Dr Who Dalek

In this instructable we will be roughly following the plans from the 1970s. We will cover how to construct the dalek as well as wiring. feel free to improvise with whatever you happen to already have on hand.

P.S. This dalek will not fit through the average door so I advise building it in a garage or somewhere that there is a large door.

In this step you will create the basic frame for the lower half of the dalek cut out specified pieces but add 25.4 mm or 1 in overhang on the bottom piece and assemble as shown.

Now cut out the parts for the shoulders and assemble as shown.

Cutout pieces to go from the lines on the base to top of the frame and screw pieces to frame.

Cut out thin pieces to wrap around the shoulder frame. screw pieces into place.

Cut out and assemble parts as shown cut out slot to fit arm mount and screw into place.

Cut small pieces to wrap around perimeter of the shoulder section. The tall pieces are 5 in or 127 mm tall. The short pieces are 3 in or 76 mm tall. Cut an angle where they meet.

Mix rock-hard putty in a 3 to 1 ratio. 3/4 cup of rock-hard powder and 1/4 cup of water works well. Stir thoroughly. Apply to all cracks.let harden for a few hours or until hard.

Sand with hand held belt sander until you get your desired results. If you want a smother result you can go with a finer grit on an random orbital sander.

Cut 5 pieces 1.75 in wide and 8 inches long and 17 pieces 1.75 in wide and 12 in long out of 3/4 in plywood. Attach pieces equally spaced around the perimeter with a screw in the top and bottom of each piece.

Screw casters on to the bottom of the dalek in locations specified in picture.

Model the dome with polymer clay then cover with a trash bag to keep it clean. If you have access to fiber glass fiberglass over the clay dome. If you don't mix rock-hard in a 2 to 1 ratio and use as paper-mache paste this creates a really strong paper mache.

Create parts and assemble as shown.

Take apart the lantern sand down where the switch was on the casing. Heat up the battery cover and push the center in about an inch. Take apart one of the three small flashlights you will need. Get it down to just the led circuit board and battery pack solder the circuit board onto about 4 ft of wire. Solder one side of the battery pack to a switch or the button that was on the light to begin with. Connect other side of the battery pack and the switch to the two wires. Take the reflector from the flashlight and stretch a blue balloon over it and secure it with CA glue. Paint lantern casing black. Drill a hole in the battery-cover to fit the reflector then glue reflector in place. Run the wires through the hole created by the removal of the switch and tape over hole with electrical tape.

Cut a piece of 5/8 in dowel rod 13 in long. Using scissors trim 5 CD's to desired diameters. Cut a notch in center hole for the wires slide the CD's onto one end of the dowel 3/4 inch apart. Mount eye onto the end with the disks and run wires through the notches in the CD's tape wires to dowel. Cut 2 disks 4 in in diameter and 3/4 in thick. Drill 5/8 in hole in center of disks. Screw disks together and drill 5/8 in hole on the side of the disks. Insert other end of dowel into disk and screw in place.

You will need 48 half spheres (I know that there are 56 on real daleks) I used 2 packages of 12-4 inch clear Christmas ornaments (4 inch ornaments). Sand hanging point off with belt sander. Using a half sphere as a template trace all of the locations for the balls. Follow the lines using caulk then push the half sphere onto the caulk. Repeat until all 48 are used.

Cut 8, 1 ft long pieces of copper house wire bend 90 degree angle 1 inch from each end of all wires. Drill holes to fit wires 1/2 in from one end in a piece of 3/4 PVC pipe 13.5 inches long. Place in holes and use CA glue to secure in place.cut a piece of 5/8 in dowel 28 in long. Screw the rubber part of a small black sink/toilet plunger to one end. In another piece of 3/4 PVC pipe 13.5 inches long press a 1 inch piece of pipe with a OD(outer diameter) of 3/4 and ID(inner diameter) of 5/8. Insert plunger bar into the end of the small piece of pipe you inserted.

Ideally you want two, 4 in wooden spheres but Styrofoam balls covered in rock-hard will do in a pinch. Drill hole to fit the PVC pipes from the previous step. Insert and glue PVC pipes being careful not to get glue on the dowel.

Follow the wiring diagram using about 4 ft of wire. Drill hole the dome for lights secure in holes with the LEDs on the outside using CA glue. cover with reflector from the lamp you cut in step 13 glue in place.

Use a battery powered phone or tablet dock for sound.

Install a lazy Susan style bearing for head rotation or follow making the head turn directions.

Using 3/4 in plywood cut 3 inch wide strips cut and screw around perimeter of the base.

Paint until desired look is achieved.

Thanks for reading and have fun with your new dalek.