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Scarfwearer's Season 14 Wooden Console

Started by Scarfwearer, Sep 23, 2009, 08:57 am

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Scarfwearer

Sep 23, 2009, 08:57 am Last Edit: Aug 18, 2012, 11:01 pm by Scarfwearer
I've finally got around to making a start on the Season 14 wooden console. I'm thinking it'll make a nice piece of furniture for my study, so I'm definitely focusing on the furniture end of things as much as the prop end.

I found some plans over in the reference section, ;), [ref topic=1102]Wooden Console Plans[/ref], so I'll be using those as a starting point.

I've also collected together a few reference photos from various places.

The first order of the day was a shopping trip. I got some moldings and plywood.
timber1.jpg
I want to use a wood that resembles the Fablon sticky-backed plastic that was apparently used to clad the original prop, so pine is not that suitable. Unfortunately in the UK, the big timber retailers only seem to sell pine! even most of the moldings are pine.
None of the lengths of timber on the console are longer that two feet, so I picked up a box of solid wood birch flooring. I'll have to sand the lacquer off it, but this might work. We'll see how it goes.

Matching the hardware is going to be difficult, as the exact models are unlikely to be available after a gap of more than thirty years. I'll just use the closest I can find. I've no idea where to get those decorative brass things around the edge of the console. I can't even find ½" brass pipe as yet.

hardware1.jpg

I've started on the base, which has involved a lot of 30° cuts of strip wood and moldings, glued and pinned to a softwood ply base plate. The softwood will be pretty much covered up, so I don't mind using a little of that as a framework.

base2.jpg

The birch flooring is much nicer wood to work with than pine: it actually cuts straight without feathering or splitting - much more like working with plastic, except that it doesn't melt.

chopping1.jpg

I usually cut slightly longer than the measurement, try the piece in place and trim to fit. Fortunately the mitre saw seems to be graduated properly, so the angles add up OK.

Crispin

lespaceplie

Sep 23, 2009, 02:31 pm #1 Last Edit: Jan 18, 2010, 08:36 pm by scarfwearer
The great thing about this console is that it can be considered furniture instead of just a prop taking up precious living space. It becomes a fine bureau or writing desk - maybe a spot for using a notebook computer and storing all the office stuff.

I look forward to seeing this one.

Dematerialiser

Sep 23, 2009, 06:49 pm #2 Last Edit: Jan 18, 2010, 08:36 pm by scarfwearer
Looks like a fantastic start Crispin! Looking forward to seeing this one progress  :D

As for those decorative brass things on the topside edge - they're probably not, but they always reminded me of old fashioned stair-rods.

cheers
Chris

geminitimelord

Sep 23, 2009, 08:09 pm #3 Last Edit: Jan 18, 2010, 08:36 pm by scarfwearer
And then decorate your study with the wooden roundels the secondary control room had. Now that would be impressive.

Besides you would have the full set LOL

Rassilons Rod

Sep 23, 2009, 08:16 pm #4 Last Edit: Jan 18, 2010, 08:37 pm by scarfwearer
Great start! :)
In the cities in the streets there's a tension you can feel,
The breaking strain is fast approaching, guns and riots.
Politicians gamble and lie to save their skins,
And the press get fed the scapegoats,
Public Enema Number One.

Scarfwearer

Sep 23, 2009, 09:42 pm #5 Last Edit: Jul 26, 2011, 09:30 am by Scarfwearer
Quote from: lespaceplie on Sep 23, 2009, 02:31 pmThe great thing about this console is that it can be considered furniture

That's the general idea. My study has room for it - just about.


Ah, but the walls are nearly covered with books, so there's not a lot of room for paneling, roundeled or otherwise. Which is not to say I haven't thought about it... :)

Quote from: dematerialiser on Sep 23, 2009, 06:49 pmAs for those decorative brass things on the topside edge - they're probably not, but they always reminded me of old fashioned stair-rods.

