Ent-D Wall Panel

[Eric Ardros]

While browsing through the numerous screencaps posted over at TrekCore, completely by accident I stumbled across an interesting item, the cargo bay control panel seen in the Season Five episode "Disaster":

I had to a do a double-take before I realized what I was looking at was a repurposed carry case, same as the one used for Geordi's Engineering kit, but opened up and laid flat on the wall with a couple LCARS panels applied, lol.

From what I can tell, it looks as though the LCARS panels are sized to line up with the etched lines in the surface of the case, as shown below:

Since I have two of this type of case, aside from making a replica of Geordi's Engineering kit I'm now thinking I may take the other one and turn it into this. Would make for a pretty kewl wall decoration :cool

 

[coffindude8969]

Isn't that a case from snowchains, for your car? I've seen that case somewhere before.

 

[Eric Ardros]

The case was originally a "Dynasound Organizer" brand cassette carry case, or "tote" case as the manufacturer called it, and was designed to hold up to thirty (30) audio cassettes.

The prop dept. bought up a bunch of them and repurposed them for Geordi's Engineering kit and other Starfleet supply cases, as well as this wall panel.

 

[bikemancs]

with the rarity of these cases I wouldn't turn mine into a wall panel. But then again, it took probably a good 8-9 months on ebay to find just one, let alone a second...

OF course, I'm looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

 

[Eric Ardros]

Actually, and you're probably going to hate me for this, but I got both at the same time They came as a set, sold to me by the same seller. So, I really lucked out in finding them when I did.

I can see your point about not making any undue alterations to the second one, given their rarity, although I have to admit I am rather tempted to make the second one into this wall panel.

I just think it's such a neat application for it, one I never would've thought if I hadn't found out how the prop dept. repurposed it. Would certainly be a unique piece. Never seen one like it in anyone else's collection.

Then again, there is the inherent value of keeping the second case in its current condition, considering how hard they are to find nowadays. I'm obviously torn about it. Will have to give it some more thought.

 

[Drac]

Quite a difficult judgement call on this one, on one hand you have a very rare case which a lot of members might give there left and right arm for let alone both legs too.

On the other hand you have more than one, so it's possible to have Geordi's engineering case AND a unique wall panel which probably no one else has.

Or you could keep the spare case and sell it years later and become the next Sir Alan Sugar your choice I guess lol :thumbsup

 

[Eric Ardros]

Well, someone's suggested I maybe look into replicating the case, since it is so rare. Maybe someone here on the RPF would be willing to do that for build purposes. The only way I figure it could be done would be to take the original case, separate the halves, dip it in silicone and make castings from that.

It's a great idea in that would allow so many of us to have our own Engineering kits, wall panels and the like. Only thing is, if someone were to make a replica of it that would likely ruin the original case. If the end results are satisfactory, that might well be worth it, though.

 

[bikemancs]

Eric, If you just did the exterior of the case as a Resin Mold, I don't think it'd ruin it... that way you could build your wall panels and guys could get visually correct cases, just not the interior.

 

[Leigh]

I would have thought a brush on silicone mould with a rigid jacket would yield the best results for a cast. Assuming both half's of your box are the same you'd only need to mould one half & you could make hollow polyurethane casts from your mould.

HTH

 

[Drac]

I like that idea of replicating the case lol I'm sure there would be a number of people would have one off you.

 

[Eric Ardros]

Eric, If you just did the exterior of the case as a Resin Mold, I don't think it'd ruin it... that way you could build your wall panels and guys could get visually correct cases, just not the interior.

Good point. That would save the original case, which is good considering the rarity of them. The only thing that would have to replicated separately would be the spring-loaded locking mechanism. Oh, and of course finding suitable hinges for the two halves of the case. For the interior, folks could just cover it up with foam for inserting thier props.

I would have thought a brush on silicone mould with a rigid jacket would yield the best results for a cast. Assuming both half's of your box are the same you'd only need to mould one half & you could make hollow polyurethane casts from your mould.

HTH

Another good point. Hadn't thought of just molding one half and using it for both. That would work. I've just started to get into the whole molding/casting thing though, so I have no experience with the brush-on silicone/rigid jacket technique. All I've done so far is basic one-part molds poured into small mold boxes. Plus, I don't exactly have a lot of space to try doing up a mold this size. So, I'd likely have to get someone else to do it.

I like that idea of replicating the case lol I'm sure there would be a number of people would have one off you.

Yeah, I like the idea too, lol. The thought hadn't even occurred to me to go that route until someone suggested it. That way, the second original case I own would remain intact while still giving others a reasonable replica to make their own Engineering kits and wall panels from. Hell, I'd probably take a couple of those myself :lol

 

[Drac]

Deffinatly the way to go

 

[Eric Ardros]

Now I just have to find someone to help with replicating it

 

[Cmdr.Kerner]

Now I just have to find someone to help with replicating it

Hi Eric,

please send me the dimensions of the LCARS area and I give it a try.

Dietrich

 

[Eric Ardros]

The dimensions for the LCARS are 14" wide by 6 7/8" tall. Looks to me like there's a 1" gap (between the graphics and the edge) along the top and bottom of the LCARS, and a 1 1/2" gap along the sides. Thanks for the help, buddy

 

[Cmdr.Kerner]

The dimensions for the LCARS are 14" wide by 6 7/8" tall. Looks to me like there's a 1" gap (between the graphics and the edge) along the top and bottom of the LCARS, and a 1 1/2" gap along the sides. Thanks for the help, buddy

Hi Eric,

this is what I've done so far. For the colors I used the TNG color theme and for the font GTJLCARS3. Also I added a lot of Okudagrams for the buttons. Please tell me if this works for you.

Keep on trekking

Dietrich

 

[Cmdr.Kerner]

And here is the lower part of the wall panel with nearly the same button configuration. Please tell me if I should change anything.

Dietrich

 

[Eric Ardros]

Wow! Those look great, Dietrich! Nicely done Only things I see that need to be changed is removing the "DE OKU" and "DE CRO" Okudagrams from the blank, black areas and adding one to the bottom blue LCARS button to the right of the middle partition, on the second panel graphic. Other than that, I think they're perfect!

Actually, come to think there is one other thing I'd like to see changed. If you could do me a small favour and customize some of the Okudagrams, that'd be much appreciated. I'd like to see "EL ALG", "ER LU", "AA SIM", "DA LEW", "MI MOO", "ST NEI", "WI FIN", "SC IRW", "KE JON", "AN SPR", "ET PHI", "LA NEN" and "RO SMI" incorporated into the existing Okudagrams you placed on the LCARS.

Oh, and intersperse the ones I mentioned above between the two panels, not all on one, please and thank you When you switch those out with some of the other ones, try to keep the TNG cast names in there, as well as the Okudas, yourself and Gene and his wife. Any duplicates of those can be switched out if needed, of course.

 

[Cmdr.Kerner]

Your wish is my command Eric and thanks for the kind words. You have really good eyes, I didn't notice that there were black letters on black background. I also mixed up the Okudagrams on the second one including your own ones. BTW: Last month I talked to AA SIM on the phone during my stay in the USA.

Keep on trekking

Dietrich

 

[Eric Ardros]

Awesome! That's perfect! Thanks again, Dietrich. Much appreciated :cool I'll see about getting them printed out on transparencies for lighting. And yeah, AA SIM's a good guy. We've spoken a lot about Trek props. He's a big fan (and owns a couple) of my scratch-built PADDs, lol.