What are you going to make?

I’d like to construct a model of the Handheld Portal Device from the Valve game Portal.The final product would end up with dimensions of about 24”x 8”x 8” and hopefully weigh no more than 6 pounds. There’s also a potential for lighting elements to be used. As it is intended to be a handheld prop, the design and fabrication will have to be rugged enough to withstand sustained but likely infrequent use.

 

How are you going to make it?

The main center of the gun is likely going to be made with PVC pipe, modified with a dremel tool as needed. The arms will be lasercut acrylic and the wires consist of electrical cable. The two white shells could be constructed a few ways. You could CNC the two halves of a mold and then make a resin structure. You could also carve each shape down from a block of foam and then cover it with gesso. You could also take thicker sheets of foam and then heat form them into the shapes of the shells. The back shell will house the handle of the gun and the circuitry for the LEDs that will light up the clear tube in the center of the gun. There will be a switch mechanism that will turn the lights on and off.

 

Who and why:

I have three younger siblings. We all get really excited about Halloween costumes and dressing up as our favorite characters. If it wasn’t obvious, we’re all pretty nerdy as well. Last year, my sister Rachel and I worked together on a partner costume and it was an incredibly rewarding experience.

 

Each of us have different levels of skill and different aspects of costume making that we’re good at, but we don’t collaborate as often as I would like. The prompt is to create something “that makes you or someone else happy.” I always get so excited seeing the work that my siblings do, but I’d love to make something for them that could encourage them to look into a new game or inspire a new costume.

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~Fall 2017