Assembly Instuctions
For The Deluxe Giza Pyramid
Note: These instructions only cover the assembly of your pyramid, and do not cover how to align your pyramid to True North. To see instructions on how to do this, click here.
Materials List: Four #1/#2 Pieces, laminated together; four #3 Pieces; and four Corner Pieces.
Tools Needed: A hammer or mallet with a block of wood (if necessary). And if you are needing to level your pyramid because it will be outside: a level; pick and shovel for levelling the ground (if needed); extra blocks of wood like 2x6's and/or cement blocks for levelling pyramid, if necessary; a piece of rebar to help pound in stakes if your ground is hard, and stakes.
Warning: The tips of the pyramid pieces are fragile and sharp. Please be careful whenever moving them.
First take a look at Diagram 1 and get familar with how your pyramid fits together. Each side of the pyramid has 3 individual pieces: #1 Piece, #2 Piece, and #3 Piece. There are also 3 Joints to each side: The Top (T) Joint, the Lower Left (LL) Joint, and the Lower Right (LR) Joint. Each of the 3 pieces has two labels, one on each end. For example, the #1 Piece says "1T" on one of its ends, and "1LL" on the other end. "1T" would meet at the Top Joint with "2T" from a different #1/#2 Piece. You may notice that the #1/#2 Pieces are glued together, and at their lower end, one says "1LL" and the other says "2LR". The reason they are different letters is because "1LL" connects to the Lower Left Joint on one side, while "2LR" connects to the Lower Right Joint on the adjacent side. If it sounds a little confusing, don't worry about it, it will still fit together just dandy.
Step #1: Make sure you have all of the materials and pieces listed on the materials list and all of the tools listed that are necessary. Also check to make sure that all of the pieces are in good condition when coming out of the box, and if you notice any damage, notify me immediately. BE CAREFUL moving the pieces around: They have very sharp tips that break easily if they hit something.
Step #2: Finding a site and aligning it to True North. This is for those of you who are going to be putting your pyramid outside. It is very important that you have level ground wherever you put your pyramid. Also, even more importantly, be selective about where you put your pyramid: Find an area that is most in tune with your energy. If you are going to be the main user of this pyramid, you should be the one walking around figuring out what spot is the best and the most harmonious for you. Also, keep in mind the changing of the seasons: Will this spot get direct sun in the summer? Will it have too much shade in the winter, or be exposed to the wind? All of these factors should be considered, but the most important factor is what is the most harmonious for you.
This was covered on the page "Aligning A Pyramid To True North," which if you haven't read those instructions on how to set up your True North and South Stakes, you should go there now and complete those steps.
Step #3: Levelling your site. This is for those of you who are putting your pyramid outside. See Step #3 in the Super Deluxe Assembly Instructions of my website if you need help in how to use a level in order to level your site. Note that for the final levelling of your pyramid, you can level it after it is assembled--unlike for the Deluxe Pyramid--assuming it is under 10 feet wide at the base.
Step #4: Place the four #3 Pieces to form the square base of your pyramid. Make sure that whenever you are looking at a #3 Piece on any given side from outside the square that "3LL" is on the left, and "3LR" is on the right.
Step #5: Next, move aside two of the #3 Pieces, and raise the other two up on blocks about 3 inches high. Make sure that the blocks are about 18 inches from the end of each piece, and are not too far into the inside of the square. (If you do not have blocks readily available, you can omit this part of the step--it just makes it easier.)
Step #6: Now place two of the #1/#2 Pieces, forming a triangle with one of the raised #3 Pieces. Make sure that "1LL" and "2LR" are at the end where the #3 Pieces are, and "1T" and "2T" are at the top of the triangle.
Step #7: Connect "1LL" with "3LL" only partway. Do not fully connect them, or force the connection in any way. Next, connect "2LR" with "3LR", again only partway.
