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Can you identify these Bionicle sets?
Also, I have a box of parts. If I display the heads, will that lead me to what these are?

Thanks for any help. My grandson loves to put LEGO parts together so I want to take these apart and have instructions for him.

Can you post any photos that show more detail?

Sadly you have pretty much a jumbled mess of pieces instead of actual sets. You may want to go on ebay and look for bionicle sets that both say complete and that say with manual/instructions
The top image:
The torso is from the black toa ignika
The back silver spines are from spinax from the Maxilos and Spinax set
The two curled spiked silver pieces on the weapon are from one of the barraki sets
The mask is from Onua of the Mistika variety
The one upper leg armor piece is from a black piraka
The bottom two are similar in the way that they come from many sets, nothing complete sadly

The two Bionicles on the right are for sure a mix of different parts from different sets, and, without seeing much close-up details, it will be very difficult to tell you which original sets the parts came from. The white piece on the foreground is part of an Exo Force set from 2006 called 7700 Stealth Hunter (https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=7700-1).

The set on the left might largely consist of pieces from one specific Bionicle, but I have not been able to identify him yet. However, the whole idea behind the Constraction sets like Bionicle and Exo Force is that you can combine them and make your own creations, which seems like what you have here. Your grandson should have a blast playing with them, no matter if they belong to a set or not. Have fun!

The one on the left is also a mix. Head of Onua Mistika, torso and legs of Nuparu Inika, arms, spines and weapons from Maxilos and Spinax, and some Barraki teeth, a Phantoka wing, possibly a Piraka leg armor piece, and some feet pieces from other sets.

that's Onua Mistika and he looks about 70% complete

From all of the Onua perhaps you've meant this Toa Onua in mind? IMHO, it doesn't look similar to posted picture.

The feet, legs, weapon and the spikes are definitely different. Arms seem to match and the mask might as well, but it's hard to see.

yes it's that one but mixed


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Help identifying LEGO set with yellow construction vehicle arm?

Could you please help identify this partly assembled set? I have already scoured the Internet looking for images to no avail. I have looked through the instruction books we have. It has possibly come in a job lot purchase. Many thanks.

Welcome to Bricks.SE! Great question, and thanks for including a photo. There's usually someone here who can identify a set pretty quickly from a photo like that. :)

This is from: 60122-1: Volcano Crawler

source: Stack Exchange

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

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

sort: votes


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Separate LEGO Technic wheel from 3 pin hub
How to separate a 3 pin wheel hub (part# 92909),

from this wheel (part# 44772),

in order to replace it with another wheel, such as part# 22969?

Just wanted to elaborate on the answer by Wrzlprmft.  The first thing that went through my mind was, "What is this configuration where the Hub is snapped into a wheel but not into the Portal Axle Housing?"  A curious MOC perhaps?  Because normally the wheel easily pulls off of the hub, when it's attached to the housing.
My first advice for anyone messing around with these pieces is to never try to separate the Hub from the Portal Axle Housing once it's snapped in.  I found out the hard way to not just pull it out.  It does still stay in now, but not as well.

I was suspicious that this process may be much easier than the original answer made it sound.  Perhaps my reading comprehension is to blame there. I first made a "various obvious variation" of a tool described in the previous answer.  I attempted to make it as simple as possible, prove it's function, and provide a picture for clarity.

It works just fine, dislodging the pin snaps just enough that the hub can be easily removed.  I then tried the first two ideas that popped into my head for comparison.  I often use whatever is in reach for makeshift removal tools.  The first is simply 2 brick separators prying on either side.  This worked just fine and, much to my satisfaction, sent the hub flying into the air.

The second "tool" was lazily grabbing 2 axles and pushing them simultaneously, with just my hand, into 2 of the 3 Hub pins with moderate force.  This too worked just fine.

So to recap:  The original answer remains correct and now has an illustrated proof of concept.  We also learned that jamming anything that fits into 2 of the holes works just fine as well.  And, lastly, not to pull the Hub out of the Axle Housing once snapped in.

definitely the first tool is the best for avoiding locking it by mistake and ending in the same situation as originally was.

The main trick is to simultaneously push all three pins of the hub:

If you have another hub, and the wheel allows for this, take it and push carefully from the other side. If both hubs are half-way in, you should be able to pull out both.
Otherwise, take two wedge belt wheels, align them on top of each other, insert a pin into every second hole and repeat the above. There are various obvious variations of this approach using different parts, if you need a longer tool or don’t have the parts available.

I personally prefer using Technic axles to push out difficult pins.

@Purplemur: That works nicely for one pin, but here you have many pins. Hence just pushing in one pin with a Technic axle (or something similar) will cause it to tilt and stick. Therefore you need to push all pins simultaneously.

Then, I'd use one of the hubs with three of these: (Technic, Pin Connector Round 2L) https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=62462#T=C with three of these: (Technic, Axle Pin) https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=43093#T=C to push the pins out. Or, just use one and maintain some pulling pressure as I released each pin in turn.

@Purplemur: That’s something I would file under obvious variation of this approach using different parts in my second bullet point.

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Step 160 on Carousel 10257, white hinges not connecting?
I'm struggling with step 160 where I use white "hinge" connectors to connect the carousel platform sections. It seems to create too much pressure and the platform breaks apart. Grateful for any tips.

If you share a photo of your model at step 159, someone who has the set might be able to identify if you've made a mistake.

@Craig That's a great suggestion. I wonder if a live build like this might also provide some insight: https://youtu.be/Qt1Zq-3sGrM?t=2h1m25s

Have you double checked your construction of each section, especially the positioning of the white edge bricks that the “hinge” connectors are adjacent to?

Your description is not very detailed, but maybe you just need to press the 12 tan trapezoidal assemblies together (radially) to reduce the circumfence. There shouldn't be any gaps between the bricks. (It's a little bit difficult to explain with words) As @Craig said, please share a photo of your model

There should be no pressure on any segment at this step. I fear as some people have commented that something is wrong with either the assembly or perhaps the manufacturing of the parts.
But, seeing as it sounds like this occurs with any of the 12 pieces, and it would be unrealistic to assume that all twelve hinges are malformed.
My guess is that the "underbelly" is set together in the wrong configuration, so I would inspect them all to check if they are all identical (in pairs ofc) and matches the guide. If assembly as you describe is possible but breaks, its possible that one of then are oversized.

I would go back and check just to make sure that you have done the last few steps right. If you still can't figure it out, look on either YouTube or Google and type "LEGO 10257 Carousel Not Working correctly". If there is nothing there, contact LEGO Customer Service and ask for help. Good Luck!


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Help identifying this set, dark red and dark grey airplane body?
Bought in a random box with mostly Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Ninjago sets, and a few one offs. Before I have to enter every piece into rebrickable, I was hoping someone might be able to identify this?

Welcome to Brick Answers.  Are you looking for the set for this to be found or the individual part numbers?

This is from 9467-1: The Ghost Train

Sorry I wasn't clear! The set. Thank you Joost!


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Are there any books on the history of economic, marketing and design choices of LEGO and the company?
I am interested in the history of economic, marketing and design choices made by the company, that shaped the product line (or individual sets) and the LEGO experience that we all love. Preferably about the post-2000 years.

Yes, there actually is a book that discusses just this subject AND it's primarily focused on the post-2000 years:
Brick by Brick: How LEGO Rewrote the Rules of Innovation and Conquered the Global Toy Industry by David Robertson.
I highly recommend this book - while professing to be a business book, it gives huge insight into the companies design-reasoning and history.
Amazon Link here.

Thanks Ash, I'll order it for sure! Will post some review when done, but I'll keep this post open not to discourage other answerers (hopefully, there are more books on the topic).

@IstvánZachar did you like the book?

I have read the book, and despite the often sensational journalistic-style writing, I've learnt interesting historical details about the company. It does not discuss set development (specific or general) in detail. I nevertheless recommend the book for those interested in the economic decisions behind the company's near-catastrophic era in the early 2000's. Especially, that I have found no other book about the topic.

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42042 Crawler Crane: conversion to remote control
After many years of "Lego drought", I have decided to reinvest in some. Amongst a lot I have purchased is a Crawler Crane, half built, with all the parts to complete the build.
However, instead of building as the instructions, has anyone here actually converted this to remote control, so you don't have to keep reaching for the back of the crane to operate the shift levers?
I've seen a few videos on YouTube, but they don't explain the how to make the modifications.

Welcome back to LEGO and to Bricks.SE!

There's a nice looking mod on Rebrickable that includes full building instructions.

This includes the following PF components:

2 L-Motors - drive
1 M-Motor - tilt cab
1 M-Motor - boom elevation
1 M-Motor - rotate
1 M-Motor - winch
3 IR Receiver
3 IR Remote Control
1 Battery Box


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How does LEGO decide the color of internal set pieces?
While building many LEGO sets I have noticed that for internal pieces you cannot see when the set is finished; LEGO often chooses mis-matching colors.  For instance in the (amazing) Saturn 5 set most of the pieces are of the white, black, gray family.  However there are some green/blue internal pieces.  Doesn't match the rocket at all.  I have noticed the same thing with other sets as well where a random green internal pieces will show up.
Do they do this for a reason?  Are they using colors that don't sell well and trying to get rid of them?  Going for contrast to help you build?

https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/2895/why-do-some-sets-contain-parts-of-an-unrelated-colour-that-are-hidden-on-the-fin

Does this answer your question? Why do some sets contain parts of an unrelated colour that are hidden on the final model?

Going for contrast to help you build?

This is probably the primary reason most of the time.
One Eurobricks user once said they asked a set designer about it, and they confirmed they do it to makes it easier to follow the instructions:

I had an opportunity some time ago to talk to a designer at TLG, and he told me that they use other colors to make it easier to follow the instructions and build the model.


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Centering on Stud.io (design software)
I'm trying out Stud.io for the first time and I am unsure how to centre a part I want.
I am used to just right clicking on the part to centre it on screen in LEGO Digital Designer, but this won't work on Stud.io as it just brings up options. Is there a way to do this?

