FAQ

If you make a purchase for the first time via https://ugears-shop.nl, you will receive a discount code for subsequent purchase. This code is known per se but will not be included in these answers. In addition, UGears regularly has promotional codes for pre-sales and combination deals for multiple models. The discount code cannot be applied to the models which price is already decreased.

In the package of most models goes piece of wax and piece of sand paper. For most builders it is enough to finish building process without any problems. However, if you would like to make the building process we gathered tips from our regular clients. They also use:

- Sandpaper; some sandpaper is included, but that is not very large. Grit 240 or finer is recommended and use a large sheet; then you can run the parts over the sandpaper instead of the other way around; works a lot easier.
 
- A lubricant; opinions differ widely on this. A stick of candle wax is supplied as standard, but that is often not enough for a model to work properly. Tea lights (cheap) and some types of wax or grease are often used. Make sure that the lubricant does not harden but remains soft. In addition, it must not contain water, otherwise the wood will expand. Commonly used lubricants: tea light or candle wax, furniture wax, silicone grease. The best to our knowledge is pure paraffin wax.
 
Tools; a small sharp hobby knife (breaker blade) is indispensable, but if you build a model more often, the following things can be useful:
Small needle nose pliers;
Small side cutters (often used to cut the cocktail sticks to length);
File set;
Work mat or tea towel; if you are going to lubricate with e.g. candle wax then grease falls next to the parts; not insurmountable, but shaking out a cloth is a bit easier than cleaning your table. Also handy with sanding.
Wood glue; not necessary for building the model, but unfortunately sometimes something breaks that can be repaired with some wood glue. This is often more difficult with moving parts.
 

Patience !!! Perhaps a seriously underestimated part of building; the best models are created by looking quietly, by sanding and lubricating moving parts well and by checking everything properly for function.
A soft hand; don't use force, everything is made to fit together neatly without pushing hard. Detaching parts from the plates can occasionally be a bit more difficult; use the knife to carefully loosen the attachment points in such cases. When building, if parts are stiff in place, you can use some lubricant and / or sand.
Use your eyes well; take your time to read the instructions carefully. In the UGears instructions there are also very sometimes small errors, but at 99% you can assume that the instruction is really correct. Pay close attention to the lines that indicate the positions where parts should be and if you are not sure, it often helps to look a few pages further to see the assembled part.
Do not proceed to the next step until you are sure everything is running smoothly, if not reassemble the part after proper sanding and waxing.
The construction itself is relatively easy if you neatly follow the manual step by step; keep your patience and especially sand and grease well. Gears and "bearings" in particular deserve extra attention when sanding. Remove any wood residue between the teeth and sand the teeth at an oblique angle so that less friction is created (the tooth becomes a bit sharper but do not overdo it so that it becomes a thrower). Always sand surfaces that are in contact with moving parts (e.g. a bottom plate with gears: sand the bottom plate and also the surface of the gear).
A useful tip here is to sand the entire building board in its entirety, so before you start removing parts. That is often easier than the individual parts.

Paper manuals belong to a model and use pictures and icons (such as a candle or a knife). These are in the languages ​​SP, FR, DE, ENG, CH & Ukr. Generally, no translation is required, but if you want full Dutch translation you can get it in 3 steps:
Go to www.ugears-shop.nl
Search for your model using the search field and go to the page of your model
Under the pictures of the model, there is a button “Assembling help”, having clicked on it you will see a “Download PDF Manual” button.

The weakest part of the models is without a doubt the elastics. These dry out and crumble. It can be partly prevented by spraying the elastics with silicone spray or grease during construction. This increases their lifespan a bit, but not forever. Exposure to the sun greatly reduces the lifespan of rubber bands: try to avoid exhibiting your models in sunny places. Keeping them in the dark (un exhibited) will greatly expand their time. On some models, it’s quite easy to change the rubber bands. Some models have their elastics enclosed in their structure, so they will last much longer (and be more difficult to change…) For most builders the fun is in building; run a few times and then exhibit.

Sometimes, despite all your caution, you break a part. It is and remains wood so that can happen. The most risky parts are already supplied extra on the plates (Add), but if you are through or need another part, you may easily order it via the link: https://new.ugears-shop.nl/en/order-part

Yes, you can paint it, but we cherish originality in our models and advise not to cover with all water based varnish, or color with water based paint. However, artistic markers and crayons can be used, as they don't have an impact on plywood.

Most models are suitable for children 14 years old and older. For certain models, your child may need additional parental assistance. Our mission is to unite children and their parents, while having good old-fashioned fun working with your hands and using your imagination.
The STEM Collection is created for the children since the age of 8 years old, meanwhile the UGears Coloring models are for the kids since 5 years old.