Introduction: How to Build a Dalek

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in this instructable I'll show you how to build a life size cardboard dalek from the show doctor who. this was a bit experimental so feel free to improvise however you se fit.
also i was a bit in when i thought to start taking pictures, so i remade some parts of the dalek in miniature as a visual aid.

Step 1: Materials

to build the dalek you will need
-a lott of cardboard
-duct tape in multiple colors.
-painters tape, optional
-velcro, optional
-36 styrofome spheres
-mesh fabric
-and a toilet plunger

Step 2: The Skirt

first cut out the panels, i have a picture of what most of them should resemble but i also included a papercraft template by gfoyle that i found online and proved to be very helpful. so once they have all been cut out simply attatch them to each other with duct tape and begine working on the base of the skirt.

Step 3: The Base

now, put the main skirt down on two sheets of cardboard and trace the skirt leaving about an inch between the skirt and the edge, then cut out the two sheets of cardboard so that they are identical. now cut out the insides, leaving 2 inches width in one and five inches width on the other. having one bigger than the other will let you install wheels later. now role up 5 peices of cardboard and put them between the 2 pieces of the base, make them one inch tall. once that is done take a long thin strip of cardboardand glue it around the outer edge. finally, once the glue dries coat the outside in either black paint or duct tape.

Step 4: Optional

due to the daleks inability to fit through my door i employed an optional step to allow it to be partially disassemblable. simply put velcro on the base and the skirt.

Step 5: Finishing the Skirt

finally, trace the top of the skirt and cut out a flat piece of cardboard to that shape cut out the inside and attach it to the top and for now, you are done.

Step 6: The Midsection

take a long piece of string and wrap it around the top of the skirt, this is how long your midsection should be. now use that to roughly copy the shape below in full scale (leave your self about an extra inch in case of mistakes). then wrap it in a circle and tape it together. finally, mount it on the skirt and tape it from the inside.

Step 7: Arm Slots

to make these make 2 rectangles about 7 inches long and just big enough to hold an empty tape roll. then tape the tape role inside. measure an equal distance from the center and cut two holes to put the sockets in then tape/glue them in.

Step 8: Paint It

now remove the black base and paint the dalek your desired color.

Step 9: The Exterminator Arm

to make the spheres just find a ball that fits nicely into the empty tape roll, then cover half of it in painters and then duct tape. do this four times.
Now for the arms, first we will build the exterminator. firsts cut out a rectangle about 11 in. by 2.5 in. and cover it in silver tape/spray paint. now cut out six of the extensions so they are about .5 inches shorter than the barrel and attach them.
now take a stick ( i used a 2 attachable markers) put the hemi-spheres around them on the midway point, stuff the spheres full of tissue paper and tape it shut around the stick. then put one end of the stick up the gun barrel and tape it there.

Step 10: The Plunger Arm

normal toilet plungers are to heavy so this is how i improvised.
make the stick the same way as the exterminator barrel but make it 18 inches long.
then cover a normal toilet plunger (just the outside) in aluminum foil, then coat that in black duct tape then slide it of and coat the inside in black duct tape then attach it to the stick and put the last 2 hemi-spheres around the stick near one end, stuff the spheres full of tissue paper and tape it shut around the stick

Step 11: The Midsection Cont.

now we will make this silver belt like part. just cut a piece of cardboard about 6 inches tall and long enough to to wrap all the way around the dalek. then coat it in silver duct tape and then use red duct tape to attach it to the dalek. after that just cover the red duct tape that goes onto the silver belt.

Step 12: The Midsection Cont.

to finish it up cut a piece of mesh that wraps around the dalek from just above the belt to the top, making sure to hike it up around the arms. now make 4 silver colored rectangles that go from just above the arms to the top, and then make 11 longer ones that reach from just above the belt to the top and glue them all on.

Step 13: The Neck

first prop up the circle you made on the top of the daleks midsection and then make the outside of it silver. then measure it and make 4 more copies put one aside for later and color the other 3 silver. now take 6 cardboard support beams about a foot tall (and yes also colored silver) and attach them equal distances from each other around the midsection ring. now take the first two rings and attach them to the beams at one third and two thirds of the way up, and then staple mesh around the inner section of the last ring and hang the mesh down inside the beams and attach the ring to the top of the beams.

Step 14: Optional #2

you could attach the mesh to the midsection of the dalek or you could let it hang free so that it can be raised they both have pro's and con's but its your choice.

Step 15: The Head

to make the head take the last ring and attach a piece of cardboard to the inside so it can sit on the top of the neck and swivel. now stretch cardboard over it and then use tape or more cardboard (your choice) to make a dome, then paint/cover it with red duct tape.

Step 16: Eye Stalk and Side Lights.

for the eyestalk, make another tube and mount three rings in the middle, two small one larger and attach it to another empty tape roll (this is why i suggested tape. then make a cone thats open on both ends and mount the smaller one on the tube while putting a picture of the daleks eye in the larger end. then cut a hole in the dome to attach it and attach it. for the lights make two small cones and color them gold and stick them on the sides.

Step 17: 36 Hemi-spheres and Done

now coat the hemi-spheres in tinfoil and nail them to the dalek from the inside and you are done, nice job!

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