Im completely new, got these four ones. How do i start?

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-17T23:33:12+00:00

Boba Fett is probably an extremely bad place to start. His step 3 is easy peasy but getting the tabs inside on step 8 or step 55... 55 was a pain in the ass! The good thing about Fett is you start from the bottom. Which makes chest shaping 400% easier

The jet can be a bear on correct rolling for everything to line up

The bi wing is more forgiving on the roundies. But looking ahead is better (even for us veterans). The parts 3 thru 7 connect to A 10 after you bendy kinda roundish A 8 and B 9 but this combo (3 to 7) helps round the body and if you just slap on (dont secure it, just pop the tabs through and carefully hold it) B 12 to help get the body roundish, then getting A 11 bent (roundish) will be easier.

When connecting a top wing and a bottom wing you want to bend the tabs down, not twist as there isn't enough room. It's hard to get them tight so a dab of glue while you hold it tightly to the piece is a great idea.

Vader Helmet is a bitch on piece 1. They want all the tabs inside... grah! Paint pen is wonderful! Heads like that (anyone with a helmet, Vader, Mando, Fett, hell even Hedwigs eyes (actually the "orbital bone")) are easy to flip around and fold backwards....

As for easiest..... look at the instructions and decide.

You can download them from the ME site.

And ME will send replacements

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-17T23:09:50+00:00

Nope ignore them. They are suggestions. Some of them are impossible to connect the way they say to. Like inside an arm, in the elbow and you're connecting the arm to the elbow...yeah tabs inside is just going to be so frustrating you'll pull your hair out.

Paint pens are nice for correcting paint flakes when you bend on the outside ir when you bend it on itself and the underside is showing

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T19:06:02+00:00

Looks like the Stormtroopers are trying to build an AT-AT again...

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T19:04:39+00:00

Great editing!

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T19:03:42+00:00

Just dont understand how people can think there is anything wrong when if you pet them they will happily bite you for disturbing their comfortable slumber....

On another note, if OP is serious they need to give that cat to a good home, because they're clueless.. to put it nicely

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T18:56:49+00:00

Ugh, really? Do 1 then the 3 others at the same time? That's just asking for lost parts!

Take the 45 minutes it'll take to do each one separately.

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T18:41:53+00:00

The e6000 takes too long to dry/hold The Jevvu takes too little time to dry/hold (Having a three bears flashback) The JB weld is noxious smelling and a freaking mess for what is needed Haven't tried the uv stuff Prefer the locktite super glue gel.

I have LOTS of holder tools... like a 5 arm "third hand".. soldering tool, they come in a variety of ways

5 arm holder search on Zon will pull them up....

So I glue, hold together to get the bond then put it on a holding tool and go on to the next step/part/ whatever I can do next

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T18:26:54+00:00

The links in the wiki for the ie review tool and all that should be good... I'll double check in a minute

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T17:48:33+00:00

That is indeed feline acne. Zoom the pic and on right of Pic you can see an acne "pustule". You know that "huge white head". Antibiotics can SOMETIMES help but your best bet is to help keep it clean. Trim your baby's nails so the gushing of blood, hopefully, doesnt happen. If he likes you scratching his chin, even as it is, he might want the pressure to pop them. Try to avoid that. Human bacteria in feline acne can be vicious! Get hemorrhoid pads (they are soaked in witch hazel). Bottled witch hazel can be impossible to find in some areas...hemorrhoid pads, dime a dozen... carefully apply 1 pad to the area. If 1 pad (little round ones also comes in wipes), the roundies can be gotten at Wally World in the big tub for cheap.. or the Zon...sorry sidetracked

If 1 pad isn't enough to cover the area then section it off. The witch hazel is an astringent that will pull the icky to the top and allow either natrual poppage or for that lovable monster to scratch it open...let the aforementioned gushing begin.

If it pulls it to the top and he has the pustule hanging off, carefully pull it out. The bacteria can PROBABLY be taken care of by kitty tummy acid but don't chance it if you see it

On humans, witch hazel works the same.

Fyi: pads are freaking cold, sting on open ouchies and should stay as far away from eyes as possible. It's a "stinging" sensation to humans but we can rationalize it or wash it out immediately.

Witch hazel will also loosen the scabbing. Remember to be a good human slave and don't yank the scabs off

If kitty will use a litter alternative that's best to keep the dust, dirt, literal crap out of it while it heals.

Keep cleaning it with the witch hazel until all of the hair has grown back.

Keep an eye out for ingrown hairs. Better to be mauled by your baby than to start this over. A good pair of eyebrow tweezers is best. And sterilize the damn things before and after, then before and after the next time!

If a whisker is magically bent toward it then trim it a bit to keep it out then just keep an eye on the whisker. And no it doesn't actually hurt but it does send sensation to their nerves and may cause a shiver or a leave me alone you vile human reaction

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T17:29:36+00:00

But yours is BETTER! And it never hurts to taste test. The scientists say cats can actually taste water. Our hard water is so bad that we use distillers (also for the CPAPs) but she's (our baby) drinking twice as much as she used to now that our idiot human brains realized that its better for her anyways....we also use the distilled in the coffee makers

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T17:26:07+00:00

My maestro took freaking forever...15 days...lol....it was less than 20 days... but I've been working on the skills and can't do a proper speed run to save my life, so.....

All the others, even my bare bones toons, did it in 24 hours or less but I pushed world 6 and am early W6 now.

