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Help identifying Lego bricks from a picture for a Geocache
I'd like to recreate a Lego design I've seen for an ammo can Geocache - its a box that opens with a hinged lid. I've found the parts for the handles (CLAMP 1X2) and hinge pieces (PLATE 1X2 W/SHAFT Ø3) on the top but I'm really struggling to find the large flat plat with hooks on the right side.
If you can help identify this particular piece I'd be grateful. If you have any idea what's on the right side too or any other bricks I need then suggestions are very welcome.
Thank you!

Hi,  Where have you seen this build, and do they have photos of other angles?

As a fellow geocacher, I had to vote this up.

The flat plate with hooks, on the left of the image, appears to be Tile, Modified, 3 x 2 with 2 Open O clips
Without an image from another angle, it is hard to tell what the connection on the other side might be - it could be Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with 2 Open O Clips (Horizontal Grip), or perhaps a pair of Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Clip on End (Horizontal Grip), but it could equally be something completely different.

After a quick Reverse Image Search, I found this set for sale on Geocaching.com with images of other angles, including the Bag of Parts - and this model appears to use a pair of LegoPlate, Modified 1 x 1 with Open O Clip (Horizontal Grip), instead

Thank you very much, that's really helpful and given me lots of information to order what I need.


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Lego technic 42082 4 wheel steering issue
I have just completed the build and everything appears to work as it should except the 4 wheel steering. When you turn the small wheel on the rear of the crane only the rear wheels steer. The front wheels will steer if you move them manually, but not in tandem with the rear wheels. Has anyone else encountered this? Am hoping it is an easy fix

I think you missed step 273 on page 133 of book 1.
In this step you align the front and back wheel and move a gear wheel and bush so the front steering mechanism is connected to the rest.
To fix this you need to disassemble part of the front

After taken of the fenders
Follow steps 471 till 484 in reverse.

This removes the panel above the gear so you should be able to access the gear.

Same thing happened to me when I build the thing last year. I was so focused on aligning the front and back wheels I overlooked that the gear and bush needed to be moved in. Luckily I'm in the habit of trying every moving part after assembly to see if it moves freely and isn't overly tight. So I noticed straight away that the front wheels weren't steering. And when they give you alignment instructions it is clear they should have moved together or else those alignment instructions wouldn't make sense at this point in the build.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

sort: votes


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Why are there always holes in Duplo bricks?
For some reason, all the Duplo bricks that exist out there have holes in their studs. I haven't seen a Duplo brick that doesn't have holes in the studs, and I doubt such thing even exists.
System bricks can actually connect to Duplo bricks with these holes, but is that the only reason for the holes? Is there is a Duplo brick that doesn't have holes in its studs (if yes then please point it out in the comments or in your answer)?
What are the other reasons for Duplo bricks to have holes in their studs, if any?

Plastic molds are designed to have an even thickness wherever possible (I think it helps with cooling), so a having a hole in the stud made sense to keep the brick's walls consistently thin. The hole could have been placed on the underside of the brick, but putting it on top had the obvious advantage of being compatibile with standard bricks.
Interestingly, DUPLO baseplates have their holes on the underside rather than the top. I believe this is because baseplates are vacuum formed instead of injection molded.

Baseplates, at least for regular sized LEGO bricks, are made using vacuum forming/moulding: "Vacuum molds work like this: a sheet of plastic is placed inside a molding machine, and two radiant heaters pass above and below the sheet, heating it until it is soft. The sheet is then subjected to vacuum, i.e. it is “sucked” down into the mold and forms the familiar LEGO studs."

@Alex Thanks I'll amend my answer.

The holes are necessary so that regular system bricks can fit on the Duplo bricks. The ratio is 2:1 in both dimensions, so you need four 2x4 system bricks to cover one 2x4 Duplo brick. This is an intended feature of the Duplo bricks and was decades ago even advertised in catalogues.
Regarding the baseplates: Some people claim that TLC does not want people to use the comparably cheap and large Duplo baseplates for their large Lego system diorama designs which would be possible if the studs were hollow...

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/


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How can I loosen my Minifigures arms and legs?
I'm trying to make some Stop Motion animation but some of the parts on my Minifigures are very stiff, which reduces the control I have when making small adjustments during each frame.
Is there a safe way to loosen the joints that will still allow them to hold their position once set?

Hi James, welcome to Bricks.SE. Can you describe your "patient's" condition or provide a picture? Ageing alone is usually not a problem. Sunlight or intensive play time is more challenging for the material over the years.

Can you clarify if you want to get them loose, prevent that, or fix?

I need them loose, because making stop motion is extremely difficult as some figures have some extremely still joins.

Please edit this information into your question :)

Both arms and legs are held in place through a fairly simple compression pin.
A small dab of washing up liquid applied to the joint should lubricate it quite well - avoid oils as they can cause discolouration of the plastic.
If that doesn't work for you, then you could try physically loosening the pins - gently pull the arms out of the sockets and the legs off the hips and replace them a couple of times - this is usually enough to compress the arms of the pin enough while still maintaining a grip on the part. Going further you can obviously compress the pins manually and fairly permanently - however this will likely make the joints too loose for your needs - I've certainly got some older minifigs with very wobbly hip joints that can no longer stand up on their own.

See the comment by the OP. You answered the question hw didn't mean to ask.

@Molot tbh, OP's question and comment are confusing and contradicting and frankly should be closed due to lack of clarification. This answer fits the asked (initial) question.

@Mołot I've edited both the question and my answer based on James' comments.

How would I go around compressing the pins?

A pair of needle nose pliers or even some sturdy tweezers.

And then what do I do.

@JamesBrown gently crush the two "legs" of the split pin together to bend the plastic slightly. I'm not keen on causing irreparable damage to some minifigs to demonstrate.

The simple solution is to just move the joins a lot, the plastic will wear down with use. This is why mini-figures that little kids have played with for years are just downright floppy.
Zhaph gives some good advice about oils, watch out for stuff that is hydrocarbon based as this might also be act as a solvent. I want to say that silicone based lubricants might be the thing that could work for you. I recall someone talking about using it for some technic axles awhile back. You might do some google research on this topic.
If you remove arms, be careful, as torsos can develop stress cracks along the bottom edge that will split up to the arms. These are not repairable, and ruin the torso.
Finally, if you want to FIX loose Lego figure arms, legs, heads, etc. I have a very solid and simple fix that I have used many times over the years. Take a VERY tiny drop of crazy glue and put it inside the joint, and let it dry overnight. This will cause the joint to be come ever so slightly smaller, and it will make the joint nice and tight. It is inside the joint, so it is completely invisible, and if needed it could be done repeatedly.
But be very careful, as crazy glue will mark Lego it drips on. Let it dry for a long time, so you don't accidentally glue the joint together. And finally, just to repeat, a VERY small amount of glue. It doesn't take much at all.
Happy filming!


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What was the shortest-lived color?
I've been reading about the history of the LEGO palette, most notably the transitions in gray and pink that have happened over the years where older shades were more or less completely replaced with newer ones.
What is the shortest-lived official LEGO color or shade? To be clear, I'm asking about shades that were officially released for public purchase as a set or individually (so no prototypes, test runs, employee swag, or third-party retints). I'm also not concerned about what parts were specifically made in that color, just the history of the color itself. If a particular color appeared in a 1x2 plate for two years, that part was retired, but the color was then used for a 2x4 brick for a year, that counts as three years for the color.
For example, have there been any colors that were released in only one set or theme and were fully retired when that set or theme was retired, never to be revived again?

According to the BrickLink Colour Guide, there have been three solid colours that were used for at most one year:

Fabuland Orange (1983; half barrel from Peter Panda Takes a Bath)
Very Light Orange (2000; only example being the aforementioned crouching cat)
Clikits Lavender (2005; four examples)

In addition, there has been one "chrome" colour (solid with metallic detailing) with a single-year run:

Chrome Black (2009; Darth Vader torso)

And finally two "speckled" colours, both from 2006:

Speckle Black-Copper (2006; Karzon Visor)
Speckle DBGrey-Silver (2006; three examples, all helmets)

As noted in one of the other answers, there are additionally some new colours for 2020. In my opinion it is too early to say whether these will have a single-year run.

While brikclink doesn't have an image of an item in Fabuland Orange it has the Fabuland Orange bathtub listed in its catalogue. "zero examples in Bricklink" is a bit misleading here.

@jk-ReinstateMonica: Bricklink does have an entry and even an image of the Container, Barrel Half Large, Fabuland Orange, but there seems to be something wonky with their database. In particular, on the Peter Panda Takes a Bath set page the part is marked with "Part Color Code Missing".

@jk-ReinstateMonica Thanks for spotting that. Will amend my answer.

