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Richard's Smith/McGann TARDIS

Started by superrichi1a, Jun 26, 2010, 10:17 pm

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superrichi1a

Thanks guys, for the help, it's greatly appreciated :) Unfortunatly, it looks like my TARDIS is at a bit of a disadvantage when it comes to weather protection, being made out of MDF and soft wood. I'm going to go for an oil-based primer as an undercoat (well, several undercoats), or, if I can find some, a Dulux Weathershield undercoat (well, several of 'em), as I have heard from a couple of friends that they can do wonders for helping untreated wood to last for longer. I'll also be enlisting the help of a tarpaulin to cover the roof when the heavens open up over my garden. With any luck, We'll be having a new garage built soon, with a room at the back which I've laid claim to for my study (well, more of a prop museum lol) and it will be able to move inside within a couple of years. I have a small pot of Subaru Liberty Blue which I want to try on top of that, which I got a while ago when helping to repaint a friends, well, Subaru, and if I like the effect I'll be going with that, that is, if I can find somewhere to buy more.
I have been doing lots of work on the build recently, but unfortunatly, it has all spiralled out time-wize, and what I had hope to finish in one day is taking more than a week. Although, to be fair, there were some unforseen setbacks such as my realisation that I was going to have to do lots of annoying little jobs such as trimming to sides and corner posts before I can start etc. I'll post some pics of progress tomorrow, hopefully when I'm through my to-do list.
I also did a recent test of my method of lighting the windows, and, I must say, not to be immodest, but I really think I have hit the nail on the head with this one. Got the same method as the BBC themselves, because the effect is exactly the same as the one from the telly, really nice. Of course, that all depends on me not screwing it up at the last minute... I've been known to do it before lol! :D
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

superrichi1a

It appears this build thread has been posted on the TARDIS Newsroom. I guess it can be useful to be friends with the owner after all lol :)
Just want to say, thanks Dave for thinking by build is good enough  ;D
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

superrichi1a

Nov 07, 2010, 08:36 pm #62 Last Edit: Nov 07, 2010, 08:52 pm by superrichi1a
Rightio,
I have finished the roof, at last! Well, pretty much, it still needs post caps, and some filling, but it's more or less done!
Complete Roof 1.jpg CompleteRoof2.jpg
Quite happy with it. Some of the corners of the slope didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, and will need some plaining/trimming to look right, on top of all the filling I need to do. We can also see, in the second pic, my lamp complete with the original frensel that I'm ever-so-proud of :)
I have also finished all the corner posts, so all there is left to do is paint. I'm not sure how well you can get a sense of how they turned out just from a picture but:
completeposts1.jpg

I've also been reviewin an old post from mordrogen about the windows, that they were all black but with 2 panels having pebbles glass. I don't doubt this at all, he knows more than me and I don't see why he would be mistaken. But, I'm not actually sure anymore it's the case for the actual 2010 TARDIS prop. I don't mean to argue with mord, far from it, I'd be lost without him, but I'm not sure anymore because:
a)Watching"The Hungry Earth" back, in which we see some really good close up shots of the windows, the pebbled panels do really look, well, white, and not black with the light refracting to create a lightly colour.
b)Looking at set pics of the box being assembled (and seeing it be assembled a couple of times in person, the windows, to me look like a similar construction to my own. Black perspex with wight behind. but, as the pebbled areas are not raised above the black at all. I've become suspicous that they have used a similar tactic to me and used a big piece of white perspex behind a T shaped black prespex panel, and then added pebbled glass into the slots where there is no black.
I'm not sure if the theory is correct, certainly, I don't hope to know as much as mord, I just don't think it adds up...
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

Sorvan

Quote from: superrichi1a on Nov 07, 2010, 08:36 pm
I've also been reviewin an old post from mordrogen about the windows, that they were all black but with 2 panels having pebbles glass.


I think you've misunderstood. 

If you're referring to the message:
Quote from: mordrogyn on May 28, 2010, 12:03 pm
OK...

Take a look at the first picture in this thread:

http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=1483.0

The white is the EL sheet held in place by 4 tabs around the outside.
When the TARDIS is in a bright location and it's internal lights are to be off, remove EL sheet and substitute blacked out sheet as Dino said.

Hows that?  ;)


He's talking about stuff that's put behind the glass.  With the prop, you don't want to be able to see inside the box through the windows so they put something behind them.
An EL sheet (or Electroluminescent sheet) is a kind of light that's put behind the glass so that the windows will shine when they're in dark locations.  In bright locations they apparently put something black behind the glass.

As far as non-TARDIS type boxes, the metropolitan police box plans indicate:
Clear glass in upper panels
Neutral Tinted Glass  (for the middle of the lower panes)
Hammered glass in side panels  (for the lower panes)

As far as the middle lower pane, the pictures I've seen had blue tinted glass (if they had tinted glass).

