Russell's Black Dalek

[galacticprobe]

Make that another "Aye!" from me! Pertwee was the first Doctor I saw, although at the time I didn't know it. The show was running on an obscure UHF channel (and how many remember those?) that I stumbled across while fiddling with the UHF tuner knob (when TVs had knobs). I do remember it was a Dalek episode (didn't know they were "Daleks" then; just odd-looking 'robots' that were killing people), and the tall light-haired guy that had a weird blue box he would go into. I think it was in 1972 or '73 (so I was 11 or 12 at the time). I had a heck of a time finding the show again because I couldn't remember what channel I'd found it on (and my mum hated it when I played about with the UHF knob, so I had to be sneaky). I also couldn't remember what day or time I found it because I was so mesmerized by it that I hadn't bothered to look at the clock or channel knob. I stumbled on it every now and again, enough to really like it, but not enough to understand exactly what I was watching. Then one day I just couldn't find it again.

Then some years later, Channel 9 (when it was plain old WOR, and not WWOR) out of New York City was airing it on Saturday mornings. This time those odd 'robots' were back, and some tall guy with curly brown hair and a huge scarf was fighting them. That strange blue box was still there, and I wondered what happened to the other light-haired guy. This is when I could find the show without fail and learned what 'Doctor Who' was. (And like the PBS stations of later years, Channel 9 only looped the episodes from "Robot" to "The Invasion of Time".)

Had the show been readily available in the US earlier I would've been watching it along with the other SF shows I loved watching (mostly those Irwin Allen classics - 'Lost In Space', 'Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea', et al... and 'Star Trek'), so I probably would have seen some of the Troughton stories and learned how the Doctor changed how he looked a lot earlier than I did.

Yeah... I'm that old. (After all, I am a "Granddad"! )

Dino.

[russellsuthern]

Hi, all.

I have finished cladding the base...


I started work on the skirt. I have fixed five panels plus the seat...



Again, the wood is a bit of a hodge podge of whatever I could find in the local skips.
Last time I used epoxy resin to glue the panels, then glued card strips over the joins to strengthen them.
This time I used wood glue to fix the panels, then used a big splurge of acrylic sealer to strengthen the joins.
The only difference is that the epoxy took 5 mins to dry, but the wood glue has to be left overnight, so while it is drying the panels have to be taped & wedged into place.

All the best,

Russell

[superrichi1a]

How on earth do you do this finding stuff from "local skips" and make it look so good?! Coming along beautifully

I'm actually in your neck of the woods at the moment, staying in Corfe Castle until the weekend. Needless to say I prefer this area to my own!

[russellsuthern]

As always, Rich, you are too kind
Enjoy Corfe Castle,
Not sure it's really my neck of the woods though, as it is over 100 miles away from Brighton , still, I guess that's nothing in a TARDIS...

All the best,

Russ

[superrichi1a]

When you spend your life in Brimingham and commuting between Cardiff and London "The South" does indeed strike you as one place in a sense (I don't mean that in an arrogant way - just that it's an area I know less well, and all the interesting bits are by the sea).
I suppose it's the coast, both places fundamentally are on the same stretch of coastline so they feel closer than they are, as the Stig would say, "Straight line, I will not deviate".
So I stand by my assertion I'm in your neck of the woods, I just never specified the numerical value representing the size of those woods

[russellsuthern]

Good point, well made...
It's all relative, as the Doctor might say.
I expect Dino would tell us that americans would think nothing of commuting 100 or even 200 miles a day to work & back.
I used to visit birmingham regularly when I was a sales rep & always found the people very friendly

Russell

[Senseidale]

Looking good
I do like the wing chun in the back ground
Dale

[galacticprobe]

I expect Dino would tell us that americans would think nothing of commuting 100 or even 200 miles a day to work & back.