You are almost there: Right-click on a part. One of the options is "set as origin". This centers the view on this part. "Reset origin" does exactly that.
Otherwise, navigation is done by rotation (rmouse+move), panning (space+rmouse+move) and zoom (scroll).


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How to best transfer power at 90 degrees for high torque applications
So, I am building a tank model and this is the transmission I have been working on:

Description:
There are two gear pairs for gearing up (16t to 8t gears) and one gear pair for gearing down (worm gear to 8t gear hidden beneath it) for each of the two M motors. The final gear ratio is 1:2 resulting in half the speed and twice (roughly) the torque of the M motors. The grey 24t gears are the ones who transfer motion to the tracks.
Questions:
I would like to know if there is a better way to transfer the power of the two M motors to the 8t gears which are located beneath the worm gears. The problem I have is that the worm gears I use require a lot of gearing up to rotate fast enough (even what I achieved above is not enough). The additional gears result in lost energy and more points that could potentially break. Specifically I want to know if it is possible to achieve similar gear ratios with less gear pairs? Also are there any tips that would help me reduce the size of the above configuration? Is there an entirely different  configuration other than the above which would lead to better results (gear ratio preferably less than 1:2, tougher)? Should I prefer bevel over normal gears? Is it worth it upgrading to two L motors? And lastly do you have any general tips regarding transmission and tank building?

"Is it worth it upgrading to two L motors?" The L motor is actually quite-a-bit better then the M motor. Unless the load is very low, I tend not to avoid the M motor.

There are plenty of gears designed for 90 degree, search bricklink for "technic gear bevel" and "technic gear crown". There's also the "technic knob wheel", that seems to be used a lot outside technic, but I have a feeling that goes badly with a motor.
In my building the only application for worm gears is to gear things down, with regards to to size you can't beat the solutions it offers. But you're first gearing up to then gear down, that looks silly.

This is my first ever motorized build, I would appreciate if you did not suppose I am a pro. That is in regard of my configuration being silly. I know it is not good but I have been trying my best, I  would not have come to this site otherwise.To the point now, I indeed tried the crown gears, but no matter what the axle would bend when pressure was applied to it even though it was secured from both ends. Also if you look closely at the pictures, the suspension of the rear most ground wheel will be blocked If I try to instal an axle vertical to the motors. Thanks anyways!

Incidentally, the 4-knob gear is pretty good for 90deg rotation under heavy loads and does work with motors. It can take more load than the bevel gears without failing.

Ok, I think I found a nice solution using only 3 gears per motor (instead of six). Now the moc can actually move and quite fast because of the 1:1,5 gear ratio. Thanks to everyone who helped!


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Is it part of an offical set?
Does this assembly look familiar to anyone? I've identified the two trans-light blue 4x1 tiles and looked up and down the list on Bricklink but none of them look right.

There are no sets with both the transparent 1x4 tile and the transparent 1x2 plate. If it's part of a set, it's been modified.

Thanks Alex. Have you got a tool for finding sets that contain a list of pieces? I've seen Rebrickable's API but haven't gotten around to writing any code against it. P.S. you should write that as an answer so I can mark it as correct

I haven't tried the Rebrickable API. I just checked it myself manually from the Bricklink lists.

Is it me or are the transparent blue parts different colours? Looks like the 1x2 plate is Transparent Blue, while the 1x4 tile is Transparent Light Blue? In which case only 2016 LEGO City Advent Calendar contains both, and that's clearly not right.

If you combine the black 2x4 slope with the 1x4 tile the best fit is 70228 "Vultrix's Sky Scavenger", but that doesn't have any transparent grey slopes in it.

You could cross-check the sets with the transparent 1 x 4 tile and the transparent 1 x 2 plate. No matches jump out at me.
Unfortunately, I don't know of any tools to make crosschecking easier.

Using those two lists you provided I found there are the following sets with both pieces 21021 Marina Bay Sands https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=21021-1#T=I, 70145 Maula's Ice Mammoth https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=70145-1#T=I, 70165 Ultra Agent's Missions HQ https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=70165-1#T=I, 76041 Hydra Fortress Smash https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=76041-1, 76042 The SHIELD Helicarrier and a few more https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?S=76042-1

@Craig Huh, I must have made a mistake in crosschecking.


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Identify unknown LEGO set bag 2, clear tubes with blue center and blue minifig with clear helmet?
Everything is grey and blue, there is a robot/alien type guy with a clear helmet, there are 2 oversized light blue hands and some long rubber, flexible things leading us to believe he's controlling a robot. Possibly from a Marvel or Star Wars set. Lots of small clear blue pieces.

This is part of  70901-1: Mr. Freeze Ice Attack


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Does Enlighten Brick mainly produce copies of old LEGO sets?
I have recently purchased the Enlighten Brick Black Pearl set. It seems to me though that the set is not an original, and is mainly a copy of a prior LEGO set (6285).
Is it true? And does it apply to all Enlighten Brick products?

Enlighten Brick is a Chinese LEGO knock-off brand.
A lot of, if-not most of, the sets the produce are basically copies of existing LEGO sets, either current ones or popular retired ones.
From their website though, they do appear to have some of their own designs.
Edit by Phil B: Word of Warning: By buying counterfeited sets (such as these Enlighten Bricks copies of LEGO sets) you are sponsoring illegal activities, which if not stopped might ultimately cause irreversible damage to the LEGO brand and the high quality, original sets it provides. Enlighten can offer sets for less than what the equivalent LEGO set would cost purely because instead of investing in R&D they have stolen LEGO's Intellectual Property.

Lepin is a Chinese brand that exclusively clones LEGO sets or user-created MOCS.
Most other Chinese brands sell (mostly) sets based on original designs. Englighten is one such brand.
For example, Enlighten sells several military themed sets, which is a theme LEGO has always avoided :

It also has sets in various other themes that are totally original designs :

It does appear, however, that at least some of their designs are in fact copies of LEGO designs. As you pointed out yourself, the Enlighten Brick Black Pearl set is clearly a copy of LEGO set 6285 or 10040.
I've seen many Enlighten sets, however, and this is the first one I encounter that is actually based on a LEGO set.

The Enlighten sets from the "combat zones" old series are copied from the LEGO Indiana Jones sets. For example, the amphibian vehicle is a copy of the set number 7625 River Chase.


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AA Battery Packs 54950c01 vs 59510c01
What is the difference between these two battery boxes, 54950c01:

and 59510c01:

except for the on/off button?
Which electrical connectors are compatible with each of those?
Is there a counterpart for the 54950c01 button to make it similar to the 59510c01 one?
Are these interchangeable in order to connect them to a buggy motor 5292?

With regards to the switch, there's the Plate, Modified 1x2 with Pin Hole Top but the pin is over one of the studs, rather than central

The main functional difference between these is the electrical connector. The one with the red switch uses the old style 9V connection, while the one with the orange switch uses the newer Power Functions connector.
These are both the same voltage (9V), and you can mix the two systems using the Power Functions Extension Wire (8886).

Here's an example showing a PF battery box powering buggy motors:


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How can I fix this gap in the Ghostbusters Firehouse roof?
We built the LEGO 75827 Ghostbusters Firehouse which was good fun.  But despite being pretty sure we have all of the pieces where they are supposed to go, there is a gap in the roof:

Yet it goes into place with a slight push:

So:

What could be causing this?
How can I fix it without glue?

I think it is not unusual for a structure to bend slightly. Especially when you stack long plates onto each other. Recently, I built a small car with three axes. It took some bending to make all wheels touch the ground.  Are there no studs to hold the roof in place?

Maybe it's because one of the outer edges isn't attached properly? This usually happens when attaching long/wide plates(as pointed out by Azira). Try pushing all the sides down all the way.

I wouldn't recommend this but what I do is slightly warm the section on a radiator for a few minutes and then gently bend the pieces in situ, you might have to do it several times or even do it to individual pieces, I've noticed that lego sometimes has this problem. Or you could modify the corner of the building so that there is a piece that does come into contact with the roof- same colours etc (remember there was a technic model years ago that no one could get to work, lego did admit there was a design flaw and a mistake in the instruction booklet too).

I have this set and it does the same thing for me. The problem is that the size of the model and the tolerances between bricks add up and by the time you have a structure of that size not everything fits perfectly.
First thing you should do is make sure all the pieces are properly seated all the way down the construction of the model. It is possible to make the pieces rest in the proper position.
If that still doesn't work for you, you can certainly fix it by replacing some of the tiles with plates. The building is meant to be modular, and thus easily disassembled into sections, for play/display purposes. If you rebuild it with plates instead of tiles it will have more structural strength but will be more difficult to disassemble.


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I am looking for robot constructor general plastic parts
I do not know how call it, but I mean something like these pics:

Can I find something like this plastic parts in general or I must design them in solidworks and ordering for mold production by myself?
My goal is to build some educational robot kits for kids by this parts.

I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because the question does not relate to LEGO or LEGO compatible products.

Appears to been re-asked as Which LEGO set is best suited to build robots?

The first picture is from Elector,
 the second is kai robot.
They are both robotic kits from Iran, you can order kits from their site.
If you are looking for a Lego solution,
the Lego Eduction program has robotic kits like  Mindstorm and WeDo, or you could look at Lego Boost

Thank you Syberion, which one is good to build kid size soccer robot (3 wheel) and robot warrior contest?


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Help me identify this set? Rocky terrain with castle walls?
My brother has handed down some of his old LEGO to my kids . He had sets including Star Wars, Harry Potter, generic Lego, Batman, and Lord of Rings collected between the years 2006 and 2013.
These pretty unique pieces were in the box, and I feel like they are Lord of the Rings. However, I can’t find any sets that have pieces like these.
Any LEGO fans know what set this may be? I have tried using few sites to look up individual parts in hopes of finding the set, but no luck thus far.

I don't think any of this is Lego , except the manual. These are probaly  Megablocks

From the Megablok wiki:
9650 Raiders Keep


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Is LEGO mindstorms good for a robot warrior or a small size soccer robot?
I want to know if I can build a warrior or small size soccer robot with LEGO parts? If not, are there any better options?