Further to Alex's answer, from that source I found eleven colours that only lasted a year:

Fabuland Orange 1983
Very Light Orange 2000
Clikits Lavender 2005
Chrome Black 2009
Chrome Green 1999
Satin White 2020
Satin Trans-Light Blue 2020
Satin Trans-Dark Pink 2020
Glitter Trns-Orange 2020
Speckle Black-Copper 2006
Speckle DBGray-Silver 2006

Of course the four 2020 colours may continue next year!
Fabuland Orange was only used for one item in one set for one year, so could be considered the rarest colour.  The set was "Peter Panda Takes a Bath", and the part was Peter Panda's tub, a part barrel affair.

Kudos for spotting more colors.

According to Bricklink, Very Light Orange was only used by single part for one year only - in 2000. It was used in 2 sets (Scala and Belville) and 1 "gear".
That part is this cat:

Another color is Clikits Lavender used by a number of parts (9, to be precise) for Clikits theme and these were produced in 2005.
Here's a picture by Ryan Howerter


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What internal electronics do Spike Prime and Mindstorms Robot Inventor use?
What electronics live inside the SPIKE Prime hub? How powerful is the hardware?

If we open the hub we can take a look at the main PCB inside. There's just one PCB in addition to a small speaker and the replaceable lithium ion battery. Here's the top of the PCB:

And the bottom:

We see that the main CPU is an STM32F413. It includes 1M of flash and 320k of RAM and the ARM Cortex M4 core can be clocked up to 100MHz.
In addition to the 1M of embedded flash, there's a Winbond W25Q256JV providing an additional 32MB for program and data storage.
Bluetooth connectivity is provided by the TI CC2564C.
The 25 LED grid is driven by a TI TLC5955 (48 channel PWM LED driver). This part also drives the other 4 surface mount LEDs on the board.
The 6 motor outputs are driven by a trio of LB1836 dual motor drivers.
There's also an MPS 2639A to manage the lithium ion battery.
There are many other supporting components on the board, but that covers the majority of it.
Overall, this is similar in architecture (ARM-based, identical output drivers, etc) to the other Powered Up hubs. It is significantly more powerful in terms of horsepower and storage thanks to the 32MB flash chip and higher clock frequency (100MHz here vs 48MHz for Boost for example).

Is there any specific driver IC for the RGB LED under the central button?

@g.p.daniels The other surface-mount LEDs on the board are also driven by the TLC5955.

Can you identify which is the accelerometer and gyroscope chip?

Any idea what chip is the IMU and where it is on the board?

At Pybricks, we have confirmed that the IMU is a STMicroelectronics LSM6DS3TR-C by reading the chip ID over the I2C bus. I think it is U26 in the middle of the second picture.

Thanks @DavidLechner. Some teams (ours inclcuded) have observed that SOMEtimes it seems that the gyro has some of the same issues the EV3 gyro did, which can cause real problems for FLL teams. Do we know any other details about the gyro and how it is used? Is the a calibration during bootup? Can we manually (through code, especially python) trigger a recal? Is there a way (in code) to determine if the gyro has failed?


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Infrared Sensor Activation Problems
I tried running my EV3 program that requires an infrared sensor, but it didn't work. I looked at the port view on the app and I saw the infrared sensor. It was connected, the brick recognized it but had a "---" on it. I tried restarting it, but nothing seemed to work. Any suggestions?

Try a different input port. Try a different cable. Try a different EV3. Try a different sensor.

Thank you for the suggestions! I tired a diffrent cable and it worked!

Hmm, Nice because your cable is not short-circuited or malfunction anymore.

That occurs sometimes if the cable is not fully plugged in. Try pushing the cable in where it connects to the sensor and the brick.


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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?

For ready-made pieces, see the answers below. But you can also emulate a concave slope by combining straight slope pieces of different angles.

Trying to avoid using any straight slopes at all. Wondering if anyone can custom make a piece.

Part 18653 Brick, Arch 1 x 3 x 2 Inverted

Brick, Arch 1 x 5 x 4 Inverted

And a few other inverted arches

18653 is close, but too tall. Hoping for more of a gradual slope for the edge chines.

There's also these large pieces used in some Sports sets.
Sports Arena Section / Skateboard Ramp:

Sports Arena Section / Skateboard Ramp Corner

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


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EV3 square pattern motion
I'm trying to make my EV3 robot move in a square path, and an infinity path.
I've tried this code for a square path but it's not working.

Can you be more specific about which part is not working?

Please send pictures of your robot and explain how it moves. Whether it uses legs or wheels or fans is necessary information for the question.

@DavidLechner, I mean when I download the program and start it the robot isn't moving in square path

@mindstormsboi, ok done!

I don't understand how that robot with triangular-aligned wheels can moe in a straight path, did that link tell you to put the wheels that way? you should put the wheels like a plain old car, it will do better. if this helps let me know and I'll post as answer.

@mindstormsboi Looks like omni wheels...

Let's start with something simpler.  Have you managed to get it to move in a Triangular pattern?  (i.e. to prove that you can drive it correctly - I believe that the ratio of the motor speeds should be the Cosine of the angle between the wheel and the direction of travel, so an Equilateral Triangle will require ±1 for 1 wheel, and ±0.5 for the others, while a Square will require various combinations of ±1, ±√(3/4), ±0.5, and 0.  Although, I guess you could also manage an Equilateral Triangle with ±√(3/4) for 2 wheels, and 0 for the other...)

"but it's not working." Please specify exactly how it is not working, i.e. what is it doing instead of the expected outcome. A video would probably be the best, but a graphical representation could also enable us to help you.

if its not moving in square path, what shape or direction is it moving in instead? edit the question to explain what is going on.


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What set does this assembly with plastic foils come from?
I have this partial build, what set could it be from?

This is from 76039-1: Ant-Man Final Battle


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How to dump the micropython filesystem from the SPIKE Prime (and Mindstorms v4)?
I'm interested in tinkering with the micropython filesystem and/or firmware in the SPIKE Prime hub and was wondering:

How to dump the micropython filesystem from the SPIKE Prime hub?
Is there an online resource somewhere to download old micropython filesystems for the SPIKE Prime hub?

Using rshell I've managed dump the micropython filesystem of my hub after updating it to v1.0.03.0034-c3879ab.
rshell
connect serial /dev/ttyACM0 115200
rsync -a /pyboard ~/spikefw

Note: These commands are for linux.
(I also managed to partially dump the initial version on the hub v0.5.01.0000-42a938e, but ran into issues with binary files as I was using ampy at the time.)
I've not found any online resources for the micropython filesystem or the firmware of the SPIKE Prime hub.
Interestingly it seems the the initial version I have v0.5.01.0000-42a938e is comprised of the micropython source code (*.py files) whereas the updated version v1.0.03.0034-c3879ab only contains pre-compiled micropython bytecode (*.mpy)
The license file included with the micropython code, and the headers in the files, state that the code is licensed under the MIT license, so I've uploaded it to my github please feel free to PR more versions.

This is great! Thanks for sharing. It's nice that the firmware is MIT licensed.

No problem! Like I say if anyone else manages to dump their SPIKE Prime filesystem I'm happy to accept PRs into the project to compile more comprehensive history.


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Mindstorm Nxt Brick not starting
My Nxt Brick is not starting at all after sitting idle for an year. I tried all options like resetting, re-installing the software etc. The laptop doesn't even show up Lego in Device Manager. Any advice?
If it is not going to start off, will a BrickPi work as a substitute?

Welcome Anirudh and sorry to hear you are having trouble with your NXT. Can you provide some additional details: OS version, what you see on the NXT, battery status, what software you are using, etc.?

And to the person who downvoted this question, especially since Anirudh is a new member, please provide a comment as to why you downvoted.

make sure the batteries are working and haven't leaked

@PhilB.: Sorry, I didn't see your response earlier. I had updated NXT software but still nothing happens on the CPU. It's just dead.

I have the same problem with mine.
Some time ago I had a really bad battery leak, and with some perseverance I managed to clean up the majority of the corrosion using distilled water, white vinegar and a mountain of cotton buds!
Unfortunately, I lost my speaker (The plastic, and thin cables completely destroyed)and I suspect some damage to the contacts along the edge of my LCD occurred.
What I find now, is that my LCD in general doesn't work, and IF my unit has been switched off for an extended length of time, I have to get a fresh set of AA batteries (All 6) pop them in, and plug the USB cable in, then just leave it sitting there connected to the PC for about 4 hours, after which I open my computers device manager, press the power key and usually see the device manager spring to life.
If the batteries are good, I might get some flickers of graphic on the display, but for the most part the display is effectively useless, however if your happy to open your unit up and not afraid of electronics, then some isotropic alcohol and a non fibrous micro cloth (Such as a glasses lens cloth) can be used to clean the rubber contacts around the edge of the LCD (Mine had 0 output until I did this, and only then did I start getting some flickers of activity)
It does seem to be a common problem too, judging by the amount of units for sale on eBay with non working displays for spares or repair...

