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Need help to identify a piece - two 1x2 plates connected by curved lines
Bought a used collection and got many of these  in different colors. Wasn't able to find a set containing similar pieces.
It looks like the top of a cockpit.
Can you help me?

This is part 47755 Wedge 4x3 Open with Cutout and 4 Studs.


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Making a relaxing LEGO tub
I'd like to make a few tubs with an ornate gold-trimmed look.  I'd like to get atleast a somewhat curved feel to them, not just the blocky square ones you see on the youtube tutorials.  Here's a few of the pieces I'm considering:

shorts for the bathers

bare chest, or similar for the bathers

inverted arch  for the curved base of the tub
or
double concave brick  and other 33-Degree bricks for the base of the tub
or
Tall inverted arch  for the curved base. (I like this one because it comes in orange which is closer to the pearl gold pieces)

2x2 macaroni
and
macaroni tile to top it off with a nice pearl gold finish.

mirror on the wall for a decorative finish

faucet

My concern is that It's not going to quite have the 'rounded' look that I want, particularly on the outside.  Do you folks have any suggestions for improving this design?

Both of these designs use the same faucet piece and legs can be easily attached beneath, the issue with most of these designs is that parts are mostly in white as those parts are more common than gold. If you are set on the colour you will be fairly limited in terms of pieces but there are some ways to change the colour of bricks with some limitations.
This design by Elspeth De Montes uses the (Studs not on top) techniques to get that smooth look without any exposed studs on the top. It uses a 1 x 2 x 5 brick

This design by Ryan Smith has a similar shape but with studs on top.

You might find more relevant designs by searching on Flickr rather Google images for example.

It is so handy that LEGO water doesn't spill over the edge of the tub and drench the people on the floor below you. :)

Is the 2nd one full of blood?

@ChrisH Yes, but look at those lovely curves though.

Oh yes, it's very nicely done.  There are a  few vampire minifigs that would go well with it

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


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Trying to 3D print a birdhouse but need to identify plates
I found a birdhouse on Thingiverse (thing:1641240) I would like to print and build. It uses Lego plates for the floor and roof, but the problem is that the person that posted the design didn't include which Lego plates are used.
Here are the images from the files:

The floor and ceiling aren’t one piece. They’re made of four 30357: Black Plate, Round Corner 3 x 3 each with an assortment of other square/rectangular plates to fill in the gaps.
It looks like there are 20 studs between the corner pieces on each side. The second image you posted shows a layer of tiles holding the floor together. Presumably there is another layer of offset plates holding the ceiling together from the bottom.

Edit:
Which pieces you select for the center of the floor/ceiling will come down to two factors:

Price, or how expensive they are to get (assuming you don't already have them).
Strength, or how easy it is to make a sturdy structure (assuming you aren't planning to glue them together).

Here's one possible tiling that favors strength:

And a layer of plates you could place on the underside to hold everything together:

In these examples, every joint on the first layer is overlapped by at least two studs on both sides by the second layer.
Here's the parts list for this tiling, along with the cheapest price on bricklink if you're buying each part from one buyer:

(4 x $0.02) Plate 1 x 3
(4 x $0.01) Plate 1 x 6
(4 x $0.01) Plate 2 x 3
(2 x $0.01) Plate 2 x 6
(1 x $0.11) Plate 2 x 14
(4 x $0.03) Plate, Round Corner 3 x 3
(4 x $0.04) Plate 4 x 8
(1 x $0.03) Plate 6 x 6
(4 x $0.10) Plate 6 x 10
(8 x $0.73) Plate 6 x 12

Total: $6.84
Remember to double this if you're building both the floor and ceiling with the same layout.

Presumably you could use 16x16 plates to fill the center and give a pretty stable base to add the corners onto.

I definitely appreciate the insights! Now I hate to be a pain, but I am not that familiar with all the different pieces available. Which other plates/pieces are being used? I can figure out the amounts, I just need to know which ones.

I added an example tiling, but it's really up to you. There's no right answer.

@DM Thank you very much! This gives me a direction to go in. I have installed BrickLink's Studio and am recreating the 2 designs.

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


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Where can I find details/instructions for this keychain?

Hi, I’ve been trying to find info on this Kai DX LED keychain from 2011, but have been unable to do so. Are there any pages where I can find information/details on this keychain and possibly the booklet which came with it?

While searching on Bricklink I've found two items that are related to minifigure in question. All I could find is some picture and minor details of this minifigure flashlight key chain here.
As we can see on picture below one of two of the items I've located on Bricklink are present in this bundle. For some reason items in Bricklink's catalog share similar part ID (UT21222-1 and UT21222-2, where "-number" is used to distinguish items with same part ID), while KAI has entirely different picture. It is unclear if picture used on Bricklink is incorrect or Kai's print has changed at some point.

Some details from shared website (in German):

Art.Nr.   3017.21222
Hersteller Nr.    UT21222
EAN-Code  4041268212220

Schlüsselanhänger mit Taschenlampe im Lego Ninjago Design inkl. Batterien im Display Hiermit stehen Sie nicht länger im Dunkeln. Durch die beweglichen Beine kann gleichzeitig in zwei Richtungen geleuchtet werden. Im Lieferumfang sind bereits zwei Knopfzellen (Typ CR2025 3V) enthalten, welche bei Bedarf ausgewechselt werden können. ACHTUNG! Nicht geeignet für Kinder unter 36 Monaten. Enthält verschluckbare Kleinteile. Erstickungsgefahr!

And with a help of Google Translate in English:

Keyring with torch in Lego Ninjago design incl. Batteries in the display With this you are no longer in the dark. The movable legs can be used to illuminate in two directions at the same time. The scope of delivery already includes two button cells (type CR2025 3V), which can be exchanged if necessary. ATTENTION! Not suitable for children under 36 months. Contains small parts that could be swallowed. Suffocation hazard!

Unfortunately, I think LEGO does not keep/provide any online instructions for this accessory.

"Unfortunately, I think LEGO does not keep/provide any online instructions for this accessory." I don't think any instructions would even exist for this, as the parts are not meant to be separated by the end user (besides the battery cover which is screwed on and therefore is straightforward to remove).

I don't have an official link, but searching "lego ninjago kai keychain light 2011" gets you what you want.
Alex found the bricklink link: https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?id=117561#T=S&O= but we both conclude there is no official link for it.


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Identify brand of these non-LEGO parts
I bought a bulk of bricks, some of them are not LEGO, but the quality is perfect - gloss, fit, plates have groove, transparent parts are clear.
I would like to know which brand also produces such nice bricks.
There are only numbers at the bottom:

15012-02
15111-01
15113-01
15116-01
15425-01

The fact that there are such small numbers molded proves about the good quality.

Not positive, but these could be produced by the Oxford toy company. They make very convincing clones for their own lines and a number of other companies.

Might also be Sluban.


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Just saw these 1990s sets in a local shop. Would any of these be a good investment?
Just saw these 1990s sets in a local shop.
Would any of these be a good investment?

That depends, as always, on the price. Condition seems to be excellent.

I assume these aren't new as I see one opened in the last picture? Then I would think they are not terribly interesting. If they are new, prices seem to be very reasonable if I search a couple on bricklink. On the other hand, not that much offers on bricklink. Not so certain if many Lego fans would consider these tubs collectible...

@Aziraphale, price tags are visible in most pictures...

@MichaelVerschaeve : I was only in this shop for a few minutes, so I didn't have time to verify the condition of each set unfortunately. The prices I've seen range from 11 Euro to 34.50 Euro, and a quick search on places like Bricklink & Ebay has produced sets at a similar price range for those I could find for sale. So I'm not sure if I should buy any of them. I'm more of a modular builder, not a collector (of LEGO at least). And my budget is currently pretty limited...

Most of these sets will have very little potential value. In regards to the parts, most of these parts are constantly being produced and very easily available. There might be some exceptions for Duplo pieces which I am less familiar with.
The modern day 2021 equivalent of these sets would be the 'Classic' range of sets which tend to include the same parts but with more variety of colours and shape.
Despite supply of these sets on Bricklink being fairly low, they are also low demand and as such the prices are more or less below retail value (usually less for used sets). As an investment it would be important to consider how the costs of packaging, postage, seller fees (Ebay, Paypal etc.) could eat into your profits.
There may also be interest for these sets purely for nostalgic reasons.
I personally remember owning the red LEGO basic buckets and I recall it being nearly indestructible. In contrast to the parts themselves, I could actually see more potential for those containers to be valuable in the future as they provide novelty and storage value.
The condition of the 'bucket' sets also seems to be a lot better than the cardboard boxes and they will most likely last longer. There is some warping on the packaging where the stickers adhere to the boxes and potentially there could be some UV damage from being in a shop window for a long period of time.

Thank you for the detailed ans helpful answer. Note that I have no interest whatsoever in selling these sets. If I'd buy any of these sets, it would be just for my personal collection of curiosities. And since my resources are limited right now, I prefer to spend my budget on items that actually are rare and/or have some collector's value. With old books, I can assess collector's value easily, but with old LEGO this still somewhat eludes me, even though I've been into brick building (mostly modular buildings) for years...

I’m very curious how so many of these sets are still around and still brand new.


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How tall is a Lego train on a track?
I cannot currently access any Lego trains, and the product range offered in the trains category in these years is rather ... disheartening. Nonetheless, I do not rule out the possibility that things might look brighter again in the years to come, in time for my children to still enjoy Lego railroads.
While picking/modifying some furniture for my children's rooms, I would like to make sure the clear height undernearth is just sufficient for minifig-scale trains to pass through, so as to not obstruct any future tracks.
How many centimetres of clear space do I have to plan for?
Let's restrict this a little bit so it becomes a more well-defined question:

I do not reckon with minifigs or anything else standing on the roof of trains.
Fixed "installations" should be "usable", though - that is, the height of pantographs should be measured in such a way that they look "realistically extended"; neither completely retracted nor extended as far as the hinges allow.
The train should be measured while standing on the tracks, but without anything else underneath (i.e. not even a baseplate).

