bishopdonmiguel
Active Member
How about we get back to the obscure, yes?
Question: What was the Colonial medical hand scanner called? Okay, that's a trick question because it didn't have a name, at least none used on screen. So after an informal poll on the Bionic Moon Labs Facebook page, heavily influenced by a BSG cast member, I dubbed this prop... the "MediTron."
While the prop is mostly seen in the background during medical center scenes, there are a few good views in various episodes. The basic characteristics of the item: rectangular base with a triangular hood, black, red lights, some sort of switch on an unseen control panel. Fortunately, this prop was also reused in episodes from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: "Unchained Woman" and "Flight Of The War Witch."
Reference photos...
The original item was likely vacuformed. As I previously noted in a past build, I prefer idealized prop replicas so I wanted to create something more hefty.
As seen from its use in Buck Rogers, the control panel features a thumbswitch, an item found in old aircraft radios and other vintage equipment. I knew the prop would need to be built around the dimensions of this item so I was hopeful I'd find a supply that would work. I also decided to utilize a 3D printer for the basic shape of the prop so I could design the model to precisely fit the thumbswitch instead of guessing as I went along.
First print seems to be of the approximate size, held up next to a similar pistol belt...
I don't think 3D prints look great in raw form so spent a lot of time sanding, filling, etc., to get everything in shape...
The texture of a vacuformed ABS prop has a "hair cell" texture so I wanted to approximate that look...
Needed to create some internal shapes for the light pattern...
For the circuit, a custom PCB was necessary so I designed an etched a prototype...
Works!...
Not going to make these PCBs by hand so sent Gerber files to a PCB manufacturer. The production boards looked great and while I was at it I ordered a PCB for another project I have on the workbench...
First pull with battery compartment and door assembled (bonus points if you know what I'm watching on the TV in the background)...
Ready to diagnose Colonial patients across the Rag-Tag Fleet...
To be continued...
Question: What was the Colonial medical hand scanner called? Okay, that's a trick question because it didn't have a name, at least none used on screen. So after an informal poll on the Bionic Moon Labs Facebook page, heavily influenced by a BSG cast member, I dubbed this prop... the "MediTron."
While the prop is mostly seen in the background during medical center scenes, there are a few good views in various episodes. The basic characteristics of the item: rectangular base with a triangular hood, black, red lights, some sort of switch on an unseen control panel. Fortunately, this prop was also reused in episodes from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: "Unchained Woman" and "Flight Of The War Witch."
Reference photos...
The original item was likely vacuformed. As I previously noted in a past build, I prefer idealized prop replicas so I wanted to create something more hefty.
As seen from its use in Buck Rogers, the control panel features a thumbswitch, an item found in old aircraft radios and other vintage equipment. I knew the prop would need to be built around the dimensions of this item so I was hopeful I'd find a supply that would work. I also decided to utilize a 3D printer for the basic shape of the prop so I could design the model to precisely fit the thumbswitch instead of guessing as I went along.
First print seems to be of the approximate size, held up next to a similar pistol belt...
I don't think 3D prints look great in raw form so spent a lot of time sanding, filling, etc., to get everything in shape...
The texture of a vacuformed ABS prop has a "hair cell" texture so I wanted to approximate that look...
Needed to create some internal shapes for the light pattern...
For the circuit, a custom PCB was necessary so I designed an etched a prototype...
Works!...
Not going to make these PCBs by hand so sent Gerber files to a PCB manufacturer. The production boards looked great and while I was at it I ordered a PCB for another project I have on the workbench...
First pull with battery compartment and door assembled (bonus points if you know what I'm watching on the TV in the background)...
Ready to diagnose Colonial patients across the Rag-Tag Fleet...
To be continued...
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