BTTF Time Machine Build Questions - Ask Me Anything

[Mark D]

Do you know what size the round gauges are? I got one off eBay - a Phaostron that's 2.5 inches across the bezel, but obviously too small as the holes in the faceplate are 7cm that I got from Bruce, and that's the size in the sketch on here as well.

There's one more on eBay, but it's only 2 inches in diameter.


Greg

The diameter of the outer black ring of the gauge face is roughly 3.5" diameter, and the hole size in the panel should be 2.875". You should be looking for a gauges with a 631-XXXX part number. The ones from Apex are 631-19110

[Timebender]

The diameter of the outer black ring of the gauge face is roughly 3.5" diameter, and the hole size in the panel should be 2.875". You should be looking for a gauges with a 631-XXXX part number. The ones from Apex are 631-19110

Good to know. So far I've only been able to find either 2.5 inch or 2 inch on eBay. Are those phaostron that have the 631-xxxx number?


Edit: Actually found a couple on eBay cheap so they're on their way!

[Mark D]

Good to know. So far I've only been able to find either 2.5 inch or 2 inch on eBay. Are those phaostron that have the 631-xxxx number?


Edit: Actually found a couple on eBay cheap so they're on their way!

Cool, glad you found some. The originals are Phaostron 631 series as well, but the funky 0-1.0 scale version is pretty much impossible to find since it was a US government only part and not something available to the general public. A long time ago we tried to have Phaostron do a run of parts for us but they were not able to due to it being a US Gov only part.

[Timebender]

And I found one more today at a local electronics and industrial supply place for super cheap.

[Revol2]

And I found one more today at a local electronics and industrial supply place for super cheap.

You are lucky!
I'm like a donkey. Got 2 inches size from ebay

[cpistocco]

Hello again
Would anyone on this page be willing to do a BTTF parts exchange?
It seems like we are all individually re-inventing the wheel. It might make more sense for each of us to specialize in a few different parts, and then trade (or pay for) with other builders.
I think that it would be a wonderful idea if we could make it work.
( I can build tfc switches with my eyes closed now. ( I realize that it is probably the easiest think to build)
Just a thought....
-Charlie

[cpistocco]

Hello again
Would anyone on this page be willing to do a BTTF parts exchange?
It seems like we are all individually re-inventing the wheel. It might make more sense for each of us to specialize in a few different parts, and then trade (or pay for) with other builders.
I think that it would be a wonderful idea if we could make it work.
( I can build tfc switches with my eyes closed now. ( I realize that it is probably the easiest think to build)
Just a thought....
-Charlie

I should add that the only reason that I can build the switches with my eyes closed is because of the kind folks on this forum.

[mluder]

Good to know. So far I've only been able to find either 2.5 inch or 2 inch on eBay. Are those phaostron that have the 631-xxxx number?


Edit: Actually found a couple on eBay cheap so they're on their way!

Sorry, I sent you down the wrong road originally. I didn't notice the size was wrong.

Steve

["What The Flux?"]

The best information that we have is that the extra "oops" holes around the nuclear reactor ring were from a design change in the heat sink spacing sometime during the build. The reactor as we know it now has one heat sink centered on the rear of the reactor with the remaining heat sinks evenly spaced around it. Early on in the build this wasn't the case and the heat sinks were spaced differently.

Something like this:


The extra holes that still exist line up with the hole spacing on the heat sinks.

I can confirm with some reference photos, but as far as I know this is an A car trait only. The B car only had one set of holes that matched to the A car after the final spacing was decided.

There are a few other "oops" holes in the vents that are there for interesting reasons. There are two sets of triangularly spaced holes on the top of each vent that hold the plastic CO2 dispensing nozzle inside the vent. The nozzle could be mounted in one of two positions to blast CO2 either straight back, or up at an angle.

In the mall parking lot scene when the car returns back cold from the first time travel event with Einstein in the car, you first see the CO2 blast backwards horizontally towards the camera. Then it cuts to a wide shot immediately afterwards and you see the plume of CO2 shooting out at an upward angle.

Hi Mark,

I was recently watching the OUTATIME documentary and refering to what you had said about the positions of the oops holes. In my looking at these details I have noticed a few things that are of interest:

• The rear most (center) heatsink seems to have only two vertically aligned screws instead of three as seen on the Jameco heat sinks.
• The heat sinks seem to be very slightly different from each other and slightly offset from each other (not perfectly aligned around the 15" core base equator).
• What size are the screws that hold the heat sinks to the core base?

Many thanks

[Mark D]

Hi Mark,

I was recently watching the OUTATIME documentary and refering to what you had said about the positions of the oops holes. In my looking at these details I have noticed a few things that are of interest:

• The rear most (center) heatsink seems to have only two vertically aligned screws instead of three as seen on the Jameco heat sinks.
• The heat sinks seem to be very slightly different from each other and slightly offset from each other (not perfectly aligned around the 15" core base equator).
• What size are the screws that hold the heat sinks to the core base?

Many thanks

The center heat sink is somewhat odd, the 4 center holes are that sideways T shaped pattern vs the more common parallelogram shape that would typically fit a transistor. I'm not sure if that has anything to do with the mounting holes also being different.

The spacing is not perfectly even since the heat sinks were all spaced by hand and I'm sure there was some drill bit wandering in addition to measurements not being plotted out exactly perfect.

The heat sink mounting screws are button head cap screws, either size #10 or #12. I haven't gotten a chance yet to load up the CAD model to check those other holes you asked about, but I can check the screws too.