Cumulonimbus

Not sure if I agree. The base of real tower cranes are extremely small as well. Compare with this 1/87 die-cast scale model of a EC-H Liebherr crane: A tower crane is all about equilibrium, that is why my model has room for up to five 6x2x2 train weights as counter weight in the rear. Real ones tend to have balance weights at their base as well, but since the train weights are so expensive, I want to try without them first.

Hi all, I would like to present my MOC: a tower crane. I got inspired by the 42042 B-model, but I was a bit disappointed that the trolley function (which moves the hook closer or further from the crane base) wasn't powered. While redesigning this, I got the idea to construct a tower crane from scratch. The other big inspiration is the 8288 crane. I like how it was completely cable operated and the fact that it's a small scale set large size set. I also like that modularity of the 42042, a feature I wanted to incorporate. The goal of my efforts is a tower crane with a look and feel of a real mid-size TLG set. Functions: - Manual winch with ratchet system - Manual, cable operated trolley - Manual slew - Modular design The first LDD design looked like this (picture of a WIP, so the base and the trolley was not completed at this stage): It had a lot of 6x1 thin liftarms to create the lattice boom structure of the mast and the boom. This would make it a bit flimsy and rather expensive for me to order via Bricklink. So the next step was to redesigned it to make it simpler and more rigid. For example, the 6x1 thin liftarms where replaced by 4x6 angled liftarms, which on one side are a more rigid way of bracing and on the other side can act as the connecting element between sections of a module. I also reduced the amount of modules of the mast to get the part count down (in the spirit of the MINI-contest). This is the final model in LDD: That is the progress so far, I'm waiting on a few Bricklink orders to start building. EDIT: for those interested, the final part count is 744 part, including 3 strings.

It is a bit off topic, but I was curious how a toy bucket wheel excavator might look like and I found the following two examples I would like to share: - A Mechano creation: (source1) - Fishertechnik version: (source 2)

Oh no, I'm too scared I would scratch my preciousss bricks by using metal tools. I only use fingers and other Lego pieces to dislodge or push stuborn parts. Often I use simple tricks or build basic tools, like the way TLG advised to construct tools from Lego parts in the 80's:

Do you have a link for this, it might help people finding the builder?

In the design studio presentation video of the Arocs, Markus Kossmann did say that the new "shovel element" as he calls it, could be use as the scoop of an excavator (around the 3:00 mark). Maybe he spoke with a current development in mind .

As I have no TLG inside information, all of my statements are my personal "guestimations". You're probably right about the 42043 and the 42009 (don't know their official prices by hard), but I imagine a deal between any owner of Intellectual Property and TLG can be really complex. Maybe Mercedes-Benz agreed on a lower (or even no) license fee and in return received some privileges concerning advertisement. Maybe the TLG marketing department decided on a lower retail price for the 42043 for strategic reasons. Selling mass produced products world wide is a very complex operation. Again, just my opinion.

Short answer: nobody knows. Long answer: It is my guess that the request to develop licensed sets must come from the manufacturers of the real machines. I don't think TLG is going around all the manufacturers of heavy equipment and other vehicles asking for licenses. The Mercedes licensed sets are the best illustrations of this: both the Unimog and the Arocs sets were launched at significant times for Mercedes-Benz (respectively an anniversary and the launch of a new model). Besides this, licensed sets require some effort of the manufactures to provide TLG with all the information they need. Because this information is of a very technical nature, I guess this must come form the engineering departments of the manufacturers. As an engineer for an agricultural equipment manufacturer, I know that engineering time is very precious for any company. A lot of companies will simply not have a lot to gain by investing time and money in an official licensed Lego set. Then there is the matter of sensitivity of that information: I know for a fact that the company I work for has turned down requests of model and game makers because we want to protect sensitive information as good as possible. A final thought: licenses cost money, even for TLG, so any licensed set will cost more than a comparable generic set. TLG will consider the effect of a higher price on the sales with any licensed set.

Aha, learned something new. I live in Holland as well and never seen that configuration. Hooklift trucks I see are always 4x2, 6x4, 8x4 or 8x8. It appears that the truck you have shown as an example has a chain operated mechanism to lift the container. For this you only need a winch and a lifting bed. There is no need for a complex hooklift mechanism this way and it probably could work on your truck.

Hi, welcome here on Eurobricks. Your trucks looks good so far. Personally, I only saw 8x2x4 trucks as the business end of heavy transport combinations such as:

Ah I see, so basically any buyer will get bucketloads of loose parts. It is tempting, but it represents a considerable investment (€5000 - €10000 range was mentioned I believe). That is a nice real life car or motorcycle where I live. I don't think I can justify this to myself.

