Being a massive Stargate fan I've wanted a gate to sit on my wall for years, couldn't buy one so I had to make one.
I'd been planning this for ages but never got anywhere until I got together with my girlfriend, Angua (she's registered aswell but I dont think she has posted yet). She'd done some model making at university and showed me how it could be done, what materials to use and that it was possible to do it without any machinery at all. Our gate is entirely made by hand!
We've been working on it for, oh ages now... my lovely girlfriend has done more on it than I have, all the fiddily bits : ) but it has been a joint project from the start.
We hope to get it finished in time for the release of Continuum next month so look out for more updates over the next few weeks. We're heading out of London in 4 weeks time to resin cast the 9 sections... fingers crossed it all fits!
The size was partially dependant on how we made it, we couldnt make it any smaller due to the stupid amount of detail on the gates surface and the fact that this all had to be hand made (I honestly think they couldnt have picked a more rediculous shape). Thats why its 1.7m diameter... plus a near 2m Stargate on the wall will look awesome! : )
You can see how we made it from a few photos I've posted.
I 3D modeled it in Maya, exploded it so that we could print it off and here you can see us putting in the initial framework. The maths involved in printing off the curved circular pieces flat was a whole side project in itself (good job Angua had also done further maths at A-level!).
After much experimenting we found the only way to do the detail was stamping into Sculpty Clay - my idea! : )
Even then we found we had to create each of these hoop details as individualy stamped units, then painstakingly mount them onto a back board before afixing them to the base.
Our multi coloured gate : ) Angua hand carved one of the square details from 4mm plastic card which was then cast in resin multiple times.
Big leap! lots of work in between but as you can see we are working on the final touches, the chevron and symbols (nightmare!)
Makes me want to hum the theme tune : )
Stay tuned!
I'd been planning this for ages but never got anywhere until I got together with my girlfriend, Angua (she's registered aswell but I dont think she has posted yet). She'd done some model making at university and showed me how it could be done, what materials to use and that it was possible to do it without any machinery at all. Our gate is entirely made by hand!
We've been working on it for, oh ages now... my lovely girlfriend has done more on it than I have, all the fiddily bits : ) but it has been a joint project from the start.
We hope to get it finished in time for the release of Continuum next month so look out for more updates over the next few weeks. We're heading out of London in 4 weeks time to resin cast the 9 sections... fingers crossed it all fits!
The size was partially dependant on how we made it, we couldnt make it any smaller due to the stupid amount of detail on the gates surface and the fact that this all had to be hand made (I honestly think they couldnt have picked a more rediculous shape). Thats why its 1.7m diameter... plus a near 2m Stargate on the wall will look awesome! : )
You can see how we made it from a few photos I've posted.
I 3D modeled it in Maya, exploded it so that we could print it off and here you can see us putting in the initial framework. The maths involved in printing off the curved circular pieces flat was a whole side project in itself (good job Angua had also done further maths at A-level!).
After much experimenting we found the only way to do the detail was stamping into Sculpty Clay - my idea! : )
Even then we found we had to create each of these hoop details as individualy stamped units, then painstakingly mount them onto a back board before afixing them to the base.
Our multi coloured gate : ) Angua hand carved one of the square details from 4mm plastic card which was then cast in resin multiple times.
Big leap! lots of work in between but as you can see we are working on the final touches, the chevron and symbols (nightmare!)
Makes me want to hum the theme tune : )
Stay tuned!
