2010 Custom Sonic Screwdriver Winners

[elvisgump]

This was a very fun contest--so many creative entries. Congrats to all the
winners and let's be hearing from the rest of you which one you built and your story!!

Mine is #9, no votes, but a couple of "mentioned in passing" in the voting
thread and I never even expected that much for my totally plastic and girly
should-have-been-in-the-$-Store-contest build! But it takes all kinds, right :confused

Here's a summary pic, full story CLICK HERE

Shylaah

Actually yours was one of my favorites and would have gotten my vote. And not girly at all, I would be proud to carry it with a macho swagger!

I was hoping that people could just add a vote for each one they liked for as many entries as they wanted to vote on and the big winner would have just been the one that got the most votes because I would have given an individual vote to so many. Fark.com does this for photoshop contests and it makes one feel better that though they didn't get like the 100 vote winning entry, at least they might get 10 votes or 25 votes to know they garnered some appreciation. Don't know what sort of server software that kind of voting requires, but I think whoever runs Fark.com would be glad to say how it's done.

I laugh because I bought several of those pen/flashlights at Books-A-Million and still have the blue one in the package that you used for the shaft light. I have a nightlight from Wal-Mart to saw a shaft off of that I was almost going to do the exact same thing with! I'm trying to find one of the bits that fell off of mine a week ago to reattach it and take some more pics of before I reveal my entry; try to do it in the next hour or two.

But to you and everyone else - great job everyone! Congrats to the winners.

 

[elvisgump]

Okay, my clunky 1-vote getting entry might as well get wrapped up in a vastly over-dramatic presentation, so here it is:

and here's the way it looks sans effects:

It has of course a decidedly 11th Doctor influence which was intended, but I was working with the fuzzy pre-release images and so the white hilt is LocTiite bondo putty over an old flashlight tubing sprayed with white appliance enamel. I turned it on a drill with some old lino cutting knives. The end cap that has a retractable pen inside is some sort of plastic air-hose cap. Under painted craft sticks forming the upper body is a toilet paper holder with spring inside that can be compressed to click the pen in and out and the emitter head is a plastic pop top and the white emitters are ground down translucent kitchen cutting board.

It never matched up of course to how great this idea was in my mind so I kinda gave up on it, just entering for the hell of it.

Here's my horrible little outdoor workspace with some of the stuff used to make it; a drill for turning stuff, little craft sticks that comprise the upper part, a Dremel to cut and grind the emitters that were supposed to suggest a tuning fork style emitter and a smattering of other odds and ends

Here's the other entry I was making, a more modified 9th/10th sort of sonic that is unfinished, both contain a practical mini pen and if I ever finish them a practical flashlight with sonic sound chip.

I laughed when I got the CO 11th sonic in the mail because both of these builds without remote trying are almost exactly the same length as the 11th CO toy. I couldn't have done that on purpose if I tried!

Anyway, now that I've seen what level of craftsmanship is out there I feel inspired to kick up about a 100 notches the next time I try this.

 

[Shylaah]

Thanks, elvisgump. Yeah, I had a really good laugh when you posted the pic of that pen. "OMG, I've been found out!!!", I thought!!!
Great minds think alike, ay!?

Hurry and find that part and post your # or I'm gonna start making wild guesses and assumptions.
MOOT Now.....I was gonna guess #19, really I was!!!

I don't know if the voting scheme could be improved. I'm not at all familiar with these things as this is my first outing. I did look over the light saber entries and results. Both that contest and this one the first place are like almost all the votes. Seems curious to me that it would be that singular!?

jwm96, #31 is jason1976's build.

>>>clip<<< Mine was #31. >>>clip<<< The moter for the gears, and the other electronics came from Radio shack.
Yeah that's right the end lights up, and the gears move. (well they did, I've since taking it apart to do a better job of wiring it up.)

Those little gears MOVE! How cool is that!?! Hope you get it back together soon, jason1976, and post a vid.

Here's a list of those who have "confessed" so far....
Hope I got 'em all right......

