Star Trek: TNG Medkit
- Thread starter MGC
- Start date
Snarkticon
Well-Known Member
Really nice work on both the Med kit and the scanner! Both of these are on my "to make" list for years but I still haven't got around to starting them. xD
MGC
Sr Member
So... updates.
Some disassembly was attempted - and ended up disassembling the unit to a permanent end. Lots of cracked panels due to the strong parts being weak and the weak parts being strong. Annoying, but, there were some flaws with it that were bugging me, so, I was sort of (just sort of) pleased to start again.
Then I left DW, did two other shows with no workspaces in my office, and moved house, so all personal projects have been on hold until now.
Firstly, I redrew some of the key parts, and then rebuilt the sketchup model from that, just to be sure the door fit/cleared properly (trying to modify the door holes on V1 is what led me down this path of shattered dreams/perspex).
So we'll see. The best laid plans of mice and idiots...
I've also included some reinforcement triangles in the new drawings both to brace the sidewalls but also keep them square on the edges, which was another one of the issues on V1 - a slight bit of play in one of the top parts meant the front/rear plates were a few mm askew of each other.
While I was there, because I am a glutton for punishment, I drew up the TNG engineering/isolinear kit as well. I've never liked the colour scheme of this thing and the temptation is to do it more in line with the medkit colours, but I'll probably go with the beige panelling.
Both are being cut next week, so, hopefully some progress again soon.
Some disassembly was attempted - and ended up disassembling the unit to a permanent end. Lots of cracked panels due to the strong parts being weak and the weak parts being strong. Annoying, but, there were some flaws with it that were bugging me, so, I was sort of (just sort of) pleased to start again.
Then I left DW, did two other shows with no workspaces in my office, and moved house, so all personal projects have been on hold until now.
Firstly, I redrew some of the key parts, and then rebuilt the sketchup model from that, just to be sure the door fit/cleared properly (trying to modify the door holes on V1 is what led me down this path of shattered dreams/perspex).
So we'll see. The best laid plans of mice and idiots...
I've also included some reinforcement triangles in the new drawings both to brace the sidewalls but also keep them square on the edges, which was another one of the issues on V1 - a slight bit of play in one of the top parts meant the front/rear plates were a few mm askew of each other.
While I was there, because I am a glutton for punishment, I drew up the TNG engineering/isolinear kit as well. I've never liked the colour scheme of this thing and the temptation is to do it more in line with the medkit colours, but I'll probably go with the beige panelling.
Both are being cut next week, so, hopefully some progress again soon.
Damn!
So sorry to hear of your misfortune there, the build was coming along so nicely.
I hope this hasn't put you off too much and you'll go back in and finish this off and make it a nice centrepiece of your Star Trek prop collection.
As a fan of Star Trek props and in particular the TNG-VOY era and also Enterprise era medical props I'm keen to see you finish this off.
Best of luck sir!
I'm excited to see you working on the Engineering Isolinear kit!!! I'm in engineering so I love all the engineering gadgets from the show. The medical kit was looking great, it's a pity about the damage. The next one will be even better!
MGC
Sr Member
Finally got the Mk VII done:
The graphics are printed onto plastic membrane sheet - this means they function as a real membrane switch on the hidden sound button. Because they're clear there's no cutouts needed for the lights, so it's one seamless plane for the graphics + lights. The texture on them also acts as a diffusion:
The graphics are printed onto plastic membrane sheet - this means they function as a real membrane switch on the hidden sound button. Because they're clear there's no cutouts needed for the lights, so it's one seamless plane for the graphics + lights. The texture on them also acts as a diffusion:
Beautiful! The Mark VII medical tricorder is one of my favorite props, and you did a great job with it!
Sean
Sean
MGC
Sr Member
Thanks, Sean! I think there's something about the design of them that's really great, the proportions are superb, and Sternbach was always really good with his panel/detail designing - never busy but always interesting. I also really prefer how they have a 'real' screen - inset with the slide transparency. The sticker with some LEDs on the later versions was never as convincing to me. I don't think Sternbach had input on the Mk X did he? I've never seen him mention it.
Took some beauty shots of it today, along with Stapleton's hypo:
I completely agree about the Mark X screen. It looked really fake. These backlit slides looked like a color LCD screen, they were very convincing. The tricorder came out brilliantly!
MGC
Sr Member
While I was working on that, the printer was busy...
Because I love add-ons I modelled up the one-off MT plug-in from "Transfigurations" - this contained two of the little stick on neural devices and slotted into the MP pocket.
This was not a fun shape to draw in SketchUp.
You'll note that the original didn't fit very well either, and I knew this would be a pain to make. I scanned my Tric in at 1:1 scale to get the curvature of the MP attachment, and then eyeballed the proportions. This was converted to a DXF for Illustrator, and then lots of intersecting faces and round corner plugins later I was there. Really need to learn Rhino or Fusion.
But the finished print came out great! I've not yet been able to test it on the MT so I hope it all fits...
Because I love add-ons I modelled up the one-off MT plug-in from "Transfigurations" - this contained two of the little stick on neural devices and slotted into the MP pocket.
This was not a fun shape to draw in SketchUp.
You'll note that the original didn't fit very well either, and I knew this would be a pain to make. I scanned my Tric in at 1:1 scale to get the curvature of the MP attachment, and then eyeballed the proportions. This was converted to a DXF for Illustrator, and then lots of intersecting faces and round corner plugins later I was there. Really need to learn Rhino or Fusion.
But the finished print came out great! I've not yet been able to test it on the MT so I hope it all fits...
Elderscrollsfan
Jr Member
What is the closest color available today to the dove gray used for the medical tricorder?
MGC
Sr Member
Don't ask me - using off the shelf UK brand paints.
MT attachment mostly fits fine - for some reason the scanner socket has come out about 1mm too big so that'll need sanding (sigh) as will the edges of the main attachment to make it fit, but overall I'm pretty pleased with this first attempt at 3D printing!
MT attachment mostly fits fine - for some reason the scanner socket has come out about 1mm too big so that'll need sanding (sigh) as will the edges of the main attachment to make it fit, but overall I'm pretty pleased with this first attempt at 3D printing!
MGC
Sr Member
Had the screens for the DS9-era scanner direct-printed onto perspex. Not as sharp as photographic transparency on the Tricorders, but it still lights up nicely! Will hit these with a coat of gloss clearcoat to protect the print. I've got 2 white LEDs to mount behind this which should be nice.
MGC
Sr Member
Laser cut parts arrived!
The Engineering kit / Iso case has SO MANY PLANT ONS.
Unfortunately there's an issue with some of the 3mm parts (cut file scaled too small somehow), so I couldn't get on with this this weekend. V2 of the Medkit, went together quickly. Lessons learned from last time!
Still the filling and sanding part to go after this - my least favourite - but looking forward to getting paint + graphics on it.
The Engineering kit / Iso case has SO MANY PLANT ONS.
Unfortunately there's an issue with some of the 3mm parts (cut file scaled too small somehow), so I couldn't get on with this this weekend. V2 of the Medkit, went together quickly. Lessons learned from last time!
Still the filling and sanding part to go after this - my least favourite - but looking forward to getting paint + graphics on it.
Looking good!
Do you plan on making the 3D files available? I'd love to build up a med kit.
Sean
Do you plan on making the 3D files available? I'd love to build up a med kit.
Sean