Furthermore, I'd like to suggest a reference list of sets that the answer should be valid for (though, as I'm picking these only visually, without any concrete trains at hand, feel free to suggest deviations or pick equivalent sample trains):

4551 - Crocodile Locomotive
4558 - Metroliner
60051 - High Speed Passenger Train
71044 - Disney Train and Station (just the train, obviously)
60198 - Cargo Train

But furniture-induced derailments are half the fun!

LEGO tracks are 12mm high, train wheels go below the true height of the track and so in reality only add 7mm of height.
The structure gauge (also known as clearance) tolerance will obviously be a lot lower than real life. You could perhaps get away with 1/3 a brick clearance but having at least one or two bricks height clearance at minimum is best.
Here are a few measurements for different types of trains.

Model
Name
Studs
Centimetres
Inches

Amtrak Superliner
17.9
14.4
5.7

4551 (Pantograph extended)
16.3
13.1
5.1

Double-Stack Cart
12.8
10.2
4.0

Early Steam Locomotive
12.4
9.9
3.9

I have used Bricklink Studio to render and calculate these measurements. The models used can all be found in the model library.
Dimension and weight statistics for models can be displayed under Tools > Mode Information so if you can find a model for the train you are interested you can check using this software.

those are wonderful looking train designs. I wish lego would release more official sets of trains

OP asked, "How many centimetres of clear space do I have to plan for?" So would the answer (for the tallest car shown) be 0.7cm + 14.4cm + 1.0cm = 16.1cm?

I don’t think it would be for me to say as it’s entirely based on what kinds of models you expect to run. The tallest one for example is a very rare exception as it’s a double deck passenger carriage.
Yes, that would be the general formula. 0.7cm + Carriage height + clearance tolerance. I think if you do not intend to have such a tall model there is no need to make big changes to the height of furniture. 15-16cm is plenty.

Several of the trains include a diagram showing their size:

It obviously varies somewhat from train to train. Somewhere around six inches or 16cm should be sufficient for most trains.

Crocodile Locomotive (10277) set has a base with couple of plates underneath train track. Overall height will be slightly lower.


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Robot Inventor Bluetooth not working
A while ago, I started up the Robot Inventor program and noticed the computer was not connecting. When I clicked the "Connect" button, the loading "circle" simply started spinning either indefinitely or for a few seconds until the "Connect" button showed up again. The Bluetooth on my Dell E5540 is on, and the 2 devices are paired.

Did you try pairing the hub using the Windows Bluetooth settings first?

@DavidLechner Yep.

Maybe this project legoBTLE4pi could help you.
It connects a Raspberry PI via Bluetooth to a Lego Powered Up Brick and does all the funny stuff.
The project is ongoing (nice TUI etc) but everything works.

I'm not sure how a Raspberry Pi-based project could help the problem OP is facing with their computer - could you please elaborate on this aspect?

I thought maybe by using a vm with Linux this problem could be circumvented. However, you're absolutely right, I answered quicker than I thought. Please excuse this lapse.


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Is it possible to power an EV3 hub via USB?
I have a LEGO Mindstorm EV3 hub. I want to avoid buying rechargeable batteries by supplying power through battery box pins using an external variable power supply.
Is it possible to supply power to an EV3 hub via USB?

No, the only way provided to power the EV3 is through 6 AA-batteries or the expensive rechargeable battery box. Of course some DIY solution could work, anything that provides 9V DC or thereabouts works when the voltage is applied directly to the outer battery contacts...

... which means that without a buck converter, USB power won’t work as USB supplies 5V.

don't know, 5V seems to low, but if the pin is pressed that the rechargeable battery unit normally presses, 7.2 V is what expected of the battery, and with batteries the voltage drops when loaded. so 5V regulated might work. Of course the EV3 will operate sluggishly...

Here they tested with 5V, given enough amperage, attached motors even work: https://www.dexterindustries.com/ev3-current-consumption-measurement/

https://fettricks.blogspot.com/2017/02/building-usb-charger-cable-for-your-fll.html shows a home-brew solution and it sounds like you can buy some of these on Amazon.

@chicks, unless I entirely misread the question, the idea is to forego the expensive EV3 rechargeable battery, while the link you provided shows how to create an USB charger for the EV3 battery pack. The EV3 charger (which is the same as for the power functions rechargeable battery) has an universal enough plug that an USB to that type of plug convertible should be doable to find on amazon, aliexpress and the likes,,,

More guidance on external power supplies for EV3/NXT: https://www.philohome.com/nxtsupply/nxtsupply.htm


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Trying to identify Star Wars LEGO set
I bought a second hand LEGO set and it came with a box of loose ends, with some partially built sets. I think this is a Star Wars set - any help in identifying it would be welcomed.

This appears to be Mace Windu's Jedi Starfighter (7868):

The instructions are available on LEGO.com if you want to try to make it complete.

Great. Thanks so much

@Scooby if you're satisfied with this answer it is good to click the check box beside the answer so it is considered "accepted".


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Battery Box 8881 not providing enough power
I bought a used 8881 battery box. It doesn't appear to work with anything. When I test it with a multimeter, I only get a voltage reading of ~0.5V.
I tested each of the batteries, they each come out ~1.6V (as I'd expect from a AA battery).
It may be that I'm not using the multimeter as intended, and that both the lights and the motor I'm using to test this are broken, but it seems more likely that there's a problem with the battery box.
Any thoughts on what the problem might be?

In case anyone else has this issue - cleaning corrosion off of the connections solved the problem!
To clean the contacts, I used white vinegar applied with a cotton-swab/cue-tip. I dried it off with a dry one, left it for about half an hour, and after that it worked perfectly. I watched this video to be sure there wasn't anything I needed to do that I was missing.

Yes, leaked batteries did this I presume. I think I've cleaned about half a dozen over the years. In the past, this battery box was very common, so easily and cheaply replaced if the contacts were too corroded, however with the power functions phased out recently, they are getting more expensive

@MichaelVerschaeve Definitely looks like corrosion from old batteries. Power functions seems like a much simpler system which I why I went with it, plus powered up stuff seems a little overpriced to me, maybe I'm just not familiar with the kind of prices to expect :)

@Criggie Added now - thanks for the pointer


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Identify wall piece with jungle or Meso-American print?
I found an older piece and was wondering if anyone knew the part or set it came from.

This is LegoBrick 1 x 2 x 5 with Jungle Pattern, which appeared in 2 sets from 1999: 5986-1 Amazon Ancient Ruins and 5936-1 LegoSpider's Secret / Señor Gomez's Expedition
(I first searched BrickLink for "Aztec" and "Mayan", which pulled up some Indiana Jones sets, and then tried "Jungle", which had this on the first page of results.)


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How can I use the LEGO distance and color sensor from Power Up with the LEGO Mindstorms EV3?
I am asking how I can use the distance and color sensor from the LEGO Power Up series with my LEGO Mindstorms EV3. I know that they have different plugs but I am wondering if there is a solution to this problem.

They are somewhat compatible. The EV3 has 5V on pin 4 of the input ports while Powered Up has 3.3V on pin 4. So there is a potential that the sensor cannot handle 5V and could be damaged.
Other than that, the pins are the same, so you could cut the cable on the sensor and splice it with an EV3 cable or buy a 3rd party extension cable (example) so that you don't damage your sensor.
The EV3 doesn't support output commands for UART sensors, so you won't be able to use the color output mode or the infrared output mode (this might be possible with ev3dev though).

Thank you for the detailed answer


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What set do these LEGO parts belong to? Star Wars-type patterns, Bionicle connectors
Please help identify these Lego sets:

This is not one set. You have at least one Star Wars set, one Bionicle set, and a lot of very generic pieces. Are you interested in where a specific piece might have come from?

Yes. Please I want the sets first. Son got it for his cousin and we don't have idea where to get the instructions. Thanks!!

The round grey printed discs, the tan gears, the grey worm screw, the boat studs and the black rope in the first photo, the 6x4 and 6x12 grey plates from the third and fourth photo are found together in 10178: Motorised Walking AT-AT:  (Thanks to Chronocidal for the additional info)

The blue sloped piece with the hexagonal sticker motif in the second photo could be from 7667: Imperial Dropship:

The white Bionicle pieces on the third photo are definitely from 8747: Visorak Suukorak:

I believe the rest of the pieces are way too generic and could have come from many different sets, but somebody will definitely correct me if I'm wrong.

There are a few non-LEGO pieces as well:

And

The mostly-smooth plates in OP's fourth picture exist in the AT-AT set (as the side panels on the body), but not in the AT-TE set.  Same with the khaki gears in the first picture.

Just as an (obvious) comment: the fact that certain parts come from the above sets does NOT mean the complete set is in that bag of parts. Based on what I see I think none of these sets are there, you just have a random bag of parts.

Thank your so much for your input!

@Angel You are welcome, feel free to accept the answer if you believe this to be satisfactory.

Definitely parts of the motorised walking AT-AT, rather than the clone wars walker, other than that I agree with the above.

Thank you for the input Lex, could you please elaborate a bit on your answer? The reasoning behind your conclusion would make a huge difference to the value of this contribution.


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What is water displacement value for LEGO solid hulls?
I'm building a boat model out of LEGO and I need to decide which boat hull to use. I need the smallest that can carry 485g of load. Where can I get information about water displacement of unitary LEGO boat hulls? I can compute upper bound based on the dimensions, but I'm afraid that will be a big overestimate.

