42112 Concrete Mixer Truck

[Parazels]

11 minutes ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

Yes, I also can't consider the none-B-model-policy good.

My first Lego [System] set cost $10 and had 3 (!) alternative models. And there were less parts (so it was harder to build something different), than in modern sets!

[Maaboo the Witch]

31 minutes ago, Timorzelorzworz said:

Yes, I also can't consider the none-B-model-policy good.

It's against the creative ethos of TLG if you ask me.

[Rudivdk]

I don't want to yet again spark the same B-model hate/love fire, but I believe that TLG did their homework and based on market research found that off-the-shelf B-models are only appreciated by a very small group of buyers (being us here on EB mostly I guess). Why spend resources/time/money on something that does not noticeably add value to a product (seen from TLG's perspective, not us here on EB). Luckily we still have guys like Milan (Grohl) within TLG to provide us with that extra bit of AFOL-value. And let's not forget that Rebrickable is also filling a very nice gap here, and TLG does not have to pay/invest anything for that.

Let's be clear, I am on the 'WE WANT B-MODELS!!!' camp too, but I fully understand the business decision taken here by TLG.

[AVCampos]

I kinda share your opinion: my feeling is that, just like idea books, B-models come from a time before anyone could easily go online and find inspiration for other stuff to build. I don't know how will Creator sets, with their 3-in-1 models, will be in the future.

[AussieBrett]

10 hours ago, Rudivdk said:

based on market research found that off-the-shelf B-models are only appreciated by a very small group of buyers

That'd be why they stopped printing B model manuals, then they've judged from there how many are downloaded or complaints recieved and adjusted their product to suit.

[Dylan M]

Because they're offended on some individual MOCers who make Alternative Model better than what they did on official Bmodel?

[howitzer]

6 hours ago, AVCampos said:

I kinda share your opinion: my feeling is that, just like idea books, B-models come from a time before anyone could easily go online and find inspiration for other stuff to build. I don't know how will Creator sets, with their 3-in-1 models, will be in the future.

I think Creator 3-in-1 is a bit different, because those sets are specifically designed with three models in mind, so they are more like the universal sets of the old times and less like normal sets with B-models. It's quite a different task to design a model with other goals in mind, and then design another model from the first model's parts, than to design a set of more or less equal models using the same set of parts.

But yeah, B-models and idea books seem to be a thing of the past, considering you can now find tons of great alternative models and MOCs online.

[Rudivdk]

24 minutes ago, howitzer said:

But yeah, B-models and idea books seem to be a thing of the past, considering you can now find tons of great alternative models and MOCs online.

Hah! So we, the (A)FOL community and avid MOCcers only have ourselves to blame... the irony of it...

[Erik Leppen]

33 minutes ago, howitzer said:

But yeah, B-models and idea books seem to be a thing of the past

Also keep in mind how Technic was one of the very few themes to have (had) B-models to begin with.

[howitzer]

12 minutes ago, Erik Leppen said:

Also keep in mind how Technic was one of the very few themes to have (had) B-models to begin with.

Yes it was. There were back-of-the-box alternative builds at least in some Classic Space sets, but no instructions, just a photo of the complete build. I personally don't care much for the B-models... while I have always built them when available, they somehow every time seem to fall short of my expectations so I'm not really mourning for their loss.

[AVCampos]

1 hour ago, howitzer said:

I think Creator 3-in-1 is a bit different, because those sets are specifically designed with three models in mind, so they are more like the universal sets of the old times and less like normal sets with B-models.

From what I've seen from recent Creator sets, the large majority appears to favour heavily the main model, while the other models look more like "what can we do with these parts".

17 minutes ago, howitzer said:

There were back-of-the-box alternative builds at least in some Classic Space sets, but no instructions, just a photo of the complete build.

Yes, the same happened with City; that's why I kept the backs of the boxes from that time. I wouldn't be surprised if other themes, like Pirates, also had those.

[NathanR]

4 minutes ago, AVCampos said:

Yes, the same happened with City; that's why I kept the backs of the boxes from that time. I wouldn't be surprised if other themes, like Pirates, also had those.

Alternate builds on the back of the box was a standard feature of all Lego sets, at least in the 1990s. It was a neat way of suggesting that you could build other things with the bricks in the box. However, they disappeared in the early 2000s because Lego kept getting so many requests for instructions to these models - no one could work out how to recreate them!

