How to make Terra Nova's dog tags
Well if you are interested in making obscure props from a likewise obscure TV series, you're my kind of people. For assembling a Terra Nova soldier costume, I decided on making a set of dog tags that are seen in a few episodes of the short-lived series. The costuming from Terra Nova is vaguely futuristic, but for the people being from the 22nd century they look surprisingly similar to clothing in the 21st. Terra Nova soldiers are somewhat more distinct, as they wear armor that is suspiciously similar to motocross armor. So while finding the pieces of a Terra Nova costume is not too difficult, what you really need are some of the series' unique props to set it apart. The dog tags are very small pieces of a Terra Nova soldier costume, but they can certainly help.
Reference Images
Materials
-Shur-Line Flat Painter tool
-Copper spray paint
-Clear coat sealer
-Black flexible plastic binder
-Jump ring
-Black paracord
Tools
-Dremel tool
-Heavy-duty hole punch (1/8 inch diameter)
-Hobby knife
-Lighter/matches
-Scissors
1. Gather the materials
For the base material of the dog tags, I decided on using plastic with a thickness of about 1/8th inch. I trawled through the hardware store looking for a cheap plastic that would be thick enough to approximate the dog tags, but also flexible and soft enough to shape with the tools I already had. To that end I found the flat painter tool, which was about $4 and had enough material to make several tags.
The rest of the materials I already had on hand, and can easily be tracked down in hardware, craft, and dollar stores.
2. Make the pattern
Going from reference pictures, I drew up a design for the dog tags. The overall size appears to be about 3 inches when worn on the Terra Nova soldiers, and from the close-up shots of the props I worked out the basic proportions. Maybe it's not exact to the originals, but I like to think this is pretty close.
3. Cut the tag shape
I cut out the pattern and traced two outlines onto the handle of the flat painter tool.
Then using the small cutting wheel attachment for my Dremel tool, I cut the edges of the tag. The plastic was easy enough to carve, and I was able to use a hobby knife to even out any rough patches and to bevel the edges.
4. Punch out the details
On the dog tags there's a hole at the top so it can be strung on a jump ring, and then holes and bars a bit like old-school security door key cards. Originally I'd thought I'd have to use the Dremel to drill the spaces, but the heavy-duty "crop-o-dile" hole punch was strong and sharp enough to punch through the plastic. I used the 1/8th inch punch for the holes, and then for the bars I punched several holes along the line close together and then smoothed out leftover nubs with the hobby knife.
And here's what it looks like after the punches. It's not an exact match to the prop picture, since the 1/8inch punch takes up more room.
5. Paint the tag
Next, spray paint the tags with metallic copper spray paint, using several coats and drying in between coats. I used a clear coat sealer to protect the paint job.
6. Creating the "holographic projector"
On the dog tags of Terra Nova there is a small screen that projects a holographic readout of a soldier's identification and medical history. To simulate the color and reflectiveness, I used a small rectangle of a flexible plastic binder, cutting it to match the proportions of the dog tag (dimensions 9/16in by 1/2in).
7. Making the necklace
The cord used in the official props look like some kind of plastic, and you don't quite see if there is a clasp or tie to make the necklace adjustable. So I went ahead and just made up my own interpretation. Paracord is a logical choice, as it has origins in military usage, is durable through inclement weather and heavy use, and is immensely helpful for a wide variety of survival situations. It's also very common in hardware and craft stores these days, so finding an affordable black paracord is simple. If there's any doubt as to how long a cord you need, cut a longer length rather than less. I cut about 35 inches of cord and tied double fisherman's knots to create an adjustable necklace. You can also do this with slipknots, probably with longer-lasting results (see a basic tutorial here). Since it is paracord, any cut ends need to be heated and sealed to prevent the inner cords from unraveling. To do this, singe the cut end over a flame, allowing the nylon to melt somewhat.
I had an extra jump ring lying around (about 1/2in diameter), so I clipped the tags onto the ring.
