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I wanted to make an old school periscope for my 4 year old grandson's birthday. I looked for easy to do plans online but ended up making my own design.
Materials
HOBBY WOOD BOYLE 915X100X6.5MM SHEET x 4
HOBBY WOOD BOYLE++915X75X6.5MM SHEET x2
EACH CRAFT PAINT CRAFTY KID++500ML PEPPERMINT GREEN x 1
Parfix 250 ml PVA Wood Glue
Square Acrylic Mirror 200 x 200 mm
Glass mirror
45 mm pine knob polished x 2
Tools
Tenon saw
Clamps
Speed square
500 mm metal rule & pencil
Glass cutter
Nail gun with small nails
Paint brush
Black texta
Steps
Step 1
Measure 2 pieces of 915X100X6.5MM SHEET to 555 mm long. Use speed square to square the ends off and cut to 555 mm. These will make up the sides.
Measure 2 pieces of 915X100X6.5MM SHEET to 470 mm long. Use speed square to square the ends off and cut to 470 mm. These will make up the front and back.
Cut 4 x 90 degree triangles (these will be used as the basis for the mirrors). I struggled getting the size right and these spare triangles all over my workbench. One side of the triangle ended up being 100 mm and another side 120 mm.
The triangles will be the base for the mirrors.
Step 2
Glue 2 of the triangles to a piece of 520 mm 6.5 mm board on one side. Clamp.
Repeat for 2nd piece.
I ended up using my nail gun to attach the board to the triangles.
Step 3
This is a step that I didn't do but discovered once I had assembled the sides and front and glued them.
Paint the insides of the front and sides with black paint. This will mean more effective use of light through the mirrors.
Step 4
Glue one side to one of the back and clamp. I nailed it as well.
They need to be mirror images. One will have the opening for the mirror glued to a long side on the right.
The diagram below shows the way the 2 sides are glued to the front.
Step 5
Glue the two pieces of front/back together and nail. Clamp and leave to dry. Wipe away excess glue.
Step 6
Cut mirrors to size and glue to the triangular supports. Mirrors are 100 mm x 120 mm.
I found the acrylic mirrors wouldn't stay flat so I ended up purchasing a large mirror and glass cutter. I then cut 2 mirrors to size from the large mirror.
Glue the glass mirrors to the inside of the periscope body.
Step 7
Measure and cut a piece for the top and the base of the periscope. Glue and fit. Wipe away excess glue.
Step 8
Paint the outside of the periscope. I used green as I wanted it to have a dinosaur on the outside. I painted 3 layers and allowed to drive in between coats.
Step 9
One again, I discovered something which would have made it easier at the time. I should have attached handles to the sides before gluing the front and backs together. Insert facepalm here.
To fit the knobs, I measured the middle of a side, measured up from the base and drilled a hole for the knob. Repeated for the other side.
I slid my hand inside the periscope and fitted the bolt through the inside and screwed the knob on the outside. Repeated for the other side.
Step 10
I cut out a dinosaur design out and drew onto the two sides in heavy texta. I'll repeat over the lines to make them stand out more. The almost finished product is pictured below.
