PROPOLOGY
Handheld Detector Unit (simulated) built for the TV series ARROW
Project Breakdown
by Richard Molnar, President, lead designer & builder at PROPOLOGY
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This great outcome of this project was the result of a terrific collaboration between the ARROW Prop Department and PROPOLOGY. Before being assigned this build, they had already done some research into what existed in the real world that would constitute this kind of device and its appearance.
The reference they had selected depicted something that looked very much like a flashlight with an integrated pistol grip. One of the Buyers purchased a couple examples as a possible basis for this prop. |
ENERGIZER TUF4CPE LED Spotlight
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Later, I was contacted by Prop Master, Ken Hawryliw, who asked that I come to his office to discuss building a "handheld scanner". Since having recently build a device of that description for the rental inventory, I thought I'd bring it along as a possible candidate, or at the very least, use it to prompt some discussion (click on the image for more details on this prop).
Ken thought the rental scanner looked great and really liked the fluctuating readouts. That's when he produced the LED flashlight and proposed the idea of marrying the two together and also somehow attach a small tablet computer.
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PROPOLOGY Scanner Unit
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Anticipating the need, one of the Buyers had obtained a robust, protective, hard-case, for the SAMSUNG provided, Galaxy Tab computer. It was presumed that this would be useful to the prop builder in devising a method of attachment to the other components. It actually turned out to be a great help.
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OtterBox Defender Series Galaxy Tab Case
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Completion of this project principally required that I devise a method of attaching the rental scanner and tablet computer to the flashlight housing.
The former was accomplished by interfacing the two units via a tripod quick-release mount I had on hand. Not only was this a mechanically sound method, but it also allowed the user the option to detach the rental scanner component from the rest of the gear, and use it separately. The latter task was achieved with the application of various, readily available, GoPro camera mount components. After determining the ideal configuration of the mount, I permanently fixed 2 of the 3 possible adjustments by flowing methylene chloride into the joints, thus welding them together. This not only greatly strengthened the mount, but also eliminated a distinct squeaking sound the joints made when under load.
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CULLMANN Quick Release Mount
GoPro "Grab Bag of Mounts"
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After these details had been worked out, I switched my attention to enhancing the functionality of the prop by installing a short cable to the flashlight housing fitted with a male BNC connector. This in turn would be connected to the existing female BNC on the rental scanner. This served as an electrical pathway to the four 9-volt batteries now installed in the flashlight housing battery chamber.
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This improved battery performance greatly from the single internal battery the rental scanner normally used. Additionally, this allowed the wiring of the flashlight's pushbutton into the power circuit. This provided the user the option of activating the scanner with pistol grip located switch, or from the main power switch located on the scanner itself.
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Cosmetic finishing consisted of removal of the flashlight's front and back rubber boots, removing the tablet hard-case rubber feet, painting components in US Army olive drab. The addition of a few graphical treatments completed the job. The over all effect of these efforts made the device look well integrated and seemingly authentic.
This project is a fabulous example of the collaborative nature of television production, and produced an interesting and often used prop for the series. This item is available to rent from PROPOLOGY
This project is a fabulous example of the collaborative nature of television production, and produced an interesting and often used prop for the series. This item is available to rent from PROPOLOGY
