Does LEGO Know of All the Possible Part Connections??

[Aliencat]

I agree on the rubber band holder, but as for the "space gun":

For instance, the space gun:



As far as I can tell, there was no reason when they designed that to put a couple of studs on the side

That's your violent mind calling it a gun, it's really a camera, as shown in set 6672:



The light gray tile 1x2 with video tape print is attached to the studs on the side of the camera.

[Bruce N H]

Ah, but that usage of the piece showed up in 1990, in the set you site and also Pursuit Squad. The part was around since 1983 in various space sets, and as far as I can tell, those studs were never used for seven years. I suppose it is possible that they were thinking that far ahead in designing parts, but I suspect they just said 'let's put some studs over here, there will surely be a use for them later'.

Bruce

[KarenJ]

There must be a use for the rubber band holder. There HAS to be some amazing thing that nobody else knows about.

Someone on ebay was selling the leftover gold coin sprue leftover as "gold nuggets".

[Mark Stafford]

Good question!

There is no way LEGO can even attempt to figure out all the possible connections, there are literally billions of possible permutations of LEGO bricks. When a designer for LEGO comes across an interesting 'new' connection possibility, that was probably not intended, they can take it to the 'Design Lab' who will model the same connection with the incredibly accurate computer models of the parts in one of the LEGO CAD programs, as long as the parts do not end up 'inside' each other then it is not stressing the elements and could be used.

However many connections that are 'legal' might still not be used because it is either too difficult/fiddly for kids to assemble or impossible to show clearly in building instructions.

Cheers,
Mark.

[Athos]

I agree on the rubber band holder, but as for the "space gun":
That's your violent mind calling it a gun, it's really a camera, as shown in set 6672:

Maybe he's going to shoot the monkey...?

Steve

[wobnam]

those studs were never used for seven years.

6659 TV Camera Crew, 1986:

[ben_toy_tech]

Perhaps the most extreme example I can think of is the rubber band holder:



AFAIK this was never used as a component of any set - all it was was a place to put the rubber bands. Still, they threw in a couple of holes sized to technic pins, so maybe someone could find a way to incorporate it into system.

Head or feet for a large robot-type creature.... or perhaps an ogre or treeant for the Castle fans.

[mystuffiscool]

....or perhaps an ogre or treeant for the Castle fans.

*Wonders why he refers to "the Castle fans" as if he weren't one*

[domboy]

Someone on ebay was selling the leftover gold coin sprue leftover as "gold nuggets".

I couldn't help but laugh at this... that's exactly what my siblings and I used them for when we were little... more treasure for the pirates!

[Shadowviking]

not Castle, but Catsy used the rubber band connectors for a PM MOC here.
I've seen them used a few other places too, but I don't have a link handy.

[Bruce N H]

those studs were never used for seven years.

6659 TV Camera Crew, 1986:

Arrgh! Darn you, Peeron, and your "63 sets were skipped containing 63 parts.
Show all the Black Minifig Accessory Camera with Side Sight." -shakes fist in Peeron's general direction-

Bruce

[mystuffiscool]

Darn you, Peeron, and your "63 sets were skipped containing 63 parts."...
...-shakes fist in Peeron's general direction-...

*Sighs* Ditto.