OB10
Sr Member
So, a couple friends and I built a classic Enterprise console for a convention party room. For the last whole buncha years, we've converted 2 hotel rooms into 2 rooms from the original Enterprise at CONvergence. (Doing that is with a whooooole more bunch of friends.) The last 2 years, we were only able to get 1 of the 2 rooms, and last year there was a huge stupid marble topped table that we didn't like to see, so we decided the only choice was to turn it into a control panel.
Scott came up with the original design, Blair came up with the build design and built the whole thing. Scott did the electronics and the vinyl cutting for the displays. About all I did was cast up the buttons, and a little bit of help with the vinyl. And it turned out pretty darn well!
Scott posted it on our makerspace's blog (Twin Cities Maker) (Twin Cities Maker » Blog Archive » Building a classic Star Trek control panel), and MAKE Magazine picked it up (MAKE | Building a Classic Star Trek Control Panel), and so did CNET and a bunch of other places. Woohoo!
We also were amazed when we had a fantastic Uhura come through and stop for some photo ops. We try to improve the room a bit every year, but we hadn't planned on a great Uhura to stop by. But we were okay with it.
Blair (BAK55) spent more time than I want to think about to get that done, and Scott spent a ton of time and did a great job with the electronics and displays. It was kinda tough trying to sleep in that room. Even with the sound effects turned off, just looking up and seeing all those wonderful lights blinking.... forcing oneself to close one's eyes and stop grinning like an idiot and go to sleep.... was not easy. Which is probably why I look so freaking tired. :sleep
The room we lost had a food replicator in it (Star Trek Food Replictot Convergence 2009 - YouTube) along with other things, but being down to one room did save some set up and tear down time. Even though I miss the 2nd room, I think things turned out pretty well.
Scott came up with the original design, Blair came up with the build design and built the whole thing. Scott did the electronics and the vinyl cutting for the displays. About all I did was cast up the buttons, and a little bit of help with the vinyl. And it turned out pretty darn well!
Scott posted it on our makerspace's blog (Twin Cities Maker) (Twin Cities Maker » Blog Archive » Building a classic Star Trek control panel), and MAKE Magazine picked it up (MAKE | Building a Classic Star Trek Control Panel), and so did CNET and a bunch of other places. Woohoo!
We also were amazed when we had a fantastic Uhura come through and stop for some photo ops. We try to improve the room a bit every year, but we hadn't planned on a great Uhura to stop by. But we were okay with it.
Blair (BAK55) spent more time than I want to think about to get that done, and Scott spent a ton of time and did a great job with the electronics and displays. It was kinda tough trying to sleep in that room. Even with the sound effects turned off, just looking up and seeing all those wonderful lights blinking.... forcing oneself to close one's eyes and stop grinning like an idiot and go to sleep.... was not easy. Which is probably why I look so freaking tired. :sleep
The room we lost had a food replicator in it (Star Trek Food Replictot Convergence 2009 - YouTube) along with other things, but being down to one room did save some set up and tear down time. Even though I miss the 2nd room, I think things turned out pretty well.
