How To Build A Teleport Bracelet)

By Kathryn A

Ingredients:

• one cardboard roll, such as a poster or postal cylinder or the cardboard roll from inside a roll of packing tape; diameter 8.5cm, width 4cm (cut to this width if need be, using a saw or knife)
• cardboard, thick enough to be sturdy, thin enough to be flexible
• thin cork (optional)
• plain paper
• glue
• black or dark brown foam rubber (optional)
• silver tape width 1.5cm OR aluminuim foil cut or folded to width 1.5cm
• Antique Gold or metallic brown paint
• grey paint OR a round grey button 2cm diameter OR grey tape
• red paint OR pink paint OR red paint + pearl nailpolish
• brown packing tape or beige paint
• clear or red contact (optional)

Visual Reference:

Refer to the Liberator Teleport Bracelet diagram in the Horizon Technical Manual.

Instructions:

Cut your roll to the right width if need be. If the roll is too thin and flimsy, stick a layer of cardboard over it. Cover the rough edges with paper.

Cut five strips of cardboard, one 15x3cm, one 9x3cm, one 1.3x3cm, and two 2.5x1cm (measurements will vary depending on the precise size of the cardboard roll). If the cardboard is thin, cut twice as many strips. If you are using thin cork, cut one strip each from the cork also.

Stick the strips onto the roll, making sure they evenly positioned in the center. Check the diagram for where to stick them: the two long strips should be next to each other with a small gap representing where the hinge of the bracelet would go if it had a hinge. The small 1.3x3cm strip goes in the larger gap between the long strips - this is where the red button will go. If using cork, stick the cork down first, and the cardboard on top.

When all the glue is dry, paint the bracelet with antique gold or metallic brown enamel paint. Do more than one coat if you think that will look better. Wait for the paint to dry.

The red receive-button is made from the two smallest strips of cardboard stuck together, covered with white paper, painted red, and covered with contact to make it shiny. Another way of doing this is painting it red, and then painting it with white-pearl nailpoilish to get that glowing pink-red effect. Glue this as indicated in the diagram.

The grey transmit-part is made either from cutting a circle of paper or thin card (1.5-2cm diameter) and painting it grey, or by using a grey round button and cutting off the shaft so that it will stick on flat. Stick this on as indicated in the diagram.

Cut out silver tape or foil and stick on the bracelet as indicated in the diagram. Cut out (very cleverly) pieces of brown packing tape in the shapes of the alien characters that decorate the rest of the bracelet and stick them on, or else paint them on with beige paint. You may wish to paint the whole bracelet with clear enamel to protect it.

Optionally add a lining with foam rubber, to aid the bracelet in not falling off when you wear it.

NOTES:

Cardboard rolls: the roll from inside a large roll of packing tape comes closest to the right size. A large postal cylinder is too large and a small one is too small. A Pringles packet is too small, but may be easier to obtain. A Pringles packet is easier to cut but is also flimsier; it is recommended to add bulk by sticking on more cardboard to thicken it up.

Cardboard: most cardboard you can buy will probably be too thin. The backs of note-pads may provide thicker stuff. The disadvantage of thicker cardboard is that it will not bend as easily, and the cardboard used here must bend. An alternative if available could be thin cork (a few millimetres thick); this will bend fairly easily and add the bulk you need. But only bother if you happen to have some (maybe left over from someone's redecorating or the like). I used it for mine, it worked beautifully.

The red button: building this up from strips of cardboard is fairly tedious, and if you can think of a better way, do that.