Build a "working" tricorder

Step 10 Cutting the front and back plates

The front and back plate are just corrugated cardboard, dressed up with a bit of textured paper.  The tricorders in the original series have a variety of surface textures --  haircell kydex, vinyl, leatherette -- but mine is real imitation Gorn hide.  I cut the "delta moldings" out of cardboard as well.  My back plate is about 5.75 x 6 inches, and the front plates are 5.75 x 3.75 and 5.75 x 1.75.  I coated each plate with a layer of glue stick, and used the rounded handle of a small screwdriver to burnish the edges of the molding design.  At this time you should also cut some door handles out of the aluminum towel rod stock.  In the original series there are a couple of variations.  Mine are about 1.5 x .5 inches, which is a little large.  Cut some slots for the handles and dry fit.  The doors on my tricorder are non-functional, but you could hinge them and construct the interior compartments if you have the inclination.