[REVIEW] 42055 Bucket Wheel Excavator

[Ngoc Nguyen]

One simple MOD I made for the B model was that, in step 315 - 316, at the sieve, I used 2 of this cross block http://brickset.com/parts/4210851 with 1 of this cross block 3x2 http://brickset.com/parts/4538007 in the middle.

The official instruction instructs using 3 cross blocks. Doing so creates 2 1x1 gaps between them, where the 1x1 brick sometimes fall through.

[TheBrickHitHouse]

Stick a minifig on it and the sheer enormity really strikes home. Imagine the AT-AT that's possible.

I must have built mine wrong as there's some friction coming from somewhere. Without dismantling the set, I guess I'll just have to live with it.

[Bering]

Stick a minifig on it and the sheer enormity really strikes home. Imagine the AT-AT that's possible.

I must have built mine wrong as there's some friction coming from somewhere. Without dismantling the set, I guess I'll just have to live with it.

Really? Isn't the best part of Lego, (re)building sets?

[Banana92]

Can't wait to get this set, me and a friend have been planning to tag team this forever, she's the newbie, but I'll make a builder of her yet!

[Juize75]

Thanks for an excellent review Blackbird, It was very nice to read this.

Picked up mine today, nice prize in Finland 185,90 € in verkkokauppa.com (https://www.verkkokauppa.com/fi/product/10777/hbkjv/LEGO-Technic-42055-Pyorokauhakaivinkone), that makes less than 0,05 €/peace.

Got the 42053 at same time and have bought 42054 just on its release date.

For finish Afols, there's alot of tecnic sets in good prizes in verkkokauppa.com and they have most of the products in storage.

[A1mushroom]

For anyone in the UK, £144.95 with free shipping via DPD.

http://www.jadlamracingmodels.com/lego-technic-bucket-wheel-excavator-42055

[Ngoc Nguyen]

One good news, folk: The lower conveyor belt is higher than the tipper in the 42043.

[gmshades]

Took my time building this 2 sets of numbered bags a day. Each day I felt like I finished a model. I became awe struck when I built the bucket wheel and arm. That's when it hit me how massive this set really is. If you are having doubts about buying it, this is a must have for all technic fans!

As of now I'm having no issues with the performance of the bwe.

Glenn

[N-4K0]

I agree, even just as a parts pack, this set is worth buying IMO.

It's been more than a month since I built mine, I still have it next to me on the desk where I have my computer and I'm still a bit in awe at the size and number of parts.

I can just imagine the total number of parts it would have it one was to fill in various holes and gaps in the structure.

[doug72]

Oh Dear !!!! Major B model problem.

Got all the way to step 662 page 536 and put in the 9L yellow axle with lever for driving ring change over.

Hooked up a battery to test model.

Tracks rotate OK but conveyors not turning.

Traced fault to step 32 page 86 where I had missed putting a grey 16T gear onto the grey axle.

Can't see a way of fitting it without a major strip down and re-build.

FIXED - managed to remove the black 3L axle connector with cross hole - allowing the grey axle to side back releasing the black 12T double bevel gear and exposing where the 16T gear should go.

Missing gear inserted and axle slid back into position along with 12T gear.

3L axle connector persuaded to go back in place and axle slipped back into engagement with it.

Tested and conveyors and tracks operating correctly.

Part of the periels of building off a computer screen instructions, need to double check each step correct.

Phew - panic over !!

Edited September 20, 2016 by Doug72

[doug72]

Not Fixed !!

Seems I missed both gears at step 32. Managed to get the 16T gear in place and conveyors running but now found tracks only rotate in one direction as I misssed putting the 20T double bevel gear in at step 32 !!

Cannot see how to fix this without a major strip down.

Thus tracks only rotate one way unless reverse battery switch.

With the build so far I tested the seperating function and very disappointed in its ability to sort 1x1 bricks from 2x2 bricks. with 1x1 bricks not sliding down the ramp onto the conveyor.

Also it is very slow despite new batteries.

I enjoyed the building of the BWE but not the B model using on screen instructions - hence I will be breaking it down and consigning the parts to my spares and complete my BW Trencher MOC.

 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

1 hour ago, Doug72 said:

 with 1x1 bricks not sliding down the ramp onto the conveyor.

 

This! This is the most frustrating part of the B-model. Even shaking the chute doesn't help.

[doug72]

Works OK if the machine is standing on a 30 deg. slope !

 

Next step sort out

 parts boxes for break down of B model.

[doug72]

B model re-build and improvements:

Following the failed 1st build of the B model it was broken down and parts sorted into containers.

I have decided to re-build this again to find out where I went wrong before and test things as the build progresses.

Fault 1: found I had omitted both gears at step 32 i.e. 16T & 20t gears.

At step 211 tested conveyor and both tracks moved correctly before continuing the build to step 302 where I found :-

Fault 2. I had put the smooth side of 3 x 11 panels facing outwards which caused 1 x 1 bricks to lodge in the panel recesses.