An option that comes to mind is building a Raspberry Pi-based robot. But it's not likely to be small nor easy to put together, code and all.
I think going for a LEGO robot would be easiest; motors, electronics and power source have all been taken care of. You "only" need to connect them and program the EV3 brick. There are numerous YouTube videos of Mindstorms soccer robots that can inspire you.

It's easy to use Lego Mindstorms EV3 to build small robots. There are competitions such as the WRO where EV3 soccer bots compete. Sensors like IR seekers from HiTechnic are used to detect the "football" which is an IR emitting ball. As for a warrior, it is hard to balance Lego robots to make something which can walk but you could make the warrior run on wheels or slightly complex quad-walker mechanisms.


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Uses for tracks in 9648
Has anyone used the Tank tracks (429139) from Lego education set 9648 for anything other than a tank?
The tracks are fixed in size, and I've found the application rather limited (driver belt, track) so far.
At this stage they seem to be a bit of a novelty - so any feedback welcome!

I couldn't find the part '429139' in that set, are you referring to this piece?

I was suspecting part 57518 was what they meant, but it is not clear.

@chicks I couldn't find those in the set referenced.

Yes, that's the part... the set is a LEGO education set - not sure it the part numbers differ as I took it straight from the included part sheet.

My FIRST LEGO League team likes to use them as clothing accessories, like belts, headbands, sashes, etc.
More commonly, though, they are used for conveyor belts (for example, in a great ball contraption). You can also use them for a chain drive when 3711 is not strong enough or big enough.
I also saw this recently where small carriages were attached to the links and it was used as a vertical parking system for matchbox cars.

+1, threads like these are used all the time in GBC modules. Although not as versatile as Technic Tread Links they are slightly smaller in width which could be an advantage for smaller models. They can also be used as conveyor belts as shown in the Toy Story set Trash Compactor Escape

I think someone years ago use them for a machine gun design that actually worked, they placed shooting pieces upon the track and ran it through a special gear worked mechanism that pushed the triggers on top of individual shooters, I think it could fire over 500 a minute, not much of a range but it did look pretty good fun. (forbidden lego of course!)

Forbidden lego?


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What were the most and least popular LEGO themes?
I know that Lego has a history of both popular (Lego city) and non-popular (Jack Stone) themes.
However, is there any hard data that back up popularity?
What were/are the most popular Lego themes/sets of all time and were what the least popular?

By definition, the popular themes are the ones that sell well, and the unpopular ones sell less well.
TLG are in the business of selling LEGO.  It makes business sense for them to offer for sale themes that have already proven popular, and withdraw from sale those themes which are least popular.
Based on these two observations, it seems obvious that themes that have a long run are typically the popular ones,  whereas those that don't last long are less popular.
One major caveat to this line of reasoning is that TLG focuses on total profit, rather than total sales, so even of a theme is popular, TLG may still withdraw it if it doesn't make money. For example, lots of people claim that they would buy monorail sets if LEGO made them again, but TLG's research suggests that the cost of the moulds would make them unprofitable.
There will be other exceptions, too. For example, LEGO might only have a short run of licenced theme, not because it is unpopular, but rather because f the ternms of the licence. And, on some occasions, LEGO might simply make a mistake, and stop a theme too early or too late.
Nevertheless, the long running themes will generally be the ones with the best sales, ie. they will be the popular themes.
So, based on all this, I suggest that LEGO's own catalogues are a good source of information on which themes have proven popular, and which have been less so.
Assuming I'm right, I would say that City is the most popular non-licenced theme, with Police being the most popular sub-theme.
Star Wars is clearly the winner on the licenced front.
Least popular is harder to judge, because there are lots of themes that have only lasted a single season. Juding by the slating it gets, Galidor wasn't popular, but I don't have figures to back that up.
I'd be interested in actual numbers, if anyone has them; but do bear in mind that TLG may have commercial reasons for not wanting to share the whole story.

Wow, those are some freaky figures!

Does anybody have a complete list of single-year themes?

"with Police being the most popular sub-theme" - this statement may depend a bit on where subtheme boundaries run, given that in more recent years, there have been several arguably separate subthemes that represented "Police" (think Mountain Police, Prison Island, ...).

The Znap line might also be a contender for least-popular.


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Does a 1x3 Lego technic liftarm with two round holes and one axle socket exist? (for tank suspension usage)
I have been searching for some time for parts like these (with no success):

But with two holes (instead of three) and one socket for Lego axles at one side.

Likewise two holes (instead of one) and one socket for Lego axles at one side.
So does any of the above parts exist?

What I am trying to do is to make the roadwheels of the suspension more sensitive to movement. Now the Lego sword blade goes through the axle hole of the 3l liftarm, but that creates a lot of friction and the roadwheels won't spin with the tracks. If the brick I was searching for existed, I would attach the roadwheels to a Lego axle which would go through the round hole of the liftarm generating minimal resistance. But anyways...

Do you guys have any better ideas?

I can't see a lift arm with two round holes and one axle hole on the same plane, but there is one where the holes are perpendicular

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=42003
If you have the space you could try joining a standard 3L arm to one of these

https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=60483
Updated suggestion
Now that I see what you're trying to do, have you considered one of these
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=32449
It's 4L but the extra axle hole would be concealed by the wheel, and the wheel would have it's axle through a pin hole and spin freely.

Thank you very much for your suggestions, unfortunately I have already tried the 4l axle and the extra length collides with the tracks, the wheels won't be able to sit properly on top of them, I will accept your answer anyways because such brick does not seem to exist, thank you!

Not sure if you’re still working on this build but easy answer,

If it needs to be able to not pull apart and if height doesn’t matter above the wheel this is also an option.
!
This is the skinniest version that I’ve posted you can reinforce it so it’s more securely anchored to the axles rotation by making it thicker like this,

You could modify the 4L. By chopping off the fourth /end-slot you should now have the right amount of plastic in the right places.

Chop Legos!?!? Are you serious⁈⁈‽


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Can anyone identify this white air/spacecraft please?
Can anyone help me identify this air/spacecraft please?

This is part of the Justice League Javelin
from 76028-1: Darkseid Invasion

Thank you very much for your help, thought it was comic book related but didn't think of Justice League.


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How To Plug Detected Light Values into Variables and Still be Usable in Programs in EV3-G
I've seen teams, mostly in the world festival do this, and what they do is they program the robot so that when a brick button is pressed, the robot detects a value (usually RLI) and it is used later in the program. My program looks something like this so far.
Am I on the right track? Is this program correct? Or am I completely wrong?
The program runs OK, but the variable can't be used later in the program.

Hi, the program runs but the variable can't be used later in the program. Thanks!

First guess: the wait for button command is bad practice.  Well, not the whole thing, just the use of the middle button.  The reason is that that button is also used to start the program.  The program may be jumping past the wait for and saving to "Midpoint" before humans notice that the program has started. Try any other brick button.

Your example doesn't read a RLI value.  It reads and stores a color index value (0 through 8).  This wouldn't stop you using the variable, but the value may not be what you expect.
Variables are global.  You can read or write them anywhere in your program.  The value of the variable is the last value written.  Variables are not persistant.  When your program ends the variable goes away.  This means you cannot use variables to set a value and use it in a different program.  To do something like that use a file,


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Why does the Brickset inventory page incorrectly list a set as including 200 of a part when it actually includes more?
One example of this issue would be a set like 42056 that has 516 black Technic pins with friction. Brickset lists it as only having 200. Is this a technical limitation of some kind? What causes this?

This doesn't have anything to do with database limitations or anything like that. Brickset scrapes their inventories from the replacement parts list on LEGO.com:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/replacementparts
Normally, you are able to request as many replacement parts as there are parts in the set, so this is the number that Brickset uses for it's inventory count. Unfortunately, the max you can request is 200, so Brickset doesn't list more than 200 of the same part being found in a set.

That's a fun bug.  Can we fix those quantities after they scrape it?

I believe that they intentionally keep this data synced directly with what is found on lego.com. They do also link to curated inventories (Bricklink, Rebrickable, etc). From their contact page: "Information about parts and set inventories comes from LEGO customer services we are unable to make changes to it." I'll ping their staff about this just in case.

Thank you -- that is exactly why. We don't modify inventories once obtained, we prefer to keep them verbatim, errors and all. -- Huw, Brickset.com

@HuwMillington Makes sense. Thanks for the info!


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Has anyone created a analogue LEGO clock that runs time accurately?
I've seen someone on YouTube create a LEGO Clock with all the wheels and a pendulum, but I was wondering if there is any project or building instructions available to build such a clock with an efficient movement. LEGO Technic seems ideal to build such complex mechanism.

So are you trying to build something like https://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_3849268099&feature=iv&src_vid=Jd1yUTT3rVE&v=631imyYGFl0 ??

Kinda, but now that I think about it, maybe the best would be a mechanism with a spring barrel and power reserve instead of pendulum.

Building a clock is easy, building an accurate clock is hard, even without lego.
To have accuracy you must have something happening at a fixed frequency.
A pendulum is the easiest way to provide a regular timing.
Next you need a power source for the clock.
Weights falling down is classic, and easy to do with lego : a pulley and a string.
The force generated by a spring is not constant, it decrease with time as the spring wound down. You need a constant force to have accuracy.
Real clocks have mechanisms to compensate this variations by I am not sure it is possible to replicate with lego.
An electric motor is better, but the charge of the batteries determine the power generated by the motor.
Then you will loose power with friction so you must limit the number of moving part or limit friction with lubricant for example.
I have built a clock myself, it works but stops after 15 to 20 minutes for too much friction.
You can search the web for other lego clocks, but the best I have seen works for about 6 hours.
A lego clock is a fun project but you won't use it to tell time.

Welcome to Bricks.SE! I'd love to see pictures or links to your clock model. That sounds great!

