Star Trek Voyager - Gel Pack

[alexbailey]

This is a pretty obscure prop, I've always was somewhat interesting. They came up occasionally in episodes, from what I remember they got the flu once and sent the computer haywire. After finding some nice photos of an original prop on a cutting mat with some a 1in grid, this made the measuring and modelling work significantly easier.

Some screenshot from the show.

The very helpful photos

concept sketch, turned out a little different.

My Rough CAD model

 

[alexbailey]

Here my first go at a replica, metal pieces in aluminium and the bag section is made from heat sealable plastic packing.
With the plastic this was very much a first go, is just seeing how close to the size required went better than I expected.

Im hoping to use a silicone or translucent rubber for the 'liquid' as I think it is probably better than have a bag of goo hanging around.

Some in progress photos.

 

[renaissance_man]

Just be careful not to store it next to any cheese

Looking forward to seeing the finished prop. I always loved the idea of bio neural circuitry. It was a logical progression from the isolinear processors.

 

[vitacura]

This is really cool! Thanks for sharing your progress, can't wait for more!

 

[Lt Washburn]

This is very cool. Is it possible the originals used something like a Ziplock bag? Also, your schematic shows the top corners radiused more than they appear on the prop. But it's hard to tell for sure.

 

[Rogviler]

Surely it was an IV bag? That's what I always pictured anyway. It does seem to have a unique size and thickness that shouldn't be too hard to nail down at any rate.

 

[renaissance_man]

Surely it was an IV bag? That's what I always pictured anyway. It does seem to have a unique size and thickness that shouldn't be too hard to nail down at any rate.

The prop looks too wide for an IV fluids bag. More likely a ziplock or some kind of thick polythene.

 

[alexbailey]

This is very cool. Is it possible the originals used something like a Ziplock bag? Also, your schematic shows the top corners radiused more than they appear on the prop. But it's hard to tell for sure.

Thanks, on the parts I didn't put the top radius on after looking at the ref photos.

 

[alexbailey]

The prop looks too wide for an IV fluids bag. More likely a ziplock or some kind of thick polythene.

Surely it was an IV bag? That's what I always pictured anyway. It does seem to have a unique size and thickness that shouldn't be too hard to nail down at any rate.

Possibly an IV bag, although most of them seem to have text on them. The plastic I used for the mockup appear thicker than the reference photos, thanks for the suggestions I'll continue investigating options, may try a few approaches

 

[alexbailey]

Just be careful not to store it next to any cheese

Looking forward to seeing the finished prop. I always loved the idea of bio neural circuitry. It was a logical progression from the isolinear processors.

This is really cool! Thanks for sharing your progress, can't wait for more!

Many thanks all