How to Make a Duel Runner

Adult supervision is required when working with utility knives.

Trying to keep your young or not-so-young Yu-Gi-Oh! enthusiasts from spending the better part of their afternoon in front of the computer or television set can be a challenge. Why not get your die-hard fans involved in an activity that will encourage them to work with their hands, and better yet, spend some quality time with mom or dad: building Jack Hawk's duel runner? To complete this project, parents and youngsters will need to know how to use basic hand tools safely.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood, 1/4-inch-thick
• Balsa wood, 1/8-inch-thick
• Doweling, 3/8-inch-thick
• Doweling, 1/4-inch-thick
• Compass
• Safety goggles
• 2 4-inch C-clamps
• Heavy cardboard squares
• Coping saw
• Utility knife
• Ruler
• Wood glue
• Rasp
• Sandpaper -- medium, fine and extra-fine grit
• Wood primer
• Acrylic paint -- white, black and dark blue
• Hot glue gun

Instructions

Drafting

1. Find several detailed illustrations of the Phoenix Whirlwind Duel Runner. A good place to start your search is on one of the many Yu-Gi-Oh! fan sites. The official Yu-Gi-Oh! website (yugioh.com) features a detailed photograph in its online store.

2. Draw the duel runner's front, side and rear view in a 1:1 scale. This way, you have an accurate image of what the finished model will look like and how large your pieces need to be.

3. Use your ruler and compass to draw the duel runner's individual parts: center wheel, front, seat, wings, stabilizers and exhaust pipes. Space the drawings of the parts enough so you can cut between them with a coping saw.

4. Tape a sheet of carbon paper to your plywood. Place your drawing on top of it. Tape it in place.

5. Transfer all parts, except the wings and stabilizers, to the plywood by tracing with a pencil, using light pressure. Use carbon paper to transfer the wings to the balsa wood.

Cutting and Sanding

1. Put on your safety goggles. Place the plywood on your work surface's edge. Secure it with C-clamps, using cardboard squares placed under the metal grips to protect the wood.

2. Cut out all pieces with the coping saw. Reposition the pieces whenever you begin cutting too close to the workspace edge to move freely. Cut out a 4-inch square for mounting your duel runner.

3. Place the balsa wood on the work surface. Cut out the wings with the utility knife. Cut the stabilizers from the 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch doweling.

4. Round off the the outside of the wheel with the wood rasp. Use the rasp's the finer, cross-hatched side.

5. Sand all surfaces of all parts -- first with medium, then with fine, then with extra-fine grit. The surfaces should feel as smooth as glass when you are done.

Assembly

1. Cut slots the width and thickness of the wings into the stabilizers. Slide the wings into the stabilizers to ensure a good fit.

2. Fit the individual pieces together before gluing. Mark their positions with pencil.

3. Glue the large pieces together before attaching the smaller ones. Start with the wheel, seat and front. Continue with exhaust pipes and wings before adding any smaller, more detailed parts.

4. Prime the mounting base. Paint it black. When the paint is completely dry, mount your duel runner with a spot of hot glue.

Priming, Painting and Mounting

1. Cover the entire model with a thin coat of wood primer. Let it dry completely.

2. Paint the duel runner's front, side and wings with white acrylic paint. Paint the stabilizers and front and side of the wheel gray. Paint the wheel's inside black. Paint the seat dark blue.

Tips & Warnings

• Covering the bordering edges with masking tape when painting another part in a different color gives your duel runner a cleaner, more detailed look.

• Always wear safety goggles when working with hand saws. Sawdust hurts when you get it in your eyes.

• Utility knives and saws should only be used under adult supervision.

References

• Yu-Gi-Oh! Wikia: Phoenix Whirlwind
• Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duel Runner Vehicle With Jack
• Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game