Why are these bricks slightly shorter than normal? I have two red 1×6 bricks that are slightly shorter than normal and also a bit deformed. For comparison, I here show them together with regular 1×6 bricks (the regular brick is the top one of each pair):

These bricks are shorter to the extent that considerable force is needed to connect them to regular bricks (note how much they are worn down).
I suspect that they are rather old and made from some different material, however, I have many older bricks which connect considerably better to modern standard bricks.

Thus I wonder and ask: What could be the deal with those bricks? They are part of a huge connection containing second-hand bricks, so I cannot say much about their origin, except that they are from the last century.

For starters, having that as a production error is completely impossible, given the industrial precision of our beloved bricks.  The LEGO group has been incredibly careful for decades about the tolerance of their bricks' dimensions:

You can read this WIRED article where the author compares old and new bricks' dimensions (TL;DR: they have been making really precise bricks for decades).
Their current standard for tolerance was 10 micrometers in 2009 - see page 20 of official LEGO documentation.

I think we can discard that option.

As @SlicksterTheBrickster said in his answer, the shorter bricks seem warped.  The most plausible explanation is that extreme heat made the ABS plastic bend and get a little thicker on the walls or a little taller (floor to studs distance).  ABS is a thermoplastic polymer (as opposed to a thermosetting one), meaning that it cannot withstand intense heat and it will melt.  As an example, it's normal to wash and disinfect bricks with water at 40°C, but if you increase that to maybe 60°C or 70°C the plastic will start getting "plastic" (i.e. moldable). ABS is an amorphous material, meaning that it doesn't have a proper melting point and it transitions slowly (like glass). I would say that you can get the effect that you show by building a model and leaving it e.g. in a closed car under very hot sun with some pressure on the sides or strong torsion, or maybe close to a stove.  The bricks will slightly bend and/or deform after the episode.

If you are curious, get a caliper and measure both bricks' height and width at several points all along their length, and do the same with the walls' width.  I'm almost certain that the shorter one will have a significant variation in those values.  If your question is "But where did that material go?", it went into slightly swelling the walls.

My thinking is that since the older and shorter brick looks a little warped, perhaps it was exposed to heat which caused the plastic to melt a little. I can't say this would be a production error as the pieces are injection molded and imperfections are kept down to a fraction of a millimeter.


EV3 Rapt3r's head cable interfering with slithering My Rapt3r is working great, except that the cable that goes from the head to the "Intelligent Brick" physically interferes with the slithering on the side on which it is plugged (port 4).

Physically interfering in the sense that the cable being somewhat stiff prevents the motor from turning all the way on that side.

If I unplug the cable the slithering is much more balanced between the two sides. Is there a better way to thread that cable than what is shown in the instructions?

That's bad. Try to unplug and plug fast and see what happens. Or try to connect the cable on the port that is beside, and then, connect it to its port. I hope that works.


Is it possible to remove a parted out set from BrickLink inventory? I have an inventory in BrickLink, in which I accidentally parted out (with the consolidation option) two sets instead of one.

Is there a way to remove the pieces of the second set somehow without manual part-by-part deletion?

Part out the same set, but with a negative quantity.
This does indeed work, as I have solved this very problem using this solution in the past:

This is a screenshot of my Part Out Log, and you can see I've accidentally parted out 10 sets twice. Then I've reversed the second part-out.
You can see a list of every set you've parted out (after mid-2009) and the quantity in your Part Out Log.

I don't really think there is any way to do so other than to look at the inventory of the set and then do the manual part by part deletion, but if the parts from the parted out set consist of most or all the pieces in the cart then you could probably jot down the numbers of the parts not included in the set and delete everything in the cart. my answer could very well be incorrect or unusable, but this is the best I can do. Hope it helps.


Building a full-size lamp using LEGO bricks On an episode of the TV show 'Home by Novogratz' they featured a real, working lamp that was made out of LEGO bricks. More specifically, the creator surrounded an existing lamp with the bricks, glueing them as he went.

Does anyone know if there are any plans for such items available - lamps, or other furniture items?

And are there any sites etc. out there that could provide guidance?

Any help appreciated. I've used LEGO since I was knee-high, but this is a new project for me.

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

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

Here you go. These are the things needed to build a Lego lamp. How to build it? Well......use your imagination......


How can a Mindstorms robot lift something very heavy? I have a small LEGO Mindstorms robot and it needs to lift heavy objects, but it doesn't seem possible because the motor cannot bear the load. What methods or mechanisms can I use to make the robot stronger?

I'm assuming that you meant "the motor is not powerful enough".

Surely you can use a gearing ratio & leverage to assist? Essentially you want the motor to turn many times for each small amount of distance traveled by the lifting arm. This means a small gear on the motor and a large gear driving the lifting. You may need to connect several gears together to get enough of a reduction, like the graphic here.

See the graphic "Reducing Gear Train" here.

Try adjusting the torque. If that does not work for you, then use a large motor to help out.


How much tension can I expect to get out of a lego chain before it starts to give away? Assuming I am using the technic chain links to make a chain, how much force can I expect to be able to get out of the chain before it breaks?

Suppose I am using a 16t gear to directly drive a 24t gear and have it at the optimal tension for a short distance

And when it does reach its limit, will it break or will the links just snap undone?

P.S. - I don't currently own any of these pieces, and would like to get a rough idea first before I buy any and start playing with them - I am hoping to get a considerably larger amount of force from then than a rubber band before it starts to slip, say the full stall power of a PF M motor.

edit: theoretical test methodology:
Starting from Philo's motor comp, I would pick a motor that I had (say a PF M motor), and gear it up (so that it spins fast), say by 1:3 with a 24t driving an 8t - after that, I would put another 24t on the same axle as the 8t, and place the chain on it - then put another 24 such that the chain lands on it, and lock the last 24t gear's axle such that it does not move (perhaps the last 24t gear can be a clutch gear). Then turn on the motor and see if it holds - assuming it does, I would know that the chain can handle at least 1/3 (gearing) 11 N.cm (PF M stall torque from Philo) - from then I would change the gearing, perhaps with a 20t and 12t, or even 1:1 depending on how it seems to fare, and repeat the test until it does break. If the clutch gear starts to spin, I would briefly lock it in place with my hands to get an accurate measure.

Simply test it, then divide the force by 2 in order to stay the safe side.


Where to find this green transparent brick? Where can I find this lego brick?

I have one but I want some more of them for a project.

Your brick appears to be trans-neon-green, an extremely rare color for 2x4 bricks. It never appeared in any set and it is only traded between collectors. You would be paying over $50 for a brick like that if you are lucky enough to find it. It would probably be best to pick another color, or another brick-size for your project. Trans-neon-green also comes in 1x2 size, which is more readily available.


Can Lego Remote Control 88010 control Lego Technic Hub 88012? I have been exploring the new Bluetooth Technic smart hubs with the Control+ app and PoweredUp app. I would like to also use a physical remote.

I have the Technic smart hubs that come with the Liebherr 9800. I see this hub with different IDs on Bricklink (88012 and bb0961c01).

Will the train remote 88010 work with the Technic smart hubs 88012 aka bb0961c01?

I see this how-to-connect question, but that is to the train hub 88009.

I got a 42099 too, and found that Power UP App(Current version is 3.6.0) can connect to the Technic smart hub. Click Bluetooth button in Create Mode, and then press the green button on hub. Enjoy yourself:)

No. I got the 42099 4x4 Off-roader recently, as well as the 60198 Cargo train. The monster truck didn't come with a physical remote, so I needed the app for it, unlike the cargo train which had both remote and app too.
The monster truck used a control system called Control+, while the train used another one called PoweredUP. I already felt it wouldn't work.
It wouldn't. I tried both of my PoweredUP remotes on the truck, but no response.  I tried them on both my Cargo Train and Passenger Train and they worked fine. They just didn't work on the monster truck.
And Lego never explicitly told us that they were compatible with eachother.


How should I go about buying 10-20 generic minifigs? Not a collector, just looking to fill out a few things with sort of generic minifigures. I don't care a ton about what they look like, or even if they're all unique. Just looking for a good variety of maybe 20 minifigs.
It's not obvious to me the easiest and cheapest way to do this.

eBay has various auctions for minifig lots; this auction has 10 for $20 (plus shipping). BrickLink might well be cheaper overall, if you can find a seller near you who will allow pickup.
I don't know the seller; I just chose the first hit for minifig lot that seemed to match your criteria.

You can get 11 generic minifigs in
one set: 40516: Everyone is Awesome!

And you get lots of tiles and plates too.


What are the largest Technic-compatible tires on the market? I am looking for the largest LEGO wheels with tires available to build a nice-sized RC LEGO car.

Of course I will start with the simplest prototype, but I would like to achieve a design which will embed an automatic gear box and quite a large propulsion system. So the size of the wheels will be important.

Edit: The "Wheel 81.6x15" 2903 @Pubby8 found seem to be the biggest. But they are thin... Are there any other larger ones? Even 3rd party would be good.

Edit: @Joubarc & @Pubby8 found the biggest wheels but without tires I am still looking for 3rd party solutions before accepting an answer.

The largest wheels I know are these (I measured 110x63 mm, including tyres), but they are quite rare (only available in one single set):

Weels: 22969 "Wheel Technic Racing"
Tyres: 32298 "Tyre Power Puller"

The wheels itself are not that big, but if you include the tyres, they are really huge:

They would probably work really well for an RC car.

