How to make a time machine

The time machine in Lost in Time was made with:

• a calculator ($2 shop)
• aluminium tape
• a muesli bar box
• a foam sanding block (using something harder is better)
• a plastic button
• super glue

Steps:

1. Pull apart the calculator. Be careful to keep all the parts intact and on the table, especially the working calculator circuitry.
2. MAKE A PLAN. Draw out a plan for the prop. Include the buttons that are needed, exclude the unnecessary buttons. Make sure measurements have at least 1mm of give, making the prop easier to assemble at the end.
   
3. Cut the frame for the prop's face. Make sure the buttons fit and can move freely. Make sure the screen fits without falling out.
   
4. Cut the outer frame that houses the calculator guts. Do this in two parts, the top half to fit around the calculator circuitry, the bottom half to keep the circuitry together.
5. Apply the aluminium tape to the face. Cut out holes, fold in tape flaps to ensure the illusion of a metal object.
   
6. Glue the top half of the frame onto the face.
7. Align the circuitry with the buttons. Check the calculator still works.
8. Attach the bottom half of the frame, and apply tape to cover the prop.

With step 8 completed, the time machine was completed and ready to go. The final cherry-on-top was weathering the prop to make it look like it was a real, used object and not something that was made 2 minutes ago. This was done with sandpaper, black paint, black, brown, and green pastels, black whiteboard marker, and paper towels. The sandpaper was used to scuff up the prop, then the paint etc. were rubbed into the prop with the paper towel. The machine was also thrown around the classroom a bit to provide bumps, but this is not recommended since it could break the calculator...as it did in this case.