TV21 Emperor Dalek - Terry meets Gerry!!

[Exterminator]

A BIT OF BACKGROUND HISTORY

This is a project that I started in 2002. I used to be a member of a couple of replica Dalek building groups. Now, as you can imagine, every single version of Dalek from the TV series and the two 1960s films has been replicated at some time or other, so I wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before.

My research led me to the “TV Century 21 Comic” (later known as just “TV21”), which was first published in January 1965 (just after the second Dalek story “The Dalek Invasion Of Earth” had finished airing). The strip that obviously caught my eye was “The Daleks”, written by their creator, Terry Nation. For a more detailed view of the first issue, have a look here, and for more of the strips have a look here.

Having read through the entire set of strips, I decided I was going to build the most unusual Dalek of all – the Golden Emperor.

Obviously, all the Dalek props from the TV series and the films were physical objects which could be measured and were the same every time you saw them, but the “TV21 Daleks” were drawn, and each artist drew them differently – for example here’s an early strip drawn by Richard Jennings:



…and here is later artwork by Ron Turner:



Apart from the different artistic styles, another big problem was that quite often details would change from strip to strip, sometimes even in different frames of the same story!! In the end, ALL the strips were gone though carefully and five major “versions” of the Golden Emperor were identified, and then a final version was decided upon using elements from a number of these for the version that was to be built.

That was the easy bit, now it was time to start turning a sketch into reality!! Most of the Emperor’s structure was made from wood, MDF and hardboard, but the largest (and most expensive!) part was the large head dome. I asked a number of fibreglass manufacturers about this, and I was quoted between £1000 and £2500 to make it from scratch (i.e. make a dome the right size, make a set of moulds from it and produce a set of castings). Eek!! But as luck would have it, the last place I tried (a company called Fibreglass Applications in Westbury, Witshire) happened to have a set of hemisphere moulds from another job, and I ended up paying about £170 each for a pair of 1-metre (40 inches) diameter hemispheres!! Phew!!

I won’t bore you with descriptions of every single nail and piece of wood I’ve used, but I’ve got some old progress shots - here’s one taken probably mid to late 2003:



And this one taken in 2008:




RE-STARTING THE EMPEROR

I had not touched the Emperor since late 2008, and having made up my mind to clear my workshop of as many “stalled” projects as possible before starting something new, I have decided that the Emperor will be the first (and biggest).

This is the Emperor as of the beginning of July 2010:



I’ve been doing a lot of internal work mostly, but one thing that is visible is the detail strips around the outside of the fender.

The original detailing had been made from “D” profile wood strip that I had soaked in a metal wheelbarrow full of very hot water and then bent around the fender until dry. It looked OK when it was originally done, but over time it had started to pull away and look untidy, so I removed it all and made a number of castings from a length I’d saved.

It’s only taken me two years to trim the new fibreglass castings, but I’ve got there in the end!! I've even attached the first set!!




I’ve just made and cast the detailing for the front two inset panels:



There’s going to be a single “rib” on the two back inset panels, so I’ll need to make that mould next.

I'd be interested to think what Anderson fans think of this, as I have approached it with my "Dalek" head on!!

[Slate Mcleod]

I remember you starting this a LONG time ago on the DBG and Project Dalek boards (Phil if I remember the name correctly!) . I always wondered if you had picked up the build again. Glad to see it coming along so well ! I will be following this thread with interest !

[Exterminator]

Yes, you're absolutely right!

It's about time the Emperor was finished, I need the workshop space, and as it's hung around long enough - I don't like to see things not completed, so it's got to be done!

Cheers,

Phil

[Exterminator]

A little something came in the post from RS today! Six red beacon lenses by Moflash – they look quite “1960s”. Interestingly, Moflash beacon lenses have been used on the TV Dalek props from 2005 onwards (a cylindrical shape), but that design has been discontinued, and the ones I’ve bought are their replacement design!



Here’s a comparison shot of the Moflash lens compared to one of the lenses used on the Daleks from the two 1960s movies. They were actually cheap glasses (made in Italy, I understand) bought from Woolworths, available in a range of colours, along with other things like jugs, etc. The ones I’ve got are resin copies. Very occasionally original glasses come up for sale, but they are like the proverbial hens’ teeth, and all the ones I’ve seen have gone for lots of money – not bad for glassware originally costing a few pence!!



Cheers! Unfortunately, my glass is neither half-empty nor half-full – there’s nothing in it at all – honest, officer!! Hic!!



