SDCC08 - Dr WHO Replicas!

[Primrodo]

Yeah I was looking at those. If this head was machined it looks like it was sand blasted lightly with glass bead to give it a textured effect. If you look at the end and the neck piece the head connects to you see a continuous series of lines going around it like it was brushed while spinning. Thats machine markings from a lathe. the head on the other hand doesn't have that.

The head does have that though...along with marks on the spaces between the spokes and the spokes themselves have the lines going against the length...

I am just not a super metal expert...any other opinions based on my picture at full size?

 

[Jack T Chance]

I saw posted elsewhere about doubt that the head was milled/machined and that they were sure it was diecast.

Here is a HUGE picture of the head taken by me...are these not machine marks?

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a332/Primrodo/IMG_1508.jpg

They certainly look like machine marks to me, but I'm no expert.

If it was completely machined then I'm at a loss to explain why they would add that textured look to the entire emitter head since a piece like that would look amazing fresh from a CNC machine.

That's easy to explain: As Neill Gorton from MFX himself has told us, they were given one specific hero prop to work from, and they've made every possible effort to ACCURATELY reproduce that prop in every detail, EVEN DOWN TO THE FINISH OF THE MACHINED ALUMINUM PIECES (i.e. how shiny or dull they are.) On the prop they were given to work from, the emitter head had a slightly duller finish than the other machined aluminum pieces, and they have attempted to reproduce that look as exactly as possible.

Myself, there's part of me that would have preferred it if the prop replica looked exactly like the 2 prototypes they made at some point in '08...

...with their highly polished aluminum components. But the rational side of my brain tells me that those prototypes were idealized in that regard, and that the final prop replica we've received is that much more accurate to the filming prop because they've made every effort to accurately reproduce the finish of those aluminum components. :cool

Also, keep in mind that for film and TV, a chrome-like, highly polished appearance is generally NOT desirable on a prop. It makes it much harder to film, because the glare of the lights off of chrome-like bits makes it utter chaos to film them, and then there's the reflections. In a really good closeup, you'd see the cameraman reflected in the prop! So, a duller finish is actually preferable for filming purposes. That's why on Star Trek: The Next Generation and its various spin-offs, the communicator badge props were NOT chrome-like, nickel-plated metal or vac-metalized plastic like the authorized replicas sold in stores. The REAL props were actually resin painted with metallic paints. On camera, they look like metal, but the level of shine is controlled so that they didn't get all that glare, or the reflections where you would have seen the filming crew on set.

I heard from Martina at MFX saying that the problem has been localized to the type of LED used on these and that they are rectifying the situation. They are covering shipping, which is great and really only prolongs a perfect working order sonic. Hopefully when mine arrives it will work and I will post my results.

*sigh* So, what does this mean, exactly? Does every single one have this apparently faulty LED that could go bad at any time? Are we ALL going to have to send our Sonics back for repairs? What about those of us whose Sonics were sent out in the second batch that shipped on or after October 12th, the ones that were supposed to have been corrected before shipping? Are ours going to be fine, or did we still end up with a product that could stop working at any given moment?!? :confused

The head does have that though...along with marks on the spaces between the spokes and the spokes themselves have the lines going against the length...

I am just not a super metal expert...any other opinions based on my picture at full size?

Again, my opinion is that it looks like it's been worked with tools TO ME. But as I said before, I'm no expert.

 

[Risu]

*End of Breakfast Club fist in the air freeze frame* Dodged a really expensive bullet! Honestly though, I hope you guys get everything worked out for you.

 

[Straker]

The head does have that though...along with marks on the spaces between the spokes and the spokes themselves have the lines going against the length...

I am just not a super metal expert...any other opinions based on my picture at full size?

If they cast them off a machined master piece they would have transferred to the copies, and some of those marks could be from a deburring process. It's not really that bad though even if it is cast. Like I said, it looks like they machined open the windows first and then drilled the LED channel, and this may be how they reproduce that bit for the filming prop anyway to keep costs low. I mean, we don't really know the process to create all the filming props for the show.

