text:
How can I order an Ev3 gyro in Europe
I just bought the Ev3 kit, knowing that the gyro sensor is not included. I obviously want a gyro sensor, perhaps also the ultrasonic sensor. Is there any official channel to order them in Europe? All I can find is US-delivery-only and schools-only sites.

You may want to check with the LEGO customer service if they can help; it could be that the part itself is available. In any case, give them a call, they're usually very friendly. Also, note that since we're very early in the life of EV3, it could be that options are limited at the moment but may expand in the future. I fully expect the battery to be available on shop@home, for example, and I don't see why the gyro sensor wouldn't be.

I can't comment since I signed up for real with another address than earlier. Thank you both for the help, I will contact customer service to show interest. I probably have to go with ebay anyway to get it before Christmas.

The EV3 Gyro Sensor now appears to be on "general release" and available in both US and UK stores:
http://shop.lego.com/en-GB/EV3-Gyro-Sensor-45505 - these seem to be available in most EU countries the LEGO Shop ships to.

You can order the gyro sensor from the UK Lego Education site http://education.lego.com/en-gb/lego-education-product-database/mindstorms-ev3/45505-gyro-sensor.
OR
If you look at the shipping options in the US Educational site, it will ask you a series of questions to determine if the item can be shipped to your area. If no other options are available, they will ship to you for a fee and ask you to approve the shipping fee before they send it out. It looks like you can get the parts from Lego if you want them bad enough.

The UK site does not ship outside UK
http://shop.legoeducation.com/gb/page/terms-24/ and the problem with the US site is twofold:

There are two distributors in my country. One sells toys for daycares, it does not have the gyro. One has their catalogues behind password access.
Trying to order at the US site to get the shipping charge estimate, I cannot enter any meaningful information since it will only accept a US state and phone number. If nothing turns up I will go for the ebay listing. Long live the third-party entrepreneur. :)

The same goes for Belgium as well, actually; buying directly from LEGO is not possible and official distributors usually only deal with schools.

I just called the 800 number to find out if there is a process for shipping overseas and was politely told that they "avoid it if at all possible." They really should take that option out of their Shipping Wizard.


text:
LEGO turing machine using Rascal
I followed the instructions on LEGO Turing Machine and succeeded to build it. Next I've tried and failed to program it using NXT Mindstorm GUI. The site mentions a Rascal framework, but it doesn't mention how to install it onto the NXT.
I'm not so keen using Rascal, any other well documented framework will do.
Any suggestions ?
I'm using NXT 2.0

Rascal is a meta-language, a language to write languages in. Have you had a look at the repository https://github.com/DavyLandman/TuringLEGO/blob/master/BitFlipper.nxc Maybe one can load nxc files onto the nxt. Also you can try asking the repository owner via email.

Right, I'll check the BitFlipper. Sending the owner an email was my first action, thank you for commenting !

Actually, you can't build a turing machine, as it require an infinite tape.

"Alan Turing's original model has an infinite tape, but LEGO had a slight problem supplying infinite bricks.", from (http://www.legoturingmachine.org/). Even though it serves as an awesome model.

source: Stack Exchange

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

sort: votes


text:
Linear Actuator of the boom of 42006 jams
I just built a 42006 excavator, and the Linear Actuator jams such that it can't be rotated. I think that the overly sharp angle of the u-joint at the top of the boom is the reason.
Is there a workaround?

First off, you should check the instructions to see if you made a mistake before going into some long repair method. Even if you find no mistake, what I would do is disassemble the entire crane assembly and then reassemble it; this would fix problems you may not have noticed. Another thing you could do is remove the actuator and fully extend and retract it a couple of times. If you feel any extra friction while doing this, than the actuator might need lubrication.

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


text:
What other uses are there for pull-back motors?
Sets 42010 and 42011 feature a pull-back motor. They have a very high torque for a very small numbers of turns, they then free-wheel.
I'm trying to find alternate usage for them. That is anything but connecting them directly to the wheels without gears, as putting any gear demultiplication is great while the motor is turning, but it quickly prevents the vehicle moving when free wheeling.
What I've managed to do so far:

Using it to launch a spinning top
Launch a rotor blade

Anything else ?

Yoshihito Isogawa made clock mechanisms from it (well... tic-tac generators) http://www.isogawastudio.co.jp/legostudio/modelgallery_model/b077.html
and http://www.isogawastudio.co.jp/legostudio/modelgallery_model/b078.html.
Majorna created a "programmable" pull back racer http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=69748&#entry1744425
...and another clock by neomomonga: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3-CDFw4O38

The clock ! that's obvious now that you mention it !

Just today I tried to use it quite successfully as an alternative to suspension springs. Right now I don't have it assembled so I can't post a screenshot, but the idea is to wind up the pullback motor then attach it to your construction with a cross axis from one side and beams from another and limit its moving with some details. If you are interested in how I have done it, I will assemble it to demo and post images.

An interesting application to be sure :)

that doesn't work with all pullback motors. Some need less turns to wind up than they provide when turning back.

Once I built a hand-powered semi-automated screwdriver toy for kids. They needed to "charge it" first by rotating a gear and then push a button to release power. Then they could apply it to a crane or other models.

Build a catapult with it. The catapult arm would be attached to the motor. Pulling the arm down will wind the motor

I built a ball launcher out of one. Kind of like a baseball launcher.

Hi Alex and welcome to Bricks.SE! Your ball launcher sounds interesting, could you please post a picture of it?

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


text:
Is the EV3 brick balanced?
Where is the center of gravity located on the ev3 brick? Is it at the center of volume, or is it off?
Please note, I do not yet own an EV3 so I can't measure it myself.

Why do you need to know?

That shouldn't be too hard to measure; I mean, I distinctly remember learning the topic at school... long ago...

Will depend a lot on the weight of the batteries, Using Alkaline or Lithium batteries (non-rechargable), the rechargeable battery pack or other rechargeable batteries.

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


text:
NXT Brick will not update firmware (clicking brick syndrome)
I'm running 6 NXT robots in an introductory class.
Occasionally we've had bricks that would not accept a program and I've reset the brick by pushing the reset button under the battery pack as well as pushing the button under the USB port, experiencing the blank screen and "click..."
Re installing the firmware usually gets them going again. I have one brick that when cleared and reset will accept a download, but when the program is run, port B drives the motor at full speed, and nothing else happens.
I have reset the brick many times, and the problem still exists.  I sent a query to LEGO and got a computer generated response that there would be contact in 1-2 days.... nothing after a week,  Sent the same query again and got tho same auto response.... still no real contact (after 4 days)
I'm looking for suggestions.

"click, click ..." is a sign the firmware has gone bad or has never been installed.  So replacing the firmware is the only option.  "Port B motor drives at full speed."  Does anything else work?  LCD panel visible?  Can you download programs?  Any chance the Port B wiring connection has crossed up wires?  If the LCD panel is visible, there are a set of menu options to View the Rotation sensor on Port B.  Does that change when the Port B motor is turned by hand?

Receiving no response from the customer service seems unusal as these guys usually have an excellent track record of helping customers. You may want to try calling them directly using the free number for your country. Let them know that you never received a response to your two queries, this may give them the chance to fix what went wrong there.

I managed to recover a 'clicking' NXT brick using a PC with windows XP and Lego Mindstorm NXT v2.0 just by clicking on Update NXT Firmware .

I just got an e-mail from LEGO that was the real fix:

Make sure the NXT brick is unplugged from the computer and take the battery or batteries out.
On the fourth battery holder down from the top, there is a black rubber button.  Using a paper clip, please press down and hold this
  black rubber button for at least 20 seconds.
Put the batteries back in and then press the orange button.  If the brick makes a clicking noise, this is a good thing.
There is a silver button on the top right connector peg hole on the back (there are 6 on the top and 6 on the bottom).  Using the paper
  clip, please hold this silver button down for at least 20 seconds.
If the brick is clicking, please plug it into the computer and open up the NXT software.  Go to 'Tools' then choose 'Update NXT Firmware,'
  then proceed the update the NXT firmware.   If you get the error
  "Cannot Locate," then please go through the following steps:
With the brick plugged in and clicking, go to your computers device manager.  To do so you can search your computer and type in device
  manager and hit enter.
In the device manager, find the 'Ports (Com & LPT) and click to expand this.  You should see something that says 'Bossa' which you
  will right click and choose 'Update Driver Software.'
In the next window, choose 'Browse my computer for driver software.'
In the following window, choose 'Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.'
Choose the options that says 'NXT' or 'LEGO NXT' (one of the options will say something along those lines) and click 'Next."
Once the update is complete, please open the NXT software and try running the firmware update again.
  Please note that the NXT brick needs to be clicking the entire time as there is a timeout function on the NXT brick which turns the brick
  off after a certain amount of time.  If the brick is clicking, you
  know it is on

It also seems like you have stolen that "e-mail" thing from another user who has commented on the article used in the other answer below.

Step 2 is not necessary. The black rubber button in the battery compartment detects the rechargeable battery pack, so pressing and holding it does nothing. (The NXT firmware is open-source so you can confirm this for yourself in the code if you have doubts.)

Since you tried reuploading the firwmare without success, it sounds like the brick is indeed defective. You were right to contact the customer service in that case as they should be able to replace it; however it's not normal that they didn't contact you back. You may want to call them directly (you can find the number on the service web page) and let them know that your online queries went unanswered.
Alternatively, if you got Education kits (which seems likely since it's for a class), you may want to contact your reseller first and let them know aoub the issue.
The only other possible thing I could imagine going wrong is that the firmware file is corrupted somehow - this would be consistent with the brick accepting it for download, but then failing to run properly. If you have another brick, you may want to try to send the same firmware to it and see if the problem happens too. Then of course you'd need to make sure you download the latest firmware and try that one - I woudl say it's worth a shot anyway (you could also redownload and compare with your existing file if you want to check it's corrupted or not).

