Dear Nick,
(Firstly, you are a fantastic craftsman and prop builder! I wish I had your talent!)
May I please ask you some questions? Admittedly, you may not wish to answer some of the questions; due to possible non-disclosure agreements with QMX, BBC Worldwide, BBC Wales, etc.
You have been making some screen-accurate replicas of Sonic Screwdrivers for QMX, which have retailed for a few thousand US dollars. And excellent they are too. However, many fans would like to be able to purchase an officially licensed replica at at much cheaper price. And now here are my actual questions...
Does QMX have the exclusive Sonic Screwdriver replica license?
If your company acquired the rights to make and sell Sonic Screwdriver replicas of, say, the 9th Dr, the 10th Dr, the 11th Dr, River Song, and The Master's, could these be made to retail for a few hundred US dollars without compromising on screen-accuracy? Could manufacture be done in the UK, or would it be in China (due to keeping costs low)? Would you have to compromise on the quality of materials, the quality of the construction, the finish, etc?
...I appreciate that you probably cannot answer these questions, due to non-disclosure agreements, business confidentiality, etc.
However, after reading numerous debates here and elsewhere, I am curious as to how cheaply screen-accurate replica Sonics could be made without it adversely affecting screen-accuracy and quality of build and materials.