Thanks for the advice! Let me try this on mine.


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Technique for holding a horizontal minifig in place (swimmer)
I'm building a scene on an 8x8 base plate, ideally the depth of the base is 1 full brick high. The design is to have a swimmer minifig horizontal (i.e. swimming) but also at an angle to the base plate, and ideally connected, not just laid on top. I can achieve the angle with a 2x2 turntable plate, and get the swimmer horizontal with a 1x2 hinge brick on top of the turntable, but this makes the swimmer quite high. Any ideas on how to achieve the same - I'm wondering if a torso attachment on the hidden underside of the minifig might work but can't think what piece to use.

It seems like you got a good suggestion already. However, if you were to look for any assistance in the future it would be good to have a picture of the setup you already have shared next time.

Mmmh... If you base doesn't have to be all solid...
Recess some piece in there in which you can insert the arm-side of a mini-fig hand.
Grasp your swimmer by the toes on one of its feet, with that hand.
That will give you a horizontal/slightly upwards position on the mini-fig and you can further increase the angle by adjusting the mini-figs leg.

Brilliant! It looks like a "modified 1x1 with clip vertical" does the same job too! - thank you!!

@Watters Didn't even think of that. That is even easier  and takes even less vertical space.

Interesting, I was experimenting with "old" Lego (clips and legs) and got the parts for my build off Bricklink and the Lego was "newer" - I had to sand the clips a little bit to get them in.

There are several pieces which can be attached to minifigures to pose them. Recently a line of collectible minifigures introduced a transparent "handle" with a single stud which could be connected to the feet or legs of the minifigure

This piece can be rotated in the anti-stud to angle whichever way is convenient, then held in place using a hole or clip.


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Please help identify the LEGO Set from attached pics
Got this, may not be completed. Please help identify the Set#.

This is one of the vehicles from 70006-1: Cragger's Command Ship


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Please help identify, could be a Bionicle? (yellow with green mask)
Pieces could have come from disassembling a Bionicle.

Looks like you have a portion of 8998-1 Toa Mata Nui.

This set is sometimes called "Titan Mata Nui" among fans, to better distinguish this "Titan" set from the regular "Mata Nui" set, which is how the character Toa Mata Nui actually appears in BIONICLE media.
The transparent green piece does not go to it though, and I'm not sure what it is.


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BrickLink: Sell items as whole set and/or individual parts
I want to sell some sets, minifigures, and multi-part parts (e.g. wheels that consist of tyre and rim)—further referred to as sets—that I'm willing to sell either as complete set or individual parts.
In BrickLink, is there an option to marks sets to be sold this way so that customers may find the whole set and the individual parts, but can only buy one of both options? If I would put the parts and the set into the invetory I would be risking that a customers orders more parts than I have (the set plus another part of that set). At best (but that's just nice to have) the set would automatically be splittet into parts after a customer buys one or more parts of the set.

"I would be risking that a customers orders more parts than I have" - That's the reason such option doesn't exist.

The option you are looking for doesn’t exactly exist, but you can approximate it by using Superlots. Let’s use the tire and rim example: you list these as individual parts but make them part of a superlot that contains both. If a buyer wants to buy just the tire, they cannot, because of the superlot, but you could put in a note on the lot saying that they can message you to break up the lot and purchase individually. The downside is that someone searching for the combination entry for the parts (what you called a ‘set’) but not for the individual parts will not find your store.
Alternatively, you can list both (set and individual parts) and split the available amount across both (so if you have 6 tire and rim combos, you list 3 tires, 3 rims and 3 tire-and-rim sets) with a note on each saying that you have more available upon request. You can occasionally adjust quantities of each as you sell through them. Again, there is a search downside: if someone is looking for 4 tires and is excluding partial lots, they might not find your store.
Final alternative is just to commit to one or the other (I suggest based on the sales volume in the price guide) and see where that gets you.
If it makes any difference, I typically search for both the combo part and the individual parts, so I would find your store regardless.

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess together with TheBrickBlogger's answer this describes good methods to deal with the problem. Unfortuntely one cannot mark two answers as correct so I have to think about which to mark. I'll wait another day in case another answer will be written ...

I accepted this answer as it is more "in BrickLink" than TheBrickBlogger's. But both are useful.

The specific feature you're asking doesn't exist. However, you can make notes on your set listings and say that you're willing to part out the set.
In addition, there are sophisticated tools for buyers to create wanted lists and check which sellers have all or most of the parts they need. So, if for example, they are looking for several parts from the same set, sellers who have those parts will automatically show up for them. Sellers don't have to do anything extra besides listing the parts to have this feature active.
Based on my personal experience as a BrickLink seller, my suggestion would be to list the sets you have for a few months (sets sell well during the Christmas season, so you may want to list it until the end of the year). Then, if they doesn't sell, part them out and sell the parts individually.
Also, consider listing the sets on eBay. In general, sets sell quicker and for more than on eBay. eBay buyers are more casual LEGO fans and are usually looking for gift items, sets from their childhood, etc.. BrickLink buyers are more project-focused, and they are looking for specific parts for their custom projects and not whole sets.

Thanks for the suggestion. I guess together with Phil B.'s answer this describes good methods to deal with the problem. Unfortuntely one cannot mark two answers as correct so I have to think about which to mark. I'll wait another day in case another answer will be written ...


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I need loose minifigures
I need the joints of my minifigures to be extremely loose. So loose that they cannot stand for a comedy sketch. I’ve tried almost everything at this point.

Could you list some of the options you have already tried?

This appears to be a duplicate of How can I loosen my Minifigures arms and legs

We shouldn't mark this a dupe and close that other question.  For potential answers it is hard to tell which question is viable moving forward, at this stage.

When a mummy minifig and a daddy needle file love each other very much....

@chicks The other has better answers than this one.

Does this answer your question? How can I loosen my Minifigures arms and legs?

This recommendation is a bit time consuming: fiddle about with it a lot and it wil loosen.


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EV3 motor port works in motor control but not in demo mode
I have a new EV3 set and tried running the Demo program on the initial build. Only the left motor turned, so the robot kept going in circles instead of going straight like its supposed to. When I swapped the connections so the Left motor was plugged into port B instead of port C, then the right motor turned but not the left motor. So the problem is with the port and not the motor.
But when I went into Motor Control with the buttons on the brick, both port B and port C could operate their motors just fine.
I updated the firmware to 1.10E but that acted the same as 1.09H. What else could I try? Is there a hardware problem with one of the ports on the main brick? If so, how come the motors work in motor control mode?

Update:
Sorry I didn't give better information on what I'm trying to build...It's set #31313, and I'm trying to build the "tracker"...it's these motors that I'm having trouble with; both motors work when connected to port C, and both work ok when I drive them from the "motor control" menu on the control brick, but the motor connected to port B doesn't run when it tries to drive them together.

sorry if this is a dumb question, but wdym by initial build? since i wont have the Ev3 with me during vacation, i don't know what robot you're  talking about, so please add image of assembled robot and the program too. doing this will also make the question more accessible to others, even if they dont own ev3. block-based programming is quitw easy to understand anyways.

ah, try using diffeeent cable. and show the program you're running. on windows 10 use ctrl+shift+s to make screen cut-out of the program and upload it here.


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How to dump the firmware from the SPIKE Prime (and Mindstorms v4)?
I'm interested in tinkering with the micropython filesystem and/or firmware in the SPIKE Prime hub and was wondering:

How to dump the firmware from the SPIKE Prime hub?
Is there an online resource somewhere to download old firmwares for the SPIKE Prime hub?

That one is the filesystem that is on some flash memory on the board. It's mainly micropython files and sounds. The firmware is the code that runs the microprocessor. You can think of the firmware like the operating system which then runs the micropython scrips in the filesystem.

Sorry, I just saw this question, remembered a similar one from a bit before, found the linked question and raised a duplicate flag. Then I noticed the small but significant differences and thus retracted the duplicate flag but forgot about the auto-added comment. I'll remove it immediately :)

No problem, it might signify that I need to edit the questions to make the differences clearer.