It's okay if it doesn't last long, it's more for the fun of mechanics and to show to other people how a mechanical clock works.

unfortunately i don't have any photo and the clock is 800km away, a quick search show one good example at nico71 - clock

I built a high accuracy pendulum clock with LEGO.
As far as the monthly rate (error per month) is concerned, it has achieved high accuracy comparable to that of quartz clocks!
It utilizes technologies such as an improved gravity escapement, a durable pendulum support point, and a temperature-compensated pendulum.
Summary of experimental results

Experiment period:30 days
Daily late(error per day):-5.1 to +2.9 s
Monthly rate(error per month):-4.7 s

The following is a link to YouTube.
It explains the details of the clock.
A prototype of an accurate LEGO pendulum clock "ChronoBrick-1"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzuKKuLGjqI

Great work ! Thank you for sharing !

There are limited instructions for a clock in the 8888 Expert Builder Idea Book from 1980. I'm sure there are better designs out there today, but I thought this could be helpful for ideas and a bit of nostalgia. I can't speak to the accuracy of this model, as I haven't actually built it.

That's quite interesting but there is only one hand which is less fun. I know for a fact that you can display two hands as seen in a video with a special wheel that I found in my old legos.

According to this video of tuning a LEGO clock by KEvronista, he was able to get the accuracy within a few seconds per day. The key is to use a small amplitude of oscillation (angle) for the pendulum swing, so that the pendulum approximates a harmonic oscillator. The LEGO clock has an amplitude of about 2.3° degrees. Also important is making the drive chain and pendulum swing as independent as possible by reducing recoil, which the Galileo's escapement shown has as a major disadvantage. The Wikipedia article on the anchor escapement gives a good explanation and in theory a well-constructed deadbeat escapement made in LEGO could be even more accurate.


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Which LEGO set is best suited to build robots?
My goal is to build some educational robot kits for kids and so I'd like to know if there are any LEGO sets that let you build almost anything or can you only can build the specific model that the package is designed for?
I am looking for general parts to build different sorts of robots but I  do not mind about electronic parts (motors, boards, sensors, etc. as I can build or buy those), I'm really after mechanical parts (gears, axles, beams, etc.).
I do not want pay for moulding and prefer to use something like LEGO parts, but I am unsure which LEGO set will offer the most flexibility to build anything I want?
Also if there are other universal building products other than LEGO that I could use I would be happy to know.

Your question is not so clear, but it seems like you want to build robots and you want Technic pieces. Then Lego Mindstorms is the product you should buy. While not formally part of the Technic range, it contains only Technic elements in addition to the special electronic Mindstorms parts.
You can also take a look at Lego BOOST, a lightweight variant of Mindstorms, but that is not as much oriented around Technic pieces.
If you don't want the electronics, then you could consider the Bucket Excavator which contains a large number of elements for a fair price. Alternatively maybe you should also look at Meccano.

Thank you for answer. My English is not good and maybe can't explain good, but you got my meaning true. I do not concern about electronic parts like motors, sensors, electrical boards, etc. I can buy or build them by myself. My question is about mechanical side. I like to know which logo package is more complete and more universal to build almost all mechanical part of the robot you want!

@user145959: Look at the Bucket Excavator which contains a large number of elements for a fair price. Maybe you should also look at Meccano.


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Problem with the range for controlling Sunset Cruiser 8676
Does anyone know why the Sunset Cruiser 8676 only works when the antennas are about 12" or closer together? Any farther apart and it doesn't run.
It has fresh batteries. Any help would be appreciated.

I had a 8378-1: Red Beast RC (which is practically the same hardware aside from running on a different frequency) that developed a similar problem shortly after I got it. One day the receiver only worked if the remote's antenna was about 2 inches away from the receiver's antenna.
I got it replaced, and it was indeed the receiver and not the remote with the problem. I later tried taking the busted one apart to see if it was something obvious I could re-connect, but nothing stood out as being broken.
Unfortunately, I think your problem is hardware failure. I don't know of any easy fixes, but would love to be proven wrong on that.


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Does the Lego Mindstorms EV3 software work on macOS High Sierra?
Will there be issues with the software, or will it work properly on macOS High Sierra?
My Mac: Retina MacBook Pro 13", Early 2015

I've upgraded to High Sierra already. I just tried loading a large/complex program in the educational version of the EV3 software and sending it to the EV3 with both Bluetooth and USB. So, it looks like there are at least not any major issues.


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Why does my EV3 not have data logging in Brick App menu?
I recently purchased a 45544 Educator Mindstorms product. In working through tutorials.  I am at section on data logging, but my Brick Apps menu stops at Brick Program. Data Logging is not on menu
My Brick Info is VO 60, FW V1.07H

The brick currently has the "Home" version of the firmware loaded as indicated by the "H" in 1.07H. You can use the Education version of the desktop EV3 programming software to load the educational version of the firmware (ends in "E"). Data logging is only present in the educational version.

That solved the problem.  Would be nice if they shipped with the E version of firmware in their E product, but at least the firmware update allowed me to switch versions. Whew.  Thx


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I need help identifying pieces, wooden cart, yellow cylinders, dark green cylinders, and white and blue rocket stickers?

These are only a small fraction of pieces that came in a large tote I purchased at a garage sale. I'd appreciate any help with identifying what they are and which set these go to.

Yellow half cylinders + White, yellow & grey assemblies are from:
8037-1: Anakin's Y-wing Starfighter

Dark grey part + dark green assemblies are from:
7930-1: Bounty Hunter Assault Gunship

White panels + light grey part + red / white striped part + cone & red 1x1's are from:
7593-1: Buzz's Star Command Spaceship

The cart is from:
7195-1: Ambush In Cairo


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Are there any Open-Source bricks projects for robotics?
I mean some bricks like Lego/Meccano with a community like Instructables site, those share their models and robots with others. Also the 3D models of bricks(in solidworks format for example) are free to use or the parts are available to buy at the market!

I know of 3 books that might help you:

[link] http://www.allitebooks.com/lego-mindstorms-ev3-2nd-edition/                      2. [link] http://www.allitebooks.com/beginning-robotics-programming-in-java-with-lego-mindstorms/                                                                                3. [link]http://www.allitebooks.com/the-lego-mindstorms-ev3-idea-book/

I think using Rebrickable would suit you.


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Does anyone know which set included a 2 piece moon?
I have a 2 piece moonlike miniset that apparently came included in some sort of larger space set. Anyone know what I'm talking about and where it comes from?
The collection includes a rocketship base with light-up and sound rockets. I assume its the same set as the moon. It's definitely not a Star Wars set.

Both the Countdown Corner and Mission Control sets included both a "Light and Sound" rocket and a multi-part "moon" in the form of the "Rock Arctic Globe":

Yes! It was countdown corner! Thanks! (I also have the side satellite-like pieces.)

If you mean something like this, a 11x11 ball

Then this link gives each pass and you can click through and find all the sets they came in https://www.bricklink.com/v2/search.page?q=Cylinder%20Hemisphere%2011%20x%2011#T=A
They have been used for moons, planets and a deathstar


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Which set are these bags from? Red bricks, grey plates, and yellow railings?
Can anyone help me identify which set these bags are from?

These are from: 60110-1: Fire Station


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What are the holes on the backs of MegaBlocks Call of Duty characters for?
I need help with identifying this, and I'll have a lot more questions.

This question is not about LEGO products or clone-brands in relation to LEGO bricks.

According to the help center, "Bricks is for LEGO® and building block enthusiasts. If you use LEGO or one of a number of compatible systems that share similar building techniques, and need answers to your questions (or would like to answer questions about these systems), this is the place for you." Based on this, OP's question is quite valid. Can we please un-hold the question? I can answer it as I'm familiar with Mega Bloks.

@TheBrickBlogger There seems to be some discrepancies between the Help Center and the Tour page which says "With your help, we're working together to build a library of detailed answers to every question about LEGO Bricks".

@TheBrickBlogger I have re-opened the question considering what is currently written in the Help Center but I think we need to review what questions are on-topic.

@CourierCouch Welcome to Bricks.SE! Most of us here focus on the LEGO brand, so I can't promise we'll have great answers for you, but your questions are welcome here. You may find yourself proselytized if all your questions are about Mega Bloks, though. :)

Thank you, @Ambo100. I think an occasional compatible brand question is not too distracting, and they can naturally come up, as many LEGO fans are collect - or at least curious about - compatible brands. Also, often people buy used lots with mixed content and questions about an item being LEGO or not can come up. Anyhow, jncraton already answered this particular question, so I only added a little extra to it in the comment section.

The hole on the back of the figures is mostly used for backpacks and other accessories as shown here in the figure on the left:

In addition, it is also used sometimes to secure the figures into position. For example, in some open cockpit vehicles there is a peg at the back of the seats, that the hole on the back of the figures can attach to. This keeps the figures more secure in their position.

Yes, that is correct. The hole on the back of the figures is mostly used for backpacks and other accessories. In addition, it is also used sometimes to secure the figures into position. For example, in some open cockpit vehicles there is a peg at the back of the seats, that the hole on the back of the figures can attach to. This keeps the figures more secure in their position.


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Which set is this bag from? It has mostly azure pieces

Can someone help me figure out which set this is from? Dated 2011.

This is a bag from Dimensions Starter Pack parts (71200).


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What is the tiny-hand most-friendly sets to migrate from duplo to lego?
How do I migrate a kid who's taken an interest in lego (with a preference to minifigures) from their current duplo collection?
I'm tempted to buy just mini-figures, but have seen some "mini" sets that are mini-figure heavy like The LEGO® Batman Movie The Joker™ Balloon Escape: 70900 set.  The problem is that these sets typically contain many small parts that is likely to get lost, or frustration ensues because building or taking them apart is difficult. (Funny enough minifigs aren't taken apart as you'd think...)

As a conservative approach I would suggest the LEGO Juniors series which has cars and other sets and that are easy to build.
However, from first hand experience I can tell that kids learn quickly. Even if reading instructions is too difficult, playing with regular LEGO parts will soon be a lot of fun.
Besides : Losing small parts will be an issue with each and every LEGO set. Maybe you could consider buying used sets or even used bulk LEGO.
EDIT: LEGO Juniors is now called 4+, but it is the same product line.

