I’ve never built any LEGO Technic before, but thought I would start as I mean to go on and acquired the biggest Technic model available as my first build, set 40255 Bucket Wheel Excavator. AFOL friends had advised me that it would be a versatile parts pack for my Great Ball Contraption modules, but I wanted to build it properly first to see how the model went together, and indeed how Technic builds work, as there are some significant differences in methodology from regular System bricks. I manged to find a second hand copy on eBay at about half price, whose box had been water damaged but all the parts were safely stowed in their plastic bags and had sustained no damage. Here’s what I was greeted with when I unpacked the box!

This huge pile of bits looked quite daunting as I’ve never been much of a mechanical engineer, and the instruction manual was almost in inch thick. But I realised I wasn’t going to get it built just by looking at it, so set to work.

I opened the bags numbered 1 and was pleased to learn the first thing we were making wasn’t too complicated, it’s the tipper truck which catches the “rocks” thrown off the conveyor.

A little while later I had this – at least it looked like it did in the pictures!

And turning the knob to the rear of the cab makes the back tip its load. That bit isn’t automated but I was pleased to see I had got the mechanism right.

That’s all I had time for today, but I will carry on tomorrow and let you know how it progresses.