After building both the London Tour Bus and the Starry Night Orrery, I learned a lot about my own preferences as a builder.
I realized that I enjoy kits where the pieces fit together cleanly and don’t require excessive force. Even though the orrery has beautiful mechanical elements, the tighter fits and delicate parts made it harder on my hands and less enjoyable for me personally.
The London Tour Bus also took longer to complete, which is something I actually preferred. I enjoy spending more time on a build and feeling fully immersed in the process rather than finishing too quickly.
Because of that, the happiness-to-price ratio felt better for me with the bus. I felt more satisfied throughout the build and even more proud once it was finished. It helped me realize that build comfort, time investment, and fit matter just as much to me as aesthetics or movement.
I’d love to hear from others — do you enjoy longer, more detailed builds, or do you prefer quicker projects?
I like both but I definitely prefer the longer more challenging builds. Sometimes after a long one (which is MOST of mine, because I paint them), I like to hop over to an easy one for a break.
I like both, sometimes I just want a quick standard build that I don’t customise or have to work too hard on. Mostly I enjoy a challenge, something that might take me a while to complete and I enjoy building from scratch.
As @Nita_Davis mentioned, you could also paint your models which definitely adds to the project and stretches out the time they take too.
Well, one build is a stationary model the other is a mechanical model. Mechanical models are generally going to be more challenging. Electric models are even more finicky the that.
I’m trying to think what other models are similar to the bus but I can’t think of any to recommend for you.
I didn’t mind the challenge as it made the build more interesting but I missed the accuracy and easy assembly of the bus. Some parts of the music box just didn’t fit together very well and it caused some fragile pieces to break. It was a good thing extra pieces were included. I just wish there were more kits that had mechanical aspects to it that were also easy assemble without much force.
They are lovely kits. I dontmibd doing quicker build in between of my detailed builds. But if I was going to choose one over the o Th her. I’m will choose a more complex build.
I like both to be honest and I try to alternate between an easier vs challenging one so I don’t get burned out. Both types give me satisfaction and joy in different ways.
But if I have to choose I would pick a more complex kit (like the older Rolife sets). It makes the kit last longer and I get to be more hands on. It’s also very rewarding when you notice a gradual improvement in your own skills.
I totally get what you mean! There’s something so satisfying about a build that really draws you in and lets you immerse yourself in the process. I think longer, more detailed kits give that sense of accomplishment and pride that shorter ones sometimes can’t match. That said, I also enjoy the occasional quick project when I just want to relax without committing hours~ it’s like a different kind of fun. Emmm… For me, the “happiness-to-time” ratio is really key too. If a kit is fiddly or uncomfortable to handle, it can take away from the enjoyment no matter how cool it looks. I’d love to hear from others as well~ maybe some people thrive on the challenge of tight fits and complex mechanics!
This is such a thoughtful reflection It’s really nice to see how different builds help you understand what you enjoy most, comfort and the building experience matter just as much as the final result.
I usually alternate between more complex builds when I’m on vacation or have more free time, and easier, simpler ones for when I’m working and have very little free time available and need something quick that doesn’t require too much thinking so I can switch off. With the bigger builds, I end up making changes, and that usually requires me to be mentally fresh so they turn out well.
You made two beautiful kits I enjoy making complex structures with lots of detail. I enjoy painting them and watching them slowly come together. After I’ve completed a large structure, I enjoy making a smaller one that’s easier to assemble.
I like to build at my own pace. I don’t like to rush things since I might commit mistakes more. I rather enjoy the process than the result. For the type of kit, I like the kits longer to build than the quick one.
I enjoy making complex structures with lots of detail. I enjoy painting them and watching them slowly come together. After I’ve completed a large structure, I enjoy making a smaller one that’s easier to assemble.