Mk III Baker Sonic Kit Build - Thread

[Straker]

Sorry about that, anything I don't cut an past I spell wrong :facepalm.

Nether is the is the CO toy version and it sells by the 100.
The brass sleeve has a .5mm recess machined into the surface so as long as it is not thicker than .5mm you can.

The reason for the recess is so when you slide it into the grip, you wont scratch the painted surface, when you paint it blue.

Well the CO selling so much is easy to understand, it's cheap and looks like the sonic. XD

As for the EL tape, yeah it's thinner than a half a mm as far as I know. XD I was thinking of paint anyway if I couldn't to EL tape so we'll see. Only issue I have is the brass tube in the head. It's not a deal breaker but I'd love to see that in aluminum or something silver colored instead.

 

[Rassilon]

The hole in the head were the brass tube is 3.9mm and I had already machined them to that size.
When and if I do anymore, I will make that hole size 3.2mm or 1/8" to fit a 1/8" Stainless steel tube.

I can machine 304 stainless to replace that part out of 304 stainless steel bar, but I just like the polished brass.

You can't get Aluminum tube in 1/8", I used 3.9mm brass as it was ready available and as it is a custom design I liked the brass touch.

But if you would like that part in stainless then so be it, can do, the RCTS is just that, a custom sonic, so you can make changes to it as you like.

Only the machined parts are a fix equation.

 

[Straker]

Sorry about that, anything I don't cut an past I spell wrong :facepalm.

The hole in the head were the brass tube is 3.9mm and I had already machined them to that size.
When and if I do anymore, I will make that hole size 3.2mm or 1/8" to fit a 1/8" Stainless steel tube.

I can machine 304 stainless to replace that part out of 304 stainless steel bar, but I just like the polished brass.

You can't get Aluminum tube in 1/8", I used 3.9mm brass as it was ready available and as it is a custom design I liked the brass touch.

But if you would like that part in stainless then so be it, can do, the RCTS is just that, a custom sonic, so you can make changes to it as you like.

Only the machined parts are a fix equation.

Actually they make hobby tubing in aluminum in 1/8". Aluminum Tube 1/8 (15) (k+s1022) K-S Hobby and Craft Metal Tubing or 5/32 which is the same as 3.9mm here Modelcrafts and Hobbies if I'm seeing it right they're even out of New Zealand but I'm sure there are other hobby shops that carry it. Hope that helps. Either way it doesn't matter cause i could buy it and put it in myself.

 

[Rassilon]

Yeah I know about the hobby tube, but I would like to use stainles steel tube as the stainless tube will not tarnish like the Aluminium tube.

 

[Straker]

Yeah I know about the hobby tube, but I would like to use stainles steel tube as the stainless tube will not tarnish like the Aluminium tube.

That's true.

Well, It's my weekend again so I'll be finishing up that screwdriver in the next few days. ^_^ I'm going to hit the halo with a few extra coats of paint though. There's a few spots where it was a bit thin AND when I put it off to the side to set the paint was knocked and some came off. The paint I didn't knock off finished drying and isn't coming off so that's OK. XD I plan to use some Locktite glue to secure the head in place to the neck though instead of epoxy in case I ever need to take it back off.

Any luck with making a brass halo Rassilon?

 

[Straker]

All done!

Here's the emitter fully painted and glued in place:

Aside from the resized parts i got from Rassilon I also changed the washer to a 1mm steel washer I used on my RB Replicas sonics. I also cleaned up the over spray on the inside of the halo once I resprayed the burgundy. Sticks quite well even without primer. So far Rustolium is the best for painting raw aluminum I find.

Here's a shot of the black bullet in the neck. I masked off the underside of the bullet as i figured that since that would be a friction surface it would be best to just leave it unpainted as it would just come off anyway:

You'll also notice the over sized transmitter. At 15 or 16mm I have to admit it looks a tad large in that shot but when compared to the rest of the sonic it's actually not bad though if I have that brass halo made for a kit I may ask for one made at 14mm instead.

Here's a couple full shots and yes, I know i said I'd age the paint but...I'm not gonna. It's just too pretty like this:

Anyhow, that's my Rassilon1 DIY Mark3 Sonic Screwdriver and I'm very pleased to have it in my collection.

 

[Rassilon]

What an outstanding build Straker, the burgundy colour paint that you have used really sets the halo off against the polished Aluminum.

And the finish on the Aluminum that you have, well very very nice.

I do think that the BBC, screen used Baker sonic never looked that good.

Well have been working on some more custom Halo parts, and just finished two examples, with the halo manufactured in brass.

So the hole specifications are:

Halo Dia 22mm OD
Halo ID 19mm
Halo Wall Thk 1.5mm
Halo Width 8mm

The bullet is 6061-T6 Aluminum with an M4 thread in the center, and an outside diameter of 12mm.
The three (3) halo supporting pins are still the standard type that you would fined in the Rassilon Baker Mk III sonic Kit, 2mm dia, but have been modified to fit the smaller halo Dia of 22mm.

Have also shown you a photo of the Rassilon Baker Halo jig, that I use to drill the matched 2mm holes for the halo supports.

Now I have had a thought, and it has been inspired by this thread, as there is now quite a few RCTS out there I was thinking of have a Rassilon Custom Tennant Build competition, and Ask if Art could judge the winner, so is this possible?.

