Gremlins Bathroom Buddy
- Thread starter laellee
- Start date
Haha not sure if you noticed the location but this seller is about 20 minutes from my house, I was in in New Richmond on Tuesday
Maybe I can get a 'local shopper' deal
FYI:
Butler GUM - Proxabrush Handle - NEW IN BOX & SEALED IN ORIGINAL PLASTIC | eBay
Butler GUM - Proxabrush Handle - NEW IN BOX & SEALED IN ORIGINAL PLASTIC.
www.ebay.com
lonepigeon
Master Member
I will have some spare combs soon!
I picked up a lot of eight Ace 88's!
I think this might be the correct variation. The seller says these are late 70's or early 80's.
Now I have all the main parts.
I would like to upgrade my toothbrush and mirror, but they're really close so I'm happy.
I picked up a lot of eight Ace 88's!
I think this might be the correct variation. The seller says these are late 70's or early 80's.
Now I have all the main parts.
I would like to upgrade my toothbrush and mirror, but they're really close so I'm happy.
NICE SCORE! I have been on a working 'vacation' for the last week, but have some more pieces that have been delivered while I've been gone. I have been dragging my butt on getting the combs as well, but I've done well on most everything else. I'll trade you a comb for other parts if you're up for it down the road, I'm hoping to find a nice lot like you did though
Speaking of progress, a few updates!
WOODEN BODY: The 3d printed prototypes are VERY close, just fine tuning a few bits; I had already worked up orthographic drawings for my records and the woodworking guy, that helped tuning some measurements and figuring out the sizes of for instance particular drill bits that were used for channeling. My wood guy sat down with me before I left town and we went over the plans, prototypes he could handle, and then the screen used references. We are going to test a few materials, but he is heavily leaning toward a MAHOGANY as the original wood. The color and grain looked great for him, and another giveaway was the depth of cuts and how thin some of the walls between tool slots are. So anyways, he is cutting some prototype bodies in different materials, and also double-checking my order of operations before coming up with some jigs. So I might have a bit more to show by this weekend.
ZEBRA FABRIC: My seamstress picked some mohair for me that she thinks will work well. We are still going off the understanding that solid white is fine, the black will be added separately to match up the pattern.
I also found on accident this stuff called VELBOA...It's a polyester fur fabric that would have been available then, and was commonly dyed in animal spots/stripes. I have samples that were delivered this week, I'm pretty optimistic though. If you google Velboa, you'll see a lot of examples:
GOOD TIMES SHAVER: I have already modded a couple of razors to match the original trimmed-side, and in the process removed the blades. I have several pictures of my process I can post when I get home; it's not terribly difficult to take apart, but if you guys see how I did it and the things that worked well/didn't work, maybe there is a better way.
Tee rest of the pieces are moving along as well, but don't have all the info in front of me here. Vanity mirrors are laser cut acrylic, hopefully they look good and edges are clean. Mystery Gummer Brush as of now is in pink nylon with separate rubber prophy caps. Toothbrush and dental mirror are being run in both Resin and SLS to see what looks better for casting. I'll be happy when those are done. Black and orange caps/buttons are 3d modeled to accept threaded metal posts, I will hopefully get that order in next week.
So anyways it's getting there, just a lot of moving parts to coordinate. A BOATLOAD of progress on my end has been accomplished in the last few months that absolutely would not have happened without the help of lonepigeon Jamesfett and scarf man (among others), this is the first time after so much time that I can actually see a FINISH LINE!!!!!!
Quick update... I had a couple of wooden bodies made locally (just the base without the routing work), and it was, relatively speaking, a bust. Thankfully I figured out that he was not going to work out early on, but it reminded me that Screen Accurate Prop building requires a different mentality than most understand, and making things ACCURATE is always going to be more work than what is easy/convenient.
