11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver
Intro: 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver
Time for a Halloween ible!
This year I decided that I wanted to put together an 11th Doctor costume for Halloween. Of course, this meant that I needed to get myself a sonic screwdriver! Without the time or funds to make a decent working version from scratch I decided to buy one of the spring-loaded plastic toys from Chapters Indigo. I was pretty happy with it, until I quickly discovered some design flaws present in the toy right after installing the batteries. Here they are:
I have essentially done the same modifications that he made in his 6th version, except I traded out duck tape and hot glue for heat shrink and epoxy, just to give the final product more longevity. I also wrapped the handle in leather as he did in his early versions, repurposed the switch from inside the screwdriver, and weathered the screwdriver a bit.
This year I decided that I wanted to put together an 11th Doctor costume for Halloween. Of course, this meant that I needed to get myself a sonic screwdriver! Without the time or funds to make a decent working version from scratch I decided to buy one of the spring-loaded plastic toys from Chapters Indigo. I was pretty happy with it, until I quickly discovered some design flaws present in the toy right after installing the batteries. Here they are:
- The screwdriver toy has very obvious buttons, which are not present in the actual prop.
- The main activation button for the lights and sounds only works when the screwdriver is in the closed position. If it is open you are stuck using the silly red button on the bottom, which is also not present on the actual prop.
- The screwdriver has a spring action. The real prop is flicked open.
- The claws are hollow! The prop definitely doesn't have hollowed out claws.
I have essentially done the same modifications that he made in his 6th version, except I traded out duck tape and hot glue for heat shrink and epoxy, just to give the final product more longevity. I also wrapped the handle in leather as he did in his early versions, repurposed the switch from inside the screwdriver, and weathered the screwdriver a bit.
STEP 1: Stuff You Will Need
So during this project I used:
- an assortment of screwdrivers and small allen keys
- a small knife
- a soldering gun
- sandpaper
- pliers
- a heat gun
- needle and thread
- metallic spray paints
- metallic acrylic paints
- epoxy
- heat shrink
- electrical tape
- rare-earth magnets
- earbud cables
- steel rod (for weight)
STEP 2: Dissasembly
The first thing that you will need to do is take apart your screwdriver. It is pretty easy, but you have to be careful to avoid snapping any of the molded plastic parts.
Twist off the top of the screwdriver like you would to replace the batteries.
Use your knife to pry the ring on the top of the handle off of the body of the handle. Then do the same to the hinged piece at the base of the screwdriver that covers the silly red button.
MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE LITTLE PIECES! THEY ARE VERY EASY TO LOOSE.
Now time to take apart the top of the screwdriver. I didn't have the fancy triangular bit for the tamper resistant screws that they have, so I used a very tiny allen-key to loosen all of them. Then I took apart the claw assembly, making careful note of where all the parts went and how they interacted so that I could put everything back together.
Twist off the top of the screwdriver like you would to replace the batteries.
Use your knife to pry the ring on the top of the handle off of the body of the handle. Then do the same to the hinged piece at the base of the screwdriver that covers the silly red button.
MAKE SURE YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL THE LITTLE PIECES! THEY ARE VERY EASY TO LOOSE.
Now time to take apart the top of the screwdriver. I didn't have the fancy triangular bit for the tamper resistant screws that they have, so I used a very tiny allen-key to loosen all of them. Then I took apart the claw assembly, making careful note of where all the parts went and how they interacted so that I could put everything back together.
STEP 3: Masking, Filling and Painting
I wanted to brighten up the colors on the sonic a bit before I weathered it so that it would show up a bit more. I decided to use some metallic spraypaints. I have to say, I really enjoyed working with the plutonium spray pain. It was purchased at an art store for cheap and it dries very quickly and evenly.
Before I could paint, however, I needed to cover all of the pieces that I didn't want to get paint on. These were mainly the "ceramic" part of the handle and the emitter tip (clear green piece). I used standard masking tape and made sure to get around all of the little curves.
