text:
Is it possible to buy Lego Marvel Superheroes mini-figures separately?
I'm a fan of Marvel, and I find it pretty cool that LEGO is making sets and mini figures for Marvel. I personally wouldn't want to buy a whole set of blocks and characters, and I wouldn't want to buy multiple sets to get the characters I need, because I will end up having plural of the same minifigures, and end up spending more money for blocks and parts I don't really want.
All I really want are the following minifigures from the Avengers: Hawkeye, Ironman, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, and even Nick Fury.

LEGO typically does not sell individual minifigures from its licensed themes due to licensing restrictions. Often, another company has an exclusive license to produce action figures from a franchise, which means that LEGO is only allowed to sell building sets. These may contain figures, but there has to be a real buildable component. That's why we see "Battle packs" like this one in the Star Wars theme:

With that said, there is a strong secondary market for minifigs. You can often find the popular characters on eBay, Bricklink, or even Amazon. For the specific minifigs that you are interested in, you may want to check out the superheroes category on Bricklink.

I agree with @jncraton, licensed themes are typically restricted from selling minifigures on their own as that would conflict with action figure licenses. Some amount of construction must be included to make it a building set.
You have some options though. In addition to secondary markets like Bricklink and eBay, several Marvel Super Heroes minifigures have appeared in their own polybags, which is very nearly like just buying the minifig.
For example, Thor: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?set=30163-1

and Hawkeye: http://www.brickset.com/detail/?set=30165-1

On the other hand, TLG has been making a habit of producing some figures as exclusive items in small quantities, and handing them out at places like Comic-Con. If you really wanted one of those figures, be prepared to pay handsomely.
Of course, some figures will only be available in certain sets, so secondary markets are your only option if you don't want that set.

Great answer! I wasn't aware of the Avengers polybags.

If you buy the set that has the figures you want, then sell what you don't want you end up getting the figures for free.  As an example, LEGO 76000 Arctic Batman, RRP £20 but when on sale £13.  Say you only want Aqua Man, you could sell Batman, Mr Freeze and the bat boat easily for a fiver each, even after fees you now have Aquaman for free....

LEGO doesn't currently sell the figures on their own, unless as a previous user suggested you buy a poly bag which still isn't the figure on its own. Have you seen a website called firestartoys.com ? you can buy individual minifigure parts such as arms let alone complete figures.
Here's a quick search of the site for super heroes: http://www.firestartoys.com/Shop/LEGO-Minifigures/Super-Heroes-LEGO-Minifigures.html


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What are the pros and cons of using a Lego rental service such as Pleygo?
Anyone used Pleygo which is a website advertised as A Netflix-like rental service for Lego® sets? What are the pros and cons?

No Technic sets so far but it's interesting.

I guess I'm too stunned (I mean, is this for real?) to answer anything remotely meaningful, although some obvious cons come to mind:

you get bricks which have been used, potentially a lot, and you have no clue how or by whom (well ok they say they sanitize them in between, but still)
you don't get to keep them (well maybe that's a pro given the first con).
15$ per month seems rather expensive too, I'm not saying LEGO is a cheap toy but I'm confident you can get a decent amount of your own, new bricks for that price

But of course I've never used (or even known about) the service, so maybe I'm unnecessarily harsh about it.
However, I have some related experience with this: when I was a kid, there was a library in the village which doubled as a toy library on Saturday, where you could rent toys for a week. While this was great to play all sort of different board games and they made a very good effort to ensure they were always complete, I have some memories of one particular game which smelled kinda funny. We liked the game though, so we played it quite often, but it did smell funny.
So that would be one thing to be wary of - how exactly do they sanitize blocks? How do they deal with blocks which are rented to smokers, or people with pets (considering some people are allergic, it's a very valid question).
Of course inventory of the set would tend to be an issue too - as a matter of fact, they did have a few LEGO sets at said toy library, and I can tell you they were far from complete (since the library was at the school, we could sometimes play with the toys when waiting for our parents, or something like that; in any case I never rented LEGO sets as I had my own LEGO bricks and the sets weren't complete anyway). In any case, considering how easy it is to lose a LEGO parts, and seeing pleygo claims "No charge for lost pieces", it's bound to happen a lot that pieces are indeed lost. I assume they'll try to replace them somehow, but I'm extremely curious about how they'd do that.
If you're willing to try the service, I would at the very least recommand you get answers to these questions (they may be on their site somewhere, I didn't check), and more importantly, check if you can get a trial somehow. It would be nuts to have to pay one full year to realize the service is sub-par.
But in my opinion, it's probably always better to buy sets. Keeping in mind LEGO usually keeps its value rather well, is it wise to pay 15$ a month and not get anything you can keep in return?

Edit: it seems Pleygo is getting some momentum these days, and I assume the fact they're still in business speaks in their favour. Also, the owners have been kind enough to answer some questions to Brickset, which is a very interesting read and provides much needed answers to questions you may have (In particular, cleaning). Still not for me, but it seems they're quite serious and professionnal about it all. They do seem to offer the first month for free, too.

Pros:

You get to try LEGO sets to see if you like them before you buy
You can build LEGO sets that you might not be able to afford
You don't have to find a market for sets you don't want to keep long-term
You don't have to worry about lost parts, cleaning etc. because someone else takes care of those things for you
You don't need to find space to store all that LEGO permanently
You don't get charged for lost parts

Cons:

You can't conveniently mix the components in with other sets to create your own MOCs (because you'll have to sort it all out again afterwards)
You may have concerns about the quality or cleanliness of parts (although Pleygo does go to considerable lengths to deal with these issues)
The sets you're interested in might not be available from the service at all
You may have to wait a long time for popular sets
The service may not be available in your locality
Your financial investment doesn't give you any long-term benefits (other than a building experience with a particular set)
It may still be too costly for some (although still much cheaper than buying)

On the whole, the service is aimed at families with children rather than AFOLs. As such, it appears to be gaining ground and meeting a real need.

Cool idea but not very realistic.
Pros:
Get to build a variety of sets
Don't have to purchase so many
Cons:
Too expensive.  $40 a month for the big sets. The ones that everyone wants to build.
No return time may make sets hard to get

Its not for everyone, but those who just don't want to store the sets it makes sense. It is more aimed at the parent with a 6 year old who asks for LEGO sets every time they walk through Toys R Us. If you go to their page right now and click the vote banner at the top, the CEO's profile has a video that shows the cleaning process. Again, it is not for everyone.

I have considered having my 9 year old son attend Lego camps during the summer. Those camps can be really expensive. I just saw one at the University of Missouri. Look at these prices.
*****Space is limited to 15 kids and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Time for all camps: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Cost:
2-day camps: $175 (lunch, CD and insurance included)
3-day camps: $300 (lunch, CD and insurance included)*****

Now! This is the price for  2 and 3 days. With Pleygo you are allowed unlimited sets monthly for $15-$40 per month. Your child will be able to construct a multiple of sets in the comfort of his or her own home and be able to use the rest of the money for a neighborhood basketball camp or beading class or something else. I believe that the cost far outweighs anything like a Lego summer camp. Looking at the 3-day camps after paying those fees you will have paid for the entire year for Pleygo's subscription in but only have access for 3 days versus 365. Totally something to think about especially if you are looking for summer activities, you see? I see mega savings!

Pleygo is not at all related to summer camps, though. A summer camp buys you daycare and teachers and structured activities. You could buy a bastketball for a few dollars and send your kid to Lego camp; that way he gets to play ball all year instead of just one week and the savings can pay for the Lego camp.

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sort: votes


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Are the Lego looking figures in the picture real?
I stumbled on this picture on the Nerd Fitness blog's paleo diet page:

Are they real Lego figures? (both the mammoth and the hunters) or photoshopped?
If so, are they correct? Or merely repurposed (e.g. hunters are really from a Viking set, and "mammoth" is just an elephant from some Africa themed set)?

Yes, they are real! The minifigures all have standard LEGO body-parts. They are not from any specific theme, but mixed and matched from different minifigures. The headgear and hair-pieces are all real LEGO pieces as well. The beards are from LEGO customizer Brickforge, the spears are from LEGO customizer BrickWarriors, and the capes are standard LEGO. The elephant is also a standard LEGO elephant which appeared in several sets in the past. Here are some reference links:
BrickForge's website: http://www.brickforge.com/store/
BrickWarriors' website: http://www.brickwarriors.com/
Elephant: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=elephant1c01
Hope this helps!..(c:

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Does anyone know why Hagrid has fingers?
Hagrid (hp061 and hp009) both have fingers instead of just the traditional c-cup hands.
Does anyone know why?

This has been asked on the brickset forums but, without answer so far - let's hope someone finds some insight about this

Since Hagrid is much larger than others, it is an opportunity to include slightly more detail without looking clumsy. The fingers might increase the illusion of being bigger.


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Will using a bright LED to light my MOC harm my LEGO?
I'm building a LEGO model and planning on lighting it with a bank of 5 battery operated LEDs. I know sunlight negatively affects several LEGO colors. Will a bright LED harm the elements in my MOC the same way sunlight would?

I assume these are small, battery operated LEDs? In which case heat shouldn't be too much of an issue - LEGO used to use the older style tungsten bulbs, so it should be fine.

Ultra-violet radiation is emitted primarily by sunlight, mercury lamps, black lights.
LEDs emitting visible light will not produce a significant amount of UV radiation required to discolour LEGO bricks. However, LEDs can be manufactured to emit UV light,


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Will learning about EV3 transfer to Lego RCX software/hardware?
If I attend a workshop on EV3 will that knowledge help me get up and running with RCX software and Lego Mindstorm kits we already have at our school? I know EV3 is backwards compatible with NXT but they said nothing about RCX. Guess it's a bit obsolete?

As far as the standard software is concerned, it's probably way too different so that your knowledge of one won't translate easily to the other. If the workshop uses third-party software, though, the gap might be smaller.
As for the construction of a robot and the principles of how to automate it, this should be closer, but there are still noticeable differences, for example using studless beams in newer kits versus studded construction in the RCX.
There is some backward compatibility, mind you, but it's more on the hardware level (meaning with the aid of converter cables you can use RCX motors and sensors with an NXT and that should hold true for EV3 as well).


