DrWho & The Daleks/Dead Planet Fluid Link

[elkad]

Reference: http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=7076.0

I plan on making two versions on this fluid link, this one, all PVC pipe, & the other will have an acrylic core with sloshing silver liquid.



The Disks are cut & flattened PVC pipe.



I still need to work on the disks. I drilled the center hole with a, I think, a 3/8" drill bit, & the bit chewed up the hole making the disk loose. (It also took a bight out of my finger. I was holding on to the disk wile drilling, the drill caught hold of the disc, spinning it giving me a friction burn. Now I learn to use a vice or pliers to hold the disk.)

Anyone know the disc color? (specific spray pant color)
I've seen two versions of the end cap. One with a screw on ether end, & one with a plug like terminal.



Anyone know how to make a silver color oil & water toy liquid. (I don't want to use real mercury in my acrylic one.)

[The14thDr]

That’s another very nice replica, elkad! I remember Dino saying in another thread (http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=8524.msg108127) that there is a photo somewhere on the Forum which shows the discs to be a “light grey with a very slight bluish tint to them”. But, as usual, because I’m looking for that photo, I can’t find it.

For the silver liquid, try mixing some acrylic paint with a little water - you can adjust the ratios of paint:water to get something that looks just like real mercury, and the two liquids (hopefully) shouldn’t separate over time.

I hope at least some of this helps.

[galacticprobe]

I can't find that photo or topic with the colors showing either, so rather than spending hours searching through posts, here it is again (so you can reference it easily, elkad):


Enlarged, and sharpened as much as I dared.

And the full image it came from:

Fluid link inside the yellow circle. The discs almost look like they're the same color as the Dalek hemis: that pale grey with just a hint of blue to them.

And I don't know if this will help or hurt when it comes to details, but Oblivion built a replica of the fluid link. His results are in the Gadget Gallery: http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=5353.0. With his eye for detail I can't imagine him getting things wrong, and he's got a little antenna on one end. I can't see any of that in the photos, but then my stanky old wizzard eyes aren't what they used to be... even with my new brainy specs.

As for the version with the "sloshing" liquid inside it, 14th had a good idea for the silvery part. If you want the "wave action" effect like in the cylinder of the Main Space-Time Element (which is like the blue and clear thingy you're holding in your photo), you can make the silvery water out of acrylic silver paint thinned to the right consistency. Then all you need for the clear part would be a lightweight mineral oil. Put the two into the clear cylinder, and since oil and water don't mix, and oil floats on water, the clear mineral oil will always be on top of the thinned silver paint mix. That should give you the same effect as that blue wave motion thingy.

Does any of this help? (Or make any sense?)

Dino.

[The14thDr]

Wow! I’d never seen that photo before now, thanks Dino! (And now, because we’ve already found the photo in question, I stumbled upon it completely by accident: http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=7076 )

That’s a really great idea about mixing oil with the thinned-out paint, and would definitely give the look that you’re after.

I can’t wait to see how this turns out, elkad!

[elkad]

I was thinking, should I put the plug like tabs on both caps, or tabs on one cap & a tap screw on the other, or tabs on both with tap screws on both ends too?

[elkad]

I got the pieces together, time to paint.



Ive decide to make three fluid links, one winter gray disks, one with aqua blue disks & the acrylic center & silver like liquid.



Paint the end caps silver.



Close up of the element tabs & the tap screw. (Tap screw will be for filling.)



First one officially "Finished".

[elkad]

Comparing the winter gray & aqua blue, there's not much difference to the camera. (The color scheme can go ether way.)

[karsthotep]

Awesome result, I love your builds and this is another great one. 

[elkad]

Just panted the other Fluid Link, I decided to go with a silver core instead of the gray color of the first one.
Witch one do you think looks better, color wise?



Oh, I forgot to ask, anyone know the type of screw I used, for the tap screw. I think its a computer screw. (for attaching drives inside a computer tower, CD,DVD,Hard drives, Floppy's.)

[galacticprobe]

I'm not sure of the actual name for that type of screw, but you can always do what I do when I need something like that and don't know what to look for: take it to a hardware or home improvement store, show it to someone that works there, and say "I need some of these". Usually I get a response of "Oh, sure; they're over here..." and I'm led to the aisle where there are boxes of them, as well as individuals.

As for the color, I'm partial the greyish one (right side in the above photo) because - at least to my stanky old wizzard eyes - it looks most like the color publicity photo showing the Fluid Link on the Dalek console, in its true color. (Nothing against the green version seen in the colorized Hartnell photo; It's just my personal opinion, mainly because I like things the way they originally were.)

Dino.

[Davros Skaro]

They are Security Torx screws if they have a star-head on them. Can't tell you much more than this sorry. The tools are available at most hardware stores or on eBay.

Chris.

[elkad]

I searched for the screw at two hardware stores & they didn't have any this small. I looked for a Security Torx, commented by Davros Skaro, no luck. I stared searching for computer screws. No luck. Then I searched for Types of computer screws, & I think I may have a lead.

It's known as a Cheese Head Screw, Manly because the head resembles a round block of cheese.



Now I just need to find what length & diameter screw I have to match.
Hopefully my caliper will give me the answer. Is a screws tap or die measured in thickness?  

[Davros Skaro]

I did a bit more searching & came across these https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/manufacture-M3-6-rohs-computer-case_1336998532.html
.

Screws are mostly measured by the outside diameter of the thread in millimeters, by some are still in imperial measurements as well. The thread pitch is different as well.

Here is the link to the searches I used if you wish to look further 1st search: https://www.google.com.au/search?client=firefox-b&dcr=0&biw=1143&bih=676&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=4-OyWqikKobR0ATTpJ-IAw&q=m3+computer+torx+screws&oq=m3+computer+torx+screws&gs_l=psy-ab.3...23240.23240.0.23528.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.Ainh96W2yPo

2nd search: https://www.google.com.au/search?client=firefox-b&dcr=0&biw=1143&bih=676&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=_eOyWoHcII7y8AXjgrDwDQ&q=m3+computer+screws&oq=m3+computer+screws&gs_l=psy-ab.3...569662.569662.0.571078.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0..0.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.BLg6o11JVCE

Hope this all makes sense & helps.

Chris.

P.S. You could try going to a computer place, they would have heaps of them, for when they build &/or service peoples computers.

[elkad]

I just got my acrylic yesterday & I started cutting, & sanding my discs. I wasn't sure if the tube was the same O.D. of the PVC pipes I was using for my other fluid links, & waited drilling the center holes. The acrylic was a little smaller in thickness, so not only the were the holes had to be sanded down by hand, after a half inch drill hole, the pipe caps will have to be packed to hold the acrylic tube.



I made an acrylic plug using a makeshift drill lathe & a piece of 1/2 inch acrylic rod. When I super glued the plug to the tube, the glue reacted with the acrylic & dried with micro cracks.
I know there is a glue for acrylic. Anyone know the name of it?



It may look finished but I still have to fill it with a silver mercury like liquid. Paint will just cover the inside of the acrylic. I'm thinking a combination of a water & oil rheoscopic fluid.

[elkad]

I'm making a stand for my fluid links. The wood base I got at Hobby Lobby. The acrylic part will be lit up from below with three led's.



Now, what do you think the color scheme should be. Anyone have any color references to Tardis Roundels? What color LED would look good to light the acrylic stand?