Mordrogyn's TARDIS

[geminitimelord]

Are you going for a NST build?

If not I think you need to go with the design from Glen's Build in the Tardis Builder Manual. That is the best design that I have seen to build the corner posts if you are building anything other than a NST.

[mordrogyn]

Yeah it is an NST otherwise I would have gone Glen's route, want an NST because of it's larger footprint, means more room to store stuff in

[mordrogyn]

I appear to have opened a papermill....

Here is the width of the offending wood which led to the problems of the posts looking off....




And here is the post as it looks now

[mordrogyn]

1 post built... 3 waiting to be put together but all cut out.


a profile from the bottom of one side of the post with all the sections cut


Here with the door jamb section screwed into the groove, still needs to be cut off flush with the bottom of the post


And a view from the top end...
The door jamb piece doesn't go all the way up, and will actually be cut back on a 45 degree angle before the top strip slots into place once the posts are in position.

[mordrogyn]

Well in the middle of the night I had an epiphany.
I'm making my posts ass backwards!

Instead of the original plan of having a block protruding from the base to which the posts would bolt, the bracing block inside the post should protrude downwards into the base allowing them to be dropped into place into a box built into the base and then secured with a bracket if needs be.


If the box within the base is built correctly the fit should be snug and the post should not wobble at all, though brackets on the post which would allow for screws/bolts to thread into the floor would prevent any movement.
The floor is only see through for illustration purposes.

[mordrogyn]

AARRRGGGHHH!!

Why is it that a 2x4 is actually 1.5x2.5 and that a 2x6 is actually a 1.5x5.5?

I'm checking a few measurements to make sure that the bracing strut inside my post will be the right size for the walls and doors to fit snugly between them and what do I discover?

Using the ACTUAL dimensions of the wood and not the standard "name sizes" it turns out that my wall width is TOO SHORT and will leave gaps between the posts...

So I now face the problem of do I make the wall wider which may look wrong when I come to attach it, use 2x6 for the outer posts so that it sits behind the post correctly (which won't look right on the doors and will also cost me more money)

or...

Pull apart my base and reduce it in size a little (anywhere up to 4", it's currently 60") so that the rest of the box WILL fit together.

The gap between my posts according to my "plans" should be 44" (with overlap)
The ACTUAL gap between my posts working on my rechecked figures 48" (without overlap)

And that is  assuming that the build goes together correctly

[mordrogyn]

Has now put the physical build on hold temporarily, while outside cursing the sky blue at the screw up on measurements realized that the short coming in lumber size would also affect the horizontal stiles (or whatever they are called) on each wall/door section.

Back to my plans I go.   grumbling all the while

[UPDATE]
So... I am now scratching my head and adjusting my plans so that I can have a clean run through this build without encountering anymore cock ups.
Adjusting for lumber sizes my Tardis could now wind up being 4" narrower and 3" shorter than before.
The problem doesn't occur at all until I get to the doors & walls.

I can live with the base being a half inch shorter than I planned, I can even live with the steps in the roof being half an inch shorter than I planned (I have these as 4" each hope that's right or close enough)
But the multiple sections that go into the doors and walls compound the issue

This also unfortunately means that I will have to either
a. shorten my posts a smidgen
or
b. have a taller step above the sign box like in the original

And so now I find myself once again working in sketchup to build a model to the new dimensions perhaps in the vain hope that I can somehow distort reality and prevent myself from having to dismantle my base and shorten it.
[/UPDATE]




On a lighter note: My handles arrived in the mail today! Thanks Chris 1000 karma points to you

[geminitimelord]

AARRRGGGHHH!!

Why is it that a 2x4 is actually 1.5x2.5 and that a 2x6 is actually a 1.5x5.5?

I'm checking a few measurements to make sure that the bracing strut inside my post will be the right size for the walls and doors to fit snugly between them and what do I discover?

Using the ACTUAL dimensions of the wood and not the standard "name sizes" it turns out that my wall width is TOO SHORT and will leave gaps between the posts...

So I now face the problem of do I make the wall wider which may look wrong when I come to attach it, use 2x6 for the outer posts so that it sits behind the post correctly (which won't look right on the doors and will also cost me more money)

or...

Pull apart my base and reduce it in size a little (anywhere up to 4", it's currently 60") so that the rest of the box WILL fit together.

The gap between my posts according to my "plans" should be 44" (with overlap)
The ACTUAL gap between my posts working on my rechecked figures 48" (without overlap)

And that is  assuming that the build goes together correctly

Dude that is exactly what messed me up with my corner posts. I used stock lumber rather than rip pine boards to exact measurements. I agree it doesnt make any sense

[mordrogyn]

I'd hate to see the price of this thing is I was ripping boards down to the right size though.