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Where can I buy big quantity of the same block?
I have a decoration project and for that I need almost 10.000 2x4 blocks (same color or not according what I would find).
Do you know how/where I can buy such a quantity ?
News  or 2d hand... I do not mind :)
I got on BrickLink, but I did not find it very easy to use.

If you want specific quantities of specific parts your only two real choices are BrickLink or Lego.com's Pick-A-Brick.
Searching for any color of 2x4 brick in quantities of at least 10,000 on Bricklink you can start from the following URL: http://www.bricklink.com/search.asp?pg=1&itemID=264&sz=50&searchSort=P
You'll then need to click the "Show More Filter Options" link and put "10000" into the "Min Qty" field and then click the "Go" button. You'll probably see the same result I did, which is that the only sellers who have that kind of stock are in Europe, which might not be an issue for you, at a minimum price of ~$0.13USD.
Checking Pick-A-Brick (http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Pick-A-Brick-ByTheme) the price per part direct from LEGO for the 2x4 in most colors is currently $0.30USD.
Those really are pretty much the two simplest options. However, for a quantity like that you might want to consider contacting some of the larger BrickLink sellers directly. They can often be very helpful when trying to run down this kind of an order since BL requires that they list their inventory by color, but they may be able to do a quick calculation to determine if they have enough on-hand from the various colors to be able to make a bulk deal and maybe, if you're lucky, maybe even get a deal on it.

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How to use Power Functions with Mindstorms EV3?
Having learned that Mindstorms EV3 doesn't work directly with Power Functions,

Q: Can you use Power Functions motors with the EV3 programmable brick?
A: No, the connector does not match.

I still wonder what could be possible workarounds to use them together?

You can accomplish this with these two parts:

https://brickset.com/sets/8528-1/Converter-Cables-for-Mindstorms-NXT
https://brickset.com/sets/8886-1/Extension-Cable

8886 | (8871 & 8528) http://powerfunctions.lego.com/en-us/faq/default.aspx

How does this accomplish anything? The cables are incompatible. Bad answer and non-helpful. @guestguy123's answer was better, even without details (which I added).

As of Nov 2014, the top link doesn't work.  And, honestly, I don't think this was ever a valid solution.

@Nick2253 The top link has since rotted. I've updated it to the new location.

Just to confirm (as auselen's link to the FAQ points out) this is the LEGO approved way of connecting PF Mindstorms parts.

That FAQ entry is for the NXT not the EV3.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150122045709/http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Converter-Cables-for-LEGO-MINDSTORMS-NXT-8528

I can confirm 8528 and 8886 combination works, as long as you alter the speed of the motor. See David Lechner's answer for more details.

As mentioned by @guestguy123 and @eficker, it is easy to combine an EV3 cable and a PF cable to make a custom cable that allows the EV3 to control. This can even be done without soldering - I just twist the wires together and tape them with electrical tape. The full schematic is here:

All you need is 2 resistors (1x1kOhm and 1x10kOhm) which are cheap to get at your local electronics store (e.g. Radioshack or Maplin's) and the willpower to cut through 2 good Lego wires (1 PF cable and 1 EV3 cable). But once you do, it recognizes a PF motor as an NXT style unregulated motor and you can send it commands.

forgot to mention that I snipped that image from the youtube video - not my work ;)

Do the resistors avoid the timeout problem mentioned in David Lechners answer?

I have used my modified cables regularly and never encountered that problem, so I think the answer to your question is Yes.

You can use 3rd party modules:

HiTechnic NXT IRLink Sensor

control PF motors using PF IR receiver
EV3 blocks
Lejos IRLink class

MindSensors PF Motor controller for NXT (PFMate)

control PF motors using PF IR receiver
No EV3 blocks (yet)
Lejos PFMateMotor class

Mindsensors GlideWheel PF Motor controller for NXT or EV3

can power PF motor directly from EV3
PF motor can be used as regulated motor (servo)
EV3 blocks
Lejos MindsensorsGlideWheelMRegulatedMotor class

Or third party cable NXT to PF Cable (however I am not 100% sure if it will work with EV3). Accoring to answer on lejos forum it should work with Lejos RCXMotor class.

You can connect the Power Functions motor to the EV3 with a LEGO 8528 cable and a LEGO 8886 cable.

In addition to the cables, you need to know how to trick the software. You can use the unregulated motor block, but it will stop after a short time (1 second or so). You have to constantly change the speed to keep the motor powered.
Here is a simple example to run the motor at 75% of full power:

Using a single unregulated motor in a block like this won't work because the power value does not change. It seems that changing the power value is what resets the timeout on the EV3.

this explains how to make a conversion cable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns3TODgRlCE
You take a cable from the EV3 and a power functions cable, add some resistors and solder it up. Not a tough mod, but you do have to sacrifice two cables to the cause. Although, the possibilities are worth it imo, as you can now control a lego train or other power functions sets with EV3.

Can add details (in your answer) about how this cable is made before referring to this external link?

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What are the inspirational resources for building with Duplo?
I am interested in knowing what are the inspirational resources for building with Duplo, so I can spend more quality time with them.
For example have Lego ever released Duplo building instructions similar to Mini Builds? Or what can be good web sites to check, follow?

LEGO does have some interesting and inspirational videos and ideas on their DUPLO website: http://duplo.lego.com/en-us/videos/
One issue with DUPLO is that it is mainly considered as LEGO for babies so all the ideas you will get on LEGO's website will be geared towards small children. However there are adult LEGO fans who also use DUPLO in their creations. Some simply incorporate DUPLO as a support-system for larger LEGO dioramas (like for building up a hill) - a method also used by LEGO's own model builders.
There are also a few adult LEGO fans who use DUPLO for building wonderful creations. One of my favorites is this LEGO DUPLO castle: http://www.flickr.com/photos/joachim_s_mueller/350719605/
Based on it, I also built a DUPLO castle myself: http://www.flickr.com/photos/akunthita/sets/72157617926473583/
In general, flickr.com is a good place to look for DUPLO creations, but again; remember that most will be geared towards small children, so you will have to comb through a lot of rainbow colored towers before you find a really good LEGO DUPLO creation.
Here is an article on how DUPLO and LEGO are compatible and can be used together: http://thebrickblogger.com/2010/12/lego-duplo/

Here's a great site for simple Duplo building ideas: http://legoideas.si
Very inspirational!

LOL - Why does each and every one of them remind me of a Crossy Road character?
;-)

Check duplobuilding.com, which is a nice active duplo custom building site, with an instagram and youtube channel.
Instagram: https://instagram.com/duplobuilding
Happy building!

Feb. 2017: Server not found

@ATV I replaced the dead link with one to the wayback machine.

Put up a small blog post here with a few ideas that don’t require complicated bricks.
https://nicksweb.co.uk/2022/04/12/duplo-easy-build-ideas/


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How tall is a standard LEGO minifigure?
Sometimes I build towns of LEGO buildings, and occasionally the minifigures will get stuck in a low roof or underhang (pun intended). Does anyone know the height of a standard LEGO person in bricks as well as inches/centimeters? Also, does a standard LEGO cap affect the minimum roof height of a LEGO building?

Already answered: http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/666/what-are-the-practical-bounds-of-a-minifigure


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My poor minifig's head is stuck in his helmet!
Recently I made a LEGO race car with a driver who wore a helmet. Unfortunately, after the race, I tried to take off his helmet and his head came off inside the helmet. Any suggestions about getting it out so he can see again?

Can you post a photograph of this so that we can understand the problem better?

@AndersonGreen The sugar liquid answer by awe worked.

My Skull Sorcerer figure’s head keeps getting stuck inside the helmet. I bought the latest Ninjago magazine which includes a spare Skull Sorcerer figure but that figure’s head gets stuck inside the helmet too! Does everyone who owns this figure have this problem or is it just my bad luck?

You can use some sugar liquid to use as temporary glue to make the head stuck to the torso. Then wait till the sugar is sticky and then try to remove the helmet. Once the helmet is loose you can put the head and torso in warm water to loosen the sugar glue and take it off. Then wash thoroughly to remove remaining sugar.

I wonder if someone sells some premade easy-to-disolve glue, but an homemade solution sounds even better

A trick that's worked for me in the past, is to use a 1x1 cone with a Technic axle in it (it needs to be the cone without the top groove, unlike the example below) - this will allow you to force the tapered end of the cone into the hole on the bottom of the head, and by fastening a Technic gearwheel, brick or larger cylinder to the Technic axle, you'll be able to apply a fair amount of force to increase the clutch of the cone piece in the head and twist to loosen it from the helmet with a push-twist-pull movement. Good luck.

Your problem is that the clutch (what holds bricks together) between the helmet and the head is too high, and in any case higher than the clutch between head and torso.
This means the solution is to increase the clutch between the head and another part you'll use to remove it. I would first recommend trying other torsos, maybe one has enough clutch to easily take the head with it and beat the helm. Twisting the parts while trying to separate them should also help.
If that fails, other LEGO parts might help, but I'm not sure which ones - torsos have a longer stud probably for that very reason. Maybe a Technic pin with friction?
You could also try slipping some paper around a torso stud, but be careful not to just push the paper alone inside the head.

Unfortunately, his head's still stuck.

A quick and easy way to remove a helmet stuck onto the head...I used a piece of Bounty kitchen roll, approximately 3cm x 3cm, (which is actually thicker then a single ply toilet tissue) and placed this over the stub of the body then pushed the head onto this.  The head will not go all the way down, but far enough for it to remain firmly in place.  Then I was able to remove the helmet very easily.

Kitchen towel did the trick for me. Just adds enough clutch for the torso to grab the head.

