Assembling your piece

The assembly guide, the engraved labels and the pins tell you which piece goes where and in what order.

The assembly guide

Every export includes a text file, such as mountains-assembly.txt. It starts with a summary: number of pieces, material, finished size, sheets and material used. The rest depends on the build.

Stacked

The guide lists the alignment pins, with the length to cut each one, then every layer in order with the sheet it's on:

``` Alignment pins: 3 × 3.0 mm dowels (total length ≈ 225 mm) Pin 1: layers 1–26, cut to 78.0 mm Pin 2: layers 1–23, cut to 69.0 mm Pin 3: layers 1–26, cut to 78.0 mm

Layer 1: 1 (sheet 1) Layer 2: 2 (sheet 1) … ```

Cut the pins to length and lay out the layers in order. Each one is engraved with its number.
Start with layer 1, label side up, and push the pins into it.
Add each layer over the pins. The blue scored line on each layer shows where the next one sits.
Glue as you go. Wood glue works well on plywood; use a thin layer so the stack doesn't grow.

Interlocking

Slots are engraved with the name of the piece that goes into them.

Grid: stand the A slices upright with their slots on top, then drop each B slice onto them, slots down.
Radial: hold the rings level, one above the other, and slide each spoke straight in towards the center.

A good fit holds without glue. If a slot is tight, sand its sides lightly rather than forcing it; next time, raise the Slot clearance in the material.

Panels

The guide lists the panels and what joins them, then gives the steps:

Lay the base flat. Each row of slots is engraved with the name of the panel whose tabs go into it.
Fit the walls and dividers into their slots. Where two panels cross, both have a slot halfway along the crossing: slide one down onto the other.
Press the finger joints together at the outside corners. Glue makes it permanent; a snug fit may not need any.
Bend living hinge strips gently and evenly before fitting them, then fit their tabs into the base, starting at one end.