text:
Do old LEGO bricks contain lead, cadmium, or other hazardous elements?
I have a set of LEGO bricks from Denmark and they were made in the late 1960's; should I be concerned about my son playing with them because of any danger of lead, cadmium, or other substances in the product?

No, you should not be concerned about lead.  LEGO has always used lead-free colors in their elements, even back in the beginning.
However, not all LEGO-compatible bricks are lead free.  For example, Mega Bloks, which are made in China, suffered from the poor quality control that led to massive recalls over lead-tainted products a few years ago.

David Clerk, the magazine's publisher and the executive director of
  Les Editions Protégez-Vous, said that after consulting with Health
  Canada, the magazine hired an independent lab in Quebec to perform
  what he called a "total lead test" on 32 toys, including the Maxi
  blocks.
Essentially, the process involves scraping off a sample of the toy's
  plastic, dissolving it in acid and then analyzing the solution.
When the results were returned by a lab, which Clerk said he could not
  identify because of a confidentiality agreement, a yellow Maxi block
  was the only toy that exceeded the 600-parts-per-million limit for
  lead set by Canada and the United States. Blue and red Maxi blocks
  showed no lead at all.
For confirmation, the magazine tested a second yellow block. It
  contained 1,180 parts per million of lead, nearly double the initial
  result.

Ouch, "Protegez-vous" is a Quebec (Canada) magazine - their headquarter country.

While this question was asked in 2012, in late 2018 there was a flurry of inflammatory headlines and blog posts on the topic. The origin of these is a January 2018 study “Concentrations and Migratabilities of Hazardous Elements in Second-Hand Children’s Plastic toys”, in the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology, by Andrew Turner, open access. The author also gave a needlessly provocative (in my view) quote to the BBC: “Lego bricks from the 70s and 80s are the big fail”.
The study compared a couple dozen vintage plastic toys to modern European safety standards for nine hazardous elements, including lead and cadmium. Among other things, it found that a few colors of LEGO bricks exceeded modern standards for cadmium (but not lead). The key findings are in Table 3 on page 4 of the PDF. So then the question becomes: is this a genuine safety concern?
The specific standard in question is related to swallowing: “ingestion of a small quantity of material and defined by 2 [hour] extraction under simulated gastric conditions”. Being hard plastic, LEGOs fall under the “scraped-off” standard (as opposed to “brittle, powder, pliable” or “liquid, sticky”) of 23 micrograms cadmium per gram of LEGO (µg/g) (Table 1).
The worst-scoring LEGOs were red bricks from “sets that appear to have been purchased in the 1970s”. These had 274 µg/g of cadmium, about 12× the limit.
My own view as a layperson (scientist in a different field) is that this is not a significant health concern for LEGOs, for two reasons. First, safety standards are appropriately quite conservative, so consuming a small number of bricks I would guess is not a problem. More importantly, however, consuming LEGO bricks presents far more serious mechanical risks (choking, intestinal damage, etc.).
DUPLOs may be a little different since their audience is definitely the chew-on-stuff crowd. However, it seems the risk is swallowing material rather than licking the blocks, so any child scraping off a non-trivial amount of material with their teeth also risks breaking off and swallowing larger fragments, again putting us into mechanical territory.
Bottom line in my view, don’t eat your LEGOs and don’t let your kids eat them, but the reason is not cadmium.
(Quotations from the study unless otherwise specified.)

Read this blog post on the topic
https://tamararubin.com/2019/05/vintage-1970s-legos-test-positive-for-a-high-level-of-a-known-carcinogen-how-can-i-tell-if-my-legos-are-safe/

Hi Anne and welcome to Bricks.SE! Thank you for your contribution, but please consider that linked resources are necessarily ephemeral and may change or vanish any time or may simply not be available for everyone. Therefore it is generally considered a good practice to include the relevant parts or a summary of the linked article as a quote to prevent future link rot.

Wrong. Lego had lead in its bricks up to 1984. The probability of finding lead in Lego bricks exponentially over the years, but there was still a small probability of finding lead in the early 1980s.
Here is one article that covers the topic.
https://offspring.lifehacker.com/your-old-legos-might-be-toxic-1822608757

Here's a link to the original study. It might be interesting to note that it was not lead, but cadmium that was found in Lego bricks.

According to your own source and the test linked in that article you can see that none of "LEGO" bricks listed under "construction" category have any Lead/Pb detected.


text:
How can I blow a stream of air for up to two minutes at a time?
I'd like to be able to blow a constant stream of air for up to two minutes. The purpose of this blowing element would be to play a harmonica, using holes punched in a roll of paper/film to expose certain notes. The film will be mechanically propelled in one direction by a motor.
Would pneumatic pieces be required? (I have had a very limited experience with pneumatics)
Key Points:

I would prefer to use as few non-LEGO pieces as possible.
The blowing element must be able to reach all notes 1-10 evenly. Each hole in the harmonica is 5x5mm with 2mm in between each note for a total width of 68mm lengthwise.
The sound created by the blowing device must not exceed the sound produced by the harmonica.
Optional Bonus: The device can also be adjusted to suck air to create a different sounding note.

As stated it sounds like your intent would be to produce all of the notes at once, but I'm guessing you actually intend to control which notes you want to produce individually?

@NathanStohlmann: Yes. I intend to blow air across all notes whilst having a piece of film cover most of the notes. It seems more efficient then having a motor go back and forth blowing each note individually.

That does make some sense, though I've got an alternative in my answer.

@Ambo100. This is a great question. I wonder if you might have interest in committing to our Materials Modeling proposal: https://area51.stackexchange.com/proposals/122958/materials-modeling?referrer=N2VjNTY1NzUwODE1ZTYzM2M1ZGQ2OTQxMjgwYTllNjdkYjgyNGVjZWE0ZmZkYzdkM2U2NDJiMTZlMTk3NDM1Ncbp29WRQwLMnRhqy2DU7gotvA4fdL7Vc588tL6R5YMa0. We're interested in materials design: stronger structures, better solar cells, photovoltaics, energy conversion materials, bio-materials, longer lasting batteries, stronger and lighter materials for cars, airplanes, spaceships, etc. (and the software for modeling them)

I think whether the official pneumatics parts would work for this project would depend on how much force and pressure is required to sound the particular harmonica that you are considering. I did find someone who has figured out what the pumps are capable of producing however I can't seem to find a reference for what the tubing systems are capable of supporting.
As a previous answer mentioned, an LA would be unlikely to be able to change notes fast enough so it would be much simpler to put a tubing endpoint at each one of the holes and then control which are active using switches and toggles. However if you do plan on powering multiple end points (which I understand is pretty common in typical harmonica playing) you'll have to think about whether you'll be able to supply enough pressure for all of the notes at the same time or not, and may require multiple compressors.
I would think that the design would end up being something like an M motor based compressor connected to one or more air tanks feeding a manifold with enough outputs for each harmonica hole and then adding a switch inline on each of those outputs.

You might consider building a Centrifugal fan; they are capable of creating pressure.  I built one once and was surprised by how well it worked for moving air, and that was with only 6 radial blades that were 8 or maybe 10 studs wide.  Using standard slopes and studs-up construction worked well enough, though a smoother interior would likely improve the results.  I think mine was roughly about a foot tall... less than a cubit anyway.

I like this solution the most as a I can blow air evenly up to 7cm wides. My only problem is the technical aspect of building such a device, like making the housing reasonably airtight and circular.

I think you'll find that studs-up construction for the housing will give you enough air-tightness.  My concern would be if you could get enough pressure from it... I'm not sure how much it would take.  You might try experimenting with a hair dryer, shop-vac, and small fans and the like to see just how much air you'll need.  Building a squirrel-cage fan is a fun little project all on its own, too!  :)

The pneumatic compressor (I believe it's [partlink:x191c01]) can be used with a motor to produce a continuous stream of air for as long as your batteries last.
You'd still need to find a way to either move the hose or direct air through different paths - as was shown in the points question, linear actuators could be used to move the hoses with precision, however they may not be fast enough to play the harmonica:

However, if you are looking for a more manual process you could use [partlink:4694b] Pneumatic Switch which allows you to direct air flow through one or other of the two holes, with air being provided to the lower, central input.

Using linear actuators would require a processor of some sorts to follow a program like a NXT brick. I'm looking for a more mechanical solution.

@Ambo100 by "a more mechanical solution" do you mean that you're happy to toggle switches, or that you want to build the equivalent of a music-box cylinder?

I'm not quite sure what you had in mind by 'toggle switches'

How about a varient of Sariel's Rocking Compressor, (YouTube) and extend it as nessecary to provide the amount of outflow as needed. You could chain a few air tanks togteher as well which may store enough air for two minutes's worth of pressure.
I do not know how much air pressure is needed to make a note from a harmonica, are you sure it could be done with Lego? Also, if Pnueumatics were used you'd have to find a way of sealing against leakage, such as attaching hoses to the harmonica using Blu-Tack, plasticene or Play-Dough (or other local equivalent).

If you blow hard enough you can play a note from about 2-3cm's away. That would only blow a bunch of notes but with the film would be able to block it out.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


text:
What is the difference between the NXT 1.0 controller and the NXT 2.0 controller?
I've tried to look this up but I can't find anything. As far as I can tell, the controller bricks (the white ones w/ buttons and a screen) are exactly the same and the only difference is NXT 2.0 comes with different sensors, parts, and software.
Is this correct?
If so, are NXT 2.0-generation sensors compatible with NXT 1.0? Can the NXT 1.0 be upgraded to run NXT 2.0-compiled software?
http://thenxtstep.blogspot.com/2009/07/nxt-20-vs-original-nxt-which-one-to-buy.html

I believe the bricks are physically identical.

can we connect nxt 1 with nxt 2?

There are a few subtle differences in internal hardware between the NXT 1.0 and 2.0 bricks. The most notable one is that the 1.0's screen would give out over time due to stress being put on a capacitor when the buttons are pressed, but the NXT 2.0 is engineered such that this does not occur. But, none of these differences affect what hardware the bricks are compatible with.
Externally, the NXT 1.0 and 2.0 intelligent bricks are physically identical. You can update firmware of NXT 1.0 controller with 2.0 firmware (download the most recent version here). Once this is done, your NXT will be able to use the LEGO color sensor that comes with NXT 2.0 box, and to run NXT 2.0-compiled software.