You need to get something into the head-hole to grip the head whilst you remove the helmet.
You could try a pair of snap-ring pliers or needle nose pliers. Insert both jaws into the hole and pull them apart as much as possible whilst you remove the head from the helmet. You might need a helper - someone to remove the helmet whilst you grip the head with the tool.
You may not be able to avoid scratching the inside of the head-hole slightly - but a scratch where it won't be seen is probably better than throwing two parts away.
Worst case, you write-off the head completely, but at least you've still got a useful helmet. If you do get to the point where you can't remove the helmet without damaging it, you could resort to super-gluing something to the inside of the head and pull it out.

Take some scotch tape and wrap it round the neck thing. Then you just put the head on and pull the helmet off. If that doesn't work, use more tape, it will make the head stay on the neck a little better.

I just removed a non-LEGO crown which was very very tight top on Nadakhan's head. It was so tight, it seemed that only destroying it could help. But my son loved the crown and especially head, so here is my solution:

I put some olive oil between the crown and the head
I took a paper napkin and put it over a LEGO torso's neck
I put the head stuck on the neck over the paper, so the head was pretty tight on the torso
I boiled some water, poured it into a cup, then holding the minifigure's legs, put the crown in the boiling water. Please note - not the head, just the helmet (crown in my case)!
After about 2 minutes held in the very hot water (I hoped the hot water would expand the crown, but not the head. I don't know if this step was really necessary), I could completely remove the crown from the head with pliers.

Good luck to everyone with the same problem :)

You should try to use a torso that is really, really gripping. The newer, the better. Do you have any Exo-Force minifigures? I found those torsos really, really tight. Whenever I got something stuck, I always plonk them on Hikaru's torso. Works most of the time. Helps if you twist it around. Once the helmet turns but the head doesn't, you're gold.

Okay, this would be good for in the future if it happens again.

I know this is going to sound weird, but wrap a piece of single-ply toilet paper over the neck of the body piece. Jam that in the head's hole and twist until the face starts to move. Then pull. The head should come out of the helmet no problem!

You can also try to use soapy water. You know how people use soap to remove a stuck ring from their finger? The same works for stuck LEGO helmets. Just immerse the helmet/head in some water with lots of soap, then do as Joubarc mentioned; attach them back to a torso, and now wiggle off the helmet...(c:

It wiggles but it won't come out. The neck keeps slipping out of the head before the helmet comes off of the head.

Just, let the time goes by, that happenned to me with a dwarf beard, I had to wait 2 months, and after that, it came off easily. In your case, I need that Anakin's hair just gets stuck in it's head.

You can put a little bit of 2 sided tape on the neck of the torso and stick it in the head and pull and it works, however this may get stuck inside the head. So using one sided tape would work if you put enough layers on....also 1 sided tape is easier to to get hold of.

Yeah, and what if some of the tape gets stuck inside the head hole after? I think this approach sounded risky...

Take a household screw slightly wider than the hole inside the head. Screw it in until the threads feel a bit tight. Then pull it out with a pliers. If you have a screw but it's not wide enough inside the neck, wrap it in a paper towel and screw it in till it's tight and will make the head turn inside the helmet, and then pull it out.

You can put some duct tape on top of a LEGO axle and push it into the head hole and twist until it comes out!

You could always use a tight torso and put it inside the head. I actually used mega block brand legs to take out the head of my minfig. Sometimes it doesn't work but most of the time it does.

Needless to say, you don't even need clone-brands for this. I have an official lego torso for the passenger train set and his is really tight. But I suppose thats not very common.

Put the head (with the helmet stuck on) on a torso. As you take the helmet off, bend the helmet a little.
As long as there is more friction between the torso and head than the head and helmet it should come of with some effort.

Grab a sharp knife. Stick it inside the head on a slight angle and twist the helmet off. This has worked every time for me. :) Just be careful when you do it!

Wouldn't the knife edge damage the head with this method?

I boiled some water. Then I stuck a pencil eraser in the head. After that I dipped mostly just the helmet in the water. Finally, I attached the head to the torso and kept on twisting the helmet until it got loose and fell off.
I hope this works for someone else!


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Compatibility EV3 software with NXT brick - known limits?
Lego says I can I use the new software to program old NXT bricks:

Q: Is EV3 backwards compatible with NXT hardware?
A: Yes. You can program your NXT intelligent brick using the new EV3 software. However not all software features are supported by the NXT intelligent Brick. You cannot program your EV3 programmable brick with the NXT Software.)

Are there any known limits programming the NXT bricks? I often had problems with MINDSTORMS NXT under Mac OS X and would like to replace it if possible.

You can try the iPad version NXT-G.
More stable than osx version.

iPad has no USB and doesn't support bluetooth. Even if NXT-G was available, how would it connect to a NXT brick?

EV3 has no support for the Light Sensor, just the Color sensor.  There is a Raw Sensor that can be used to create a Light Sensor MyBlock.  That MyBlock can then be used to create the various WaitFor, Loop, and Switch blocks using the Logic form of those blocks.
Then there is the calibration problem.  The Color Sensor block in calibration mode does not work on the NXT brick.  The EV3 can also program around that using file operations.
Finally, there is the memory problem. The new firmware leaves a bit less memory available on the NXT. The programs still need to be managed carefully to avoid using up all the memory.
Yes, you can use EV3 software on NXT bricks.  In general it is very easy.  There are some issues.

EV3 software cannot connect to the NXT 2.0 brick through Bluetooth, only by USB. One can only hope that this is a bug and will be fixed.


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Accessing ARM Processor Memory Registers through NXC
Specific to the NXC (Not eXactly C) programming language. Is it possible to access the memory registers on the ARM AT91SAM7S256 processor? I'm trying to investigate the use of Timer Interrupts to schedule a sampling routine.
I do know it's possible with nxt-gcc, but I don't know enough about NXC to understand if it would work. Would it not be possible to run with interrupts since the firmware uses the blocking I2C to communicate with sensors?

NXC creates bytecode for the standard (or NXC upgraded) NXT virtual machine. The idea of this virtual machine is to create an abstraction layer to prevent malicious low level calls such as accessing memory registers on the processor.
So, without a low level compiler, such access would not be possible.


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How to efficiently identify Lego bricks and find their names?
I've found http://rebrickable.com/myparts linked in one of the answers here on this site and I'd like to list all of the parts I have at home (probably a thousand or two). The problem is, there is a lot of similar pieces on Rebrickable, including some which have "similar" in the thumbnail image, or have three zeros for parts, sets and colors.
For example there is a 1x2 brick with no hole in it: 3004. What is the difference between this and 3004px3? Can I filter the useless bricks out? How can I find the version with circular hole in the middle used a lot in Technic?
But the whole question boils down to: How to efficiently identify bricks and their names?

@jncraton A straight duplicate I'd say. I wonder how I've missed that question.

In my experience, the Bricklink catalog is the most complete parts list. It is organized in fairly logical tree by part type (brick, plate, wheels, slope, etc). Once you get familiar with it, you should be able to identify parts fairly quickly.
If you take a look at the 2 parts that you mentioned in your example on Bricklink, you can clearly see the difference between them:
3004:

3004px3:


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EV3 additional build instructions - PDF download or print possible?
The EV3 retail edition comes with printed instructions to build only one of the possible robots and it appears you have to use the software to view the build instructions of the other models.
My question is: is it possible to download or export/print these additional model instructions?
I have attempted to find both downloads (Lego's PDF search function returns nothing) and an export/print option to no avail.

Edit to add:
PDF downloads are now available from the LEGO Site:

3D Building Instructions

The images used for building instructions are available (jpeg images) in folder C:\Program Files\LEGO Software\LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home Edition\Resources\ContentPacks\Retail\nonlocalized\LEGO\pack0\projects (more or less, depends on OS and installation choices). Take care not to modify anything there, as you might need to reinstall the software!
It's a bit more complex for .ev3 project files containing building instructions (eg. downloadable bonus models):

Open the ev3 project file as if it is a zip archive.
Inside you'll find a file named ActivityAssets.laz. Open this one as
a zip archive too,
it contains all the images for building instructions. You can
extract those images to a separate location
then you can print those images or build a PDFfile, you can put that on your tablet...
take care not to modify the project files!

Remember that these images are the property of their owner (LEGO or model builder), use them for you own personal needs only!

Thanks - seems like the only option until/if Lego release the manuals as PDF downloads.

Building instructions of 31313 retail set official models are now available: http://www.us.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/community/bi/


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Is there a fix for an NXT reporting "File error!" when running an EV3 program?
I downloaded the new EV3 software from Lego and installed it on Windows 7.  The EV3 software runs.  I plugged in an NXT using a USB cable.  EV3 can edit the memory on the NXT and remove programs/sounds/text files.
I created a program that uses the large motor to spin the B motor 1 rotation at 75% power.  The end program block finishes the very small program.
It downloads without complaint.  Run it and the NXT complains with "File error!".
Is this a known problem?
Is there a fix?
The NXT has firmware 1.05 loaded.

I needed to update the firmware. 1.05 was too old. 1.31 works.
Download from:
http://mindstorms.lego.com/en-us/support/files/default.aspx#Firmware
I did need to run the old NXT-G software to download the newer firmware.  I did not try to download the firmware using EV3.

First off Ev3 and Nxt are different machines. However, it's most likely the firmware. I've just downloaded my firmware for Ev3 and I also tried out a program I made. It downloaded perfectly but when I tried to start it, it said "FILE NAME ERROR", which I believe is similar to your problem. I either recommend re-downloading the firmware or turning the Ev3 or Nxt off then trying it again.

I only have an NXT brick.  The question concerned using EV3 software to create a program and download the program to an NXT brick.  The NXT needed newer firmware.

The NXT won't take programs from the EV3 programming environment!

Actually, the NXT does accept programs written in EV3-G. It did require a firmware upgrade.


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Naming a program in EV3 software?
I have figured out how name a project but cannot figure out how to rename a program.

Just double click on program's name in the tab.

What about on computer
Philo
Please anyone respond

The LEGO code double click speed requirement is set very short.
If I really concentrate on clicking quickly --- it works.


