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Author Topic: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.  (Read 3659 times)

Weirdo

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Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« on: 27 July 2015, 09:04:39 »
No, this isn't about the most epic eco-awareness band ever. Instead, I'm talking about a line of model kits, made solely of thin steel sheets, much like photoetched brass, only much less maddening.

When I first saw them on shelves, I thought they were gimmicky little toys, but after getting one as a gift, I've become hooked on the things. Assembly is challenging without being truly insane, and the final product is surprisingly sturdy and detailed.

Has anyone else gotten hooked on these things?
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MadCatBob

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #1 on: 27 July 2015, 10:14:23 »
I've never bought one, but they keep tempting me on store shelves.  Especially since I like paper models, and these seem kind of similar.  Maybe an F-22. ^-^
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Deranith00

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #2 on: 27 July 2015, 10:16:18 »
I picked up the Star Wars TIE Fighter and X-Wing models for fun.  Started on the TIE and that was a mistake.  If you get into them, pick up one that's got as few curves as possible to practice on first and get used to how they design and connect their pieces before moving on to the more complex ones.

I will say, they really do look absolutely amazing once they're done.  My LGS has a set of the Star Wars ones assembled and it's incredible.
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #3 on: 27 July 2015, 10:36:16 »
Yeah, my experience with a Lunar Lander taught me everything I didn't want to know about curving metal. Glad I did though, as my next one(just finished a Turian cruiser) is a Spirit/Opportunity rover, and that thing's full of round bits.
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"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
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Sabelkatten

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #4 on: 28 July 2015, 17:33:58 »
Does anyone have pictures?
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Atlas3060

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #5 on: 28 July 2015, 22:04:03 »
I want one now, they have Soundwave!
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worktroll

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #6 on: 28 July 2015, 22:32:12 »
« Last Edit: 28 July 2015, 22:33:43 by worktroll »
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #7 on: 28 July 2015, 23:07:00 »
You know what's weird? Their Enterprise-D has the dorsal saucer guns of the Galaxy-X from All Good Things, but aside from that, it's a normal model.

Also, the idea of putting together all the rigging of a sailing ship in this material is terrifying.
« Last Edit: 28 July 2015, 23:09:09 by Weirdo »
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"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

HobbesHurlbut

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #8 on: 29 July 2015, 10:29:32 »
I'll wait for when they do the bluewater warships.
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guardiandashi

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #9 on: 29 July 2015, 12:32:35 »
my mom handed me one of those the other day, its a star wars atat I just set it aside for the time being, but it was being given to me by my sister apparently.
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #10 on: 29 July 2015, 13:16:31 »
Oh Ghu, why didn't anybody warn me that Opportunity's arm had so many tiny round bits?  :'(

IT'S GOT CONES?!? :o
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Marwynn

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #11 on: 29 July 2015, 13:45:48 »
I'm gonna need lots of bandages and a tetanus booster shot. There's no way I can assemble any of those things unless they come pre-assembled, and even then it'll be iffy. But. I. Want.
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #12 on: 29 July 2015, 13:52:27 »
They are must certainly not preassembled. The kit comes as one or two flat sheets of steel, which is basically your parts sprue. You remove each part, fold it into proper shape, then attach parts together using tabs and slots. The nature of the metal means this is actually a lot more sturdy than it sounds, with most joins ending up rock solid.

Think of it as being akin to heavy metal origami.
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #13 on: 12 October 2017, 10:02:45 »
Quote from: HobbesHurlbut on 29 July 2015, 10:29:32
I'll wait for when they do the bluewater warships.

Speaking of which... :)

Good Ghu, my fingers are sore. There's a reason origami is done with paper, as opposed to sheet metal.
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Sharpnel

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #14 on: 12 October 2017, 12:39:04 »
Having no reference in your picture, just how big is that ship?
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #15 on: 12 October 2017, 12:57:45 »
About five and a half inches long.
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Sharpnel

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #16 on: 12 October 2017, 13:23:42 »
That's a lot of detail for something so small
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As I get older, I realize that I'm not as good as I once was.
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #17 on: 12 October 2017, 13:50:04 »
It's easily the most challenging Metal Earth model I've done.

I wanna do one of their sail ships next. >:D
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

YingJanshi

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #18 on: 12 October 2017, 15:27:47 »
Those look really cool. But...also horrifically rage inducing...
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #19 on: 12 October 2017, 15:39:34 »
You definitely need patience for these. I would start with something much easier, Arizona is most definitely an advanced model. Look for something that's all flat sides, as few curves as possible. If you do pick something with curved parts, I'd look around the house for some convenient cylinders, as wrapping the piece around an existing curve that's reasonably close to what you need is much easier than trying to bend it freehand. A pen, a particularly thick piece of wire, a small spool of thread...such a selection will help immensely.
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

Starbuck

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #20 on: 16 October 2017, 11:05:49 »
hey Weirdo,

you got me hooked ...

(for reference: Golden Hind is 4 inches long, Burj Al Arab is a bit more than 4 inches tall)
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RoundTop

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #21 on: 16 October 2017, 11:35:32 »
Here is their site: http://www.fascinations.com/metalearth

I've done:

All the Mass Effect ones:
Normandy, Turian, Alliance Fighter, Alliance Cruiser

And the following star wars:
R2-D2, Millenium Falcon, X-Wing, Kylo-ren's shuttle, Tie fighter, Destroyer Droid, AT-AT

My main tools are:
  • Needle nose pliars (small)
  • Multi-tool pliars (blunt tip)
  • Tweezers (high quality, about 4" long, chisel tip)
  • Paint brush (00). Use the thin end for rolling around
  • Beading pliars (flat inside, rectangular)

That pretty much covers everything i use. I try to use pliars that don't have teeth whenever possible.
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #22 on: 16 October 2017, 12:06:28 »
I've completed:
London Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
Golden Gate Bridge
Lunar Lander
Mars Rover
Hubble Space Telescope
Wright Flyer
Klingon Bird of Prey
TIE Advanced
Star Destroyer
Turian Cruiser
USS Arizona
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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

HobbesHurlbut

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #23 on: 16 October 2017, 12:37:12 »
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Weirdo

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #24 on: 16 October 2017, 13:14:54 »
Doing the outside of a warship was hard enough. Do the inside as well?

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My wife writes books
"Thanks to Megamek, I can finally play BattleTech the way it was meant to be played--pantsless!"   -Neko Bijin
"...finally, giant space panties don't seem so strange." - Whistler
"Damn you, Weirdo... Damn you for being right!" - Paul
"...I was this many years old when I found out that licking a touchscreen in excitement is a bad idea." - JadeHellbringer
"We are the tribal elders. Weirdo is the mushroom specialist." - Worktroll

HobbesHurlbut

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #25 on: 16 October 2017, 13:44:35 »
Considering the dimensions are 7.48” x 0.79” x 1.57”, yeah no no no.
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YingJanshi

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Re: Talk to me about... Metal Earth.
« Reply #26 on: 16 October 2017, 17:41:26 »
Quote from: HobbesHurlbut on 16 October 2017, 13:44:35
Considering the dimensions are 7.48” x 0.79” x 1.57”, yeah no no no.

Hey, that'd be a great model for a ship in a bottle...
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