Agree: kids learn fast, and the more you push them the more they learn. Juniors sets are an option but a motivated 4-year-old can handle more complicated things. Or go with collectible minifigs and a bucket of basic bricks.

I don't see any drawback to Juniors at all. There isn't really an upper age limit - in every set, you get pieces and possibly figures which can be integrated into any collection of other LEGO parts.


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What set do these parts come from?
They are some of the most recognizable parts in a bag of a Lego set.

Most of that doesn't look like LEGO. And don't shout.

Welcome to Bricks.SE! I've edited your post to use primarily lower case letters. All caps is generally frowned upon and can be considered rude.

As others have pointed out, none of this is LEGO.
It's Kre-o and Megabloks (LEGO clone brands)
Some parts are from Optimus Prime (30689)
The figures are probably Megabloks Halo


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EV3 isn't showing up in programming software after pairing on Windows XP
Running Windows XP x32.
I've connected, paired, connected, paired, paired, and connected, but I just can't get the EV3 software to recognize my EV3!
I've used this EV3 before on a different PC over bluetooth (and it worked), my drivers aren't screwed up, etc.
When I go to the software and try to connect to it, it doesn't show. I've refreshed about 50 times.
My EV3 Brick is running firmware V1.09H and is a model from Chrismas 2015, shown as Hardware version V0.60 in the settings panel.

Was the "different computer" also Windows XP. Windows XP has not been supported for years, so I doubt that LEGO tests that the EV3 software works on XP.

No. It was Vista (but I don't think Vista is really much better than XP...)

One thing I would try is:  Press Win+R, type bthprops.cpl, hit enter, go to the hardware tab, and make sure that your bluetooth adapter is listed.  In my case dispite the adapter being in Device Manager it was not listed here, meaning Windows didn't know it was a bluetooth adapter.  I think the software that came with my adapter on the CD took control of the adapter away from Windows.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 software uses Bluetooth functions that were introduced in Windows Vista SP2. Quoting the linked article, "Windows Vista with SP2 and Windows 7 also support the user-mode RFComm and Bluetooth APIs." (The EV3 uses RFCOMM to communicate via Bluetooth.)
So, EV3 Bluetooth will not work on earlier versions of Windows.

https://lc-www-live-s.legocdn.com/r/www/r/mindstorms/-/media/franchises/mindstorms%202014/support/bluetooth%20support%20for%20ev3.pdf?l.r2=-716871911 (and my memory) seem to indicate otherwise.  I think the article from MS was saying that SCO, SDP, and L2CAP were first introduced in Vista and that "Windows Vista with SP2 and Windows 7 also support the user-mode RFComm and Bluetooth APIs", but not that RFComm was only in Vista+.

I just got my EV3 working over Bluetooth again on my XP laptop, so it is indeed possible.

Cool. Perhaps you should turn your comments into an answer explaining how you got it working.

Answer posted.                             .

The key is to make sure the driver works with MS's bluetooth stack, and doesn't just use it's own stack.
Press Win+R, type bthprops.cpl (or maybe irprops.cpl, it's been a while), hit enter.  Check the Hardware tab to make sure your device actually shows up.  If not, try different drivers/manually installing the driver using the "Have disk" method.  3rd party bluetooth stacks may disable the MS one seeing the device, even if the device/driver supports the MS stack.


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Spik3r wheels move but the spik3r itself doesn't
Our Spik3r's wheels move but the Spik3r itself does not move. Please see the picture of the back of the vehicle - is it somehow incorrectly built?

So the motor-powered wheels roll freely when you hold the model up? And when you put it down on the floor it won't move? The insect-like legs are designed to be moved by the forward motion of the model. Check that these two leg sections are not blocked.

That wheel with the blue connector through it...does that rest on the ground? Because it cannot turn...

You just need to flip the small motor the other way!

The motor is indeed mounted upside down, which could result in the grey parts sticking out far enough that the wheels do not touch the ground anymore.


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Lubricating 4.5V 6216m2 engine
Is there any way to lubricate old 4.5V 6216m2 engines (these grey round ones)? I have 2 from my childhood, and they still run, but have trouble starting and make an awful 'whining' sound from time to time. I see no way to open them, and I haven't found anything through google about opening them. (I was hoping to see videos, but can't even find a text description...)

You don't need to open the motor to get the lubricant in. Electric motor oil is thin enough to work in if you hold the motor with the shaft uppermost and slowly rotate the shaft by hand while squirting a small amount down the shaft.
Don't use a lot - try a small amount, and see how well it works. Add more if needed.

(this one I found on Amazon)


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Servo steering with 88004 motor and 8878 battery box?
I would like to build a servo steering (not remote controlled). Besides the direct physical connection between the steering wheel and the wheels, the rotation of the steering wheel would be used to control the auxiliary 8878 motor through the 88004 battery. Is it possible to tune it properly to achieve a precise servo steering? Since I don't have the battery box, I cannot do any experiment yet.
The schematic layout would be something like this:

There is a bit of confusion in your question with the part numbers and their location on the diagram. That is, you seem to have them reversed.  Unfortunately I did not have a rechargeable version of the "AAA" battery box to test and prove the concept, but I was fairly certain it would work based on what I know about these battery boxes.  Having a 7-speed variation, in each direction, makes them function very similar to the "Speed Remote" (part# 8879). I can confirm that the Servo Motor (part# 88004) will turn incrementally using this remote.  It therefore seemed reasonable to assume that the Servo Motor, connected directly to a Rechargeable Battery Box (part# 8878), would function in the same manner.  Confident this would work, I sought out and found a couple videos on Youtube that proved this to be true.
The video by Lasse Deleuran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzQ-B7xfJjQ
The video by Sariel's LEGO® Workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Gvuzsngg8
So the answer to your question is "kind of", depending on how precise you need, or want, it to be.  The servo moves in 7 increments in each direction, which is a great improvement over a standard battery box or controller.  For your build you would simply "input" the steering wheel shaft into the orange control switch of the Battery Box.  It's position and steering wheel-to-input ratio could be manipulated with gearing if desired.

(screen cap from Sariel's video)
An updated verison of your diagram would look something like this:

The servo motor has axle holes on both sides of the output.  In theory a steering shaft could be ran into the rear of the output to provide the redundancy you're looking for.  Some amount of "play" in the physical connection would likely be needed to allow the wheel to turn just enough to activate the switch.  Because of the nature of the 7 position servo motor, choppy steering is unavoidable.  Full-electric drive-by-wire steering, while not used in passenger vehicles, is very much a "real system".  Not knowing the purpose or application of what you're trying to achieve, it's all just speculation.

Your concept probably fulfils the requirements  of the steering but it has a significant deficiency compared to real steering systems, where the steering wheel has physical ‘connection’ with the steering mechanism. This makes the steering operate even without electric supply. However, it could be considered to be a sort of redundancy, and I’m not sure if it can be tuned properly.

@BalazsToth - Added last paragraph to address your comment.  "Could it be done?" was the focus of my answer.  If you require any additional help in your build, please post a new question and someone will try to be of assistance.  Pictures of your current progress are always appreciated.  Hope you get it all squared away, it sounds like an interesting build. :)


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LEGO EV3 on Chromebooks not recognizing NXT bricks
I teach two LEGO robotics classes in middle school and in one of my classes I am using EV3 and in the other NXT.  I was able to have these classes because of the Chromebook app, but the problem I am having is the EV3 Chromebook app is not recognizing the NXT's.  Everywhere I read said they were compatible.  Is there something I am missing?

Do you have references/links for "everywhere I read". I have not seen anything that says NXT is compatible with the chromebook software.

Sorry, I was referring to the EV3 programing on our PC's before it was released on chromebooks.  It was my assumption that the EV3 Chromebook app would also be compatible.

NXTs require a special USB driver, which is only available for Windows and Mac, so programming NXTs with official LEGO software will only work with those platforms. (EV3's use a generic USB HID driver.)
Furthermore, using NXTs via Bluetooth is not supported in any of the official LEGO EV3 software products.


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What is the name of the small pins that are used with small wheels / rims?
I see that there are at least three different types of axles that can be used with LEGO wheels. I can name the first two — Technic axle and Technic pin — but I cannot name the third, which is like a Technic pin, but smaller.
Note that I've only seen it integrated into a larger part, such as a brick or plate, as shown in the image. I see that BrinkLink sometimes refers to parts like this as having "wheels holder" pins, but that seems to be a term that could apply to the first two types of axles as well.
Does a common and more precise name exist for this type of pin?

LEGO and others sometimes calls those pieces a "bearing element". This term however is not limited to just that axle.
LEGO's replacement parts service calls the holes they go into "HOLE Ø11" (possibly read "Hole Diameter 11"):

The width of the axle is roughly equivalent to the width of a "bar", like the 30374 piece used for Lightsabers as such.
None of these names are particularly satisfactory, but I'm not aware of any better names.

Thanks. Is "Ø" a way of writing zero, or does it mean something else?

See https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/8060/%C3%98-in-lego-part-names?rq=1 for an explanation on the diameter symbol.

And is "W" an abbreviation for the word "with?"

@EJMak I assume so, yes.


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Do LEGO prototypes have production numbers on them?
Basically I've found a rare prototype piece for sale, one of the red Vader helmets, and I want to make sure it s real. The description says that it has no production number printed, which makes sense because I'm not sure why a prototype would have a production number.
I've seen another for sale in the past that said it had a production number printed, and that it was number 1. So I'm not sure which one is real.

I have encountered a few prototypes over the years and none had any production numbers. Just the word LEGO and the year. So it probably is a genuine LEGO piece.

I've never found one like that, and I'm a master builder, so no, probably not.

Claim that you are Lego Master Builder is kinda hard to believe. Last time I have read an article about one of them, there was what, seven artists holding that title?


