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Wonder Woman Hair Vs Angel Wings
Will this wonder woman hairpiece work with a transparent neck bracket , some clip plates, and white feathered wings ?
I have the longer version and I've verified that they won't fit together, but I'm wondering if the shorter hairpiece can work.

No.
The hairpiece you link appears to be the same mould as the standard non-movie Wonder Woman figure. The hair falls quite close to the back of the minifigure torso, so there's no room for a neck bracket.

If you're looking to add wings to your Wonder Woman, it might be worth investing in a helmet or hairpiece that doesn't cover the back of the torso.

thanks, it looked shorter from it's picture on bricklink.


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Authentic LEGO legs and the Lego imprint
I've gotten a pair of minifigure legs new out of the box with no 'LEGO' logo on the underside of the top of the foot a while ago. I've purchased new pieces where only one leg is imprinted. And as of late, all legs have been imprinted. Same thing with headgear and helmets. Some have the LEGO logo, some don't. When did Lego start imprinting 'Lego' inside the toes on plain leg assemblies?

Hi matisyoyo and welcome to Bricks.SE! I've taken the liberty to edit your question a bit in order to make it easier to read, but to make it truly answerable, we'd like to ask you to provide additional details on what kind of help do you expect. As of now, you are only stating your current situation without asking or even implying a question. We could infer one of the possible ones and answer that, but chances are you had another (if similar) question in mind. So please edit your post and add a question there. Thanks!

Just to add to what Zovits said, if you are questioning if your elements are original LEGO - please add some pictures.

See also: When did LEGO Minifigure leg mold designs change

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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What are these two Lego parts?
I want to order these 2 missing pieces but I don't know the name of them, can anybody help? What are the part numbers?

These parts are:

Item No: 2412b : Tile, Modified 1 x 2 Grille with Bottom Groove / Lip

and

Item No: 6266 : Leg Skeleton

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !!!!!!!!! you made me very happy !

Hi Andy and welcome to Bricks.SE! Please take the [tour] and check the [help] to learn more about using this site. In particular, if an answer has helped you, you should mark it as accepted with the checkmark icon to indicate that your question has been properly answered.

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


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Mindstorms EV3 - Continuous low battery alarm
My son is facing an issue with his Mindstorms EV3. Every time he turns it on a low battery alarm is displayed and it shut downs.
This happens regardless of the batteries, we have tried 12 different rechargeable batteries and 6 brand new alkaline batteries.
Also, I noticed it takes a lot to start up, I don't remember it being so slow before.
The sequence is something like:

Starting up: it takes 26 seconds
Green light: it is on for 2.5 seconds
Orange light with low battery alarm: it is on for 8 seconds
Shut down: then it shuts down and it takes 20 seconds to complete

I have tried disconnecting every cable, and even opened it up and disconnected the display flex cable, but still the same behaviour. I have double checked the button in the battery compartment to make sure it is not stuck or anything similar, to avoid the brick thinking the Lego battery pack is in place.
Given that it stays on for such a short time frame, I am not able to update the firmware.
I have seen similar posts but none with a solution other than returning the brick to Lego, which is not an option to us given it is no longer under warranty.
Any clues or help?
Thanks!

Are you totally sure you can't do anything with the firmware? I once found a... well, bug, where interrupting and/or interfering with the update process can cause the EV3 to actually have no firmware at all (except for the startup screen, which remains forever)! I'm not sure how exactly to reproduce it, and I recall that recovering my brick was quite a challenge, but there's a chance that this might help you. I can experiment more with my brick later.

Update: we made it work, after trying many things, see below.

Opened the brick and inspected it for obvious signs of problems but saw nothing. Even tried with the screen disconnected.

We tried, as suggested in the comment above, with a firmware update. Even though the brick will stay on for only a few seconds, it was enough for the computer to recognize it and see were able to begin the update. It completed without problem, showing that the batteries were ok. After restarting it behaved in the same way. We tried firmware 1.09 and 1.10.

We tried ev3dev, from an SD card. It will also shutdown once it finished booting. But after many tries, it booted and displayed the main ev3dev menu, on which we could see the voltage being 5.10, getting lower gradually until it reached 4.60 and it shutdown.

It seemed obvious it was a hardware issue so we decided to desolder the battery contacts and inspect the board properly. There must be something in the circuit sensing voltage, maybe a resistor going bad and being unable to divide voltage properly. We immediately saw the sign of acid going through the board, with that green/blue colour. We cleaned it with a wire brush, resoldered and it worked! Both the brick's firmware and ev3dev worked perfectly, now seeing 9.10 volts.

I hope this helps someone else with the same problem.
Cheers

Hi Ati, and welcome to Bricks - many thanks for coming back and updating us on your progress :) If you are also "Atilio" you can request that the CM team merge your account so that you can then also accept your answer.

Well I bought a used EV3 unit, described as needing repair and this is my issue. Corrosion inside the unit and on the board. Not sure which part you cleaned with a wirebrush as the tiny components are easily destroyed. One resistor fell off a sensor circuit while I tried to clean the board. On putting it back together same issue, so now it's a pity call to Lego... Not hoping for much!


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What internal electronics does the Control+ Technic Hub (88012) use?
I'm interested in comparing to the other Powered Up hubs, which are already documented here:

Mindstorms v4 / spike prime What internal electronics do SPIKE Prime and Mindstorms v4 use?
train 6AAA hub What electronics are inside the LEGO Powered Up hub?
boost / move hub What internal electronics does LEGO Boost use?

Thanks!

Welcome to Bricks! I contributed answers for the three linked questions, but I don't have 88012. I'm sure I'll get it eventually, and I'm happy to open it up and document it here when I do, but it would likely be months from now. Perhaps someone else will be able to provide an answer before then.

thanks @jncraton, appreciated.  What I'm interested in is driving the motors at a slightly higher voltage using rechargeables; with either alkaline or nimh AA, the actual driver voltage will be close to 7.x volts.  Using a 2s1p lipo would be an easy (moderate) increase, but I can't find a lipo that would come close to filling the volume (so energy capacity would suffer quite a bit).  OTOH it would be very easy to fill the 6AA slots with 6 14500 protected LiIon cells, re-wired to 3s2p and with a JST to hook the (removed) battery unit up to a balancing RC charger.

however this would be slightly above the lb1836 Vcc abs max of 10.5; so I'm looking for if it would be easier to haywire a different motor controller (unfortunately I can't find any pin-compatible IC's with a higher Vcc tolerance), OR cram in a small buck-boost to handle the 3s2p -> 9v, which would be an even 9v for the whole discharge or a ~30% increase in drive voltage.

TLG was kind enough to send me one of these, so I've done my part and cracked it open to see what is inside. The teardown was fairly easy to do without damaging any components. The only tool I used was a brick separator.
There are a few tabs around the edges that can be depressed to allow the main housing to come apart:

I'm not certain what the purpose of the small rubberized button is, but it is accessible from inside the battery compartment. This may be related to detection of a future battery pack.
The PCB simply lifts out:

On the bottom side, we can see that the main processor is an STM32L431RCT6. It's based on the Arm Cortex M4, can be clocked up to 80 MHz, and includes 256kB of flash memory.
The top side includes the remainder of the components of interest.

For Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication, the Control+ hub uses a CC2640 from Texas Instruments. This is the same chip used by the Powered Up hub.
The motor drivers are LB1836 chips. They are dual drivers, and there are two on the board, one for each pair of ports. These are the same driver chips used for the Powered Up, Boost, and Robot Inventor hubs.
Overall, this hardware is very similar to the other hardware in the current generation of products (Robot Inventor, Powered Up, Boost, etc).

If I may hypothesize about the button. The EV3 had a button that was pressed when the rechargeable battery was equipped, so it didn't complain about the batteries being drained because of the inherent lower voltage of the rechargeable battery (7.2V vs 9V). So perhaps a rechargeable battery solution is also intended in the future for this hub...

@MichaelVerschaeve That was my hunch as well. I'd certainly love to see a rechargeable battery pack for this hub.


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What is the number of this small 1x1 part?
I tried to find the number of this small part. I need it to create the two towers of Notre Dame.

That's 49668 Plate Special 1 x 1 with Tooth.

super, thank you


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Missing stickers for 71374: Nintendo Gaming Console LEGO set
How do I get a replacement sticker sheet for this product? The one I received came with no stickers.

Contact them. The year is 2020.

@mindstormsboi. Great suggestion, but please be gentle with new posters. Thanks.

You can contact LEGO customer service by email, phone and chat about missing parts or sticker sheets.
For third-party sellers, try Bricklink.

Do you mean third party sellers?


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How do I erase all old programs using the new scratch type Education software?
I have 24 Lego Mindstorms EV3 bricks that have old programs and the bricks are named. I want to erase them so they can be used for new students. In the older Mindstorms software I would just reinstall the firmware from the tools menu. That would easily clear off the bricks. How do I do that with the new scratch type Mindstorms Education software? I don't see that command.

Are you using the EV3 Microsoft Makecode site? The website is incapable of interacting with a real EV3, that's why it makes differently-formatted programs and uses a simulation of the EV3.

I am using the new Lego Mindstorms EV3 Education software for PC downloaded from the Lego website. It does not seem to have any way to erase all old programs and to reset settings the previous students may have changed..

The LEGO Education Website EV3 firmware update page lists two options.

Use the EV3 Device Manager web page. The instructions are not entirely clear, but if you visit the web page with Chrome (recommended), Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer, click the Available Bricks (0) button and wait a very long time, it will eventually pop up a dialog asking to download and install an EV3 Device Manager program to your computer. The EV3 Connection Manager program runs in the background on your computer and communicates with the EV3 Connection Manager web page in the browser. After installing the separate background program, the web page will be able to connect to your EV3. Then you can use it to update the firmware. It does not appear that this method gives you the option of selecting which firmware file to use. It will likely give you v1.10E, which has some known issues (EV3 acts as USB mass storage device which doesn't always work, and on-brick data log app is missing). But that version should work fine for most uses.

If you have Windows, Chromebook or older macOS (10.14 Mojave or earlier), you can also install the older software and use that. It is available from the LEGO Education retired products download page. (Android and iOS versions might not work due to lack of USB connectivity needed for firmware update.)

I do have an old Macbook  at home that can probably run the older Lego software. Now that I see it is still available I can use that to clean up the bricks, thank you! Too bad the new software does not have this feature, oh well.

Just do a hard reset on your brick.  Each student can do that

Good answer, but perhaps expand by explaining how one does that?

