How to Make a Pocket Sized Secret Code Decoder Wheel

Hello and thank you for finding this interesting enough to click on, and even better, read. It makes me so happy to now somebody likes the sound of my Instructable, even if I know the majority of my views comes from it being in a contest.

Just so you know, I got this idea from the first Enola Holmes movie, in witch her mom gives her a pocket sized decoder wheel for turning numbers into letters (although it has a flower in the center, not a rainbow). It is a pretty simple craft for kids, although it does require cutting through rather thick paper, and using a bobby pin to poke a hole through six layers of paper.

The fun part is really designing and coloring the wheel after it's made, plus figuring out what you want your code to be. You do not have to just use numbers, but symbols as well. Maybe try experimenting with the size ounce you have made one like this.

(Note: I was either given all the materials or I bought them in person, so I don't have anything to go on for making links.)

• Two different sized traceable circles, about 3 1/4' and 2 1/2' in diameter (Shown here as the flowery travel mug, bought at Natural Life)
• Cardstock or painting paper, preferably smooth (I used Strathmore Bristol, witch is smooth painting paper. (See Note.))
• Pencil (I used a simple HB pencil)
• Ruler
• Large traceable rectangle, about 6'x4' (I used a card from my recipe box. Not shown)
• Scissors (DON'T use kids scissors.)
• Tape runner or glue stick (I use a tape runner, because it's less likely to buckle, but either one is fine. The brand of tape runner I use is Ad tech)
• Decorative markers, pens, crayons, and colored pencils (I used eight different fine point sharpies, along with two different ultra fine point sharpies, witch are basically pens.)
• Bobby pin
• Mini brad (A regular brad would work fine, but a mini one works great for the pocket sized wheel)

(Note: For this project, since I used thinner paper than cardstock, I made instructions for using paper that is thinner than cardstock. All of the photos shown are for using thinner paper. If you are using cardstock, then only cut one of each shape, and skip step three and half of step four.)

Trace the smaller circle, twice, onto painting paper, or once onto cardstock (I used the bottom of a travel mug)(Note: Make sure that you are tracing on the side that you don't want to be shown). Measure across the circle, the diameter should be about 2 1/2 inches. Now do the same with the larger circle (I used the top of the same travel mug) the measurement should be about 3 1/4 inches.

Now trace two of the rectangles, if you are using cardstock trace only one they should be about 6x4 inches.

Done!

Carefully cut the shapes out, if you are using thinner paper, then keep in mind that you will be putting them together later, so try to keep them at about the same size.

Done!

If you are using cardstock, skip this step.

Start with the smallest circle. Take one of the circles, and slowly run the tape runner around the outer edge of the circle, pulling up every time you make a larger turn, until you have made it all the way around. Take the other small circle and press it on top of it. Press hard.

Repeat with the larger circle.

Take one of the rectangles, and, using, the tape runner, go around the outer edge, stopping at each corner, until you make it back to where you started. Press the two rectangles together.

Done!

If you are using cardstock, skip the first half of this step, up to the star (*).

Carefully trim the edges of the finished circles and rectangle. (Note: Try not to cut to much off of the circles, I did that on the larger circle, and had to redo it.)

*Place the small circle on the center of the large circle, then place that on to the rectangle. Trim down the side of the rectangle that measures 6 inches. It should now be a square that is just bigger then the large circle.

Done!

With the small circle still in the center of the large circle, lightly trace around the small circle with a pencil, keeping in mind that you will erase this later. Now on the larger circle (you can take the small circle off now) pencil in the alphabet, along with four other symbols (I used . , ? and !) you can use whatever you want, just don't use numbers. Now draw lines in the middle of each letter and symbol, stopping at the circle you drew earlier.

Now take the smaller circle, and place it back on the large circle, and continue the lines from before, onto the small circle, stopping about 1/4 inch into the circle.

Pencil in numbers 1-30 in the included slots.

Done!

Choose one coloring utensil, (I used a teal ultra fine tip sharpie, just don't use pencils.) and color over your previous pencil marks on the large circle (don't color the circle you traced on the large circle). Then do a different color, (I used purple) and do the same to the other circle.

Decorate the center however you feel. I did a rainbow, but you could glue on a pressed flower or leaf, paint something, or maybe write something in your secret code!

Right now is also a good time to decide where you want your wheel to line up. (For instance, you could do M to 9, or ? to 3, whatever you feel like. But try not to do something like, A to 1.)

Done!

Once again, put the small circle in the center of the large circle, and the large circle in the center of the rectangle that is now a square. Find the center of the small circle and mark it with a pencil, push the bobby pin through all three layers. (Note: In the first picture, there is two holes in the center of the large circle, I made an accidental hole, but the one on the right is the one I used.)

Shove the brad through the hole you just made, and open it well in the back. (What I mean by "well" is make sure it's folded back all the way against the paper, or it might come undone.)

Now spin it around so no one else can read your code!

Done! (Like, for reals this time.) :)