Corrected and on to step 337 when tested if the 1 x 1 bricks would slide down the ramp and onto the conveyor.
 Found that some were still reluctant to slide down the ramp despite manual rocking the ramp.

Made a small MOD which has improved this - inserted 3/4 pins into the centre hole of each cleat on the conveyor which raises the inclined bed higher as each cleat passes giving a bigger drop which shakes the 1 x 1 bricks loose.
Even reluctant bricks eventually move without using the lego manual device !!

Tried half pins but works better with 3/4 pins and does not foul anything as conveyor rotates as long as conveyor is raised more than 15 degs.

Found some bricks could still get lodged between the bottom of the ramp and conveyor side walls.
This has  closed off on both sides by exchanging both the Yellow 2L beams for 3L.

see photo.
IMG_4092 by Doug Ridgway, on Flickr

The re-build progresses.

Edited September 26, 2016 by Doug72
text edit

[dognosh]

If you have an extended MOC planned for this model then you have 1.5 days to get 3 for 2 from Argos

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/5578458.htm

[Imanol BB]

Your MOD´s look pretty good Doug, i might borrow that idea when i finally get a 42055.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

@Doug: At step 335, can you switch the connector and the bushes, so that the chute is held higher? I've been wondering if it's possible to make the chute more inclined. It's not convenient for me to disassemble the BWE and build the B-model at the moment.

[doug72]

2 hours ago, nguyengiangoc said:

@Doug: At step 335, can you switch the connector and the bushes, so that the chute is held higher? I've been wondering if it's possible to make the chute more inclined. It's not convenient for me to disassemble the BWE and build the B-model at the moment.

Tried your idea and it does increase the slope angle but the linkage to the shaking frame needs to be re-configured and may foul something later on in the build.

One problem is that when conveyor at shallow angle the 1x1 bricks can roll back and slide off the conveyor under the machine.

I have made the gap smaller by adding a 1/2 x  5L beam to the front of the 5L yellow beam.

The black pin still is lifted by the the 3/4 pin as each cleat passes as image shows in earlier post.

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Does anyone else have the problem that the bucket wheel is very jerky? The frequency of the jerk is lie 90 degrees, at the connections between two quadrants.

[Gabi_BC]

2 hours ago, nguyengiangoc said:

Does anyone else have the problem that the bucket wheel is very jerky? The frequency of the jerk is lie 90 degrees, at the connections between two quadrants.

Yes. Even if all the gears are not under any pressure and everything is carefully built, the bucket wheel will still act weird. I don't think the problem can be fully eliminated without adding another motor to drive the BW alone, probably like it should have been done to begin with. Driving the BW via the conveyor belt is economical in terms of PF element usage, but ultimately unsatisfactory in performance. I also think the bevel gear might contribute to the issue, but i'm not sure. However, one of the main advantages of this set is that you have enough options to mod the hell out of it. 

Edited September 30, 2016 by Gabi_BC

[doug72]

1 hour ago, Gabi_BC said:

Driving the BW via the conveyor belt is economical in terms of PF element usage, but ultimately unsatisfactory in performance.

Driving the BW using an M motor directly is much simpler, smoother & reliable as shown in my Bucket Wheel Trencher posts, either close connected or by long drive axles with motor placed on the BW arm.

All you need is an extension lead, an interlocked PF switch and eliminate all the gears between the conveyor belt and bucket wheel gear racks.

Re B model:

This has got to be the most frustrating technic model I have ever built.

Despite playing very close attention to getting the build correct and having re-built it from scatch it still deposits 1 x 1 bricks all over the place with only some actually reaching the correct conveyor !! Some drop out bottom of machine and others end up on the wrong conveyor.

All in all 42055 set is a great parts set.

Edited September 30, 2016 by Doug72

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Designer challenge for the BWE is up:

http://www.lego.com/en-us/technic/videos/bucket-wheel-excavator-challenge-56edc0cc0bff42179493e93eacaae5f3

Highlights:

- The amount of 2x2 bricks needed to make a heap for the BWE to scoop is 120 litres

- 8 hungry BWE feeding on a pile of bricks

[Gabi_BC]

^^ I like how all of the 8 bwe's have jerky (if any) movement in the bucket wheel. 

[Ngoc Nguyen]

Okay, so after 2 months of building and disassembling the BWE, I finally got it to work properly. In the previous attempts I only use 1 clutch gear, because I thought doing so would reduce the sensitivity. But none of the function worked. Today I used 2 clutch gears, and guess what, it worked

Can anyone enlighten me why this happen

[Imanol BB]

I think that is because of the friction of so many axles, gears, driving rings, conveyor belts, tracks and the bucket, that is why they use 2 clutches (and An XL motor instead of a M or L one), but is good that you finally made it work, it has happened to me too, at half of the building process i say "i think this piece is not necessary, why would i need it?", and when i finish the model, i find that it doesnt work, but that is a part of building (and the earning of experience), it can happen to anyone.