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Connecting "out of system" roads?
I've been trying to figure out how to connect SNOT road models that are at varying angles to one another. You can see my efforts in this thread.
Are there any interesting methods of connecting roads like these that most people might not be aware of? I read up on integer triangles, but there are none for 45 degree angles, and probably none for 30 and 60 degree angles as well.
Are there any special parts that make this possible?
See also: https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2607147/is-there-a-pythagorean-triple-whose-angles-are-90-45-and-45-degrees
Here is an example that is fairly close, except that the road pieces are not connected to one another.

It'd be nice to include the images over here in case the other page goes away.  It is an amazing and lovely project.

See also. https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2607147/is-there-a-pythagorean-triple-whose-angles-are-90-45-and-45-degrees

There ARE integer sided triangles that have angles of 60 or 120 degrees, see here : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eisenstein_triple but I'm not sure how this helps you for building roads.
45 degrees there indeed aren't any.
A progress of going one stud forward one stud left will get you 45 degrees if working studs on top. In case of SNOT 2 studs forward, 5 plates will also progress in an angle of 45 degrees.
There are elements that let you progress half a plate, so 1 stud to 2.5 plates works also.
For 60 or 30 degrees, the tangent is irrational so no 'precise' or exact progression exists, but it can probably fairly well be approximated.
There are technic pieces called angular connectors that make angles that are multiples of 22.5 degrees. Also several connectors that make multiples of 60 degrees.
Also hinges that "click" in angles of 22.5 degrees...
Update: picture of angular connectors
you would additionally need technic axles and bricks having axle holes:

But there are lots of other ways to connect the connectors, e.g. bricks with pin holes and a half-axle pin, half pins with stud, axles with stud,...

Which technic pieces are these? I do not use technic much, especially Bionicle.

Edited the answer to add pictures of them from bricklink

How would I fasten them between the SNOT road and baseplate underneath?

If its permissible to have the SNOT road one brick higher, I would say bricks with axle holes or pin holes to the baseplate. The connectors with axles or pins to the bricks and the road on the bricks like you would have attached them to the baseplate. More compact solutions probably possible if I would have more details on how the road is now attached to the baseplate.

Right now, the roads are not (yet) connected to a baseplate. They are sitting on a virtual flat table surface (the model is digital). If you have MLCAD installed, you can take a look at these files: http://www.mediafire.com/file/qgt1zrq8v514t93/ldr_diagonal_snot_roads_20161104.zip


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Which set did this Technic assembly come from?

I posted a week or so ago and had great  success identifying a LEGO Star Wars set which is now completed.
So.. thought is would try again. Can anyone help me identify what this could be?

Ahh brilliant, this site and the support is fantastic! Thank you

According to BrickLink there are only 4 sets with the arched element in it in Dark Bluish Gray.
From those only 8435 Technic 4WD seems to fit:

I have this set and can confirm.

source: Stack Exchange

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

sort: votes


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How are these transparent stairs made?

What techniques and bricks are used to support the transparent pieces? Can anyone work it out?

I love this, it looks so good but I wonder how well it holds together.

They also use transparent 4218's in the windows of one shop in Assembly Square.  The string of 4218's feels very floppy in your hands.  It was a bit weird to get the hang of how they went in, but once you got them in place they were surprisingly stable and resilient.

The steps are made of 4218: Garage Roller Door Section without Handle pieces in clear transparent.

They are inserted into 2420: Corner 2 x 2 Plate pieces.

I schmoogle searched your picture looking for more reference info, and it says it's named:
"IMGP7842f - 2016 - Glass Staircase Study With Side Shelves" by Deborah Higdon.
I couldn't find more shots, but this is how she made it from what I can see.

Colors are used to help better visualize this masterpiece. Everything that's hidden from camera view on the left side, like the orange 1x1 plates and the red, dark-gray and white corner tiles is just speculation by me.

Her unorthodox use of the transparent garage pieces as steps are both visually striking and cool, but what makes her piece more grande is when we start reverse engineering it, and become even more pleasantly surprised by what we find.
Taking it all apart, while subtracting the stairs, we realize that the entire left side and right side are reverse studded from the center out?!?  Another bit of the unorthodox.

We all know the LEGO system doesn't have top/bottom reverse-studded bricks and plates, so we have to ask ourselves, how'd she connect both sides then?
Then we see how she pins her structure together using a combination of modified studded bricks(red and dark green), which are all held together by a 1x8(reddish-brown) tile and a 2x4(nougat colored) plate, which is very nice!

How she was able to count out the in between plate/brick width of the 1x8 tile is impressive, but what throws me, is BOTH the random use, AND random way she USED the garage pieces for steps.  That's cray-cray.
I haven't tested her design in real life.  Like most of my designs the final glory is the transition from the digital to the real-life. I want to touch it!! So, for these Steps and Cubbyholes, I can't just yet feel the overall structural integrity to reach her vision of final glory.
And finally, I'm super curious about my speculative guess work on her hidden left side. Sometimes when reverse engineering you begin to feel that you somewhat understand the artist's creative side, and can anticipate what their next move would or should be depending on the overall composition and the flow of the design.
I think I'm 100% on the 1x1 orange plates, but that twisty corner tile use, hmmm damn, wish I could see how close I was to the original.

Animation that shows how the 1x1x1 wall tiles are attached:
Exploding animation

Great work there Rin - just a quick question though - what are the orange 1x1 tiles attached to? How do they support the grey 1x1x1 corner wall [part:6231] ?

You can't really embed images in comments, but you can edit your answer to include it - just click the grey "edit" text at the bottom of the answer :)

Great question my Friend.  Here is a gif with part of that wall disassembled:
https://media.giphy.com/media/8FPyK9CWo0GnaxPojX/giphy.gif
So, the 1x1 tiles(orange colored) are attached to the middle stud receiving hole of the 2x2 Corner Wall Element (colored white).
The 1x1x1 Corner Wall Element (light gray) are attached to the middle stud of the 1x2x2 Corner Plate (colored tan).

From her original shot, I can't see the what piece she used here, but I can see the other pieces around it, and my mind's eye can see a sort of physical world cause and effect her structure would have with a hole left here: When pressure applied the pieces would hinge down and buckle, so to stop that hinge buckling structural weakness, the only piece to lock her structure in place, and still maintaining her design flow, has to be an unseen 1x1 plate.  I'm 100% sure.

So, in a nut shell, the orange pieces don't support the gray ones at all.  The pictures I provided are angled in a way that gives the illusion of impossible piece attachments.   Ironic how these are 2D screen shots of a 3D environment where the lack of the 3D depth can throw our brains for a loop.  M.C.  Escher in the house.

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Obtaining LEGO blocks
In the olden days, it was possible to go to the hobby store and get a box of specific capability.  Now adays, I basically see lego blocks sold as part of "action" sets.
Question: Is it still possible to get blocks of a specific type in a specific quantity?

See also: What is the most cost effective way to get basic bricks in bulk? and Is it possible to buy a bulk of 1000s of basic bricks?. LEGO also sell their "Creative Box" range with boxes of standard elements, including some colour themes.

There are a few things I can think of.
1. Bricklink
Bricklink is a reputable online site. You can buy any pieces ever made by LEGO across the globe. Their site may seem hard to navigate at first, but it doesn't take much to get used to. Also, if you have any questions you can ask here.
2. Pick a Brick
If you live near a LEGO store you can find yourself a variety of parts. The prices are decent. Don't be afraid to fill the cup a little more than full. They have tape just for that purpose. The selection changes as they run out of parts.
3. Local LEGO Shops
There may be a small locally owned LEGO establishment near you. I am not talking about a supermarket like Target or Walmart. I refer to small "holes in the wall" that may have a pick a brick much like LEGO Stores.
4. Bricks and Pieces
This is a suggestion that I myself have not used personally. Apparently you can order any parts they allow in production in your desired quantity. I am not sure of the price, but the reliability should be there since it is from LEGO.

Look under the "shopping" tag in this forum. You will find answers about various aspects of acquiring LEGO.


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Is it legal to sell a custom element that provides a Technic pin connection?
I'm wondering if it would be legal to produce a custom piece for Lego Technic and sell it? The piece features 4 compatible connection holes for Technic pins. From what I've researched in the Lego Technic patents, the claim (in the first sentence of each patent) applies to "sets" not individual parts. Here are the patents:

https://www.google.com.gi/patents/US5964635
http://www.google.com/patents/US6736691

Does anyone know if there are specific patents covering the pin hole system?
Note: I would of course make sure to use my own designs and not copyright infringe on any of their trademarks regarding packaging, marketing etc.

I am not a lawyer, and I recommend you consult one before you start dropping money on injection molds, but as far as I know this should be fine. SBrick definitely already does this:

In most jurisdictions, patents have a term of 20 years or less. The Technic pin connection dates back to Expert Builder in 1977, so it is not patent encumbered at this point.
The two patents that you linked to from the late 1990s appear to be for ZNAP, which uses a different connection system:

Many companies with LEGO-like products seem to get away with simply stating "compatible" on the box. They don't mention LEGO but everyone knows what this toy is compatible with.

Thanks jncraton. That makes things cleaer. I will consulate a lawyer before investing any money into it. If by chance you know where to find the patent from 1977 it would be much appreciated! I can't seem to find it.


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Is there a listing of the Types of LEGO blocks?
What are the different specific "types" of LEGO blocks that have been manufactured?  I am not talking about any of the action figures or themes.  Is there some type of list, as to type, size, colors?
Are they still available for purchase?
I was especially interested in the following that I have not seen in awhile.

Cylinder (1x1)
Beveled (various)
Lettered (1x1 per letter)
Clear Window blocks (in 1,2,4,8 stud sizes)
Plates
Blocks with a hole of a wheel and of course the wheel.
Partial-circle/curved parts

Possible duplicate of https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/9658/obtaining-lego-blocks. Visit bricklink for the total overview, and the LEGO store to see what is available today. The common words are bricks, plates, tiles, panels and so on. You will see it once you visit bricklink (or brickset or one of the other sites dedicated to LEGO).

