price range of the sets they release. Any engineer with good experience can tell you of the headaches of dealing with keeping production cost down. Since the cost of the motorized sets are inflated by including expensive to produce/source parts, they will only allow so many to be produced/released each year.

Most customers take things at face value. They see that you "get less (pieces)" for your money in these sets and are less likely to buy them as often. The Lego company's targeted demographic has been stated as 8-12 year old boys from various sources. I tend to believe this claim based on the amount of sets released with those ages listed on them. This would also suggest that the majority of their marketing research is dedicated to this specific group, and has shown that electric components aren't a big selling point. I can confirm this to be accurate based on my own children and their friends.

I know from an engineering standpoint that the more components something has, and how "specialized" they are, the more expensive it is to produce. Because of this many parts are outsourced from companies that specialize it certain components. Electronics are good example of this as many of the internal components are manufactured from different companies. So not only are these individual pieces bought from several different places, but then they have to be assembled. All this equals "cost of production".

One last note: I often come across sets for sale (Bricklink, Ebay, etc.) without the electronic components. I have come to the conclusion that these people are buying the sets just for the motors, etc. and selling the rest to recover some of the cost. This works out well for sets like trains where adding additional cars is a common desire. This is option you might consider.

Related: How much does an average LEGO brick cost to produce?

Another possible aspect that I have no knowledge of is if there are any additional costs to import/export products that fall under "electronics".

# Answer
> 2 votes
LEGO seems to put significant effort into make products available at various price-points. Products like the Ferris Wheel and Carousel are a bit better with a motor, but you can get most of the fun by manually cranking them. Alex Nunes, and probably a few others folks, have created setups where multiple amusement park rides are sharing a single motor. If LEGO included motors with everything that could use them not only would fewer people be able to buy the set, but folks like Alex would be "stuck" with extra motors. I'm sure he'd find something to do with it, but maybe he's happier for not needing to figure that out.

Another advantage of motors sold separately is that you can share the motor between multiple sets. Maybe you're only playing with one amusement park ride at a time. Extra motors wouldn't help you any and if you're already space-constrained it would make things less fun. Extra motors also means extra battery boxes and the fewer batteries I need to worry about recharging or replacing the happier I am.

On the other side of things big Technic sets like the Bucket Wheel Excavator and the Crawler Crane would be hard to do much with without the motor. Mercifully LEGO has you covered for these sets and the motor is included.

So to summarize:

1. If you don't need the electronics you don't have to buy it.
2. You get more flexible options to fit into your finances and space.
3. If you need the motor it is probably included so you don't have to fret about forgetting it.

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Tags: piece-information, electronics
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# Question
Title: Publishing instructions for MOC based on Lego Technic set
Are there any copyright issues in the case of creating a MOC based on a Lego Technic set, and then publishing my own instruction and/or video for it?

Regards, Pavel

# Answer
> 2 votes
I think the key here is if you are trying to profit from it. If you are doing this as a hobby, aka for fun, you have nothing to worry about. If you are trying to sell the model and/or instructions, then you risk a friendly "Cease and Desist" letter from the Lego Group.

Here is a paragraph from their "Fair Play Brochure":

"For this reason, certain guidelines have been developed to outline the proper use of the LEGO Group’s trademarks and copyrighted material for non-commercial purposes in domain names and websites. The LEGO Group’s trademarks and copyrighted material may NEVER be used by unrelated third parties for their own commercial or marketing purposes, unless formal permission or a written licence has been granted by the LEGO Group."

Fair Play Brochure: https://www.lego.com/cdn/cs/legal/assets/blt1a4c9a959ce8e1cb/FairPlayBrochure.pdf

# Answer
> 1 votes
I see this sort of thing done regularly and never heard of anyone being shut down. Even really famous builders like JKBrickworks publish modifications for official sets and he would definitely be on Lego's radar having had two sets created through the Ideas program.

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Tags: instructions, moc, patent
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# Question
Title: Hi. I’d Like To Identify The Bricks In The Picture
I’d like to buy these bricks but I’m having trouble identifying some of them.

# Answer

> 9 votes

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Tags: part-identification, piece-information, bricks-and-pieces
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# Question
Title: How to distinguish between objects using a sonic sensor?
I am trying to find a ball in the field, grab it, and drop in the specified area. I'm using an ultrasonic sensor on the front of the robot.

My current solution for locating the ball is: Turn 360 degrees and find the closest object. This part works.

After obtaining the ball it needs to be dropped in the reserved triangular area. What can I do to make the sonic sensor distinguish between the ball, walls, and the triangular drop area?

# Answer
It's been quite a while since I've programmed a robot, but using only the sonic sensor does make it a bit more challenging. Also, not knowing anything else about the robot you've built (it's size, other sensors & their location, the ball grabbing mechanism, etc.) it further complicates any possible advice.

That being said, the only solution I could think of would be to use the opening/doorway to the room as a reference point for the robot. The sensor should be able to locate it since it's "open", and the robot sent towards it. The line on the ramp leads me to believe your robot has a color sensor for line following, therefore should be able to detect the line at the doorway once it arrives. This will also allow the robot to "true" its location, which would allow rotating "x" degrees to have you pointing directly at the drop-off point. Then straight forward and (?) because I have no idea how your robot even picks the balls up or drops them.

My other solution would be to have a mechanical release lever for the ball. The lever would be positioned so only the low wall of the triangle could push it. This would be a much more simple solution in theory.
> 1 votes

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Tags: ev3, programming, robotc, sensor-ultrasonic
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title: Which part is this grey pillar?

text:
# Question
Title: Which part is this grey pillar?
I am wondering which set this part is from. I'm trying to make a set complete and this part clearly doesn't belong to it when I check the sets parts list.

# Answer
> 3 votes
This is a Lightsaber hilt (Minifigure weapon) part# 64567. The color looks like light-bluish gray in the picture, which was in 201 different sets. You can look through the many sets on Bricklink: (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64567#T=C&C=86)

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

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Tags: part-identification
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title: Advice on selling a lot of Lego?

text:
# Question
Title: Advice on selling a lot of Lego?
I have a bin of Lego with a bunch of $100+ sets. The bin contains 29lbs. of Lego. I want to sell them, how should I price them? There are sets like 7743 and such. They are in pristine condition. There might be other small objects in the bin, but I don't know what. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

Sincerely, Nathan

# Answer
Post an auction on ebay, and let the buyers determine the worth. Include a lot of pictures of what is in the lot, so buyers know what they are getting. If you go random, the most folks will pay is what it is worth with all low valued pieces.
If you want to make more money, sort the Lego out, and see if you can complete sets. For some sets the complete set will sell for more than the individual pieces, for other sets the individual pieces will sell for more.
If you want to maximize profit do some research on sites like ebay, bricklink, brickowl and see what the parts you have are selling for. If not, then just post it as you described it here, as an auction on eBay, and see if anyone bids.
> 1 votes

# Answer
Your question could use some clarity. "Bin of Lego" and "pristine condition" seem to contradict itself. You mention the weight, which is standard for selling in bulk, but then ask, "How do I price them?" as if selling sets individually. If the sets are complete they are going to be worth more, especially if the minifigures are with them. Inclusion of instruction manuals and boxes also can add significant value. How much depends on the condition of the pieces, minifigures, instructions, the box and if the set is popular/desired.

