Dr Tyler's Weather Balloon.

drdean · Jul 31, 2022

Reference:
https://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=11228.msg135174#msg135174

Ok So here we go. ;D

Been wanting to build this for a while now. I don't think its been mentioned on the forum before and its such an iconic part of The Three Doctors. I want one!

Took some screen grabs and scaled up (using Mr Ollis's hand as a reference) to the nearest inch for each side of the box.

I made it around 12 x 6 x 5 inches. Made a cardboard mock up and it looked about right.

So using a table saw cut some lengths of MDF and allowed for material thickness so the final box came out the correct size.

Before assembly I cross-cut the lid section with a chop saw so its a nice parallel fit.

Then used a router fitted with a round-over bit to run around the edges. This produced that nice round bevelled edge that the original has.

Then wood glued the pieces together and held them in place with gaffer tape as the glue set.

It's taking shape already.

drdean · Aug 3, 2022

More progress. Joins have been filled and sanded.
Holes drilled ready for eyelets and wing bolts.

MDF primed with diluted PVA ready for painting.

drdean · Aug 4, 2022

Few more items have arrived. Eye bolts for the corners, wing nuts and bolt inserts for the lid. Plus yellow wire reinforced plastic line and rings for attaching the line to the box.

I thought if I just printed the labels onto photo paper or card they would probably fade so I also had them made professionally onto foamboard. This will also add a bit of thickness.

I had to get my Belgian friend to help with the bottom text and translation as the Dutch wording was quite hard to make out. Very pleased with how these came out.

I also made up fake photographic plates from acrylic sheet. Cut these as rectangles and then masked off and sanded the centre section to make them look like the on-screen versions. I 3D printed retaining clips after not being able to source any accurate clips.

Just got to spray the box and add the accessories. Then it should be finished.

elkad · Aug 5, 2022

Now I want to make one

I put that on my prop wish list. 8)

elkad · Aug 5, 2022

Can you make some measurements of your prop? I'd like to make a quick blueprint for anyone else who'd like to make one . You will be mentioned in the blueprint. "Measurements by drdean."

drdean · Aug 5, 2022

Hi Elkad

Sure. The measurements were achieved using the usual prop builder's age old technique of using screen captures, scaling up from any hands on the prop, and then rounding to the nearest inch. It's a pretty fool-proof method in the absence of proper draftsman's drawings.

Here are the sizes I assumed:

The box is 12x6x5 inches (width x height x depth)
The lid section is 7 inches wide (x 5 inches, same as the box)
The lid is 1.25 inches from the edge of the box
The lid depth is 12mm
The whole box is made from 12mm MDF
You need to allow for the wall thickness when cutting the MDF panels (so the final box matches the sizes above)
The "photographic plates" were rectangles of black acrylic 6x4 inches.