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


text:
How to calibrate NXT motors to travel the same distance?
The motors included with the NXT are not all created equal - when given the same input power level, they do not always go the same distance or turn at the same rate.
I measured this by creating a small program to turn two motors at the same speed, and measure their rotation. The results showed differences of over 100 degrees within less than a minute of driving.

Is there any way to either mechanically calibrate the motors, or easily account in the program for the difference in their powers once it has been determined? Given that the NXT can detect how far each motor has rotated, is there any way to have it automatically adjust the speed of one of the motors when it detects that it's "falling behind"? (Note that I'm using LabVIEW 2011 for programming this, but I would accept an answer that is just a code concept, if it could potentially be implemented in LabVIEW.)

how old are your motors? I have found there is a 'burn-in' period where the more you use them the closer two motors resemble each other.

@enthdegree the motors are at least 3 years old. I'm working on a project for a university class that teaches basic programming, and the NXT platform is part of the class. I'm not sure how old the specific motors I'm using are, but they've been using the NXT platform for a while now.

After looking around a bit in the NXT IO palette in LabVIEW, I found a few functions which will sync the motors while driving the robot. The "drive distance" and "steering on" VIs will both sync the motors appropriately to make the robot drive straight.

The "motor on" and "motor reverse" blocks, which are the default options if you don't go down into the complete listing, do not sync the motors. As such, in order for the motors to work together, one should use either the "steering on" or "drive distance" VIs.

You can't calibrate the motors, neither mechanically or in software. There is however several methods in the software to account for this.
The standard NXT firmware contains a synchronization mode which attempt to keep the two motors aligned. In NXC you can do this by using the function OnFwdSync like this:
OnFwdSync( OUT_AC, 75, 0 );
First parameter is the motors to sync, the second is the power and the third defines the difference in speed between the motors (used for the tribot).
This article tells how to do the same in RoboLab: How does NXT motor synchronizing work in ROBOLAB?
In NXT-G I think synchronization is on per default in the move block, correct me if I'm wrong.
I don't know how to do this in LabView. However I have heard there is some blocks to do this in the "NXT I/O»NXT Native I/O»Output" palette, try looking there.

You can make your own controller by looking at the rotation value. Calculate the difference and set the speed like this:
Motor A = power + weight * difference
Motor B = power - weight * difference

The weight is how much the difference should affect the motor speed, you will need to experiment a bit to find a good value here. You might also want to take the 100% limit in account. If the power for one motor goes over 100%, do this:
if( Motor A > 100 )
   Motor B = Motor B - ( Motor A - 100 )

if( Motor B > 100 )
   Motor A = Motor A - ( Motor B - 100 )

I won't be at work again until Tuesday, but when I am, I'll look and see if there are any functions that seem to do this properly in LabVIEW. If not, I may just have to write my own as you suggested. Thanks for the help!

The difference in speed can't be avoided. Even if the motors themselves were carefully paired, differences of friction on the axles or weight unbalance of the robot would result in speed mismatch. I am not used to LabVIEW, but the NXT firmware has a way to synchronize two motors, this functionnality should be available in LabVIEW.

Here is a simple method to help you match up your motors as well as possible:
http://www.techbrick.com/Lego/TechBrick/TechTips/NXTCalibration/

Thanks, I saw that when I was researching this. The class I'm working for has already started using their motors, so to do this they'd all have to disassemble their robots, which it's too late to do. I'm going to suggest it to the instructor for next year's class though.


text:
How do the train wheels turn so smoothly?
After assembling a train or its companion wagons, I'm always impressed at how smoothly the wheels glide over the track.
When putting them together, it's just a metal axle with two wheels on each end inserted into the slot of the wheel holder.
Is there a special coating on the axle to limit friction?  What makes it so smooth?

I recall in my school CDT classes we'd make bearings by drilling a hole through solid nylon and pass a fairly tight fitting metal axle through that which would tend to spin quite freely. I also have some old trains axle bricks that are clearly made of at least 3 parts - a black outer shell, a clear base, and then red "tubes" inside that the axles locked into. It's possible that the tubes are made from a slightly different plastic with a lower CoF than standard bricks (which use friction to lock).

Physicist Richard Feynman explains how train wheels work on this Youtube video. It's not necessary to coat the wheels, applying a generous amount of coating may decrease, traction which will effect the trains performance.

I think the question is referring to the axle friction, not the wheel on rail smoothness :-)

@RoryAlsop: I'm not quite sure what you mean by axle friction. Which particular piece are you referring to?

See @LarsTech's final sentence. It refers to the axle, not the wheel.

@RoryAlsop: I don't understand, It might help if I knew the piece or set in question.

@RoryAlsop: You mean that the question is about the way the axle turns freely in its plastic holder (the place where you might have a bearing in a humal-scale wheel), rather than the friction between the wheel and the track?

I think so, yes. @LarsTech - can you clarify.

@RoryAlsop I don't know if the friction of the axle versus the friction of the wheel to the track are mutually exclusive.  This is actually a helpful answer, because even though I was focused on the axle rods, it could be that I was focusing on the wrong thing.  When you place a Lego wagon on a track, I'm amazed (easily apparently) by how well that wagon will glide over the track, especially on straight track.  I've always attributed it to the axles, but maybe there's more going on there.  I might have to consider rewording my question.


text:
What glue should I use for permanent LEGO construction?
The incredible precision of LEGO parts makes them attractive for building precise jigs, but the fact that they can come apart fairly easily isn't so helpful for this application. Can anyone recommend methods and materials for gluing LEGO bricks together to create permanent assemblies?
I'd prefer to avoid thick adhesives like epoxy or hot melt glue, as I suspect that those might make it difficult to get the bricks to snap together completely. I think most bricks are made of ABS plastic, so I'd guess that a solvent like acetone might work to weld them together, but I've never tried it. Does anyone have experience gluing bricks together?

Glued lego? my heart breaks.

@Kramii I hear you! When LEGO bricks are used as a toy, the ability to take them apart and turn them into something else is an essential part of the experience. When used as a tool, however, the fact that they can come apart pretty easily can be a liability. It's not easy to think about bricks as consumable instead of reusable, but when you do there's a whole other world of things you can do with them!

The LEGO Group have recently started using solvents to "weld" elements together (notably the Minifigure legs to the magnet blocks), which are fairly heavily controlled in pure forms in most countries under drug legislation.

I have discovered that LEGO is not using glue at all, but a solvent, that actually loosens the surface of the ABS plastic and allows the molecules to combine. Once the solvent evaporates, it leaves behind a cleanly fused surface with no residue at all.
Reading further on the subject, I found that LEGO has been using two types of solvents. One is called MEK (methyl-ethyl-ketone) and at some point they switched to GBL (gamma-butyrolactone). I’m no chemist, so I had no idea what these are, but I read that both of them are water soluble at certain temperatures. So, I thought to try loosening the seal between the minifig and the magnet by hot water.

However, as the opaque LEGO bricks are made from a styrene based plastic (ABS), most "Plastic Cement" or "Polystyrene Cement" glues should work to fix your parts together permanently (as these typically contain the same solvents as TLG use, i.e. MEK/Butanone). As with most other plastic gluing projects, care should be taken around transparent elements, as well as ensuring you don't use too much and have it leak over the exterior of your model.

This was a nice reference for me-http://www.mp3car.com/fabrication/93247-best-adhesive-for-bonding-abs-to-abs.html

To summarize from the thread that Major Stackings linked, sounds like Acetone is the best general solution, as it melts the pieces together until they are permanently bonded together as one bit of plastic.

You only need acetone, no need for other products or ABS chips.
  Just brush acetone on both pieces, join them and wait 5 minutes.
  You will find that your two pieces now are literally one piece.
  There is not anything stronger for abs plastic.

For the record grocery store nail polish remover is Acetone, at about 70% concentration (see material safety data sheet citation).

Cutex Regular Nail Polish Remover
  Product code: PN 679 (VIJ)
  Date Prepared: January 14, 2000
Hazardous Components: Acetone, Percent content: 70.0
  CAS number 67-64-1

You can get 100% concetrated acetone at the hardware store, or at beauty supply stores.

If you don't mind a little extra work, using melted ABS is probably your best bet, you just need to chop up some scrap ABS into shavings (I used a big drill bit on some ABS and it made shavings very quickly), and then put them in some acetone. Play with the mixture until it comes out to your desired consistency. Make it in a squirt bottle, use it just like epoxy or whatever. This way, the entire work piece is made of ABS plastic so you shouldn't have problems with thermal expansion leading to cracks or separation like you can have with other materials.

If there isn't a tight fit though, Acetone alone might not be enough, and you can either melt a little plastic in Acetone solution to generate filler, or try other plastic-friendly glues that can both fit gaps and bond:

Right, assuming the parts that need to be glued are already a nice snug fit. Plastic welder and/or ABS sludge come in handy when you need to fill a gap though, as is so often the case in carPC-related fabrication.

I'll be experimenting with a few of these soon and will update with my results. Science!

Science for the win!

Jeff, in your experiments, don't forget to test out the other plastics that are used in the manufacture of LEGO bricks - especially the transparent elements ;)

Not sure how Jef's experiment(s) turned out, but my first attempt using ordinary nail polish remover was not a success. I did see the plastic disolve, with the cloth with acetone turning green (the colour of the bricks, 614328 and 6353424), but after holding them together for 5 minutes, they were not solidly joined. I did notivce the knobs on the lower brick had deformed significantly. Now trying again with acetone applied on both side.

My Son and I were at the Legoland Discovery Center in Grapevine, TX yesterday.  We spoke with a LEGO® Certified Master Builder.  We asked him and he says that LEGO® uses MEK to permanently adhere their large Lego sets together (lifesize etc).  We just finished putting together the Volkswagen T1 Camper Van.  It is notorious for the roof coming apart, as is the usual lego problem of the walls around doors often come apart.  Well, the MEK we got from Lowes today TOTALLY fixed it.  In less than 3 minutes a part was VERY secure and won't come apart.  You have to work fast as it is immediately affecting the plastic.  Honestly, at less than a minute it won't come apart, and if you don't seat them securely, they will fuse out of place, so be careful.  It didn't take more than a VERY light glaze with a paintbrush.  I am SOLD and wish we had this years ago!