Using the micropython REPL interface of the hub I've managed to dump the firmware using the built in tools. This was after I'd updated to v1.0.03.0034-c3879ab. The commands on the hub to achieve this are:
import firmware
firmware.flash_read(BYTE_NUMBER)

This will output a 32 bytes of the firmware starting at location BYTE_NUMBER which can be saved to a file. By calling this function repetitively, starting at BYTE_NUMBER=0 and going until the function returns false, the entire firmware can be dumped. I couldn't find a way of getting the current firmware length so dumps will contain the full memory of the board (~1Mbyte).
I've not found any online resources for old versions of the firmware of the SPIKE Prime hub.
However, the latest firmware seems to be inside the current version of the windows application [SPIKE-PRIME_Full_1.2.0_Global_Win10]. This can be extracted by:

Installing the SPIKE Prime Windows 10 application.
Navigating to the resources directory inside the installed directory: [C:/Program Files/SPIKE/resources]
Creating a directory to hold the extracted source code of the electron application. (E.g. Output)
Extracting the app.asar file using the asar tool and the command asar extract app.asar Output.
Navigating to the firmware directory found inside the extracted code Output/app/renderer/flipper-hub/firmware/
There you should find a *.bin where its name is the md5 of its contents. (E.g 09c1f4564bd22832993332820540d8c1.bin

I compared the firmware I dumped from my hub to the one I found in the SPIKE Prime Windows 10 application and they matched exactly up to the size of the found firmware (it was smaller).  I've uploaded the firmware to my github please feel free to PR more versions.


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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.

Another example is this watering can.  The green one we have is from Fabuland.  In fact several other Fabuland parts here also lack the logo - this bench for example.  I wonder if  in the 70s/early 80s, when Fabuland was designed, Lego were less concerned about putting their name on every last part.
Other parts I've seen without a logo tend to have some of the following features:

no or hollow studs on top
curved
small
translucent

This electric light bulb cover ticks all of those boxes

Could you specify which watering can you are talking about? URL leads to list of multiple items. The jug I have (in Trans-Light Blue) does have LEGO logo. It might be present due to part being used years later than it appeared in Fabuland sets. Does any of Fabuland parts you've mentioned have "Fabuland" text on them?

@Alex I've fixed the link.  I don't recall anything marked Fabuland on the part.  My daughter inherited her Fabuland  from her mum, and they weren't new when she got them.  Because of her age they are likely to be rather early sets.  You're right; the jug does have a logo so I've fixed that too.  I haven't checked everything but spot-checking a few Fabuland parts shows Lego logos on most, and no Fabuland logs - but then very few parts were exclusively Fabuland

Are both of these fences made by Lego?
This is another example. This fence piece came in logo and non-logo versions in the 1970's.

The Plant, Tree Palm Top part has had revisions where it was not marked with the LEGO logo, as we have learned in this QA thread.

I have looked at part #4168 "Support 1 x 16 Lattice (Train Signal Mast)" from my both harbour seaports (year 1991) and have neither found a part number nor a brand printed on them, although being original.
For part #2383 "Electric, Light 1 1/8 x 2 x 1 2/3 Cabinet with Lamp Holes (Sign Back) with Milky White Electric, Light 2 x 2 Clip-On Plate with Fire Logo Pattern" the clip-on part with a firefighter logo neither contains a part nor a brand.
I can also confirm that part #4773 "Electric, Light Bulb Cover (Colored Globe)" don't have anything printed either (as in set #6430 "
Night Patroller" I own).

The chrome gold rings for the Lotr and Hobbit sets don't seem to have any logo or text either

The maxifigure heads from the 70s/early 80s don't have a logo anywhere, even though they have a solid stud on the head and two more solid studs for the ears. The hair and hat pieces don't have a logo either, just a number on the underside in the middle.

I found several more examples of no logos in my minifigure accessories collection:
Popsicle (no text anywhere)

Microphone (number on the end of the pole)

Fairy Wand (no text anywhere)

Tomahawk (number on the pole just below the axe head, and on the top of the axe head, copyright logo on the base of the axe head)

Key (copyright logo on the handle)

I thought that maybe the key doesn't have the logo while the sprue does, but I checked from my collection and the sprue doesn't have a logo either, just numbers on the long flat bit.
All the minifig accessory examples I gave have a round pole area, so it looked like TLG doesn't like putting logos on curved parts. But then I found a syringe, and it has a logo on the round handle, even though all my examples without a logo also have a round handle!

I have both popsicles with no text, and popsicles with the logo on them. The logo is on the underside of the ice part (if you were holding it like it would be in real life).

@RSchulz Interesting! I checked my popsicle from the Yeti minifigure (series 11) and it does have the logo. It's hard to see though because it's so small.

I can't find LEGO mark anywhere on the clear visors that spaceman wear. I first noticed when checking a red visor for Ninjago Mr E. Then looked at my extra visors: no matter the color none have LEGO or anything stamped on them.

That totally makes sense.  I wouldn't expect most tiny minifig accessories to have any space for a logo on them.

Shields from the Black Falcons from around 1986 have no LEGO logo (as well as the head accessories).

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

Could you specify exact items?

You're wrong, almost all of these types of parts you mentioned are in my inventory and they have the Lego logo hidden on them. Just because they don't have studs doesn't mean that they're unable to put their logo.

I have multiple apples which look identical, except some have the Lego logo on the leaf connected to the stem, and some don't. Cherries also seem to not have the logo.


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Can you identify this LEGO car set?
I've got these two pieces, but I do not know which set they came from.

That looks like part of the Power Racers Theme, set 8647-1 "Night Racer".  From 2005, 76 parts.


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Technic Medium Hub - What is the difference between Voltage L and S?
As a computer science with limited Electrical Engineering Knowledge, I wonder what the VLT L and VLT S modes (and the Current counterparts) in the TechnicMediumHub (Control+ Hub) Voltage device are?
I am in process of writing a .NET library for PoweredUp where I want to present a human readable interpretation of it.
Below the dump of the Port(Mode)Information messages.
Port: 60
    IOTypeId: Voltage
    HardwareRevision: 1.0.0.0
    SoftwareRevision: 1.0.0.0
    OutputCapability: True
    InputCapability: False
    LogicalCombinableCapability: True
    LogicalSynchronizableCapability: False
    ModeCombinations: []
    UsedCombinationIndex: 0
    MultiUpdateEnabled: False
    ConfiguredModeDataSetIndex: []
    Mode: 0
      Name: VLT L
      IsInput: True
      IsOutput: False
      RawMin: 0
      RawMax: 4095
      PctMin: 0
      PctMax: 100
      SIMin: 0
      SIMax: 9615
      Symbol: mV
      InputSupportsNull: False
      InputSupportFunctionalMapping20: False
      InputAbsolute: True
      InputRelative: False
      InputDiscrete: False
      OutputSupportsNull: False
      OutputSupportFunctionalMapping20: False
      OutputAbsolute: False
      OutputRelative: False
      OutputDiscrete: False
      NumberOfDatasets: 1
      DatasetType: Int16
      TotalFigures: 4
      Decimals: 0
      DeltaInterval: 0
      NotificationEnabled: False
    Mode: 1
      Name: VLT S
      IsInput: True
      IsOutput: False
      RawMin: 0
      RawMax: 4095
      PctMin: 0
      PctMax: 100
      SIMin: 0
      SIMax: 9615
      Symbol: mV
      InputSupportsNull: False
      InputSupportFunctionalMapping20: False
      InputAbsolute: True
      InputRelative: False
      InputDiscrete: False
      OutputSupportsNull: False
      OutputSupportFunctionalMapping20: False
      OutputAbsolute: False
      OutputRelative: False
      OutputDiscrete: False
      NumberOfDatasets: 1
      DatasetType: Int16
      TotalFigures: 4
      Decimals: 0
      DeltaInterval: 0
      NotificationEnabled: False

L and S very probably refer to load and supply voltage.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrical_load for details.
Experimentally, I have not observed any significant differences between these values in use (possibly because the source resistance is small).

I think you could be right with that... But I cannot set the answer yet to correct. Since it is speculation I guess.

There are LowVoltage = 0x01, HighCurrent = 0x02, and OverPowerCondition = 0x04 hub alerts. I could imagine there is a direct relation between these exposed alerts and the voltage / current modes.

There doesn't appear to be an obvious difference between these two according to a comment in the bricknil source:

Voltage Sensor
Returns the raw mV value (0-3893) which probably needs to be scaled to 0-9600.
It contains two capabilities, although they both appear to do the same thing:

sense_l
sense_s

They appear to both return the same results in the same way.
There are some low-level ways that these could be different, but I'm not aware of efforts to reverse engineer the firmware and/or boards to that degree, and I'm not aware of documentation that covers this. The official LEGO BLE docs don't go into this level of detail about the voltage sensor.
Here are a couple speculative possibilities:

It is common for analog to digital converters to have different modes of operation that trade off speed and accuracy. VLT L and VLT S could make use of different sampling modes and/or averaging. For example, ST discusses using averaging to improve their ADC accuracy here for the ST32 chips used in Powered Up parts.
L and S could represent values at different stages in the power subsystem (e.g. regulated voltage vs battery voltage).
These could be reserved for use in devices with multiple monitored cells. SPIKE Prime and Mindstorms both use 2 lithium cells in series. These cells are monitored individually, and it could be useful to access their values separately. This doesn't necessarily apply to Control+, but parts of the firmware are likely shared across devices.

