Reference:
For reference, I primarily a picture I found on the software application "Captians Chair". This picture showed a good "Straight on" shot of the padd. Like my other projects, I "idealized" the design by cleaning up some inconsistencies, and making it "perfect". This meand unifying some shapes, aligning some things, and making the cut outs the same size. It is my belief that this improves the overall finished product. For the size, I used images that display both a "Small" voyager padd and a "large" one together. I know for certain the dimensions of the small padd, and scaled my large padd accordingly. Interestinly, the dimensions of my large padd do not match what is commonly held as the "accurate" dimensions. I have no way to explain this other than to suggest that many different padds were made during the run of the series, and I claim to only replicate one specific model.

Either way, it looks frickin' cool, and I think you'll enjoy owning one. Here we go!!!

Downloads:
Styrene templates

All files are zipped. You can use adobe acrobat to read the PDF files. If you don't have adobe acrobat, you can download it from www.adobe.com.

Download the zip archive. Unpack the styrene templates file, and print out a copy.

If you are using adobe acrobat, it is very importan that you do the following: when you go to the "file/print" menu, a dialog box will open. UNCHECK the check box that says "fit to page". If that is checked, the templates may print at the wrong size. to ensure the right sizing, I have included measurements on each panel. If they print wrong, try messing with your printer settings. Worst case, take it to a photocopy machine and enlarge or shrink accordingly.

Using elmers glue or a glue stick, glue all template pieces to .125" inch thick styrene. (I will have to confirm this thickness. Please use your best judgment until I can get precise measurements)

Use a coping saw to cut out the general shape, and a dremel for the inside parts. Before gluing the styrene pieces, go in with a set of jewelers files and clean up the openings for the display screen and the buttons.

When you're done with that, soak the padd in warm water to dissolve the elmers and remove the templates.

Take some sand paper and a dremel tool and clean up the edges of the padd. Sand the bevel into the edge. This padd appears to have only a very slight bevel. Don't get too excited.

Primer each layer with a plasti kote primer. Then blast the top and bottom panels with a few layers of colored paint. For this padd, use Plasti-Kote 7173 or equivalent. They recently changed their paint forumaltion, so unless you are using old-style 7173, you'll want to use a different color. (I'll figure out the correct paint code shortly) Give the first coat a good wetsanding to smooth it out. Paint the middle panel black.

Next, prepare the three halves for gluing. You'll need to take some sand paper and selectively sand the paint off the areas where the padd pieces will be making contact with each other. You don't need to a ton of glue to make it work, just enough in the right places. I'll leave it up to you to decide where the glue goes and how much. Glue the three halves together using Plastruct cement, or a fast setting epoxy. If you use an epoxy, make sure to spread it thin.

For the graphics, I'll leave it up to you to print them out. Do what you think looks best.