1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

**SofaKing01** · May 9, 2012

Hi Canobi!

Thanks for the fantastic offer! And to think you'll be forever memorialized! : )Everything we have is based solely off of images you've probably seen before. Most of the detail work has been done by Stevestarkiller and his AMAZING 3D rendering of the Falcon.

In this link you'll see all the buttons/knobs in question. The vertical panel mounted knobs behind Chewie's station and the knobs on the instrument console. If you scroll through the page you'll see what I'm referring to.

http://www.therpf.com/f11/screen-acc...51/index3.html

There are 27 rocker style knobs on the instrument panel and 24 (various shaped slider knobs) on the vertical mounted panel - and more throughout the cockpit. They all appear to have a bulb or means of illumination or just a simple black dot.

Let me ask Stevestarkiller if he knows off hand what the dimensions are to the knobs.

Thanks again for the tremendous offer!

**RPF Support**

**Canobi** · May 9, 2012

No prob, buttons will be biscuits compared to what I'm trying to make

I have to admit I'm a bit of a casting noob, but enthusiastic and nerdy enough to have all the theory and tools ready. tiny bit of practice (I've used resin but not silicone) coupled with a heavy dose of perfectionism and a head for engineering should make for the right credentials

**SofaKing01** · May 9, 2012

UPDATES!!!!

The shell is about 90% complete!!! I added more supports and added thickness to the instrument panels and finally laid the last of the panel tops to the console. Just a few more things and she's ready for her next layer of clothes...

Stevestarkiller forwarded the dimensions to the console support but this may require a little rework due to the heaviness of the front end of the console.

This weekend I hope to work on the monitor screen surround along with the throttle surround.

In all... she may not look like much... but she's got it where it counts!

Enjoy

3/4 x 1.5 strips to add bulk to the instrument panels

All secure

Perfect Fit

Last of the panels added...

Need to add a little more filler, one more strip of wood top to the very top and it's on to the base...

I do have ONE question... How the heck am I going to properly connect the top instrument panel to the bottom instrument panel without it flexing / breaking? Ideas?

Stay Tuned!

**SofaKing01** · May 9, 2012

Hi Gang,

I've been doing a little research and it turns out that laminate has come a LONG way. Several companies now offer laminate (the kind used for counter tops) with a metallic look. Although we haven't decided exactly what to skin the console with, a dark metal metallic and a brushed stainless steel might work really well together. The overall look should be be close to the original?

Any thoughts?

I've also located 2in reflectors with a chrome bezel. Although these are NOT the lights we've all been looking for... this is about as close as I've come to finding those mysterious lights.

Let me know your thoughts.

http://206.214.209.238/~uapac/site/i...cPath=16_37_72

More to come

**SteveStarkiller** · May 10, 2012

board's finally back up!

Man, this is continuing to look great.

not sure what you mean about the upper and lower instrument panels?

**SofaKing01** · May 10, 2012

Hi Gang!

UPDATES! I built the underside support. Enjoy!

Almost ready to skin! Any ideas?

**SofaKing01** · May 11, 2012

Minor update. I was able to create a sample "Throttle Quadrant" piece. I'm going to use this to test the formica skin. I was able to find a few cool items on Ebay.

Throttle

Rolls Royce Elbow & Screen Shot

Updated Console

More tomorrow! Stay Tuned!

**MFP 2020** · May 11, 2012

This build is sooo cool. Would you permit me a slight course deviation? I'm so glad you're doing the ESB version, because of the control yokes. One of the things I hate most about space movies is "flying the ship with buttons." (Forbidden World features a particularly egregious example.) I was so happy to see that the MF got yokes for ESB, after seeing Chewie rocking out at the control panel, flying the ship by rocker switch, during the escape from the Death Star. But perhaps that explains why Han's "few maneuvers" consisted of lazy drifts in one direction or another. (h/t Family Guy)

I just had to get that off my chest. It's been there a long time. Thanks.

And now, back to the awesomeness.

**SofaKing01** · May 11, 2012

Listing to the left? That's your move?

The ESB version is so much better than the original... but when we say better... we also mean more GREEBLIES! It's been a nightmare (in a good way) trying to find all the different parts.

You know you either have no life or your dedicated to a project when you search the net for a 2" Dome Light...