Here's what I think you should do:

Completely disconnect your NXT from the computer (no USB connection).
Remove all external Bluetooth dongles from your computer, and turn Bluetooth off on the computer (just to be sure).
Reboot the computer (this is to make sure no other application is trying to compete for the USB port).
Restart the Mindstorms application (and, if possible, don’t start any other applications).
Remove one battery from the NXT for a couple of seconds, then reinsert it.
Push the NXT reset button firmly for five seconds (make sure you actually press it, and press it for the whole five seconds).
Now (with the NXT clicking and the environment up and running), connect the NXT to the computer via the USB cable. Preferably use a “primary” USB port, one on the computer itself and not on a keyboard or monitor.
On a PC, you can go to the device manager and check to see if the NXT shows up in “Firmware Update Mode” (if not, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the software and drivers).
Update the firmware to 1.03 using the “update firmware” option under the tools menu.

If this does not work, try briefly (one second) pushing the reset button again.
If that still doesn't help matters, try repeating steps 1-9 but using a different USB port on the computer.
If that also doesn’t work, try using a different computer and repeating the entire process.

Source: Clicking Brick Syndrome

Rex implied he tried that multiple times already


text:
What is the maximum distance between fixed train wheels?
I'm working on a train, and I'm curious what the maximum distance is between fixed wheel sets in order to properly navigate all of the different types of track (straight, curved, switch, flex, etc).
In case that doesn't make sense, I'm interested in the maximum distance between wheels that aren't mounted on swiveling bogies. An example of the construction that I'm talking about can be found in set 10014:

The flex track can't flex more than regular curves, so you can probably ignore these. I'm not sure whether points are worse, though. As far as I remember, caboose you chose as illustration already has some slight friction, so it's probably very close to the limit, although it still rolls. So the answer probably depends on how much friction you're willing to accept.

The flex track appears to be able to flex at a sharper angle than the fixed curve pieces.

With a bit of trigonometry and some observation we can estimate a theoretical limit to the maximum length.
I assume you are looking for the maximum length that would run on the sharpest possible curve, which appears to be one made with flexible track. By observing this photo of 52 flex track pieces arranged in a circle, we can estimate that each piece can create an angle of about 7 degrees.

This seems to be sharper than the average usage, however, and may be placing stress on the pieces. The LDraw version of the flex track depicts it flexing at a maximum angle of about 5.5 degrees:

In addition, the flexible track has a slot in which the train wheels run which is 10 LDU (LDraw Units) wide. By observation, I estimate that a single set of train wheels can be rotated by about 6 degrees within these slots before they bind. That would be the theoretical upper limit of the angle a train car of "zero" length (that is, with just one set of wheels) could be rotated and still move forward through the track.
So with that estimate, we need to look at the curved section of track above and measure the angle a train car would be rotated from the straight position for various sections of the track. Fortunately, rather than being a smooth curve the flex track is really several straight sections of about 72 LDU on the inside (i.e. sharpest) curve. That means we can stay within the realm of trigonometry and measure the angles from the outer edge of the straight section to the end of each segment of the inner curve. That takes a little work, but here is what I determined:
From the right edge of the straight section to the center of the second section is an angle of 3.53 degrees.
From the right edge of the straight section to the center of the third section is an angle of 6.45 degrees.
So a car with a wheel base that extends from the right edge of the section to the center of the third section would be rotated at 6.45 degrees, which is just a bit more than our estimated limit of 6 degrees. Using trigonometry we can determine the length of this wheelbase as 183 LDU, which is just over 9 studs. In other words, a car with a wheelbase of 9 studs would probably bind slightly in the slots on the curve above.
As seen in the original question, LEGO has issued train car models with fixed wheels 9 studs apart. Joubarc's observation in his comment above that the caboose model shown does indeed bind slightly would seem to support the estimate of 9 studs as an upper limit of the wheelbase for fixed train wheels.
We can plot out a wheelbase of 10 studs on the curve above to check. That would produce a rotation of about 7.2 degrees, well above our estimated maximum of 6 degrees. It would seem a 9-stud wheelbase is the maximum.
Of course there is some binding on every curved section, with the power of the motor able to overcome the friction on the wheels. This estimate does not consider the power of the motor.


text:
Is this skateboard piece LEGO?
I bought some second-hand Lego and it's a total mish-mash of parts. There was a small quantity of Mega-Bloks in it, but those parts always seem easy to identify. However, I'm stumped about this piece that resembles a skateboard, only it doesn't have wheels.  On the top, it's skateboard shaped and has two hollow studs for attaching a minifig's feet. On the bottom it has two bar-sized handles, one at each end of the skateboard. The handles are at an angle, because the skateboard flares upwards. There is a green and blue sticker on the bottom which I assume is original and not added by the previous owner.
I've searched Bricklink, Peeron, Rebrickable, and Brickset but can't find this piece. Any ideas? It's clearly Lego-compatible, if not Lego, but I have no idea what it is called.

You were on the right track. This is a skateboard, but it is not a LEGO part. It's a Mega Bloks part, probably from set 9167 (X Mountain). The skateboard in the top right has a sticker that seems to match your description.

The wheels clip on to allow them to pivot back and forth. I can only assume that this is to give these skateboards a more off-road feel.

That's exactly it. The sticker matches, and I recognize some of the other pieces, such as that ladder, the big green cones, and those wheels. Sadly, I threw out the wheels when I was first sorting the parts because they looked like remnants of some other toy mixed in with this lot. Oh well.

Sadly? But.. it's MEGABLOKS.  grin

@gev Yeah, it's megabloks, but I am still annoyed when I have an incomplete something. Anyway, MB isn't ALL bad. They have a few parts that Lego could do well to copy, and I'm sure I accidentally sorted some MB parts into my main collection. If they can fool me, then they must be good enough, right?

True enough. While my sample size is pretty small (one medium size HALO set and some random bricks elsewhere), it's pretty uniformly worse than even Kre-O and Cobi bricks. I agree that I'd love to see some of their designs copied by LEGO.


text:
Star Wars 2013 Advent calendar codes
What are the four codes for the 2013 Star Wars Advent calendar online game?

I had the code, but instead of having the head, torso, and legs, I had two legs and a head.

The four codes are as follows:

December 01: Y15C05
December 08: Y30C03
December 15: Y73C14
December 22: Y12C34

What is the last code for the last guy in the advent calendar. Four codes and five guys. How do we get the fifth guy to open?

Day 1 is y15c05
Day 8 is y30c03

Where did you find the code? I have the Advent Calendar 2013 box, but I don't see any codes printed anywhere.

They are on the 'instruction' flap for that day.

Thanks, gev, but I must have a defective box because there are no instructions on the back of the flap!

I'd like to see pictures of that!


text:
Advanced coloured lines following robot
I am trying to build a coloured lines following robot, and I would like to know what kind of sensors do I use for my robot to differentiate and detect several different coloured lines?

What hardware/software are you using (NXT, EV3, etc..)?

[ObGrammarJoke] Why does the bot have to be coloured?

@gev Ba-dum Tish!

If you are using the EV3 Sensors you should use the EV3 Color Sensor which can detect 8 colors (colorless, black, blue, green, yellow, red, white and brown). If you are using the NXT I would recommend the HiTechnic Color Sensor or HiTechnic Color Sensor V2... I hope I could help.


text:
LEGO ideas (with traditional bricks)
I would like to find a large catalog of LEGO designs/ideas that can be built with "traditional" LEGO bricks (both normal and DUPLO).
I have found many nice designs in the web, but most of them require exotic pieces. I am interested more in a catalog of models (for inspiration) that do not require me buying a specific set or making a specific order to the LEGO shop.
I found this book: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0756686067/geekdad0b-20
 but I am wondering if a free resource exists somewhere ?
UPDATE:
I have just read this review of the book I linked above, apparently, it also suffers from the problem of requiring too many non-standard pieces:

We thought this book would be great since my 5-year-old is just
  getting into LEGO bricks. Opened it up and realized that every project in
  this book looks like it requires non-standard, specialty LEGO kit
  pieces- and lots of them. I didn't see any projects in this book that
  you could build using standard LEGO pieces. Returned the book the next
  day.

The book doesn't REQUIRE anything. It shows you examples. Take it from there, and extrapolate and build something similar, but with the pieces you have. Alternately, if you really want the special pieces (which I somehow doubt you do), you could buy them from sites like Bricklink.

The problem with any idea book such as this is that it will always require pieces you don't have, unless it comes with all the pieces for all the creations it has inside. Maybe you should buy a couple of the Creator sets; they have lots of generic bricks and plates as well as "specialized" pieces such as hinges, clips, etc. Plus they come with instructions for alternate models that can be built with the same kit. If you want a challenge, build the alternate models without following the instructions.

hi @Mr.ShinyandNew安宇, I am a bit new to this, what is exactly a creator set ? it is just one of these boxes that provide pieces to build something very specific (like a boat or an airplane) ?

The Creator sets are a theme that Lego produces. Most of them say "Creator" on the box and these are the ones with the alternate model instructions. shop.lego.com link. You can browse the sets on Brickset and see scans of the instructions. For example, this Eagle set comes with instructions to make a scorpion or a beaver.

so if I understood correctly, a "Creator" set provides pieces for a main model, and in addition describes few alternative models that can be made with the same (sub)set of pieces, correct ?

