SDCC08 - Dr WHO Replicas!

WOW! the replica looks even better than the original, beautiful job guys! Can't wait to get one.

Chris Martin said:
I assume Neill won't mind me posting this to complement what he's already said but both the Sonic Screwdriver and Master Laser Driver should be faithful duplicates of the actual props. He and I went down to the studios in Cardiff to measure and photograph both props in order to duplicate them as exactly as possible. With regards to the Sonic, the original we viewed has been handled a great deal and as a result, the finish is both more buffed and just plain grubby, however, the paint is in theory the same one used on the actual thing.

Similarly, the Master's Laser Driver is a dimensionally faithful replica of the one used in the show. Both the MLD and the SS are handmade working props so it's always a balancing act between tidying things up for a display piece or deliberately machining some features badly to match the original. Where quirks of the original are arguably features, for example where things aren't exactly at ninety degrees to each other and would look wrong when 'corrected', the quirks have remained. Similarly there is some dulling and oxidation of the metal on the originals which is a natural result of age on the materials involved so the prototypes look a little brighter than the patina they will eventually settle into.

To illustrate how much effort has gone into making these as faithful as possible, here are pictures of both the original we were working from and the duplicates I created from the reference material. BTW the picture of the original is a composite photo so don't panic about the nose being extended yet the slider switch shown in the closed position. The reason for making the duplicates in the first place is that obviously the Dr Who people needed to retain the originals because they were using them and also it's much easier to create a run of something if you can hand someone a finished item and tell them to make some more exactly like that rather than working purely from photos and drawings.

origdriver.jpg


sonicdrivers.jpg


And yes, the wiring is yellow in this particular example as per the original. Photos of the MLD have already been posted so there's not much point in posting additional ones. I was flattered to be asked to do these and I can't think of a better combination of people involved with MFX to bring these excellent props to the market.
Click to expand...
 
This just in (my email inbox):

Hello from MFX Warehouse

It has been a while since we've been in touch as we have been busy developing a new product; the one that we have received the most requests for during our four years of making replicas and which has also been the most complicated to achieve - the Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver.

This message is brief (and not as pretty as usual!) as the very long development and refinement process has gained sudden momentum recently and the product is now ready to go to market. It will be launched on the website very soon, so we wanted to give all our subscribers a quick 'heads-up' about it.

Keep an eye on your inbox as you will receive a more detailed mailout in the coming days. The product is a hand made EXACT replica of the on-screen prop and will be a once only, never to be repeated run of 500 pieces worldwide. It will be sold on a striclty first come, first served basis from when it goes live on the website.

This is all the information we have at present, please don't contact us about dates, prices, pictures or other details yet, it will all be released in due course and as a mailing list subscriber, you will receive priority information the moment it is available!

With our best wishes


MFX Warehouse
 
Only 500 worldwide ????? Crap...I wonder what that will do to the price. Not to mention the actual success of trying to get one before they sell out.
 
It'll be the Matrix Phone Debacle all over again.

I'm hoping they do a signature run of 500 and then a mass market run of a less expensive model.
 
I got the same email. I am glad to hear it but I bet with a limited run of 500 that is going to be outrageously expensive. I am thinking $300 and up would be a guess but would love to be proved wrong. With the economy and my personal state, I am not sure I will be able to afford it, but we will see. i really want one and have for years.
 
I seriously doubt that I have the kind of money to get one of these, but I'll keep my eyes open.
 
Didn't they already have similar info posted on their website awhile back? Sounds like "Limited" will equal EXPENSIVE. :confused
 
Always does. I'm guessing the plans they had to mass manufacture them in China, like most people's plans of mass manufacturing in China, fell through so they found someone local who could only make so many (aka 500) on the budget they had for many, many more (like thousands) in China.

I know legal stuff usually requires all invovled parties to keep their cake holes clamped but I'm kinda hoping that if MFX did get them done locally it was with someone we helped them find. It'd feel nice to think that even if we can't afford one we contributed anyway.
 
When I got the email I was really disappointed.Like everyone else I know that limited to 500 means a real price hike which will probably put it out of my range.Damn shame.
 
Sad thing about global recessions - they don't make everything cheaper in the end, the just make stuff more scarce and harder to get.
 
I think they're actually making all 500 in the shop, just the same as the screen used pieces.
 
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