scottsusernames
Active Member
Is the HMS dustbuster sold to us collectors made from the same molds as the actual props? Are they reproductions or replicas?
Factory Entertainment Star Trek: The Next Generation Dustbuster phaser
- Thread starter masterjedi322
- Start date
I think the key here is it's idealized. If you look at the LCARS pamphlet Factory Entertainment said they looked at several versions from the CBS Archives and this is what they created as they were all different in certain ways. I believe that to be true as a lot happens on any set. Different versions exist However, when you do that, or "blend" so to speak the prop tends to lose some identity. Bottom line they are taking creative license here. All that being said I don't regret my purchase however I was expecting it to look more like we have all come to know as what it should look like. If I had not done a side by side comparison most folks would be oblivious to most of what I shared here and maybe that's the point. I'm keeping mine. Go boldly. GC
They are reproductions/replicas however they are recognized as the gold standard. Here is a COA from Rod.com
-E-
Well-Known Member
I'm probably being too harsh since this is my favorite prop of all time. It just brings me happy childhood memories of watching the show with my parents. I pre-ordered seeing the prototype photos they provided hoping maybe some of my nitpicks would be corrected.
I actually like how they blended where the emitter meets the body to an in-between of the season one and season two versions. My two biggest nitpicks are are both with the emitter head. First, the blue is just way too dark and it lacks any sort of reflective-like look. Second, there's too much of the red acrylic showing. All of the black segments, especially around the emitter windows, looks way too thin.
I'll probably keep my order and still enjoy stunning the dog with it whenever he walks into my office.
I Agree, while the crickets phasers were pretty close the hypospray was completely off by a lot. Almost a full 1/3rd in size. As stated above they are taking a lot of creative license and in the end it will be for the collectors to ultimately decide. It won't be what the exacting collector wants but it may be middle of the road for most. Sure beats a playmates toy but even at the preorder price point it should... right ?
I believe that that term “toy-like” applies to the Factory Entertainment Dustbuster, unfortunately. Yikes!
Looks like a nice piece! Just wish they’d get the sizing correct… Although, I suppose if you don’t own a Rodd.com, you probably wouldn’t notice…
Sean
Sean
Just received my Factory Entertainment dustbuster phaser and am generally happy with the piece. The color seems about right (see the attached comparison pic of the FE dustbuster next to my Mark VI/VII tricorders painted in custom Krylon Dove Gray 1605 with a silver mist coat). It’s pretty much the same size as my Roddenberry/HMS and Stapleton dustbusters. Yes, as previously mentioned by others, it is just a TINY bit smaller, but within the ballpark for sure (unlike FE’s hypospray).
All that said, as TNG’s screen-used dustbusters (including hero units) used a flat printed graphic for the settings buttons, I decided to see if the graphic that’s included with Stapleton’s dustbuster kit would fit over the buttons of the Factory Entertainment version.
Spoiler alert: IT DOES
(See the linked YouTube video I just uploaded)
Also, the ultra-bright (i.e. too-bright) LEDs are made much more realistic when illuminated through the graphic. Win-win!
NOTE: In case you’re curious, Stapleton’s dustbuster kit is essentially identical to the Roddenberry/HMS version.
All that said, as TNG’s screen-used dustbusters (including hero units) used a flat printed graphic for the settings buttons, I decided to see if the graphic that’s included with Stapleton’s dustbuster kit would fit over the buttons of the Factory Entertainment version.
Spoiler alert: IT DOES
(See the linked YouTube video I just uploaded)
Also, the ultra-bright (i.e. too-bright) LEDs are made much more realistic when illuminated through the graphic. Win-win!
NOTE: In case you’re curious, Stapleton’s dustbuster kit is essentially identical to the Roddenberry/HMS version.
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NakedMoleRat
Master Member
Agreed. I’m going to paint those sections black when I repaint the blue emitter tip.
-E-
Well-Known Member
Same. I’m disappointed it’s so off, especially when there are so many good screen caps of the heroes firing available for reference.
I look forward to seeing what you do with it.
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I was interested in this, but now I'm not. For that price you shouldn't have to rework it to get an "OK" prop. I need to build that Stapleton kit that's on my to do list.
dkraude
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the photos. Love it!
-E-
Well-Known Member
My new Dustbuster arrived. Number 183 of 1019 (or 1500?). I am glad I decided to keep the order. I knew if I didn't I'd regret it down the line. It's definitely not perfect, but it's nice a company like Factory Entertainment was willing to tackle my favorite prop of all time. I always saw it as the tank of all the Type II phasers and just absolutely loved it when I was a kid watching TNG during it's original run.
The Good:
*The sound effects are very loud. I like that a lot. I always felt the sounds effects I have in my Roddendberry and Stapleton sounded too low (but I still love them nonetheless!).
*The emitter effects are nice and bright so you can see them very well if you're in well-lit room.
*The weight it fantastic and makes it feel very realistic.
*I like the rubberized grip. It just makes it feel more grippy. Stapleton's is also rubberized while the Rodd.com is cast resin.
* The size seems ok. Slight variations between the three. It seem more in line with Stapleton vs Rodd.com.