That's correct Sergio.  They have a lot of "core" pieces are are really great for a wide variety of other models.  You can check out the Creator sets at Lego's website: http://www.lego.com/en-us/creator/products/all-models

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 here's the updated link for those instructions: https://www.lego.com/cdn/product-assets/product.bi.core.pdf/6036223.pdf

LEGO has released a number of large brick buckets over the years. A few of these came with instructions and ideas for models that could be built with the contents. These include lots of ideas for animals, vehicles, and structures. Here are a few examples:

There are plenty of ideas available if you browse through the instructions for these sets. Here are some of the larger brick set with links to their instruction scans:

7825
7836
4104
4224
515
1615

Thank's for give much pict, this help for create simple using lego.

here are some additional sets that mostly use fairly standard pieces you're likely to have in a basic lego collection:
Peeron Lego Instruction Sets
To add to jncraton's excellent answer, here are additional sets from Peeron's Lego Instructions Archive using generic bricks:

Universal Building Set (400-1)
BASIC Building Set (510-1)
BASIC Building Set (520-1)
BASIC Building Set 530
Basic Set 540
Basic Set 550
Basic Set 577
truck with trailer 319
Mini Wheel Model Maker

Official Lego Instructions Site
Lego's Customer service website you can browse various instruction sets by category, numeric id, or keyword. http://service.lego.com/en-us/buildinginstructions/
Some sets likely to be possible with generic bricks include:

Fun and Adventure 4023 - mostly builds a variety of boats & planes, also a couple small animals
LEGO Deluxe House Building 3600 - makes a variety of buildings
Mini Sopwith Camel 40049 - builds one war plane
LLP Entrance Picture Frame 40081 - castle entrance that can hold a card or photo. For full effect requires 2 gear shaped pieces and a couple common castle pieces.
Xmas Tree Deco & Gift Box 4759 - makes hang-able Christmas ornaments, requires a few technic 1x2 pieces with holes, otherwise standard bricks
PIZZA TO GO 10036 - builds a pizzeria and pizza delivery truck. If you ignore the stickers, both the building and truck are almost entirely fairly standard creator bucket pieces.
LEGO Leonidas' Jungle Dragster Set 30253- Makes a vehicle. This set uses a lot of pieces that are not 'standard' or in creator buckets, but are very common in current lego sets that make specialized models of any sort, and would be quite easy to build if you have a few recent lego sets.
LEGO Lone Ranger's Pump Car Set 30260- Requires a few various technic pieces

Small Lego Sets
Lego also has a whole categories of sets which are almost all small holiday themed sets made out of common pieces, such as snowmen, chicks, turkeys, etc.

See http://service.lego.com/en-us/buildinginstructions/ and select category "Pick-a-brick Retail" for 10+ sets, and category "Seasonal" for 20+ sets
Example: Angel 10080

Mini Builds
Lego also makes a variety of monthly "mini-builds" which are small items made with fairly common pieces. They only keep the current one available on lego's website, but others have collected the old instruction sheets for various mini-builds.
 and they appear to in some cases overlap items from the "seasonal" instructions above.

Here's a suggestion: Go to Brickset.com. They have scans of the boxes of almost every set every released. Many of the earlier sets (i.e., those released in the 1970s) are built almost entirely out of basic bricks, and you can usually figure out how they are built just from looking at the picture. Some links to get you started:
Browse list of sets by year or theme. Click on the set number to quickly pull up the picture. Also check out old sets listed under the "Basic" theme.
a simple firetruck:

a jumbo jet:

Good luck!

There is a popular site, which my kids love, with step-by-step instructions: www.buildingexamples.com
The lego instructions are categorized by age and type and are also available as App for smartphone and tablet.
You can build animals, rockets, buildings and even the Eiffel tower. The youngest children start with small examples, while older children can use more complex instructions. All are based on basic building blocks.
Have fun! My kids love it.

You can try this blog http://legoideas.si/
It's oriented towards Duplo, but similar designs can also be made out of standard Legos.

I have two idea books from the 1960's: N°2 (238-5) and N°3 (238-8). I've downloaded N°1 (238-1) from Peeron.

Are you saying that the instructions you have are available on Peeron?

Peeron has most of what I have apart from 2 pages as N°1 & N°2 differ for them.

There is this site you can try - Rebrickable. You can enter what sets/parts you own and then browse what other creations you can build with the parts you have (or almost have).

Rebrickable is a good idea, but let me say that unless your collection is seriously huge, or you are lucky and someone uploaded an "alternate model" creation based on a kit you already own, you will never find creations that fit in your collection. I have hundreds of sets totalling over 40,000 pieces and I can build almost nothing on rebrickable without making serious substitutions. Not to mention that the OP is looking for creations made primarily out of basic bricks and most creations on rebrickable are quite complex.

I do not know of any book that would have a large catalog of models built only with traditional bricks. I agree with Sergio above, that the best approach is to get a set that comes with lots of alternate instructions. LEGO Creator buckets and LEGO BrickMaster books are excellent in this regard.
Also, I would like to add that building anything from basic LEGO bricks is actually very easy. It is basically the same as building with traditional wooden blocks. You won't find a lot of instructions for those either because children just naturally figure out how to stack them to make a tower, a house, a bridge... so you could simply pour out the LEGO bricks and say, "Let's build a house!", then start stacking bricks to make the walls, leave openings for windows and doors, etc. You can also mix toys and use LEGO to build a castle for example and use Playmobil soldiers to populate it.
The beauty of LEGO is that it is an educational and creative tool. Learning how to free-build with LEGO is one of the greatest joys of this hobby. Most 5-year-olds will much prefer that over following instructions or the designs of others. So you could just look through picture books (or the world outside) and when your child says "Oh, I would like to build a tower like that!", then get the LEGO out and just build it!...(c:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO%C2%AE-Ideas-Book-Daniel-Lipkowitz/dp/1405350679 LEGO ideas book?

The "LEGO Ideas Book" (http://www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO%C2%AE-Ideas-Book-Daniel-Lipkowitz/dp/1405350679) provides many different ideas, many of which can be achieved with simple bricks. It ranges from easy to harder models, which can help develop your LEGO skills over time.


text:
LEGO Trains 12v: Identify This?
This is a very popular picture, which almost all LEGO Trains' fans from the 1980s would recognize.
I have the train in the foreground, 7740, but not the 4th car (the red one). Can anyone please clarify that from where it came? Also, what other trains are being shown here?
The two stations are probably the same model (7822), just different builds. Level crossing (on left corner) is 7834.

The red car that you mentioned is Mail Van (7820).

There are a number of other trains in the picture including:
7730 - Goods train (the locomotive doesn't seem to be visible)

7710 - Push-Along Passenger Steam Train (just the cars)

7750 - Steam Engine with Tender (pulling the cars from 7710)

7814 - Crane Wagon

7760 - Diesel Shunter Locomotive

7720 - Diesel Freight Train Set (the car in the bottom right carrying rails to the work crew)

It's not a train, but set 6647 - Highway Repair is also present.

Oh man, what a great and detailed answer. Thanks a lot.

BTW, do you know if the train station in the foreground is really another build of 7822?

I noticed that 7710, 7720, 7730 and 7750 are mixed in to three trains. They don't appear individually.

Regarding the alternative build of 7822 question: The station at the back is indeed an alternative of 7822 as can be seen on the back of the box, see this answer to my question. As for the other build, I would guess it is another alternative build of the 7822, but I can't find any reference to it on the box or in the instruction manual


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Battery for Trains
For those who have tried, which one is a better option:

Rechargeable Battery Box and Transformer/Charger 10VDC ($50 + $25)
or
AAA Battery Box and a lot of AAA batteries ($13 + ?)

Obviously $75 is more than $13 + $5 for batteries, but they wear out and the train's speed starts to slow down, before you want to change the batteries. If I spend $75, what other benefit would I get other than not buying batteries?

The main benefit is consistent performance. The rechargeable battery puts out almost the same voltage  until it's almost flat, and whatever current is required with little voltage drop. Disposable batteries have more voltage, but cheap ones can't supply much current. Expensive ones can supply the current, but cost more. You'd be lucky to get 5 sets of those for the cost of a rechargeable battery.
Note that the IR controllers / receivers limit the output voltage to 9V and the current to what the motors can cope with,so there's a limit to how much performance you can get out of the system. But disposable batteries will sit at 9V at least initially, where the rechargeable battery will drop from nearly 8V to 6V as it discharges. If you buy expensive lithium single-use AAA batteries they will cope with the high currents demanded by the LEGO motors for longer, so you will get better performance than any other option, but at considerable cost.
This thread on Eurobricks has a lot of detail, and there's more here
The third option is to build your own battery packs. Either just by plugging "random" batteries into the IR receiver, or by modifying a LEGO battery pack to take different cells. It's apparently fine to put three lithium rechargeable cells in series into one, or 8-9 NiMH ones. If you start with a 6AA battery box it's easy to fit 8 AAA NiMH cells in, or either box can be modified to accept three LiIon cells (you need the right size cells, obviously). Some of the Technic builders are just making packs with three 18650 cells and not worrying about making it look like LEGO, but there are quite a few who build extra cells into official battery packs.

Obviously, if you want to use the train a lot, you will want to use a rechargeable option. You didn't explicitely address this in your question, but even with AAA batteries, you can either use disposable batteries or rechargeable ones.
The cost of using disposable batteries can very fast become prohibitive, but rechargeable ones tend to cost more upfront (especially if you need a charger as well). Even there, you have several options, including "stay-charged" batteries which you may want to consider if you need the train to be available as soon as you want it instead of having to recharge the batteries prior to using it, which can take a long time especially if you don't have enough chargers for all batteries at the same time.
So the first thing is to consider if you're already using rechargeable batteries for other things - if you already have a good charger or two and enough AAA batteries, you'll of course want to start with that and judge if it's enough for you. If you don't have any chargers or batteries, then I'd recommend to start with the official LEGO battery right away, as the cost difference won't be that high. Of course, if you're somewhere in between (say you have chargers but no AAA batteries), you'll have to ponder which route is better.
Another factor which may influence you is the convenience. Using AAA batteries and chargers can be cumbersome (again, especially if you've not enough chargers to charge all 6 batteries at the same time), and even the action of swapping the batteries in the battery box can be annoying. The LEGO battery doesn't need to be removed, usually just removing the train roof is enough.
All in all, I prefer the official LEGO battery; note that you could spare some money on the charger if you manage to find one which is compatible (although it's officially not recommended).
As for the battery box itself, either you buy a motorized train and you get one with it; either you want to motorize another train and then it's probably worth it to buy the basic city train anyway to get all electrical parts rather than buy them separately (since you get motor, receiver, battery box, remote control, and tracks, it's usually a better deal even without considering the rest of the parts).


