TARDIS Console parts

[hoggworks]

Hey all,

I'm looking at building a small TARDIS console for my son, to put in my studio for him to play with when I"m working. (He's 14 months, so he's not a fan yet )

i'll likely build the console itself out of some light wood, but I'll need a bunch of levers, dials, and switches for it. Anybody know of any good sources for that sort of thing, especially large levers? Alternatively, the right search terms for eBay to actually find cool looking stuff?

Thanks!

 

[JMYPrime]

Beware, once you start down this path, pretty much anything you look at will cause you to think "Hey, that would make a neat console part!"

The great thing is, you actually could use pretty much anything. You could use the dispenser pumps from empty shampoo or hand soap bottles, you could buy faucet handwheels from your local hardware store, all sorts of plumbing parts really. Hit your local Radio Shack or equivalent for volume knobs, all manner of switches, LEDs. Try your local Goodwill or Salvation Army stores and look around for junk electronics, you could disassemble them and use circuit boards for technical looking bits, as well as buttons, switches or microphone/speaker pieces. If you have a curio or junk shop nearby you may find gauges and dials. If you're handy, you can even wire some of these things up to produce sound effects (which are easy enough to steal from YouTube with the right software). Got an iPod you don't use anymore? Fill it up with sci-fi readout loops and music from the show and use it for a console!

I've seen folks at the Tardis Builders forum use stuff like soda bottles, Tupperware and Christmas lights to give their consoles more pizzazz. Tell you what, not many kids have a dad who'd even think to buy them Doctor Who toys, let alone build them their own TARDIS console; he's a lucky boy, and you're an awesome dad! Have fun!

 

[hoggworks]

Thanks! He's a little too young to be a fan of the show, although he DOES enjoy playing with the couple sonic screwdriver toys we already happened to have.

One of the things I'm not sure if I know the best name for in terms of things to search for is something like this:
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/steampunk-st...737?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item51bd52dab1

"Giant lever" only yields one thing on ebay that looks even a little like that. Maybe I'll have to build something.

As far as electronics goes, my initial consideration would just be for things to play with; my son is at the age where he's quite excited to get to play with the lightswitch even if he can't see the lights.

Also, I just discovered tardisbuilders.com. Uh oh.

 

[osric]

If you haven't found it yet, the "Naming of Parts" thread at tardisbuilders.com is chock full of thingamabobs and whatists from the new series console. A lot of the bits are rather esoteric since they seem to be found objects, but it will give you a good start at the very least. Have fun!

 

[davidnagel]

Keep us posted, good luck!

 

[Doctorwho5]

Most of the stuff I get is from local salvage places. This might be useful to getting a custom TARDIS console done.