David's New Series Console

[davidnagel]

Hi,

I have finally begun to preproduction of a TARDIS console. A complete remake. Based on the dimensions and overal structure of the original Hartnell console, but making it look similar in style to the now-Blackpool console.

Here is an idea I had for an LCD scanner arrangement;



The monitor is meant to be on a metal support and can rotate 360 (that's what the arrow is meant to show but its not very good - was late at the time of drawing)

And here is a diagram on the first thing I will be starting on, the up n down mechanism;



Here is the famous arrangement for everyone's central column it seems, with counterweights! Mine will be have four counterweights, each guided by plastic tubing (i'm going to assume it helps). This will be on wheels so I can wheel it out of the whole console, which will split apart for easy access.

At the moment I am tracing a cheap central column and a motor to begin working on.

David.

[Scarfwearer]

This looks pretty similar to what I did (though I used belts, and they're slipping).

You'll need something to keep the column level - you don't want the sides of the cover scraping on the collar around the top as it will scratch, or tip sideways and jam. I sat the moving parts on a pole which rides up and down through holes in cross members.

Perhaps you are planning this and just left it out of the drawing.

Here's a diagram from my website:


from the page about this

Looking forward to seeing how you get on.

Crispin

[davidnagel]

Oh yes! I completely forgot about your diagram there, Crispin!

Um, I was thinking either

to have the gaps between column and piping quite tight to allow it to do so, and then simply add some foam around it so it doesn't scratch.

Or do as you say and create a guide... again with probably an amount of foam!

D

[davidnagel]

A minor update, I have been thinking about the whole console thing and since watching this new-new series of "Doctor Who" with David Tennant - I am nearing the possibility of making a new series TARDIS console... but I cannot make my mind up! Maybe we should run a poll...

Anyways, went to Blackpool today and asked to see the upNdown mechanism for the old Longleat console and here it is;



Its useful, but it makes me question, have they counter-weighted the column? or is the mechanism doing all the hard work on its own?

I am still looking over where to find a big plastic cylinder for the central column for next to nothing, one fears it won't come cheaply - many thanks to Purple and Crispin for input.

BTW Blackpool Exhibition is superb for the old fan like myself, but next to useless for new fans, ala the annoying kids who were in the cue with us, ruined the experience for me and the wife, but nevermind!

David.

[davidnagel]

So what do people think?

Is this column counter-weighted? Or does this motor take the full load?

And is it worth investing in a wiper motor to give this a go?

[purpleblancmange]

I don't know about the Blackpool one, but adding in counterweights can't hurt the process, I've seen a couple of mechanisms that work very well without them, so I guess it depends on the motor that you have.

Have a look at Jarrod's TARDIS console. His mechanism is near identical to the original prop's innards which coincidentally was built for the season 19 console, then transferred into the new model the next season.

How goes it with the rest of this project, any further design work done or have you in deed started the main build yet? I take it you'll be using it in another of your films.

[davidnagel]

Yes, the finished console will be used in a film or two. Fingers crossed I have the time and energy to produce a short 6 story season.

The build has yet to start unfortunately, we've just been through a house-buying phrase but unfortunately we didn't manage it... so I guess money is better spent on a holiday OR a tardis!

I assume any wiper motor will do, I've read up on a site that uses one for Halloween projects and the chap explains that it can be powered via a computer power supply. I'll have to do some investigating... hmm...

[davidnagel]

Hmmm. Another of my temporarily abandoned projects.

Any progress on this suspended project will be posted here and on my new blog www.damproductions.org/blog

Life has been busy, got married, moved house a few times, crashed the car, got a new one, blah blah blah

Hope everyone is well!

[Admin account]

Congratulations!

[davidnagel]

Many belated thanks and belated Christmas and New Year!

[davidnagel]

I had been thinking about construction of a new series console and cropped up several ideas...

The console coral arms would be constructed out of chicken wire or mesh of somekind and then covered in cardboard or paper mache to create an uneven surface then artexed to create a coral type texture and painted. Not entirely sure how to make the pill shaked circular stacks on top, maybe cutting the bottoms out of some very big balls! Oh dear.

Rest of the console is fair construction. The problem most console builds crop up is the whole central column issue. I got a 500 quid quote from somewhere at 500mm by 1000mm but I don't have that money realistically to spend it on that bit of the console, alternatively, the way the new series console column looks rough, it might be worth going down the bending sheet plastic route....?

[Scarfwearer]

thebestwebwizard said:

I had been thinking about construction of a new series console and cropped up several ideas...

The console coral arms would be constructed out of chicken wire or mesh of somekind and then covered in cardboard or paper mache to create an uneven surface then artexed to create a coral type texture and painted. Not entirely sure how to make the pill shaked circular stacks on top, maybe cutting the bottoms out of some very big balls! Oh dear.

I would guess that most of the weird shapes were done with fibreglass. The pill-shaped things could probably be made much like a dalek dome.

Crispin

[davidnagel]

I'd imagine so, Crispin. But I'm sure there is a picture I've found showing the 'pills' on their own and they look like carved wood, maybe... ? though I could be completely wrong and the join like lines in the picture below could be the fibreglass joins.

[archie]

Looks like carved/turned urethane foam to me, covered in something like jesmanite or resin.

[davidnagel]

Hmm. Could be archie - could be.

Anyways, I've had some ideas about general construction of the console (by the way, there is a nice picture of the interior as seen in the latest issue of Doctor Who Adventures which I shall be using as reference now!)

I was originally going to construct the six console arms out of chicken wire but now find it might be stronger if I constructed out of flat panelled wood and then did my artex idea on top of that...

