My HAL 9000 builds (plural)

Interesting to see those plates! I wonder if the brushed texture is finer than the somewhat coarsely textured brushed aluminium panels I've found.

It looks great, but like the other finishes I've found, it's more reflective than the screen-used props. But if you were to paint them you'd lose some of the texture...
 
I asked if they could cut the hole but was told they don't have the equipment to offer that. I'm in the same boat tool-wise.
I may use a drill to cut a circle of holes and then file down sharp edges. It'll be hidden by the lens anyway.

I have some boring bits for my drill but I'm not sure the blade is good for aluminum. I'll have to look into that.
I would think you could get away with just a hole for the light. Doesn’t the lense and everything sit on top?
 
That lens!
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(but the camera is only 2 5/32" high - so it would be too small)
 
I would think you could get away with just a hole for the light. Doesn’t the lense and everything sit on top?
The surrounding bit for the led is conical and needs space.
Also the outside ring has a lip that goes into the hole. I could cut that lip off and place it on top but the conical bit still needs space.
 
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Update: Visiting a metal working shop this weekend with my Mobius plastic lens pieces + my glass lens in hand to get a quote on maching aluminum replacement pieces.

I wonder if the original lens’ housing was powder coated? Maybe I can get that done too? Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?

I’ve also ordered an aluminum picture frame that has a tiny 1/8” facing edge and looks like it may be perfect for the outer frame of HAL. It’s enroute to me now so pics soon.
 
Ok just got back from the machinist's shop. Super nice guy. He's going to be doing my lens pieces for me. Both the outer ring and the lens housing which will hold the glass lens for both of my HALs. He's done work for Disney, Underwater researchers, and 501st Legion members in the past and is currently doing some custom Darth Vader pieces for someone else right now. He's been doing pro-grade metal work for 35+ years and has his entire business running from a converted residential garage. Seeing his shop and his gear first hand I don't think there's much in this world this guy couldn't make from scratch.

He was very busy with his current load of client jobs but I think the fact that I'm not in a rush and gave him a far future due date helped him decide to take it on. He's estimating May-June'ish completion for me.

The outer ring will be bare aluminum, and the lens housing will be anodized black. (He showed me examples he had on hand of aluminum with both a black powder coating and a black anodized finish and the anodized sample looked far more accurate to us both of a camera lens' finish.)

Being that we're both in Canada he quoted me in Canadian dollars but in USD (for the majority of you here), and at today's exchange rate it's $199.86 for the pair including the anodizing (Local pickup). For me he's doing 2 for 1 pricing because I'm going to be trading him with some of my internet/website expertise and services so that will be my final cost for all 4 pieces that I need with 2 of them being anodized black.)

I've left him with my Moebius kit pieces and one of my glass lenses as a template to work off of.

Here's his contact information for anyone that's interested: (Mention Jay sent you.)

Jim Anderson
Anderson Prototypes
http://www.andersonprototypes.com/
Cel: +1(778) 885-9729
Email:
andersonprototypes@gmail.com
22 Mount Royal Drive
Port Moody, BC Canada
V3H 1P6



My next update will be on the aluminum frame which should arrive on Mon-Tues'ish(?)
 
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Ok just got back from the machinist's shop. Super nice guy. He's going to be doing my lens pieces for me. Both the outer ring and the lens housing which will hold the glass lens for both of my HALs. He's done work for Disney, Underwater researchers, and 501st Legion members in the past and is currently doing some custom Darth Vader pieces for someone else right now. He's been doing pro-grade metal work for 35+ years and has his entire business running from a converted residential garage. Seeing his shop and his gear first hand I don't think there's much in this world this guy couldn't make from scratch.

Nifty. PoMo - just around the corner from my alma mater. :)

You're planning on making an anodized metal lens barrel, then? That'd be pretty awesome if he could do the two rings, text engraving, and knurling. Or will it be more like the Moebius simplified version?
 
You're planning on making an anodized metal lens barrel, then? That'd be pretty awesome if he could do the two rings, text engraving, and knurling. Or will it be more like the Moebius simplified version?
It’ll be exactly like my cut up Moebius piece.
The knurling will be there but the text won’t be engraved. (He said he wouldn’t be able to match the text.) So It’ll be decal on anodized aluminum for me.
 
I wonder if the original lens’ housing was powder coated? Maybe I can get that done too? Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on that?
I don't have one of original Nikkor lenses, but judging by the photos I've seen it looks like the barrel was enamelled metal, not anodized or powder coated metal.
 
I'm not sure about copper per se. Older lenses were made from brass, which is an alloy containing copper and zinc. But the Nikon lenses I've seen seem to have exposed dull silvery metal where the enamel has scratched off, suggesting that they're probably aluminium.

Nonetheless the expression "brassing", referring to places where bare metal shows through under scratched paint, is still used today to refer to the condition of older metal-barrelled camera lenses.
 
I actually came across several o the real hal lens model at work on a job awhile back. Century housed a bunch for film cameras. Not sure how much about the exterior barrel is changed but the internals are definitely covered in black enamel. (This is the T2.8 lens that was the capturing optic and the bigger lens, not the smaller prop one that was an F8)

edit: my instagram is private so here is an imgur upload
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Putting the red led behind the rear element perfectly recreated the look.
ironically enough after testing them the edge sharpness wasn't good enough and used Canon 8-15mm fisheyes instead.

If you are in a major filming city and are extremely polite post-covid you could likely convince a rental house to let you take a look at one in person if they have them. Worst case you have to pay for insurance for a day (maybe 50-150 bucks) and then just rent it (maybe 100-300 bucks) for a weekend to study it.

I bet Sim Digital on the west coast could source it. Though they are pretty unfriendly to indie productions, let alone hobbyist prop makers! Keslow camera actually inhereted a ton of clairmount's stuff (the original weird/specialty camera rental place back when film was a thing) but a lot of their weirder stuff is down in LA and you have to pay extra to get it shipped in if it isn't a part of a larger rental package)
 
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I actually came across several o the real hal lens model at work on a job awhile back. Century housed a bunch for film cameras. Not sure how much about the exterior barrel is changed but the internals are definitely covered in black enamel. (This is the T2.8 lens that was the capturing optic
Hm. I’m not sure what you mean. Nikon 35mm film lenses aren’t described in T-stops since they aren’t motion picture lenses. They use f-stops. And the Nikkor 8mm f/2.8 lens couldn’t have been used for anything in 2001 since that model was introduced in 1970, after the film came out.
 

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