1/37 SCALE MODEL OF LIGHTSAIL-1
HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO BUILD YOUR SCALE MODEL
To do the best possible job assembling your scale model of the revolutionary LightSail-1, take some time to gather all of the following items before proceeding with assembly:
- About 10 cm (or about 4 inches) of 12-gauge vinyl-insulated solid electrical wire with blue color insulation. The PVC insulation will be used, and the wire discarded. (This amount will provide enough for repeated attempts in case of trouble.) See sample here.
- About 25 cm or 10 inches of thin, rigid steel wire. A steel guitar "E" string, which is 0.30 mm diameter (0.012 in), works well. Perhaps piano wire, or banjo string, would also suffice. When cut to its final length of 216 mm (8.5 in), it should not sag a whole lot. See sample here.
- Some kitchen-grade aluminum foil. See sample here. Or instead, use your sample of real solar-sail material (see below).
- An art knife such as X-Acto #1, and a supply of fresh #11 blades. See sample here.
- A work surface for use with your art knife, such as a self-healing mat (see sample here) or a wood plank. A surface with a rectalinear grid will be helpful.
- A pair of diagonal cutters to cut the 12-gauge wire.
- A wire stripper to remove the 12-gauge wire's insulation jacket intact, unless you prefer to do this using your diagonal cutters.
- A good pair of sharp scissors.
- If you have access to a paper trimming machine, this would be very helpful when you cut your sails.
- A small pair of long-nose pliers.
- Glue. Use regular white glue (Elmer's Glue-All or equivalent). You might also try a thicker white glue, sold in art and fabric stores, called "TACKY GLUE" (Aleen's or equivalent).
- Scotch tape.
- Toothpicks for applying glue.
- A ruler to measure in centimeters (cm) and millimeters (mm).
- A 90° angle reference such as a drafting triangle or a true square of cardboard.
- Some fine monofilament line to help display your finished model.
You'll also need:
- Space. Set up a well lighted, comfortable work area.
- Time. Plan to set aside several hours for unhurried assembly. To achieve the best results, you might want to plan to spend a few hours a day over a period of several days.
- Patience. There may be some trying times. For example, it might take several attempts to create the 3U module satisfactorily. But try to keep in mind that extra time and care will eventually pay off with a surprisingly accurate, and handsome representation of what is in reality a complex and revolutionary design. It's a solar sailing spacecraft that will take its place in the history of astronautics.
Any children nearby must have strict adult supervision to prevent injury from the sharp art knife, sharp-ended wires, and choking hazard-size pieces.
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