comments:
It’s a thoughtful gift but definitely not a beginners model in any form. Tools wise you can either buy a starter kit off of Amazon like this one (https://a.co/d/07FLSoiD) Otherwise the main thing you need is a flush cutters, maybe a small flat head screw driver and some needle nose pliers. I personally use a small jewelers one and a 6” commercial electric. Looking beyond that you can purchase a cheaper metal earth model to get an idea of how much the metal can bend and just build up some basic skills like tab folding twisting etc. The one I generally recommend is the Golden Gate Bridge or Eiffel Tower Metal earth model as it’s primarily 90* bends and everything is fairly flat. Others would recommend one of the planes since those introduce curved pieces early, Honestly the best beginner model is what ever the cheapest I can find is.
If you can stand to wait a little bit, I've found this toolkit to be extremely helpful. Also, something I didn't get myself for a while and then kicked myself for not getting sooner is a handsfree magnifying glass with a light. Common ones are standalone units, desk clamps, or ones you wear. I personally prefer the ones you wear but that's just me. I still have pretty good eyesight but they keep me from going cross-eyed after building for a couple of hours. I know it's a couple of bones but if these things help you enjoy your build more, it may be worth it.