Trek Cage Communicator specs

[22 Stars]

Thanks, got the grill all set. Now trying to figure out the four holes or plugs in the middle of the lucite.

 

[22 Stars]

They look embedded to me, as they're flush with the neon bulbs or mercury switches alongside.

Thanks, I thought so. Also found a pic of the back, they are just four holes drilled in the back. Not sure what ill do for those.

 

[22 Stars]

Tim great Cage pistol btw. Any way I can get a similar kit?

 

[robn1]

Thanks, I thought so. Also found a pic of the back, they are just four holes drilled in the back. Not sure what ill do for those.

Maybe try putting in four pieces of clear sprue or acrylic rod to simulate the drilled holes.

Looking good, and thanks for the grill source.

 

[22 Stars]

Ya, if I only had some clear spruce.. maybe a model kit in the closet. This wont be the most accurate prop but I sure want it to be in the spirit of the original.

Now to decide if I leave the blinky lights from the Comm keychain

 

[Krel]

Quote:
Originally Posted by DrMcoy
I believe the two black knobs are terminal covers from vintage battery.

Would anyone happen to know where I could find some of those?
Thanks!

They used to make some 6 volt batteries, and other dry cell batteries with screw-on terminals. The caps would hold the contacts on the battery.

Before the Krypton, and Xenon bulbs, if you wanted a bright flashlight or headlight, you got one powered by a 6 volt battery. When I was a kid, we called 6 volt batteries lantern batteries.

David.

 

[22 Stars]

That's cool stuff. I know mine aren't spot on, but I won't lose too much sleep over it. I think small wire nuts cut down would be closer, but I'll survive. I've added a few pics, getting close to having the wiring redone to fit the case.

Star Trek Cage Communicator - a set on Flickr

Oh, and i realized that my glue gun uses bars that when cut off will make the 4 plugs/holes just perfectly

 

[robn1]

Ya, if I only had some clear spruce.. maybe a model kit in the closet. This wont be the most accurate prop but I sure want it to be in the spirit of the original...

I have some 1/8in acrylic rods, about a foot each. PM me with your address and I'll send you one.

 

[DrMcoy]

yeah, i wouldn't sweat the small details as far as accuracy goes.

if you were actually fabricating this out of clear resin, then it might be worth the extra effort, but as the case if simply a frosted plastic, the other details needn't be spot-on, at least not to me.

in other words, you are going for something that "resembles" the prop as best you can from readily available materials. it doesn't make much sense to agonize over minute details unless you are going for 100% accuracy on the entire piece -- make sense?

not that you are agonizing over them

can't wait to see the finished piece.

 

[22 Stars]

Thanks Rob, I think I'm good, actually just going to use some segments of hot glue gun rods I have handy, looks just about right!

I've accurized my circuit board with some resistors, and the silver tabs and updated the ficker album. Almost ready to assemble the whole shebang!

Star Trek Cage Communicator - a set on Flickr

 

[22 Stars]

Thanks Ted I agree, making progress, almost there

 

[22 Stars]

Posted two new pics, have to work on where/how the grill rods enter the Comm body, especially because I want them to hit my electronics switch for the chirp. Not as easy as I hoped, expecially with bending the brass wire.

Star Trek Cage Communicator - a set on Flickr

 

[DrMcoy]

fyi -- prop has small screw on left side of body below grid wire that served to keep grid from flying all the way back...at least i have seen this on some screen caps

i also recall that when pike first opened it on table top, he twisted silver knob to activate chirp...but my memory may be fuzzy on this detail...i'm sure others flipped it open to activate chirp -- this prop was only seen a few times in CAGE and then in WHERE NO MAN HAS GONE BEFORE.

 

[DrMcoy]

you can see screw in pic on this RPF page:

http://www.therpf.com/f9/st-twok-communicator-metal-one-64256/

 

[22 Stars]

Thanks, was planning on adding the screw, just not there yet Good call on the knob activating the chirp, I just checked and it's actually the left black knob in The Cage, and the right black knob that Kirk uses in WNMHGB.... I think I can do this so that either the left black knob OR the lid opening will do it. If not, I'll go just with the left black knob thanks for the reminder and heads up!

 

[22 Stars]

Wathcing more WNMHGB and the comm chirps when Kirk closes it, before Kelso gets whacked! Oh well, that's not gonna happen on my prop

 

[22 Stars]

More details up on Flickr, Does anyone know what the 'fuse' like bulb-ish objects are? Sorry if I missed this detail, I'm using regular fuses, but I know that's wrong... help! Still looking pretty good for my tastes, and since I'm using clear hot-glue I can always replace parts with more accurate ones easily!

Star Trek Cage Communicator - a set on Flickr

 

[DrMcoy]

looking GOOD!

the "fuses" were an entire bulb of some kind...again, there used to be a thread where each and every component was identified, but it appears that thread is long gone and I did not take notes.

I will say the fuses you used, while not 100% accurate, look fabulous for what you are doing.

My guess is that, at this rate, you will be finishing this up over the weekend.

 

[DrMcoy]

a few more links to other replicas -- show the parts pretty well, and these seem to be 99% accurate:

Star Trek: The Original Series (TV) (1966), Cage Communicator, other replicas

Star Trek: The Original Series (TV) (1966), Cage Communicator, other replicas

 

[22 Stars]

Thanks Ted, I've been using those pics too, even brought them to a lighting store here in Midtown Manhattan near my office... I guess I could invest a little more in bulbs that resemble this more.... I'll go at lunch tomorrow. At least it won't be 100 degrees in NY again tomorrow!