How about the old school tyres of the #8860 chassis:
http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/8860-1

Cheers,

Dennis


What are these minifigures? Does someone know what theme or set these minifigures are from?

First one is Ultron Sentry from Iron Man vs. Ultron (76029) set.

Second is a minifigure made with torso and legs from Duros Alliance Fighter, Jet Pack, Minifigure, Headgear Helmet SW Hoth Rebel Trooper, Minifigure, Visor Snow Goggles and unknown head. All come in Rebel Alliance Battle Pack (75133) most likely since it contains all parts and similar head piece seen in your picture.

Last one is Aaron - Flat Silver Visor, Clip, Curved Slope and Tow Ball on Back, without the slope and tow ball on the back it seems. It is from Moltor's Lava Smasher (70313)

The third one is Aaron from Nexo Knights. The first is an Avengers character. The second is likely Star Wars.


How can I build a Lego rubik's cube? How can I build a LEGO Rubik's cube, I have 2 of them, and I've built them several times, but how can I build a LEGO Rubik's cube.

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

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

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

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

Here is a video on how to stick LEGO bricks on to a Rubik's cube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrbBZ4EytHs

You're welcome.


Looking for Adult LEGO Possible duplicate of:
Are there LEGO sets designed for adults?

The pieces are smaller for higher resolution, the colors are not primary and there are more of them.
Does this exist? I had in mind the standard 4 by 2 brick becomes 8 bricks each with 4 by 2 pegs.

Yes. LEGO® may still be a toy, but it clearly a toy for all ages.  Here are two examples:

LEGO Architecture

LEGO Architecture is clearly aimed at adults.

From one of LEGO's press releases:

  With models developed in collaboration with architects, LEGO Architecture inspires future architects, engineers and designers as well as architecture fans around the world using the LEGO brick as a medium for reproducing esteemed structures. Fans of all ages can collect and construct iconic architectural sites, including: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum and Fallingwater, the Space Needle in Seattle, the Willis Tower and John Hancock Center in Chicago, New York’s Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, The White House in Washington, D.C., Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois and the Burj Kalifa in Dubai. Each LEGO Architecture set contains a booklet featuring step-by-step building instructions that is prefaced by exclusive, archival history, information and photographs of each iconic building, its design origin, its architect and its architectural features.

I'm sure there are some young architects out there, but this level of depth is more typical of adults.

Serious Play

LEGO has also a corporate-focused play for adults called LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®

  Build a better workshop with the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® program!

  The LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® program is a radical and innovative process designed to enhance business performance through building with LEGO bricks.

You could take a look at other non-LEGO brands targeting AFOLs. These can be more affordable, but also may be of a different quality.


Can you help me identify this part? After a lot of circus and calisthenics with a magnifying glass and lamp, I'm still unable to read the part number. I've also clicked thru' about 180 pages of LEGO 'Pick a Brick' and didn't find it there.

Could someone please help me identify this part number? Apologies in advance for my failing eyesight :)

This is part 11458 Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Pin Hole on Top. Much easier to find on Bricklink than by scrolling through Pick-a-Brick. Welcome to Bricks.SE!

That is a cable guide. you attach it to your house when you want to string your telephone or internet cable from the low-hanging utility wires. It provided tautness for the cable. I mean, not real tautness but enough so the cables don't hang.


Lego Technic 60C01 Clutch Gear Bore size I was wondering what the bore size is off the 60C01 clutch gear as I was unable to find it anywhere. Also, what is the pitch of such gear?

Outer (hub): 6.8 mm/.268 in./ 17/64 in.
Inner (shaft): 4.9 mm/ .193 in./ 25/128 in.
Teeth (key): 3.32 mm/ .1305 in./ 17/128 in.

-These are close/approximate, not exact due to the tolerances and/or wear. I measured 4 different gears with a digital caliper and the measurements were all within .10 mm of the listed measurements. The measurements even varied slightly within a single gear depending on side and orientation.

Also, I think you can find the answer to your second question about pitch here: "What is the "Module" of a LEGO gear?"

Had to buy one to check the specs. The Bore size is just under 4 mm (~3.5 mm) in diameter. Without the teeth of the clutch it is just under 5 mm.


Have any Lego sets been released with errors/mistakes in the build instructions? If not, why not? I was thinking about the documentation process of a large set like the Death Star and it got me thinking; surely at some point Lego must've released a set of instructions that contained a mistake?

You know, referencing a part that wasn't in the final set, skipping an instruction step, nonsensical instruction etc.

If they have somehow managed to avoid this over the years, what processes/validations do they have in place to prevent such errors creeping into the eventual consumer sets?

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

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

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

In the Changing Seasons 2015 set the winter instructions has a mistake, not huge and doesn't prevent you building it correctly, but it is there.  Page 29 doesn't show the top hinge, but on page 30 it is there!  It isn't until page 33 when the instructions tell you to place this piece.


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

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

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

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

My favorite third party accessory is the Playstation 2 controller interface for the NXT.

http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/p/5709-Sony-PlayStation-2-Controller-interface-for-NXT.aspx

Also you can check out their entire listing here:

http://www.trossenrobotics.com/store/Search.aspx?searchTerms=nxt&submit=true&type=AND

They have some really great third party accessories that are not that expensive.


Bluetooth will not connect Error code: -142016 NXT 2.0 Error code: -142016

The Bluetooth does connect. I am not having these issues with any of my other Bluetooth devices running off of the same dongle.

Where do I find the meaning of any other error codes that I may encounter for the NXT?

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

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

Where can I find instruction booklets?

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

Your NXT may need to be reset, then the Bluetooth may work. I've found with other devices that sometimes helps. Or maybe you'll need a new NXT. Sadly they are very expensive.


Has anyone made LEGO fly? It may not be the ideal material. But has there ever been a LEGO model airplane with the ability to glide, under power maybe, or some other kind of successful lifting airship? Helicopter, blimp, kite, even rocket?  Sliding down a string doesn't  count. Has anyone produced any kind of limiting analysis for this problem?

Non powered/motorized flight has been achieved

Bamboo copter

Anna Vuurzoon made a Flying machine using only Lego parts which uses a ripcord to propel a three blade propeller on a stick (see http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/288875). I was able to duplicate her results, so can validate it does work. It is really a modification of a bamboo copter. The 2015 Ninjago Lego Airjitzu series
( Lego #70739, 70740, 70741, 70742, 70743, 70744) are bamboo copters and work on the same basic concept as Anna Vuurzoon's flying machine.

Glider design

Daron Williams (via Drat Glider) and Milan "grohl" Reindl from Czech Republic have both reported making working/flying Lego gliders using mainly Technic cross-axles components.  Both gliders travelled between  20 to 30 feet with the Drat Glider with the bigger wingspan going a bit longer.  The wing cross section is more or less flat (one stud tall airfoil) and acting more like an air sail (paraglider) than an airfoil. Williams uses Lego Plastic sheets from the Mars Exploration Rover Set to cover the wing (wing cowling). Plastic sheets is the lightest wing covering that can be used but Lego does not make very large ones. Reindl uses plastic from garbage bag and tape to cover the wing on his glider - this allows for a bigger but heavier cowling. I have made my own Lego glider using the plastic from Lego store bags as my wing canvas using similar construction techniques as Williams and Reindl . My preliminary indoor flying test validate the results by Williams and Reindl.  Milan Reindl is now a Lego Group junior designer (you can see his profile on Lego Technic Designer Profile).

http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/1769

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CQcCoZ9rcY

The Challenge:

Lego does not make a quality aerial propeller or water/hydrodaulic screw-prop with a fuel efficient power stroke. The aerial propeller design for an all-electric aircraft have already be optimized by the Radio control aircraft community and can be fitted to a Technic axle but modern aerial prop design need to run from 4000 to 10000 rpm and use poly lithuim batery packs and motors that run at higher current and voltage than the Lego power function components.

The Vuurzoon design takes a lot of torque/power to fly and uses the power that it is given inefficiently. The only thing going for the Vuurzoon prop design is that it has the most efficient rotor angle to create lift. The Vuurzoon design uses hand power instead of electrical power and thus avoids the low power limitation of Lego electrical motors and battery pack systems.  Lego motors without gearing don't go above 2000 rpm at their set voltage/current level and have a high weight to power ratio which is bad for flying. Going over an 8:1 gearing causes a Lego motor to lose so much power/torque that any propellers slow down due to wind resistance (even the most energy efficient  light weight two blade electrical propellers has this problem).  Lego motors can go a bit faster if pumped with higher current and higher voltage from a non standard non-lego power source (e.g. poly-Lithium +15V power pack) but many believe this will shorten the motor lifespan.  Lego Power Function electrical packs are also too heavy for flight  the lightest battery pack is a Li-ion rechargable pack which weights about 75 grams. The heaviest Lego battery pack is the AA battery pack with alkline batteries which weights 195 grams — which is enough to sink a two catamaran hull or a large single hulled lego boat.
Standard Lego bricks are too heavy for an heavier-than-air airframe. The lightest Lego parts that can be used as an air frame are the technic axles followed by the half width technic beams— both are only semi-ridge so some bracing is need if air frame rigidity is required. In order to get a battery pack light enough and with sufficient voltage levels to fly as part of the aircraft — Lego needs to have to Lithium polymer battery pack kicking out between 18vdc to 30vdc — at those voltage levels the mini hi RPM motors used on Quadcopters and helicopter toys can start to be posssible.

