Die Cast Lighted 1/350th TOS Enterprise (TOMY crowd funded)

[VitalNonsense]

I am considering why this thing has two stands for the saucer. Is that supposed to be when you're displaying them separated?

While it's connected to the secondary hull I am guessing the neck and the rod are enough. The big ol reacharound stand is probably for saucer separation, right? To make up for the lack of support from the neck in that case?

Maybe you're not supposed to use both at the same time while it's fully connected, contrary to the posted photos. What do the instructions say?

 

[Fizzbin]

If Pebble or Phoenix want to make a nice YouTube video or something of the Tomy.....I don't think any of us would mind....lol

That would be so appreciated. The sooner, the better! Please.

 

[Ant1988]

I am considering why this thing has two stands for the saucer. Is that supposed to be when you're displaying them separated?

While it's connected to the secondary hull I am guessing the neck and the rod are enough. The big ol reacharound stand is probably for saucer separation, right? To make up for the lack of support from the neck in that case?

Maybe you're not supposed to use both at the same time while it's fully connected, contrary to the posted photos. What do the instructions say?

You may be correct on that.

 

[Pebble]

That's right you did. If you ever get the itch to do a YouTube video....

Haha, I'm a bit like Phoenix with too many other things around to get a proper filming of it, I had to temporarily move a lot of stuff from that space just to take the short video, so I wouldn't really have the best setup to do more either, sorry.

 

[Miles Kendig]

No real reason you should know. On Star Trek there was never an indication the ship had a good or bad side. It was supposed to be a ship. If you are making a model with a good and bad side, you are replicating a prop rather than the idea of the Enterprise as a vessel.

From what we saw on screen there wasn't a good and bad side. There is often a huge difference between the idea a film/show is trying to convey, what can actually be visually recognized on screen and what the prop actually looked like in person.

Personally, I'm not interested in good/ bad side, I want to see a ship.

I'm not the biggest ST nerd either, and that's all I wanted too- was the ship.

The problem is, they baked a "bad side" into this by going die-cast, and then to compound that they designed a base that works to obscure the "good side" that was left.

 

[Fizzbin]

I am considering why this thing has two stands for the saucer. Is that supposed to be when you're displaying them separated?

While it's connected to the secondary hull I am guessing the neck and the rod are enough. The big ol reacharound stand is probably for saucer separation, right? To make up for the lack of support from the neck in that case?

Maybe you're not supposed to use both at the same time while it's fully connected, contrary to the posted photos. What do the instructions say?

That's what they had promisedu us, but that doesn't seem to be what we're getting. The more I see this the more I'm think of canceling!

 

[Pebble]

I am considering why this thing has two stands for the saucer. Is that supposed to be when you're displaying them separated?

While it's connected to the secondary hull I am guessing the neck and the rod are enough. The big ol reacharound stand is probably for saucer separation, right? To make up for the lack of support from the neck in that case?

Maybe you're not supposed to use both at the same time while it's fully connected, contrary to the posted photos. What do the instructions say?

The instructions show the stand for both modes.

 

[Chrisisall]

Nice of them to formally give buyers options considering they did not meet their promises or communicate their challenges effectively. A lot of this could have been avoided if they planned their seams logically and communicated it with buyers early rather than keeping it to themselves as long as possible.

Still keeping my order as I'm not going to get any better for 600 bucks but good of them to finally acknowledge it.


I said the same thing about the seams and so suggested early on that they should have been placed on the opposite side of the ship from the start, regardless of them being filled or not. And I aint even an engineer so I dont know what their excuse is, it's just common sense, different materials experience temperature flexing at different rates. I thought everybody learned that at a young age just from putting water bottles in the freezer and stuff like that!

screw holes on the "display" side was always a mistake, even while they still planned to fill them

Yep.

 

[VitalNonsense]

The instructions show the stand for both modes.