While MEK is indeed what LEGOland parks use, keep in mind that it does indeed fuse bricks together (don't even think about disassembling the model, ever); and more importantly that its fumes are dangerous.

Recently had to glue a lot of LEGO together for work.

Acetone was too time consuming and did not offer a solid bond.
Cyanoacrylate-based hobby glues with thick viscosity seemed the most effective. The only problem was, when immersed in water the clear LEGO windows fogged up. (No solution to that so far.) Zap a Gap hobby glue offered best results.
ABS plumbing glue worked but was difficult to apply. And if too much was applied, plastic disfigured from the inside out.
Cheap hobby glues all failed for strength, and many disfigured the pieces and were often not thick enough to offer piece manipulation before gluing your hands to it or running down your arm.
Hot melt glue was messy beyond all hell. But worked better than silicone for sealing roofs.
Selley's advanced quick grip (water based) worked, was strong but failed under water. Was also far too time consuming and messy.
Also tried Parfix contact glue. Disfigured the pieces.
Epoxy resin in self-mixing and hand-mixing varieties offered good strength, but was too costly for the job.

That's all I have tested so far, going back to Bunnings and Auto pro.
Last one I tried was a plastic welding glue for sheet plastic and acrylics. Melted pieces from the inside out. But once set, it was indestructible.

MEK is the way to go - it's what the Masterbuilders at the LEGOLAND parks use.
I once brought a miniland sized model from London to the US in my main suitcase that had been glued with MEK and the model was fully intact when I got to the other end!
As others have said, it is VERY nasty when breathed in. Do not even think about using it in confined spaces without a proper extraction system (seriously) and if you get any on your skin wash it off immediately. If you ever spill a bottle of it inside, evacuate the building immediately - believe me, even the LEGOLAND masterbuilders do this if they ever spill it.
Cheapest way to get MEK I have found is go to home depot or somewhere similar and buy some PVC pipe glue - that is MEK (and will say it on the 'ingredients' label).
When gluing - you only need a little brushed onto the brick - easiest to use a syringe of some similar device to put the glue between the studs - then apply the second brick. Wait a few minutes, and it's pretty well welded together.
If gluing a large amount of bricks, do one row at a time and wait a few minutes between rows. Don't rush it or apply too much glue as the bricks will melt.

I use a small bottle of Gorilla super glue for my lego parts. It only squirts a tiny amount to be sure super glue doesn't get all over your parts, and also dries at a mid-range pace. I use it a lot to glue my Tiny Tactical parts to the guns after they come in the mail (which are insanely small parts) and the glue work like a charm.

We tried all kinds. Solvents just didn't cut it and only made the bricks stick tighter.  The best we found is actually found at the hardware store in the plumbing aisle.
Oatey all purpose cement is the best we found so far. It contains all the above solvents including MEK (which by the way is either a carcinogen or causes brain damage when absorbed into the body excessively I can't recall)  which works well. It is designed specifically for gluing ABS.
We apply it with a small craft paint brush and so far the bond is permanent and allows for plenty of working time without fear of gluing YOURSELF to the bricks.
And it cleans up easily with 100% acetone (hardware store stuf...not nail polish remover as its not concentrated enough).

So I've been referring to this post for a long time and I figured it is time to put in my experiences. One thing that many answers don't talk about is that different glues are good for different purposes so my input will revolve around that.
A little background. I've been building Lego for multiple decades though only recently started using glue as I've started making art and design for other people through my side business and almost unanimously they want something permanent. I make small delicate designs (I am being intentionally vague here since I don't want to look like I am advertising), mosaics, and large company logos.
The mosaics are made by taking the large grey baseplate and putting a single layer of plates on it (studs out). For this application I use 100% pure acetone. I take a small brush, dip it in the acetone and brush it on a small section of the baseplate and put the mosaic plates on before it dries. Stays together great and if you don't use too much it won't bleed out and mar the look of the mosaic.
For the logos and the small designs, which are built studs up (showing a smooth surface - like building a brick wall), acetone is terrible. Since it melts ABS plastic and is not viscous, it runs along the edges of the bricks creating smudges that don't come out. The end result looks bad especially in those areas where there is a connection between 2 contrasting color bricks. I also tried hobby glue (Testor's Cement Glue) and the results were not great but for different reasons. This glue is very viscous but what happens is when you apply it, it trails thin strands of glue that you need to clean up before it dries. When you squeeze the bricks together (a very tight fit), the glue squirts out and if you wipe it away it mars the glossy surface of the brick. That and that stuff smells so bad it makes you sick. What I have settled on is what Jay mentioned above: Zap-A-Gap. It is viscous enough to not run, does not thin out to strands, doesn't smell nearly as bad as the other glues, and dries really, really strong. I put on a small amount on the back of the brick so that the front surface looks untouched. I just finished a 30" square logo with a Lego frame and I can pick up the piece from its frame without any give. Still looking for a better solution, but Zap-A-Gap is the best for this.
Sorry for the long post, hope this helps!

MEK is significantly more aggressive than acetone.  It shouldn't be used in a poorly ventilated area over a prolonged period.
Any of these suggestions should work, but choose carefully according to your working conditions.

I use Kragle for putting together the Lego kits, but not any of the removeable pieces or the lego figures. I use a medium viscosity kind of Cyanoacrylate hobby glue. Just have to be careful to not get it on your fingers and your eyes.

I've had some good luck using the Gel Super Glue.  It's really controlled, and doesn't dry to fast.

Krazy Glue works but I would never glue my lego together unless it was minifigures to keep them good
:)

Not the Kragle! ;)

I wonder if E6000 (available at any craft store) would work. They use it a lot in very expensive reborn dolls to indefinitely secure the eyes, etc..


text:
How should I store unused stickers?
What is the best way to store stickers for future use? I have some unused LEGO sticker sets in plastic bags. The one on top in the bag has become brittle and is flaking.

Think about what causes the stickers to deteriorate:

Heat loosens the bonds in the glue, which results in stickers peeling.
Exposure to natural light will cause the colours in the stickers to
fade over time. Unlike LEGO bricks, stickers fade faster under natural light.

With those points in mind, keep stickers in a cool, dry, place away from sunlight like in a cupboard or drawer. Zip lock/food bags are also helpful for organising stickers which is why they can also be used to store instructions and catalogues.
Stickers transferred from the sticker sheet onto other surfaces will also be affected by dust, oil and any other particles that will affect the lifespan of a sticker. Make sure the surface is clean and dry before applying stickers.
You can use a hairdryer to easily remove stickers from bricks.

Another option may to be store them inbetween the pages of a heavy book. This would have the advantage of keeping them flat, as well as cool and dry. The book would need to be kept dry as well, as if the pages got damp they could stick together and make it impossible to get the stickers out.
The downside is that you'll need to remember which book it's in...and that the book doesn't get lost or sold.

Using a book about LEGO to store your LEGO decals in sounds perfect.

Or just put each sheet between the pages of the relevant instructions, then keep the instructions somewhere out of the way.

We always put them in a archive folder. The quality from LEGO stickers also varies quite a bit. I'm puzzled that LEGO doesn't always seem to go for that quality materials.


text:
What happens to the portions of large glued displays that aren't retasked into a different display?
When LEGOLAND dismantles a glued display, is it recycled into something other than LEGO, or do they have to be thrown away?  I know certain portions of a display might be utilized again in a different display, like some cars and trailers from the now defunct Speedway at LEGOLAND California were, but what happens to the rest of the model?

In most cases they would be reused in other parks, donated to LEGO retail stores, auctioned for charity or hidden away from park visitors. As a last resort, LEGO models can and will be recycled to create new bricks.
The LEGO auction site, Bricklink has a fairly hidden place to trade glued models and retail displays.

Thanks Ambo100- I started researching to see what I could find. I always thought that by glueing LEGO elements it tainted them and  prevented recycling them and they had to go to a landfill. I'm happy to see that isn't true. It turns out that the best ABS bonding agent is Acetone or an ABS based glue that can bond the parts together without corupting the ABS plastic which allows fused LEGO models to become new LEGO elements. Awesome.

Here is a point of reference- http://www.mp3car.com/fabrication/93247-best-adhesive-for-bonding-abs-to-abs.html


text:
What method do you use to safely remove creases from fabric sails from the Pirate sets?
I have creased sails. Is it safe to iron them, or is there a better method?

A very, very low-heat iron should be fine, although you will have to bear in mind that some of the sets of sails have stickers on. I would advise either going around the stickers (the heat could cause them to melt or peel off) or ironing the back of the sail.
I guess the material for the sail is the same as the part from 6091 - King Leo's Castle - which has been surprisingly resiliant to wear and tear over the years.

Another option would to be place the sail under a stack of heavy books for a few days.


text:
What different series are or have there been designed primarly for girls?
My daughter loves to play with LEGO sets but she is really wants to play with pink or 'girl' LEGO.  I have ordered a few of the new LEGO Friends sets but I was wondering what other LEGO themes' have been primarly designed for girls?

As you've seen, the LEGO Friends sets are the latest theme aimed primarily at girls, however there are a number of current, and even more historical themes.
Other themes have included:

The Powerpuff Girls (2018 - ) - Uses Minifigs with custom heads, based on the popular Powerpuff Girls license

Elves (2015 - 2018) - Uses Minidolls similar to the Friends sets and continues the pastel colour themes (as of December 2018 all sets listed in the LEGO store are "Retiring Soon").

"Disney Princesses" now just Disney (2014 - ) - The sets based around the Disney Princess licenses use Minidolls as well, with a similar colour palette to Elves and Friends.

Belville (1994 - 2008) - used many standard LEGO bricks, but the figures were much larger than Minifigures.

Clikits (2003 - 2006) - a range of jewellery that can be used with LEGO System elements.

Disney Princess (2012) - a sub-theme within DUPLO based on the popular Disney Princess range, featuring some of your favourite Disney characters.

Friends (2012) - based around the LEGO System elements, however the Mini-dolls are slightly larger than Minifigures.

Homemaker (1971 - 1974) - a very early theme based on LEGO system elements but before the minifigure

Paradisa (1992 - 1997) - a sub-theme of Town, using standard minifigs.

Scala (1979 - 1981, 1997 - 2001) - the original theme used LEGO System elements and was jewellery based, but the more recent theme bears very little resemblance to LEGO System elements, although some plates and other bricks are occasionally used.