Analysis of other attempts

Lego Quadcopter

There are several efforts to use Lego to make the frame of a quadcopter and uses a non lego high speed lightweight motors, hi powered batteries, and electric propeller. The high speed  motors usually run at 3400 to 15000 rpm @ 13 to 30 vdc and are very light weight. In addition it is using a non lego Poly-Lithium power pack some output as high as 30vdc even with heavy current drains. Some are using a Arudino microprocessor like device for remote communication.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkrTJh0H1fs

http://robotsquare.com/2012/03/02/flying-lego/

http://tinkernology.blogspot.com/2010/08/lego-nxt-quadcopter-no-really.html

http://www.suasnews.com/2012/12/20276/drone-made-of-lego-takes-flight/

Lego NXT Blimp-Airship

A lighter than air Lego Airship which was made by The Lego Group for a European Lego show/convention — uses Lego education propellers (from the renewable energy kit) and standard Lego motors and power supply. Prototype (non-commerical, custom made) helium balloons are used to create a neutral buoyancy so that the propellers can create lift and push the airship forward.  The Lego airship (called the C5) was demonstrated in an auditorium/stadium with a very high ceiling (there is no wind of any kind that the Airship would have to overcome).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GefwcBUioAE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpttq5IlPx8

no joke, this video is a flying pure lego helicopter.

he just uses a nxt/mindstorms motor

and the blades do have pitch so it makes sense for it to fly


How is this brick attached to the pregnant minifig? While Google-image-searching pregnant minifigs (don't ask) I came across this fig, and other variations on it, but I can't figure out how the 2x2 round brick is attached.

They used an adhesive of some sort. You can see from the side that the piece is attached flush to the body of the minifig, and there is no additional gap between the torso and legs pieces to account for any sort of bracket.

Could be done with 2 brackets I guess (part# 42446).

holes over the leg-studs.


What is the best way to transport a large quantity of LEGO bricks? I have a decently sized collection (thousands of bricks/hundreds of sets/a bunch of bins) from my childhood, but they're all at my parents' house. I live in the US and a couple states away from my parents (more than 1000 miles). What is the best way to package all of the bricks? What is the best way to move all of those packages? I ask because I'm thinking the weight of them all might make it tricky to transport. Hopefully someone out there has been in a similar situation.

When I moved house, I just sealed the gaps in a bunch of packing boxes with duct/packing tape, and put the storage bins in there - that way if anything did escape from the bins it wasn't going to get lost from the box.

I would say though that in general my collection wasn't organised in anyway, although there were a few built sets that survived fairly well.

Pack them in a box and surround them with things that are soft.


How can odors be removed from bricks? I recently purchased some used bricks. They currently smell like cigarette smoke. What is the best way to clean these parts to remove the odor?

Background info:

I recently started collecting Duplo blocks to build toys for our sugar gliders (small, exotic marsupials); I've also got some regular Lego blocks in the mix that my boyfriend's had for who knows how long.  To get the most for my money (especially when it comes to avoiding figurines and random pieces that don't suit my purpose), I've been buying large lots of Duplos off of e-bay (all of them are specifically Lego brand - you couldn't pay me to use Mega Bloks or other crummy knock-offs, lol).

Our gliders are our babies and on top of that, I've got high-end breeding pair (ie rare colorings/genetics) and a "pet only" pair that cost a combined total of $1800 - in other words, their safety is a HUGE concern for me and I'm adamant about cleaning and sanitizing any Duplo blocks I buy as soon as they arrive.  Also, gliders can't be potty-trained and inevitably use my Duplo creations as toilets... meaning pee sometimes gets in the crevices between blocks.  To top it off, they scent-mark everything.  As a result, I've got to disassemble the toys I've built and re-wash them 1-2x a week to keep things sanitary.

Like toddlers, gliders tend to "taste test" their toys at times (and even if they don't, they walk all over the Duplo blocks and then eat with their hands and groom themselves with their tongues).  That means I have to use cleaning products that are very safe, yet still effective (particularly when it comes to odor control, as gliders really do stink things up!).

My cleaning method:

The way I've been washing the Lego Duplo and regular Lego blocks is to fill a clean kitchen sink with a 50/50ish mixture of hot water (hottest the tap can provide, that is) and white vinegar, then add the blocks.  I soak them for a few hours or possibly overnight, then scoop them into a large colander*, rinse them thoroughly with warm-to-hot water (iirc 104F+ is "unsafe" for Legos; hence why I mix the really hot water and the vinegar together before adding the Legos) and lay them out on towels to dry (inside, with a box fan blowing across them, flipping them over every few hours until they're totally dry).  If anything is particularly soiled, I use the soft (ie non-scrub-pad) side of a clean sponge to give the blocks a gentle scrubbing as they soak in the warm vinegar water; for anything stuck in difficult-to-clean crevices, I use a baby bottle brush and/or q-tips.

*Based on a recommendation I saw on this site, I ordered a salad spinner to spin-dry my Duplos and regular Legos (and bunny veggies and dinner salads)... best thing ever - I LOVE it.  GET ONE!

Vinegar is very popular as an odor eliminator for a WIDE variety of odors.  It was the first and only cleaning method I tried because - despite all the pet odor eliminators and pet cage/habitat cleansers on the market - the vast majority of glider owners stick to a simple 50/50 blend of water and vinegar.  It's very effective for removing urine, feces, scent marking oils, stuck-on (sugary) foods, etc. and all the related odors from glider toys and cages (not to mention bunny and cat litter boxes)... plus it's dirt cheap, gentle, pet (and child) safe and doesn't leave residue behind.

Because I haven't actually had to get cigarette smoke odor off of Legos and wanted to see if I could find some info to back up my hunch that it would work on that as well, I just did a cursory Google search for "remove cigarette smell with vinegar" and got a ton of hits confirming that it's very effective.  I then searched specifically for info about using vinegar on Legos and found an article that provides some great tips and additional information on using vinegar to clean/deodorize Legos (and the article really focuses on difficult-to-remove cigarette odors) - http://www.brickwarrior.com/?p=1

I suggest following the "Lego Whitening" advice given here: http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/155077
There are a number of tutorials that involve various solutions, but this one works great for me and uses OxyClean and Hydrogen Peroxide, both readily available where I live.
The cleaning process will remove the odor with the added advantage of making the bricks shine like new!

Quick summary:
Put 2%-3% Hydrogen Peroxide plus a tiny scoop of OxyClean powder in a glass or transparent plastic container.
Add Lego elements.
Leave it in the sun for most of the day (10-20hrs).
Stir occasionally to reorient the bricks. (This may not be necessary; I am not a chemist.)
Remove and rinse when the bricks look good. If you are only worried about the smell, take some out at 8 hours and check, then check every two hours after that.

You don't want to leave them in any longer than necessary, as this process does seem to weaken the plastic slightly.


Where can I get RCX 1.0 software? We've got a LEGO RCX 1.0 without any Software.
I've installed the USB IR Tower, what should I do now?

I've downloaded the EV3 Software from the LEGO homepage and thought I could use this, but I don't know how.

Can you tell me, how my son could play with it?

The EV3 software is not backwards compatible with RCX 1.0.

You will need to install the software from the CD-ROM that would have come with your set. If you do decide to purchase one online, you can do so from a 3rd party marketplace such as Bricklink.

Be sure to install the correct version of the CD-ROM (RCX 1.0) and check to see if your operating system is compatible with the software.

Instead of the LEGO RIS software, you can use BricxCC to write programs for the RCX.

It's not graphical as the LEGO software but is intended to teach programming instead of drawing blocks on screen.

It works well under Wine if you're using Linux.


Can anyone identify this octagonal dish piece for me? It seems like this piece would be named "Octagonal Dish 2 x 2" but I can't seem to find it on any of the usual sites. Is this named something else or is it not a real LEGO element?

I believe it's yet another MEGABLOKS part. You can see it on the top of 9321 Cyborian rover holding the yellow antenna, for example.

It could be the extension to the gun like objects in the Lego Life on Mars set.


Identification of vintage sloping window piece I'm trying to identify the yellow one, the red 60598 ones are for reference.

This is definitely Lego, it is written in the hollow studs. It does not have a part number underneath, only an 01 and a separate 3. I can’t find it in any of the usual databases.

The yellow I’m trying to identify is 1x4 at the base, 3 bricks tall, leans back by on row at the top but is slightly wider than 4 studs at the top approx 4.5 so the overall dimensions are 2 x 4.5 x 3.

Must be

Fabuland Front Window Squared Small, Part x652 on peeron.com

(image source peeron.com)


Are Chinese clone brands considered to be safe for children? Is there some kind of official source regarding the safety of bricks made by brands other than LEGO®?
I'm not talking about choking hazard or similar (these are obvious) but heavy metal (lead, ..) or other chemicals in the bricks.
Some brands (Xingbao, CaDa, Mould King, Happy Build, ...) have some really nice sets (original designs of course) and are officially available for purchase in the EU/Germany so they need to have a CE marking and possibly passed other tests like TÜV. But there doesn't seem to be a comprehensive source on which brands to avoid or which ones are considered good.

