"Please state the nature of the medical emergency" or "How to annoy Tom Paris in eight words or less"
I was watching an episode of Star Trek Voyager last night with the wife and I decided that I really wanted a replica of the Doctor's mobile emitter. I told her this and her initial reaction was "Why don't you just give me your money and I'll go burn it on the stove," assuming that I wanted to go out and BUY a replica of the emitter.
Seeing this as a personal challenge, I started work on the emitter this morning, using only reference pics from Trek Props, a circuit graphic generously shared by Cmdr.Kerner in his Star Trek - Voyager Holo-Emitter thread and some scrap ABS plastic. Extra cost beyond materials I already own = $0.
Now on to the build!
My work area for this prop along with the two main tools used so far, my trusty dremel and utility knife.
I started with a rough cut around the final cut line.
Once I had the top plate cut and sanded to the right size, I traced it onto a second piece of plastic for the bottom plate.
I then drilled some holes through the two plates and used a couple of bolts to hold them in place while I sanded the edges down. Probably not the most efficient way to do this, but it's what came to mind at the time and it worked out okay.
I printed out Cmdr.Kerner's graphic and taped it onto the top plate. Using my utility knife and a straight edge, I carefully cut along the outline making sure to use enough pressure to mark the plastic underneath.
When I had finished, I knew exactly where to make the cut for the circuit detail.
I carefully cut this out using my dremel's small cutting wheel.
I used the two bolt holes on the bottom plate as pilot holes to drill out a space for the magnets. I used 3/8" diameter, 1/16" thick rare earth magnets for this prop with plans to make a corresponding back plate to place under my sleeve.
Since I want this prop to look pretty close to the one on the screen, I didn't want the magnets to be exposed on the back of the emitter, so I embedded them all the way into the plate (magents are 1/16", the plate is 1/8") and filled in the 1/16" remaining with bondo and then sanded it down once it was cured.
When that was done, I wanted to do a test fit to make sure the magnets were strong enough to hold through a sleeve and 1/16" of bondo. I taped two other magnets onto my arm and put the emitter on my sleeve over it.
Knowing that they were strong enough to hold the back plate, I taped the front plate on to double check it would hold the whole emitter.
Happy with the strength of the magnets, I moved on to filling in the last bolt hole and then carefully cut out the accents on the top of the emitter.
And here is its current state:
So far I'm pleased with the results. I still need to work on making the accents a bit smoother; it's the first time I've worked with any details this small so it's a bit of a learning curve for me. I also need to fine tune the circuit cut out and make it smooth as well.
Once I've done those things, I'll be able to glue the two halves together, round the edges and then paint it. And then I'll have my own Autonomous Self-Sustaining Mobile Holo-Emitter!
So whaddaya think, sirs?
I was watching an episode of Star Trek Voyager last night with the wife and I decided that I really wanted a replica of the Doctor's mobile emitter. I told her this and her initial reaction was "Why don't you just give me your money and I'll go burn it on the stove," assuming that I wanted to go out and BUY a replica of the emitter.
Seeing this as a personal challenge, I started work on the emitter this morning, using only reference pics from Trek Props, a circuit graphic generously shared by Cmdr.Kerner in his Star Trek - Voyager Holo-Emitter thread and some scrap ABS plastic. Extra cost beyond materials I already own = $0.
Now on to the build!
My work area for this prop along with the two main tools used so far, my trusty dremel and utility knife.

I started with a rough cut around the final cut line.

Once I had the top plate cut and sanded to the right size, I traced it onto a second piece of plastic for the bottom plate.

I then drilled some holes through the two plates and used a couple of bolts to hold them in place while I sanded the edges down. Probably not the most efficient way to do this, but it's what came to mind at the time and it worked out okay.


I printed out Cmdr.Kerner's graphic and taped it onto the top plate. Using my utility knife and a straight edge, I carefully cut along the outline making sure to use enough pressure to mark the plastic underneath.

When I had finished, I knew exactly where to make the cut for the circuit detail.

I carefully cut this out using my dremel's small cutting wheel.


I used the two bolt holes on the bottom plate as pilot holes to drill out a space for the magnets. I used 3/8" diameter, 1/16" thick rare earth magnets for this prop with plans to make a corresponding back plate to place under my sleeve.

Since I want this prop to look pretty close to the one on the screen, I didn't want the magnets to be exposed on the back of the emitter, so I embedded them all the way into the plate (magents are 1/16", the plate is 1/8") and filled in the 1/16" remaining with bondo and then sanded it down once it was cured.


When that was done, I wanted to do a test fit to make sure the magnets were strong enough to hold through a sleeve and 1/16" of bondo. I taped two other magnets onto my arm and put the emitter on my sleeve over it.


Knowing that they were strong enough to hold the back plate, I taped the front plate on to double check it would hold the whole emitter.

Happy with the strength of the magnets, I moved on to filling in the last bolt hole and then carefully cut out the accents on the top of the emitter.

And here is its current state:

So far I'm pleased with the results. I still need to work on making the accents a bit smoother; it's the first time I've worked with any details this small so it's a bit of a learning curve for me. I also need to fine tune the circuit cut out and make it smooth as well.
Once I've done those things, I'll be able to glue the two halves together, round the edges and then paint it. And then I'll have my own Autonomous Self-Sustaining Mobile Holo-Emitter!
So whaddaya think, sirs?