Fascinations Metal Earth San Francisco Cable Car 3D Metal Model Kit,Silver

IT'S SO SMALL AND CUTE AND I LOVE IT. So this was my first Metal Earth model kit and I'm very glad that I read several reviews and researched this hobby before jumping into it. I've seen too many one-star reviews written by seemingly impatient apes because they either expected it to take half an hour to make, or they jumped into a 3-sheet project without a lick of modeling experience. I went with the cable car for my first assembly based off suggestions/reviews that pointed out the lack of curved pieces and minimal pieces this kit has and I'm very glad I did, because my first experience with these kits was an absolutely delightful breeze!Granted, I am more than willing to spend extra time on something if it means I can achieve better results and avoid frustration, so I'm not embarrassed to say I spent 2 hours on this and also watched several Metal Earth beginner's tips as well as a build of this exact model first. I also had the bare-basics in terms of tools that people recommend for these kits: flush cutters, needle-nose pliers (three different kinds, I don't know the exact names), and two kinds of tweezers. Without these tools, especially the clippers just for removing the pieces from the sheet, this could have been a potential nightmare. I also have obscenely small baby hands which, for once in my life, came in handy (hah) for handing some of the smaller and more delicate pieces.Also it's worth mentioning that I've never assembled a model before in my life.Anyway, all-in-all, this was a fantastic build and I can't wait to do my next one (the lighthouse, another beginner one from what I've seen)! Basically, if you're careful, willing to spend some time on it, go into it with the right expectations and appropriate tools, then you will find this kit a joy to put together. But if time-consuming, meticulous assembly isn't your thing, maybe steer clear of this hobby or look for a modeling material that requires a less delicate touch.

Very good model overall. This was the first of these metal models I assembled and I would say it went well. The model comes in a flat sheet that you have to pop the individual pieces out from- overall I would say that this is the hardest part. If you have some scissors or some kind of cutting tool that can fit in small places, that makes the process go a lot faster. After this, you just have to follow the instructions and bend the pieces the right way. The parts are pretty small, but if you have some needle-nose pliers or tweezers, you should be fine. The only other complaint I have is that the pieces can only bent once or twice or else you risk breaking them, which can be frustrating if you accidentally over-bend a piece. Overall it took me about an hour and a half to finish it, so it would be a good thing to do on a free afternoon. I would only take a point off for the difficulty of cutting the pieces out at times and the instructions being a bit vague. It overall was a good experience that I would definitely recommend to someone who might want something to make that they could display.

This is a great model for a beginner. It has fourteen pieces and all of the bends are straight bends. With care and patience the Cable Car can be assembled in about an hour.I've built almost 20 Metal Earth models, and found that this model did not provide enough of a challenge for a more "seasoned" metal earth builder.One building note, when putting the front piece of the cable car on, the two upper tabs (one on each side) are so close to the sides from the first piece of the model that it would require a razor blade or very sharp knife to bend them. I found that I just made sure the tabs were properly inserted and once I put the roof on, the piece was solidly held in place without having to bend the tabs.

The media could not be loaded.  If I could give this 0 stars I would. I thought this came assembled . It doesn't its a bunch of flimsy tear apart pieces that broke and I was unable to even assemble

duration: ~45 minutesdetail: 5/5durability: 3/5 -- it would survive getting stepped on, but it wouldn't look too great afterwards.difficulty: 2/5 -- the build itself is easy, and it would be a perfect beginner's model. (this is my third, after the normandy sr-2 and the star destroyer, and i had zero issues with the assembly procedure.) however, this is a surprisingly unforgiving model -- a lot of care needs to be taken to make sure the parts are as flat and straight as possible and the bends are made at exactly 90 degrees. even the slightest fold in the metal is easily visible, and too many of them will make the model look like a sloppy mess.

My husband and I bought this as an ornament for our Christmas tree. We really enjoyed putting it together. Few notes:1) You will need tools to bend the tabs. There is likely a kit in the "Frequently bought together" section.2) Read and then re-read the instructions. They're a little rough to follow.3) See #1. Save yourself a lot of trouble and use tools to put this together. The pieces bend easily and tools will help ensure you're bending what needs to be bent.

I have just recently discovered these model kits and enjoy building them. I have completed 7 so far and plan on lots more. THESE ARE NOT TOYS, and take time and patience to complete. All are different in difficulty levels. So far some have been easy and others more difficult. There are alot of these to choose from and in my opinion are great. To make building these kits easier I suggest having at least a pair of needle nose pliers and tweezers. Amazon offers the individual tools or pre-picked kits you can choose from.

Assembled it and gave to a Mr. Rogers fan. It was a good gift and is displayed.