Doctor Whoovie & the Dalek

So since last year, I have trimmed off the exapandable foam from the shoulder section. Filled the foam edges with car body filler, sanded the whole thing down and painted it.

I also had made a full set of neck blocks for the neck cage, like so:

And so the whole Dalek stack looks like this currently

 Hopefully, future updates will appear a little more than annually.

So finally work recomences on the Dalek.

I am making the skirt hemisperes (Dalek Bumps). They start life as hanging clear plastic decorative balls (from Michaels). First, you cut of the small hanging loop, then sand it flat. Next a coat of white spray undercoat. After that drys aerosol based hammered gold paint.

Here are various hemis at different stages of the paint process.

On the NSD (New Series Daleks) each hemisphere has a black surround. The Beeb used truck oil seals for this, but they are heavy and expensive. My alternative is somewhat cheaper and lighter.

A four pack of re-usable storage containers from the dollar store is (erm) $1. Take the lids, cut off the pull tab, drill a hole in the center and paint black.

 Glue a 3x1/4" carraige bolt to the inside of the hemi with two part epoxy, thread the bolt through the black lid 

and voila .... a finished Dalek Bump ready to bolt to the skirt.

Only 57 more to do!!!!!

It is time to mark out the Dalek skirt for locations where the hemispheres go.
Although my Wife has said this day would never come, the Dalek (or at least
part of it) has to come into the house.

To mark out the height of the hemi locations one uses a strange limbo dancing type contraction (mainly because al the panels are sloped at different angles, so just measuring up a certain distance on each one doesn't work so well). However, the use of this tool requires that the floor is level. Unfortunately, as seen with my neck cage, my garage floor is very uneven and slopes towards the driveway. So this job required the front hall floor.

So one starts with the lowest row of hemis and works ones way up.

until the whole thing is marked up. Then it's time to drill the holes (back in the garage). Then put on the first 20 hemispheres (that's all I have added bolts to so far, due to a 3" bolt shortage at Lowes Home Improvement).

Tidy up the mess from drilling and rebuild the stack and voila.

The sharper eyed may have noticed that the black discs round the hemis are missing. Well it is a long story but basically the black paint won't stick (or at least stay stuck) to the flexible plastic. I am currently experimenting with a special plastic  primer, so watch this space.
Finally, I got out all the bits I have been working on recently and put them against the stack for kicks. I guess it might actually look okay - someday!

Incidently, I have actually glued all the neck blocks to the neck and started primimg it since the last up date. Plus have prepared and painted all the hemis (minus bolts). Ordered a ring modulator too. 

Dalaks in the house? Call an exterminator! Oh, wait a minute. 

It is shaping up nicely. Thanks for keeping us posted here.

Dalek now has all the skirt hemispheres present and correct.

This really beefs up the appearance of the skirt.

Prepping the hemi seals with white plastic primer then coating them with black spray paint

Lets hope there is no peeling this time.