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Which was the first set / minifig with two faces to choose from?
Some of my minifigs (like Iron Man, and Bilbo Baggins, and Harry Potter) have two different faces to show different emotions (usually something happy and something unhappy or upset or angry). How long have they been doing that? What was the first minifig to have 2 different faces to choose from?

Lego studios - 2002, like the crazy scientist or the guy in the vampire set...

A quick search on Bricklink gives the following results:
Catalog: Parts: Minifig, Head: Search Results for dual sided

Unknown year (41)
2001 (1)
2002 (10)
2005 (4)
2006 (7)
2007 (4)
2008 (4)
2009 (18)
2010 (27)
2011 (43)
2012 (86)
2013 (90)
335 Total Parts (View All)

This search was caried out at http://www.bricklink.com
Assuming that the Bricklink data are complete and correct, there are 41 double sided heads without a known release date, and the trend seems to have started in 2001 with this one:

Minifig, Head Dual Sided HP Quirrell / Voldemort Pattern

Except that even that head was included in sets as early as 1993 according to bricklink...

@gev - fixed the link.

+1, but I'm going to say (arbitrarily perhaps) that Quirrell / Voldemort doesn't count, because it's not two different faces / emotions of the same person, it's a head that actually has two faces (canonically even). I'll update my question to make this more clear.

I have reviewed the answers given, and have looked at Bricklink again to check every set that every yellow-skinned minifigure head came in.

I have reviewed the answers given, and have looked at Bricklink again to check every set that every yellow-skinned double-sided minifigure head came in.  (I ignored all non-yellow as they must have been made later.)   The earliest if could find (and that I can remember buying) that match the emotions criterion are: 3626bpx116 and 3626bpx117 from 'Spiderman' and 'Studios' 2002/2003

I was a child with wealthy parents during the early 90's and thus own almost every set released during that period. apart from the harry potter one mentioned, the first that showed the same face with different emotion I remember getting was a small set that included a new skeleton face as well as a mummy. This Mummy was double sided with one face asleep, and one face awake.


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Has TLG ever produced bricks without the LEGO branding?
Has LEGO ever produced bricks without the LEGO brand name on the parts, the packaging or both?
I'm already aware of the following:

Minitalia. Available in Italy in the 1970s. The bricks were compatible with regular LEGO bricks. They had LEGO branding on the packaging but there was no LEGO logo moulded onto the studs of the bricks.
Modulex. A building system aimed at adults, Modulex bricks are smaller than regular LEGO and incompatible with it. When Modulex became a separate company in 1965, the LEGO logo on the studs was replaced with an "M".
LEGO's earliest bricks were sold under the name Automatic Binding Bricks. They didn't have the LEGO logo on them, and I'm not sure if the LEGO company name was on the packaging.

Were there any others?

The Automatic Binding Bricks were first sold in Denmark in 1949. They were sold both in boxed sets and also loose in special wooden cases at retail stores. During the first year of production, neither the bricks nor the packaging had the LEGO name or logo. Beginning in 1950 the name LEGO was molded into the underside of the bricks, however the original molds without the name were still in use, so "nameless" bricks continued to be sold.
The first boxed sets did not have the LEGO name or logo.

Beginning in 1952, the boxes were marked LEGO Mursten (Mursten means "bricks"). Beginning in 1953, the Automatic Binding Bricks name was dropped and replaced with LEGO Mursten. The bricks were the same, only the name had changed.

In 1955, LEGO produced some 1:87 scale trucks as promotional items used by Esso dealers in Europe. These trucks were marked with the LEGO name on the underside, but were packaged in boxes that had only Esso branding and no LEGO logo or name.

Many modern LEGO pieces are produced without any LEGO logo or name. These are usually small pieces that have no studs or an interior surface large enough to hold the name or logo. Hollow-stud pieces such as the 1x1 round brick are not marked, for example. Neither are Technic lift arms and beams.

In addition to the answer posted by 62Bricks, I've been able to find other types of brick that are licensed by LEGO, but which are not branded as such:
Bayer Test Bricks
Bayer is a German chemical and pharmaceutical company with whom TLG has had a close working relationship over the years. Bayer has produced a number of test bricks for LEGO to test clutch (sticking-power) between bricks, new colours and new plastics. Some of these bricks have the usual "LEGO" branding on the studs, whereas others are unbranded, have a single letter on the studs instead - a letter which indicates the clutch strength of the brick.
An article on The Brick Blogger has more details on these bricks.
OLO
Back in the 1970s, TLG licensed a Japanese company called Fujisho Co. to make LEGO type sets for the Japanese market, which were in many ways similar to the Italian Minitalia sets. The packaging and instructions carried the OLO brand name, and the bricks themselves had a "backwards K" logo on the studs. Parts packs were advertised for use with OLO, and these were regular LEGO bricks.
For more information, see this post on Eurobricks, and this series of slides about 1970-78 LEGO OLO sales in Japan.

1x1 round bricks (the ones without the studs) have historically not had Lego molded anywhere on them; but I have now seen ones which have it molded right where you can see it, on the bottom lip.


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identification of lego set by color and shape of inner box
I'm trying to identify a lego set only knowing the color, shape of in inner package. The inner box is blue, dimensions are 18 x 11 x 2 3/8" and 9T plastic compartments,
There is a 1984 Lego Catalog included.  Tried to include a picture but don't know how to do it here.

Adding good pictures and changing the title of your question (to be more specific) will greatly improve the chances your set is identified.

George, since you can't add pictures yourself yet, could you add a link to a pic so that we can edit it in? Also, it's likely the catalogue isn't a full one and shows mostly sets of the same theme as the box, which woudl help, so if you can tell us more about it would be great.

For the inches-impaired ones about us, the dimensions in centimeters are more or less 45,75 x 28 x 6

The only 1984 set with corresponding dimensions seems to be 6080 King's Castle but I can't find any picture of a possible inner tray; and that's even assuming it had one (the box picture on this classic-castle forum post seems to point to the contrary).
There's another good candidate in 1985: 6392 Airport, but again I can't find any pictures of the box.
1983 brings us 6980 Galaxy Commander for which I can't find pictures of the inner tray either (but there's one on eBay where the seller promises pictures in the near future); 7824 Railway Station is close too but it's a bit too short I had it and I don't remember it having a blue tray (I'm fairly confident it was red).

Sets containing at least 100 pieces made in 1983 or 1984 would be my guess as to where to start searching...

Definitely a good start, but I'm a bit dubious as to why a 1983 set would contain a 1984 catalogue though.


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How can I get replacement Mindstorms NXT components?
I recently have been trying to work with robotics, via the Mindstorms NXT kits. But as of lately it seems the physical components in the kit went missing (everything except the brick, cables, servos, wires, and sensors.) I was wondering if there was a way I could purchase a part kit, with out having to buy EVERYTHING all over again. Could someone please direct me as to where I should go, other than the pick part service at Lego.com as that is rather expensive.
I love robotics and have been studying in the field for many years, but want to get this lego bot up and running again.

Note that you could also buy Technic sets (Mindstorms is Technic + "brains"). Obviously, you'll have a different selection of parts if you take that route.

I don't think there's a way to buy all non-electronics parts other than buying them all one-by-one, which doesn't seem to be a solution for you. Note that contacting the LEGO customer service may be an option, but I'm not sure how far they'll be willing to help (and as you said it probably won't be cheap).
The only other idea I can suggest is to work the opposite way: try to sell the electronic parts you still have; that way you can just buy a complete kit again.
I realize it's not really easy either, but there could be some people who have already so much regular LEGO parts that only electronics interest them, and they don't want to pay too much money by buying these separately. Or maybe someone has the kit and lost some of the electronic parts.
Of course, don't underestimate the use of having extra electronic parts - your robot can get much more interesting; and in particular, learning to program two different NXT bricks so that they communicate properly to achieve a common goal can be very educational. Also, considering a full kit is usually cheaper than buying all elements in there separately, I believe buying it again is a more interesting thing to do - although I understand the price can be a serious issue, especially if you want to buy the newer EV3 version.
There may be another thing you can try: as you probably know, LEGO has educational programs based on robotics kits, and it could be that a school/college in your area is using these. Try to contact them, and see if they would be willing to either sell you unused parts (maybe because they are upgrading to EV3) or to buy your electronic parts (if they lost or broke some). I'm not sure if you can contact LEGO Education to try to get a list of schools using mindstorms in your area, but it can't hurt to try.

Some of the more common web-based sources for replacement NXT parts include:

Ebay
BrickLink
Brick Owl
LEGO Education
LEGO Shop
Amazon

You could also try physical LEGO stores.

Im not looking to replace a single part but rather cheaply replace almost the entire kit with out having to re-buy the electronics, but thanks over all for at least attempting to help.


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Where can I find a LEGO collection of minifigure photos?
I am looking for a collection of LEGO minifig photos - something like this, but with each minifig pictured separately in a full-length portrait. I have not been able to find such a collection on the LEGO website or elsewhere.

Here are three options that have what you are looking for:
1) Brickset has the highest quality and best organized photographs of minifigs, but they are far from complete. For example, as of this writing, the gallery does not have any of the City theme figures. The collection is growing all the time. For example, here is their collection of Batman figures:

Pros: Free to browse. Very good quality. Well-organized.
Cons: Far from complete.
2) BrickLink has a fairly thorough catalog of almost every part and minifig ever made, and they have individual photos of most of the minifigures, for example:

Pros: It's free to browse. It has almost everyone.
Cons: It's inefficient, the photos aren't all high quality, and it may not have every figure. Organization and naming are not always obvious when looking for a specific figure.
3) The Unofficial Minifigure Catalog. This is a series of catalogs that attempt to document every minifigure ever produced. It's available as a printed book through Amazon (~70 USD), as a PDF e-book through Lulu (25 USD), and as a smartphone app. Here's a sample page, taken from Amazon's "Look Inside" feature:

Pros: High quality photos, thorough, well-organized.
Cons: Costs money. Harder to search and find specific photos. Takes effort to convert to individual digital photos if that is what you need.