There are lots of sites that document all the LEGO bricks, and indeed other items they make.
Two oft-cited examples are:

https://www.bricklink.com
https://brickset.com

I'd suggest providing direct URL's directly to part catalogs, like https://www.bricklink.com/catalogTree.asp?itemType=P&itemBrand=1000 for BL and https://rebrickable.com/parts/ for Rebrickable instead of Brickset. Brickset doesn't really have good part catalog.

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Need help identifying sets!
So...my son is 9 years old. Up until this year, he has been receiving Lego sets since he was about 6 but would rip them open, build the guys and then not finish the set. Now he is really unto them finally and I'm trying to piece back together his older sets so he can finish them. Alot of them are still in bags but some aren't. I'm going to post pics of the intact bags I have and would love help identifying them so I can try to find the instructions instead of throwing away tons of $$$. All of them are newer than 5 years...I have a couple that are mega blox and will post those too

Minifigures would make it much easier to identify sets, if that is possible.

Most of these are from Minecraft sets. The fact that the numbering goes as high as bag 6 indicates some of these are large sets. The 6th picture seems to show set 21116 The Mine.

The rest are probably from 1 or more large Minecraft sets. Only hard the point out which one. Most are pointing out to https://brickset.com/sets/21116-1/Crafting-Box

Last photo unnumbered bag: 76037-1: Rhino and Sandman Super Villain Team-up

Image 3 is also pointing to Minecraft. I focused on a "specific" piece which is part 6089103 and result being an arc.
It's contained in 12 sets.
Then combining with the basic 2*4 orange brick, we got 7 sets.
I found these instructions for bag 5 (page 2), and seems to be the one (has the skeleton arms, the single round grey parts, orange/blue brick in it...)
So I'd tend to say that's 21118-1: The Mine
Check the instructions maybe others bags can match that box.
@Phil B. tends also to say that the 6th image is from that set.


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Did these random parts come from a set? Dark grey, dark green, and black turntable

Here is a random half made LEGO creation which I bought within a large bag of LEGO. Do you have any ideas what it could be part of?
It is so frustrating trying to identify, but I'm excited at its prospects! If anyone has any tips on how I can figure this out myself that would be appreciated too.

I suggest you the following: choose a more or less rare part from the assembly and look for it in Bricklink, then check the "Item Appears In" sets. You'll probably find the desired set in a minute.

This time the part to search for that is more or less rare is the dark green slope with grille. I find that all bricks seem to appear in 76008 but the build is not the same.

This assembly comes from the Lego Set 76008 Iron Man vs. The Mandarin: Ultimate Showdown.
The assembly can be clearly identified on steps 14, 15 and 16 of the instructions available for example on BrickInstructions.com.
Here is how I proceeded to identify the set:

Spot any less common part (brick type & color), here the Slope 18 2
x 1 x 2/3 with 4 Slots in dark green color.
Use the BrickLink parts catalogue to look for all sets where that brick is used. Results here.
For each dark green entry, look at the set inventory and try to spot additional less common parts. In this case, I was trying to find the 4x4 black turntable plate.
Increase your level of confidence by matching a couple more bricks. The unique 2x4 red brick from the inventory was a good match as well.
Confirm the identification by finding the assembly by browsing the set
instructions.


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Utility pole and angles
I am using the following MOC from the Internet:
http://www.moc-pages.com/moc.php/8435
This model is fine if the sets of power lines are all in a straight row. But what about at an angle? How does the model need to be adjusted if the lines meet at, for instance, a 90 degree angle? 45 degrees? Thanks.

The pole itself can be rotated on almost every level, so that’s nothing you need to worry about.
Additionally, you may want your cables to be parallel. To achieve this, you need to increase the width of your bars, or more specifically, the distance between the cable supporters.
If your distance between the supporters for a straight line is d and you want an angle of θ, you need a distance of d/cos(θ/2) at the angle, which can be obtained using trigonometry:

So, for an angle of θ=45°, you need to increase your distance by a factor of 1.08. For θ=90°, it’s a factor of √2 = 1.41.
The obvious items to adjust the distance are 1×1 round bricks and plates. Also, you obviously can only approximate the perfect distance with bricks in most cases, but the inaccuracy will be negligible.

And you definitely won't be able to able to increase the distance by a factor of √2 – See my edit. Also, you could technically switch to moving some pieces along Technic axles, where the only limit to your accuracy is your motor abilities. Finally, assuming ideally shaped and connected pieces, √2 is actually possible by zig-zagging – it doesn’t look good though.

Is it important that there are four lines on the pole? Is each line on a separate circuit, or are they in pairs?

Also, are brown axles common?

@posfan12: Is it important that there are four lines on the pole? Is each line on a separate circuit, or are they in pairs? – I am really not sure what you are aiming at, but I see no reason to treat the second level of lines differently than the first one.

@posfan12: are brown axles common? – Brown is one of the more common colours for axles. That being said, I really would’t go for such a solution as you won’t be able too tell the difference in accuracy.

My question was more with regard to how power lines work in real life. Is each cable a separate source of power? Or do the cables work in pairs, where one is negative and the other is positive?

@posfan12: You usually have three phases for power and one neutral. Either way, this is beyond the scope of this site.


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Are there any wheels or rings that fit in pin clips?
I was experimenting with Lego part 16091 Vehicle Steering Wheel Small and various clips, mainly the ones that fit onto bars. To my frustration I found that the clips do not engage at all with the ring that forms the wheel’s circumference; they fall right off.
So my question is this: are there any similar parts (wheels, rings) that do engage with clips in this way?

I feel the following part https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=30033#T=S&O={"iconly":0} is relevant here

The small Technic Steering Wheel and what I think is this rubber belt connect to clips:


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Why is LEGO kit name not on the box or booklet?
Curious to know why LEGO set boxes and instruction booklets carry a number and age recommendation (Eg 7-12 41317), but not any marketing name (Sunshine Catamaran)?
To get the name, I need to visit an online store selling the kit to get the actual name of it. Not sure if this is just an Australian marketing practise but curious as to why this is so - I find it frustrating.

Most-likely it has to do with localization.
If they printed the names of sets on instructions, they would have to print a different instruction booklet for each language the set name is translated into, in addition to translating the boxes (and possibly the stickers).
You will notice that instruction manuals are usually free of any written instructions, which would need to be translated, and instead opt for imagery when possible. If they do have substantial text, it is usually translated into a number of languages, like the game rules in the back of the manuals for the large Orient Expedition sets had.

Of course, simple things like "Click" get a pass on translation.

Sets whose name would not change if localized sometimes have names printed on their instructions though.

It's more complicated than that. In some markets boxes do carry the set's name. I just took a picture of two sets I have lying around unopened:

As you can see the elves set in front has the name on the box, while the Disney princesses set in the back doesn't.
I don't precisely remember where I bought those two sets (but it's not unlikely one was intended for sale abroad), but I suspect it has to do with what markets they were intended for. It's probably relatively expensive to have boxes printed with the danish name (I'm from Denmark) as they would basicaly only be usable in Denmark,while boxes with the english name are far more usable. But as you speak english in Australia, and you say you see boxes without names on them, that can't be all.

It's possible that the sets shipped for sale to Australia are also for other markets around the Pacific, which would include a number of non-English speaking countries.


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How should I get started with LEGO trains?
I'd like to get started with LEGO Train. I understand the PF system is The Way, and the tracks are generally mutually compatible, but the exact interplay of trains & power components eludes me.
Is there a "Just the train, PF control system, and tracks" set available?
Would that be set 60051?

That set would work, set 60052 would work as well (although it has a few more parts that are not actually needed if you are really focused on trains, in that regard 60098 might be better)
Those sets (including 60051) are from 2014/2015, rumours have it that new trains will come out this year (probably around august), and apparently (I hadn't heard it before @TheBrickBlogger wrote it in a comment here) they won't be completely compatible.

I would add to this that the PF system is getting updated this year. The 2018 trains use blutooth connection instead of infrared like the current PF trains. It might be worth waiting a few months until it becomes clear of what the new PF system looks like and its compatibility with the current system, before investing in the current version. There are also a lot of train accessory packs coming with a good mix of tracks, and other components later this year.

@thebrickblogger when you say accessories, you mean..? Can you aim me at a preview? I don't want to buy into something that will be hard to deal with in a few years.

Unfortunately, I can't give you a direct link as the original source has been already taken down, but if you do a search on the 2018 trains, you should be able to find at least some of the upcoming train sets and accessory packs via secondary sources. I would suggest to wait until the sets get released later this year to know for sure how it is compatible with the current PF system. I believe they are summer releases, so we only have to wait a few more months. And we will likely get more details even before the official release date.


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The route a power line takes through a neighborhood
I have a small Lego town built. I want to add power lines. However, I don't know how to route the power lines through the neighborhood. Should I create one line that snakes between all the houses? More than one line that take separate routes? Why do utility poles have so many lines on them in real life? Thanks!

Do those lines actually provide electricity for the LEGO houses, or does it only have to look good? In the latter case, I would go outside and look at the poles and power lines and how they are connected to each other and to the houses. One snake line sounds unlikely, because in case of damage the whole neighbourhood would be without electricity. You could claim that your LEGO city is somewhere in Germany with all cables underground :)

I would have to walk around the whole neighborhood without any idea of where I am going, which would take forever. Also, SimCity experience doesn't help since you just need to build houses adjacent to each other to draw power. Google is not much of a help so far either: https://www.google.com/search?q=neighborhood+power+grid&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjj84_58evYAhVORK0KHWVxBU0Q_AUICygC&biw=1471&bih=774#imgrc=nyf_0G6WsSC-QM:

Mostly they just need to look good.

In that case I would probably build a larger line with utility poles carrying 4 lines along the main road. From that main line, poles with one or two lines branch out into the side streets. Later, when the overall impression is good, you can worry about the details (like what happens at the end of a line, and so on).