A quick overview of problems: My wood choice was substituted to save me money (NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR, won't work), the angle of the side cuts was slightly changed to make the cutting jig easier to use (that really won't work, now the vanity door doesn't align properly), and each body was made of two pieces of wood and glued together to make an extra cut easier (I AM LOOOOSSSSIIIINNG MY MIND WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THIS POINT!?!?!?!)
So needless to say, these won't work. And this is exactly why I am willing to pay someone the extra initial $ to make me a prototype or two first before committing to 10 or 20 of something; I'd rather be out a few bucks to see something isn't going to work than be out hundreds on pieces I can't use (or have to get into a dispute with a person or company over the work).
I've already lined up a new place for the work, I just wanted to share (complain) about the experience. The first guy still doesn't understand why I'm buying all these used nail clippers and dental floss for $$$
Silver lining? I now know a Bathroom Buddy solid body in hickory without any of the routs done weighs 9.8 ounces
I'll also try and get photos up showing how I trimmed the safety razor down as well. One method was tedious and time consuming, the other was easy, took 2 minutes, and looks a lot better
A quick overview of problems: My wood choice was substituted to save me money (NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR, won't work), the angle of the side cuts was slightly changed to make the cutting jig easier to use (that really won't work, now the vanity door doesn't align properly), and each body was made of two pieces of wood and glued together to make an extra cut easier (I AM LOOOOSSSSIIIINNG MY MIND WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THIS POINT!?!?!?!)
So needless to say, these won't work. And this is exactly why I am willing to pay someone the extra initial $ to make me a prototype or two first before committing to 10 or 20 of something; I'd rather be out a few bucks to see something isn't going to work than be out hundreds on pieces I can't use (or have to get into a dispute with a person or company over the work).
I've already lined up a new place for the work, I just wanted to share (complain) about the experience. The first guy still doesn't understand why I'm buying all these used nail clippers and dental floss for $$$
Silver lining? I now know a Bathroom Buddy solid body in hickory without any of the routs done weighs 9.8 ounces
I'll also try and get photos up showing how I trimmed the safety razor down as well. One method was tedious and time consuming, the other was easy, took 2 minutes, and looks a lot better
TRIMMING THE DISPOSABLE RAZOR
Here's what I did, TL;DR: use a Dremel
As scarf man pointed out a bazillion years ago it feels like, the original razor head looks like it has it's ends trimmed off. The razor's end caps have been taken off on both ends, and you can see the end of one of the two metal inserts. I think the maker misjudged the width of the razor and had to either modify the head or the wooden body to make it fit. The end in the foreground below had to be trimmed for it to fit in it's niche in the body, trimming the other end just cleans it up and makes it protrude less.
RAZOR #1 MODIFICATION:
I'm just going to document this in case it will help somebody else, I don't think it was a great approach but it helped to see how the razor goes together and comes apart.
I went right in with some nips and just snipped the end cap right off. My hope had been that the cap removed would allow the assembly to just pop right apart, but no go. In hindsight, I should have clipped BOTH ENDS and tried prying the top off, but I wasn't thinking.
Besides the endcaps, the razor also has four plastic rivets that are heat-pressed through the two blades and hold the top and bottom halves tog together. I did pry on the halves a little bit, but didn't get much wiggling without the pieces wanting to deform. At this point I should have trimmed off the other end cap, wedged a micro screwdriver between the two metal inserts and twisted to hopefully pop it all apart clean. NOPE, instead I drilled out the heads of those rivets from the back. It worked, and the head and blades came out.
That was a great victory and the blades are out, but for some reason pretty unsatisfying. I spot-glued the plastic cover back on (no blades), ran a lighter over the cut end to remove the white 'stretch' marks in he plastic, and ended up with this:
WHAT I LEARNED HERE: In hindsight, I would trim both ends, then wedge a blade between those two metal inserts and try prying the plastic head off. I think those metal flats will likely distribute the force like a big wedge, and hopefully pop the head off clean. Then I'd just reinstall the narrower metal flat into the razor to match the prop, and glue the plastic head back on. One could also just trim both end caps off and leave the blades in, but they are sharp off the ends and I want that bottom blade gone.
