All Questions
5
votes
2answers
316 views
What is the best way to transport a large quantity of LEGO bricks?
I have a decently sized collection (thousands of bricks/hundreds of sets/a bunch of bins) from my childhood, but they're all at my parents' house. I live in the US and a couple states away from my ...
10
votes
2answers
554 views
Why does LEGO now use studless technic designs?
It seems to me that sometime between 1998 and 2006 (between the Mindstorms RCX and NXT), LEGO switched from using studded technic bricks (like this:)
to studdless beams (like this):
In my ...
8
votes
1answer
177 views
What are the angles used in angle connectors and liftarms?
LEGO makes Technic Angle Connectors, like these:
(Here are names and part numbers).
They also make angular liftarms, like these:
(part 32348).
That last part has an angle of 53.5 degrees. ...
10
votes
1answer
284 views
How to tell the different ages of pieces
I know that LEGO bricks have changed over the years, with regards to moulding pip locations, element i.d. numbers printed inside etc, but I was wondering if anyone knows when these changes happened?
...
8
votes
2answers
342 views
Why do official Lego sets sometimes use 1 large part when several would work just as well?
It seems like one of things that makes Lego so great is the ability to rebuild sets into something new and different. However, I know that sometimes TLG uses large pieces to lower costs and/or build ...
15
votes
1answer
1k views
Why does LEGO state the number of parts on US boxes, but not in Europe?
I was reading Huw Millington's review of set 70700 Space Swarmer on brickset, in which he states:
The box is almost square and this being from the USA, like all US boxes but unlike European ones, ...
7
votes
1answer
275 views
What is the best-practice for circular lego staircase construction?
Aside from using the grey key-hole shapes, I'm looking for a Lego-standard or best-practice method for building a circular Lego staircase?
Requirements:
6-8 studs "wide" (from the center to outer ...
4
votes
0answers
49 views
Can you keep blocks clutched together in big chunks? Will blocks loose their “clutch power” after years of that kind of keeping? [duplicate]
I keep my blocks of same type in big assembled chunks, for easy building and finding bricks, but I am worried, is it safe for them or will they tend to lose strength in some time (years maybe)?
8
votes
3answers
640 views
What is the rarest LEGO production element (colour/shape combination)?
What is the rarest LEGO element according to the following criteria:
Genuine LEGO elements, not those available through third party vendors or otherwise modified elements. (So nothing from ...
7
votes
2answers
347 views
Why does Lego restrict the number of colors per shape?
There are many shapes and many colors of Lego elements. Some color/shapes are rare and hard to find. Why does Lego restrict the number of colors available per shape?
8
votes
1answer
208 views
How do I remove orange (rust?) stains from white elements?
I'm building with some yard sale Lego, and have several elements that have orange stains on them. If I had to guess, I'd say something seeped onto the bricks while they were in storage. At this point ...
0
votes
0answers
51 views
Motor doesn't work. very strange problem! [duplicate]
I didn't use the mindstorm for about one year. Yesterday I built a new robot and tried the motors. Teh right motor didn't work continously, but just started and stopped immediately. BUT NOW THE ...
1
vote
1answer
139 views
What are the possible differences between LEGO elements?
I'm in a technical school in the Netherlands and we received the following questions for an assignment:
What are the other possible differences between LEGO elements?
What are the different forms of ...
5
votes
2answers
208 views
What colors does the NXT Color Sensor support?
Quick question, what colors does the NXT color sensor support? Is it the entire rainbow or only specific colors?
2
votes
1answer
115 views
I need help with a broken LEGO motor
I have a LEGO motor and it broke but I didn't know why so I took apart the LEGO motor to see if the wires were the problem. I tested the wires to see if they were working but they weren't and I can't ...
6
votes
2answers
190 views
How to Make a Lego Claw Arm?
I am trying to build a lego claw arm to pick up stuff that is out of my reach and I need some ideas on how to design it. I would like a mechanism to be able to open and close the claw from the ...
4
votes
3answers
385 views
Lego Digital Designer Alternatives
I am been using LDD (Lego Digital Designer) for my latest NXT project and noticed a major delay in building and making instructions for my Projects (My Mindstorm projects contain well over 500 pieces) ...
