Electronic guys - can you id these components on Tardis key?

[Straker]

OK, so I'm a bit further on with this. I just finished the electronics assembly and sanding the key. Here's some looks at it:

There's a look at the electronics. I assembled them off the key like I planned. To get the alignment right I used a drip of glue on the amplifier chip to secure it to the sim card wafer. I lined them up while on the key and let the glue dry, then took them off the key after. Once that was done I soldered the resistor to the chip and then the other end of the resistor to the sim wafer, then did the wires. I'll tell you, i was amazed at how easy it was to solder to the sim wafer. Hardest part was adjusting the soldering iron temperature to not melt that tin gauge wire's insulation.

There's the underside of it. You can see a little bit of the glue there on the corner of the amplifier chip where I secured it while I was soldering this. You can also see the very thin fiberglass layer and microchip under the sim card as well as the J hooks on the wire and resistor.

BTW, the sim card wafer is thiiiiiin. Like literally paper thin.

And here is the electronics placed on the key. Not glued or anything, just placed. I think it's coming along nicely. It's not dead on perfect but it's pretty darn close I think. I still need to make the other key with the blue resistor though.

 

[ComedicHistory]

I originally thought the gold part was glue also but the top seems too straight and the rounded edges look too precise to be glue, even if it was cleaned up to look that way.

 

[Straker]

I originally thought the gold part was glue also but the top seems too straight and the rounded edges look too precise to be glue, even if it was cleaned up to look that way.

Well that and you can make out the sim card contact pad separation lines too. Also a sim card would make sense in that that is what you're soldering the wires to.

 

[Terrasolo]

Looking good there Straker! Did you use an ERA key and if so, what did you use to sand it and make it silver again? This key is on my to do list as well. Was hoping to go out today for parts. We'll see what happens.

 

[phez]

Some spots look like they have that white haze you get from super glue vapors especially near the resistor just past where the clear stuff ends near the channel. There's a white haze like from super glue. That is what makes me think they sealed the parts after they were stuck on. Problem is of course, that with the resolution of the picture being so blown up a lot of details are kinda obscured so I'm just guessing at this point and building it with what I'm familiar with.

You could be right, I do see the white haze. I am thinking if we can't tell the glue from that close up shot either type should look correct. Your build is looking really good.

 

[Straker]

Looking good there Straker! Did you use an ERA key and if so, what did you use to sand it and make it silver again? This key is on my to do list as well. Was hoping to go out today for parts. We'll see what happens.

Thanks! I did use an ERA key. I bought a bunch of blanks as well as a Tardis door lock so I just have a blank cut to match whenever I need to. I sanded it on that metal thing the key is sitting on wrapped in 600 grit paper and then followed up with 600 grit on my finger to soften the edges of the face for that slightly domed look. I'm only guessing that that might have been possible because at the scale these parts really are the doming effect of what we think may be epoxy or some other clear coat might be too extreme. finger sanding it gives that domed look without it. I think there is still something on the key though and will be experimenting soon. As for making it silver again...it's not. The key itself under the chrome is a brass/steel alloy and while lighter in color than the sim card pads it is still yellowish in color. I've read a few people thinking the yellowish tinge could be the epoxy yellowing but given the nature of the material the key is made out of I believe it's the metal under the chrome.

You could be right, I do see the white haze. I am thinking if we can't tell the glue from that close up shot either type should look correct. Your build is looking really good.

Yeah unfortunately the reference material is from a picture of three keys with a zoom in of one of them that is blown up. I can make out some details but others are blurred too much. Like i had to guess on several points where the wires terminated and still can't tell if they are all soldered or not XD At this point it's just me trying to get close enough and doing what I would do if i were going to make the original prop which is why I decided to actually solder everything regardless as to whether or not I could tell it was soldered in reality.


BTW, the key I'm working on, it turns out is Martha's key. I found a screen still from the part where she holds up her key to show someone and it's this key.

You can see the red bit of wire and the tan resistor. I don't know what the third key looks like as we only ever see the back of it but hey, at least we can be pretty sure who this key belonged to XD


BTW, I also narrowed down the cord they used. I thought at first it was something as simple as twine but it's not. It's either a hemp cord or more likely jute.

 

[Straker]

Almost there. I glued the parts onto the first key and started the second one with the blue resistor. I ummm, kinda sorta screwed the resistor up and put the red stripe on the wrong way around. XD OOPS. I'll umm, get that fixed later, I'm just checking the positioning.

I'm also leaving the writing on this one as it's still on the one in the original picture. They have only two lines of text on theirs but this was the best I could do. Also the resistor is missing a blue or black line on it. Best I could fine on that as well. XP Still I think I'm pretty close.

 

[Terrasolo]

Interesting news about the sanding, I'll have to try it on one of mine and see how it goes.

 

[Straker]

Interesting news about the sanding, I'll have to try it on one of mine and see how it goes.

Yup. I did the whole thing with 600 grit and it worked just fine. Still working on the second key and located someplace with the right cord I want. As soon as I finish the blue resistor key I'll post pics of both. ^_^

 

[Straker]

Pretty much done now. Jute is the type of cord I used. It's the closest thing I could find:

Haven't clear coated the parts at all but I think I'm just going to leave it like this. I like how the metal of the key has darkened and makes the key look older. I screwed up my sim wafer of my blue resistor key so I'll have to start that again.

 

[Bluebox303]

Attiny85 & resistor black and red wire

 

[Tannim]

I know it's an old (lol), but I FINALLY got around to making the keys for myself, my Martha loving friend, and my Mum.

 

[nothrb]

parts are a 555 timer chip, sim card (or plating that has been engraved to look like one), red and black wire and a 10kohm +/-5% carbon film resistor
for marthas atleast, jacks is just a different resistor chip

edit:- [nevermind I only thought there was one page to this thread, my bad]