LEGO 42108 Mobile Crane - Technic

These Lego Technic kits provide hours of pleasure, not always straight forward but that is part of the fun. The golden rule, IF SOMETHING DOSN'T FIT YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING WRONG. An example, I'm currently building the Saturn V rocket, one section I took to pieces 3 times before I found my error. A WORD OF WARNING, these kits are very addictive.

I didn't really expect much from this set but was blown away by how well designed it is. It was a fun build that took this adult about six hours total to build (I do build slowly and carefully) This is not a particularly difficult build as there are no intricate gearboxes like the supercars have but you do need to pay attention to the instructions. When finished I couldn't believe how realistic it looked and how well it worked mechanically. The boom extension and lift both work flawlessly and the up and down of the string holding the hook works great as long as there is some load on it. The only minor complaint is the the front outriggers are not as easy to deploy as the rear and also not as stable. But this is a minor nit picking of another amazing LEGO set. They ... MoreI didn't really expect much from this set but was blown away by how well designed it is. It was a fun build that took this adult about six hours total to build (I do build slowly and carefully) This is not a particularly difficult build as there are no intricate gearboxes like the supercars have but you do need to pay attention to the instructions. When finished I couldn't believe how realistic it looked and how well it worked mechanically. The boom extension and lift both work flawlessly and the up and down of the string holding the hook works great as long as there is some load on it. The only minor complaint is the the front outriggers are not as easy to deploy as the rear and also not as stable. But this is a minor nit picking of another amazing LEGO set. They did this one right and I highly recommend it!

The Mobile Crane 42108 has plenty of functions for the price, especially on discount! The functions are simple but effective; whilst larger sets would have winding handles for things, this one has pop-down stabilisers.The steering is above average for Technic sets but might still be improved for how far it turns; the turning circle of the crane is still longer in proportion to its length than a real crane. The principle of it is good, with 4 sets of steerable wheels. For its scale and functions, this set would make a good basis for a larger mobile crane, using 2 or more sets, perhaps as large as one would fit in most homes! Real cranes can have at least 9 sets of wheels and it would be possible to make at least 5 sets steer like the real one.One of the main ... MoreThe Mobile Crane 42108 has plenty of functions for the price, especially on discount! The functions are simple but effective; whilst larger sets would have winding handles for things, this one has pop-down stabilisers.The steering is above average for Technic sets but might still be improved for how far it turns; the turning circle of the crane is still longer in proportion to its length than a real crane. The principle of it is good, with 4 sets of steerable wheels. For its scale and functions, this set would make a good basis for a larger mobile crane, using 2 or more sets, perhaps as large as one would fit in most homes! Real cranes can have at least 9 sets of wheels and it would be possible to make at least 5 sets steer like the real one.One of the main attractions of this set is the extra-long linear actuator, also featured in 42100 at a much higher price. The yellow panels are those well-suited to crane building. To get a general mix in yellow, for more versatile building of construction machinery, add set 42114 for more shapes.The controls are easy to use, steering from the lights on the cab and crane functions from the knobs on each side. The string is long enough for the hook to reach the floor if the crane is on the sofa.This crane compares with the one that was prescribed from multiple sets in the original 3-digit Technic set instructions from 1977-1982. The price is about the same as what one might have expected to pay for the 4 sets back then. This crane exceeds the functions of the previous one by 2 sets of steering and achieves it functions more simply.I would have been overjoyed to receive this for Christmas as a child of 8-11. It compares well with older sets 856 or 8851 that I had when I was in that age range; I played with nothing else! For a child younger than the recommended 10+ age group, either the child should be ahead in building ability or it might be a parental build in advance of Christmas Day. Some sets are definitely not a "Christmas Eve build" for a parent but this one I would recommend starting a week before Christmas, rather than a month ahead for other sets!After the crane, there are plenty of wheels to rebuild the set as 2 vehicles, though I might keep this one built for longer than average, compared to other Technic sets. It can be agonising to take apart some of the better sets but building My Own Creations allows builders of all ages to consolidate their learning by applying the techniques they learn from the instructions. That can build engineers.The only improvement I would make would be to have a box that could be opened as a tray. Those that do, I keep for building and sorting till the glue fails. The split into 3 sets of bags means that the box from a £40 set could be reused for building each stage. Doing that means that reuse can precede recycling.This is a set I would put on watch early, to see when it is discounted by the retailers. Don't leave it till the last minute to buy one.