Set/Box images from Brickset

I'm not sure where you got the idea that Clikits don't work with system. My partner and I have been adding them to our MOCs for the past year or so since we finally got some.

Also, don't forget about Paradisa which was a full System theme from the mid-90's. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogList.asp?catID=71

Seems as though Lego has just released a new Lego Duplo Princess series.  It is Duplo Disney princess themed.  It has Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Snow White.  Themed lego for little girls now.

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


text:
LEGO WeDo and Mac OS X Lion
Just got a new Mac with Mac OS X 10.7 Lion instead of burned old one. Now I can't install WeDo software since its installer doesn't support Lion. Google search suggests that LEGO released a patch to installer that solves this problem, but all links are broken. Any help in adapting WeDo software to Lion is appreciated.

I believe this is the current location for the Lion Patch
In the interests of finding it again when the LEGO group change their site again:

Visit the LEGO Education page.
Navigate to "Pre-school and School" -> Secondary -> 11+ LEGO MINDSTORMS Education -> Downloads (or similar)

I then filtered the list to just the Download Type of "Software Update / Patch".

The solution just lain on the surface! To install WeDo you should open Support folder in DMG image and DIRECTLY click on English or yourlanguage.mpkg to launch installation program.


text:
How can I convert an image's pixels to actual LEGO colors?
The LEGO Group released a few "mosaic" sets a while back, which came with clear baseplates and a bunch of 1x1 bricks. I have been wondering recently if it is possible to use an image as a reference when building one of these.

Unfortunately, this is hard because digital images can have a lot more colors than there are actual LEGO colors.
I am not interested in anything more than 1x1 bricks on a baseplate, regardless of the fact that the image has some other bricks added onto those 1x1s. The scenes which I would be interested in building would effectively be two-dimensional.
Is there perhaps a way (besides approximating) to change the pixels of an image into actual LEGO colors? Is there perhaps some type of web-application for this?
Related: How many different colours of LEGO bricks are there?

@Ambo100 You have not gone unnoticed, you crafty tag-adding-person, you! :)

You can use GIMP for this.
First you need to scale the image to the size you want. (If you want to stack bricks on top of each other instead of a baseplate, use a different y-scaling to correspond the bricks height.)
Now create a palette by going to the Palette tab and click the "New palette" icon.

In this add the bricks colors you want. You can find the colors RGB values to a brick color here: http://www.peeron.com/cgi-bin/invcgis/colorguide.cgi
Now convert into these colors by going to "Image->Mode->Indexed...". (If indexed is already selected, select RGB first and then click Indexed.) A "Convert Image to Indexed Colors" dialog box should appear.

Select "Use custom palette" and select the palette you just created.
Click "Convert" to get your result. If you are not quite satisfied, click undo and try to change/add some colors in your custom palette and convert again.

Awesome. GIMP rocks. Let me make sure this method works (not that you're untrustworthy, I just want to be sure) and I'll accept it then!

This can also be done in Photoshop by cropping an image of a mosaic to the selected area, then applying the Blur -> Average filter effect. From there you can change the image mode to an indexed colour using a Lego colour pallete.

Anyone have a palette for Photoshop or Gimp they can share? :)

You can also use the web-based Mosaic Maker.

Similar to 'Mosaic Maker' suggested by @Conrado PLG , there is 'Bricksaic' from Bong 69 Productions.
From their website:

A program used to make Lego Mosaics. You choose the image, the stud width and the type of bricks to use and you instantly have an LDraw file to make the mosaic from.

I have used the software myself and found it to be complete and functional with lots of nice options. It seems to do exactly what you are asking for by taking a digital image, and creating a 'LEGO map' of parts using only the colours that you specify. (The choice of colours being only actual LEGO colours).
Feature list (from their website):

Choose the image
Choose the stud width of the mosaic
Choose from 7 different Dithering routines
Use up to 41 colors in the color palette
Makes an LDraw file
Prints a color map
Loads and Ldraw file made with Bricksaic
Choose to use plates or bricks and studs up or studs out from these selections:
 1x Plates - studs up
 2x Plates - studs up (2 studs thick)
 1x Bricks - studs up
 2x Bricks - studs up (2 studs thick)
 1x Plates - studs out
 2x Plates - studs out
 1x Bricks - studs out
 2x Bricks - studs out

On the Mac you can use an app called Digital ColorMeter, whcih is built into the Mac by default. The app can be used to parse out colors on a screen base on their R G B ratings, so you can just hover the mouse over a picture of a lego brick for a semi-accurate rating if the photo is good. If you have a program that can generate colors based on the R G B ratings of colors you could use the color, or you could install Hex Color Picker and enter the HTML color-codes into the Mac color picker if you can get the color codes with a certain program.
Hope this helped. :)


text:
Which official LEGO sets are micro-scale versions of existing sets?
The 10230 Mini Modulars set is  based on the existing modular series:

As well as the 4695 Mini Harry Potter Knight Bus. Have there been other micro-scale sets released by LEGO based on existing sets?

There are a large number of Star Wars themed micro-scale sets (a number of which they are re-releasing in the collectible planets with a minifig) that were based on larger sets.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid: I know about those too, but they're sold as a set , like in a calender.

Which ones do you mean are sold as a set - the Buildings or the SW ones? All of the sets listed in Star Wars Minis were sold separately, and had larger sets they were based on.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid: Oh. I thought you meant this.

The problem with this question, is to decide which sets are actually mini/micro versions of other sets, and which sets are made after the same original, but just on another scale. With the Mini Modulars it's obvious they're based on the bigger sets. But Star Wars sets have been made in a range of scales, some of which happen to be micro. Do these count? And crocodiles are crocodiles, so does 20015 count as a smaller version of 5868?

(M) = Microscale
Harry Potter

4841 Hogwarts Express,
(M) 40028 Mini Hogwarts Express
4755 Knight Bus,
(M) 4695 Mini Harry Potter Knight Bus

Modular

10182 Cafe Corner,
10190 Market Street,
10185 Green Grocer,
10197 Fire Brigade,
10211 Grand Emporium,
(M) 10230 Mini Modulars

Pirates of the Caribbean

4184 The Black Pearl,
(M) 30130 Mini Black Pearl

Star Wars

Various TIE Fighter, (M) 3219 Mini TIE Fighter
Various Millennium Falcon (M) 4488 Millennium Falcon and (M) 75030 Millennium Falcon
Various AT-AT Walker, (M) 4489 AT-AT
7675 AT-TE Walker,
(M) 20009 AT-TE Walker
8098 Clone Turbo Tank,
(M) 20006 Clone Turbo Tank
7163 Republic Gunship,
(M) 20010 Republic Gunship
7674 V-19 Torrent,
(M) 8031 V-19 Torrent
Lots of Mini's in the Advent Calendars, 7958 2011, 9509 2012
10019 Rebel Blockade Runner,
(M) 10030-1 Imperial Star Destroyer contains micro version

Technic

8053 Mobile Crane,
(M) 8067 Mini Mobile Crane
8275 Motorized Bulldozer,
(M) 8259 Mini Bulldozer
8295 Telescopic Handler,
(M) 8045 Mini Telehandler
8069 Backhoe Loader, (M) 42004 Mini Backhoe Loader

Creator

31003 Red Rotors, (M) 30184 Little Helicopter
31004 Fierce Flyer, (M) 30185 Little Eagle
31020 Twinblade Adventures, (M) 30189 Transport Plane
6743 Street Speeder, (M) 6910 Mini Sports Car

Misc.

10226 Sopwith Camel, (M) 40049 Mini Sopwith Camel
10220 Volkswagen T1 Camper Van, (M) 40079 Mini VW T1 Camper Van

Possible

10194 Emerald Night, (M) 31015 Emerald Express
8110 Mercedes Benz Unimog U 400, (M) 9390 Mini Tow Truck

This post is Community Wiki, Please add any other sets you may know .

There was also the micro Rebel Blockade Runner, included in 10030 Imperial Star Destroyer

I added some, but there lots more in the Creator theme.

There's also a mini hogwarts express:

And you probably can count the Liberty Statue in the Skyline factory set:

Most other minis are indeed from Star Wars, but I'm not sure which ones have bigger versions.

Every single Star Wars mini on that page had a corresponding larger version, some had more than one scale.


text:
Bluetooth will not connect Error code: -142016
NXT 2.0 Error code: -142016
The Bluetooth does connect. I am not having these issues with any of my other Bluetooth devices running off of the same dongle.
Where do I find the meaning of any other error codes that I may encounter for the NXT?

Are you running Win7 64bits?

Or just Windows 7 - there are some compatibility issues with some of the software and Windows 7.

You say that you are using a Bluetooth dongle.  The problem might be with the dongle itself; I would recommend that you borrow a friend's and see if that works.

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

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

Where can I find instruction booklets?
You may also get in contact with LEGO's customer support.

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

For such a small problem you shouldn't just buy another NXT, especially if it's the PC or Bluetooth dongle that is causing an error.

Yes you're right.


text:
Which Lego board games come with minifigures instead of microfigures?
Of all the LEGO board games that have been produced so far, which ones come with minifigures instead of microfigures?

Various minifigures are in included in:
LEGO Chess Sets:

Castle - 24 minifigures
Giant Fantasy Era - 33 minifigures
Knight's Kingdom - 24 minifigures
Pirates - 24 minifigures
Vikings - 24 minifigures

LEGO Tic-Tac-Toe Sets:

Castle - 10 minifigures
Police - 10 minifigures
Pirates - 10 minifigures

Other LEGO Games:

Ludo (a variant of parcheesi) - 16 minifigures
Creationary - 1 minifigure
Time Cruisers Game - 5
minifigures
Creator Board Game Deluxe - 4 minifigures
Constructionary (a variant of charades) - 2 minifigures
Knight's Kingdom the Game (never released in English) - 5 minifigures


text:
Making a hexagon with plates
Do any of the wedge/wing shaped plates have the right angle to make a true hexagon or equilateral triangle?
If not, is there any way to make a regular hexagon using plates?
(I know they can be made with Technic struts and connectors, see this BrickEngineer post for some good examples.)