That's weird. Is the rod connected to the other stand? Like, do I have the choice to choose one or the other? I honestly expect neck+rod to be enough, or neck+stand. I don't see why it would need both simultaneously as long as the secondary hull is secure on its own stand and the neck is fastened.

 

[sengel67]

Do the windows circled in red not light up by design?

 

[Fizzbin]

That looks great- but are you sure you're happy with that thin little rod holding it up?
Wouldn't you much prefer an ostentatious base that can also obscure part of the ship?

View attachment 1741129

I'm not ragging on anyone that is happy/fine with it. And I still don't think the $600 shipped is a bad price at all for it, despite it falling short of the promises.
I'm just still trying to wrap my head around some of the clunky design choices they made.

Well, I'm happy to see you've fixed the seams.

That looks great- but are you sure you're happy with that thin little rod holding it up?
Wouldn't you much prefer an ostentatious base that can also obscure part of the ship?

View attachment 1741129

I'm not ragging on anyone that is happy/fine with it. And I still don't think the $600 shipped is a bad price at all for it, despite it falling short of the promises.
I'm just still trying to wrap my head around some of the clunky design choices they made.

Well, I'm happy to see you've fixed the seams.

 

[Gregatron]

I do wonder which will go down in history as the bigger disaster—Unobtainum Limited’s models from 20-plus years ago, or this.

 

[Pebble]

That's weird. Is the rod connected to the other stand? Like, do I have the choice to choose one or the other? I honestly expect neck+rod to be enough, or neck+stand. I don't see why it would need both simultaneously as long as the secondary hull is secure on its own stand and the neck is fastened.

Yeah, the rod fits into the circular part of the other stand. It wouldn't hold up the saucer directly as the probe at the bottom sticks out of the saucer section.

Do the windows circled in red not light up by design?

I just checked and they don't light up.

 

[VitalNonsense]

Yeah, the rod fits into the circular part of the other stand. It wouldn't hold up the saucer directly as the probe at the bottom sticks out of the saucer section.

I just checked and they don't light up.

So it sounds like the two stand options for connected saucer are: Rod+Stand, or Stand Only. Rod Only is not feasible. Is that accurate?

 

[Pebble]

So it sounds like the two stand options for connected saucer are: Rod+Stand, or Stand Only. Rod Only is not feasible. Is that accurate?

Yeah, that's right, though I can't speak to how strong the stand only might be in holding it up.

Effectively the top of the saucer base is an inverted dome shape that goes around the sensor probe that extends out of the saucer. The rod then inserts into that dome to provide further support.

 

[Fizzbin]

Yeah, the rod fits into the circular part of the other stand. It wouldn't hold up the saucer directly as the probe at the bottom sticks out of the saucer section.

I just checked and they don't light up.

Yeah, the rod fits into the circular part of the other stand. It wouldn't hold up the saucer directly as the probe at the bottom sticks out of the saucer section.

I just checked and they don't light up.

Then do any side windows on the saucer light up?

 

[VitalNonsense]

Yeah, that's right, though I can't speak to how strong the stand only might be in holding it up.

Damn, I was hoping to do rod only considering they designed that stand to obscure its good side for baffling reasons. Oh well. At least it sounds like I might be able to get away without the rod, which looks weird.

Since the model is all diecast I wonder if you can get away with no stands for the saucer at all. The thing should hold together pretty well, right? Not gonna get plastic droop here. Is the secondary hull's stand strong and well attached enough to hold the entire weight? The stand might be the big weakness here instead of the model itself.

 

[Pebble]

Yeah, it seems to be those ones that don't for some reason, but the others do.

 

[VitalNonsense]

Do the windows circled in red not light up by design?

Yes, the original Enterprise did have some windows on and others off, and those specific windows are also unlit on the original filming model:

Of course some liberties were taken to finish the "unfinished" side, but where detail already existed, it seems they did try to match it.

 

[Fizzbin]

Yikes! I just counted 14 screw covers on the starboard side. And that's just the ones I can see!