Ngoc Nguyen

Thanks a lot for the support!

Crane rotation needs quite more force than normal, indeed, as it tils heavily towards the end. Normally when I put force into the knob and rotate it slowly there is no problem.

For this mini replica I managed to achieve a new level: The proportion is so accurate that at first look quite a number of people thought it's the original 42128!

Model in action:

Another addition to the collection!

DEVELOPMENT It's time to level up the mini replica game, and for the next entry in my collection I wanted to work on the 42128. For a Technic head 42128 is easily one of the best models in recent Technic, as it has a lot of functions. It is also an interesting model to build a mini replica from, since its original scale is 15 studs wide, which means the mini version will be the 9 studs wide scale. There hasnt been many official 9 studs wide truck in Lego Technic. The most recent one is the 42167 Mack LR, and the second most recent one is the truck in the set 42023 released way back in 2014. I have done only one mini replica in this scale, which is the mini 42078 B model, but it was not a model designed from scratch but a mod of the 42167. Therefore I want to truly challenge myself with this model. The original 42128 turned out to be very conducive to the shrinking of a factor of 3/5. Most of the main parts in the original 42128 have lengths that is multiples of 5. For example, the width of the rear body, from behind the cabin to the end, in the original 42128 is 35 studs. The height of this body is 10 studs. The hood is 11 studs long, while the cabin and the sleeper is 14 studs long, which add up to 25 studs from the front to the sleeper. The cabin from floor to ceiling is 10 studs. All of these numbers make it easier to calculate the corresponding dimensions in the mini model. When it comes to functions, the first thing I decided is that there will be no openable hood. At this scale there's no space for a drive train, let alone a differential, and if there's no drive train, then there's no point to do a fake engine. Not to mention, the structure under the hood around the front axle is only 2 stud tall, so an openable hood with cause that area to not be structurally supported. On the other hand, making the hood fixed to the chassis will allow more possibility with styling the hood and routing the steer axle. And that's the direction I chose for the front. The next problem is the outriggers. In the original models, the side and rear outriggers are linked. However, in this small scale, there might not be space for a linking drivetrain. Therefore I decided to make the rear outriggers and side outriggers two separate functions. This creates the next problem, which is the crane rotation. In the original model, there are only four knobs on two sides, and they control 4 functions: linked outriggers, tow arm, third axle, and crane rotation. Now one knob is used for the second outrigger function, one of those four original functions must be controlled from elsewhere, or is not controlled at all. I noticed that the area under the cabin and the sleeper is not fully utilized, so I routed the crane rotation to the sleeper, which is where the HOG steering used to be in the original model, and I put the HOG steering further front. The rest of the functions are pretty straightforward. Both the tow arm and the third axle lift use a simple worm gear that meshes with a 20z gear. The side outriggers is also driven through a wormgear, Everything is simple and fun until I did the test build. The crane rotation turns out to just not work. Originally, I used a pair of 12/20 gears that is connected to a trio of perpendicular 12-20-28 to drive the turntable. It turns out the crane is very heavy, so that gearing is not enough to steer it. Another problem is that the 20z gear is parallel with turntable, so it is not secured on top and often breaks out, causing the 12z to skip. I spent a whole two day redesigning that part along with surrounding structure. This is how the final gearing of the crane rotation. You can see that the controlling knob goes through a bunch of gears to gear down the ratio to reach the turntable. The hardest part is to squeeze a worm gear into the drivetrain, but in the end I managed to do it. This is how all the functions are driven in the chassis. Overall I'm very happy and very proud of my model, and I hope you can feel the same too if you decide to build it. Instruction: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-206979/nguyengiangoc/mini-42128-heavy-duty-tow-truck Function sheets:

DBG actually looks good.

Why big JCB when small JCB would suffice?

I gave this some thoughts and I think that there are some merits in it. This model should look better than just some metal sheet screwed together. Thus I decided to find ways to soften the look a little bit. I took a look at some of the retro typewriters, and I notice that they and the original Lego typewriter all have round corners in the keyboard areas. So I spent an evening trying recreate those round corners, which is a huge challenge. I want to preserve the slant, and even though they can be created with 2x5 or 2x3 slant panels, the 5x11 tapered is the most ideal choice. However, it is longer than the space I have for the sides, while there are limited options in Technic for creating round corners. In the end I settled with the 2x5x3 Thick Quarter Panel block, which luckily also exists in Bright Light Orange. This part pushes the front wall of the keyboard outward, so I decided to lengthen the liftarms for all the key levers. This is what it looks like at the moment and I'm quite happy with the outcome. Below is the comparison between the widened keyboard and the original keyboard in the original set.