I looked up hard reset. Plug into USB, hold down back, center and right buttons. When it shuts off release the back button, then the rest. The brick will reset. Thank you so much, you saved me so much time!!


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What did LEGO bricks look like in the past?
How did LEGO bricks look like in the olden days?
Can you also show me the bottom of a LEGO brick from the olden days?

Hi Grace and welcome to Bricks.SE! Could you please clarify what do you mean by "olden days"?

The earliest LEGO bricks were made in 1949, and they had completely empty undersides with vertical notches in two of their sides for attaching windows, doors and decorative cardboard inserts:

Then in 1958 (or 1961, depending on the country) the form known today was adopted, with tubes on the bottom and without notches:

1961 is when the patent in the US was issued, in Denmark (LEGO is a danish company) the patent was granted in 1958 (and in many other countries was probably granted earlier than 1961 too), so LEGO bricks looked like what we know today some years earlier than you said.


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Are there any existing (or upcoming) aftermarket PoweredUp hubs?
I bought the Mindstorms v4 / advanced hub (in set 51515). It's a good set, and the Hub has some great features - notably a rechargeable battery, the ability to run "live" off of USB power, and a full 6 ports (the minimum, IMHO; covers most working equipment such as fully-motorized excavators, etc.)
However, the battery lacks capacity, and the drive voltage of the motors is underwhelming. USB-C PD is also lacking, and would be a huge feature as it would allow 9v power from cheap COTS battery packs.
I went searching for a BuWizz/sBrick/etc. type replacement; I can't find anything except for a current Kickstarter (no link, as I backed it and and don't want any perceived advertising here - but it does look interesting, supports Arduino, check it out :) )
Are there any aftermarket hubs in the works you're aware of? Any supporting info such as ETA or experience of the creators, etc., would be helpful.
I'm starting to think I may need to DIY; the PUP connectors themselves are available only from China (are there any patent concerns?), but are cheap enough. It looks like the specs and i2c protocol bits are all reasonably well documented. IMHO, an ideal setup would:

support a higher drive voltage for the motors.

the onboard https://www.onsemi.com/pub/Collateral/LB1836M-D.PDF supports 10.5 abs max.
even a consistent 9V would be a HUGE improvement; a 3s1p lithium ion pack, plus a 90%+ efficient buck converter board to ~9V seems feasible?
side benefit of 9V is it could also be driven from a USB-C PD board set to 9V (although muxing this with the battery isn't trivial or supported by any of the cheap boards I can find from Aliexpress or US hobby sites.

support lots of channels; 8 or more? Most microcontrollers or SBCs should be able to drive at least this many channels of motor controllers.

I guess the use of proprietary PUP connectors is limiting factor for someone to create a solution you are looking for. While connectors have now appeared for sale in China there still could be a patent covering such design. In the end, there is a reason TLG used unique connector instead of using something already available in the market.

BuWizz has announced the BuWizz 3.0 Pro which has Powered Up compatible ports.
The product page says:

Expected Delivery: End of March 2021

saw that, timely answer here tnx

Raspberry Pi produce the "Build HAT" which is an interface board for the Raspberry Pi and it works with Powered Up sensors and motors.


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Using Power functions to teach robotics
I am a robotics engineer and I would like to introduce and teach my girlfriend to robotics. I would like to first get her the material for the first project. I would love to build a small Lego car controllable via radio commands. I want everything plugged to a Raspberry Pi and start from SCRATCH. I want to develop the motor controllers with her, then the drivers, then the control loop, etc.

Is the Lego Power Functions system a good idea to start such a project?
How easy is it to plug everything to a Raspberry?
What kit should I start with?

Thanks a lot guys !

Just a quick question, have you checked if your girlfriend shares your idea? I mean, would she like to learn robotics, and if so, then in this way? That's arguably a more important question than which system to start with.

@Michael Verschaeve I dont allow you to judge my personal life. I'm sorry you feel so sad to give your opinion about the fact I have a gf or not.

@zovits if you dont want to answer the question just don't.

I'd love to answer, but I know nothing about motor controllers, so I didn't write an answer. I wrote a comment to help clarify the question. And yes, Michael's comment above is really unhelpful and borders on insulting, so I flagged it as such.

See this question...

Is this of any use?

Welcome TheMackou. Other regulars, can we keep it civil please? Let’s just focus on answering the question at hand. Thanks.

Welcome to Bricks.SE. Yes, you can use the Power Functions equipment to teach robotics. I would recommend you stick with the original PF instead of PoweredUp, as the latter has more complicated electronics and control schemes, however, others have already built custom control software for PUp so tinkering with software is definitely possible.
Regarding Power Functions, the components have a 4 wire cable with 2 providing a constant 9V and ground, and 2 that are used for sending control signals (fluctuating values between 9V and 0V). Device identification is done through resistors, which is easy to mimick should you want to build your own motors, but this might not even be necessary as you want to build and configure your own controller. And the cable is easy to split and modify.
@Philo who is a regular here maintains a site (www.philohome.com) on which you can find a wealth of information regarding PF. This would be the best place to start.
If you are planning to use an RPi, make sure you get a suitable motor driver. You can power the motors via the driver at 9V, and use a buck converter to give your RPi 5V directly via the GPIO, just be careful because there is no overvoltage protection if used this way. Powering an Arduino or compatible microprocessor is also an option.
One word of warning: Power Functions components are retiring this year, so make sure you get your component order in from LEGO ASAP.
Good luck!

Thanks for your very thorough and informative answer ! It seems like power functions would perfect for my project but I didn't realize they are getting discontinued and I don't fee like it would be a good idea to start a project with discontinued items ... What about Lego Powered Up ?

I mention PUp briefly in my answer. PUp is great for teaching the software part of Robotics, as it allows for much more automation out of the box than PF ever did. It even supports microPython on the controllers themselves. That said, the hardware side of robotics is much harder with PF due to the increased complexity of components and the proprietary plug which is hard to replicate (though you can still cut and splice cables). Hence my recommendation to look at PF.

PoweredUp motors are very similar to PF motors and can be powered directly if desired. There are schematics online for how to drive the pins and for how to interface PF components to PU hubs.


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Part identification - 5 parts
Please could someone help me with identifying these parts. I could not find a part number on them. I've tried reverse image searching too - but having no luck. Once I have the part numbers I will work out what sets(s) we purchased and go from there - I just need the part numbers to begin.
Images below.

1: two pieces from sets like 6919 - the sticker is magnetic, and fits on 30213 to make 30213pb01
2: an Insectoids torso - 973pb0037
3: an Insectoid head - 3626bpx31
4: might be a Harold Potter head - 3626bpb0155 from set 4711
5: seems to be an Insectoid helmet - 30214

Great answer. I would suggest linking first piece to exact item (30213pb01)

Oops, didn't scroll to the Counterparts section. It is done!

Thankyou @RSchulz, 4 of those pieces were part of a Cosmic Creeper set (6837) which is now completed.


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Little round knobs under the ark of the covenant
I'd like to build the ark of the covenant from LEGO IDEAS as part of my 'raiders of the Lost Ark' scene. Is there a way to get a parts list for a LEGO IDEAS submission? If not, can someone identify those little round knobs at the base of it. Can someone help me understand how he's attaching the bars to the ark?

Since I'm not the author I won't be able to provide instructions, however it is quite easy for me to identify the pieces you are asking about.
"Little round knobs" are Brick, Round 2 x 2 Sphere with Stud / Robot Body (20953)

Bars are attached with the help of Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Light Attachment - Thick Ring (4081b)

That's how it would look in the assembly:


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What is the maximum voltage for motors from Cybermaster units?
I recently bought a non-functioning Cybermaster unit [part:71797].

As the motors in there might be perfectly fine, I'd like to use them.
I could not find information on these motors (as opposed to most other Lego motors ^^).
What would be the maximum safe-to-apply voltage for them?

I don't have this set, so I can't provide a fully authoritative answer, but 9V is likely to be safe for these motors. The hub that drives them is definitely 9V, as it connects with the rest of the 9V system and runs on 6 AA batteries:

TLG typically overspecs their motors somewhat, so you could probably also get away with running the motor using 12 volts, but it might harm the life expectancy a bit. If you can pull out the actual motor, you might be able to find a model number to look up for a more authoritative answer.
I'd recommend starting with a lower voltage (perhaps 3V) and working your way up to make sure that the motors are functioning as expected.

I'm not so sure, the input voltage for the motors has to equal the batterys voltage. As the board might aswell downstep it to virtually any value. Thx for answering (+1) but I'll see if someone might know for sure before marking as answered. If noone comes up knowing I probaly go with your proposition and raise the voltage and feel if they get hot ^^

@kai-dj That's correct. The motor voltage does not have to equal the battery voltage, it's just a guess that these are the same. You should still be able to play around with these pretty safely without much fear of them letting their smoke out. If you start at 3V and work your way up from there you should be able to tell by the sound, current, temperature, and smell if the motor is running too hot. I hope someone here has this part and a more authoritative answer for you.

Seems like 9V ist the voltage to go with. 12V seemed ok, too.
I might buy a functioning Cybermaster, to check what the board deliveres to the motors on full speed - if I do so, I'll edit or add new answer.

@kai-dj Sounds good. I'm glad that you were able to get this working.

@kai-dj It doesn't have to, but it probably does, because otherwise there would have to be voltage-conversion circuitry on the circuit board, and why should LEGO engineers bother with that? (They could avoid having this circuitry by making the battery voltage the same as the motor voltage)


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Boxes for individual sets
What are good boxes (in USA or importable) that would allow young (5 years) Lego builders to store single sets, keeping all the pieces for single build together, while keeping younger sisters (1 year) from exploring?

There's probably a difference in what boxes you can get in different parts of the world, so you should mention where you are.

Looking inside the USA, or importable. I’ve updated my question. Thanks!

I've been parting out some of my old Technic sets for my son to play with, and I've found that tackle boxes work nicely for individual sets. It doesn't matter too much which brand you go with. Most of the major brands offer a variety of sizes. Here's a set I just parted out using a Plano 3700 series box:

I also like the parts bins with removable internal sections for storing sets. These are great while building as you can take the bins out and place them in convenient places.

(source: harborfreight.com)
Stanley makes great bins like this, but I've found the cheaper knock-off bins work fine for LEGO at about half the price.
If you are looking for a free solution, I sometimes use pick-a-brick cups or plastic jars such as the ones peanut butter is sold in for storing smaller sets or groups of parts.

