[Not2B]

To program: 0 seconds. The VEX kits don't have programming YET. So it was very easy.

To put the base together: About 1 hour

To put the arm together: 1 hour.

To build it, I used a very tiny (not sure the size) drill bit to place holes into the large and small tubes. I placed a slot in the medum tube with a dremel cut-off wheel. It took 20 minutes just to thread the fishing line. I had to use a tiny set of files to trim the flash (I work with plastic) off the holes and slots.

The servo to move it up and down, and a VEX motor to run the winch.

Building ships in bottles was good training for this. It is kind of fragile.