Meanwhile, back on Earth, I made two castings (and one spare) of the single rib detail for the two rear inset sections of the dome.



I suppose I’d better start trimming and fitting all these fibreglass bits now … !!

[Slate Mcleod]

Keep up the good work ! This is going to be awesome when completed !

[TonyB]

To be honest its looking impressive now, I cannot wait to see the finished job.

[pjskeldon]

Hi Phil,

That looks STONKING! I'm green with envy.

I recently bought a half done Sevans Movie dalek on eBay that the previous owner had started to convert into the Emperor. Once I can afford the EMA hemispheres for the top (£43 + VAT!) and the skirts (another £23 + VAT), I'll get on with it.

As you say, the Emperor does 'mutate' between frames and between stories. I'm basing mine on the 'Nemesis of the Daleks' from the DWM of 1989. It's in B&W so I'm free to find suitable gold/bronze paints to do it justice. Wasn't sure about red lights on top so have gone for orange LEDs. If they look stupid I'll change them for white or red. To work out any problem areas before I cut plastic, I'm modelling it in CGI first.

On a different topic...
You say that every Dalek variant has been done - do you know anyone who has done a scale model of the Plexiglas one? I've got a shopping list for the parts (for an 18" high version) from EMA and other stockists, but before I buy I'm wondering about the practicalities. Filler and paint can cover a multitude of sins and, of course, neither will be available to me if I proceed with an all-clear version.

Phil.

[Exterminator]

Thanks, everyone!!

Originally Posted by pjskeldon

I recently bought a half done Sevans Movie dalek on eBay that the previous owner had started to convert into the Emperor. Once I can afford the EMA hemispheres for the top (£43 + VAT!) and the skirts (another £23 + VAT), I'll get on with it.

I might be able to help you there - I've got a VHH-825 dome, which has an internal diameter of 203.6mm (about 8 inches). I've used it as a mould (I'm thinking of creating some sort of 60s-style "cowl" for the eye stalk) - would a couple of thin fibreglass castings do you? It should be about the right size for a 1:5 scale Dalek (the dome on mine is 1 metre diameter - 40 inches). If you want them, I'll do you a couple next week, let me know your postal address. The only "payment" required is that you put up some progress photos. Ooh, I drive a hard bargain!!

That'll make a nice model, it's a sort of "cross-over" between the TV21 and the TV and film Daleks - at least you've got some decent pictures to work with!

Originally Posted by pjskeldon

On a different topic...
You say that every Dalek variant has been done - do you know anyone who has done a scale model of the Plexiglas one? I've got a shopping list for the parts (for an 18" high version) from EMA and other stockists, but before I buy I'm wondering about the practicalities. Filler and paint can cover a multitude of sins and, of course, neither will be available to me if I proceed with an all-clear version.

Actually, now you mention it I don't think I've ever seen it done before - you could be the first!

For the benefit of others who may not have seen this before, the original "Glass Dalek" prop has a number of peculiarities about it - it's got four neck rings, it's open-backed, and there's another Dalek (of sorts) inside it - you can see the cream skirt and brass hemispheres through the skirt section in the attached photo.

In short - eek!!

[pjskeldon]

Originally Posted by Exterminator

...I might be able to help you there - I've got a VHH-825 dome, which has an internal diameter of 203.6mm (about 8 inches)... If you want them, I'll do you a couple next week, let me know your postal address. The only "payment" required is that you put up some progress photos. Ooh, I drive a hard bargain!!

Many thanks for your offer, but I think the VHH-825 would be too big. The original kit owner had tried sticking two food bowls together. Sadly they were made of polypropylene and try as he might he couldn't find an adhesive to do the job - bless. He even included the bowls in the auction.

These look spot on as far as size goes (matches the width of the movie kit base) and correspond to a VHH-675 (OD 171mm). I'll order up a pair next week.

As for the shortened skirt - he'd done an amazing job of making this out of one piece of plasticard it appears. Of course it was missing 'balls' so he'd carefully removed and sanded down the originals from the vacuum formed skirt. Masochist!

Anyway, I'll order the stuff from EMA next week, record my progress and put it up on the Forum.

Oh and thanks for pointing out the 'glass' Dalek's fourth neck ring - I'd never noticed it before*. Another one for the CG program first before I cut anything.

Phil.

*brain was probably busy trying to erase Alexei Sayle from the episode.