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9v Regulator Power Question, 1 enough or multiple?
I have 2 questions:

For a big 9v train layout, do you need more than one regulator to power the whole track without a shortage of power?
If a 9v layout was to have more than one regulator wouldn't it be inconvenient to control the speed of the extra regulator that is further away or do people just extend the 2nd regulator to be close together?

It is never a good idea to electrically connect two regulators to the same piece of track. You could damage both of them!
I assume you are referring to voltage drop (and thus reduced power when the loco is a long way from the regulator input.
The problem is due to the fact that the electricity is carried through steel which has a higher electrical resistance than copper.
The best solution is to feed the power from the regulator along sufficiently thick copper wire to several points along the track.
The loco will then see very close to the regulator output voltage no matter where it is on the track.
I hope this helps.


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Mindstorms program - myblocks that work fine when run individually but when executed as part of a larger program, break
We have a line following myblock, which follows the line perfectly if it runs alone.  However, if we include it as a block as part of a larger program, it goes haywire when it gets to that step and can't follow the line that it's on.  If we run our program step by step, it completes each task successfully.  Has anyone encountered this issue, and if so, any ideas how we can fix the problem?

Can you post a screenshot of the code?

This can happen if your block runs in parallel with other code, especially other motor control blocks. Would need to see the code to assess this further.

(I'm translating from what someone else told me, so hopefully I'm explaining it properly).
We've figured out what the issue was - in the line follower we had issues with a loop breaking out consistently, so had changed it to a large motor block doing x number of cycles.  when it was run individually, it worked fine as the number of cycles started from 0.  When it was part of the larger code, it had already run that many cycles, so it immediately quit out of the line follower.

@Lori Please consider posting your comment as an answer.

We've figured out what the issue was - in the line follower we had issues with a loop breaking out consistently, so had changed it to a large motor block doing x number of cycles. when it was run individually, it worked fine as the number of cycles started from 0. When it was part of the larger code, it had already run that many cycles, so it immediately quit out of the line follower.


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Why is there a hole in the large surf board (6075)?
Why does the large surf board (part 6075) have a large hole in it? The hole is larger than a normal stud. An example of this part is found in red in Coast Guard Starter set (60163):

Here's a closeup of the board so that you can specifically see the large hole that I'm asking about:

A picture of the large hole in question would be nice.

@EJMak Good call. I've added that.

This part is sometimes used to build a windsurfer as shown in Stephanie's Beach House:

The hole is larger than a stud because it is designed to receive a towball connection of some kind, usually a mast such as this one:


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Lego Mindstorms EV3: programming language recommendation
I am planning to build an autonomous car in LEGO Mindstorms that will use ultrasonic or infrared sensors and in the future also a camera for line tracking. Currently I construct my programs using the Mindstorms building blocks, however, I am wondering whether I should switch to a different programming language such as C/C++ or Java to have more flexibility especially regarding lane tracking algorithms with the camera. In this regard I have the following questions:

In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?
If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big community for leJOS and Java which is definitely a plus, although I could imagine that considering the fact that I would like to integrate a camera a language like C/C++ that works well with MATLAB or OpenCV for line tracking algorithms might also not be bad - what do you think would be the best idea for my use case?
Is it possible to use a different programming language without flashing my EV3 such that I can switch back to building blocks if I wanted to?

Thank you for your recommendations!

In general, would you recommend switching to a normal programming language (I am quite "fluent" in languages like C/C++, Python and Java) in order to avoid having to use blocks when building more complex programs?

Yes, especially if you plan on doing image processing.

If so, which programming language would you recommend? I feel like there is a big community for leJOS and Java which is definitely a plus, although I could imagine that considering the fact that I would like to integrate a camera a language like C/C++ that works well with MATLAB or OpenCV for line tracking algorithms might also not be bad - what do you think would be the best idea for my use case?

I'd recommend using ev3dev, as it seems more-powerful and leJOS development appears inactive.
ev3dev has a few languages you can chose from, though your choice may be limited somewhat by which languages support the image processing libraries you want to use.

Is it possible to use a different programming language without flashing my EV3 such that I can switch back to building blocks if I wanted to?

With ev3dev, you run the software off a removable micro SD card. No need to replace the internal firmware.

Absolutely agree to that. I recently started with ev3dev and set up cross compiling via docker image. https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/17155/how-to-cross-compile-for-ev3dev-using-docker


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LEGO Mindstorms EV3: Camera recommendation for line tracking
I am planning to build an autonomous car in LEGO Mindstorms that will use ultrasonic or infrared sensors for collision avoidance and in the future also a camera for line tracking. I am now wondering which camera I should use. Currently, I am considering the following two cameras:

The Pixy LEGO Camera
It seems to be quite good for object tracking, however, I am not sure whether it will work well for line tracking.
The NXTCam-v4
Judging from the videos on 3 line tracking should work quite well with this camera.

I am leaning towards the NXTCam but I wanted to get some other opinions before investing money ;) Therefore, your view on things is greatly appreciated, especially regarding which camera is best for lane tracking and which camera has a good API to use it with a different programming language than the LEGO building blocks (so for example to leJOS, RobotC, ...). Thank you!

I've not used either, but judging from the docs for the Pixy cam, it's more for "trained object recognition" - so if you're avoiding known objects you might be ok, but otherwise it might not be great. That said, the original Mindstorms used the colour/light sensor to do line tracking and path following - assuming a track on the ground with sufficient contrast was available.

There is now a NXTCam-v5 which, as far as I can tell, can do everything the PixyCam can do and more.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid Yes, I know that you can use colour/light sensors for line tracking. However, I am aiming for a more realistic autonomous car hence line tracking should be achieved via a camera. Thanks for the comment anyway!

@DavidLechner Alright, that is good to know. There is also an EV3-G building block for the NXTCam - would you use that one or would you recommend switching to a different programming language for accurate line tracking (f.ex. leJOS with OpenCV)? (see https://bricks.stackexchange.com/questions/9295/lego-mindstorms-ev3-programming-language-recommendation)

FYI, there is such a thing as PixyCam2 which has some improvements from the old one, and it supports line-tracking. Never heard of NXTcam though.


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Is there an leJOS simulator for EV3?
I found this but this seems to be using their own library to control the EV3.


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How to power up MOC-0308, based on Technic 8297 Off-Roader?
I have built the following MOC, with details here and here.
It is pretty complete, although I would have tried some servo motor for steering.
But after I've finished it, I've got into trouble:

Wheels on one side of the car seem to work sporadically. Could this be related to the steering joint and Cardan joint below?

Or the differentials?
 (image taken from Is it possible to create a differential if I don't have it as a ready to use element?)

It's too weak.

A wool carpet of 2cm thick is an insurmountable problem for the car to climb on it and go, especially for the last wheel or pair of wheels that have to pass the carpet's border (and difference in level), regardless which ones have to do it (back or front).
Are there too many differentials? Too many tooth gears? Too much elastic parts to deal with the torque? I can't find parts blocked.
The driving ring 2L,
,
at the page 28 of the building instructions, should act as differential to switch between 2 x 4 and 4 x 4.
Could it be a defective motor? Is one XL motor too weak? Would be more powerful with two motors (in the back)? Which kind?
Batteries are OK for 9398, so it's not them.
Did anybody tried this MOC?
Sorry to have too much questions, it seems I need more experience with LEGO Technic.
UPDATE
I have changed it consistently, adding a gear down for each wheel (horizontally) and that made it 4L longer.
Also, moved the steering motor in front and the up/down and winch motor in the middle (switched their places), using a servo for steering.
As result, it is a bit more powerful, it climbs the carpet now, but I need to work more on the steering because it is not that smooth when it comes back in the default position. 9398 is better at going back to the default steering position. Also, 9398 is more powerful as it gears down 3 times instead of one.
Overall, the new design feels better, yet too lazy.

This is a beautiful MOC. From a glance at the pdf instructions I get the impression that the front M-motor operates the winch, the middle one is for steering, and the XL motor in the back does the driving. Is that correct? The clutches are not connected with the driving, right? I have a 9398 crawler with two L-motors and a servo, it crawles over almost anything.

A beautiful MOC indeed. You are correct regarding the motors. I would have used a servo for steering, though. I don't really understand what should do the clutch at page 28 in the instructions. I see no difference when the position of the driving ring is moved. 9398 has several tooth gears pairs to increase the power (over speed). 8297 does not. Also, 9398 has 2 driving motors, one for each pair of wheels.

I would guess that one motor, even an XL, has more difficulties to distribute the power to 4 wheels than two motors as in the 9398 crawler. I switched the gears in my 9398 (the first gears at the motors) to make it faster, and it works fine. To conclude: I'd say you built the moc correctly and the parts and motor are also fine, but the one-motor setup is the reason. Instead of powering the winch, I would try to power the front wheels. And use a servo for the steering as you suggested. Again, nice MOC and excellent pdf instructions.

Indeed, the MOC is wonderful, but I have no clue from the author if it really works better than my implementation. I think too, two motors are needed, but it loses the central differential. Would this be a solution?

I doubt that more power solves the issue. You would still have one powered axle distributing force over three differentials to four wheels. This gives too many degrees of freedom to the system. As the comments in your link say, it could work for a racing car but not for all terrain purpose.

Probably, but it does not even pass a tiny obstacle that some regular racing car does already. Of course, as I have some spare parts, I will test and see. This is the fun, actually.

Anyway, does LEGO has too weak motors for its applications? I think this MOC naturally comes and proves this. I wonder if a buggy motor would do better. Too bad it is no more produced.

Replaced the direction motor by a servo. This is better, still weak compared to servo on 9398, probably due to the gears and transmission used.

Interesting. Are you going to improve the MOC even more? I would like to hear about the results.

Hi, I have the impression some think it is my MOC, but it is not, I'm just a hobbyist having fun with it. AS it did not perform well, I try to make it better.

I know, but your improvements are valuable information.

Actually, I'm thinking to put the steering servo in front and the winch/raiser motor in the middle, but I am not sure it is enough place below to the central differential.

The piece you show must have steering axle 92906.