Judging by the Wikipedia entry for "Utility pole" I would say that you can do whatever you want. There are many different types of poles, carrying all sorts of cables (electricity, telephone, TV, ...). There are transformers, street lights and other things attached to them. Only avoid the snake line. In a LEGO town, less might be more, I guess the poles and cables are not the main attraction of your build.

As seen on your question about angles generally the connection from the power line to the house goes via either a Distribution Transformer (the grey cylinders in your image) where the power lines are run at a much higher voltage than domestic use and then either down the pole, into the ground for local delivery to the house or directly to the house.
In terms of how many lines and paths - I'd start from your primary sub-station where the main power lines come in and radiate out from there - initially with four lines, and then stepping down to two about half-way to two thirds out - effectively the lines are running in parallel, with each house drawing off their usage as it goes, so you'll see some drop off.
Depending on the final scale, more than four lines might look cluttered, whereas two will convey the impression of power nicely even if it's not physically accurate (a nice compromise might be three, with the third line running on top of the poles).

I was worried that there might be a requirement that all poles have 4 lines. For instance, hot, hot, hot and neutral. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-phase_electric_power

There are many examples of power lines with three, depends on what is being delivered I guess.


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Which of the LEGO Mindstorms 9797 (NXT Education base set) Software is compatible with Windows 10
I have LEGO Mindstorms NXT 9797 and downloaded the following Windows PC Versions:

NXT Edu 2.1F6 PC App ---Education Version
NXT Ret 2.0F5 PC App ---Home Version

Which one of these are compatible with Windows 10 home version 64bit?
Is EV3 software a better choice for this one?
Your guidance is highly appreciated.

No answers? Really? Did you ever find out?

You're in luck; All versions of the NXT software, including drivers, is compatible with 64-bit Windows 10. While in my experience it wasn't necessary, you can preemptively avoid installation problems by right-clicking "Setup.exe" and clicking Properties -> Compatibility -> Run in compatibility mode for: -> Windows XP SP3 . In the same panel you should select "Run as Administrator" to avoid permission problems.
While the EV3 software is backward-compatible with the NXT, the NXT software is a much better option. Certain NXT options are not available using the EV3 software (like bluetooth support). And in my experience, the NXT software is just more stable anyway.


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Build Instructions for Brown Fedora Hat at LEGOLAND Florida Resort Hotel
When visiting LEGOLAND Florida, I fell in love with this brown Fedora hat that was in the bathroom of our suite at the resort.
I am not familiar with the custom LEGO building community and don't even know where to look for build instructions for something like this, or how to begin figuring out how to build it.
Might someone here be able go get me started?

I think it unlikely there will be building instructions for this. Stuff like this is created by legoland staff or profesionals who will protect their designs.
I think your best bet is trying to create this from the picture, it's detailed enough.
You'll need to know how to get bricks cheap, see other bricks.stackexchange questions for that.
Alternatively, you could try to find an STL file online of a fedora hat and use brickify (https://brickify.it/) to generate lego instructions.

Hey Victor, I bring gifts!
This LEGO Digital Draw file should get you started, as you've asked.

Please consider this a rough draft of your Brown Fedora.  I'm calling it rough, because at this early stage, it was just made to look as close to the actual picture with no care for a sensible design flow.
For example, the file may have three stacked 1x4 plates, where there should be a 1x4 brick or corner piece there instead. The abundant plates were used to  guesstimate height levels, and left in place because due to the lack of reference material, every level may not be correct.
So, with the LDD program, it is possible to generate build instructions, but again, the design flow will not make sense until more data is collected from the field.
What You're Getting:

A link to my Google Drive folder that contains the LDD file (*.lxf), and all my collected reference material of pictures and videos.  Anyone is welcome to add their two brick clicks to this build.

Notes and Issues:

From What I Understand: LEGOLAND Resort is a hotel, outside but within some walking distance to an actual LEGOLAND theme park.  So, no one is actually squatting inside the park;).
Hotel guests spend the night in a LEGO themed hotel room.  The 5
Themes if available at a particular hotel are: Ninjago, Pirate, LEGO
Friends, Kingdom, and Adventure.

Field Research / Resort Locations: There are multiple LEGOLAND resorts, and it seems like I've traveled the world to find videos and
shots of this hat.
So far, only hotels Florida and Malaysia have our brown hat, all
other resorts I've searched, California, Windsor, UK, Germany, Japan,
and Dubai, all have a gray hat with a totally different design (and clearer pictures).
Build Discrepancies Between Images: Reference images for the top of the hat seems to be missing pieces, or pieces seem to be shifted between images/rooms. One reason I could come up with to explain the discrepancy is a hotel guest pawing the hats, and oops a piece comes off, then it gets reassemble wrong.
Lucky Mirror Shortcuting: We lucked out with the hat being symmetrical (*Sort of), which means we got away with building half, and just mirrored out the rest. Less work, Yay!
(*Sort of) Symmetry Explained. You'll notice in some images and shots that the left side of the tan band of the hat lumps out for no
apparent reason.
So,I google imaged Fedora hats, and you'll see some of them sport overlapping material pinned down with a swanky feather.

So, I think the designer built the staging for a type of hat
accessory.
Need more data (01). I have no great shots of how the hat connects to the tan mounting block, the actual size of the mounting block, nor how flush the entire piece hugs up on the wall.
Need more data (02). I have no idea if the designer scooped out the underside of the hat that no guest would ever see, unless some crazy curious guest pulled it off the wall to properly check underneath.

What Next?
So, basically the next step to finalizing some great build instructions is to collect more field material.

TO ALL FUTURE HOTEL GUESTS OF ANY LEGOLAND THEMED RESORT HOTEL.
Hey, please share your family's visit to any of these hotels.  We'd like to experience through you, the fun times in your room at a LEGOLAND Resort.
It would be great if we knew:

Which Country?:
What City?:
Which room theme you picked?:
What suite number You stayed in?:(Room comparison to control for build discrepancies.)
Name of the sculptured object you plan to share with the community?.

We can near replicate anything you've seen, but the level of replication depends on how detailed your pictures/videos are.

Hold your camera horizontal please (for the rest of my cough forsaken cough life);).
A non shaky, slow paced 360 closeup video of any design would be
ideal.
If you happen to have a loose off colored brick on hand, stick that
on it too. Doing so would help out when determining level height.


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Principles of D.I.Y. Minecraft microworlds
Lego released 4 Minecraft microworlds which more or less fit together with each other in some meaningful way.
Just to impress my boys I've been making my own worlds on 6x6 plates or wing pieces.  I've only got two sets (The Forest and the Nether) so I can't see too much of a theme between them.
If I wanted to make a really big Minecraft mini-world, what principles would I employ to construct each of the cells?

Probably could use a minecraft tag (I need +2 rep)

Have looked at all the other Minecraft instructions? That would give you ideas about how the world should look like.

Not sure that we have enough Minecraft specific questions to warrant one at the moment.

There are two key ways these can "fit together":

Most obviously by size and connectors - all the worlds are built on 4 6x6 plates, and have a 1x2 with cross-hole brick at the bottom in the centre of at least two sides.
By theme (or in Minecraft terminology "biome") and features (forest, mountains, etc).

In terms of the four sets released, only two meet both of those:

The Village
The Forest (Ideas)

These both use the same shades of grey for the underground sections, and similar colours for the overground sections (greens, browns, etc.).
The other two sets represent completely different areas ("dimensions") within Minecraft accessed via special portals - there's no way to walk from a Forest biome to The End or Nether, so from a connecting point of view, neither of these really "connect" to the others.
So to create your own cells you'd want to follow the following guidelines:

Choose a Dimension (Overworld, Nether, End)
Work with 6x6 plates (or variants/multiples of)
Use a scale of 1x1x2/3 for most blocks (i.e. 2 stacked 1x1 plates) which can be capped with a 1x1 tile, for deep sections bricks can be used
Underground is typically 4 bricks tall, overground can be taller
Transition between biomes nicely (Forest - Beach, Forest - Jungle, etc.)


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The route of a major power line with branching smaller lines
In this discussion I was shown a diagram of how to bend a single power line around a street corner.

However, what if I have a straight major line with several minor lines branching off at right angles? How do I build/orient the utility poles in these cases? Thanks.

Look at real poles and see how they do it.

The first photo in the Wikipedia entry for "utility pole" shows additional horizontal bars for the respective branches. Single lines are attached directly to the main pole. I think on this scale you don't have to worry about how realistic the setup is (i.e. how the branching lines are connected to the main lines, how the transformers are connected, etc.).


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I'm missing a few pieces in my XingBao set
I just finished the second floor of XingBao's 5052 piece Maritime Museum.
And while I'm pretty impressed with the overall quality of the building, I thusfar am missing 4 parts.
Is there a way I can obtain substitutes from XingBao for the missing parts?

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

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

Thanks for the helpful response. I expected as much. And I don't think it should be that hard to find the missing pieces on BrickLink or Bricks&Pieces, except I'm not sure how to find the right color. Do you happen to know how the light yellow, the dark yellow (beige) and the dark grey @ https://i.imgur.com/c9bdrVI.jpg are called at BrickLink or Bricks&Pieces? Those are the three colors of the 4 pieces that are thusfar missing.

John, the pieces on the image appear to be tan (the light buttery color), dark-tan (the darker sandy/clay color), reddish-brown, light-bluish-gray, and dark-bluish-gray. Those are the names they are listed as on BrickLink.

Awesome! Thanks again!! Since I think I now know all I need to know to find the right pieces on BrickLink, I'll "accept" your answer.

I'm glad I was able to help. If you run into any issues identifying the parts, just come back and someone can help you find them.

Apart from the fact that with this purchase you sponsored an IP-violating product and made yourself complicit to illegal activities, one of the other downsides of buying unauthorized clone copies is that customer service is non existing. You can buy the missing pieces on BrickLink or from LEGO’s Bricks&Pieces service, provided these are just clone copies of proper, existing LEGO bricks.
I doubt you will find much support on this site for your purchase, however, and many will perceive the omission of pieces as a rightful punishment for supporting these companies.

