GENERATOR CONSTRUCTION

TRANSLATOR -

Start by making the generator inner frame, bevels and end-plates. I used a form, made from a roll of drywall tape.(see picture below) Remove just enough till the inner frame fits snuggly around it. This will help to keep everthing nice and round. Glue one bevel to the inner frame and one to an end-plate.

At this point you can install all of the thickness inserts. I made forms for these also, from scrap card stock. You will need three different ones, one for each different hole. First, wrap the insert piece around the form and glue it...let it dry. Next, insert the form in the frame hole and glue it in place. Not too much glue...you want the insert to stick to the frame and not the form. Remove the form as soon as the glue has set, and move on to the next one.

OK...i'll admit this......... At this point, I made a mistake. It does't really affect the model, but I installed the end-plates wrong!! It really should have been rotated another 30 degrees. If you compare it to the prototype, you'll see what I mean. The bolt mouldings should have been installed between the pairs of slots in the bevel. AnyHoo...the glue drying time was less than the time that it took me to notice this, therefore my model is as shown!! Here again I used the drywall-tape form, but wrapped a few turns back on the roll, so that the frame now fits inside the form. This keeps everthing true while you glue the (bevel/end-plate) to the (inner frame/bevel). The bolt moulding and "dummy" nuts can be installed on this end.

This is point in construction where the "paper" nuts & bolts idea was born. My son, Nathan, seeing the model for the first time said, jokingly, "Oh, and I suppose these nuts actually turn off??" Originally, I had planned dummy nuts on both ends, and just have the removeable end 'twist and lock', or something!

I couldn't find any info on doing this, so here's what I did. I think it's sort of like using a tap and die set on real nuts and bolts. Get a nut and bolt of about the right size. Mine was about 1/8” I think it's a good idea to make more of these than you actually need. Some get wrecked along the way and just work better! The threaded rod was made in 2” sections. Wrap plain paper around a small rod (paper clip), as tightly as possible, and gluing as much of the paper as possible. (Leave this rod in the roll until we're all done.) Some experimenting is required to get the right size; it should fit the nut fairly snug, but not too tight. When you twist the nut over the dry roll, it should dig in and thread itself along. Now coat the roll with glue and give it a minute to “sog-up” and start to get tacky. When it's just right, carefully thread the nut over the roll. If it starts to bind or get too tight, back up a half turn and then go a little further. A disaster could happen here if the paper is too soggy, or not soggy enough! Just thread the nut over the roll once, then let it dry. COMPLETELY! Like over night. When it's completely dry, thread the nut carefully back a forth a few times. Now cut it into about half-inch lengths and slide them off the rod. The nut production is much the same. Roll the paper around the bolt you are using. The outside diameter of the roll should loosely fit inside the nut hexagon pieces from the plans. Make sure the paper roll is well glued. This will be cut into 1/8” lengths and if each layer of paper isn't glued to the next, it kind of falls apart. Wrap this roll around the bolt (apply glue to the bolt) as tight as you can. Here, again, the right amount of “paper soggyness” is required. Now roll the bolt and paper back and forth on a hard surface. The idea is to squish the paper down into the threads of the bolt. Carefully thread the bolt out of the tube and let it dry completely. When dry, thread the bolt back into the tube and cut into 1/8” sections. One section is then glued into a nut hexagon to make the complete nut. After everything is really dry, try threading a paper nut onto a paper bolt. Some will fit better than others, so pair them up for the best fit. Pick out your best six pairs and your're done.

The 'REMOVEABLE END-PLATE'

Now, make 4 cardstock rings, the diameter of your end plate and 3/8” wide. (4” in my case) Install two of them, one at a time, inside the gluing tabs of the bevel, and a third outside the tabs. Make this one as flat and smooth as possible to give a good mating surface for the end plate. Install the last one just inside the inserts and glue it to them. Let this dry completely, then punch Ľ” holes to match the bolt mouldings on the other end. A sturdy hole punch works well. Make a template to match the holes exactly, (just another ring) to transfer the hole positions to the end plate. Roll plain paper, outside diameter to loosely fit Ľ” hole and inside diameter to fit your paper bolts. Cut lengths (about ľ”) and install through the holes to the inner ring. Rolls should protrude about 1/8”. Using the template, punch Ľ” holes in the end plate. Install bolt mouldings. ( Punch holes in the moulding pieces before cutting them out. Paper bolts should fit through loosely.) When dry, set the end plate in position. Paper rolls should fit inside hole punched in the end plate, but not contact the bolt moulding. Run the nuts onto the bolt until just flush with the end of the bolt. Glue the othe end of the bolt and slide into paper roll. When dry, about a half turn on each nut should snug up the end plate. It is probably a good idea to always replace the end plate in the same position and the nuts on the same bolt, as removed.

Assemble outer frame to the base.