RAZOR #2 MODIFICATION:
Common sense to the rescue.... Pulled out my rotary tool with a small sanding drum and went to town:
Maybe a minute, and the cap is gone, no
...Pried between the blades without drilling any rivets, and was successful (kinda). The top did come off, but in the end the rivet heads are just snapping off anyways after a lot of unnecessary prying and bending.
Popped the top off, pulled the blades, put the top blade back in, and glued the plastic top on:
WHAT I LEARNED HERE AND WHAT I'M DOING NOW:
-Dremel is the way to go! It's fast, very controllable, and pretty easy to clean up
-DRILL THE RIVETS, at least two of them... If you look at the last pic above, the blade has dents and the plastic has some stretch marks in it. That is 100% from fighting the rivets and flexing the head when I pried the top off. A lighter run over the top might take the marks off, but I can prevent all of it just by drilling the rivet centers.
-Not a huge deal, but tomorrow I will see if I can flip the installed blade so it is dull-side exposed, or just dull the edge down so it's not a cut hazard. It's not a huge deal, but I could cut myself on a banana and I have a couple dozen more of these razors to deal with
Here's what I did, TL;DR: use a Dremel
As scarf man pointed out a bazillion years ago it feels like, the original razor head looks like it has it's ends trimmed off. The razor's end caps have been taken off on both ends, and you can see the end of one of the two metal inserts. I think the maker misjudged the width of the razor and had to either modify the head or the wooden body to make it fit. The end in the foreground below had to be trimmed for it to fit in it's niche in the body, trimming the other end just cleans it up and makes it protrude less.
RAZOR #1 MODIFICATION:
I'm just going to document this in case it will help somebody else, I don't think it was a great approach but it helped to see how the razor goes together and comes apart.
I went right in with some nips and just snipped the end cap right off. My hope had been that the cap removed would allow the assembly to just pop right apart, but no go. In hindsight, I should have clipped BOTH ENDS and tried prying the top off, but I wasn't thinking.
Besides the endcaps, the razor also has four plastic rivets that are heat-pressed through the two blades and hold the top and bottom halves tog together. I did pry on the halves a little bit, but didn't get much wiggling without the pieces wanting to deform. At this point I should have trimmed off the other end cap, wedged a micro screwdriver between the two metal inserts and twisted to hopefully pop it all apart clean. NOPE, instead I drilled out the heads of those rivets from the back. It worked, and the head and blades came out.
That was a great victory and the blades are out, but for some reason pretty unsatisfying. I spot-glued the plastic cover back on (no blades), ran a lighter over the cut end to remove the white 'stretch' marks in he plastic, and ended up with this:
WHAT I LEARNED HERE: In hindsight, I would trim both ends, then wedge a blade between those two metal inserts and try prying the plastic head off. I think those metal flats will likely distribute the force like a big wedge, and hopefully pop the head off clean. Then I'd just reinstall the narrower metal flat into the razor to match the prop, and glue the plastic head back on. One could also just trim both end caps off and leave the blades in, but they are sharp off the ends and I want that bottom blade gone.
RAZOR #2 MODIFICATION:
Common sense to the rescue.... Pulled out my rotary tool with a small sanding drum and went to town:
Maybe a minute, and the cap is gone, no
...Pried between the blades without drilling any rivets, and was successful (kinda). The top did come off, but in the end the rivet heads are just snapping off anyways after a lot of unnecessary prying and bending.
Popped the top off, pulled the blades, put the top blade back in, and glued the plastic top on:
WHAT I LEARNED HERE AND WHAT I'M DOING NOW:
-Dremel is the way to go! It's fast, very controllable, and pretty easy to clean up
-DRILL THE RIVETS, at least two of them... If you look at the last pic above, the blade has dents and the plastic has some stretch marks in it. That is 100% from fighting the rivets and flexing the head when I pried the top off. A lighter run over the top might take the marks off, but I can prevent all of it just by drilling the rivet centers.