Colin

superrichi1a

Thanks, Sorvan :D
Although, that wasn't the post I was referring to, actually. However, that post does clear up me issue, thanks ;D
Gosh. That seems a bit of a complex way to do it. As far as I can tell, my windows have the same effect but without any fiddly removing of window panes or EL lighting. I find that in the day, my translucent white perspex is enough to render the black opaque and reflective, and at night light up all the windows in a bright white light. Seems the BBC have missed a trick here lol :) If I do say so myself!
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

superrichi1a

I have completed one side ;D Weeeellll, sort of, still needs fixing together properly and some minor cosmetic changes, but it's pretty much there:

Doorarch1.jpg doorarch2.jpg doorarch3.jpg

I'm really chuffed with the way the sign boxes turned out better than I could have hoped for (Although, problem is, since I decided to go for the 2010 Smith TARDIS unlike I planned, they are cut the wrong way. I don't really mind and I doubt anyone else but experts with the shiniest shoes and the whitest teeth will notice from below; I'm still having small deliberations with myself over this, I prefer the Tennant style, my favourite Who era, my favourite box, love the windows, but it doesn't make much sense to do a box that has just been retired, and my corner posts might not go will with the more rugged look, what do you think?). My corner posts are pretty much finished, they re-entered production recently because I wasn't quite happy with them, but now I think they're OK.
I have had to do some rather ugly surgery on the base so my doors can open - unfortunatly with the paint on I was finding harder than I had expected to fit the MDF base panels in correctly, it wasn't a miscalculation on my part it was just my bad cutting skills resulting in some huge paint ridges around the edge. It's rather ugly, but I'm hoping once sanded a bit and with a few coats of paint on you won't notice it ;)
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

superrichi1a

Things are going really slowly at the moment. I had hoped to get the TARDIS finished for Christmas, fact of the matter is, I doubt that now it will be possible. It's the details that are taking time. Sanding, filling, painting. I have put the first coat of preserver onto the corner posts, and am currently working on strengthening the roof, which should take no more than a day's work. Then I've got to put on the dividers for the walls, the top bar, and construct and finish the sign boxes. I really doubt I'll be done by Christmas.
The real problem is that is is now so cold outside that it makes much work impossible. I have just had to come inside from doing part of the roof because it was so cold I couldn't feel my fingers. (Life's not fair, it's cold here, but no snow lol. In fact, and I quote from local weather news; "Expected to be a White Christmas for all in the UK besides the West Midlands" - doesn't that just rub it in?).
I doubt between now and Christmas I'll have any major updates of interest to anyone, but I'll keep pottering along with the odd picture or snippet along the way.
I'm not turning lazy, even though the TARDIS has had to take a temporary back seat, I won't be stopping. I'm hoping to have some big progress on the Dalek (now decided to be an Ironside), by Christmas and later on today I'll put up a thread of a resin cast McGann sonic I've been making.
Have fun!
RIchard :D
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

Scarfwearer

I think you're not alone in finding things going slowly. The forum gets quiet this time of year as most of us find it too cold to work much outside or in the garage, and thoughts turn to the festive season. Of course we still hear from those in the southern hemisphere, for whom it's nearly Summer... :) but then some of them will be off on their hols also...

Crispin

wayne venomous

Oh, stop being a soft, shandy-drinking southerner! The Midlands is the deep south compared to Northumberland!   ;D

Here's a snow Dalek me and the little 'un made:
snowdalek1.jpg

Interestingly enough, since I took this photo, the snow level is now up to the Dalek up to the plunger and gun!

superrichi1a

Hehe, thanks for that Wayne :D Nah, it's not the cold that bothers me, much, it's more the busyness of Christmas and the decorations now. Although, yes, working in temperatures of -4 DURING THE DAY can leave one feeling rather chilly lol. What a fantastic Snow Dalek. Lol, one to match Crispins! I'll try and avoid having another rant about how I haven't got any snow, but, well, yeah, why am I the only one with OUT ANY.... *breathe* *calm* *you don't need snow to survive* *it doesn't matter that everyone but you has snow*. OK, I admit it, I'm a snow addict lol ;D
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

wayne venomous

How do you spot a camp Geordie? It's winter and he's wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt!  ;)

Anyway, good to see the progress on your TARDIS!  :)

Rassilons Rod

Nov 28, 2010, 09:02 pm #71 Last Edit: Nov 28, 2010, 09:04 pm by rassilonsrod
-4? Winter has just set in here, its been -14 the last coupla days! :P
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.

superrichi1a

Woooww, you must live somewhere COLD lol. I live the sound of that, -14, I'm a cold weather person by heart, I prefer snow and ice to sun and warmth, not that good for TARDIS Building though. I've been wanting to build a snow TARDIS for ages, never had enough snow though... if any... I mean... am I the only one left without sn- *calm* *you don't need snow, you just want it* lol. I really miss snow, last year was the first PROPER snow I'd ever seen in my lifetime (well, 2008 too but yeah...), and I tried to build my snow TARDIS then. Unfortunatly, it gave way about half way though lol. I was annoyed at first, but then had great fun turning it into a snow fort and having a huge snowball fight with most of the kids and my friend in the village. :)
Isn't it how ironic that we have to think of solutions out of the box, in order to build our boxes a lot of the time?

Rassilons Rod

Finland :p

great winters, great summers.
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

Just wait 'til the Canadians spot this thread... :)

Crispin