Please be more specific. This is not in the inventory of any of the variants.

You suggest to replace the universal joint 3L (61903) with the steering CV joint (32494)? That corresponds to the steering axle 92906. It already has the steering CV joint (32494) on the wheel side and seems to have issues due to that when the car rises, the wheels seem to go intermittently, jerky.


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Do clear transparent pieces suffer from a yellow tinge over time?
Any idea if clear 1×1 round plates suffer from color differences? I recently got a bag of them and they appear to have a yellow tinge.

Yes, this has been a known issue. I'm not going to post this as an answer, as I can't remember where I read about it, and thus can't include references, but it has been discussed in a number of LEGO fan forums.

One forum note that I found: https://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?/forums/topic/52672-transparent-part-yellowing/

I have found that the clear pieces depend on the piece. Some of the thinner ones do yellow, but I have 2x4 Clear bricks that are not yellowed. I think it depends on the thickness of the ABS that was used.


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Late 1970s hospital and helicopter building brick set
I'm afraid I don't have a picture, but I am trying to identify a Christmas gift I fondly remember receiving as a child circa 1979.
It was a 3-foot box of building bricks and the front picture showed you could construct a hospital building and a helicopter.
The bricks inside were mostly white, with some of the smaller ones sporting a red cross and/or the word emergency in black on them. The majority of the bricks had six studs on top and six holes underneath - totally different from the LEGO, Betta Bilda etc blocks I have seen on this site and while searching online.
The bricks had slightly rounded edges rather than the hard, straight edges of bricks such as LEGO.
No figures or parts to make people were included, but there were little red door and window frames for the hospital. There was even a little round red boss to attach the helicopter's four rotor blades to.
As a child I simply called my blocks 'lego'... but I doubt very much that it was a LEGO set, having seen that LEGO pieces are different. Any ideas?

Welcome to Bricks.SE! Most of us are Lego enthusiasts, so questions about clone brands (especially from 40 years ago!) are often hard for us to answer. Hopefully someone here has seen what you've described and can help out.

Were the studs in a row (1x6), or squared (2x3)?  Were they similar is size to Lego bricks?  Was the box 3 ft. high or wide?

In any case there doesn't seem to be any LEGO brick with an "emergency" pattern

These blocks appear to match your description, would this be the type of brick you are talking about?

Your photo shows American Bricks by Elgo / Halsam,  they have 8 or 4 studs and  didn't have any printed parts

You are right, I was looking at tubes underneath being the same number as the studs on top.


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Is there a tool that generates my parts database?
I have many LEGO sets (mostly Technic) and I would like to build a list of parts (including colours). Is there an online service that does that for me based on the set IDs?

Both BrickLink and Brickset maintains a database. Brickset pulls data directly from LEGO's servers, which means the data is not always accurate for older sets or brand new sets (when the parts are not uploaded to LEGO's servers yet). BrickLink's parts list is maintained and meticulously verified by volunteers, and it is the most accurate of all LEGO databases. This includes both old and new sets.
Go to BrickLink.com, click "Sets" on the Homepage, and type in the set number you are looking for. Click on "Item Consist Of", and it will give you a list of all the parts in the set, including parts names, IDs, colors, year of release, weight, etc.
While BrickLink is the largest online LEGO marketplace, and it is mainly meant for buying and selling LEGO, you can also use it as a database for the sets and parts you own. This is very useful if you have a large collection, and can come in handy for evaluation and insurance purposes, or if you ever decide to sell your collection (or parts of).
Brickset is also great for maintaining a database of your collection, but as mentioned above, it is not the most reliable as far as parts lists. The focus is mostly on collectors being able to catalogue the sets they own. In addition, Brickset gives you a full value of your collection based on original retail price (vs. the current market prices given by BrickLink), and has some other useful tools. I recommend using both sites, but if you only want to use one, I would suggest BrickLink. It will give you everything you need to catalog the parts you have.

I would also mention BrickStock (brickstock.patrickbrans.com) which is an application you install locally on your computer to manage BrickLink inventories. It allows you to save your sets and part them out on your local computer, and merge all inventories into one large inventory to manage as a whole. For this purpose the program is free of charge (seller features require a $20 license key)

On Bricklink I can only list the parts relating to the particular set i've chosen one by one. Is it possible to define my list of sets as my "inventory" and do queries to check how many pieces of a specific item do i have? I can only add sets to my account as items for sale. Am I missing something?

To use BL for cataloguing your parts, you will need to register as a seller, but keep your store closed (it doesn't cost anything to register as a seller). You could part out the sets you own in Stockroom A, but make sure the store remains closed, as Stockroom A is the default for running a store. You don't want to have your store open if you are only managing your personal inventory. Or you could just put everything in Stockroom B or C to begin with, as these are hidden. It's very easy to move items from stockroom to stockroom in case you want to sell something in the future.

Re-reading your question, I may have read it wrong the first time around. If you want to add parts from the set to your inventory, you will need to hit the "Part Out" link below the "Add to My Inventory" link. That will allow you to part out the set, rather than add it as a whole set.

I've managed to create the database with the "part out" option. However, I noticed that parts of different sets are stored in different groups even if they have the same part number. So now I have 21 groups for the pin with part number 2780, just because I uploaded 21 sets. Is there a way to collapse all these separated groups?

It appears that you added the parts to your inventory from different sets into separate lots instead of consolidating them whenever you added a new parted out set. You can read about consolidating lots here:  https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=128


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LEGO Train - what size cork track bed
What size model train cork track bed should I buy to fit under a standard LEGO train track?

LEGO trains typically use a 2x8 plate for their sleepers (ties), with a stud protruding from each rail, giving a 40mm centreline gauge for the track and 64mm width for the sleepers - this is 5.5mm wider than O-Gauge - so might be a little hard to find off the shelf.
Lots more detail can be found on L-Gauge.org.


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What set are these parts from? Tan walls and arches with green shutters?
Can you help me identify this Lego set? I don't know what set it is or how to build it!!

That looks like bag five of the Friends "Summer Riding Camp" from a few years back. I'd guess it's the stable to the left hand side of this picture:

The combination of the dark green shutters and medium lavender plates were my driving clues.


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Can't identify this LEGO set with large angled brown plates
Can any one help identify this LEGO set?
Because I can't find instructions to build it!

I think you have some of the parts for Jabba's Sail Barge #75020

It is one of the few sets to have so many of the Hinge Plate 2 x 4 with Pin Hole and 3 Holes in light bluish gray, you show 7.  It also has the  12 x 3 Wedge Plates in reddish brown, as well as the reddish brown 2 x 3 Tile with 2 Clips, and reddish brown 2 x 14 plates.


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Which LEGO set did these small tan, grey and tan bricks come from?
Can anyone help me identify this LEGO set?
I just opened the bag and those are all the pieces, I don't know how to build or how to find instructions.

Please explain more about what you know about these pieces and why you think they are a set.

Its from a big box and i took this bag and opened it so it has to form a set

My guess is that they are just part of a set, and there may be one or more additional bags that — together — make up a complete set. Unfortunately, I’m not sure which set.

It looks like there is a good answer here.  Maybe the OP will accept it eventually?

@chicks - When I posted my first question here, without creating an account, I couldn't find any way to select the appropriate answer given.  Is there a way?  If not it is something that I feel needs a solution.  I think most questions without a chosen answer are probably because of this problem.

Those are mostly fairly generic pieces, however the 4x8 in Medium Blue only appears in 7 sets, and of those only Tower Bridge has any 1x8 in Reddish Brown.
This is part of  10214-1: Tower Bridge

I couldn't find instructions for them and I've been looking for them the entire day can you help me with a link?

You can find instructions on the Brickset page, under the set image

@TalalMDabak, you can also find manuals on the Lego manuals page: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions. Search for the set number above: 10214.


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LEGO identification from white, grey, and blue pieces?
I have these LEGO parts, can anyone help me identify this LEGO set?

I think this is part of 9525-1: Pre Vizsla's Mandalorian Fighter


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Buyer security on BrickLink
I'm interested in buying LEGO bricks from BrickLink; the inventory is impressive, prices are good, and it is recommended by many LEGO builders.
Since you buy from unknown sellers abroad, I want to minimize the risk of scams or getting disappointed in some other way. What steps can I take to minimize this risk, especially concerning the payment method? Generally speaking, how big of a problem is non-serious BrickLink sellers?
I don't see much discussion of this at all on BrickLink's How to buy page.

As a buyer on BrickLink you place your order to the seller, who then must acknowledge your request and quote you a full price (including any taxes, shipping costs, or other fees; most buyers will lists these additional cost details on their individual seller page) if you don't like the price they quote, you can walk away.  If you agree then you need to give them the money.
Most of the payments on BrickLink are processed through PayPal, which for all of its many faults, consistently sides with buyers over sellers in cases of disputes, so you can not only dispute any problems using BrickLink's resolution tools, but also with PayPal to get your money back.
BrickLink also has a feedback and reputation system you can use to check a sellers previous sales; so you can see if the buyer has any negative feedback or problem orders, but also it can show you how much volume they are processing.  Someone making a lot of sales is likely to take the process very seriously.  BrickLink tends to take non responsive sellers NRS or non paying buyers NPB very seriously, if you receive 3 of these complaints your buying or selling privileges will be permanently revoked, so someone with a large positive BrickLink reputation, likely isn't having these problems.  BrickLink has a whole section on Problem Resolution you could read through if you are concerned in how the different processes work.
Also, if you are concerned about buying from another country, BrickLink allows you to filter sellers based on country.  Buying from only your country will likely limit what is available, but it can make the process simpler in terms of shipping, customs, and different currencies.


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Do LEGO part counts on boxes include spare parts, brick separators and instruction manuals?
I bought some LEGO sets recently and was wondering (for no reason), if the part numbers that are shown on the outside of LEGO boxes include (along with the number of parts needed to build the set):

The number of spare parts,
The brick separator (if one),
The instruction manual(s).

Found some information here, and here.

