42108 - Mobile Crane

[M_longer]

 

It seems that boom arm is 4 studs wide.

[Jeroen Ottens]

I like it. A lot. Pure, simple, honest, packed with functions, LEGO Technic model.

Any idea why we have 3 control knobs on the superstructure? Of which two are ratcheted?

One is for the LA-XL, one is for the rope. But what is the third for?

Also for the rope? It is at the same position (but just at the other side), but since both these knobs have a red ratchet mechanism it would require three hands to operate.

For rotation of the superstructure? That also doesn't seem logically since it is not a nice way to operate rotation, plus, why would it need a ratchet?

Cabin tilt? Again, why a ratchet? And why not on the box...

[M_longer]

20 minutes ago, Jeroen Ottens said:

But what is the third for?

Extending the boom probably.

[Jeroen Ottens]

14 minutes ago, M_longer said:

Extending the boom probably.

OF course

[Thirdwigg]

That's my guess too. It seems the ratchet is to keep it from sliding back down since I cannot see a worm gear for extension. It seems like an odd workaround, but I guess it would work.

[Gray Gear]

3 minutes ago, Thirdwigg said:

...It seems like an odd workaround, but I guess it would work.

...As long as you dont lift heavy objects

[Maaboo the Witch]

4 minutes ago, Gray Gear said:

...As long as you dont lift heavy objects

Few Technic cranes are actually built to lift anything remotely weighty.

I said it on the general discussion topic but I'll reiterate it here: this is a bangin' crane, but with no B-model it feels like half a set.

[Gray Gear]

1 minute ago, Maaboo35 said:

Few Technic cranes are actually built to lift anything remotely weighty.

I said it on the general discussion topic but I'll reiterate it here: this is a bangin' crane, but with no B-model it feels like half a set.

*Insert video of huge LEGO crawler crane lifting a chair here*

Yeah, it seems like a fairly good model, if you are into construction vehicles 

[Bartybum]

Looks interesting. Not really a fan of the front’s weird proportions. Would’ve preferred something more Liebherr-esque.

[doug72]

8 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

Few Technic cranes are actually built to lift anything remotely weighty.

I said it on the general discussion topic but I'll reiterate it here: this is a bangin' crane, but with no B-model it feels like half a set.

Perhaps we need a B model competition.

[M_longer]

32 minutes ago, Thirdwigg said:

That's my guess too. It seems the ratchet is to keep it from sliding back down since I cannot see a worm gear for extension. It seems like an odd workaround, but I guess it would work.

 

 

 

 

[SNIPE]

This set is a 42082 in terms of features but is a quarter the size. (except for the motorisation and fake engine but I can easily add a fake v6 in the hump behind the cab.

I'd also add a lever for the cabin and hump to hinge forward like in the car transporter and id add a worm gear and a  knob for the turntable.

Excellent.

Edited November 19, 2019 by SNIPE

[Saberwing40k]

What? No B model? Is Lego going to be ditching B models for all of Technic? I sure hope not. I don't build B models often, but some look really good, and it gives you two options right off the bat with a set. And, sometimes a B model is so good it drives purchases of the set, to get duplicates to display as the B model. I sure hope Lego isn't having trouble with their designers. Or, maybe we have something really big in 2020 that is the reason for this. I'll just be upset if they're doing it purely as a cost saving measure.

The only thing about this set I don't like is the fact that it uses a linear actuator for the boom. Often times, manually cranked linear actuators are a real pain and tedious to use. Other than that, it's a very nice mid scale set. Although, I still want to see Lego make a nice 9 axle crane, which I think they could do.

[Bartybum]

33 minutes ago, Saberwing40k said:

The only thing about this set I don't like is the fact that it uses a linear actuator for the boom. Often times, manually cranked linear actuators are a real pain and tedious to use. Other than that, it's a very nice mid scale set. Although, I still want to see Lego make a nice 9 axle crane, which I think they could do.

What would you suggest then if not an LA?

[Saberwing40k]

I'm not sure. You could have the LA geared such that the control knob is geared up, making operation faster, or a work gear mechanism using the gear racks and holders, or maybe even a ratcheting mechanism like on the boom. Or pneumatics, of course. There are many ways to skin this cat, but I'm not sure what's best.

[mpj]

Not only the knob is not geared up, but it looks it is geared down 

[Bartybum]

54 minutes ago, mpj said:

Not only the knob is not geared up, but it looks it is geared down 

You’re totally right lol. At least it’s an easy fix during construction

@Saberwing40k oh man pneumatics  that totally should’ve been the choice here

Edited November 19, 2019 by Bartybum

[Cumulonimbus]

Nice medium sized manual model. But I'm surprised that people find it good looking. In my eye, the cab looks too wide and far forward, the wheels stick out the sides and the main body lacks ... body. I like the new knobs, much friendlier for your fingers than the small gears.

[Rudivdk]

I like that the control knobs are actually knobs, and not just a double bevel gear. This will prevent some sore fingers for sure

Edit @Cumulonimbus: telepathy? Same thought same moment...

Edited November 19, 2019 by Rudivdk

[agrof]

I was excited about this set, and what a big disappointment to me.

The design (visually) is like it was made by some cheap Chinese toy company, probably the oversized cabin, the unbalanced scale of the upper structure, lame color decisions... It would have been enough to look into some pictures of real mobile cranes during the development. This is truly a missed opportunity to make a compact, modern mobile crane. 

No B-model is just discreditable to the name of Lego Technic - only exceptions can be the licensed models, but this drilled down to the level, which is not acceptable for me, at all.

Edited November 19, 2019 by agrof

[Vectormatic]

From a technical view im not exactly blown over by the boom extension, using a ratchet rather then a worm gear put a lot of static strain on the entire mechanism (all gears and axles between boom and ratchet are strained when the boom is extended and erected), but im guessing it should be easy to convert to a worm gear. Im also quite curious to see how sturdy the extended boom is, from what i can see it is just a single thickness bar with plates top and, it would be nice if there was some option to reinforce it more, but looking at the lower boom, i guess not. I do hope this crane will be strong enough to at least lift a smaller technic model for a nice showpiece setup.

Ive seen €99 floating around as the german price, which sounds good to me, with the inevitable 25-30% discount spikes, ill be picking one up

[brickless_kiwi]

I collect Lego cranes so I guess I will have to buy one or two.. on discount that is..

[JonathanM]

Seems the front stabilisers are just manually pulled down with the red ball joint pieces. I guess that's something to mod!

Nice to see the yellow panels back - building 8043 in yellow will be possible without costing the earth!

[Void_S]

5 hours ago, Saberwing40k said:

The only thing about this set I don't like is the fact that it uses a linear actuator for the boom. Often times, manually cranked linear actuators are a real pain and tedious to use.

I like the way used in tracked loader's winch, that could be perfectly applied here: "fast" and "slow" knobs (two knobs with different gearing ratio, or a simple 2-speeds gearbox with a single knob) - the fast one for unloaded boom raising-lowering to move it faster, and the second for more precise positioning and when the fast once can't work normally because of a higher stress caused by a heavy payload.

[SNIPE]

37 minutes ago, JonathanM said:

Seems the front stabilisers are just manually pulled down with the red ball joint pieces. I guess that's something to mod!

Nice to see the yellow panels back - building 8043 in yellow will be possible without costing the earth!

Are you sure? I'm sure I saw axles linking the front to the rear outriggers in one of the images.

I have already started making a chassis with diffs on all axles, suspension and steering, one axle is done now and I'll post an image + the ldraw file in the '42108 mods' thread when it exists.

Edited November 19, 2019 by SNIPE