How to Make a DIY Periscope with Cardboard Milk Cartons

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Plus, how to make a homemade periscope with PVC or wood
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A periscope allows you to look over at objects or people from around a corner, or from a higher vantage point than normal. While modern submarines and other high-tech vehicles usually use a more complex system of prisms and lenses, the basic mirror periscope is easy to make at home, and provides a clear image. This article covers how to make a basic periscope using cardboard milk containers , PVC pipe , and wooden boards .

Section 1 of 5:

Making a Cardboard Periscope

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  1. Use any 2 flat mirrors, whether the frame is rectangular, round, or some other shape. The 2 mirrors don't even have to be the same shape, but they do need to be small enough to fit into a milk carton and roughly the same size. [1]
    • You may be able to find small mirrors at a craft or art supply store.
    • You can make small mirrors out of an old CD or DVD, but wear gloves and eye protection to protect yourself from splinters, and work under adult supervision.
    • Heat the CD first with a hair dryer to make it less brittle, then score lightly and repeatedly with a craft knife until it is cut into the shape you want.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Find two empty milk cartons, each at least one quart (one liter) in size and wide enough to fit your mirrors. Cut off and discard the triangular top of each one, then wash the inside thoroughly to get rid of smells. [2]
    • A long, sturdy cardboard tube could also work.
    • You could use a large, flat sheet of sturdy cardboard instead. Lightly score it with a craft knife to divide it into four sections, then fold it into a box and tape together.
    • You can use two sturdy paper boxes or shipping paper for these types of crafts, says sustainability specialist Natalie Kay Smith.
    • Smith also recommends sticking several layers of recycled toilet paper together to make a sturdy base.
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  3. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Use packing tape or another strong tape to tape the open ends of the cartons together, making one long box. To fasten the cartons together more securely, try taping the inside of the box together on one side, then taping all four outside surfaces.
    • You can tape two tubes or two homemade cardboard cartons together in the same way, to make a longer periscope. However, the longer the periscope is, the smaller the image will be.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Place one of the mirrors on one of the vertical sides of the milk carton, about ¼ of an inch (6 mm) from the end. [3] Trace the mirror with a pencil, then cut on the pencil marks to create a hole.
    • A craft knife may be the easiest tool for cutting the hole, but should only be used with adult supervision, as it is very sharp.
    • If you are using a cardboard tube instead of a milk carton, flatten it slightly so you can trace the mirror.
  5. Use sticky putty or double-sided tape to attach the mirror you traced onto the inside wall of the carton, across from the hole you cut. Arrange the mirror so the whole surface can be seen when you look through the hole, but have it point downward toward the opposite end of the carton at a 45º angle. [4]
    • To test whether it's at a 45º angle, use a ruler to measure the distance from the closest corner of the carton to where the lower edge of the mirror touches the carton's side.
    • Then measure the distance from the same corner to the opposite end of the mirror, where it touches the carton's top.
    • The two distances will be the same if the mirror is angled at 45º.
    • Don't use glue yet, since you might need to make adjustments to the mirror's position.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    To find out where to cut, place the carton in front of you on its short end, with the first hole you cut near the top. Rotate the carton so that the hole is on the opposite side. The second hole will go on the side that is now facing you, right at the bottom of this side. Trace the second mirror and cut as you did before. [5]
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Just like the first mirror, this should be visible from the hole, and should face the other end of the carton at a 45º angle. At this angle, one mirror will reflect light directly down through the periscope, and the second will reflect it directly through the hole and into your eye. You will see this reflected light as an image of whatever is on the opposite hole of your periscope.
  8. Do you see a clear image when you look through one of the holes? If it’s blurry or you only see the inside of the periscope, adjust the position of the mirrors. Once both of them are at 45º angles, you should be able to see through the periscope clearly. [6]
  9. If putty or tape isn't enough to keep the mirrors steady, attach them with glue. Once they're permanently stuck in the right position, you can use your periscope to spy on people, or see over the top of a crowd.
    • If too much light is coming through the "eye" end of your periscope, making it difficult to see the reflection, tape black construction paper over the outside edges of the hole.
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Section 2 of 5:

Making a Periscope from PVC Pipe

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  1. Try to find a piece somewhere between 12 inches (30.5 cm) and 20 inches (50.8 cm), but be aware that the longer the pipe is, the smaller the image will be. You may also use two sections of slightly different sizes, so one fits snugly into the other. This lets you rotate the top of your periscope while using it to keep a lookout all around you.
    • You can find PVC pipe at a hardware store or home improvement store.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Place a curved elbow joint pipe over each end of the pipe to make a periscope shape. Have the two openings point in opposite directions if you want to look around corners or over obstacles. [7]
  3. These mirrors must be small enough to insert each one into one end of the pipe. This may be easier with a circular mirror, which you may be able to find at craft stores or online.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Make a Periscope
    Use mounting putty or strong double-sided tape to stick the mirror to the inside corner of the elbow joint. [8] Look through that elbow joint, at the mirror you just inserted. Adjust the mirror until you see the base of the pipe at the opposite end, or remove the opposite elbow joint and adjust until you can see straight through the pipe.
  5. Fix the mirror at the same 45º angle, so light reflected off one mirror will bounce through the pipe, hit the second mirror, and emerge through the other opening. [9]
  6. Adjust the mirrors until you can clearly see through the periscope. Once the image is clear, attach the mirrors more firmly with several layers of packing tape, or with a specialized glue such as PVC adhesive or plastic epoxy. [10]
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Section 3 of 5:

