Brachaki Build

Page 2

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31st October 2010

The base of the Brachaki prop is more complex than an ordinary Met box or a Yardley Jones.  With those models you can get away with a simple flat cuboid.  However the Brachaki, like the New Series props, has an angled base.  Firstly I glue a flat piece of card all the way across the bottom, out as far as the edges of the corner posts.  The angled panels will meet this.  Next I need to raise the box about 5mm above the base. I do this with 3 thicknesses of 1.5mm card, all about 11cm square.   The last bit is the most difficult.  The base itself is another 5mm thick, so that's another 3 cards stuck together. These are about 13.5mm wide, so the box has to be glued on exactly central.  I do this by smothering it in epoxy and just sticking it down, then sliding it around until it's about central.  I use a metal rule to continually check the distance from the bottom of the face to the edge of the base, hoping I get it right before the glue sets. 

1st November 2010

Putting the base panels on is fairly easy.  Glue on the first panel, then cut the edges diagonally.  Align the second panel (unglued), mark and cut the matching diagonal, then glue.  Do the same all the way round.  Base completed.  A couple of overhangs but who's perfect?

Support for the base

Aligning the base

The base is on

First Base panel

Cut to diagonal

Completed

2nd November 2010

 

Sign boxes are ridiculously easy & take about 5 minutes to do.

 

4th November 2010 

 

This will probably be the last I post on here for a while. The build's not complete until the lamp's on, and I have no idea how I'm going to get a decent "fresnel-type" lamp from.  I don't think the usual Biro barrel will do this prop justice.

 

Sign boxes on

Front Door Slat...

...and final Roof on.

 

1st April 2011

 

No this isn't an April Fool.  I have actually resumed the model.  This is due to the fact that I have got a model fresnel lamp coming to me!  I work in a University with an Art department, and one of the Design Technicians has very kindly agreed to make a small solid lamp by turning a transparent acrylic rod on a lathe.  I've seen a prototype and it's excellent.  I should pick up the finished product next week.  So it's time for undercoat - Matt Sea Blue.

 

It is Blue.  Trust Me

Windows need some work

The texture is very wood-like

 

4th April 2011

The lamp arrives!  He's made it slightly taller than it probably should be, but to be honest I'm happy with it.  From here on, the build races apace. 

10th April 2011

The second coat of paint is now on (but you can't tell because it's black & white, ha ha), and it's time to put the lamp on.  My usual method of cocktail sticks for lamp-struts won't work here, as they are too thick.  So I try something new.  I have a pack of large plastic coated paper clips (I used them in the Matt Smith build).  I cut them down to the correct size and shave some plastic off, exposing about 2mm of wire.  These will be pushed (and glued) into small holes in the lamp base.  The tops of the resulting struts will be glued onto the underside of the lamp cap at the same time as the lamp assembly is glued down.  It's fiddly, but it works very well.  I've also tried to reduce the height of the lamp a bit by sinking it a few extra millimetres into the roof.  Wait for the glue to dry and then carefully pain the struts.

Beautifully shaped

In situ with the cap on

Lamp struts

Glued on

Awaiting Varnishing

15th April 2011

 

All varnished, last touching-up of paint, and signs stuck on. 

 

 

Model Finished.

 

 

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