Brickset has a gallery of high quality photographs of minifigures from both licensed and non-licensed sets.

I second the Brickset answer - Huw began photographing minifigures only a couple of years ago. Be aware that the Brickset photos are all copyrighted since it is for use on their own site, but they are amongst the best available. http://www.brickset.com/miscellaneous/articles/minifigPhotography/


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How can I find the analog output of a color sensor?
Could anyone provide me with an image of the voltage output of an NXT or EV3 colorsensor.
I would like to have the analog output if it's possible, and not  the digital output.

Depends on what programming software you are using.  The education versions of the NXT and EV3 software having data logging features that may be what you are looking for.
The education versions of NXT and EV3 programming software are available for purchase from www.education.lego.com

I do have the Education set..
Could you guide me on how to find the output?
I own both, but EV3 would be preferable.

Making the assumption here that by analog, you mean something more fine-grained than just the 6 or 7 colors.
Both the NXT and EV3 color sensors have the capability of reading the individual color components. The value read is not a voltage, but just a "percent" of reflected light of each color.
For NXT-G, you can find a block here (the Color Range Block). (see comments)
For EV3-G you can find a block here. The EV3 block requires firmware version 1.06 (there is a bug that prevents it working in earlier versions).

Sorry to break it to you, but the block you linked to for NXT-G doesn't work. If you try to import it via the block import and export wizard, it won't import. The author of the block even acknowledged this and apologized, and said that he probably wouldn't fix it since he has way to many different versions of things on his computer. I would cite my source on where he said this, but that forum seems to have recently gone down...


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Best place/way to buy masses of bricks
I am always having to take apart models I made to make new ones :'( and it really is bugging me.
I don't want to buy specific sets, as they cost a lot because of the work that went into designing them and the licensing, but I want more bricks.
Is there a good site that sells massed bricks in certain colors? I know of Pick-A-Brick, but I was wondering if there were any others.


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What is the centre hole for in modern train tracks?
LEGO train tracks have 3 holes in each of the segments:

I understand the two outer holes are used with a throw-away piece to keep  them stacked while shipping, but what is the center hole for? Is it just for saving a bit of plastic? Or perhaps just a planned 'shipping' feature that was never used?

Throw-away piece? Throw-away piece? You don't throw away LEGO parts!!!

Indeed, you keep those pieces to keep your rail bits in line in storage.

I bet you keep the bit in the middle of the coin sprue too :) .  Seriously though, use a longer metal piece to hold more tracks together.  The plastic holder is just a waste of space, and seeing as it's crimped on the end it looks bitten.  No bite marks in my collection thank you.

I'm just saying, I used on of these in a MOC once.

The larger hole is present in older 9V track as well:

I've never actually done this, but I've always assumed that the hole is there so that the track can be screwed or nailed down if desired to create a semi-permanent layout. This is common practice with traditional model railroad track:

I'm fairly confident that's the reason. There was a hole in 12v gray sleepers as well, by the way.

I suppose it makes sense with the curved rail pieces since they don't clutch directly on to a baseplate in the way straight pieces do. It

Given that even a large track layout doesn't weigh much, and the train itself does, the track can slip around quite a bit as the train goes around corners, unless the track is secured to the surface or weighted down with attachments. I am fairly sure that this is what that hole is for. It's even tapered, to fit a screw head or nail head flush.

Yeah, the countersunk nature of the hole makes me pretty certain this is for screws/nails.  Not sure why I didn't think of it earlier :)

The countersinking does as said give the likely reason. Interestingly (or not) I noted a picture of a piece of track via LDdaw in another question and you could just about make out the fact the central hole on that generated image was countersunk too.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 try making a circle and running even a single citytrain on full speed - if your floor/table is smooth enough, the train will just spin mostly in place with the track flying around, it's quite funny to watch but definitely not the point :)


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How can I tell if my gold C-3PO minifigure is legit?
I just bought a used gold C-3PO (not the 14k version, but the 10,000-made version). There are some places under the arms and on the right foot where there is no gold paint. I think that they are all like this, but I'm not sure. I'm looking for someone to verify that I didn't just get taken to the cleaners. I can still open an eBay case if I need to.

Yes, that sounds like the genuine article - LEGO was unable to chrome each part separately, so there are bare spots where you describe. Only the customs will have been made up of individually chromed parts.

Yes, I have an original chrome gold CP30 and mine also has those bare spots. Like mentioned earlier, LEGO painted these units as a whole and not separately... so that's what's essentially makes them legit, and the bare spots are all the same on the originals. I have done research on it after I realized that's what I had was the worth a pretty penny haha

Don't worry my friend, those "unchromed" spots are because of the regular use of that minifigure.


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Has Lego Box 5508 been discontinued?
The Lego Deluxe Box 5508 seems to be out of stock everywhere in the UK. I was hoping to get this set for my kids for Christmas, but it is nowhere to be found. Has it been discontinued? Or do they think that sets that only build ONE thing will spark young imaginations? The 5508 box has bricks, roof tiles, windows, doors and wheels and opens up a world of possibilities. Shame I can't seem to find one!

A lot of LEGO sets will be out of stock in the run up to Christmas, particularly buckets/tubs of LEGO.

It's possible the set has been discontinued. Since its release in 2010 there have been many other Brick Buckets released under the 'Bricks and More' series.
For example; the 10663 Creative Chest released in 2013 is available in a similar price range but is more limited to building vehicles (no doors, windows and roof tiles for buildings).

If your kids are more into buildings and there are no other Brick Buckets in stock you can suplement your LEGO collection by purchasing the Doors & Windows pack as well as the Roof Tiles pack.


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Determining what set I have from a bag of lego pieces?
I have a bag of lego pieces that make a set of something but I don't have a box or instructions.  Is there anyway to determine what set it is so I can download/buy an instruction sheet for it...or at least know what I am building?
I found a part piece with a number on it and found out what it was...Spiderman's doc ock ambush.

possible duplicate of How to sort complete sets from box of unsorted LEGO

post a picture, or a link to the picture if you can't post it. From the amount of pieces, style and color, it won't be too hard to figure out the series, the approximate year, and then the set.

Basically, ask us, we seem to be pretty good at that game :-) But yeah, a picture is kinda mandatory

I see you already found the answer, but in general, you can use Rebrickable. After registering, in the My RB menu you can upload the parts you have and the site will tell you which sets you can build out of them. It will even show partial matches, listing the bricks you still need to build them.

This is a pretty good idea, if you have the patience to accurately enter in all the parts, and provided you can adequately describe the parts in the first place, not to mention finding the right colours. I usually find it easier to locate parts by first finding a set of mine which has the part, then searching the inventory of that set, which is the opposite of what you've suggested. So, points for this being a valid algorithm, but I doubt it is practical.

In addition to the other answers supplied, look for pieces with stickers on them. Often these contain the set number. A license plate on a Lego car is almost always the set number.

You need to find the rare/unique pieces, and that generally just comes from years of building different sets.  You just know which pieces will be exclusive to a set or at least a limited number of sets.  Then search that piece on bricklink and see what sets it appears in (hopefully only 1!).  Get the inventory of that set online (bricklink, peeron, etc) and see if you have more bricks that make up the set.  If yes, then you're on the right track.  Minifigs are generally the easiest pieces which will tell you what you have.


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Buying Individual MiniFigures
I was big into LEGO bricks when I was a kid (now 33), and now my son is getting into them. I'm a huge collector of things (not a hoarder, a collector), and, like father, like son, he wants to collect the minifigures, past or current.
I assume eBay is a great place for these but the prices probably tend to rather high.
Then while searching, I found BrickLink, which seems like a pretty good place to start.
Is this the truly best place to buy them, or are there other places just as good for minifigures?

Yes, BrickLink is by far going to be your best bet if you are looking for specific minifigures. Make sure you create a wanted list with all the minifigs you want, then quire by shop to see which seller(s) have all or most of the minifigures you want. You can save significantly this way on shipping.
eBay is not so good for individual minifigures as the prices tend to be much higher than on BrickLink, however it is still a great place to shop for bulk minifigs. Deals are not as easy to come by as in the past as people have smartened up and most people know the value of LEGO.
I would suggest to pick a particular theme to collect and be very specific on what you want to get, otherwise minifigure collecting can get out of hand pretty quickly. There are thousands of minifigures (all listed in the BrickLink catalog) - you can get a good selection for reasonable prices ($3-$5 per minifig), but in some themes having minifigs in the $20-$50 range and more is not uncommon (Star Wars is one of them).
Those little people can quickly take over your vallet. So best is to keep them under control for a fun and long-term hobby. ;)

Great suggestions! Yeah I thinking about going with the City theme, since we have an HO scale train set we put up each year and that seems like a good compliment for the train set.

You can go on Firestartoys! They sell individual minifigures from all themes.


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piece information
I found a lego item that I can not fiugre out what it is or what set it goes with.  I was hoping someone out there could give me some info on the item. I'm attaching a picture of the item in question.  Its beige and blue the red buttons on the sides spin the what looks like blue legs at the end of it.


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EV3 brick cannot connect my to computer
I can't connect my brick to my computer. It keeps saying it can't communicate with the brick. My brick has no firmware. My friend said to change the USB cable but it still doesn't work. I can't connect it via Bluetooth either.

Try disabling antivirus software.

Try to update your firmware via EV3 software: http://www.thenxtstep.com/2013/08/how-to-update-your-ev3-firmware.html

This doesn't work for me after I foolishly interrupted a firmware update.  By following the reset steps I can get the brick to say it is updating, but the EV3 software says there is no brick attached.


