Farnsworth Discussion

Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

I'm trying to build a new eps for having our local trophy engraver make our own faceplates... does anyone know which futura font was used for the center dial? It looks like it might be a condensed futura medium.

EDIT: Think I found it, and I now have an eps that can be used for etching faceplates!

We'll be doing ours out of plastic because they will actually do all the cutouts cleanly for us. Since its black plastic with a brass chore facing, that means any etching will also be black. (The center depressed section with the numbers in it will end up black.)

No real biggie, since I'll be weathering this anyway. I should have them back within a week, and I'll post pics once I get them. For $9 a pop, they seemed like the best solution and gamble for us.

I also got the glass "screen" plate in today ordered from the place listed here in the thread, and also, thanks to a kind member here, also got the accurate push buttons!

Once I have the faceplates, I'll have all the parts, and can assemble them.

Question: Do you guys just leave the botom of the pushbutton assembly hidden under the faceplate, or do you remove it somehow?

Since I'll be using the space below the faceplate to hide our smartphones, (So they can ring without being opened first.) I might need that space for the phones.

Also, what glue is best for glueing the glass "screen" to the faceplate? Superglue gel is the first thing that comes to mind here.

I'll probably do the box exteriors this week, and mount the side audio jacks in preparation for the rest of the componants. I also need to come up with some quick tesla guns.. on regular, and one derringer. I might have "Pete" or "Arnie" sign ours when at Dragoncon next month. If I can, I'll also see if they might be willing to do a quickie cellphone video clip for playback in the phone... it migth just be something like, "Hey, where are you guys? Get over here NOW!" That way anyone could use it.
 
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Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Gareee said:
I'm trying to build a new eps for having our local trophy engraver make our own faceplates... does anyone know which futura font was used for the center dial? It looks like it might be a condensed futura medium.

EDIT: Think I found it, and I now have an eps that can be used for etching faceplates!

We'll be doing ours out of plastic because they will actually do all the cutouts cleanly for us. Since its black plastic with a brass chore facing, that means any etching will also be black. (The center depressed section with the numbers in it will end up black.)

No real biggie, since I'll be weathering this anyway. I should have them back within a week, and I'll post pics once I get them. For $9 a pop, they seemed like the best solution and gamble for us.

I also got the glass "screen" plate in today ordered from the place listed here in the thread, and also, thanks to a kind member here, also got the accurate push buttons!

Once I have the faceplates, I'll have all the parts, and can assemble them.

Question: Do you guys just leave the botom of the pushbutton assembly hidden under the faceplate, or do you remove it somehow?

Since I'll be using the space below the faceplate to hide our smartphones, (So they can ring without being opened first.) I might need that space for the phones.

Also, what glue is best for glueing the glass "screen" to the faceplate? Superglue gel is the first thing that comes to mind here.

I'll probably do the box exteriors this week, and mount the side audio jacks in preparation for the rest of the componants. I also need to come up with some quick tesla guns.. on regular, and one derringer. I might have "Pete" or "Arnie" sign ours when at Dragoncon next month. If I can, I'll also see if they might be willing to do a quickie cellphone video clip for playback in the phone... it migth just be something like, "Hey, where are you guys? Get over here NOW!" That way anyone could use it.
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It is cool that you found a place that will do the face plates so cheep, and that you would share the info with us.

I think it really sucks that there are folks here, that I know for a fact have the files you need, but wont offer them up to you. So many folks say they wont a face plate, but when someone finally does something it make it happen, no-one steps up to help :( I would help you if I could, but the best I could offer is a photoshop file I've been working one, and it's not so great at all, and Is missing some of the text, details, etc. But it's yours if you need it. :)

Can some one PLEASE Post a pic of the packaging for the clear jewel thingy that they are getting at Michael's? (or a UPC, or the actual name, or something.) I went to 2 Michael's, and a Hobbie Lobbie today, and couldn't find them. They may have been right under my nose (and probably were) but I couldn't find them. I was in the wedding section and everything, but I just could not find them.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

The michael's gems are on clearance, probably on endcaps.

