Warehouse 13 - Claudia's (Farnsworth's) Farnsworth
- Thread starter Kylash
- Start date
propologist
Sr Member
thanks , intergalactic has them on ebay...
I received my blueprint from Intergalactic yesterday. Not as aged as the screen used but still darn neat!! I really enjoy having them.
Yeah they are advertised as being a poster print of the blueprint so I'm assuming they look like a print rather than the dull almost textured look of a proper blueprint. I guess I'll see for sure when mine shows up.
division 6
Master Member
As a friend of mine always said "never go first. oops to late"
Do NOT use Acetone on the black box, trust me on this.
Use steel wool then fine grade sand papers to remove the logos and re-polish the surface.
E...
Do NOT use Acetone on the black box, trust me on this.
Use steel wool then fine grade sand papers to remove the logos and re-polish the surface.
E...
Yeah it was never going to be an option. ABS and acetone tend to not get on so well. I still haven't decided whether or not to buy the black box or just paint one of the green ones that I have already. If I paint the green one, it will cover any little indescrepencies anyway. Not that I'll be progressing any further now until I know I can buy or make the other parts needed to complete it.
Spray painting is not something I can do at the moment so I can't complete anything that needs painting. I have made a small start on the cigarette case "Farnsworth" though.
I might have a go at doing one of the wire flourishes in the next couple of days and see how it turns out. I'd like to maybe put one or two silver ones on the cigarette case version as well.
Spray painting is not something I can do at the moment so I can't complete anything that needs painting. I have made a small start on the cigarette case "Farnsworth" though.
I might have a go at doing one of the wire flourishes in the next couple of days and see how it turns out. I'd like to maybe put one or two silver ones on the cigarette case version as well.
division 6
Master Member
I picked up a couple black ones.
Haven't decided on what to do with them, maybe something custom.
Interested in seeing what you come up with for the cigarette case design.
E...
Haven't decided on what to do with them, maybe something custom.
Interested in seeing what you come up with for the cigarette case design.
E...
It is pretty much what we saw in the episode except that it's a shiny poster print rather than a dull matt blueprint. The blue colour is also lighter. Certainly all of the detail is there.
Has anyone found the correct black knob yet? I know it's probably in three parts, the skirt, the pointer, and the knob itself. I wondered if anyone had located it yet.
Edit: I found a possible candidate: http://www.amazon.com/DimcoGray-The...1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1286208921&sr=1-11
There are a few different listings with the same photo but different Thread numbers, which I don't know anything about.
In the screencaps posted, some of them look like the knob is flat in the center, some look like there's an additional bump in the middle. I can't tell if it's just a piece of dust in the right place to look like the reflection of bump or not.
Edit: I found a possible candidate: http://www.amazon.com/DimcoGray-The...1?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1286208921&sr=1-11
There are a few different listings with the same photo but different Thread numbers, which I don't know anything about.
In the screencaps posted, some of them look like the knob is flat in the center, some look like there's an additional bump in the middle. I can't tell if it's just a piece of dust in the right place to look like the reflection of bump or not.
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To me it looks like a cover of some sort has been removed from the centre of that knob. Quite a lot of those old radio knobs had a flat metal disc in the centre and maybe this one did too with a brand name or something on it.
I don't know that there is going to be a big chance of finding the exact knob with pointer used and I think it's going to have to be something put together from parts. Maybe we can find a knob that looks like the main part and then add a pointer and construct the dialplate and legend.
I don't know that there is going to be a big chance of finding the exact knob with pointer used and I think it's going to have to be something put together from parts. Maybe we can find a knob that looks like the main part and then add a pointer and construct the dialplate and legend.
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DARTH SABER
Master Member
Has anyone even starts building this thing yet?
Peter, yeah, that's what I was thinking, that I'd use the knob I linked and add a pointer and a skirt separately. I haven't figured out exact sizes yet but that's the closest knob I've found yet, everything else had too thin of a flat ring on the top, it's hard to find ones that have that chunky ring and the right knurling.
I also spent all day yesterday looking for the lenses/crystals. I tried buttons, tie tacks, cabochon settings, peepholes, doorbell replacement buttons, and more and I still can't find them. They're two different sizes which leads me to believe they're buttons if they're not custom. Still looking.
Darth, I've got the box, and that's it so far. This weekend I'll be trying to put together a file with the flourishes and text for the etching, though I may have to watch the episode again to try to get shots of it at less of an angle.
I also spent all day yesterday looking for the lenses/crystals. I tried buttons, tie tacks, cabochon settings, peepholes, doorbell replacement buttons, and more and I still can't find them. They're two different sizes which leads me to believe they're buttons if they're not custom. Still looking.
Darth, I've got the box, and that's it so far. This weekend I'll be trying to put together a file with the flourishes and text for the etching, though I may have to watch the episode again to try to get shots of it at less of an angle.
Because I haven't been able to work on the larger Farnsworths right now due to not being able to do any spray painting or use tubs of chemicals to age the brass (laid up in bed), I have been doing a little work on the cigarette case version. So far I have cut out the faceplate from brass and made the main hole for the screen and test fitted that, plus drill the hole for the small red light and drilled the speaker grill holes.
It looks quite good in the case and now I have to find or make one or two very small knobs and maybe a pushbutton. For the small knob(s) I have an idea. I'll just have to dig them out of my parts box and see it they look OK.
