LEGO 42121 Technic Heavy-Duty Excavator

Product Information

I did not expect such a small model divided into four building stages, but it turned out to be a very relaxing build. Bought this for my kids but my husband ended up putting it together (he is in excavation as a trade). Previous excavators of this design have been large models, and it's not that easy to judge the size of this one from the picture on the box, so here it is with a minifig. Its surprisingly study as well and has survived many fights with my twins girls who are both fascinated with lego now. This 569-piece set brings back mini-scaled construction machines and uses a bunch of newly-introduced pieces for its neat design.

Nevertheless, the limited play possibilities are compensated by the very nice design of the model body.This looks to be a realistic range of movement as it would enable the vehicle to excavate below ground-level.

Put it this way: people are complaining about the windscreen for much the same reason people are complaining about the blue pins. Were it covered with panels, it would be way too heavy-looking for the model (see 8043 Motorized Excavator for a reference). And no company will pay you for cleaning the windshield on their dime, so as long as you can do the job (which often means you're not actually looking through the windshield anyways) it really doesn't matter how opaque it is.You can put a liftarm on the pin, then insert a bar into the axle-pin and pull it out with the liftarm as the bar prevents pin from coming out of the liftarm. First I wasn’t very interested in this it, but after seeing your comparisons I want to have this selection on my shelf!

It takes a reasonable amount of turns on the knobs to move the arm, and it's plenty easy for kids to use. The LEGO Technic 2-in-1 hydraulic excavator playset (42121) is a fantastic birthday, Christmas or surprise gift. Featuring authentic details and working features, including a rotating cabin, articulated arm and shovel, this set is perfect for construction and building enthusiasts. I always use these reviews to help decide if I want to spend my money on a set or not, and in general because I am a fan of Lego.I wonder if one could rebuild the shovel arm mechanisms to use ratcheting pieces in the joints and remove the wonky dial controls so that it functions more naturally, albeit with more direct human contact to the joints. Instructions for a different style of digger will be available online once the set has been released, so I've not been able to build it yet. The theme was first introduced as the Expert Builder series in 1977, but was officially renamed as TECHNIC in 1984.

Also, there's not much yellow, which makes sense when you realize how much of the part volume goes into the arm and treads. They mention that the model is good and enjoyable to put together, and the whole process is simple and easy to follow. Sure, the arm is a similar function, but the rest of the vehicle looks great and completely different. Actually, this design scheme is widespread among LEGO Technic excavators; just look at 8047 Compact Excavator or 8294: Excavator.I too am surprised at how many people don't mind the fact that the windscreen can barely be seen through. Colour coding to easily find the little piece with the right function is understandable for the same reason but I wouldn't mind to spend a little bit more time to have a better looking model in the end. And it's welcome at a time when licensed vehicles (and licensed cars especially) are overwhelming the rest of the technic line. I'm sure they did it this way to match the regular LAs, which have light grey body and a metal piston, but I'd prefer the colors be reversed.