Star Trek: TMP Wrist Communicator Build

Captain Dunsel

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I finally had the time to knock out a Star Trek: TMP Midgrade Wrist Communicator, over the past few days. I have had the kit for a few years now and, unfortunately, do not recall who the maker was. I do know I picked it up over at the TPZ and that the die cut vinyl decals may have come from a separate maker than the base kit maker. My memory is very foggy on this one. Anyway, if anyone knows who the maker was, please chime in. This was a simple, but fun, build.



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Very cool Matt, you gonna wear it to the theater?

Thanks, Gary. The film being back in theaters is actually what motivated me to finally finish this kit. I have another one I finished, a few years ago, but must be packed away in storage, somewhere.
 
Wow, I just stumbled across this thread. A little late obviously, lol.

Very kewl to see someone do up a mid-grade replica of my kit. Well done :)
Aha! The maker of the kit is finally identified! I had thought it was you but didn’t want to “misidentify” anyone (I’ve done that before) :)
 
Great work! Here’s another version of this prop that I recently build from a 3D model you may have seen on Etsy and/or eBay.

It’s a bit of a mish-mash build story. I commissioned this design as a 3D model from “CosplayItemsRock” on RenderHub. The initial 3D render featured a main body with all the buttons and detail elements “molded” into the main body. I had it printed by Shapeways, with the main body printed in “Smoothest Fine Detail Plastic”, the wrist band printed in white “Premium Versatile Plastic” (as it’s highly flexible/bendable), and the top-plate printed in rhodium-plated brass (so it resembled the chrome tape used on the screen-used props).

But… unfortunately, I found that taping off and painting the silver details on the solid main body of that initial 3D print wasn’t working out. The main body details were too small to tape off effectively and I didn’t like the overall look. So, I set the entire project aside to work on others.

FAST-FORWARD a couple of months and I noticed that 3DHopShopProps on Etsy was offering a modified version of the same “CosplayItemsRock” design I had commissioned, but with the buttons and other detail parts printed separately from the main body. I purchased that 3DHopShopProps offering as a PLA-printed kit and utilized its main body (with its separate buttons/details) along the more flexible wrist band, rhodium-plated brass top-plate, and “No. 4” plate that I’d previously had printed via Shapeways.

I’m really happy with the finished result. I know the “buttons” on the screen-used versions were flat (i.e. decals or chrome tape) and the 3D printed version’s details are higher relief. Still, the higher-relief buttons/details seem right when viewed in context to the other TMP props.

Paints/Materials used:

Primer:
Rustoleum Filler Primer (hi-build formulation)

Main body and wristband: Dupli-color “Wimbledon White” (w/ Tamiya TS-79 semi-gloss clear over top)

“No. 4” plate: Tamiya TS-26 “Pure White” covered by TS-14 “Gloss Black” (I then relief-sanded the “No. 4” and it’s bezel to reveal the white layer. I then sprayed with Tamiya TS-13 “Gloss Clear” and polished with automotive polish to achieve a high-gloss shine on the black.

Buttons: Tamiya TS-83 “Metallic Silver” over Tamiya gray super fine primer. The inserts of the dual-pane component were painted with TS-26 “Pure White”. I then added the (tiny) black triangles using the cut corners of black automotive pin-striping tape and then topped the inserts off with TS-79 semi-gloss clear.

I used an ultra fine (.7mm) Uni Posca black acrylic paint pen to draw in the panel line details around the two main body sections below the “No. 4” panel.

Finally, I applied color-matched adhesive-backed mohair velvet (purchased on Amazon) to the interior of the wristband.

All-in-all, a really fun and easy build. Really pleased to add this to my collection!

Now… I just need TMP Tricorder. Suggestions???

Feel free to message me if you have any questions or want more info on the build.
 

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I loved the design of the wrist communicators.
They remind me of the interior of the boxes watches used to (?) come in in stores.
 

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Now…I seem to remember a different phaser type (drawing) than the one passed down to ST II:TWOK. This had a more Dustbuster emitter…like from TNG.
 

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