ST: Nemesis Phaser - Wrong paint / too dark?

[sumghai]

I'm putting together a Star Trek Nemesis Type II Dolphin phaser, and I'm wondering whether I used the wrong paint color for the body.

According to these two posts (1, 2), the paint used was a metallic gray with the color code DSGM 347 / BGM 0347. As I live in the southern hemisphere, auto shops don't stock the full range of Duplicolor paints, and I had to get mine custom mixed using the Lyndar Color Matching system.

Unfortunately, the phasers look really dark (almost black) with only a hint of the metallic speckle (photos taken without and with flash):









Looking at prop photos on the net, most Nemesis phaser are a much lighter shade:



But I've also seen darker grey phasers:

http://afxprops.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/3859973_orig.jpg

https://www.yourprops.com/movieprop...977031/Star-Trek-Nemesis-Nemesis-Phaser-1.jpg

Was the paint color that I bought too dark? Which is the canon / screen-accurate color?

 

[VioletSun]

Unfortunately colour matching always seems a little off. I'd say it looks a little dark but not in an unpleasant way.

 

[AJK001]

That actually doesn't look to bad. It could be a little bit lighter but I don't think it is enough of a difference to matter.

When I was having on built for me I asked Myron Stapleton what he used on the kits he made and he said he used Plasticote 1004 or equivalent. He also mentions that Duplicolor makes or made a similar color.

 

[sumghai]

I just touched base with the folks over at The Fleet Workshop - turns out there's a long convoluted series of different paint codes used over the years for the same color:

The original color was the now-discontinued PlastiKote #1004, which had been used during early TNG/DS9/VOY for various props

By the time of ST:Nemesis, two different propmaking shops made the Dolphin phasers used in the film. HMS painted the stunt ones with #1004, while ISS used the slightly lighter PlastiKote #7173 Silver Sand for the hero props. #7173 is also no longer available.

Known modern replacements include:
- Dupli-Color Medium Marblehead Metallic (BGM 0478 / 03 WA9924, formerly DSGM 478)
- Dupli-Color Medium Charcoal Metallic (BFM 0225 / 1B, formerly DSFM 225)
- Dupli-Color Medium Grey Metallic (BGM 0347 / 15 WA8573, formerly DSGM 347)

A couple of TFW members were kind enough to compare some paint samples with original props. One member said that the BGM 0347 was a little darker than the BFM 0225, while another said it was too much darker and unsuitable.

Both members also suggested inaccurate mixing formula or cross-reference - which might explain why the Lyndar BGM 0347 is much darker than the official Dupli-Color BGM 0347.

So to sum up:

- Only very basic Dupli-Color paints are available in New Zealand

- The BGM and BFM Dupli-Color paints can only be obtained through the Lyndar Color Match System, but some of the Lyndar formulae may be wrong

My plan is to now either check to see if the Lyndar version of BGM 0478 is the correct lighter shade of metallic grey, or I get my hands on one of the basic Dupli-Colors as a substitute.

Hope this bit of info may be of use to any Australian and NZ-based Trek prop builders.



(ASIDE: I messaged Myron, and he now personally mixes his own metallic grey paint by eye)