I've seen mid-span rail holders of that design, but the rod you can buy is all 19mm or 22mm, which I think is wider than the rod on the console. I think the rail holders are 19mm on the console, which allows them to meet at a 60° angle. 19mm rod would not fit at that angle. It's just possible that the holders are 22mm and the rod really is 19mm on the console, but I don't think so. We'll see.

Oh, and here's an update:
plinth1.jpg
I've made up a couple of the plinth panels. There's some edging detail between them which is visible in some reference photos, but I haven't made those up yet.

Crispin

meantimebob

Sep 23, 2009, 10:43 pm #6 Last Edit: Jan 27, 2010, 02:27 pm by crispin
This is looking great. I've always wanted to get around to making this version myself.

Have you thought about nautical shops or curtain rails for the brass parts? How are you going to do the rams head motifs, sculpt one and mould it?

Scarfwearer

Sep 23, 2009, 10:55 pm #7 Last Edit: Jan 29, 2010, 05:33 pm by Scarfwearer
Quote from: meantimebob on Sep 23, 2009, 10:43 pmHave you thought about nautical shops or curtain rails for the brass parts? How are you going to do the rams head motifs, sculpt one and mould it?

I must look at some nautical shops. I've spent ages trawling the internet for rams head motifs - no luck. So yes, I may end up sculpting and moulding them. There are smaller motifs at the top and bottom of each plinth edge as well. I really need to find some better pictures of them.
There's a lot of brass on this thing!

Crispin

Teletran

(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1360/omni02g.jpg)

Rassilons Rod

Sep 24, 2009, 04:10 am #9 Last Edit: Jan 28, 2010, 08:04 pm by scarfwearer
Ramsheads? I thought they were Lions heads??  ???

Wow this is coming together really quickly! Looking great already! :)
In the cities in the streets there's a tension you can feel,
The breaking strain is fast approaching, guns and riots.
Politicians gamble and lie to save their skins,
And the press get fed the scapegoats,
Public Enema Number One.

purpleblancmange

Sep 24, 2009, 07:04 am #10 Last Edit: Jan 28, 2010, 08:04 pm by scarfwearer
Wow, what an amazing start to what is undoubtedly and amazing project!  I'll be keeping a keen eye on this one.

atomicgraph

Sep 25, 2009, 01:49 am #11 Last Edit: Jan 28, 2010, 08:04 pm by scarfwearer
awesome project crispen!!! and your off to a great start. i have to agree about the hard wood verses pine it cuts much better. the only problem i've run into is that if you don't countersink screws it tends to split the wood.... but i'm sure you already know this. great replica of the baker sonic too.... looking forward to more updates

Scarfwearer

Sep 25, 2009, 07:57 am #12 Last Edit: Jan 29, 2010, 05:33 pm by Scarfwearer
Quote from: teletran on Sep 24, 2009, 03:17 amare you going to hinge the plinth so it opens?

these might work:

http://www.victorialarsen.com/Plaster%20Molds/Pages/plaster_small_acanthus_droplet_mold_1.htm
http://www.allcabinetparts.com/products.asp?cat=307

I'll certainly have one of the plinth panels be a door. In some shots I can see what looks like another knob on another panel, so it's possible that every other panel opened on the real prop.

Thanks for the links!

Crispin

Teletran

Sep 25, 2009, 08:33 am #13 Last Edit: Jan 28, 2010, 08:05 pm by scarfwearer
Quote from: scarfwearer on Sep 25, 2009, 07:57 am
I'll certainly have one of the plinth panels be a door. In some shots I can see what looks like another knob on another panel, so it's possible that every other panel opened on the real prop.

Thanks for the links!

Crispin


Or was meant to look like it opened. I have some screen grabs of this prop would you like me to send you the zip file?
(http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/1360/omni02g.jpg)

Scarfwearer

Sep 25, 2009, 08:59 am #14 Last Edit: Feb 12, 2010, 03:21 pm by rassilonsrod
Quote from: teletran on Sep 25, 2009, 08:33 amI have some screen grabs of this prop would you like me to send you the zip file?

It would be better to add them to the reference thread for this prop, here:    Reference pictures: Mk II Console (1976), or I can do that from the zip file if you prefer.

Thanks!
Crispin