Firstly I had to decide which version to build.
It was a toss up between the season 13 console (my favourite era) or the original version. I decided that I may as well make both but I would concentrate on completing the original first.

For the console top I sandwiched a sheet of foam core board between sheets of plasticard. This was to provide strength without adding any unnescesary weight. I then constructed the central shape that surrounds the column and glued spare bits of platic to it to act as ledges to rest the panel edges on.
more thin strips of plasticard were then used to finish off the edging at the base of the panels.
I doubted that I would be able to get the thin support struts in the base sharp enough for the pointed edge so I made a version with the struts cut square. As it was I neededn't have worried, the plastic wasn't as flimsy as I thought once everything was together so I made another version with the correct shape.



The project stalled for ages because I struggled to model the radial fins on the console top to my satisfaction. Eventually I just knuckled down to it and cut them from very thin plasticard. I scored them down the middle and they mostly ended up splitting apart but thin coating of liquid poly welded them back together.
I know the original console looks battered at times but I didn't want my model too wonky as the small scale would exagerate any faults. I sprayed the whole thing in gray acrylic primer to highlight any obvious gaps which I could fill with squadron green putty.

I decided never to use Plasti-Kote spray undercoat again as I thought the finish was far too rough. I sanded it down and tried some Games Workshop white over the top which reacted badly in places. I sanded down yet again and repaired some of the parts by overlaying fresh strips of very thin plasticard. This time I used Humbrol Actylic primer and the results were excellent. The finish on these paints is very fine and smooth and they dry really quickly.

More sanding and spraying later I thought about the top coat.
I toyed with painting it white although some people think it looks wrong at this scale. I settled for trying to replicate the original prop colour and chose  a spray of Humbrol acrylic beige green (90)









excuse the shoddy photography.
I shall try to set it all up properly for my next update

This seems as far as I can get with my feeble modelling skills.
Next I need to tackle the various controls and switches.
This may take me some time...

The basic structure looks good.  And as you mention, on with the fiddly bits.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

You got those Mk.1 proportions right first time - something I miserably failed to do. Thanks also for the tip-off re Humbrol Primer, looks excellent.

Oh, and underside dials. Like it!

thanks for the comments.
I'm quite pleased with it so far even though I've made a few concessions in the build.
I've kept the top and the plinth as separate units - it made it easier to paint and I thought I could always swap the plinth out for a more accurate version in the future. to keep them clipped together I've attached strips of extra plastic on the bottom of the console panel so that it slots onto the plinth and doesn't move.

I see from some photographs that the struts on the plinth are more V shaped in profile meaning that the inner panels are narrower.
Was this always the case or did they change to a more simplified version at some point?

I've tried to keep my build fairly simple whilst still keeping the feel of the structure.

If the console shape looks, in any way, correct you can thank the scale plans I got from this forum (Scarfwearer's, I think?)
here are a couple of sharper pictures

Quote from: silverfox on Jun 06, 2012, 08:35 pm

I see from some photographs that the struts on the plinth are more V shaped in profile meaning that the inner panels are narrower.
Was this always the case or did they change to a more simplified version at some point?

I've tried to keep my build fairly simple whilst still keeping the feel of the structure.

Yep, the original console had those V-shaped plinth struts all the way up its final appearance in Inferno. Its replacement (first seen in Claws of Axos) was essentially a simplified version of the original with the more basic flat struts underneath (how much structural material was brought over from the Mk. 1 is open to conjecture - in my view, not much).  Lots of Mk. 1 console copyists haven't bothered with the v-shaped struts, however, and the results look more than acceptable - all depends on how accurate/complicated you want things to get!

finally got some controls added after a couple of disasters.
In order to do the black panel lines I originally tried masking them off and spraying with black. The paint crept under the masking tape like spiders legs meaning I had to spray those panels green again.

Trying to make things easy for myself I then tried drawing them on with a fine black marker but the ink stayed wet and smudged meaning yet another re-spray was in order.

Finally I decided to try cutting fine bits of electrician's tape and hoping that a coat of varnish would prevent them peeling off in future.










The little "ping pong" ball lights took ages as I masked each one in half and mounted them on a sequin base. I only did a small batch to make sure they came out Ok - I need to do all the rest now.

I couldn't think of any way to reproduce the various patterns on the large  circular dome controls so I cheated and left them as solid colour.
As with some of the other controls they are a compromise as I want to keep them as neat as possible bearing in mind that 1/13 scale exaggerates any flaws.

I'm currently going mad making tiny piano key switches. I'm seriously considering making some of the slide and lever switches as a master and then using a silicon mould to make several copies. It will be expensive but it may save my sanity (and I can use them on other versions of the console)

That's amazing! With all of those console's you're building and all of that small, fine detail you're putting into them, I hope you don't go blind! (I know I would!)

Dino.

This looks awesome! Loving seeing this coming together.

I really like the transparent dome controls - works brilliantly.

Those small lights look great too - reminds me I need to darken mine from their brilliant ping-pong white at some point.

Looking forward to seeing more.

managed to add some more controls.

The slider controls are cut from the counters of an old spanish connect 4 knock-off with a bit of plasticard sandwiched inbetween.

Off all things I made use of quite a few sequins!
They came in handy as the base plate for the ping pong ball lights and the door handle levers. I even found use for the tiny bit that is punched out of the centre. I was originally drawing the screw heads on in marker pen but I ended up sticking them on in what felt like the fiddliest game of tiddly winks ever.

It doesn't look quite so shoddy in real life as I don't have macro lenses on my eyes.

almost done apart from the radiation meter, a few more handles and the large, round meters - then it is on with the time rotor!

This is one of the more amazing things I've seen being built!  The detailing is great.  I love that you also have writing above the fast return switch!

brilliant model so far! where did you get the pans and dimensions from?

This is brilliant. Really nice detail on this model and 1/13th scale.  It becomes more and more difficult to add detail the smaller and smaller you go. I tip my hat to you sir.

Beautiful work   I am wanting to build a Hartnell era console for my figures, so annoyed to think a proper playset has never been released.
What did you use for reference for your build? I was thinking of using the AFT printouts to help me. Was also thinking about cannibalizing a 9th/10h Doctor console for the sound and time rotor lifting and lowering mechanism. Not sure when I will start on mine though maybe in a month or so.

This is a wonderful console with amazing details. I'm looking to build the Mid to late Tom Baker version in 1/13 scale to fit the 5" figures, I have the plasticard and foam board on order but I can't find any measurements or plans anywhere for this scale, any ideas where I could find these silver fox?

Frax, have you looked through here http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1104.0 ? Scarfwearer (a former member) worked out some plans with a few dimensions, and lespaceplie did some refining on them to get the measurements a bit more accurate. He even has a plan drawing of a Tom Baker console (with controls layout) that looks like it's from the "Key to Time" series, which is about as mid-to-late Tom Baker as you can get.

There are even more reference images with those in http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?board=55.0. Take a gander (and prepare for some sensory overload!).

I hope this is helpful.

Dino.