Desk

I've been building some smaller desktop items for my tracking centre photo-set and realised there was nothing for them to sit on... so decided to build a desk/table for them.
Normally I would draw something like this out with sizes, etc... but for whatever reason I didn't this time and winged it.  Everything is eyeballed, but luckily all true and square.

Since the photos were taken I have added a third leg at the front point and raised the feet some 4mm, as well as detailing and tidying up the edges.

I then tried out the equipment for size... and was surprised it was working!

The wires under the oscilloscope will lead into a disguised battery box.

The following show a figure to see how it works for scale... and again it works surprisingly well!
(The chair is a Chinese 'tulip' design bought cheaply from eBay... I may replace it with a more utilitarian design more suited to the setting... this looks a bit of place for a set up in an old lighthouse).

Now I just need to finish the equipment off and complete the table and that's a few more items off the to do list.

Knobs!

One of the things I've not been happy about with my computer builds so far is the lack of any scale knobs and switches.  Cockpit details are available from a US manufacturer (for RC model aircraft) but the postage rates from the US are silly to say the least.

Riding to my rescue was all around good guy Bob Aucutt from America - Bob specialises in 1/6 scale character figures from classic TV and films, using a highly skilled seamstress and utilising 3D printing and resin casting to achieve the costumes and props that he needs.  He very kindly offered me some resin castings of his 1/6 scale knobs and switches... and I have been having fun with them.

This first device is a communications set up in typical 1970s Doctor Who style - an ex-army wireless set with some random gadgets attached.  One of Bob's dial-knobs is attached to the front centre, while a strange trefoil piece is higher up - I may use as that attachment as a power cord plug.

 This oscilloscope unit has another dial-knob attached.  I will add smaller buttons of my own to dress it up a bit.

In the following photos I have added dial-knobs, other strange knobs and paddle switches.  Once painted up this computer should look nicely detailed.

Bob has also hinted that he may let me have toggle switches - to be honest these are a holy grail as no retro equipment can do without these switches.  They are iconic... sort of.

Kitbashing gadgets

With the larger computer equipment either nearing the end of construction or waiting for decent weather to be painted I decided to do some kitbashing.

As these are intended for a 1970s style Doctor Who photostory I thought what better than a typical Fourth Doctor device tinkered together to thwart the menace, or to at least confuse them a little.  To that end I dug out an old small scale Bandai Gundam kit that I knew had some interesting-looking parts in it... and came up with this.  Needs a box unit to sit on but looks okay at the moment.

This is made from landing feet, a small cog piece, landing legs and a gun turret from the mecha kit and an old Dragon Thompson SMG drum magazine.
When painted this will be mostly brass and dull steel.

Next up is a general piece of tracking room equipment.  It serves no purpose other than to look busy and visually interesting - much like most Doctor Who tech of the day.
This was made from an old broken Tommy Gunn field radio, a scratchbuilt speaker, a loop antenna from something or other and some detailing.  Still need knobs on the main body of the unit.

As it will be from a military source it will be dark green.

There also needs to be cabling and a power cord for this unit, as well as a microphone as I suddenly have the urge to have it as a communications unit... well it was a radio set originally.