Step #8: Now connect "1T" to "2T", to complete the triangle. This joint you can connect all of the way, assuming the other two joints are still connected and haven't come apart. If you have trouble getting this last joint of the three connected, check to see that the dowels are lined up properly with the holes. It is possible that there is a slight twist to the boards and that you need to realign the holes and the dowels by twisting both ends the right way before they will slip in. If you should encounter an especially difficult joint, you may need a helper to twist one end one way while you are twisting the other end the other way and each of you pushing towards each other. DON'T OVERTWIST. Also, you should never use a hammer or mallet to force the joints in. Only after they are at least partway in should you ever use a hammer (with a board as a buffer) to get the joints all the way in if they are difficult.
Step #9: After all three joints are connected, go back and push the other two joints in all of the way. If you have to use a hammer to get any of the joints all the way in, go back to the other joints after and push them back in if they have slipped apart at all.
Step #10: Now bring out the two remaining #1/#2 Pieces and carefully lay them on top of the other triangle, forming a triangle with the opposite #3 Piece. Again, make sure "1LL" and "2LR" are next to the #3 Piece, and "1T" and "2T" are at the top of the triangle.
It is a good idea to put two rags in between the two triangles
so that they don't damage each other.
Step #11: Connect the triangle together in the same manner as you did with the first triangle, connecting "1LL" with "3LL" partway, "2LR" with "3LR" partway, "1T" with "2T" all the way, and then go back and connect the other two joints all the way.
Step #12: Raising the triangles. Note: If you are erecting one of my larger, custom-built pyramids, you should have two people, one at the base of each of the two triangles, that will keep the bases from slipping outward while the triangles are being raised. Also, there should be two people raising the pyramid, one for each triangle. You will also need a small step ladder that one of these people will go up on to connect the joints together. If you do not have enough people to be able to support the bases, you can put four heavy objects (at least twenty pounds each), one on the outside of each corner to support the bases. (Make sure there is a soft cloth between each object and base to protect the pyramid.)
Before raising each triangle, check to make sure that both of the joints at the tops of each triangle are fully connected. Lift up the top triangle by its apex, and while that one is raised, lift up the other triangle by its apex, and try to connect the two triangles together. This is a complex joint, and if either of the #3 Pieces have moved, it may not fit together easily. They should just slip in at least partway if both apex joints of the triangles are fully connected and the #3 Pieces have not moved. If you are having trouble getting them to slip in, check to see if the dowels are lining up with the holes and adjust either of the triangles if necessary to make them slip in. Again, DO NOT FORCE THE JOINT, and only insert them partway. If you are having any trouble, you may want to have a partner to help twist joints and/or to carefully move triangles back and forth until the joints do slip in.
Step #13: Once the joints are at least halfway in, insert the the two remaining #3 Pieces, making sure "3LL" connects with "1LL" and "3LR" connects with "2LR". Connect the "1LL" joint partway only, and then connect "2LR" with "3LR" fully, and then go back and push "3LL" fully into "1LL". Also, if you have to move either of the two triangles in order to make it fit, you should have someone holding the top of the pyramid to make sure it doesn't accidentally come apart and fall down.
Step #14: Connect the last #3 Piece in the same manner as in Step #13. Once both #3 Pieces are fully in, go back up to the apex and fully push in both triangles. (If you are not able to fit the joints completely together without hammering them, but they are all at least halfway in, wait. There is a final step to get them in all of the way.)
Step #15: Now insert the Corner Pieces in from underneath. Make sure before you do that the LR and LL Joints at the corners are fully connected. You should be able to push them in all or most of the way once they slip in. (If they are in almost all of the way, and you can't get them any further, leave them for now.)
Step #16: Remove the blocks that the pyramid is sitting upon, and if any of the Corner Pieces have not gone in all of the way, push down on the Corner Joints to get them in. (If they still won't go in, you can tap on the Corner Joints with a hammer or mallet and a piece of wood.)
Step #17: The final step. If there are pieces in the Top Joint of the pyramid that are still not fully in, use a hammer and a piece of wood to tap lightly on each of the four faces of the Top Joint until you get the pieces fully in. You will also want to make sure it is still aligned to True North, in whichever manner you have chosen to do so.
Congratulations!
Your pyramid is complete.
May you have many magical journeys ahead.
So be it.