3d Printed Doctor Who Props by Doctor Octoroc (building & finishing thread)

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Doctor Octoroc

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Hey everyone,

I've started this thread as a place for everyone that ordered my 3d printed Doctor Who props to share their tips, techniques, results, etc. I'm starting it off with a few tips I picked up along the way and hopefully there will be many more.

First off, all kits come in sealed plastic bags with letters/numbers on them. If you ordered an electronics kit with your's (as most of you did) it'll come in a separate bag with the same marking so you know which goes with which prop. Your kit will look something like this:

8412598198_634bac6e5c_c.jpg


For instructions on putting them together, refer to the first post in the Affordable Doctor Who Props INT thread - after each listing is the basic physical model assembly diagram. If you're incorporating electronics, that's up to you how you want to do it.

2. PREPARATION & ASSEMBLY

The WSF material will have light dusting on it so be sure to brush, blow, air-in-a-can, whatever to get it off. I wouldn't recommend washing them as they're not water tight the way injected plastics are, but a damp cloth wipe would be fine. The material can be sanded, but as it's built from a power based plastic, the texture itself will be the same as you sand. Paint/sand/paint/sand/paint works nicely, though I've heard that floor wax can be applied and sanded to get it really smooth. I haven't tried this method myself so I can't comment on its effectiveness.

The FUD clear material, on the other hand, should be washed in water with mild hand or dish soap before you use it. There will be a waxy residue on these parts, and they'll even feel a bit waxy when you first touch it, so this is highly recommended that you clean them for proper paint adhesion. I've read other tips that suggest placing the FUD part on a paper towel under a low heat source (like a lamp or on top of a window sill or car dash in the sun) so the remaining wax residue will melt away, then place it fully submerged in an acetone (nail polish remover) bath for 10-15 minutes, and let dry thoroughly. Any longer than 15 minutes in the heat and it is said to get softer and are more likely to warp. To clean inside the emitter lenses/bulbs, q-tips work nicely, but don't go too nuts - I lost the cotton end of a q-tip inside the 11th's bulb and it was a pain to get out!

Most of the kits have everything you need for a physical, static prop, except for the 9th and 10th extending sonics. These require the addition of a length of 1/2" acrylic rod, as seen in this picture:

8462612852_a90daaf8cb_z.jpg


I did not include these with the kits (noted in the order section) since I was unable to perfect the implementation, but there is a way to do it, I'm sure. If you are unable, the pieces included in the kit are enough to make a static variation of each of those sonics.

3. PAINTING

I recommend these paints. For the WSF plastic, Ceramcoat acrylic paints (or any acrylic paint really) adhere pretty well. I've also used Testor's, but truth be told, no paint has reacted poorly thus far with the WSF.

For the clear FUD pieces (emitter lenses, etc) I used Tamiya clear paints. They cover well and come in the right colors already.

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After 3-5 coats, the River SOng sonic emitter lenses look like this:

8414960868_0a03d9e266_z.jpg


If you want a cool metallic color finish, paint the clear Tamiya over a metallic silver Testors enamel - that's how I did the emitter bullet on the 8th Doctor's sonic!

8433824048_eb139c37a1_c.jpg


If you require masking decals for your paint jobs, here's a PDF file with those included.

http://www.doctoroctoroc.com/misc/decals.pdf

I drafted some up for the 3rd, 9th, 10th and River Song models that can be printed on adhesive paper of your choice and applied to the area that are to be protected from paint.

4. ELECTRONICS


For those who ordered electronics packages, there are no specific directions to make them glow. The kits were designed to give as much flexibility as possible, and with plenty of room for wires, batteries, LED's, chips, etc.

If you ordered a 9th or 10th Doctor's sonic with electronics package, they were designed specifically to house an A27 12V battery inside the inner housing. Here is how those fit in:

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there is a hold behind the + contact (left side) that allows two wires to run up to the main housing area, where you would fit your chip, speaker (if you figure out how to add sound from a 9th Doctor's CO sonic or scratch), etc.

The front inside head of the 9th Aztec, 9th, 10th and River sonic are all designed to fit a 5mm LED just behind the lens. For the 9th and 10th variations, there is just enough room for the LED behind the cabochon if you opted for that for the lens instead of the FUD, so the LED leads will need to be wired so they fit fully inside of the shaft that leads from the top portion of the head to the bottom portion of the head. I had no problem with this, I just needed shrink tube wrapping to keep the contacts/wired from touching each other.

All of the sonics that come with electronics kits have housing for a typical tactile push switch. The 10th sonic has housing for a switch with a plunger that extends out to the slider. If you didn't order an elec kit, these housings were typically left out of the model except for those that conceal the button within - like the Master's laser screwdriver and the alternate 8th Doctor's sonic.