2 jwm96
3 shuktuki
4 NakedMoleRat
7 d_jedi1
8 Tomorrowist
9 Shylaah
11 Macmantis
13 Protokev
14 Fuelish
17 Pete SSS
19 elvisgump
20 Tempus
23 Asp9mm
26 Orange_Blend
31 jason1976 32 JKolton
33 prototyp7
34 Risu


Shylaah


EDIT: addendum

 

[Dave Porter]

Didn't Jannix do #16?

 

[jwm96]

Oh yes btw I have a whole post up with pics for everyone to see
(the link is in my sig)

 

[Straker]

During earlier messing around I had the 'head' reverse, which really changed the lines of it and did make it look a lot less like part of a torch. But that meant I couldn't use the pepper shaker lid as the 'emitter', which was the one but I really liked the look of. Ah well, life is full of regrets :lol

Ahhhh! I see. I probably would have used a lens instead then to keep it looking different from the torch but otherwise I still liked it pretty well. ^_^

No, it started out as a flashlight.

Did it? XD i couldn't tell precisely what it was.

I actually thought it looked more cylon, but Next gen, or BSG, whatever you want to call it, it's my favorite, will you be posting how you made it? (I hope so.)

Mine was #31. I wrote a story for my girlfriend years ago, and I've been working on the sequel ever since, and in the sequel she will be making a clockwork sonic, so I've had this in mind for a wile, but didn't do anything with it, so I thought this would be as good as time as any.

It was made out of cut down pieces of cut down pieces of copper pipe, and copper pipe couplings. with cut down pieces of PVC pipe in side to hole it together. The blue lens on the end, is one of those "squished" blue glass marbles. The tube is acrylic, with brass bits I found at the hardware store. I got the clock parts onlike. The moter for the gears, and the other electronics came from Radio shack. Yeah that's right the end lights up, and the gears move. (well they did, I've since taking it apart to do a better job of wiring it up.)

You are a GOD! XD Any chance of commissioning you for one? You really did build my favorite and knowing the gears actually work makes this so much better! PM me if you can!

This was a very fun contest--so many creative entries. Congrats to all the
winners and let's be hearing from the rest of you which one you built and your story!!

Mine is #9, no votes, but a couple of "mentioned in passing" in the voting
thread and I never even expected that much for my totally plastic and girly
should-have-been-in-the-$-Store-contest build! But it takes all kinds, right :confused

Here's a summary pic, full story CLICK HERE

Shylaah

I actually liked yours but i just...i felt it needed a bit more refinement is all. I like the glowing grip chamber a lot and even the emitter looked great. It just had a rough around the edge look that clashed with how refined it already was. With a little touch up here and there i think it would be a great sonic screwdriver!

 

[elvisgump]

Thanks, elvisgump. Yeah, I had a really good laugh when you posted the pic of that pen. "OMG, I've been found out!!!", I thought!!!
Great minds think alike, ay!?

Nah, that was a total surprise that you'd used that. I realize now a lot of builders here prolly know a lot more about soldering and doing all this micro work than I do and I was looking at all sort of little keychain lights and such so that I could avoid as much soldering as I could. I had little blinking LEDs I pilfered out of cheap cigarette lighters up in shafts I drilled in the 'emitters' of mine and when I tried to assemble the thing I snapped off the pins on the LEDs ruining them. I couldn't find extra lighters at the gas stations when I went looking for more to replace them with and gave up for now.

Hurry and find that part and post your # or I'm gonna start making wild guesses and assumptions.
MOOT Now.....I was gonna guess #19, really I was!!!

I don't know if the voting scheme could be improved. I'm not at all familiar with these things as this is my first outing. I did look over the light saber entries and results. Both that contest and this one the first place are like almost all the votes. Seems curious to me that it would be that singular!?

I don't know how FARK.com does their boards, I suspect it's all custom code, but for Photoshop contests people enter and then when voting starts there's a little vote radio button in the post header and then one can click as many entries as they want and then go to the top of the page and click "Vote Now" and the site process the votes.

I just would be shocked that people feel like 'crap I didn't get one vote!' the way this was done when I felt like I was in last place. In fact during voting I PMed the person that voted for mine when I got my lone vote thinking they may have meant 17 which was getting votes instead of me at 19.