Here are a couple of pics
The main view so far
The screen area
The speaker/mic grill holes and the red light
The little 2mm allen head screws that you see around the screen serve no function except to cover a gouge in the top right corner that I made with my Dremel milling tool and it was too deep to remove. After all of the time it took to make that hole for the screen by hand I was not redoing it for a small blemish. Also the bottom speaker hole is not quite spaced right but again not redoing it for that. I'd forgotten how hard literally brass can be to work. There is a lot to be said for laser cutting but I must admit that the hole looks pretty neat for being done by hand and eye.
I'm planning to leave the faceplate fairly shiny (whatever 1200 or 1400 grit wet and dry can achieve) and new looking rather than ageing it as it will be a bit hard to age the case convincingly. I may use a matt or semi-matt clear coat over it though. The screen might have a pic behind and LED lit or just be painted grey. I have heaps of them and can always get more if I change my mind. I will power the red light especially if I use a lit picture and I'm just putting black cloth behind the speaker holes and there will be maybe red or black velvet-like stuff in the lid part.
I thought about putting something like an antenna array in the lid like the Claudia Farnsworth has but I didn't really want to copy that idea and I don't think I'll have much clearance in the lid once I put knobs and a button on the faceplate. I did think about copying the idea of the scanner or making a long range antenna assembly that would plug into the top or side of the case though. I'm not completely beyond stealing ideas.
Maybe if I buy an old brass or silver cigarette case I might choose to do it again and make it look older though I'm thinking an old real silver case might be out of my price range.
It looks quite good in the case and now I have to find or make one or two very small knobs and maybe a pushbutton. For the small knob(s) I have an idea. I'll just have to dig them out of my parts box and see it they look OK.
Here are a couple of pics
The main view so far
The screen area
The speaker/mic grill holes and the red light
The little 2mm allen head screws that you see around the screen serve no function except to cover a gouge in the top right corner that I made with my Dremel milling tool and it was too deep to remove. After all of the time it took to make that hole for the screen by hand I was not redoing it for a small blemish. Also the bottom speaker hole is not quite spaced right but again not redoing it for that. I'd forgotten how hard literally brass can be to work. There is a lot to be said for laser cutting but I must admit that the hole looks pretty neat for being done by hand and eye.
I'm planning to leave the faceplate fairly shiny (whatever 1200 or 1400 grit wet and dry can achieve) and new looking rather than ageing it as it will be a bit hard to age the case convincingly. I may use a matt or semi-matt clear coat over it though. The screen might have a pic behind and LED lit or just be painted grey. I have heaps of them and can always get more if I change my mind. I will power the red light especially if I use a lit picture and I'm just putting black cloth behind the speaker holes and there will be maybe red or black velvet-like stuff in the lid part.
I thought about putting something like an antenna array in the lid like the Claudia Farnsworth has but I didn't really want to copy that idea and I don't think I'll have much clearance in the lid once I put knobs and a button on the faceplate. I did think about copying the idea of the scanner or making a long range antenna assembly that would plug into the top or side of the case though. I'm not completely beyond stealing ideas.
Maybe if I buy an old brass or silver cigarette case I might choose to do it again and make it look older though I'm thinking an old real silver case might be out of my price range.
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Still got exactly nowhere in a search for the large knob on the Claudia Farnsworth. Not even the knob part itself minus the pointer and dial.
Did make some changes to the cigarette case version though. It's almost in it's final stages. I still have a couple of decisions to make. Will post a couple of pics when I can.
Did make some changes to the cigarette case version though. It's almost in it's final stages. I still have a couple of decisions to make. Will post a couple of pics when I can.
What do you think of these knobs as a base for the large dial? The pointer can be made quite easily from white plastic and fitted underneath as some pointers are and the dialplate either scratchbuilt or modded from an Ohmite one.
I'm told they measure 15/16" across and about 9/16" high which might be about right. The metal trim in the middle should just come right off and the top can then be sanded a little to give it a more rounded edge. They are in very limited supply though as they are a used part.
The Ohmite dialplates look like these with various diameters and legends.
I might buy a couple in case nothing else turns up. I suppose I could always try molding a couple of them though if all else fails.
I'm told they measure 15/16" across and about 9/16" high which might be about right. The metal trim in the middle should just come right off and the top can then be sanded a little to give it a more rounded edge. They are in very limited supply though as they are a used part.
The Ohmite dialplates look like these with various diameters and legends.
I might buy a couple in case nothing else turns up. I suppose I could always try molding a couple of them though if all else fails.
ZellaRivens
Active Member
You all have done some awesome research. I bought a couple of these glass lenses on ebay, and they are a good size for the farnsworth. Shipping is expensive ($10), though, so if you get these, it would be better to do a group order because the seller does not charge extra for adding items.
FORD CAR 1937 RADIO DIAL GLASS - eBay (item 110612215421 end time Dec-15-10 12:47:47 PST)
FORD CAR 1937 RADIO DIAL GLASS - eBay (item 110612215421 end time Dec-15-10 12:47:47 PST)
NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Just a thought, could the face plate be engraved with the gold swirls, etc. Use a black plate with a gold under-cut color for it? If so, can some clever chap do the vector art?
Is there a definitive part # for the proper black plastic weatley box? I need to order a 9601 and figured i'd get them both at the same time.
Thanks
Thanks