I wish I had a better answer for you, but that's the best I could find from digging around. I hope that someone here knows more about this than I do. I'll certainly update this answer if I figure out anything more about this.

Bricknil source understanding is the same as mine. I think the different stages as outlined in the other comment is the best guess we might have.


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LEGO 75192 UCS Millennium Falcon: I need to store this set, not display it
I need to store, for moving purposes, my 75192 LEGO UCS Millennium Falcon. All I see are display cases for sale.  Does anyone know of a storage bin or shipping container that can hold this ship?  I do not want to take it apart.

Is partly disassembling not an option? Usually, you can remove large sections, put them in separate bags and put all those bags into a packing case with additional upholstery. In this case, you might even use the original LEGO box. I can store it for you, if you want :)

I recommend one of those boxes that people smuggle stuff in.

First, movers are widely varying in quality.  You might get folks that are poets and scholars or you might get somebody that drops every box.  If you've gone with the cheapest movers or this is your first move, it is probably best to assume the worst.  To me this means it is comparable to shipping something through the Post Office.
Given the size of this set it is going to be difficult to get a box that is big enough for it to fit flat.  I would plan on building a plywood box the right size.  If you go with cardboard boxes, get two of different sizes so they can be nested.  Cardboard boxes of adequate width will probably be really tall.  You should cut the vertical corners of the box to make it shorter when the top flaps are folded together.
Then you need to find a material to go between the box and the model.  If you can get foam and cut it to shape that will be easier to deal with, but you could use bubble wrap or packing peanuts.  There's glue for bonding the foam to itself.  I've also used various sizes of towels for packing material around LEGO models.
Particularly if you use packing peanuts, make sure to bag the model before putting it in.  Things that stick out like the radome could get lost, so bag them separately.

Thanks for the advice.  I had hopes that there was something pre made but that now is sounding doubtful.
Thanks
—Rocco—

I am basing this answers on your comment wanting something "pre made", which I take to mean you can buy it from a store.
Depending on what you budget is you could a try Pelican™ case or a similar product. Any brand that comes with a hard exterior box and foam padding should suffice. The foam can be shaped to what your requirements are.
I suggest Pelican because I use them to ship sensors and calibrated equipment through a ground shipper (e.g. FedEx, UPS) for work. So you won't have to worry about the moving crew damaging the set.
With the dimensions of the set being "over 8” (21cm) high, 33” (84cm) long and 22” (56cm) wide"; the case you would need to go with 1730 Protector Transport Case.


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Help identifying/finding the part number of this piece? (maybe some kind of jackhammer?)
I found this piece in a box of random Lego although I think it originally came from a set. It does have Lego written on the side but there is no part number. I thought it might be a jackhammer but I haven't been able to find a piece that looks like this on BrickLink or Brick Owl, maybe I was searching for the wrong thing. Does anyone know what it is/it's part number?

This is Part # 2516 : Minifigure, Utensil Tool Chainsaw Body with Handles and Studs

To add to Syberion's notes, it was a part that was rather common in the mid 1980's classic space line, first appearing around the third generation of sets and themes. You don't see it as much post 2000s, but it shows up in other colors on occasion.


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Monorail Switch Internals
I'm trying to figure out how monorail left and right switches work internally. Tearing one apart risks permanently damaging it so I was hoping to find schematics or images of someone else's teardown. Does anyone have a good picture or description?
Note that I've found a Eurobricks thread with broken links to a Flickr album and a fan written PDF. I was unable to track either down online so perhaps copies of these could help.

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

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

General top view of the switch

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

Underside view of the track bed

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

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

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

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

Trip lever
Part number 2890

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

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

Spring

Operation
Set to straight branch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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Miniature Lepin box door stuck inside box itself
Yes, maybe the title may be confusing, but this image says it all:

I got a Lepin city set not too long ago, and it included this box. I have no idea how this happened but during use the door mysteriously got stuck inside the box. I'm not really surprised since the set came with an excessively loose head, but I need to get this door out of the box.
Part seperators are too big and bulky to fo the job, so that's not an option. I don't have any minifig crowbars either, and using my fingernails hurts and aren't strong enough. Alternatively I use that golden sword in the picture to grip the handle and attempt to pull out the door but the space available to move the door is very limited, and it gets too tight. Thus when I keep pulling the sword starts to bend, and eventually it loses grip and drops the door. I tried this method countless times and have had no luck.
What can I do? How can I get the door out of the box? (obviously it shouldn't require damaging parts)

Have you tried a pair of pliers?

@Aziraphale no, not yet, I doubt I even have those. I'll check later when I have time.

I'd try wedging a sewing needle or a thin bladed knife into the left side gap between the frame and the door, in order to try to pop the hinge out of the frame.

Tying a loose loop on a thin enough thread, looping it around the handle, pulling it tight and using the thread to pull the handle outwards could possibly work, even if excessively fiddly.

So, am I understanding correctly?  It is a LEGO door stuck in a Lepin box?

@chicks both elements are lepin

@zovits oh jeez looks like i lack brain for such simple problem, go post that as an answer. I have already solved problem with credit to your comment.

I could only add an answer detailing the ideas in my proposals, but you could add one based on exactly how you managed to do it, with all caveats and things to be aware of. That'd be worth much more for future visitors :)

The image for this question is a broken link.

Finally, I did it. I wasted two days waiting for answers when the solution is actually very simple.
I just lifted the box cover with my fingertips just a tiny bit, so that there was enough space to stick something thin between the box cover and the box itself. I did not lift as much as possible because:

My fingers would slip and drop the box lid again, because the remaining space to lift it all the way out would be too tight

I need enough space to stick something thin in between.

Then I got a thin-blade knife, as zovits recommended, and pulled it down like a lever, making the other end go up and force the cover out. Easy!

See, your answer is a lot better than any of the ideas above :)


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What is meant by the statement about "minifig replicas" in the 2020/2 catalogue?
The German Lego catalogue for the second half of 2020 contains several instances of a confusing statement on page 125:

Jedes Set enthält die detailgetreue Nachbildung einer original LEGO Star Wars Minifigur.

In English:

Each set contains the detailed replica of an original LEGO Star Wars minifigure.

This statement (that appears twice on the same page, once related to a minifigure of Leia Organa, once related to one of Luke Skywalker) leaves me utterly confused:

What is special about these figures?
Don't all the sets contain LEGO Star Wars minifigures?
Aren't all of them "original" (because they're produced by LEGO for the Star Wars product line)?
Then why are these figures "replicas"? What's the difference between a minifigure and a replica of a minifigure if both are (presumably) produced in the same factory, using the same moulds?

What is that statement supposed to mean?

These 2 sets 75243 & 75258 are 2 of the 20 years anniversary sets.
LEGO included in each of these sets an additional minifig on a stand based on the minifigs released during the first years. These initial star wars figures still had the yellow heads before they moved to flesh colored heads. So they have recreated / replicated these original minifigs.
The original (2000) minifig: princess-leia

The new replica (2020): princess-leia-(20th-anniversary-torso)

For comparison, a modern (2019) version of the same character: princess-leia-(white-dress-detailed-belt-crooked-smile)

Ooh, so "original" refers to the "original, first design" of the minifigure. I see. Somewhat cryptic for readers who do not follow the way the Star Wars minifigures change over the years in depth, thanks :)

@O.R.Mapper Not just Star Wars minifigures. All (human) minifigures were transitioned from the yellow flesh color of the original designs to the modern flesh-toned designs. There's a much more stark contrast in some cases for the Star Wars minifigures because some of them shifted to other tones to replicate the character's appearances more accurately. See Emperor Palpatine for a good example, he's been at least 4 different colors over the years (original yellow, modern flesh tone, dark grey, and a weird flesh-grey color).

@AustinHemmelgarn: I see. The things you don't notice when you're primarily interested in the lines that are not based on licenses ... ;)

An important detail is the large print on the back to avoid any confusion with the original minifigure!


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Please help identify the LEGO set
Got the picture of the main fuselage with 3 troopers.

That's ARC-170 Starfighter (7259)

Thanks, found it as set #7259

@nnLego My bad, 7529 was a typo. URL indeed points to 7259.


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What does coming soon mean on the LEGO store website?
I'm hoping people who are more familiar with ordering from the LEGO website can help me with trying to pre-order some items.
LEGO has announced a range of Super Mario sets with a lot of fanfare - YouTube Videos, advertisements, etc. The full range of planned products can be seen on their website: Lego Store Website (en-de)
However, with the exception of the Starter Course which is shown to be shipping on 1st August, the rest are announced as 'Coming Soon', and clicking through on individual items shows 'Coming Soon on 1 August 2020' (for example here).
I'm not certain how to interpret that - does that mean that sets are scheduled to be released on 1st August, or that they will become available for pre-order on that date?