Props to jncraton's take on this.  I have an alternative suggestion, that may work for smaller sets.  While I don't have sisters to keep out, I do have a variety of small sets that I can't keep displayed.  My method boils down to:

I put each of these in a plastic ziplock bag of the appropriate size.  I can write the set# on it in with a permanent marker like a Sharpie.
Then these ziplocks are put into a smallish plastic storage bin which gets labeled.  The bins I have are 16"x11"x7".
The label from the bin gets put into brickset.com so I have some hope of finding these things again.
Instructions don't work well with this method, but if you're ok keeping those in another place I find sheet protectors in binders to work.  Of course, there are other suggestions on this site for this.

This is probably not adequate protection to prevent a concerted sister invasion.  A locked closet might help, but this is getting far out of my expertise.  :). Chris H, no relation, commented that these plastic bins are available predrilled so that they can be easily locked up.
Another advantage of this bin/label/brickset system is that it works for lots of small sets that are still in their boxes.  So I've got uniformity in the bin size for how I'm storing small/medium sets whether they're assembled or not.  My spare parts overflow is also going into the same bins in ziplocks.

You can get those crates with holes in the handles of lid and base, so the lids can be secured with cable tie (zip ties) or even padlocks.  This is one case where a 3-digit combination padlock might be useful, with a cable tie on the other end


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Identifying some hair, a green "gem", and white minifigures accessory
I recently acquired a few pounds of LEGO with some off-brand building blocks mixed through it. I've got three mystery pieces that I haven't been able to find on Bricklink.  I'm wondering if they are Lego or off-brand pieces. I was under the impression that most LEGO pieces had the word LEGO written on them, and none of these do.

Brown hair: Has the number 5 on the bottom.  It fits a 2x2 square.  I got no matches in a search for "hair", filtering to brown color.

Green gem: It kind of reminds me of Rock Raiders, but I got no matches for "green gem" or "green jewel".  The base is a 2x2 circle. It has no lettering on it.

White "wings"? This one I am quite sceptical of, however it fits perfectly on a minifigure as a pair of wings.  I had no idea what to search for this one.  It has a number 2 on it.

I'd like to know if these are Lego pieces.  Reasons that they likely aren't (eg. LEGO has never used that color) are great too.

Not sure about first element, but the last to are definitely not LEGO.

Your photos are very clear. It's my opinion that none are Lego parts. The parts are large enough to have Lego trademarks but none are appearant in your pictures. The molding quality of the green crystal seems far short of what Lego produces.

Piece 1 is Mega Bloks. Here's is a picture of a head (twice) that goes with it, and some yellow hair as well.

And now Lego has their own brick which is very similar to that head: https://cdn.rebrickable.com/media/thumbs/parts/elements/6382134.jpg/250x250p.jpg?1659323220.083711

The bottom piece seems to be Kre-O — this is a LEGO-like product produced by Hasbro, which includes a number of sets based on the Transformers franchise (which Hasbro also own).
This piece can be seen on the 3rd character (a "Kreon", their version of a Minifig) in the 6th row of the below image.

Fantastic, thanks!  I could have sworn that that piece was supposed to be car doors, I just couldn't understand why. Now I know.


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Broken pneumatic distribution block
I have a first-generation Lego Pneumatic set (nr 8851) that I recently took out of storage. I remembered from the last time I built the set that the pneumatics weren't working and I just confirmed that this is still the case.
After some experimentation, it turns out that the pneumatic distribution block is not doing its proper job of providing pressure only on one outlet and suction only on the other outlet, so it seems to be broken internally.
My question is, given that this part is specific to the first generation pneumatics and has been out of production for over 30 years, is it worth it to look for a replacement of this part, or is it to be expected that due to the age of the parts, the internals have deteriorated to the point that I need to be very lucky to find a working one?
Another option I am willing to consider it to try to repair the piece I have, so any advice in that direction is also welcome.

If all else fails, you could replace its function with two non-LEGO "check valves" and a tee — the hard part would be finding valves small enough that the entire assembly (including any tubing adapters needed) takes up a reasonable amount of space.

I do not own such piece, so cannot tell if they all are broken by this time. However I have a suggestion regarding acquiring a replacement.
Bricklink is a dedicated to trading just LEGO items, so I can recommend to look here for replacement. While some of the sellers do not check functionality of all the items they sell it is considered items should be in a working state unless stated otherwise. It would be best to ask a seller (that you have chosen to buy the item from if it works) to test the piece if you ask them before placing an order.
The item you should be looking for on Bricklink is called Pneumatic Distribution Block 2 x 4 with Non-return Valve.


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What is the Bluetooth PIN for the LEGO train PUP remote (88010)
I'd like to use the Powered Up train remote, #88010 as a simple controller (bang-bang only, obviously).
It's Bluetooth, and it shows up as a device, but the PINs 0000 and 1234 don't appear to work.
Once paired, it presumably operates as an input device (?) so would "just work" with Brickcontroller 2.

The remote control uses Bluetooth Low Energy rather than Bluetooth Classic. None of the GATT characteristics require authentication. This means you do not need to pair the device so there is no need for a PIN.
The remote control is not an HID input device, but rather uses a custom protocol that is documented at https://lego.github.io/lego-ble-wireless-protocol-docs/.

You must allow application to access your location then you don't need to pair train with mobile at all.


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Options for powering Winter Holiday Train
Is there a way to make the Winter Holiday Train powered without the IR receiver or Remote Control?
I only set it up at Christmas time and just want it to go around the track at the one speed. I want to avoid the expense of purchasing all the parts. I understand I can reduce the power supply of the recommended battery box by adding dummy batteries but I read somewhere that LEGO has a rechargeable battery box with variable speed. Can I use this instead of the recommended battery box and connect directly to motor?

If only solar panels produced enough power.

@chicks, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKCJ0WS33UU so its possible, adding a couple of the lego solar panels on a 9V track could work in my opinion. Only, working lego solar panels are hard to find and not much sun this time of year

If you want to “turn on and forget” you might want to look into obtaining a circle of old 9V track (metal rails produced by LEGO until 2007) and a power supply, plus a 9V train motor. It will not be cheap (the track pieces, especially curves, won’t be too expensive but a working 9V train motor is a $50-$75 purchase) however it will allow you to turn the train on and keep it running.

(Image copied from this thread which will be useful to troubleshoot if you have issues with your 9V setup).
FOLLOW-UP: After writing this answer, I realized I too need a circle of 9V track for my Christmas tree train :). I went ahead and bought an incomplete but working 9V train set on EBay for $100, which gives me the transformer, power cord, power supply, a 9V motor and some track. I then added the missing pieces of track from BrickLink (<$1 per curve, $4-$5 for straight, plus shipping) and was all done for less than $150, with extra pieces from the incomplete set such as wheel sets, magnetic couplers and the sunken train bases which are quite valuable nowadays. If you compare that with buying the retired rechargeable battery box and all the PF components, that is similar money, with the downside for PF that you still need to charge every so often - which is what I used to do. One watch-out: these 9V tracks were made both in Dark Gray as well as in Dark Bluish Gray, so expect color differences if you try to mix and match these. I don’t mind as I intend to ballast my tracks anyways, and color differences make for a more “natural” look.

Haven't operated any PF trains for a while, but AFAIK PF battery box has a built-in timeout and will switch off after 2 hours of continuous operation. PUP is even worse, it could (and does) stop if/when connection with controller is lost due to distance, BT interference or discharging batteries (in controller!, duh).

Yes, the rechargeable battery box would work.
However, if your intention is to avoid expenses, you are better off with buying the IR-receiver, IR remote and the regular battery box rather than the rechargeable one. The rechargeable battery box is no longer available from Lego for quite some time now and is getting expensive on the secondary market as well (e.g. on Bricklink the cheapest offer is 90$)


text:
Why is my EV3 status light pulsing? (ev3dev)
I am using EV3 micropython (ev3dev?). When I upload the below program to my EV3, I see on the screen the usual play button image which looks approximately like the below ASCII art:
              _______
            /         \
           /    |\     \
          |     | \     |
          |     |  )    |
           \    | /    /
            \   |/    /
             ---------

However, the EV3 status light pulses. By "pulsing" I don't mean the light flashes on, off, on but instead that it gradually dims then brightens. I don't know what that indicates, but my program (intended to smoothly and gradually accelerate a motor by remote control) does not work.
My program:
#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython
from pybricks.hubs import EV3Brick
from pybricks.ev3devices import (Motor, TouchSensor, ColorSensor,
                                 InfraredSensor, UltrasonicSensor, GyroSensor)
from pybricks.parameters import Port, Stop, Direction, Button, Color
from pybricks.tools import wait, StopWatch, DataLog
from pybricks.robotics import DriveBase
from pybricks.media.ev3dev import SoundFile, ImageFile

# This program requires LEGO EV3 MicroPython v2.0 or higher.
# Click "Open user guide" on the EV3 extension tab for more information.

# Create your objects here.
ev3 = EV3Brick()
ir = InfraredSensor(Port.S1)
pitchlm = Motor(Port.D)
yawmm = Motor(Port.B)
rollmm = Motor(Port.A)

pitchspeed = 0
rvz = 0

def remote_motor_gradual(posbutton, negbutton, increment, retvarname):
    ''' Gradually increases/decreases return value based on remote button;
    if positive value is being returned and current input is negative,
    value decreases 2x faster than if no buttons were being pressed.
    Parameters: posbutton, button to make return value go up;
    negbutton, button to make return value go down;
    increment, amount  of increment when NO button is pressed;
    retvarname, name of final-result variable (use a different one for each use,
    e.g. xretval).
    Before using retvarname, put somewhere before this def "nameyoulluse = X where X
    is the number you want the return value to be.
    '''
    if posbutton in ir.buttons(1):
        retvarname = retvarname + increment * 2
    elif negbutton in ir.buttons(1):
        retvarname = retvarname - increment * 2
    elif retvarname > 0: # if it is greater than 0
        retvarname = retvarname - increment
    elif retvarname < 0: # if it is less than 0
        retvarname = retvarname + increment
    return retvarname
while True:
    rollmm.run(remote_motor_gradual(Button.RIGHT_UP, Button.RIGHT_DOWN, .05, rvz))

That is just the default state of the light when pybricks-micropython starts.
You can get help with Pybricks programming at https://github.com/pybricks/support.

Oh. For some reason I had never noticed that before. Thanks.


text:
What LEGO piece is this arc with ball joint?
I cannot find a part number on it. It has the official logos on the studs. What is this? What theme does it originate from?
It looks like a combination of a 4x4 plate, a 5x2 plate and an arc with a ball joint.

