Timegirl's TARDIS

[karsthotep]

Oh nooooooooo,  you can save her, its such a great build TG.  One of my favorites.    I have faith in you

[russellsuthern]

Agreed.
A great build & definitely worth saving.

Good luck with the repairs.

Russell

[Rassilons Rod]

Good luck TG!  You can save her!

Make sure you take loads of photos for us

2019 structural survey

This makes my heart sink - rot at the top and base of the front corner post and some developing on the phone door - I expect I'll find more.



These two parts were the original (untreated pine) from 2005 so I suppose they've done quite well living outside in our British weather.
And the floor was nice airy slatted wood - but I stupidly put vinyl flooring over it - and this has happened (eek)


I am terrified of losing her (KB, I feel for you).
I will need to replace the floor and at least one corner post but hopefully not have to take the whole build down to do it.
On a brighter note - I lifted the phone and the 4th Doctor was still there 

She took me two years to build, I think I'd better start soon with a new one.

[Volpone]

Yes, this is also one of my favorite builds.  Yup.  Ventilation is key on an outdoor box.  Because water WILL get in.  So it needs a way to get back out.  It took a long time for me to learn that, so mine has spots were I've had to replace sections of the plywood with some Hardibacker I had laying around (it's like drywall, only cement-based; used as an underlayment for tiling floors and walls.  Corner post is tricky though.  I'd be inclined to try scraping out the rot and then filling it with concrete of some kind of auto body putty.  I've gotten much more educated on that stuff while working on my current project and there's this product called "Bondo Hair" that is a happy medium between just body putty and full-on fiberglass work.  It's a green goop with glass hairs in it--even more horrible to work with than rubber roof patching goop (OK, maybe not that bad, actually).  You squirt some red hardener creme into it and mix it all up nicely and then slap it into what you're patching.  It actually provides a decent structural strength and is, to a degree, sandable, although I wind up just laying Bondo over it and sanding that. 

[Angelus Lupus]

Sad to see this happen to such a lovely box! This is one of the builds I signed up so I could 'like' and bookmark the thread. That picture of it sat happily between the trees is one of my all time favourites, I just love that blue!

[TG]

Thank you so much for your kind words!
Luckily I discovered that the floor wasn't attached to the build at all (I should've looked back at my own build diary)- It was just resting on paving slabs, so I've ripped the whole thing out and I feel better about that.
Volpone, thank you, ventilation, I must remember, I did have it then I put in the new flooring...and obviously lost it. I will try cutting out the rotten bits of the corner post to see if I can repair rather than replace, a good idea.
I've opened the box up to dry it out (I hope) and I'll be able to start work on it in a couple of weeks, with photos 

[fivefingeredstyre]

Nnnnooooooo..... this isn't allowed to happen!

I really do feel for you. I was where you are this time last year but I managed to pull my box back from the brink, I really hope you can too...

If your looking for suggestions, Wicks do a really good rot hardner and two part filler which has worked a treat on mine.

[TG]

Oh heck, I've started the repairs but this has brought me to a halt -
Dulux have stopped making 'Venusian paint' (Venetian Crystal 1) in matt exterior - they won't even mix it, like they did before.

They do still make the colour in 'satin' exterior wood paint but I don't think I want the box shiny and I'm not even sure if I can successfully paint over the matt (masonry) paint with the 'quick dry' satin wood paint?

So - I either go glossy
or try another brand of paint that claims to mix a match for the colour
or choose a new (but hopefully still aesthetically pleasing) blue...I've collected a lot of colour cards.

[Volpone]

I feel your pain.  On projects like this, the setback is always something we just took for granted:  "I know what paint I like.  And it's from a major manufacturer.  What could possibly go wrong?"  You'll figure it out.  But I know how frustrating it is, when you've got other things to figure out, to have to stop and tackle something you thought was done. 

[karsthotep]

TG...I think you are right the satin would add just a little bit of a shine that you don't want.   Does no one else do color matching there?  Over here, all paint mix places will do custom mix of anyone else's colors.  You wouldn't be able to use the brand you are using now, but would still be able to get the color.   

[davidnagel]

Not sure if its universal but I found a dulux "Cobalt Embrace" which is quite nice...

[TG]

mmm 'Cobalt Embrace' is a very lovely blue! but I think I need a darker shade, I feel my build is sort of from a time when blue was grey.

Karst, I think you're right, I'm getting a new tester pot of 'Venusian' (matt, interior) and I'll paint a bit of wood and persevere with finding somewhere that will mix to match the colour (in matt exterior) there must be somewhere, I hope. As Volpone said, I know what paint I like.

Thanks for your help  

[davidnagel]

Good luck!

[Volpone]

HA!  Now that you've said "I know what paint I like" I'm going to suggest different paint. 

Well not suggest.  Just state my views.  I'd forgotten your build had white windows.  Way back when I did the first iteration of my build (and before I'd found this place) I thought "what sheen would a municipality use on a concrete building?" and decided on a glossy finish.  Then I got here and saw how most people had a flat finish on their boxes and spent much effort "dirtying down" the paint.  I also dreaded when it would be time to repaint because the lighter blue and the all blue paint scheme somehow seemed to demand a weathered look. 

Eventually my box started telling me that it wanted the 1960s police box white windows look (mostly I'd see it at night, coming home from work, and get an idea how cool the contrasting windows would be, but the telepathic circuit may have played a role too ) so eventually I painted her.  Went with the darkest blue I could get and the glossiest gloss I could get and was really pleased with the look.  Also, for some reason this look didn't require any artificial weathering.  The gloss sheen added enough texture to make the look work. 

Of course now she's telling me she wants the classic 70s and 80s "Dr Who" paintjob back, so it looks like I'll be hunting down matte paint and getting out the weathering supplies.

[galacticprobe]

Of course now she's telling me she wants the classic 70s and 80s "Dr Who" paintjob back, so it looks like I'll be hunting down matte paint and getting out the weathering supplies.

Dare I mention how blue and glossy the Old Girl appeared during the 'Key To Time' series (Season 16)?

Dino.