Bridge Desk: Lights/Buttons?

[Bluehorn]

I'm currently working on an ST Original-inspired desk area (with modern day functionality/needs). I'm not going to go all out with a load of buttons/lights because it still needs to be functional for general desk use. But I'm thinking to have at least some. However, I'm struggling with what to do (on the cheap, as this is a budget build at £100 so far and aiming to keep to less than £200 including paint) to simulate the lightbulbs/buttons found on the Command desks (so not the central desk) I'm reluctant to use anything glass.
Thoughts?
I'm doing this on the fly, and hoping to complete within 3 weeks because it's a surprise for my husband, before he gets home from work.

 

[Spock's Barber]

I'm currently working on an ST Original-inspired desk area (with modern day functionality/needs). I'm not going to go all out with a load of buttons/lights because it still needs to be functional for general desk use. But I'm thinking to have at least some. However, I'm struggling with what to do (on the cheap, as this is a budget build at £100 so far and aiming to keep to less than £200 including paint) to simulate the lightbulbs/buttons found on the Command desks (so not the central desk) I'm reluctant to use anything glass.
Thoughts?
I'm doing this on the fly, and hoping to complete within 3 weeks because it's a surprise for my husband, before he gets home from work.

Cool! Make one for me, too!

As far as I remember, the various colored console ‘buttons’ were made from resins.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

Here's some fake sea glass.

Or I suppose you could use candy, like so.

 

[Bluehorn]

UPDATE: I've just had a brainwave.... I could remove keys from an old keyboard and paint them.... That would possibly work to give a feel to some of them. Hmmm...will continue to have a think.

 

[publiusr]

One thing I would have liked is an alternate—non-QWERTY keyboard that moves out from under the desk/control panel…and retracts back under it when not in use.

 

[Laura Cynthia Chambers]

I could remove keys from an old keyboard and paint them

With glow in the dark paint?

 

[Bluehorn]

With glow in the dark paint?

Yes I'm thinking that might work. Still debating though. Plus I live on an island so will depend on what I can get locally in a short time

 

[Bluehorn]

Here's some fake sea glass.

Or I suppose you could use candy, like so.

Also forgot to say... I like the idea of sea glass. I live by the sea and we get a LOT of sea glass - rarely reds and purples, but a lot of clear and green. I might make a tester board and see how well they cut and how safe they are.
I also like the idea of using sweets but cover them in clear glue. Again, I think I'll make a trial board with various options.

 

[Metryq]

You may have heard the adage: Good, fast, cheap—pick two.

The wood desk seen in the top photo looks great already. I guess the key question is how closely do you want to emulate the TOS desks, while still maintaining functionality as a real desk? That is, is the slope of the surface ergonomically conducive to using a common computer keyboard? Would decorative panels of lights and buttons get in the way of a mouse, or other items one might place on a desk? (Paper note pad, etc.) The time constraint and local resources (on an island, but how big an island?) are probably the biggest hurdles.

For pure look-alike, many craft shops carry beads and other odd plastic shapes that might work for buttons or keys—but do you have such shops? If you want to push for lighting, you could go with individual lights (more expensive and time consuming), or back-lit like a "Lite-Brite" toy. Or you might use touchscreens driven by a RaspberryPi computer (still more expensive and perhaps time consuming).

The advantage of the RPi and touchscreen idea is that you could make the "buttons" functional. Another option in that regard is something like one of elgato's Stream Deck controls. Those are easily programmable and thus functional, and any colors or icons can be applied to the LED buttons.

Except for the plastic craft shop pieces, these suggestions are all on the exotic and expensive side. But you might present the wooden body of the desk, and leave the options above for future development? I'd be pretty stoked with that.

 

[Poltargyst]

How did they actually make the buttons and lights for the show?

 

[Metryq]

How did they actually make the buttons and lights for the show?

Mostly panel lights and switches from the period. A few of them in the photos look like simple shapes, maybe wood or some other sculpted material. While there are still such switches and lamps today, current designs are much more streamlined, LEDs have replaced incandescent lamps, etc. A prototype might have such switches, or only a few, while a commercial device would have computer-based controls, or membrane switches. Heck, even prototypes will have software switches today.

TNG did a good job with the touchscreen look, and controls that "hyperlink" to another page, like a Web browser. The first such depiction I recall in movies was Dilliger's executive desk in TRON (1982).

The big lights and buttons of TOS looked good on the low-res television screens, but in person—especially today—they would look hopelessly retro.

 

[Commishsleer]

It looks fantastic already. I like the ideas of finding some beads - maybe kids beads. As a bit of a resin-maker. It is expensive but if you can find some cheap resin you can colour it with paint or even food colouring. You can use a silicon ice mould for buttons. Also if you wanted them to light up you could put a cheap Christmas string of lights in the resin before it sets and put the string underneath a black panel. I got a chocolate mould for gems that could also be used for the buttons. I could lend it to you but I'm probably in a different country. You can also buy small lights for doll house lamps but then again they might be say $10 or more . But maybe they could be used for selected buttons.
Example Mould

I saw some large rhinestones in the Scrapbook store today that could be used as tops for buttons


I'm excited. I want to do it too.

 

[Shawnster]

We bought a montessori light busy box for our grand daughters (ages 2.5 and 4) https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Mt++bT9sL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Wish I'd have had 1 as I can see pretending it's all kinds of Trek equipment.

Do you need to do a desk? Can you modify the chair to look like a TOS version of Picard's command chair? Would that be more economical?

Or can you use the standard desk with a free standing prop resting on the desk similar to the TOS portable computer equipment?

TOS computer prop - Google Search

 

[Commishsleer]

We bought a montessori light busy box for our grand daughters (ages 2.5 and 4) https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71Mt++bT9sL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg

Wish I'd have had 1 as I can see pretending it's all kinds of Trek equipment.

Do you need to do a desk? Can you modify the chair to look like a TOS version of Picard's command chair? Would that be more economical?

Or can you use the standard desk with a free standing prop resting on the desk similar to the TOS portable computer equipment?

TOS computer prop - Google Search

Just paint that black and somehow add some lights and it would be great

 

[Henoch]

Any thoughts on making a 3D CG or actual photo of the console surface looking down on it, and somehow emboss the image onto a plastic/laminate panel and attach it to your desk top? It will allow you to use the full surface without banging into real, raised buttons, etc. YMMV

 

[PoorSailorsAirline]

Not sure what the rules on hyperlinks are here, but if you Google you can find the c. 1970s Franz Joseph Starfleet Technical Manual online with NCC-1701 console drawings. It won't help with sourcing resin, backlighting, electrical, ergonomics or any of the actual important things, but it might be some inspiration for how to put it all together? And if you're planning to label anything, you can use those blueprints to make a pretty accurate facsimile of whichever bridge station you're recreating! Hope this helps! (Also - lucky husband! Cool idea )

 

[drt]

I believe a lot of the original buttons were made by casting colored resins in ice-cube trays. Could maybe do something similar, and just as cost effective, if you can find some trays with approximate shapes.