It looks like the simpler problem would be to evaluate the boat hulls you could possibly find to see if any would displace 485 grams of water with enough free board to stay afloat.
Here is a list of all of the unique boat hulls I could find on bricklink that looked to me likely to hold water:
Boat Hull Unitary 16 x 8 Base
Boat Hull Unitary 22 x 8 x 2 1/3 (Set 6429)
Boat Hull Unitary 24 x 6 x 3 with Red and White Racing Stripes Pattern on Both Sides (Stickers) - Set 4002
Boat Hull Unitary 25 x 10 x 4 1/3 with 4010 and Police Pattern (Stickers) - Set 4010
Boat Hull Unitary 28 x 8 Base
Boat Hull Unitary 32 x 10 x 1 2/3, Base
Boat Hull Unitary 32 x 12 x 4, Base
Boat Hull Unitary 38 x 10 x 5 2/3
Boat Hull Unitary 41 x 12 x 5 with Light Bluish Gray Top
Boat Hull Unitary 48 x 6 x 5, Base (Catamaran Half)
Boat Hull Unitary 51 x 12 x 6 with Side Bulges, Base
Boat Hull Unitary 51 x 12 x 6, Base
Boat Hull Unitary 52 x 12 x 6 1/3
Boat Hull Unitary 52 x 16 x 5, Base
Boat Hull Unitary 74 x 18 x 7, Base
Duplo, Boat Hull 10 x 18 Bottom Section
Duplo, Boat Hull 12 x 24 Bottom Section
Duplo, Boat Hull 14 x 27 Bottom Section
Duplo, Boat Hull 6 x 16 with 4 x 4 Cargo Hold with Green Bottom
Duplo, Boat Hull 7 x 12 Bottom Section
Duplo, Boat Hull 8 x 15 Deck Studs with Red Bottom
Duplo, Boat Hull 8 x 17 with Police Pattern
Fabuland Boat Hull Large
There are over 200 variations of these parts with colors and prints. Have fun!

can you shorten that list, if there are over 200 then just send one link for all of them

How about the old buildable boat hull parts such as https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x145c01&idColor=5 + https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x146c01&idColor=5 + https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=x147c01&idColor=5 ?

The OP asked for unitary hulls, not buildable ones.


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Is there a reason why there's sometimes multiple "Bag 1" bags in particular sets?
When building some of the larger sets from Lego, there are sometimes cases where there's multiple large bags having the same number.  This ends up being a bit of a challenge when the build space on my table isn't that large.
I'm guessing that Lego has a good reason for doing this, is it for packing efficiency, a logical step in the build (albeit a large one), or some other consideration?
This doesn't really spoil my enjoyment (except for part-hunting time), I was just curious about the reason.

It doesn't make sense as both being "Bag 1", of course, but if you think of them as being part of "Stage 1", then there's no issue. Each stage will likely have bigger and smaller parts, and the smaller parts are easier to keep track of in their own bag.

I assume this is down to purely logistic reasons, like the available plastic bag sizes, the characteristics of the different packaging pipelines (it is known that LEGO takes extreme care when packing the bags with pieces, including multiple weighings to ensure not a single part is missing - the precision required to check for the presence a small element could preclude the range necessary for bags containing many and larger pieces), the locations of the different packaging facilities, and so on.


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Is this a fake LEGO torso?
I recently purchased a new 52 Nightwing LEGO minifigure from Bricklink, to replace my damaged one, but I think it may be fake.
I compared the two, and I found a few differences, which I have not seen on a LEGO torso before:

ridges / grooves around the neck
a slimmer print on the neck
and the edge of the torso is a little wider

BUT, there IS a LEGO stamp on the top of the neck.
Can anyone confirm if they have seen this before or if the torso is fake?
Here are the images: The order is real, suspected fake, comparison between torso edges:

I wouldn't worry about neck print difference. It isn't essential and simply used to mark the front.

I note the printing of the light gray doesn't line up on the sides compared to the dark red texture line. The light gray on the top is in the same position relative to the red printing, but on the questionable torso the light gray printing doesn't continue the dark red printing.
The dark red printing on the questionable torso seems to be in absolutely the correct position; the known torso seems offset a little to the left. Thus the observation that the light grey printing on the sides being out of place.
The light gray printing would be placed in a single pass, so I think your suspicion that this is a fake is not unreasonable, but given the imperfection of the original, I'm not willing to make a definitive call.


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What's this rod part?

Any ideas? I can't find a part number anywhere.

It's not LEGO, but a clone brand.

Are you sure? there were several of them and the plastic quality seems to match Lego. I have a pretty good knowledge of what is and isn't but the older stuff sometimes gets me which is where this was found.

if that bar is 3.18mm in size - then it is not LEGO. However there is a slim chance this is part of some disassembled/broken element. Could you take a picture with some other element of known dimensions, like brick or plate?

Added another picture. the tolerances seem very similar to a standard Lego rod. the hollow end can comfortably fit a rod as if some kind of extension, while the outside fits into a standard anti-stud or tube bottom. I thought maybe it could be similar to this old style propellor pin, or even some of the belville or Scala umbrella posts.

I've found it in mixtures before, and have always had to admit that it seems to be tantalizingly well-made non-Lego. I am fairly sure I never found it in a group of parts where everything else was Lego.

From the looks I do not recognize this items as any currently available LEGO element. You can confirm this my checking the hole end that fit the bar - for legit LEGO element you should find either LEGO logo there or "C" sign and Part ID.


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Why are 2x4 bricks hard to get in certain colors?
I'm new to the Lego community, so apologies if this is a dumb question.
I am trying to understand how best to get hold of 2x4 bricks in a variety of colors in the brown and green spectrum but am a bit confused as to why they're apparently hard to get hold of at a reasonable price. I already have some from some Classic sets I picked up, but only a few from each. I'm just looking to scale up significantly on how many of these blocks I own so that I can build something large with them.
Pick a Brick doesn't even show brown and dark brown as options, for example. Meanwhile, BrickLink has only a handful of dark brown bricks available at rather expensive prices.
I (naively?) thought that 2x4 bricks would be some of the easiest to get hold of, regardless of the color.
What am I missing here? Is there a genuine shortage of these bricks? Is there a better way for me to get my hands on them?

Ah, I remember when I received this sculpture model based on the 40235 Year of the Dog set which contained nearly 300 medium nougat 2x4 bricks (with extras), at the time a very uncommon color appearing only in 12 sets in small quantities (much easier to find now). Still nowhere near as rare as the dark orange of 40235, which I suspect is why they went with medium nougat instead, but yeah.

Prices of bricks are determined by supply and demand, in your specific case, it is the supply side to blame. Check this site which shows how many sets was a particular colour of 2x4 brick contained in, and you'll see that there is no mention of the Dark Brown colour you are after. This means all such bricks for sale come from other sources than opened official LEGO sets that were parted out and sold by pieces, like designer bricks, not officially released sets and the like.
Brown bricks were found in 27 sets, but if you compare that number with the 650 sets for yellow ones, you'll see how it causes the difference in their prices (12 cents vs 53 for new ones sold in average in the last 6 months).
You haven't mentioned a concrete shade of green, but the numbers are similar in that area as well, except for the regular green: Olive Green (3), Dark Green (50), Green (309), Sand Green (18).
The rarity of these shades are best explained by the official LEGO policy of refusing to produce sets depicting realistic military equipment from the contemporary era: see for more here.

Just because the 2x4 Brick is the most recognizable of all LEGO brick does not mean it also comes in all colors. You are looking for Dark Brown and Brown in your question:
Dark Brown is not a color in which LEGO has produced this brick before. This listing on BrickLink shows all the colors this particular brick has been produced in, just use the selector above the picture and browse through the “Known” colors.
Brown on the other hand is a color in which this brick was produced, but this color has not been produced by LEGO for the last 20 years as it was replaced by a slightly different shade of Brown called Reddish Brown. You will find many Reddish Brown 2x4 Bricks for sale on Bricklink, Pick a Brick as well as Bricks & Pieces (Lego.com->Support->Replacement Parts->Buy Bricks). Just look for part 3001. You will not find Brown listed at LEGO.com, but might find some in Bricklink, however, they might cost more due to their status as a retired color.

You may see that under "Known Colors" Dark Brown isn't listed, which means there are no records of this brick it particular color to appear in any of sets.
However, this doesn't mean that LEGO has never produced bricks in Dark Brown. The only difference is that these elements have been produced for certain purpose - most likely to build some large model or other non-retail needs.
This explains the rarity and the pricing.
And one more thing. 2x4 Brick also well known by its 3001 part ID is a (iconic) collectable item and people tend to pay these prices for odd colors. You may drool a little over this Flickr galery.

Lego bricks (not just 2x4 but any size) in certain colors - including dark green and brown - just happen to be rare and I think this is simply because Lego mostly refuses to sell those colors for no particular reason.
When I was young, the only dark green bricks I owned were 2 1x1 bricks which I found on the ground at Legoland.
So the most straightforward route to buying those colors is probably to go with a Lego clone brand.

I'd contest the "refuses to sell those colours for no particular reason" part, as there are for example 50 sets (as of now) containing the 1x1 dark green bricks you mentioned. Admittedly this pales in comparison to the 1000+ sets containing white 1x1 bricks, or 867 for black, but it's still a lot more than the 5 for pink, or the single set with a trans-neon orange one. See here for detailed statistics.

The Lego Group does have a reason for not producing bricks in those colors: they don't want children building realistic models of modern military equipment.

@zovits Yes, they're selling limited quantities of those colors but they're still quite rare.

Consider buying parts from Lego clone brands instead.
If you're looking to buy bricks in colors that the Lego company hesitates to produce, you might want to consider purchasing sets from clone brands that produce modular building bricks compatible with Lego brand bricks.
Because Lego refuses to produce sets depicting modern military equipment and vehicles, many of these clone brands do so to fill the niche that Lego has produced. With a quick web search, it appears that Mega Bloks, Lepin, and Best-Lock all do so, and I suspect that many of the others do as well.
While these bricks wouldn't be official Lego brand bricks, they are compatible with them, and would likely be referred to as "legos" by the uncritical consumer.


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In LEGO: How to build a revolving magazine rack for 2x3 tiles?
I've been trying for months to come up with a design or parts for a 4-sided spinning magazine rack, like the old wire-style you would see in book stores.  I need it to be fairly stable so I can put in/pull out 2x3 tiles [printed with magazine covers.]  The problem I'm having is the racks are so minimalist that i can't find the sweet spot between form & function.  Bonus points if the rack rotates, but not necessary.