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How can you estimate the value of a LEGO collection?
I might get a chance to buy a big LEGO collection of an old colleague of mine, but before I even come out with this suggestion I'd like to know, more or less, how much it should be worth?
The last time I remember his collection took about half of the volume of a 100x100x30 (cm) box.

This isn't an easy one: collections can vary considerably in value according to the rarity and desirability of their component parts. There are several approaches you can take to valuing a collection, but it really depends on how much work you're prepared to put in.
Of course, the only true indicator of anything is the amount that someone is prepared to pay for it. However, as a lot of people are buying and selling LEGO, we can get a lot more specific than that.
The Stupidly Fancy Method
Now, at the extreme end of the spectrum, you could go to the trouble of cataloguing every component in the collection and coming up with a price for each piece - based on BrickLink or something similar. There are 3 problems with this approach:

Prices on BrickLink are a fair guide, but remember that these are selling prices, which may not match the price that someone is willing to spend. For common components the prices are probably about right, but for rarer ones the vendors may be asking unrealistic prices.
It isn't all about the parts. Complete sets may be worth more than their component parts, especially if boxes and instructions are present and in good condition. Mint, unopened sets are often worth more than opened sets, but how much more depends on the set.
For anything but the smallest collection, this approach is prohibitively time consuming for us mere mortals.

The Easy Way
At the other end of the spectrum is another approach: weigh the collection, and base the price on weight. People often sell by weight on eBay, so by looking at a few listings it is fairly easy to come up with a figure for price per kg (or lb). The problem with this is:

There is a fairly wide variation of prices on eBay.
It doesn't take into account complete sets, manuals etc.
Some parts are quite heavy - motors, weights etc.
This approach doesn't take into account the difference between collections with lots of small parts vs lots of larger ones.
Some parts are worth more because they're rare or particularly desirable, e.g. minifigs tend to be more desirable than regular bricks, star wars components are more desirable.

Despite these issues, this general approach seems to be fairly common on eBay. They might sell for more by parting-out, but the effort and time involved just isn't worth it.
My Way
Of course, you can do something in between.
So, here's what I would do if I were selling:

Guess the value.
Figure out your price / kg by looking at recent sales on eBay.
Pull out any complete sets.
Pull out any remaining paperwork and heavy stuff (motors, battery boxes with batteries in).
You should be left with a pile of bricks. Pull out all the minifigs (don't worry too much if you miss a few, and ignore their accessories) unless they're already holding them.
Weigh the remaining loose bricks, and use your price / kg to value them. If you think there is non-LEGO in there (megablocks etc.) either pull them out or reduce your price a bit.
Weigh the complete sets. Use your price / kg to value them and then add a % based on how desirable you think the sets are. Castle, train, space (inc. StarWars), pirate and technic tend to be worth a bit more.
Assign a nominal value to each minifig. Regular city people are worth quite a bit less than "interesting" figs. Starwars are favourite, followed by other "fancy" ones. (If I were selling, I'd probably sell the figs in separate bundles).
Add this lot up.
Compare the difference between the guess you made in 0 and the answer you got in 7, and pick a price somewhere in between.

Of course, if I were buying I'd knock 20% off this price and insist that the seller do the same!
Notes on Pricing
When setting a price, consider the following general rules:

Although the age and rarity of a set or component has some relation to its desirability, they are not the most important part of price.
Quality of the parts matters a lot. Scratches or other marks lower price considerably. For example, I've got some old bricks from the 60s that are really poor for building because they're not made from the same plastic as newer bricks. As a result, people don't seem to want them, despite their relative age.
"Cuteness" of models matters a lot. Some of my oldest sets are quite rare, but they're also quite boring (e.g. sets of roof tiles). As a result they're no where near as valuable as a relatively common but fun set from the same era.
People like figs, so the pre-minifig era sets are not so desirable.
Many buyers like sets from their childhood, so nice space-themed sets from the late 70s - early 90s generally do well on the second-user market.

While this may not help you ascertain the value of someone else's collection you intend to buy or make an offer on, I'll add this for others who may want to know what their own collection is worth - using the Peeron website (www.peeron.com), you can work out the RRP of your own collection. Simply enter the set numbers into their database and Peeron will tally them up for you. As an example, here is what Peeron estimates my collection at:
Totals: 410 Sets (361 unique), 82,912 Parts, $7,249.10, 634 Minifigs.
Couldn't be easier, but you'll need a pretty comprehensive knowledge of your collected sets - it gets more complicated if you have a lot of loose parts bought or gathered outside of official sets.

Whilst this is useful information in its own right (I must admit I had no idea ths facility existed), you should be aware that the RRP of a set and its resale value can be quite different. An extreme exmple is 10179-1: Millennium Falcon. Its RRP was $500, but it can go for several times that on the second hand market (the cheapest sealed one on Bricklink is offered for about $1,700 a I write. No guarantee it will sell at that price, but still).

Correct, but the RRP is a good median estimate for what one might consider their entire collection worth.
Ultimately it comes down to having an in-depth knowledge of one's collected sets before estimating what the total sale value might be.
It is worth mentioning that if one was to sell an entire collection in bulk, it's reasonable to expect that it would not fetch as high a price as it might if it was sold either in parts or per set. The key here is 'used'; it will never fetch the same price as 'new' so a buyer may likely negotiate a better sale price for a bulk collection of used LEGO.

You can enter the collection in the Brickfact app and see the value of the collection easily. The app calculates the prices of each set daily based on actual sales on ebay and Bricklink. From what I see the values provided are pretty accurate. Of course you need to subtract ebay or bricklink fees if you want to sell the sets.
I have all my sets in the app and I see a chart and some nice additional statistics:

This option seem to work only after you made a purchase. But the real question is how would you estimate the worth of bunch of LEGO stuff before paying for it. I don't think option is really feasible in such a case unless all items are boxed and you are given space and time to go through entire box.

You can create an account and add all sets with their quantity and then see what all the sets are worth. You do not need to buy them before adding them to your portfolio in the app.


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Is (C) engraved on a piece an indication that it is Cobi brick?
I know that Lego prints their logo on almost all of their bricks, but some are not given this privilege. I have a couple of pieces, 3x3 in a shape of 2 fingered foot, two pin holes on front corners and one pin hole in the back and an axle in the very middle which goes parallel to the ground surface.

Now it would be all fine for me, but they also have engraved "C" in a circle which can either stand for Copyright or Cobi (a polish toy producer). I have failed to find these pieces on Bricklink but I vaguely recall them to be genuine Lego pieces. Can someone help with identification of them?

The link is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cobi_(building_blocks)

The symbol stamped on the parts you are asking about is the international copyright symbol © and is common on nearly anything with a copyright and not indicative of any particular brand or producer. A decent description of the use and purpose of the symbol can be found at http://www.copyrightlaws.com/international/522/
The tops of Cobi bricks have "Cobi" stamped on them. They also have a limited range of non-brick/plate parts available and have not duplicated many of the Technic parts, including the part in your image (at the time that I am writing anyway).
LEGO produces many parts in many different kinds of plastic and so while a part might not have the same feel as a standard 2x4 brick it doesn't mean that it isn't a LEGO part. The Bionicle/Hero Factory series of sets in particular use a lot of parts molded in plastic that is much less stiff than the ABS used for the System bricks. You were very close in your identification of the part in your own answer as "Technic, Axle and Pin Connector 3 x 3 with Axle" (Though the correct BrickLink part number is 111b, not 113b), however the actual part is instead "Technic, Pin Connector 3 x 3 with Axle" since they appear to be sloped on the ends rather than being a standard width for the entire part. The official LEGO name for the part is "32175 FOOT WITH CROSSAXLE" (Found in LDD v4.3, Brick Version 1182).

Thank you! When I look at the sets where 111b is used I recognize some which I had, so I guess it makes them original ones after all. They are strangely soft and easy to bend, not to mention there is this horizontal 'joining line' going around the whole piece, subpar quality to other Lego pieces. This made me think the ones I have might not be real Lego.

Nope, that's normal. Really. I've got a whole bin of them. :-)


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Is this piece some kind of rare/modified 200?
I have this piece which vaguely resembles 200, Technic Rack Winder Axle (Rebricked) but one end is different. It is 5 studs long, axle is 1 stud long, the gear lies between 3rd and 4th stud and the axle hole is approximately 1 stud deep.
There is no branding on the piece so I am not sure if it isn't something other than Lego.

Edit: The axle hole holds axles really tight, but the axle end doesn't hold other things too well. As for the gear teeth, they are exactly the same as in 3647 (the same shape number and size), although they are slightly moved, 10 degrees or maybe even less.
As mentioned it is possible it's not Lego, but I personally don't recall ever buying any technic-like non-Lego sets. Can't vouch for my brothers after who I've inherited most of my collection.

Looks to me like the bits of plastic you get inside a pen, that make it click...

@ACarter I've dismantled a lot of pens in my life and they've all looked a bit different, not to mention that any axle fits perfectly in the axle hole and the bushes fit perfectly on the axle, at least I think so. I'll check it again when I am home.

Do the teeth mesh properly with LEGO gears? If not, it is not LEGO.

@Kramii http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=x1307 for example doesn't mesh

It is about the right size and shape to be the main shaft of this wind-up motor from set 4093:

Here's another view:

These pictures show the piece as white, but it might be a variant. I do not have one of these windups to take apart to check.

Could be a part of some other motor, too.


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How to store large amounts of bigger bricks?
I am aware of this question and of this post blog on Evil Mad Scientist which include a couple of interesting. My issue with the first one is that it is completely unsuitable for larger amounts of bigger bricks (like 2x2, 1x4, 2x4 and so on) and I'd like to avoid stacking presented in the second link.
I thought long and the best idea I had is to get a couple of the Lego Storage bricks in different colors and store particular color in particular box. The problem is, if I had 50 yellow 2x2, 50 yellow 2x3 and 50 yellow 2x4, I'd have hard time finding two 2x8. Not to mention different shapes and sizes of plates, technic bricks with holes and the studless technics.
Perhaps I am asking for impossible, but are there any solutions for storing large amount of bricks, technic bricks, technic studless bricks and plates in different shapes and colors (I am thinking at least 10 per color & shape and 5 per color & shape of the less popular combinations for the starts) in a way which makes it easy to find the exact piece you want? I don't mind mixing different shapes or colors as long as the big volume of one type won't make it too difficult to find others in the same container.

