Studs with Studs

For today's instalment in our Parts Festival, we have some analysis. Elspeth De Montes (azurebrick) has noted a similarity between three of the elements and has enlisted help from three little friends to show them to you.

It may be considered slightly controversial to call a 1x1 round plate a ‘stud’ as apparently there are a few other nicknames used by AFOLs. Personally, I only ever knew these to be called studs until recently when I heard other nicknames including ‘dots’ and ‘pips’. I’m not sure if it’s controversial to call a handsome man a ‘stud’ but these fine young male minifigures are happy to be complimented in such a manner.

These studs are displaying some new 'modified' studs for us which I will discuss briefly today:

1. Black Plate 1X1 Round W/3.2 Shaft  (Element ID 6157554 | Design ID 26047)
2. Transparent [TLG]/Trans Clear [BL] 3.2 Shaft W/ Knob (Element ID 6153264 | Design ID 25893)
3. Transparent Plate 1X1 W/3.2 Shaft/1.5 Hole (Element ID 6112751 | Design ID 20482)

Black Plate 1x1 Round w/3.2 Shaft

The "padlock plate" has appeared in only three sets released in 2016 and is only available in Black at present. The three are all Ninjago sets, so this element may have gone under the radar of those LEGO® fans who are not into Ninjago. There are only two of this element present in 70590 Airjitzu Battle Grounds and 70596 Samurai X Cave Chaos, whilst 70594 The Lighthouse Siege contains an indulgent six.

The Plate 1X1 Round W/3.2 Shaft actually fills a hole in the LEGO parts inventory that has been gaping for a while, namely a 1x1 plate that would provide the other side of the Plate 1X1 W/Holder Vertical (Design ID 61252) or Plate 1X1 W. Holder (Design ID 60897). There have been larger equivalents as shown below, with Plate 1X2 W. Stick 3.18 (Design ID 48336) and Plate 1X2 W/Shaft Ø3.2 (Design ID 60478), both shown in red. It is useful that the plate is rounded as this allows placement at an increased number of angles as there are no corners to catch on nearby elements or studs.

The shaft portion can be used with a range of clips, from droid arms to decorative feathers, but it should be noted that the shaft is too short for the width of a minifigure hand.

3.2 Shaft W/ Knob

The transparent ‘shaft with knob’ sounds particularly naughty, even by the often comedic standards of TLG’s naming system. This element is only available in Transparent at present, released in 2016 and found in seven sets plus the Ice Queen minifigure from Series 16. The most that appear in a single set is only two: 75828 Ecto-1&2 and the same in 76057 Spider-Man: Web Warriors Ultimate Bridge Battle. There are a handful of other sets, interestingly all from the Super Heroes theme, which contain one of this element and so it’s still relatively rare.

This element has a ‘knob’ on one side, essentially the same as a raised LEGO stud but it is recessed rather than solid. Much like the raised stud on a jumper plate, it allows another type of connection. The other side is a short 3.2 shaft that does not have any free ends. As you can see, the shaft can be held by clips and…er….a hot dog bun, and the knob end fits into any regular stud hole, for example base of a 1x1 cone or a 1x1 round tile with the hollow area holding a bar.

Plate 1X1 W/3.2 Shaft/1.5 Hole

The Plate 1X1 W/3.2 Shaft/1.5 Hole first appeared in 2015 within 41098 Emma's Tourist Kiosk, although it has been in no less than 29 sets since. If you want to buy one set with the largest number of this element, then 41132 Heartlake Party Shop has at least six of this element yet only one appears in the massive 4,080 piece set 71040 The Disney Castle. In 2016, Plate 1X1 W/3.2 Shaft/1.5 Hole also made an appearance in 17 sets in Warm Gold [TLG]/Pearl Gold [BL].

There is a regular round plate underside at the bottom but the top surface has a 3.2 shaft with 1.5 hole that expands its connectivity. As you can see, any 3.2 hole is accepted onto the shaft be that a 1x1 cone or a Nexo-bot torso (Design ID 24078).

It is interesting to note that use of a Plate round 1X1 W. through hole ‘Apollo stud’ (Design ID 85861; the fifth example in the image above) gives a 180° reversal within a lovely neat area. It was actually quite difficult to remove the Apollo stud from the shaft of the nipple, so to speak, and so I wonder if this is a legal connection? The jumper tile (the sixth example) also performs the same 180° reversal, although with less clutch. The Droid arm holds the 3.2 shaft as expected, and finally the 1.5 hole can be used to connect items such as a tiara and the end of the plant stalks.

I am enjoying seeing how these parts are being utilised in the ongoing "The New Black" parts festival as well as in MOCs in general.

READ MORE: Discover another fascinating new LEGO piece: Weapon No. 11, the Super Heroes blaster

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