I humbly bow down to those who can design such a rack and shower them with good karma (e.g., not finding bricks in the dark with your feet.)
A thousand thanks for your ideas or designs!
UPDATE:  Apologies for delays, I've got a lot going on, my LEGO are in storage and it's taken me days to find piece info on Brickset.  (I'm not very familiar with piece names.)
Here are some additional pieces I've tried, along with some clarifications...
The post of the magazine rack - this part seems simple enough: a flat tile with a technic pin and a series of other pins and bushings, with the option to stack in the actual rack building pieces.  Hopefully no images are required for this part.
The individual [magazine] racks - this is where I struggle.  My thought is some bar-type items, though I have tried other things like 1x2 plates with clips.  I think the racks/magazine holding parts probably need to be connected to the post at the top and bottom of each rack for stability, but a simpler design may work.  Some of the pieces I've tried for building the rack and it's connection point(s) to the post include:
= 2566: ASSEMBLY ELEMENT Ø3.2

= 4733: Brick 1x1 w/ 4 knobs

= 40244: TUBE 1 M Ø4.85 W. (rotated 90 degrees: pin hole for post, clips for racks)

= 98397: HANDLEBAR W/3.2

= 243226: CLAMP 1X2

= 2540: PLATE 1X2 W. STICK

= 48336: PLATE 1X2 W. STICK 3.18

= 4623: PLATE W. HOOK 1X2

= 3839: MINI HANDLE

= 53989: BAD ROBOT ARM

= 30377: SPACE SKELETON ARM

= 30374: LIGHT SWORD -

Again, a truly sincere thanks for anyone who can come up with a design.  This magazine rack will be part of a tributary diorama for a dear, dear friend.  Thank you for your considerations.
Here are two more parts I've tried or considered using...
= 98284: LegoPlate, Round 2 x 2 with Pin Hole and 4 Arms Up

= 48723: LegoTechnic, Axle Connector Hub with 4 Bars and Pin Hole

...and also this, thinking it would be better for two attachment points, but with no success...
= 35366: [Part 35366] Bar 2 1/4 x 5 1/4 Double Squares (BrickHeadz Glasses Square)

How many tiles (newspapers) would you want to fit, would around 12 be enough?

Can you share your attempts? This would help understanding the scale you are working on and options you've tried.

Thanks for the replies & inquiries!  I think 3 tiers high/12 "magazines" total would be ideal.  I have mostly been trying to work with "bar" items for the racking (think - Handlebar/98397; 1x2 clamp/2432;  plate 1x2 w/ stick/2540; plate 1x2 w/ stick 3.18/48336;  plate w/ hook 1x2/4623;  mini handle/3839, etc.)  I've also tried using robot arms(e.g. 53989), space skeleton arms (e.g.30377) & standalone bars/rods. For the support rod, I figured something Technic [pin-]based, including some frictionless pin sleeves w/ 4 clips (can't find part #.) I'm new to MOCS, so I assume it's my ignorance.

More specifically to Alex; sorry, I disassembled all failed attempts.  I'm trying to come up with more pieces I tried, but I'm [hopefully!] getting ready to move and all my LEGO are in storage.  My rack won't really be accurately scaled to minifig size because the smallest usable "magazine" size there is [for me] is a 2x3 tile.  1x2 tile's dimensions are not proportionate nor allow more detailed magazine images.  I imagine the rack to be 2-3 racks/"shelves" high.  I've been trying to find some more of the parts I tried on Brickset, so I will post again when I find them.

Following an update I suggest ditching Brickset parts catalog and use Bricklink or Rebrickable instead. Those two are easier to use and have so much more details.

Thanks for that tip, Alex.  Will do!

My apologies for any late gratitude for folks who took the time to reply & validate. I've gotten several bits of hard-to-swallow news lately & my focus has been poor. A truly heartfelt THANKS to those who've proposed suggestions! I really appreciate your creativity & the sacrifice of your time. Your ideas have been great! I was hoping to keep the design down to a single pole & was excited to find parts 2566, 98397, 98284 & 48723.  Not sure if there are more practical parts. How can I show my gratitude to IvanSanchez & Chronocidal? Can I share points or help with your Q's?  I'm good w/ Excel.

@LEGOSam Contributors on SE usually volunteer their time and expertise because they like helping others, and not for any services in return. However, your expression of gratitude certainly is welcome, additionally you can upvote their answers to grant them Imaginary Internet Points (aka. reputation). You can (and should) accept any answer that has helped you the most by clicking on the checkmark icon on the left side, as outlined in the [tour] and in detail in the [help]. Hope that helped, happy building!

I'm gonna suggest a different, non-conventional approach. This revolves around offsetting some 6016 3x4 grille, so each 2x3 tile fits through several grilles at once:

For an even more minimalistic look, rely on 4733 1x1 brick with studs on 4 sides and 2555 1x1 tile with clip, then add your own 1x1 brick/plate column:

Given the difficulties of making this kind of build look both minimalist and functional, I'm gonna suggest something that some people might see as a heresy: mod your bricks by cutting them. Cut the bottom-most grille so that only one slot (instead of three) remains, and cut the next-to-bottom-most grille so that only two slots remain.
In other words: in the following image, cut by the red line.

Beware of some safety precautions and advice when cutting plastic. Do wear safety goggles.
To prevent the 2x3 tiles from slipping through too far, consider blocking the slot nearest to the column with a disembodied 983 minifig hand (available in black):

Ivan, you are amazing (heresy aside, of course. ;-D)  Totally out of the box thinking here, to my mind, and a great inspiration.  Can't tell you how much I appreciate your time and wisdom.  I can't start my build until the summer, but I will try to remember to share my final results in this thread.  Bless you, Ivan, you are the wonderful.

I suggest using 4175 1x2 plate with ladder together with 3839 1x2 plate with handles SNOTted together with the help of 4070 1x1 brick with headlight, one 2x2 plate and 2 1x2 plates, like so:

Yes, the whole thing is upside-down. This is normal.
This contraption will hold the 2x3 tile snugly, thanks to the offset provided by the lip of the headlight brick. The handle plate will prevent the tile from sliding to the sides while allowing the tile to wiggle a bit. This can be seen in this top view:

Build a few of those, and place them on top of each other in a ladder-like manner, like so:

Add an upside-down 2x6 plate with a 3937 1x2 hinge brick base plus 3938 1x2 hinge brick top, so the entire structure hangs, like so:

...add a column to the center of the 2x6 plate, and the rest is pretty much symmetrical. It might be possible to attach extra hinged plates at the base of the structure for extra stability.
Unfortunately, this design is somewhat bulky. I cannot think (right now) of any other slanted-SNOT design that is more compact. On the plus side, this slanted design offers perfect functionality when getting tiles in/out of the racks.
If you want more than one 2x3 tile per rack, or a looser fit, try getting rid of the headlight bricks, rotating the handle plates 90°.

EDIT: I've been fiddling a bit with your suggestions of 98397 Utensil handlebars and space skeleton arm... just to remember about the existence of other arm pieces like 93061 Arm Skeleton, Bent with Clips at 90 degrees. Together with some 85861 1x1 plate round with open stud, 63965 Bar 6L and 4032 2x2 plate round, it's possible to do something like:

However, I'm not entirely sure if the bent skeleton arms will have enough grip. If they do not, some of the handlebar pieces might drop, and individual racks might rotate out of place.
Note that I'm using four bars there - using one bar doesn't provide enough room, and the individual racks would collide with each other. Hence the 1x1 round hollow plates.

Would your last design (with the handlebars) work with these and these, for a little extra support?

With a 8L or 10L axle? I guess it would work, but after fiddling with LeoCAD to make a prototype, I think that design has a flaw: the 2x3 tiles would slide towards the central axle and clash with each other. Right now I'm wondering towards 30033 2x2 plate with octagonal frame AKA 75937, plus 2 clips via 1x1 plates e.g. 4085.

Thanks again, Ivan. I very genuinely appreciate your efforts & time. Your 2nd design is much closer to what I was looking for. I've been reluctant to recognize your answer just yet for fear that it would end the discussion, but you definitely deserve props so I have liked your answer.  Hopefully that won't close the topic, but I didn't want to wait any longer to [tangibly] recognize your efforts and ideas.  If I can figure out how to put a bounty up, I may try to do that, too.  Thanks to ALL for their support with ideas AND suggestions for how to better help & interact with the community.

You're welcome, @LEGOSam ;-) BTW do try a design with 30033.

Perhaps try 4 copies of Plate, Modified 1 x 2 with Bar Handle on Side with Free Ends, for the "base" of each level, with Flag 2 x 2 Square as the "rack"?, and 2x2 bricks (square or round) up the centre?  Then stick the whole thing on a 2x2 turntable base.
Depending on clutch strength, you might need another part on the diagonals, to stop the flags from opening out too wide.

Thanks, Chronocidal!  The design isn't exactly "it", but I do like the possible idea of using flags.  Many thanks for your time, considerations, and suggestion!


text:
Fix Power Functions cable near connector (L motor)
We have a broken cable on the power functions L motor. I've fixed an M-motor before in the engine, but this time the cut is near the connector.
Unlike the M-motor, this connector doesn't have the clips to open.
How can this connector be opened to shrink the wire?
The L-motor has a different connector than the M-motor, it looks like this:

Since there are no visible clips on the connector, it is probably not possible to open it without damaging it. Instead, you could purchase an 8886 or 8871 extension wire and use it to replace the entire cable (assuming you can open the motor).

It doesn't look like solid plastic completely, since there is a line halfway. I will try your solution, after which we won't have a need for the connector anymore, so we can destroy it to see if someone in the future can benefit of the knowledge.


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Grapes on the vine
I'd like to build a lego winery, similar to
this one
It looks like he's using the purple ice cream scoops  for grapes, right?
How do you think those are attaching to the plants?
How might I create something more like a rectangular vine/trellis area with vines and grapes on the vines?
My current plan involves using a trellis fence and vines somehow, but I'm not sure about the specifics.  Any suggestions?

could you possible thread a hose, soft axle 7L through a trellis fence and then plug the ice cream scoops onto the other end?

There are a lot more pictures in the author's Flickr album for this model.

Leaves and grapes are attached using Bar 1L with Clip Mechanical Claw

Thanks for the help Hugo. Can you elaborate on that just a bit?

Leaves holes are pushed into the bar part of "Bar 1L with Clip Mechanical Claw". The clip part is attached to the redish brown horizontal 3L bar that serve as support. Same thing for the grapes. And then you can give them the desire angle.

Thanks hugo.  I dont think the clip part will clip to a mesh fence right?

No it won't. An alternative if you really want to use a mesh fence is to use a "Carrot Top / Twig" or" Plant Stem with 3 Leaves and Bottom Pin" instead of the "Bar 1L with Clip Mechanical Claw". Simply push the bar part through the fence holes then push it in the leaves hole.