7
votes
1answer
316 views
Is there an easier way of threading Technic pins into other elements?
I've been using Lego Digital Designer to recreate a few models I've built in real life. One model in particular uses many Technic axles which need to be inserted fully into other Technic bricks (like ...
7
votes
4answers
212 views
does Lego make bricks with a stone, brick or concrete block design?
Does Lego make the bricks with a stone, brick or concrete block finish on the sides? I would like to use these for walls and buildings on a train layout. Thanks!
5
votes
5answers
288 views
Which brands (fictional and non-fictional) have appeared in the Town/City theme?
A few years ago I wrote an article about the fictional organisation logos found in the City theme.
I'd quite like to revisit this, as I'm sure I must have missed some. I also only focused on the ...
5
votes
2answers
140 views
What are the known software tools for the EV3?
The EV3 is coming in Fall/Summer of 2013 and we tons of unknowns that will come in EV3. I am curious what software EV3 will run and will older generation software run on EV3 (NXT 1.0). And my final ...
8
votes
1answer
158 views
What does EV3 stand for?
I was wondering what the official reason behind the name of LEGO's latest MINDSTORMS robotics platform. What does "EV3" stand for?
11
votes
3answers
307 views
Will Mindstorms EV3 be backwards compatible?
LEGO Group announced the next Mindstorms version, the EV3 which will be available in the Fall, 2013.
Does anyone know if the new version, specifically the controller, will be backwards compatible ...
3
votes
2answers
222 views
List of Helpful Websites for Beginning Collectors
I recently wandered into my father's basement where my brother and I used to have our "game room" setup. I stumbled across a massive amount of LEGO that we had collected over the years. Since then, ...
8
votes
3answers
350 views
Are there any Star Wars vehicles that have not yet been produced in a Lego kit?
This includes all six films and the Clone Wars spin-offs. Every vehicle I can think seems to have been produced as part of a kit at some point. Are there any that haven't?
10
votes
1answer
240 views
A piece with no place in Heartlake Stables
I recently bought this set for my niece for her birthday, when we were finished setting it up we noticed a larger orange piece that we couldn't find a place for but was in the set and in the back of ...
8
votes
0answers
257 views
What would be a simple trebuchet design at the Minifigure scale?
I would like to have a trebuchet design at the Minifigure scale and simple enough for kids 10+ to build.
Note 1: The counter weight can be any non-LEGO heavy object.
Note 2: On top of the standard ...
5
votes
1answer
127 views
How to improve the range of an IR reciever?
I am creating a new Truck which contains two IR receivers in the front hood.
With my testing I get a range of about 6 feet (I have also noticed the small Technic motors on the IR receiver are slow ...
6
votes
1answer
288 views
What is different between the EV3 Home and Educational sets?
The newly announced LEGO Mindstorms EV3 sets for home and education have some differences, but it isn't clear to me what they are, specifically. It seems that have different sensors, perhaps ...
9
votes
3answers
242 views
Is the visual.ly infographic information about the minifigure reliable?
Visual.ly just release this awesome infographic about the LEGO minifigure.
It this all correct information?
6
votes
2answers
135 views
What is known of the capacities of the MINDSTORMS EV3 when it comes to interconnection with a network (WiFi, bluetooth)
What is known of the new MINDSTORMS EV3 capabilities when it comes to netwoked functions. What type of interface can be plugged to interact with a PC or portable device (smartphone/tablet)?
In term ...
6
votes
1answer
196 views
List of prototype or unreleased themes
I recently discovered the unreleased "Seatron" theme (basically an early Aquazon prototype with elements from M-tron) as I was looking around for building ideas. After some searching, I also found the ...
3
votes
0answers
44 views
I have entered codes for days 1-7 on the LEGO Star Wars Calendar site and now can't enter any more
I have the LEGO Star Wars Advent calendar and have put in the codes up to day 7, however it will not allow me to proceed and put in any more codes from day 8 upwards - are other people having this ...
7
votes
2answers
681 views
How does LEGO handle the breakage of Hero Factory sockets?