You must be confusing XingBao with Lepin. It is Lepin that blatantly copies official Lego sets and fan-built MOCs. XIngBao only sells original designs that in no way violate Lego's or anyone else's IP.

(continued) And if the set in question was in fact a clone of a Lego set, I would just buy LEGO equivalents of the missing pieces from Lego's Bricks&Pieces. It is precisely XingBao selling ONLY ORIGINAL DESIGNS that are NOT CLONES OF ANY LEGO PRODUCTS OR FAN-BUILT MOCS that makes it less obvious where to find substitutes for the missing pieces. Hence my asking for help here.

(continued) I added a disclaimer to my question to clarify that the set I'm refering to is NOT a clone of a Lego set. I thought I wouldn't need a disclaimer like this in a place like this, because I thought people here would be sufficiently familiar with the brand to not confuse it with Lepin. I guess I was wrong.

Just for your information, Xingbao (星堡) is owned by Meizi Model (美致模型), which is the same company that owns LEPIN. According to numerous reports, if a LEGO fan agrees to have their model made, they get produced under Xingbao. If they don't agree, they get stolen and produced under Lepin. Every branch of this company is super shady and have no shame stealing from both LEGO and LEGO fans.

What @TheBrickBlogger said ....

@TheBrickBlogger : Thanks for the info. I - obviously - wasn't aware of that. The Chinese sure have an... euhm... interesting approach to tackling Western IP legislation.

@TheBrickBlogger : (continued) Nevertheless, I think it's kind of hypocritical the way people like Phil feel like missing pieces are "rightful punishment" for "supporting companies like Meizi Model" when you consider that they themselves invest fortunes in Lego, which itself started out by ripping off Kiddicraft. Why is Meizi Model supposed to be evil for ripping off Lego but not Lego for building an empire upon the theft of another company's patented design?

@TheBrickBlogger : (continued) And yes, Lego copies Kiddicraft's designs just as blatantly as Meizi Model is now copying Lego's designs, as illustrated nicely by this video on "bricks before Lego". But I guess it's OK when European companies steal from others? Or is it OK because that was decades ago? Can someone please explain when stealing another company's designs is evil and illegal and when it's totally fine? Because all I see is hypocricy and inconsistency in the different way people treat Lego & Meizi Model!

@JohnSlegers It's probably more to do with timing and globalisation - Looking into some of the LEGO/Kiddicraft aspects, it's likely that the Kiddicraft patents didn't cover Denmark/Europe (The EU and EEA didn't exist then, so patent's wouldn't have been cross-border), and so there was nothing stopping LEGO making and selling in Denmark - they wouldn't have been able to sell in the UK though. The issue now is the so-called "grey" imports of patent/trade mark infringing products into these markets...

@JohnSlegers (continued) ...obviously Meizi Model can do whatever's acceptable within China, but as has been pointed out by TheBrickBlogger some of these practices are clearly not something that in general we approve of. It's also acknowledged that TLG can still get this wrong (see the uproar around the Ghostbusters Firehouse as a recent example - and how they've handled the more recent Cloud City Idea)...

@JohnSlegers (continued) ...finally, Trade Mark law usually requires that the holder defends their IP otherwise they can lose their right to it (trade mark abandonment) - so TLG will have to be seen to pursue infringers to maintain the strength of their IP. None of this is meant to endorse or condone either path or set of actions, but hopefully provide some context.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid : Thanks for the detailed response. I very much appreciate the nuanced, balanced and unbiased perspective, which is in my experience is pretty rare.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid : (continued) When I compare companies like Lego & Meizi Model, I look at the actual impact their practices have. For example, I consider that Hilary Page, who designed and patented the bricks Lego ripped off, ended up killing himself due to money problems. He might not have have to kill himself if he'd been properly compensated by Lego for using his ideas. Meanwhile, I don't think anyone will be able to feed fewer mouths because of Lepin cloning Lego.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid : (continued) Not just that, but one might also argue that Lego is increasingly following the Apple strategy of marketing itself as a high end luxury product, using various questionable tactics to maintain its quasi-monopoly status in the West, to keep its prices artificially high and to appeal to a niche audience of wealthy adult male collectors, consequently making their products unavailable to most people. By providing more or less the same products at a much more affordable price range (especially in Asia), one might argue that Meizi Model has become a modern Robin Hood.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid : (continued) And then there's the fact that Lego continues to refuse to make much requested themes like modern warfare even though they never had issues with armed knights or pirates... a demand Chinese companies are happy to meet! At least the Chinese seem to care about what customers actually want!

@Zhaph-BenDuguid : (continued) There's so many ways of looking at it, really... And the more I think about it, actually, the more I feel repulsed by the overpriced Lego brand and the more I welcome Chinese competitors taking over the market and making Lego a thing of the past the same way Lego once did with Kiddicraft.

@JohnSlegers Cheers, we're probably better off taking this into chat, however on your points around warfare etc, see my answer on why taken from their reports on "realism vs play". I agree that TLG are in a difficult place WRT who they are selling to: UCS, the 80s/90s Dimensions packs, The Big Bang Theory ideas etc. are clearly aimed at the "adult" fans, however they rejected a Shawn of the Dead idea as it wasn't appropriate for their core audience of kids.

Let us continue this discussion in chat.


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Why am I required to buy something on BrickLink before I am allowed to sell?
Why does BrickLink require you to purchase something before you are able to sell? I already have too many Lego bricks and I'm trying to get rid of a lot of them, so I'm not trying to buy more. I'm just trying to sell all the characters I have, but it won't let me.
Why is this policy in place?

It’s not perfect, but it’s their way of finding reputable sellers. Any purchase counts so you can just buy 5 more cheap minifigs.

I would add to this that BrickLink has an ongoing problem with scammers. Some of them have stolen thousands of dollars from buyers. The only reliable way they can discourage most of these scam accounts is to force sellers to "invest" in the site. Place a few small orders and you will be fine. Just turn around and resell the items, or give them to charity. Buyers will also trust you much more if you have some feedback already, so it will benefit you as well.

Thanks for your advice I will think about it however im most likely just gonna try to sell them on ebay or find someone who may be interested.


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Are there any good Brick Labels out there?
While resorting my large quantity of LEGO bricks, I was wondering if someone had created a library or file that included labels that could be placed on the outside of containers for a large number of common and not-so-common LEGO bricks. They would just need to contain a picture and the part number of the brick at the least, but one that includes the names would be great too!

Brick Architect has labels available for printing. These are designed to be used with a label maker, but there are also full page PDFs available that can be cut out. Here's an example of how they look:

The labels are designed for a label tape of some kind, but there is also a pdf version that can be printed on normal paper. Nice webpage, specialised on building buildings.


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EV3 Home edition for Mac missing import block option
I'm running EV3 HE 1.3.1 on macOS Sierra 10.12.6, and I'm unable to import the ultrasonic sensor.
When I open tools -> import block -> browse, the open button is always disabled, it does not allow me to select any folder.
Is there a command line utility to import the blocks perhaps?
Stuck on this for a while now.

Do you have a project open when you are doing this? Many of the menu items are disabled unless you have a project open.

I do, and it's not the tools -> import that is disabled, I can actually get to the import screen, however the open dialog from mac shows greyed files not allowing me to select anything

It is working for me. Make sure your files have the .ev3b file extension. These are the only files that can be selected.

They have the proper extension, something is wrong with this install. I tried on a different mac machine and it's working. Not sure what else I can do. I'm asking support to see if they have any ideas (I have already uninstalled and installed it again with no luck) Thank you


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Technic Pin/Travis Brick Legal Connection?
Is seating a Travis brick on a Technic pin a legal connection? TLG has used this construction at least once (M-Tron Particular Ionizer's "rotor"), but that was in the early 90s. Will this connection stress the Technic pin?
Here's an example of what I'm referring to from that set:

In general, this sort of connection is illegal, but I think that it works fine with a Travis brick. Technic pins must be "in click" in a model, or the pins will be held in compression and can be damaged over time.
Here's a slide from Jamie Barard's classic "Stressing the Elements" presentation that explain the need to have Technic pins in click:

And here's the slide that explicitly states that Technic pins should not be used to connect to System bricks:

Here's an example of a set that didn't keep Technic pins in click and the resulting damage from prolonged storage assembled:

With all of that said, the four holes that run through the stud connections on the sides of a Travis brick provide ample room for a pin to click into it. This isn't an obvious connection as with a Technic brick, but the fact the pin can move freely inside the brick indicates that it isn't in compression and is simply constrained to remain inside.
I can't speak to whether or not this type of connection would get through a design review today, but I can say with confidence that this wouldn't cause damage to elements. If this is considered "illegal" it would be for other reasons.

Great answer. Interesting to note is that a new macaroni was made with axle holes to account for this. Part no 25214 on Bricklink doesn't have any photos of the holes, but the instructions for 42122 Jeep Wrangler show the piece's practical use on page 167 as part of the roll cage.

Although technically the connection is illegal, I don't think the pin is under stress. I remember this set from my childhood, and the "rotor" rotated easily, which would not have been the case if the pin was stressed.

TLG continued to use this technique through at least the mid-90s. The technique appeared in the Cowboy sets 6761: Bandit's Secret Hide-Out

and 6765: Gold City Junction

to construct turrets.

Hi Mark, welcome to Bricks.SE and thanks for the great answer! I took the liberty to add links and images to the referenced sets and their relevant steps from the instructions, feel free to add or correct anything else too!


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Are these round black 1x1 pieces LEGO?
A friend encountered two pieces of plastic in a bulk lot of LEGO she bought and was wandering if they were actually LEGO, a clone/custom brand or something else entirely...
She sent the following pictures:

There are no markings or numbers on the pieces.
They do seem to fit on LEGO studs:
I don't recognize the pieces so I assume they aren't LEGO.
But perhaps someone here can identify them?