None of the existing wedges have such angles as they are based on integer numbers for the sides. The closest angle you'll find is probably the 2x4 one:

But even that one is about 3° off (63,43° if I remember enough math), so if you place the 2-length sides of 6 of them on a nice hexagonal shape, there will be noticable gaps at the corners.
In short, if you want to build an hexagon-shaped surface without gap, it probably won't be possible.
However, if you want an hexagonal frame for a particular structure, you can use plates the same way you would use Technic beams and get the same results.
Also, the following modified plates could help, as they feature proper angles:


text:
LEGO-compatible suction cups?
I'm looking for suction cups that are compatible with the LEGO pneumatic system.  I've seen people who have built things with them (on YouTube videos, etc), but haven't found anything on eBay or BrickLink.  Short of drilling a hole in a normal suction cup and popping a pneumatic tube into it, is there anything out there I could buy?

Check out The Vertigo III on LEGO.com's NXTLOG. It is probably a pretty good example of what Dave's looking for.

@PeterDC yep, that's exactly what I'm looking for! :)

That link got broken in Fall 2013 when the MINDSTORMS website updated, so here's a fixed link: http://www.us.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/community/robot?projectid=d951c84b-8a5b-4dd6-a79f-6b37b498d202

@HaydenStudios And THAT link is broken, too. Please fix it!

From the post about Vertigo (the precursor to Rory's answer), TrilogyGlenIvy (the creator) stated:

Suction cup hangers were easily located in stores. Drilling a small hole and inserting a short section of copper tubing (1/8 “ or ~3 mm diameter) along with some vinyl glue produced the feet that I used.

Basically they are usually found in DIY/Home stores as metal or plastic hooks wrapped around a transparent suction cup so you can easily affix them to tiles or windows.
There is also a picture showing three variants that were tried, with the preferred option being those in the bottom left I think:

Depending on the weight of the model you've got you may also need to invest in some additional custom air bellows:

An internet search finally pointed to a “Climb@tron Vertibug” toy that contained two air bellows (~23 mm in diameter). I bought one of the toys, removed the air bellows, and designed a “worm gear slider” system using NXT parts to stretch and compress them. The vacuum system was then installed in Vertigo and has worked reasonably well.

AHA! I should've kept looking a little bit longer then.  This is pretty much what I was looking for.  Thanks! :)

@DaveDeLong No probs.

Definitely Vertigo III - superb build project

I'm sorry, but the question specifically asked "is there anything out there I could buy?". Unless the suction cups for the Vertigo III are for sale, this is not a valid answer. Sorry if I'm sounding harsh, but this is not one of the possible right answers.

It looks like it is for sale under one of the Education links - the 9641 Pneumatic add-on set

@RoryAlsop: According to Peeron, 9641 doesn't include the suction cups. http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/9641-1

Ahhh - I take it all back then. Sorry for getting your hopes up.


text:
Replacement power cable for Mindstorms RCX
I have an old Mindstorms 1.5 RCX.
The plastic on the power cables has degraded, and they short out and don't work well.
These look like they would work as replacements, but I'm not exactly sure. I contacted the seller but they didn't respond.
Will these work as replacement RCX power cables?

The cables you point out are newer Power Function cables and are ill-suited for 9V usage such as with the original Mindstorms kits. Technically, you could daisy-chain two of them and it would work, but that's probably not the best solution.
Here is a bigger illustration of the cable, courtesy Philo:

You can clearly see that only one end of the cable has a 9V connector on the bottom.
I would advise you to check Bricklink instead, you should find plenty of seller there, possibly in your own country.


text:
Mindstorms 2.0 can't download to NXT brick with error 142023
Using Mindstorms education 2.0 on a Windows 7 computer I can't seem to get the program to see the NXT via USB or bluetooth dongle.
When connected by USB nothing appears in the NXT window with device turned on.  When downloading a program, error code: -142023 is thrown.  Cannot connect to NXT device
When connected by bluetooth the NXT device shows in the NXT window as available until I try the connect button.  The standard serial over bluetooth is created and a COM is opened but then the error code: -142023 is displayed.  Cannot connect to the NXT device
Other things I have tried:

NXT works with multiple cords on other computers but not on one other windows 7
Computer security settings have been decreased to allow devices to talk to programs
removing and reloading program

Have you tried running the Mindstorms application in Compatibility Mode? Right-click on the shortcut, and click into the "Compatibility" tab, and set it to run as Windows XP (Service Pack 3).

I'll add it as an answer for you to accept then ;)

I believe that you need to run the Mindstorms Education program in Compatability mode.
The easiest way to do this is to:

Right click on the Mindstorms shortcut on either your start menu or desktop and select "Properties".
Switch to the "Compatability" tab.
Check the "Run in Compatability mode", and from the drop down that is then enabled select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)".
Ok out of the dialog.

That should solve your problem.

I tried the above but still couldn't make Bluetooth connect on a Win7-32 laptop, although the connection was working fine to a Mac (I would have stayed with the Mac but wanted to use Robot-C which is PC only). The error was -142016, I think.
I then tried a connection with the USB cable (which worked); after that the Bluetooth connection also worked. It didn't need compatibility mode settings.

didn't work for me had the same problem...........d

If you have any further details of what you're running, and what sort of errors you're getting we might be able to help further?

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


text:
Technic axle corrosion? What happened here?
I got my LEGO from storage from when I was a kid (1980s) and while almost all bricks are in good condition, the Technic axles are in a pretty bad shape. They seem to have corroded(?). Please see the attached picture. This has happened to almost all the axles but with different degrees of severity. None of the other bricks, technic or not, black or not, has suffered this.

Any idea what might have happened and how to prevent this?
EDIT: They were stored in plastic bags sorted by color (one bag per color) inside a larger canvas bag in a non-lit, dry environment (garage). All other bricks seem to be fine, regardless their color. Stickers that had been applied survived very well (bright colors) and still hold strongly. Once I got the collection back I mixed the bricks and ran them under warm tap water and let them dry on a towel on the floor for a day. These were the only bricks that were affected.

That's very sad :( I must say I've not noticed my old ones doing that yet - when you say "storage" what were they stored in, where were they stored and what sort of conditions have they been under?

Take a close look at your Technic bricks from this collection; is there any indication of that kind of "corrosion" on the inside of any of the holes?

It appears from the photo that there may be some "blooming" where the axles have changed color? You say you rinsed them, but I wonder if you noticed whether the axles felt oily or sticky at all beforehand?
This would be consistent with the kind of deterioration that is common with Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), a kind of plastic that was once common in toy manufacturing. I don't know for certain that these early axles were made from PVC, but I do know that LEGO did formerly use PVC for some non-brick pieces, and I have seen similar deterioration on other PVC items. This is a known problem with Barbie dolls, for example.
PVC typically has a plasticiser added to it to make it flexible, usually dibutyl phthalate. This plasticiser gradually "leaks" out of the plastic, leaving it discolored and vulnerable to deterioration and creating gasses (like hydrogen chloride) that will attack other PVC and hasten the process. Heat and light will accelerate the breakdown, and you indicate that these were stored together in a plastic bag. That might have contributed, as the gasses and plasticiser were trapped in contact with the pieces.
Phthalates are toxic and are now regulated in the US, EU, and many other countries. LEGO no longer uses PVC except in some limited applications like the insulation for electrical wiring. LEGO was one of the first companies to begin phasing out the use of PVC, in the 1990s.
To slow the deterioration of PVC, keeping it away from heat and light will help, as will keeping it ventilated to remove the harmful gasses produced by the plasticiser.

That would not happen naturally. I have Technic (actually, Expert Builder, to give you an idea of how old they are) axles that are probably 25-30 years old and look like they were purchased yesterday. At times they have been stored in a hot, humid attic in New York City, reaching temperatures over 120 degrees F.
What maybe happened here is some oil or other non-plastic-safe lubricant was applied to the axle in whatever model it had been made into, and perhaps cleaned off but not entirely, and over time, the lubricant destroyed the plastic.

Technic axles aren't known to naturally deteriorate as described. The most probable cause for corrosion would be influenced by the way it's been stored. The bricks may have been subjected to a powerful chemical (perhaps used for cleaning?).

They were stored in the same conditions as the other bricks and were washed together with the rest of my collection. (more details on this edited into the question)

Where do you live and how the bricks were stored?
I see 2 hypothesises.

Chemicals affecting the axle plastic. If they are made of a different recipe than the usual ABS, it could explain why only them were affected.
On high enough temperature (in a car, on a summer sunny day would be
enough to affect lego bricks).  If the bricks were exposed to light.
it could explain why black axle were affected? Maybe they are small
enough to warp while other bricks aren't. I would check if the other
brick still fit, you might be in for some surprise?

Let us know..

Well here I would tend to say that axles are not ABS, which may explain why they are affected  differently. Not sure what material they are, though, or how to prevent this.

Ah, yes I remember reading another recipe is used for flexible pieces such as axles.

What is amusing is that this was written by you :).

I would dismiss #2. They were stored for +-15 years in plastic bags with other bricks (sorted by color) in a garage. I don't know about #1 if the plastic bags themselves could carry these chemicals (what would they be?)...

Do you remember having put oil or other kind of lubricant on the axes when you were a child?
The "corrosion" seems to be in very localized  parts of the axes, and oil can penetrate plastic easily (to make an idea: it's similar to the way hands cream penetrates into our hand's skin).

I don't remember doing that at all. I remember playing a lot with these, building a bunch of mechanisms with gears.


text:
What is LEGO Cuusoo?
Can anyone explain the origins of LEGO Cuusoo project? There isn't a lot of information on the site. It seems to have started in Japan as a way of suggesting ideas for sets but is officially recognised by the LEGO company as some of the ideas have apparently been made into purchasable sets. Does anyone have any more information?

LEGO Cuusoo was rebranded and relaunched as LEGO Ideas

In 2008 The LEGO Group partnered with the Cuusoo Social Creation Platform as a way for (initially) the Japanese market to suggest new LEGO sets for development and sale in that region.
This resulted in two products making it into production - The Shinkai 6500 and The Hayabusa.
In October 2011 the site was opened out to the rest of the world, and it looks like the next set or even theme to come into production through this site is going to be based on Minecraft which achieved the requisite 10,000 votes and has now passed LEGO review.
Unlike previous sets that were designed by fans, or sets created through Design byME, LEGO Cuusoo offers a 1% royalty to the designer for sets that are produced through the scheme - full guidelines are available.
When voting on a suggestion, users are also asked to suggest a price range they'd be willing to spend on sets based on the project.
CUUSOO, which means 'imagination' or sometimes ‘wish’ in Japanese, has been developed with CUUSOO SYSTEM, a subsidiary of Japan-based Elephant Design that has worked with open innovation and crowd sourcing for more than 10 years.
The first two models only required 1,000 votes to get into the review stage while the site was limited to Japan, and took 420 and 57 days to reach the threshold. When the site moved into the global beta the threshold was raised to 10,000 votes. The Minecraft project took just 48 hours to reach that goal.

