UGEARS - Theater, 3D Wood Mounting Kit Without Glue (Theatre)

This is an amazing mechanical model. My husband and I put it together in a couple hours and enjoyed it so much that we just ordered another Ugears kit.You construct all the components first, then fit them into the final product. The pictorial directions were very clear. It was scary at times, especially the first time we had to push one of the toothpicks/axles through. It got easier as we got more experience. The tiny little wooden tool (included in the kit) for pushing the toothpicks and for measuring was a big help. Also, you DO have to wax the parts as the instructions advise. We used a votive candle (unlit). We were astounded and delighted when it all worked the first time. It works and looks exactly like the picture.I can't rave enough about this kit. Highly recommended.

Pros:This is very cute when finished.The gears move easily and it’s a lot more sturdy than I expected. You can be pretty rough when turning it. I let my 5 year old play with it (when supervised.)There were extra toothpicks and small (easily broken) pieces included which was a big bonus. I broke 3 toothpicks but still had 3-4 extras after.The instructions are full color and very easy to follow. I’d say this is more in the 10-12 year old range than 14+.Cons:I was looking for something moderately difficult that would take 3-5 hours. After reading reviews I thought it would take a long time to build. However it only took about 45 minutes from start to finish and was incredibly easy.One of the gears (upper right hand) wasn’t aligned properly after I followed the directions. I adjusted it slightly back on the toothpick and it works great.The gears’ toothpicks were a little difficult to place simultaneously in the frame. I wish they’d made the grooves deeper as that would have made it easier.Other thoughts:I used hand warmed beeswax for the gears. Also, I waxed the toothpicks which made them easier to push through the gears.This is a fun project and I’d suggest it. I just wish it had been a little more challenging.

Really fun yet challenging puzzle/kit to put together. Sort of like an adult erector set, only wood. Yes, it is a challenge to put together and the instructions do a leave a bit to be desired...and in order to get it to operate smoothly you WILL have to adjust it, and also wax the gears.The reason for the single star deduction in my opinion is the crappy toothpick axles..not very high quality and size/length runs all over the place. Also, not something for young folks who have short attention spans, because it could easily cause them to get discouraged. In the end, looks good, and with a bit of mechanical skill adjusting things...it'll work great!

I fell in love with this at first sight and I have to say I had a ball putting it together. The instructions are very easy to read and understand. The construction was very easy as well. A child could do this although I would be wary of this as there lots of tiny parts that are easily lost or swallowed. Ugears was nice enough to provide extras of the tiniest parts (the tiny things to cover up the ends of the toothpicks) to help out. Make sure you have a hobby knife to cut the tiny connectors attaching the part to the sheet of plywood. If you just pop it out of the sheet you will slightly damage the part. It'll still function fine but there will be a small imperfection on the finished face of the part. I recommend lightly sanding each part against the grain to smooth out the faceI envisioned this as a functional work of art and decided to treat it as such. I took the model and stained and painted the parts to make it more aesthetically pleasing. This took much more time preparing the model but I think the end result is worth it. And it doesn't impact the functionality with the exception of adding a little more weight to the gears. This slows down the rotation just a skösh but not so that you'll notice.Youll have a great time putting this together! I can't wait to try their other models

An enchanting fantasy of an experience to make! The toothpicks are tricky to insert, use needle-nose pliers to grip most of the tooth pick lengthwise and carefully insert them very straight a few mm at a time (it is IMPORTANT to grip MOST of the toothpick as you insert, don't grip just a little section or they will snap). Everything else can be assembled by hand. Don't rush and force anything. It is crucial to make sure you have the exact parts and alignment as shown in the instructions for everything to function properly. It works fantastic after precise assembly and a little fine tuning with candle wax on the tips of the toothpicks (after they are inserted, not before) for smoother lubricated spin. Patience and passion and you shall mesmerize with this contraption!

The media could not be loaded. Great kit to put together and have on display. The quality of the materials are very nice, the directions are easy to follow, and everything worked perfectly when done. The entire project took about 2 hours to complete. One helpful hint, the toothpick axles are easy to add to the assembly if they are rolled in wax first. I used this technique and had zero issues during the build.I'm Looking forward to additional models by Ugears.

This was definitely a fun little project. I thought it was going to be difficult to build and I was wrong. I built several models in the past and helped my father build several RC planes. Compared to an RC plane this is a cake walk. If you have never built anything like that you should be ok to work on one of these. JUST be patient with it. The only parts I had trouble removing were these tiny little ends that conceal the tooth picks. They give you extras for good reason. Lucky for me I didn't need them. Go for it guys and gals, it's fun and the end is rewarding. Very good cuts on the wood and this product functions exactly as advertised.