That is the Vehicle, Trailer Base 4 x 13. It came in one set, the #378 Tractor from 1972.
Found by searching first 4x9 (didn't find it) and then 4x13 (the total length).


text:
Looking for instructions for Nanoblock Synthesizer (NBC_038)
I was given a Nanoblock Synthesizer (NBC_038) at Christmas last year and frankly am feeling really guilty for not having built it and put it on the piano yet. Sadly, I've lost the instructions. I've searched a fair bit without success. Does anyone have the instructions or know where I can get them?

(Due diligence: I checked to see if Nanoblock was on topic and it seems so, and I checked to see if instructions requests are on-topic, and found a few (such as this one). The on-topic help page didn't mention instructions, nor did the don't ask help page, so I think it's okay. Apologies, though, if not. In particular I'm slightly worried about copyright ramifications.)

This is a good and acceptable question, T.J. We typically handle LEGO questions, so finding an answer to a Nanoblocks question might take longer, also because unlike LEGO the other brands don’t have as much of a knowledge repository out on the Internet (company-provided or fan-provided).

Thanks @PhilB! I appreciate the confirmation, as you can tell I was only about 85% sure. :-)

Welcome T.J. and thanks for the due diligence, I wish every new user would be so thorough as you are :)

Thanks @zovits! But I don't deserve too much credit, I'm new here but I'm an 11-year veteran at StackOverflow, so I know a fair bit out off-topic questions. :-D Thanks to you and Phil B. and Alex for being such a welcoming community! It seems like I often have a different experience on other SE sites. You folks are great.

Among other printed instructions for Nanoblock kits found on Fandom Wiki there is one for Synthesizer (NBC_038) kit as well:

I found video on YouTube for model speed build. Playing on 0.25 speed produce an acceptable result with parts being used in each step. At the second part of the video instruction sheet is also visible (image has been rotated, compared to video):

Great stuff, Alex!


text:
LEGO Dacta Intelligent House
I obtained an LEGO Dacta 9707 Intelligent House set plus the Interface B:

By searching on BrickLink for the set, I found out that there was an Activity
Pack for use with Control Lab software.
If someone has the software and guide for DOS/WIN (item 9708), please let me know ;)

Maybe this?

Were you able to find the intelligent house 9708 or 9710 activity pack books?

As mindstormsboi says, you can find it on archive.org
here


text:
Is there any cross compatibility between 51515 and 31313?
I'm thinking of buying another Mindstorms set, and I already have a 31313. I don't want to spend $370 just to learn they are completely incapable of communicating with each other, so if you could tell me whether they are capable of communicating in any way other than mechanical (e.g. have the EV3 turn a motor and give a readout on some other sensor on the 51515) or using distance sensors, please tell me of their existence and type. Thanks.

It is possible to communicate between the 31313 and 51515 hubs.
See these youtube videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT4_4v1W2C8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3uk80tuqI4
In the first video a SPIKE Prime hub (same as 51515 just different firmware) is used to control a 31313 hub and in the second video there's more of explanation of how it's done.
I do not think that currently there is any compatibility between sensors. So you would need to use the 31313 hub to handle all its sensors and motors, which you could then communicate with or control from the 51515 (which is handling its own sensors and motors).


text:
Can you identify this fiery orange hair?
Can someone identify the orange hair in this minifig?

That seems to be part #24787, Minifigure, Hair Spiked Tall Top. So far it has only been released in orange. It came on the 2016 Syndrome minifig, one of the Disney Collectible Minifigures.


text:
How do I specify PAYMENTINSTRUCTIONS in BrickLink macros?
There's a line in the default invoice:
Payment Instructions: <PAYMENTINSTRUCTIONS>

That macro tag is not listed on the List of E-Mail Basic Macro Tags and on my invoices it seems to always be:
Payment Instructions: (not specified)

How do I specify a value for PAYMENTINSTRUCTIONS?

I think this question is very specific to Bricklink and we couldn't really help on that. Searching on BL's forum your question there is the only one mentioning tag you are interested in. So it is highly unlikely we have better knowledge than people over Bricklink have.

I’m voting to close this question because it does not belong to any of this site's topics, as outlined in https://bricks.stackexchange.com/help/on-topic


text:
I am desperate to find the name of this brick
Please help me find the name of this brick!
I am trying to build a Lego locomotive MOC and these headlights parts, the yellow ones would fit perfectly with my design, but I can't find the name of this one no matter how much I searched.

I would greatly appreciate if someone can recognize it and help me identify it!
Many thanks!

Looks pretty much like this part (tilted by 90°):

Brick Modified 2 x 2 with Pin Hole, Rotation Joint Socket
I recognized it by the small sloped parts next to the cylinder.
But apparently, this part was never produced in yellow. When looking closely at the pictures, the yellow has a different tone than the other yellow parts next to it. I think it might have been repainted.

OMG you are soo good! Thank you so much!

@BlueBrick Thanks, i recognized it because i like to use this part as engines on spaceships.

That makes a lot of sense!

Those headlights are made by mounting a Brick Round 2x2 in yellow with the studs towards the train body, and then adding a trans-clear boat stud as the light’s lens. The whole construction seems to be fixed in place with a bar, judging from the little light-bluish-gray tip sticking out into the lens.

The round brick would be to big, please look at the latest model here is a picture attached, he updated it. https://i.stack.imgur.com/wssjR.jpg


text:
Trying to identify a bunch of parts from sets I had as a child 20 years ago
I'd love some help to identify some/any of the kits I have from the following pictures of parts I have:

Most of this LEGO would've been purchased around 1999 if that helps but I think it could range from 1995 through to 2002 ish.
I have many thousands of pieces from my childhood collection these are some of the more unique and I figure more easily to identify pieces.

I like how the photos don't have wasted space! The big electronic item in the second photo with 3 black buttons is from Insectoids https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x239#T=C.

The wings with circuitry, top right of the second photo, are mostly (but not entirely) from Insectoids: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=30230px1

According to BrickLink, the pattern on the round 2x2 on the left of the first photo was only in set 7311 https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=4150px3

Two yellow tiles near the top of the first photo are from Aquazone (including Aquanauts and Aquasharks) https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3069bpx11&colorID=3

The big white wedge pieces were in 17 sets in white https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=3586&colorID=1

The tail at the bottom of the first photo with the eagle with tye yellow stripe was in 2 Technic sets https://www.bricklink.com/catalogItemIn.asp?P=2340pb022&in=S

Wow thanks everyone! This is very helpful info!

These bring back some memories. Back when Lego boxes where still creative and not just another iteration of the latest marvel movie.

The electronic one with the buttons belongs together to the same theme as the translucent wings, I think. I have many of your parts as well. The wings and the one with the buttons are relatively new (compared to the others). I bought these when I was much older, compared to the others.

These parts belong to a ton of different sets.
1st picture

Black Engine, Smooth Large, 1 x 2 Thin Top Plate can be found in 6 sets.

Black Tail with Rounded Top, Aquazone Aquashark Blue Shark with Red 'X' Pattern belong to one of three sets.

Slope 33 3 x 2 with Exploriens Logo Pattern was available in 6 sets.

White Hinge Train Gate 2 x 4 with Satellite Orbiting Earth Screen Pattern (Sticker) - Set 6458 is part of Satellite with Astronaut (6458) set:

Light Gray Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Dynamite Pattern was in 40 sets.

Tile 2 x 2 with Groove with Alien Egg Pattern (Magnetic Sticker) - Exploriens Sets was in 8 sets.

Tile 2 x 2 with Groove with Dinosaur Skeleton and Bone Pattern (Magnetic Sticker) - Exploriens Sets was in 8 sets too.

Tile 2 x 2 with Spyrius Blue Screen with Plus Sign and Silver and Red Panel Pattern seen in 15 sets.

Container, Box 2 x 2 x 2 Door with Slot and Spyrius Pattern been in 3 sets.

Yellow Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Underwater Navigation Pattern seen in 8 sets.

White Tile, Round 2 x 2 with Zebra Stripes Pattern been in 6 sets

Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Blue and Yellow Controls Pattern (Ice Planet) available in 14 sets.

Red Tile 2 x 2 with Groove with Number 2 Bold White and Stripes Pattern been in 2 sets.

White Tile 2 x 2 with White Arrow in Blue Circle Pattern have been in 17 sets.

White Brick 1 x 3 with Radio and Dual Cassette Pattern Dark Pink/Green (Sticker) - Set 5895 has incorrectly applied sticker and has been available in Villa Belville (5895)

White Slope 33 3 x 2 with Number 1 Pattern has been part of 8 sets.

Black Slope 45 2 x 2 with Yellow Grille Pattern has been in 4 sets.

Black Slope 33 3 x 2 with Number 4 Pattern been in 8 sets.

White Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with 'POLICE' Red Line Pattern has been in 20 sets.

White Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Arrow Short Yellow with Black Border Pattern been in 18 sets.

White Slope 75 2 x 1 x 3 - Open Stud with Shuttle and Blue/Red Circle Pattern, Model Right (Sticker) - Set 6614 AND Panel 1 x 2 x 1 with Blue -V- and two Red Lines Pattern (Sticker) - Set 6614
are unique to Launch Evac 1 (6614):

Assembly which feature distinctive Tile, Round 2 x 2 with Flame and Sand Green Border Pattern belong to Red Planet Cruiser (7311) set:

Blue Slope 33 3 x 2 with Number 2 Pattern been in 6 sets.

Blue Slope 33 3 x 2 with Ice Planet Logo Pattern been in 7 sets.

Windscreen 6 x 4 x 1 1/3 with Bottom Tabs and Hollow Studs with Number 7 and Blue, White and Red Swirls Pattern (Stickers) - Set 8223 AND Panel 1 x 2 x 1 with Number 7 on Right and Blue, White and Red Swirls Pattern (Sticker) - Set 8223 as name suggests is unique to Hydrofoil 7 (8223) set

One of the red tails is from Aero Hawk II (8812)

Other Red pieces are from Eagle Stunt Flyer (6615)

Tile 1 x 4 with 3 White Stars Pattern has been available in 6 sets.

2nd picture

Flag 7 x 3 with Rod with Space Port Solar Array with '2000-XZ' Pattern (Sticker) - Sets 6454 / 6456 / 6458 been in three sets. Conveniently, these are mentioned in part description.

Panel 3 x 5 Solar/Clip-On/Deltoid with Reflective Trapezoid Pattern (Sticker) been in 7 sets.