The final thing that I did before spraypainting was fill the silly hollows in the claws with epoxy. I originally simply smoothed it flat with my fingers but later decided to get rid of the fingerprints by sanding it down.
Before I could paint, however, I needed to cover all of the pieces that I didn't want to get paint on. These were mainly the "ceramic" part of the handle and the emitter tip (clear green piece). I used standard masking tape and made sure to get around all of the little curves.
The final thing that I did before spraypainting was fill the silly hollows in the claws with epoxy. I originally simply smoothed it flat with my fingers but later decided to get rid of the fingerprints by sanding it down.
STEP 4: Now for the Actual Modifications
Here is where we dive into the problem with the button. I really hated that the main switch didn't work when the screwdriver was open, so this step is what I did to fix it. I personally think that this is the most important part of my instructable and am very confused as to why something similar wasn't put in the original toy design.
First things first. In order for me to be able to flick the screwdriver open the moving piece needed to have a little heft. I put two pieces of steel rod inside the green internal piece by cutting it open with a hot knife and then closed it back up.
Procuring a switch: since the internal circuit has not one but two momentary switches I decided to rip out the bottom one. Essentially, all I am doing is extending the leads from the switch to the internal circuit and mounting the switch to the outside body of the screwdriver so that it functions at all times.
The next thing that I did was melt a new hole in the bottom of the curved "leather" part of the handle with heated pliers. I cleaned up the hole with the small knife and made it exactly the right size for the tiny button on the switch.
I then soldered some wire leads to the switch, about six inches long to make sure that there was enough room for me to still access the batteries after the screwdriver was sealed back up. I strengthened and protected the solder joints with epoxy, which also keeps them from shorting each other out and causing the sonic screwdriver to be permanently on. the The original wire I used turned out to be too stiff so I resorted to ripping apart an old set of earbuds. The wire from earbuds works really well because it is very thin and very bendy. It also has a nice slippery jacket so that it doesn't get caught on anything on the inside of the screwdriver.
Then I mounted the switch to the body of the screwdriver with epoxy. Be careful here, because I accidentally temporarily glued my switch stuck as well. Luckily, the epoxy was still soft enough for me to carve out with my knife but it was a close one! Also, you need to make sure that you leave enough clearance for all the moving parts. I later chiseled away some of the epoxy that was on top of the switch to make more room.
After the switch was mounted to the body I soldered the long lead wires to the internal circuitry. Then did a quick test to make sure everything worked and sealed it all up with heatshrink.
The final thing I did with this part of the screwdriver was fill in the holes from the old buttons. Simply put masking tape on the outside of the screwdriver and fill it in from the inside, making sure not to get in any of the important channels or grooves in the plastic.
First things first. In order for me to be able to flick the screwdriver open the moving piece needed to have a little heft. I put two pieces of steel rod inside the green internal piece by cutting it open with a hot knife and then closed it back up.
Procuring a switch: since the internal circuit has not one but two momentary switches I decided to rip out the bottom one. Essentially, all I am doing is extending the leads from the switch to the internal circuit and mounting the switch to the outside body of the screwdriver so that it functions at all times.
The next thing that I did was melt a new hole in the bottom of the curved "leather" part of the handle with heated pliers. I cleaned up the hole with the small knife and made it exactly the right size for the tiny button on the switch.
I then soldered some wire leads to the switch, about six inches long to make sure that there was enough room for me to still access the batteries after the screwdriver was sealed back up. I strengthened and protected the solder joints with epoxy, which also keeps them from shorting each other out and causing the sonic screwdriver to be permanently on. the The original wire I used turned out to be too stiff so I resorted to ripping apart an old set of earbuds. The wire from earbuds works really well because it is very thin and very bendy. It also has a nice slippery jacket so that it doesn't get caught on anything on the inside of the screwdriver.
Then I mounted the switch to the body of the screwdriver with epoxy. Be careful here, because I accidentally temporarily glued my switch stuck as well. Luckily, the epoxy was still soft enough for me to carve out with my knife but it was a close one! Also, you need to make sure that you leave enough clearance for all the moving parts. I later chiseled away some of the epoxy that was on top of the switch to make more room.