 

[Straker]

What an outstanding build Straker, the burgundy colour paint that you have used really sets the halo off against the polished Aluminum.

And the finish on the Aluminum that you have, well very very nice.

I do think that the BBC, screen used Baker sonic never looked that good.

Thank you very much. ^_^ I'm quite pleased with how it turned out as well. It was really fun to build and figure out how it could go together. ^_^ I think I really prefer the pins going through the halo like this.

Well have been working on some more custom Halo parts, and just finished two examples, with the halo manufactured in brass.

So the hole specifications are:

Halo Dia 22mm OD
Halo ID 19mm
Halo Wall Thk 1.5mm
Halo Width 8mm

The bullet is 6061-T6 Aluminum with an M4 thread in the center, and an outside diameter of 12mm.
The three (3) halo supporting pins are still the standard type that you would fined in the Rassilon Baker Mk III sonic Kit, 2mm dia, but have been modified to fit the smaller halo Dia of 22mm.

Have also shown you a photo of the Rassilon Baker Halo jig, that I use to drill the matched 2mm holes for the halo supports.

Now I have had a thought, and it has been inspired by this thread, as there is now quite a few RCTS out there I was thinking of have a Rassilon Custom Tennant Build competition, and Ask if Art could judge the winner, so is this possible?.

Those brass halos look great! I definitely want to take one. One thing I can recommend is shortening down the bullet end more. I did it on the one in the pics (BTW, that is actually some pretty darn hard aluminum you used. I was using a fiberglass cutting disc and it was like cutting steel) I cut the bullet down and then shaped it and spun it in my drill press to the length you see there and i think it works a bit better. I'd say it's about 12mm past where the ring ends. maybe a bit less. Kinda hard to gauge by eye. Aside from that i think soldering the pins to the halo should be relatively easy. ^_^ I think this would be the one I'd age the paint from just to match the shots i had seen in the android Invasion.


Now as for the build competition, that would be fun. I really do want to see what your Tennant sonic would look like with a screen accurate cracked porcelain finish.

 

[Rassilon]

Will turn the bullets down to 12mm as they are at 15mm now.
Hey, nice collections of who stuff, was ment to mention that in my last post. I only have one Tardis and I keep my $2 coins in that one.

The Pinball machine I keep the $1 coins in.

 

[Straker]

Will turn the bullets down to 12mm as they are at 15mm now.
Hey, nice collections of who stuff, was ment to mention that in my last post. I only have one Tardis and I keep my $2 coins in that one.

The Pinball machine I keep the $1 coins in.

Cool. I can't wait to see them. if possible I'd also like to get another transmitter only this time at 14mm diameter as well as a new center shaft assembly i can use. I won't be able to swap out the emitter unless i do D


Oh thanks. ^_^ It's just a few figures i keep on my dresser. The rest are all downstairs in a cabinet because I don't have enough room for them all upstairs. I mush have over a hundred DR Who figures by now. XP Some time i should take pics of them all. XD

 

[greatwazoo42]

Good stuff guys! Very, very good stuff!

 

[mobius303]

wow...how did I miss this thread. Great work guys.
I like how it turned out.
Just a single question....Why no rising emitter head?

 

[greatwazoo42]

It's a kit so you can mod it to include one pretty easy or you can ask Rassilon to make changes to the right parts of the kit for you. He's really accommodating and a good guy all around. Drop him a PM with that request and see what he can do for you if you don't want to try modding the basic kit yourself.

 

[Straker]

wow...how did I miss this thread. Great work guys.
I like how it turned out.
Just a single question....Why no rising emitter head?

As far as i can recall the extendable emitter head was only used in one story. Not that it isn't possible to do mind you but for me not needed. XD

Good stuff guys! Very, very good stuff!

Thanks. ^_^ It took a bit of work but I'm pleased with the results so far. ^_^ Can't wait to try the brass halo mod.

 

[Rassilon]

Ok, I now have shortened the bullet by 3.5mm to about 12 - 13mm, so now the halo assembly now looks like this.

Needs a good going over with steel wool, and it will come up real nice.

 

[Straker]

Ok, I now have shortened the bullet by 3.5mm to about 12 - 13mm, so now the halo assembly now looks like this. :confused

Needs a good going over with steel wool, and it will come up real nice.

Oh hey, that looks very nice indeed! Much tighter looking too. ^_^ BTW, I meant to mention, i like that little addition to the bullet with that divot so you can see which hole points down for assembly. Very smart idea.

 

[greatwazoo42]

Very nice!

 

[Rassilon]

The alignment marks indicate the position that it was in the jig for drilling
The centre mark on the bullet is the first hole drilled and was rotated clockwise 120 degrees for the next hole drilled & 140 degrees for the last hole drilled, the threaded hole in the centre is an M4.

 

[Straker]

The alignment marks indicate the position that it was in the jig for drilling
The centre mark on the bullet is the first hole drilled and was rotated clockwise 120 degrees for the next hole drilled & 140 degrees for the last hole drilled, the threaded hole in the centre is an M4.

Still it's a great guide for alignment in general.

 

[Straker]

OH! On another note, I remembered something from awhile ago and decided to look into it to try instead of painting some parts. Apparently Birchwood makes a version of a gun blue that works on aluminum called Aluminum Black that chemically stains the aluminum...well, black. So I'm going to experiment with it to use that instead of black paint and see how it works on these sonics. ^_^