1/6 scale Tardis FINISHED--image heavy!

[Jiminydog]

After many long hours of work, she is done ...



I added some "real" cables to give the backdrop a little more of a 3d feel...



The windows are plexi, on their back side I attached a transparency printout of an actual screen grab of Tardis windows, (backed by opaque mylar), to give them some texture.




The two doors and the phone door are hinged with a rod-and-socket thing I jimmied up out of bits and pieces.



Phone is balsa with some little bits made out of Sculpey. It's a little rough, but "it's not a real phone!"



The lantern glows white all the time (as it does when the Tardis is "parked") but I also cannibalized a toy I had and rigged up a switch so that you can trigger a glowing blue light accompanied by the Tardis materialization "roar". If the peak on the roof seems just a tad too pronounced, it's because there's a lot of stuff crammed in under there.



Backdrop is just a large printout of course, the trick there was to bend it around and trim it down so interior lighting could still shine out side windows.

 

[bcm77]

It looks excellent,did you use the sound chip from the 5" scale Flight Control Tardis to get the FX?

 

[Lord Vicious]

Dude, that looks awesome! I can't imagine how much hours you must have put into this!

 

[Jiminydog]

actually I cannibalized the Tardis ice chest, or cookie jar -- whichever one has the lights and sound. Electronics were much simpler, easier to extract. Though I did use the photo backdrop from the 5 incher, scanned and extensively cleaned up in Photoshop. Couldn't find a decent image of the interior from the right angle online. If anybody needs a good clean Tardis interior sometime, let me know.

 

[Mooncat]

Man thats the doggies dangly bits should be in the custom section this thread though,

as I might have missed it

 

[Joranthalus]

that is beautiful! Really nice work!

 

[Darklord Dave]

Wow, extremely impressive. I'm embarking on a similar project and would love to know more about the process. Would also like to hit you up for the backdrop...

 

[Anzik]

Outstanding work!!

 

[Migwit]

Truly awesome work! Thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[galactiboy]

That is awesome! Truly a great piece and one to be very proud of

 

[Jiminydog]

DD, probably best if you PM me with specific questions. I do have some blueprints I drew up to size which might help you (though I take no responsibility if they lead you astray -- they're not heavily annotated, I just printed them up at full size and used them as a guide). The first thing I'd suggest is to find a local hobbyshop or art store which sells lots of different trims of balsa, preferrably one with architects as clients (I don't know who else would stock the thin, curved balsa I used to create the bevel around the door panels, for instance), and familiarize yourself with what's available. And obviously you have to do a lot of research online -- google "Tardis Rebuilders" and check their message board out, follow links from there. (They're mostly full-size builders, but still a very helpful site.) And I found the five inch scale Flight Control tardis extremely useful for visual reference, it's a pretty well done little model and helped me visualize what I needed to do.

 

[thamesvalidude]

I am very hard to impress, but I am very impressed. Fantastic work!

 

[bcm77]

actually I cannibalized the Tardis ice chest, or cookie jar -- whichever one has the lights and sound. Electronics were much simpler, easier to extract. Though I did use the photo backdrop from the 5 incher, scanned and extensively cleaned up in Photoshop. Couldn't find a decent image of the interior from the right angle online. If anybody needs a good clean Tardis interior sometime, let me know.

It'll be the cooler as I've got one and that's got lights & sound. If you don't mind be asking how much did the whole thing cost to build?

 

[screamingmetal]

That looks awesome with all the lights and false interior backdrop. I'm not sure if the one on the show is made of wood and has that wood grain texture showing through the paint as much though. You may want to sand the grain down with progressively finer grit sandpaper ending in 800 and paint with a couple of layers of base paint to get it looking more plastic like.

I'd hope if Character Options ever makes one in 1:6, it looks as good and detailed as yours.

 

[Jiminydog]

It's a wooden police box with lots of wood grain. that was part of the reason I chose to work in balsa, specifically so that wood grain would show through.

 

[screamingmetal]

It's a wooden police box with lots of wood grain. that was part of the reason I chose to work in balsa, specifically so that wood grain would show through.

I always thought the Tardis was more plastic looking. I Haven't really paid that much attention to the finish of it tell the truth.

 

[Ironman1188]

If possible, I'd like to hit you up for a copy onf the interior as well.

 

[sladesuperagent]

Very cool indeed! And I don't know a thing 'bout the new Dr. Who, but that is very nicely put togther!

 

[Darklord Dave]

The current Tardis is very obviously made of wood. It's almost weathered looking and a bit faded as well.

 

[pixletwin]

How does it feel, being made of balsa? Is it quite fragile?