What is a Dalek?
To fans of the B.B.C. TV Saturday serial, "Dr. Who," it's a science fiction creature looking a bit like a dodgem-with-a-lid-on.
To 15-year-old David Penpraze, a Dalek is made of balsa wood, tissue paper, plastic dishes, ping-pong balls cardboard and lots of other things.
At his parents' home in Upper Castle Park, Belfast, he showed me his three-foot-high working model of a Dalek and told me that he became fascinated after he had seen the programme.
From memory
"I made my Dalek from memory," he said. "I call him 'Dick,' after my father. I made the body from a framework of balsa wood overlaid with painted tissue paper. The ventilation shaft on the head-piece are rings of cardboard around a cardboard core.
"The dome is plaster of Paris, with halved table tennis balls illuminated from the back for the 'speaking lights.' The motive power comes from two batteries mounted on a Meccano frame, which also carries the wheels."
David plans to equip Dick the Dalek with gears 80 that his speed can be regulated. Providing Dick with speech is rather a stiff problem, but he Is so "real" looking there Is no need to hear the dead flat robot voice of the Dalek saying threatingly, "Keep away from me."
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