Obviously my Photoshop skills are much better than my sonic building skills. That picture is against the only white wall in my house so I could do a 5-minute quickie matte it out and drop in the TARDIS pic I downloaded long ago somewhere. If I remember that's a scale model build but I can't remember who or where I nicked it or I'd give credit. It's amazing what a little lens flare can do...

 

[CB2001]

Here's a list of those who have "confessed" so far....
Hope I got 'em all right......

2 jwm96
3 shuktuki
4 NakedMoleRat
7 d_jedi1
8 Tomorrowist
9 Shylaah
11 Macmantis
13 Protokev
14 Fuelish
17 Pete SSS
19 elvisgump
20 Tempus
23 Asp9mm
26 Orange_Blend
31 jason1976 32 JKolton
33 prototyp7
34 Risu


Shylaah


EDIT: addendum

You forgot me! #24 = CB2001

 

[Jannix Quinn]

Mine-16

Frozen water
Blood of many dead oranges
Vodka
Mp3 Player
Dr Who theme music
2 girls
1 cup
and this

 

[Michael Bergeron]

Just for the record, my vote would have gone with #26, I recognised it immediatly and was REALLY glad I didn't try to do the Dalek theme! Wonderful!

You're officially my new best friend! Glad to know I would have gotten a vote!

No seriously... You just made my day!

 

[fuelish]

Mine started out as this, a pile of copper and brass

I changed the appearance of the plumbing parts using a grinder, files, and wet/dry sandpaper(with lots of water) I did not use a lathe for any of it.

I made all the rings by winding some heavy gauge copper wire into a coil, slicing loops of the coil, filing the ends flush and soldering. You can see some finished ones here.

I wanted a "megaphone" so I reshaped a piece of copper into a bell and then had to bisect a piece to size it down to fit the interior of the sonic, and neck the bell down and then solder it to the sized piece.

The megaphone was supposed to retract and extend as well as light so here are some test pics of that

Due to a cutting error, that exposed the slot that actioned the megaphone, I decide to just make it a static piece altho it is wired for light. If I had time I would have redone it to function, but as a procrastinator, I waited to the last minute(Even tho I had all the pieces for several weeks) to finish it.

 

[Pete SSS]

You're officially my new best friend! Glad to know I would have gotten a vote!

No seriously... You just made my day!

Ha ha thats great! I love new best friends! :thumbsup

I've just posted a massive thread on the build of my sonic with lots of big pics, any questions please feel free to ask!

 

[Mercury]

Shylaah, yours is incredible considering it was built from dollar store parts. I honestly wouldn't have known. I think you're selling your abilities short there. Well done!

As are the rest. The competition was tough, no doubt, but all seemed to rise to the occasion. TBH, they all made my little unfinished attempt look pretty lame. I'm actually kinda glad I didn't finish it. :lol

 

[Shylaah]

Actually liked yours but i just...i felt it needed a bit more refinement is all. I like the glowing grip chamber a lot and even the emitter looked great. It just had a rough around the edge look that clashed with how refined it already was. With a little touch up here and there i think it would be a great sonic screwdriver!

Thanks Straker. Yeah, I was kinda torn between sleek and weathered. Guess I missed it on both counts

Nah, that was a total surprise that you'd used that. I realize now a lot of builders here prolly know a lot more about soldering and doing all this micro work than I do and I was looking at all sort of little keychain lights and such so that I could avoid as much soldering as I could.
>>>clip<<<
Obviously my Photoshop skills are much better than my sonic building skills. >>>clip<<< It's amazing what a little lens flare can do...

Yeah, I don't really know anything about soldering and stuff electrical, so I had to cannibalize for that. Fortunately there are a lot of little gadgets out there to choose from. I saw this really neat light at the automotive store. It was a strip of little blue LEDs about 6" long for putting around your radio or something in your vehicle?? I wish I could have figured out a way to have used it. --Yeah, I get kinda giddy over little light-up things!

The pic in front of the TARDIS is great. That lens flare is stellar.

Shylaah, yours is incredible considering it was built from dollar store parts. I honestly wouldn't have known. I think you're selling your abilities short there. Well done!

