42108 - Mobile Crane

[Banana92]

Bricksafe? I'll try that, never used it before
https://bricksafe.com/pages/Banana92/

Downloads for incomplete 42108, complete 42101 & 42102, and the shell for 42109

Edited December 13, 2019 by Banana92

[Rijkvv]

While I wasn't a fan of the looks to begin with, realizing how scarce the functions are make me feel miserable for not buying 42009 when I had the chance. Speaking about looks I do think the well-praised 8460 also has strange dimensions. But that set made up for it by having everything engineered as you could wish for: gear-driven turntable, functional outriggers et cetera.

As for the modding argument: if you put on enough time and/or parts you can make any set perfect. But there's a difference between adding a few flex hoses to the Volvo excavator to get rid of the ugly pneumatic hoses (for example) or having to basically redesign a set to make it decent.

[Timorzelorzworz]

3L Pins with friction are regular blue as always. The 3L pin seen in black is the 3L pin with 2L axle. Finally we get the 3L axle connector in black here.

[nintiendo]

On 11/18/2019 at 10:05 PM, ian74 said:

I love it!  Just what I wanted (coming from a new Technic fan who missed out on all 8460/42009 type cranes)

Very weird no B model though...

 

I love it too, i'll be a little brother of my 42009 :)

[ian74]

1 hour ago, nintiendo said:

I love it too, i'll be a little brother of my 42009 :)

As time has passed since I posted that, I can't help to say I'm a little disappointed there is no drivetrain, differentials or fake engine thing of any sort.  I really like those aspects of the Technic sets.  Now I'm back wondering if i should save some extra money and go back and buy some of the older sets like 42053 (volvo pneumatic digger) or 42054 (xerion).   I hope we see some MOCs or alt builds where people add some of the missing bits.

[coinoperator]

4 hours ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

Finally we get the 3L axle connector in black here

You mean the 11214 ?

[Timorzelorzworz]

28 minutes ago, coinoperator said:

You mean the 11214 ?

I mean 26287 available in red and LBG this time.

[fosamax]

1 hour ago, ian74 said:

As time has passed since I posted that, I can't help to say I'm a little disappointed there is no drivetrain, differentials or fake engine thing of any sort.  I really like those aspects of the Technic sets.  Now I'm back wondering if i should save some extra money and go back and buy some of the older sets like 42053 (volvo pneumatic digger) or 42054 (xerion).   I hope we see some MOCs or alt builds where people add some of the missing bits.

I would buy the Mack (available during sale for less than 100 €) and would build Dominik Novak's crane moc out of it.

[ian74]

5 hours ago, fosamax said:

I would buy the Mack (available during sale for less than 100 €) and would build Dominik Novak's crane moc out of it.

That's a good idea.  Unfortunately, in the USA, we don't get sales like that.  I saw it for $129.00 on Amazon on Black Friday for about 3 hours before it went out of stock.  I guess I should have bought it then.

[Banana92]

I'm from the US and got the Claas on sale the January after it was released for $100 from Amazon, also preordered the Corvette zr1 from Amazon for $30 (though I had to cancel my order and buy it later for reasons)

[ian74]

1 hour ago, Banana92 said:

I'm from the US and got the Claas on sale the January after it was released for $100 from Amazon, also preordered the Corvette zr1 from Amazon for $30 (though I had to cancel my order and buy it later for reasons)

I should correct myself, they don’t seem to go on sale like that often.

Also, new crane video by that guy posting the pre-release videos.

 

[Dylan M]

From BEST to WORST...???

[Bartybum]

Jesus this is definitely not worth the $180AUD RRP. That's almost as much as 42080 and 42081, both of which had far more to give. I wouldn't have expected it to be more than $130AUD

Edited December 18, 2019 by Bartybum

[Saberwing40k]

I can not for the life of me understand how this travesty has more parts than the Spider Crane, yet can have so few functions and technical aspects. This is just terrible. Where are all these parts going?

Edited December 18, 2019 by Saberwing40k

[Bartybum]

3 hours ago, Saberwing40k said:

I can not for the life of me understand how this travesty has more parts than the Spider Crane, yet can have so few functions and technical aspects. This is just terrible. Where are all these parts going?