I'm not sure about the one of the left but I think I have the one on the right in one of my sets somewhere, but I can't remember which one.

These are Lego parts.
The part on the left is a hose end (752). It is found on the ends of hoses like this:

The one on the right is 6221 (Peeron 424).

This part was most commonly found in older Technic sets as a spacer or crank handle:

Incidentally, that hose piece has since been redesigned so it does not come apart. The piece on the right has also been used more-recently for other things, mainly a spacer in tank wheel holders, before it was also redesigned.


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Is the Lego Duplo Track System being discontinued?
Our child recently got the Duplo train starter set 10507 as a gift. The box indicates an extension pack with more tracks, so I was confident our child would be able to extend the (sorry) somewhat boring little circle out of 12 curved track parts from 10507.
On the official Lego website, however, I am seeing now that the only two Duplo train sets still being offered now are the aforementioned 10507, as well as 10508, the huge Deluxe Train Set, as well as 10810, a push-train.
With 10507 and 10508 having appeared in 2013, only 10810 having been released in 2016 (and this set being rather "simple" - no motor, no switches, also just one straight track per set), and the latest tracks pack, 10506, not even available any more in the official store ... does this mean I should start hoarding compatible Duplo tracks now, before I also can't get any on Amazon and in toy stores, either?
Note that I'm not asking whether anyone can see the future. I'm asking whether TLC has made any public announcements on their future plans for Duplo railroads, or whether there are at least any known sales numbers for Duplo railroad sets that indicate they are/are not a commercial failure these days.

It hasn't been officially announced yet, but there are at least four large LEGO DUPLO train sets coming this summer. This includes two extension train track packs with straight tracks, curved tracks, switches, bridges, and train crossings. The two full train sets will include more of the same tracks. The set numbers for the extension packs are #10872 and #10882, and the new train sets are #10874 and #10875. The official set names are prices are yet unknown. I would suggest to wait until the summer, unless you can get the older sets for a very good price.

Excellent, that sounds promising. Where does one learn about that kind of information? Only as/via an "insider"?

LEGO fan sites, forums, and social-media groups are good sources of early info on upcoming sets. There is not one source, but coming from all over the place; LEGO themselves through their own channels (some intentional, some accidental), LEGO partners, LEGO retailers, news channels, insider info, etc. You can always ask here, and if some info is known already, someone will let you know. Or, you can just wait until LEGO announces the new sets officially. The big releases with a wide variety of sets are at the beginning of the year, and in the summer, with a few smaller releases in between.


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Does anybody know the LEGO number for this white ship with 6 wings?
Does anyone know the LEGO set number for this?

This is not a LEGO set, it is a clone brand. The indentations on the slopes show this. You will also find that the studs do not bear the LEGO logo.

Company: Cra-Z-Art.
Clone Brand: Super Blox.
Set Name: Space Fighters.
Year: 2010.


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LEGO twin-engine airplane (black/yellow/grey) set identification please
Bought this airplane "as is" at a flea market. Pieces missing. I want to repair it. Does anyone here have the LEGO set number or know where I can find the instructions ? I suspect that it is several years old (1980s ? 1990s ?).

This is set 8425 (quite a nice set imho) and the instructions are downloadable from lego themselves:
https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/4101173.pdf
The set is from 1996


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LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Can't find MyData Block
While going through the challenges of the Gyro Sensor Investigation I came upon the issue that I do not have the MyData Block (It's a dark blue block with a graph on it) on the coding program. Could someone include the download for this block or assist me in retrieving it?

I don't personally have an answer for you, but welcome to Bricks.SE!

EV3 software comes in two varieties, Educational and Home. The Educational version has a few blocks that do data operations that make sense in a science class.
Both versions are downloadable from Lego for free.
I think the MyData block is actually the data logging block.  It looks like this:

To get this block for use in your programs, you would need to download and install the Education version of Mindstorms.


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How to sell a large amount of Lego
Hope someone can help. I bought my husband a huge bundle of Lego a few years ago, but he doesn't have the time to sort it, so we want to sell it on.
We've identified a lot of the sets from pieces/minifigs/searching Google images for instruction books etc.
It's a mix of mainly Star Wars & Harry Potter. Loads of mini figures, no idea if the sets are complete. I don't think the HP is.
What's the best way to sell it? I really don't want to split it, thought about eBay, but as I don't know how much is complete I don't want to end up in a dispute.
Any info would be great! Thanks!

If you type "sell lego" in the search box, you will find many useful questions and answers on this site.

Since you don't want to go through the trouble of sorting the bulk lot, you can sell it as is either locally or at an auction site like eBay. It is perfectly normal to sell bulk lots of LEGO both locally and online without being able to tell exactly what's in the lot. If you want to spend the least amount of time on this, I would suggest first listing the lot on Craigslist or similar venues you may have locally. If it doesn't sell locally within a month or so, put the lot up on eBay.
Whether you sell locally or through an auction site, describe the lot as much as you can, but don't make guarantees. Just describe what you see. If you have a scale, measure the weight of the loose LEGO pieces. Many people buy LEGO by the pound, and knowing that the lot includes i.e. 10 pounds of pieces can be helpful for buyers to understand what they are looking at. (Just for your information, $5/lbs is the usual going price for mixed lot of used LEGO that buyers are willing to pay).
You can sell the lot just by a brief description, the weight, and pictures. It is a normal and accepted practice to sell mixed lots of bulk LEGO. However, if you spend a bit more time on the description, you will likely get better offers. This would include things like the general condition of the pieces, instructions and minifigures. Are there any other toys or foreign objects mixed in? Do the pieces need cleaning? Do they appear lightly used or heavily played with? Are printed pieces and clear pieces scratched up or appear to be in good condition?
If you feel they may have special value, describe the minifigs separately. How many there are, and what is their condition. If you see teeth-marks, paint marks, stains, missing body parts, etc. the value is going to be a lot less then if they are in pristine condition. Again, don't make guarantees, because everyone will have different standards, but just describe what you see.
Include a list of the instruction booklets. List the set numbers printed at the front of the instructions, as well as the condition of the instructions (i.e. missing pages, ripped pages, other damage). The list can give people an idea what pieces might be in the lot.
Whether you advertise locally or through an auction site like eBay, one of the most important part of your description is pictures. The more detailed pictures you take, the better. This doesn't mean having to photograph every piece separately, but just spread out the pieces as reasonably as you can and take good quality shots. You might want to also take separate pictures of the minifigs and the instruction booklets. Make sure that the pictures are not fuzzy and dark. The more people can see, the better their offers are going to be.
If you list on Craigslist or a similar local site, you will need to put a price on the lot. This is a bit tricky as you don't want to ask for something outrageous to put off people from even contacting you, but you also don't want to lowball yourself. You could work with the $5/pound standard for bulk lots, and maybe ask for $7/pound, leaving some room to go lower if necessary. eBay is a lot easier in regards to pricing, as the market will give you exactly what the lot is worth based on your description and pictures. List the lot as an auction with a low starting price and/or reserve, and let people bid what they think the lot is worth. Keep in mind that eBay will take 10% of the proceeds, and another 3% will go to PayPal.
If you sell through eBay, you will also need to ship the lot to the buyer. Get the right size shipping box and packing materials beforehand so you get at least a rough idea of how much it is going to cost to ship. Pack smaller lots into Ziplock bags before placing them in the shipping box. This will prevent the pieces from rattling around too much and getting damaged, and it also prevents bringing attention to the content of the box (stealing boxes full of LEGO is pretty common). You can offer free shipping (this will bring in more potential bidders, but you will have to eat the cost yourself), or let the buyer pay for shipping. The eBay selling platform helps you set this all up.
Keep in mind that selling the lot bulk is still going to bring in the least amount of money. This is understandable, as people are talking the risk of not knowing what's exactly in the lot, the condition of the pieces, minifigs and instructions, and how many of the sets are complete.
Another option you might consider is hire someone locally to sort the pieces for you into sets that you can then sell separately. You might not have the time and inclination, but many people love to sort LEGO. You can even have a sorting party with a few older kids and/or adults. Offer some pizza and drinks and they will be happy to sort the pieces for you into sets. Once the sets are sorted, depending on how complete they are, you can either sell them as complete used sets, partial used sets, or smaller bulk lots of Star Wars sets, Harry Potter sets, etc.
One last thing I would add is that LEGO is bringing back Harry Potter this year. They will likely have much better sets and minifigs than in the past. If you want to sell the lot you have for the best price, I would suggest doing it before the new sets are released.


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Please identify these sub assemblies
I got these assemblies and I am trying to figure out if they are MOCs or part of a set or sets.  The little figure that has the clown inside has a part with a decal of "spirit of luis",  but this only appears in 7307 so it might be a MOC.  What about the rest.

The wing and red cockpit are from  9497-1: Republic Striker-class Starfighter

The little build in the bottom left corner is part of set 8897 Jagged Jaws Reef.

I found by accident that the bike is the 2259
Skull Motorbike, but partially built and modified.


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How to pause, and restart (without resetting), a timer block - ev3
We're trying to pause the timer block, and then have it restart at the same time where it left off.
By using the touch sensor in a loop before our timer code we were able to get the text output to stop and restart, however on restart the text output just jumps to the current timer output, so it's clear we're not actually pausing the timer output.
Any ideas on how to pause and restart the timer block using the touch sensor?
Here's our code:

I don't think there is a shortcut.  The timer sensors record how much time has elapsed since they were reset.  The starting of the program gives you the first reset for free.  So the psuedocode ends up something like this.  The button touched vs released is a personal preference.  I think of the interval as starting when the button is released and extending until it is pressed.

Set a variable "totalTime" to zero
Loop start
wait for button touched
Set a variable "intervalTime" = timer sensor value
Set "totalTime" = "intervalTime" + "totalTime"
Set intervalTime = 0
wait for button to be released
write to the LCD display "ready for next interval"
wait for button to be touched
wait for button to be released
reset the timer sensor
Loop end (forever)


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What is the Travis Brick?
This question uses the term "Travis Brick", but I've never heard it before. What is it, and where does the term come from?