"Coming Soon on 1 August 2020" generally means the time when "Add to basket" button becomes available (usually at midnight) so you can actually buy the set. This means you cannot really pre-order it in advance, unless there is some sort of VIP promotion (this is announced in advance), which works for some releases and allow sets to be purchased a day, week or two in advance.
If set is in high demand on release day it can quickly can be marked as "on back-order". That is your order is accepted, but shipping is delayed.

"usually at midnight" might variate in different time zones, right?

@mindstormsboi I have never tried to shop for particular set in multiple time zones, so this isn't something I could advise on. My experience is based on shopping in Europe.

I can confirm it's midnight at least for CET. When I ordered the NES, the "Add to basket" button became available just a few minutes before 1 August 2020.


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Please help identify the LEGO set from this picture
Got it from a bulk lot but lost pieces.

This specific set looks like it is from the "Lego Clone Wars Republic Gunship" set, due to the 3 cylinder like pieces.

Which set do you keep in mind, 7676? That one doesn't have pieces seen in the provided picture and using different stickers. Cylinder like pieces you are referring to are present on both versions.

No 7163 you posted a pic down below

That one isn't from Clone Wars.

Yes look at the clone troopers and the Droideka and super battle droids. Its in the picture that you posted and for a person who's loved star wars all their life im pretty sure i know what those are.

This is part of Republic Gunship (7163)

Identified by Dark Red [BL] Cylinder Half 2 x 4 x 4, which is unique to this set.


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Which official LEGO stores have the largest selection of bricks in their PAB wall?
Official LEGO stores offer the opportunity to fill a cup (small or large) with LEGO elements from a wall with shelves, usually near the back at the store.
These are called PAB walls (Pick A Brick)
This is often one of the cheapest ways to purchase LEGO elements.
However, the size of the wall and hence the size of the selection, differs from store to store.
I was wondering, which stores have the largest wall ?  In Europe I think it is the one at Disneyland Paris, but I could be mistaken. I'm also interested in other countries/continents...

Define large. Most unique parts? Most wall space? Do you have a picture of the display in Disneyland Paris for comparison?

It seems the only sensible criterion would be the number of unique pieces simultaneously offerable, which "size of the wall and hence the size of the selection" seems to be referring to.

Lego store in the Bullring shopping centre has a display similar in size to that of Disneyland, from a quick Google image search. I don't have a valid answer to submit though.

From this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs9LTiRtMGE I count 18 columns for Bullring, according to this site: https://www.brickbuildr.com/index.php/view-store/?store=131 Disney land Paris has 26...

I cannot seem to find the official press release for Berlin flagship store re-opening in 2017, however various sources1, 2 state at that time it had the Europe’s largest ”Pick & Build“ wall. Latest news I could find related to this particular shop wall is couple of months old (in German). There's a picture representing all parts available for PAB with 144 parts/bins.
I've also found following picture on Imgur via Reddit post, showing the size of PAB wall

144 parts/bins seems to match with this site: https://www.brickbuildr.com/index.php/view-store/?store=45 however, the disneyland paris seems to have 156 bins, i.e. 2 columns more: https://www.brickbuildr.com/index.php/view-store/?store=131 Anyway, impressive find, you have my upvote...

How do you pick a brick from the two uppermost rows of bins? There is no ladder nor ladder rails which might indicate an out-of-frame movable one as in some libraries...

@Davide if you look closely on top rows you may notice bricks and their orientation are the same - they only differ in color. It is just pictures of bricks.


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How can I make controller ports round for my "Lego Gamecube"

Found my wife's old 2001 "Nintendo Gamecube" and then it sparked an idea. Once I was done it looked very nice but I still feel there is something missing! How can I make round controller ports?

Hi Nerd, this is really a nice MOC. However, without a specific question, this post will be closed.

Thank you very much @Aziraphale and i will fix up this question in no time

But what am i supposed to change?

There's no real question here to answer, and the whole situation is opinion based. Some people may already say your creation looks good to be considered final, while others may state a billion of items that are still wrong.  I find it best to discuss such creation in LEGO focused forums or groups.

Maybe it is a good time to reread https://bricks.stackexchange.com/help/dont-ask .

@Alex i know, i want it to be opinion based because with all these diffrent questions, i can creat better designs so please dont close this question

@Nerd I hear what you are saying, and I agree that this would provide helpful feedback for you. Unfortunately, it isn't well suited to our community as we're looking for questions that will produce objectively correct answers. This could be shared on numerous other platforms to solicit the sort of general feedback you are looking for. If you really want to engage with our community, you might try a specific building technique question such as: "How could I alter this MOC to use more authentic round controller ports?"

Ok thanks, is it ok if i use that comment and put it as a question and for my next question can i use what you said but instead of round controller port put opening lid

Sure. With your recent edit, this certainly feels like a question that can generate concrete answers.

Hi @Nerd - would it be possible to split this into two questions - you've got a great answer to the question in the title (How do I make round controller ports), and then we can try and answer the "how do I combine these with a sloped/rounded front".

thanks @Zhaph-BenDuguid to responding  i can do that

Could you please tell me hot to phrase this so i dont get my qustion closed

If you've managed to rework the front to include the holes build by jncraton, then something like "how can I create the rounded front on my LEGO GameCube?" and then take the last two pictures you've included here to demonstrate what you're after.

Umm... @Zhaph-BenDuguid it actualy wont let me ask a question, it says, "Sorry, we are no longer accepting questions from this account. See the Help Center to learn more." i dont know why? But if its such a problem i can just go on Youtube and search my problem.

Nerd That error usually appears when you make too many bad questions. I remember that you made multiple low-quality questions about your MOC that all got a negative score, thus triggering this error. You also made a few extremely low quality answers that were obvious guesses, which also add to an answer ban too. See https://meta.stackexchange.com/a/86998/736547

Ok, but is there a way to end this ban or something?

I won't answer that question, that FAQ i linked already provides an obvious answer. Please read it throughly and don't dash through it as if it's rubbish.

Rubbish? Your from england?

And i will read through it!

Perhaps something like this using 1x4 arches could work?

This does work out to being 2 modules too wide for 1:1 scale with a GameCube, but the trade-off in accuracy may be worth it to you to get the round ports. It appears to be only 1 module wider than your current design.
Here's more detail of the build steps:
Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Final Build

Actualy thats a great idea i could atualy use that but do you see how the actual gamecube slopes. Look at the picture i now added to my question

If you can find a way to combine this with the sloped edge then i think it will look good

and its also the perfect size

I'm not sure how I'd match that curve while keeping the other details intact. I'd certainly love to see an answer that does this, though. You might be able to get a better look by having this extend only a half module out from the front instead of the full module you used in your original design.

i did do that though

I will add another picture showing proof

@Nerd I'm suggesting having it extend only a half module (10 LDU) instead of a full module (20 LDU).

half module instead of full module ok

Is there perhaps a way to build it rotated by 90°, (Tile, Round Corner 2 x 2 Macaroni for the holes, perhaps) and use Slope, Curved 4 x 2 to round the edges off?

@Chronocidal I considered that (along with Macaroni Tiles), but I at least don't have parts in my collection to square up the round outside edge of that part to bring it back to square with the rest of the front panel.


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Identify which set this bag of trunk and leaf pieces belongs to

Please help me identify which set this belongs to! Looks like pieces to a tree maybe? Inside the big bag there is a mini bag with some flame pieces and more green and brown pieces. The front of the bag says "2", 2011, and "135149".

There is no picture to help us figure out what set this is and make sure it is the right set, and very small amount of detail on the set, therefore voting to close this question

Welcome to Bricks.SE, Jill! If you are able to edit your post to add a photo of this bag and its contents, someone here can probably figure this out for you. Without a photo, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to answer.

Ok thank you that is a tree it goes to a fire truck set that i forgot the number of

This is bag # 2 of Set # 4209-1: Fire Plane

Based on the Trans-Orange Wave Rounded with Base Rim (Castle Dragon Flame, Seaweed, Water)
and the Green Wedge, Plate 3 x 6 Cut Corners


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Help identifying black slope piece with printed knobs, dials, and gauges
Can anyone please help with identifying the Design ID as well as the Element ID for this piece. It is a legitimate LEGO piece as can be seen by the name on the studs. However there is no information stamped inside like other pieces. Please help, Google search’s sometimes find the piece but no ID numbers that match with LEGO.