Anyway after a while in sketchup, I have concluded that ideally i should be taking 5" off the width of the base, though I think that's a bit much myself, I don't really want to take any off, however I will (tomorrow because I just can't face it today) be taking off 4" which will make the walls fit between the posts and allow some overlap and also give me a little wiggle room to make adjustments as I fit pieces together.

I haven't yet confirmed the height change, though it's looking like its going to be a 3" drop.

It's kind of annoying because it means this is no longer a 1:1 build, I know it's going to be so close that it shouldn't be noticeable (hopefully) but I'll know.

[mordrogyn]

it's better to walk away and sleep on it when you end up with problems that are unforeseen...

I felt much better in the time I had this morning about having to dismantle my base than I did yesterday when the realization hit.

Okay... time for a "kind of repeat"

This is something that in technical terms would be call an " exploded view"



And here is the base after it's refit, can you tell the difference?



Well for one thing it gave me the opportunity to fit the "post boxes"



And here is one of them with a 4x4 (which is really a 3.5x3.5) in the box to test the fit



There is a little wiggle room with them which is a good thing for ensuring that the posts are level when in place, they may be secured in place with brackets on the posts which will allow them to bolt into the floor, or then again if it work well enough I may just let them stand there freely.
I haven't decided yet whether to run the 4x4 all the way up the inside of the post to where the doors stop, or whether to run it say 6" inside and then run blocks of it for hinges and wall fitting.  There is an issue of weight however the posts as they are right now comprise of nothing more than 2 2x6's and some offcuts from inside the base to make the door jamb, so there is no weight in them right now.

I have finally made up all the posts (minus the bracing)



And found that the best way to fit these together snugly was to counter sink 3 screws into the outside to pull them together, they will actually hold that way though I will still be running something up the inside to give it extra strength.
On a side note I also found that the best way to make sure the two pieces were together correctly was to stand them slanted so that the edges that joined were together when running the screws, that way adjustments can be made as needed.


Hardly any seam to be seen in these posts, yes they will probably need a little filler but nothing like they would have needed in the original fitting.
There is a screw sticking out in this photo because I realized that my drill battery sucks!
This was the third post I did this morning the fourth require me to have a couple of quick 5 minute charges on the battery to get enough power to drill the pilot hole and the larger hole to sink the screw, not to mention sinking the screw itself.

[mordrogyn]

Short on time today but I did manage a test fit on two complete posts.
If anything it was a little tight, nothing whacking the post box beam with a hammer didn't sort, doesn't look like I will need to use any kind of bracing to attach the posts to the base.





Excuse the mess, I've been storing all my lumber on the base to keep it off the ground, and the base is off the ground on temporary wooden blocks.
The posts are not currently level (and neither is the base) but that will be rectified when I brace across the top of them with the beam section that will hold my sign boxes.  Inside the L shape of the corner post is a 7' length of 4x4 which sticks out of the bottom 2.5 inches to allow it to slot into the bracing box.  I went this route even though it does add eight to each post section because I figured I could use the post inside to help support the weight of the roof and it would help prevent any possible warping in the 2x6's
Also the fact that it will be an outside box when complete should help it to withstand the elements. (not to mention make the thing too heavy for anyone to try to steal hahaha)

Still have to fit the floor on which the posts will actually sit, that will happen in about a week when I get the plywood out here, though my build may slow a little because I have to redo the siding on the house too.

[Scarfwearer]

This is looking splendid! I think you've worked to tighter tolerances than I did.

Crispin

[mordrogyn]

Thanks Crispin, I think that I may have worked them too tight in places there is a lot of me standing on the base and wiggling the posts to get them in and out but I think it will work as long as I can make them plumb when I test fit all 4 for the crossbeams at the top.

[mordrogyn]

Lay your TARDIS section flat and totally drench a workable area with the water (or steam) until it all goes a bit soggy, like it's been left out in the rain

Well it's raining, and I am in and out getting a little wetter each time, thought I would get mother nature to work in my favor for once.

[EDIT]I went today and bought a wire wheel for my drill because well doing it by hand is a slow and painful job and I would just like to say:
I cannot recommend this method enough!
Not only does it make raising the wood grain easier, but because the wheel is narrower than a hand brush and because it is spinning all you really have to do if follow the lines.
By avoiding going over the darker grain I have made that grain even more pronounced so that I should have no problems of it becoming less obvious once painted.

If you can manage with a wire hand brush you can certainly manage with a drill!
[/EDIT]

[mordrogyn]

My lock arrived in the mail today, courtesy of my sister.... but it wasn't the lock I reserved when she said she'd get me it.
What arrived is a 60mm backset lock not the 40mm Yale 706, hope I can make it work.