Review: 42112 Concrete Mixer Truck
Posted by Huw,
42112 Concrete Mixer Truck is one of three Technic sets due for release on 1st August and it's the one I have been looking forward to building the most.
I much prefer Technic models of plant to those of cars because, generally, they offer far more functionality and playability. However, there are only so many cranes, diggers and fork-lift trucks one needs, so to see something genuinely new introduced is very welcome.
Concrete mixers, by virtue of their shape, do not translate well into Technic pieces, which is probably why one hasn't been made before. For this model a brand new and probably expensive to develop part has been produced which now makes it possible to do the vehicle justice.
That, plus the fact it's not yellow, makes me think that it could be an exceptional Technic set. Let's find out...
Parts
The set contains 1163 pieces, the most notable of which are the two mixer cylinder halves. They are about 20cm long and 10cm diameter. The inside has an Archimedes screw, just like the real thing, which keeps the concrete agitated as it rotates and facilitates unloading. The logo is printed which I am happy to see because positioning a sticker accurately on that surface would have been difficult.
The two halves are connected using 4 pins, while holes at the base will enable it to be attached to the vehicle's chassis.
That's it for new parts, although there are a few re-coloured ones in dark blue.
A small sticker sheet is provided.
Construction
Parts are divided into numbered bags, 1 to 4. Parts in the first one are used to build the chassis.
There's quite a lot of functionality packed into it: proportional steering of the front two axles and differential gearing on the rear two, which are connected to a 4 cylinder inline engine at the front.
The remainder of the chassis is completed from bags #2. A 3-position gearbox is placed in the middle, which I'll explain later, and the cylinder mounting and discharge chute is added to the back. You can also see wheels on which the cylinder will rotate.
(yes, the red axle in the middle should be through the bottom hole of the 'L' beam. I didn't notice that until later!)
Parts in bags #3 complete the build: mudguards, cab, and the white water tank behind it. Here's a view of the completed vehicle before the cylinder is attached.
The completed model
It's about 43cm long and 12cm wide and a very realistic rendition of a typical European cement mixer truck.
I think the blue, white and dark blue colour scheme is very attractive. The orange accents added by the stickers certainly enhance the appearance but you could leave them off and it would still look OK.
Operation
The vehicle is steered using the black gear wheel behind the cab. The yellow axle attaching it to the chassis is really unsightly and I don't understand why a grey one -- also a standard colour for 11l axles -- was not used instead.
A gearbox controls the way the cylinder is rotated. There are two options, plus neutral. Push the lever to the right and the cylinder rotates as the truck is pushed along. Position it to the left and the crank on the other side of the vehicle rotates it.
The set comes with 100 'pieces of concrete' (1x1 beams) which facilitate play.
With the lever in the right position, as the vehicle moves the drum rotated clockwise which keeps the 'concrete' inside. When you want to discharge it, flick the lever over and use the crank to turn it anticlockwise. The chute at the back can be rotated 90 degrees or so to direct the load where it's needed.
The mechanism works well and nothing is spilled where it shouldn't be.
It makes a very satisfying sound as the 'concrete' rattles around inside!
Verdict
I reckon this is pretty much the perfect Technic set. It's a good size, and attractive and realistic looking. It's not overly complex, so can be built in a few hours, but offers some neat functionality that is fun to play with. It brings something new to Technic, which is always welcome.
I also appreciate the fact it's a 'pure Technic' build with very few System parts, and none used for styling.
The only thing I don't really like is the placement of the engine, which sits, uncovered, between the driver and passenger seats. It looks a bit daft there, although you can as a result see it working.
Price-wise, it's £90 in the UK, which seems reasonable for over 1100 pieces. The Euro price varies from €97,47 in Germany (an odd price due to a recent VAT rate reduction) to €110 in France.
In the USA it'll set you back $120. For some reason Europe usually gets a better deal on Technic (and City) than North America and I won't be complaining about that.
Overall, highly recommended!
It will be available at LEGO.com on 1st August. We'll remind you at the time.
You can it in action in Sariel's review:
Thanks to LEGO for providing the set for review. All expressed opinions are my own.
