The Talking Cure: Galvanometer Build Diary

The Galvanometer

Phase III – The Build

The Conduction Paddles. Two vintage cutting boards and two 6" x 6" Red Brass 26 gauge Sheets

All cutting boards are pretreated....you gotta sand them down into oblivion. I used a jeweler's saw to cut out the brass sheeting into the "pad" shapes. Using both wood glue and sobo glue, I attached the paddles to the cutting boards and then used aluminum tacks to secure them.

 The Galvanometer Base Instrument/Control Center. Vintage Cigar Box with brass latch and brass hinges and an old brass and glass barometer.

So there was lots of dremel usage. If you don't have one...I highly recommend picking one up.

The husband is a sheer genius when it comes to the construction of the things....

We recycled everything we bought and used every single piece to make this bad boy.

Sawing the piping for the "optical tower"

Removing the cigar box label was a giant pain in the neck. Luckily we see an awesome chiropractor. LOL.

Pretty fun!

The Talking Cure: The Thrifting Game

The Galvanometer

Phase II – Rummaging and Thrifting

I had my groovy list of the important pieces: The Conduction Paddles; The Galvanometer Base Instrument/Control Center; The Stopwatch and Case; The Bell Jar Receptor; The Slide Rule; and the Optical Tower. I drafted a rough sketch for the director's approval.

Timing is always of the essence in a theatrical production – especially if the actors need to practice with it.

First, I created a mock up. It helped me to determine what it is I could make and with what materials. This is also something I eventually turned over to the actors for their use in rehearsal.

So. The thrifting. Budget. Budget. Budget....and budget are so important.

Hollywood had an enviable gorgeous wooden and lacquer and brass machine. I had to keep it lean which meant: Salvation Army, Etsy, Ebay, garage sales, Craigslist, Goodwill and my ever present stash of broken vintage jewelry and odd Steampunkery.

Here's what I scored:

The Conduction Paddles. Two vintage cutting boards and two 6" x 6" Red Brass 26 gauge Sheets

The Galvanometer Base Instrument/Control Center. Vintage Cigar Box with brass latch and brass hinges and an old brass and glass barometer

The Stopwatch and Case. Dilapidated Plastic Vintage Looking Watch and the box in which it came. Martha Stewart craft paint. Guilder's Paste. Scrap Leather. Broken base metal filigree belt

The Bell Jar Receptor. An old brass and glass thermometer and a 1990s glass and brass colored plastic dome clock

The Slide Rule. A vintage ruler and some assorted wood and metal whatnot from my jewelry making collection

The Optical Tower. Copper piping; copper tubing; old oiled copper jewelry display; 30 gauge wire and a vacuum tube

The vacuum tube, being from a radio, is not at all period...but it looks pretty close to the bulb that they used. I had to decorate it a little to make it look more authentic.

The Talking Cure: Adventures in Properties Design

The Galvanometer

Phase I – The Designing

Design for me always comes with plenty of research. 

What is it? From where did it originate? What did it do? What was its purpose? How was it made? How can we make an affordable replica? What was the science behind it back then? What did they have as building materials at their disposal?

Metal. Wood. Glass. Paper.

From there, I have to heavily consider theatrical practicality: can the actor use it; can it be moved; who will be taking it on and off stage; will the audience see it up close; does it need to be opened and maintained; and what size does it need to be in order to read as what it is supposed to be without being obtrusive?

So – once I read the script of the show – I talk with the director about how he would like the piece to look. In this instance, we both referenced the film version.

I don't normally do that as there is a great danger in getting research from Hollywood. Not just because of accuracy...but also because other designers have already translated into film what we need for stage. It's not always attainable from a cost standpoint.

However, the creative team working on A Dangerous Method very cleverly created what a Galvanometer would have been used for in psychoanalysis (more like a polygraph machine in the way that it measured emotional response via skin conductivity rather than what a galvanometer was originally used for – magnetic atmospheric field measurements).

There were enough recognizable shapes and pieces that could be easily obtained by Ebay, Etsy, Thrift shop, borrowing indefinitely and fabricating.

We had to scale it down, so I drafted a plan to make the galvanometer system about 1/3 of the size in the film. This included the periphery items such as the stop watch and case and the slide rule – both of which are seen on other tables in the scene. We needed all of the instruments to completely fit onto one table/one tray (for ease of use and set change choreography).

I made a list of the important pieces: The Conduction Paddles; The Galvanometer Base Instrument/Control Center; The Stopwatch and Case; The Bell Jar Receptor; The Slide Rule; and the Optical Tower. I drafted a rough sketch for the director's approval.

Thereafter, I planned shopping and acquisition so that I could get the materials right away.

Galvanometer Design for The Talking Cure
Erin R. Gallagher 2015