15
It's difficult to tell exactly what part this fragment came from, but it looks like it is part of a broken Technic gear or pulley. It looks like it probably came from 3736:
Your fragment looks like it was probably once one half of the center axle hole of that part.
In terms of repair, I suppose you could try to glue this back together, but given that the ...
14
Here are some disassembly pictures and tips.
Tools needed:
Either a precision flat-head or Philips screwdriver: There are two flat-head/Phillips hybrid screws that hold the the battery cover down. These two screws do not come completely out the battery cover.
T9 Star Key: There are six T9 star screws. Four on the corners of the housing and two hidden ...
13
LEGO is very good about replacing broken parts - for free even. Visit the web-site and look on the bottom of the page under Customer Service for a "broken or missing parts" link (I can't check at current locale).
This is worth trying even if the set is old or you didn't acquire it brand new. LEGO doesn't usually care where you got the set; but if it's not ...
11
Well, I opened it up without much success, and took some pictures of the process:
At first I tried pushing/prying the light grey tabs away from the dark gray "bottom", but those weren't budging
So plan B: wedge it apart:
It was opening, but I was also distorting the plastic in the process - perhaps if I had a hot air station or something, I could have of ...
10
The LEGO customer service does provide replacements for defective parts, but only for parts which are still in production. Sometimes you'll need to send the broken part back to them. They don't repair the parts as such, just replace them.
As for the micromotor, you're out of luck as it's not produced anymore. They might provide another motor as a ...
10
This is a common issue with the older Lego 9V cables. Lots of sources, including myself, have experienced the same thing - this particular chemistry of insulation ages poorly, no matter how well it's stored. Cables made later, circa 2004-2006 don't seem to have this issue - the insulation is less rubbery and more plasticy, and is still shiny like new to this ...
8
Don't fix it
I sympathize with the desire to fix it, but on closer consideration it doesn't seem easy or worth it. Getting the hand out would probably damage the arm even if you manage to do it.
Replace it
The entire torso is available for less than $1 on BrickLink. This is the easiest path forward. Some similar torsos are half as much if you don't ...
8
One option might be to make yourself an ABS slurry by dissolving a sacrificial part of the desired color in Acetone:
This should be able to bond chemically with the ABS parts for a strong connection, and you'll have extra plastic material to work with, so you should even be able to make it stronger than the original design by building up the area slightly ...
7
I have had some success straightening bent train level crossing gate barriers by first immersing the pieces in a bowl of hot water*, for around 5 minutes to soften the plastic and then immediately trapping them between two hardback books and applying weights until they have cooled.
So by using Joubarc's method to hold the axles straight combined with a pre-...
7
I'd suggest storing them straightened up for a while, if possible in 32 adjoining 1x2 bricks with cross hole, and add a few layers of bricks to hold them in place. At least it's a pure LEGO solution, but I'm not sure how efficient.
7
To work properly, the Forward 5 block on the NXT as well as the Move block of NXT-G require that TWO motors be connected on ports B and C. That's probably the problem you see... To test a single motor, there is the motor block.
7
I've had this problem several times before. There are two general ways to solve this issue.
Brute Force Needle
Stick several needles into the arm area at an angle. Then simultaneously push down on all the other ends of the needles to unstick the needle
Hot Paperclip
This is excessive but effective.
I wore gloves and used my kitchen stove to heat up a ...
6
Brasso (yes, the metal polish) works better than toothpaste in this case. It is a bit more grainy so works faster but doesn't damage the parts. It does take some work though that may or may not make sense depending on the rarity of the elements.
And yes, with either toothpaste or Brasso, you actually have to vigorously rub the surface to buff it up. It ...
6
Your best bet would still be BrickLink. Many sellers there accept cash, checks or money orders, so you don't necessarily need paypal or a credit card. However if you would like to work on fixing the bite-marks on the head you pictured above, there are several things you can do:
If the bite-marks are not too deep, you can sand down the area with very fine ...
5
The easiest solution, provided that motor is still in production, is to contact the LEGO customer service using the "broken part" button, or via telephone directly which might be easier for a part such as a motor.
They'll usually provide a replacement without problem, but be advised that by opening the motor yourself, you probably voided any sort of ...
5
Maybe the plastic is worn off just enough that the switch is not pushing the pins completely anymore.
Debug step 1:
When the train pins are in the switch zone there shouldn't be a lot of space between the point of the pins and the face of the switch. If it looks too loose that could be the problem. A way to test this would be to put some clear scotch ...
5
I have been experimenting to find the answer to this question, and today I have finally found it. I stumbled across a youtube vid of a child explaining his method, and mine was built off of his. His idea is to take labels, cut them into tiny pieces that are stuck onto the arm at the point where it connects into the torso. This works, all too well. Here's ...
5
LEGO bricks are made from ABS. Therefore the most effective adhesive would be ABS cement from the hardware store that sells it for plumbing repairs. ABS cement in theory would chemicallyc weld the bricks back together.
5
This part wasn't meant to be taken apart,
but it is possible.
Source with more text and images
also this (very dark) video tutorial
and another video tutorial
5
I was able to remove the screws properly with a Torx T9 screwdriver from our Duplo Train Push & Go Motor (28743).
4
It's sometimes possible to build a jig out of other Lego blocks to hold the broken pieces firmly together to allow the glue to set and the result to be very good. I use my worst-condition bricks for jig building because they almost always get glue on them or some kind of damage.
The location of the break on your hinge makes it a difficult fix, but you ...
4
I had this trouble when I was a nipper. My dad owned a model shop so I used the same glue that you use on Airfix type kits ("Polystyrene cement") - you can get this from model shops. Use a cocktail stick to smear a bit inside the figure, above where the top nobules of the legs will go so it won't interfere. Don't use too much because it kind of melts the ...
4
You can replace the arm with a new one by carefully removing the old arm and snapping in a newer one. Please note that this should not be done too often, as the procedure will damage the connection and could even crack the torso.
LEGO never attempted the arms to be replaceable. It is not like snapping and unsnapping bricks, however it can be done a couple ...
4
You won't be able to make it fit perfectly again. If plastic is stretched over a certain point it is irreversibly damaged.
But you can try to heat it a little to shrink the wheel overall. But it's not guaranteed to work. If you use a lighter you can affect a smaller area but be sure not to burn your part.
4
Try flashing the firmware. To get into firmware update mode, hold down the right button when turning the EV3 on. (You can also reset the EV3 without removing the battery by holding down the back and enter buttons for a few seconds.)
You can find much more detailed information on here.
4
It sounds like the firmware needs a factory reset. Try this:
Remove the battery for 10 seconds and then put it back
Hold the Center and Right buttons until "Updating..." pops up on the display
Connect the EV3 brick to your PC using USB
Update the firmware using "Tools" -> "Firmware Update" in the EV3 software
4
Since creases in cardboard are not mere folds but instead constitute real damage to the box, I don't think you can undo a crease to make it look new again. Even "sort of" straightening it out will not do much good for a box - the damage (compacted internal structure) will remain visible and the area will remain a weak spot for further damage to develop. ...
4
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)
4
The tiny screw method works. We dipped it in dish soap, made a tiny groove with a thumb tack and then threaded a very small screw. Used two pairs of plyers, one on the arm and one on the screw, and pulled the broken hand out with no issue.
4
During the 90's I was gifted older LEGO bricks from a friend of my parents that were about 30 years old. Many were discolored, warped and specifically the blue and gray pieces would break if flexed.
30 years forward and some of pieces from my 90's mix are discolored specifically gray, blue, white, yellow, brown. I think there is shelf life of about 30 ...
Only top voted, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible
