Alaska Build

[alaskanbluebox]

Hello all. I started yesterday. My goal is to make a full size Tardis that I can take apart and move/reassemble - preferably without tools, and if possible by just one person.

My skill level is 0. I build three tiny tables in college (over 10 years ago), and they were progressively less wobbly, but that's about it. Below is the first two days' breakdown. The week will progress much slower as it's back to work for me.

Day One - Hardware store for basic materials and lumber.
Cleared out half of garage for build project.
Unloaded materials. (I'm a girl, so yes, I can claim that as a "task." )
Set up table saw which I got for Christmas but never took out of the box. (I've never used a table saw before.)
Made a paper scale version of my tardis to make sure it looked right.
Took scraps and made a small sample of what I planned to make the corner posts look like. The removeable pin hinge works great. It also gives me a hidden hinge looking from the outside.
Dimensions:
Outside will be 52.5" each side.
Height will be 96" plus lamp.
Doors will be 20" wide.
Primary material - pine.

[alaskanbluebox]

Today I made it almost all the way to putting the frame completely together:

1. Made base out of 2x4s.
2. Cut the 1x6s and 1x4s.
3. Ripped the 1x6s down so that the post would be equal width on both sides and the same for the 1x4s.
4. Made L's out of the 1x6s and 1x4s: used a counter sink bit to drill for the wood screws, applied glue, clamped, and screwed together.
5. Made the composite posts, with the 1x4s nesting into the 1x6s, using essentially the same method as for making the L's. notice one of them had glue in a decorative "doctor who" before being secured. The 1x4 L's are taller than the outside L so that a 1x8 roof cap should fit over it and (hopefully) snug onto the outer L. It appears to line up flush and square with the one post I fit into it for a quick look see this evening.
  5.a. Noticed (in time) that I needed to pay attention to which way I was nesting for the purposes of design.
6. Made the 1x8 roof cap.
7. Started setting up an at least preliminary moveable wooden latch system to help keep the posts in the bottom corners, but my drill finally ran out of juice and I quit for the day.

Tomorrow I have to go back to work and the real world.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Three: spent about two hours working on it. (Didn't get home from work till five thirty and I was exhausted from a dense day.) I did attempt a one person placement of the main cap piece. FAIL. Too three people and a lot if angry yelling ( because we're all short) to get it on the posts right. Things were close to square to squarish, but where I was off a bit made it clear the cap won't simply rest on top. So, I had to screw it into the posts. I may have to break down and make that a wing nut/bolt combo, because there's no way it can be a one person move unless that cap can come off. I do have an idea for making it a bit more one person friendly, but that's for another day. Tonight I'm going to concentrate refining my wall plan so tomorrow or Wednesday I can start on them.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Four:
I'm pee'd. Look at my wonderful custom jig for ripping 1x4s down the center. Look at how well it is working. And then- no power. Argh!!! I have those gfi plug ins, but the master one won't reset even though everything is unplugged from everything we can tell is on that circuit and the circuit breaker isn't tripped.

[alaskanbluebox]

TARDIS diary update:
Day four ended early because I blew the electrical in the garage.

The following days were nothing since I had a cold and the power was still out in the garage. We had to rewire the gfi outlets and have the electrician come out. Power was restored by Friday night but I was too tired to do anything.

Today was Day Eight. I should not have done as much as I did but here's the rundown.
1. Leveled the floor base since it changed location. Posts are level enough for this amateur.
2. Redid the connection of the posts to the base with screws until I can work out a better remove able system than I had.
3. Realized I'd forgotten to deduct ALL of the wood dimensions in making the cap. i built a sample square out of scraps to make sure i got it right this time and disassembled, recut and remade the original cap.
4. YAY! I can put the new cap up by myself fairly easily in only about two or three minutes.
5. Finished slicing the 1x4s down the middle for paneling. (Total of 24 1x4x3/4")
6. Started cuts on the plywood for the first door, but realized I need another set of hands.
7. I can't move now....

[alaskanbluebox]

Day nine of the TARDIS build.
1. Two person job, but got ply for walls cut to size with an extra set of hands.
2. Put up first wall with the hardware that holds it in place snugly but keeps it permanently removable.
3. Cut some 3/4" x 3/4" strips, trimmed down the inside corner for each trim piece (for one wall only) and then mitred the edges to make molding. You can see this in the last picture but they're not attached and just stacked loosely on themselves against the frame.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Ten:
It was Monday, so its back to *work* work . As such, I did not have the energy to push late into the evening tonight to work on the TARDIS. However, I did get a start on the trim, as you can see.

