Doctor Who - Gadgets and Contraptions: The Mirror Matcher

davidnagel · Oct 18, 2010

I love the gadgets and contraptions the Doctor reveals in the TV Show and given there isn't really a continuous thread about people making em, I thought 'why not!'

So I thought I'd make a series of these posts/threads

I'm cross posting this from dw_cosplay/crafty_tardis LJ communities for wider spectrum of responses - and maybe some help!

Originally posted 6 June 2010! (sorry)

Today's gadget is the Mirror Matcher (did it have a name on screen?)

Firstly, I can see that there is a big ribbed rope (or pipe) that runs around the piece through brass coloured rings. I think this is more a rope as its green, don't ask why I think its a rope I just do! LOL

It should be easy enough to find the leather straps that hold it onto torso. It has a bike's handlebars at the bottom. And those strange glass insert connector things that I swear I've seen in Back to the Future. Actually, most of the bits and pieces look like bike pieces, including the ball joint for the mirror itself. Funny, I have a suitcase that is more or less exactly like the one seen on screen for this gadget.

Here is concept art now of the this prop from Peter McKinstry, it doesn't shed any light on what the TV prop is made of but its certainly cool to look at

Its called the Visual Recognition Device - I think I prefer my name!

Update 19/10/2010 My new graphic of what I think bits and pieces are

Click for bigger picture

And a quick sketch

Next - finding the various pieces!

Any help in identifying some bits is greatly appreciated. Also any advise on what I might construct the main body from, I'm thinking a clock in a similar shape ...

davidnagel · Oct 18, 2010

I've just found this thread in the related items - thanks for whomever posted the images.

Very useful for reference

WarMachine · Oct 19, 2010

I liked this prop a lot. I hope to see someone make it happen. I still look out for pieces of it from time to time. It's hard to find any of it when you have no clue what any of it is though haha.

Good luck, either way.

davidnagel · Oct 27, 2010

Well fortunately most of it IS findable WarMachine.

I am awaiting a delivery of the brass rings at the moment. I had been undecided whether they should be 30mm or 35mm. Scaling images of the props and making it 35mm makes it look way too big. So I bought 30mm ones - will scale the prop accordingly.

Its the main copy that has confused me, but I will be making that out of either layers of cardboard - covered in body filler, OR someone suggested to me that it could be a telephone/aerial extension reel (its got the right shape afterall)

AND, bonus info from the designer himself, the mirror is in fact from the bus as seen in "Planet of the Dead"

Does anyone have any idea what this bit is?

I can see it has a brass ring/clamp around it but no idea what it might be.

zenix · Oct 27, 2010

the rope looks like those line control devices, the barriers outside nightclubs or at a hotel or something. know what I mean?

TK5455 · Oct 29, 2010

The hoses look a lot like the accordion hose use on older style oxygen masks. Almost identical to MIG pilot mask hose.

Bootlegger137 · Oct 30, 2010

davidnagel said:
I can see it has a brass ring/clamp around it but no idea what it might be.

No idea of the exact part, but I want to say it's probably something from a boat/ship. Probably a lamp of some sort. If nothing else, that's the direction I would start my search from.

melw44 · Oct 30, 2010

davidnagel said:
Well fortunately most of it IS findable WarMachine.

I am awaiting a delivery of the brass rings at the moment. I had been undecided whether they should be 30mm or 35mm. Scaling images of the props and making it 35mm makes it look way too big. So I bought 30mm ones - will scale the prop accordingly.

Its the main copy that has confused me, but I will be making that out of either layers of cardboard - covered in body filler, OR someone suggested to me that it could be a telephone/aerial extension reel (its got the right shape afterall)

AND, bonus info from the designer himself, the mirror is in fact from the bus as seen in "Planet of the Dead"

Does anyone have any idea what this bit is?

I can see it has a brass ring/clamp around it but no idea what it might be.

Look like a three LED flash light in center of the brass clamp.
Mel W.

TK5455 · Oct 30, 2010

The larger ring looks like a brass pipe clamp.

The light looks like a cheap-o dollar store 3 LED light.

I'll see if I can find the rest.

davidnagel · Oct 31, 2010

Yup. Got the brass clamps. Its the central bit and following the boat/nautical approach, I think the LED surround is a short hour glass - its just finding them!

TK5455 · Nov 1, 2010

Ok, I think the thing in the middle looks like a flow indicator...

might be hard to find the exact item, looks really vintage.

davidnagel · Nov 2, 2010

Nice find!

I'll take a look

Thanks

TK5455 · Nov 6, 2010

Here's the hose I was talking about... I took a pic of some of the stuff in my shop. It's not exactly the same fabric braid.

If you check eBay for SCOTT AVIATION HOSE you should find it for a decent price.

Now as for the 3 bolt brass flange fittings... I haven't had much luck. I've found automotive exhaust and turbo flange fittings that are close, but are steel and not brass. :unsure

Risu · Nov 20, 2010

So I decided that I'd like to make one of these as well and did some looking around. No luck on anything in my local hardware stores, I'm going to try one of the better ones sometime in the next week. Has anybody found a reliable site that sells those pipe clamps?

davidnagel · Nov 22, 2010

TK5455 said:
Here's the hose I was talking about... I took a pic of some of the stuff in my shop. It's not exactly the same fabric braid.

If you check eBay for SCOTT AVIATION HOSE you should find it for a decent price.

Thanks for the info, if I don't have any luck, maybe I'll hit you up about the stuff from your shop

Risu said:
So I decided that I'd like to make one of these as well and did some looking around. No luck on anything in my local hardware stores, I'm going to try one of the better ones sometime in the next week. Has anybody found a reliable site that sells those pipe clamps?

I have only (very) cheap UK suppliers - I believe you are elsewhere in the world though?

Risu · Nov 22, 2010

Yea, although I'll be visiting the UK in January, if they're stocked in a store somewhere (do you guys have an equivalent to Home Depot?) I could swing by and pick some up while I'm there.

davidnagel · Nov 23, 2010

Risu said:
Yea, although I'll be visiting the UK in January, if they're stocked in a store somewhere (do you guys have an equivalent to Home Depot?) I could swing by and pick some up while I'm there.

Sorta. I haven't checked the more domestic home/DIY stores here because I assumed they wouldn't stock them, but we have Homebase and B&Q as the most popular ones. But for something like this, you might be lucky to find a little independent DIY shop that'll do the clamps (but be warned, they will most probably be more expensive than those from the link I provided!)

Risu · Nov 23, 2010

You posted a link?

davidnagel · Dec 5, 2010

Risu said:
You posted a link?

I thought I had.... been searching my favourites for ages with no luck finding their site again. But they were UK only. No good to you I guess

Risu · Dec 5, 2010

I have friends over there. How else would I get the space suit helmet? :lol

Doctor Who - Gadgets and Contraptions: The Mirror Matcher

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