
Grab the Power of Lightning with Thor’s Hammer
At DIY Steel, we love offering a wide range of products that are fun for all ages and budgets. One of our favorites is the Metal EarthⓇ brand of kits. These kits feature themes such as Star Wars™, Harry Potter™ and Marvel Universe. They’re easy-to-build with color-coded instructions and each kit contains extra pieces in case you lose or break one.
To show you how easy the Metal Earth kits are, follow along as we build Mjölnir or “Thor’s Hammer.” Mjölnir is the hammer of the thunder god Thor in Norse mythology, used both as a devastating weapon and as a divine instrument to provide blessings.
How to Build Thor’s Hammer
Step 1:
Open the Mjölnir kit and lay sheets A and B out in front of you. Next, find the instruction sheet and the first five rocks and the base you will build upon. Then use the clippers from your tool kit to snip the rocks and base out of the sheet. Once they are snipped out, use the pliers and bend those pieces as shown on the Assembly Flow Chart.
- Materials:
- Metal Earth-Mjolnir (Thor’s Hammer)
- Tools:
- Metal Earth-2 piece Tool Kit
- Tweezers
- Pen (optional)
- Build Time:
- 20 – 25 Minutes
- Not included:
- Metal Earth-2 piece Tool Kit
- Pen
Once the pieces are bent, take the tabs on each piece and one at a time, line them up with the insertion hole. When they are all properly lined up, push the tabs through the hole and then use the pliers to either twist or bend the tabs to 90-degrees. (I find that twisting the tabs makes the build more secure.)
Step 2:
Once the first five rocks are in place, go back to sheets A and B and use your clippers to snip out the small rocks (pieces #6-15). Starting with pieces six and seven and going through piece 15, just as you did with the first five rocks, bend the tabs, insert and twist them to secure.
Step 3:
Now that the rocks and base are complete, you can start on the actual Mjölnir! Be sure to follow the instructions carefully, so you end up with a whole (not just half) hammer.
From Sheet A, snip out both of the #17 pieces, setting one aside. From Sheet B, cut out eight of the #16 pieces and set four aside. Now, take the four #16 pieces you have kept, and bend their tabs to 90 degrees, facing the non-engraved side, and insert them into the openings on piece #17, twisting each until the tab is secure. Once those are secure, take your first piece #17and fold along the fold lines (each side should be barely touching). Now, take all the pieces you set aside and repeat this step. Once you’ve finished, set everything aside.
Step 4:
Next, snip out piece #18 from Sheet A and lay it down with the engraved side face up.One at a time, take the two pieces you built in Step #3, and line up the tabs from each of these 3D octagons (from piece #17) with the holes on piece #18 (flat octagon).. Insert and twist the tabs and then set it all aside
Go back to Sheet A and snip out piece #19. Bend all the #19 tabs at a 90-degree angle toward the non-engraved side. When that’s done, take it and line up its three tabs to the holes on piece #18, push the tabs through and twist to secure. Finally, snip out piece #20 from Sheet A. Then, one piece #18, bend the tabs down toward the non-engraved side and with piece #20 (engraved side face up) connect the tabs and secure.
Step 5:
In this next step we will be working on the handle of the Mjölnir! Remember that optional pen in the supplies list? I use it in this step to make a smoother finish on the handle, so have it handy if you want to use it, too.
Using your clippers, snip out pieces #21 and #23 from Sheet A, and pieces #22 and
24 from Sheet B. Set pieces #22, #23, and #24 to the side for now.
Take piece #21, and fold over the circle area (engraved side facing away) at a 90-degree angle. Then, line up the sides with the tabs and wrap each side individually until you can insert the tabs into the holes and twist the tabs to secure. After the tabs are secure, connect the two ends with their tab and then set piece #21 aside.
Next, add piece #22 to #23 by folding #22’s tabs at a 90-degree angle toward the non-engraved side and attach it to the top of #23, making sure it is attached in the two holes closest to the top. Do not block the third hole. Once attached, bend the three tabs at a 90-degree angle. Now, to make the piece #23 loop, take the tab at the end of its strip and insert it into the third hole and twist to secure.
Here’s where the pen comes in handy. For the handle itself, I like to wrap piece #24 around a thin pen, which allows it to fold easier. Once it is cylinder-like, take the tabs on the side and insert them into the holes on the opposite side of the handle. Once that is done, attach the built-up #21 piece to the top of #24.
Final Step:
You are almost done! In the last step, take the built-up handle (piece #24) and connect it to the built-up #18 pieces. These pieces connect through piece #20 from Step 4. Once the handle is attached to piece #18, fold it into a “C” shape, fold down both of the 3D octagon sides and connect the tabs from the bottom of the “C” to the 3D octagon’s holes. Once the sides are nice and secure, fold the last two areas and insert the tabs into the last holes and twist them! Then set the Mjölnir on the rock base and TA-DA, you are finished!
Claim the power of Thor and show off your handmade, fantastic piece of art to your friends.
