Wedding TARDIS

[syfygi]

Hello all! I have been on here a few years, randomly coming on and checking on everyone's builds. Silently admiring them in the background. Well the time has finally come for me to build my own TARDIS!

I am getting married in October and the plan is for me to use the TARDIS to come out of before walking down the isle and then have it set up for photos.

The only problem is, with looking at all the plans and builds on here, I have no idea where to start. Part of me wants to have one that I can disassemble and put into storage when I am not using it (I am currently renting) and the other part of me wants to go ahead and set it up permanently and possibly just cover it when not in use. Of course, each has its own method of building. I also am not sure what material to make it out of. I have easy access to pine lumber (my future father-in-law is a carpenter who builds decks and told me I could have any materials left over)

The other thing I am having dillemas about is the electronics. I had a raspberry Pi back in the day but now know nothing about coding and the such.

Any pointers would be great.

If it helps, I plan to build a hybrid between the 10th and 12th Doctor's TARDIS. Of course once I actually start putting wood together I will be posting photos on here. I am so excited to finally become a TARDIS owner after being in the Fandom for 12 years!

[Volpone]

Welcome.  Congratulations on the wedding.  And congratulations on finding a woman who appreciates our...eccentricities. 

I don't have a lot of advice at this stage.  So I'll just think out loud (if that's OK).  I don't think I'd have ever attempted a TARDIS while renting.  If I did, I think a take-down version would be the way to go.  I built mine because I needed storage while remodeling a garage.  It is outdoors 24/7/365, is...something like 12 years old and has been moved twice.  The elements have taken their toll and she is in need of repairs to the base (which was actually repaired not that long ago).  I don't think she'll handle another move (and she gets heavier each time I repair her (while I get older and weaker) so I don't think I could handle moving her either).  I've also wished I could take it places and set it up.  All these are arguments for a take-down TARDIS.  The only arguments for a permanent one is a carpenter father in law with scrap deck lumber. 

So I guess if I were you, I'd steer towards non-permanent.  (Oh, and the basic design of a TARDIS does not lend itself to something that survives the elements--even if you build from the original police box concrete, concrete "cancer" is an issue.  A steeper roof and less places for water to pool would be much better for a permanent installation.) 

Closing thought is/are...that you don't have to do 1:1 scale.  People don't realize how big a TARDIS is, so a scaled-down one will look fine to most people and you could maybe even set it up inside then (without having 11' ceilings).  And you can go light on the panels.  Since I was building a permanent outdoor TARDIS, in the design phase I was worried that someone would hop the 42" fence and steal it.  TARDISes are big.  And heavy.  Even with the lightest plywood you can find, no one is going to be just carrying it off.  Certainly not lifting it over a fence.  In fact, in Olden Dayes, stage scenery was built from "flats."  These were basically big art canvases.  Stretch some canvas over a frame and slap some paint on it.  Part of me would love to build a TARDIS out of canvas.  Heck, as I type this, maybe I will. 

Apologies if none of this is useful to you.  I can always delete it.  As far as electronics, I defer to others here.  My TARDIS used to have a battery powered LED camp lantern for interior lighting and a solar lamp for the signal lamp.  Now I've got it near an outlet, an extension cord to a shop light with a GE light sensor bulb lights the lamp and the windows/phone panel.  I don't know if I'd want any sound effects anyway, because if it goes "VWOORP! VWOORP! VWOORP!" and doesn't dematerialize, then you've got to set off a smoke bomb and do the Jon Pertwee "well I guess I'm stranded here" bit.  And I can do that without attempting a dematerialization. 

[russellsuthern]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
Russell

[alistair]

Many congratulations!

If you want a Tardis you can disassemble, then Steve (Ramsey?) has plans, instructions and a build video over at Woodworking For Mere Mortals:
https://woodworkingformeremortals.com/build-your-own-tardis/

The page is not loading for me today so I hope it's still there! I'm using some of his ideas for mine though mine will be on wheels and permanently outside so I'm doing something quite different for the base and roof.

[syfygi]

Welcome.  Congratulations on the wedding.  And congratulations on finding a woman who appreciates our...eccentricities. 