081511180120.jpg


081511180045.jpg


I totally understand why people are not posting the eps file. They were handed a C&D from the license holders. I can't fault them for that at all. I know now how to correct my eps file, if I need to once ours are completed. I have no plans at all to do a run, or sell any myself, so odds are I can probably provide the eps file once I know that it looks halfway decent once done.

Honestly, even with the restrictions, this has been the easiest prop build I've done to date. Trying to find all the parts for a proton pack were a royal pain, and original and even repro parts are far too rich for my blood.

All the info is here.. thing is you have to dig for it. I think I spent about 6 hours all told reading and re reading the entire thread, to find what was right, and what was thought correct, and then found wrong.

I think the only thing I could not get 100% info for was the font for the dial around the center knob... but I think I found something very close, and odds are that small, most woudn't notice any difference. (Number spacing and size was kind of iffy, but I only had a few hours to get the eps done properly today.)
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Unfortunatly those Michaels crystals are not the right size. They are supposed to be 15mm. The middle ones are 14mm and look small and the big ones are 18mm and too big. The ones posted at the begining of the thread are the only ones i have seen that match and are 15mm. They have a $25 min order so i have not ordered any from them either.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

I can live with 1 mm smaller, and will just leep my eye out for a 15 mm replacement one of these days.

Has anyone taken measurements off the QMX prop, to give us exact measurements compared to the screen used version?
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Gareee said:
I totally understand why people are not posting the eps file. They were handed a C&D from the license holders. I can't fault them for that at all. I know now how to correct my eps file, if I need to once ours are completed. I have no plans at all to do a run, or sell any myself, so odds are I can probably provide the eps file once I know that it looks halfway decent once done.
Click to expand...

People making their own or even selling parts to help others is not infringing their copyright as far as I'm concerned. None of the existing fan-made stuff has been copied directly from their original props. It has been made from screengrabs and guess work.

On the other hand their prop replicas that they sell will allow people to take direct measurements for further copies.

My home made ones will never look exactly as theirs does even when I have their replica to look at. I want mine to look a little different as I do not like the black screen on theirs and will make mine grey or with a stencil or image of some kind..

Honestly, even with the restrictions, this has been the easiest prop build I've done to date. Trying to find all the parts for a proton pack were a royal pain, and original and even repro parts are far too rich for my blood.
Click to expand...

There were not really any restrictions as far as making these. There were limitations on the number of some fan-made parts that were made available but the rest of the parts were found items. All of the hard work of finding the correct parts has been done for anyone choosing to build one now.

All the info is here.. thing is you have to dig for it. I think I spent about 6 hours all told reading and re reading the entire thread, to find what was right, and what was thought correct, and then found wrong.
Click to expand...

As said, the hard work of finding everything was done. I think it reasonable to expect people to do a bit of reading through the thread to find what they need. I came in very early in the piece so have been here for most of the time and did a lot of searching online to contribute to the thread. I have had to do this catchup in other threads though. The searching and sharing is all part of being here on the RPF if it helps others.

I think the only thing I could not get 100% info for was the font for the dial around the center knob... but I think I found something very close, and odds are that small, most woudn't notice any difference. (Number spacing and size was kind of iffy, but I only had a few hours to get the eps done properly today.)
Click to expand...

This is part of the fun of the hobby. No two prop replicas made by us will ever be exactly the same and that is how it should be. Each replica is a unique piece made by a talented (or not so much in my case) but unique person. I'm sure your version is going to look great.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

I figure since Farnsworth's own devices would have ben handcrafted as well, the should be some variances between units. (Like Claudia's, and farnsworth's own unit)

By limitations, I was specifically thiniing about the lack of a good full scale printable faceplate, or a good eps available.

Before having ours engraved, I was going to print out a faceplate on clear inkjet sticker paper, and put that onto metallic gold posted board from Michaels. I had some success with that doing fake foil labels for our Ghostbusters proton packs.

