Instructables.com - Full size StarGate from StarGate SG1

Food
Living
Outside
Play
Technology
Workshop
Full size StarGate from StarGate SG1
by podpadstudios on December 22, 2013
Table of Contents
Full size StarGate from StarGate SG1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1
Intro: Full size StarGate from StarGate SG1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
Step 1: In the beginning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2
Step 2: Sandwich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3
Step 3: Chevrons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4
Step 4: Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Step 5: Nuts and Bolts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
Step 6: Practise Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6
Step 7: Making the gate stand up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
Related Instructables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
Advertisements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Author:podpadstudios Podpadstudios
Podpadstudios based in Wiltshire UK. I build TV and film robots using them to raise money for charity.
Intro: Full size StarGate from StarGate SG1
A number of the people I work with in our Charity Sci-Fi group dress as characters from the TV series Stargate. Being a massive StarGate fan it seemed logical to build a
StarGate however at the time I was unaware of how big this project was going to be.
Unfortunately I could not make a static Gate otherwise it would have had a moving ring and DHD to go with it. It had to be portable and be able to be transported to
different venues in a normal car or van, hanse it was mdd in easily transportable sections. This brought about its own problems. The build was going to be fairly simple
being made out of wood and painted up in masonry paint of give a massive solid look.
Step 1: In the beginning
The Gate was going to be 3metres in diameter . I cut eighteen curved sections of 6mm MDF which would make up the nine sections of the final ring 3 meter ring. The
sections were 40cm wide. The reason I used MDF rather than Ply which would be been far better was it was all free. The main ring shape was drawn out on my drive with
chalk, I simply then cut the circle into nine sections, each section would have one fitted chevron. I then made up one template of the hie sections out of card which could
then be used to cut the wood. Then the cutting began.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Step 2: Sandwich
Each of the nine sections would be a sandwich unit, two 6mm MDF sections with a three 40cm by 12cm blocks of wood separating them.This effect would give the gate a
depth and more substantial structure but also keeping everything very light. The effect created is a bit like a builders pallet. You can see from the photos it will be easy to
transport and looks good when layer out in a ring. Everything is glued and screwed in place to keep the stricture strong but also light.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Step 3: Chevrons
Once the basic sections were built for the main ring I could start thinking about the surface details and the Chevrons. They will not move at this time although I might
change this at a later date. For the base of each Chevron two 6mm triangles of MDF were cut. I will build the Chevron structure up on this later. I also added a top and
bottom ring to the 6mm top section giving it a bit of relief. More detail will be added to this later. You can see the gate layed out with the Chevrons roughly put in place
plus my son has also added a bit of scale so you can see the size of this thing. I usually make up templates in card before I cut the wood, this was also done for the
Chevrons
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Step 4: Symbols
The Symbols were cut from 3mm Hardboard and there was lots of them. They were glued in the correct places with a hot glue gun. They will have some more detail
added to them and of course be all painted up at a later time.
You can also see in the picture the box construction of the main nine sections.
Step 5: Nuts and Bolts
It is easy to see how each section was bolted together. I used 150mm M12 Coach bolts. each section has two bolts and the other end of the section two holes and so on
all round the sections. When everything is lined up it all bolts together and being a ring is inherently strong. The edges of the ring inner and outer will be covered with
3mm hardboard which will add more strength and house the LED system which will make the whole StarGate glow.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Step 6: Practise Construction
I had to find out if the whole thing would go together. It was fun drilling all the holes and fitting the bolts but you never quite know if everything will line up or not, luckily it
did. These photos give an idea of the scale of the final ring.
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Step 7: Making the gate stand up.
This is the bit that I am having a problem with and still need to sort out. First of all I though I might use some old metal sections from a trampoline and weld together a sort
of frame to slot the gate into but when we put the gate up and realised how large and heavy it was realised that this idea won't work, back to the drawing board, Any
suggestions would be welcome.
The deadline for this build is April 2014 as it will be used at a large Sci-Fi event. Hopefully over the Christmas break I will get a lot more work done of the construction.
In the end all the Chevrons will glow with fitted LED's. The main ring will also have several hundred LED's fitted and I might even add, Atlantis style Scrolling LED's to the
Symbols.
What this space for updates. I will add more steps as construction progresses.
Related Instructables
Starship coil
winding by
nerd7473
How to
approach your
Technology
coursework by
rickharris
Technologically
Advanced
Christmas Tree
Decorations!!!
(Photos) by
Maundy
Quantifying
How To Perform Access to your
Mind by
Basic Math
Function
ElectricSlim
Without
Creating a
Formula in
Microsoft Excel
(video) by
TechnologyAdvice
Advertisements
http://www.instructables.com/id/Full-size-StarGate-from-StarGate-SG1/
Touch Sensors
a.k.a Touch
Hand Shake. by
be-Abee