Also, as you can see in the upper left corner, I tried a bolt/wingnut assembly on the cap piece which seems to work well and be easily removeable. I will have to figure out an idea to cover the bolt heads with some sort of removable trim. Any ideas would be appreciated if they're rolling around your brains.

For most of the things I've done, the first one was the longest and the copies came quickly. I don't think that's going to be the case for the trim.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Eleven: work was crazyfying. (New word) I did find some energy to work on the project this evening but probably only an hours' worth.

I cut the 1x4s for the second of three roof tiers and figured out a good use of scraps. (I've gotten very good at that.) I'm experimenting on a lap over cut to make part of the roof. I'll show it once I've worked it out. (If it works.)

After last night's update I put up the other two solid walls.

Despite its size, I can shift the whole thing along the floor easily. So I'm making good use of weight saving ideas.

Finally, I cut some more of the door trim.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Fourteen of the TARDIS build. Work has been horribly long and draining this week. I was out in the garage for a bit tonight. Too tired to take pictures but I have the roof somewhat close to completed. I got the rest of the roof bolts in and did a little bit of trim. I can definitely put the roof on single handed with the tier system ice developed.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day Sixteen of the TARDIS build. I am four days behind my schedule, perhaps five.

However, my TARDIS, that "sexy thing" as the Doctor calls it, has three walls and two functioning doors. All walls and doors are completely removable and re-put-able by one person (you can see I removed one door in that final picture to give me some working space.

Plus, as an added bonus, each of the three big walls can hing open very easily.

Left to do:
1. Put a roof on.
2. Find and install a lamp.
3. Finish the exterior trim on all walls and doors.
4. Jig out the windows and put in windows and jig saw out behind where police public call box signs will go.
5. Order the door sign and police call sign.
6. Put on said signs.
7. Cut myself a finished interior floor.
8. Paint.
9. Enjoy and take as many photo ops as possible!
10. Have David Tennant stop by.

[alaskanbluebox]

Day 21
Haven't been able to work on it for days because of work, but here is the TARDIS from middle of this week. Needs a few more evenings of odds and ends work done, custom ordering of the lamp and signs (and the flat roof top cut out) and then painting. Already got the paint. I guess maybe next weekend, since I'm traveling for work tomorrow.  but it's almost done!

[alaskanbluebox]

Day 24

Made a jig to do the pyramid roof frame yesterday and got that on top. (Still have to actually put the roof on the frame. Cut one quadrant but it went badly.)

I disassembled it and I've started priming. It is taking forever. I was going to start jigging out the space for the windows but turns out buying a cheap jig saw backfired- it DIDN'T COME with the wrench to put in the blade. !!!!!!!!!!? That's a trip I'm too tired to make tonight.

On the bright side, the blue I tried on a piece of scrap yesterday looks really good, and I'm excited to get to get to that layer. On the downside, the closer I get to being done the more I realize needs to be done.... Still have the signs and lamp to address.
[attachid]24b.jpg[/attach]

[i am a timedad]

This all looks very nice! This is mor along the lines of how I would have liked to do ours. If I had the budget.
It looks beautiful now, can't wait to see it done.

My suggestion for hiding the bolts would be if you make your top signs removable you can hang them over the bolts, thus hiding them in a way that will not stand out. I haven't worked it all out my head how but I'm sure you could think of a way with what you've done so far.

[i am a timedad]

Oh, and if that works out for you we would like a invite when David Tennant stops by!

[alaskanbluebox]

lol, I'll send David by if he stops over.

Hiding the bolts with the police public call box signs is what I have decided to do. I need to get the signs made. I've finished all the priming and am not experimenting with how I want to do the windows. It's funny that building that hulk of a main box was the least complicated part.

Your daughter is so lucky! Think of the time and money you saved her! Because if you hadn't built her one when she was young, she might go broke like me when she's in her thirties just to make one herself!

I'm jealous of your ability to go to lowes. Our options where I live are VERY limited. You've been able to achieve what looks to come out as a very polished look VERY quickly!