Issue 52 February 2026

10 Miniature Time Traveller Project: Making a Fortune Teller Automaton in 12th scale. This project consists of three parts: - Making the figure — Making the mechanism — Making the casing. First the figure. You will need diƯerent sized dowel to hand. 8mm wooden dowel for arms and legs. 30mm wooden dowel for body Head could be a wooden bead or a head made separately. Likewise the hands and feet. I made these from Fimo, baked them and drilled holes in them so they could be attached. The joins are covered by the clothing. To make the limbs - Arms. Cut 2 x 3cm for the top of the arms and 2 x 2 cm for the lower arms. Legs. Cut 4 x 3 cm long. Upper torso, out of the 30mm dowel, cut a length 3.5 cm For the bottom, cut a length 3 cm long. To create a joint for the upper arm drill a hole right through about 3mm down from the top of the dowel. Drill a hole in the bottom to screw in an eye (of the hook and eye style) Materials List for figure. Wooden dowel. A saw or mini power saw. Tacky Glue. A drill Drill bit that can accommodate No.20 florist wire. Drill line. Cut a slot Fig. 1