The link you give is to arranging your build area, but you ask about storage. The two are not always the same - many of us store a lot of Lego and have a "build area collection" that's smaller.

@Ӎσᶎ I didn't realize that people keep separate stashes for immediate building and for long-term storage. It's a good thing to know.

It depends a great deal on your play style and just how much Lego you have, and on what other skills and equipment you have. Using official Lego containers is the most expensive and least flexible option, as they are not really in the storage business. The Technic Briefcase is a good start if you have Technic, but those get pricey if you want more than a couple.

The basic idea is there though - you want a lot of compartments in a few different sizes. Many people buy plastic storage systems, either tackle boxes or drawers (or both), in quantities ranging from "a couple" to "the entire wall of my playroom". Drawers have the advantage that they stack vertically very well, so you can fit a lot of compartments in a small-ish space, and you can get systems that lock together or attach to the wall. Tackle boxes are more portable but harder to get things out of, and organising the boxes can get ugly when you get a lot of them. But I prefer tackle boxes because they give me a wider variety of parts per area of desk, and they're portable.
Since I'm kinda crafty in other ways, I actually built my own tackle box like trays out of wood. That has the advantage that I can customise them exactly how I want them, but obviously I needed a table saw and other tools to build them. Photos here
 (bigger photo)

Awesome photo! So, basically, it boils down to two options: a lot of organiser boxes, and the remaining excess stashed assembled like in Evil Mad Scientist blog post (or not) in a remoter place?

Or you can have a build area and big boxes. Ok, another option: big boxes, optionally with zip-lock bags containing sorted parts. I don't know anyone who actually does big boxes full of loose parts, but it's possible. The box+bag option is very compact, where drawers or organiser boxes end up with a lot of wasted space. I do the box+bag approach, except that I have a box of (Technic) wheels. Plus the shelves you see in the photo. Technic tends to be pretty high volume - lots of big parts.

I have quite different experience with technic size, but then again my collection is still pretty small. Technic takes about half of the pieces I have and less than third of the space used.

Yeah, admittedly I have rather lots of Technic... http://www.moz.net.nz/lego/roadtrain2/


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How to repair cracked/peeling decals?
Does anyone have any ideas on how to repair and protect cracked/peeling decals, like these pictured in my 10019 set:

Some kind of film or lacquer?

Oh, those look sad! Stickers with white designs on them are notorious for peeling/cracking.
I have found that the best way to protect stickers like these is to apply a thin layer of clearcoat to them while they are still new. Wait until the clearcoat dries, then apply the sticker to the LEGO set. You can use pretty much any acrylic clearcoat, medium or varnish available at hobby and craft stores. Anything in the scrap-booking/decoupage section should be safe, but it is a good idea to test them on a small corner of the sticker-sheet. Always apply the clearcoat thin. You only need a thin layer over the sticker. If you apply too much the clearcoat can yellow with age.
Once stickers are already damaged it would be pretty much impossible to repair them. Even if you try to put a clearcoat on an already damaged sticker, it will continue peeling, so it is not worth it. It is much easier to just get and extra sticker-sheet for any LEGO set on Bricklink. The stickers for your set above are here.
I have actually made it a habit to always pick up 1-3 extra sticker-sheets on Bricklink when I buy a new set. While the set is still new and readily available the sticker-sheets are much cheaper (often just a few pennies) than trying to get a pristine stickers-sheet for a set that is 10 years old. Just place them in a ziplock bag, and store them away from heat and direct and sunlight. They won't deteriorate that way.

Replacement stickers from a third-party site are an option, but they can be expensive - the sticker sheet for this set is currently between $75 and $200!
You can repair printed paper stickers, if you want to take the time and care to do it. The basic steps are:

Remove the sticker from the piece. I use a razor blade. Hold it
nearly flat against the brick and very carefully start around the
edges of the sticker until you have enough pulled away that you can
hold an edge with your fingers. Then it's a matter of pulling evenly
at the sticker while separating it with the razor blade. This takes
patience. Go slow.
Once the sticker is removed, flatten out the wrinkles and re-align
the torn spots as much as you can. I usually do this on a piece of
waxed paper. Any glue left over on the sticker will hold on the waxed
paper, but it can easily be peeled off. Once you have it flat and
smooth again, put another piece of paper over it, then a piece of cardboard, then some heavy books or even a brick. Leave it under weight for a couple days.
Clean the sticker residue off the brick. You might be able to rub
most of it off, but I have also used products like Goo Gone (which is
petroleum-based, so use very sparingly). After getting the residue
off, wash the brick with warm soapy water.
Take your sticker out from under the weight. You can do some cleaning
of the sticker, if needed, using a kneadable eraser. If the sticker
is mostly intact - that is if the layers of paper haven't peeled
apart - you can now carefully remove it from the waxed paper and
reapply it. In some cases, there will be enough glue on the back that
you can just re-apply it to the piece as is. In other cases (like the
example above, for instance) glue is missing or the layers of paper
have peeled apart.
In the case of peeled layers, you can re-glue them together using a
thin layer of glue - like from a glue stick. Carefully apply it to
the top of the lower layer of paper, position the printed paper
smoothly over it and put it back under the weight to dry. If part of the backing paper has torn away (and is left stuck on the piece, for example) you can replace it with very thin tissue paper.
If the layers are intact, you can restore the stickiness using
"repositionable" glue. This is glue that you apply and let dry for a
minute before putting the sticker back on the piece.


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Are those bowls genuine LEGO pieces?
I've been sieving through my video collection and came across a video from 2011. It's part of a series of Ninjago videos giving you tips on fun things you could do with the Spinners. At the end of the video, there's this frame where Cole goes to a laid out dinner table to eat with the other Ninjas:

I find this scene rather adorable, but find it slightly puzzling; for starters, how are those tiles connected to each other? But that's not really my question; you don't really need to answer that. My real question is, are those 6 bowls real LEGO pieces? They look rather peculiar and Un-LEGO-y. I get how they made the cups and bottles; they just flipped some 1x1 round bricks and a chalice. But how about those bowls? If it is a real piece, could someone direct me to a set containing it, and if not, what they might be?

Fwiw, the plate(s) underneath the table, holding it together, would be obscured by Zane (in white) here.

My guess is that they're LEGO Round Plate 1 x 1 Straight Side (Part ID: 4569058
Design ID: 6141) with paint applied to make them look like food. Details of some of the sets that contain them are available on BrickLink.

That's what it looked like to me as well.

Really? I feel like the top is a bit too smooth, and there's a slight curve between the lip and the top and the lip to the bottom that kind of smooths it out. Plus, I find it slightly unlikely for designers to tamper with official bricks. But yeah, currently this is the most plausible answer, but I'll stick around for other opinions first.

If someone is going to paint a LEGO brick to suit them I wouldn't be surprised if they sanded down the lettering too.

I also think those parts are painted, but I would like to add one more thing. The LEGO Friends sets have these cute cupcake holders that are quite similar, and no painting is required. They come in four colors, and you can easily insert a 1x1 round tile inside to add the "food". Here is the link: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=93082g
And here is a picture so you get an idea how they look like (on your left, right on top of the display cooler):

Yes, my sister actually bought this set recently so I've got a good idea of how they look. However, that's doesn't quite answer the question...But yes, I admit they're quite similar.

Nope, they are most likely studs. The cupcake holders have only been made in yellow, though that picture could be explained as custom paintwork. However, please notice how the ''sushi rolls'' in the picture have no ridges, whereas the cupcake holders from the Friends bakery set do.

Cupcake holders come in 4 colors, btw.


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Technique for multifacteted roof without 3049
I'm working on a project with a fairly complex roof in Dark Bley. In many areas, it seems to be necessary to use part 3049:

Unfortunately, this part doesn't appear to have ever been released in Dark Bley. Are there any alternative building methods to achieve the sort of effect that I'm looking for without using 3049?
For clarification, here's one simple example where I'm not sure how best to finish the roof peak without using the missing part (shown in red):

You could also replace the part with a 3048 which does exist in dark bluish grey.
Sure the roof will look a little strange, but the effect might be interesting enough that you'd be willing to do that.
Another solution would be to replace all roof points by tiles.
In both cases, you can also start the weirdness one rank lower (in the last case, having tiles on 4 studs instead of two).
Since you won't be able to to it exactly as you could if you had a 3049, the key is to experiment until you find some new combination which looks satisfying enough to you.

Would it be possible to just use a black one, or old dark gray? It would add a little variation to the roof, which is not a bad thing - it would look more natural. Perhaps the other color could be added to some other places here and there as well, so the colors all pull together nicely.
Other than that you could always add a chimney, but as you mentioned you will have several places where you will face this issue. I can't think of any other piece that could serve the purpose exactly like 3049. You might also consider angled plates, which are other commony used pieces for roof-building. But without seeing your project it is hard to tell if that would work.

Thanks for the answer. I may end up using another color, but I was hoping to avoid this if possible. I didn't mention this in the question, but this is a microscale creation, and in several places the roof is only 1 or 2 bricks high, so I didn't feel that color variations would look as nice as they do in larger minifig scale creations.


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Is there a way to glue already built sets?
My son who is now 16 no longer plays with his Lego sets. He would like to preserve some of his larger sets like Jabba the Hutts sail barge. Is there anything we can spray or paint on to hold them together? Or do we need to take it apart and glue it?