Electric, Light & Sound 4 x 20 x 5 Insectoid Stinger have been part of 4 sets.

Both Wing Insectoid Large with Arm Hinge and Circuitry Pattern Left (Print on Top, Tip on Left, Logo at Back Edge)
and Wing Insectoid Large with Arm Hinge and Circuitry Pattern Right (Print on Top, Tip on Right, Logo at Back Edge) been in same 5 sets.

Windscreen 10 x 4 x 2 1/3 Canopy with Blue Outlines and Red Square Pattern
was in just Deep Sea Predator (6155)

While Windscreen 10 x 4 x 2 1/3 Canopy with Black Aquasharks Pattern is seen in the same set it has appeared in 3 sets overall.

Trans-Neon Green Cylinder Hemisphere 4 x 4 Multifaceted was in 9 sets.

Trans-Neon Green Dish 6 x 6 Inverted (Radar) Webbed - Type 2 (underside attachment positions at 90 degrees) was in 5 sets.

Trans-Green Dish 5 x 5 Scala was in just 3 sets, all from Belville theme, despite the use of "Scala" naming.

Trans-Light Blue Windscreen 4 x 4 x 4 1/3 Helicopter with Coast Guard Logo Pattern (Sticker) - Set 6342 as name suggest is specific to Beach Rescue Chopper (6342) set.

Trans-Dark Blue Windscreen 6 x 6 Octagonal Canopy with Axle Hole has been part of 7 sets.

3rd picture

White Tile, Round 8 x 8 seen in 4 sets.

Both White Wedge, Plate 7 x 12 Wing Left and White Wedge, Plate 7 x 12 Wing Right have been in 17 sets.

White Wedge, Plate 8 x 6 x 2/3 with Grille has been in just two sets.

White Brick, Round 1 x 1 Open Stud has been in whooping 472 sets.

I think I'm only missing a couple of tiles I find hard to ID.

+1 for the effort involved in finding all this info.

Thanks heaps for all your hard work on tracking these sets down! It's like a walk down memory lane seeing all these sets that I had when I was a kid. I'm aiming to assemble them all now that I've got my own house and display cabinet to proudly show 'em off!

@joshendy what a coincidence. I have found a box of missing parts from my childhood sets and just have been working on them for last couple of days. Some of the parts were easy to ID because of these sets I had as well.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for the day, teach a man to fish and he will eat for life.
Since its a few months old you probably have this figured out already. But, if not, here is what I learned in the last 6 weeks sitting on my rec room floor with thousands of bricks (3 large plastic tubs). Also from the 90's and early 2000's. Besides my sons sets my neighbor gave me a big black garbage bag full of bricks from his kids. He was on his way to the garbage can. He offered so I took them. Here is the clue - on the back of almost every brick is an id number. Pick the most unusual pieces and use it to track your sets. Google the number starting with Lego then the number. Bricklink has been my best reference so far but Lego recommends BrickOwl. On Bricklink you will get a lot of info and thousands of people around the world selling them in their little stores. There is a "Item Appears In" link that will direct you to a list of Lego sets that contain the part. They sort it by color and date. Then you have to hunt it down. Once you find it, they will give you inventories for the set as well as assembly instructions in PDF's.
Doing this I have identified 50 plus sets, reconstituted 25 plus and fully reassembled 26. Some rather large. So those little stores on Bricklink and BrickOwl charge pennies for most pieces but be leery of those that charge large shipping fees and adding handling charges. My mailman was delivering my packages, mostly small, in plastic tubs.
Good luck, it's addicting.

"Lego recommends Brickowl.com" citation needed, keeping in mind TLG owns Bricklink now.


text:
Were these real giant LEGO pieces on the 2020 Late Holiday catalog cover?
In a recent cover of the US LEGO Catalog we see kids playing with oversized LEGO pieces:

The toolbox (98368)
and wrench (4006) are very recognizable.
The tiara is distinctly
part 33322.
The banana is basically part 33085, but the colored tips are suspicious.

The debate my wife and I have been having about all of this is: did they really print out big parts like this or did they fake it with Photoshop?  I'm hoping that they went and did this Matt Denton-style and printed everything extra large, handed it to the kids and let them do whatever child models do.  My wife doesn't feel like the shadows work right, and she thinks they faked it in the computer.  I don't expect that we have access to anyone involved with making this catalog for an utterly authoritative answer, but maybe you're good at spotting the Photoshop signs.

In this Rebuild the world Making Of on youtube the hunter's bow looks like an actual prop...

For Lego's 50th anniversary celebrations in Australia, they made some life-sized trees. Some photos are here: https://cakeheadlovesevil.wordpress.com/2012/04/21/lego-forest-50th-birthday-celebrations/

Perhaps ask Lego customer service? I don't have the time.

With a large format 3d printer and some modelmaking skills this would be easy.  Any prop maker or model shop could do them the old-fashioned way too (even I've made a similar sword out of wood, though theirs has a better finish).  The children holding the spanner, toolbox, and banana look like they really are, but I'm not so confident about the hands holding the sword - it seems like an awkward grip and a trick of the lighting

I think that they photoshopped shadows in after setting up lighting to remove shadows so that the picture has shadows making it so it doesn’t look weird while not having shadows making the picture dark.

modelsGood point.  The lighting is quite flat going by the shadows on the kids/props, plus the background has been replaced by the cover colour. Fake shadows are to be expected, and of course it's clearly composed from at least 3 shots just of the kids, plus more of the Lego models (the elephant-panda-parrot stack is a bit too big, while the dragon, modified from overlord dragon I reckon, is huge compared to the kids interacting with them)


text:
Connecting an axle to a stud on the ground for railings
I'm trying to build railing using axles and connectors and am not finding an easy way to get the axles that go to the ground to connect in a way that would be best for my design. Three options I've found so far is using 4032, 3941, or 3713. I like 3713 because it has a smaller profile, but it cannot be placed directly on a stud, which causes two problems: 1) the railings are slightly inside of the plate (less problematic to me); 2) I cannot cover the surrounding studs with tiles, which I'd like to do. Seems another option could be using 11458. That would also offset the railing, but I could cover the stud with a 1x1 tile. I could also use a technic 3700 or 32064, but again, offset and you lose the smaller profile. I'm wondering if I'm not missing some socket sticking straight up that would solve the problem.

While I have a rough understanding, I'm find it a little confusing in terms of exactly what the issue is. Do you have any sort of mock-up to show?

Is your railing to minifig scale? How long is the vertical axle?

For the axle with stud on one side you could also use a smaller pin connector 18654.

Here are some Ideas i came up with. I added some of your suggestions for comparrison.

Mounted on top of the plate:

4032
3941
3713
11458, 32013, 2780
30383, 30553

Mounted below the plate:

40902, 30552
30389b, 30553
32000, 32013, 2780
3701, 32013, 2780

Uli got me the exact answer I needed, but I upvoted this one too, really appreciate the effort here!


text:
What LEGO set do these bags belong to?
Any idea what set this might be? Number on bags say 529R9. I have unopened bags 2-6 and one loose bag of LEGO bricks.

This is 41340: Friendship House

keyparts :

93092: Minifigure, Utensil Basket in Medium Lavender

41539: Plate 8 x 8 in Lime

2584: String Reel 2 x 2 Holder in Black

I keep being shocked at the ease with which people on this site can recognize things like this. I could probably post a mixed pile of bricks from 2 sets and you would be able to tell me which 2 sets I mixed.

@Nzall it's usually done by identifying a few relatively uncommon elements across the bags, and knowing what colours typically appear in which themes ;)


text:
Can I sell pre-built LEGO sets?
So I was interested if it would be legal to sell LEGO sets that were built by me. Most likely on some sort of website whether it be my own or one like eBay or craigslist. Specifically:

Could I make a profit legally if it isn't MOC?

Would it be against any form of copyright?

If they were to be glued together would that be an issue?

If I were to make my own website but make credit to LEGO what would be the implications?

Ofcourse, millions of people are doing that. However, note that I personally would never intentionally buy a glued set and that I strongly prefer any 2nd hand set I buy to be disassembled.

To add on to what @MichaelVerschaeve said: if your sets are glued, expect to see much diminished returns from selling. Glued sets are (with very minor exceptions) not appreciated in the LEGO community, The exception being LEGO store displays which contain sets that are factory glued.

If you have a local unofficial LEGO store, they probably have pre-built sets for sale.  They may also take sets on consignment.  https://bricksandminifigs.com/store-locator/ are definitely offering pre-built sets for sale.

Yes, you can sell used LEGO sets. In fact there is huge market for such sets due to, relatively, high product value even on second-hand market. People use local classifieds for local sales as well as global platforms like eBay, Bricklink for greater exposure.

Could I make a profit legally if it isn't MOC?

It is worth noting, some used sets tend to sell for much higher value than they cost when were new. This is caused by demand, and usually because set being some kind of "special". So yes, you can make a profit.

Would it be against any form of copyright?

You can sell pre-owned vehicles, electronics, household items and this is known to be a norm. How is selling used LEGO different from this?

If they were to be glued together would that be an issue?

Yes, you need to state your model is glued, as it is expected that LEGO model/set can be disassembled for parts.

If I were to make my own website but make credit to LEGO what would be
the implications?

You need to follow LEGO Fair Play and you'll be alright.


text:
Can Lego Education WeDo 2.0 be controlled without using the app?
I would like to use WeDo 2.0 creations with a simple controller that would turn the motor on/off as in the Lego Education Simple and Powered Machines. Is this possible in WeDo 2.0 or do you have to use the app ?

I don't think Lego made a physical controller for their WeDo set, and that no one else did either. The same thing goes for Lego Control+, it has an app but no actual controller. And for Lego Boost too.

This is not possible currently using any of the hardware and software provided officially by TLG. However, there are several solutions that might work for you if you have a spare Arduino or Raspberry Pi around and are willing to do a little programming.
If you aren't aware, all of the Powered Up elements communicate via a Bluetooth protocol that TLG provides documentation for. There are several open source projects that make use of the API to interact with Powered Up devices.
If you have an Arduino available, you could try the Legoino project. This is capable of interacting with both Powered Up remotes and Powered Up hubs, so you can program it to interface between the two and provide remove control. Here's a video showing that setup in action controlling Boost:

If you have a Raspberry Pi or spare computer around, you might be more interested node-poweredup or pylgbst.


text:
Is it possible to power Boost or Powered Up hubs using wall current instead of batteries?
I'm working on a project using LEGO Boost that I'd like to keep it powered on for a long period of time. The Boost hub itself does not move, so I'd like to power it using an AC adapter instead of using batteries to save myself time and money changing them out.