Might be a bit bulky (and my apologies for not verifying feasibility: my LEGO are all in storage for an upcoming move), but might something like this work, albeit bulkily?
1.) take a 1x1 brick with two SNOT studs on opposing sides and turn it upside down
2.) place a leaf on the top (hole end/"bottom" 'cause the 1x1's inverted) and one on one of the SNOT (side) studs
3.) place the grapes on the stud of the inverted 1x1
4.) Use the remaining SNOT (side) stud and attached the plant to the fence.  I believe that the diamond lattice can fit a stud.
5.) separately, wrap a string with studs on either end around various elements and the fence to create the vines.  (Though I like Monte Gardner's idea of hoses much better.  :))

Is there a brick with studs on both sides?

Yes, 47905.  https://brickset.com/parts/design-47905 .  You could also use one with four SNOT studs if you wanted more vegetation, https://brickset.com/parts/design-4733 .


text:
Is this part real LEGO or a knockoff?
I bought a LEGO lot off craigslist a few days ago with some sets and some bulk parts. It included some parts that appeared to have been bought in bulk (maybe pick-a-brick?). It also had some random non-lego pieces as we all know is standard to find in these large bulk lots.
Amongst the bulk, I found around 40 of a 1x1x6 support pillar in dark blue color. The part seems somewhat rare and they go for around $5/ea on bricklink, but I'm having a difficult time figuring out if they are real LEGO.
Pictures of said part:

Evidence:

Top stud is hollow which Bricklink says is a normal variant of the
part.
It looks the same as the 3D model of the hollow stud part on Bricklink.
There is no LEGO logo or part number anywhere that I can see.
There is a small seam that runs along the full length of the part on opposite sides.
There is a small number on the outside of the part on the bottom of the rounded section.
The part is the correct dark blue color when compared to other dark blue LEGO pieces.
The part feels like LEGO and has the new LEGO sheen.
I have other parts in my bulk collection that are basically the exact same as these. I would never have questioned that they were real LEGO before I found these.
They were only produced in three sets from 2006/2007: Cafe Corner (4), Piraka Stronghold (6), and The Chum Bucket (4).

Where did he get 40 of them at? Does anyone have parts like this in an official set that you KNOW are real that I can compare them to? Does anyone specifically have one of the three sets this part was found in and can help me do a comparison?
I would obviously like to sell these at some point if they were real, but don't want to sell someone fake LEGO. Thank you for any help!

Hi MNAK_ and welcome to Bricks.SE! This is a wonderful first question, detailed and well-researched, way to go! Make yourself at home here, read the [help] and take the [tour] to see what our community is about and how do we operate. I'll check my parts collection if I can find this at home in the evening to see if your part is consistent with a known genuine part from the Piraka Stronghold.

This brick on Bricklink

I've shuffled through my pieces collection and found sadly none in dark blue, but all 17 I've found in either old grey or red have the same attributes you mention:

Top stud is hollow, with an H-shaped cutout
There is no LEGO logo or part number anywhere
There is a small seam that runs along the full length of the part on opposite sides
There is a small number (between 2 and 8) on the outside of the part on the bottom of the rounded section
The part feels like LEGO and has the new LEGO sheen

Single-digit number at the bottom:

H-shaped cutout in the hollow open stud:

Seam running over the opposite sides:

I'm 100% sure these are all genuine LEGO pieces, the red ones from 7419: Dragon Fortress.

I appreciate the time and the pics. This looks exactly like what I have, I'm pretty sure they're real at this point. Thanks!

@MNAK_ You're welcome, but considering the answer from Joost and the comment by Alex I'm starting to get doubts about whether the mould has been updated since. I'm still sure my pieces are original, but if theirs are too, there is no net new information gained.

And, of course, this supports Lego's policy of not just throwing their old moulds in the dumpster out back.

Is there value in accurately weighing 10 pieces and providing an average weight for one?   OP might weigh theirs and find its half the weight implying fake, or similar weight implying identical.

@Criggie it could discover an inconsistency, which would strongly indicate the non-originality of the part. But if the weights are close enough, they could still be different makes (although with the number of similarities increasing the likelihood of any knock-offs among them is decreasing). See in this answer the paragraph starting with "And in the unthinkable case".

My best guess, they are fake.
Mainly because of point 4 & 5

Lego is always very keen on hiding the seam caused by the molding
Lego include in most molds a mound number but they are always hidden out of view.
Can you read the number?

I don't have this version of the part but the other non-hollow one in white. I checked for these two marks and couldn't find either a seam or number on them.
The cafe corner as a modular building has always been a very popular set and therefor copied by the different clone brands. You can still get 1 for 80-90 USD, which can explain why you got 40 of them.

I'e checked with elements I have and confirm that points 4 and 5 you've mentioned are valid - LEGO element doesn't have a seam at all and no numbers are visible on exterior (inside as well).

I would normally agree which is why I'm so uncertain. I've just never found fake LEGO that feels so much like the real thing, and the fact that I and others have parts in their collection that look the same leads me to believe that they're real. Thanks for taking the time to respond.


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Take off a small 1x1 piece from bigger LEGO surface
In general, what is the best approach to take off small pieces from a surface like the one in the picture?

How to proceed
What should I do if

I don't want to deal any damage to LEGO itself?
I want to take it off as soon as possible?
I want to do it in the simplest way possible?

to use this beloved thingy

I would also suggest this technique, it doesn't involve scratching the underside of the plate and it doesn't have to be this exact piece.

I just use my thumb nail.

Any part that has a stud on the surface can be fairly easily removed by using leverage from a different large part added to the top of it. This takes advantage of the inherent "clutch power" of the stud/anti-stud connection and the increased surface area of the larger part to concentrate the force used to remove the part in a lateral direction.
For example, by placing a 1x6 plate over the trans-yellow 1x1 plate and then pushing the 1x6 plate away from the trans-orange plate will likely pull the trans-yellow plate up fairly easily.
LEGO also produces a purpose built tool called the Brick Separator that uses both that technique as well as giving additional leverage by pushing the part with the under or over-hanging ledge on the top and bottom of the front of the tool.

so take a thin lego piece and use it to make the small piece fly off

How would you use it? Could you provide a description, illustration or photo?


text:
Need help to identify a piece - green, like a 1x2 plate with 4 angled cubes hanging off at odd angles
Can you please help me to identify this?
I have no idea what to do with it.

That's a Creeper torso (officially 19734 Creature Torso Blocky with Cube Feet). If you're familiar with Minecraft, you'll probably recognize it once you know the context:

every single time its one I know the answer to...someone gives a way better response than I would have.


text:
What is this 2x10 part with a center console and two holes?
I am fairly sure this part is from earlier than 1990. On the bottom are the characters "A" and "4". I checked Bricklink for yellow 2x10 parts but couldn't find anything. The 2x5 side with the cutout at the bottom is one level higher than the 2x4 back part.

This is
Part # 870 : Vehicle Tractor Chassis Base 11 x 2 x 3


text:
Most cost efficient length for pneumatic hoses?
As the title says, I would like to know what the most cost efficient length of pneumatic hose (including 99021s) is, assuming the average length of each piece is 12cm (4.7") and I can cut large pieces.

Does color matter?

Here are all the 4 mm diameter pneumatic tube parts Bricklink knows about.
For each of these (filtered by color if necessary) we can take the part (for example Hose, Pneumatic 4mm D. 40L / 32.0cm), check its average sale price in the "Price Guide" tab (in this case at the time of writing US $2.66), then divide that by the length to get the unit price (US $0.044 for a LEGO unit or $0.083 for a cm). Repeating the process for all available lengths will result in a list of unit prices, sorting that gives you the best price to length ratio.
Or if you are looking to buy the cheapest piece from which the most 12cm pieces can be cut, you can then perform an integer division on the original length and arrive at the price of a single 12cm part for each avaialble length. For example, the 32 cm piece above nets you 2 pieces of 12cm lengths, so its unit price is $1.33. Whereas the 428 cm piece is currently on sale for $53.05, and can be cut into 35 pieces of the desired 12cm length, so it gives us $1.51 as unit price.
For reference, the actual 12cm piece costs on average $7.45, but the twice as long 24 cm one is sold for $0.75 on average, so there seems ot be no easy way besides checking and calculating the relevant prices for each available length.
The actual computations and sorting I leave to you or to other site contributors.

As per my knowledge, community's stand on pneumatic hoses is that they are not produced by LEGO but are sources from 3rd party. So it is somewhat OK to use 3rd party pneumatic hoses as a replacement. These are far more reasonably priced as well.
There is an option to buy pneumatic hoses by length starting at €2.50 per meter.
Disclaimer. I'm not affiliated with shared resource. Just happen to know of this opportunity.


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Which is better for youngsters to learn - LEGO Mindstorms for LabVIEW or Scratch?
I have a lot of laptops with the 'old' LabVIEW Mindstorms.  I am about to start teaching Lego robotics to a homeschooling group I'm a part of.
Here's what I have:

a few old Windows laptops with the LabVIEW Mindstorms
my Mac running Big Sur (that therefore cannot run the LabVIEW Mindstorms)

I can do a few things to make this work, like I can finagle running the old Mindstorms on the new macOS - (or try to anyhow).
But my question is: Would it be worth it? Assuming that its not impossible for me to run the old LabVIEW on my laptop AND assuming I can run the newer programs on the OLD laptops. Which would be better to teach "today's students"?
Is there something about the LabVIEW that would be worth kids learning over using scratch to program these robots?
I hope this all makes sense - its late and my head is spinning from all the information!
Thank you in advance!
ETA: The age group I'm teaching will be 13-15.

I don't have a good answer, but others who do might be helped by knowing what ages you're looking at. Also, I tell people it's better to have a short-term solution that the kids actually use over a lasts-forever method that they give up on. Is there any harm in just starting with Scratch, and possibly moving to more advance software if it seems appropriate? Whatever gets them hooked is best!

That's certainly good advice - especially if one is easier to catch on to.
The target age group is 13/14/15 although we'll dip into some younger siblings to keep them occupied if its at all possible.