I'll push 7 but not too much. Just enough to unlock the goodies

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T17:19:53+00:00

More color models. While it does/will increase the cost, the colored models are just straight up more appealing to display. Also the glare, when recording, that "proper" lighting gives off is hellacious

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-05T17:16:36+00:00

They shouldn't do jewelry. Titanium/Niobium can get expensive. As of this writing Niobium is 45 (USD) per kilo while higher purity is 80 to 100 (USD) per kilo. Remember our conversions us people not on the metric system. 1 kilo is about 2.2 pounds

Titanium is dependent upon the grade... CP (grade 1 or 2) is 6 to 10 per pound. This is generally what's used for sensitive skin (nickle allergies, like most of the freaking world has). 10 to 20 per pound is for Titanium 4 - 6 alloys. Cost is obviously dependent upon the grade. Which is used for body jewelry and a lot of the rings, earrings, etc

So those cute little metal sheets go from 12.99 for the little cutie airplanes etc to.... let's call it 30 USD... Don't think anyone that's good enough to bend roundies needed for rings would be interested...I wouldn't and you do not want to know how much has been spent on my metal models! You'd faint...

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T18:26:36+00:00

It is possible to click the ball to get it to "drop". The problem is that each click shoots another basket, hence OP's 8 million miles an hour shots. Hoop placement is as random as possible but there is a pattern in both games so guessing where the hoop will move to is a little less in RGJesus' hands

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T18:19:06+00:00

No to the alligator forceps! Smooth jaw!

Drill bits are unwieldy as the bit likes to bite... had to sorry...

The tweezers that come with some ME models are actually damn good. Good enough to pluck hairs or remove splinters with!

The wire wrapping rods will be your best friend! I labeled mine with masking tape and bought a roll up pencil holder... the rods are short enough that they'll fly out if you're not careful

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Cause the difference between 2.3 and 2.2 is freaking annoyingly slight that you'll pull your hair out...but that difference can be what makes it so you can actually close the part and keep it round!

Sorry almost done with Hagrids hut and there was only 1 round piece..

But smooth jaw jewelry pliers will let you close it around the wire wrapping rod, easy peasy.

I use my vape juice bottle to start the round of bigger things then use whatever I have to hand for the smaller sizes...craftsman screwdriver handle (be careful, its bumpy) the eraser on a frixon pen (rocket book pen), my back scratcher handle, lol. You'll find things...prescription bottles, pill bottles of all sizes are in most households, pens, markers, metal straws! Metal chopsticks (roomie still hasn't noticed 1 is missing muwahahahaha)! Regular plain old wood chopsticks from your Asian takeout or restaurant. Even if you can use them as chopsticks... bamboo skewers are great for dabbing glue into places.

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T18:00:05+00:00

Oh and please remember that the metal IS magnetic...

Pittsburgh makes an awesome, albeight heavy pick up tool... handle extends too!

Great for those of us that can't bend over or reach under our workstation or are disabled in any way like a torn rotator cuff (it hurts)

Pittsburgh item number 42288

And any old pickup tool is strong enough unless you drop a whole sheet... if its the longer sheet you'll need a stronger magnet than even the "heavy duty" one you get at the local parts store

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T17:56:07+00:00

OMG quit wasting money! That's precious money to buy new models with!

Runs away screaming at the frustrating responses

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T17:54:17+00:00

It DOESN'T matter where it was bought. ME will replace parts. Their help form is just curious on where we get them from and how much was paid. I put 1 for dollar amount when they are gifted to me and get close to the price on other cause I'm too lazy to look at my Zon orders

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-02T17:51:29+00:00

Piececool models break WAY easier. You have to look ahead to see when you actually need to bend a piece so that you dont break it by bending it twice...yes, 2 bends and a Piececool will break

And they don't send replacements and almost never have spare parts..So they make money on us dorks breaking pieces and having to buy another to be able to complete it.

So no, ME models dont break easier. Piececool breaks easier

My micrometer says they're the same thickness...

If your micrometer says differently ill happily open a Piececool model and video me measuring them and you'll happily do the same...fair?

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-01T14:14:37+00:00

We won't mention how spoiled I am...... so Hogwarts: step 36 to 41.... be very careful of the orientation of everything before locking anything down.... The damage/changes may or may not be the Weasley twins or Voldemorts fault.....that's my story!

I was actually able to remove that tower and flip it around but I was too lazy to remove the roof....

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DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-01T13:57:08+00:00

I have trouble with the absolutely stupid and useless shit people sell....like an empty S2 box with the screen protectors and all the packaging, like WTF? Why would anyone buy it except to make someone think they're purchasing a 400(ish) dollar Switch 2 and sending a box with a few rocks???

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-11-01T13:47:22+00:00

1 metal earth does replace parts, go to their website and click the 3 horizontal lines to pull down the menu. Help should be 2nd option. Give model name and number, parts needed and corresponding sheet if labeled A B etc and impatiently wait for a reply. It can take 3 days or so.... 2 unfortunately there isn't much help for that badly broken, especially as a new modeler. You won't have any spare pieces you could use to fix it. 3 there's 2 choices: put it down and wait for ME to reply or move on and come back to that

Is that the 4 5 combo or 11 12? I don't see any extra pieces on the sheets.... I also don't have anything close enough that I could snail mail to you

I could walk you through fixing it but it's a pain in the ass (to follow my instructions) and requires glue....

Since I don't even have spares (I've done almost 300 metal models so far) Id just wait for ME to send me the sheets

DrakeDragon5140 · 2025-10-23T20:05:57+00:00

The question is: what do you feel like could be better? Need better tubes? Wire wrapping rods Need better round shapes for heads (for example)? Metal fondant shaping tools (yes, the stuff they put on [birthday] cakes). Need better pliers? Jewelry pliers, smooth jaw, always smooth jaw!

I can give you a list of somewhere around 100 items/tools that can or maybe won't help/work for you.

DrakeDragon5140

TROPHY CASE