You can look them up on Ebay to give you an idea of the current going rate, or use Bricklink. Enter the set number and navigate to its page where you will see a "Price Guide" option on the lower right:

It will take you to a page showing how much they have been selling for, and how much they are currently selling for:

You really should have searched for this topic before posting, there are a lot of answers available to very similar questions:

How should I arrange LEGO to sell per pound?
What is the easiest way to sell Lego sets for a good price?
Value/Where to sell my old Lego collection
How to sell a large amount of Lego
What is the best way to sell complete used LEGO sets?
Selling bulk LEGO

The list goes on...
https://bricks.stackexchange.com/search?q=sell+lego
> 1 votes

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Tags: shopping
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# Question
Title: Which old Technic set included large yellow motor?
I am trying to find the number or some other identity of a Technic set I remember owning as a child (so it was probably bought in the 1985-1995 year range, more likely in the 80's half of it). Among lots of other (mainly yellow) bricks, it included a large yellow motor. By my recolleciton, the motor was 4 studs wide, 3 or 4 bricks high and I guess 8-12 studs long. If I recall right, it looked something like this from the side:

```
 XXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXX
 XXXXXXXXXX

```

The motorised axle was coming out from the side(s). It was very similar to this motor, but in yellow.

It came with a black control box (most likely this one) which contained the batteries and had a forward/off/backward lever. The control box and motor would be connected through normal Technic power connectors.

There was no one primary thing to be built from the set (it was not e.g. "a car set"), the instruction booklet came with several different designs. I seem to remember that some of them were only shown as final images, not as step-by-step instructions, but I'm not too sure on that. One of the things shown as buildable from the set was some kind of factory or industry mill plant.

I tried searching BrickLink for such a yellow motor, but without success. I also looked through all the Technic sets there, also no luck. The same with browsing Technic sets from the relevant era on BrickSet. Can someone help put a number or some other info on that set for me?

# Answer
I actually managed to find the exact set while refining the question. It's set 744, released in 1980.

Here are the reasons why the research I did prior to writing the question didn't lead anywhere:

* The yellow motor does not show up when searching parts on BrickLink. It's probably because on the list of set 744 parts, it has a note saying "Part colour code missing."
* While the set contains lots of gears and axles, bricks and plates with holes, a motor, etc., it's not a Technic set, but a Universal Building set, so it doesn't appear when searching/browsing Technic.

What eventually led me to the correct set was focusing not on the motor (which I had previously considered the most unique part), but on the control box. Listing all sets where that one appeared also showed 744.
> 23 votes

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Tags: set-identification, technic
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title: What's the time on the LEGO clock tile?

text:
# Question
Title: What's the time on the LEGO clock tile?
I am reasonably confident that this tile is meant to be 2:57:38, but I am wondering if anyone knows why this time might have been chosen?

I also recognize the Disney clocks all have a different time (11:53).

\[edit: changed to correct time- thanks henrik\]

Addendum: Why did I ask this question? Earlier this year, the LEGO Xtra line included a sticker pack, and it included this clock face, scaled up for a 4x4 stud circle.  I found myself wondering if this sticker pack was a tribute to the 6000 ideas book. On re-exaiming the sticker sheet in the 6000 ideas book, the clock sticker is set at 08:00:20. It almost looks as if the 'newer tile' that we have been speculating about is similar, but switching around the positions of the large and small hands, and altering the position of the hand pointing towards the 8 slightly.

I love the idea of "School's out o'clock",suggested by some below, but could it have just been a transcription error by a graphic designer in the early 80's? Or indeed a 'correction'?

Or is it just a way of having the hands roughly equidistant apart on a clock face?

\[Thanks@JohhnyB for assistance with Stack exchange etiquette\]

# Answer
> 6 votes
This is Part# 4150px1.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

# Answer
> 3 votes
My search for information pertaining to the history of this printed piece turned up no results. Not to say there isn't any, I just couldn't find anything. I honestly never gave it much thought before and assumed they simply chose an aesthetically pleasing arrangement of the clock hands.

I found that this part first appeared in 1983 on set# 7824 "Train Station". This set and the next two released with this part (sets 6392, 4554) all show the clocks displayed as the time you mentioned, 2:57. This would seem to suggest that this was the time originally intended, as you had speculated. These sets, released between 1983 to 1991, had similar "travel" themes which made me question if 3:00 was a common time for trains and planes. The first set, #7824, DOES have 3:00 listed on it's schedule sticker. But, the next two do not.

Then, interestingly enough, in 1996 they were consistently changed for the next 6 sets to 11:43-ish, until 2004. Then, in 2007, they seem to become somewhat random in how they're oriented in the sets. I made a picture compilation of the first 16 sets to include this piece, in order of date released, with the orientation of the clock shown in the lower right:

I also was curious about other clocks that Lego has released in sets and if there was any sort of consistency with the times. A quick search on Bricklink for "clock" under "parts" brought up a very long list of pieces depicting a broad range of times:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/search.page?q=clock#T=P

It also appears they added an "updated" version of part# 4150px1 in 2009 with part# 14769pb001 having a different back on the tile.

Lastly, I totally agree with the speculation by Rin Rio-Oki of it being the "magical time" of being released from your tormentors aka "school". Regardless of whether any "facts" were to surface relating to the true origins of this piece, this theoretical meaning gives it character. Being a big Calvin & Hobbes fan since the 80's, I remembered there being a few comics that depicted the time Calvin got out of school. I eventually found a couple of the comics, and it turns out it was 2:30 instead of 3:00. My dream of naming this Lego piece the "Calvin Clock" quickly faded.

All rights to these comics belong to Bill Watterson. It is my hope that by using them here for a smile, and not for profit, that no infringement has been made.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill\_Watterson

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Tags: history, disney
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# Question
Title: Separating old 2 x 4 brick with wheel holder
I am wondering if anyone knows of a way to separate the clear bottom piece from the brick on part# 7049b "Brick, Modified 2 x 4 with Wheels Holder Old and Trans-Clear Bottom" without breaking anything. Photo for reference:

I have one that has a loose bottom and it got me wondering if they could be separated without breaking them. Some of the ones I have are kinda nasty inside, while others have loose tubes that don't retain the axles very well anymore. It would be nice if I could take them apart for cleaning and repairs, but most of them seemed "glued" together very well. I realize they aren't meant to be taken apart, but wondered if some process including heat or something would work. Has anyone ever tried this? If so could you please share you experience?

# Answer
> 2 votes
I actually have one of these that comes apart easily (no idea where the internal tubes are).

It appears that the glue that used to hold them together gave out. You can still see where it used to be, around the edges of the clear piece, and at the tips of the 4 prongs on the clear piece.

If I were going to try to take one apart, I would probably try cutting the glue around the edge with a razor blade, and hope that the glue further in isn't strong enough to prevent pushing it out with a paperclip of something thought the axle holes.

# Answer
> 1 votes
I just went through the experience.

* My process:

01 -  Boil water for 7mins. Bring water to a boil. \** *EDIT by* *Kat*.

02 - Toss *LEGO* in.

03 - Simmer for five minutes.

04 - With some tools find an edge, and pry.

05 - If piece cools down repeat steps 02-04...

The final analysis?

