23 replies to this topic

[FHC]

I've been posting this over at The Trek Prop Zone but I got to thinking that members here might be interested in seeing this.

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At Midnight on July 4th Anderson, Indiana holds it's Midnight Parade. This has always been called the first parade on the 4th of July since it is of course held at midnight!! This year I am helping build a float where we intend to go with a TOS look to the float. This is not a huge parade and since we are on a tight budget ($150.00 to $200 and not a dime more for everything), we of course are building cheap and dirty, going for a "look" rather then accuracy. We plan to make up a Helm, a Captains Chair, two huge warp engines sticking out of the back of the trailer. I really don't have time to build this but I have a hard time telling good friends no. I've invested what time I could afford since Monday (which wasn't much, believe me) to get it started. I thought that everyone might get a kick out of this. That's my friend Gary in the photo.

I will not be on the float with my friend Gary since I am the announcer for the parade.

The helm

[FHC]

Worked on it some more today! I even took my old desk chair and converted it into a makeshift Captains Chair using some old wood, an old bucket, and some gray paint! Short on time, very short on cash, and I wanted the chair back, I think that it turned out ok! LOL It's a new grade rating, like midgrade, it's PG grade, as in Parade Grade. Which happens to be right below crapazoide! LOL For those of you that asked, I'm the one in the, I Know Jack shirt. We found some things to stick on the helm (old keypad , some jewels ect..) for the people that will be dressing up and sitting there, to push on or act like they have something to push!! Nothing like some free stuff

[FHC]

Here's some more from today.

[FHC]

Still working along. I have had to build a new deck above the floor in order to have a level floor since the trailer has been used to haul such heavy things in the past. It was just too warped and I wanted to cover the wheels and such to make it look like a float anyway.

Here we have the floor built and the side rails up



In this one, the top rail was removed to paint them orangey redish color, and the posts to the rails painted back. Also, and the start of the warp engines that are going to stick up out of the back of the trailer.

[FHC]

Some more photos

Need some room to work on the Warp Engines so taking some things over to Gary's





Ok time to get to work on those engines!!

[slayerone76]

That is so great Mark! A midnight July 4th parade sounds fun!

[FHC]

The newest and last piece for the float.

Got these done today for the very back end of the float!! THESE made me laugh!! Wishing now I was on the float!! OH and they light up!! Now that I got them done I might have some time to clean up my yard!!

[slayerone76]

Awesome! Make sure someone takes pictures of the final float and during the parade so we can see it in action!

[FHC]

Have no fear I want some worse then you do!! I have some 40 + hours in this already.

[UFP-1701]

Thanks to Mark, I have been chosen as one of the Judges of the Parade. I will try and make sure plenty of Photos are taken of all the Entires...

[TheHSBR]

That is flippin sweet! I was thinking about doing a Star Trek themed play for my high school and this has given me some pretty good ideas of how to build the bridge!! Good luck in the parade contest!!

[The_Donster]

Mark, you guys have done some awesome work. I can't wait to see the pictures of the final float I still remember that Captains Chair from the con up here a few years back I can't imagine building one of those from scratch, let alone a whole bridge set Good luck to your friends.

[FHC]

Thanks guys. I have no idea how many hours I have put into this but I will tell you this, I NEVER want to try this again!!

[TheHSBR]

Any final pictures of what the float looked like?

[FHC]

Alright here we go, putting it all together.

[FHC]

MORE PHOTOS!!

[FHC]

And lastly the TOS crew of the float and the Trek walking crew that handed out the candy behind the trailer.



Here is some video of the trailer in the last stages of assembly with the sound system working.

[FHC]

I was not part of the float other then the building. I wore my Anderson Midnight Parade Staff T Shirt and announced the parade. Once the truck was in line, Gary was all on his own.

[FHC]

Photos from new parade the next day in Chesterfield Indiana. Yes we got to put it in two parades.





My little girl Sarah

[FHC]

Ok three more photos and we are out of here. As we were taking the float down I had this funny idea.....