Star Wars Prop - Base Hacker System

Central Power Core Tower 9

From a Single box to Three Part Unit Around a Central Core

The project started with us being handed a simple single pine box.

In the sketch development I thought it would be better to have a pair of these boxes that were hinged to close, thus the character could pull it open much like a laptop.

This then evolved to a 3 parts system. A box unfolding to a box tower with two wings of controls either side with some sort of aerial communications tower on top or behind.

This was then to evolve so the wings when the system was folded clasped around the tower coming together with a latching system like magnets.

This encourages interaction and action.

This way, the characters hands could manipulate, control the wings, with the tower containing all the future technology, mechanics, power core inside, to indicated something happening that was empowered. This would be much like a liquid cooled desktop computer wit RGB Aura Lighting.

The Central Power Core

The sketch development led to the concept of the wings housing the control and dials, communication and control transmitters on top and an open power core showing the working on the centralised box section. This follows the George Lucas philosophy of showing the insides working and appearing to have power.

Reinforcing the Tower Structure Adding Hinges and Handles

Build Construction

With the tower simulated generators inside, the tower was reinforced and painted inside.

L-shape brackets were added to the outside. Metal tubes were added on the inside as internal cross bars.

These were initially glued but when they kept getting pulled out I screwed them into place.

Outer brackets that had been placed in slots had filler covered to hide them. The kit bash parts also hid the brackets.

All this alteration and rebuilding meant the inside had to be covered in covered in filler and sanded repeatedly to smooth it out using the Finn Multimaster multi tool to allow for a metallic painted finish.

Part of the roughness is what led this to being a Tatooine rebels’ system, rather than a nice neat new imperial technology. My power file and multi tool were well used here but even they had limits.

Hinges were added to connect the wings, though with hindsight and multiple breakages these should have been slow suppressed hinges. That way when the system opens and closes gently the towers would not be broken off by the impact.

George Lucas Star Wars Open Panels and Tech World

Star Wars was George Lucas’s world and George Lucas in his teens and young adult was a boy racer into hot rod customised racing car, he loved his mechanics and tech. He grew up watching the likes of Flash Gorden serials but he wanted his world to appear real and that means showing how the technology and vehicles works with :

Open bonnets, panels, to see the wiring circuitry and pipe works, the technology and how fuels and power circulates, the power reactors to fuel the weapons and motors.

The dust, dirt, grease, oil, dents, rust, scratches, wear and tear, mould.

For the rebels the different replaced panels, next best option parts, customisation, re - rigging, by passing aged building etc.
Scrap heaps, spare parts.

This would be in compassion with the clean but grey functional minimalist empire.

Cyberdog Inspiration

Whilst not the Star Wars universe, the Cyberdog shop in London's Camden Market was a key inspiration as follows this style shoing the internal tech.

Upgrades from Aug 2024

Repairing Detached Parts

The other issue is there have been very letter surface area on parts to glue, mostly just thin internal structure ribs maybe a mm or less on the inside of panels and far between them.

This means little hold.

I thought that ideally, I need a fastening method such as screws and rivets but also need the screws not to show up on the outside and not to damage internal components and lighting ribbon etc.

One solution was the stuff the parts with foam making them more soldi and also have a more flexible Bond that can stretch a little and absorb shock

One method was the stiff the parts with glued in parts of Plastazote or camping mat foam.

Another was to squirting in insulating foam which then goes hard. Then machine off the access

This seems to be the better option.