Star Trek Voyager Doctor's Holo-imager - help identifying found parts

norbauer

Well-Known Member
RPF PREMIUM MEMBER
So I got my Airtronics Avenger today. Time to start researching how to make a Holo-imager! I've posted about this on the TrekPropZone but am hoping for any additional input from the RPF community.
WP_20141021_002.jpg

It appears to be assembled primarily from found items. I am working on sourcing most of them (the lenses are light collimators from LED flashlights, for example). However, there are several items I haven't yet been able to identify. Any and all help would be most appreciated!


Does anybody know who made the originals?


There are two separate versons, so I am thinking of casting up the body first and then applying different greeblies to make each one.


There is the "In the Flesh" version used by Chakotay:


InTheFlesh-closeup.png


And the "Latent Image" version used by the Doctor:


LatentImage-closeup.png


Strip grating


The Latent Image imager has a green glowing strip that has a cover on it that is some kind of ridged tubular grating. It looks like painted styrene of some sort, either from a kit bash or stryene provider but I looked through the Plastruct catalog and wasn't able to find anything analagous.


LatentImage-light-cover-strip.png


Mysterious hinge/clasp thing


clasp-hinge.png

clasp-hinge-2.png

clasp-hinge-3.png

Latent Image button


This appears to be a rectangular metal shank button from a textile. However, I have spent hours and hours searching button websites and haven't found one. I'm thinking of maybe getting this part 3D printed.


LatentImage-button.png


Metal bent arm part from Latent Image version


This part looks super familiar but I can't quite place it. I was thinking maybe a hard drive read/write head, but those don't usually have the bend.


LatentImage-bent-arm.png


Star Trek III tricorder buttons


These buttons are the same type used in Trek III tricorders, though I forget what they're called.
UPDATE: these are called Greyhill buttons. Still haven't found a source for them though.


trek3-tricorder-buttons.png


Viewfinder


Obviously a found item from sort of optical instrument or camera, but there aren't any good shots of it, so it's hard to guess.


viewfinder-side.png

viewfinder-back.png

Known items

The lenses appear to be LED flashlight collimators, found easily on eBay. I don't see any with the beading pattern shown here in the appropriate size (around 50mm), however, so I'm suspecting that the pattern may have been added by the prop-makers with a ball-shaped end-mill in a milling machine. If so, this also suggests to me that they were using an acrylic/plastic lens rather than a glass one. It is an odd size 49.5mm and seems to fit perfectly, which is puzzling.

The aluminum part around the smaller lens was clearly made on the metalworking lathe. I'm working on drawing up plans for making this now.

The middle strip in the Latent Image version is just a custom PCB graphic. I can easily get one of these made.
 
Love this project ! Unfortunately, I'll just have to observe, as I am terrible at identifying greeblies et al :lol

Good luck, and looking forward to updates :)
 
I have some updates, thanks to HMS Mike and my subsequent research.

The strip grating is timing pulley bar stock that has been bored out and with lines milled in it.

The "latch/clasp" thing is actually the grease box from a model train, probably diesel, probably HO scale. More details when I find a perfect match.

I believe the larger lens can be replicated with a 50mm glass dome cabouchon with acrylic light diffuser panel mounted behind it. The smaller lens is probably a 28mm light collimator from an LED flashlight (or at least those will look similar).

The buttons are actually the tops of snaps from clothing of the era. I figured this would be impossible to find, so I'm going to try to get a replica 3D printed.

More details as I have them!
 
I was looking through material on the net and came across your interest in the holo imager. I too found the device interesting. Here is a thought, the unit looks like it started life as a Futaba remote control transceiver for aircraft, cars or boats. I have a couple that look very much like the unit with the joy sticks removed. If this is of any help, great. Good luck on your endeavors. Cheers!

Kind regards,
Dent
 
Hi Dent,

I have in fact made a huge amount of progress on the holo-imager. The body is an Airtronics Avenger remote control. HMS Mike posted some amazing up-close images of the original.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/41111968@N00/15894343978/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41111968@N00/15459474534/

I'll be posting a full write-up as soon as I have my first prototype complete (I plan to build both versions). This is by far one of the most complicated prop projects I have ever undertaken, but it is coming along very well. I have machined both the body and aluminum parts for it, have gotten 3D printed parts made, etc. It's a really cool item, and to me very emblematic of one of my favorite characters from VOY.
 