As are the rest. The competition was tough, no doubt, but all seemed to rise to the occasion. TBH, they all made my little unfinished attempt look pretty lame. I'm actually kinda glad I didn't finish it. :lol

Thanks Mercury. Just wish I'd had the skills and tools to have done it up in metal/s. Maybe study up and be ready for next time!?

Your unfinished sonic is not lame. And "kinda" is the key word in your post. Now that there's dozens of new ideas to draw from, you can finish it off in high style, not that it wouldn't have been before......just saying.....

The list--next post....this is getting too long.....

Shylaah

My-Custom-Sonic-Screwdriver

 

[Shylaah]

Sorry I missed you guys the first round, CB2001 and Jannix Quinn.

2 jwm96 --tie for Second Place
3 shuktuki --tie for Third Place
4 NakedMoleRat --withdrawn
5 nimitzbrood --withdrawn
7 d_jedi1
8 Tomorrowist
9 Shylaah
11 Macmantis
13 Protokev
14 Fuelish
16 Jannix Quinn
17 Pete SSS --First Place
19 elvisgump
20 Tempus
23 Asp9mm --tie for Second Place
24 CB2001
26 Orange_Blend
31 jason1976
32 JKolton
33 prototype7 --tie for Third Place
34 Risu

These Sonic builds yet unclaimed:
1, 6, 10, 12, 15, 18, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 35.

By:
Beesa-Pesal,TimeRender, Hugh Jorgens, copper, Aoifrost, Eradicator,
wondersquid, Primrodo, Pharos, Starbuc, PsyBear, Contec

I'm especially curious about #10 and #35. I like the red emitters.

Shylaah

My-Custom-Sonic-Screwdriver

 

[mfxreplicas]

Hi everyone! I don't really know where to start!

This has been a great experience for me and I think for everyone else as well. I joined the RPF just as the voting was taking place on the $ store lightsabre contest back in November and was realy overwhelmed by the ingenuity and creativity of the group, it's such a joy to be a part of it!

Huge thanks to everyone who voted for my sonic and congrats to all the winners! Thanks again to The Next Doctor for organising this whole event. And to everyone who entered. It is such a beautiful group of designs, many of them have that wonderful BBC mix of pieces you can identify, and pieces you can't, just perfect! Just for the record, my vote would have gone with #26, I recognised it immediatly and was REALLY glad I didn't try to do the Dalek theme! Wonderful!

I'll get some info on the build and seperate elements of the sonic together, along with some higher res pics for all those who are interested, as soon as I can.

I'm off to see Iron Man now so I can't be very thourough, I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU!

Well done Pete. Terrific work. Your sonic will be in the post tomorrow. It also has the honor of being the very last MFX replica to leave the premises and it's fitting it's going to an RPF member in a sonic screwdriver contest. Perfect finish.

To all entrants; that was a great contest with some fantastic entries. How brilliant. Congrats to everyone who entered.

Best
Neill

 

[Hugh Jorgens]

mine was 12. I was trying to make it look like an actual tool...

 

[Asp9mm]

Well done Pete. Terrific work. Your sonic will be in the post tomorrow. It also has the honor of being the very last MFX replica to leave the premises and it's fitting it's going to an RPF member in a sonic screwdriver contest. Perfect finish.

To all entrants; that was a great contest with some fantastic entries. How brilliant. Congrats to everyone who entered.

Best
Neill

That's sad. Can't help but think that MFX may have bowed out of the replicas gig one season too soon. Only five episodes in and I want a Smiler mask (all three), Weeping Angel bust etc etc. Then again, I can't afford them in this climate, so you were right. Bloody shame though.

 

[Straker]

Thanks Straker. Yeah, I was kinda torn between sleek and weathered. Guess I missed it on both counts


Oh no! I think you nailed sleek pretty darn well! I would even attempt making that sonic myself!I just wouldn't have done the weathered part of it is all XD I actually was surprised at how diverse your materials were. The section of flashlight was actually well hidden. A bit of rework here and there and i think it can really be something very special.

 

[d_jedi1]

I forgot to add, had I been able to vote, I'd have gone for #2.. as much as I like mine, I LOVE that one.