Step by step

Step 1

Calculate the length of your main tube by adding the focal lengths of the lenses together (remember, one is negative!) and subtracting 100mm (ours was 1,000mm – 50mm – 100mm = 850mm). Use a fine-toothed saw to cut the sticks to length.

Step 3

When the glue has dried, fill all the gaps with wood filler. When this has set, file down and sand any raised areas. Sand the ends before pushing out the PVC tube and leatherette, leaving a neat, black card lining; the tube should be strong and rigid.

Step 5

After spraying the insides and ends of the tubes matt black, add pieces of leatherette to decorate. Check the lens tubes slide inside the main tube. We masked off some sections and sprayed them red and made a rubber stamp to print on gold decoration.

Step 2

Tape sticks together and apply glue to the surface. Wrap your PVC tube in an offcut of leatherette (don’t remove the sticky back) so its diameter is a bit larger, and wrap black card round it. Wrap the glued sticks round the black card layer and hold with tape.

Step 4

Use a similar process to make the two lens holder tubes; there are two plywood rings which are glued to the PVC tube. Make sure there is space for the lens and a plywood ‘lens ring’ in the recess. Sticks and filler are used as before.

Step 6

When everything is dry you can install the lenses. We used a very small dab of hot glue to hold them in and then pushed in the leatherette-covered lens rings. Once completed, you will need to experiment by sliding the eyepiece holder in and out to focus.