We'll let your words speak the truth:

> "...seemed "glued" together very well. I realize they aren't meant to be taken apart..." - *JohnnyB*.

Even though the attempt was a failure, it did confirm *Uli's* upload of the piece schematics.

Added some light blue coloring to *Uli's* pic to help distinguish exactly what we're looking at.

Schematic Figures 4,5,6 and 7 is/are the transparent clear piece.

Looking again at "Fig.7", note how both that transparent and black outer shell interlock and merge together.

Finally, imaging glue in between the two, which explains why we had trouble with disassembly.

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Tags: cleaning, disassembly
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# Question
Title: What is the difference between the two train motors 8866-1 and 88002-1?
At the Lego store the other day they were talking about a "more powerful" train motor for the Maersk train (I was asking about adding a second motor to the red cargo train so it would go uphill). But I think it's the same motor that already comes with every other train out now. I bought an spare train motor (was on sale online) and I think THAT is the old version.

What is the difference between the two (beside the power cable)?

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=84711#T=S&O=

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=99046#T=S&O=

# Answer
Well the power cable **is** the main difference, as one motor was made for the short-lived 9V RC system while the other is the current PF one.

However, that doesn't mean the internals are the same. From Philo 's motor comparison page, you'll see that the PF motor is better, and that *fortunately the performances are much improved* \[over the RC one\], *with an efficiency and power even exceeding the old 9V train motors*.
> 6 votes

# Answer
Some useful information I can share from experience. The PF train motor has much more torque than it's 9V. predecessor. The old motor typically took around 3 "clicks" on the remote to get the engine moving, while the new motor starts moving the engine on the first "click". The added torque is much better suited for small loop tracks where the train is constantly pulling into or out of a turn. The train cars typical in Lego sets with only 2 sets of wheels, instead of bogies with 2 pairs of wheels, really drag through corners since they don't conform to the curve. This is also why these cars are always so short, if they were too long they would actually derail.

The wire difference is significant because on the early model the wire "plugged" into/onto the motor base. The new PF motor has a wire permanently attached protruding from the motor base. These motors and their power supplies are backwards compatible, but require one of the two "Power Functions Extension Wires" to work. These wires have both a "standard" 9V. connector and a PF style one. Hooking "Old" to "New" is as simple as replacing the wire with one of these. Hooking "New" to "Old" requires adding this wire to the permanently attached PF wire, which can be problematic when trying to "stuff" all that wire into your narrow train base.

In my experience the upgrade is totally worth it, most notably our Christmas train which spends most of it's life going around in a small circle. It doesn't sound like it's constantly straining anymore and the batteries last longer.

It is also worth noting that neither of the motors came with/come with the "decorative" side piece when purchased separately. If you're replacing one motor for another then it's not an issue since the piece is the same for both "RC" motor types. If buying one to motorize a previously non-motorized train then you are going to want/need to buy these pieces separately. This is kind of annoying given the cost of them after shipping given how small they are.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=2871b&idColor=86#T=S&C=11&O=

I realize this is an old question, but I felt I could add some useful information for anyone who happens upon it in the future.
> 0 votes

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Tags: trains, motor
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# Question
Title: Separate LEGO Technic wheel from 3 pin hub
How to separate a 3 pin wheel hub (part# 92909),

from this wheel (part# 44772),

in order to replace it with another wheel, such as part# 22969?

# Answer
Just wanted to elaborate on the answer by Wrzlprmft. The first thing that went through my mind was, "What is this configuration where the Hub is snapped into a wheel but not into the Portal Axle Housing?" A curious MOC perhaps? Because normally the wheel easily pulls off of the hub, when it's attached to the housing.

My first advice for anyone messing around with these pieces is to never try to separate the Hub from the Portal Axle Housing once it's snapped in. I found out the hard way to not just pull it out. It does still stay in now, but not as well.

I was suspicious that this process may be much easier than the original answer made it sound. Perhaps my reading comprehension is to blame there. I first made a "various obvious variation" of a tool described in the previous answer. I attempted to make it as simple as possible, prove it's function, and provide a picture for clarity.

It works just fine, dislodging the pin snaps just enough that the hub can be easily removed. I then tried the first two ideas that popped into my head for comparison. I often use whatever is in reach for makeshift removal tools. The first is simply 2 brick separators prying on either side. This worked just fine and, much to my satisfaction, sent the hub flying into the air.

The second "tool" was lazily grabbing 2 axles and pushing them simultaneously, with just my hand, into 2 of the 3 Hub pins with moderate force. This too worked just fine.

So to recap: The original answer remains correct and now has an illustrated proof of concept. We also learned that jamming anything that fits into 2 of the holes works just fine as well. And, lastly, not to pull the Hub out of the Axle Housing once snapped in.
> 2 votes

# Answer
The main trick is to simultaneously push all three pins of the hub:

* If you have another hub, and the wheel allows for this, take it and push carefully from the other side. If both hubs are half-way in, you should be able to pull out both.
* Otherwise, take two wedge belt wheels, align them on top of each other, insert a pin into every second hole and repeat the above. There are various obvious variations of this approach using different parts, if you need a longer tool or don’t have the parts available.
> 7 votes

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Tags: disassembly, wheel
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# Question
Title: Ideas to help develop a child's engineering skills?
My son is 7 yrs. old and has really creative ideas with his bricks. I see it challenging him and wonder, "How can I help develop his product engineering/design skills?" What kind of tasks can I give him? Ideas and/or advice please.

# Answer
> 1 votes
This is a tricky question and really depends on the individual child. For my children I sometimes provide them with Lego sets that are too complicated for their age and we build it together so that I can teach them as we go. They build until they get stuck, or something isn't working right, and then I help them solve the problem. They are usually very proud of the end result and appreciate the functions of the more complex sets. When a set falls apart I encourage them to try to fix it themselves before asking for help.

I also have them "help" me with fixing things around the house, or on our cars, in hopes that they will pick some of it up just from being part of the process. I try to talk through what I'm doing, and why, so they are involved to some degree.

Here are a couple links to some sites with Lego related ideas with varying degrees of difficultly to help you get started:

https://frugalfun4boys.com/lego-projects-for-kids/

http://www.educatingyoungengineers.com/lego-club-activity-ideas

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Tags: technic, building
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# Question
Title: Servo steering with 88004 motor and 8878 battery box?
I would like to build a servo steering (not remote controlled). Besides the direct physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels, the rotation of the steering wheel would be used to control the auxiliary 8878 motor through the 88004 battery. Is it possible to tune it properly to achieve a precise servo steering? Since I don't have the battery box, I cannot do any experiment yet.

The schematic layout would be something like this:

# Answer
There is a bit of confusion in your question with the part numbers and their location on the diagram. That is, you seem to have them reversed. Unfortunately I did not have a rechargeable version of the "AAA" battery box to test and prove the concept, but I was fairly certain it would work based on what I know about these battery boxes. Having a 7-speed variation, in each direction, makes them function very similar to the "Speed Remote" (part# 8879). I can confirm that the Servo Motor (part# 88004) will turn incrementally using this remote. It therefore seemed reasonable to assume that the Servo Motor, connected directly to a Rechargeable Battery Box (part# 8878), would function in the same manner. Confident this would work, I sought out and found a couple videos on Youtube that proved this to be true.

