INTRO PAGE
(1) WHAT YOU'LL NEED
(2) DOWNLOAD PARTS SHEETS
(3) ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
(4) ABOUT YOUR MODEL
Assemble the Alidade Structure*
View this stage of DSS construction.
 CREASING A SCORED PART USING METAL RULER |
From Parts Sheet A, cut out the ALIDADE BOTTOM. Use an art knife with a fresh new blade, to cut out this complex shape. Don't bother to cut out the triangles and rectangles drawn on the part.
Cut out the central black circle.
With printed side up, fold down all four WHEELS assemblies 90° at each corner of the part. Place a drop of white glue inside the folds, to hold their shape. Prop the four folded WHEELS assemblies somehow, to hold shape while glue dries. The large rectangular section must be kept flat.
From Parts Sheet B, cut out the large ALIDADE BACK & SIDES. Use a metal ruler to guide your knife for the long straight cuts. Carefully cut out the 17 triangles marked X. There are four small unmarked triangles that do not need to be cut out.
Score lightly for folding along the 3 dashed lines, guiding your art knife with a metal ruler. Be careful not to cut through the paper, or to cut in too deeply.
Crease along each score by pressing against the edge of a metal ruler. Complete the crease neatly by folding each panel all the way back away from the printed and scored surface.
After creasing, fold the ALIDADE side panels 90° to the BACK panel. Unprinted sides face each other inside. Fold the upper part of the BACK panel down to meet the slanted sides. Glue together. You may find it helpful to devise and use a lightweight clamp by impaling two small scraps of cardboard on a bamboo skewer.
ALIDADE FINISHED
FOR NOWThere is a tab at the top of each of the ALIDADE's sides, marked ELEVATION BEARING TAB on the parts sheet, with additional marks for scoring and folding. Smear some glue inside each, and fold them each down on themselves. This will strengthen the paper for use as part of the ELEVATION BEARING. Bore or punch a small hole, about 3 mm wide, at the black dot on each of these two tabs.
Set the ALIDADE BOTTOM printed side up on your work surface, so it stands on its four WHEEL assemblies. Fit the glued ALIDADE SIDES & BACK down onto the ALIDADE BOTTOM, as shown at right. With a long bamboo skewer, apply a drop of glue inside each of the two back corners where the parts meet.
When the glued corners have dried, align the ALIDADE side panels with the BOTTOM and apply glue sparingly. Let dry.
From parts sheet B, cut out the ALIDADE FRONT. Cut out the 8 triangles marked X. Score and crease along the dashed line. Set this part aside for now. It will go in place after the WAVEGUIDES are installed inside the ALIDADE.
The ALIDADE in your model reproduces the DSS's structure with pretty good accuracy, although there are some equipment platforms not represented, in order to help simplify.
The image below shows the ALIDADE mostly complete, with most WAVEGUIDES installed -- this is the next step for the model.
The big semi-circular COUNTERWEIGHT appears near the top of the image below. It had to be held in place before the MAIN REFLECTOR could be installed, to balance it. Since we don't have to worry about balancing massive steel structures during assembly, the counterweight will be the last thing installed in your model.
Click below to build your 34m BWG DSS 1/250 Scale Model.
INTRO PAGE
(1) WHAT YOU'LL NEED
(2) DOWNLOAD PARTS SHEETS
(3) ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
(4) ABOUT YOUR MODEL