UPDATE:
I found the page of the "China Toy & Juvenile Products Association" (CTJPA) where several suppliers are listed including Sembo and Qman with their certifications (f.e. EN 71).

Is there some kind of official source regarding the safety of bricks
made by brands other than LEGO®?

As far as I am aware, no.  At least not specifically for construction brick toys.

Some brands (Xingbao, CaDa, Mould King, Happy Build, ...) have some
really nice sets (original designs of course) and are officially
available for purchase in the EU/Germany so they need to have a CE
marking and possibly passed other tests like TÜV.

The CE marking indicates a product has passed health, safety, and environmental protection standards for sale within the European Economic Area. The individual tests vary between industries but are not necessarily a certification of quality. The CE marking is also found on products sold outside the EEA that have been manufactured to EEA standards.
LEGO products adhere to the EU Toy Safety Directive and the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The approval process involves 'simulating things like children biting, dropping, and stepping on LEGO elements to ensure they don’t break'*
In regards to the concern of chemical safety of LEGO clones, CE is a good indicator that a product passes certain safety criteria, there are of course other certification marks covering different regions.
If a LEGO clone has no credible certification mark does that mean it is unsafe? We simply do not know. The effort to test the safety of all these uncertified brands is too great. Parts vary widely in their colour (each individual colour has a unique chemical composition) as well as material (whether they are hard plastics, soft plastics, transparent, opaque or even glitter plastics in some cases).
You could always clean your new bricks as a precaution, if you suspect that there might be any surface level contamination, such as oil or plastic residue used in the manufacturing process. This will not make a difference to any toxic chemicals in the composition of the bricks.
In summary, if you do not see a certification marking that you can trust, there is no guarantee of safety.

Most of them are safe, because they are made mainly out of abs plastic, but with Lego, you will be getting higher quality pieces, and you know you will always be getting the best pieces, because of quality control. From my past experience, china bricks seem fine safety wise, but I have noticed significant differences on how well the gears work, and how easy the pieces stick together.
A comparison of off-brand Legos: https://uploads.brickset.com/docs/clonebrands_v1.6.pdf
an example of the quality of a Lego brick compared to other bricks
https://i.stack.imgur.com/4xe6s.png


What techniques can be used for laying plates at 45° angle? I've seen a number of techniques for laying individual elements at 45° angles, but I need a consistent method for laying down larger plates at 45 degrees while maintaining close contact with the base plate layer below it.

What techniques are available to achieve this?

Hinges can work, I have used this technique before, if you sandwich the hinges between two plates you get 45 degree 'bricks' that are quite solid.

In most cases, tiles and plates in the right place will keep sufficient contact with the base plate to have a stable model.

Placing dots (1x1 round plates) on the bottom of one plate with 5 spaces in between will line up perfectly on a lower plate 4.5 down and 4.5 across (one dot fitting between studs on lower plate)


Best way to match minifigs and tell what set they are from? What is the best way to match minifig torsos, legs, heads? Is there a listing of all LEGO minifigures? I have a lot of minifigs with torsos and legs but have no idea which head goes with it.

Sometimes I can't even match torsos with legs :).

Is there an easy way to do this?

One way to do this would be to look through the Bricklink categories for minifig torso assemblies and minifig leg assemblies. There are a lot of them, but once you find the part you are looking for, you can then learn what set it came from which should lead you to a couple of complete minifigs (click the part id then click the "View" link under "This Part Appears In" on the right).

You could also search through the Minifig category on Bricklink.

You can go through those categories by year if you know approximately how old the parts that you have are.

If you get stuck on something, feel free to post the picture in a new question here. I'm sure that someone will recognize it. :)

You can go on Firestartoys.com. They sell a lot of minifigures, so you can assemble your minifigs from their pictures.


How to power up MOC-0308, based on Technic 8297 Off-Roader? I have built the following MOC, with details here and here.

It is pretty complete, although I would have tried some servo motor for steering.

But after I've finished it, I've got into trouble:

Wheels on one side of the car seem to work sporadically. Could this be related to the steering joint and Cardan joint below?

Or the differentials?

 (image taken from Is it possible to create a differential if I don't have it as a ready to use element?)

It's too weak.

A wool carpet of 2cm thick is an insurmountable problem for the car to climb on it and go, especially for the last wheel or pair of wheels that have to pass the carpet's border (and difference in level), regardless which ones have to do it (back or front).

Are there too many differentials? Too many tooth gears? Too much elastic parts to deal with the torque? I can't find parts blocked.

The driving ring 2L,
,
at the page 28 of the building instructions, should act as differential to switch between 2 x 4 and 4 x 4.

Could it be a defective motor? Is one XL motor too weak? Would be more powerful with two motors (in the back)? Which kind?

Batteries are OK for 9398, so it's not them.

Did anybody tried this MOC?

Sorry to have too much questions, it seems I need more experience with LEGO Technic.

UPDATE

I have changed it consistently, adding a gear down for each wheel (horizontally) and that made it 4L longer.

Also, moved the steering motor in front and the up/down and winch motor in the middle (switched their places), using a servo for steering.

As result, it is a bit more powerful, it climbs the carpet now, but I need to work more on the steering because it is not that smooth when it comes back in the default position. 9398 is better at going back to the default steering position. Also, 9398 is more powerful as it gears down 3 times instead of one.

Overall, the new design feels better, yet too lazy.

The piece you show must have steering axle 92906.


What do factory markings on the inside of DUPLO pieces mean? In addition to LEGO and DUPLO names embossed inside the pieces of early DUPLO figures, there are a variety of number formats (one to three digits, some hyphenated) and in the case of 1977, the year.

Is there an explanation for what these numbers mean - and can they then be associated with a particular set and/or year?

The markings are the Batch number and element id.


Why does the Gyro Sensor not work correctly in Virtual Robotics Toolkit? I somehow found out about Virtual Robotics Toolkit and when I did, I decided that it would be great software to use for Lego League. Later in my research, I found that it automatically had the newest tables.

Soon I was designing a robot and code for my team, but as soon as I tested it the virtual robot started driving off to one side. Even though it was doing this, the EV3 software said that it was at 0°. When I tested the same program in real life, the robot drove perfectly straight.

You can download the source code here. (ORBIT3R-BOT.ev3)
You can download the robot model here. (ORBIT3R-BOT.lxf)
You can download the robot model here. (ORBIT3R-BOT.ldr)
You can download the VRT project here. (IntoOrbit)
You can download all the above (and more) here. (Robot)

Try to reset angle on the gyro sensor. Click on the block and choose reset.


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

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

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

LEGO Digital Designer
LEGO Mindstorms
LEGO Digital Designer Extended

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

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

One solution I've been experimenting with:

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

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

LeoCAD
Bricksmith

Copy and paste works:

Open the model in Extended mode
Copy the design
Close the model
Open a new, empty document in "Standard" (non-Extended) mode
Paste the content

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

1.View
2.New themes
3.LDD/LDD MINDSTORMS/LDD Extended


Why does BrickLink append a -1 to so many set numbers? I've been perusing BrickLink for a while, and I noticed that essentially all sets are listed with a "-1" after the LEGO set number. For example, Set 41164, Enchanted Treehouse is listed on BrickLink as 41164-1.
What's the purpose of the "-1", and more specifically, what would a "-2" or even "-3" set number represent?

Does it represent a version number (e.g. a revised or post-recall version of the set would be numbered 41164-2)?
Is this a country code?
Is it just a site-specific affectation?
Is it currently unused, but reserved for future use?

TLG hasn't always been particularly careful about their set numbering, so the community has taken to adding -1 to the end of the set number to handle cases where there may be duplicate set numbers used by TLG. For example, here's what we refer to as 8858-1:

And 8858-2:

As others have pointed out, this also helps to track minor adjustments to sets (re-releases, box differences, inventory adjustments, etc). Bricklink maintains a list of sets that are similar and have the same official set number but which are assigned unique suffixes for various reasons.

In the 1980s, there was a major set adjustment to the Lego space sets , in North America.
I know, because I have both sets.
One is noted as -1 and the other -2, which actually has been helpful in sorting sets.
It is arbitrary, and I don't see it as the first or second time the same part number used.
But untill Lego group makes an adjustment, or creates an online catloge of all sets, I don't see brick links actions as objectionable.


My EV3 program will not run despite clicking on the program from the brick This is a new EV3 Education Core Set. I have made a simple move forward command using the Lego Mindstorm EV3 Students Edition and downloaded it into the EV3 brick.  However when I press the program in the brick, nothing happens, not even a loading screen. When connected to the computer and the program is there, I just can't run it. How do I troubleshoot this?

I don't own the EV3, so unfortunately I can't help you with first-hand experience.  Here is a link to the LEGO site containing videos with everything you should need to know to get started.
Getting Started with LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3
Based on my experience with Mindstorms NXT, if you are sure the program is done correctly then make sure you chose the correct ports that your motors are plugged into.


Why are 2x4 bricks hard to get in certain colors? I'm new to the Lego community, so apologies if this is a dumb question.
I am trying to understand how best to get hold of 2x4 bricks in a variety of colors in the brown and green spectrum but am a bit confused as to why they're apparently hard to get hold of at a reasonable price. I already have some from some Classic sets I picked up, but only a few from each. I'm just looking to scale up significantly on how many of these blocks I own so that I can build something large with them.
Pick a Brick doesn't even show brown and dark brown as options, for example. Meanwhile, BrickLink has only a handful of dark brown bricks available at rather expensive prices.
I (naively?) thought that 2x4 bricks would be some of the easiest to get hold of, regardless of the color.
What am I missing here? Is there a genuine shortage of these bricks? Is there a better way for me to get my hands on them?