As noted in another question (https://bricks.stackexchange.com/a/9337/90), If the box set doesn't have a manual (or it gets lost), you can find a soft copy (PDF) version on Lego's site: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions

No. Set 30476 (pictured below) says it contains 33 pieces, but the set contains 3 extra pieces in addition to the ones needed to build the set. I believe it has always been this way.
Yes. When LEGO re-released the Taj Mahal, it contained exactly the same pieces except for the addition of a brick separator. The part count on the set's box was also increased by 1.
No, excluding the extra pieces, 30476 (pictured below) has exactly the 33 plastic pieces the manual says it should have.

Set 30476:

Thank you for that detailed information! I did not know that BrickLink counted the different minifig body parts as one part.

Also - the piece count should match the piece count in the back of the manual - which doesn't include the spares, but does (usually) show the brick separator.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid Not to say you are wrong, but, I have looked at the back of many instruction manuals, and have never noticed the brick separator on there.

@WilliamV. I'm not sure if it all manuals have it, but I know some do. 70914-1: Bane Toxic Truck Attack has it listed.

@Zhaph-BenDuguid Okay, Thanks

Yeah, it's possible that some don't, but I have examples going back to at least Mindstorms RIS that do


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Lego identification help! Red torso, lightsaber handle, and grey pieces?
What does this build? Can anyone help me with the instructions link?

In the top left corner you can see the back of this torso:
Torso SW Darth Maul Chest with Gray and Silver Collar and Belt Pattern / Printed Red Arms / Black Hands

So this is part of 75022-1: Mandalorian Speeder

Building on @Syberion's answer and identification of the set, you can find many PDFs of manuals on Lego's site: https://www.lego.com/en-us/service/buildinginstructions
You can search by the set number, theme, and/or year to find manuals.
For this specific set, here are the links:

Search for set 75022 on Lego's Manual site (link)
Direct PDF link: https://lc-www-live-s.legocdn.com/bigdownloads/buildinginstructions/6050596.pdf


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What is the best way to sell complete used LEGO sets?
I have some used Star Wars LEGO sets (one is discontinued and has been for a while), some Marvel/DC LEGO sets, and some miscellaneous sets. What is the best way to sell these?

Selling is easiest via either BrickLink.com, it's direct competitor BrickOwl.com, or EBay. The "lots of money" part is the biggest problem: unless you truly have rare/collectible sets, and they are complete with instructions, it is unlikely you will make a lot of money after shipping, time spent sorting/cleaning and of course the fees levied by the marketplace of your choice. But we can definitely give you a better answer if you post the set names and numbers here ..

Making lots of money takes lots of time.  Getting money soon usually means leaving some money on the table.  So since you probably don't get to have your cake and eat it too you need to decide on what is a higher priority and go from there.

Are you sure that your sets are complete? You should verify that no pieces are lost, either by building the set or by checking LEGO's parts database (can do that on Brickset.com). If pieces are missing, you may want to order these.
On BrickPicker.com you find current market values of sets, so you know what asking price to set. That site collects eBay price data regularly. Then select marketplaces; eBay is used a lot by LEGO investors and it has an international audience of buyers. When it's time to ship your items you need to take care packaging the sets properly. To some buyers the condition of the box will be of great importance.
As you can see there's a lot of work involved with LEGO selling, and if you want to make serious profits you need to get economies of scale in your business, not just selling one or two sets.

Plus, if you have no prior selling history on EBay, and you truly have an expensive/desirable set, people will be wary of ordering with you. You would have to sell some smaller, cheaper items first to build up a reputation as a reliable seller, which takes time.


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Can you identify these 20 year old LEGO sets? Castle pieces with red bird and tall staircase?
We have boxes of LEGO which our children used to play with but now the grandchildren want to build things. Can anyone recognize which sets we might have so we can look up the instructions?

It looks like the bulk of the parts are from The Chamber of Secrets (4730):

As Henrik mentioned, Sorting Hat (4701) is also present:

Jason pointed out that Dumbledore's Office (4739) is also present:

I thought it might be worth noting that these old Harry Potter sets are fairly valuable to collectors. The Chamber of Secrets alone in complete used condition is currently worth ~$100 USD.

There's also definitely some pieces from Dumbledore's Office; note the swirly thingy, and the quarter-cylinder pieces. And that pagoda roof piece is from still a different Harry Potter set, but I'm not sure which

@JasonBaker Where can I find those prices? I might have to raid my parents cellar.

Ah, I assume from following those links.

Wow. “20-year-old” sounds like “ancient”, but Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was published in 1998, indeed nearly 20 years ago.

That yellow round tile is from 4701 - Sorting Hat. There are other parts that make me think there's probably more Harry Potter, but none that I can quickly identify a set from.


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What sets are these electrical parts from, dark grey bases and remotes with orange and yellow buttons?
I have been searching for a long time but I am struggling to find the origin for these parts. I think they are possibly Power Functions IR remotes & battery packs...?
Thanks for any help.

The Battery Boxes on the left are 5115 or 9831 (most likely the former) from the 9V system (immediate predecessor of Power Functions). These don't come from sets but were items that were available for purchase on their own.
The middle unit is 23323c01 Electric, Bionicle Motor Remote Control Receiver Unit, Complete Assembly (Manas) from set 8539 Manas from the Bionicle theme from 2001.

Finally, the two remote controllers on the right are item 23335c01 also from 8539 Manas.


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What to do with a 25K pc collection?
I know there are a lot of questions on how to sell your set, however, my situation is a bit different. I'm not sure whether I should sell my set at all vs. keep it.
I am currently spending a year in Israel and have started to recover my lego collection from my parents. Since I was a TeenageFOL/AFOL, as opposed to most people in their so-called "dark ages", I actually managed to keep hold of 99% of my former collection, which I'm guessing rivals some serious AFOLs' collections.
I estimate the collection approximately 25K pieces (not including approx. 3500 more that I currently have in the U.S., the bulk of the pieces are from the S.H.I.E.L.D. carrier). Here is a set list (last updated in 2001, hah):
http://guide.lugnet.com/set/mlist.cgi?m=88
I am now torn between the following options:

Bring the collection to the U.S. ...

a. ... for self-use, for me & my daughter as she grows up.
This is possible, though it currently feels overwhelming due to the magnitude of the collection. Given its size, it feels like I would probably need to dedicate an entire room to it. Not exactly what I had in mind for my real estate needs, to be dictated by LEGO (though I'm 100% sure others in this community have done so!!!). I do not currently have a dedicated room in my house to do so. Also, I'm not really sure whether I would actually be drawn to building with it, as my hobbies have shifted over the years and are quite distinct from lego, though I will always love it. Also I know that it could be a huge gift to my daughter... but only if I can balance the desire to keep things meticulously sorted, and the tendency to jealously guard against messes and just general fun playing/building/destruction. I've seen that the ginormous amount of pieces is simply overwhelming for a child at her age (close to 4)... or almost any age.
b. ... and keep it in storage. This seems like a futile exercise, since it would probably cost me a fair amount in shipping costs. I do, however, have sufficient space for this without any additional changes to my current home. (Unfinished basement + outdoors shed if need be)

Sell the collection...

a. From Israel: that would allow me to save on two rounds of shipping
b. From the U.S.: I'm guessing that might give me much better options for buyers.
c. In bulk: would save a ton of time & energy. But clearly the collection will not be worth as much in bulk.
d. Sorted into sets and/or individual pieces: obviously should bring in more money but gosh, what a time sink. I'm a busy professional mom who hasn't spent any meaningful amount of time on Lego in years. Plus, I'm guessing there will be some or even many parts missing / discolored / damaged which will lower the value of the set-separated collection without further investment.

Leave the collection in Israel, i.e. at my parents' house, for the grandkids' enjoyment (but not my daughter). This risks further messiness / degradation of the collection by my nieces and nephews. Has the clear upside of avoiding headaches of all types, and the clear downside of letting go of huge amounts of money and love poured into the collection over my T/AFOL years.

I've read a lot of posts on this SE so far, which have been very helpful. Following that, I plan on using Peeron and/or Brickpicker to estimate the value of the sets I own, if sorted, to decide whether I'd like to sell it at all, and whether it's worth the time to sort (I'm guessing that aside from a few sets such as 10001, the answer is probably not). I really appreciate a few people mentioning the low reputation issue for selling on eBay, which I'll pay attention to should I decide to put up some of the rarer / more valuable sets for sale.
If you had to suggest a course of action from those I described above, which would you gravitate to?

Since no one answered here, I will post an update on what I have done so far. I will update it in the future if that makes sense.
At this point I've recovered the collection to my apartment in Israel. I've started sorting the collection, mostly because after reflection I decided to reframe it as something actually fun to do, as opposed to a chore or something in order to make money (it would probably not be worth the value of my time). After I sort the collection I am considering rebuilding some or perhaps all of my old sets, see what condition they're in and whether and how many pieces are missing.
If there are any rare or valuable sets I may consider selling a few them. That said I have already seen firsthand how much my daughter is enjoying the collection, and it seems I will hold on to most or maybe even all of it. But I won't make a decision for sure until I am done sorting.
I asked this collection on Facebook and received a number of alternative suggestions that were not among those I considered initially:

Donating some or all of the collection to organizations that work with kids
Creating art with it
Opening a LEGO rental business :)
Giving some or all of it away to friends with kids

I will consider some form of hybrid options between these.
I mention these here in case they will help someone else with similar challenges.


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70915 Two-Face Double Demolition excavator gun won't load
I just finished putting together Two-Face Double Demolition and I went to load the gun on the excavator but part #6097090 six shooter trigger is too tall for the bullets to be loaded.  Any idea how I can load the "bullets" when they don't fit?
The picture on the box of the trigger shows just the trigger point and  not that big circle where the bullets fit

It appears that you don't have the white round piece pushed in far enough. It should be sitting further in, so you can load the 1x1 round plates (bullets) over it.

Pliers was needed to pop the two pieces together.  Some people won't be able to press them together by hand.

I'm glad you were able to get it to work. :)