YouTuber creates Deadpool & Wolverine prop IRL and it actually works

A YouTuber was so enthralled by the retro-futuristic props in Deadpool & Wolverine that he created his own working version.

The Time Variance Authority, or TVA, has become a keystone of the current Marvel Cinematic Universe meta-plot. It first appeared in season one of Loki, featuring a distinctive ‘retro-futuristic’ aesthetic. It then played a critical role in the plot of Deadpool & Wolverine.

YouTuber and modder Matt Gray was delighted by the look of the TVA tech – so much so that he decided to recreate one of the gadgets it uses, known as the TemPad.

Matt Gray

In order to recreate this foldable miniature computer, Matt would need skills in 3D modeling and electronics. He admitted that although he had dabbled in these areas, the TemPad project would be far more extensive and complex than anything he had attempted before.

The starting point was a small LCD screen, along with a microcontroller and an ‘Adafruit’ single-board computer. The next step was to design and build a prototype case that would fit the components and look the part. This necessitated countless hours in Fusion 360 to get the design right.

After a number of test prints and adjustments to the design, Matt finally had a design he was happy with. He then purchased some metallic PLA filament for his 3D printer, to give the device the right kind of brassy sheen.

Then came the job of wiring up and soldering together the electronics that make this device into more than just a static prop. This of course meant not only the wires and circuit boards but also the code that made it run.

For another embellishment, Matt used a vinyl cutter to add a thin layer of walnut veneer to the surface of the device to complete the look.

The final assembly was a process Matt described as ‘nerve-wracking’. The end result is worth it, however, as it looks worthy of being featured on a cinema screen in the hands of a Marvel hero.

If you want to see more unusual projects by YouTubers, check out this Pokemon-playing robot, or Doom playing on a plant pot.