-Not a huge deal, but tomorrow I will see if I can flip the installed blade so it is dull-side exposed, or just dull the edge down so it's not a cut hazard. It's not a huge deal, but I could cut myself on a banana and I have a couple dozen more of these razors to deal with
A person could rout or Dremel the extra material so an unmodified razor would fit centered in the slot, but the lower slot below can't be moved over without the other slots being relocated and not aligning to the original; the other end of the razor head hangs out a decent amount whether cut or not.
For my part, I'm sticking with with the screen-accurate layout, idiosyncracies and all.
Here's an early-on prototype body with razor and the extra material area marked:
anchoredprops
New Member
It isn’t made of wood. It’s a heavy resin.Quick update... I had a couple of wooden bodies made locally (just the base without the routing work), and it was, relatively speaking, a bust. Thankfully I figured out that he was not going to work out early on, but it reminded me that Screen Accurate Prop building requires a different mentality than most understand, and making things ACCURATE is always going to be more work than what is easy/convenient.
A quick overview of problems: My wood choice was substituted to save me money (NOT WHAT I ASKED FOR, won't work), the angle of the side cuts was slightly changed to make the cutting jig easier to use (that really won't work, now the vanity door doesn't align properly), and each body was made of two pieces of wood and glued together to make an extra cut easier (I AM LOOOOSSSSIIIINNG MY MIND WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT THIS POINT!?!?!?!)
So needless to say, these won't work. And this is exactly why I am willing to pay someone the extra initial $ to make me a prototype or two first before committing to 10 or 20 of something; I'd rather be out a few bucks to see something isn't going to work than be out hundreds on pieces I can't use (or have to get into a dispute with a person or company over the work).
I've already lined up a new place for the work, I just wanted to share (complain) about the experience. The first guy still doesn't understand why I'm buying all these used nail clippers and dental floss for $$$
Silver lining? I now know a Bathroom Buddy solid body in hickory without any of the routs done weighs 9.8 ounces
View attachment 1868089
I'll also try and get photos up showing how I trimmed the safety razor down as well. One method was tedious and time consuming, the other was easy, took 2 minutes, and looks a lot better
Well that changes a few plans, wish I'd known that a year ago
anchoredprops
New Member
Let me know if you have any questions. I own the original propWell that changes a few plans, wish I'd known that a year ago
I know you do, congrats on your collection! I expected you would have the smokeless ashtray as well.
As I'm sure you've figured out, we've collectively been working on the Buddy for quite a while. We've made great progress on some stuff, and the non others still pretty in the dark (the wood body assumption lololol
)..I do have a couple of questions, if you could help it would be more than appreciated. Can you give us any more information about the toothbrush? That (for me anyways) has been the hardest one to figure out. I've got the general dimensions, the number and arrangement of tufts, but we still are having trouble confirming a brand name or any identifying markings on it. A few of us have poured over reference pics for hours (mostly your pics actually), and we haven't got very far outside of a letter 'P' or 'B' on the bristle side of the handle.
We also haven't gotten anywhere with the orange cap/knob on the bottom. That's another piece I have no good leads on, to the point I was going to just make close-enough replicas.
Thanks for chiming in and welcome to the RPF! Heck of a first (and second) post!
??????????????????????
The body is not wood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
??????????????????????
The body is not wood!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kinda glad I know it's not wood now. I was in the process of commissioning another shop this week
Instead looks like I'm ordering more resin
Kinda glad I know it's not wood now. I was in the process of commissioning another shop this week
But it's woody good goodness.
Maybe this guy is a fake. How do we know unless we see new pics of the real prop with him showing today's newspaper.
Lots of pics for "Proof of Prop"
anchoredprops
New Member
I always assumed it was wood too. Once I got my hands on it I knew it was NOT wood. It was alot lighter way back when. Over the years it got darker. I assume from Joe handling it... oils... sunlight.. all that stuff.
The toothbrush says "PRO"
The toothbrush says "PRO"