They certainly look like machine marks to me, but I'm no expert. That's easy to explain: As Neill Gorton from MFX himself has told us, they were given one specific hero prop to work from, and they've made every possible effort to ACCURATELY reproduce that prop in every detail, EVEN DOWN TO THE FINISH OF THE MACHINED ALUMINUM PIECES (i.e. how shiny or dull they are.) On the prop they were given to work from, the emitter head had a slightly duller finish than the other machined aluminum pieces, and they have attempted to reproduce that look as exactly as possible.

Myself, there's part of me that would have preferred it if the prop looked exactly like the 2 prototypes they made at some point in '08...

...with their highly polished aluminum components. But the rational side of my brain tells me that those prototypes were idealized in that regard, and that the final prop replica we've received is that much more accurate to the filming prop because they've made every effort to accurately reproduce the finish of those aluminum components. :cool

Also, keep in mind that for film and TV, a chrome-like, highly polished appearance is generally NOT desirable on a prop. It makes it much harder to film, because the glare of the lights off of chrome-like bits makes it utter chaos to film them, and then there's the reflections. In a really good closeup, you'd see the cameraman reflected in the prop! So, a duller finish is actually preferable for filming purposes. That's why on Star Trek: The Next Generation and its various spin-offs, the communicator badge props were NOT chrome-like, nickel-plated metal or vac-metalized plastic like the authorized replicas sold in stores. The REAL props were actually resin painted with metallic paints. On camera, they look like metal, but the level of shine is controlled so that they didn't get all that glare, or the reflections where you would have seen the filming crew on set.
*sigh* So, what does this mean, exactly? Does every single one have this apparently faulty LED that could go bad at any time? Are we ALL going to have to send our Sonics back for repairs? What about those of us whose Sonics were sent out in the second batch that shipped on or after October 12th, the ones that were supposed to have been corrected before shipping? Are ours going to be fine, or did we still end up with a product that could stop working at any given moment?!? :confusedAgain, my opinion is that it looks like it's been worked with tools TO ME. But as I said before, I'm no expert.

Well, I mentioned that if it is cast it may still have been machined to open the windows and drill the channel for the LED which would explain some of the tool marks. I'm certainly not saying it's a bad thing because it may also be how they reproduce the prop for filming anyway. you know, to keep consistency. I also get what you're saying with the finish too, I seen a finish like that in that one picture of the prototype along the four posts on the head seen here:

but it is all over the head on the final piece. I'm just wondering why that is really. If it's to keep from seeing the camera in the reflection, I'd like to point out that this is too small an area of reflection to see a camera clearly in on a tv screen and it never seemed to be an issue with all the mirror finish chromed devices in Men In Black. I certainly don't see the camera reflected in the picture there you posted above that took that picture. Just saying is all.

Seriously though, is it really so bad if some of this is diecast metal? I would have thought the lighting issue was a bigger problem.

 

[Primrodo]

Sorry Risu, I meant to say that a few had wrong LEDs, or so Martina said...we were just the unlucky ones?

I am not really all that worried, MFX HAS to figure i t out or lose a big chunk of sales, so I hold the hope that it will work out.

MR had FX saber problems with people having to mail them in and await a replacement...same deal here, its just sucky that its happened to just about all of us on the forum.

The above Sonic texture is a machined head and does look like what we got somewhat.

The head feels like aluminum to me and looks worked, just not polished. I wonder if that is someting we could do?

I prefer the polished look myself!

 

[Clutch]

The two I got back work so far....

I don't know if I'll even crack mine open this time.

 

[the DOCTOR]

The head looks machined to me, in fact, as the lens was loose on mine, I was able to see the inside of the head, where it's fairly obvious the thing is lathed- it's got a misting of silver paint sprayed over it, similar to that which is on the blue lens, to deaden the aluminium-ness, so it matches the screen used prop.