Just got off the phone with LEGO. The official answer to this missing piece is as follows:
Design ID#: 80405
Element ID#: 4251812
The official name, according to LEGO, is:
Roof Tile 2x2/45deg, Control Panel
This information was confirmed by set number 10151 and a photo of the piece(same photo posted here).
While I cannot say you will find this piece with the above information, I can say with certainty that it comes directly from LEGO themselves.
Hope this helps others and thank you for the assistance.

That's great! Thanks for sharing!

No problem, hope it helps.

Keeping in mind 10151 was re-release of 5541, 4251812 Element ID perhaps applies to 10151 set alone. And for earlier sets Element ID for this part could be different. Why? Because re-release of some parts (even if they weren't discontinued) usually gets them different ID.

LEGO mentioned that. The ID’s are for the 2004 set 10151, the most recent set it was used in...as far as LEGO says. But you are correct regarding earlier sets and ID’s. Based on that though, all anyone can do is decide which to use and go with it. Personally, I go with the most recent so that if I order more, it’s available. Obviously not in this case but in general.

This is Slope 45° 2 x 2 with 3 Gauges and 3 Knobs

Note that this part was last used in a set in 2004, so it may not have a known element ID. The instructions for that set do not include a part list with element IDs, and the replacement parts listing on LEGO.com for that set does not include this element.

Thank you, however none of the sites listing it provide and Element ID. The design ID is 3039 but the print makes it unique. Some printed pieces do not share the same design ID with similar non-printed bricks. That is why I need both ID numbers, to nom properly catalogue it.

That makes sense. I wasn't able to find an element ID for this part, and I've updated my answer accordingly. Perhaps someone else knows how to access this information.

Haha, we both went down the same paths. Very aggravating when trying to organize though. Thank you for the help, it at least confirms all that I have been able to uncover with this piece. Hopefully someone else has discovered new clues.

I don't personally use LEGO element IDs for cataloging pieces, as they aren't available for every element. I use Rebrickable part_num + color_id. Rebrickable does provide a table that maps those values to element IDs in their downloads, so you I can still search by element ID. https://rebrickable.com/downloads/

This is the first piece that has not had any ID that I have come across. But I did not know about the Rebrickable mapping table, thank you, might come in handy. Will try it with this particular part if nothing else.


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Help identify playing cards
I'd like to design a poker scene similar to this one:

I've been able to find some individual cards such as the joker.  However, I can't find the full 'hand' piece in the bottom right. Is that a real LEGO?

These are all  the playing card tiles I can find:
3069bpb264 : Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Playing Cards Four Aces Pattern

3069bpx6 : Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Playing Cards Full House Pattern

3069bpb337: Tile 1 X 2 with Groove with Playing Card Ace of Spades Pattern

3069bpb338 : Tile 1 X 2 with Groove with Playing Card Joker Pattern

Those last two part numbers are individual cards, both of which came from a Jester minifigure from one of the collectible minifigs series.
Also, those coins you see in the middle of the table are from part 70501c01 and  97053.

Side note: somebody in this game is definitely cheating, since there's 2 Aces of Spades on the table...


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Please help identify the LEGO set from picture
Got this from a bulk partly assembled.

It is Darth Vader Transformation (7251)


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Please help identify LEGO from this picture of the base
Difficult to find which set this piece belongs to.

Could anyone give me more information?

Baseplate, Raised 32 x 32 Three Level with Ogel Center Pattern


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Why do gray axles appear black and black axles appear white and black in this manual?
I've been looking through the parts of an old manual I have and I noticed the odd-length gray axles appear black and the even-length black axles appear white and black.

Is this just an artifact of the lossy compression and thick outline colors? It appears gray parts are outlined in black and black parts are outlined in white. I'm pretty sure this set came with standard axle colors.

I think you are correct, it look like a crap job of rendering the image in a PDF file.

I don't have this set, but used 8421 as a test. This set is also released in 2005.
Looking at the PDF you see the same color scheme of the axles, were the black appear to be gray and vice versa

When looking at the instruction manual

You see the normal colors, so indeed your set came with the normal colors and due to some bad scanning and compression the pdf got discolored

Lego's instruction manuals have shockingly bad colour fidelity. This is improved in recent years with the black parts being outlined in white, which explains those axles. But PDF versions of the instructions have always been at best as bad as printed instructions, and are often worse, when it comes to colour quality. Why this is, is a mystery.

The cause is simple. The images are authored in a vector or CAD format. When Lego rendered these vector images to the low resolution images in the PDFs, the thin outlines got turned into lines with a thickness of one pixel. Due to their small yet complex cross-section the axles get mostly covered by their outlines.


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Do extra parts add to set's resell value?
When I build a set I tend to keep the box and instructions as I noticed they add to the value of the set.
I also keep the extra parts in the box but I'm not so sure if they add actual value. My understanding is they are random so there is no way to confirm they are the original pieces that came with the set.
Is there any value in keeping them along with the set when selling?
UPDATE: Based on the comments I understand the extra parts are consistent and predictable. So I would have thought having extra parts in would make the set more valuable. In BrickLink generally the status of box, minifigs and instructions are mentioned. No mention of extra parts.
Am I correct to think it doesn't add value if we included extra parts?
Thanks.

Extra parts are not random and are the same for each copy of particular set. You can easily identify these parts on Bricklink.

Thanks @Alex. Before I posted I read this answer which says the extras are random: https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/1396/9280. Also on BrickLink it says "Extra parts can vary depending on when and where a set was manufactured, meaning that some new sets may include them and others may not. " (source: https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=1562#extraItems) so I'm confused now if they are the same or not.

This is not meant negatively, but Consumer Services is not a reliable source in this case, they just want to avoid complaints if a spare part is missing. In reality the selection of spare parts in a set is not only consistent among copies of the set, it is also predictable what they will be.

"Extra parts can vary depending on when and where a set was manufactured" This only means that there might be some sets, for which there is a variance. As in, you might be able to tell two copies of set #ABCDE apart based on the amount of extra parts, and conclude that one has been packaged in Mexico and the other in Hungary. For the vast majority of sets there is no such variance and the amount of extra parts is just as consistent as that of the base parts.

Thank you all for your comments. I've updated my post as I was mistaken about the extra parts being random.

Generally, I think it doesn't add much value. But it depends.
Some sets, like US version of 8284, have extra parts crucial for alternative model (aka B-model). So unless you include them, you are selling incomplete set. The inclusion of all parts to build all models is part of "complete" condition description on Bricklink. Extra parts excluded though.
Then again, new DOTS sets, which have random printed tiles, but the number of included items is the same. So if you are looking for particular print, it would be nice to have extra.
Sure, there's a ton of sets with quite generic extra pieces, that you may already have a ton of. And buyer may as well already have a lot of them. However, buying a used set with box, instructions, stickers/sticker sheet as well as extra parts is always nice, especially if it is older set.


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Please help identify this LEGO set
Got it from bulk, please help identify the set.

This is Yoda's hut from Set # 4502-1: X-wing Fighter

key part: Tan Brick, Arch 1 x 6 x 2 Curved Top

Thanks, great help.


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EV3 Folder not appearing on Windows
I am attempting to load a UF2 file into an EV3 robot, however when I plug everything in, nothing appears. Windows recognises that a device has been plugged in, and it even appears in the Device Manager, however it doesn't point to a file folder.

Please tell me which kind of windows platform you are trying to set it up on

Please ask the other question in a separate question, so that you can get separate answers for them :)

@zovits I think it would be a dupe if that was done, I recall similar question but I'm not sure

Please add more details, jeremy. How are you "loading uf2 file"? How are you making that file type? Did you do anything with the EV3 drive when you plugged it into the computer? More details are needed to solve your problem.

I am using Microsoft Makecode. I wrote some simple code as a test, and downloaded it as the UF2 file. The EV3 drive is not appearing in the Windows File Explorer when I plug it in, however Windows recognises it is there.

Are you sure? Do you mean the EV3 drive is not visible in the file explorer when you look? It may be the F drive or another drive with a differnet letter and it should be named EV3.

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

Go all the way to the right to the wrench tab

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

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

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


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Have you ever seen this color of Teddy Bear?
I found a Teddy Bear in transparent red color, have anyone ever seen this before? I'm just not sure where can I buy this guy.

Neither Bricklink nor Brickset knows about such a piece (all teddy bear pieces of this mold with downward arms come in non-transparent colours and are printed), so it must be either a knock-off (very low value), or a test mold (very high value).

There have been reports of “rogue” employees running molding machines after hours to make custom prints of existing elements. This might be one of those.

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=6186#T=C

@Valorum That one is a completely different mold.

@zovits - Indeed, and hence why I posted it as a comment, not an answer

To add to the answer above, check if it has the LEGO logo and the mould number molded on the bottom. Both should be clearly visible. If they are there, it's LEGO, if not, it isn't.