The video by Lasse Deleuran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzQ-B7xfJjQ
The video by Sariel's LEGO® Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T\_Gvuzsngg8

So the answer to your question is "kind of", depending on how precise you need, or want, it to be. The servo moves in 7 increments in each direction, which is a great improvement over a standard battery box or controller. For your build you would simply "input" the steering wheel shaft into the orange control switch of the Battery Box. It's position and steering wheel-to-input ratio could be manipulated with gearing if desired.

(screen cap from Sariel's video)

An updated verison of your diagram would look something like this:

The servo motor has axle holes on both sides of the output. In theory a steering shaft could be ran into the rear of the output to provide the redundancy you're looking for. Some amount of "play" in the physical connection would likely be needed to allow the wheel to turn just enough to activate the switch. Because of the nature of the 7 position servo motor, choppy steering is unavoidable. Full-electric drive-by-wire steering, while not used in passenger vehicles, is very much a "real system". Not knowing the purpose or application of what you're trying to achieve, it's all just speculation.
> 2 votes

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Tags: steering
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title: Can you use a beveled gear as a pinion?

text:
# Question
Title: Can you use a beveled gear as a pinion?
I would like to use the PF servo motor for steering, however it is very large - I was playing with the idea of having it mounted vertically, and then using bevel gears to change the direction of the motion, however that introduced too much play into the steering system (even with only two 12t double bevel gears)

I would like to know if there is any good gear/spacing for driving a rack via a bevel mechanism, preferably as small as possible and with a vertical PF servo motor

(P.S. - yes, I know the micro-motor would probably be better for this..)

# Answer
Seeing a picture of your progress would help tremendously. The way the question is worded, it sounds like you were wanting to drive the beveled gear directly from the servo to the rack at a 90 degree angle. This won't work for two reasons: 1. The majority of Lego racks are not beveled. 2. The rack moves fore and aft as it moves side-to-side, which would disengage the gears.

I threw together a rough, working rack & pinion setup with beveled gears to get a better understanding of the play you may have been referring to. You didn't mention which type of beveled gears you were using so I tried it with two of the most common types. My only 2 "PF Servo Motors" are deeply embedded in other vehicles at the moment so I used an "M" motor in it's place. Because of this I could not compare the two for "play" in the output shafts.

In both applications the majority of the play I observed was coming from the motor itself, not the gear mesh. I also don't have a clue as to how you built it verses the way I did. Because the gears and size of the assembly seemed to be your priority, I placed the motor in a more compact position. The orientation of the motor and which way is "up" can easily be modified per application.

The first test uses the "32270 Technic, Gear 12 Tooth Double Bevel".

The second test uses the "32198 Technic, Gear 20 Tooth Bevel" to drive, and a "87407 Technic, Gear 20 Tooth Bevel with Pin Hole" for an idler gear.

Both set-ups had very similar play, all of which appeared to originate from the motor. I did try the smaller "6589 Technic, Gear 12 Tooth Bevel" but it seemed to exaggerate the play. This is possibly from the lack of an idler gear and/or from the greater angle of the teeth, needed for the smaller gears to mesh. I therefore excluded it from "working prototypes." When comparing the "play" in the assemblies that I built verses the steering on my 2 vehicles with the Servo Motor (set# 41999 & MOC using 88004) there was no noticeable difference. In other words, I think this is as good as you can get using modern Technic pieces without some bulky over-engineered steering assembly.

My last thought on this takes us back to my earlier comment, "The majority of Lego racks are not beveled." Another option, and perhaps the easiest and most compact, would be to retro-fit the older rack pieces parts# 2790, 2791, 2792 into your build. These parts were pretty much made for this type of thing. Here's a couple pictures from set# 8832 for reference.
> 4 votes

# Answer
Too much backlash (play) in LEGO gears is an universal problem that unfortunately can't really be mitigated since all compatible LEGO gears are designed with very loose tolerances compared to professional gears.

According to Sariel the bevel gears you tried using already have less backlash than regular gears, so you can't really expect any improvement by switching to another gear type. You could however try using worm and larger bevel gears, this would supposedly provide the most precision achievable with gears.

If you plan on mounting the servo motor vertically then you could skip rack and pinion steering and connect the steering rods directly to the axle of the servo, eliminating all gears and their inherent problems.
> 2 votes

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Tags: technic, gears, steering
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# Question
Title: What does this error symbol on the EV3 mean?
I get this error image pop up when I power on my EV3. What does it mean?

Also, is there a list of different error codes anywhere, I looked in the User Manual and I could not see anything.

Cheers!

# Answer
The hard disk is likely full on the brick. Try deleting some projects to allocate space.
> 2 votes

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Tags: ev3, mindstorms
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# Question
Title: City scale connection for five-bladed helicopter rotors
I want to build a Super-Puma helicopter in city minifigure scale and form, I have the basic design planned, but I am not familiar with any five-sided technic connectors, which I will need for the rotors.

I have thought of a potential idea, but it is still a little too large for city scale helicopters:

Any better ideas out there?

Update - I had this idea, but it is quite loose, maybe I could tighten it up by using PC dishes on PC sticks (PolyCarbonate pieces used together bind to each other).

I tried wrapping string round the pegs and they still wobbled, this one's tricky.

# Answer
> 10 votes
5-fold symmetries are difficult to build in LEGO, especially at small scale. Here is an attempt, still a bit bulky...

LDraw file **here**.

# Answer
> 7 votes
I think I have a valid semi-legal design, it is good for display models, although Philo's answer to this question provided an excellent design for playing-with models.

I now have to decide if I want playabiliy or good looks on the model.

# Answer
> 7 votes
I am intrigued by mechanical problems like these and couldn't resist adding my own solutions in the hope of being helpful. I threw together the first few ideas I had that were fairly compact and used contrasting colors to help the eyes figure out the building techniques. They are all raw designs that are free of cosmetic pieces to expose their construction and welcome a builders tweaking for specific applications. Lastly, if there is anything that needs clarification then please comment and I will add details.

Having such a tight middle, the top design requires a very thin axle, like part# 2569 antenna, or part# 93550 sword/foil. If this is an issue, then adding pieces will open it up giving you more options. Here is a photo of it pulled apart for clarity and an additional photo demonstrating one of many variations possible.

# Answer
> 3 votes
I know this is an older thread, but I think I've come up with a small improvement on WindFire's build using part# 33492 Cone 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 x 2/3 truncated. Its slighty larger than a head so it's a tighter fit.

Also, using part# 85861 Plate, Round 1 x 1 with Open Stud allows it to have a bit better hold than the clip connection. Now to somehow improve the elastic option.

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Tags: building, technic
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# Question
Title: How to prevent PF M-motor from springing back
I'm currently building a car with a simple 2-speed remote controlled synchronized transmission, shifted by a PF M-motor. Everything is fine except for one thing, the transmission driving ring is disengaging under the high torque due to the changeover catch going too far.

I have added parts blocking the catch from going too far, but when I stop sending current to the motor it spring back somewhat, disengaging the driving ring. Are there any ways of preventing this effect, or do I have to use a different motor altogether? Any help would be very much appreciated.