Glad you're enjoying the build! I'm quickly realizing I'm not 18 anymore... my body is VERY upset with all the twisting, and the bending and the up and down...

I'm hoping to have the console skinned by the end of the weekend. That will really make the difference. I'll know immediately when the throttle housing is finished. I'm really excited!

Stay Tuned!

**lonepigeon** · May 11, 2012

SofaKing01 said:

Rolls Royce Elbow & Screen Shot

I found that elbow on eBay awhile ago. I'm not sure it's the right model though. The ones used in SW (also seen in the Falcon gunport) have 5 mount holes around a pentagon shaped base. This one appears to be square-ish with 4 mount holes.
That elbow is from a Rolls Royce Dart (which was used on the Viscount), but I'm guessing the correct elbow might be larger and from a Rolls Royce Derwent (also another famous source for SW parts).

That is a nice piece though. As long as it's pretty close in size no one would notice.

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

REAL TIME UPDATES!

I bought a HUGE piece of formica this morning and tested the sample throttle housing - other than cutting the formica to shape, the process is VERY easy. Cut a piece to shape, roll contact cement/adhesive to each piece, wait until dry to touch, and then lay the two pieces together.

I'm now taking the plunge to skin one side. With the piece this big I'll use wood to act as guides before laying into position.

Practice piece

Prepping for skin

Tough to see but there is a layer of contact cement...

Stay tuned for the results!

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

The skin has been laid... now we play the waiting game...

Lay pieces of wood across the panel and adjust position before laying into place. The contact cement is really strong and you have ONE SHOT to lay the formica!!!

I then laid the formica on top of the wood planks and adjusted/moved the skin to its correct position

Then I slowly removed each piece of wood, one at a time, while pressing the formica firmly into place. I then took a roller and rolled from the center out to make sure to remove any air bubbles and create a strong contact

I'll wait a few more minutes and then route the edges for a nice smooth finish. I then repeat this process on every panel... UGH...

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

TA-DA!!!!

edges are all routed and looking pretty good...

Gee... only 8 more sides to go...

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

UPDATES!

Both sides are now finished along with the back. I ran out of formica to do any of the larger panels... so I'm going to take the rest of the day off...

I have to go back to the home improvement store and get another sheet of formica. I hope to have at least the console and the support skinned tomorrow. I'm holding off on the 2 instrument panels until I have better idea of how I'm going to mount the rockers and buttons. Both panels, like the original, are very thick so I need to figure out what to do... Better safe than sorry.

I will also be priming the console and working with MDF to try to make the little view screen located next to the throttle housing. The original viewscreen is / was a Mitchell matte box from and old 40's / 50's Mitchell movie camera. An original will cost 400-600 dollars and instead of destroying something of that value, I'll attempt to make IT myself and then paint it with a texture paint...

She's getting heavy too...

Stay Tuned!

**Darth Humorous** · May 12, 2012

SofaKing01 said:

UPDATES!
I will also be priming the console and working with MDF to try to make the little view screen located next to the throttle housing. The original viewscreen is / was a Mitchell matte box from and old 40's / 50's Mitchell movie camera. An original will cost 400-600 dollars and instead of destroying something of that value, I'll attempt to make IT myself and then paint it with a texture paint...

The paint on some of those old cameras looks like “crinkle black”. Baking the applied paint was involved to get the texture. I don’t think it is still available, but Eastwood carries an aerosol paint called “Black Wrinkle Finish Paint” that is supposed to look the same. No baking is required, but apparently 2 heavy coats are needed, and the texture appears in 12 hours.

Mark

**Darth Lars** · May 12, 2012

SofaKing01 said:

There are 27 rocker style knobs on the instrument panel and 24 (various shaped slider knobs) on the vertical mounted panel - and more throughout the cockpit. They all appear to have a bulb or means of illumination or just a simple black dot.

I forgot who posted this, but he measured it from a cast off a screen-used Vader chest box. There are several guys who cast these in resin. X-wing pilot's chest boxes use have them also.

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

UPDATES! Hey Mark... I was already one step ahead of you. Check it out.

I decided to try my hand at building the Mitchell Matte Box. I dont have a lot of wood working experience and the dimensions might be off a little bit... but in all I think it turned out great!

