From Screen to me: Making a prop

In this, my first instructible, I detail how I (with assistance) created a variation on a prop from the BBC show Torchwood. The prop in question is the "Vortex Manipulator" found on the wrist of Captain Jack Harkness. Below is a screenshot from the show of the item we are trying to replicate with some small changes. My intent with this instructible is to show how I went through the data collection, model manipulation, replica testing, mold making and pewter (yes, molten metal!) melting, pouring, and finish work.

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Step 1: Getting the details

The first step involves gathering as many details about the item as possible. Through screenshots of the actual show as well as a Google image search we were able to find quite a few good images that give details on the actual device under the leather strapping. I saw that there are plenty of people out there making this replica and the majority of them appear to be plastic or resin copies. In order to be a little different I decided that a pewter metal cast would be the ideal way to stand out from these other copies. This step is rather uninteresting but crucial to the process.

yoyology says: Dec 5, 2012. 9:24 AM

I love seeing "warts and all" instructables where the poster tells us about their mistakes. That means I learn a lot more! Thank you very much.

boboprime (author) in reply to yoyologyDec 7, 2012. 3:07 PM

Thanks for the feedback. On G+ a new maker "community" asked "What do you make?". My response was "Mistakes, mostly...". We all learn by doing, perfection is rarely (if ever) attainable, so let's show all of the steps, even the mis-steps.

boboprime (author) says: Jun 13, 2012. 12:05 PM

It was pointed out to me recently that acetone would be a useful tool to dissolve the foam in the mold. I'm not sure how the mold would react to it but that's something I can test (I still have this mold though it has lost some of its detail).