The wheel arch may be a good solution for the front curves, but on the two sides it ends too abruptly. I want to add some smooth curves at two ends, and after some tinkering this is the final solution. I replace that arch with the chopped arch and added quarter corner domes, and the curves flow very nicely.

I never said it's not appropriate. It's just that I don't like building with bricks and plates, because the building experience feels tedious. Take the walls of the model as an example. The side wall in Technic can be covered with just 6 3x7 panels and one 5x11 taperer panel, while the front wall can be covered with 4 3x7 panels. In the original model, it takes a lot of brick and plate stacking to achieve the same goal (I did build the original model in Studio part by part). Not to mention, it is easier to lock parts and ensure structural integrity with Technic. For example, in the original model, the front wall between the curved corner bricks can be just easily ripped apart if I pull the model from the front. Why "A rather than B" when I can "both A and B"

If you think Technifying a set is simply a matter of swapping out bricks with liftarms, then the development of this model may show the otherwise. Technifying is about translating. The original model is built in one language, and I have to find the equivalent in the Technic language that can express the same idea as close as possible. What I worked on today is the translation of the two curved pieces that form the bow shape in front of the keys. The number of parts with curved is quite limited in Technic so that was quite a challenge. Not to mention, in the original model the curved pieces are only 2 studs high, while curved panels in Technic are 3 studs high. In the end I settled with the new wheel arch from the McLaren P1. This piece also decided the color for whole model. Originally I wanted to build the whole thing in DBG, because DBG does not yellow as poorly as other colors. But then I have second thoughts. I have built quite a number of DBG MOCs lately already, and DBG just make the model looks boring. Thanks to the P1 there are quite a variety of BLO types of piece to use. In the process, I Technify one side and leave the other side intact so I can compare. I also have to decide which features to keep and which features to sacrifice. In this case, I want to keep the slanting edges on both sides, and the best way to do that is to use the tapered 5x11. At first I also wanted to keep the round corner too, as that design is quite common in retro typewriter, but since I settled on using the tapered panels, I have to sacrifice the round corners. I also have to accept the fact that the Technic model will be 1 stud thicker on the bottom.

Hi everyone, this is a magazine from RacingBrick \

Motorized stairs maybe.

At 2300 pieces, it can be a RC Mining Truck. There hasnt been any Technic mining truck since 2016. The problem with a flagship forklift is the brand. Technic flagships since 2019 have all been licensed sets from popular brands. Forklift manufacturer brands on the other hand are less well known.

https://forums.ldraw.org/thread-25913-post-46175.html

How about this

Axle hole in the MIDDLE of a liftarm?!

42215 is 18+. This is probably the flagship.

42131 Manual Conversion is finally done. DEVELOPMENT Even though I have designed a PF Conversion mod for the original 42131, I was not quite satisfied with it. The first reason is that since PF IR Receivers are separate from battery boxes. I have to find the places to put them, and they detracts from the overall seamless exterior of the model. The rear is just ugly. The second reason is L motor's inadequate torque. In this PF mod, there are 6 PF L motors that drive 6 functions separately, and for some functions PF L motors just don't provide enough torque even when geared up. Hence I came up with this new Manual mod. In this mod, the Smart Hub is replaced with the Simple Hub (non-bluetooth one), and it will power two hard-coupled PU L motor. Because the Simple Hub and the Smart Hub have the same dimension and interface, it's easier to replace the latter with the former. To drive the functions, I designed 5 bidirectional gearboxes that fit into the 7x11 frame of the original 42131. Since the ladder function is in the cabin subbuild, I decided to turn it into a manual function so that I don't have to route a transmission up. That leaves me with 5 functions as follows, from left to right. - Motorized ripper lifting - Motorized ripper tilting - Motorized tracks - Motorized blade lifting - Motorized blade tilting And now comes the hardest part of this MOC: designing the control interfaces. These switches are buried deep inside the model, and the 42131 doesn't have a flat surface to route the transmission to. After many attempts I finally came up with the solutions. Two outermost switches will be routed to the switches on both sides of the engine doors. Three inner ones will be routed to the back, between the LAs of the blade. The battery box can be turned on using a lever on the side. Here are the functions sheet. Rebrickable link: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-205773/nguyengiangoc/42131-manual-conversion/#details

Since the scope is now non animal and non vehicle, may I suggest renaming the contest into "Technic Device Contest"

I agree with no animal.

I guess your alternate model development is on the fast track.

Hi everyone, this is a combo review from RacingBrick

I just ordered all the printed key caps. It took a while to find a vendor that has the whole collection.