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How does the Super Awesome Micro Project work?
I've recently read an article about a car which is made entirely of LEGO and it runs on air. I'm curious about how it works. Can someone explain the details of it?
Here is the car:

These are all the details I have:

Super Awesome Micro Project is: A car made of Lego, that drives, has
  an engine made from Lego which runs on air. (wheels and some load
  bearing elements are non-Lego)
Super Awesome Micro Project Factoids

More than 500,000 LEGO pieces were used.
The car engine is made from standard Lego pieces and runs on air!
The engine has four orbital engines and a total of 256 pistons.
Top speed is not very fast, around 20-30km

Assuming that you're asking about the engine in particular, it seems to be a large number of pneumatic engines that have been coupled together in order to supply the required torque. LEGO pneumatic engines typically consist of a pneumatic cylinder driving a crankshaft. Here's a basic picture to give you an idea:

The shaft usually also controls a pneumatic valve that switches the direction of the piston to allow continuous rotation as shown here:

This allows the engine to run on air pressure being directed to the pneumatic valve without the use of any electrical components.
These images come from a fairly simple single cylinder pneumatic engine by nico71 on Rebrickable that includes instructions if you are curious about more of the details of how these work, or if you would like to build your own.

Yes I'm talking about the engine. Is this working with electricity?

Air engine runs on compressed air. Or with a straw if you blow hard enough :)

This does technically run on air, but the air has to be compressed. This is often done using an electric compressor.


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Are there any components compatible with EV3 that are more powerful and durable?
Are there components compatible with EV3 like motors, sensors, brackets, other details that I can easily connect to an existing EV3 main block and build something to do real-life tasks? Like transporting weights on the route, cocktail maker that could handle glass bottles, home cleaner that can put objects in the order.

Look at Tetrix or Matrix. Theese building systems have more porefull motors than NXT ones. Metal blocks allow you to create strong robots. Tetrix and Matrix robots can be controlled by NXT/EV3.


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DeathStar maintenance
I have a LEGO Deathstar and have already built stage one of four. However, I haven't been able to get to it lately and it has become rather dusty. How should I clean it? And I travel a lot, so is there any way I can carry it with me by flight without dismantling it?

@StephaneDelcroix : Hahaha thanks. Funny that Darth Vader is cleaning the Death Star ;)

Which Death Star?
Either way, I can't imagine trying to travel with either Death Star model that LEGO has produced.
Removing dust can be done with a mini-vacuum or some sort of blower, like a hair drier. Canned air is advised against as it has icky propellants that get on your bricks.

Ah Alright. By the way, why was this marked as duplicate? I understand that the method is similar... but I asked for a travel case too.

@Artemisia - It's better to ask two single questions especially when they are very distinct, rather than have one question with two very different aspects which might result in two people answering each part, and no real way to mark either one as "the answer". For some suggestions on transporting models, see this question


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How do I remove a racing helmet from a garbage can?
We have a red Lego racing helmet that has become wedged with its round side up in a 2 handled Lego garbage can. I cannot access any of the visor indentations, the face slot or the neck circle. I tried banging on the upside down can, prying at the helmet with the little crowbar brick separater and broke a toothpick off between the helmet and the garbage can. I'm about to tell my kid that this can will just have to be considered full unless someone has a way to remove the helmet from it.

If the helmet were jammed head-down, you can use a needle-nose pliers to grasp the edge of the tube in the inside of the racing helmet, as shown, and then pull them apart. You may need to twist them apart as you pull.

In your case, since the helmet is jammed head-up, you need a way to push it out from the bottom. I suggest drilling a small hole through the tube recess in the bottom of the trash can. Unless you are intending to hold liquid in the trash can, there will be no functional impact whatsoever. The aesthetic impact is also minimal. I used a simple 3/32 wood drill bit I found in my garage. After drilling the hole, just push the drill bit through, and it should dislodge the helmet with minimal scratching. You can also pull the drill out and try pushing with another thin object. A wood skewer, for example, would be sufficiently rigid and less likely to scratch the helmet.

Sadly, our helmet is flipped 180 degrees from your picture. All I see is the round top and nothing else.

I added a suggestion for your specific situation.

Going the extra mile and drill your own part to show what you mean merits an extra applause (even if I'm against drilling whatsoever, of course)

A trans clear helmet? Sweeeeeet.

Short of damaging the parts (which oddTodd nicely documented, I'd tend to try to see if the part can't be removed by suction; although I'm not sure how you could generate enough.
Trying to inject a fluid underneath (with sufficient pressure) might do the trick too; that's what doctors do when dealing with clogged ears (usually with a sort of big syringe).
Lastly, you could glue some lever on the helmet and use it to pull it out, but you'd have to find a glue strong enough to make it work, and yet that you can remove afterwards. Note that if you value the trashcan more than the helmet (sounds unlikely, but you never know), this is the way to go (or you could use the drill trick with the helmet instead, I suppose).

Take a piece of hard sugar candy and screw a long thin screw into a small portion of it, small enough to fit in the garbage can without touching any of the sides. Wet the end of the candy to solve a bit of the sugar into a syrup and set it on the plastic helmet in the garbage can. Wait a day for it to dry, then pull the helmet out, and soak it in water to loosen the leftover candy on the helmet.

a decent alternative... something quite sticky, but not permamnentley so.

Besides the suggestions above another thing you might want to try is soapy water. Many times it will do the trick of separating elements stuck into each other.

Thank you all for your answers. Now I must share the solution my 13 year old arrived at. I found two scratched elements and the pocketknife that pried them apart on my computer desk this morning. This was definitely NOT the best way to get a helmet out of a garbage can as both elements were damaged in the process, but the helmet (which now looks like it was in a high speed crash) is out and the can (not as scratched as the helmet) is empty.

Can we assume he used the blade as a lever?

Yes. The blade was used as a lever. Since I failed to mention that I wanted to get the helmet out safely and would ask how to do that here, I ended up with a proud teen and a couple of scratched elements...

You can also use heat to un-jam parts that have been tightly stuck with an air pocket between them, which sounds like it describes this situation. Running the parts under warm/hot tap water will cause the air to expand, pushing the pieces apart.


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How can I control nxt 2.0 robot with a Wiimote in labview?
I am building a robot with Labview for LEGO Mindstorms and I have wanted to hook up the robot to move based on a Wiimote or Wii remote.  However, I have not found a file to download to enable me to do so.  Does anyone have any free files that they have found that come with instructions?  If this is any help I am only using lego education sets and my NXT version is a 2.0.

The Wiimote uses 2 forms of communication: Bluetooth 4, and IR for the pointing controls. You'd probably be using bluetooth.
The main problem with the NXT bluetooth is that the NXT is a slave device, not a master device, while the wiimote itself is a slave device as well. For advanced reading on the interfacing methods, the wiibrew community has set up a great page over here: http://wiibrew.org/wiki/Wiimote
The next concern is that you may have to modify your wiimote a tiny bit for bluetooth data transmission. right now, most of the homebrewers are hard-shorting wires to trigger events.
As far as files for the NXT, I'm afraid that you will likely find little to no files, as the problems stated above are somewhat above what most NXT users are trying to do.
Best of luck on your project!


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Known quality control issue with 10234 Sydney Opera House?
I have just completed 10234 Sydney Opera House, with one white half-shell (Bricklink: 41749 White Wedge 8x3x2 Open Right) missing.
Both the Bricklink inventory and the Lego instructions show 34 of 41749 and 35 of 41750, so this looks unusual.
Have I misplaced an element, or is this a known quality control issue with this set?

There should be information on what to do in case of missing pieces at the end of the booklet

I can't speak to quality control on this specific set, but if you ever find your set is missing pieces, you can easily get them replaced free of charge at https://service.lego.com/en-us/replacementparts#BasicInfo

Rather similar to the other questions on missing parts...

In six years of collecting vigorously I've had missing parts, wrong parts, miscolored parts, broken parts. As your collection is growing, you will inevitably bump into these issues. Not a biggie. TLG's support is spectacular, and there's an easy-to-use form on their website just for such cases.

Yes after years of collecting I have seen a few extra/missing parts.  The same opera house also needed a few plates and a telescope that I had to take from my existing stock.  I was wondering about the 35 left-sided/34 right-sided pieces on what should be a symmetrical build.  I will read through the instructions again to see if my mirrored-building technique with opposite sides has confused me.

You seem to imply you built some of the structures symmetrically; however, by looking at the building instructions, I notice they are not: the subpart starting at page 37 of book 3 uses 7 wedges in total, while the opposite one on page 48 uses only 6.
While missing parts do happen (and are usually solved very diligently by the customer service, as said in other questions on the subject), it's always worth double-checking if the instructions were followed correctly, especially in such a huge model.


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reference number and instruction of a spaceship
I have only an image of that spaceship, (and all briks of course) but I don't know its serial number which makes me hard to find instructions to rebuild it.
The image of the spaceship is this one, anybody can help me to rebuild it?

This set is 6848 Strategic Pursuer.

Instruction scans are available on Peeron.

It was exactly what I need! I build it! Thank you!


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Can I change the firmware on a Retail EV3 Intelligent brick to the Educational version?
The LEGO Mindstorms EV3 comes in both educational and retail versions. The educational version differs in bricks, sensors, a rechargable battery and datalogging capability.
I would like to know can I change the firmware on the EV Intelligent brick to supporting datalogging?
And does this mean I need to buy and install educational version of software on my PC?

The hardware is most certainly identical, so I don't see why you wouldn't be able to change the firmware at will. Actually, I wonder if it isn't the exact same firmware to start with.

There are indeed two versions of the firmware to support the two sets of capabilities of the EV3 Brick, both currently at version 1.3/1.03:

EV3 Firmware V1.03*H*.bin - The current "Home" edition.
EV3 Firmware V1.03*E*.bin - The current "Education" edition.

From what I've seen, you should be able to use either firmware on the bricks, however to get access to the data logging features you would also need to use the Education version of the software as well:

LEGO MINDSTORMS Education EV3 Software includes:

Data logging capabilities so students can log and analyse real-time sensor values.

