YOUR BONUS CONTENT

Download plans, diagrams and extra photos to help you build your tellurion

STEP 1

Print out the downloadable drawings and templates and use them to carefully mark out the plywood sections before cutting out the shapes. It is a good idea to use a sharp point to mark through the centre of each hole to aid accurate drilling.

STEP 2

After cutting out, tape the plywood arms together. Use a 6mm drill to drill through both at once – this ensures the holes will line up later on. Mount the year disc on a piece of scrap and rotate it against a sander to get a perfect circle.

STEP 3

Drill holes in some scrap wood to support the tubes as you saw them to length. File the ends flat while held in the block. Cut mitres almost all the way through to help form the bends. Make sure there are no burrs so the tubes pass smoothly through each other.

STEP 4

After checking against the plans, carefully solder the parts of the Earth and Moon arms together. Make sure joints are freshly sanded and use a solder with a flux core to ensure a good joint. A normal electrical iron should suffice. File off any surplus.

STEP 5

Drill holes in the Earth and Moon balls. Glue a 5mm tube through Earth’s axis and solder a small shoulder on the arm so it rotates without dropping down. If you are using a bulb, make sure the Sun has a larger hole and supporting ‘cup’ on its tube.

STEP 6

Carefully paint all the parts. Cut a section of belt and glue it round the circumference of the year disc. Build the Sun arm first then fit the Earth and Moon arms. Make sure you have fitted the Sun electrics if required then complete with the year disc and base.