Star Trek: TNG Dustbuster
- Thread starter R5D4
- Start date
I haven't built my kits yet (I have electronics and paint on the way), but I have a kit from Stapleton and an old rodd.com kit from before they went out of business. I could be wrong, but I believe the stapleton13 one is not molded from screen used (however it appears extremely accurate to me). I don't know about the rodd.com one, it's possible that has some screen used history to it. Both kits are excellent, both can take electronics. Stapleton is the easiest, most cost effective way to go. He has a facebook group and an email address, I don't think he's very active here.
I've had both kits for a while, but in the next few months I really intend to make progress on them. If I do, I'll try to put up a small build thread and link you here. Also, for reference, I've attached the PDF instructions for the rodd.com phaser as they contain decent paint options and some small pics.
I've had both kits for a while, but in the next few months I really intend to make progress on them. If I do, I'll try to put up a small build thread and link you here. Also, for reference, I've attached the PDF instructions for the rodd.com phaser as they contain decent paint options and some small pics.
I broke out both kits, the largest practical difference is in the emitters. The rodd.com kit has a lip around the emitter that the Stapleton doesn't:
The details of the emitter are also cleaner and more symmetrical on the Stapleton. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the lip was present for season 2 and not for season 1, or vice versa. I hesitate to even say that because I could be completely wrong, could just be a variant between specific phasers.
The bodies are extraordinarily similar in all the ways that matter:
The Stapleton is cleaner inside the body too, and the grip is nicely black and rubberized instead of just gray resin. All in all, unless you stumble across a rodd.com for a killer deal, I'd hit up Myron (Stapleton) for one of his kits. I have zero experience with any of the static kits, but I'd still go with Stapleton even if you don't plan on electronics.
The details of the emitter are also cleaner and more symmetrical on the Stapleton. I seem to recall reading somewhere that the lip was present for season 2 and not for season 1, or vice versa. I hesitate to even say that because I could be completely wrong, could just be a variant between specific phasers.
The bodies are extraordinarily similar in all the ways that matter:
The Stapleton is cleaner inside the body too, and the grip is nicely black and rubberized instead of just gray resin. All in all, unless you stumble across a rodd.com for a killer deal, I'd hit up Myron (Stapleton) for one of his kits. I have zero experience with any of the static kits, but I'd still go with Stapleton even if you don't plan on electronics.
I would say a Rodd.com kit would be the most accurate as they would get molds/casts from HMS, the prop house who worked on the show. Having said that, it may have been MEL that made the Dustbusters for the earlier seasons of TNG.
Stapleton's kits are great and worth adding to your collection too.
Stapleton's kits are great and worth adding to your collection too.
ripleys clone
Well-Known Member
the Stapleton kit is season 1 & the Roddenberry kit is season 2. I actually like both kits & they can easily hold the electronic kits made by propEFX.
Good luck on the builds like to see them when you finished building.
Good luck on the builds like to see them when you finished building.