I'm now using Retail EV3 with Education firmware, and this magically solved all the problems with the Bluetooth connection. Apart from that, I couldn't find any other difference. So for me it works fine :)

I am still on Retail/Retail, and have not had a problem with Bluetooth


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What is the purpose of the Technic Axle 6 in set 6847?
In set 6847 (Space Dozer, http://www.peeron.com/inv/sets/6847-1) there is a black Technic Axle 6 that has no structural or cosmetic function in the set. I don't have the original instructions or box, so it might have been included to build one of the alternate sets. Or some other reason?

It's structural, but not really mandatory:

The full (4 pages) instruction can be found by googling or e.g. there: http://lego.brickinstructions.com/lego_instructions/set/6847/Space_Dozer

Well, it's not really of structural importance, as the 4 x 6 plate in step 2 holds them together. I had the scanned instructions already, but was wondering if on the box, any of the alternative builds sometimes pictured used it.

Well, it will, to some degree, keep the 1x6 technic beams from coming off the plate above when too much pressure is applied from above. Without that axle, I see the 1x6's coming off all too easily.

if they'd put a plate under those beams to keep them in place the vehicle would have no ground clearance (or possibly negative clearance). You could always build it and find out...

When weight is applied on the structure, the wheels are are creating a twisting motion that will eventually dissasemble the 1x6 beams.

With the extra structural part when a load is applied there is a lot of flexing but the 1x6 beams are staying in place.

Effectively, the axle is preventing the beams from rotating out of place.

Yay for Science! Nothing like the experimental approach. :)


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In lego mindstorm EV3, can you make the individual programs in a project into functions which can be used in the other programs?
The bit where you program what the robot does using your computer. I'm making a project and I can't fit it all onto the screen, so if you can't do functions, is there any way to zoom out of the screen or something, so I can add more?

You can turn parts of your program into custom blocks by selecting them and choosing Tools -> My Block Builder from the menu. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CApCoGQJRcU for a  tutorial on this feature.

In the MINDSTORMS EV3 software you can Zoom in and out to be able to view your complete program (there are magnifier icon and an 1:1 on the top right)
You can also create MyBlock ... select a group of block that do something specific like rotate till object detected - then click on Tool in the menu  - then on MyBlock Builder -- once a MyBlock is created they appear in the CYAN colored block tab below (the one on the far right) Now every time you want to seek for object just call that MyBlock

MyBlocks are the right way to go, but you can still end up with a program that is larger than will fit on your screen.
The canvas on which you create your programs can be scrolled left to right and up and down.
In MS Windows, hold the Alt key and click and drag on an empty space in the canvas. I don't know the equivalent key on a Mac, but I'm sure there is one. There should also be arrows you can click on at each edge of the screen if your program is not fitting in the window. If you have a scroll wheel on your mouse, you can also use that to scroll up and down.
Blocks need not be adjacent. Though not considered a best practice in EV3 programming, you can "snake" the program on screen by breaking code up into sections of blocks that will fit the width of the screen in consecutive rows. Non-adjacent blocks can be connected with a "Beam" by dragging from the exit point of one block to the entry point of the next block.

I'm not particularly familiar with Mindstorms EV3, but I know that NXT-G has the capability to call other programs from a main program using MyBlocks.
As far as I know, you can't zoom out of the EV3 and NXT programming environments, although in NXT-G there is an overall view you can get by switching the tabs in the lower left hand corner.


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Pre-Technic gears?
I have this set of LEGO gears. I remember seeing them first at my grandparents in the mid 80's. They predate my first Technic sets (~84 or 85).

I have fond memories of my dad building a 3-speed gearbox with those.
The gears have a kind of spring (although some springs are missing) that snaps in the small dent at the end of the white axles. Also the gears have an odd number of teeth (9, 15 and 21) so you only have 1 chance out of 4 to align them correctly. Axles are compatible with (black) Technic axles, and the gears can be attached to Technic, even if the teeth sizes are not compatible.
I found some references to similar (in shape and color) Samsonite branded gears, but they're not alike. Also, it looks like Samsonite gears were sold in the US only, so it's very unlikely for such a set to be found at my grandparents in Europe.
My question is: from which set(s) are those cogs from? When were they produced? Are they pre-Technic or were they produced in parallel?

I bought these in Norway in 1970. Great profile. They can be used at any angle from zero to 90 degrees shaft direction. I am actually on my way to the attic to find them. I need a similar profile for an encoder drive on a big machine. (Will 3D-scan and magnify to my needs.)

The two larger gears were produced from 1970 to 1974, while the smaller gear remained in production for three additional years. There are six sets released during that time that contained all three parts:
800 Gear Set with Motor (1970)
802 Gear Supplementary Set (1970)
803 Gear/Wheel Set (1972)
810 Gear Truck Set (1974)
811 Gear Crane Set (1974)
812 Gear Supplementary Set (1974)
(Source)
The Lego Technic branding was introduced in 1977 (source), so while the sets listed above do not carry the Technic name, they may have sold well and inspired the Technic line.


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Old lego set 1950s or 60s? TABAC and/or BAKEREI (from Europe)
My dad had a lego set (or 2 sets) in the late 50s or early 60s that his dad picked up in Europe (this was before they were sold in the states).  It had 2 thick green rectangular tiles for bottoms (or one in each set) and made 2 buildings - TABAC and  BAKEREI if he remembers the 1x6 blocks that had names on them correctly.  Can anyone identify this set (or pair of sets)?  Thanks so much

The set(s) in question are likely two versions of set 1210 Small Store, released in 1955, or 210 Small Store, sold in 1958. They were available in a number of languages and with a variety of store names. "Tabak" means Tobacco in both Dutch and German. The Dutch word for bakery, however, is "bakkerij", while in German it is "Bäckerei". "Bakerei" is only used in Basque. Most likely, your father had two copies of the German versions of the sets.

Wow!  Thanks so much.  Based on what he told me about them, I bet that's exactly it.


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LEGO retiring old sets?
Why does The LEGO Group stop producing/selling older sets when they can still be hot items? I understand that they might affect the sale of future models but older models are rarely replaced by their newer counterparts.
As a fan of LEGO Trains, I cannot find anything for these ones:
Level Crossing:
7834
4532
7936
10128
Train Crossing:
7996
7857
These are just examples. There are a lot of other items, both train and non-train related, which are discontinued and are sold on eBay etc. for the price gold. Obviously if LEGO would keep on producing them, they will definitely benefit.

While some retired sets tend toward the price of gold, most do not. Sure it's easy to find retired sets selling at many times their original price, but LEGO depends on VOLUME sales, and they have number-crunchers that let them know when it's time to let go. Plus, if they never retired anything, there would be no room for NEW sets.

Because their storage is limited, but creativity is unlimited, I think so :D

In order to sell older sets, TLG would have to either:
(1) continue a production run even when the demand for a set has dropped off
Production capacity is limited to a set number of components / sets at a time, and it makes sense to focus on newer, more profitable lines. For example, the moulds which produce LEGO parts are unbelievably expensive, but each mould can only produce a certain number of parts before it needs to be replaced.
or
(2) reproduce older sets
TLG has tried that in the past, and it hasn't proven particularly profitable for them. The problems are similar to (1).
or
(3) store sets longer in the hope that demand will pick up again
Which is risky, and typically less profitable than focusing resources on making new sets.

You can bet that TLG spend a lot of effort figuring out how to maximise the profitability of the company. Of course, it is possible that TLG has occasionally made the wrong decision and retired a set too early. I imagine, however, that these occasions are relatively rare (and even if they aren't, I don't suppose they'd tell us anyway).

There are a lot of factors to consider, but I believe the key one is a matter of production capacity. At any given time, the LEGO company can only produce a finite number of different elements and sets. As older sets stay in production, they would mean that less new sets can be produced, and the same goes for parts.
As far as parts are concerned, TLC pushes very hard toward a consistent parts system, and new parts are usually more functionnal or versatile than older ones. Again, the number of parts currently in production being limited, this means TLC has to retire older parts to make room for newer ones. While staple parts have a good chance of returning if their is a need for them, there is virtually no chance that older systems such as old train tracks, monorail tracks or samsonite gears would return. Considering old train tracks were much more fragile and aren't fully compatible with newer track, it wouldn't make sense to produce them again.
Gev's argument makes a lot of sense too: what you may perceive as "hot item" may in fact only have value because of its rarity and appeal to older fans. While a reissue in small production runs may work, I doubt TLC is willing to try this on a full scale. Keep in mind their goal is to run a profitable business, and selling big numbers of new sets probably works better - and don't forget their target audience is kids at the toy store, not adults on eBay. Actually, TLC tried at some point to reissue older sets ("Legends") and the very fact they don't do that anymore tells me that it didn't fare too well.
All in all, I'm fairly confident that TLC knows what "will definitely benefit" them way better than we can imagine ourselves.

authors: เด็กชายจิรวัฒน์ เจนจบธรรม


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Extra pieces in my set - Eiffel Tower
I recently purchased a Eiffel Tower Architecture kit and I found it having 9 extra pieces.  I know it is normal to have extras but I think the amount is a bit high.  Any ideas or explanations?
Does anyone else have high numbers like this in their architecture sets?

Most of the times it's not really a matter of number of extra pieces but what they are. If a set uses 9 different colors of 1x1 round plates, for example, you'll get an extra for each color no matter what? So, what are the extras?

According to the BrickLink inventory, there should be three extra parts, so 9 seems a bit high.
It could be a mistake from LEGO, but honestly it's more likely that you forgot them yourself. Knowing what the 6 parts are through Bricklink, I suggest you check the model once more to verify where they could go.


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Is there a way to program the EV3 brick with NXC?
I tried to program the EV3 brick with NXC so i used BricxCC. The download of the program to the EV3 was successful but when i tried to start the program (which actually didn't show up on the program screen), there was a "FILE NAME ERROR". I use the Firmware V1.03H.

Not right now. RobotC support is already there ( although it isn't free ).