Having just completed after 8 hours a very complicated 8 to 14 year old building that my 4 year old grand son enjoys playing scenarios with the people, changing the appearance, rotating heads, I am a great fan of securing LEGO. So much of the kits available enable one to build an entire town, farm etc. but the people should never be glued. To date I have only glued one item, a floating speed boat he enjoys in his extended bath play. So yes you can stick a LEGO construction on a shelf. Boring. But I will definitely stop buying the older child versions for a 4 year old. Or not.

I'm making a comment and not an answer because this is just a guess, but there is a technique the scale plastic modelers use: apply super-thin cyanoacrylate glue along the edges with a needle applicator and a steady hand. You use minute amounts of glue only along the edges where pieces meet, and capillary action sucks it in before hardening permanently. Whether you actually want to do this is another question answered below.

I was actually looking for a way to glue lego too and was considering glue spray however wasn't sure if that will work or damage the legos. My child builds his own models every day and they are just fascinating. Except he pulls them apart and makes new ones all the time. I would like him to keep a collection of his creations while buying him new legos at the same time so he can continue to build. Wouldn't find gluing piece by piece as convenient - has anyone tried other strategies?

@Acleverlegochild One of the key lessons in Lego for children is scarcity. Sometimes you have to make do with the pieces you have; this forces kids to come up with novel solutions to problems. Thus I'd recommend not buying more and more lego unless your kid's work is truly genius. Most people just take lots of pictures and post them on Flickr.

My son (4) and I love all the Star Wars sets and play with them, a lot! We go in to battle with ours. Glueing them would be perfect so there are definitely reasons for doing it.

Although it can be done (I will share below), I would sincerely discoure you from gluing your LEGO sets. You will very much regret it later. Here are the reasons why: LEGO is meant to be a building toy - put together and taken apart many times. Once you glue a set it completely looses its usefulness and becomes nothing but another item to take up the shelf and collect dust.
LEGO has generational value. Your son may have lost interest now (very common in teen years), but may want to get back to the hobby later. He will definitely regret gluing his sets. Also, even if he doesn't get back to the hobby, if he will decide to have kids in the future, they will greatly appreciate having the opportunity to play and build with LEGO. Many LEGO fans inharited their LEGO sets from their parents and even grandparents. The long-term value of LEGO is truly amazing.
And this brings up the third point against gluing LEGO. The sets you mention have significant value that will only rise when the sets get retired. If your family ever gets into financial trouble and need to get some cash quickly, you can sell those LEGO sets - but not if they are glued.
I would encourage you to consider just boxing the sets (either built or taken apart) and just store them away carefully. It is really your best option that would keep both the value and the usefulness of the sets.
Having said that; if you still want to glue the sets, yes, you will need to take them apart and glue them. The most gentle glue that would not damage the LEGO elements too much but will hold the model together is simple white school-glue. You only need to add very little in between elements so the glue doesn't come out at the edges.
Another option is to just wrap the whole set in thin plastic sheet (the kind used for wrapping food). This is more for storage and moving the set around, but the tight-fitting plastic prevents the set from falling apart.

This post is 100% right re the generational thing. I have sets from 20+ years ago that my 2.5 year old son and I are playing with right now.

-1. The answer to a viable how-to should never be "don't", especially not for reasons the asker may not care about.

Both myself and others have listed options for gluing and similar methods. I added reasons not to glue LEGO, because OP may have not considered them, and so many people regret the decision later. If OP truly didn't care, he/she would have probably mentioned that in the original question. It's better to be safe and provide additional information, then omit important considerations that OP might find helpful in weighting the pros and cons of their decision. However I do agree that I could have listed the options in a different order for a better answer. I will keep that in mind for the future.

A better way to preserve LEGO is to put it in some sort of display case. It maintains the value and keeps the dust off.

Use MEK (Methyl ethyl ketone). Can buy it in hardware or auto body shop supplies. In auto body work it is used to degrease and clean adhesives off surfaces. It is also a major component of ABS plastic cement, which you can also use but it's messier. You can also put a bit of MEK in a glass jar and then throw in old lego pieces to create a filler and cementer. But that is a rare thing to need.
I use an eye dropper bottle (glass of course) or glass syringe to glue parts together. You MUST be in a well ventilated area, and I mean well ventilated.
MEK melts plastic so put the pieces together before it evaporates. If your eyes are near MEK they will be bloodshot, so have a fan or do this outside, like I do. Also wear those cool blue non latex gloves to protect your hands.
I use MEK to glue major structures together that fall apart - like supports. In tall structures I will glue the structure into two halves so that they can be stored partially unassembled, and then put back together. It is also useful to glue things like space shuttle parts that continually fall off when played with. I never glue all of the pieces, just the major parts that support the toy, that way it can still be disassembled.
MEK works great and I love how it keeps builds together that would otherwise be lost forever in masses of parts stored in bins and tubs.

I have Lego sets that have been on display for years, including the relatively fragile AT-AT from 2003. It has stood, fully assembled and almost never touched, since I first got it in late 2003/early 2004. In all that time it's gotten dusty, so I've used various things to clean it: a vacuum with a brush (if you're sure there are no loose parts), a can of compressed air, and a sink of soapy water. You can submerge this whole model, or take parts of it apart, and wash the dust off, in a few minutes.
At the end of the day, it is still in near-perfect condition, because it's never played with and just sits there. I never, ever, wish it had been glued. Why would it need gluing? I can always put it back together if anything falls off. The lego pieces hold themselves together just fine.
There are two areas where its preservation is lacking: First and foremost, sunlight. Sunlight changes the colour of the bricks. I keep this one out of direct sun and it hasn't yellowed too much. But the light-grey pieces are particularly prone to discolouration and I'm sure the outer shell of the model has changed colour somewhat. The only thing that would have helped is UV-protection.
Second, some of the technic pins that hold it together have weakened over the years. These can be easily replaced if they become a problem.
Otherwise, this model has stood as a display piece for 10 years now, but if I wanted to, I could disassemble it and use all its pieces in a new creation.
I offer this as evidence that you do not need to glue models, and as TheBrickBlogger wrote, while it's possible, I would discourage it. It doesn't "preserve" the model in any useful sense, except keeping it together so that no pieces get lost or missing. If the model isn't going to be moved around a lot, or played with, nothing will fall off. And if something does fall off, it can easily be put back.


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Pull back motor 552 x2
I have these wheels and want to find a set/booklet where it is used.
No combination of the numbers give any result.
It says Lego Group 2011
522 x2
Found it

It looks very much like pullback of the promotional LEGO sets with ferrari an shell from 2012.
They have got the set numbers 30190 to 30195 and there is an additional crew pack (30196).

PS: how did you get to that conclusion? Part number or just knowledge? I could not find 6009407: Pull-Back 4X8X2/3 anywhere on the part

The part is from 2011 so it is most likely in a 2011/12 set. I knew there were some pullback cars with ferrari. After a quick use of google and a short look in the instructions -> voilà


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How long does official Lego monorail track last?
Given the high cost of official Lego monorail track, I was wondering how long it tends to last/if there are any maintenance tips or tricks? I'm planning on using power functions to reduce the start/stop strain, but is there anything else to increase longevity?

Try to keep the track in mint condition. For example, don't expose it to extreme heat or cold. Keep it away from any pets or children who don't know better. Looking at some pictures, it seems that the vehicle on the monorail runs on a gear. Try interchanging gears every so often so that the gears don't wear and the teeth don't get bent or break.

One of my concerns is that since the gear is metal it may wear away the teeth on the track. Is there an oil (perhaps vegetable?) that won't attack the plastic?

Yes, vegetable oil would make a good lubricant as it does not wear away plastics or rubbers when applied.

The track is pretty durable.  I have several pieces of old track that the motor runs on well.
With the 3D printers now available I am hoping to be able to "print" some of the track with ABS filament.  Getting the gear teeth just right will be the tricky part and the end connectors.

The track seems to last quite a while.  There are people in my LUG who have been using the same track for over a decade of pretty routine displays.  Those same guys are currently working on using 3D printing to create something to build a mold on.  It seems to be working pretty well for them, so far.

I am hoping to use something like Autodesk to make a prototype, then get the files into STL format and send it to a 3D printer.  The 'teeth cogs" are just a few millimeters between each one.  I am sure there will be many renditions before I get it right.  It would be great to be able to make a cross track, but that could be a challenge right in the center of the X.  I will start with straight and curves first.


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Accidently Deleted System files on Nxt 2.0. How to restore system files?
I have accidentally deleted the system files from my NXT 2.0. It is making a continuous clicking sound. How to I restore system files. I have the system files, but my computer can't detect it!
Please help soon!

You need to reload the firmware. If you use NXT-G, this can be found under the Tools->Update Firmware menu.


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Part assortments for creative building
I've been shifting away from collecting sets to doing more MOC building. I also recently moved and I'd like to reduce the overall size of my LEGO collection. I'm trying to decide which parts I'd like to get rid of and which parts I'd like to keep.
I'm interested in keeping large numbers of versatile parts while selling off parts that tend to serve a single purpose. I'm hoping to find example part assortments (not necessarily official sets) that are most useful for MOCs and rebuilding.
To explain what I mean, here are two example sets. The first is the new Architecture Studio set:

The second is the Hobby Train set from 2007:

These both contain a good mix of pieces that can be reused in all sorts of models. Are there other sets, parts packs, or lists that provide a good platform for creative building?

I believe a lot of creator sets would fit your description; they tend to be good packs of assorted parts.

It very much depends on how and what you like to build so personal recommendations are difficult. As you're new-ish to MOCing it may take some time to figure out what pieces you like the most.
That said, I'll offer a suggestion - I find 10230 Mini Modulars and interesting range of small pieces in various colours incuding some rare ones. Check out the inventory to see if it appeals to you too. I'd also suggest looking at the Creator sets in general.


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Is it possible to shrink down a wheel?
I have a tire 6581 which is stretched to the point it doesn't fit perfectly with the balloon designated for it, at one place it is kinda popped out. It is caused by my stretching it when I was younger for the sheer curiosity how much it can stand. Is there any way to undo this stretching and make the tire once again fit perfectly?