Questions soliciting opinions are not the best for the format of this Q&A site since there isn't a "correct" answer. But my opinion is that if you have enough computers with the old software on it, go with it. If the students already have extensive experience with Scratch, it might be worth trying the new programming software (requires Windows 10), otherwise probably not worth it. See https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/11416/will-the-lego-mindstorms-ev3-software-run-on-macos-10-15-catalina for info about macOS and the LabView software.

I have used Scratch and I did use Lego Mindstorms. I would prefer Scratch because its easier to learn the codes and there is way more coding blocks. Just that its a bit harder to connect your robot to Scratch so just follow their instructions carefully. Hope this helped.


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What are the differences between Studio 2 and LDcad when working with Technic and EV3?
Information regarding different software has come up over the years, but I am looking for something current.
My goal is to create instruction books for some of my designs. Previously I used LDD, which was great for what it was, but frustrating to use with Technic parts and especially gears. And trying to get instructions out of it for a child to follow was.... But hey, it was free and worked. I'm ready to move on.
I will be working on a Windows system and my goal is to turn some models into a set of instructions. I will be working with WeDo 2.0, EV3, Boost and Spike Prime. LDD was great for slapping basic models together really quick but getting gears to align was a chore and linkages were impossible. From what I have heard Stud.io 2 has a great system for putting instructions together and a good rendering program built in. I am also interested in learning curves. How long does it take to get up to speed each program?
So simple question, what are the pros and cons for each program (keeping in mind my goals).

Please note that I think that software preference can very often be based on many factors that are difficult to enumerate and sometimes even more difficult to express. That said, I think there are a few important differences between the two specific pieces of software that you referenced that could be useful for answering your question. (Also note that my impression of LDCad is based on a much more limited experience as I am more often a Bricklink Studio user.)
Interface
Bricklink Studio's interface is more similar to your previous software, LDD, in that by default it has "part snapping" enabled. The default camera viewport behavior is also similar in that clicking and dragging using the left and right mouse buttons perform very similarly (though not identically).
LDCad's interface is much more reminiscent of actual CAD/CAM system interfaces and can take some work to get used to. The default viewport behavior is very different from LDD. It also does not have "part snapping" turned on by default but instead uses "grid snapping" by default. It does have "part snapping" available though, as the documentation notes, the behavior can be somewhat inconsistent.
Automatic rotation
Bricklink Studio includes a certain amount of automatic rotation when adding new parts to a model that can help in many instances. For example, if you add an axle to a model, rotate that axle slightly, then add a gear to that model Studio will most likely automatically rotate the gear to fit the axle for you. That said with even a few parts it is likely you will have to rotate one or more parts in order to get them to mesh well in the model. Again, studio does make this relatively simple since you can pretty easily select multiple parts and rotate the collection on a single point.
LDCad does not appear to do any automatic rotation when adding new parts though it does allow rotating multiple selected parts.
Flexible Parts
Bricklink Studio has a very small set of flexible parts and is pretty much limited to axles, hoses, chains, and studded strings.
LDCad includes a much larger selection of flexible parts, importantly for Technic based builds: rubber bands. There is a learning curve associated with using them, but that they are present at all is a huge plus.
Instruction Generation
Bricklink Studio includes a mode that enables relatively easy generation of instructions. I have personally found it to be pretty decent but still need to usually tweak the output a bit to make some steps clear.
I did not find any default support for instruction generation in LDCad but since it is using LDRAW files by default it would be relatively easy to use those files in one of the several instruction generators that are available separately.

Nice answer. Not sure if this something of intetest, but I would like to note the fact Studio requires much more hardware resources than LDCad.

I find that to be somewhat mixed.  LDCad does better with less memory but Studio doesn't get much out of a better GPU. Seems like kind of a wash on CPU though.


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Is it possible to power supply an EV3 hub through the battery slot with 10 V?
I have two USB power banks that according to USB standard supply 5 V. I want to power my EV3 brick using my two USB power banks wired in series and to the EV3 battery slot.
Can I power supply an EV3 hub through the battery slot with 10 V?

Don't ever put power-banks in series or paralel !!! They are not plain batteries.
Unless you are an electrical engineer that understands the exact circuitry inside the power-banks this is in general NOT safe.
Wiring multiple power-banks together can lead to serious problems. Like premature wear on the power-banks or even damaging them completely (as in "overheating until they catch fire").
And, in this case you don't need to as David already said in his answer. One should suffice.

Yes. The EV3 technically only needs 5V to run. And just the EV3 by itself pulls around 200mA at that voltage. However, motors could be a problem. They can pull up to 1A when stalled, which could overload the power supply. Without knowing the technical specifications of the actual power supply, it is hard to say what it is actually capable of.

Aren't there some typical values for power banks? Even the cheapest ones seem to be able to deliver at least 2.5 A.


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How do I tell if LEGO bricks are fake?
I recently bought a large lot of LEGO bricks, come to find out that more than half are fake. There are some minifigures that are real and some are obvious fakes, but the Minecraft ones I can’t tell. Do all Minecraft minifigure parts have “LEGO” logo on them like other LEGO elements, or did I get scammed?

on top of their torsos, on the neck there should be lego mark on top. can you check? and under legs too.

Hi CliffGang! Please check the answers provided on the page linked as the duplicate. If those do not answer your question to your satisfaction, please edit your original post to incorporate additional details, or add a comment here to let us know you are still looking for an answer.


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What is the max current for the EV3 I/O port's VCC pin (pin 4)?
The LEGO EV3 Hardware developer kit says that the fourth pin of input or output port provides a voltage of 5 volts but doesn't give the the maximum current that can be drawn from the pin.
What is the max current that can be drained from the VCC pin (pin 4 at 5V)?

As seen in the schematics, pin 4 of all of the input and output ports plus the 5V on the USB host port is connected to VCC5V/VCC5VIGEN, which is supplied by U23 (the analog/digital converter is also connected to this, but current draw for that is negligible). U23 is a TPS2041BDBVR which limits the current to 1A and has a continuous current of 500mA.
So all ports and USB need to be considered at the same time and must not exceed 500mA on average or 1A peak.


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Which Harry Potter sets are these?
A very generous person gifted many 20-year-old Harry Potter sets to my son. All but this set of pieces had instructions and boxes. I’m not sure what is left. For minifigs there’s Harry, Dumbledore, Draco, a suit of armor, and a Phoenix. Any ideas as to what these are?

On the left of the image, you have 4730-1 The Chamber of Secrets, and on the right of the image you have 4709-1 Hogwarts Castle
The Chamber of Secrets came with Minifigs of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Gilderoy Lockhart, Ginny Weasley, and Tom Riddle, as well as a Basilisk (giant snake) and Fawkes (Phoenix)
Hogwarts Castle came with Albus Dumbledore, Draco Malfoy, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Severus Snape, Rubeus Hagrid, Peeves, and a Knight.
While available as separate sets, they also came together in a "kit" with the addition of 4705-1 Snape's Classroom

Thank you SO much for your help. It looks like we’re likely missing some pieces, but no matter. We’re still happy to have them.


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What Mega Bloks set is this? Purple-ish, roughly egg-shaped vehicle

I need the theme and set name please.

This is part of  megaconstrux set # 97110
Covenant Spectre Ambush

from the Halo theme

thanks man some how when i looked at a vid of all sets in halo theme it never showed this one

@LightEnder If the answer has helped you please take the time to accept it by clicking on the checkmark sign on the left side.


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Need help to identify this LEGO set - white, gold, grey, blue, and earth tones
I need help identifying this LEGO set. I lost the box. I just have the pieces in their plastic package.

I looks like it is some of the parts of Master Wu Dragon, set number 70734.

It's the only set which contains both Pearl Gold Wedge 4 x 3 Open with Cutout and 4 Studs and Dark Orange Slope, Curved 4 x 1 Inverted according to Bricklink.

You can see bag #3 in this unboxing video; https://youtu.be/NjsXwlUhnJY?t=79

Bingo! thank u! You got it right , the set is the bag 3 of  70734,so can someone give me a link to the booklet to be able to build it

@Hiba You can find instructions for most sets on lego.com: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions/search?q=70734


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LEGO 3069 tile 1x2 (dark?)grey with red and gold pattern and with yellow and white pattern
Does anyone know the exact names of the tiles or which set they belong to?
Gold and Red

Yellow and White

Wow this is old LEGO. I had this pieces something like 20 yeas ago.

The bottom one is used in several sets as recent as 2020. It's been around for about 20 years.

The first tile is Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Copper and White Circuitry, Red Rectangle and 4 Squares Pattern

Appearing in these 10 sets.
It looks like yours is Dark Gray.
The second tile is Tile 1 x 2 with Groove with Vehicle Control Panel Pattern

Appearing in these 82 sets.
It looks like yours is Dark Bluish Gray.


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What is the max current for the LEGO EV3 motors (pin 1-2)?
The LEGO EV3 Hardware developer kit says that the first and second pin of output port provides a current of max of 700 mA with 1 A  but the motors appendixes don't have the maximum current that can I (safely) supply to the motor.
What is the max current that the motors can safely drain?

It is important to consider not just the current itself but also the amount of time that the current is applied. Since the motors are not 100% efficient, there is energy lost to heat. If there is too much heat, the motor will be damaged.
So, while it is no problem to run the motors at maximum current by stalling the motor for a short amount of time (a few seconds), it is not OK to stall it for a long period of time. I accidentally did this once with an EV3 medium motor and I noticed the problem after a few minutes because I could smell a burning smell coming from the motor. I have also been at LEGO conventions where motors are running all day long. Even though they are not stalled, some of the motors eventually quit working and have to be replaced.
The motors themselves do have internal protection that is supposed to cut off power to prevent overheating problems due to too much power for too long (see R7 in both the large and small motor schematics in the hardware developer kit and datasheets). But based on my experience, it doesn't seem like a good idea to completely rely on this protection.
So unfortunately, I don't have an exact answer in amps. But if you are running the motor for short periods of time with plenty of time in-between to cool down, it should be OK no matter what the current is.

For reference, these are my best guess for the data sheets for R7.