Now I understand why the project was set up in Japan rather then somewhere closer to home like Denmark.

Purdue Pete got 10k in less than 36 hours: http://brickset.com/article/4566


text:
RCX firmware download problem
I hope someone can help me with a problem with getting an original RCX 1.0 system working with a current PC.
I bought the RCX 1.0 system back in (I think) 2000 but its been in storage a long time. In the meantime I had children, and now one of them is curious about it and I want to encourage that.
The brick powers-up ok, but the RIS software won't install on my laptop (Win7 x64) and the laptop has no serial port to plug the IR tower into. To work around this I created a Windows XP virtual machine (in VMware Workstation), installed the RCS software on the VM, connected the IR tower to the laptop with an USB-to-serial converter, and bridged the USB port to the VM. This kind of works, in that the RIS software can recognise the RCX brick. However, it says that the firmware is missing and needs to be downloaded. When I do this I repeatedly get a download error.
Update 1: The RIS software displays the message "Initializing and downloading firmware", the LCD on the RCX counts from 0 to 20 ten times, and then the RIS software displays the error "RCX firmware failed to download". I think its trying to download from the PC to the RCS, not from the internet - if I disable the VMs network connection the it fails in exactly the same way and netstat isn't showing any network connection attempts inside the VM.
Has anyone here got a similar setup to work, or has any thoughts on what might be going wrong? Are there any command-line or diagnostic tools I could use to interrogate the RCX and/or upload the firmware outside of the RIS environment?
I'm tempted to just buy an NXT, which will be compatible with modern hardware, but I don't feel ready to give up just yet.
Update 2: I ran a USB sniffer in the VM to view the data being sent over the usb-to-serial connector. Lots of binary data being sent to the serial tower, and some patterns that suggest message framing in an application-level protocol, but nothing I could understand that indicates an error condition. The problem is not at the level of the usb adapter though.
Update 3: In the end I found an old PC with a serial port and the RCX worked without a problem. The RIS software installs and works okay on Windows XP SP2. My thanks to those who contributed suggestions.

The problem could also be that the lego RIS software doesn't actually always support Windows XP. RIS 1 / 1.5 was always a Windows 9x product that used a serial port for the IR tower and therefore didn't even need a Windows driver, yet it seems they went out of their way to make sure it did not work on Windows NT/2000. RIS 2.0 with the USB tower is for 98/ME but claims to work on "a beta version of XP" but it's not officially supported by Lego and no attempt was ever made for Win 2000 support. So maybe a Win 98 would be a better choice for anyone looking to run a VM for RIS.

This did the trick for me.  My situation mirrors the original poster.
http://neuron.eng.wayne.edu/LEGO_ROBOTICS/software_setup_tutorial.html
There are 4 parts to this.  BrickControlCenter (brickcc), a driver for the IR tower, an image of the firmware and some other piece of software called the NCQ.
I did not install the driver since I was using a USB to RS232 adapter and BrickCC worked just fine installing the firmware.
Added bonus, the brickCC is a full on IDE for the RCX.
Also, Swap memory has to be set to at least 4GB because of some limitation on Director 6 which causes the MindStorm program to stall sometimes as it determined that it's 3MB requirement is greater than the available gigabytes if they're 3GB or less.  Clever.

Great. Finally I managed to download the firmware to RCX 1.0

LEGO Mindstorms was initially released in 1998, running on Windows 95/98, and Windows 2000 and XP were not supported let alone Windows 7.
I know that they did release an updated install CD for the Mindstorms Vision Kit which allowed you to install it on Windows XP (I believe I've still got a copy of this somewhere), however you may be able to install the software and get it running directly under Windows 7 using Compatibility mode - which I know has worked for the Mindstorms Education software (so even switching to NXT won't solve all your pain).

thanks for responding. Thanks for the pointers on compatibility. I hadn't appreciated just how old this h/w is. I chose XP because it was (as far as I know) the first version of windows with good built-in usb support. I'll try using the XP compatibility mode feature, which I'd also forgotten about. (I've tried installing the s/w under Win7 but that didn't work even when I tweaked the compatibility settings).

True. I remember taking the Serial version back for a refund because I couldn't get it to work reliably with my PC, then bought the 2.0 USB based version a year or so later.

Just went through this exercise on a Windows 10 64 BIT PC.  RCX 1.0 w/ serial IR transmitter.  I am able to get the RIS software running w/o issue on Windows 10 via compatibility mode (256 color, Win 98, etc).  IR port even detects and turns on in the start up tutorial but as described above, initial download of FW clocks the RCX from 1 to 20 several times before failing.  Gave up on this, set up a WinXP VM, and everything works via that.

How about running Windows 98 on a Raspberry Pi device and using the Lego IR USB tower that way?
Here is a tutorial on running Windows 98 on a Raspberry Pi.
https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/articles/run-windows-98-on-raspberry-pi-with-dosbox-x
I found this, too:
https://minordiscoveries.wordpress.com/2014/01/20/using-nqc-on-a-raspberry-pi-to-program-a-lego-mindstorms-rcx-brick/

The RCX system is fairly old technology which LEGO no longer supports. When you're prompted to download firmware, the download error would be due to LEGO no longer hosting the firmware download.
There are plenty more firmware downloads from 3rd party developers for the RCX, although they may no longer be supported.

ROBOTC for MINDSTORMS
LeJOS

If you're not so interested in the more advanced functionality and the learning curve that comes with it, you may want to invest in a EV3 which is the most current Mindstorms system.

thanks for responding. I've added some more details of the error. When the RIS software says its downlaoding firmware, I think it means downloading from the PC to the RCX, not from the net. Thanks for reminding me about the alternative firmware - I'd forgotten all about them. My reason for persisting with the combination of stock firmware and RIS environment is that I think the RIS visual programming language would be easier for my 7yr old to understand. As a developer I'm happy with C or Java based alternatives, but he would struggle!

Even if you plan to use the regular LEGO firmware, you can upload it to the RCX using third-party utilities. Bricxcc has a page of utilities which can probably help you there. At least you should be able to assert whether the brick itself may be defective or not.

I have a similar problem with my RCX 1.0.  Also have a RCX 2.0 that loads the firmware just fine.  After failing to load more up to date firmware I tried loading the original RCX 1.0 firmware from the original CD with a third party tool (ROBOTC) and got a checksum error.  My RCX 1.0 has a hard time getting a signal from the USB IR tower that came with the 2.0 kit.  So I am suspecting the transmission is faulty.  Unfortunately I don't have the original serial IR transmitter to test it with that one.
Although I have the RCX 2.0 I'd like to get the 1.0 going as well because it comes with a power cord.  Nice to have for stationary robots.  According to everything I read the 1.0 line should be compatible with the 2.0 kit - so I am not sure if mine is maybe defective.
It seemed in working condition before I tried the firmware update i.e. still had old programs on there that executed.


text:
Are there any theoretical works about possiblity of self-replication of LEGO systems?
Are there any theoretical works about possiblity of self-replication of LEGO systems?
(constraints on the size etc., computer simulations)
Here are some relevent links:
Bartlab.org: PDF Document
Techi.com: Mad Scientist Dooms Us All With Self-Replicating Lego Menace
Wikipedia: Clanking replicator

It really depends on the level of self-replication you desire, and your willingness to introduce additional non-LEGO components to the process.
First off, assuming a pure solution, there is no way for LEGO blocks to produce more LEGO blocks.  You can't make a mold for making an ABS plastic part out of parts made from ABS plastic.
Even if you could produce the parts, you'd still run into some problems.  If you were just assembling brick by brick, you could easily replicate such creations.  But as soon as you need to assemble components using technic axles or pins, there'll be some difficulties.  LEGO just doesn't have pieces that are small enough or precise enough to maneuver axles and pins with any precision.
Obviously, this is simply speculation, but I fail to see a way in which LEGO elements could both manufacture and assemble all the elements to create more self-replicating systems.

"there is no way for LEGO blocks to produce more LEGO blocks", well, not quite yet, soon though: see http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/10/legobot/ and http://www.makerbot.com/blog/tag/lego/ and http://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=lego&sa=Search


text:
Why does my RCX programmable brick have no power socket?
My RCX has no power socket, I don't know why. it seems that all RCX 1.0 over #300000 have no power adapters. My ONLY link is Google pictures. why?

The LEGO Group removed the power adaptor on RCX bricks included in the Robotics Invention System 1.5 onwards - These are often referred to as 1.1 or 1.5 bricks.

Really late, but... I thought the power adapter wasn't removed until the RIS 2.0. And I'm almost certain that there was no RCX 1.1, but rather a 1.0.

Hmm, indeed - the Wikipedia article now refers to the 1.0s as being without the power adaptor ("In version 2.0 (as well as later 1.0s included in the RIS 1.5), the power adapter jack was removed."). I'll need to check the one I've got at home - it's definitely a 1.5 set and I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a power adaptor and isn't marked 2.0


text:
How hard is it to convert the new(ish) RC/PF trains to 9V?
I have a HUGE investment in 9V trains (think many thousands of USD) and was wondering how difficult it is to convert the newer RC/PF train systems over to 9V motors? Do the 9V motors fit? Does the base have space for the trucks? Is it even worth it (keep in mind, I hate batteries)? Converting the 12V trains to 9V was rather easy.
I haven't ventured out to purchase a set yet (even though they've been out for a few years now -- I'm lazy and cheap I guess) because they're all rather expensive (as we know), so I have not been able to check myself.

When you say 9V train motors, what do you mean?  Are you talking about these motors:  http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=590  If so, then what do you mean by "convert RC/PF trains systems over to 9V motors"?  The PF train motors and the 9V motors are basically two completely separate and distinct parts the perform the same function.

