Sliders Timer...Egyptian Timer!!

[PeterLC]

Yeah, this thread is kinda old but, I still make them when I can.

Some of us are new to the forum though so everything old is new again.

I've been selling both The Egyptian and Original Timers since I built them. The Original is $800 and the Egyptian is $700. Unfortunately, I don't get a lot of extra time to make these. I just came out with a few new products for my company that I've been designing the past year and it's selling like flap jacks. :love So, it kinda takes away from Timer building.

If anyone is interested, and don't mind a lenghty wait, let me know and I can either put you on a list for when I have something ready or I can take an order and try to estimate a wait time.

I think you do some really nice work but they are priced out of my range. Being on a tight budget, I have to try to make what I can. It's great in a way though that you don't have much time to do these because your business is doing well.

Harbinger,
I hope I didn't give you the wrong idea about me.
Please understand..... It's not that I don't want to share.

I never thought that. See request below.

As for the original Scarab,
I was loaned the Original Egyptian Timer prop to use for making the replicas. I was allowed to tear it apart to my hearts content, with the understanding I didn't recast the Scarab and sell it. I made the promise, and I kept it.

I can understand you keeping a promise. When someone goes out of his way to share something of his with you, it's not right to rip it off. I actually like the idea of everyone's scarab being unique in its own way. It's like the personal little touch of the prop maker. Any chance though that you show us pics of how the rest of one is put together. (and see below)

As for my version,
I've had many request from people wanting me to sell just the Scarab and I've declined. I only ask people understand. I run a fulltime business and I simply don't have the time. (for a lot of things for that matter)

What I am wondering though is if it's possible you'd have time to maybe sell a bare circuit board and programmed microcontroller (if that's what you used), and a parts list and diagram so others might be able to source the other parts themselves and construct the circuitry. I am quite capable of wiring stuff but the microcontroller programming is not something I've done before.

I've had a couple of phones sitting in a box for ages along with a few displays and other parts but not had a chance lately to do anything else. Plus not knowing what to do about controlling it with a PIC or similar has kind of put it on the back burner.

Is there even a write-up somewhere of what sequences are needed for the displays to look reasonably accurate?

 

[PeterLC]

Hi guys.

I was loaned the Original Egyptian Timer prop to use for making the replicas. I was allowed to tear it apart to my hearts content, with the understanding I didn't recast the Scarab and sell it. I made the promise, and I kept it.

Can you or anyone else tell me if the keypad on this timer is a scratchbuilt thing or is a found part available online?

I just got my hands on a couple of the correct RCA remotes so now looking for a few other parts. Will probably end up with some fairly basic electronics until I can figure out how the heck to program MCUs.

I will even have a go at molding/etching a scarab once the rest is done.

 

[USS Endeav]

Can you spot the real prop??

I can't believe the luck.....
I ran across a guy who owns one of the "hero" props from season 5 (I think).
He was kind enough to loan it to me to use as a reference for building my replica Timers. I spoke to the guy who built the Timer originally and that too was quite interesting.

I must say this prop was very nicely built. You can tell some thought went into making this....which I think is usually, not the norm for t.v. props....I've seen where most times they look good on film...not so hot in person.

What I think is most unusual is this prop has a red cover that is cut from a CNC machine, as well as the opening in the remote casing....and the cover fits perfectly in the opening. 2 days, and 10 remotes later....I was able to duplicate this on my own CNC machine so I can duplicate this over and over.

Of course, anyone who's into these Timers knows....the Scarab is the main piece to this Timer. I must confess, I still don't know how he did that. I had asked him about it but, he didn't recall. He thought he may have chemically etched it, but couldn't remember.

So, can you tell which is the real prop and which is the replica?

I'm still new to posting photos, and I think the server changed things on me, I can't figure how to post the full photo like I did before....It gives a thumbnail now for some stupid reason.

Outstanding!

 

[BlckBane]

here is my Egyptian timer case that I made not quit finished yet but almost done still trying to get the electronics to work right so that it will be a working timer hope you like what I have done with mine

 

[BlckBane]

http://i23.servimg.com/u/f23/13/73/31/13/sspx9317.jpg

 

[BlckBane]

 

[BlckBane]

how do you get a proto type for all these timers I would love to get all of them I made my own case for the Egyptian timer it took me a long time to do it and get it to look like I think it should I just wish I could get the electronics to work right thats my only problem and no one will help me with it they all just keep saying good luck which I find to be rude and selfish I mean I'm not looking to sell it or anything like that I just want my own timers if you have any suggestions on how to do the electronics I would really appreciate it I keep hearing I need a micro controller I have a few of them but they are pretty useless without the program to put on them to get them to work and no one seems to want to help like I said selfish rude and greedy in my opinion but if you could help me that would be so much appreciated.