Large Motor
Medium Motor

The amperage drawn by any motor depends on the voltage supplied and the resistance (load) on the axle. Even if you provide the motor with more ampers than it could safely take, it will only consume as much as the voltage and load require.
As for the maximum value that each motor can draw when supplied with 9V, potentially unlimited amperage and given an unlimited load to move (stalled), see the comprehensive component characteristics comparison compilation by Philo. Here we can see that when given 9V, the EV3 large and medium motors will consume 1.8 A and 780 mA respectively when stalled, so those are the maximum values they can draw from any 9V power supply.
See also this Q&A over at Electronics.SE about motors, the relevant values and their relations.

Should be noted that the maximum safe sustained current is less than 1.8A. The Ev3/NXT motors contain thermistors that cut power to the motor when the temperature raises too high, so the motors cannot consume 1.8A for very long.


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Which lego set is this shuttle from?
I found this shuttle in my old LEGO box. I tried to find the instruction but couldn't. Do you know which set this is from?

This is from set 7151 Sith Infiltrator from the first wave of Starwars sets from 1999.

It is the only set that contains Windscreen 3x6x5 Bubble with that cockpit pattern, as visible on this picture:

Wow your right thank you. I have the long Part also partly together but didn't think it is one ship. No wonder I didn't find anything by searching for Tie Fighter xD


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Is there any way of knowing how many bags came with a set?
I have just acquired 9474 Battle of Helm's deep and have some others where the box is open and I don't know if all the bags are in there. For example this set it looks like bag one has been opened, and I have three bags each of 2 and 3.

I have reworded your question title slightly so that hopefully other people with a similar problem can find a solution. (We also have had similar questions before but they tend to have the same answer)

Instructions
If you cannot find a review, most sets detail which bags you will be using for each stage within the included instructions. LEGO provide a easy lookup for most instructions included in sets if you do not have a physical copy.
Online reviews
An easy way to find out these sort of things is to find a review online, for sets of this size there are often quite lengthy details.

A total of 9 bags, each with 1 or 2 smaller bags inside.

Weight
To be sure you could also weigh all the bags, add them up and deduct it from the known weight (subtracting the box and instruction weight). Physical information of sets including dimensions and weights can be found on LEGO set databases like Brickset.com

thanks for the link, not a site I have found before.

The instructions in two recent large sets I had easy access to check (Colosseum, and Lamborghini Sian) only indicate which numbered stage you're on, they don't indicate how many numbered bags the stage consists of.  For the Sian each stage is in its own sub-box so that shouldn't be a major headache when I start building it. For the Colosseum though, with 40 stages and 2-5 (typically 3) numbered bags per stage I had to pre-sort everything to be able to build with any confidence.  In neither case would the manual be of help to the OP.

@DanIsFiddlingByFirelight You are absolutely right. Building instructions don't say how many bags of a given number are needed. And some of the larger sets don't have any bag information at all in the instructions (e.g the 2012 Sopwith Camel plane I just build a few weeks ago). You can also have some unnumbered bags (PF motors and/or large/oddly shaped/transparant pieces). A review or "unboxing" video on YouTube is the only way to be sure, if it shows enough detail.

@Tonny For small sets it is rare and I suppose you can also try following along with the instructions whilst visually inspecting the bags.

@Ambo100 At 1368 pieces I wouldn't call Battle of Helms Deep a small set. I would call it medium. (Opinions will differ on what is "small", but I think of small as build-time less than about 2 hours. With my usual build-speed that amounts to 500-800 pieces depending on complexity of the build.) Visually inspecting closed bags is not easy. It is doable I suppose to determine if you have all bags, if you can match the larger bricks and specialty pieces in each stage with the bags.

@Tonny. I am not saying it is small by any means, I meant to be speaking as a general rule. For smaller sets (let's say less than 500) pieces, basically most sets that you might buy (sets in the CITY line for example).


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MINDSTORMS 51515 exporting code
I have created a MOC that I am going to put on Rebrickable. But the code is so complex I can’t do what I normally do and take a screen shot of the code and they replicate it. Does anyone know how if possible to upload the .lms files I found on my iPad to a Windows computer. I have the transfer of the files from iPad to Windows but I don’t have the ability to use a Windows computer to test opening it.

I don't have an iOS device, but in the Android/ChromeOS version, there is a Share option when you click the ⋮ button next to the project name. You can use this to email the project, send it to Dropbox/OneDrive/Google Drive, etc. The exact options will depend on which other apps you have installed. The shared project (.lms file) can be opened by others on any OS with the same or newer version of the MINDSTORMS programming app.

Ok thanks for the help


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Reinforcing a pair of Bent Double 11.5 Liftarms under Rotational Tension
I purchased a clone MOC out of interest a few months back, this following set.

Because it does use clone pieces, I knew there was a high chance of breakage and poor fit, especially in the tensegrity arm actually supporting the upper structure. The arm failed today, so my plan is to replace and reinforce the original arms with official Technic parts.

My plan is to use the 5x3 L beams from Technic to alleviate the strain on the angled portion of the liftarm, which is taking a lot of weight. The arm, removed from the set, currently is bowed in due to the strain.

Because the snaps happened on the outside corner, I was wondering if attaching L beams on the outside or inside corners would be sufficient, or if there is another method of reinforcing this liftarm so that the stress in that region is reduced.

Adding the L beams in parallel with the liftarm would distribute tension to the L beams rather than just the angled bit, which should reduce the stress.
Alternatively, adding them underneath would (hopefully) add compression on the L beams in the opposite direction.
I believe that the official technic pieces should be a bit stronger on the replacement liftarms, but I'd like to reduce the strain in this area anyways, so alternative solutions are also welcome.

To keep the overall look, I would use one additional Technic, Liftarm, Modified Bent Thick 1 x 11.5 Double, part 32009, in trans-clear. Maybe add one to the other liftarms as well, to be sure that they don't break after a while. If your background is black, you could use black liftarms to make them even more invisible.

The replacement part is available in trans clear plastic, I would suggest using them to either replace the existing beams or be connected to either side. It will be a bit cheaper if you decide to use white beams instead.
The poor quality of the clone brand pieces is one thing, but I think you might want to consider tackling the issue of weight. If you are already happy with making modifications to the structure, consider removing or substituting some of the pieces in the floating castle.

Perhaps in addition to any modifications I would also suggest using a clear fast-setting super glue.
I use Loctite Clear Super Glue to adhere tips to my pool cue and it can last well until the tip has worn down. It is best to roughen up the surface a bit before applying the glue so that it adheres better.
Make sure you only glue the pieces and not the actual connections if you want to be able to dissemble the model. Give the glue plenty of time to set without putting any tension or compression on the joint.
The result will be nearly invisible, and could even be stronger than the original beams depending on the quality of plastic used.

Will try this out. Parts on the way. I bought both white and clear, going to see what I can do to swap out the weaker ones. White should be fine since it'll link into the cloud, and the illusion is already pretty breathtaking without the arms being clear.

Have you had any luck?

Sorry I took so long to get back, the parts got delayed and didn't get here until late this week. I managed to reinforce it successfully. I'll provide some pictures of what I actually did as an additional answer.


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Does this scabbard really exist?
My son has seen a kind of backpack scabbard in a Ninjago magazine, and would like to get a real one for his collection. It holds a single large sword - all the others he has hold two swords, either in parallel (in the style of the Witcher!) or in the form of a cross.

I have found this unofficial 3D model, but would rather be pointed towards the real thing if there is such a thing.

It seems to me drawn item might not represent existing element accurately. It is very close to Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pad Single with Scabbard for 2 Katanas. Could be pictured at an odd angle.

OR
Some modification of Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pads with Scabbard for Two Katanas and Bar Hole

The only one I could find for holding single katana is Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pad Single with Star Lettering and Scabbard for 1 Katana, but shoulder piece is covering minifigure's right side.

There are some other elements that could hold two katanas:
Minifigure Armor Shoulder Pads with Scabbard for Two Katanas

Minifigure Scabbard for Two Katanas


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Is there a catalog of Lego building techniques?
As a Lego noob watching Lego Masters, I spot certain techniques being used time and again, without any real explanation (Lego Masters is great for entertainment, but offers little to no instruction). For example, curves can be created by alternating 1x2 bricks and 1x1 "barrels" (or cones).
Is there any kind of online catalog of Lego techniques? Does such a thing exist? Not only would this allow me to learn more rapidly, but I could also refer to the technique by its correct name.

Related/duplicate? https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/7695/what-are-good-books-for-building-techniques-of-lego-technic?rq=1

@shoover I think the distinction is the other question is about books and this one is about an online resource. There is definitely some overlap (Similar topic, different medium). In my original answer I only included the books I could think of but I have added an online resource that I think may be more helpful.

@Ambo100, yeah, that's why I didn't flag it as a dup. It's definitely related, but not the same question.

@shoover Thanks for sharing it though! It looks like I made an edit to that question a few years ago so must have seen I often forget about these.

Swooshable has a great collection of SNOT (studs not on top) and advanced techniques, it is probably the closest thing you will get to an online catalogue.

They seem to have updated their SNOT section with some really pretty renderings, piece information, videos and step by step instructions. Most of the articles for advanced techniques lead to external sites.
There are also techniques for making LEGO fonts and an introduction to building techniques and many other cool things.

There are a also few books I can recommend, they are all from the same publisher (no starch press) but are probably the best resources.
The Unofficial LEGO Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition
I have both editions but I prefer the second as it is in full colour and much more compact. It covers among many other things:

Common vocabulary
Structural tips (Building round walls, bracing, columns, etc.)
Parts that can be used as substitutions
Advice on planning builds
Mosaics
Sculptures
An index of commonly used parts.

The Unofficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide, 2nd Edition
The best book there is for Technic builders, it covers the basic concepts, mechanics, pneumatics, motors and other more advanced concepts.

The LEGO Technic Idea Book: Simple Machines
Also covers Technic concepts but from a minimalist perspective. The techniques are presented purely visually so it is up to you to work out how they work. It's a good book to flick through to get inspiration.

If you aren't looking for anything in particular, you can also have a look at the top questions with the 'building' tag on this site.

These are excellent books.

Just added Swooshable which I completely forgot about but I think may be a better resource in regards to the question.