[Maaboo the Witch]

4 minutes ago, NathanR said:

Alternate builds on the back of the box was a standard feature of all Lego sets, at least in the 1990s. It was a neat way of suggesting that you could build other things with the bricks in the box. However, they disappeared in the early 2000s because Lego kept getting so many requests for instructions to these models - no one could work out how to recreate them!

Some sets (Stunt Rally, Drome Racers) included instructions for alternates. It was actually the late 2000's when B-models disappeared from Star Wars; the 2007 wave was the first to not include them.

Of course, 2008 was the year when Technic B-model instructions went digital/print-only, and I think TLG has been trying to eliminate them ever since. This year, I think we've seen their plans come to fruition...

[JLiu15]

Honestly after looking at the pictures, I'm not that impressed. It seems to only have a meager selection of dark blue pieces. I was thinking this set would supplement my dark blue collection well, but it doesn't seem to provide that much. Also it seems like the bottom half is in regular blue, which to me seems like the color vomit from the 42080. It's a decently sized truck, but much of what you see is that molded drum.

There are some interesting pieces, like the 39793 piece in white, and maybe when clearer images and more information come out there turns out to be more interesting pieces than what is seen here, but for now looks like I'll pass on this one.

[paul_delahaye]

I like the set, limited functions, but looks good.  Just need to aquire about 250 1L beams as cement.  Maybe next year we can have a working cement pumping truck ;-)

[AVCampos]

4 minutes ago, paul_delahaye said:

Maybe next year we can have a working cement pumping truck ;-)

Even better would be using footballs/basketballs with this concrete truck instead of 1L beams, then the cement pumping truck would be an instant GBC module.

[howitzer]

12 minutes ago, AVCampos said:

Even better would be using footballs/basketballs with this concrete truck instead of 1L beams, then the cement pumping truck would be an instant GBC module.

I wonder if the drum is open from both ends, so that the balls might fit through? It would make a nice GBC part that way.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

33 minutes ago, paul_delahaye said:

cement pumping truck

With Lego's limitations I think it's gonna end up as air pumping truck.

[Void_S]

Following to good tradition, it begins...

  

[Maaboo the Witch]

It's more than likely to be an Alfred job. The 3x3 curved liftarms in the front follow a similar pattern to those in 8071. It also copies Uwe's technique for the front of the cab, and of course there's the two shades of colour separated by white trim.

Personally I'm not keen on the cab pillars; the technique from 42098 would look better. The cab doesn't seem to tilt either, which is a letdown and a wasted opportunity. Oh, and no opening doors either. 

Edited June 5, 2020 by Maaboo35

[Void_S]

2 minutes ago, Maaboo35 said:

It's more than likely to be an Alfred job. The 3x3 curved liftarms in the front follow a similar pattern to those in 8071. It also copies Uwe's technique for the front of the cab, and of course there's the two shades of colour separated by white trim.

Personally I'm not keen on the cab pillars; the technique from 42098 would look better. The cab doesn't seem to tilt either, which is a letdown and a wasted opportunity. Oh, and no opening doors either. 

Well, looking at the images (I may be way mistaken) but the door could be openable, however being in a very small size - only Dark Blue area could be openable whereas the real-life truck should have the full surface, from window till doorsteps.

[Maaboo the Witch]

3 minutes ago, Void_S said:

Well, looking at the images (I may be way mistaken) but the door could be openable, however being in a very small size - only Dark Blue area could be openable whereas the real-life truck should have the full surface, from window till doorsteps.

Even so, it's nowhere near as efficient as in 42098. If this thing was going to crib from that set, it might as well have gone all the way.

[Dylan M]

On 6/2/2020 at 7:07 AM, Akassin said:

found another photo

So He can "dump" the "cement"? I wonder what's the design inside the drum so that the "cement" can go out if while turning ..?

[bj51]

It's visible on your picture : there's a spiral pattern inside the drum.

[scooper22]

Oh, boy, this set is a letdown.

It looks very skeletal, the cab could use way more functions (like tilting), the doors will probably open but look unfinished and it does not have many parts to begin with. A B-Model would be difficult or at best be one of the back-to-front trucks shown above, which I personally have never seen to date, very interesting.

Price is ouf course too high because a) Lego and b) the two pricy drum-halves with internal spiral.

The drum is also only open on one side, so there go your GBC dreams.

And that yellow steering axle

Edited June 5, 2020 by scooper22