Yes, I'm talking about taking the new PF trains and making them run on those 9V motors and ditching the PF remote control thing and PF functions. I don't know the size of the PF motors, how they work, if the base of the train is sized appropriately for the 9v motor to fit, etc.

Maybe I'm just being dense, but I see no reason why you can't just interchange them.  I feel like your question is something like "Can I convert a Stanley Phillips screwdriver to be a Black & Decker Phillips screwdriver?"  They are two completely separate things that both perform the same functions.  They fit on the same tracks (obviously the 9V trains need the 9V track, but the dimensions are the same) and they take up more-or-less the same brick space.  You might have to do some minimal rebuilding to make them fit, but it shouldn't be substantial.

I don't think you're being dense, but I don't think you're seeing my perspective... I've never even so much as seen a PF train in-person, so I have no idea how big the motors are. The question is mainly, will I completely have to redesign the motorized car, or  is the 9V motor a drop-in replacement, or something in between. It's not like the screwdriver thing you mention, it's more along the lines of are Stanley drill batteries compatible with Black & Decker drill batteries, or is there some modification necessary to use one with the other (in keeping with the tools metaphor). :-)

BTW, I don't know if I made this entirely clear: I only want 9V trains, I don't want any trains powered by batteries, but the new PF train models are quite nice and I would buy them except they run on batteries and so I would convert them to 9V motors if it's not a big deal to do so. If I have to completely redesign the motorized car, it's a lot less appealing.

Ahh, I understand.  It should be a fairly simple drop in.  Like I said, a little rebuilding might be needed, but not much.  If there is a particular set you are looking at, then you could get the instructions on BrickSet.  That would give you a good sense of compatibility with your 9V motors.  For reference, most PF trains use this motor: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=x1688a, which is nearly identical to the 9V one.

The PF train motor has the same size and shape as the previous 9V Motors, and a lot of people are happily substituting one for the other.
The Emerald Night, however, doesn't use that motor, so there your job will be much more tricky. Usually people change the tender to add two 9V motors there, but the wheel train of the engine tends to derail fairly easily if pushed that way (I strongly suggest you read RailBricks issue #7 for tips on how to make it run smoothly)


text:
Can the RCX connect to infra-red on a computer?
Can the RCX connect to a laptop with a IR reciver on it? I want to program my RCX on my computer, But i have no db9 (Lego RCX connecter for 1.0 tower) seriel connecter nor a converter.

There are converters available for serial to USB, I had to buy one last month for some networking kit.

And example of one such converter can be seen here: http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-to-serial-9-pin-male-adaptor-29968

I've been trying to get an RCX to talk to a serial IR tower using a usb/serial converter - without success. More here: http://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/1099/rcx-firmware-download-problem

As far as I remember, the protocol LEGO uses is incompatible with standard IR protocols used in PCs (not even the same frequency, if I remember correctly).
The NQC FAQ has some more explanation on why it's not possible, but their short explanation says it all:

Quite simply, these protocols are incompatable. (sic)

You may have some success using a NXT brick and the IRLink sensor, but I'm not sure how far you can go (for example, I'm not even sure you can upload a firmware, and you need to be able to do that).
The easiest way is to stick with the IR tower, and in addition of the serial-to-usb converter mentionned by Zhaph, don't forget there's a USB version of the IR tower available on Bricklink (see here or here).


text:
Is there a site with the (previous) monthly LEGO Store mini-build instructions?
We have been going to the LEGO Store off & on for the monthly mini-build, but haven't been able to make it there for quite a few. I've been searching the web for the instructions for the builds we missed, but have come up short. LEGO posts the current models instructions for about a week and takes them down. Is there a site where we can find the instructions for the previous mini-build models?

A list of previous monthly mini models can be found on Brickset. The instructions can be found in the notes section under the sidebar on the right for each model.

Brickset has moved them to a subtheme of Promotional -> Monthly Mini Model Build

@GregChabala Thanks, I've fixed the link.

On https://lakea.nl/minimodellen, I managed to collect pdf files for all existing models since 2010. Even the ones Brickset does not mention. :)

Yes. In the following sites the names of the Mini Builds are in english.
https://legominibuilds.wordpress.com/
https://monthlyminimodelbuild.weebly.com/models-grouped-by-month.html
https://www.brickowl.com/catalog/lego-instructions/promotional/monthly-mini-model-build


text:
Is this element some kind of Technic connector?
I am thoroughly confused about an element I have come across:

I have never seen a piece quite like this.
It's unlike any Technic connector I've seen, so I doubt if that is what it's for.
The two facing holes on the sides are standard stud diameter, but the tube on the top has angled faces, and doesn't look like any standard Lego width.
I'm starting to wonder if it might be part of some missile launching set, but if not, what kind of piece is it?

It looks like there is some sort of ribbing on the inside. Any chance you can get a better picture of that? It's likely where an official LEGO part number or at least a brand stamp might be.

@NathanStohlmann There is a LEGO brand stamp, but I think it is an older piece as it has no part number that I can see.

Hooray, I get to answer a question!
This is not a piece for launching missiles.  It's actually part of an old steering assembly from some late 80s and 90s Technic sets.
Here's what the whole thing looks like:

And a view of the piece in question:

And an example of how it is meant to be used:

The teeth on the outside of the piece help lock it into one of several different inclinations, so you can vary the angle at which the steering column exits the assembly.
Here is the piece on BrickLink: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2790 (ooooo four digit part number!)
Along with the bottom assembly: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2792
The main rack: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2791
And the steering arms: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=4261

And that's a model answer if I ever saw one


text:
Adapting charger for NXT 9798 battery
I have an old style  9798 NXT rechargeable battery pack 7.2V 1400MnAh, but no charger.
Can I adapt a  spare non lego 9v 200mAh charger for this? Or is voltage too high? can anyone read the output voltage from their old charger?
As I will need  to add a new connector plug to the charger, can anyone tell me if the battery charging socket centre pin is positive or negative?
Also what size of plug do I need as it slightly larger than current version for current battery?
Thanks
NB I have looked at my newer charger lego element 94165 10v 700mA for the current battery and it is a positive centre hole (for centre pin in battery case) and a negative outside (measured with red lead of multimeter in the centre hole of charger plug and black lead on outer tube showing +10.5v)

The two batteries and chargers are very different, in that the new one is 10V DC whereas the old one is AC (while it's supposed to be 9V, I think the transformer was actually 10V too).
As it's AC, the polarity doesn't matter, but I don't think using DC current is recommended (even if in theory the rectifier circuitry in the old battery should be able to accommodate it).
You should be able to buy a spare fairly easily though, whether at a local LEGO event or directly on BrickLink. Note that it's the exact same that came with 9V trains, so you may want to look for the complete transfomer + regulator as well, which may sometimes be cheaper to find.

authors: ʇolɐǝz ǝɥʇ qoq


text:
What is the name of this Lego Blacktron anime/cartoon?
Once upon a time, in a distant past there was a Lego Blacktron series:

The Lego Blacktron series has a logo/symbol, it's a yellow triangle with small black triangle inside.
Now my question is: about 15/20/25 years ago there was a cartoon or anime series in which one of the faction (bad one I think) wears the same symbol as Blacktron series units, do you know the name of that cartoon?

Maybe this question would better fit the Science Fiction & Fantasy or MovieStack Exchange, as it's more about the tv-series you're looking for than about LEGO, which just reminds you of that symbol.
Zelda
It absolutely looks like the Triforce of the video game series Zelda. There also was a Zelda cartoon in the late 1980s / early 1990s. To this point, it seems to fit to your memory — but sadly there's no connection to spaceships, so I assume you where thinking of something else.
Starcom
I found something else: Starcom: The U.S. Space Force. It's an animated series from the 1980s, which totally looks like what you're searching:


text:
How can I build a LEGO heart?
In the spirit of Valentine's Day...
How can I build a two-dimensional LEGO heart? Here is an example of the shape I'm looking for.
Perhaps the model should be built from the bottom upward? I would prefer that some Red Slope 45° 2 x 2 bricks (and their inverted counterparts) be used to achieve this.

The size of the finished model should not be much bigger than one's hand.

Feel free to add or change tags as appropriate; I wasn't sure which ones would be best. Additionally, the first link is to Wikipedia: go ahead and switch that for the image listed there if it would be easier to read.

If you live near a LEGO store you might have enough time to pick up the seasonal Valentines set 40004-1: Heart:

If you're short on parts, you can build a basic heart out of 2x2 and 2x4 bricks for a truly brick-style:

You can always smooth out the edges with red 2x2 sloped tiles and a few cheese slopes:

Super simple one:

.........clever

That is probably the only heart necklace I'd ever wear. :)

I came up with the following design:

Using the following parts:
1x [part:2341:4]
2x [part:2449:4]
1x [part:3005:4]
2x [part:3024:4]
2x [part:3040:4]
1x [part:3070b:4]
3x [part:3622:4]
2x [part:3623:4]
2x [part:3665:4]
2x [part:54200:4]

♥ You could swap the four cheese slopes (54200) for two 2x1 double-sided slopes (3044) ♥

True, although I liked the subtle change in angle the cheese slopes give, with a slightly more rounded top.


text:
How to find out if an element is out of production
Is there a way to know if Lego has officially stopped making a certain Lego element?
As an example, from the 580 Lego set, I haven't seen this conveyor belt (along with those wheels and the "Legoland" stamped brick, etc) since the 1970's, so I assume it's out of production:

But is there any official word from Lego that certain elements are no longer in production?

If a part hasn't been included in a set for some time, there's always a chance
it may be in a future set. It's unlikely that a part that was last seen in a set over 30 years ago would still be in production. Bricklink will list the years the part was included in a set.

Certain elements may have been replaced by a superior mold for one
more reasons. The old round 1x1 brick was replaced with a brick of the same name which had an open stud.

In some cases an element (a faulty piece of electronic equipment/pneumatics) may be recalled by The Lego Group and replaced with an updated part. Lego would no longer product a part that was hazardous or faulty. A list of currently recalled products can be found on LEGO's customer support site.

It might not be entirely accurate, but it seems the majority of parts found in this search query are discontinued.

That's a pretty good search query.

Yes a good example of parts re-appearing are the Technic ski-poles that have reappeared on the latest X-wing model.

