Steampunk Explorer Toy Set: Telescope and Steampunk Prints

Make your own Steampunk Explorer Toy Set for your family and friends. It’s the holiday season and my family LOVES to make gifts for one another. It's easy on the budget, it's sentimental, and it's fun to make! I hope you enjoy this tutorial. This project was inspired by my cousin Alejo who is an adventurer in spirit and loves to play make believe.

I'm also selling some fun items on Society6:
Iphone Skin  
Iphone Case
Art Prints  

Enjoy!

Telescope was made with a Tiddle Winks game packaging. Essentially, you will need:

- 1 long cardboard tube (similar to a toilet paper or napkin holder tube) * size can vary
- 1 shorter cardboard tube smaller in size  (size can vary)
- 1 Kates Paperie shopping bag or 1 sheet of card stock
- Measuring tape
- Ruler
- Glue gun
- 1 medium sized long screw
- 2 plastic caps that fit the end of the telescope (included in Tiddle Winks game)
- Black, Copper, Silver, and yellow acrylic paints
- Exacto knife
- Cutting mat
- Paint brushes

Steampunk prints:

- Laser printer
- Blank white paper 8.5" x14" or 8.5" x 11"
- Baking sheet
- 2-3 breakfast tea bags
- Small bowl
- *Sketches or images that you want to stain (photos, maps, structural plans, letters, etc.)

*I have provided some illustrations to play with in this tutorial.


p.s. My lovely model is my good friend and co-worker, Ayaka Ito.

Step 1: Telescope: Find Your Materials

Begin by looking for materials that resemble the shape of a telescope. I found a $12 Tiddly Winks game at Kate's Paperie. The long slender shape of the tube seemed perfect for the job. It also came with three smaller tubes and a variety of chips in a small bag. I did not use the chips, but I'm sure I'll find another use for them. The smaller tubes, however, turned out to be perfect for assembling the telescope's extension piece. The game also included caps for each tube. I kept these plastic inserts to create an eyepiece on one end of the telescope and a lens cap for the other. See photographs for reference.

Comments

[saritamarianyc]

I'm also selling some fun items on Society6:
Iphone Skin
Iphone Case
Art Prints

Enjoy! 

[playfulplans]

Wow wow wow...

Excellent detailed instructible, you have a personal vision and technique also.

[waterbaby]

A very thorough instructable for a fantastic project! The end product is wonderfully detailed and looks complex, while the execution is requires only basic skills and readily available materials and tools and yet is still so effective. AND you give us brilliant printables, too -- thanks!

[saritamarianyc]

Thank you everyone for your awesome comments and great feedback. Please vote for this Instructable at the top. It would be much appreciated.

Also, I received a pro membership for 3 months free. The first to message me. I would be glad to give it to! :)

[wq2315563]

This girl really long as we Chinese people

[albhednomad]

I like your "aging" technique for the papers. A lot easier than when I did for some "ancient texts" I did for history class. My method consisted of lightly burning some of the edges then dipping the papers in instant coffee and allowed to dry. Your method is far simpler and I think it gives off a better effect.

[Frans van Dijk]

Very nice instructable. Suggest you buy the book titled Leonardo da Vinci, by Frank Zoellner, to read all about the guy (LdV, our first steampunk) who wrote the first batch of instructables a few centuries ago; as a matter of fact he (LdV) adopted your style. Thanks, as said: very nice. Frans van Dijk

[Puzzledd]

Cute idea, and very effective; great for encouraging imaginative play! Love your illustrations, too :)

[gopherthegold]

My tiddlywinks game will never see this coming. Thanks!

[anex]

This is great work! I love the prints. I have been working on designs for a steam punk designed office....knick knacks, prints and gadgets included. Thanks for posting.