MU Metal Optimus Prime model

[Silverbolt]

This is probably the hardest metal kit I have done so far. But when it was done I have to it is the most fulfilling.
It's a MU model that's available from Jolly Whale and is an officially licensed product from Hasbro.
Its 8 sheets to steel and a 9 star difficulty rating. (I’m not sure how hard is the hardest, but I think it would be 10) The package claims its takes over 22 estimated hours to finish.
I did this over the course of a couple of weeks, so I'm not sure how long it took me.
All i know is there was A LOT of metal bending and juggling to hold pieces in places while other pieces were bent to secure them.
Some of the pieces were stupidly small, but helped give this model a fantastic level of detail.

I had to learn many new holding techniques that i wouldn't normally have used for the metal earth models.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52570015175_3c581d27da_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/14DE963cK1)
Those little round rubber things aren't what you think they are. They unroll on your fingers to help provide better grip and to help prevent the metal edges from slicing your fingers.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52569572551_bfe6a37beb_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/65Jri5VyA0)
With an instruction manual this think, i knew i was in for the Long Haul.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52569112027_e461704a19_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/96A1853538)
The first piece next to MP 10G Optimus Prime for size comparison.

[Silverbolt]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52569572661_2bf4bee818_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/4Aymn64c8X)
an assortment of pliers, pencils, pens and down of different diameters helps with shaping of the metal
I thought the vents would be the hardest bit. but they were fairly straight forward after the first one.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52569846924_9749593670_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/V606PG71eX)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52570098488_b0d5e6e2f3_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/BwV3kG8s5v)
As i mention earlier, some of these pieces are stupid tiny.

[Silverbolt]

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52569848589_64e9d3402b_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/LZPG8Pb0jx)
the finished model.
The hardest part was the area around the elbow. There is a structure (of sorts) underneath that a lot of other details attach to and what the shoulder and lower arm attach to.

Aside from his right arm, where some of the joins were hard to get to, it feel pretty solid. Certainly not solid enough to risk a fall, but i can handle it without too much fear of bending it.

With MP 10G.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52570017220_10268c7dca_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/zA7775LH00)
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52570100368_141afcf5c7_c.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/2d31ZRca5n)

[Thurmus]

My god that is impressive. How long did it take you to assemble?

[Autocon]

So it's like a 3d puzzle made of full metal parts?

[Silverbolt]

I haven't done a 3d puzzle so its hard to make the comparison, but there are alot of pieces that need to fit together in a particular to forma a 3D shape. so yeah. I guess it is a 3D puzzle of sorts. I have a MU kit of "The last night' version of Optimus. There a few other characters as well.

[Silverbolt]

My god that is impressive. How long did it take you to assemble?

Join by the dates fo the photos the first piece was made on October 3rd and the final construction finished on Dec 14. So about 10 weeks. But that was working on it here and there when i had the time and more important, the patience to do so.

[griffin]

That is amazing. And great job getting it all done so perfectly.
I have the original four Metal Earth kits from 7 years ago, but still haven't done more than a couple pieces (I found that I didn't have the right tools to do them).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/collections/griffinofoz/1506e.jpg

If I had ever gotten around to doing them, I might have bought more of them, as they look really nice when completed (like this big MU Metal Optimus).

[Thurmus]

I have three of those, not Bumblebee. I bought a couple of different small pliers from Daiso to do it but still haven't got around to opening either.

[Silverbolt]

That is amazing. And great job getting it all done so perfectly.
I have the original four Metal Earth kits from 7 years ago, but still haven't done more than a couple pieces (I found that I didn't have the right tools to do them).

http://www.toycollectors.com.au/collections/griffinofoz/1506e.jpg

If I had ever gotten around to doing them, I might have bought more of them, as they look really nice when completed (like this big MU Metal Optimus).


You need to open them and build them. They're good fun and good practice for the bigger sets. These are the metal earth TFs I've done so far. The truck is just a general Metal earth truck, but i thought it paired will with Optimus.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52579174971_20a949b07e_z.jpg


These are the main tools i used. Just small pliers that you can get from Jay Car or Bunnings.
The side cutters are only used for cutting the pieces of the sheets. The long nose are good for the larger set where the joining tabs are deep in parts of the larger models.

The Flat nose pliers are great for long pieces that need bending and are generally good for anything that needs that nice crisps 90 degree angle. The red handled pliers is my main work horse set. generally good for positioning and general bending.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52578710502_6c80e7902e_z.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/EW44AF9717)

[Silverbolt]

I thought i'd post these swell. The cover of the instruction book.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52578710682_09794bbc78_z.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/HW93X795B3)

Two of the pages showing the instructions for the area around the elbow join.
https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52579700463_67256013dd_z.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/n80S53nG2Z)

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52579614720_851dc7ce9d_z.jpg (https://www.flickr.com/gp/188752642@N05/C6m31c1o5o)

[Thurmus]

Join by the dates fo the photos the first piece was made on October 3rd and the final construction finished on Dec 14. So about 10 weeks. But that was working on it here and there when i had the time and more important, the patience to do so.

Not good enough. I need down to the nearest 10 minutes. :)

When I did the Lego Millennium Falcon I wrote the date and start and end time of each session that I worked on it. Should go back one day and work out how long it took.

[Silverbolt]

Should I include the time spent looking for dropped pieces. :p

[Thurmus]

That could possibly double the time if Lego is anything to go by.

[Thurmus]

I hadn't seen that brand before and was just looking at the range. Interesting they have Tarn. I have to get the Wheeljack and Soundwave with the open cassette door looks great.

Not so sure about the Bumblebee Swimsuit Edition.
6643

https://www.metrohobbies.com.au/collections/mu-models/products/mu-ym-l066-transformers-bumblebee-movie-style-3d-metal-kit