The cost for producing an old element again is presumably lower than the cost to develop a new element altogether, as long as the molds still exist (monorail parts molds are rumoured to have been destroyed, for example).

Given that the molds get worn out and need to be replaced after so many production runs, I think you can safely assume that a part is out of production if it hasn't been used in a set for at least 10 years - maybe less.
Lego do have an internal 'bible' of parts that designers can use, but they haven't published this.

I don't know about official word, but according to BrickLink, that Conveyor Belt hasn't been included as part of a set since 1975, so I think it's safe to say that it's not in production any more.
However, if you're looking to buy one, people are selling them.

The best way to get an authoritative answer would be to contact the LEGO customer service and ask if you can get a replacement for the part. They do have the necessary software to check if a part is available or not, but you'll need to describe the part as unambiguously as possible. Also, they may not always make a distinction between different versions of a part if there is no functionnal difference.
I believe LEGO certified professionals may have access to that information too, but if they do it's extremely likely that they are bound by a non-disclosure agreement about it.

Sadly asking for replacement parts isn't (wasn't) a guaranteed way to check as some parts are not available for replacement - I bought a damaged box from a supermarket that was missing a hinge plate [part:6134:4] . LCS were unable to supply a replacement as "not all parts are available as replacements as the inventory we'd need to carry would be huge". This was some time ago, so things may have changed.

Honestly, I translate what you were told as "Sorry, that part is currently not in production". I'm fairly sure you can order most parts currently in production, with some specific exceptions. They don't have a separate inventory for replacement parts, it comes straight from their regular stock.

Well, the part in question had been in almost constant production since 1991 in the colour I needed :(

Hummm... indeed, that element doesn't look like it could have been out of production at any time. So either you managed to call at a time when it was not in production if there ever was such a time (maybe end 2005?), either I'm utterly wrong (it has happened before).

Either of those are possible - it was some time ago, and things may have changed - however I got the impression from the response that they generally had access to "common missing elements" and the stuff from Pick-a-Brick, which was much more limited than it is now - it was back around 2002/3/4 IIRC ;)


text:
How to fix my XL motor?
I used the XL motor near water. Now it stopped working. Can someone tell me what I can do to fix it?

Funny, I've heard some people claim that PF motors are actually quite resistant to water and even work when immersed, so maybe that's not the cause of your problem.

You may want to contact the LEGO customer service which will usually provide a replacement motor free of charge.

What?! Really? Are you serious? I should check to see if they'll replace my two busted motors! I thought if your Power Functions stop working you have to buy new ones yourself. I am definitely going to see what they've got to say.

I'v had my share of replaced dead motors, so yes, I'm pretty serious. In any case, the only think you can lose is a bit of your time, since in most countries their customer service uses a free number.

It seems encased. You can try to open it up, expect a short happened internally.
Your best bet is to probably buy a new one. at 10$, it isn't so bad don`t you think?

For AFOLs, 10 bucks is not bad at all, but for kids, 10 dollars may well be a good amount of yearly income.


text:
Are there plans to release new trains for AFOL?
I just built the Maersk train, what an amazing model! I did a little research and found that it was released in 2011 and the Emerald Night was released in 2009. Given the two year gap it seems reasonable to assume there will be new train in 2013. Does Lego have a schedule or patterns for this kind of thing?

As much as I would like to know the answer, I don't think this is a good question - purely speculative, will be obsolete by 2013, and there is basically no way you'd get an authoritative answer as LEGO would make sure to protect this kind of information as long as possible.

perhaps you are right.

I suggest rephrasing the question: what plans have been announced? Does Lego have a schedule or patterns for this kind of thing? Those sorts of questions would invite good, constructive answers.

cool, edited, hopefully that will invite some answers

It's already here, see the answer about Horizon Express ^^

With the exception of evergreen themes like CITY and Duplo, it's not easy to predict when sets are released. Based on trends of the last 11 years, I've included the last 20 train sets that have been released in a table:

At least one train set has been released each year apart from the year 2008. The table marks an average of 1.66 train sets per year. It's fair to assume that a new train set will be released in 2012 or 2013.
Duplo, accessories, motors and track sets not included. I've included the Western Train Chase from the Toy Story theme, The Constitution Train Chase from The Lone Ranger theme and The Ghost Train from the Monster Fighters theme which you may wish to exclude as anomalies. The right-most column marks which sets were sold with track.
Set data gathered from Brickset.
Download .CSV [?]

Check the new Creator "Advanced" set : 10233 Horizon Express

There is a new cowboy set based on the lone ranger film coming out this year-summer 2013, looks really good for younger generation but thats it for the moment- not really a afol kit as such. info came from brickset- there were some pictures too, i think the article was about three months ago.

The Red Cargo Train is the most recent train set released after the Maersk Train.

Indeed, it's really cool. Especially if bought separately, without cars I don't like. (Don't own Maersk, and haven't assembled yet recently bought used Santa Fe Locomotive)


text:
How many degrees can you flex an arm of a lego minifig?
How flexible are the arms of Lego minifigs?

Do you mean bending the actual arm, or rotating them within the shoulder socket?

Within the shoulder socket, a minifigure's arm has full 360° rotation, however the hand needs to positioned correctly to allow it pass the head, and it puts some strain on the joint:

Note that most accessories will block this rotation.
As the arms are made of the same ABS as standard LEGO bricks they aren't flexible, and so without heating (and permanently changing them) they don't bend or flex.

I tried this on a minifigure with the hands cupped like in this example. It's actually possible to swing the arm 360° without the arm bending too noticeably out of it's socket.


text:
Which Duplo bricks have practical uses in System building?
Traditional 2x4 and 2x2 Duplo bricks can be used to bulk out models and provide a structural support for landscapes, but have there been any other uses for Duplo bricks of all shapes and sizes in System scale MOC's?
I can find two examples, one of a Duplo barrel being used for a water tower and another that uses a Duplo crown to form the pinnacle of a structure.

I'm tempted to answer "All of them, depending on your imagination", but that's kind of a lazy answer.

Check out these links:

this MOC uses a Duplo Ladybug Base.
this modern classic uses a Duplo piece as a major element.

I remember reading an article where someone stated that they used the Duplo 2x4 bricks to build up height for large models.  The Duplo was then covered and surrounded by Lego, but that the Duplo added a lot of strength for the weight.

That's what I was referring to in the first sentence. I'm looking for uses for other Duplo pieces that aren't necessarily bricks.

Check the youtuber Jangbricks, he is using this filling technique with used Duplo several times in his Lego City when building bigger structures

Generally, I would say that it's only the big, strangely shaped ones that have decent uses.
Obviously you would very rarely use any of the small ones, and system is much better at this. (Only exception I can think of is a piece shortage (heaven forbid!))
I personally have never come across a MOC using DUPLO pieces in large scale, and I doubt you'll find a proper LEGO set using them either.
I would always recommend using system bricks if you can (you probably already know this).
DUPLO bricks do allow you to be lazy though!


text:
How should I go about selling a large number of unsorted LEGO sets?
Here is my problem.  Over the years my son had me buy a large number of Star Wars sets (including 10179, 10188, 6211, 7676, 7675)  and he built them.  Then he traded (or lost) most of the mini-figs except for those in the death star.  He has all but 3 and they are for sale on e-bay.
They all were taken apart and I am sure that 99% is in all of the 10 plastic staorage boxes I have.
My problem is how do I sell them and what to ask?  I see that the 10179 is going for 2400.00 new in box.  Really? Who would pay that much. It is just a Lego. I have a huge list of other star wars kits totaling 24 in all.  I can get all the kit numbers if you like.  Plus, I have 60-100 dollars of gift cards for the LEGO store that I will throw in to help get missing pieces or whatever from LEGO itself.
I am in the Sacramento area of California and found this site.  Thought I would throw it out there.

No offense, but on this site, it's never "just a Lego".

See also the awesome answer here: https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/9718/56

You have three basic choices, depending on how much time you want to spend:

Sell the collection as-is (with as much honest description as you can muster and great photos if you're selling on-line).
Sort the collection into sets and sell them as-is with parts / figs missing.
Sort into sets and replace missing parts / figs.

These three are not mutually exclusive.
Personally, I'd go with the first option unless you have a lot of time on your hands and are a real enthusiast. Otherwise, your time is probably worth more than any additional profits you might make. At the same time, there are plenty of us who would love to take on a collection like this.

I recently took the second route you suggested when sorting a collection of bricks I found at garage sale sources. There were some instructions included but one of the main reasons I took that route was because it seemed that there might have been more sets in the unsorted mess than the instructions along would have lead me to believe. I doubt that this is the case here however, as it seems that the questioner has kept track of what sets are (mostly) there.

One of the issues I see is that you're missing most of the minifigs, these generally aren't available individually through the LEGO store.
As you've seen for a complete boxed set of some of these kits are very expensive to buy second hand; they are no longer in production and some people are willing to pay that much to own them.
In terms of selling what you've got, if you can sort them back into their correct sets that would help in terms of maximising your potential profit, however there's clearly a trade-off with your time to do that. If you do go down that route there are a number of sites that have inventories for most sets, even the older ones that don't have them listed in the manuals:

Peeron Set Search
Brick Link Star Wars Sets

Brick Link is the site to use for selling LEGO bricks, many sellers on there sell bricks individually (albeit with a minimum order), which may be an option but is quite a lot of work. Alternatively you could try contacting a local seller and see if they are interested in taking your stock on.
Finally you could look into finding some local brick fairs and trying to sell it there, either in bulk or parts.

Unfortunately, what you have is a gigantic pile of unsorted LEGO that came out of sets that you originally spent nearly $3,000 on.  With a gigantic pile of unsorted Lego, that may have a couple of minifigures in it, you probably won't get very close to $3000.
You can try your best to get them sorted into their original sets, but your best bet is to create 1 pound lots and auction them on Ebay, or try to sell them individually - you might be able to offer them for sale for something like $10 per pound, or more.
If you try to sell the entire lot all at once, you are probably going to see offers come in at around $5 per pound.
Sorting used LEGO is a lot of work, and if you aren't willing to do it - you'll take a hit in terms of what you are likely to get.

You should check the value of the used sets on this site:
http://www.brickpicker.com/
For 10179, you can get easily 1600$:
http://www.brickpicker.com/bpms/set.cfm?set=10179-1