119 likes
51 comments on this article
This would pair excellently with my 42079. If only I had the spare change for it...
curious to see if that new cylinder part crops up elsewhere in the future!
@CCC said:
"The barrel and inner screw look great and the whole finished model does too. I can understand what you say about the engine, although I quite like to see the mechanisms working.
Can it handle smaller "concrete" parts - maybe a big handful of 1x1 round plates or tiles?
PS. I think your German price needs a € rather than a $ sign.
"
It'll handle anything under 2x2, including GBC balls. However as there's no hole at the bottom it probably won't be a lot of use for GBCs. But, I look forward to being proved wrong.
I personally don't think the sticker sheet is so small...
Lego covers up the internals and people complain that they can't see the internal mechanism. Lego leaves the engine exposed so you can see it and people complain that its not realistic and unsightly. Lego is in a no win situation.
Nice looking model. I like the choice of colour. I am sure many people will enjoy having this as a display and play item in their homes.
^ You're right, it can't win :)
You make a fair point but it just looks odd between the seats. Anywhere else would have been fine.
@Huw said:
"^ You're right, it can't win :)
You make a fair point but it just looks odd between the seats. Anywhere else would have been fine."
Could you construct a "dog house" around the exposed engine? The engine is correctly positioned I believe, and here in America there is a cover for it called the dog house.
Large scale 7990. Very interesting design and build.
It is unfortunate that the cylinder then moves the wrong way when you push the truck
backwards.
I was hoping they would have implemented a converting mechanism (it’s as simple as that https://youtube.com/watch?v=esVq6jfTigM ) so that it rotates always the same way, whether the truck is pushed forwards or backwards.
This looks really interesting and nice. What fantastic set would it be, if they could somehow put suspension in this.
Anyway for me first technic set I want to buy this year.
Could you make a comment on the weight respectively moment of inertia od the (filled) drum:
Is the linear clutch reasonable?
What would stop the drom from rotating?
Filling it with 1x1 round bricks?
@jdm said:
"curious to see if that new cylinder part crops up elsewhere in the future!"
I am pretty sure we will eventually see two (or even six) of them in a large deep space exploration spaceship. That said, unless the part is available through Lego directly (I doubt it - they also never sell pneumatic parts individually anymore) then they will be quite expensive pieces to buy on the secondary market. Model seems more interesting that I thought - might have to get that one as well - very expensive Technic line-up this year! (Ducati, Lambo, Boeing, Volvo)
"models of plant" What does that mean?
^greenhorn:
I saw this on Rebrickable: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-46082/2in1/simplebutclever-8-only-one-direction-v2/ but couldn't get it working for me.
However, I implemented the other solution (https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-44634/2in1/simplebutclever-2-only-one-direction/) successfully.
@greenhorn said:
"It is unfortunate that the cylinder then moves the wrong way when you push the truck
backwards.
I was hoping they would have implemented a converting mechanism (it’s as simple as that https://youtube.com/watch?v=esVq6jfTigM ) so that it rotates always the same way, whether the truck is pushed forwards or backwards. "
No no, real trucks also dump everything out whenever reversing, it’s the number one cause of anxiety in concrete truck drivers... ;-)
Thank you for explaining the white water tank, I would have never have guessed. Glad to see there is some creative gearing going on to make the drum rotate while moving or manually. Shame it's two large pieces rather than the same 4 quarter parts which would give a hole in each end for Huw's comment on using for GBC, with a circular 4 stud plate used to stop the bricks coming out at the bottom in this example. I agree the engine in the cab seems weird, but I see the double steering prevents the engine being lower down. One solution is that they could have put it behind the seats, beef out the rear cabin paneling a bit and have the vertical steering axle go in-between the seats.
@chefkaspa said:
"Could you make a comment on the weight respectively moment of inertia od the (filled) drum:
Is the linear clutch reasonable?
What would stop the drom from rotating?
Filling it with 1x1 round bricks?"
I don't think the clutch is necessary to be honest. Other than holding the drum with your hand it can't get stuck in any other way.
@CCC said:
"Concerning the size of the particles inside, it was more do they get stuck anywhere or spill incorrectly if they are too small? One of those drums half full of DBG, LBG, black and white 1x1 round plates will be fun."
