Set Review - 30151 Mining Dozer

When LEGO's Mining series was introduced last year I was rather excited about it.  I was finally running a self sustaining hobby that could pay for my own LEGO products instead of taking that money from the mortgage or diaper fund.  I planned to collect every single set within the series.  Thanks to the Wal*Mart gaffe I was able to pick up 4204 The Mine for a paltry $39.99.  I later found 4202 Mining Truck on sale (now retired) with a stacked coupon for around $22.  I am still waiting for a deal on 4203 Excavator Transporter.  I watched polybag release announcements like a hawk and finally found the little Mining Dozer for $3.99 at Target.

We drove by on the way home from elsewhere and I asked my wife to go in and buy it.  The RedCard is in her name anyway so it really cost me $3.79.  What next happened was one of the most stunning things of my life.  She opened the package and began to build it.  "What are you doing!?"  "I wanna build your set, is that okay?" "Um, uh, yeah, sure."  I couldn't care less whether or not I was the one to build it, I was just floored that she wanted to.  An AFOL she is not.

After we got home I looked it over (fixed her one misbuild) and vroomed it around a bit.  That's when the real disappointment set in.  This was less a functional dozer and more a poorly designed pile of parts.  My hands aren't fat and I'm fairly articulate so I won't blame it on me.

For starters the roll cage continue to pop off.  And not just the roll cage but the clips it is attached to.  Even though the clips are 1x2 for extra grip, it's still not enough to contain the bulky load of the cage.  Opening and closing it requires careful attention lest it pop right off.  I know it's intended to be a small impulse set but a few extra parts to clamp the clips down would have been good.  The bucket is a minor disappointment as it is difficult to actually scoop things up without the double articulation that is generally present.  Must be a pusher, not a lifter.  Still gotta get 4201 Loader and Tipper.

The biggest disappointment to me is the hat.  LEGO must have done something new with headgear.  I'm not sure if it's present on other helmets as well but the anti-stud on the bottom has too much of a relief gap in it.  If you sneeze at one of the mining minifigs their hat pops straight up off of their head Laurel and Hardy style.

But at least we get an extra trans clear round 1x1 tile.  Those are spiffy.

If you are an OCD collector like me, certainly pick up the set.  It looks good in a diorama or display.  If you plan on letting your kids zoom it around be prepared for the thing to fall to pieces.  I guess you can just pretend the dump truck ran over it.

Find the rest of the Mining line at LEGO.com: