TARDIS Key Collection

[The14thDr]

Since I now have a fair few TARDIS keys in my collection, I thought it was about time I made myself a gallery for them all. Here is the collection in full (minus the 2 car keys that I have for the ignition port on my TARDIS console):


And here are my 3D printed TARDIS keys; the other four that you see in the photo above (the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 11th Doctors' keys) were all made using modelling clay.

[galacticprobe]

Wow! And I thought I had a decent collection of TARDIS keys... which started out with that cast aluminum key that wasn't very accurate, but the only one available back in the 1980s (before Spirit of Light came out with theirs... which 1-800-TREKKER refined some years later).

Now it looks like I'll have to step up my game a little as I don't have any of the Yale-type keys which span both Classic and New Series. (Even though I don't have a Yale or ERA lock, I should be able to get my hands on a key of that type, even if it's blank on both sides, which could be good because then it really would bridge the Classic and the New.)

Nice collection, 14th! At least you can say you built your keys. (I've got to search those 'Props from the Shops' to find mine!)

Dino.

[The14thDr]

Thanks Dino. I'd love to have a metal TARDIS key (especially a 1-800-TREKKER version).
For any of the Yale-type keys, you could just use a normal house key. After all, I think Russell T Davies once said in an interview that the reason he went back to the Yale (or ERA) key is because he wanted children to be able to use their house keys as props from the show, or something like that.

Kind regards, The14thDr

[galacticprobe]

I'd love to have a metal TARDIS key (especially a 1-800-TREKKER version).

Keep checking eBay. They do come up now and again, even the clones that were cast from moulds made from the 800-TREKKER key. Like I mentioned, they're not "perfect", but they're so close you literally have to be on top of one to tell that it's a recast. Just search for '1-800-TREKKER TARDIS Key' and see what you come up with. And if there aren't any, just click on the "Follow Search" link. Then you'll get an e-mail notification anytime a key with that description is listed so you can jump on it. They usually have a 'Buy It Now' button and they disappear quickly. The recasts aren't very expensive. I think I paid $12 US including shipping for mine. The actual TREKKER key might be a little more, but you'll have to see what the seller is asking.

For any of the Yale-type keys, you could just use a normal house key.

Funny you should mention that. The wife and I refer to our house key as a TARDIS key. Only our TARDIS is more along the lines of Iris Wildtyme's TARDIS; hers looked like the Number 22 to Putney Common double decker, and because the Old Girl was "hurt" when Iris found her, that TARDIS stuck like that and is smaller in the inside. Well, same here: smaller on the inside, only ours is stuck looking like a single story ranch-style house!

After all, I think Russell T Davies once said in an interview that the reason he went back to the Yale (or ERA) key is because he wanted children to be able to use their house keys as props from the show, or something like that.

Now that is interesting, especially if it's true. Interesting because of what someone mentioned in another thread about Capaldi wanting his costume to be easily replicated so children (presumably of all ages) could dress as the Doctor. Keys are one thing; they're everywhere and it's easy to find even a lost key and say it's a TARDIS key. The costumes? They're still using clothing items that cost hundreds of dollars (and pounds), which sort of negates the ability for most people to put together a costume replica... unless you've got the money. Some fans do; they get top-of-the-line items from Steve Ricks (his stuff really is top-notch), some go for the medium-high end with Magnoli (also high quality), Barron Boutique seems to be the middle ground - about half Magnoli's price, and in some instances more accurate, and I hear is also high quality. Then you've got ThinkGeek and Abbyshot, but they're still up there... about $400 US for the 11th Doctor's purple frock. Ouch. (Maybe I'll treat myself after my tax returns in April... depending on how much of a refund I get, if any.)

I think so far of all the Doctors' costumes, the 9th is the easiest to replicate: V-neck jumpers in the right colors at Target for about $20 US; black jeans, also Target, for around $15 US, and depending on how much you've got to play with, you can get a replica of his U-Boat Captain jacket from between $99 and $495 US (some places are higher, but I do draw the line at absurd). Oh, and a crew cut for your hair - barber's costs. Beyond that, every Doctor's costume has had some unique items that are either really expensive, or out of stock by the time someone IDs the item. Take Tennant's jacket that matched his brown with blue pinstripe trousers. The trousers were GAP specials - not very expensive... until they were all bought up and taken apart to make the jacket. So if you were lucky enough to find those trousers, which popped up in GAP stores once in a while, you would have to be a raggedy Doctor without a jacket, or hope they had enough trousers (size irrelevant) that you could buy and then try to find someone to make that jacket out of the trousers: more money for the seamstress/tailor. So even though the powers that be say they're doing something so fans can replicate the Doctors' costumes, I'm still on the fence with that one because of the high-dollar items or one-of-a-kind item that's made in-house that makes it really difficult for fans to replicate the costumes.