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ERROR CODE 7- Cannot download needed file for the program
I am kind of new in LEGO MINDSTORMS, I tried to download a program to the NXT robot and got the Error code 7- "Cannot download needed file for the program" - can someone tell me what should i do?

Try uninstalling and then reinstalling the NXT programming software. That might help.

A screenshot of the program may help too.

This is most probably an accessory file (sound or image) not present on your machine. Verify all the sound or display blocks that might use such non-standard contents.


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Price of EV3 education software
After looking around on the Lego Education website, I failed to find the price of the education software.  I currently have the retail version of the software, but I want the extra features and blocks in the education version.  Does anyone know how much the education EV3 software is?

The LEGO Education website does indeed not list prices, as you have to go through a distributor and get a quote there.
However, it seems that LEGO acts as its own distributor in the United States, which is slightly confusing, especially considering it's on a separate website: http://www.legoeducation.us/. There you can get prices, and you'll see a single-user license costs 99.95$ and a site license is 399.95$ (not sure how many installations that covers, though). Of course, outside of the United States you have to find a local distributor and request a quote.

The UK store (with prices) can be found here: http://shop.legoeducation.com/gb/category/lego-mindstorms-education-ev3-22/ - I believe it also covers Germany. As these are not really "retail" the prices for the UK are listed both including and excluding tax. As per my answer on licenses, the site license covers all computers at a single location.


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Does cleaning LEGO parts affect their value?
I have a LEGO collection consisting of a number of rarer sets such as the monorail and 9V train sets.
I want to clean the pieces but I am curious if cleaning the parts affects their value? I plan on putting a few drops of dish soap in a laundry tub with warm water, gently mixing the pieces around, and then rinsing them off and letting them air dry. I obviously wouldn't do this with any 9V pieces or pieces with decals.
I know cleaning coins greatly decreases their value because it lightly scratches the surface of the coin. Should I be concerned with cleaning LEGO parts?

As you can expect, the answer to this will most certainly be "yes" in most cases as there's always a chance of scratching the parts. However, you could argue that getting bricks dirty is what diminishes their value to start with (some would go as far as saying opening the box is already a bad idea :-))

Cleaning coins reduces their value because being metal they form a natural patina with age. The patina is an indication of the coin's age, and supports its authenticity. Removing any of the patina through cleaning reduces the value because it removes this sign of its authenticity.
Cleaning LEGO pieces does not affect their value in the same way it does coins. It is generally accepted that used pieces will have some small scratches and will have lost some of the shine of new pieces. Unless the scratches are deep enough to be seen easily or the piece is damaged, these incidental small scratches have little effect on the value of used pieces or sets.
LEGO pieces do not scratch one another, although they may cause scuffs (which can be removed). Scratches are caused by substances that are harder than the ABS plastic LEGO pieces are made from. This is usually dirt and dust that contain small particles of grit. This can settle on the pieces and scratch them as they are handled. Many pieces are played with on the floor, where they pick up grit and can be rubbed into carpet or flooring that contains abrasive particles.
Cleaning them can remove this abrasive grit and reduce further scratching, but aggressive rubbing can cause more scratching. When I clean pieces, I like to let them soak in warm water and mild soap for several hours - overnight usually - with no scrubbing and just a gentle mixing around of the pieces. Then I drain the water and rinse them until there are no soap suds and spread them out in a single layer on a clean towel to air dry. This will get all but the most dirty pieces clean.
For pieces that are very dusty, I will soak them then run them under a tap and use the water pressure to clean off as much dust as possible.
For pieces with dried-on dirt or other substances, you need to scrape it off with something softer than the plastic, like a fingernail, or try using the thin edge of a brick separator which is the same type of plastic.

It depends very much on how you clean them, and why.
Parts that were covered in mud or excrement will have lower value after that regardless of how you clean them, but I suggest it's not the cleaning that is the cause. Similarly for parts exposed to cigarette smoke or other toxic substances. If you check Bricklink, for example, many sellers of second hard parts say "smokefree household" as an advertising claim.
Careful cleaning with things that don't damage the Lego would normally increase the value, but not enough to cover the cost of doing it (otherwise more online sellers would say "all parts washed before sale"). Most Lego is kept pretty clean, except for smoke damage as noted above.
I have preciously sold Lego that I bought in a big, foul-smelling bin after washing it to remove the smell. The smell was slight rancid, slightly just "house that is never cleaned" musty/mouldy. So I used laundry detergent and warm water, soaking and agitating over a day or so, then rinsed a couple of times and dried in the shade. The smell disappeared, I sold most of the bricks (I bought the lot for some specific parts). I removed all the transparent parts before cleaning, and carefully hand-washed each transparent part specifically to avoid visible scratches. But the scratches from the general washing seem likely to be less than the scratches from normal keeping Lego in a big bin and carrying that around. I didn't see any obvious new damage, at least.
I suspect but have not tried that machine washing would cause more damage. Bag washing in a dishwasher or washing machine will involve more agitation and possibly hotter water than the hand-washing I've done. If I was going to do this I'd try it first on a bag of low-value Lego. AFOL groups often have a supply of very low-value bricks from people who regularly buy bulk lots of second hand Lego, so it would be worth asking around for how they clean it or whether they'd be willing to donate some bricks for your experiments.
I have heard of people deliberately using reactive chemicals to "clean" bricks in a damaging way. Normally this is done with old white Lego that has yellowed with age. Oxygen free radical cleaners will restore the whiteness, but make the Lego brittle. Doing that would definitely lower the value of the Lego.
I am assuming here that everyone involved is honest - obviously if you do use harsh cleaners but don't tell buyers that's not going to affect the value until the buyers discover the problem, and then only if they have some way of telling future buyers about your actions.


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Tips for hair loss problem in HeartLake world?
Is there anything to do to prevent the rubber hairs (or hats) from leaving Stephanie's head?
In my opinion, hairs and head stuffs for Friends don't stay in place as well as they do in the minifig's world.
My daughter is fed up with those girls with hair loss problems!
Any tips?!

Oof. The title sounds like you're trying to solve my hair loss problem. Is that intentional?

no Jan ! if I was talking about you, I would have set the 'Jan' tag, not 'friends' ! :)

Here I was, poised flag as spam...  but NOOOOOoooo...

My LEGO Friends minifigs are just fine. Their hair doesn't come off that easy. Perhaps there is some difference in the mould and you ended up with some loose ones? It happends to regular minifigs too where the hair/helmet fits very loose or very tight. You could put a little bit of tacky-glue (blu-tack) inside the hair pieces to keep them on while still being able to remove/change them.
Also, I have to ask; are these minifigs directly from LEGO? There has been some sellers on eBay selling knock-off Friends minifigs from China. At first glance they look just like the real thing, but they are of lesser quality.

None of the hair pieces for any of my authentic Friends set stay on during play.


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Duplo Train Thomas?
Anyone know if Lego will make new Thomas And Friend Duplo?  The first sets were from 2005-2009 and I can't find any information about the future of this licences

For commercial reasons, TLG doesn't usually publish plans for their future lines. We can sometimes make an educated guess, but we can rarely know for sure.

I know, but there's always small leak about that kind of stuff :)

The Thomas and Friends license is currently with Mega Bloks (as of January 2014). For now, that means Lego is not planning on producing any new sets.

However, it is not unheard of for licenses to switch. The Marvel Superheros license, for example, was with Mega Bloks as well until Lego took it over last year:

My eyessssssss!

So there's hope for LEGO to get Star Trek.  You know, after Star Wars ends.... yeah...

There's a bit of the history here - however I'm sure there was also some crossover with LEGO and MegaBloks, although that may have been more at the retailer level than officially.


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Please tell me what tunnel-hull boat set this is?

I cannot figure out what this set would be...I like it and want to find instructions...but tried different wording and looking at images without luck.

After zooming the image and identifying the windscreen, I searched the Bricklink catalog and found the #4402 Sea Riders set in the list of sets using that windscreen in trans-black:
More details and instructions can be found here.


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How can I contact LEGO set designers?
I would like to contact some of the set designers of the LEGO group to take part in a professional design forum, but I can't find any contact information. Is there a way I can contact them, or find more information on how to contact them?

Considering individual designers would need to ask for permissions from LEGO to do this, it may be more efficient not to contact them directly, but to go through the community team.
If that doesn't work, it's true that some designers do have an active online presence (check the answer to Are there any great LEGO designers that are well-known?) and shouldn't be too hard to get in touch with. There's always a chance they'll have to send you back to the community team or a legal team somewhere, but I suppose it's worth a try.
Anyway, we need them to spend their time on designing sets, so let's hope you don't demand too much of their time.

There are also former LEGO designers, like Mariann Asanuma. you can find her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Model-Building-Secrets/112066427547 and if you want to skip straight to her site: http://modelbuildingsecrets.com/

Great!Big thank you!I actually managed to find some contacts in LinkedIn. Won't steal your designers for too long, promise!

Have you checked Cuusoo? That seems to be a less formal designer's interface to the public.

Haven't, but will. Thank you!


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Alternative for Technic, Gear Rack 1 x 7 with Axle and Pin Holes?
We are trying to build a MOC which requires Technic, Gear Rack 1 x 7 with Axle and Pin Holes and we don't have that. Could we build it? Or are there any alternatives?
FYI we do have Technic Gear Rack 1 x 4 and 6630 - Technic, Gear Rack 1 x 8 with Holes

If it's your own creation, you should be able to adapt your model to fit the rack you have. One tricky problem I can see is if your construction is built as most studless models are nowadays and features uneven dimensions - which means a 7 rack is indeed easier than a 8.
You can of course build something around the old 1x4 rack place but it might get awkward depending how you want your model to work. Something like this might already work fine:

Also, I wouldn't discount the worm screw, as it can work as a rack as well:

Of course, this is just an example; with this solution you have a lot of freedom as to what you will connect at the ends of the axle, as well as to the length of it. Again, depending on your model, you'll surely be able to find something that suits your needs.

Please note that the worm screw solution could easily fall apart if this is part of the steering construction of a car.