Some more information about this type of damage can be found in this answer from another question http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/739/how-can-i-fix-a-flattened-gear/745#745

You won't be able to make it fit perfectly again. If plastic is stretched over a certain point it is irreversibly damaged.
But you can try to heat it a little to shrink the wheel overall. But it's not guaranteed to work. If you use a lighter you can affect a smaller area but be sure not to burn your part.

If using heat to try and shrink something round, it might be worth putting a Jubilee clip (hose clip) round it first, tightened slightly to apply pressure inwards, and left on until it cools

As someone already mentioned, I doubt there's any way to make it fit "perfectly" again but it may be possible to reduce the damage.
Another way to apply heat is to use hot water.  As for how hot, I've got no clue what temperature that particular material starts to soften at, but I'd start out with the hottest water you can get from the tap and increase the temp gradually from there if that doesn't work.  According to LEGO, 104F is the maximum "safe" temperature for most of their products, so it may not take as much heat as you might think.  Since it's only a specific area, I'd recommend using kitchen tongs to hold the tire and dip only the area that requires softening in the hot water.
You describe it as both "stretched" and "kinda popped out"... without a photo, it's hard for me to picture what exactly the damage looks like.  If it's to the point where part of the tire is misshapen rather than just stretched, a pair of thick plastic gloves (ie for house-cleaning) might allow you to reshape the damaged area while it's hot enough to be somewhat malleable.

I'm thinking sunlight heat. My rubber sandals shrunk about 3-4 sizes after I left them out in 85+ degree F (30 C) heat and direct sunlight. But be careful with this because the sun will also cause your tire color to fade


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LEGO stormtrooper variation
I found several LEGO stormtroopers on a toy box.   They each have a plain yellow head and the words "LEGO 2002" in big letters in their backs.  Did they come from a set?

These are promotional items. Not from a set. They can be related to a store-opening, a give-away, other special events, etc. Looking through the Bricklink catalog I found one listing with a stormtrooper torso that you might be referring to: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=973pskac01
If you can add a picture we can probably identify them more precisely. Hope this helps some...(c;


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

Does the part have any numbering / lettering?

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

I'm going with "This is not a LEGO piece", assuming completeness of this Brickset page: http://www.brickset.com/parts/browse/categories/?category=Plates,%20Special%20Circles%20And%20Angles which seems to be where it would be if it existed in genuine LEGO...

It is very obvious that it is a Mega Blok.

Mega Bloks are always thicker than Lego bricks.
It would have Lego markings on it.
It would be listed here.
Have you seen a Lego piece with those big bumps? I have seen them on lots of Mega Bloks.

+1: In this case you're quite right. In general, however, it is worth noting that LEGO isn't always marked as such (Minitalia components, for example), and that the list on Brickset isn't quite definitive.

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


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Can I change the Bluetooth identifier for an EV3 brick?
I'm coaching a number of FIRST Lego League teams and wish to set up our lab so that each computer could potentially be paired with each brick, but I want to uniquely identify the bricks (EV3-Team1, EV3-Team2, etc). Is there a way to change the brick's Bluetooth name?

I'm teaching an after school robotics program and the kids are using the LEGO MindStorms Education Core Set #45544. I was dealing with the same situation when I had to connect 10 EV3s to Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and I couldn't distinguish from one EV3 to the next.  Anyhow, I figured out how easy it was to give each brick it's own unique identifying name. You want to make sure that the EV3 is connected to the computers via USB cable and that the LEGO MindStorms program is opened. In the bottom right corner of the screen, you'll see the hardware page. Click on the brick info and then just change the name.  See image below.

You can change it in the NXT 3.0 software itself. Connect the robot to your PC, and in the software itself you can change it in the bottom right hand corner, above the firmware number and the connection type. Hope that helped.


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How do you construct odd-angles on buildings
I was thinking of building a model of the famous Castillo de San Marco located in Saint Augustine, Florida. A small bit of research shows that Legoland has a replica (flickr link) and that there are other castle MOCs with similar odd (non-90*) angles.
I saw one person build them with hinge-pieces (like this MOC of Fort George) but that doesn't feel authentic.
My question: how did they build those non-90-degree angled walls and retain the points?

Scale is the obvious answer. The Legoland model is huge, which means you're not seeing the brick-level quantisation as easily (quantisation is most obviously seen in mosaics but that works in 3D too).
Getting the same effect at smaller scales usually means a lot of SNOT and using sloped bricks. These days there is a huge range of slopes available, from 4 high, 1 deep to 1 high, 6 or 8 wide. If you flip those on their side (SNOT) that gives you a wide range of angles. But of course this can be very expensive as you end up using a lot of rare sloped parts. For micromodels this can be the only workable approach, and a carefully selected stack of cheese wedges can look great.
A simpler SNOT approach is to use tiles with hinges to minimise the discontinuities at the corners. Instead of a brick width (5mm) you have 1/3 of a brick height (8/3 mm = ~2.6mm), and it's often possible to move things so that there's no obvious discontinuity, just the tile end that's at 90° rather than the actual angle. If you're building a brick or stonework wall using a lot of 1x2 tiles with 1x1 tiles as the endworks can be very effective, especially if you mix the various shades of grey. Like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/legoarts/5548508462/ Modifying that technique to have a backing plate, hinges, and extending the plates 1 stud past the edge of the plate to reduce the "height" offset works well.
Another approach is to give up on studs altogether and use Technic beams. That gives you rounded corners instead, but can be effective with larger models (but the colour palette is limited and it can be expensive). This allows you to easily build round structures and varying curves.
For smaller curves it's possible to bend Lego walls. If you search for lego circular walls there are a lot of images. The basic technique is to mix in more round elements as the curve gets sharper. I've also seen a Lego wave built this way out of transparent 1x2 plates.

We've covered circular walls here too ;)

Yeah you pretty much have the two choices you outlined...  hinges or make it so big that the squareness of the bricks melts into nothingness at that resolution.
OR...  build your structure over tiles and use single studs, like at the ends of the ends of the hypotenuse of a 3-4-5 triangle... but that will be seriously flimsy the higher you build the walls, unless you use hinges.

A straight forward wall of Lego bricks will have some pliability that can be used to a Master Builder's advantage. I did manage to find a YouTube video that sums it up nicely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U-n1NZYNpI


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How do I update my NXT firmware using EV3 software
The new EV3 software tells me to update my firmware on the NXT.  When I go to the tools menu and select update firmware it tells me the NXT brick can not support this function.

Same problem here. Looks like on the NXT you need to move the firmware file to a directory in the lego mindstorm software directory and click on update firmware in the NXT software.

I don't really believe that ev3 firmware can be ran on NXT, but... Has anyone tried to copy ev3 firmware and import it with NXT software?

EV3 software will not download firmware to the NXT brick.  For that you need the NXT-G software and a downloaded firmware file from Lego.  1.31 is the latest version.
So if you're running EV3 on NXT, you shouldn't throw out the NXT-G software. Once in a while, it's still needed.

In case you lose the CD, here is a link to an ISO image: http://esd.lego.com.edgesuite.net/digitaldelivery/mindstorms/6ecda7c2-1189-4816-b2dd-440e22d65814/public/MINDSTORMS%20NXT%20Retail%20MacWin.iso


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How to use NXT device as a keyboard key for computer
Is there any way for me to set up my Mindstorms robot so that when I push one of the touch sensors it sends a signal to the computer to press a key?

Is the computer in question capable of receiving Bluetooth messages?

Yes, this is possible.
First, you'll want to connect your NXT to the computer using Bluetooth. Make sure you can connect to it with the official LEGO Software programming environment, NXT-G, and that the computer connection will show up when you go to Bluetooth > Connections.
Next, you'll want to create a simple program in NXT-G and download it to your NXT. It should basically send a Bluetooth message to the computer, using Mailbox #1 and a number variable containing the value of the key pressed. If you need help with this part, I can provide detailed steps.
Finally, you'll want to use a program called InstantEXE 3.0 (the free version works!) to receive the Bluetooth signal and use the command "Keys" to simulate the key or key sequence that you want to be triggered when the button is pressed. You can expand this with your sensors, e.g. when touch sensor #1 is pressed send it with a value and intercept this on the computer, using InstantEXE 3.0 to convert it into a keysequence. If you need help with this part, I can provide detailed steps and/or a sample program for you to use. You could use some basic labels like the following script:
:Left
Keys "L"
:Center
Keys "C"
:Right
Keys "R"

I know this is an older post but I've just bumped into the same problem. May I ask where can I find InstantEXE 3.0 nowadays? The original site is down and I don't really want to use any of the "download" sites that claim they have it. If its completely dead, may I ask where can I find a similar program that can do practically the same? (If I get it right then it converts bluetooth messages to keystrokes)


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Where to find older sets (eg. Classic Space)?
Can people share their experiences on how they locate older sets? Have you had luck with flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, etc.? Or is everything done through eBay and BrickLink? Any comments appreciated.

Welcome to Brick Answers. Unfortunately, I don't think we can answer your question as it stands: it isn't really a question with a specific answer, so it isn't a great fit for this site. Moreover, I'm not sure how other people's answers to this question could help you find what you're looking for? That said, if you can rephrase / expand on your question so that it is a better fit for the site, we'll do what we can to help.

BTW: http://www.classic-space.com/forum/ may be a useful resource.

I guess I am looking for ideas on where to look for sets. And it does not have to be Classic Space - I just used that as an example.

The problem is that the things sold at garage sales or whatever varies from place to place and from month to month. Even the types of outlet varies considerably by geography. New Zealanders tend to prefer Trade Me over eBay, for example. Your best bet is probably to ask around locally, or use the big international sites like BrickLink.

And yes, we're LEGO Answers. I knew that really... ;-)

I may go against the current here, but I think the question has merits - a lot of people seek to buy older sets, to complete collections or out of pure nostalgia; and I for one feel it would be nice to have a good compilation of means to achieve that.  Yes, the question is broad, but iconic enough that it shouldn't be a problem. The question and existing comments already show good elements of answer.