I don't have a lot of advice at this stage.  So I'll just think out loud (if that's OK).  I don't think I'd have ever attempted a TARDIS while renting.  If I did, I think a take-down version would be the way to go.  I built mine because I needed storage while remodeling a garage.  It is outdoors 24/7/365, is...something like 12 years old and has been moved twice.  The elements have taken their toll and she is in need of repairs to the base (which was actually repaired not that long ago).  I don't think she'll handle another move (and she gets heavier each time I repair her (while I get older and weaker) so I don't think I could handle moving her either).  I've also wished I could take it places and set it up.  All these are arguments for a take-down TARDIS.  The only arguments for a permanent one is a carpenter father in law with scrap deck lumber. 

So I guess if I were you, I'd steer towards non-permanent.  (Oh, and the basic design of a TARDIS does not lend itself to something that survives the elements--even if you build from the original police box concrete, concrete "cancer" is an issue.  A steeper roof and less places for water to pool would be much better for a permanent installation.) 

Closing thought is/are...that you don't have to do 1:1 scale.  People don't realize how big a TARDIS is, so a scaled-down one will look fine to most people and you could maybe even set it up inside then (without having 11' ceilings).  And you can go light on the panels.  Since I was building a permanent outdoor TARDIS, in the design phase I was worried that someone would hop the 42" fence and steal it.  TARDISes are big.  And heavy.  Even with the lightest plywood you can find, no one is going to be just carrying it off.  Certainly not lifting it over a fence.  In fact, in Olden Dayes, stage scenery was built from "flats."  These were basically big art canvases.  Stretch some canvas over a frame and slap some paint on it.  Part of me would love to build a TARDIS out of canvas.  Heck, as I type this, maybe I will. 

Apologies if none of this is useful to you.  I can always delete it.  As far as electronics, I defer to others here.  My TARDIS used to have a battery powered LED camp lantern for interior lighting and a solar lamp for the signal lamp.  Now I've got it near an outlet, an extension cord to a shop light with a GE light sensor bulb lights the lamp and the windows/phone panel.  I don't know if I'd want any sound effects anyway, because if it goes "VWOORP! VWOORP! VWOORP!" and doesn't dematerialize, then you've got to set off a smoke bomb and do the Jon Pertwee "well I guess I'm stranded here" bit.  And I can do that without attempting a dematerialization. 

-Thank you so much for all of the advice, I do believe a take down version is the one I plan to go with, although I would like to do a full sized. So, when I do finally purchase a house, it can be set up outside to use as a cool little office.

[syfygi]

Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
Russell

Thank you so much! I am really excited about this new chapter in my life

[syfygi]

Many congratulations!

If you want a Tardis you can disassemble, then Steve (Ramsey?) has plans, instructions and a build video over at Woodworking For Mere Mortals:
https://woodworkingformeremortals.com/build-your-own-tardis/

The page is not loading for me today so I hope it's still there! I'm using some of his ideas for mine though mine will be on wheels and permanently outside so I'm doing something quite different for the base and roof.

-The WWFMM TARDIS is actually the plans I have been studying the most. I like how easy it is to disassemble and reassemble. I do believe I will make some modifications as I don't care for the flat roof, but for the most part I think it should do nicely!

[Volpone]

Since you're leaning towards building a take-down TARDIS, and it warms my heart to think about it, I'll link to one of our "celebrity" builders, Sillysparrowness and her collapsible, foldable TARDIS.  Her YouTube video on the build is also thoroughly entertaining. 

[russellsuthern]

I love it when someone references Sillysparrowness.
Hers was one of the first vids I watched when I was planning my TARDIS, & I instantly fell in love! (With her TARDIS, of course... behave!!)
Brings back lots of happy memories...

Russ

[syfygi]

Well, the time is upon me. I made the jump and purchased most of the lumber to start my build. this should get me up to the sign line. I know I want to control my TARDIS with a raspberry Pi as far as lights and sound goes. Has anyone done this before? if so any pointers?

[Volpone]

I'm pretty sure more than one person has.  But that's outside my area of experience these days. 

[syfygi]

after doing much research, I found someone on here who has done something very similar to what I am looking for, Jorwick's Javascript based Tardis Clock has all the components that I would need to be able to achieve what I am looking for. Does anyone know if his code is still available?

[Elvis Gump]

I started my build based off this one from the RPF from over a decade ago before I joined here. I think it's very, very close to how the early TARDIS props were made to break down and following it worked for me.

https://www.therpf.com/forums/threads/my-new-series-doctor-who-tardis-build-image-heavy.99629/