# Answer
It sounds like the motor is "winding up" from drivetrain deflection. Lego parts "give" a little when stressed and therefore store some energy like a spring. This is likely being caused by the high speed of the PF "M" motor. A picture of the assembly would be very useful in determining a solution. Without seeing it, the simplest fix would be to gear down the motor. Given the fairly high speed of the "M" motor output, I would suggest doing this with a worm gear assembly. A worm gear will greatly reduce your output ratio to the driving ring while also giving you more precise control that is less susceptible to back-tracking from deflection wind-up.

Here is a photo demonstrating how a worm gear can greatly reduce output ratio in very little space:

Another potential solution, if you have the part, is to affix a linear actuator to the "M" motor. It would have the same benefits as the standard worm gear:

One last thing... Which version of part# 6538 are you using? 6538a & 6538b have ridges that allow the drive ring to "click' into place. If you're using part# 6538c then swapping it with one of the others may be all you need to fix your problem.

A picture of your build would be appreciated to help reduce speculation. It would also be nice to see this just for the "neat-o" factor :)
> 3 votes

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Tags: technic, power-functions, design, motor, remote-control
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# Question
Title: Use D output in 42099 (4X4 X-treme Off-Roader) set
How I can use the D output for an additional motor in the 42099 set? Or how can I use a custom control skin?

# Answer
> 3 votes
At the time of writing this, it is not possible to use the Control+ hub and motors in any other configuration than the already existing preset ones. This situation is expected to change, but there are no promises regarding functionality or timeline from LEGO.

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Tags: electronics, control-plus
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# Question
Title: Is there a database of images of LEGO pieces without a background?
For a project I am working on, I need pictures of individual LEGO pieces, but with a transparent background. Does such a database exist?

# Answer
I was unable to find any sites with a decent database of images in the file format you are looking for. I don't know what your experience is with image formats or what type of related editing software you may have access to that could help you obtain them yourself. If the list of parts isn't extensive then manually converting them is an option if you have the knowledge and software. There are a lot of sites like Rebrickable & Brickset that have an excellent database of parts with neutral backgrounds that would make a crop & conversion fairly easy. If there is a pre-existing database available that someone else answers with, I too will benefit from your question.

I did find this site that has online functionality and has the tool you need to convert pictures. I tried it out first to make sure it worked and it certainly does.
https://www194.lunapic.com/editor/

Here is an example of the trial I did with a picture from Brickset. Hovering over them should show you the different file extensions. (Win 8.1 w/Chrome it's on lower left corner of window) You can't really tell the difference unless you click on the pictures and/or save them.

As a last resort you could add them (part# & color) to your question. I would be willing to convert them for you, just not sure how to get them to you as this Q & A format would be inappropriate.
> 1 votes

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Tags: piece-information, part-database
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# Question
Title: Why do some minifigs have yellow heads and some are flesh colored?
When did the flesh colors start and why? It seems yellow heads are here to stay too?

# Answer
> 30 votes
To answer the first part of the question, the Company Profile presentation (deep, direct link) states:

> When the minifigure first appeared, it was decided that its face should have only one colour: yellow. And that its facial features should be happy and neutral . The figure would have no sex, race or role – these would be determined by the child’s imagination and play.

It then explains when and why they added colour for their licensed figures

> With licensed products such as LEGO® Star Wars™ and LEGO® Harry Potter™ the figure began appearing in specific roles, and with LEGO Basketball in 2003 it took on authentic skin colours. In 2004 the LEGO minifigure assumed an even wider range of skin colours when it was decided that the figures in licensed products should resemble the original characters as closely as possible. One result was that the figures in LEGO Harry Potter™ changed from yellow to a more authentic skin colour.

The first ones I remember seeing were indeed some of the NBA League characters as part of the Basketball theme in 2003, followed by the Star Wars products and then the Harry Potter sets in 2004.

Lando Calrissian was one of the first to appear in the correct skin tone, amongst yellow Han and Leia:

Followed later by pink characters for the rest. The first Star Wars set in 2004 with flesh-toned figures was the Millennium Falcon. By 2005 the transition for Star Wars was complete and all sets used flesh-toned figures.

In terms of other colours, LEGO had already created various monster and alien figures with different coloured heads ranging from blues and greys through to transparent and even transparent neon orange.

# Answer
> 14 votes
The Cult Of Lego book (ISBN: 978-1-59327-391-0) had an a whole page about the change in minifigure skin colour:

> **Page 59, sentence 2:** Originally, the LEGO Group sought to leave racial and gender differences to the imagination of builders by using a stylised, generic face with outfits to differentiate roles.
>
> **Page 59, sentence 4:** The most noticeable feature of the majority of mini-figs is
> their ostensibly "race-neutral" yellow coloration. The paradigm lasted until 2003, when LEGO Sports' Basketball theme was released, featuring minifigs based on real-life NBA players. The LEGO Group decided that expecting kids to appreciate figures that didn't really resemble the stars they represented was a losing proposition.

Since the NBA figures were released in 2003, beige and brown skin tones have been used only in licensed sets to portray characters. Traditional LEGO themes like Police and Firefighters continue to use a yellow flesh colour.

The distinction between skin tones makes it easy to identify a beige or brown minifigure as part of a licensed set. Licensed sets tend to be based on film and television themes.

# Answer
> 3 votes
*Licenced* Themes, use skin tone heads since they are based on something. *Themes* that LEGO Made themselves, such as Creator have yellow heads.

# Answer
> 0 votes
The yellow head was originally used to represent all races and both genders. Later, yellow heads were used to represent non-licensed minifigures, and flesh coloured minifigures were used to represent licensed minifigures, such as Batman, or Indiana Jones, but flesh coloured minifigures weren't used until around 2003

# Answer
> 0 votes
I think the flesh colored ones are reserved for Minifigures made in an actual characters' likeness, and the yellow is reserved for generic figures.

# Answer
> -2 votes
Flesh colored is used for licensed brands, such as *Star Wars* and *Jurassic World*.

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Tags: colour, minifigures
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# Question
Title: Determining the age and value of old NIB Lego sets
I have several old Lego sets, new in box. Maybe 20 years old or more. How to determine the age and value of these old Lego sets?

# Answer
I would suggest going to Bricklink and entering the set numbers in. You will find the information on the sets you have and, if it isn't extremely rare, a price guide with information on how much the set has sold for in the past and how much it's currently selling for.

Bricklink: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/main.page

There is a lot of information on this site that you may find useful, here is a link to one of the more recent inquiries with an answer and more information.

Advice on selling a lot of Lego?
> 1 votes

# Answer
An alternative to using BrickLink for checking resale values is to use BrickPicker. BrickPicker bases its “current value” on Sold prices from EBay, which sees larger traffic than BrickLink. You do need to count on paying for shipping, and paying 13% of the revenue (including shipping costs) to EBay and Paypal. BrickLink charges significantly less, and shipping is paid for by the buyer.

If you have a large list of LEGO sets you are seeking to valuate, BrickPicker offers a bulk lot evaluation tool which saves you time.
> 0 votes

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Tags: sets, value
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# Question
Title: Which set is this 2017 bag 3 with dark red and grey pieces from?
I'm trying to find out what set this is from. I'm having a really hard time looking this up QR code 6171967.