I created a template, printed and then cut the pieces out and layed them all on to MDF

To save time I then sprayed a little black paint over top to see where I'm supposed to cut... I know I know... it's not exact...

I then cut out each shape and drilled the appropriate sized hole in each corner where I could then cut out the inside

I then routed both the inside and outside of the top piece

Then followed the same steps for each additional piece but only routed the inside

Once they were all glued together I applied rock textured paint and sprayed the inside and out (although the outside will eventually be covered). Once dried, I will lightly sand down the texture and paint with a flat black to give the appearance of the old bakaing method that was used...

Enjoy

Add a few little chrome knobs and other bits and we have ourselves a monitor! I really wanted to put the box in place but the paint will take a while to dry... The nice thing about the textured paint is that covered up/filled in all the minor (major) imperfections. I know it's not perfect and as I mentioned I dont think the dimensions are correct, but at least now I know I can do it. And it really didnt take that long. If the measurements are if fact wrong I'll take the little guy and mount him to a little panel, add some lights and make a display out of it.

More to come

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

Darth Lars said:

I forgot who posted this, but he measured it from a cast off a screen-used Vader chest box. There are several guys who cast these in resin. X-wing pilot's chest boxes use have them also.

Hey DL,

Thanks so much for the post! We'll compare these against the dimensions Stevestarkiller did for his 3D MF model. Let's hope they're the same or Stevestakiller will not only have a little mod'ing to do but he'll have to account for his apparant lack of motivation!

**SofaKing01** · May 12, 2012

Hi Gang,

Is anybody making/replicating C3POs knee pistons? I know there's a 3PO builders club but thought I would ask around here first.

The knee pistons were also used as part of the throttle. They would essentially replace the existing knobs shown here.

Let me know if anybody has any information

Thanks

**SofaKing01** · May 13, 2012

Its raining today so I cant work on any of the panels... GRRRR... I will go to the home improvement store and pick up another piece of formica so I will at least have that if it stops raining.

The monitor turned out nice... but, as i predicted, was a LITTLE too small. Dont ask me how, but I got the measurements wrong. So, I am going to recreate the monitor screen in just a few minutes.

Yup... Just a little too small

Hope everybody is having a good weekend

Stay Tuned

**SteveStarkiller** · May 13, 2012

Looking great, that formica looks nice and clean!

so, looks like my rockers are a bit too big. I measured them off a rebel chest box, (from a face-on photo with a ruler in frame) I hadn't checked if it was screen accurate, lunk head that I am. It was close to the vader chestbox measurements and proportioned pretty well, but mine was about 120% too big.

a lesson about taking measurements off photos with rulers in them...

anyway, here's a comparison

**ReplicantShadow** · May 13, 2012

Wow! Going to be watching this thread! I have been analyzing and studying set design and construction methods so this up my alley these days! Looking killer so far!

**Fuzzual** · May 13, 2012

Just wanted to pop in and say, AWESOME!!!! Looking really good so far. I know first hand what it is like to work with SteveStarkiller, his plans and details are top notch!!!

Great work so far SofaKing, I'm really looking forward to seeing you progress. This is going to be a great build!!!!!

**SofaKing01** · May 13, 2012

Hey Fuzz,

Thats for the vote of confidence! I take any I can get! Starkiller is a really good guy and has been a tremendous help so far! How's your project coming along?

**SofaKing01** · May 13, 2012

UPDATES!!!

I was able to pick up the LAST sheet of formica at the improvement store. It had several knicks on the edges so I got it for 70% off! I also picked some KILLZ primer for the practice Throttle Housing. And finally, created a larger monitor surround. Check out the results!

Followed the same process of cutting, routing and sanding as i did the previous version. Here they are side by side - slightly bigger this time

I also routed the inner edges as well to prep for the cover

The Throttle Housing with KILLZ primer and layer of flat black - it turned out perfect!

Both pieces resting on the console

A few coats of "Rock" texture paint. After it dries I'll lightly sand and give it a coat of flat black paint then add a few little chrome pieces I have laying around

It rained ALL day so I wasn't able to get to any formica. I should be getting the throttle quadrant this week. That will be an interesting process...

Stay Tuned!

1:1 Millennium Falcon Console Replica

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