The Travis Brick is the 1×1 brick with studs on four sides.
The nickname arose amongst LEGO Space builders. It was nicknamed The Travis after talented Space builder Travis Kunce. He liked the part so much he had a tattoo of it.
The brick is especially useful in SNOT techniques as it has studs on all but the bottom surface.


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How do I sell complete LEGO sets still assembled?
I have several complete items I want to sell. I have the instruction manuals but no boxes. They are still together. They include the old Death Star, and some other Star Wars, the complete Lone Ranger set and more.
How do I do this?

Hi and welcome to Brick SE. Have you tried to use the seach function? "sell LEGO" yields some interesting hints about how sell your sets. Ebay or Bricklink are common answers.

You can list the on BrickLink as complete, used, no box. Those are options you can select as you list each set. You can also list them on eBay, and just put in the description that the sets are without box, but with instructions and all the pieces included. This is a normal and accepted way of selling LEGO sets.


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Find out the set(s) a list of parts belongs to?
I have gotten some help here before regarding set identifications.  I now need to find the set some parts belong to.  I know how to find this per piece, but i need to search with a list instead.  Reason is that a part may belong to 100 sets, and another part may belong to 200 sets, together though may appear in a few sets.  This process would get much easier to a solution.
Thanks

I would use the rebrickable website for this:

create a custom list (type to build)
browse for the parts and add them to your custom list
go to the custom list
select Built this List
go to the Suggested sets tab.

However, this amount of effort is normally not necessary to identify a set, there is nearly always a less common element in your list and bricklink can be used to list the sets having this element, narrow down manually with the second less common element, etc...

Per your suggestion, I did this.  After I click build this set, the suggested sets is 0.  Am I missing something?

Please also note that I need ALL the pieces in the list to be part of the suggested set. Thanks

When selection "Build this List", there's a "Change build options" button, please make sure that you are not using lists of sets or parts you have entered previously, perhaps also experiment with the Build matching options or include/exclude options...

Also, if you would share your list, I'll happily try it for you...

No problem sharing the list.  But his function works partially correct.  I will explain.  This list (https://rebrickable.com/users/pavgoust/lists/22654/) contains 3 very distinct parts from set 8059.  When you ask to build the list it suggests 3 sets with 2 of the 3 parts but not the 8059 set.  Concluding, it is my opinion that this function is not perfect.
The list I am talking about is https://rebrickable.com/users/pavgoust/lists/22592/).
Let me know what do you think.  Thanks for your help and time devoted.

Agree that the first list should also show 8059, Perhaps the site prefers to show the other sets because they are cheaper/easier to find. As for your seccond list, I get the 60162 set suggested to complete about 80% and then the 60174 to complete to 100%. I think it might work a bit better if the lists contained a bit more elements.


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Where do I find thousands of blue & yellow bricks for an art project?
I'm an artist and I've started a project where I need around 4000 blue and yellow bricks, specifically bricks and plates that are 2x or 1x any length, but the longer the better. Any suggestions on where to find these for the best possible price?
NOTE: I've purchased several used bulk lots on eBay, but on a price per brick I need basis, this isn't very cost effective. I've also gone to the LEGO store, but I you really can't get many larger bricks in those little cups, plus I actually prefer the look of used bricks. Any suggestions would be really appreciated. I don't have a lot of money as I'm a college professor, but I am having my first solo museum exhibition next fall and I'd really like to include this piece. (Sadly, unless you're world famous, museums don't pay a penny for artists materials.)

You'd probably enjoy this talk, about an art project, a programmer made his wife a picture of her out of LEGO bricks. http://devslovebacon.com/conferences/bacon-2013/talks/tetris-in-real-lego tl-dr; A: you can order bricks by colour B: a couple of pennies per brick really ramp up in price. C: Work out exactly how many you need to get them at the cheapest available price.

Try BrickLink.com, the Online LEGO Marketplace. It works like eBay, with buyers and sellers from all over the world. You can buy the exact pieces you need, in the quantity and condition you need.
Since you want a large bulk of parts, I would suggest that you post your request on the BrickLink Forum first, as there may be sellers who have a very large quantity of what you want, but haven't listed in their stores (sellers like to focus on listing their more expensive stock first).
Most BrickLink sellers are good people and they would be happy to help out with a project like yours and offer very reasonable prices. It is also beneficial for them, as they can get rid of a large quantity of their stock at one time (especially if you are happy with used elements). So it's a win-win for everyone involved.

The cheapest option would be to join your local RLUG and participate in the lugbulk program, however given the time constraint of having an exposition already next fall this might not be feasible (lugbulk takes nearly a year to organize, order, deliver, sort, etc...)
The next best solution would then be to visit your lego store again and ask the personnel for several bulk cases of bricks. These are the same cases they use to fill up the wall. They calculate the price so it roughly matches the price you would pay if you filled the cups very efficiently (you can roughly fit 130 2x4 bricks in a large cup). So not much discount but it saves you a lot of time.

LUGBULK is a great suggestion for the future, but I can confirm that the timeline won't work in this case. LUGBULK orders for 2018 were finalized on the 31st of January for delivery later this year. It will be at least a year and a half before @EyeJelly could get in on and receive an order.

Who or what is RLUG? Wiki doesn't know. Regional Lego something Lugbulk?

Hope this helps explaining: http://thebrickblogger.com/2015/10/lego-lugbulk-the-best-way-to-build-big/


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Trying to find piece ID on instructions w/ no ID

I've gotten online instructions and the above piece is required, but annoyingly the piece ID is not in the instructions and I can't find it on any lego websites. I just want to know what the piece ID is.

This is the ID 4211760 which in the LEGO movie sets holds the piece of resistance in place on Emmet's back. See for example instructions of set 70801 (Melting Room).
Bricklink lists it as "Minifig, Neck Bracket with Back Stud" (42446).

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

Hmm... This app reacts a bit oddly, and I couldn't find a search function. There is a lot to improve before I switch from browser based Bricklink to this app.


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My 9398 crawler going in reverse way
I built 9398 crawler set and everything seemed OK.
However, when I moved the RC tumbler up, the crawler went back, and when I moved it down, the crawler went forward.
On the battery box I saw tumbler and changed its position, but nothing changed.
I also changed the order of connection motors to box, which also didn't help.
P.S. Turns work fine.

From the power functions FAQ:

Why does my Power Functions model drive backward when I want it to run forward? You can change the direction your model runs by flipping
  the small black switches located on each side of the channel selector
  of your IR Remote Control.

From the sounds of it, you've already tried the little black switch on your remote, and that didn't fix things. I've had the same problem with PF remotes in the past, where one of those switches just stops working. Try unplugging the motors connected to the IR receiver, and swapping which port they connect to. Then see if the toggling works on the other side of the remote.
If the remote is at fault, try contacting LEGO customer service.


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Is there any reason behind fancy bricks in invisible places?

In set 60080 there is a blue bick with pretty fancy shape.  There are also hardly visible bricks in other places. Is there any reason? Why are these bricks used? Any official or semi-official explanation?
As far as I remember back when I was young, such pieces were rare, and (if included at all) were used in alternative models proposed on the back of the box. But this set has no such alternative models shown.

Just my own speculation, but perhaps that piece it's cheaper than the 2x2 and 1x2 plate they could have used.

@AlexanderO'Mara this piece indeed looks lightweight. This may well be the case.

I believe the contrasting colors/shapes are used to make the instructions easier to follow and the pieces easier to find while building...

Related: Why do some sets contain parts of an unrelated colour that are hidden on the final model?

@Ambo100 thanks, good catch. I expected something more "interesting" but when I know the answer, it certainly look related.

This piece is only two plates high, to have another piece in here you would need to stack two plates, which would

make the total pieces count rise, or more expensive
might be more difficult to tear down by hand
probably less sturdy (with a piece on it acting as a lever stacked plates could pry apart)

Sets designers are under constraints for both piece count, piece prices,
ease of setup/teardown and sturdyness so I guess this arrangement was decided.
Some examples of other sets with the same kind of piece for the same kind of purpose:
set 4435-1

set 60108-1

set 60148-1

This makes a perfect sense. And now I'll  have a follow up   question about pieces that  apparently  has no function whatsoever, and add to piece count and assembly difficulty... But I need  to shrink photos  first.


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What is the best solution to power up two 5292 buggy motors?
I have two buggy motors, 5292 like this:

I see powering each separately and using two IR receivers soon triggers the receivers' protections and the motors are stopped.
My aim is not speed, I see battery options powering with 7.2-7.5V instead of others powering with 9V, obviously the latter ones performs faster, but I try to have a safely working setup, without burning components.

What is the best way to power up them?
Is there a way to avoid using Android apps and bluetooth, or EV3 stuff, by using an IR setup at all?
Is it possible to avoid SBicks and BuWizz?
If not, are these reliable? I see people talking about LiPo instability. Is it that fire-hazardous?
Having in mind that Lego has overheat protections that often stop the motors on load, first question would be: is there a setup with Lego's LiPo battery to avoid the known hiccups behavior, without bypassing the protections?

And I have a side question: how to control a  buggy motor using its box 54734, that come together in the 8287 set, with an IR Receiver? Mine simply does not power up the IR. I've tried all Lego Power Functions extension cables, the IR receiver doesn't lit.

Update
I have a RC power unit now:

A thing that nobody tells ~ and I've searched a lot ~ is that steering goes 45°, unlike the servo motor that goes for 90°.

Building big means heavy (I try the agrof's class 1 buggy), so I've used multiplication twice in order to achieve the same 90° with the RC unit. This powered down the steering so it could not work when not running. A crackling sound is heard from it too, when tried. The multiplication is like this:
 →  →  →
agrof's steering is pretty complicated to change in order to use a 20T instead of 12T due to the steering wishbones and link positioning, as the 20T is bigger in diameter. Also, don't know if it is enough.

