Zoolander's Cellphone DIY

Ok, today's HACK is creating a working version of Zooland's tiny cellphone from the movie.
So how do you get a tiny cellphone without being really, really, ridiculously good looking?

HOW??

Simple, we hack apart a bluetooth headset!

Now, since we don't have Zooland's ridiculously amount of cash we are gonna have to shop cheap!

So what's the cheapest place to shop? eBay!!!!

Now, we don't really want to pay too much, so I set the budget to around 30 bux.

Ok, so searching eBay, I found a cheap bluetooth headset that should work.


(well not this one, but something similar)

It comes with a detachable earbud, which makes it easier to harvest the speaker, mic and on/off switch.

So, after I win the bid and wait for the postman to deliver my headset. We begin fabricating our cellphone.

Similar to model making (but you have to create your own pieces) I have to cut, form and glue pieces of styrene plastic to form the phone. Why styrene plastic? Because it's cheap and easy to work with, DUH!

But where do I start? Well you can start by watching the movie (lol) but the one in the movie looks like an old motorola startac cellphone.


So after numerous measuring, cutting and gluing I finish the body.


(Ignore the blue stuff for now, it's silicon molding material.)




Ok, the gray stuff is epoxy puddy, similar to plumber puddy. You mix part A with part B to get a playdough type clay that can be smooth with water and dries hard as steel.
In the first pic, the circuit will be in the center (duh), on/off switch will be on top of the circuit and the mic (harvest from the earbud) will be put in the lower right corner. The battery and speaker will go on the top (second pic). A circle and a square is cut to allow for extra earbud and AC charger.

Now the phone is very fragile and can't be used as it is, SO have to create a mold and cast it in liquid plastic (like resin, but semi-flexible)
So, 2 part mold is made. How is it made you ask? Well, you take the first pic and build a housing to contain the silicon molding material. You can use cardboard, but I build a nice box out of legos (you see why later). Use some oil clay to seal up the bottom and mix your molding material. Same as epoxy puddy, you pour part A into part B, mix, pour and wait till it set.



Break your housing down, flip your mold WITH the cellphone still in it and build another housing to cast the other side (see why I used legos now). Remember to coat the first mold with vaseline to prevent the new mold from bonding to it and creating a block of blue silicon.




ok, you got your mold. Mix your liquid plastic (or resin) and pour into mold. With till it's set and remove.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE FACES TO COVER THE INSIDES???

ah, good question. We will use the styrene plastic since its nice and flat. So cut a sheet to cover the top and bottom. For the face, cut a rectangle out and glue another rectangle under it. This will simulate a LED recessed look. Drill a hole at the top to allow the wires to run to the top. Also, drill a hole in the lower right hand corner so the mic can hear you. Just a small airhole will do. On the side, you need to drill 2 holes for volume +/- and one for the reset (if it has one)

For the top, cut a slit (horizontally) for the speaker also, you need to cut a slit (vertically) at the base to allow the battery and speaker wire to run to the base. Without it you can't open the phone up. You also need to drill a hole THRU the hinge. While you're at it, round out the hinge part so that it can open with eaze when finished. It's square cause its hard to do curves with the plastic, plus makes it harder to cast in silicon.

Ok to assemble it. You place the circuit down. hot glue the on/off switch in the center, away from the fake LED display. Now you need to figure out the pin for the headjack. You need to find the on/off switch, mic and speaker. Solder the battery, switch, mic and speaker up and glue the face down. Now use a bit of the epoxy puddy to seal up the seam. Let it dry and get ready to paint. Cover the speaker and paint the base flat black (you can use the battery & speaker as a handle while painting) Repeat for the top.

You did remember the holes for the hinge right?!
Good, a large paper clip will serve will for a hinge. You want to insert it so that the battery/speaker wires will be on top, so when you open it you can see the paper clip on the inside.
The LED and buttons were made in Photoshop and printed out. Cut and glued into place. Grab some clear nail polish and seal it in.

And you are done!






Oh, don't forget the antenna! Drill a hole and use the rest of that paperclip and some puddy to create the antenna. Turn it on by pressing the center of the phone (where the on/off switch is) and pair it up to your bluetooth enable cellphone.
Enable voice dialing and start modeling!