I think it is impossible to have a catalog of ALL building techniques. New solutions being invented each day using old and newly released parts.
There are couple of Flickr groups I could suggest for interesting solutions people end up with for their models:

LEGO Techniques
News LEGO Techniques

You can also stumble on NPU acronym in LEGO community, which stands for Nice Part Use. It is often used for naming a combination of elements connected in unusual way.
PS. Oh, and it is possible to build circles with usual, non-round bricks, you just need a bit of space:

I used to do that as a young kid with Duplo blocks; it was a lot of fun to build curved structures (tank treads, sadly, never held together though :()!

I'm working on a Youtube channel where I explain Lego techniques, but I only just started the project. I've got two videos right now.
Link to my channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCApO8jYdw4k8plpvEVI8zCQ

Hi Ben and welcome to Bricks.SE! Your channel has the potential to become the catalog of techniques OP asked for, just make sure to drop by here now and then to update this answer if you upload new videos.

Okay, I will do that!

@zovits it doesn't make sense to keep updating this answer with URLs to new videos. This would become a promo post, rather than an answer. I think it could actually be better to update answer with URL to channel, than individual videos.

@Alex I think I'll do that instead, it sounds much simpler.


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Can I use the EV3 IR Sensor with a power functions remote?
In other words, I want to control my Lego Mindstorms EV3 robot with my Lego
Power Functions remotes. The EV3 has an IR sensor, and the PF remotes are IR Remotes, but will they work together?

The EV3 IR Sensor is compatible with Power Functions 8885 remote the but not the 8879 remote.


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Lego Wedo 2.0 projects
I am new to Lego. Got an ESM for my son when the pandemic started. Now we got a Wedo 2.0. Please suggest me any good set of project instructions or book which will help him to learn.

By ESM do you mean the Early Simple Machines Set? How old is your son, what do you wish to help him learn?

Yes I meant Early Simple Machines. I just want to bring out creativity in him and help him to learn thinking in a structured way.

Instructions and project collections
LEGO's own WeDo project site is a great starting point.
NayaCreations' 65 projects on Brickssafe
Daniele Benedettelli's LEGO WeDo 2.0 Archives contains many projects, some free, some paid.
Youtube collections
Top 20 Wedo 2.0 in 2020 | Lego wedo projects.
22 Amazing creations by Lego Wedo 2.0


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LEGO Movie projector
A few years ago, I built a movie projector out of LEGO. I posted pictures of it in Wikipedia.
In the notes that explain these images, I explain that the width of the film is 31.4 mm.
Is it the right width, taking into account the play necessary for the operation of the mechanism?

Hi Bernard and welcome to Bricks.SE! This is a site focused on questions and answers about LEGO and other building bricks, but your question seems to be about the dimensions of a film strip, without any relevant connections to the LEGO system. Therefore I propose that your question be migrated to either Photography.SE or to Engineering.SE, where the community is better geared to answer this.

Hello zovits! The width of the film is conditioned by the thickness of four LEGO elements. This is why I am inquiring about the exact thickness of these elements ...
It's a bit the same thing when you build steam machines out of LEGO: you use the round brick as a piston and you slide it into a syringe body ... Regards, ~ Bernard

So if I understand correctly, you already know that the film strip is 31.4 mm wide, and that it is the same as four LEGO elements. What is the unknown variable? The exact dimensions of LEGO bricks? If so, here is an answer detailing just that. The last sentence about the steam machine and the syringe body is a bit confusing, I can't see how it is the same thing as advancing a film strip.

For other contributors: To see how the 4 elements width is to be understood in the context of this question, see the (mostly) LEGO model mentioned in the question here, found by following the links in the author's Wikipedia profile.

Sorry to say, but this question feels a bit fabricated to me in an attempt to create traffic to the author’s project. I fail to see the relevant question. Voting to close.

Hello everyone and hello and thanks to zovits for browsing to one of my sites and in particular to the page dedicated to my LEGO cinema projector.It is possible that my request for dimensions is a little too demanding (I would need the LEGO dimensions with the tolerances).
In fact, I found a few years ago that a 31.4mm wide film would fit well into the LEGO construction, but, as an engineer reflex, I would obviously like to find the tolerance to add to this code. nominal 31.4. It may be a bit complicated if there is no document giving the tolerances of the LEGO parts... Thank you again!

Hello Phil B. In French, we have an expression: "Do well and let people know". Both my cinema projector and my LEGO steam engines (these really working devices) are old projects. On my two sites, there is no advertising and I do not sell anything. These are only "sharing" sites (as is Wikipedia of which I am a frequent contributor). Having said that, I don't know the conventions of bricks.stackexchange.com and maybe my posts are not in accordance with them... I hope there is no offense. . There is just a great respect for mechanical LEGO constructions. Sincerely, Bernard

Perhaps rewording your question entirely could change community's view. Something along the line of "I have a space of 4 studs. What is the maximum width of a film I can put into this gap?" would work. Adding pictures and explaining your issue in more details also helps to provide a clear answer/advise.

Thanks Alex. Perhaps the question I am asking is too technical, although in practice I have learned a lot from the links provided by you. My question concerns the dimensional tolerances used by the LEGO company for the manufacture of its parts. The "nominal" dimensions have their interest (but you can measure them yourself with a caliper) but the tolerances are even more interesting. The problem is that they cannot be measured since each piece in practice has a slightly different dimension. In fact it appears to me with delay that these tolerances are not public data...


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Lego Commando Droid original or fake Legs
I have some LEGO Commando Droids. The torso, head and arms are original with the LEGO logo, but the legs have no logo. They do however have numbers on them (here 2, on others 4 or 3) The legs are in terms of form and material identical to the original legs.

The ones of mine I just looked at also seem to lack any copyright mark or the word Lego or part number. I sometimes wonder what the most recent piece Lego has made that lacks all these things.

It seems unusual that somebody would go through the effort to fake the legs but not the rest of the droid.
It also not uncommon for official LEGO parts to exclude either a part ID or LEGO copyright stamp, this could be because the part was manufactured before it was the standard but most likely through design considerations.
It looks like there are no flat/continuous surfaces where either of these markings could be made legibly and without spoiling the characteristics of the part.
Looking at official set photos as well as reviews seems to prove that these parts are most likely real.

Looking at the pictures of this element I found that some, probably early version, indeed have a part number in plain visibility. Sometimes when mold worn out and LEGO makes a new one they could update the location of the marking. Making it far less visible and using hair thin text.
I don't have this element to tell for sure if this element is fake or not. However, I could suggest couple of other places to look for. First, the most obvious one - check if logo and/or part number haven't moved to the very bottom of the legs (the under stud part of it).
Next option, which is a little more interesting and not as obvious, might be already seen on one of your pictures (below). Picture is a little fuzzy, but the shading tells me there could be some text rotated counter-clock wise.

I had gone to grab one because I had assumed it would have the logo molded under the feet. I also checked between the feet like in this photo. Mine doesn't have anything in either place.


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Motorized Excavator (8043) set alternatives
I'm on the search for a motorised excavator set and have the 8043 in mind. It is now retired and no longer available.
Are there any alternative currently available sets? I have looked at a few options including motorizing my 42006 set but it doesn't make sense financially.
My second question is, why are LEGO not replacing retired sets with current versions? Is it due to popularity? Design cost vs sales?

If you're willing to pay a premium, you can find new, sealed sets on bricklink.  I've done this from time to time with great success.

I'm afraid there is no other excavator in LEGO Technic line like 8043. It is quite unique in that it has both driving and its functions motorized. Which is why it keeps its value even on second hand market. In case your collection consist of more than 42006 set you can look into "bricklinking" 8043 set for yourself. That is, look into buying missing bricks to build 8043 set of your own collection. In fact, owning just 42006 set means you already have 45.3% of 8043.
If you are fine with fan designed LEGO model I can suggest looking at excavators on Rebrickable. All models have instructions (paid or free).
Answer to why LEGO doesn't keep same type of model for a long period of time is quite simple, I think. If you got excavator released two years ago (which is the usual life span for Technic models), you don't really need a new one. You'd probably want to get dump truck, super car, plane or some other model that you don't already have. And if you already got all the types, and LEGO keeps making sets of the same type you'd probably won't spend money on newer models, which is something LEGO doesn't want to happen.

Thank you for your answer. Whilst I understand the philosophy you have put forward, doesn't this mean that there will be generations gaps? IE the age group who becomes interested lego every 10 or so years don't have the models available to them and so that market is lost? I don't for one minute except Lego to change their business model but its interesting to understand.

@Jason Not everything that has been popular at certain time may be interesting these days. AFOLs have been asking to reboot Classic Space, Castle, Pirates themes as well as monorail, have more trains and do on for long time. These themes may no longer be popular for today's kids as they were back in the day. However LEGO does listen to their fans and do some smaller releases like Benny's Spaceship, Spaceship, SPACESHIP! (70816), Pirates of Barracuda Bay (21322) and upcoming Medieval Castle (31120) as a follow up on old themes. So who knows, we may get reboot of 8043 as some point as well.

Fair point. Thanks for all the comments.

The 8043 Motorized Excavator from 2010 is retired, but in 2019, LEGO released the 42100 Liebherr R 9800, an excavator in the PoweredUP series of Technic models.
As of May 2021, the 42100 is still available in the LEGO shop, where the Liebherr co-branded excavator sells for $450 US and is described as:

High-fidelity replica model, operated via the LEGO® TECHNIC™ CONTROL+ app and powered by 2 advanced Smart Hubs and 7 motors.

For comparison, the Bricklink price is about $225 for a used 8043 and about $700 for a new one (in May 2021).


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Control Lego Technic Control+ Hub via Python
Is it possible to control the Lego Technic Control+ Hub with Python?
I have tried using Pybricks but that didn't work well for me.

Hi Luftiger and welcome to Bricks.SE! You wrote that using Pybricks didn't work well for you, could you please provide more details on what have you tried and how did that fail? As far as I know, many people are using it successfully, so it should be worth a while to find the cause why it didn't for you.

Hello zovits! Every time I try I get an Error that Connection Failed for Unknown Reason.

Yes, it is possible to remote control a Technic Control+ hub with Python using a library such as pylgbst or bricknil.
You can also write MicroPython programs that run on the hub directly using Pybricks.
You can get support for Pybricks at https://github.com/pybricks/support/discussions. There is a Bluetooth troubleshooting guide to help with connection issues.