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

Consider buying parts from Lego clone brands instead.
If you're looking to buy bricks in colors that the Lego company hesitates to produce, you might want to consider purchasing sets from clone brands that produce modular building bricks compatible with Lego brand bricks.
Because Lego refuses to produce sets depicting modern military equipment and vehicles, many of these clone brands do so to fill the niche that Lego has produced. With a quick web search, it appears that Mega Bloks, Lepin, and Best-Lock all do so, and I suspect that many of the others do as well.
While these bricks wouldn't be official Lego brand bricks, they are compatible with them, and would likely be referred to as "legos" by the uncritical consumer.


How much usage can a LEGO piece take before it loses its 'clutch power'? In this article it's mentioned that one very important feature of the LEGO bricks are their 'clutch power' which is "the ability of its bricks to snap together tightly while also being easy to separate, thereby readily allowing for de- and reconstruction"

Since a LEGO brick is ABS plastic and will wear with use, I wonder how many times you can assemble and dis-assemble two pieces before they no longer stay together.

37,112 times
Well I did it. I built a machine to test this. It took 10 days until the LEGO at the bottom couldn't stay on anymore.

>>> Check my blog for more details

I'm not sure there's any official answer for this, however I can answer with an anecdote.

There have been a few times where I've come across old bricks that have been assembled together for a very long time (ie many years). When prised apart, I've spotted that the studs have actually made an indentation on the sides of the tubes.

Based on this, I wonder whether there's more danger of bricks losing their clutch power from being assembled (which means they're in compression) for a long time, rather than being repeatedly assembled and dis-assembled?


As of November 2011, should I buy the NXT 2.0 now, or wait and buy the NXT 3.0 later? I have played with the original RCX when I was in school, and I'm so in love with it. Now I have just got my first job and I would like to get an NXT robot. However, I saw in this Wikipedia article saying that it was released back in 2009.

So the question is: should I wait for NXT 3.0 to come out (probably soon?) Or should I just go ahead and buy the NXT 2.0?

Also, is there any news on any upcoming refresh of the Mindstroms sets?

First off, there is not going to be an NXT 3.0. If there is, I would be extremely surprised.

This rumor was started back on April 1st, 2010 with a post on this blog (scroll to the bottom). Since then, many of people have been tricked. They even made another post the day afterward confessing that it was fake. Despite this, the rumor traveled to people who don't follow The NXT STEP, making its origins uncertain to them, and assumed it to have been announced by TLG.

With the Robotics Invention System, they stopped at the 2.0, and just waited some years before releasing the NeXT generation. I expect the same pattern here. So just go ahead and buy the NXT 2.0.

As for just Mindstorms set updates in general, there was once talk about expansion packs for the NXT kit that were supposed to be released by LEGO a few months later, but that discussion took place several years ago, so it is probably a no-go.

It's already verified that they are going to release soon. Check with any Lego store . It will be released by  first quarter next year.


How can I preserve opened Lego packages? For some reason I keep my old Lego boxes (since the 1980s), and my son's old Lego packages. Because they are quite large, they take up a lot of space in my house, even if they are put one into another. I suppose I am not the only one (see this comment) who keeps them.

I actually don't know why I store them — maybe some psychological issue — but how can I effectively store old packages? And those of you who keep old boxes, do you ever display them, or browse them? Or do you just keep them?

Well I used to keep mine as well. One thing I found very good was to take a razor or a box cutter and cut the front and backs off! this may seem obvious or defeat the purpose, but it made them easier to store. I would stack them all and slip them on a shelf or under my bed to keep them flat. This proved to be a very effective solution. Also, you could try to collapse them at the ends to have them take up less room as well.

Well there is two ways the easy way to throw them into a bucket or you can first separate them into groups either by size,color,set,etc. than put each group of separated LEGO bricks in some sort of container such as a bucket box or back. I think that a bucket is the best idea because it is more safe and can be put anywhere of size


Will non-Lego remote controls work with Lego IR receivers? I bought a KAZI model of a Chinese bullet train CRH400F a month back and want to use a remote control. I bought an IR receiver and remote control, but the other IR receiver is lost in the post.
So I'm thinking of buying a Lego IR receiver instead. Does anyone know if the Lego IR receiver (code 8884-1) will work with a non-Lego remote control (photo below)? In theory, so long as they are both on the same channel number it should be fine, right?

It depends on how faithfully the remote was copied, specifically if the electronics was copied as well as the form factor. If KAZI just took a four channel IR module that uses another protocol and stuck two of them into the casing, the sent signals would most probably be incompatible with LEGO's PF system.
The channel number is only a manufacturer convention, without any inter-corporally agreed upon standards, so there is no universally accepted "channel" for IR remotes.

If you compare the internal circuitry of the clone remote to this official Lego one, if they look similar then it’s highly likely that they use the same protocol.

Image source


How do I change the color of a brick? I have a uniquely-shaped brick that I would like to make a darker shade of gray (it's currently blue).

What media is the best in terms of durability for continued use (i.e. re-use, re-configuration)?
I assume a spray media would work well, is there a particular type of paint to use that would have a harder surface and be less prone to scratching, sticking?

I don't think that spray paint would be very durable.  Even if you used a primer specifically designed for plastic the paint would scratch off fairly easily.  Also, spray paint would add a noticeable amount of thickness to the brick and could interfere when trying to mate the brick up with others.

Hm, maybe try using British Paints Spray Paint. I think they are the best brand. Just make SURE that it is the exact same colour with the other ones you are using. Spray at about 35-40cm distance from the block. I tried it and it works well.


What is the name/number of this brick I was wondering what the two grey tile like bricks in the image below are? I wish to order some online, so would appreciate knowing their name.

This is a 3743 - Technic, Gear Rack 1 x 4 and there are 2 times 2 of these in your picture (2 on the left and 2 on the right).

I guess your description is a little vague, because if you are talking about the middle part (the shining light gray pieces), they are actually not bricks/tiles, but the axle end of an NXT motor (the right side of the motor in the below picture).

If you need any help in the future, you can check out Brickowl, Bricklink, or Firestartoys!


Can anyone ID this set, please? Has typical City plane tail. Has 2 ADU (Earth Defense) minifigs inside. Cannot find online.
Thank you for your help!

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

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

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

I can't make out the "LEGO" logo stamp on the studs at the front of the build. Back end top has an asymmetric build flow.  Looks non-official. Fan made.


Identify partially built LEGO set Can anyone help me identify what LEGO set this is from?  My son has it half built and we cannot find the instructions and the bricks have been mixed with his other LEGO.

Based on the different shades of gray and the odd placement of the ball joint, I believe this is not a Lego set. Its more likely that it is something your son made out of his imagination and other Lego pieces.

I personally don't think this is lego. I've seen some of the elements in the pictures in Kre-o battleships sets. Perhaps you can evaluate on that?


Where can I find instruction booklets? Is there any place where scans or PDFs of instruction booklets can be downloaded?

Yes, from themselves, for sets from 2002 onwards.

D-N-D Bricks(archived) use to have a lot of older sets' instructions.
List of archived instructions.

Besides being a great LEGO community website, Brickset has even different versions of almost every set imaginable.


Purchase a list of LEGO parts If I have a list of LEGO parts (exported from LEGO Digital Designer or Bricksmith) is there an easy way to purchase all of the parts either on LEGO's Pick a Brick or on Bricklink?

I know that I can go through the list one by one and order the pieces but I was hoping that there might be some tool where I can upload a list and have all of the parts automatically added to my cart.

Doing this for Pick-a-brick (which sports an antiquated UI) requires some fairly advanced hacking. See this question. It's unfortunate that there is no simple interface for importing composite sets of bricks.

With bricklink you can convert to xml with ie ms Excel


How old is this brick? How old would you say this brick is? It has the code 2837 on the inside of it. Any info would be appreciated.

It looks like part of the old 9-Volt motor that was made from 1990 and 2002.

The full thing's part number is listed as 2838 which I assume is the mold ID stamped on dark grey base, while 2837 is the mold ID of the top part.
I don't think it's supposed to come apart, it looks like there are 4 clips on each sides which have been broken off of your piece.

Your brick appears to be the housing of the motor for the Lego Technic Dune Buggy, and may be upwards of 30 years old.


How can I fix my chewed up LEGO head? When I was about 8 I used to bite down on loose LEGO heads to "fix" them. Of course after the heads "treatment" they would have chew marks around the neck.

Is there any way to make these marks less noticeable? One of my old favorite LEGO heads have these marks. I can't buy a replacement because the head isn't made anymore.

I could buy one on ebay... If I had my own credit card/paypal/etc. and my mom would gain the knowledge that ebay isn't evil just because it's online. What should I do?

The only idea I have is to put some nail varnish over the chew marks.

Here's a picture of the head. I don't know if it helps much since you can't really see the chew marks.