1x1 round tiles work a treat and make much better 'concrete'. I've just filled it with around 2000 of then and it handles them as well as it does the 1x1 round beams.
Well well if it isnt 7990’s Big brother...
Would like this if it came down in price to go with 7990
I don't think there is any difference between European mixer trucks and those in the rest of the world :)
@Huw said:
"^ You're right, it can't win :)
You make a fair point but it just looks odd between the seats. Anywhere else would have been fine."
I understand and agree with you on that. Although from reading the comments today and in the past I've also learned what is "normal" in one region may not be so normal in another region. One thing I love about this site I learn a lot about non LEGO stuff too!
Huw, do you know if a minifig could fit inside the drum? And if so what are the chances of it getting stuck?
I like the color scheme, we need more of these colors in Lego. Would be better if they could figure out how to make that cylinder in bricks instead of a big piece. Also would like to see a version of it in a flagship (3000 piece) scale. The price again is a bit high. Would be better if it's around $80-$100 for a non licenced technic set since those are used to be a little less than 10 cents per piece.
@Efly24 said:
"Huw, do you know if a minifig could fit inside the drum? And if so what are the chances of it getting stuck?"
Ooh, dark!
Even if an entire minifig won't fit, you could get a whole buncha heads in there...
From the photo, I assumed that the drum was just some kind of cylinder pieces. I'm surprised to see they put the actual screw inside! This is the sort of detail and quality I'd expect from Lego. Some competitor down the Blok owned by some Mega corporation would probably take the cheap and easy way out.
I read the name as “Corona Mixer Truck”. I think I need mental help...
@crazylegoman said:
""models of plant" What does that mean?"
In the UK construction equipment is referred to as construction plant - I don't know why. Another difference between our 2 versions of the English language!
Again no B-model. Dont understand why they stopped making B-models.
Thanks for this reviewm
Minifigs will fit just fine and nothing will really get stuck in there if it fits through the hole. You'd need to modify the chute to discharge them, though...
One thought I had upon seeing the last few pics was perhaps you could 'sacrifice' a few of the concrete pieces to sheathe the yellow axle? It would look a lot better that way, I think, though a solid tube that length would be preferable.
@Trigger_ said:
"I read the name as “Corona Mixer Truck”. I think I need mental help..."
I mean if it was sealed maybe you would be onto something. Another 18+ set!
What Technic designers do more and more is placing studded pins in holes to locate where other beams need to be connected. A bit of dumbing down that push up the parts count.
@Huw said:
"Minifigs will fit just fine and nothing will really get stuck in there if it fits through the hole. You'd need to modify the chute to discharge them, though..."
Awesome thank you!
^ Having said that, they don't discharge particularly well, because they are larger than the screw pitch. You can always tip them out, though :)
Yes! I've always wanted to create a larger version of the Atlantis 8075, and seeing the way the two half cylinders connect in a similar way, I'm looking forward to begin building. Hopefully LEGO will sell them separately, they are going to be a bit expensive on Bricklink.. I never thought I'd say it, but I wish they had gone with a sticker for the cylinders.
The Euro price actually varies more, 119.99 EUR for Estonia and several others as was to be expected...
I'm going to break from convention and state that I hate the big "C" on the drum pieces being printed, instead of stickers. Those parts are so unusual, so unique, so loudly screaming to be used creatively in as many different types of devices & builds as possible, not to mention so expensive. It feels almost cruel to permanently brand them with logos! It's not like there will be four more sets later this year with non-printed versions in different colors for MOC makers to go crazy with.
This kind of technic trucks are way bigger than minifig scale so it should fit a minifig in there no problem at all. It looks like it's around 15 studs wide. Some city cars that can fit a minfig are only 4 wide. This is almost 4 times wider than those and it would be funny if can't fit one.
Just when I thought I would never buy another Technic set...
This is indeed almost perfect. The few minor gripes are no deal-breakers. Good thing too that the stickers can be omitted without any negatives for the design.
Pity about the missing B-Model though. That's just really lazy.