EDIT: I've decided to add a gallery of finished props in this first post so people can see them without having to sort through the thread! I've included the members' names as well so everyone gets proper credit. In chronological order...

8th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver by Doctor Octoroc


8th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver (It retracts!) by The Next Doctor
20130916_192026.jpg


8th Doctor's Alternative Sonic Screwdriver by TickTockMan
3d-printed-doctor-who-props-doctor-octoroc-building-finishing-thread-sonicmcgannfinishedlit.jpg-234711d1379813976


9th Doctor's Aztec Sonic Screwdriver by The Next Doctor
20130926_151629.jpg


8th Doctor's Alternative Sonic Screwdriver by E Williams


11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver by Darran
3d-printed-doctor-who-props-doctor-octoroc-building-finishing-thread-doctoroctoroc_11thdoctor_01.jpg-244080d1382119354


8th Doctor's Alternate Sonic Screwdriver by Cadien
IMG_20131020_124025828.jpg


9th Doctor's Aztec Sonic Screwdriver by E Williams
10594123246_3d1a77928f_c.jpg


8th Doctor's Alternate Sonic Screwdriver by Darran
3d-printed-doctor-who-props-doctor-octoroc-building-finishing-thread-doctoroctoroc_8thdoctoralt_01.jpg-250230d1383429892


8th Doctor's Alternate Sonic Screwdriver by xxblackbird
2013-11-15_21-55-33_999_zpsfdf97e4c.jpg


8th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver by xxblackbird
2013-11-17_16-04-04_224_zps4884373c.jpg
 
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Just a quick question, but how did you get the crackle effect on the 10th doctors sonic? I would love to use that technique.
 
I've noticed that all of the paints you list are paints that are brushed on...how does the WSF respond to spray paint?
 
Just a quick question, but how did you get the crackle effect on the 10th doctors sonic? I would love to use that technique.

I didn't get the crackle I was hoping for with my 3 tests, but I got close following Organic Mechanic's tutorial posted here:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-rassilons-sonic-screwdriver-build-151592/

I've noticed that all of the paints you list are paints that are brushed on...how does the WSF respond to spray paint?

I only did one test with spray paint, no prepping on the surface, and it showed the surface texture much more prominently than brushing. I prefer brushed because it gives more control to cover the insides of certain pieces that are tough to get to with spray paint, but the paint didn't react poorly in my test.
 
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Works for me...I asked because I'm not really adept at brush-painting large areas without the strokes sticking out like a sore thumb. One other question--on the Alternate 8th sonic, how did you get the woodgrain-effect on the grips?
 
Works for me...I asked because I'm not really adept at brush-painting large areas without the strokes sticking out like a sore thumb. One other question--on the Alternate 8th sonic, how did you get the woodgrain-effect on the grips?

I haven't had a problem with these, really. If you're using acrylic paint you might just need more coats to settle into the strokes, but with the enamels I used on most of these, it settles nicely, usually into the texture to smooth the look a bit.

For those wooden parts, I actually just painted in the direction of the grain with an acrylic paint, like the Ceramcoat brand. It just so happened that the paint would have needed a few coats for full coverage, so one coat brushed directionally got that nice wood grain look!

942976_10151576127515772_1296555576_n.jpg
 
Looks great! I can't wait to receive my 10th extending sonic kit and get started.

For the acrylic rod we need to get for it, I assume that since it's acrylic rod that means its solid and we'll need to drill a hole down through the center of it for the wires to pass through. Is there any special technique or best way to do that?
 
I haven't had a problem with these, really. If you're using acrylic paint you might just need more coats to settle into the strokes, but with the enamels I used on most of these, it settles nicely, usually into the texture to smooth the look a bit.

For those wooden parts, I actually just painted in the direction of the grain with an acrylic paint, like the Ceramcoat brand. It just so happened that the paint would have needed a few coats for full coverage, so one coat brushed directionally got that nice wood grain look!

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/942976_10151576127515772_1296555576_n.jpg

Sounds a lot simpler than the simulated woodgrain techniques I've tried in the past with stuff...wiping light acrylic over dark enamel and then giving it very light coats of red or brown, depending on the wood...I'm definitely trying your technique instead
 
Looks great! I can't wait to receive my 10th extending sonic kit and get started.

For the acrylic rod we need to get for it, I assume that since it's acrylic rod that means its solid and we'll need to drill a hole down through the center of it for the wires to pass through. Is there any special technique or best way to do that?

Yes, you want the solid rod, not the hollow tube. I used a drill press with a special bit - the cheapest model press from Home Depot managed to get a clean hole after a few tries. The main issue you might face is heating the plastic up too much. It helps to drill into it a few mm at a time and pull back on it to give things a few seconds to cool so the friction doesn't get to be too much and melt the plastic - it's not very complicated, it just might take a few tries to get it right. Out of three attempts, I got one clean looking piece. Your best bet is to get a foot or two of the stuff and chop up a number of rods to length. You don't need a special blade to chop it, just need to follow the same rules to not overheat things. The number one problem with acrylic work is too much friction. Avoid that and you'll be fine.