Your best bet would still be BrickLink. Many sellers there accept cash, checks or money orders, so you don't necessarily need paypal or a credit card. However if you would like to work on fixing the bite-marks on the head you pictured above, there are several things you can do:

If the bite-marks are not too deep, you can sand down the area with very fine sand-paper to make it more even. The sand-paper must be very fine, otherwise the surface would end up getting even, but rough. I have found wet and dry sand-papers the best as it can provide a very smooth finish.
You could try your nail-varnish idea, but please note that nail-varnish actually melts the plastic, so use only very little. You might also try other type of clear varnish that is fairly thick. Make sure you try it first on a piece you don't care for to see how it reacts with the plastic.
Because plastic is fairly soft, I found that sometimes you can smooth out bite-marks just by the back of a kitchen knife. :)

You could try filing it with a nailfile or sandpaper.


Do any concave slopes or curves exist? Any brand Do you know if anyone has ever made any concave slope pieces? Looking for multiple lengths (2/3/4/5/6 stud lengths). Basically the opposite of this style:
I would also be looking for the same concave shapes, which would go underneath, similar to this:
The first example is a graduated curve, the bottom seems to be more of a constant curve. I would prefer graduated if possible, but in the concave direction, with the shallower slope at the bottom, steepening towards the top.
If not, does anyone know anybody that makes custom shapes or pieces?

Part 18653 Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 2 Inverted

Brick, Arch 1 x 5 x 4 Inverted

And a few other inverted arches

For the concave shapes that go underneath, there are a lot of bridges and archs from LEGO.


Is it possible to run more than two remote control trains on one track? My son has two passenger trains and a lego cargo train. We can get two trains running on the track using one remote.

But how do you operate a third train?  We do have other remotes which came with each train. Do you use a second remote or do you use the number settings and just use one remote?

Each remote has 2 separate controls (one for "red" and one for "blue"), and 1 channel setting (choice of channel 1,2,3 or 4). Each train has an IR receiver which has 1 channel setting (again choice of channel 1,2,3 or 4) and two connections, one coded "red" and one coded "blue". From what you describe, you have two trains set both to the same channel (I'm assuming channel 1) but for one train you connected the motor to the "red" connector and for the second train you connected the motor to the "blue" connector. Doing so you can control both trains independently from the same remote, also set to use channel 1 (one with the left control, one with the right control). For the third train, set the channel on the IR receiver on the train to channel 2, and then take another remote and set it to channel 2 as well. Take note of which connector on the IR receiver you used to connect the motor to (the "red" or the "blue" one) and then use that color control on the remote to control the third train.

Alternatively, you can use a separate remote for each train, and assign each remote a different channel (e.g. 1, 2 and 3) and each train IR receiver also a different channel, matching to the channels you chose for the remote (e.g. 1,2 and 3).

There is (as far as I know) only one channel available with LEGO trains/remotes


EV3 screen stuck at "Starting..." After I turn the device on, its screen is stuck at "starting..." for a long time. It hasn't change into the regular screen, and the light behind the button was still red (didn't become green). Is there a fix for this?

Try flashing the firmware. To get into firmware update mode, hold down the right button when turning the EV3 on. (You can also reset the EV3 without removing the battery by holding down the back and enter buttons for a few seconds.)

You can find much more detailed information on here.

Have you tried another OS like LeJOS that can be installed on an SD card? Insert that into the brick and start the brick up. I don't know if this will work, as I don't have a non-functional brick to try it with.

Have you ever had your brick connected to your computer and communicating properly? Are the comm port drivers loaded for the Lego brick to be able to communicate with your computer?

Do you have a friend with a working brick that can test that you have functioning comm drivers by connecting their functional brick with your computer?

What was the scenario that led your brick to stop working properly?


Bluetooth communication between computer and nxt using RobotC I'm thinking  starting a project involving controlling the movement of a NXT robot from the PC using RobotC.

Is it possible? Does anyone have a simple code solution?

It's possible. simply make a BT connection and then use the control interface from your computer


How to unplug black friction pin connectors Black friction pin without slots connectors are common in older Technic sets. Note that these were quickly replaced by the current version with slots that is much easier to remove.

 vs

Especially in older sets, it is not uncommon for these connectors to get completely stuck (as if glued) in bricks with holes. I have to resort to pincers and brute force. This typically results in the connector being damaged.

The orange brick separator is often not tough enough to do the job.

So, how can you separate these things?

Take your cross axle:

And push it into the hole where your pin connector had stuck

I've used tweezers since I don't have an axle rod in hand.


Trying to find piece ID on instructions w/ no ID I've gotten online instructions and the above piece is required, but annoyingly the piece ID is not in the instructions and I can't find it on any lego websites. I just want to know what the piece ID is.

This is the ID 4211760 which in the LEGO movie sets holds the piece of resistance in place on Emmet's back. See for example instructions of set 70801 (Melting Room).

Bricklink lists it as "Minifig, Neck Bracket with Back Stud" (42446).

Also you can use app for Android (or iPhone) for finding necessary piece.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.betab.partsguideforlegotechnic


How to speed up the disassembly of large LEGO technic sets? Is there any ways to help speed up the disassembly process for big LEGO Technic set such as the 42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs?

"Reverse Construction"
Most Technic models are built in a modular fashion. This particular model (42043 Mercedes-Benz Arocs) is no different, from the instructions you can tell it has been built in the following order: Engine/Chasis, Cab, Wheels, Truck Bed and finally the Crane.
Large sets often use red pins to join together major components. Therefore the best way to deconstruct a Technic set is to do exactly the opposite and work your way back through the instructions or at least the 'major components'.

Major components (for lack of a better term) are usually highlighted in the instructions and typically have their own numbered bags. Below you can see the truck bed.

The truck bed consists of a number of sub-components such as the truck outrigger.

Working backwards through the instructions you can either tackle the disassembly on a piece-by-piece basis or on each sub-component.
Use a Pin Pusher
Disassembling Technic models has always been a painful experience for me, particularly on my thumbs when removing the many, many pins and axles used.
I like to use a 'Pin Popper' to easily remove most pins. It's essentially a axle (Generally the longer the axle the better). I like to put a few Brick, 'Round 2 x 2 with Axle Hole' at one end to use as a handle and to stop the axle digging into the palm of my hand.

I have also started to use an alternative pin-pusher design to speed up the process.

Maybe you can use some techniques using the LEGO parts to avoid breaking it. You can use pieces to make your own "tools" to make disassembly process faster...

Here's an example of this.


Is there a 2x12 size Lego Brick? I am designing a rather large Lego structure and I could swear that I have used 2x12 bricks (not plates) in purchased sets. I know there is a 2x12 plate in existence but don't see any bricks online through Pick-a-brick or in the Digital Designer 4.3

However, in the Digital Designer program there are two (2) 2x8 bricks then a 2x10. So I'm wondering if maybe there is an error in the parts for digital designer, and there is actually suppose to be a 2x8, 2x10 and 2x12.

Thank you for your time.
John

There used to be 2x12 bricks a long, long time ago:

There are plenty of legacy parts that aren't included in LDD, and it looks like this is one of them.
This part dates all the way back to 1954. I don't think that they've been used in a set since then, and I don't think they were updated to use tubes on the underside or to not have slots in the end. I don't personally have any of these, but I'd also guess that they were never released made of ABS.
That's the answer to your question, but to help you solve your problem, it is often useful to use large Technic beams when building the framework of a large structure. These are long, sturdy, and can be pinned together to form very long beams. You could pin together 2 2x12 beams in order to get the brick that you're looking for. Technic beams come as large as 1x16, so you can create some really nice beams with these.


How can I make my robot heavier? I'm building a 3kg LEGO EV3 sumo robot and I need to make it as small as possible.

Which LEGO items do you recommend to add more weight on it? (tires, plates, wheels, blocks, minifigs etc.)

Weights:

The 2 x 6 x 2 weight elements are pretty good.

Boat Weight
Train Weight

Magnets:

Train Magnets are also pretty dense, though not very large and are now rather pricey.

Rubber:

Any solid rubber wheels also pretty dense. Avoid the hollow ones full or air.

Batteries:

If you need a lot of weight, you might also add a battery box, full of batteries of course. These are the ones currently in productions, but older ones will work just as well.

AA Battery Box
AAA Battery Box
Rechargeable Battery Box

I've also seen people add AA batteries without a battery box, but that may be bending the rules a bit.

Other Electronics:

Most LEGO Electronics are actually fairly heavy. You could also add motors, old LEGO RC stuff, or even whole other Mindstorms or other robotics bricks.

Make sure to check the rules for your sumo competition to see if any of these are excluded.

You can add sensors. They don't need to be plugged in. I use a lot of touch sensors and motors.


Will my LEGO bricks discolor in indirect sunlight? I have a bunch of new LEGO sets because of my new status as an AFOL. I've got them sitting on the dresser in a room that gets indirect sunlight (see below). There is no direct rays hitting the LEGO sets. Do I need to worry about discoloration?

Here are some pics of the room:

I have to disagree somewhat with the other answer in that I do not think it is quite as cut and dried as a simple "no".