Now, similar to Michael Verschaeve's idea, the 45° steering could be used to action a switch in order to steer using a servo motor, but seems pretty weird to me.

Can you show some links to what others have tried and tested?

Here: 1. Philo's video; 2. Philo's full article; 3. Sariel's.

In my experience, the hickups occur in about 30 seconds, all parts are new (I've unsealed them myself...). Each motor has its own receiver.

Perhaps get a hold of the RC units that came with the buggy? Afterall, those were designed for it ...

The buggy motor comes in a set , 8287, having no remote or receiver.

It also comes in 8475, having it's own powersource, RC receiver combination, a steering unit and a RC remote. It's from this set the motor derives it's colloquial name...

The Lipo, thermal protections kicks in when consuming about 1A, while the buggy motor will consume 1.3 A when loaded but not stalled.
So for two buggy motors, best would be 3 lipo's in parallel but perhaps you can get away with 2.
The V1 receiver, only 850 mA before the protection kicks in, so not enough to power 1 buggy motor, let alone 2.
The V2 receiver, 1.5 A before the protection kicks in, enough to power 1 buggy motor...
What might be a solution is having the V1 receiver control a medium motor or servo which mechanically switches a 8869 control switch which in turn switches the buggys on and off...
As for the old battery box, I think the reason you don't get it to power a V1 receiver is because power functions have two pairs of wires, a control pair and a pair that gives a constant voltage.
M,L and XL motors only use the control pairs of wires.
A servo uses the voltage pair to keep its position and the control pair to determine the position.
A receiver uses the input voltage pair to power itself, ignores the input control pair, forwards the voltage pair to the output voltage pairs and places control voltage on the output control pairs as it's instructed by the remote.
When using PF to 9V conversion cables, I think only the control pairs get connected, never the voltage pairs so the receivers cannot be powered by 9V battery boxes or cables...

Good information, but I've read that using V2 receiver and a 8881 battery box will trigger the box protection, so it will stop the buggy attached eventually (presuming one box per motor is set, for testing reasons). The original buggy receiver would be better? What would be the drawbacks?

The buggy receiver drawbacks, shape and size might be a bit inconvenient. Main drawback will be the availability, they are hard to find in good condition and hence costly...

Actually I have one. But the true drawback is the steering. It goes 45 degrees only, compared to the servo motor which goes 90 degrees. Multiplication twice gains the degrees, but loses to much power and works when running only. My actual design makes things really complicated to change (see argof's class 1 buggy for reference), as a bigger tooth gear being problematic.

I think it would be better if you start a new question regarding the steering with buggies. Now this thread is getting a bit convoluted in my opinion

I think that too, still, when powering with the RC version, the steering comes built in, so people should know what they get, that being not optional.


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The 75192 Millenium Falcon is available again!
Or not? This evening, around 10 pm (in Germany), I noticed that the set was available. It is 11 pm now, and it returned to the "temporarily not available" status. Can it be sold out within one hour??
In the initial selling phase in 2017, the set had been available for some weeks. The buying limit was 3. I think it was limited to VIP members, but I think everyone who bought something directly from LEGO is a VIP member.
Anyway, according to some rumors, the set would be available again in February. So I expected LEGO to produce as many Falcons as they can to flood the market after building up tension and demand. It seems, however, that 75192 will remain a rare set that will be sold out most of the time.
What I am really asking is this: Do you know or remember the situation regarding availabilty of similar sets in the past (e.g. the 10179 Falcon)? Does LEGO have a different selling strategy with the 75192?

Can it be sold out within one hour?

Probably. If they sell all they have available, it would be "temporarily not available" again.
This set has been known to sell out the same day it becomes available in other countries.

I was surprised because in the initial selling phase in 2017 the set was available for several weeks. I expected that LEGO would flood the market with the sets after building up demand. Now it seems that the Falcon will still be a rare set.

Aziraphale, where are you from? Here in Belgium it sold out within minutes on initial launch online, also the physical lego stores had queues before opening time...

Here in Germany it took a while. In the end, I didn't buy one, but I had it in my virtual shopping cart.


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Why there are "unnecessary" bricks in 60080 LEGO City Space Port?
I previously asked about bricks in invisible places. Now I have second question. There are some bricks that are hardly visible, and in no way contribute to strength of a model. For example lime brick inside space shuttle or red bricks in the launch platform.
Note, as you can see in instructions step 14 - there is nothing on the other side of red brick. It connects only to the long gray technic brick.
Is there any purpose? Are these bricks there to symbolize something? What's the benefit that would justify cost?

Don't know about the lime brick, but the 2nd picture, it's a pin, it holds something together. The designers must have thought it DOES contribute to the structural strength... It's red because that's the common color for such pins...

@MichaelVerschaeve when I'll get back home, I will take picture from the bottom side. I'm quite certain that it does not hold anything together, and there were no bricks it could hold left.

I don't know the set, but in other sets parts like the lime tile, restrict movement of other parts.

@MichaelVerschaeve  https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/6128942.pdf step 14 - red part is covered with nothing held by it under the plate.

@Henrik may be, but if you'll look at the instruction https://www.lego.com/biassets/bi/6158061.pdf step 5 you will see it is held tightly between 2 other brick, and lime brick is only on one side... I don't get it.

@Molot, I looked up the instructions as well in the mean time, you're correct the pins are not holding anything. My guess would then be that it is supposed to look like it is holding something, i.e. it is decorative... I disagree they are hardly visible, i can see them on the box art. I think they are to symbolize a nut or a stop.

@MichaelVerschaeve one  down (maybe), one to go ;)

The lime piece was probably to try to reduce the movement of the 'towbar' piece (the grey one in the middle), supposed to hold the shuttle on the booster. Maybe at one point during the design the towbar wasnt tightly centered by the two yellow pieces and that centering was done by two pieces like the lime things, but then forgotten to be removed afterwards. The instructions are susceptible to being 'frozen' while not in an optimal state for economical/deadline reasons, so don't look at the instructions as an optimum, but as a starting point for your creativity

@rienafairefr I don't let rules stop me, thank you :D I just assumed there might be something I'm missing. You are probably right I forgot for a moment that Lego sets are just products with lifestyle. If you would post it as an answer, I'll +1.

I have always assumed that the pieces in question were place holders to simplify assembly.  Their bright color and location help insure proper alignment for less experienced builders. One must realize that the set is marketed to 6-12 year old's. I imagine their testing has proven that such aides are very useful for younger builders.


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LEGO Mindstorms Spik3r won't move
I built my Spik3r as usual, but it wouldn't run when I tried to program it. I checked the wheels and the legs and everything seemed fine. I even looked back in the instructions, and redid it. It still wouldn't move. The wheels and the spikes moved, but when I set it on the ground, it only wiggled around. Does anyone know how to fix this?

Could you embed some photos of that? We couldn't post an effective answer now because we don't know how you created Spik3r.

https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/8007/ev3-spik3r-mission-2-doesnt-move and https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/9269/spik3r-wheels-move-but-the-spik3r-itself-doesnt are quite similar questions to this one.  Maybe comments from those could be useful.


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What is a better algorithm for wall following with an ultrasonic sensor?
This wall following algorithm uses the ultrasonic sensor.  It has a horrible worst case behavior.  Place the robot about 3 cm too far from the wall.  Instead of moving closer to the wall, the robot turns toward the wall and spins.
Place the robot too close to the wall and it works very well.
The sensor points out from the right side of the robot, in front of the powered wheels.

How should the algorithm be changed to handle the "too far away" case?

If a significant distance from the wall, you'll need to turn 90 degrees in place clockwise, drive up to the wall and turn 90 degrees in place counterclockwise.
I'd suggest mounting a touch sensor in front of the vehicle handle the part of driving up to the wall, if that is not possible, estimate from the scanned distance how far the vehicle should drive.
If close to the wall but not close enough to have the wall-following algorithm work correctly, I'd suggest "wiggling":
Repeat the following steps until close enough to the wall:

rotate left wheel forward by a small angle while blocking the right
wheel.
rotate right wheel forward by a small angle while blocking the
left wheel.
rotate left wheel backward by a small angle while
blocking the right wheel.
rotate right wheel backward by a small
angle while blocking the left wheel.

In each step use the same angle (determine an optimal angle by trial and error)

Also could set the target distance to +2 cm for a short time, then +1 cm, and then the actual target distance.  I was hoping that I had missed a trick in using the ultrasonic sensor.


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Is there a rock wall generator?
In Lego store, and on many photos on the Internet, I've seen vertical "rocky" walls made of slopes and simple 2x1 bricks. For example this one.
Is there a software that would take wall length and generate a semi-random rocky-looking wall? Something similar to sphere generators we all know and love?
Designing such wall by hand in LDD is a time consuming and not really funny task, and I'd like to avoid it, if possible.
Note: I tried dropping models from Thingiverse to Brickify, but  Brickify does not use slopes and there is problem with scale.

Interesting idea, but I think most people would use just the parts they had on hand. It might not be too difficult to design something that produces a pseudo-random rock face, but it's another issue to have that be translated into brick form. If anyone has created something like this before, it probably would have been a procedural generator for The LEGO Movie.

@Ambo100 Well, I was thinking more like Pick by brick shopping list. And I doubt Lego (stores and movies) does it all by hand, but of course they may be reluctant to release their tools.

I'm not aware of anything that does this, but I am working on a project that uses a customizable context-free grammar to describe connections between Lego bricks. Once the grammar is defined, an algorithm can be used to "grow" interconnected shapes to meet certain parameters. It should be possible to procedurally generate a rock face this way, but I'm not there yet.

@jncraton I would be very interested in seeing that. I have some ideas based on genetic algorithms, but I'm at the "sketch  of a sketch" stage. Sadly, my ideas are more about solving  "how to put bricks I already have" than about preparing shopping lists I wanted.