And, @KenCenerelli, welcome to Bricks.se no matter how the question turns out! :-)

@Joubarc: Interesting point. Let's go meta! http://meta.bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/257/shopping-questions

Thanks everyone for taking the time to view this thread. I hope it can spur some discussion. Also thanks to Joubrac for the welcome.

Some of the places you can buy old (discontinued) sets include:
Online

BrickLink
eBay
TradeMe
Amazon marketplace
Generic on-line toy stores that carry old stock
Some LEGO discussion forums have areas for buying and selling

Locally

Toy shops and LEGO stores sometimes carry old stock
Stands at exhibitions and shows
Garage sales
Thrift stores
Charity shops
Flea markets
Car boot sales
Jumble sales
Through newspaper ads
Lego User Groups
Other AFOLs

Other Alternatives

Buy the parts separately and assemble the set from them


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How to build a car that stops at a certain distance?
I want to build a small car that is about 200 grams. I want it to run the following course and stop at exactly or about the finish line. I can't use any controlling devices or electronics.

I've an idea to count the number of revolution the wheels make to pass the finish line and the next time I stop it when it hit's it last wheel revolution.
Is there a device that can stop a wheel after a certain amount of turns? It must be mechanical and it doesn't have to be supplied by Lego either.

Ah, September, when the USA kiddies go back to school and start posting their homework questions.

Well, I'm not from the US and this is not a homework question. Even though I'm good with maths I'm extremely bad at construction so that's why I'm using legos.

Here's the simplest way that I can think of to stop the vehicle at the finish line. You'll need basic LEGO Technic parts and a good length of lightweight string or thread.
Create two reels for the string. One should be connected to the wheels and the other may turn freely. Wind all the string onto the reel which can spin freely and attach the other end securely to the reel on the wheels so that it will wind up the string as the vehicle moves.
This mechanism should prevent the axle from turning after the vehicle has traveled the desired distance as long as you measure the string appropriately.
Here's an example:

Here's a similar model built in LDD showing exactly how this is put together:

The reel on the back axle will pull all of the string off of the center axle and then stop when the string runs out. If you wanted to be fancy, you could use some math to calculate how much string you need, or you could just test it to find out.

how is the string going to stop the wheels?

I added an extra image to my answer to try to make this a little clearer for you. I'll be honest though, since this seems to be for some sort of educational assignment or competition, I don't want to give you a complete perfect answer. This is the basic concept. You'll need to adapt it and improve it to work for you.

The general concept is that the reel on the wheels is consuming string from the other reel as the wheels turn. Once there is no additional string left, the wheels are forced to stop turning (or break the string).

Thank you. How long did it take you to come up with this?

You're welcome! It didn't take long. I've seen this sort of thing before.

Cool, like an old cassette tape!

You might consider this cheating, but here we go:
There exist Lego wind-up motors:

With the number of turns of the key you should be able to control the distance rather precisely – unless the device gets too much momentum from the slope.


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Is it safe to try different firmwares on EV3?
I have prepared a SD card to run Lejos on EV3, as said on Lejos Sourceforge page and I'm about to test it. What worries me - will I still be able to go back to original Firmware if something goes wrong or I'd like to go back to this original Lego visual building software?
Will removing SD card be sufficient?
Thanks for any information.

You should be able to switch back to the original firmware without too much trouble - whether it's as simple as removing the SD card, or if there's a more involved process, I couldn't say.

already tested it, right. removing SD card was enough :)

I tried Lejos and removing the SD card and rebooting was enough to go back to original firmware.


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Can I buy an add on educational kit for my retail EV3?
We ordered the retail version of Lego EV3, and my son loves it and wants to do more.
Are there any add on kits we can buy to expand upon what we have, ie add on motors or special tech pieces, or an educational kit?

There is an expansion set, as well as a selection of additional sensors, etc. you could purchase, listed on the products page of the LEGO site's Educational Section:

The Expansion Set - Lots more elements, no electronics.
The Gyro sensor
The IR Beacon - This comes with the home set, but not the Education set.
The Core Set - no software - see "What is different between the EV3 Home and Educational sets" for more on the differences between the two.

Note that these tend to more expensive than the retail kits, and tend to have slightly different items in them.
There have previously been a number of 3rd party suppliers making sensors for the NXT and RIS systems, so I'm sure they will also provide support for EV3.

I would also strongly recommend the rechargeable battery LEGO 45501.


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Is there any way to buy specific duplo blocks from Lego (pick-a-brick style and/or in bulk)?
Background:
I've gotten into Duplo blocks for building unique and constantly evolving creations for my sugar gliders to play with.  Part of owning gliders is accepting that they'll inevitably use their toys as toilets, and with building blocks that means pee is going to end up in the crevices between blocks.  This necessitates completely disassembling my creations at least 1-2x a week, thoroughly washing/sanitizing all the blocks and starting over from scratch.  Between that and the size of adult gliders (approx 6'' body + 5-6'' tail), I just can't commit to the tedium that would be involved in using regular Legos - Duplo blocks fit my needs infinitely better.
I've managed to amass a fairly impressive collection of Duplo blocks by scouring e-bay for good deals, but this has led to me having an unpleasant ratio of 2x2s to everything else.  I'd really love to be able to pick and choose extra of certain unusually-shaped duplo blocks and extra of the smallish baseplates (2x8 and 4x8 in particular) to use for roofs and such... even moreso, I'd love to be able to buy large amounts of specific bricks (I'd settle for 2x4 but would love extra 2x6 or 2x8 blocks).
Through browsing others' questions on this site yesterday, I learned of the "pick a brick" wall at Lego stores and the possibility of even being able to get cases of one specific brick through the stores.  I got so excited over the potential solution to my issues that I suffered the ordeal of going to the mall (ugh!!) and dodged annoying underfoot children to get to the helpful salespeople in the back of the store... only to find out that the "pick a brick" wall is Lego only - no Duplo.  Furthermore, they said they can't request specific cases (they can only sell what they happen to get) and the cases they get are never Duplo blocks.  They also didn't sell any baseplates or baseplate-only packs containing anything smaller than 8x8 (5'' square) plates, at least not for Duplos.
Is there a way I've missed to buy specific and/or bulk Duplo bricks directly from Lego (or
"unofficial" Lego sites)?  Scouring Ebay only seems to produce large mixed lots or people who charge absurd prices for very small quantities of specific larger bricks.
As a note, my first attempt at buying building blocks to create toys for my gliders was a Mega Bloks purchase... and I'm sure anyone who's ever tried that brand knows exactly why I returned them to the store after 10-15 minutes of absurd frustration.  While I'm a natural skeptic when it comes to name-brand loyalty, I'm 100% sold on Lego Duplos.  If what I want isn't possible with Duplos, I'll be happy with that answer and continue making do with what I've got - I'm not willing to try another knock-off brand.
One other question regarding base-plates - I purchased two of the Green LEGO® DUPLO® Baseplates (Item: 2304, 15'' x 15'') and noticed they're made with a very thin plastic (like the large baseplates for the "normal" sized Legos) rather than the very thick plastic of smaller Duplo plates (like the 5'' square/5''x10'' rectangle plates).  The thinner plastic immediately made me think of my dremel's cutting wheel... has anyone here tried cutting those into smaller sizes, and if so, did it work out ok?  I've got no problem ghetto-rigging smaller plates to suit my needs if that's a viable option!
Edit: just to clarify, since I don't have enough reputation yet to comment on responses, I live in Houston, TX... are there still local groups I could look into?  Also, the closest full-fledged Lego store here apologetically informed me that they couldn't actually order a specific case of anything, let alone Duplo blocks.  I was also unable to find a way to order specific Duplo blocks from Lego.com (though I found lots of options for regular Legos)... have I overlooked something?

Hi there an welcome :) A couple of points: You should be able to comment on the responses on this question: "Please note that you can always comment on your own posts, and any part of your questions. However, commenting on other people's posts is a privilege." (but updating your question with more info is good too!). Secondly, your question on cutting base-plates should be asked as a separate question - you'll get a better response, and more rep ;)

Ah, thanks!  That first tip also prompted me to realize that I can vote on answers to my own questions, which means I can "reward" people for their helpful responses :D

Very short and simple: http://www.bricklink.com
Shiny!!
edit: Local group: TexLUG! There is texlug.org and a host of google groups (https://groups.google.com)

Excellent, thanks!  I'll definitely look into that!

Bricklink is definitely what you're looking for.  Here's a deep link to the Bricklink parts listing: http://www.bricklink.com/browseTree.asp?itemType=P.  Just go down on the left and you'll see Duplo parts.  Go slow on Bricklink, it can take a while to get the hang of.

In addition to pick a brick, lego offers the service "bricks and pieces", which includes Duplo parts: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts
This gives you new parts directly from lego.
However with roughly $1 per 2x4 brick, this option is quite expensive. The design number for 2x4 bricks is 3011.

If you haven't already look for a local Lego User's Group. There's one in Brisbane, plus Sydney and Melbourne. Even if you are not local it might be worth going into the city to meet up with them and join their email list, because there are people in those groups who regularly tour second hand shops and auctions. If they know you want cheap Duplo then when they find it they're likely to either buy it on your behalf or put you in touch with the seller.
BrickLink is the other obvious choice. You will rarely find exceptional deals, but you will easily be able to pick out the bricks you want. I suggest making a watch list with the larger bricks on it, and using the "show stores with the most items" link to sort it. Postage can be a killer in Australia, so you'll need to work out for each purchase how much the postage is and whether its worth while.
http://www.bricklink.com/browseList.asp?itemType=P&catString=417
In the USA and Europe the Lego shops sell parts to order, and often BrickLink sellers are just marking up what Lego sell them the parts for. So if you are buying new bricks it's worth finding one seller who is cheap and asking whether they can get you everything you want in one order.
Another, more difficult option, is to contact The Lego Group directly and see if you can buy a box of bricks. That will take a long time and a lot of effort, but they might eventually be willing to sponsor you.