There are several factors to consider:

How old is the glass in the windows in the room?
Older glass tends to be less effective at UV diffusion/blocking though really if the glass has been made in the last 50-70 years it's probably fairly safe for UVA, but not necessarily UVB. UVB does not discolor things as quickly but still has an effect. Part of that as well is how many panes are there. Older and/or less expensive windows tend to have fewer panes while newer and/or more expensive windows tend to have more panes and thus more filtering.
What type of glass is in the windows?
If it's just plain clear glass then there is less protection then mirrored, tinted, or specifically UV filtering glass.
(Possibly most importantly) What is the exposure for the windows in the room?
If the windows in the room get a lot of direct exposure (Southern exposure in the Northern hemisphere/Nothern exposure in the Southern hemisphere) then there will just be more UV coming in and thus more discoloration over time. If the room doesn't have a lot of exposure then there will be less. Your pictures seem to indicate that you might not have a lot of direct exposure, but it's hard to tell and even partial exposure (morning or evening light) can make a difference.
Are there some predominant colors being displayed? Some colors, notably White, seem to discolor more noticeably over time. So if you've got a lot of white on display don't plan on it staying pristine for long if you've got a lot of direct exposure in that room.

That all said if you're really worried about it then run some tests to find out. Make a few small stacks of bricks in a few common colors, for example pairs of 2x4 bricks in White, Red, Bley, and Black. Try and make sure you use parts that are very similar in quality, age, and color at the outset. Then place the stacks in various locations. One on the window sill, one on your chosen display location, and one in a closed and opaque box somewhere away from heat sources. Then check on them every couple of weeks and see what results you get. If you haven't seen an appreciable difference between the stored stack and the one in your display area after a month or two you're probably fine. Comparing them against the one in the window sill might even tell you if you'd be safe closer to the window in that particular room. Adding stacks in other locations would just give you more data points to make determinations.

If you do run the test, I would love to see the results. Latitude would also be useful for calibrating your results with what someone else might expect to some extent. :-)

The main reason for discoloration is the UV-part of sunlight (for everything, not just LEGO). Normal glass filters out a lot (almost all) of this, so even direct light through a window isn't a real problem - and even lesser with indirect light.

At least, a litte bit of bleaching will happen every time, but the only way to avoid that would be to store LEGO in a very dark and cold place, which is... boring.

Conclusion: No, you don't have to worry about discoloration as long as you don't put your LEGO outdoors for a long time (some weeks/months/years).


Do LEGO bricks float? Is it possible to build a boat out of LEGO bricks? I appreciate you couldn't make it watertight but would a LEGO boat float by itself due to the buoyancy of the bricks themselves?

Pictures of any home-made floating constructions would be really interesting.

The plastic is a bit heavier than water and should sink, however in practice I have experienced that 2x4 bricks (and the like) have a tendency to trap air inside them and actually float rather well.
It probably isn't failsafe, however for shorter periods of time (like a half to a full hour) would probably work fine.
(I haven't actually tested the time it could stay afloat, I'm trying it out now. When my small mini-boat has sunk, I will add the time here.)

Update:

24 hours have passed, it is still floating.

It sunk about 1mm compared to the beginning, but nothing of importance. However while I did push it around from time to time, it was still in still water and stationary most of the time. How it will perform during play is unknown.

Notice how the internal structure of the bricks causes the air to be trapped inside them.

Yes, just as long as the bottom is able to displace the boats weight onto the water.. Just like how a Polar Bear can walk on thin ice; displacement.


Are these trees LEGO parts? I've come across some trees from some bulk purchases I've made, and I can not determine if these are LEGO or "compatible" parts. Any ideas? The tree on the left is an official tree but the one in the middle is an odd aqua color, and the one to the right is very similar. Neither the middle nor right trees have any LEGO stamps on them anywhere, which is why I'm pretty sure they are from something "compatible" but figured I'd see if anyone else could identify them. My apologies for the photography.

A full list of LEGO tree parts can be found on Bricklink. I'd encourage anybody looking to identify a brick to use the part catalogue.

The two trees on the right are definitely not LEGO parts.

The first one on the left is deffinitly LEGO. Other 2 are just a bad copy. :)


Representing pregnancy on LEGO minifigs without a dome So far for pregnancy I have tried a fetal carrier that I put on the minifig's back but this limits her movements. Specifically she can't bend too far in either direction and also she can't lay down the way she normally would (she would have to like bend her legs when she lays down or something to keep the fetus inside).

My minifigs don't have a hole in the belly where I can put a big white dome to illustrate pregnancy.

So what is the best way to show pregnancy without a pregnancy dome?

The best piece to represent a round belly is the "Plate, Round 2 x 2 with Rounded Bottom" (part 2654). The "dome" pieces are way too big. Connect the rounded bottom plate to the bottoms of two "Brick, Modified 1 x 1 with Headlight" bricks (part 4070), also known as the Erling brick. Use short legs to get the total height right.

Note that the pegs on the leg pieces are slightly larger than a normal stud, so they make for a very tight fit in the back of the Erling brick. They do fit with some force, and they are difficult to remove.

FYI, I experimented with a few iterations, including one using a 2x2 flat tile on a bracket, and this was the version that had my non-Lego fan wife exclaim, "Oh yeah, that looks good!"

I usually hang the minifig back plate with knob on the front with a dome, or I use two between the torso and legs (they will fit) and attach a dome or something else.


Take off a small 1x1 piece from bigger LEGO surface In general, what is the best approach to take off small pieces from a surface like the one in the picture?

How to proceed
What should I do if

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

Any part that has a stud on the surface can be fairly easily removed by using leverage from a different large part added to the top of it. This takes advantage of the inherent "clutch power" of the stud/anti-stud connection and the increased surface area of the larger part to concentrate the force used to remove the part in a lateral direction.
For example, by placing a 1x6 plate over the trans-yellow 1x1 plate and then pushing the 1x6 plate away from the trans-orange plate will likely pull the trans-yellow plate up fairly easily.
LEGO also produces a purpose built tool called the Brick Separator that uses both that technique as well as giving additional leverage by pushing the part with the under or over-hanging ledge on the top and bottom of the front of the tool.

so take a thin lego piece and use it to make the small piece fly off


I'm missing a few pieces in my XingBao set I just finished the second floor of XingBao's 5052 piece Maritime Museum.

And while I'm pretty impressed with the overall quality of the building, I thusfar am missing 4 parts.

Is there a way I can obtain substitutes from XingBao for the missing parts?

Note

The set I'm refering to is NOT a clone of a Lego product or fan-built MOC but an original MOC created by XingBao's YiyiToys design team. Unlike Lepin, which is infamous in the Lego community for blatantly cloning Lego sets, XingBao's sets are all original designs and not Lego clones.

Xingbao reproduces standard LEGO elements for their models, so it should be much easier to replace the missing parts with LEGO pieces, then trying to contact Xingbao. If you are not familiar with the LEGO equivalent of the missing parts, you can post a picture here, and the community here should be able to identify them for you.

Apart from the fact that with this purchase you sponsored an IP-violating product and made yourself complicit to illegal activities, one of the other downsides of buying unauthorized clone copies is that customer service is non existing. You can buy the missing pieces on BrickLink or from LEGO’s Bricks&Pieces service, provided these are just clone copies of proper, existing LEGO bricks.

I doubt you will find much support on this site for your purchase, however, and many will perceive the omission of pieces as a rightful punishment for supporting these companies.


Why do LEGO boxes have a maximum age limit? I am wondering why do LEGO boxes have a maximum age limit printed on them?

My girlfriend has just gifted me LEGO Starfighter (8088) and it has an age range of 8-14. Why not just write 8+? Are there any technical objective reasons?

I believe it shows the target age range of the model - perhaps kids who've been doing all the harder Technic or more complex models - for example the VW Camper Van is rated 16+ - and might find it a bit "simplistic".

Other examples include The Super Star Destroyer, also at 16+, the Tantive IV and Republic Drop Ship at 14+, and the Death Star and others at 12+:

There is a age limit because some sets are more advanced than others, and they contain some pieces(choking hazard).


Why are LEGO sets put in such big boxes? I am wondering why LEGO puts sets in big packages. All bricks are put in small plastic bags and from my experience the packaging could be at least half of what it is.

There is so much told these days about ecology (especially in the EU, where LEGO has its seat), the smaller boxes would lead to better use of containers, so less CO2 during transportation and so on.

I understand that larger box "promises" something BIG inside, but could also lead to some disappointment.

When I was a kid and had my own sets, I'm sure they were relatively smaller.

Actually TLG are listening, and in fact are replacing boxes with smaller ones right now as we speak.

  These new boxes will have a FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification “which lowers the CO2 impact of its packaging by about 10%.” You will be able to start seeing the smaller boxes this year and by 2015, all of the products will be in smaller boxes. With this change, LEGO will save about 4000 tons of cardboard which is about 18% of their current consumption. These new boxes will come from sustainable forest so less trees will have to be taken down.

  [...]  LEGO is also involved in other plans to lower their carbon footprint. About 25% of the emissions are from manufacturing of the bricks themselves so they’ve made plans to mold the bricks more efficiently. The company also has invested in wind energy to improve their energy consumption.

Emphasis mine.

Now, as to why the boxes were huge in the first place, I can't tell. I heard all kinds of theories over the years, from "so the parts have room to move and don't get damaged" to "it looks more impressive on the shelves". But as this recent move demonstrates, all these reasons could either be worked around, or were negligible to begin with.

I think you're just discovered a "downsizing". This word has many explanations and definitions depending on aspect of life, where used. But in influence and manipulation the meaning is clear and partially explained by Josh. Your brain assumes the bigger package is, the bigger value it has or the bigger contents you're getting.