@ambr said:
"Shame it's two large pieces rather than the same 4 quarter parts [...] with a circular 4 stud plate [as a cap] "
That was my initial thought as well: a four-part drum would be more versatile (specifically, I was thinking about the Decepticon Mixmaster from the third live-action "Transformers" movie; a toy version has recently been released, with a drum that splits in four and contains limbs: https://tfsource.com/transformers-studio-series/voyager-53-mixmaster/). I surmise that the mold would be more complex, since there would be features that aren't parallel, i.e., pin-holes at 90°. To avoid that manufacturing challenge, new larger half- or quarter-cone and -cylinder elements would be more versatile; mixing System and Technic elements in this context would be a little unusual, but the drum's not a load-bearing sub-assembly.
New Elementary recently published an in-depth interview with a member of the LEGO team that designs new elements ( https://www.newelementary.com/2020/06/lego-element-design-karsten-bunch-interview.html ). I wonder how they justified an element like this?
Doesnt anyone care about the lack of a b-model in recent technic sets¿???????
@TheLegoFan said:
"Well well if it isnt 7990’s Big brother...
Would like this if it came down in price to go with 7990"
Cousin maybe...60018 is a closer match, IMO
You're joking, right? The only "cab-over" mixers in the US are the front-discharge mixers like this: https://www.mcneiluscompanies.com/concrete-mixers/s-series-front-discharge-mixer/ (although, the engine's actually in the back of the truck, not underneath the cab)
Rear-discharge mixers in the US are almost all cab-behind chassis, with the engine over the front wheels: https://www.mcneiluscompanies.com/concrete-mixers/standard-mixer/
I don't get all the angst regarding the "missing B-model". I always thought the B-models cheapened the set, as usually design concessions would be made to keep the part count from getting outrageous, trying to keep the same level of detail in both models. Want a B-model, use your imagination.
Thanks ^^Huw
Meanwhile someone suggested on Eurobricks that it could be a safety measure if one hold the drum to push the truck while transmission is engaged. This would be reasonable.
@DaBigE said:
"I don't get all the angst regarding the "missing B-model"."
It's not angst, it's annoyance as it shows another aspect of cheaping out on TLG's part. Designing a B-model requires effort, especially if it's a good one. And many Technic sets in the past had really good B-models. Not putting in this effort shows that TLG don't even want to foster creativity any more. Sets seem to be supposed to be built and displayed, not taken apart again and used for something else.
And even if that isn't the intention, it sure shows lack of investment in the product as well as lack of appreciation of the customers.
@AustinPowers said:
" @DaBigE said:
"I don't get all the angst regarding the "missing B-model"."
It's not angst, it's annoyance as it shows another aspect of cheaping out on TLG's part. Designing a B-model requires effort, especially if it's a good one. And many Technic sets in the past had really good B-models. Not putting in this effort shows that TLG don't even want to foster creativity any more. Sets seem to be supposed to be built and displayed, not taken apart again and used for something else.
And even if that isn't the intention, it sure shows lack of investment in the product as well as lack of appreciation of the customers. "
Agree completely.
What's next, no more 3 in 1 creator sets???
@AustinPowers said:
" @DaBigE said:
"I don't get all the angst regarding the "missing B-model"."
Not putting in this effort shows that TLG don't even want to foster creativity any more. Sets seem to be supposed to be built and displayed, not taken apart again and used for something else.
And even if that isn't the intention, it sure shows lack of investment in the product as well as lack of appreciation of the customers. "
ROTFLMAO
That's about the funniest thing I've read in a long time. Not fostering creativity? Where on the box does it say "Thou must only build a concrete mixer truck"? Did they start including KRAGLE in the box when I wasn't looking? Is the lack of instructions is stopping you from building a "B model"? Creativity is building something with the parts you have WITHOUT needing instructions. Need inspiration, look out the window. Why does TLG have to do the thinking for you?
Deffo one to get, looks a good size not big or small, hope more like this to.
@mr_Fikou said:
"I personally don't think the sticker sheet is so small..."
Large stickers, but few. Larger stickers are easier than the fiddly little ones, so the stickers in this set won't be a pain in the a** at all, thank god.
This is by far the most desirable set of the August releases to me... I'm not even mad that Lego cancelled the Osprey after I got a good look at this one.