Season 14 nightstand

[warmcanofcoke]

Thanks Tony 


So here is my updated template:


I decided three layers of the wood I was using might be a little thick so I switched to Masonite for the center layer.


used my template.


Cut six sets of panels.




I've set this up in the attic where no one should bother it and will begin wood gluing them to other bits of wood shortly.

[warmcanofcoke]

I think they came out O.K.- I've put them all under something heavy to dry in my attic and will check to see if they came out alright tomorrow evening.
Then I'll see if I want to do any of them over again.

[museumdave]

This is looking Fantastic!.  I have always loved this console and am very glad to see you taking it on with such attention to detail.  Wonderful!  I eagerly await your next up date!
thanks fore sharing this with us.

Dave

[warmcanofcoke]

Thanks Dave, you are very welcome. - It's the first console I had all the parts for.  
I'm still working on all my other projects and I intend to finish them all. Once I have a time machine, I hope I can find the time.


* edit - I may have to redo two panels but Work calls so I'll be in New Jersey or a week photographing Minerals.

[mccoy master]

What ever happened to this build? It was looking fantastic! Do you have plans to come back to this build? Love the work mate! Your craftsmanship is unmatchable!

[warmcanofcoke]

Oh - yeah .... hada a bunch of unexpected Drama in my life, work, etc..... I have many undocumented steps I will be happy to update soon. I was hopping to pick up some more materials and work on this durring the winter. .... Life gets in the way of hobbies sometimes.

[mccoy master]

Oh I totally understand mate! Life can be very taxing sometimes! So glad that you're returning to this build though! It looks fantastic!

[warmcanofcoke]

So after looking at the panels I had made - a few details sat ill at ease - I could paint them or add wood puddy to them, but I thought I'd experiment to see if I could do better.

So I made another 6 panels and put a circular blade on my dremel. Using a metal ruler as a strait edge guide I cut into the surface of the panels. This experiment gave me mixed results. [*edit : Actually this panel is from a different experiment with an engraving machine. I later found out the engraver tip was dull.]


I got mixed results - maybe two of them might be ok but the rest just don't look right.

Then I tried to make strips of three bands that I would cut into the appropriate shapes but this really uses up way more resources then I wanted.

so I'm still working on getting the panels right.

I made a trade to have my Time Rams cast.







I will spray paint them brass sometime soon.

[galacticprobe]

Magnificent Update, Nate! Great tries with those panels, and I think you may be onto something with the cutting-into/engraving idea. It just might require two metal straight edges to guide the blade/engraver tool instead of one straight edge; that would prevent the tool from straying off course and giving you that "gouge". You could clamp the straight edges in place, and then carefully use the saw attachment or the engraver to get those "strip lines" into the panel. It would take time, but it would be worth it as the lines you did get perfect look amazing!

As for those "Time Ram" heads... WOW! I'm not on my regular computer (she's in for some upgrades and "delousing" to hopefully kill whatever cookie is allowing all sorts of spam to flood my e-mails), so I'll have to do this the best way I can since I don't have my graphic to hand...

ENVY!
(I know it just doesn't look the same, but I'll get a proper one out once my computer is back in action again. )

Dino.

[warmcanofcoke]

Found a scrap of wood. I drilled some holes and placed the time rams into the wood.



Spray paint: first layer : Silver



Spray paint: second layer : metallic brass



Spray paint: third layer : metallic gold






I used a technique of alternating gold and a dusting of black to give the time rams character. The straight gold spray paint would of looked rubbish.

[Volpone]

The rams turned out really neat.  I'd love to hear more detail about the casting process.  Materials, cost, etc.  I'd have never thought a person could get that kind of effect.  

For weathering, you may want to pick up a dark color acrylic paint--a tube of artist paint might be the way to go--an umber, a dark green of some kind, or even a black.  Squirt a little bit into the bottom of a yogurt cup or something, add water, and mix.  Then paint it over the ram's head with a brush.  It will fill in the nooks and crannies and should give you a great patina.  And if you don't like it, it will wash off as long as you do it while it's still wet.  Or you could just add another coat of gold.

Oh, and Retro just showed the first 2 parts of "Masque of Mandragora."  I absolutely had to catch it because I missed the introduction of the old control room the last time they aired it and it was worth it.  They did as good a job of showing how big the TARDIS is as any time.  If they could edit the bits from Invasion of Time and Logopolis in with these, they'd have a fairly decent big TARDIS interior.  But I digress.  The point is, coincidentally, there is a peach of a shot, looking down and I specifically noted that the bases to the top rail are rectangular, not round.  So if you're going for screen accurate, your second batch is probably better.  Also, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed by Brasso.  As far as I know, it is just a polish.  So you'll have a really shiny copper color, not a nice brassy color.  You may be stuck with your paint.    Unless there are any metallurgists here that know a thing or two about electroplating or something. 

[galacticprobe]

The rams turned out really neat.  I'd love to hear more detail about the casting process.  Materials, cost, etc.  I'd have never thought a person could get that kind of effect.

I'll second everything volpone said on this! The detail on those Time Ram heads is amazing! I also see some after-casting sculpting/carving on the heads; they definitely look much different than the buckle used for the master, and from how they did when they first came out of the mould. (Also, how did you get those bolts to stay put, and straight, in the resin when casting them?)

Also, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed by Brasso.  As far as I know, it is just a polish.  So you'll have a really shiny copper color, not a nice brassy color.  You may be stuck with your paint.    Unless there are any metallurgists here that know a thing or two about electroplating or something.