But when I found a local trophy engraver who would do them for $9 each, since everything else has been so affordable, I figured I'd splurge on the faceplates.

Plans are to do the case jacks and paint today, and take measurements to see if I'll have an issue with the bottom of the pushbuttonand our cellphones in the cases. Assuming that won't, I'll do the foam inserts to keep our cellphones in place under the faceplate. (I found a solution to answering them once we open the farnsworth.. we have bluetooth headsets and can answer the calls that way.

The video playback on the full screen android answerer however gets distorted on playback when in potrait mode.. I have a bug report into the author, and he hopes to have it fixed in a week.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Zombie Killer said:
Unfortunatly those Michaels crystals are not the right size. They are supposed to be 15mm. The middle ones are 14mm and look small and the big ones are 18mm and too big. The ones posted at the begining of the thread are the only ones i have seen that match and are 15mm. They have a $25 min order so i have not ordered any from them either.
Click to expand...

I used Michael's ones on mine. I measured them to be 15mm with the ruler I had. A 1 mm difference is so minute that you'll never know the difference and you'll save $25 on the 1 mm difference, if there really is a difference.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Darth Clayton said:
I've got the season 3 version, what do you need?
Click to expand...

I pretty much have everything I need, but there isn't any documentation here at all on the actual QMX. I'd think that would be valuable info worth having around.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

I think aside from showing pictures of it and making obvious observations, one might need to be careful about supplying exact measurements and physical information taken from the QMx replica. While we have no NDA to answer to, we might face copyright issues. The sizes and parts should be the same for the season 1 and season 3 props; just the colouring might be slightly different. The pushbuttons on the S3 version were molded from an original pushbutton.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Gareee said:
I pretty much have everything I need, but there isn't any documentation here at all on the actual QMX. I'd think that would be valuable info worth having around.
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There is really not much difference between the parts you have and the QMX. You just bolt and glue them on. My box is sitting on the lid of the QMX so it a bit closer to the camera and looks bigger but it is not. Everything is about the same. What other documentation is needed?
 
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Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Does anyone have a good source for 2mm brass plate sheets? I'm ready to try and etch my own plates. Now I just need to find the material.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Someone suggested Michael's here in the thread, and none of our local stores carry it any longer. Anoter sugestion was a brass kickplate from lowe's or Ace. Ace has them for $20, and Lowe's had some for about $15.

I'm having ours done in plastic which has a metal brass surface. When using plastic, they can completely cut all the way through, resulting in a clean hole. If we’d gone with real brass, I’d have to be cutting out all the holes with a dremel or exacto afterwards.

Since I’ll be weathering the faceplate anyway, I’m pretty sure I can use paint ops to make the plastic look like brass.
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Which is the correct size for the left black knob? The 1" or the 3/4"? Thanks!
macdaddy said:
I was right! The Left black control knob in the Farnsworth listing at the beginning of this thread is wrong! The knob is really a Fender Bass knob available at all online music stores. It comes in a set of three knobs: two 1" knobs and the smaller 3/4" knob.
If you look at the blog knob and look at the Fender and hero prop you'll see that the white lines are different. The Fender knob is thin and long starting in the center and going almost to the edge. The knob listed in the post is short, thick and has rounded edges. Now all I need is the brass plate and lens.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

Hi, I'm new here... Loving what you guys have done. I have to make one of these! Spent quite some time reading through all the posts this week. I'd be interested in faceplate(s) if someone is actually able to make some more.
Thanks!
 
Re: Warehouse 13 Prop Research - The Farnsworth

While I can't do a run oranything like that, I have been working with anothe rmember here crating a good eps file for engraving.

I was actually just at our engravers a half hour ago, sitting down with them making ure what is cut out is cut out, and what is just engraved is just engraved.

(We are doing brass plated plastic, because its cheaper, and they can actually do the cutouts with the laser, instead of trying to do small work like that by hand.)

I saved the files they used as well, in case others need them, or in case others want to hav our guy here do them. (With cutouts, the plastic ones are $9 each.)

I should have ours in hand in a day or so, and will take pics.
 
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