After the switch was mounted to the body I soldered the long lead wires to the internal circuitry. Then did a quick test to make sure everything worked and sealed it all up with heatshrink.
The final thing I did with this part of the screwdriver was fill in the holes from the old buttons. Simply put masking tape on the outside of the screwdriver and fill it in from the inside, making sure not to get in any of the important channels or grooves in the plastic.
STEP 5: Weathering
I wanted to weather my sonic screwdriver to make it a little more unique. I lightly sanded some parts of the screwdriver that would experience more wear and then painted them. I used brown, white, yellow, gold, and silver acrylic paints and painted them on in excess. The I waited a minute or two for the paint to dry in the tiny little scratches that the sanding left and wiped the excess off.
I also used my soldering gun to melt off or texturize small areas of the screwdriver. Looking back, this was a bit overkill but it does make it look like it has been dropped a few times!
I also used my soldering gun to melt off or texturize small areas of the screwdriver. Looking back, this was a bit overkill but it does make it look like it has been dropped a few times!
STEP 6: Magnetic Latch
This is the setup that keeps the screwdriver closed now that the original catch system is gone. Now that the magnets I had ordered had finally arrived, I was ready to get started.
The screwdriver needs magnets mounted on the base of the green piece and a corresponding spot on the inside of the body to keep it closed. What is in the pictures is incorrect. I actually had to rip all of this out later because it was in the way of the sliding piece and didn't hold anything closed in the slightest. What I actually used was 2 rare-earth magnets on the green piece and 8 rare-earth magnets lined up on the inside of the body. I was using 1/4" magnets, I would recommend going with a larger size.
The screwdriver needs magnets mounted on the base of the green piece and a corresponding spot on the inside of the body to keep it closed. What is in the pictures is incorrect. I actually had to rip all of this out later because it was in the way of the sliding piece and didn't hold anything closed in the slightest. What I actually used was 2 rare-earth magnets on the green piece and 8 rare-earth magnets lined up on the inside of the body. I was using 1/4" magnets, I would recommend going with a larger size.
STEP 7: Leather Handle
The part that I felt really tied this project together was the leather handle. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures at this stage. I used 1/8" thick leather, which I would not recommend because it made the handle too fat. The leather should probably be less than half that thickness to keep the handle anywhere near the actual dimensions.
I sanded down the plastic seam so that the leather would not bulk it up even more. I cut the leather edges at rounded angles so that the leather fit the curve of the handle. I used doubled up any-purpose thread and pushed the needle through the leather with pliers.
The leather handle is really nice because it covers up the mess underneath. It also makes it look like their are no buttons anywhere on the handle. I made sure to position the stitching over the button so that I could find the button.
I sanded down the plastic seam so that the leather would not bulk it up even more. I cut the leather edges at rounded angles so that the leather fit the curve of the handle. I used doubled up any-purpose thread and pushed the needle through the leather with pliers.
The leather handle is really nice because it covers up the mess underneath. It also makes it look like their are no buttons anywhere on the handle. I made sure to position the stitching over the button so that I could find the button.
STEP 8: Finished!
Hopefully you have finished your sonic screwdriver without any issues! I know that I nearly ruined mine several times during the modifications and had to do emergency repairs that luckily worked. I am very happy with the final result and like the way it works much more than the original toy.
I included some slow motion videos in this step. They are a rather low resolution but they showcase the screwdriver in action.
I hope you enjoyed my instructable, please vote for me in the Halloween Props Contest!
I included some slow motion videos in this step. They are a rather low resolution but they showcase the screwdriver in action.
I hope you enjoyed my instructable, please vote for me in the Halloween Props Contest!
41 Comments
Witheredboi 3 years ago
NathanaelScheffler 3 years ago
Witheredboi 3 years ago
NathanaelScheffler 3 years ago
Witheredboi 3 years ago
buildingmaniac 6 years ago
can you do this with David Tennant's screwdriver?