The general idea of downsizing in influence and manipulation is that you're getting the same amount as in case of competitive product, but you think you're getting more because of bigger package. An alternative version of downsizing assumes that you're getting less than competitive company offers, but you think you're getting the same, because of the same packaging. And — of course — the price is the same as that of the competing company. Thanks to packaging, it does not have to be adjusted to lower amount customer is getting.

The key to the success is that in most cases, the differences between reduced and competitive products are so slight that customers don't realize they've bought less paying the same (not adjusted price). But since the not noticeable difference is multiplied by thousands or even millions of sold products, customers see no difference and the company saves or earns extra millions of dollars.

This works in every or nearly every aspect of shopping. If you'll see two milk shakes, two washing powders, cakes, butters, milks, anything and one of them will be in a bigger package than the other, you'll most likely automatically pick up the bigger one. Your brain assumes that this is better for you. LEGO is no exception here and I'm pretty sure that if they wouldn't receive negative response and push from eco-oriented organisations (what RegDwight explained) they'd continue their politics.

This works brilliantly (for the manipulator, not for you, of course), especially if you're doing quick shopping in a large mall and you reserve seconds or even split seconds for the process of selecting a particular product over another one. You're often fouled by manipulators using downsizing — bigger packaging does not necessary mean higher volume. I saw (too) many examples where the customer selecting a bigger package was in fact getting a smaller volume. But due to the very limited time for decision, they only checked the size or weight at home, or [erhaps never.

Some sources claim that a big pinch in the bottom of each or nearly each wine bottle is in fact another example of downsizing, not a handy catchpoint allowing the bartender to hold the bottle in one hand. If you pinch-up the bottom of the bottle that much, you can produce a bigger (wider) bottle, that contains the same amount of wine a competitive company offers. But since your bottle is wider (thanks to pinch-up) your customer will most likely choose your bottle, not the competing one.

Downsizing in influence is sometimes called "A British Airways olives example" after the first documented use of this mechanism. Which, at the same time, explains why it is so common and so often used to foul us. Many years ago, British Airways managers calculated that removing two olives from drinks served on board all their planes would reduce the overall costs of flights by millions of pounds in a year's time. They went ahead and thus downsizing was born. Customers were getting less than competitive flight companies offered, but the difference was not noticeable, so nobody complained. When this small difference was multiplied by a number of flights British Airways serves on each routers during entire year, company savings were at level of tens of millions pounds.


How can I create custom EV3 blocks? What do I need to create custom blocks and in particular the VIX part?

You only need the official LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software.

LEGO provides a "EV3 Block Developer Kit" on the MINDSTORMS downloads page. This contains some minimal instructions on creating blocks. It also contains an older version of the EV3 software.

However, I have found that any version of the MINDSTORMS software can be used in "developer mode" by creating a file named MindstormsEV3.ini with the following contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Tokens DeveloperMode="True" />

Save this file in the directory where the software is installed, e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home Edition\, then start the software.

For input output you can use the OtherFiles Folder> EV3 and import the PBricks primitive.


What Lego part(s) would hurt the most to step on? We've all heard (and probably experienced) the long-running joke that stepping on a Lego is the absolute worst.

People have determined this is due to the bricks' high compressive strength, small size, and sometimes sharp edges.

As far as edges are concerned, consider a standard 2x2 brick:

While the 6 faces are fairly harmless, if the brick were somehow angled such that a person put all their weight on an edge, or (god forbid) one of the 8 corners, it would really hurt.

So the question is: What Lego part, or assembly of Lego parts, would maximize both
 (a) small size, and
 (b) sharp edges/points pointed upwards when laying on the ground?

I think this one would be in the top 5:
Tile, Modified 2 x 2 with Pin (part 2460)

The little swords from the medieval-themed sets such as this one:


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?

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.

Flesh colored is used for licensed brands, such as Star Wars and Jurassic World.


How to glue a LEGO tree decoration in a way that's not permanent, to prevent accidental disassembling? I have a sweet LEGO Santa Claus and few other builds that would look cool as decorations on Christmas Tree. Sadly, it would probably break if I would try to hang it. It can stand all right but is not sturdy enough to hang, or to survive much handling, really.

So I want to glue it together. But I don't want it to stay glued. I want to be able to disassemble it when I no longer use it as an ornament that hangs on something. Is there any way to glue LEGO bricks and still be able to wash away the glue without damaging them when I want to?

Note: this question has nothing to do with the safety of 4 years old kids, like this one, and strength of connection I'm asking about is way smaller (hanging on a tree vs kid potentially trying to take it apart).

You can increase the "clutch" power of bricks by sandwiching a piece of paper towel between each connection. Once the bricks are together, cut away the excess paper using a knife.

The effect of this is roughly the same as applying a weak glue. Your builds will not become impervious, but will hold up better to handling and hanging.

If you need it to be glued but not permanent, I'd try paper-mache paste. It'll wash out. I've never tried it, but I think it should work.


Which parts do not have the LEGO logo stamped on them? As noted in this question,
there are very few parts that do not have the LEGO logo included during manufacture.
But which parts are those?  Is there any semi-exhaustive list?  Does bricklink note this sort of thing anywhere?
I'm mostly curious from the perspective of someone who would be looking through bulk LEGO and trying to figure out whether they got real LEGO or clones.  Finding the logo is usually so reassuring.  I'm not worried about really ancient rare parts, but if you want to be that thorough don't let me discourage you.  Either way, some sort of list of parts that somebody should expect to be legitimate LEGO, but not worry about the lack of a logo, would be great.

I certainly don't have a list, but I came across Technic, Steering Arm with 4 Ball Joints with Black Wheel Hub (x872 / x873) part several times. I heard stories of Bricklink sellers being accused of shipping knock-off copy of this part (since it is a little pricey) due to absence of LEGO logo, despite them being legit items.

food items, tiles, most minifigure weapons, accessories and hair.


Where are LEGO parts made? Are all LEGO parts made in a single factory, or are there multiple factories? Where abouts is it/are they? If there are several, are there different factories for different pieces/sets, or do all factories produce all parts?

LEGO moulds bricks in the following plants: Billund in Denmark, Nyíregyháza in Hungary and Monterrey in Mexico.

In addition, it has another facility in Kladno, Czech Republic, that handles painting and packaging for some of the bricks produced in Denmark and Hungary.

The headquarters in Denmark is still where the most of R&D and product development happens.

LEGO is made and has been made in a number of Countries. Denmark, Hungary, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Poland, Indonesia, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, China and Mexico :)


What is the brown ship in the Star Wars 2012 advent calendar? The brown boxy ship is shown in the ad, but I have no idea what it is? My son was waiting all day for me to get home and tell him, but I can't figure it out!

According to BrickLink it is a Trade Federation MTT

It seems to be a Trade Fedration MTT from episode III.


How can I make Custom Instructions for my MOC? I'm a huge AFOL and recently have quit my job in order to take my part time job of selling Lego to the next level.
However, there's a new venture I'm having difficulty with and I would greatly appreciate if anyone has any advice for me...

** I have made a number of custom MOC's and my plan is to create instruction booklet's for the best ones and hopefully sell those online as well. I'm aware that Lego creator is available, however, I'm trying to construct a more tangible set of directions similar to the official Lego instruction booklets you'd receive with one of their sets.

I've seen similar custom directions (without any bricks included) on eBay and so basically I would like to know how that's made possible.

**Are there any businesses or individuals whom have the capability to create such instructions? Any representatives or recommendations you have for me would be great appreciated.

The Lego and AFOL community is amongst the nicest/helpful groups of people I've ever had the pleasure of being involved with, and I'm looking forwards to meeting even more of you this upcoming weekend at The Philly Brick Fest!!!!!!

LIC is the Lego Instruction Creator

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

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

Are you still looking for lego instructions? I actually offer a service for this (through Fiverr), which I feel is quite affordable and rather professional.

Let me know if you are interested! I have 4 years experience with ldd and can help with that too.

Hopefully I can help you with that :)


Do LEGO prototypes have production numbers on them? Basically I've found a rare prototype piece for sale, one of the red Vader helmets, and I want to make sure it s real. The description says that it has no production number printed, which makes sense because I'm not sure why a prototype would have a production number.

I've seen another for sale in the past that said it had a production number printed, and that it was number 1. So I'm not sure which one is real.

I have encountered a few prototypes over the years and none had any production numbers. Just the word LEGO and the year. So it probably is a genuine LEGO piece.

I've never found one like that, and I'm a master builder, so no, probably not.


My LEGO character's helmet keeps falling off... Is there any way to fix? My figure won't keep its helmet on and if I get it on it is very loose and will spin around.

The best and most effective technique I've come across is to use a bit of nail varnish on the inner anti-stud of the helmet piece, as Tonk explained on his blog TonksToysBlog. Just be sure to apply a very tiny amount and give it plenty of time to dry.

Also, if it matters to you, the helmet you have pictured does not go to the figure pictured. The figure is Jay Legacy from 2019. The helmet, on the other hand, is 98133pb02 from 2012-2016.

Assuming that they came together as a set, some Lego helmets don't fit tight in order to make it "easier" to put the helmet on, and if not, might not fit correctly at all.  However, there could be an issue with the pieces itself.  Get a cotton swab and some water, DO NOT USE ALCOHOL, as it will eat at the paint, and clean out the contacts.


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

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

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

I just saw this part in my LDD, try the extended mode