If you're considering your first PropBuilds kit and aren't sure which one to start with, this is the article for you. There are four active kits in the catalog, each one built differently, each one taking a different amount of time, each one priced differently. They all share the same DNA: original CAD designs, premium matte PLA, hand-packed, made-to-order. But the right starting kit depends on what you actually want out of the build experience.
Here's an honest, side-by-side breakdown of all four. No fluff. Real photos from the kits themselves. By the end you'll know exactly which one to add to your build queue first.
Quick Comparison
- Cheapest, biggest press-fit build: Oxum's Gas Station. 36 parts, 5 to 10 minutes, no tools needed.
- Most beginner-friendly entry kit: Hackable Crate. 26 parts, 5 to 10 minutes, no tools needed.
- First step into screw-built kits: Shotgun Trap. Hardware and Allen key included. 15 to 20 minutes.
- Most mechanically complex: Minicopter. 38 parts, 29 M4 screws plus extras, free-rotating rotor and propeller. 20 to 25 minutes.
The Hackable Crate
The Hackable Crate is one of the most beginner-friendly kits in the catalog. 26 parts, all press-fit. No glue. No screws. No tools. Each panel keys into the next with a tuned tolerance that holds firmly without locking up. You can build it on a coffee table while a show plays in the background.
What's in the box: 26 numbered 3D-printed parts, 2 rubber bands that serve as cosmetic crate straps, printed assembly instructions with a QR-linked video, and a green PropBuilds keycard. Assembly takes 5 to 10 minutes for most builders.
The finished crate has the green panels, orange face strip, and chrome rivet detailing that's recognizable to any Rust player from across a room. It sits well on a shelf, a desk, or above a monitor.
Pick this kit if: you've never built a PropBuilds kit before, you want something fast and satisfying, or you're buying a gift for someone who isn't necessarily a maker. It's the simplest possible entry into the catalog.
The Oxum's Gas Station
The Oxum's Gas Station is the entry-priced kit in the catalog and the most monument-like of the four. It's the same difficulty as the Hackable Crate (press-fit, no tools, 5 to 10 minutes) but with more parts (36 vs 26) and more visual variety in the finished build.
Where the Hackable Crate is a single object, the Oxum's Gas Station is a small structure with a roof, the iconic green Oxum's signage, the gas pump silhouettes, and the building face. On a shelf it gives the other kits something to be parked next to.
What's in the box: 36 precision 3D-printed parts, a green keycard-style PropBuilds business card, and a printed assembly guide with QR-linked video.
Pick this kit if: you want the press-fit experience but with more pieces and more visual interest in the finished build, or if you want the lowest-cost way to start collecting PropBuilds kits.
The Shotgun Trap
The Shotgun Trap is the step-up from press-fit. It introduces screws. Each kit ships with mounting screws and an Allen key sized for them.
Why screws instead of press-fit? The Shotgun Trap has fine mechanical detailing along the trigger and barrel sections that needs a tighter mechanical hold than press-fit can give. You don't need glue. You don't need to track tolerances yourself. You just spin in a few fasteners with the included tool. Assembly takes 15 to 20 minutes.
What's in the box: 3D-printed shotgun trap parts, mounting screws, an Allen key, and printed assembly instructions with a QR-linked video.
Pick this kit if: you're comfortable using an Allen key, you want a build that's slightly more involved than press-fit, and you want a kit that reads clearly as a Rust in-game object on a shelf.
The Minicopter
The Minicopter is the most mechanically detailed kit in the catalog and the longest build by a wide margin. 38 parts, 29 M4 screws plus extras, an Allen key included. Assembly takes 20 to 25 minutes for most builders, slightly longer for first-timers.
The thing that sets the Minicopter apart from the other three kits is that it has moving parts. The main rotor spins freely under finger pressure. So does the propeller on the tail. The wheels on the landing skids roll. Every rotating joint uses an M4 axle screw and the included Allen key. Tighten the screw once during assembly and the joint stays in place.
The screw-built construction means the Minicopter survives being moved around or knocked into without falling apart, which matters when you have working rotors.
What's in the box: 3D-printed Minicopter parts, 29 M4 screws plus extras, an Allen key, a custom adjustable display stand (when selected at checkout), and a QR-linked assembly video.
Pick this kit if: you want the most involved build PropBuilds offers, you appreciate moving parts and mechanical detail, or you've already built one of the simpler kits and want to step up. Also the right pick if you want the largest presence on a desk or shelf.
The Decision Matrix
Cutting through the long descriptions, here's the short version:
- Lowest price, biggest press-fit build · Oxum's Gas Station
- Never built a kit, want it done in 10 minutes · Hackable Crate
- Want something more involved with screws and an Allen key · Shotgun Trap
- Want the most detailed kit with moving parts · Minicopter
- Buying a gift and not sure · Hackable Crate or Oxum's Gas Station — both are short, satisfying builds
- Buying for a partner who's into Rust and into making things · Minicopter. Longest build, most moving parts
One More Thing
If you build any of these and want another, the kits pair well on a shelf. The Hackable Crate plus the Minicopter is a classic combination (ground crate and flying transport). The Oxum's Gas Station plus the Shotgun Trap reads like a Rust monument with its defense. There's no wrong order to collect them in, but most builders start with one of the press-fit kits (Hackable Crate or Oxum's) and step up to the screw-built ones (Shotgun Trap or Minicopter) once they're comfortable with the process.
Every kit is print-to-order and ships within 48 hours of payment. If a part arrives damaged, email me at contact@propbuilds.com with a photo and your order number. Reach out and I'll do what I can to make it right.
Pick one and start building.
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Oxum's Gas Station →  · Hackable Crate →  · Shotgun Trap →  · Minicopter →
Fan-made decorative build kits. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Facepunch Studios. Rust and all related game assets are the property of Facepunch Studios.