Step back in time and start the show. Our Vintage Wooden Mechanical Vitascope Projector kit brings the look and mechanics of early cinema into your hands. Made from plywood in warm natural wood tones, the kit assembles into a functioning hand-crank projector: a small manual generator powers the light and advances the film strip, the focal length is adjustable, and no batteries or glue are required.
Why builders enjoy it: It’s a hands-on project that teaches basic mechanical motion and optical focus while producing a handsome display piece you’ll want on a shelf or side table.
Material: Plywood with laser-etched decorative panels
Components: 183 parts
Time: 3–4 hours (level: medium)
Size: Assembly 223 x 133 x 255 mm; package 370 x 235 x 50.5 mm
No toolkit or glue: Parts snap or slot together; no batteries
We stand behind this kit with a clear money-back guarantee and plant a tree for every purchase. If you’re ready to build something that looks like it belongs in a classic movie poster, add it to your cart and start assembling today.
Your build, evening by evening
About 5 hours of building — that’s 3 relaxing, screen-free evenings.
Evening 1Unbox & lay the foundationPop out the first pieces, follow the drawings and feel the frame take shape.
Evening 2The mechanism comes aliveGears mesh, axles turn — this is where it gets addictive.
Evening 3The final click — and the first spinWind it up, watch it move and find the perfect spot on your shelf.
Perfect for
Curious adults
Puzzle lovers
Dads & husbands
A thoughtful gift
Every detail, up close
Precision you can see and feel.
What’s in the box
All pre-cut wooden sheets and parts to finish the model
Illustrated, step-by-step manual
Retail box — ready to wrap
What else you need: nothing but a few free evenings.
Giving it as a gift?
Arrives in its sturdy printed retail box — ready to wrap
Exact delivery window shown above — plan around the big day
I had a wonderful time putting this together and worked on the first crank ! I would like to find more film and a electric motor for a prolonged showing - thank you every one at ROKR !
I worked in the film industry for some time and when I saw this, I couldn't resist buying it. It was a really fun project to put together and now I display it along side some of my movie posters. Took about 3-4 hours to put together and worked perfectly the first time. People see it and think it's awesome! Now I'm looking to get a display case for it and looking forward to what I want to build next.
Got this as a Christmas present and family project. My kids (5 and 8) absolutely loved putting this together! I thought we'd spread it out over a few days, but they wanted to do it all in one day, which was totally managable. The couldn't do it on their own, but they loved finding the pieces and helping where they could. Great product!
Projector was a gift for our seven year old twin grandsons. With the help of my son they completed the building of the projector and it works! They loved it!
The perfect Christmas gift! I’m use to doing large Lego projects such as their Star Wars collection, so this was a nice change for me. This gift from my parents caught me by surprise. The quality of the wooden pieces was very good. I did have one wooden sheet with just a slight bend(warp) to it but I still got the pieces to fit well. I enjoyed putting this together and the overall look is great. The fact that it actually works with a short film strip is a huge plus. Extremely satisfied and I’ve already ordered a second puzzle. Thank you.
Instructions were fairly clear, but some illustrations were difficult to see clearly. Clearer directions for installing the film would be appreciated. That’s the worst I can say about the puzzle. All the pieces were there, including some spares . They fit surprisingly well. It took me about 12-13 hours to assemble the parts and to my amazement, the camera worked! It is getting me lots of kudos. I’m looking forward to my next puzzle, the Pin Ball Coaster.
I'm thrilled. I worked in mechanical engineering for 50 years, 13 of which I was head of quality assurance. The wooden model gets ***** five stars plus from me. Everything fits perfectly, and it's fun too.
I am about 2/3 done and loving the process! It is a great lesson in following directions to detail and discipline. Why discipline you ask? Because I can't put it down!
Does it tell you if you have any extra pieces like the little wooden pegs? If not, that would be the only thing left to add to the directions. They are so easy and clear to follow.
Susan
I ordered several different ones as gifts for family. Each one was done and loved by the recipient. They sent me pictures of the finished items. Loved seeing them and really loved that the gift I gave was so enjoyed. You can’t go wrong giving these items to anyone able to put them together.
My gtandson had the train engine for his last birthday, he loved it. His next birthday is in April . I’m hoping he will love this projector as much. Thank you!
This was a 30th birthday present for my son who enjoys photography (in the broadest sense) and I wanted something unique, special and pleasing. I scored 100 % on all three. His partner also enjoys puzzles so this was the ideal gift and they are both most pleased.
I purchased this for my grandson. It just arrived so I haven’t given it to him yet. He makes some movies on his own,so I thought he would enjoy this model. Knowing him he will probably stain it. I can’t wait to see the completed project.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to give it to our grandson yet because of COVID. I know he’s going to love it . If we get the reaction from him that I’m expecting I’ll certainly be getting more .
Gave this as a gift and it was a huge hit! They put it together the next day and had just a blast with all the pieces. It was even prettier and detailed that I had thought it would be! Looks amazing on the bookshelf and have already gotten several asks about it while video conferencing!
Our mechanical models, marble runs and music boxes fit together without glue, and no special tools are needed. Some miniature house and book nook kits use a little craft glue — any extras are listed in the product description.
Is this kit right for a beginner?
Check the difficulty and build time shown above. Beginner and Intermediate kits are perfect first builds; Advanced kits are for builders who want a real weekend project.
Does the model really move?
Yes — depending on the kit, gears turn, wheels roll, marbles run or music plays, powered by rubber bands, wind-up springs or a hand crank. Watch the video in the gallery to see it in action.
What if a piece is missing or breaks?
Email us a photo and the part number. We ship a replacement free of charge.
Is it a good gift?
It’s one of our most gifted products. It arrives in its sturdy printed retail box — ready to wrap.