Metal Earth 3D Model Kits - Star Wars Complete Set of 8 - X-Wing - Destroyer Droid - Imperial Star Destroyer - TIE Fighter - R2-D2 - at-at - Millenium Falcon - Darth Vader's TIE Fighter

I have built hundreds (literally) of models in both snap fit and glue varieties. I picked these up because they looked like a fun change of pace, and I have been extremely impressed with them. These are excellent models and the challenge they give is very rewarding. Just take your time and look ahead to make sure you know how the pieces are supposed to fit together. Don't be afraid to 'dry fit' pieces before you bend tabs to make sure it will go together correctly before you commit. Looking at the 360 display at the companies website is also very helpful. The completed models a quite attractive and accurate to the movies. These models are a lot of fun to put together and are great display pieces for Star Wars fans. Most of the difficulty of these models comes from the small size of the parts. I recommend you have the following tools to assemble these models:flush cutters/nipperstweezerssmall needle nose plierssmall flat nosed plierspencil sharpened with high angle - to make conespencil sharpened with low angle - to make conesdrill bit set - to make cylindersYou also need good lighting and if your eyesight is bad a stand magnifier would be helpful. Most of these took me from 2 to 3 hours to complete, but the destroyer droid took over 5 hours since it has so many small parts that need to be formed. You may need more or less time depending on your dexterity and how anal you are. Just take your time and don't worry how long it takes. These kits definitely reward patience and finesse! Don't be afraid to put the project down and come back another day!Tips:I found that the smooth shanks of drill bits are perfect for making different sized cylinders. Choose a drill bit from the set that is slightly smaller than the circular cap (the part that folds down to cover the top of the cylinder) on the piece you are forming and wrap the piece around the bit shaft. Start with the dead center of the piece touching the bit and apply pressure to both overhanging sides to form it around the bit, then massage the metal to form completely to the bit. This will give you perfect cylinders. A decent bit set has so many sizes you should be able to find one that is a great fit for each piece. On the pencils, high angle and low angle refers to how fast the pencil comes to a point. Some sharpeners make a pencil that comes to an abrupt point that looks like a rocket's nose cone, and some are the more normal spear point I used in high school. Both are useful as cone forms.The tools used need to be small. I have a small pliers set I got from the orange home improvement store that work great, but any jewelers set should work just as well. The set I got isn't the highest quality, but works OK for me. Google this and it will pull them up:General-Tools-Technicians-Mini-Plier-Set-8-Piece-938/202545178I use these flush cutters and they are excellent:http://www.amazon.com/Euro-Tool-PLR-473-Extra-Cutter/dp/B002SZVE8M/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&qid=1433001908&sr=8-32&keywords=flush+cutters

These are amazing! They are very small I would say on average 3" high and 3-4" long. They are not easy to build and I highly recommend the Metal Earth 3-Piece Tool Kit. These were a birthday gift from my wife and kids and so far I have built the AT-AT, Vader's Tie Fighter, Destroyer Droid, and Imperial Star Destroyer. The toughest part is the round or domed shaped pieces. These take around 3-5hrs to build and that is non stop one sitting but well worth it.

My 11 year old daughter loves metal Earth Model Kits and she it a big Star Wars fan -- so this was a big hit at Christmas! I would give these five starts if the instructions were a little better. We look them up on-line and then she sets up her i-pad to view the instructions if she needs help. The tabs are very small and extremely delicate. She snaps a piece every now and then, but always finds a "work-around." She is extremely patient and is able to take the time needed to successfully finish these models. I on the other hand get frustrated just trying to "pop" the pieces out!

Some of the coolest things ive seen in a while. they come in flat sheets and you make these 3d models out of 2d sheets of metal. it is challenging for some of the models but it is fun. each model is only about 3 to 4 inches tall but they look great and have a lot of detail.

We sent this to our adult son for Christmas and he has gone crazy for it! He's put together 4 of the models and he's hooked! He said the details are amazing and the quality is great! They will be fantastic additions to his collection!

Have some really tiny parts. Will require good skills and a tiny nose plier.

Fun to build...but you need to take your time. Always read ahead in the directions to be sure you know what needs to happen next...sometimes you can build a part a better way that pictured. Normal needle nose pliers are too big, you really need a micro set of pliers and a good set of tweezers. Also, be sure you are bending pieces in the correct direction, since the piece will only bend 2-3 times before breaking.

Definitely not for beginners, very very small parts - should use needle nose plier (the super-sharp types that mechanical engineers use) and metal tweezers (the types that doctors use). It is a lot of fun and a great sense of accomplishment - it also helps that I am a die hard Star Wars fan, so these are on display in my office.