How to build your model
Eight workshop rules that apply to the whole catalogue, from the Alpha series to the Omega series. Your kit's instructions give the order of the steps; this guide explains the handling.
4 min read
Before you start
Build on a table, not on the arm of a sofa. Clear a well-lit work surface and set out a saucer for the micro screws: a screw that rolls under the furniture costs you ten minutes.
In the box: the wood-fibre composite parts, the hardware (micro screws and ball bearings) and the illustrated step-by-step instructions. Nothing needs glue or batteries: everything fits together and turns by hand.
Have these to hand (not included)
- A precision screwdriver, the kind used for electronics or watchmaking.
- A fine file or fine sandpaper (240 to 400 grit), for deburring.
- A precision craft knife, handled with care.
- Fine-nose pliers, handy for holding a screw or placing a part in a tight spot.
Read the instructions all the way through before the first screw. Then take out the parts for step 1, and only those: they arrive sorted by step, so keep them that way. Every product page gives the estimated build time; for an Omega model, plan several sessions and put the parts away in between.
Prepare the parts: deburr without damage
Parts are removed from their print supports and cleaned in the workshop before packing. A small burr or a thread of material may still remain on an edge: that is the normal trace of 3D printing, layer by layer.
To remove it, sand lightly along the edge, never on a contact face. On a gear, leave the tooth profile alone: that is what transmits the motion. Over-sanding creates play, and play can't be taken back.
A part that goes into its seat by hand needs nothing. Only sand what really catches.
Screw into wood composite without forcing
Wood-fibre PLA composite is stiff and precise, but a stripped thread can't be remade. Screw by hand, never with a power screwdriver.
Start the screw straight, turn gently until it seats, then stop as soon as the part is held. When the instructions say a part must stay free to move, leave a little play: an overtightened screw locks the rotation.
If a screw resists more than it should, back it out, check it is the right screw for this step and that it goes in straight, then try again. Forcing it splits the seat.
Bearings and shafts: straight, never with a hammer
Ball bearings go in as they are, no grease. Set them flat in their seat and press them home with steady thumb pressure, or by pressing the part against a flat surface. Never with a hammer: a crooked bearing rubs, and a split seat no longer holds.
For a shaft, a slight twisting motion while inserting helps it go in. It reaches its stop without excessive effort. Once fitted, spin it: the motion must be free, with no tight spot.
Test the motion at every step
At the end of each step, turn whatever should turn before fitting the next part. A tight spot found straight away takes ten seconds to fix; found at the last step, it means taking everything apart.
A healthy mechanism turns evenly, with no jerks and no audible rubbing. If it catches, stop and find the cause before going further.
Common mistakes, and how to fix them
Nothing is glued, so anything you have built can come apart again, as long as you unscrew rather than pull.
- Gear fitted upside down or one tooth out: the mechanism turns but drifts out of sync. Check the orientation in the instructions, take it apart back to that part and refit it.
- Screw too tight: the rotation gets stiff. Loosen it a quarter turn, then test again.
- Bearing pushed in crooked: it rubs. Remove it gently and refit it flat.
- Forgotten spacer part: the gap between two parts vanishes or becomes huge. Count the parts for the step again: at the end, none should be left.
- Steps done out of order: a part becomes unreachable. Go back, nothing is lost.
Care: simple, and grease-free
- Dust: a soft brush or an air blower, then a dry microfibre cloth. No household cleaner, no solvent.
- No grease or oil on printed parts: they hold dust and clog the teeth. A mechanism that rubs gets adjusted (screw loosened, burr sanded), not greased.
- Heat: PLA softens from 50 to 60 °C. Keep your model away from radiators, a car in full sun or a sunny windowsill.
- Handling: turn the mechanism by the parts designed for it, without forcing a thin part.
- Small parts: keep the model and its components out of reach of young children.
Missing or broken part
If a part is missing or faulty on arrival, email contact@atlas-kinetics.net with a photo of the kit and your order number: we ship the replacement part free of charge, as quickly as we can. There is no need to send the kit back.
If a part breaks during assembly, email us the same way, with a photo of the part and the step: the workshop replies within 24 business hours and tells you how to replace it.
If you get stuck on a step, use the same address; you get a reply within the same time, Monday to Friday, from a person.
Choose your first kit
If you are new to this, pick a model from the Alpha series: it takes one evening.