INTRO PAGE
(1) WHAT YOU'LL NEED
(2) DOWNLOAD PARTS SHEETS
(3) ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
(4) ABOUT YOUR MODEL
What You'll Need to Build Your 34m BWG DSS Scale Model
Some experience. If you've never built a scale model before, you might not wish to tackle this as your first. Also, it may help to have previously worked on some other technically complex scale model made of paper (see http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/scalemodels for ideas).
A dictionary. What's an "alidade?" A dictionary may help make this project an enjoyable learning experience.
Pencil, preferably with round, rather than hexagonal cross section. This will be used to curl some small parts into ring shape, and to make a reference mark.
White Glue, such as Elmer's Glue-all® or equivalent.
Spray Glue, such as 3M Super77®, or equivalent low-moisture, permanent, rubbery spray adhesive.
Art knife, X-Acto® #11 or equivalent, and a good supply of fresh new blades. While working, you'll need to change blades in your art knife a few times, to ensure smooth, accurate cuts. This project probably requires more than two blades.
An appropriate cutting surface, such as X-Acto® Self-Healing Mat.
A couple of small plastic drinking cups that can fit inside the main reflector, to help while gluing. Their base has to be less than 7 cm in diameter. Ideally, the mouth of the cups should be around 9 cm diameter.
A flat, well-illuminated work surface.
Scissors, small.
Card stock, white, of a size that will fit your computer's printer. Generally called "cover stock" or "card stock", it should be stiffer than regular copy paper, but not too stiff to roll a small piece around a pencil. You might wish to experiment.
Base of wood, foamcore, cardboard, or any other flat surface, at least large enough to support the circular AZIMUTH TRACK on Parts Sheet A, which is 9.3 cm in diameter.
Two short lengths of thick solder (about 3mm diameter, each about a cm in length) to make soft metal rivets. These will be used in the Elevation Bearing assembly. Solder of the thickness needed is usually sold in hardware stores for plumbing work. (Caution: some solder contains lead, which is harmful if ingested.)
Diagonal cutters to snip the solder
LOW-MASS CLAMPMetal ruler to guide your art knife for cutting and scoring, and to press against when making a crease in paper parts. It should be graduated in SI units, mm and cm. If you prefer inches, use an appropriate metal ruler to convert the callouts on this website.
Small alligator clips are useful for clamping sometimes. A larger clamp, good for assembling the alidade, can be made by skewering a couple pieces of scrap cardboard on a bamboo stick.
If you have a very small hole punch, it would be helpful for making the four holes required when assembling the elevation bearing. 3 mm would be an ideal size, but a little larger might also work. If you don't have such a punch, you'll probably be able to cut good enough holes with your art knife.
Long-nose pliers, small.
Bamboo skewers for reaching through trusses to apply white glue.
Time: 24 hours nominally. But that's a guess. Click here to tell us how long it actually took you, and we'll update this based on results.
Patience. Resist the occasional urge to crumple and throw things. Careful work is required. The result will be a technically accurate scale model of the newest of NASA's Deep Space Network front-end machines, that can be used to demonstrate the major mechanical and microwave concepts they employ.
Feedback. Please send some notes telling about your experiences with this project, how long it took you to assemble it, how you're using it, what mistakes you uncovered, and so on. Click here.
Here's where you can obtain the Adobe Acrobat Reader® software, free of charge, for reading and printing .pdf files such as the parts sheets for this scale model project.
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
