Introduction: Ghostbusters Ghost Trap Gift Box

About: I'm Mario Caicedo Langer (M.C. for short), a Colombian STEAM educator living in Azerbaijan, BSc in Naval Sciences and former Navy officer. I am a CAD and 3D Printing enthusiast and an artist specialized in jun…
If your Christmas gift needs a special wrap... WHO YA GONNA CALL?


People forget the real meaning of the Holidays. No, it's not about family, it's not about friendship and sharing and gifts and Santa and Jesus. NOOOO! These are the days before Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia, the Sorrow of Moldavia, returns from the dead to rule the Earth!

So, in tribute of the only heroes capable of defeating Vigo the Unholy, I made a special gift box in the form of a Ghost Trap. You introduce the present inside the box and the receiver must open the trap doors for extracting his gift.

NOTE: THIS IS A GIFT WRAP, NOT A PROP OR A MODEL. If you want to make an accurate replica of the ghost trap, be my guest. But:
  1. I made this with stuff easy and fast to find or replace.
  2. Maybe you have another gifts to wrap (unless this is a present for a very special person)
  3. You don't want the wrap looks cooler than the present. Do you?

Well, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for all the Instructables Community (the awesome Instructables.com Staff and my fellow makers). YOU ARE THE BEST!

And, as Dr. Peter Venkman said:

"I love this plan! I'm excited it could work! LET'S DO IT!"

Step 1: Materials and Stuff

You will need the following stuff:

1 Rectangular cardboard box, according to the gift size. It will be the trap body. I used an "old" Iphone 2G box.
2 Small boxes. I used plastic ones for electric projects, but cardboard ones are useful, too. They will be the front and back parts.
1 black marker for the trap handle.
2 rectangular metal plates (for electric installations). You cand find them in hardware stores. For the trap sides.
1 Yellow electrical tape
1 Black electrical tape
2 Plastic rulers (or one long enough). I started using them for measuring, but they finished being part of the trap as the doors.
Screws and bolts
Superglue (epoxic)
Grey tubes (from grey pens) and a knob. For decorating the side plates.

TOOLS:

Dremel Rotary Tool
screwdrivers
scalpel
scissors

NOTES:
  1. I used black boxes and it saved me from buying black painting.
  2. I love to drill and to use screws and bolts for assembling the parts. But you can make this project only using superglue.

And don't forget:

1. If you don't have it, replace it!
2. Use protective equipment (dust mask and goggles)
3. Beware of drilled and soldered hot surfaces
4. Work in a good ventilated area.
5. Always have junk in stock
6. Enjoy!

Step 2: The Box

Take the IPhone's box. In the upper side, use the scalpel (or the Dremel) for cuting and making the doors in the same way showed on the pictures. Don't cut completely the outer sides of the doors, because they will be the hinges. Just make grooves. Or, if you want, cut completely and use black tape for fasten the doors to the box. As you wish.

Step 3: The Plates

Extend the IPhone box high enough for the size of the metallic plates (if you have a bigger box, forget this).

Screw the plates to both sides of the box.

Step 4: The Handle

Grab the marker. Remove the cap (and keep it. You will need it later).

Cut the down side (you know... the "writing" side) and remove the ink deposit.

Remove the white writings. It has to look like a black tube. Paint it black or use polish remover.

Drill holes in one of the ends of the black tube, in the center of the cap and in one of the sides of one of the small plastic box.

Introduce a long screw and join the three parts as shown on the pictures.

Step 5: Front and Back Boxes

The plastic boxes have removable covers, so I attached the covers to the front and back side of the trap, and then I attached the boxes to the covers: the handle box in the back and the other in front.

Step 6:

It's a good time to introduce your present into the box. If your present is delicate, it would be a good idea wraping it in some paper or covering the inner of the trap with foam rubber.

Cut the plastic rules. You will need two equal doors that fit in the trap box.

Wrap the doors with the black and yellow tape in the pattern showed on the pictures. First wrap them together and then separate them using the scalpel. Now, wrap them again, each one separately.

Glue each yellow-black door to the cardboard doors of the box.

Step 7: Finishing...

Decorate the plates with the pen grey pipes and the knob. And if you want a Christmas touch, put a red bow in the handle.

Happy Holidays!!!! :-)

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