This isn't possible out of the box, and there aren't currently any adapters available from TLG to support this as far as I know. I did come up with a modification to make this possible, though.
My goal was to allow me to modify the hub to receive external power in a way that did not damage the hub and would be totally reversible. Ideally, I wanted a solution that could also still work with batteries without having to undo the modifications.
I started by removing the contacts that connect the battery holder to the main hub. These could probably be left in, but the next step is to solder wires to them, and I wanted to make sure I didn't melt any plastic.

Now we solder on some wires. I chose to use Dupont connectors here so that I would have a very small and detachable connection.

Now we put the battery terminals back.

A nice feature of this setup is that in its current state, batteries can be installed and the box still fits perfectly inside the hub.

From here, you could probably get away with running wires directly out of the hub if you didn't mind it not closing completely. If you didn't mind damaging the hub, you could also cut or drill a small notch at the bottom for the wires. I opted to run the wires out of some holes that already exist in the bottom of the hub.

From there, it's simply a matter of connecting the two wires to a suitable 9V supply. If you attempt this yourself, it is critical to match the voltage and polarity of the batteries, or you risk damaging your hub.


text:
LEGO Plastic Bag - White, Light Grey and Clear Bricks

I received a  sealed bag of LEGO with no instructions and I have no idea on how to build things out of it.
When I scanned the QR code on the plastic bag, it gave me a number - 617-2062 but I got no information out of it. Please help to identify the LEGO Plastic Bags as per photo attached.

According to BrickLink, there are only two sets with both that hinge plate and the eyelashes and they're quite similar: 10717 Bricks Bricks Bricks and the almost-identically-named 11717 Bricks Bricks Plates

Despite the name, both sets have plates. BrickLink shows some variation in what wheels are in each, but I can not tell from the photo (and possibly could not tell in person) which wheels, and thus which set, you have.

I'd suggest adding set numbers to bring a little more clarity since names are similar and hard to distinguish. On topic: 10717 set doesn't have 16x16 plates that 11717 set has, which aligns perfectly with the set naming. Apart from 16x16 plates both sets are the same.

Well, no; as I'd said, their inventories show slightly different wheels. I can not speak to the accuracy of those inventories, either.


text:
Looking for instructions to Mega Bloks “Blok Bots” 9356 set
I need instructions for Mega Bloks "Blok Bots" set 9356.
Can't find it on https://support.megabrands.com/en-us/instructions

Looks like there is no hope of finding instructions there, since the theme you mentioned isn't on their theme list and their site seems pretty broken anyway (some of the themes on their list have broken HTML entities). Also, I heard Adobe Flash player has had its support dropped by Chrome (and possibly every other big tech company as well) so you should probably keep looking... I'm having trouble looking as well.

Hoping some1 will upload pics...

Hi igor and wlecome to Bricks.SE! You mention having searched on the brand website, but have you tried contacting their customer service department? They might be able to find the information you need. Additionally, by signaling the need for those files, they might put them up on their website for others to see. Don't forget to report here if you receive a reply from them!

I found this thread on Reddit:
(https://www.reddit.com/r/buildingblocks/comments/2t9xew/archive_of_old_mega_bloks_instructions/ )
It has a link to a zip file with instructions from the old mega bloks site.
It contains instructions for 9356 and 9528.


text:
Can you remotely control Lego Education WeDo 2.0 creations using the WeDo app?
I wonder if the WeDo 2.0 app has remote control capabilities or is it only about programming the creations and then running the programs?

Apparently, no.
I've seen a few videos about Lego Wedo 2.0, and from what I can tell, it doesn't have it. One video shows a few of the models and some of the user's programs, but he doesn't mention even a virtual remote control and if it existed he would've because it's an obvious key feature for robotics. This was made without the official app and I bet that its creator wouldn't have bothered making it if the official app already had the option to make remote control.
Lego Boost, Control+, PoweredUp, and EV3 have virtual remote control though.
I found an intresting "remote control".


text:
Can you identify this robotic minifigure?
I am trying to identify this minifigure.  I thought it was related to Star Wars but I can not find it there. Can you help?

Welcome to Bricks.SE. I took a liberty updating your question by correcting image orientation.

This is :
sp043 : UFO Droid - Blue (Techdroid 1)

Thank you so much!  I appreciate your help.

Hi Stan and welcome to Bricks.SE! Please take a mintue to check out the [tour] to learn how you can mark this answer as accepted, to show that you are satisfied with it.


text:
Rendering the wrath of a vengeful god
I'm planning on doing the Indiana Jones Face Melting Scene.
At time frame 1:08 of that clip, you can see arcs of energy going out from the Ark, devouring the Nazi soldiers. My current plan is to use the transparent neck bracket with 2 studs, then attaching transparent red or green bars to that to make the energy arcs. However, the arc is depicted as going out in a sort of cone or fan shape, rather then in straight lines.  Is there a way I can attach some bars to the back of a figure at an angle (33-45 degrees or so)?
Or is there another way altogether I can approach this?

I've also got some of the single neck brackets saved up. I can use those if it works better somehow.

One way you could achieve that is to use Minifigure, Utensil Posing Stand, Bar with Hollow Stud with the bracket you've mentioned. Not entirely sure of an exact angle, but it looks to be close to 45°/135° angle.


text:
What piece is this and what is its purpose?
I am very confused on what this is. The only numbers on it are 8-01 and I searched for this and nothing comes up.

A picture would be helpful.

Sorry I am new to this

We call them space binoculars. They're like binoculars, but in space!

They are supposed to look like the Macrobinoculars that Luke uses as well as some other similar "large fancy binoculars" from the series.

@JPhi1618 Really?  Because it doesn't look anything like the item in the link you posted.

They come in Star Wars sets. I know it’s not an exact visual match, but rather a lego interpretation of “bulky high tech” binoculars.

@DarrelHoffman Once you consider the constraints required to have a minifigure actually hold them up to their face, they actually seem remarkably close .That said, they also showed up in a few Rock Raiders sets the same year they were first introduced, and have been used in a couple of police-themed World City sets as well.


text:
Identify Tan Solider caps
Cany anyone identify the small tan caps worn by the soldiers in this clip?

It looks like a cavalry cap, apparently also known as a kepi.


text:
Help with my Ev3 printer
I'm building an image printer using my ev3 set and several more pieces, as a project to keep me occupied while I'm stuck at home.
Here's how it looks:

I've done the build part, the way I've chosen to do this is by converting my image to binary (B/W) and reading each number in my binary array, then drawing a dot if there's a 1 or skipping the dot if there's a 0.
I'm using Ev3 Python, as that's the language I know and I found it easiest to program in, but after I created my program my brick doesn't seem to process it properly and my brick weirdly starts to draw dots in the same spot, then instantly starts to move its top arm in the same direction for much longer than its programmed to, then sort of just stops its paper-moving wheels and starts doing more weird movements.
I tested my program's values before I wrote the program, it can draw 2 dots in a line correctly spaced out, but it starts doing weird things when I give it a whole line of data to draw.
Here's my code:
#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython
from pybricks.hubs import EV3Brick
from pybricks.ev3devices import Motor
from pybricks.parameters import Port
import time

ev3 = EV3Brick()

LR = Motor(Port.C)
UD = Motor(Port.D)
FB = Motor(Port.B)

def pendown():
    UD.run_target(40, 40)
def penup():
    UD.run_target(40, -40)
def nextline():
    LR.run_target(40, 300)
    FB.run_target(40, 30)
def nextdot():
    LR.run_target(40, -30)

byteval = '''
0000000000100100001001000000000000100100001111000000000000000000
'''

bytevalues = list(byteval)

# wait a bit
time.sleep(5)

# define grid limit

x_limit = 8
y_limit = 8
number_of_cells = x_limit * y_limit;
x = 0
# scan grid and perform action depending on cell value

while x < (number_of_cells):
    z = bytevalues[x]
    if z == '1': #draw a dot
        pendown()
        penup()
        nextdot()
    elif z == '0': #go to next cell value
        nextdot()
    x+=1
    if (x % x_limit) == 0: #go to next line
        nextline()

[I'm using an 8-Bit happy face as my image]
I don't know why this weird movement is happening, I don't think it should, please help me with this issue.

Have you tried putting a sleep in your while loop ?

I did, still isn't working

Changed more values, now it drew 4 dots in a column? I'm very confused

I think this question should be on Stack Overflow.

It could be, but you need people familiar with EV3 and ev3python.

You accepted my answer (green checkmark), does this mean it fixed your problem?

Yeah, it solved my problem, thanks!

You are using the function run_target... which tells the motor to run to a specific angle.
So it turns to an absolute position...
This might be correct for the pen_up and pen_down cases, but I think that for the movement, you want relative movement, i.e. relative from your current position, hence I think the instruction you need is run_angle instead of run_target.


text:
Why isn't the Sad Clown's torso in Stud.io?
I was working on designing a clown minifig and I found the 973pb1398c01 Torso 3 Black Pom Poms Pattern / White Arms / Black Hands that seemed perfect for it, but it turns out that it isn't in Stud.io.

So, am I using the wrong tool for designing minifigs? Is there an easy way to get new parts like this into Stud.io? Is there an explanation for which parts are available?

Since Stud.io part libary is based on LDraw project's results (basically, a community effort) I suspect nobody did produce a print for this torso.

I figured since it was done by bricklink that it would be more complete.  I will try the Part Designer as PhilB suggests.

Stud.io only has a small selection of printed parts, but there is hope. Stud.io’s Part Designer tool can help you with your clown torso. Here’s how:

Using a paint tool (like Windows’ Paint3D), save only the center bit of the torso to a PNG file, using the above torso image as your master.
Open up Part Designer and choose the option to modify a part. Search for the torso part (Part Designer does not care about the color).
Once the torso part is loaded, choose to add a decoration using the proper option in the left side menu (bottom-most option in my version).
Now open up your PNG file and position it over the torso so that the pompoms line up with the middle of the torso.
Save your part, import it back into Stud.io, go to your Custom part library (selector on the top left side of your screen above the Parts Library) and use the torso as you want.

All these steps shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. Good luck!

Just wanted to note that there are templates (or size information?) for the correct images size for the individual body parts somewhere in the Stud.io docs. Have used this approach several times successfully. May take a few tries to get it right the first time (especially for head parts/faces).

I was surprised that it was an independent download.  I was able to get a torso that looks right enough for now.  Thanks for the help.


text:
Can you identify this modified 1x1 plate?
Please can you identify this LEGO piece. I need to know what the name is from this piece.

