Computer Prop

[huffmanres]

Well, my first attempt at building a computer is complete, at least a fake one anyway. This is a shoebox and a chinese takeout box combination. What do you think?:D

[KarenF]

Super Job!:cool:
Looks like it COULD work

[CammieSue]

makes me think of macgyver. :)

[lavrn]

how cute!!! How did you do the keyboard-- did you just freehand it, or copy an actual keyboard on a copier? Very convincing! Good job- thanks for sharing!
Lisa

[TrinityJen]

That looks great Kim!

I would love detailed instructions!

[Josh1]

It's looks great Kim! Like a real computer. It would be great for Mission Command.
God Bless,
Josh Trommer:rolleyes:

[huffmanres]

Thanks Guys! It was really an experiment just to see if we would end up with something passable, but I'll try to backtrack and come up with some detailed instructions. I'm sure you'll laugh when you see how much we improvised with just cardboard and duct tape.:o The screen and keyboard were actually the easiest parts. I just changed the background on my home computer to the sonforce logo, took a screenshot and pasted it into my picture software. After that it was just a matter of adjusting the size until it was close to the actual size of a monitor and printing it using the poster option that prints it on multiple sheets and allows you to piece it together. I was lucky enough to have a shoebox almost exactly the same size as my finished screen.:) I removed the lid, trimmed to sides to what I thought was about the right size, used gluedots to mount the screen image onto the lid and glued it back on the box. Then I just added some strips of deocrated cardboard to the sides of the monitor to make it look like it was inset. the only thing I did after that was use some transparency film to cover the paper image of the screen (gluedots again), so it would have a little glare like an actual computer. The challenging part was trying to figure out what to make the base with. I finally looked around my craft room and spotted those chinese take out boxes you can buy at the craft stores and realized if you closed one and turned it upside down it was about the right size and shape. I used an exacto to cut a wedge out of each side of the bottom that I could angle my shoebox in. I did have to weight down the box to keep it from tipping. I tried hot glue to hold the two together, but it wasn't strong enough, so I resorted to duct tape. The funny thing is that the tape acutally gave it a realistic color. The keyboard was an image I copied and pasted from the internet, and printed the same way as the screen. I just cut some cardboard and folded it into a rectangle with angled sides like a keyboard, covered it with duct tape, added the keyboard image, and viola! If I had to do it over, which I probably will, I'd assemble the whole thing before adding the screen image. I will say that the only thing I wasn't pleased with were my attempts at making a mouse (go figure):rolleyes: , I ended up finding some toy computer mice online and ordering. All in all it took me about an hour and a half to get it together (if you don't count the mouse, who knew it would be so hard to make a mouse out of cardboard!).:D

[houseparent]

This is a great idea and I will probably make some monitors as props, however if you have a thrift-store nearby you can buy keyboards and mice for very little money usually around a $1 a piece.

Also if you know somebody that works with computers, they usually have loads of them laying around. I have about 30 of them in my office.

Just trying to think of labor savers.

[TrinityJen]

I am SO excited....I just realized I have some 'not working' computers in our church computer lab! At the vary least I have a few key boards and mice to easily move around. I can make a cardboard monitor or two. :rolleyes:

I could use different screen shots for the different monitors....the wheels are turning.... Maybe one computer could be working on a TOP SECRET document

Great Job!!!

[KarenF]

My daughter's laptop just fried, so I asked them to save it and we also have a few nonworking computers we thought we'd use. Why not just attach a paper "desktop" to the screens?

[huffmanres]

Unfortunately we come from a smaller congregation most of whom live on a fixed income. N:D ot a whole lot of spare computer parts lying around, and I'd wouldn't want to assume the responsiblity of asking members to loan working systems. Thanks for the thrift store idea thought, hadn't thought about that. I'll be sure to check around.

[KarenF]

A local Goodwill or recycle center will have some. Also, maybe a computer repair shop or local university would have parts to give away.

[lavrn]

I've been having fun this past week TRYING to make a few props, too- so far I have made a computer out of a piece of cardboard that I saved from Christmas ( used as packing in my daughter's TV set box)- it had a angled base and straight back- perfect for a keyboard and screen! I also have made a "control panel" out of more cardboard from the same packing- I used my Dremel tool to drill holes, painted it chrome color,and poked these cool LED Christmas lights thru--I hot glued each one in place from the back side- that was a little tricky trying to get the lights to stand up the way I wanted,but hot glue did the trick! I also have done a windshield of sorts like in the clip art--I took a 3 fold science project board ( perfect size and shape)
painted it black, added chrome color duct tape around the edges and as dividers for the glass panes, and found some stickers at Staples of the planets that were just the right size and added them. Then I took a little bit of white paint on the end of a stiff paint brush, ran my finger across the brush to splatter little white specks on my night sky for stars. I also bought some sticker paper at Staples-- that has been great! I just download any image, open it with a photo software that allows me to pick and choose how many and what size, print and stick! I found some cool pics of radar screens and images and labeled them with Earth cam 1, Thermal Imaging cam, and Sonar--very easy to do and the possibilities are limitless!
Lisa

[TrinityJen]

I've been having fun this past week TRYING to make a few props, too- so far I have made a computer out of a piece of cardboard that I saved from Christmas ( used as packing in my daughter's TV set box)- it had a angled base and straight back- perfect for a keyboard and screen! I also have made a "control panel" out of more cardboard from the same packing- I used my Dremel tool to drill holes, painted it chrome color,and poked these cool LED Christmas lights thru--I hot glued each one in place from the back side- that was a little tricky trying to get the lights to stand up the way I wanted,but hot glue did the trick! I also have done a windshield of sorts like in the clip art--I took a 3 fold science project board ( perfect size and shape)
painted it black, added chrome color duct tape around the edges and as dividers for the glass panes, and found some stickers at Staples of the planets that were just the right size and added them. Then I took a little bit of white paint on the end of a stiff paint brush, ran my finger across the brush to splatter little white specks on my night sky for stars. I also bought some sticker paper at Staples-- that has been great! I just download any image, open it with a photo software that allows me to pick and choose how many and what size, print and stick! I found some cool pics of radar screens and images and labeled them with Earth cam 1, Thermal Imaging cam, and Sonar--very easy to do and the possibilities are limitless!
Lisa

Lisa - that sounds great! I hope you post pictures soon. Oh- and some links the to radar screens. ;)

[lavrn]

Hey Trinity Jen-- I'm going to attempt to post pictures of my stuff on here-- I really don't quite know what I'm doing, so if it doesn't work out,you'll know why!! I had my first VBS meeting yesterday-- YAY! I had about 11 people show up, which was good, cause alot I knew weren't coming. We picked a date, got teachers for 2 of the 3 age groups, got my craft people, kitchen help , music teacher, and missions person lined up -- they loved the theme and had lots of great ideas-- now I don't have to get excited all by myself!!! ( Here, of course!) Anyhow, here are the pics,let me know what you think-- I didn't include the board with the lights, it is still a work in progress....:p

Lisa

By the way-- the pics of the radar screens I just picked off the internet- did an image search for radar and picked out a few!

[TrinityJen]

Great job Lisa!!! The pics look great!

[beckiteach]

How come I cannot get the picture?

[Marja]

I don't see any pictures either,
Marja

[lavrn]

That's weird-- the pics have been on there since I posted them a couple of months ago--- I'll try to attach them again
Lisa

[TrinityJen]

The update they did recently has lost all of the pictures. :mad: