Farscape DRDs.

[jason1976]

Well after years of wanting on e, I finally broke down and bout a kit. I don't know how accurate it is, but I'm looking foreword to seeing it finished.

Anyway's, I was wondering if anyone has pics of the real ones that might help in finishing them. Also if anyone has pics of other replica ones that they have finished, that would be great too. so if you want to show off your work, please feel free to post them here.

Also, does anyone know where I can get a really cheep remote control car/truck to put in this little guy. (it needs to be really cheep, but still move him around.).

 

[thunderbearr]

Mattel/Hot Wheels has some really cool ones for around 30-40 bucks. You might try yardsales, since these show up sometimes (usually only need batteries).

Hope this helps.

Rob

 

[SurferGeek]

I've only seen one replica and it was poorly done. I've not seen any pictures of the actual prop other than screen caps. Here's some with good detail:

Here's a rare shot showing the underside of the DRD and the wheels.

 

[Darth_Rage]

I love Farscape - a working ( well at least remote controlled ) DRD would be awesome!

 

[Coz]

Here are a couple of pics I scavenged off the net a while back - a screen-used DRD at a Farscape convention. I don't know whose pics they are, sorry!

You can see a little more detail on it. From all the pics I gathered, I came to the conclusion that the back and front panels of the DRDs are the same (ie, interchangable), but with the eyestalk holes cut out, and a slot for the tools / arm in the casing.

C.

 

[jason1976]

Wow. Thanks for the great pics and info so far guys. keep 'em coming.

I went with the "Goldenarmer" version, it's not 100% accurate by any means, and unfortunetily because I waited so many years to order one, it cost more, and came with less. (the kit used to come with the black wire cover for the eye stocks, and claw/pincher, and wire to hold up the eyes, and pincher, but mine didn't. Oh, and all of the holes for the eyes and stuff used to be drilled out, but I had to do that on mine.)

Anyway's, the only other kit I could find was very simular, but in stead of the pincher, you got the electronics, to do the eyes, and I can do that with stuff I have laying around here.

I got a good start today. I got the eye holes drilled, and filed out, and the hole for the pincher arm as well. I did my first round of sanding too, to get read of bumps ,and lumps that should be there. (I'll have to do some filling, and more sanding tomorrow.) And, I spent a good deal of time, reshapping that large front panel opposet the pincher side. It was noticeable off from the film version,and now it's still not 100%, but IMO it's a lot closer.

So, far it looks pretty good.

I plan (if I can) when it's already, to have it on a remote control car/truck, with light up eyes, and I kind of hope to have the eye stocks move, and the pincher, pinch. I've got it mostly figured out in my head how to do all of that, but I'm always coming up with great ideas, that turn out quite bad, so we will see. :lol

What do you guys theing those eye stocks are made of? I know it looks like wire covers, but all the ones I can find, have a split, and I don't see a split on the screen used ones.

 

[jason1976]

C.

WOW! I've been trying to get a really good look into that side opening for a long time now. It looks like it's just some of the stuff the eye stocks are made out off, a do dad with a red LED, and behind it all looks to be some wire mesh (Might even be the same stuff they use on the com badges).

 

[Mxlplx]

Gawd, I miss farscape!

 

[harleystone]

I miss it to, but apparently there is an animated project happening and a comic too.

Might have to get me a pulse pistol now.

Dan

 

[Mechamaniac]

I have a kit as well that I've been itching to work on but I can't get past finding the right material for the eyestalks. The kit I have came with the same crap you get at Radio Shack for wrapping cables in...with the split in the back.

If I had to guess, I'd say the eye stalks on the screen used DRD are made of flexibile conduit like you see in construction. The only problem is that you'd have to paint those and the paint would wear off like crazy when you moved the conduit to pose the eyes.

 

[jason1976]

OO flexible conduit. You know I saw some metal flexible stuff, like that in the pluming section at lose. It's more then the plastic stuff of cause, but it's really cool stuff. What if instead of painting it, you blacked/blued it? I've played with Aluminum black, and perma blue a lot lately, and it works on stuff you might not expect, like some of the chrome parts around my sink. (My land lord is going to kill me. :lol) And some nickel plasted parts I have. (that I also did not intend to blacken)

So, coloring my still scuff off, but it still would look way cooler, then cheepy plastic with a split up it.

Or, I have these clamp on desk lamps that have something like that eye stock stuff one them, and it does not have a split.

 

[SurferGeek]

I have a kit as well that I've been itching to work on but I can't get past finding the right material for the eyestalks. The kit I have came with the same crap you get at Radio Shack for wrapping cables in...with the split in the back.

If I had to guess, I'd say the eye stalks on the screen used DRD are made of flexibile conduit like you see in construction. The only problem is that you'd have to paint those and the paint would wear off like crazy when you moved the conduit to pose the eyes.

You should search for "liquid tight" PVC coated flexible conduit. Here's a couple sites that have products that look to be very similar or if not exactly what was used for the eye stalks.


http://www.delikon.com/yf_707.html
http://chengrong.en.alibaba.com/pro...Accessories/Flexible_Conduit_Galvanized_.html
http://www.indiamart.com/ajmeriflex/flexible-conduits.html


Here's the Google search string I used.

http://www.google.com/search?num=30...+conduit+black+"liquid+tight"+pvc&btnG=Search

 

[Mechamaniac]

A friend of mine had pointed out the squarelock stuff before. I just need to find a way to get my hands on a few feet of it instead of buying a 50 foot roll. That seems to be the problem.

 

[Reactor drone]

The stalks look like a stripwound metal hose similar to this, http://www.sehose.com/sh.htm so it might pay to search around for a supplier.

I've fished similar stuff out of the bins at work(used for thermocouple wires)except it's a little narrower than the DRD stuff.

 

[SurferGeek]

A friend of mine had pointed out the squarelock stuff before. I just need to find a way to get my hands on a few feet of it instead of buying a 50 foot roll. That seems to be the problem.

Manufacturers and even larger suppliers are always happy to supply "samples" as long as you sound like you might order more at a later date. You might have to pay shipping but it could be worth it.

I had an electrical project I was working on and needed a specific type of capacitor and could only find it in batches of 1000 but only needed half a dozen. Contacted the company and they sent me 20 at no charge.

 

[jackdoud]

I've been collecting reference for years now with the intention of making a DRD, I'm still a long ways off of being able to do one though. The original "fully functional" ones cost over $10,000 each and after seeing how they're put together I can see why. It's been a while since I looked at them but IIRC the body is made up of 14-18 panels, some overlapping in multiple areas. The chase lights along the base are tied in to the speed controller so they move at the same speed as the care making it look like they push it along and then go in to a blink sequence when at rest. There are 2 attachment points for peripherals with 7 variations, the claw, the projector arm, the "gatling gun", the injector, the "canon", the plow and the sprayer. One had the eyes move independent of each other though most had them slaved together. The single most functional one had full foward/reverse motion, speed regulated baselights, full motion projector arm, working claw, working "wings", slaved eye stalks and pop-up "siren" lights. The one thing most people get wrong is the size. These things were rather large. I'm still working on other projects in order to improve my construction skills before I tackle this project but I fully intend to do it one day. :rolleyes Some other pics for you:

If you want other general shots let me know. I haven't capped all the scenes they showed up in but I've got a lot of them.

 

[Mxlplx]

OK, here the thing I've been toying with forever!

Why don't we get a list of who wants one, and what the thing should look like (ie: how many body panels, etc.) and enlist one of talented sculptors on this site!

Commission the job! I understand that right now it's only a dozen folks, but if you build it, they will come!

I know I want one!

Just imagine, one of the most size accurate, component accurate DRD shell kits around!

Who could pull it off?

Now I understand that this won't be cheap, and a lot of people can't afford it, but I see no good reason to throw $150.00 + out the window for a modified hockey helmet!


With all the reference in this thread, is there anyone wanting a commissioned project? Sign me up!

 

[Great_Bizarro]

I found some cheap rc cars at Target this weekend. They were about $20.00 or so and looked to be close to the correct size

I want an 1812 with audio

 

[jason1976]

Well I don't see what I got for $150. as "throwing my money away". I remember years ago (Like 5, or so) when someone here on the boards offered the first DRD kit I had seen, and I really, REALLY, wanted one, but at the time $150. seamed like a but load of money. I've put it off, and put it off, but this month, I finally told myself, that I've spent around that for many a prop over the years, and it's finally DRD time.

The one I got is about 13" long, witch I think is pretty close to the right size. I mean, when I see them next to Johns feet, and near his peoples heads. It looks about like mine does next to my feet, and head. (if that made any since.) The panels on mine are pretty darn good too. Really, my only issue with my kit, is that it is a little to "tall" (you know, like most that are out there, it's a little too domed, or what ever, and doesn't look quite at "streamlined" as the screen used ones IMO.) and the little wing looking panels on the sides of mine done look like they're quite right. (the shapy is really good, they just don't looked stepped correctly to me.) Oh, and that one panel I mentioned in a previous post, was off, but I'm working one that, and it's coming along nicely. (so far.)

Mostly it's stuff I can fix, or live with. I would have LOVED to have an accurate one, but I had a hard time afording this one, so a higher end one would be out for me. (especially since I still have the expense of adding all the extras on this one.) Plus, my girl friend digs this stuff, but she flips out, when I get fussy about the details, so if I had to tell her, "hunny, I sold my DRD, and bout one that costs a lot more, just because they finally got the panels 100% correct" she really might kill me. (she's kind of crassy. :lol)

All that said, as usual, even if I can't have one, I always like drooling over the high end stuff when the rest of you get it. So, by all means have at it, and show me lots of pics. (And as usual, I might git one in a few years when someone sells their finished one at a fraction of the price in the junkyard).

 

[jason1976]

I found some cheap rc cars at Target this weekend. They were about $20.00 or so and looked to be close to the correct size

I want an 1812 with audio

I thought about doing the 1812 version, but I just like the little yellow dudes better. And, way does 1812's paint job look so "lumpy" . It looks like he's a cake, with Icing one it. OO, I know what I want my next birthday cake to be.