For the record, the River Song sonics DO come with the thin acrylic rod needed for the read section that runs from the pinky ring to the base of the head below the 'trigger' area. That was easy enough to cut with an x-acto blade so I didn't have issues mass producing them (not to mention only 4 of those sonics were ordered).

When in doubt, search Google. I found most of my info from a forum that discussed various drilling and cutting methods with acrylic.
 
I didn't get the crackle I was hoping for with my 3 tests, but I got close following Organic Mechanic's tutorial posted here:
http://www.therpf.com/f9/my-rassilons-sonic-screwdriver-build-151592/



I only did one test with spray paint, no prepping on the surface, and it showed the surface texture much more prominently that brushing. I prefer brushed because it gives more control to cover the insides of certain pieces that are tough to get to with spray paint, but the paint didn't react poorly in my test.
Thank you so much! Looking forward to getting started on my 9th ext. sonic!
 
Pretty cool to see what you can achieve with 3d printers now a days! More and more props are reconstructed that way. Cool props!
 
Thanks again for your dedication with this project, Doc! Can't wait to get my Alt 8th!

Still hoping to see a Sonic Lance in the future.
 
I found that completely dipping the white strong plastic in a solution of crazy glue dissolved in acetone helped seal it and really protect it from getting even slightly dirty. And when its all done adding water to the solution creates a really odd reaction!
 
I found that completely dipping the white strong plastic in a solution of crazy glue dissolved in acetone helped seal it and really protect it from getting even slightly dirty. And when its all done adding water to the solution creates a really odd reaction!

What kind of proportion of crazy glue to acetone did you use?
 
Re: 3d Printed Doctor Who Props by Doctor Octoroc (building & finishing thread)

I used enough acetone to be able to roll my object around in. It was a sonic screwdriver as well (my own build not any one from this thread). I'd venture to say 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of acetone? I get acetone in bulk so I am not frugal. I used a small metal bowl and few small tubes of crazy glue. Get the bowl and crazy glue from a dollar store and save a lot of $$$. The crazy glue totally dissolves in the acetone. So I'd venture to say that you can't have enough crazy glue in the mix. The more the better probably.

Don't worry about the white strong plastic. It has absolutely no problems in the mixture. But the liquid does get a bit cold.

Tip: Get some el cheap-o latex gloves from the dollar store as well. The mixture of crazy glue and acetone really can cover the skin fast. Also some kind of tweezers are helpful to handle the smaller parts. Roll the white plastic around the solution for a minute or two. Longer the better. Shake the liquid off when done. Then air dry. The pieces dry really fast but still don't place them on anything they'll stick to (like paper). After a few minutes you can freely handle them without getting them dirty.

Do more than one dipping for extra sealing. But a bit of sanding will expose the raw white plastic again.

There was a good youtube video about doing this. I can't seem to find the link at the moment.

- - - Updated - - -

found the original video

 
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Re: 3d Printed Doctor Who Props by Doctor Octoroc (building & finishing thread)

I used enough acetone to be able to roll my object around in. It was a sonic screwdriver as well (my own build not any one from this thread). I'd venture to say 1/4 to 1/2 of a cup of acetone? I get acetone in bulk so I am not frugal. I used a small metal bowl and few small tubes of crazy glue. Get the bowl and crazy glue from a dollar store and save a lot of $$$. The crazy glue totally dissolves in the acetone. So I'd venture to say that you can't have enough crazy glue in the mix. The more the better probably.

Don't worry about the white strong plastic. It has absolutely no problems in the mixture. But the liquid does get a bit cold.

Tip: Get some el cheap-o latex gloves from the dollar store as well. The mixture of crazy glue and acetone really can cover the skin fast. Also some kind of tweezers are helpful to handle the smaller parts. Roll the white plastic around the solution for a minute or two. Longer the better. Shake the liquid off when done. Then air dry. The pieces dry really fast but still don't place them on anything they'll stick to (like paper). After a few minutes you can freely handle them without getting them dirty.

Do more than one dipping for extra sealing. But a bit of sanding will expose the raw white plastic again.

Great tip, Doctor! Thanks for sharing, I hadn't come across this one yet, it looks promising! Since most of the sonic parts are cylindrical, placing a proper sized dowel through the parts should provide a nice hands-free drying process. This is also super useful for painting as you can stick the dowels into foam or a cup so they stay upright and leave the piece to dry without any disturbances.
 
My sonic arrived today! It's a bit smaller than I thought, but is so well designed. It is also thicker than i expected.

Thanks Doctor Octoroc for making such an awesome prop!
 
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