You're quite right, volpone; Brasso is a polish - a mildly abrasive one and great for removing varnishes, lacquers, etc. that still linger where much of it has worn off and you need to shine things up again before re-applying that protective clear coat. It's also great for removing some green oxidation if any exists where you'd rather it not. It does leave behind some brilliant shine once it's wiped off. (Word of warning: read the label on the tin carefully! There are certain metals you are advised not to use it on, and I believe silver is one. If you stick to brass and copper, you're fine, but read that label.)

The stuff for rubbing on a brassy look I think is that "Rub-n-Buff", or some such product. That's like a paint combined with a tin of lip balm. You put a small dollop on your finger tip and then gently wipe it across what you're working on, and it leaves the color on the raised areas (sort of like dry brushing with your finger). It comes in different colors - gold, silver, brass, etc. - so just about anyone can use it on just about anything. I can't remember how durable it is when it comes to things brushing against it... been a while since I've used it on anything; but the last thing I used it on was an old plastic clock (solid brown) to bring out the raised numbers and other designs. That was decades ago and the old clock is still looking fine. (I have found that the brass color holds its brightness better than the gold color; not sure why since brass tarnishes and gold doesn't, but I did try both and the brass has been what's on that clock the longest without needing any touch-ups, and as I mentioned it's been on there for decades now.)

Anyway, keep up the great work, Nate! And since I'm on my regular computer now (unlike last time) I can throw in an appropriate


Dino.

[oslm]

Your night stand is turning out to be a great reproduction piece.  The ram heads really look good with the paint you applied and they even have a slight dirty look to them.

I see that you are having some trouble with the panel lines. I took another look at the quick model I did a while back and re did the panels --



I think I have gotten them a bit closer then my last render attempt.  I looked at the reference images and came up with a total of 6 squares for the area.  I placed a 1.5" Square in the center of the panel rotated at a 45 deg angle.  I then went with a 3.0", 4.5", 6.0", 7.5" and finally a 9.0" square to finish off the layout.  I think that this comes close to matching the original but I may be off by a little. 

Hopefully this will help you with your layout.

Later

Oslm

[warmcanofcoke]

The rams turned out really neat.  I'd love to hear more detail about the casting process.  Materials, cost, etc.  I'd have never thought a person could get that kind of effect.

I also see some after-casting sculpting/carving on the heads; they definitely look much different than the buckle used for the master, and from how they did when they first came out of the mould. (Also, how did you get those bolts to stay put, and straight, in the resin when casting them?)

I'm actually no longer friends with the gentleman who made the castings - but I will add as much information as I can. I had purchased an inexpensive set of air brushes from ebay. I had purchased them because they were recommended by Paul Olsen the gentleman who painted the pearlescent details of the Starship Enterprise for the Motion Picture. [he didn't use them on that job he just recommended them] (cost about $45)- I traded this set for a set of six castings and a mold. I designed a way to hang the bolts into the mix. Basically you take a sheet of thick card stock and evenly space the bolts you want through the card with a series of nuts to fasten it into place. Some scrap wood supported the card above the mold. The heads of the bolts were dangled in to the head of the rams as the transparent dark grape color material solidified.

The only difference between the Belt Buckle and the plastic castings is the collar of the ram isn't duplicated. There is no after sculpting on the Rams. When the mold was made the belt buckle was placed in at an angle so the collar wouldn't be duplicated.



I also know the mold was cleaned out between each cast of the Time Ram.

For weathering, you may want to pick up a dark color acrylic paint--a tube of artist paint might be the way to go--an umber, a dark green of some kind, or even a black.  Squirt a little bit into the bottom of a yogurt cup or something, add water, and mix.  Then paint it over the ram's head with a brush.  It will fill in the nooks and crannies and should give you a great patina.  And if you don't like it, it will wash off as long as you do it while it's still wet.  Or you could just add another coat of gold.

Well I'm happy with the outcome so far. If I look at it later and feel it needs more work I will definitively give this a try.

looking down and I specifically noted that the bases to the top rail are rectangular, not round.  So if you're going for screen accurate, your second batch is probably better.

Yeah I have a couple of ideas on how to tackle it. I'm thinking of cutting the posts off right before it flanges out into the round bit and drilling through the bottom to keep it in place. I want to find a rectangular bit with holes for screws to put at the base. .... still thinking about it at the moment.

Also, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed by Brasso.  As far as I know, it is just a polish.  So you'll have a really shiny copper color, not a nice brassy color.  You may be stuck with your paint.    Unless there are any metallurgists here that know a thing or two about electroplating or something.

Rats......

The stuff for rubbing on a brassy look I think is that "Rub-n-Buff", or some such product. That's like a paint combined with a tin of lip balm. You put a small dollop on your finger tip and then gently wipe it across what you're working on, and it leaves the color on the raised areas (sort of like dry brushing with your finger). It comes in different colors - gold, silver, brass, etc. - so just about anyone can use it on just about anything. I can't remember how durable it is when it comes to things brushing against it... been a while since I've used it on anything; but the last thing I used it on was an old plastic clock (solid brown) to bring out the raised numbers and other designs. That was decades ago and the old clock is still looking fine. (I have found that the brass color holds its brightness better than the gold color; not sure why since brass tarnishes and gold doesn't, but I did try both and the brass has been what's on that clock the longest without needing any touch-ups, and as I mentioned it's been on there for decades now.)

I will have to look into it.

I see that you are having some trouble with the panel lines. I took another look at the quick model I did a while back and re did the panels -

I think your first render was much closer to the original.

Your night stand is turning out to be a great reproduction piece.  The ram heads really look good with the paint you applied and they even have a slight dirty look to them.

Thank you. I didn't want the heads to look too new looking. I'm glad you appreciate it.

[Volpone]

Well I don't know about accuracy, but I think they rams look better without the collar.