Frankenstein's Laboratory 1 - Knife Switch

Dr. Frankenstein's Laboratory was such a fun project to dream up for the Tim Holtz Halloween Idea-ology Reveal Samples! It really all started with the orange and purple Tiny Lights for Halloween. I wanted to use them in a unique way, so as I mulled about ways to use them, visions of Frankenstein's Laboratory kept flashing through my mind, so I did some research on Pinterest and then devised a plan.

I'm going to post tutorials on some of the bits and pieces of this project to keep the posts from being overwhelming. Also, I feel like posting bits individually, will help you to be able to imagine them in different projects in case this whole thing isn't something you would make. So let's get started with the Knife Switch, which was the item my husband suggested I put in this project. So kudos to him for suggesting it and challenging me to try and figure out how to make one with Idea-ology products.

The first thing you need to make is the switch. In a strange twist, I actually used two of the knives from the Adornment Silverware to make the Knife Switch. To make the shape, I used two pairs of needlenosed pliers to make the bends in the knives and then I glued them together along the handles with Distress Collage Medium.

There are two options for drilling some holes in the ends of the knife switch. You can use a Dremmel,

or you can use this blast from the past! I don't even remember the name of this but it was based on an old jewelry tool that makes holes in something by turning the handle. It makes two different hole sizes.

Once you have your holes drilled, notice that I wrapped the handle with black Trim Tape. Then go through your Idea-ology stash and the Halloween Baseboards package and locate the two rectangle pieces in there - Pyro-Galicacid and the Palmistry. You also need the smallest of the Vignette Panels, two hitch fasteners and two Index Clips.

Now you need to have something that will hold the tongs of the knife switch and allow them to move up and down or "on" and "off." To do this I used two Index Clips and attached them to the Palmistry Baseboard right in the middle on the sides. You need to use some needle nose pliers to bend the back of the clips at a 90 degree angle as shown above.

Attach the Knife Switch by putting the threaded part of the Hitch Fastener facing out on each side, then put the knife tongs onto the threaded piece on the outside part of the Index Clip and secure it withe the hitch part of the Hitch Fastener.

Here you can see that the tongs are on the outsides of the Index Clips and the hitch parts are secured. Add the Pyro Baseboard in the middle of the piece for added interest.

To put this piece in place, I painted the sides of the smallest Vignette Panel black, and then I adhered the Knife Switch to it with Collage Medium and left it dry enough that it stayed secure for the next step, which is to secure it into place in the bottom portion of a Vignette Divided Box.

I covered the inside of the box with some paper from the Departed paper pad before I did the next step. Using my Dremmel, I drilled holes in all the corners of the Knife Switch piece, then I glued it in place in the Divided Box with Distress Collage Medium.

When the Collage Medium had time to set, I put four of the Vignette Hardware Nails into the holes and pounded them in to the back "wall" of the divided box. I felt this would really hold it into place securely while the switch was turned "on" and "off."

Next time we will talk about all the cool little books in the upper part of the box.

Tami

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