# Answer
Judging from the minifig torso and the selection of pieces in the bag I believe you have bag 3 from set 76104 The Hulkbuster Smash-Up from 2018.
> 3 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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# Question
Title: 1 x 2 brick with square hole on top identification
Hoping somebody can help identify this part. It's a 1 x 2 brick, but has a square hole on one side. Many a part has got me stuck, but rebrickable has helped me many times. Can't seem to find this one.

# Answer
Like @JohnnyB commented, this is the lower part of 76385 Hinge Brick 1 x 2 Locking with Single Finger On Top:
> 3 votes

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

I couldn't bring myself to attempt a disassembly since I apparently don't have many of these and they aren't the more common color of Black and Dark Gray. Perhaps Rin Rio-Oki will happen upon this question and take the initiative of dissecting one? Fingers crossed ;)
> 3 votes

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Tags: part-identification
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# Question
Title: Looking for instructions to Mega Bloks "Blok Bots" sets
I need instructions for Mega Bloks "Blok Bots" set 9375. I have parts for another one, but I don't know which one. If I get instructions for 1 or 2 sets I'll be able to figure it out.

# Answer
The instructions for the set you are looking for can be found here:

https://support.megabrands.com/media/playbooks/9375.pdf

Here are some instructions for some other sets from that series:

For whatever reason, the availability of instructions for these sets is inconsistent.
> 2 votes

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Tags: instructions, clone-brands
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# Question
Title: Power Function IR Remote always emitting after putting batteries
My PF IR remote led indication light is constantly on after I put in new batteries. It stay on without me touching anything. A quick check with my phone camera showed that the IR emitter is emitting. It sends signals to the receiver which activates the motor even when the channel on the remote and receiver are not matching. Is there anything I can do other than buying a new remote?

# Answer
The Lego Company is usually very good about replacing broken and defective parts for free. In the case of expensive electronic parts such as this, in my experience, they will sometimes request you send them the broken/defective one. If this is the case, they will make it easy for you and send everything you need to do so with your replacement. Because this part is still made/sold, there is a good chance they will make it right.

If this solution doesn't work out for you then you could try fixing it. I would recommend taking it apart, if you have the tools, and look for any obvious signs of contaminants, over-heating, breakage, etc. If there aren't any obvious issues then try storing the electronics in a bag of rice for a couple days to absorb any moisture in them. If none of these things work then you are probably going to need a new one.
> 3 votes

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Tags: power-functions, remote-control, repair
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# Question
Title: non-LEGO Tank, Marine Corps - Can anyone identify set?
Can anyone identify this tank? I'm looking for instruction to this set. I also found a strange door.

# Answer
> 4 votes
The picture of the vehicle isn't very clear. It appears to be dark green and missing several pieces. This makes an already difficult to identify set nearly impossible unfortunately. The dark green color and apparent military theme strongly suggest this isn't a Lego brand set, as already mentioned by Henrik.

What is left of the vehicle looks like some sort of APC or IAV possibly. I spent some time searching and couldn't find building sets with the Marine Corps sticker on them. It is very likely this was made by one of the **many** companies that make Lego compatible military sets, and even if we knew the exact set, it is highly unlikely that building instructions could be found. To try to help you figure out what's missing on your set I've included a couple pictures to give you an idea of what your set *might* have looked like.

As for the door, very little can be determined from the picture.

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification, clone-brands
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title: LEGO Set identification?

text:
# Question
Title: LEGO Set identification?
What does this piece go to? I bought a lot of LEGO pieces with no instructions and think there may be two sets. I have this mask, or head piece, that is part of a set that I want to look up instructions for.

# Answer
It appears to be part# 64261 from set# 8983, "Vorox".

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=64261&name=Bionicle%20Mask%20Vorox&category=%5BBionicle,%20Kanohi%20Mask%5D#T=C&C=2

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=8983-1#T=S&O={%22iconly%22:0}

Instructions can be found here:
https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/4547677.pdf
> 3 votes

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification
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# Question
Title: Tall red piece with coffee cup, phone and gas picture?
I have a few of these taller red pieces with logos of gas, phone, and a coffee cup on them. I've been searching online for days and cannot find a gas station, store, or anything with these pieces in it. Can you help me identify the set this came in?

# Answer
This brick comes from set 6393: Big Rig Truck Stop from 1987.

The official BrickLink name of this brick is 3755pb01 Brick 1 x 3 x 5 with Cup, Phone, and Water Tap Pattern
> 15 votes

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Tags: part-identification, set-identification
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# Question
Title: Unable to change program name in EV3 IDE
My students are having a weird problem in the EV3 IDE. When we try to change the program name, in the IDE, the name reverts to program.

As an example, if the student is creating several programs, such as `1-2`, `1-3` ... they click on the + button to create a new program. They then select that new tab named "program x." Then overwrite that word with something like `1-3` to indicate chapter one, program three.

However, after clicking on the workspace, the name of the program reverts to, `program x`.

This is not consistent, sometimes using an underscore instead of a dash works, but none of this is consistent. I would appreciate suggestions in regard to what I am doing wrong.

# Answer
> 2 votes
I believe this only happens when there is already a program with the same name.

If you start a new project and add 3 new programs named `1-1`, `1-2` and `1-3`, it works as expected. But if you try to add a 4th program named `1-1`, `1-2` or `1-3`, then the name will revert back to the default name because there is already another program with the same name.

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Tags: ev3
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# Question
Title: Fixing a not working Power Functions L motor
Four of my PF L motors don't work. How could I make them work again? I didn't find any information about L motors, only M and XL.

# Answer
> 2 votes
Since the basic architecture of the motors in a line (in this case PF M-L-XL) are the same, the tips you have found for the other models would most likely apply for your case as well.

Otherwise I'd recommend some basic troubleshooting steps:

1. Ensure you have a working battery box and cable by setting up your functioning motor. Once you have confirmed that it runs OK, you can be sure that if after swapping the motor for a broken one, the problem must be in that motor.
2. Check if you can turn the motor's axle manually by inserting a Technic axle and turning it by hand. It may be more comfortable if you add a gear or a wheel to get a better grip. If you can't turn it at all or only considerably harder than the working one, you should suspect some mechanical failure (e.g. broken gears inside).
3. If you have a multimeter, you could check if the electrical characteristics of the broken motors match those of the working one. A significantly lower resistance between the contacts is a sign of a short circuit, while a significantly higher one indicates a broken wire. With a bit of jerry-rigging you could also measure the current flowing through a motor that should be running from a battery box and comparing it to a normal motor's to see if there is too little or too much current.
4. You could also try opening up the motor and checking for broken or burned parts, foreign objects or debris, etc. Note, the above guide is for the M motor, but the same principles would apply for the L motor as well.

If none of the above helps, try contacting LEGO, as they would be able to provide replacement parts or further advice.

# Answer
> 2 votes
Based on the information given in the question and comments, it sounds like an all too typical pinch-point wire failure. On large electronics this is fairly easy to fix, but smaller things like PF motors are tedious and require some experience and skill. Because of the design, the wire will be constantly bending against the motor case, or connector plug, in the exact same place over and over again. Because the wire insulation is more flexible then the metal wire, it will stay intact while the wire inside of it has broken. When you wiggle or push the wire to get it working again, you are smashing the broken wires back together again inside the insulation. You might be able to determine whether this breakage is on the motor side or plug side of the wire by isolating one end while pushing/bending the other end, while plugged into battery box.

