Sticking your neck out...

As a concept the neck is one of the most simplest of concepts – like riding a bike. Three rings, supported by 8 uprights. Throw in some screen down mesh and you're done - unfortunately, also like riding a bike, the neck involves smooth circles, that if they get a bit bumpy and rough, bring the entire concept to its knees. With a cry of 'I'll be done with this by tea-time' I whipped out my sheet of ply (3/4”, to match the plans) and proceeded to jigsaw a shape that was almost, but not entirely, unlike a circle. Oh God, another scifi reference... Anyhoo, between the dips, the high points and the out-and-out gouges, it looked like the Dalek had been in a demolition derby. Not to be outwitted, I proceeded to attempt to bevel the edge at 45 degrees with the jigsaw (the general thought being two cuts make a right). Now the Dalek was looking unsatisfactory in three dimensions! I set it aside and came back to it the next morning - guess what, now the dalek was unsatisfactory in four dimensions!


And so began a journey that led me to becoming a jedi – or at least the hardware equivalent of one. I know I'm mixing SF metaphors here ('Gandalf says use the force, Harry'), but stay with me. I have often wondered when I would get to wield a true lightsaber. Two words. Rotary cutter. 24000 RPM of pure evil, directed onto a single point on earth. Or a 4x8' sheet of MDF. Thank you Mr Ryobi... An afternoon with my new toy and a circle guide produced my three rings, and a 45 degree bevelled router bit rounded out the day.

Of course, energy density being what it is in 2013, you can almost hear your light saber spooling down as it sucks all the power from your 18v batteries. Oh – and if you drain your batteries too quickly, they get so hot that the charger won't charge them! So next time you see Liam Neeson melting a bulkhead wall with his trusty 'saber, spare a thought for the battery!

So, with the basic building blocks in place, and with Tegan's expert eyesight, we mocked up the right height on the levels of the neck, and started pinning and gluing. Now all the neck needs it a lick of paint, those detail blocks at each upright join, and some rubber matting to obscure the operator. The interweb tells me the show used 'Heronrib' pool matting, which is easy to procure – at $1700 a 50 foot roll! Hmm... sounds like I need to get to know my 99c store a bit better, and see whether they have some rubber bath mats that will do the job...

Oh, so I guess you want an update... below is Tegan inside the Dalek, with the initial topcoat of paint on the skirt. Yes, it is poo brown...soon to be replaced by something more 'dominant lifeform of the galaxy'...