Welcome to Bricks.SE.  This would not be under tiles on bricklink because of the stud on top.  As you can see in the links in the answer these are under the "Plate, Modified" category.

What instructions are you trying to build?

It's appears to be either Part 4081a or Part 4081b.
I'm not sure if it is exactly the same, but this works as a starting point, I believe. The two linked pieces seem to differ only in the thickness of the ring of the added "limb".
I was unable to find a part like those that has a "hole" in the main stud.

While difference seem to be minor, both versions have significantly different options - tiles attached to thin ring sit flush with plate, size wise.

That is definitely the ‘b’-version. I have both a thick ring and a thin ring version of 4081 and ‘thin’ is really thin, not as thick as pictured. Also, that part list is not from an official LEGO set, so don’t pay attention to the open stud pictured, it might just be a quirk of the tool used by the designer of these instructions. (I know they are not official because LEGO does not put sizing info next to tiles).

Concur with @PhilB., that is definitely 4081b.

@PhilB. That's more like a clone piece of "b" version. Never seen such one produced by LEGO with hollow stud.

@PhilB "I know they are not official because LEGO does not put sizing info next to tiles" - this comment made lots of sense with the original, uncropped image, but might seem less relevant now that those tiles have been removed.

And the more I think about it, and about how the instructions were clearly NOT made by TLG, the more I realize the distinction between a and b might well be irrelevant - the software would just have used whatever image was available, regardless of what variant was actually in the model.

@RSchulz Clone brands probably don't even know "a" version ever existed as 34 years passed since its last production year.


text:
Technic 4x4 crawler questions
I have the Technic 4x4 Crawler 9398 fully assembled and in working order, but the rear U-Joint sheared itself in half during normal use. I have a replacement piece but now I can’t get the wheels to line up, because the axle piece that runs through the motor and connects the front and back of the truck won’t line up with the joint unless the wheels are turned while it’s off.
So my question is do I need to disassemble the whole truck to fix this? Or is there a way to correct it without completely stripping the set?
And secondly does anyone know if the tires on the 4x4 X-treme off-roader 42099 will fit the Crawler?

I can answer your second part: This is the 4x4 off-roader. The 9398 monster truck has these wheels and theese too but it doesn't say they come in the 42099 monster truck. The 42099's wheels are about 3.5 minifigs tall.


text:
Was "3062oldtile" in any sets?
Was the 3062oldtile - Brick, Round 1 x 1 No Bottom Lip or Stud (Tile) in any sets?  Bricklink doesn't show it in any sets.  Did LEGO sell this part individually a long time ago or is the database merely incomplete here?

Same person who added this to bricklink as the one and only selling it, I call shenanigans

I think the database is known to be incomplete that far back in time. But like @MichaelVerschaeve I don't believe much in it.

This seems to be a prototype / part that was not put in production
Post / Picture by Gary Istok on Eurobricks

That's a great picture.  Thanks for finding this.


text:
Why does Pybricks on ev3dev have slow performance compared to EV3-G?
I got MINDSTORMS EV3 for my son and me. We installed Python (ev3dev) and ii seems to be running very slowly. I tried setting up the classic LEGO ev3g (block code), and that seems to run fine.
Are we doing something wrong or is Python very slow on MINDSTORMS?
Please help!
Example:
Simple program - display count and loop 100 times
Python: ~1.5s
ev3g: ~0.15s
Edit:
#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython

from pybricks.hubs import EV3Brick
from pybricks.tools import wait, StopWatch

ev3 = EV3Brick()
ev3.speaker.beep()
timer = StopWatch()

for x in range(0, 100):
    ev3.screen.print(str(x) + ':' + str(timer.time()))

wait(5000)

This on the screen the last line displayed is
99:1113
this takes just over ~ 1.1s to loop 100 times

Welcome to Bricks.SE.  Can you post the python source code?

@chicks sorry for the delay. I have added the code for the python end. nothing fancy. Any idea why it is so slow?

We cannot post our answer at the moment, we are voting to reopen the question so that it can be answered. And this is actually the comments section.

Printing text in pybricks-micropython on ev3dev has known performance issues, so we don't recommend doing that in a loop. The trade off is that, unlike ev3-g, you can also print in other languages that don't use Latin scripts like Chinese and Russian. Most other things should run much faster.


text:
Identify "dark blue wing"
Not sure even if it is a wing or maybe it is a fin or a stabilizer or completely something else:

I have three of them
Identical pieces and also top/bottom sides are identical
No ID nor any text/graphics on them.

That's Flag 5 x 6 Hexagonal (x1435). The lack of any numbers explains why "x1435" was used to catalog the piece, back in time when official part numbers were unavailable. Dark Blue coloured element was available in 6 sets.


text:
Programming on a chromebook with EV3
How do I install the new Lego block programming software on a chromebook? We have the standard version, but want the new one that looks like Scratch.

Can you just install Scratch? MIT supports EV3 directly

Agree with @rschulz, Scratch has a Chromebook EV3 version.

The new Scratch-based software from LEGO Education is called EV3 Classroom.
The link on the LEGO Education EV3 downloads page for Chromebooks takes you to the EV3 Classroom app at the Google Play Store. So it seems that you will need a Chromebook capable of running Android apps in order to use it.
As of this writing, the equivalent retail version of the software doesn't seem to be available yet on platforms other than macOS.


text:
Have LEGO stickers changed materials over time?
LEGO has produced a lot of stickers over the years.  In a LEGO discord someone asked

I wonder if LEGO has always used the same adhesive for their stickers, it seems like the colors, sizes, and texture of stickers determine how well they age.

So, has LEGO changed their materials for the stickers over time?  Has the paper gotten thinner or thicker?  Has the glue changed?  Does any of that change how well these things survive over decades?

invite doesn't seem to work, I get an empty page after accepting the invitation

Sorry about that.  I've put in a different URL now.  Does it work for you?

I am afraid not, I think the invite (the first one) logged me in to discord with a new account rather than my existing one (which I haven't used for ages). Then a bot automatically blocked me for two weeks because my account was created "too soon". Managed to access discord through my old account, but can't visit the lego server, I suppose because i'm IP adress-blocked... I can try again in 2 weeks.

Note. Speaking from my experience from year 1990 onward. During this time I can distinguish at least 3 periods of different experience with stickers.

From 1990 till sometime before 2000 (or early 2000's) there was period of superb stickers. Plastic was thick and glue was superb. I don't know what else LEGO used by then but most of them have survived my childhood abuse. Yes, they look rough, but they are there where I've placed them about 30 years ago. Both, clear and opaque.
Now second period begin somewhere early 2000's. Cannot tell exact period, speaking from experience of used sets I bought from that period. This is the worst time. Stickers applied onto sets during that moment not only cracking, but also peeling off badly. Plastic used for stickers seems to be thinner and glue is not as strong as it was before. Another odd thing is that different colors of the same stickers peel off differently. Some colors (like black) stick a little better (than white).
Last period is what I would call "modern" days. Must have started somewhere before 2013 when I have returned from dark age. Plastic for these stickers feels to be same thickness as previous period, but they seem to behave a little better. Perhaps not that much time has passed for them to deteriorate yet.
Looking at pre-1990 sets and minifigures some of them seem to have had paper based stickers (like minifigure torso prints). I have none of these, so cannot tell about their properties.

I shared this with the person I quoted in the discord.  We're thankful.  I'm glad you added the history tag too.

Just curious, but would you say there was a difference in how fixable misplaced stickers were straight after misplacing?

@DavidMulder modern stickers are fairly easy to fix while you are placing them. Simply remove and place again. Might be a little tricky once it is fully on, but I find the use of xacto knife quite helpful while picking up the corner and generally pulling the sticker back (it is good for placing stickers too). I've read some people use industrial-like approach with soapy water for accurate placement. Old stickers have a good grip, so mine are not moving anywhere. Those it the middle period are simply trash - it is a bit of a task just to remove the sticker.

This matches exactly with my own experience. I have models from as far as the 70's who's stickers are still just fine. 1990 to about 2005 that peel off, crack or wrinkle up while stuck on the model. Since about 2005 stickers are a lot better and seem to stay on well as long as you don't expose them to direct sunlight for longer periods of time.


text:
What's the deal with the single-type-of-piece bags on Amazon?
While looking for current Lego offers on Amazon, I was surprised to see loads of offers such as:

10x Lego inverted slope 2x2 dark red
8x Lego plate 4x6 new dark grey
40x Lego Technic pin long with stop black
40x Lego plate 1x2 light gray
25x Lego brick 2x2 new brown

and so on.
It seems quite some of those parts come in ... peculiar colours, such as lime green or lots of browns, but I may be mistaken and this might change day by day.
What are those offers?

Is that vendors who buy loads of original Lego sets, put the individual parts into larger bags of 5 to 50 pieces, and then sell them and somehow have a little revenue margin?
Is that vendors that somehow get large quantities of the same pieces from Lego (e.g. through channels that allow toy stores to build up some custom scenery around the actual sets in showcases if there is such a thing) and then resell packs of such pieces?
Or are those offers not for Lego pieces at all, but for some rip-off that fakes the brand logo on the studs?

I think it's really hard to tell for sure without actually making a couple of orders and seeing what arrives. What I can say is that it appears that they are selling at a HUGE markup over similar parts available on Bricklink. (A quick check shows an average markup of 600% over BL on several lots)
I would guess that either the first, third, or some combination of those two guesses is likely to be the case here. Since secondary markets like BrickLink and BrickOwl are somewhat niche sites maybe the seller(s) are taking advantage of people unaware of them and selling at a very good profit to a larger market. Additionally since Ali Baba, Ebay, and Amazon tend to have a large number of counterfeit sets available these sellers may be able to get away with selling all or a mixture of counterfeit parts to increase their margins.
As for your second guess, there are programs that The LEGO Group makes available to organizations of various sorts to acquire large numbers of pieces at fairly reasonable prices however they do tend to monitor the secondary market fairly closely for evidence the parts from those programs are being resold so, while certainly still possible, it is less likely the parts are being sourced that way.
Again though, it is nearly impossible to tell simply from the advertised lots without actually making a purchase to verify what you would get.