I mean, it’s got all the functions expected of a mobile crane so idk what you’re on about. Functionally the only egregious things are the outriggers and the lack of an engine, which is clearly because it’s got 4 steering axles. Other than that it’s pretty standard

Also, the spider crane is bare bones in its bodywork so it’s hardly surprising this has more parts. This crane is comparable in size to the forest harvester

Edited December 18, 2019 by Bartybum

[Banana92]

11 hours ago, Bartybum said:

I mean, it’s got all the functions expected of a mobile crane so idk what you’re on about. Functionally the only egregious things are the outriggers and the lack of an engine, which is clearly because it’s got 4 steering axles. Other than that it’s pretty standard

Though it is lacking geared slewing, rather that is manual in 42108

Still, the set looks fine, but looks aren't everything which is why this set is such a disappointment to me, after modding, I'm sure I could come up with something I am happy with, if it is released for around $100 USD then I think it's still a good deal, any more though...

I'm glad the boom raises and extends reasonably fast, I'll give it a point there

Also I have a Studio build avail. For the Mini Claas as well if anyone wants to check it out

Edited December 18, 2019 by Banana92

[M_longer]

11 hours ago, Bartybum said:

Other than that it’s pretty standard

Last time I was so disappointed with a set was when I got 42049 "mining" "loader".

 

It's precedessor 8053 (same price range)  had four outriggers in X style (they were wobbly, for sure, but had interesting mechanics for retracting them). Here we have 4 outriggers, from two had to be pulled from underneath the bodywork to play with. That's weird and reminds me those outriggers from 42053 set.

 

Also, using ratchet for locking drum winch in place is common in sets, but using the same technique for mechanism extending the boom also does not convince me.

 

Third thing, where are the goddamn side mirrors on this thing? 　

 

This is literally yellow parts pack in shape of mobile crane.

 

It had great potential, but almost all things had to be rebuilt to surpass the 8053.

 

Also, I have a strange feeling that it is worse than Xiaomi's (!) Mobile Crane, even from visual perspective:

 

 

 

 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

57 minutes ago, M_longer said:

Also, I have a strange feeling that it is worse than Xiaomi's (!) Mobile Crane, even from visual perspective:

It's funny that that thing pops up frequently in a targeted fb ad, and I just wish that 42108 was designed like that.

[aol000xw]

Did not know the Xiaomi mitu... it is interesting.

[Gray Gear]

I didn't know Xiaomi was making some bricks as well...and a Mindstorms looking system...which is probably way better because Xiaomi is a tech company in the first place

Edited December 18, 2019 by Gray Gear

[Bartybum]

6 hours ago, M_longer said:

Also, I have a strange feeling that it is worse than Xiaomi's (!) Mobile Crane, even from visual perspective:

 *snip*

 

No argument from me there, Xiaomi's mobile crane is a beautiful looking set. Btw, if anyone has instructions to it, please could you send them to me via pm? I can't find anything online

[allanp]

12 hours ago, Banana92 said:

I'm glad the boom raises ......reasonably fast, I'll give it a point there

No, it really doesn't! To be fair I can't knock it for that because in this case  the speed is realistic. The knob twiddling on the other hand while it raises, not so much.

[Vectormatic]

Well, that Xiaomi crane really puts thing in perspective... It also has manual slew, and the boom extension nob being on the boom end is a bit meh, but it has centrally controlled outriggers and costs less then half of the lego item..

[Bartybum]

12 minutes ago, vectormatic said:

Well, that Xiaomi crane really puts thing in perspective... It also has manual slew, and the boom extension nob being on the boom end is a bit meh, but it has centrally controlled outriggers and costs less then half of the lego item..

I wouldn’t even think about buying it, since I already have all the necessary parts

[lmdesigner42]

Although the exterior is a little more detailed, 42108 definitely lacks functionality compared to 8053.  8053 had a distributive transmission AND room for motorization.  It was also in a larger scale for the same number of parts.  I also wonder how strong the boom on 42108 is with so few beams going lengthwise.