And then clipped the ring onto the necklace.
And there you have it, a simple method of recreating the dog tags seen in Terra Nova. With a little imagination, plastics from cheap tools and scraps can be a simple way to recreate small props. This method is certainly less precise than a 3D printer or a cast resin piece, but you don't need many tools or resources to make it. Anyway, good luck and keep crafting!
Reference Images
Materials
-Shur-Line Flat Painter tool
-Copper spray paint
-Clear coat sealer
-Black flexible plastic binder
-Jump ring
-Black paracord
Tools
-Dremel tool
-Heavy-duty hole punch (1/8 inch diameter)
-Hobby knife
-Lighter/matches
-Scissors
1. Gather the materials
For the base material of the dog tags, I decided on using plastic with a thickness of about 1/8th inch. I trawled through the hardware store looking for a cheap plastic that would be thick enough to approximate the dog tags, but also flexible and soft enough to shape with the tools I already had. To that end I found the flat painter tool, which was about $4 and had enough material to make several tags.
The rest of the materials I already had on hand, and can easily be tracked down in hardware, craft, and dollar stores.
2. Make the pattern
Going from reference pictures, I drew up a design for the dog tags. The overall size appears to be about 3 inches when worn on the Terra Nova soldiers, and from the close-up shots of the props I worked out the basic proportions. Maybe it's not exact to the originals, but I like to think this is pretty close.
3. Cut the tag shape
I cut out the pattern and traced two outlines onto the handle of the flat painter tool.
Then using the small cutting wheel attachment for my Dremel tool, I cut the edges of the tag. The plastic was easy enough to carve, and I was able to use a hobby knife to even out any rough patches and to bevel the edges.
4. Punch out the details
On the dog tags there's a hole at the top so it can be strung on a jump ring, and then holes and bars a bit like old-school security door key cards. Originally I'd thought I'd have to use the Dremel to drill the spaces, but the heavy-duty "crop-o-dile" hole punch was strong and sharp enough to punch through the plastic. I used the 1/8th inch punch for the holes, and then for the bars I punched several holes along the line close together and then smoothed out leftover nubs with the hobby knife.
And here's what it looks like after the punches. It's not an exact match to the prop picture, since the 1/8inch punch takes up more room.
5. Paint the tag
Next, spray paint the tags with metallic copper spray paint, using several coats and drying in between coats. I used a clear coat sealer to protect the paint job.
6. Creating the "holographic projector"
On the dog tags of Terra Nova there is a small screen that projects a holographic readout of a soldier's identification and medical history. To simulate the color and reflectiveness, I used a small rectangle of a flexible plastic binder, cutting it to match the proportions of the dog tag (dimensions 9/16in by 1/2in).
7. Making the necklace
The cord used in the official props look like some kind of plastic, and you don't quite see if there is a clasp or tie to make the necklace adjustable. So I went ahead and just made up my own interpretation. Paracord is a logical choice, as it has origins in military usage, is durable through inclement weather and heavy use, and is immensely helpful for a wide variety of survival situations. It's also very common in hardware and craft stores these days, so finding an affordable black paracord is simple. If there's any doubt as to how long a cord you need, cut a longer length rather than less. I cut about 35 inches of cord and tied double fisherman's knots to create an adjustable necklace. You can also do this with slipknots, probably with longer-lasting results (see a basic tutorial here). Since it is paracord, any cut ends need to be heated and sealed to prevent the inner cords from unraveling. To do this, singe the cut end over a flame, allowing the nylon to melt somewhat.
I had an extra jump ring lying around (about 1/2in diameter), so I clipped the tags onto the ring.
And then clipped the ring onto the necklace.
And there you have it, a simple method of recreating the dog tags seen in Terra Nova. With a little imagination, plastics from cheap tools and scraps can be a simple way to recreate small props. This method is certainly less precise than a 3D printer or a cast resin piece, but you don't need many tools or resources to make it. Anyway, good luck and keep crafting!
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