Spark Plug X-wing Fighter

This is Red leader to instructables, do you receive? The Empire has out numbered us, we need reinforcements!

The rebels are the coolest cats in the galaxy and they got some of the best digs, just like this trick craft. The X Wing has to be one of the coolest designs so thats what were going to build! Remember before we start this carnival, get yourself some decent safety equipment. Two main reasons for this, how will you be able to see the instructions and your creation with no eyes? And how will you type a reply with a picture of your x wing in the comments with no hands?

Step 1: Equipment

Since the Empire captured our workshops on Hoth we've been desperately low on equipment so we're on a make do circumstance, this X wing was made with a mig welder but any welder will do, even hot glue can be utiliseddo don't be discouraged! Ive been doing this long enough to use some currency from some bounties to get some hot kit but anything here can be done with manual tools.

Heres what you'll need space technician, any of the bellow

• Welder, hot glue or chemical metal.
• Pen and paper
• Tin shears, hacksaw, nibbler or angle grinder
• Sandpaper or a file

Parts List - search the wrecks of old AT-ATs they usually have the right components

• 4 Spark plugs (ask any local mechanic, tell him what youre up to, workshops bin loads of these daily)
• 4 Glow plugs (bit of a oddball, it is a regular thing to do in a workshop but if you cant get your hands on them, use bolts)
• Head bolt (again, ask a local mechanic or use a long lump of metal, world is your oyster)
• Sheet metal (You'll never guess where you can find this... Mechanics or body shop, any fabrication shop will have scrap in abondance)

I know asking Mechanics, fabrication shops or body shops might be daunting to the younger audience but explain what youre doing, any metal head would be onboard with the Idea, plus if you keep coming back you may have free reigns on their scrap, what's there to lose?

Step 2: Template Creation

Look, here's the issue, we can freehand everything but having uneven wings ruin the aerodynamics when entering atmosphere so we got to make a template!

This is where you'll need your pen and paper, maybe a ruler if you don't want to be a renegade.

What I tend to do is lay my parts out so I can get an idea of what I am to expect when its melted together, this is where ill need my components, or whatever you could muster, remember if it works it isn't stupid, usually the more peculiar the better it looks anyway!

So my fuselage is made with a head bolt, any bolt will do but this is my centerpiece, although the eyes are taken to the 4 spark plugs representing the engines so I reckon you'd get away with whatever for the fuselage. As you can see in the photos I've laid my components out in a skyview where I marked dots where I wanted the wings to go then connected the dots. Wa la, it's done, time to cut out and mark on metal!

Step 3: Mark and Cut

Now my template is cut out im going to mark on metal, I tend to use soapy water in a spray bottle and wipe the metal down so my sharpie doesnt get old metal filings or dust drying the tip out, small tip there, its free to you.

So I used a scrap piece of metal I had kicking around getting in the way, all my wings fit which was great, saves me having to scavenge anymore out of the local AT-AT! Once it was marked I used my shears to cut the wings out, I use bench mounted shear so I could get away with having my wings butted up against one another, if youre hacksaw cutting it might be worth doing them apart and filing them to shape for extra accuracy - something stormtroopers will never have ;)

Once cut I could see how my wings looked by once again loosely fitting the fighter together

Step 4: Preparing and Assembling

So to weld or even glue to metal it needs to be clean, don't want a wing to fall off in a dogfight with a tie fighter!

Again being lazy I used some hi-tech gear I swapped with the local trader for some power converters, he said he had a customer who was going to pick up the power converters later that day ;)

So I used a die grinder with a sanding disk but a file or sandpaper will do the same job, all you want is the surface clean to weld or stick glue to, once you have your surfaces clean you can start assembling the parts, first I put the wings together, I sunk the glow plug into my vice jaws and used the jaw to keep the wings flat, this worked really well, there is a picture of that attached.

With the Engines I used Spark Plugs, I used a magnet in the picture to hold them together.. Not too sure why because you'll get a better finish lying them down on a vice and holding them with a welding mitt.

When I had my engines together I welded them to the head bolt and bish bash bosh my fuselage is done, time to add the wings. This was the tricky part because unless you have a jig it's hard to get them in line, I just used my eyes and hoped for the best and it turned out not to shabby!

Step 5: End of the Line

Now its all together, if you didn't loose your eyes in the process you'll have something that looks like a Xwing, now all you need to do is send it to your local rebel airstrip and help with the war effort!

I threw together a stand out of some old rebar ties and a bearing case, I wont tell you how to suck eggs so you can be the creative dictator over the stand, or let it sit on its wings, either way you've now got one mean looking christmas decoration!

I would really appreciate it if you voted for this, and more importantly I'd love to see your Xwings in the comments so get into the garage!!