Making a Periscope out of Wood

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  1. Use silicone caulk to fix the mirrors to the angled surface of the wood block. Allow the caulk to dry on the mirror blocks overnight before moving on to the next step. [11]
    • Use a table saw to cut the tops of 2 wood blocks that are 2 ¾ inches (7 cm) tall x 2 9/16 inches (6.50875 cm) wide x 2 ⅛ inches (5.4 cm) deep on a 45º angle.
    • Find or use a scoring tool to cut 2 mirrors that are 2 ⅜ inches (3.5 cm) wide x 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
    • Home improvement stores and glass shops will also cut wood or mirrors for you if you can’t find the right size and don’t have the appropriate tools.
  2. After the caulk dries, use wood clamps to attach a wooden board that’s ⅜ of an inch (1 cm) thick x 2 ⅛ inches (5.4 cm) wide x 25 ¾ inches (65.4 cm) long to each side of the mirror block. [12]
    • Slide the second mirror block between the boards on the opposite end and use a wood clamp to secure the blocks.
    • Place the second mirror block so it’s facing in the opposite direction from the first.
  3. Apply carpenter’s glue on the long edges of the side boards. Then, place a piece of wood that’s 3⁄8 of an inch (1 cm) thick by 3 3⁄8 inches (8.6 cm) wide by 23 inches (58.4 cm) long even with the back of one of the mirror blocks so it covers the glued ends of the side pieces. Flip the periscope and attach the second board on the back. [13]
    • Use 1 inch (2.5 cm) finishing nails to secure the front board to the side boards.
    • Don’t attach the mirror blocks to the side or front boards yet. You’ll need to be able to move them to make adjustments before gluing them into place.
    • The front and back boards are shorter than the side boards to leave a space for you to see the mirrors on each end.
    • Allow the glue to dry overnight. [14]
  4. Once the glue is dry, slide the mirror blocks out of the periscope. Smear carpenter’s glue on the sides of the blocks and slip them back into position. Pick up the periscope and look through the end. Adjust the mirrors up and down until you have a clear line of sight while looking into the periscope.
    • You may need to place clamps on the sides of the periscope to hold the block in place as you make your adjustments.
    • You’ll have a clear line of sight when you can see a full rectangular view in the mirror.
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Section 4 of 5:

How a Simple Periscope Works

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  1. When the light from an object hits a mirror set at a 45° angle, it bounces off the mirror and travels down the body of the periscope. When it hits a second mirror also set at a 45° angle, it bounces off in the direction of your eye. [15]
    • The law of reflection says that the angle of a ray of light will bounce off a smooth reflective surface at the same angle in a perpendicular direction. [16]
Section 5 of 5:

Periscope Origins

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  1. The first naval periscope was invented in 1854 by Hippolyte Marié-Davy. Marié-Davy was a French scientist whose periscope was a vertical tube with small mirrors fixed at each end at 45°. Sir Howard Grubb, an Irish optical engineer, perfected the periscope for use by the British Navy for submarines in WWI. [17]
    • Thomas H. Doughty of the US Navy invented a prism periscope to use in the American Civil War from 1861–1865. [18]
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  • Question
    Which mirror is used to make a periscope?
    Community Answer
    The two mirrors work together to create a periscope. One mirror captures the image while the other reflects it back into your eye. You cannot have a periscope without one or the other mirror.
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  • Question
    How does a simple periscope work?
    Community Answer
    The mirror at the top of the periscope captures the image of whatever you're pointing it at. The image is then reflected back into the bottom mirror. Your eye views the reflection in the bottom mirror.
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  • Question
    How can you make a kaleidoscope?
    Community Answer
    You can learn how to make a kaleidoscope by following the instructions in this wikiHow article: How to Make a Kaleidoscope .
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      Things You'll Need

      • Two empty milk cartons or PVC pipe (see instructions for alternatives)
      • Two small mirrors
      • Scissors or craft knife
      • Sticky putty or tape
      • Heavy duty tape or glue

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      References

      1. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      2. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      3. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      4. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      5. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      6. ↑ https://annex.exploratorium.edu/science-explorer/periscope.html
      7. ↑ https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/physics_building-periscope/
      8. ↑ https://www.education.com/science-fair/article/physics_building-periscope/
      9. ↑ https://sciencenotes.org/how-to-make-a-periscope-science-project/
      1. ↑ https://sciencenotes.org/how-to-make-a-periscope-science-project/
      2. ↑ https://scoutlife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/222/eye-spy/
      3. ↑ https://scoutlife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/222/eye-spy/
      4. ↑ https://scoutlife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/222/eye-spy/
      5. ↑ https://scoutlife.org/hobbies-projects/projects/222/eye-spy/
      6. ↑ https://www.scienceworld.ca/resource/periscopes/
      7. ↑ https://farside.ph.utexas.edu/teaching/316/lectures/node127.html
      8. ↑ https://www.history.navy.mil/our-collections/art/exhibits/conflicts-and-operations/the-navy-art-from-rimpac-98/up-periscope.html
      9. ↑ https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/museums/undersea/education/Reflecting+Light+and+Periscopes.pdf

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To make a cardboard periscope, first cut the tops off 2 empty quart-sized milk cartons. Then, tape the cartons together to make one long box. Next, cut a hole the size of one of your small mirrors on one side of your carton, about ¼ of an inch from the end. Attach the mirror at a 45° angle pointing downward to the other end of the carton. Finish your periscope by repeating this with your other mirror on the opposite side and at the opposite end. Point that mirror upward to reflect off the first mirror so you can see whatever is on the other end of your periscope. To learn how to make a periscope from PVC pipe, keep reading!

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