It looks quite an easy job to find big corrugated tubing to use as the insides for the bottom of the console - though saying that , it was hard enough trying to find the short piece of tubing I ended up using for my K9 neck. Sheesh! I wonder if there are any vaccuum cleaner shops where I live... INVESTIGATE!

This is all still on going mind. Also been tempted to make half coral buttresses out of wood with the artex thing. ya know, cut it off at top of the screen point and if I ever use a big long shot in a fan film I will add in the rest later..... hmmmmmm

~D

[davidnagel]

Hmm consoles...I wonder if making the shape as per previous consoles is a good idea, fashion it up like the new series console, and THEN add the big coral arms on top of that... that could work, maybe making the coral arms seperate for transportation/storage.

BTW I'm looking at fan film possibilities for such a build rather than 'centre piece' possibilities that most here go for.

Hmmm... consoles....

[davidnagel]

Right, well after much deliberation about this project, I have decided to construct a new series console. And have discussed its construction with Sir Purple and am currently producing schematics from pictures and a single measurement Sir P has given me, whether it looks any good when I'm done is another question.

So, I fired up Paintshop Pro and started vectoring on some construction pictures of the REAL console, so I can get the ribs/arms right for a ply wood template, here tis progress for those would are doing something similar;





I'll probably blow this image up to transfer to wood.

[exilea]

Oooh, can't wait to see this one done!

[karsthotep]

Wow, I have never seen those pictures before, great Reference. I look forward to seeing your progress on this.

Karst

[anotherwheeze]

May 31, 2006 20:27:16 GMT 1 davidnagel said:

I am still looking over where to find a big plastic cylinder for the central column for next to nothing, one fears it won't come cheaply - many thanks to Purple and Crispin for input.


David.

Hi there,

Just a thought, but what about the clear acrylic drums from an old drum scanner. These were used in the pre-press industry until some years ago.

Many are now defunct.

Try Googling "crossfield" or "linotype hell" drums.

[Rassilons Rod]

May 5, 2008 18:47:56 GMT 1 karsthotep said:

Wow, I have never seen those pictures before, great Reference. I look forward to seeing your progress on this.

Karst

Yes those join lines are interesting in the first pic... I wouldn't have thought of that had I not seen the pics

-Marc

[atomicgraph]

wow!!! that is gonna be a great project and its looking good. maybe i miss read something but what did you make that out of? best of luck to you

[meantimebob]

I wonder how they made that? Is it a timber framework covered over with a hell of a lot of filler? Or are they fibreglass pieces joined at the top?

Also, I can't work out what happens on that first bend on the way up, what's going on there?

Good luck with that build - its certainly ambitious but the gubbings shouldnt be too hard to add. Its not the most pristine of finishes.

[davidnagel]

thanks for your encouragement people, funny how changing the thread name attracted more replies

atomicgraph, the images aren't mine, they are the images from the old version of the BBC website of the construction of the real thing. if you do some searching you might find them, i saved them all so if its helpful i can send all of them...somewhere

meantimebob, first bend? the first bend legs represent the console touching REAL floor since the console room is mounted on levels, this is demonstrated in the episodes namely Eccleston in a hole in the floor of 'The Unquiet Dead' and Tennant in 'Rise of the Cybermen' when he retrieves the little TARDIS ring thing. I'll grab a picture that shows these levels and share here.

And no, the console bits aren't my worry, the central column is manly, so thanks for the suggestion anotherwheeze, I will investigate those.

[mugsyuk]

The supports to the console are just timber supports with a controlled amount of expanding filler sprayed over them and then carefully sprayed with either a spray resin or varnish. The actual room supports are very similar but are metal framework with "cling film" wrapped round the frame work and then covered with the expanding foam. If that helps

[anotherwheeze]

May 6, 2008 14:03:14 GMT 1 davidnagel said:

And no, the console bits aren't my worry, the central column is manly, so thanks for the suggestion anotherwheeze, I will investigate those.

In case you hadn't guessed, I was in this industry until about 12 years ago All flatbed stuff nowadays - these big drum scanners were sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds, normally with a number of different drums. The company I worked for refurbished (polished) these drums, amongst other things.

What you want is a crazed drum. This occurs if the operator uses the incorrect cleaner to remove the material used to mount transparencies or photos. This renders the drum useless, fit simply for the skip, but to the naked eye, they look ok, but are useless for scanning anything. This, I'm sure will be one of your options for a cheap, if not "free" acrylic drum

Oh, and they come in so many different sizes - some seriously large and perfect for a console.

Good luck

[davidnagel]

Ok cheers anotherwheeze

mugsyuk, you are correct, the ribs/arms were constructed out of ply and the curveyness covered in Bendy MDF (I hear;)) and then smothered in "texture spray"

[davidnagel]

Ok, a nice little update for my thread on this build, that doesn't look like its going anywhere because 1) I don't have the money 2) I don't have the building space 3) I don't have the storage and 4) I don't have ALOT of time

but I will still collect pictures and things in hopes of sparking myself and fortunately this set of images came through, thanks to trizia of photobucket (who attended the Children in Need visit to the Doctor Who/Torchwood/SJA sets) of which I have sneekily stolen them (but I don't feel too bad because I made my donation!)

[EDIT] New Images coming soon

[davidnagel]

And finally....

[EDIT] New Images coming soon

Hope these helps others - because they certainly help me in replcating the thing and I know they'll be excellent for Aaron and his thread (but I'll neglect to them there in case of clogging up the threads etc)

[davidnagel]

These pictures continue my belief that the prop is just a big mess on occassion, starting to think I should have a system and smarter-looking replica