Great answer by Nathan Stohlmann.
I see another option why these could be sold on Ebay for higher price than you can find them on Bricklink.
3/5 bricks on your list may be not as interesting in AFOL's point of view. Yes, there are cases when you may need these specific elements, but such cases would be quite specific. I find that most Bricklink sellers tend to part out sets rather than sourcing specific elements in high quantities (however this is also an option some times). So seller end up selling most sought after elements and end up having a ton of these bricks nobody wants. One option (obviously) would be to sell them even cheaper than others hoping someone may become interested. But you may have simply too much of them or market is saturated. So, alternatively, you as a seller could explore another market places, like Ebay, where audience is much larger and is unaware of market prices for these elements.

You seem to mix up Ebay and Amazon (?), but other than that, this sounds like a good answer, as well. In particular, it would correspond with my impression that the bricks are offered in unusual, not always pleaseant to look at, colours.

Oh, Amazon? While this is an obvious mistake I made this just proves my answer where sellers are looking for new markets. Until this time I was only aware of Ebay (as a global market place) used to sell LEGO elements in bulk.

While I like the basic thesis I actually disagree with the opinion that a lot of the parts that are being advertised on Amazon (Ebay is maybe different? Didn't check) are fairly useless generally to AFOLs. Part of the reason for that is that precisely which parts are useless depends greatly on the style and theme that a builder is working in. Castle builders often use lots of BURPs and LURPs while a microscale builder may find no value in them at all. Constraction (Bionicle) builders use a lot of bionicle parts but many other AFOLs consider them useless.

@NathanStohlmann I agree that most, event most obscure elements are given love in MOCs sometimes. They just not as popular between all AFOLs. And I didn't meant to say that all bricks that end up on Ebay/Amazon are actually useless so I've reworded my answer.

The cheapest option to get elements in bulk is the pick a brick wall in Lego stores, or similar options in Legoland resorts. I know plenty of people who make their otherwise very expensive Lego hobby affordable by reselling those elements.
E-bay and Amazon are similar platforms in that you can reach a large market of people who aren't aware of this option or do not have easy access to a store nearby.

It's common for these sellers to be drop-shippers, using BrickLink stores as their fulfillment provider. All other comments apply.


text:
Different brand, slightly bigger than Lego
I have a set of Technic bricks used by an academy for teaching robotics to children.
They are not compatible with Lego (I think that the pitch is 9mm instead of the 8.6mm of the original Lego design).
I would like to buy additional components, so I wonder if there is any known brand or shop that sell these type of bricks (including Chinese manufacturers or AliExpress stores, for example).
Edit: added image. At some components I can read HND##, but searching for HND I only find Haneda airport in Japan

Welcome to Brick.SE. Could you please add a picture of the elements you have? I'm not familiar with clone brands, but having something visual might help others with identification of the brand.

Seconding the request, without either a brand name or a photo, it is going to be probably impossible to identify any stores that sell it. Are there any markings on the pieces, numbers or text, maybe just a logo? Even if not, a photo could help jog someone's memory.

(Note, I added the part-identification tag since the information OP is looking for fits the  "what kit a particular block is from" part of the tag description, but feel free to remove it if it rather should not be used in this case.)

If Rafael graces us with photos I hope they include some Technics or a good ruler in the photo so we can see the differences easier.

Thank you for your prompt answer! I have added a picture and described the code that it's visible at some components (HND##). Additionally, this is the academy that uses these components: https://kids.athuman.com/robo/en/course/https://kids.athuman.com/robo/en/course/

I think the link is https://kids.athuman.com/robo/en/course/.

Taking an image from the linked course site and using Google Image Search for reverse image searching, then applying a layer of Google Translate to make sense of the exclusively Japanese results has convinced me that this type of building system is only used in this robotics course in Japan. Nonetheless, the institution seems to sell the sets as standalone products for 28,500 yen, unless I misunderstand the translation results somehow:

At Human Academy's Robot Class, we will increase the number of kits that will be added when advancing the course, based on the standard kit (* 1) that you purchase when you join.
[...]
(* 1) 28,500 yen 〚tax excluded〛

Yes, it is possible to buy extra components directly from them, but it is quite expensive, that is why I was looking for an alternative. Additionally, they do not have many components like differentials, pulleys or worm gears.
I think the best approach is to buy cheap lego clones from aliexpress and then make adaptors to fit with the rest of components.
Thank you very much for your help searching for the manufacturer, anyways
I have been checking more in detail and it seems that the scale is exactly 1.2 lego size

@Rafael You're most definitely welcome! Feel free to return and write an answer if you do find a distributor or manage to engineer adapter pieces :)


text:
Quality of XSZ / KSZ sets on AliExpress
There's a LEGO-compatible brand called "Smartable" or KSZ (or XSZ, I can't tell) that appear on AliExpress. Do you know the quality of their parts?

Welcome to Bricks.SE I've edited your question a little to make it a bit more clear. Hope you don't mind that!

I've further restructured the question to focus on the brand itself and removed links and references to specific sets that infringe on TLG's trademark or copyright.

From WP KO Bricks Wiki
XSZ / KSZ:

Brick Quality: Not great. The ball joint sockets of constraction figs (Star Wars and Bionicles) can be tight and prone to cracking if forced too much. Only recommended as display models as these problems make them unsuitable for play.


text:
RCX 2.0 usb ir tower. Easiest path to start
I picked up a working set recently and I would like to know the easiest path to get going. I have several old and new PCs and win 98, xp, 7 (32bit) and 10 available. The kit has no CD.
I have LabView on the win7 machine.

Oops. Got a bit ahead of myself. The win 98 machine isn't there anymore. Must have thrown it out last purge.

This article is from 2017 and might be what you need, including a link I haven't tested for the software. But if you can get the XP machine working, the software was supposed to work directly - if you could find the patches from Lego.
BrickLink has CDs for sale including one for 64c.


text:
What is this LEGO minifigure with huge teeth?
Does anyone know what minifigure this is?

Clearly the head belongs to a Sugar Plum Fairy from The Cabin in the Woods...

Ah yes the legendary Lego Cthulhu Nightmare Minifig

This minifigure is Atlantis Hammerhead Warrior.

However it is missing its headgear - Minifigure, Headgear Head Cover, Hammerhead Shark with Eyes and Light Bluish Gray Lines Pattern pictured here:


text:
Please help identify this LEGO set that has owls and snakes?

I cannot identify this LEGO set my grandma gave to me.  I want to help her build it for my cousin, but my grandma did not have the instructions.

That white snake appears in two sets, and in quantity either one or two. My best guess is that it was from a Pick-a-Brick wall at a Lego Store, or something very similar. I'm basing this on the many, many repeated pieces.


text:
12V LEGO train tracks splinter
I have an older 12V LEGO train (several actually) but of course the rubber tires wore out long ago.
The trains still run quite well (I even used them as a motor parts in some Technic designs), but the pieces for the tracks have become very brittle, meaning that re-designing tracks has become a nightmare.
Just uncoupling the dark-gray underside from the light-gray rails is not just painful to watch but often leaves you with more pieces than you intended, particularly the small pinch-like top sections of the dark-gray parts splinter, as well as where they fit in the light-gray rails.
Similar things happen with the larger change-direction sections and cross-section parts, so it's imho mostly due the design click-on system that is failing.
What would you suggest on handling such pieces? Can these parts still be replaced?

While I can't speak of the handling of these parts, the possibility of receiving official replacement parts from TLG is surely zero. That leaves us only the second-hand market, which fortunately offers genuine LEGO replacement pieces, sometimes even in brand new condition. Note though, that even though the brittleness problem might stem from lots of play or improper storage (for example being stored assembled), if it is a property of the material being used for these parts, then other pieces made the same time of the same material will exhibit the same problems.

Thanks, those are very valid comments. I always try to store the track parts in disassembled fashion precisely because of the wear-out effect of the clips. But time hasn't been kind to the plastic types of those ages. I used bricklink before but it can be quite expensive. They only improper use I remember perhaps was trying to build the ramped and elevated tracks that featured in many of those adds.


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Question about the lantern pieces in the Winter Toy shop set
I have a question about the lanterns in the Winter Village Toy Shop.  I'd like to just buy the parts to make a few of the street-lights in that set. However, from reading the instructions (steps 4 and 5 below) and looking at the globe part, it doesn't seem like it would be stable. It appears to be just resting inside a 2 x 2 dish, is that right? If so, is there a way to make something like this that's more stable. Or have I just misread the directions?

I don't have this piece to check this assembly physically myself to confirm. However, the same design has passed TLG design review not once, but twice: first with 10199 set you mentioned in 2009 as well as 10249 six years later, which is updated version of 10199. So I'm rather confident there is no flaw.
Looking at the picture it seems like Cylinder Hemisphere 2 x 2 with Cutout sit underneath the round plate's ridge, thus making it stable.

I have built this assembly virtually. Here hemisphere is placed above  round plate's ridge intentionally, to show the fact that hole diameter is smaller. Thus, by placing hemisphere below round plate (as it is shown in instructions) will block it from moving vertically.

I have the pieces and I can confirm this is exactly how the connection works and it's very stable. The globe is not going anywhere.

The pieces also appear in flat silver as The Childs toy in set 75318, however there you have to put the halves not below the ridge but above according to the instructions, so the round plate sticks out more, in order to easily attach it to the childs hand.


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When did Lego stop putting small catalogs into boxes?
In former times, all Lego sets used to come with a small catalog. This was either just a single leaflet with an overview of several themes (with a focus on new sets or subthemes), found in smaller sets, or a small booklet like a smaller version of the main catalog, just restricted to "minifig size" sets (when buying one of those minifig sized sets) and usually without any product descriptions (just set numbers), included in larger sets.
Personal nostalgia anecdote: These catalogs were significant to me as a child because they would often grant the first glimpse at new sets of the upcoming year during the first few weeks of January before toy stores would get the first main catalogs.
Recently, I noticed that current sets do not include this kind of catalogs anymore. When did TLC change this habit?

To be fair, it is hard to tell and depending on definition you may even tell TLG has never stopped doing so. But it depends on the series.
Bricklink has a lot of catalogs in their item data base. Single leaflet catalogs are called "Mini" and small booklet ones are called "Medium". Catalogs you can find in store are called "Large".
While Bricklink's database can be considered the largest in terms of catalogs they have, for some reason they didn't record if any of these catalogs come in sets. So it is hard to say when/if did TLG stop including Mini and Medium catalogs. Looking at the data recorded in Bricklink I would assume 1999-2001 are the years when TLG stopped putting "Medium" catalogs into System/City/Technic sets. It also depends which series you are interested in, since Duplo kept getting their "Medium" catalogs for much longer. However you can also find that some of recently introduced Dots sets may have had catalog of "Mini" type in their 2020 range.