Thanks guy,
You are correct, it is the middle one. (darn buttons)

I have a small CNC machine made by a company called Black Labs. They no longer sell them anymore, unfortunately. Great machine though. I actually have two of them. It's great for small parts making, routing, engraving, most anything I'll ever need to do......

I'm just really happy to have had a real prop for reference. It's really amasing what you "think" you see on screen and what is actually there. It's a lot different than what I would have made without it. I'm sure I could have gotten it close...but, the quality, as they say.....is in the details.

He also sent me the prototype of the "Jensen" Timer used in a few eps. I'll be making that next.

 

[BlckBane]

how much would you charge to make a scarab I need one for my timer and do you know of anyway to get the program for the micro controller also know how to make the circuit for the micro controller please get back to me

I molded the original one.

I should probably say though, I kinda agreed to changing it in some way on the ones I'll sell. Nobody seemed to care either way. The prop owner gave me permission to mold it and the guy who designed and made it even told me he didn't care, and if he did, he didn't have the authority to tell me not to anyway. All the same, I didn't feel right about it.

The only concern is one I expressed to the prop owner that if I used this exact one then that would take away from the uniqueness of his prop.....and quite honestly, it's the scarab that makes the prop as special as it is. I also felt that with an exact copy it would surly be recast in the real world and then you'd more than likely have people selling these on Ebay as the real deal and end up conning people out of money.

I do have a version of the scarab I carved out on the CNC that's nearly identical that I am planning to use. To the average person....they would swear it's the real thing, yet to me or others familar with the real prop, could confirm it's authenticity very easily.

Probably a longer answer than you were looking for....just thought I should make that point real clear before I got accused of ripping someone off.

 

[juno]

My dad is working on electronics for the Egyptian timer. It's looking pretty BA.

 

[juno]

More photos!

 

[TheProhammer]

Nice work. I got a change to see the screen used one when I worked on Sliders as Prtof Arturo's guy.

 

[Harbinger]

Making an Egyptian timer would be okay, but the crowning piece is the scarab on the front. How would you deal with that? I know there was someone on the board a while back who had access to one but refused to allow casts to be made or copies to be sold. Without the scarab, well...it's just a remote control with blinky lights.

 

[PeterLC]

There is enough detailed shots of the timer around including the photos of the original prop that you mentioned. I think he said it was cast in magnesium but one could make something fairly reasonable in resin. It could be photo-etched into zinc plate. Carve a mold in plaster and make it out of JB Weld if you had to. It wouldn't be perfect as we don't have access to the original to get all the detail but it would be good enough. I haven't looked at the thread for a while but have the photos somewhere. These are his photos so hope he doesn't mind.

It's the keypad I'm having the most trouble finding. I can wait to try to make a scarab after the rest is done.

Making an Egyptian timer would be okay, but the crowning piece is the scarab on the front. How would you deal with that? I know there was someone on the board a while back who had access to one but refused to allow casts to be made or copies to be sold. Without the scarab, well...it's just a remote control with blinky lights.

 

[BlckBane]

I was just wondering why haven't you shown both of those boards lets see them both if your going to show it off show both boards so everyone see also what is that a micro controller and what type is it I would love to know

My dad is working on electronics for the Egyptian timer. It's looking pretty BA.

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Hey folks,

no price talk or discussion of a potential run outside of the Junkyard, please.

Thanks,
Michael
RPF staff

 

[BlckBane]

is there a way to get a look at both boards without the electronics on them

More photos!

 

[BlckBane]

is there a chance we can get a look at both boards without all the electronics on it

 

[BlckBane]

I'm curently working on the scarab and I do have all the detail of it so it can be replicated it's nice to have an artistic eye for things

Making an Egyptian timer would be okay, but the crowning piece is the scarab on the front. How would you deal with that? I know there was someone on the board a while back who had access to one but refused to allow casts to be made or copies to be sold. Without the scarab, well...it's just a remote control with blinky lights.

 

[juno]

Test firing!
Egyptian Sliders Timer - YouTube

 

[juno]

is there a chance we can get a look at both boards without all the electronics on it

Why do you need that?