Norbauer,

I was looking at the the two silver squares on the top left of this image,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41111968@N00/15894343978/

Those appear to be fuse holders for cylendrical fuses. I was at a friend's on the weekend and he was replacing a fuse holder in a small boat distribution panel. You may have luck checking either RV or marine supply stores

74287_L1.jpg

(seen in person you can see the notches on either side of the red "FUSE" panel)

Found an Ebay link for the part in question,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FUSE-HOLDER...-BOAT-ELECTRICAL-PARTS-12V-EBAY-/181609963622
 
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Norbauer,

I was looking at the the two silver squares on the top left of this image,
https://www.flickr.com/photos/41111968@N00/15894343978/

Those appear to be fuse holders for cylendrical fuses. I was at a friend's on the weekend and he was replacing a fuse holder in a small boat distribution panel. You may have luck checking either RV or marine supply stores

View attachment 469996

(seen in person you can see the notches on either side of the red "FUSE" panel)

Found an Ebay link for the part in question,
http://www.ebay.com/itm/FUSE-HOLDER...-BOAT-ELECTRICAL-PARTS-12V-EBAY-/181609963622

Thanks. Those fuse holders do look really close, but it turns out that they're actually Grayhill switches, the same used in the STIII tricorders.
 
Some more answer to questions from my original post:

What I called a "strip grating" is actually a piece of timing pulley gear rod stock that has been hollowed out and a frosted acrylic rod inserted inside, illuminated with an ultra bright green LED

The viewfinder eyepiece is just pieces of sheet styrene.

I have more info (most of it via HMS Mike), which I'll share when I'm at my home computer and can post photos. :)
 
So I got my Airtronics Avenger today. Time to start researching how to make a Holo-imager! I've posted about this on the TrekPropZone but am hoping for any additional input from the RPF community.
View attachment 392817

It appears to be assembled primarily from found items. I am working on sourcing most of them (the lenses are light collimators from LED flashlights, for example). However, there are several items I haven't yet been able to identify. Any and all help would be most appreciated!


Does anybody know who made the originals?


There are two separate versons, so I am thinking of casting up the body first and then applying different greeblies to make each one.


There is the "In the Flesh" version used by Chakotay:


View attachment 392818


And the "Latent Image" version used by the Doctor:


View attachment 392819


Strip grating


The Latent Image imager has a green glowing strip that has a cover on it that is some kind of ridged tubular grating. It looks like painted styrene of some sort, either from a kit bash or stryene provider but I looked through the Plastruct catalog and wasn't able to find anything analagous.


View attachment 392820


Mysterious hinge/clasp thing


View attachment 392821

View attachment 392829

View attachment 392830

Latent Image button


This appears to be a rectangular metal shank button from a textile. However, I have spent hours and hours searching button websites and haven't found one. I'm thinking of maybe getting this part 3D printed.


View attachment 392822


Metal bent arm part from Latent Image version


This part looks super familiar but I can't quite place it. I was thinking maybe a hard drive read/write head, but those don't usually have the bend.


View attachment 392823


Star Trek III tricorder buttons


These buttons are the same type used in Trek III tricorders, though I forget what they're called.
UPDATE: these are called Greyhill buttons. Still haven't found a source for them though.


View attachment 392824


Viewfinder


Obviously a found item from sort of optical instrument or camera, but there aren't any good shots of it, so it's hard to guess.


View attachment 392825

View attachment 392826

Known items

The lenses appear to be LED flashlight collimators, found easily on eBay. I don't see any with the beading pattern shown here in the appropriate size (around 50mm), however, so I'm suspecting that the pattern may have been added by the prop-makers with a ball-shaped end-mill in a milling machine. If so, this also suggests to me that they were using an acrylic/plastic lens rather than a glass one. It is an odd size 49.5mm and seems to fit perfectly, which is puzzling.

The aluminum part around the smaller lens was clearly made on the metalworking lathe. I'm working on drawing up plans for making this now.

The middle strip in the Latent Image version is just a custom PCB graphic. I can easily get one of these made.
I love this. Thanks for the tip on the Airtronics Avenger. I think I'll grab one too, some lenses, and 3d print the rest.
Star-Trek-Voyager-Holocamera-3.jpg
Star-Trek-Voyager-Holocamera-2.jpg
Star-Trek-Voyager-Holocamera-1.jpg
 
Last edited:

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