Ah, so at least some of the LEDs are the wrong sort- seems I wasn't far off when I asked if they'd used LEDs without a built-in resistance...

 

[Primrodo]

Possibly what it was then...if the LEDs were bad, without resistance that would explain it.

Thank you for confirming that the sonics are fully machined as well...the one saying it was diecast was not a very nice fellow, but the rests my worries.

You think they used paint though?

The two I got back work so far....

I don't know if I'll even crack mine open this time.

Excellent to hear!

 

[greatwazoo42]

Thanks for reposting the glory shots of the replica, Jack. I need to get a roll of paper towels for the drool puddle on my keyboard, computer desk and lap now. Man but that is a total work of art.

The nice part with the only flaw being the LED issue is that other, more catastrophic items like a poorly designed sliding system or a poor choice of materials DID NOT HAPPEN. The only complaints any of the owners of the MF/X sonic have had are the ones with the screwy LED system. No one's had any other complaints that I've seen so far and we all know how the gen pop around here love to *****.

Therefore, barring the LED problem, Neil and his team did a fantastic job. Yes?

 

[Straker]

Sorry Risu, I meant to say that a few had wrong LEDs, or so Martina said...we were just the unlucky ones?

I am not really all that worried, MFX HAS to figure i t out or lose a big chunk of sales, so I hold the hope that it will work out.

MR had FX saber problems with people having to mail them in and await a replacement...same deal here, its just sucky that its happened to just about all of us on the forum.

The above Sonic texture is a machined head and does look like what we got somewhat.

The head feels like aluminum to me and looks worked, just not polished. I wonder if that is someting we could do?

I prefer the polished look myself!

I still think they could have added the texture by glass beading the surface. I agree though, the polished look is my favorite. You could get that with a jewelers wheel. Aluminum is pretty soft so that wheel should be able to buff it up like the prototype. Just be careful to not mirror finish it accidentally since I think that would look funny.

The head looks machined to me, in fact, as the lens was loose on mine, I was able to see the inside of the head, where it's fairly obvious the thing is lathed- it's got a misting of silver paint sprayed over it, similar to that which is on the blue lens, to deaden the aluminium-ness, so it matches the screen used prop.

Ah, so at least some of the LEDs are the wrong sort- seems I wasn't far off when I asked if they'd used LEDs without a built-in resistance...

Well if it was cast they would have had to lathe out the inside where the LED and lens goes anyway. same with the windows since molding all those contours would have really left a lot of mold lines all over it. It just would have made the posts and that tooth pattern at the neck easier to duplicate precisely every time is all. I don't think that they would spray the aluminum with paint though. Paint can't stick to aluminum very easily without a chemical treatment that turns the metal a dark gray first, or if they used a solvent based paint which still has a tenancy to chip off. I think they sprayed the lens to match the texture already on the emitter head if anything. I'd have to ask some people i work with though. They make medical endoscopes and they'd know better since they work with the aluminum pieces and I just do the stainless ones. They even do a frosted look to the finishes so maybe they'd be able to tell me more. I'll keep you guys posted.

Still, they did do a great job on the paint. I love that crackle finish a lot. I really wouldn't worry about whether the head is cast though. I mean, if it is, they still did a lot of milling to it, right?, If it isn't, then we speculate away as to the nature of the texture. die casting is cheaper to produce but it doesn't make it a cheap prop, does it? I mean it's an officially licensed prop, accurate to the filming prop. that's not cheap. The big issue is the lighting problem. That may really kill it for a lot of fans since this is a bit of cash for people to pay. On the other hand, if they fix the problem then a lot of people have a great replica of the filming prop. yes? ^_^

 

[Straycatt]

So, am I the only RPFer still waiting for his sonic??

 

[Jack T Chance]

So, am I the only RPFer still waiting for his sonic??