Out of curiosity, is there a list of all LEGO pieces that do not have the LEGO name molded in them?

@Logarr ask and you shall receive ;)


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Any way to get the current motor position or angle in WeDo 2 (when accessing hub via BLE protocol)?
I have managed to write a small C# program that lets me play around with the WeDo 2 hub. I can read sensor values or set the speeds of up to two connected WeDo motors independently (I am aware that Lego says that this is not a good idea). The program is slightly similar to what is being done on this link, just (so far) more ugly and less sophisticated. For reading the sensor values, I got some really useful hints from this German-language article.
Anyway, this means it is now almost possible to build a remote controlled car with steering. The only thing that is missing is some way to verify that the steering is in neutral position. For this, it would be practical to have some way to read the current motor position (or angle) and/or to tell the motor to go to a certain position (or angle).
I have tried this:

I have tried using some of the commands mentioned in this piece of documentation. However, none of them worked, except plain StartPower(Power). Given that the Guids mentioned in the document were not particularly helpful when trying to make the WeDo 2 hub work as expected, this document may not be very relevant here.

I have tried reading sensor values, but I did not get any values for the port that the motor is plugged into. For the two "real" WeDo sensors, one has to perform an initialization before they provide values. I do not know if or how it is possible to initialize the motor in order to provide its current position or angle.

I have tried using the LegoDeviceSdk. But this does not seem to offer anything beyond "turn with power X" either.

Any ideas how I could get a motor position, or make the motor rotate to a desired position?

Based on the answer to this question and some experiments with other hubs and other motors today (Boost hub + Boost motor + small PoweredUp hub), it seems that the WeDo motors really lack any ability beyond "Run with power X". Given that the WeDo motor is the same model that is built into the Bat Mobile, I would expect that the PoweredUp app would offer more functions for this motor if the motor was capable of them.


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Help identifying a few small bar and clip pieces
There are a handful of parts I cannot identify and I would be super happy if anyone could help!

thank you SO MUCH @jncraton !!!

No problem. I'm happy I could help.

Bar 1L with Top Stud and Two Side Studs

Arm Skeleton [Bent / 2 Clips]

Bar 4L

3.2 Shaft w/3.2 Hole

Flag 2 x 2 Trapezoid


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What is the official maximum PAB part limit?
I would like to order a large quantity of different pieces from Pick-A-Brick. When I click through Pick-A-Brick and choose all my bricks, it always stops accepting new pieces after I have 95 distinct pieces in my bag.
Is there an official limit to how many distinct parts I can order from Pick-A-Brick? I saw another answer (https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/6021/15632) that says Pick-A-Brick has no limit.

On the U.S. Website, it says that there is not a limit. Are you in, say, Great Britain or elsewhere in Europe? If so, maybe different regions have different limits due to availability and population.

Same here, but after you add 95 distinct bricks, it stops working, this also happens to me on the US website. There is no indication in the UI that 95 is the limit, and I can click on "Pick" for further bricks, but they never get added. The Chrome Inspector shows that the AddToPABCart returned an Internal Server Error. However, LEGO Support said: "The item limits are there to keep your browsing session stable as it's a big task for most devices to handle"

@BenediktKöppel I checked too and that is the case. However, that is also the same on the Great Britain website from what I can tell. Please check that to make sure that this is correct and not just user error.

yes, same happens on the German and Swiss stores. Given that it's a "Internal Server Error", I don't really believe the LEGO support that this is a deliberate limit, and it seems more like a technical glitch. I guess I'll have to file multiple PAB orders.

@BenediktKöppel OK. Thanks for helping me improve the answer!


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Part identification (single part)
I'd be grateful if someone could help me identify this part. It's from the Lego Power Functions Ideas book, which has a gallery of required parts, but without part numbers.

Why does it say you need zero of that part?

The photo is from the 2nd book in a set of two by Yoshihito Isogawa. The appendix lists all the parts required for the models in each book, and the required quantity. It also states (in brackets) how many of each part is required for the models in the sister book. I cropped this out unintentionally from the photo.

It is 4281515: Bionicle Eye.
Appears in 22 sets according to Brickset.

Thank you! Been trying to find this for days.

Glad I could help. I've been sorting through Chima stuff recently so recognised it.


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LEGO set from these two structures
Got these but could not identify the set.

Please stop using the lego group tag for every single question you post, if you want a set to be identified you can use set- identification tag or for a single part(s) use part-identification. I have edited your post to make this change.

This looks like Border Ambush (8778):


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Strange blocks appeared in my program

In my Mindstorms program, I found these strange blocks. They appeared when I sent this program to my other PC on Windows 10, which is more powerful. They don't work and I can't change them. Mindstorms just stopped working on old PC on Windows 10   and it crashes every time I try to open any program. Now I even can't delete them! Help!

Does this answer your question? Lego Mindstorms Ev3 home edition on Mac OS Mojave bug - bricks sometimes go blank


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What is the battery life of the new Mindstorms and SPIKE Prime hubs?
The new Mindstorms v4 and SPIKE Prime hubs include a 2100mAh Lithium-ion battery. How long is it expected to last when running a program?

Power consumption and battery life will of course vary based on the load that the hub is driving. Philo has an extensive analysis for motor power consumption, so I'll just look at what the hub itself consumes while running a program to come up with a baseline battery life estimate.
I've uploaded a test Python program to my hub that gently blinks a heartbeat LED:
import hub,utime
while True:
    hub.led(0,0,10)
    utime.sleep_ms(500)
    hub.led(0,0,0)
    utime.sleep_ms(500)

In order to measure the current draw, I first wired up the battery to the hub with the battery outside the hub:

I then connected a basic multimeter up in series with the hub as a current sensor:

We can see that the Hub with the simple program running consumes about 150mA of current. Assuming ideal usage of the included 2100mAh battery, the hub should be able to run for approximately 2100mAh / 150mA = 14 hours while not driving any peripherals.
Peripherals such as motors (and even the LED display) quickly dwarf the power consumption of the hub itself, but under normal usage we should expect to see several hours of battery life.

Wow! Incredible answer.  What do you do in your spare time‽

@MarkStewart This is actually quite simple in theory - anyone with basic familiarity with electronics could do this. You could be one of those people if you spent some time to learn from the Internet and spend a bit of money on tools. The trickest bit was probably getting the wires to actually connect to the battery connector in the hub.  Looks like jncraton used some clip-on probe thingies.

Open the battery please. It seems to have basic Philips screws. Wonder if there are plain 18650 cells inside we can easily replace...

@bert I swore I saw a picture of a breakdown, and they were LiPo cells, not LiIon/cylindrical.


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What is the LEGO code for this part used as a camcorder?
Can anyone help me ID this part for my son? I think it comes from when I was a kid in the 80s-90s. I THINK that it had a VHS-type piece tacked to its side to be a camcorder, but don't quote me on that.

That's Minifigure, Utensil Camera with Side Sight (Space Gun). Part number is 4360.

As name suggest it was used both as a camera as well as a space gun.
Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Black Tape Reels Pattern or "VHS" tape was commonly used with piece above in "camera" setup.

Odd that all the references I can find are the black one. No mention of a grey one.

@Modred189 check first URL. On the right side you'll see list of known colors for the part. You should be looking for "Light Gray".

@Modred189 Click on the check mark next to a post to accept it as the answer.


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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.

You can find the history of almost any piece by looking it up on Bricklink.

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.

Had a few of these, definitely wasn’t supposed to come apart.

Broken and buried in the ground from the looks of it.  Or is that grease from the motor the inside is crusted with?

Definitely broken: in the bottom view, you can see where all eight of the tabs that held the motor housing together have broken off.

Thanks guys. It had been in the dirt. I didn't recognize the shape at all and the hollowness of it made me speculate it may be old. Broken housing makes sense. Thanks for the info.

Tyler, it sounds like you agree with this answer.  If so, it would be nice to click the checkbox beside it to show that you accept it.  Since you asked the question you are the only one with this power.

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

Buggy aka RC Motor is totally different motor.

The one I have is identical to the above-pictured.  Don't make me find it!

Do you happen to know which set exactly you are referring to? 8475 or 8284 maybe? I don't see any "Buggy" sets with a motor mentioned in another answer.

@Alex Hi, I cannot provide exact clarification for you.  Might edit to include uncertainty?  Meh.  Focusing purely on the title of question, I would maintain the second half of my submitted answer.


text:
Identify soft lego wings
I wonder in which set the following piece appears (the soft plastic wing).
It is most likely in year 2012-2016.

That would be 76039-1: Ant-Man Final Battle from 2015.

The blue and yellow-green marbled parts don't go to the set though, they are from one of 3 Ninjago sets that are also from 2015.

That's great! Thanks for the answer!