Metal EarthStar Wars Millennium Falcon 3D Metal Model Kit Fascinations

This is the 8th kit from this company I've built now (5 planes, 2 tanks). Of these kits, this is my favorite based on the enjoyment in building the kit, the challenge, and the finished product (not to mention the cool subject matter).On a scale of 1-5, I would rate the difficulty as 4. Generally the most challenging part of these kits are the pieces that require rounding or shaping. The few pieces that required rounding were fairly easy/straight-forward. The most challenging piece is the cockpit. If this is your first Metal Earth kit, this piece may require some patience to mold properly.My favorite part of this kit is the detail of the finished product. The finished piece isn't simply a basic representation, but a fairly detailed one with a lot of depth and texture. I liked the recessed vents, fins, and raised areas that really added detail to this model.This kit contains more pieces than some of the simpler Metal Earth kits, and it shows in the final model. This makes the construction more enjoyable. As with other reviewers, this kit also took me 3-4 hours to complete. I would disagree with the comment on twisting of the tabs by one reviewer. Connections tend to be much stronger with a twist tab join, so these can/should be used on areas that will not be seen on the completed model.Regarding bad reviews by others: Be careful when reading the bad reviews posted by some. Some people blame their inability to complete this style kit on the kit itself. Don't be fooled, the kit itself is very high quality. The detail is superb, and the metal pieces are sturdy if you don't bend them repetitively (as you would if you made a mistake). Hence, I continue to recommend these kits to experienced builders with good manual dexterity.

I made the mistake of starting with this one without reading the other reviews here. It is challenging. If you haven't build a Metal Earth kit before and you want a display quality piece, you should buy two of these. One to do a test build and the second for perfection, they're cheap enough considering what other models cost.Tools that I found absolutely essential were the SE MH1047L Illuminated Multi-Power LED Head Magnifier, a set of stainless dental picks (~$5), and a set of fine pliers that are smooth on the inside (no serrated grip) I used the Pittsburgh Professional 6 Piece Mini Pliers Set I got at Harbor Freight for $5. If you need to press against a finished surface, it's also helpful to put a piece of electrical tape around the side of the pliers making contact to prevent marring.Other things I found useful were an ordinary pencil: the eraser is a good diameter for bending some of the circular strips (~1/4"), a marker thats a little larger than a sharpie (~1/2") for some of the other circular strips, and the eraser also can act as a rubbing tool for bending the conical sections smoothly.I wish I had started on the bottom saucer section first. The instructions have you start on top, which means your early mistakes will be most visible. The radar dish is probably the hardest to get right. Once you get familiar with this design, it will get easier to do the top.

Tools are definitely needed. watch how to videos it'll help you. It's challenging and fun.

Loved it. This is my second one. I did the Black Pearl first and found that extremely difficult, maybe because it was my first one and it took some getting used to working with metal, which I've never done before. I'm almost ashamed to say The Black Pearl took me 3 months to complete, but it did. I kept getting frustrated and would put it away. I didn't want to risk breaking any pieces. Eventually I learned little tricks to overcome my obstacles. The Millenium Falcon took me all of 4 days to finish, and the pieces were much smaller. I was hoping for a little more challenge. I'm ordering a couple more because I do enjoy them.Tools I use:Tweezers - great for placing pieces, but especially for twisting the tabs and bending/creasing at the folds.Pocket knife, very sharp - the pieces are in precut sheets and need to be "snapped out". I place the sheet on a flat and firm surface and then place the blade of the knife where the tab meets the piece and then push straight down for a nice clean cut.Small File - to clean up any edges from when the piece is snapped out.Bic Pen and a golf ball - alot of the pieces need to be curled or bent. A dismantled Bic pen provided three different size "curling tools". The golf ball is good for rolling larger pieces into a uniform shape.If I planned on doing this full time, I would invest in some magnifying glasses. The tabs are the size of a medium sized freckle and the slots they fit in are about 1/4 that size. We're talking very, very tiny pieces.Excellent instructions, super easy to read - almost elementary level, and there are 360 views on the manufacturers website if you need a good visual.

I purchased this for my boyfriend as a part of his christmas gift, for reference he wants to be an engineer so building legos is relatively easy for him. It took him an entire month (he also works) to build this which says a lot. He said he loved how challenging it was!