The Time Machine (2002) - References and Proportions

Jack Hainsworth

Jack Hainsworth

New Member
Hey! So, I'm working on a 3D Model replica of the time machine from The Time Machine (and potentially a scale real model too if it works out) but I have no scale for the prop. The closest I have is someone in an interview saying it's roughly 10 feet in diameter in total, which leaves a lot of wiggle room.

One thing I want to try, is to find the parts on the machine that are real world parts, and their scales, and use those as reference to base the rest on.

I've attached a few of the parts on the machine which I think are real world parts.

- I believe one is a Weston Voltmeter, however I can't find one with a single word in bold at the top of the plaque, as their seems to be in this highest resolution photo I could find.

- The chair is a Hercules barber chair, however I can't find an example of that 1900 model in leather, so that may be custom?

- One of the gauges is an Ashcroft locomotive gauge, 200psi, but I can't find that size, with that style of gauge on it.
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Cool, I'll be watching. (Thought this was the original instead of remake)
 
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Jack Hainsworth said:
The original is definitely the more documented one yeah, though I did specify the 2002 version in the title.
Click to expand...

Yes, the 2002 is definitely more TECHY instead of the original ARTSY time machine. More found parts on the 2002, that you can actually obtain, instead of custom making. The 2002 machine itself, makes more sense as a time travel device. Good choice, I want to see you build this!
 
Found a newer version of the meter you're looking for. It would take heavy mods to make it look antique. Remove the center two knobs, paint it silver, etc.
 

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Jintosh said:
Found a newer version of the meter you're looking for. It would take heavy mods to make it look antique. Remove the center two knobs, paint it silver, etc.
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I wouldn't need to buy the parts, I just need good reference for them, and actual measurements of them, to use to extrapolate to the machine's overall measurements.

That's the type of voltmeter I found, too. But like I said, the text on the plaque is clearly shorter, maybe one word, on the machine's version, and the bottom half is smaller, making a larger "fan" type look.
 
Oh, okay, just looking for references. Got it. eBay has some references for Weston 280 that look closer on the label.
 

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Jack Hainsworth said:
Oh yeah, that's closer! I'm assuming the brown box part is custom, and the back black part on the real one isn't used.
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Since it's a voltmeter, two of the posts are used to hook wires to. (The two bare metal wires, as seen in your REAL prop pic) The wires are connecting the electricity that is being measured. The other knobs can adjust the needle to fine tune it to different voltages. The back plate is part of it in each case. Just a wide variety of variations in real life.
One button says, "press for voltage", so the measurement only occurs when pressed so as to not drain the battery by being constantly connected.

It's a Battery Tester. A 12v battery will generally read around 13 volts when fully charged and goes down to 11.9 or less when discharged and needs charging. This is a battery tester that only works when pressed. I thought you'd want to use a REAL gauge, so as to be interactive with the user while sitting in your time machine. A gauge can be a 5volt gauge if you are using a 3.7v battery. It reads 4.2 when fully charged, and so you could press the button and tell whether the battery operating the electronics in your machine needs charging or not.
 
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Hey Jack excited to see your progress on this.. the 2002 TM is an amazing piece of design and workmanship.

I found some rough dimensions of the barbers chair that might be helpful as far as scaling things goes.

Keeping in mind the chair for the 2002 TM was not an original Berninghaus barbers chair but a production replica, in tribute to the one used in the 1966 TM (which apparently was originally used in Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator') so the 2002 prop makers may not have made theirs exactly to the same dimensions.
The pedestal and footrest were removed of course and the padded piece used as the headrest in the 1966 chair as replicated in 2002.

Some additional info on the chair in case it's helpful

- Chair measurements copy.jpg
 
David3 said:
Hey Jack excited to see your progress on this.. the 2002 TM is an amazing piece of design and workmanship.

I found some rough dimensions of the barbers chair that might be helpful as far as scaling things goes.

Keeping in mind the chair for the 2002 TM was not an original Berninghaus barbers chair but a production replica, in tribute to the one used in the 1966 TM (which apparently was originally used in Chaplin's 'The Great Dictator') so the 2002 prop makers may not have made theirs exactly to the same dimensions.
The pedestal and footrest were removed of course and the padded piece used as the headrest in the 1966 chair as replicated in 2002.

Some additional info on the chair in case it's helpful

View attachment 1735077
Click to expand...
Oh, thank you! It being a replica explains why I can't find a single example in leather, other than a separate model by the same company. How accurate are the measurements given? I found another page with measurments, that said "Around this many inches, give or take". Have you made the diagrams with rulers on, or the person measuring it?
 
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I have found the exact Ashcroft gauge used, and a very close example of the "Wight and White" gauge, though I think that might also be a replica, or at least a rare knock-off. The face is definitely custom, as I have never seen a brass pressure gauge to measure "curies".

I'm struggling with the other of the three main gauges, though. It's around 4" in diameter, and has a ridged/knurled ring around the front.
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Something else which may be a real world part, is the base of the center "boiler". I assumed it was made for the prop, but it does look VERY similar to some of the swivel bases of vintage barber chairs.

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Yeah, just quickly cobbled a diagram together to roughly illustrate the measurements and arrangement of the real barbers chair compared with the TM chair.. not accurate by any means but gives you a ball park to start with.
 
I have no idea where the photo's from now.. i've been collecting reference for this for years.
So if there's anything you can't find i'll see if i might have something.
 

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