Welcome...

...To project 'Fred', this being my first attempt at building a full-size Dalek. I've seen websites by other builders describing how they went about building their Dalek's So this is not one of those 'how-to' guides... it's more likely to turn out to be a 'how NOT To' one (my DIY skills leave a lot to be desired..... just ask the wife !!!!)

Ok, the fridge is full of beer (a most important component in Dalek building, as I'm probably going to be stood around quite a bit scratching my head and wondering 'how the devil did they do that?') I've splashed out fifty or so quid on the sheets of 18mm MDF, 4mm MDF and 12mm ply that I think I'm going to need for the first part of the project - the base and skirt, so I'm ready to begin. "Whoa !" I hear you say... "hang on... why do you want to build a Dalek in the first place !"... ok, here goes.....

Like many other builders, I remember first being fascinated by the Dalek's as a small boy when they first hit our screens in the black & white episodes of 'Dr Who'. Then the endless hours trolling round the primary-school playground with your mates, one arm extended longer than the other, shouting in loud, croaky voices "EX-TER-MIN-ATE" and a half a dozen or so of you cornering a bewildered, spotty-faced individual with the immortal words - "YOU-ARE-THE-DOC-TOR, YOU-ARE-AN-EN-EM-Y-OF-THE-DA-LEKS" Ohhhh to have had a full-sized Dalek in those days...... Recently, my 14 year old son discovered the Dr Who re-runs on UK Gold, did some 'investigation' on the net and found the 'Dalek Builders Guild' which has lots of advice for novice builders like myself... Anyway, he says 'Wouldn't it be cool to build one of our own, dad'.. so here we are.

'I'm now aiming to have 'Fred' finished for New Year's Eve (round our way, the tradition is to congregate in the street near to midnight, beer-in-hand, and welcome in the New Year) so I thought wouldn't it be great to have 'Fred' trundle out of the garage and up the drive to join in a rousing chorus of 'Auld Lang Syne' ! it might raise a drunken eye-brow or two !

'Nuff said... Let's get on with the show...