The Not as Good:
* The color is off. It's too light and there's no dusting of silver. It reminds me of the light gray everyone started painting the interior of their houses with about five years ago.
* The force meter is pretty bright and you can see a little light bleed from the sides at certain angles. Honestly, though, this doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would now that I have it in hand. That doesn't mean I won't try to do something about it, though.
* The emitter. Oh the emitter. Once again, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would now that it's in hand, but I still have gripes. The blue used at the firing tip is too dark and lacks any sort of reflective look of the originals. There's too much of the red acrylic showing. The segments that make the windows are too thin. On both sides there's an odd blacked-out window that just looks odd, but you don't really notice it unless you're looking right at it. I may cut some thin pieces of electrical tape and fill in the three rings (and maybe the fourth, closest to the body) and see if that helps tone it down a bit. You can also see a seem line on the sides. You really have to be looking for it to see it.
The Nitpicks:
* I wish the light effects matched the sounds effects in the short-fire modes. The light only goes on for a split second while the sound effect is still going. It works perfectly in long-fire mode.
* I'm not a fan of the bullet catches that are used to attach the grip (they're the same as the Rodd.com and Stapleton). They just end up scraping and damaging the paint. I wish magnets could have been used in some way.
* The force setting buttons have more of a gold tone ... should be more of a light tan/beige.
* The trigger button size is just a smidge off.
* It's Dustbuster ... not Dust Buster. Too much?
Final Verdict:
Overall, I like it and I'm happy to have it in my collection. If you're a fan of the dustbuster and like the all metal replicas it's a nice addition. Turns out what I thought were my biggest gripes aren't too bad and the paint color ended up my biggest dislike.
I'll probably leave it they way it is for now but I'm not opposed to mods to make it more accurate down the road. I do like to tinker!
And what would a post be without pictures?!
Here we have from left to right is the FE phaser, the Rodd.com and then the Stapleton. I lined them up so the section where the body meets the emitter is lined up. Please note the Rodd.com and Stapleton were both put together myself and were painted with Krylon 1605 "Stone Gray". I'm not sure how I got it, but I think I scored the last three cans of it on the planet back around 2010. And yes, I still have some
FE next to Rodd.com
FE next to Stapleton
All phasers with Krylon shaker can
Weird emitter side view
On display (I'm not a fan of the display box it comes with so this my on-the-fly solution).
Thanks for looking!
The Good:
*The sound effects are very loud. I like that a lot. I always felt the sounds effects I have in my Roddendberry and Stapleton sounded too low (but I still love them nonetheless!).
*The emitter effects are nice and bright so you can see them very well if you're in well-lit room.
*The weight it fantastic and makes it feel very realistic.
*I like the rubberized grip. It just makes it feel more grippy. Stapleton's is also rubberized while the Rodd.com is cast resin.
* The size seems ok. Slight variations between the three. It seem more in line with Stapleton vs Rodd.com.
The Not as Good:
* The color is off. It's too light and there's no dusting of silver. It reminds me of the light gray everyone started painting the interior of their houses with about five years ago.
* The force meter is pretty bright and you can see a little light bleed from the sides at certain angles. Honestly, though, this doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would now that I have it in hand. That doesn't mean I won't try to do something about it, though.
* The emitter. Oh the emitter. Once again, it doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would now that it's in hand, but I still have gripes. The blue used at the firing tip is too dark and lacks any sort of reflective look of the originals. There's too much of the red acrylic showing. The segments that make the windows are too thin. On both sides there's an odd blacked-out window that just looks odd, but you don't really notice it unless you're looking right at it. I may cut some thin pieces of electrical tape and fill in the three rings (and maybe the fourth, closest to the body) and see if that helps tone it down a bit. You can also see a seem line on the sides. You really have to be looking for it to see it.
The Nitpicks:
* I wish the light effects matched the sounds effects in the short-fire modes. The light only goes on for a split second while the sound effect is still going. It works perfectly in long-fire mode.
* I'm not a fan of the bullet catches that are used to attach the grip (they're the same as the Rodd.com and Stapleton). They just end up scraping and damaging the paint. I wish magnets could have been used in some way.
* The force setting buttons have more of a gold tone ... should be more of a light tan/beige.
* The trigger button size is just a smidge off.
* It's Dustbuster ... not Dust Buster. Too much?
Final Verdict:
Overall, I like it and I'm happy to have it in my collection. If you're a fan of the dustbuster and like the all metal replicas it's a nice addition. Turns out what I thought were my biggest gripes aren't too bad and the paint color ended up my biggest dislike.
I'll probably leave it they way it is for now but I'm not opposed to mods to make it more accurate down the road. I do like to tinker!
And what would a post be without pictures?!
Here we have from left to right is the FE phaser, the Rodd.com and then the Stapleton. I lined them up so the section where the body meets the emitter is lined up. Please note the Rodd.com and Stapleton were both put together myself and were painted with Krylon 1605 "Stone Gray". I'm not sure how I got it, but I think I scored the last three cans of it on the planet back around 2010. And yes, I still have some
FE next to Rodd.com
FE next to Stapleton
All phasers with Krylon shaker can
Weird emitter side view
On display (I'm not a fan of the display box it comes with so this my on-the-fly solution).
Thanks for looking!
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