erinja:Unless I was actually forging my own steel to make metal components, I wouldn't say that I made it from "krudaĵoj" (kruda = as nature produced it; maintaining a primitive state; not worked on, prepared, or cultivated)

Phew, that's some intense "scratch building" then!

The "denulo" certainly would then have a different meaning to English, where it sounds almost like the model kit is being generated by pure volition. Must be the way English values latinate sounding words as being more divine or scientifically precise.

ceigered:The "denulo" certainly would then have a different meaning to English, where it sounds almost like the model kit is being generated by pure volition. Must be the way English values latinate sounding words as being more divine or scientifically precise.

I suppose you could add 'preskaŭ' if you wanted to sound a bit more modest.

"Amikoj, gefratoj, bondezirantoj, bone aŭskultu: kiel Dio kreis la tutan mondon de nulo, tiel ankaŭ mi kreis tiu... de nulo!"

You are quite likely right, Erinja, and 'denule konstrui' is a perfectly acceptable metaphor.

I was momentarily misled by the translation as 'from nothing'. Strictly 'denule' means from zero.

I think the French say 'partir de zéro', 'reprendre à zéro' meaning to start from scratch, start all over again.

I was also distracted by other issues - like whether 'kompleto' is the right word for 'kit' (in the model building sense), and what is the semantic range of 'ensemblo'.

Can I use 'ensembli' in the sense of 'assemble'?

Undoubtedly, 'krudmaterialo' does cover 'raw materials', so not pre-fabricated in any way. But I couldn't think how else to describe 'materialo' like bits of plastic, cardboard, wood and string, out of which you might make a model.

Definition 2. in NPIV is Tuto de la objectoj, iloj ks necesaj por ago, laboro - ĉiuj materialoj de ŝia estonta laboro, la libro, papero, plumo kuŝis antaŭ ŝi (Z)

sudanglo:I was also distracted by other issues - like whether 'kompleto' is the right word for 'kit' (in the model building sense),

I think "kompleto" sounds fine in this sense.

sudanglo:Can I use 'ensembli' in the sense of 'assemble'?

I would say 'munti'