Timegirl's TARDIS

[Mark]

What are you planning to build next for your TARDIS T.G.?

If this bank holiday ends up the same as most bank holidays (i.e. rainy!) you could always make up the windows or phone panel indoors, they're both nice small indoor projects.

[TG]

Ha, It was a lovely sunny day, so I sat on the veranda under a parasol with my feet up and read a book...and then worried about my TARDIS.

The slatted floor is just a temporary one, it will make a better neater suspended (slatted) floor - I just thought I would mess it up if I put a good floor in at this stage.

I have to admit that I haven't cut any wood lengthways. All the wood is just standard widths, so I've used wood that's as near as possible to the builders manual dimensions. Even the steps above the doors are just built up with strip wood. (very easy)

I used tanalised timber on the base (60mm) it weighed a ton, I could only drag it to the check-out! But with the TARDIS on it, it looks a bit thin. 
My doors have more wood at the lower part to protect the panel from being kicked in. Police boxes seem to have doors like that but then if it was a copy of a police box it would need a deeper base... (you can see I'm agonising over this).
I suppose I'll just have to resign myself to the fact that it won't look like Purple's TARDIS (I wish) or Cy Berman's (great new name Tom) or Scarfwearer's (modded or unmodded) or anyone else's - it will just look like my TARDIS.

So, a question on the roof - is it supported by the sign boxes? surely not?
How have people supported the roof structure?

[cyberleader1991]

My roof is in fact sitting on the sign boxes. I followed Kiwi's instructions pretty much to a T, however, if I was going to auction mine off and build a new and improved Type 40  I think I would make the sign boxes part of the walls... heavier but overall less hassle! My sign boxes are held onto the corner posts with dowel screws and wingnuts. Lots of light leaks unfortunately, but nothing a little hockey (electrical) tape won't fix! 

[purpleblancmange]

TG, I've only just been able to post and I've wanted to say for a while now that your build is looking splendid, so keep up the great work.  About the roof... yes, it can sit on the sign boxes, but I wouldn't advise that.  If you look at the pictures of my build, you'll see the side walls actually wrap around the sign boxes and the roof sits on that.  Alternatively, you can fix in some blocks in line with the tops of the sign boxes, on the inside of the posts, and the roof can sit happily on that.  Hope that's of some help to you.

[Mark]

Isn't that the whole point TG, it's YOUR TARDIS?

As for the roof, it all depends on how you've built your TARDIS. If the sign boxes are pretty heavy duty, then supporting the roof on those would be fine, however if not, then the best bet would be the corner posts (if your posts are sturdy enough.

Either way, a Castellan of your calibre will have no problen figuring that minor problem out.

[purpleblancmange]

Mark, even if the sign boxes are heavy duty, I'd still advise, from experience of this problem, not to have the roof resting on the sign boxes as the weight will make them bow in the middle, compressing the structure.  That said, if TG's been following v1 of the manual, her corner posts will be more than strong enough to take the weight - essentially, that's what they're designed for as they're the main structural support of the box in tandem with the walls.

[kiwidoc]

My roof rests on the inside edge of the signboxes but they're pretty strudy and are also supported by some battens fastened around the inside edge of the posts as per Purples comment.  Isn't it amazing how many little things there are to decide on and how many options available!?  Welcome back Purple too!

  glen

[TG]

Many thanks for this advice.
If my weather proofing isn't perfect then my roof may get rather heavy so I was worried about the sign boxes supporting it.
I have been examining Purple's excellent build pictures but I couldn't work out what was the main roof support. Blocks in the corner posts sounds good to me, my corner posts are pretty solid so should be strong enough (famous last words).

Good to see you back Purple! And thank you for you kind comments.
And as you say Glen, so many decisions to make - this is such fun!
So roof next (unless it is raining then I will be making phone panel and windows, indoors, as Mark suggested)
TG
Castellan, were you saying Mark? 

[purpleblancmange]

TG - Glen, thanks for the welcome, it's great to be back.

TG, I've been hunting around my picture files for more clear pictures of how the roof sits in place and I don't seem to have any!  Must rectify that... mind you, what's the point now that it's more or less complete?

I think I gave you the wrong dimensions for the first step of my roof, I said 4" - it isn't, it's closer to 5".

If you need any advice or have particular questions about it, just respond here or post me an IM - I'm going back to the TARDIS on the weekend (while I move) to test out the graphics and I could photograph any areas of it that you like.

Purple

[Mark]

I sstand corrected TG!

It's down hill from High Council status though, 148 posts later (that sad isn't it?!) and I've not altered! Oh well.

[Mark]

Hmmm. I really should keep my mouth shut, strike that last comment!

[ironageman]

Just been offline for a couple of weeks and I've been missing all the excitement in your neck of the woods, TG - I do like the extra depth to the bottom of the door. Well, I like it all, of course, before you think I'm condemning with faint praise!

(And no, I don't think that in design terms you need a deeper base to get away with the extra-depth doors.)

[TG]

The roof....

I found this lovely bit of skirting board (or architrave) that has a nice chamfer on it and I was wondering whether I could use it to aid water dispersal off the roof

I think it probably looks too wrong - not having the crispness of the right angled steps.

This is just a few bits of wood tacked together to see what the profile and front view might be like - I do know the roof wouldn't support its self like this and would need to be braced.


clickable image

Tell me the truth 
TG

And thanks for your comments ironageman!

[purpleblancmange]

TG, you want honesty and here it is regarding the skirting board:  it won't make the slightest bit of difference as the slope has to run the full length of the staging between the tiers.  If anything, it may serve to make the water issue worse as it wouldn't start to run until a substantial amount had collected, then when it would run, it'd be dumping on the final level at the bottom where it would collect and stay until it seeps into the wood.

Do you have a table saw yet or can you get access to one?  It wouldn't take much to give your build a roof with the slopes built in.

Anyway, the progress is looking great!

[TG]

Thanks Purple, I see what you mean

I did buy a circular saw but it's just a mitre saw - its brilliant -  but can only cut up to about a six inch width. It's my first tentative venture into circular-saw-land.
I could buy a table saw but I'm just not confident that I would be happy using it.

I'm planning to use 250mm flashing strip down the front of the first step over the whole of the top of the sign boxes and the top of the corner posts.

So really I'm just worried about the top of the 1st and 2nd step.

Do you think there is a solution without a table saw?