Miniature Time Traveller Issue 1

Miniature Time Traveller Magazine Issue #1/20 Most projects can use pen parts without too much modification but you can use a candle flame to reshape plastic provided you have good ventilation and don’t put your nose too close. It goes without saying that all care should be taken and children should not be present. To shape plastic rods or straws or pen barrels, makeup brush handles etc you need to hold your plastic over a narrow heat source until the plastic slumps or softens. Hold the piece high over the flame and bring down gradually, twirling and twisting to get an even distribution of heat. Once you see signs of change whip it away quickly or it will burst into flame. Have a back up handy in case this happens. Usually a blow on it puts the flame out. Water may spit hot bits at you. As soon as you have removed your heated plastic rod or straw from the heat source, gently begin to pull evenly on either side of the softened piece. Keep your fingers away from the hot plastic. If you want to make bottles: a series of bottles which need to be roughly the same shape and size, you will need to draw or stretch your bottles out against a ruler so each section is pulled apart by roughly the same amount. You will also need to start with a standard length of straw or rod. When you have drawn the plastic out to a neck length and thickness you want carefully hold the plastic under the same gentle tension until the neck area cools and sets in place. When cool enough set aside to cool completely. When totally cooled, use a fine toothed razor saw or a Dremel cutter and cut the base of your new plastic bottles (because there will be two) at the length you want and then cut across the necks very carefully. Cutting the base flat is tricky. Use of a miter saw is recommended. If it is crooked hold the bottle on it’s side on a surface and using a flat file placed with it’s side squarely on the surface, gently rasp across the end of the bottle until it is flat and even. Some plastics get brittle. Be gentle. When glueing anything to your bottle, use non-reactive glue. a You will need a used pen as above a An eyelet that fits inside a A nail a A black bead a A gold jewelry fining for knob a A rubber piece from another pen for the bottom a Gold stickers that you can cut in strips. Remove the top off the pen cap. Use the clear part but turn upside down. The baffle looks like a filter. Otherwise, punch a circle out of silver paper and glue to narrow end of eyelet. Poke the eyelet down the barrel with a piece of narrow dowel so it sits onto the baffle. Cut a piece off the rubber grip from the other pen or think of something else that will make a good base. Maneuver into place. No glued needed. Glue the bead to the nail with Superglue. Glue the gold fitting on the top. Fasten the bead to the top of the barrel with Aleen's Tacky Glue. Make sure the nail sits straight. It’s length should be enough that it sits just into the eyelet. Cut strips of gold sticky backed paper. Stick on a band top and bottom. Do downward strips to mimic the metal frame that holds the glass chamber in place on a real plunger. Don’t make these too wide or it will obscure the interior. Glue on the handle. It is easier to use another downward strip but bend at top and bottom and bell out for the handle and glue over one of the downward strips. There! Finished! It has no bottom but you could do clever things with brown resin! MAKING THINGS MINIATURE FROM OLD PENS AND BITS AND PIECES Making a coffee plunger—no heat required