Not all that glitters is gold.
At this year’s Etnacomics, wanting to try something different while keeping the long-standing tradition of buying a model kit, I dared to buy a small metal boat.
It turned out to be a really bad choice and a waste of money.
I spent who-knows-how-many hours trying to assemble it, fighting with tiny pieces that were easy to lose, hard to bend into the shape they were meant to be, and very easy to break with even the slightest force.
Moreover, there were no spare parts to use when something, inevitably, went wrong.
After more than a month of intermittent attempts without getting anywhere, I decided to abandon the project all together.
My sister managed to rescue my suffering pride by gifting me a wooden puzzle, akin to the ones that have given me so many satisfactions in the past.
This one is an airship.
Here is how it is presented on the seller’s site:
Building process
This time the model’s modest size allowed me to put it together in a single evening.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that, despite the many thin pieces that make up the front section, the assembly went very smoothly.
Although the build is a bit repetitive due to the symmetry of the frame, the smooth assembly made the whole process quite relaxing.
Once the two main parts were joined, the airship started to take shape.
Next came the lower part, the gondola carried by the balloon.
Unfortunately, I ran into some trouble at the final step, which resulted in some damage to the wheel axle. I’m also not a huge fan of the design choice of having the entire structure rest on the four little wheels, as it undermines the model’s stability.
Conclusion
Since I’m away on a trip, I can’t show the full collection as I usually do, but here’s a photo taken in the office alongside other trinkets of dubious value.