NathanaelScheffler 6 years ago
I haven't handled the 10 Doctor's screwdriver, so I don't know how the toy works. I suppose that you could do something similar. It doesn't look like it has so many moving parts, so it might be a little easier. If you get around to it I would love to see a photo!
buildingmaniac 6 years ago
ok, so I did some research and the original prop only has a slider with a button on it, but on the toy there are two buttons where the blue strip is and the slider is a block. do you think its possible to take out the buttons and hook it all up to the slider? I included a picture of my screwdriver
NathanaelScheffler 6 years ago
You might be able to reposition the switches for the buttons to be on either end of the slider, but unfortunately I don't know. I think your best bet is to open it up and see how it all works, and if there is enough space on the interior to relocate those switches.
beaenkes 9 years ago
The red button IS on the prop, damnit! Nick Robatto (the prop maker) showed it in an interview and referenced it. The button is there and, therefore, removing it makes it LESS true to the prop.
Blackcrame 9 years ago
Red button is not on the new prop, though.
Bwilson Props 9 years ago
i've given it a go at my own, i used a sharpie and industrial grade wipes. 11's is mine and ten's is for another cosplay.
NathanaelScheffler 9 years ago
Nice!
Blackcrame 10 years ago
Hi. Let me first say that you did an amazing job.
I am just curious about few things. Magnets keep sonic closed, but what keeps it flicked open? Could you please advise me how to get to the wires in the green part to solder them to the external button? You probably do not have pictures of actual magnets position, right? Could you maybe describe it more closely if it's not a problem?
NathanaelScheffler 9 years ago
Hi Blackcrame,
The magnets keep the sonic closed, friction keeps it open. Even though the magnets are high strength neodymium they are not strong enough to close the screwdriver from such a distance. If you take a look at Step 4 (Now For the Actual Modifications) you can see where I accessed the wires from the original circuit and added extensions.
As for the magnets, I describe how I changed the setup in Step 6. Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures of the final setup. The magnets are in very similar positions to the pictures in step six, just the magnets inside the body have an adjusted position so that when the screwdriver is closed the magnets inside the body and mounted on the claw are nearly touching.
Hope that helps!
Blackcrame 9 years ago
Hi,
thank you very much for answer. It all seems clearer now. I successfully ripped the button, pulled the wires and made a hole into the handle. Now I will have to buy magnets. I think I got your idea, I am thinking about using one big magnet on the base of that green tube and one in the handle. Opposite to the first one, touching it while closed. You think that won't be strong enough (with magnet force over 2kg each)?
I have still problems with understanding how it stays open. Friction of what? Because now when I ripped the guts, sonic always slides backwards after opening, staying not closed but down with its claws opened. And I donť see what in the actual modifications is going to change that.
I am really sorry to bother you, I just want to have working replica like you do. :-)
NathanaelScheffler 9 years ago
Okay,
It took me a little while to remember why, but there is a reason that my screwdriver has friction and yours does not. In Step 4, you can see where I cut apart the green inside piece and added weight so that I would be able to better flick the screwdriver open. When I glued it back together, I wasn't able to center it perfectly and so it is on a slight angle. What this means is that when the screwdriver is all the way open the green inside is pressed against one of the insides of the claw mechanism. You may not need to place your mechanism off-center, because just having the inside components installed adds a lot of friction to the action. However, adding the extra weight to the green section is important because without the added mass it will be next to impossible to open the screwdriver with just one hand.
As for the magnets, I think that 2kg will definitely be enough pull strength to keep it closed, especially if you can get them to nearly be touching when the claws are in. I personally used Lee Valley's "Rare-Earth Circular Magnets" in the 1/4" size which has a magnetic strength of 2.5lb per magnet. The only reason that I would worry about the 2kg strength of your magnets is that they may either be too strong, causing problems opening the sonic, or they will be too bulky and get in the way of the wires.
Glad that you are getting good use out of the instructable!
Blackcrame 9 years ago
Thank you very much, sir. Appreciate the help.
NathanaelScheffler 9 years ago
Any time.
NathanaelScheffler 9 years ago
Here is the link to the page I got the magnets from: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32065&cat=1,42363,42348