Since you have new ones coming, and they're already broken, this is a great learning opportunity if you really want to attempt a fix. You are going to need a soldering gun/iron and some solder at the very least.

The basic wiring setup for all the PF motors is very similar. Here are two examples of PF motors with the pinch-point area circled:

Because this is more or a raw electronics question (vs. Lego) and requires a lengthy description, I have placed a link to YouTube listing several videos on how to do this. Any of these videos should help you because all of the insides and disassembling techniques are very similar to your L-motor.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search\_query=Fixing+Lego+PF+motors

Here are some pictures of the tools recommended by Zovits and myself:

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Tags: technic, power-functions, repair
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title: LEGO Enclosure Clasp

text:
# Question
Title: LEGO Enclosure Clasp
I'm working on refining my first MOC design for a LEGO dice tower with a landing area that can also be used as storage for dice and possibly some miscellaneous other table-top gaming "goodies". To accomplish this, I've added some hinged panels to cover both the landing area and the top of the tower itself.

I've been using a fantastic online LEGO CAD system called MecaBricks. You can view the current iteration of my dice tower on the MecaBricks site (yes, I know the colors are garish). I have the design *almost* where I want it except for one small detail. I'd like to include a sort of "latch" or "clasp" for the cover panels so they won't come open by themselves. I'd prefer the latching mechanism to be on the interior of the landing area without taking up too much of the interior space. At the same time, it isn't a "deal-breaker" if I have to use a solution that involves a latch on the outside as that might be better in the long run.

Regardless, I'm having difficulty determining exactly how to accomplish this and could really use some recommendations. I was thinking of using one of the pin connectors that has the "towball" at the end so that it wasn't quite so "stiff" of a connection. I thought I remembered seeing a rubber piece that looks similar to the LEGO Technic Flexible Rubber Axle Connector (45590) (on BrickLink) but with a female connection that would accept the ball instead of the axle "cross", but I can't seem to find it anywhere now.

I've also looked at the Pop-Up Book Clasp Tutorial and Other Mods. A variation of the "clasp" used there may be my eventual solution, but I wanted to see if anyone had any other suggestions before I traveled too far down that road.

# Answer
Since my gears were already turning to the tune of a simple ball-snap connection, I threw together this idea for one possible solution. It obviously would need "sandwiched" into the door, and holds well enough you would likely only need one. It's only advantage would be no pointy edges protruding from the door's edge.

The key pieces used are part# 63082, and part# 14417. They would pretty much just replace the pieces you used in your answer. You may already be aware, but thought I would mention if not, that some of the pieces in your build aren't available in the chosen colors. Something to keep in mind if a physical build is in the future.
> 0 votes

# Answer
I believe I may have found a workable solution and the "best" solution based on the criteria:

I still wasn't able to find the rubber Technic connector part I wanted, so I kept looking at other connectors and how they fit together, taking special care to note how much space they would take up.

I looked more closely into the "Pop-Up Book Clasp" option (in the question), but that seemed like it would require a complete redesign of a majority of the tower (at least the landing area, anyway). The actual latches in use for that require a very specific spacing, and I couldn't achieve that with the existing layout. Not to mention, those changes would make certain "features" virtually impossible to implement as I intended.

Because the landing area is intended to double as a storage area, I wanted to keep it as clutter-free as possible, but I also want a "clean" look so it doesn't look thrown together. The piece(s) I finally came up with to implement the "latch" for the covers are the 1x2 plate with vertical holder (**60470**) combined with the 1x2 plate with stick Ø3.18 (**48336**). I managed to conceal most of it in the design, and it *should* operate as expected.

I'm still open to suggestions or alternatives, and it may be a little while before I get all the LEGO I need together to actually try this as a physical build but, for now, I believe this will get me where I want to be. If you want to look at the changes, here's the link to the 3D version of my v1.3 dice tower model on MecaBricks, and here's a static screenshot.
> 1 votes

# Answer
Now, I wasn't completely sure what a *Dice Tower* was until I looked it up, and watched *only one video* of this guy crafting his own. Overall, I think the concept is cool, and making your own build out of *LEGO* looks fun.

The design of the covers look fine to me. I even like the so called "garish colors" and the checker-board art styled layout, which makes the overall courtyard castle theme pop. So, I see the cool factor, and can understand if this was a one time build to be displayed on a shelf, but I don't think a one time use is the intent here.

So, the bigger question, I think we might be overlooking, is how the entire design is intended to be used.

Okay, it's a *Dice Tower* where we load dice thorough the top opening and retrieve the dice at the opened landing. So, there is a fair amount of repetitive activity around the top/landing areas, but unfortunately, those two areas are exactly where this design has both pairs of suspended covers hanging about.

I know the question mainly had to do with a way to secure the moving lips of the build, but the question may be slightly premature given it use in a real world environment.

I see the use of a *CAD* tool to help conceptualize the build, save money etc, and you seemed ready to purchase some bricks to get to building, but I wanted to at least point out the disconnection between a virtual build, and a real life physical build, and bring some awareness here with a few well placed questions we might want to ask ourselves beforehand.

**CAD Oversight Weight Factor One:** Gravity's pull on an object.

So, each cover is held in place by *only* two hinge bricks.

* **Question 01:** Can the clutch ability of the hinge bricks be enough to counter the force of gravity's pull on the hanging cover's weight?

**Question 02:** Is the clutch strong enough to counter the unintended knock of a hand or jerk of the wrist?

**Question 03:** Having a circle of players, how fun would it be to demand everyone to have robotic claw-arm precision to roll, drop, and retrieve dice without ever jerk/knocking into the suspended lip covers?

**Question 04:** What's the aftermath of cleaning up shattered cover lip pieces all over the floor?

These are all questions to stimulate thinking, so a direct answer is not necessarily needed.

**CAD Oversight Weight Factor Two:** Slump support.

Even though a virtual world *CAD* doesn't point this out, but there may be some unintended trouble in a real life build.

The weight of the covers alone, or added external pressure from an object, like the weight of a hand, might make the lips slump at these points.

*My* Opinionated Conclusions:

1. Don't have covers at all, and lose the atheistic appeal that we've grown to love.
2. Get used to constantly rebuilding shattered lip covers.
3. *LEGO* Purist's Build: Make removable covers that aren't in the direct path of dice rolling fists. Something similar to the removable tops of cookie jars, or using technic pins with removable *LEGO* rubber bands to hold the jar lid down and in place.
4. *LEGO* Blasphemer's Hack: Keep the design as is, and *Superglue* everything...
> 0 votes

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Tags: moc, connections
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# Question
Title: Can anyone tell me what these LEGO sets are?
Can someone help me identify these part built LEGO sets? They may be Star Wars or Ninjago .

