Screen used 1996 console restoration

[geminitimelord]

Absolutely incredible guys! nice to see that this console is in the hands of individuals that can appreciate it and put the love into it as opposed to some collector that has it stored in a warehouse to be discovered in 20 years LOL.

[Mark]

I have to agree.

I really hate it when collectors have stuff that never ever sees the light of days.

Nothing against anybodies hobbies but having (for example) toy trains all boxed up in pristine never used state? Toys are to be enjoyed, loved and played with surely!

Brilliant work going on with that console. Really nice to see the forerunner of the New Series TARDIS console being lovingly and carefully restored and a great re-build diary as well so we can all see this gem.

Thank you for sharing this.

[timegalaxy5]

i to have to agree, the first time i saw the 1996 movie, i really fell in love with the console, and to see that it is still alive is amazing.  So we all apreciate that this is being re-done and really loved. Thanks for restoring it and enjoying for all of us 

timegalaxy5

[Kingpin]

I just wish I had the opportunity to see this beauty in person, it would've been enough to just see it in it's pre-restoration state, it'll be a sight to behold once all the work's finished.

Bah, why does California have to be so far away?

[galacticprobe]

I'll get working on transcribing Part II a little later. (I'd like a little sleep first. ) Hopefully I'll have it posted by the end of Thursday (Eastern US time). I've already looked it over, so be forewarned that this one may take me more than one day. (Copy-n-Paste is wonderful - it's getting the photos in the right place that's tricky.)

Dino.

[too_many_cars]

Here's a better full-on shot pre-restoration for the thumbnail on the thread.

The post-restoration fully awesome console shots will be posted after Gallifrey...

--Brian



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Here's the latest on the convention schedule from Bob, and some info on the 'tip jar' program where we're giving away some of the screen used bulbs/pieces of the console we replaced with LEDs to allow the prop to be kept on for long periods without worrying about it catching on fire.

FYI:

For Gally attendees: Shaun should update the schedule soon, but for now we've pegged Console Photography with you at the controls in the Fan Room will be at

Fri 12PM-1PM
Sat 12PM-1PM
Sun 10AM-11AM

Subject to change as we get closer but I don't see those times moving too much. Like the Cosplay Portrait photography there will be no photo printouts/hard copies on site. Digital copies available only which we prefer to load onto a flash/USB drive or your digital camera's memory card. Failing those options, we will e-mail you the original jpg file as an alternative.

Also for a certain priced donation to the tip jar we will be offering all of the screen used original halogen light bulbs we've now replaced that once lit up the controls McGann and McCoy used. It's a little something extra to those who want to own a little piece of the original pre-restored console. There's only about 25-30 of these, so first come first served 'til we run out.

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[galacticprobe]

Many apologies. Sorry I haven't gotten Part 2 of the Restoration blog up yet. Life (as usual) got in the way towards the end of the week. I hope to have it up by the end of the weekend, or early Monday at the latest.

Dino.

[too_many_cars]

Almost done.  I'm getting really tired of wiring, but the results are very promising!

Brake on - Red mode



Brake off - Blue mode



--Brian

[handofomega]

Brilliant!  I love the red mode for the brake.  Out of curiosity and since I don't actually know the answer, does the rotor work?  i.e. does it have movement?  If not, does anyone know how they made it move for the TV movie?   Sorry to be full of questions I am just in love with the console and the work you have done to it.

[Kingpin]

Stunning, and having the rotor lit up again completes the effect.  You guys should be proud of your efforts, she's going to look a bloody treat at the convention with all the controls illuminated.

If I may enquire, why the additional of non-screen accurate lighting in the base section?

Will you guys be refinishing the desk lamp?  I'd noticed that in the intervening years, the finish has deteriorated quite badly.

Out of curiosity and since I don't actually know the answer, does the rotor work?  i.e. does it have movement?  If not, does anyone know how they made it move for the TV movie?

Certainly prior to the restoration it was static.  I suspect it probably still is post restoration.  I can only hypothesize on this (the restoration guys would be able to provide a better answer for this), but it was probably mechanicalized like the David Tennant console, with a motor for the top section, and a motor for the bottom section of the rotor.

[the mister]

Look at it glow! That's beautiful. Hard work pays off. The sonic remote idea is just genius!

[handofomega]

Certainly prior to the restoration it was static.  I suspect it probably still is post restoration.  I can only hypothesize on this (the restoration guys would be able to provide a better answer for this), but it was probably mechanicalized like the David Tennant console, with a motor for the top section, and a motor for the bottom section of the rotor.

As I have not idea about the Tennant console I was wondering about that too.  The rigging above the rotor on the Tennant console never looked sturdy enough to me to house a motor.   I know on the toy version that a motor in the base move the top and bottom pieces of the rotor to give the illusion of there being a mechanism up top.  I kind of thought that the actual prop might have moved similarly.  Which made me wonder about the 96 TV movie console's rotor.  It shared similar movement to the new series rotor but there was significant structure to house an upper motor in to drive the upper part of the rotor. 

It may be a moot point with the restoration of this prop but I would still love to know how the rotor parts worked in the TV movie.

[Rassilons Rod]

The rigging above the rotor on the Tennant console never looked sturdy enough to me to house a motor.

In a studio, a motor could have been rigged from the lighting gantry.

[too_many_cars]

"In a studio, a motor could have been rigged from the lighting gantry."

There really isn't any room in the base for one with all of those extension cords, so I suspect the whole deal was controlled from the rafters.  I ran out of time and Paul didn't have the extra funds for a massive synchronized dual motor system for the two rotor halves, so we just made the lights a little more interactive to make up for it.

No idea how it originally worked.  There's nothing of the original mechanism left.  I'll ask Phil Segal at the con if I have a chance to give me some ideas for round 2 of the restoration.

The red/blue lighting was just a cute idea I had at the 11th hour which could be put into practice with an extra relay and an extra pair of super bright LEDs.  Like the sonic remote, a little of the fun of some new series design ideas with available materials.

--Brian

[galacticprobe]

In a studio, a motor could have been rigged from the lighting gantry.

Don't forget that the Eccleston/Tennant console room was built around a strong metal framework, and that "bee hive" above the top column collars could have easily fit both motor and the supports for it. In fact in some scenes you can see the wires/thin cables inside the column: one running down the center and one each on opposite sides. Speculation here, but this makes me think that a motor above the column worked a piston of sorts, which in turn lifted and lowered the bottom section of the column via the center wire/cable. As the bottom moved upward, the cables attached to the outer edges of the bottom moved up, through small pulleys where the cables then attached to the top column section, creating slack that allowed the top section to be lowered; thus the top and bottom sections were moved towards each other. Now reverse this and you have the two sections moving away from each other.

That could at least explain the Eccleston/Tennant column movement. No such wires or cables were visible in the TVM console column so I suppose it is possible that a dual synchronized motor system could have been used. They had plenty of room to run and hide the wiring for that, what with the platform, girders, and that huge mount atop the column.

Dino.