Star Trek TOS Communicator from The Wand Company

The Dude said:
Well...I guess I can look forward to this as a Xmas gift the way things are going?
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This was posted on The Wand Company's Facebook page. It sounds like they're working hard to ensure the quality that their customers have come to expect. It'll be worth the wait.

I know that you're all keen to learn when the Communicators are going to ship, but I am afraid that we still have no concrete updates with regard to the shipping that we can offer at this point. However, I can say that the the electronics build has just started and everything that can be ready, will be ready for when the revised stand bases are delivered to the factory and the final packout can commence. So things have started moving. Although do brace yourselves for a moderate delay, that will (if everything comes together) push the delivery into June.


As an update to the process we are going through and why we are not able to say exactly when the product will be finished I thought you might like some extra information about the delay. The main issue is that the fault in the metal part of the display stand required a tooling change and completely new parts to be manufactured and delivered.


Normally, tool making and tool revises can take from six to eight weeks (depending if there is a testing phase required to validate the changes), which would then be followed by a few weeks of mass production (this is a zinc casting process limited by machine cycle time and number of tool cavities (note the more cavities the more expensive the tool and the longer it takes to make / revise)), followed some hand finishing and polishing and then a few more weeks to carefully carry out the nickel plating (itself a multi-layer/step process carried out by another supplier). As you can appreciate, for the original stand parts, this entire process was started many months ago.


Our factory has pushed the supplier of the stand as hard as they can and the foundry has said that they think they can make the tool change in ONE week, then they will work day and night to cast the parts as quickly as possible and then press their sub-supplier to nickel plate the stands as quickly as they can.


So things are moving and everyone involved is doing their best, but, given the fault with this part in the first place, we have to be cautious when pushing the supplier too hard, or fully believing their timeline until we start to see parts being delivered. Obviously as this progresses, we will update you and our long suffering retailers with the most accurate shipping information we have, or any further updates we think that you might find useful.
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No problems here. I'm really not in a hurry so Xmas would actually work for me! And yes...I rather hear about delays then Wand releasing a product that is riddles with issues. The Wand Co. is a great company and offer great stuff. All good.
 
Waiting on mine and I have to say that Wand Co. is a real class act for keeping complete transparency with details and also without blame shifting or finger pointing. The congeniality is even extended to their sellers like ThinkGeek:


We wanted to take a moment and give you a quick update about your pre-order of the Star Trek: The Original Series Bluetooth® Communicator. We expected we would be able to ship you this item in April 2016, but due to manufacturing delays your order is now expected to ship by June 2016.


The Wand Company has been forthcoming about issues found in the base during their quality control check. They could have said, "It's just the stand. Who cares?" but they opted to do the right thing, which, unfortunately, takes a little more time (for details and updates, visit their Facebook page ). We're okay with waiting because we want ours perfect, but we also understand that you're frustrated, you've been waiting, and you may not have the same attitude about it.


If you need to update your payment or shipping information, or would like to cancel your order, you can do this by going to the Order Lookup On Celery, our trusted third-party provider (you'll need your order # and email address).


We do apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have any questions, you can contact Customer Service by phone at 1-888-433-5788; or you can send an email to orders@thinkgeek.com.


Sincerely,


ThinkGeek
 
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Rylo said:
UUUUGH, I hate this wait!

But, I get it...for now.

-Rylo
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I'm cool. I think this is the best-handled replica product release I've ever seen. I'm absolutely fine with this, for the reasons everyone has stated above. Transparency goes a very long way with me. :)
 
greatwazoo42 said:
Anyone heard anything? TWC said they'd be publishing some news but so far nothing and it's past their promise date for more data.
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its been dead quiet on their Facebook page, they wont even respond to questions or comments ( And trust me they would respond in the next hour, to any comment a month ago ),

This is what a guy on Facebook said….
Mike, on May 12, TWC responded to an inquiry saying that they are currently supervising production of the comms in China and that they're still on track for a mid-June release. It can be a little hard to find their updates, as they're not putting them in a single place but replying to visitor posts.


One more post….
Sure, no problem. The sense I get is that they're a very small company, and right now they have their hands full just making sure that what's coming off the line is up to standard, and preventing any further delays, so they've hardly got time to pop in here with updates. Until they can announce a genuine, no-more-delays ship date, they probably prefer not to waste time on Facebook just to say something like "we're still okay!" smile emoticon




- - - Updated - - -

Also, about the battery the wand company posted regarding the battery situation. " The battery will be connected to a plug and lead socket, meaning at the end of its life the back 4 screws of the communicator can be removed and the battery can be replaced by plug"
 
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If they are not responding I am sure they have their sleeves rolled up and are working hard on this
 
Yeah, I'm willing to be patient. Seeing what a great job they did on the phaser I'm willing to wait as long as necessary for them to get it right.
 
greatwazoo42 said:
Anyone heard anything? TWC said they'd be publishing some news but so far nothing and it's past their promise date for more data.
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I don't remember them giving a promise date for more data. The last thing I saw was this, but I don't visit their Facebook page very often.

"Obviously as this progresses, we will update you and our long suffering retailers with the most accurate shipping information we have, or any further updates we think that you might find useful".
 
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Well, I'm hopeful that there is good news coming. I had asked not because I must have my toys because I am the bright and wonderful center of all things but because all the spots I normally check for news had been quiet. Since we are legion I figured someone had a finger on the pulse where the rest of us did not. All my hopes that TWC has good fortune here like they have with their other successes. I'm looking forward to owning one when they happen in full.
 
There is finally some good news. They just released an unboxing video of the first Communicator to come off of the production line on their facebook page. I was finally able to see the whole video and it looks really great. They did say they are on schedule to have the pre-orders airfreighted to the US & UK so that their retailers can get them shipped out by the second half of June.
 
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I admit I was a little concerned, watching the video, that the flip lip antenna was metalized plastic like in their 10th Doctor remote. As the concern was starting to form he said right in the video that it is "pressed steel." Phwew. I do hope that means steel that has been pressed as opposed to a trade name for a type of metal looking plastic. ;) SO EXCITED!!! :)
 
greatwazoo42 said:
I admit I was a little concerned, watching the video, that the flip lip antenna was metalized plastic like in their 10th Doctor remote. As the concern was starting to form he said right in the video that it is "pressed steel." Phwew. I do hope that means steel that has been pressed as opposed to a trade name for a type of metal looking plastic. ;) SO EXCITED!!! :)
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The grill really is metal but it is not brass though it has been plated to look like brass.
 
greatwazoo42 said:
I admit I was a little concerned, watching the video, that the flip lip antenna was metalized plastic like in their 10th Doctor remote. As the concern was starting to form he said right in the video that it is "pressed steel." Phwew. I do hope that means steel that has been pressed as opposed to a trade name for a type of metal looking plastic. ;) SO EXCITED!!! :)
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What part of the 10th Doctor's sonic remote was metalized plastic? Mine is machined aluminum. Was a later release plastic?
 

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