As an avid fan of Warehouse 13, I always wanted my very own Farnsworth and/or Tesla, but the handful of prop replicas and prop kits released were just too damn expensive. Then I began seeing pictures online of “homemade” Farnsworths and decided to dig around to see what that was all about. I had no experience whatsoever in that sort of thing nor had I ever really been a model kit kind of guy, but before long I had found out enough about the “homemade” Farnsworth prop replicas to realize that I could build one myself.
With the help of various websites and blogs, I began to compile a list of parts, measurements, ideas for mounting the parts, paint techniques…anything I could possibly need to know in order to build a Farnsworth. It took me nearly a year to acquire all the parts or to find substitutes for the parts I couldn’t get, but eventually I began work on my very own Farnsworth. I made a ton of mistakes; I cursed a lot; I stripped and painted the case over and over again trying to get it right; I got so frustrated a couple times that I threw everything in a box and didn’t touch or look at it for several weeks; And more than once, I found myself wondering why the hell I would even attempt such a thing. But then I finally got the paint right and it looked so much like an actual Farnsworth that I would just hold it in my hand and smile. I couldn’t stop smiling. So I set my sights on finishing it and I can’t even begin to describe how excited I was when I finally did. It was a Farnsworth. MY Farnsworth! MY Farnsworth that I built with my own hands! I’ve done some really cool things in my life, but building a Farnsworth from scratch is definitely in the top ten. It feels amazing. It kinda feels like how I imagine Claudia feels when she presents a “Claudia Donovan Original” to the Warehouse gang. It’s a feeling I hope every Warehouse 13 fan gets to experience in some way. And for that reason…I decided to share my parts list, links to where those parts can be acquired, as well as advice or answers to anyone who might have questions about my build or doing one of thier own.
Case — Wheatley Fly Box, Model number 9601 (Any color as you will be painting it anyway).
http://www.flyfishusa.com/flyboxes/wheatley-boxes.htm
Screen — 3 inch Watch Glass.
http://www.sciencecompany.com/Watch-Glass-3-inch-P16705C2667.aspx
http://www.weisd.com/test/WEISD_TBL_view.php?editid1=NTECML2811
Center Crystal — 15MM Round Clear Acrylic Cabochon
http://www.allstarco.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=958
Left Knob — Black Fluted Knob
http://www.pedalpartsplus.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PPP&Product_Code=10001&Category_Code=KNB
Center Knob — This knob comes in black with a “skirt” so you’ll have to grind/cut/sand off the “skirt” and paint it black.
http://www.alliedelec.com/search/searchresults.aspx?dsNav=Ntk:MfrPartNumber%7c1910CS%7c3%7c,Ny:False,Ro:0&Term=1910CS&SearchType=2&fromsearch=true
Push Button — Momentary Push Button Switch (Will have to be altered a bit to fit inside the box beneath the faceplate)
http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Switchcraft/201/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMvxtGF7dlGNpo/OLgMRFgEEOw5/RbACPBY=
Side Input Jacks — 1.1mm/3.5mm Power Jack
http://www.unicornelex.com/DC_Power_Jack_1_1mm_3_5mm_Chassis_Mount_Connector_p/23-4700.htm
The paint for the Farnsworth case is an “Espresso” spray paint that can be purchased at Home Depot. The faceplates can be done by any engraver that does trophy type engraving. The measurements for the faceplate are the same as the measurement of the inside lip of the box and the hole for the lens is 3 inches in diameter. Good luck!!
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