Quite right, Russell, but it also depends on the individual. Some people commute from the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania (where my wife is from and where I went to high school) to New York City: a rough 97 miles, which takes about 2 hours when you account for the time it takes to get through the toll at the George Washington Bridge or one of the connecting tunnels (Holland or Lincoln). A 200-mile commute, depending on where it is, could take up to 4 hours or more. That's a bit much even for us Yanks. In cases like that, what some people do is something they call "Geo-Bachelor" (Geographic Bachelor; married, but living alone close to their work place) - they get a small flat to rent (something really small and cheap) to live in during the work week, and work 10-hour days, so their 40-hour work week ends on a Thursday night. Then they make that 200-mile/4-hour plus drive home for their 3-day weekend, and then head back to the tiny flat on Sunday night to start the whole process again on Monday morning.

In my military career my shortest commute was 18 minutes (about 15 miles). My average commute - because I chose not to live too close to the base (which had its advantages) - was about 35 minutes (21 miles). The worst commute ever was only about 10 miles, but it took the better part of 90 minutes because it involved two ferry rides, from Staten Island, NY to Manhattan, and then the Coast Guard Ferry from Manhattan to Governors Island. The ferries were about a 5-minute walk from each other, and the SI ferry was about 10 minutes' walk from our apartment, but getting the timing of the ferries right was impossible.

So a short distance doesn't always mean a short commute time. Most people I know try to keep their commute time and distance as small as possible. The ones I mentioned above living in the Poconos do that because they make New York City salaries, but pay Pennsylvania taxes (which are lower than NY taxes). But then you have to ask yourself: are you really saving that much in taxes when you put the tax differential up against the petrol costs you have to put out driving almost 100 miles each way to work and back? (I think not.)

Dino.

[russellsuthern]

Dino:You are so right about distance & time not always equating.
It really does depend on where you are going. When I was a rep I had to commute up to London & hated it! Now I just shuttle to & fro along the coast which is much nicer.

Dale: Thanks for the compliment. Yes the wooden man does get a lot of work! I always think it looks like a Victorian or even Middle-ages Dalek, if you see what I mean.
One of my students (a professional carpenter) made the one in the picture & I thought "I wonder if I can do that?", so I had a go at making one & it turned out like this:



It really tested my woodwork skills, but I don't think it turned out too bad!

All the best,

Russell

[russellsuthern]

Hello!

I have put two more panels on my base. This means I only have two more panels to go & then I can get down to the serious business of filling & sanding on a loop ad infinitum!!
The missus could not resist giving the chair a try. I don't think my grey goon quite knew what to make of it...





Also, I have been spending my evenings while doing my security job, making cardboard circles to fit into my hemi's...



These repetitive jobs can get quite tedious, but they need doing so you just have to get on with it.
I try to break the job up into small batches & take plenty of rests.

That's all for now,
Hope your builds are going well,

All the best,

Russell

[fivefingeredstyre]

Looking good mate. Can I ask what are your hemi's made out of? I when for vac formed plastic for mine, which i then filled with expanding foam...

[russellsuthern]

Hiya!
Mine are just vending machine capsules. They are a bit undersized, but not enough to bother me. They are quite hard, so don't need any filling, just the backing board so I can glue them on.
My Daleks don't get out much, so I'm not too worried about them falling off.
I hope your NSD is going well.

Russ

[Senseidale]

Looking good, coming along very nicely
I have alway thought that  Star Trek  nicked the Dalek  design for the episode The Menagerie but not as good as the Dalek
just a thought.
Regards
Dale

[Rassilons Rod]

I doubt it

The Menagerie: November 17, 1966
The Daleks: 21 December 1963

[russellsuthern]

Well, Dale could be right.

After all, the Daleks were huge & really got into the public conciousness,
So I'm sure a lot of sci fi that came after "borrowed"  (pinched!) their concept, maybe even subconciously...
There's nothing new under the sun!

(Let's face it, Dr Who has pinched enough ideas off other people!!)

Russell