But now I'm starting to ramble. Anyway, get to eBay and plug in that search for the TREKKER key and see how long you have to wait before one of them - or a recast - shows up.

Dino.

[TheMasterRichman]

Impressive, very impressive, I like those keys, they look extremely smart .

- Rich

[The14thDr]

Thanks Rich!! I'm currently working on a couple more versions of the TARDIS key, so hopefully I will be able to add to my collection very soon.

Dino, thanks for the advice on finding myself a TREKKER key. Let the search begin! I can't remember where I read that about Russell T Davies and the TARDIS key (it may have been in an issue of Doctor Who Magazine, but I have so many issues that it would take forever to find the interview in question )
RE: the Doctor's costume, I've heard the same thing too, but I find it very hard to believe. I was working on an extremely tight budget for my Twelfth Doctor's costume, and I still had to spend a fair amount of money. The "close-enough" coat set me back around £50, and the hoodie and jumper cost around £15-£20 altogether (not much compared to some of the more accurate costumes available, I know, but it still makes this costume the most expensive prop I own.) I suppose the early Series 9 costume could be classed as easy to replicate, if you forget about the coat; all you would need is a t-shirt/jumper (depending on which variation of the costume you are going for), a hoodie and a pair of black jeans (and of course the infamous sunglasses )

[13drwho]

I think the point on the costume was you could find off the shelf Halloween costume quality stuff cheap. Those of us who take this very seriously are obsessed with accuracy.

You could replicate the approximate look of David Tennant with a brown pinstripe suit... for a lot of people that would be close enough. In the case of the classic Doctor's you can't even get "close enough" off the rack, everything was custom made and from different time periods. I think that's what they mean.

Nice keys by the way.

[The14thDr]

I think the point on the costume was you could find off the shelf Halloween costume quality stuff cheap. Those of us who take this very seriously are obsessed with accuracy.

You could replicate the approximate look of David Tennant with a brown pinstripe suit... for a lot of people that would be close enough. In the case of the classic Doctor's you can't even get "close enough" off the rack, everything was custom made and from different time periods. I think that's what they mean.

Yeah, I would have to agree with you on that. (Imagine trying to find a Sixth Doctor's coat on the shelf in a shop )
I suppose the cost of a cosplay depends on how accurate you are going with it. I spent around £70 on my Twelfth Doctor costume, but if I was going for 100% screen accuracy, I could easily have spent upwards of £500+.

Nice keys by the way.

Thanks.

[The14thDr]

Name: War Doctor TARDIS Key

The origins of this TARDIS key were a bit of an accident. This design started off as a replica of the 3rd/4th Doctor's TARDIS key. However, when I exported the file into a format suitable for 3D printing, something went wrong and the model became "chewed up" and somewhat misshapen; some of the triangle pieces merged together, as if they had been melted slightly, and the design just generally mutated out of shape.
I had the key 3D printed last year, but I only just decided to paint it a couple of weeks ago. I started off with a base coat of "Emperor Gold" acrylic paint, before painting the raised pieces in silver. The turn this into my concept of the War Doctor's TARDIS key, I gave the key a fine layer of watered-down acrylic paint in strategic areas. This gave the impression of a battle-damaged, worn out key, which suits the War Doctor's persona perfectly.

[elkad]

I was thinking of making a mold for a Tardis key you could actually use in real life. Find a blank key on the net, cut the head off, paste it to one of these key versions you made in a mold, melt some aluminum, cast the key then go to a key maker & have him/her copy the to your car, boat, house, Tardis lock & bingo, not just a prop anymore. 

[The14thDr]

Thanks for posting this, elkad. That's a really great idea! I have a couple of keys that to into the car ignition slot on my TARDIS, and I've been toying around with the idea of doing something similar to this.

If you check out my http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=7007.0 thread, you can see I'm working on a design to have 3D printed and combined with a real key, just like you described.

Thanks again for posting this; great minds think alike!!  

Kind regards, The14thDr

[elkad]

Thanks  

It would probably look like this.

Quick drawing, details lacking, I leave that to the professionals.

[The14thDr]

Thanks for sharing that, elkad. The far right key is exactly what I'm trying to recreate with my 7th Doctor TARDIS key.

[The14thDr]

Here is my custom modern-era 7th Doctor TARDIS key. I had this 3D printed in three layers of white PLA, and assembled the parts around the car ignition key for my TARDIS console. I then painted the key silver, with the recessed sections painted black, before I applied some very heavy weathering.

[Cardinal Hordriss]

Very well done to you.

I'd save up and get it printed in metal, steel's not to pricey.