@Mołot I'll definitely post an update here if I get anywhere. In the meantime, you may be interested in an older project of mine: https://github.com/jncraton/procedural-bricks

I was able to integrate this into a research project applying context free grammars:

This is not a polished software package, and the design is a bit esoteric given that I started with the goal of applying context free grammars to a practical problem. Hopefully there's something in there that may be useful to someone. :)

Looks amazing. Pretty close to what I hoped for.


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Is the LEGO Space theme discontinued?
I really liked Space when I was a kid. And now is the time when my friends have kids old enough to play, and I'm old enough to admit I like to play. But I can't see any space sets except realistic City ones, and Star Wars.
Is there any official or trustworthy unofficial source that says if Lego own Space series are officially over, or will reappear in future? Note, I'm not asking you to guess, I'm asking about possibly existing sources.

At this time, there has been no announcement of a scheduled unlicensed LEGO Space theme. LEGO is not going to make an announcement that "We forever and ever retired LEGO Space, and it will never-ever come back." It's just not going to happen. In addition, they don't reveal what they are working on, until it is time for an official announcement - usually about six months or less before release.
However, there is no need to wait and hope that LEGO Space will come back soon. You can still buy all the previously released LEGO Space sets on the secondary market like eBay and BrickLink. You can buy them brand new in the box, or used, or anything in between. Many of the sets sell for very reasonable prices - especially those from recently retired LEGO Space themes like Alien Conquest, Galaxy Squad, Space Police, etc. I would suggest first checking the BrickLink Catalog to familiarize yourself with all the unlicensed LEGO Space sets ever released on this page.
Also check the going prices for the sets you would like both in new and used condition (all of this is listed in the BrickLink Catalog). Besides buying individual sets on eBay or BrickLink, once you get a sense of what LEGO Space themes you would like to focus on, you can also check on eBay for bulk lots. These will likely be in used condition, and there may be some parts missing, so make sure you read the description carefully. Bulk lots can be great starters for a kid's collection.

I  mostly agree, but for example Miners could be considered discontinued when their specific website went down. Sometimes there is something  that is a pretty official sign.

Are you talking about LEGO's webpages for different themes? Those constantly change and come and go. They only keep the ones up and running that currently have products available. For example, the Harry Potter and Jurassic World micro-sites were taken down when the previous products ran their course, but now that new sets are coming the sites will be up again. There has never been a generic Space section on LEGO's website. The specific sub-themes had their own pages with no overarching umbrella theme. Space is not like LEGO City, where the same sub-themes are rotated over and over again.

Although the stand-alone, unlicensed Space theme technically remains discontinued, LEGO has recently released an unlicensed Space sub-theme under their City theme.
While these builds seem to be more "near future" than the classic Space sets, they can be whatever you want them to be. This is LEGO we are talking about, use your imagination to figure out how these sets might link in with classic Space sets or factions or even licensed themes.
For example, you could have the Mars Research Shuttle below land on Titan, where it encounters a legion of Blacktron Battraxes (Battraces?) led by General Sweet Mayhem and must call for help from Iron Man, who arrives in a TIE fighter.

While Space as a theme isn't listed, it is specified as a category on the LEGO site.
https://www.lego.com/en-gb/products/categories/space
This includes

31066 - Shuttle Explorer

21312 - Women of NASA

21309 - NASA Apollo Saturn V
And the soon (hopefully) to be added

10266 - NASA Apollo 11 Lunar Lander

According to this advert Lego are running on Facebook they are still making "Lego Space" so it can't be discontinued.


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Is 32013 a drop-in replacement for 3651?
In my old sets there are many 3651 parts that are broken.

As far as I remember, these sets do not use studs on the piece. Per this answer, new piece with the same function is 32013:

Can I just buy some of 32013 and use it everywhere instructions tell me to use 3651? Is it supposed to just fit? I could try to build 3651 but I'm afraid I'll   break it  again.

Can't think of anything why the 32013 would not fit as replacement, except when the studs would be used and although I also can't immediately name a set where they were used, I have a feeling that there are some.
The 32013 looks to me sturdier, the technic bush shaped part of 3651 is prone to cracking (like the technic bushes themselves)
I agree with the answer you refer to that the redesign happened because of the introduction of the new angular connectors.

@MichaelVerschaeve I was afraid that lengths might not be the same. I can't find technical drawings of them. "Prone to cracking" - yes, exactly :(

Besides the studs there is another difference that may affect the interchangeability: the 24 tooth gear next to its leg would intersect with the newer one.

@BalazsToth I posted CW answer, feel free and invited to add to it.

Dimensions are, respectively:

3651 - 0.8cm x 1.6cm x 1.1cm
32013 - 0.8cm x 1.6cm x 0.8cm

Distance between one axle and end of another also did not change. So for most builds it should work.
Incompatibilities include:

Obvious lack of studs
Use as in Lego Technic Universal Set 8034 as a locking mechanism for lift system, as seen on the box:

This answer was posted as Community Wiki, please add incompatibilities if you know them

Yes! The old part can be used as a "lock" or "stop" to prevent gears turning, and it works because of the flared edge. The new one (32013) does not have this, so you might have to improvise a bit.


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How to use this 5 and a half width windshield?
I recently went to Legoland in the Boston area and found the following windshield brick in the free build section.

Ignore my airplane build of questionable quality. What puzzled me was the width of the windshield piece I found in the part bin. As you can see it was roughly 5 and a half bricks wide. At the time I was confused at how the brick was intended to be used. Upon reflection my best guess is it might have fit if I would have used a 2x1 brick with the single center top bump on one side.

I couldn't make out the part number but I was able to barely discern it was a Lego branded part. The part number was in the center section of the windshield. I'd be interested to see a picture of the brick used in a custom build or an original set so I can see what others have done with it or how the designers intended it to be used.

That part is a little tough to use on its own. It is generally paired with another element to create a 6-wide windscreen (6567c02):

Without the outer part, you don't have any nice stud connections to work with, and as you mentioned the size is strange, so it would be challenging to work it into a build.
I imagine it is now obvious how this is used, but since you asked to see this in a set, here is one example:

That explains a lot. Someone must have popped it out of the frame. I bet if I knew what I was looking for I could have scrounged up the frame in one of the bins.


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Can anyone tell me what part or set this round Technic piece goes to?
I bought a large lot of LEGO and need help identifying this piece and or its set.

That's not the best picture in the world, but it appears to be a Wheel 31mm D. x 15mm Technic, either dark red or reddish-brown.  The dark red variation has appeared in a half-dozen Star Wars sets and two other sets, while the reddish-brown version has appeared in just one set.


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When did Lego switch from 4 to 6 stud width of Windscreen?
All my old sets have cars with windscreen 4 studs wide. No matter if it is a jeep, truck or what - cars was 4 studs, usually 3823 or 2437. Now, in most modern sets, car windshield is usually 6 studs wide, like 92583.
I'm interested when this transition happened. If it's possible, I'll be also glad to hear why - was this change caused by introduction of other bricks? New "series" of a City theme? General overhaul?

Both windscreens you mention are still in production. Apart from that, the appearence of LEGO models has changed dramatically over the years. I don't think that a transition of any sort can be pinned to the introduction of certain new parts. The number of new parts increases every year, so in 10 years today's sets may look old and clumsy.

@Aziraphale are still in production, but now 4 studs one is used for totally different models it used to. And while overall change is continuous, there must've been a point where "truck width"  switched from 4 to 6.

Realism seems to be the most probable answer. If you compare the Tow Trucks 6656 (1985) and 7638 (2009) it is clear that proportions and shapes have improved by orders of magnitude. Thinking about it: Stud width and minifig size are constants, everything else could change. So it was only natural to increase vehicle width by 2 studs.

The lego trains from the 1970's and 80's all started with 6 stud width designs.

@LarsTech nice catch. I mean to ask about cars specifically, but now I see I didn't.

I noticed this, too. But only after the "Speed Champions" came out a few years ago. (I didn't give much attention to CITY.) It seems to me like the LEGO Racers got wider, more detailed sets starting from 2008 or so.
Also: I often check the Bricklink inventory part page (example: 92583), to find the Years Released under the "Item Info" section. I cross reference those dates with the list of sets that an item was used in.


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Is there a way to move items from quote back to basket?
I requested a quote on a set of parts. Got it, it was too expensive in terms of shipping, but it turns out I had only 18g of parts, when shipping would cover up to 100g. Is there a way to move parts back to my cart, so I could add additional 82g of bricks without clicking it all again? I understand some parts might not longer be available or change price. I don't really care, I just want to avoid looking them up again.

Perhaps you could accept the quote but ask the seller to leave the order open so you can add items to it. Will appear to you as a separate order, but the orders will get merged. The average bricklink seller will be more than happy to comply...

@MichaelVerschaeve perhaps i could, but quotes are automatically closed after 48 hours so it is too late now. Good to know for the future, thanks, but useless for now.

No. You cannot put items from quote back to cart, but there is a better option.
As per help topic on Bricklink:

You can add quote items to a wanted list at any time by clicking the Add Quote Items to Wanted List button on the quote summary page

Here how it looks in your quote (just at the bottom of your item list):

Once you click on that button you have an option to add items from your quote to an existing Wanted List or create a new one. This then allows you to have a list of items from quote that you can use to buy in other stores too, not just the one you've requested a quote from.
More details on how to use wanted lists when buying parts can be found in another help article on Bricklink.


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Is possible to change firmware of ev3 brick?
I bought LEGO 31313 but I would like to change the firmware for education (45544).
1.09H to 1.09E.  Is this possible?

Connect EV3 with USB to computer, have Lego Mindstorm software open
Under Tools -> Select Firmware update and start he update
Brick will restart after firmware is updated

This is the correct method. If you have the retail software downloaded, you will need to download and install the educational software here in order to access the 1.09E firmware and utilize its additional features (datalogging, etc).

Yes, this is totally possible and I have done it multiple times. You will need access to both firmware files though - AFAIK there is no menu to choose versions.

Thanks Phil, can you explain how to... or may be there's some manual or video to do it... I'm newbie and i would like to do it. Thank you very much