# Answer
At least some of these parts are from 4433 Dirt Bike Transporter.

The clue is the sticker on the assembly in the top right corner of the image. Number plate stickers typically indicate the initials of the designer (for modern sets) and then the number of the set. In this case, "DM 4433", which matches the set number 4433.
> 4 votes

# Answer
The majority of the pieces in the picture are from set/item# 9780756663117 - "Brickmaster Star Wars".

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?B=9780756663117#T=S&O=

There appears to be some customized bits, but they are still recognizable. Then there's that one little bit from set# 4433 that Kramii pointed out.
> 2 votes

# Answer
From what I can tell the 4x4 quarter circle plate in dark bluish grey and the 1x1 yellow tile only appear together in one set, the doc ock set from 2004, and that set doesn't have binoculars in it, so you're probably looking at a mix of sets here.
> 1 votes

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Tags: set-identification
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title: Port Splitter for EV3 motors

text:
# Question
Title: Port Splitter for EV3 motors
I have searched all over the internet for EV3 port splitters for motors. I have got 4 large motors and 2 medium motors and I do not have enough motor ports for them all. I can usually only find sensor port splitters which is not what I am looking for. I am looking for a MOTOR one. I have found one but I am not 100% sure if it is what I am looking for or not. Would anybody out there be able to tell me if I would be able to use this port splitter for NXT Digital Sensors?

I am also don't want to buy a Multiplexer for NXT/EV3 Motors because it is too expensive (and I need 2 of them).

If the one I mentioned above which might be a sensor one is not right can somebody out there give me a suggestion on a cheap and efficient port splitter for Lego EV3 motors?

# Answer
> 1 votes
It depends on what you're doing, but for this purpose the Mindsensors motor multliplexer is the device you are looking for - not the port splitter.

* A multiplexer (in this context) allows you to independently control/communicate with multiple devices over a single port, one at a time. A motor multiplexer will also need an external power source because a single EV3/NXT motor port cannot power multiple motors simultaneously.
* The Mindsensors port splitter simply joins the 6 wires from each plug to each other plug. This is generally less useful, because all connected devices simultaneously share the same power and signals. Analog sensors will behave unpredictably, I2C sensors *might* work (if the device supports reassigning its I2C address, and if you keep under the EV3 port's current limits). Motors will all receive power simultaneously, none of the rotation sensors will work, and you risk burning out the EV3's motor port.

# Answer
> 0 votes
According to this line from the description,

> "It also has a pass-through Digital Sensor Port to connect more sensors/multiplexers. (On this sensor port, you can daisy-chain more multiplexers to connect additional motors.)"

...you would only need the multiplexer and a power source like the "6-AA Battery Holder with EV3 Mount; Model: BBX003" they have listed.

The first part you listed would work in a sense, but doesn't sound as useful. From the PDF:

> "Up to three motors can be attached to SPLIT-Nx-v2. Turning motor port ON through the NXT program will turn all the attached motors ON at once. This is useful if you need to run all motors at once, however independent control of each attached motor is not possible and encoder values of the motors can not be used. i.e. rotation control feature of motor blocks can not be used. Also note that the power supplied to the motors will be limited by the power coming from the NXT brick."

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Tags: ev3, motor, ev3dev
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# Question
Title: 6 x 14 plate with 2x12 plate molded on top and metal contacts on the bottom identification
Needing help identifying this part as I was offered a small bag of vintage train parts and this come with some very unknown parts to me.

I just recently got out of a 33 year old *Dark Age* and have zero experience regarding vintage trains, so hoping somebody could jump in and offer me a hand.

# Answer
> 12 votes
*Part# BB0054 - Electric, Train 4.5V Battery Car Roof.*

(But Light Gray in color.)

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Tags: part-identification, trains, battery
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# Question
Title: Looking for empty LEGO boxes for 6389 Fire Control Center and 6669 Diesel Daredevil
I'm looking for empty LEGO boxes. I need two: one for 6389 Fire Control Center and one for 6669 Diesel Daredevil. Where could I find them?

# Answer
> 2 votes
You can buy boxes for most sets from Bricklink.com. For example, there are world-wide three sellers of the box for set 6389. Unfortunately, getting a box for such an old set will set you back $40-$50, excluding (international) shipping.

For set 6669 there are currently also 3 sellers, with prices ranging from $5 for a severely damaged box to $30 for boxes in good condition, all prices excl. shipping.

Of course there are other places to look, such as EBay or local classified sites like Craigslist in the US, but chances you find one of these boxes there are minimal. Bricklink (or its competitor BrickOwl) are your surest bet.

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Tags: shopping
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# Question
Title: What does the +/- dial in the Lego Defender model do?
Lego today released a video showcasing the new 42110 Land Rover Defender model.

The video captions mention that it has “Lego Technic’s most sophisticated gearbox to date”, and we see 3 seemingly related features.

The first two are fairly typical levers for “hi/lo” and “?/N/R”, ie gear selection and direction.

The other is a dial labelled “+ -“:

What is this dial for?

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

-UPDATE BELOW-

From Brickset:

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

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

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

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

Just confirmed from Lego.com:

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

So it's a 4-speed transmission, nice!
> 3 votes

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Tags: technic, sets, gearing
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# Question
Title: Examples of LEGO Rubber Bands Used For Friction Enclosure?
I'm working on a variant design for a MOC that includes a cover over an open area. The new design is based on a suggestion for a "cookie jar" style design made in another of my questions, LEGO Enclosure Clasp. However, I'm having difficulty identifying which bricks to use to properly implement the idea and need a bit of inspiration. Could someone point me to an example of a set or other MOC design that uses something like brick #2653 (the 1x4 "sliding" piece) in conjunction with a rubber band to generate friction against the side of another piece (if such exists)?

Here's a *very* rough diagram of what I'm thinking of. The rubber band (red) goes around the inner square and fits into the groove in part #2653 (yellow) but "sticks out" enough so that, unless force is applied to push them past the grey bricks, they should generally stay in place.

My "problem" - and the reason I'm looking for guidance here - is two-fold. First, I have a relatively large (14x16) area around which I need this "gasket". Obviously, if the rubber band were to go around the entire thing, there would need to be some sort of reinforcement behind the grooved bricks to prevent the tension of the rubber band from just pulling them out of place. But, I'm thinking about using a few smaller sections (like one or two of the 1x4 end-to-end), each with their own rubber band. Perhaps a few of these around the perimeter would be sufficient?

The second is that I'm doing all of this virtually through a CAD system before I go looking into purchasing physical bricks and pieces I may or may not need. I've made several variants of the MOC with different ideas for how to implement the cover to refine my ideas as much as possible before I "pull the trigger", so I'd really like to see how someone else might have addressed this particular situation.

# Answer
> 5 votes
I personally would steer clear of a "cookie jar" setup. The very suggestion of it's inherent qualities suggests something that wasn't meant to transport, but rather sit on a solid counter. The rubber bands aspect seems potentially problematic as well. Finding one that perfectly fits could prove difficult, and their elasticity would likely try to pinch in-between the tolerances of the bricks. A rubber O-ring, being thicker and firmer, would be better suited for this task. Personally I would opt for simple proven concepts that don't require guesswork and avoid potentially temperamental solutions. If you did manage to figure out a working snug fit, you then would need a big gaudy handle sticking out to remove it with.

That being said, I threw together an example of a proven method for a removable door. It would also incorporate your original idea of wanting a snap for peace of mind.

It's just a very basic design to prove a concept, one that's easy to improve upon. One nice thing about this design is that you don't need a handle to open it, it un-clicks with just the friction of your fingers.

If you really want a cookie jar style lid I would incorporate a few studs onto a tiled edge, similar to how Modular sections are held together. I would suggest the lid have an inner lip to increase stability. Again, proven methods.

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Tags: moc, rubber-bands
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