Umm... maybe? :confused

I know that last week, some other members got emails telling them it might be a week or 2 before theirs even shipped out, but on at least some occasions, theirs arrived just a couple days later, earlier than the email said it would get to them.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be emailing MFX customer service every day, asking where my sonic was... especially since I never did receive a shipping confirmation email when mine shipped out. :unsure

On the subject of these working initially, then crapping out... So far, on the... 3 or so brief occasions when I've played around with mine, the light has worked every time. There's part of me that wants to play with it some more to make sure, but there's another part of me that's afraid to, because I don't WANT mine to be faulty, and I don't want to risk ruining the lovely paint finish by playing with it too much. I've activated the light numerous times while handling it, and so far, so good. I'm crossing my fingers & toes, hoping mine is one of the ones that had modifications made before it was shipped out on the 12th, and praying that it will remain free of defects... well, I would do, IF I were the praying sort, which I'm not. Devout Agnostic, I am, so I don't go in for that sort of thing.

 

[Straker]

So, am I the only RPFer still waiting for his sonic??

They may have delayed shipping after the initial reports of the light problem. They may be waiting a couple weeks to get the problem fixed.

 

[greatwazoo42]

On the other hand, if they fix the problem then a lot of people have a great replica of the filming prop. yes? ^_^

Agreed.

They may have delayed shipping after the initial reports of the light problem. They may be waiting a couple weeks to get the problem fixed.

I know a lot of people here make it sound like they just want it fast but I'm guessing that people would rather have it right before they'd have it fast. I've been following the thread still (obviously) and it seems that people are disappointed that their sonics didn't arrive perfect the first time but everyone seems content if not pleased that Neil is looking to make things right and at his own cost, mostly if not all at his own cost. You don't see many business people around like that anymore. I'm thinking everything will work out for everyone in the end.

 

[Clutch]

No doubt about it, the customer service is great. I'm going to go ahead and disassemble mine. The batteries will have to be changed at some point. Might as well see if taking it apart will have any effect on performance.

 

[Clutch]

Disassembled it with no problems. I can see where there is an extra piece soldered onto the tube where the switch depresses. When I 'poured' the batteries out, three tiny washers fell out too.

I don't know if there was one between each battery or if they were all together. I'm assuming they are there to give the batteries a snug fit.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

Disassembled it with no problems. I can see where there is an extra piece soldered onto the tube where the switch depresses. When I 'poured' the batteries out, three tiny washers fell out too.

I don't know if there was one between each battery or if they were all together. I'm assuming they are there to give the batteries a snug fit.

Interesting! My 'second' sonic didn't have washers, but did have a bigger end cap on the negative connection then the first. Anyway, it's going back soon for more mods. We'll see what round three brings.

Also, as for customer service, MFX can't be beat. Very responsive and quick to fix all problems. Shipping will be almost a third of the cost of the sonic when all is said and done. They must be losing money on me, still they have not asked for any more in return. They even offered a full refund if I wanted. Of course, I don't. I want a sonic.
I have every confidence that all will be made good. I just hope that hassles this has brought will not make MFX decide to quit making replicas. We still need the Master's laser and ring.

 

[Jack T Chance]

Interesting! My 'second' sonic didn't have washers, but did have a bigger end cap on the negative connection then the first. Anyway, it's going back soon for more mods. We'll see what round three brings.

Also, as for customer service, MFX can't be beat. Very responsive and quick to fix all problems. Shipping will be almost a third of the cost of the sonic when all is said and done. They must be losing money on me, still they have not asked for any more in return. They even offered a full refund if I wanted. Of course, I don't. I want a sonic.
I have every confidence that all will be made good. I just hope that hassles this has brought will not make MFX decide to quit making replicas. We still need the Master's laser and ring.

Agreed! This...

...MUST be mine! :love

 

[greatwazoo42]

I wonder if they could put actual laser pointer lasers in it or not. I know they could do it mechanically but legally is always another area.

 

[NakedMoleRat]

I wonder if they could put actual laser pointer lasers in it or not. I know they could do it mechanically but legally is always another area.

You need to talk to someone, my Friend...:lol