[Exterminator]

Detail parts trimmed …



…and marked up for cutting!



Meanwhile, more lines on my bit of MDF – I’ve suddenly got the urge to throw darts at it!! These extra angles will be used to mark the position of the dome lights.



I stuck masking tape around the edge of the top dome and positioned it centrally on the “dartboard”, using the outermost circle as a guide.



I could then mark all the angles on the tape (it’s pretty much impossible to write on the fibreglass).



I was then able to use the marks I’d made to mark the centre line at the front.



Now to mark the position of the six lights. I used my super-flexy ruler to mark the vertical lines …



… and I drilled a hole at the desired height in a piece of wood I’d wetted and curved into shape, and used this to mark the horizontal lines.



There you are! I drill where the two lines meet! It looks like the crosses are going slightly “uphill”, but it’s just a trick of perspective.



Back to the dartboard!! There were lots of lines everywhere, so to avoid confusion I marked the areas to be cut out – one moment of not paying attention means “start again”!



The inner parts were cut with the jigsaw blade vertical, and the outer cut was with the blade set at an angle …



… so it will more or less follow the curve of the fibreglass piece (this is a quick test fit).



I was so pleased, I attached the second bit of detailing around the bumper!!



Next up, the detailing for the inset sections. All the surfaces were given a sanding, and the two larger pieces for the front were cut to size and a thick gelcoat was applied to the back, as a sort of “glue”.



They were screwed into place, and hopefully they will stay there once the gelcoat has cured.



Ditto with the single pieces at the back!



Progress so far:



What’s left? Getting the top dome in place and rotating, fitting the lights and look at fitting the eyestalk and other bits …

[Exterminator]

I bought six of these today – they’re brass light bulb holders (“SBC” – for the smaller “bayonet” fitting bulbs), with the additional screw-in plates which allow them to be attached to surfaces. Why the “SBC” fitting?



This is so I can fit 12V car bulbs in them. It just so happens that car bulbs fit in these holders! This is a design “nod” to the bronze Ecclestone/Tennant Daleks, as this is how their dome lighting was done.



For the moment they will be non-working, but it’s nice to see that there’s “something” inside the lights (as you can see, with the aid of a bit of torch light), as opposed to empty lenses. I’d like to get them lighting up, that’s for the future though!



Let’s get rotating!! Three small castors were screwed to the underside of the top dome disc.



Holes were drilled through the centres of the two discs and an over-long piece of 8mm threaded rod was bolted in place.



This was then lowered in place …



… a few adjustments were made, and the centre rod trimmed to size.



Did it work? Have a watch of this!!



Finally, I put some little self-tapping screws around the edge of the top dome to temporarily hold everything in place.

[mike s]

genius!

can't wait to see it finished

[Exterminator]

Thanks!! It's getting quite close to completion now!!

[MangaMax]

Always lovely to see some Ron Turner artwork
MUCH respect for this project - much jealousy too

[Knight1966]

All this and Puppet moderator too where do yo find the time? Excellent build up/tutorial, looking forward to seeing the end result.

[Exterminator]

Thanks, glad you both like it!!

Originally Posted by Knight1966

... where do yo find the time?

That's nothing -just you wait until the next "biggie" project ... !!, speaking of which ...

Originally Posted by MangaMax

Always lovely to see some Ron Turner artwork

... there's going to be plenty of Turner-esque stuff about on ETF very soon, courtesy of my friend Iain (major Turner fan) and myself. We started something in 2006, with a bit of luck it's going to be a "biggie", and we're going to finish it ... here. More soon. Meanwhile, here's a "teaser" image for you ...

[Slate Mcleod]

Those furniture castors you have used are going to give you too much "rumble" Phil...you are going to need rubber model aircraft tyres to keep the noise down and give a smoother rotation.

[Exterminator]

Normally I would, but this is just for display - bacause of its unique size and shape, there's no way anyone could get inside and operate it.

Perhaps one day I'll find a bag 'o' gold and make it fully R/C!!

[Slate Mcleod]

Originally Posted by Exterminator

Normally I would, but this is just for display - bacause of its unique size and shape, there's no way anyone could get inside and operate it.

Perhaps one day I'll find a bag 'o' gold and make it fully R/C!!

Shame, but hey an RC version would be great !

[Exterminator]

Any "operator" would have to be two feet tall, and they'd have to sit on some sort of rope swing!

Any takers?