Sorry if I wasn't clear enough. I meant that if a bucket wheel excavator would use the 42043 clamshell part as the buckets on the wheel, then it would need to be a huge to be true to proportions of the real machine.For example something similar to this random MOC of a bucket wheel excavator I found on the internets: (EDIT: the link to an example NMOC doesn't work, so I deleted it)

@jantjeuh: Do you consider selling the sets as a lot and the loose parts as another lot? I do not care much for any of the sets, as I have my own collection, but I might consider buying the parts for MOCs.

Sounds more like somebody's wishlist. Do you have any sources for those 6 or 7 supposedly 2H sets? EDIT: I'm sceptical, but I must admit that the first thing I thought when I had the 42043 clamshell parts in my hands is "this would be the ideal part to make a bucket wheel excavator with". It would be huge though and I'm not sure this machine would be recognisable enough for the target group.

This is what I have been planning: Still a bit crude and not so smooth, but it is still a WIP.

Yes, that is what I meant. You're right about the pulleys, that is why I didn't use any pulleys and connected the cable directly to the central linkage of the grapple. But even then the closing force is small. I added a central liftarm where the mLA used to be to reduce the degrees of freedom and make the movement smoother. This is how it looks at the moment: (the central grey liftarm can slide up and down)

That is a nice idea, did I understand correctly that you use the grapple cable to power the mLA in the grapple? Why not simply connect the grapple cable to the closing mechanism of the grapple? I'm working on a similar MOD and this is how I solved it: Instead of a subtractor, I use the gearbox to couple the two spools. Simply said it works like this: If you select the hoist function, the grapple function is always powered as well. So if the grapple is lifted, the grapple closing cable is winched in the same amount, so the grapple stays in the same position relative to the lifting cable. If you want to open or close the grapple, only the grapple spool is powered. The demonstrator I have built works relatively good. There are some drawbacks though: the cable powered grapple lacks pinching force, the cables and spools of both functions have to be of equal size and thirdly I still have to find a way to attach both cables closer to the centre of gravity of the grapple.

That would make more sense indeed. It would be great if the police interceptor and the escape vehicle are cars at the same scale as the 42008 and 8109 trucks.

The smaller the 1h sets, the bigger the 2H sets will be? (love this speculation )

In anticipation of my 42043, I have built my copy of the 42042 and I would like to share some of my findings: Things I like: - When the gearbox levers are in their neutral position, the turntable and the tracks can be moved by hand. In my opinion this increases the play-value considerably. - On the topic of play-value: the new gearbox layout (where one lever per function controls the direction of that function) is a huge improvement. There is no need any more to switch the battery back and forth and even better, the direction of each function is independent of each other. - Blue! Lots of blue! - Huge! Seriously, as others here have shown before, it is bigger than the 8043, which was once big for a flagship. My girlfriend didn’t believe me when I said this was this “smallest set I will buy this year”. I have some criticisms though: - I’m not convince about the looks. First, it’s unclear what scale it is meant to be: Some design clues point to a relatively small machine like a Liebherr LR1250, while other aspects like the integrated ladder and platform suggest it is meant to represent something much larger like a Liebherr LR13000. It doesn’t really mimic either of those, which is a let-down for me. Second: the cabine, roundness of the body and the design of the counterweigth are not life like enough to my taste. The 8288 feels much more realistic in both these aspects. - There are some lazy design solutions in this set, especially in the body. I feel that the structure could be have been made more elegantly with clever build techniques and efficient use of parts.This set simply doesn’t feel as well thought through than other contemporary sets. In short: I like this set for its size and colour, but I will heavily modify it to make a feel realistic and mimic a LR1350 or LR1400.

Looks like the rear wheels are sticking out of the bodywork considerably, is this as the TLG designers intended?

Would it be feasible to make the 42043 8x8, so including front wheel drive? Could that work with the current suspension setup and axle width?

Sounds to me that there is no need for advertising at this moment. The sets sell themselves and demand outruns supply even without big campagnes.

Nice work LennyRhys, really impressive. Do you have any idea how tough the casting compound is after curing? Is it brittle or will it be as playable as the original bucket? Same here.

This might be a bit offtopic, but for anyone who is interested in design methodology, there is an interesting wiki related to my alma mater, the Delft University of Technology: link. Admittedly, It's a bit dry, but there is alot of information about creativity techniques, design processes, tools and many other related aspects. One of my favourites is this graphic representation of the design process according to Buijs and Valkenburg. As you can see, it is a circular process which never truly ends, something many AFOLs will recognise .