My Metal Tennant sonic!

Lcars47a

Lcars47a

Well-Known Member
Hi,
have been a lurker on the board for a while, and had to wait for registration to open before i could post.
Anyway back to topic, started watching the new doctor who, and wanted the sonic. Obviously i wanted a proper metal one and set out lathing one early this year, since I needed one for the convention in november, and since it is only 3 months away when term starts, i have a lot to do!
At the mo it is a bit of a kitbash of the plastic toy and lathed metal. I did that one as a first run to sort out how to make it properly. Pics show the stae of affairs. All the main body is metal, using the plastic endcap off the toy. The slider and circuitry is off the toy, sound etc was the same, but i took it out as I am experimenting with the layout. I decided o make the top an actual swivel joint as in the concept art for the Chris Eccleston version, but with the dimensions of the tennant one. My sonic modifed like this is about 1 cm shorter than the toy, final version about 2cm shorter, so more like the tennant one. the emmiter is the hard part, i was initiall going to do it as the top and bttom rings, then machine the struts seperatey than attach it all together. Having the ball joint means i might use the plastic halfs of the toy and cast them in pewter, making it easier.
Anyway, questions comments and queries welcomed.
p.s. spot the accidental machining mistake!

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sonicproposal.jpg


Here is the toy against my tennant suit fabric:
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Cheers,
Lcars47a!
 
None too shabby ! Welcome to the RPF , nice to see another fellow Brit on here. Washington eh? I'm up in Berwick myself ! Anyway, be sure to keep us updated.
 
Thanks or the comments but that emtter head is driving me mad as I haven't a clue how i am going to make it. I was going to try and cast it in two half's in pewter using a plaster of paris mold, but i aint got the fogiest how i would get the plastic former out of the mold to then cast in pewter. I could leave it in the mold, then pour the pewter, but i it screwed up, i would'nt have a former to re-make it, and there would be no chance that the polystyrene would all melt and escape as gas and not mix in with the pewter.
ooh frustrating!
Any Idea's, since the prospect of machining it in aluminium with the ball joint sounds awfull.

Cheers
Lcars47a.
 
Use a platinum cure silicone mold, it will hold up to the heat of a pewter casting and removing the original plastic part will be easy...

Just verify with the silicone company that the silicone you are purchasing will hold up to the heat of your pewter mix... Should be a problem but always a good idea to verify...
 
I guess the mistake is the extra "rib" machined into the shaft. No biggie!
What about cutting the piec out hollow and making the cap separate?
I mean it would be like a crown with very long tongs sticking out then capped off.

Then you could slide the center part into it.
Maybe it's not possible to do the ball joint that way?
Then, maybe machinging it in two halves and then have it tig welded together.
Looks cool so far! Glad to got to join in and share it!
 
Very Impressive. I like what you have done. That is what I have wanted since I saw how light and plasticy the CO version is.
I just can't get anyone to make one for me. I don't have an metal skills and no access to the equipment myself to make one.
You are going to be the envy of many Doctor Who fans. Great work.
 
Thanks guys,
My initial idea of making the head was to have the top and bottom parts machined seperately and then make up the profile of the struts on a milling machine. I was then going to make a dovetail detail on the back of the struts, cut the same into the top and bottom rings then assemble it that way. The only problem with that is finding a cheap cutter that small which is hard. So i had a shot of making it in one peice, which was a complete disaster, as it was the end of term and I had no time. Attempting to get the cut out between the slots with a hand file was taking forever, so I hit it with a hammer in frustration! Anyway I have worked out how to produce the top in pewter casting,as this is the best way of making the ball joint work. Hopefully I can make a two part mould out of plaster of paris etc soon.
Thanks again,
Lcars47a

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I was thinking of using the guts of the C.O toy to make it work, because of the small size etc. I have decided to stick the sound module and speaker in the back of the screwdriver, and link the power cable to the batteries and switch in the slider. The blue LED would still be mounted in the tip obviously. Having the ball joint at the top makes it hard to mount the speaker there anyway, so having the sound at the bottom should be easier, or is it more complex for changing the batteries.
Your suggestions on how to get it working would be appreciated, should be able to start work on it in a fortnight. I will be making the main handle as 3 seperate bits as in the show if that would help.

Cheers,
Lcars47a
 
Not having made one, but having tried to modify the CO toy I would say that having the speaker in the back with wires running to it, might not be a good idea. I think the wires would wear in two over time of sliding it up and down. That is kind of what happened to my modification of the CO version. The wires that I had to move to put the switch in the slider wore through after a very short time. I reached the limitations of the plastic toy.
I would possibly just make the head like the CO toy version but in metal with the speaker in that end and give up on the swivel head. I think it is a good idea, but maybe the BBC gave up on it for a reason. That is just my opinion. None of this is criticism, just trying to be helpful. I think you are doing a wonderful job (much better than I could do). Any one else have any thoughts that might also help?

Lastly, any plans to make more than one? I wouldn't mind having one if you do.
 
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Think you maybe right, just fancied having a functionlity that the toy didd'nt.
I can cast the emitter in one piece with some appropriate core and mold work-somehow. dunno yet, i may still have to do it in two halves, then solder or epoxy them together. the reason i was putting the speaker in the back was because making the middle bit in acrylic may be complex if i try and repliacte all of the cavities as it is in the toy, dunno, maybe it will work. I think having a torch (white LED) in the back ould give it something else, since one is meant to be there anyway/ prerhaps have a way of making the blue LED flash etc as it did in a few eps. etc etc
main concern is to plan how to make the cast emitter head and the acrylic slider internals, since everything else seems reasonabley straight forward
Cheers
Lcars47a
 
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I would love to do more, but since I am a poor student doing A-levels, I ain't got the time. Also I think the school may disprove of me making and selling stuff made there! besides, i have to replicate the laser screwdriver in metal when it comes out. Now that will be a challenge!
If this all works out feel free to use this thread as a guide for you!
cheers,
Oh, any idea's how to do the dog clutch effect without hand filling/

Lcars47a
 
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I have had further thoughts on the construction of the piece.
I am going to do the main body of the sonic as 3 main parts, the front collar with the dog clutch effect, the main 'ceramic' body, and the bottom champfered and cone bit. all 3 will be done in aluminium as aposed to the 1st gen which is a two-peice handle. This way will make it easier to paint and create the cream/ ivory crackle glaze of the sonic. If you look at screencaps of the screen-used peice, you can see that they did it in the same way, with two small flat-head screws at the top and bottonm of the main peice to hold it together. Also, this arangement should make assembling the thing and replacing batteries much easier.

am still unsure whether to do the sound at the back, or the ball joint bit. but am working on the emitter moulds etc.

I would appreciate thoughts on how I can tackle the acrylic slider and fit in the electronics and batteries, as well as producing that dog clutch effect on the top of the handle.

I will post some rough sketches of my idea's soon.

cheers,
Lcars47a

p.s.
Anyone know when the laser screwdriver is due for release-thought it was august.
 
ooh, footnote,
decided I would buy myself a present today, so I got a TARDIS key,
BBC one, but I love it!

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