My son has a slowly growing collection of Hero Factory figures, and they have accumulated a consistent problem: socket connector cracking.
The tips of the angular part of the limb which connects to a ...
8
votes
1answer
241 views
What are all the different ways that LEGO pieces join together?
Has anyone made a list of all of the different types of connections between LEGO bricks?
Obviously there's the stud connection - but there's also the ball and socket joint, the more recent ...
6
votes
3answers
252 views
Simplest approach for rail sets automation
How would you tackle the automation of a lego rails set. I am looking for a solution that can be achieved with available parts.
From the answer I will chose either to invest into lego rail sets for ...
4
votes
1answer
117 views
Is there a list of colours currently in production?
Is there a list anywhere of colours currently being used by Lego for new sets? There seem to be lots of comprehensive lists of all colours released ever, but few that relate to in-use colours, for ...
13
votes
5answers
834 views
Useful machines built with LEGO
I am looking for examples of useful machines built with LEGO (probably Technics, NXT etc.). There are many fun project examples and proofs of concept, such as a Rubik cube solver and a Turing machine.
...
7
votes
1answer
266 views
Is there a freely downloadable set and part dataset?
I'm working on a project that will require a list of all sets including all of the parts they contain. I'm aware of at least three sites which have this information (Peeron, BrickLink, and ...
4
votes
2answers
123 views
Mindstorms start block is missing
the start block is missing on my mindstorms NXT 2.0 programming space. i cannot run any program without it.
i have tried, restarting the programming window, placing a block and even just undoing to ...
3
votes
1answer
56 views
What is new about the IR reciever in the 4x4 Crawler 9398?
Reading a review of the 4x4 it seems the IR receiver is different from what is included with the trains. From the review all the information we got was "improved CMOS motor driver with lower power ...
5
votes
1answer
510 views
How to speed up the 4x4 Crawler truck 9398?
Just finished building the 4x4 Crawler and it was a fun build but as a remote control car it is . . . in a word . . . SLOW! I know it's powerful and can climb over stuff but sometimes there is nothing ...
6
votes
1answer
229 views
Displaying the Star Wars Super Star Destroyer in a small apartment?
It has been several years since I played with LEGOs.
Three weeks before the holidays I got the LEGO Star Wars set 10221 Super Star Destroyer as an impulse purchase at a local sale. Now I am stuck ...
11
votes
1answer
169 views
Why do the tubes in the Seattle Space Needle Architecture set need to be cut?
I just received the Seattle Space Needle from the Architecture series. There are tubes that the builder is required to cut to a certain length for the model. This is the first time I've encountered ...
2
votes
1answer
800 views
Bluetooth pairing successful in OSX but Mindstorms NXT software still can't connect
I'm using OSX Mountain Lion. I've installed the Mindstorms NXT software successfully using the NXT Script.rb script from Lego's web site, which is supposed to tweak the install so that it is ...
8
votes
2answers
241 views
Why is there such a small supply of dark red 1x4 bricks?
I've recently been thinking of building in dark red because it looks so nice, but as I've been looking at how much it would cost to get the bricks, I found that 1x4 dark red bricks are almost ...
6
votes
2answers
324 views
Exact dimensions of studless Technic beams
I'm looking for the exact dimensions of the studless Technic beams. I found a number of answers for studded beams but there are some more aspects for the studless beams which are not covered.
I'm ...
11
votes
3answers
216 views
Is there a way to remotely operate the push-button light brick?
The push-button light brick seems to be popular with Lego at the moment, and included in quite a few sets.
I'd like to find a way of being able to operate it remotely, so that I can include the ...
68
votes
3answers
8k views
How much usage can a LEGO piece take before it loses its 'clutch power'?
In this article it's mentioned that one very important feature of the LEGO bricks are their 'clutch power' which is "the ability of its bricks to snap together tightly while also being easy to ...
7
votes
2answers
262 views
Why does LEGO sell minifigures randomly?
I often want to buy only some minifigures in each series and might want to buy more than one of a given minifigure but LEGO doesn't allow it. You know, it wants to give you a nice surprise in each ...
