Yes, another Diamond Select TOS phaser toy-to-prop-replica conversion.

[Chrisisall]

After studying my wonderful Wand phaser carefully I realized that while it makes great sounds & lights, it's still just a high end toy, not a real prop replica.
So I went to town on my Diamond Select phaser, with metal parts by Jon Paul in Sarasota.
There is not a CM of this thing I didn't re-work in one way or another. Starting with the P1- it had to be re-shaped (slimmed by 1mm on each side towards the back) & the rear end extended by 2mm. Cradle back end opened up by almost 2mm. Cradle ribs taken down quite a bit. Side ribs removed (replacing them is my final construction step- just waiting on the styrene half rounds in the mail). Sharp edges sanded all around. Window above emitter expanded. Trigger moved to more correct angle. Ribs under ten-turn replaced. Top of Jon Paul's bezel sanded off & replaced by faux ruby. Made the front so the metal nozzle just plugs in so I don't have to
mask it for painting. Filled the body with plasticine clay so it doesn't feel 'front-heavy' with the metal nozzle. I cut into the tail fin well so the tail fins could be recessed a mm or so more deeply. And yes, a touch of OCD helps my builds.
Here are pictures of my build in progress, but basically, the colours of my Wand phaser were what put me off the most. Handle is fine, but body & P1 are both too dark.
So I just gotta make my own...
Next pics will be final side ribs & painting. Wish me luck- nothing is guaranteed....

 

[Nicksdad]

Looking really good so far.

 

[mrwax]

Looking forward to your updates, I might try to use this as inspiration to break mine back out.

 

[Ronldheld]

Good work.

 

[Chrisisall]

Before I tackled this P2, I did a P1. The P1 in this phaser will be glued in- that saved me a lot of work on the underside & nozzle.
Waiting for the styrene half rounds in the mail. It really sucks not having my LHS around anymore (it closed permanently during the first year of the pandemic). So close to done....

 

[Chrisisall]

Final gray body paint test- left is my present colour choice on a discarded part, right above is my Wand phaser body (too dark IMO), and below that is my DS phaser unpainted (a little too light IMO). Tomorrow I get the final bits for the 3 side ribs so I'll be painting Thursday & Friday....
Whadya think?

 

[mrwax]

What paint did you end up going with?

 

[Chrisisall]

What paint did you end up going with?

Krylon matte deep gray.

 

[Chrisisall]

Got the half rounds & glued them to the .5mm thick strips. While waiting for them to set, I sanded the angles on the side turn with an emery stick & softened all the edges of it with 2000 grit sandpaper.

 

[Chrisisall]

Got the side ribs glued on. It got a little messy because I had to re-position them, but that just means a little clean up tomorrow before painting. Tomorrow the body, Friday the handle. Then it's just plug N' play!

 

[Chrisisall]

The gray is on. Dark bronze on the handle in about 24 hrs!

 

[Chrisisall]

Sanded some spots today with 2000 grit sandpaper, another last light coat tomorrow, then a 48 hr cure wait.
In the meantime, I purchased a polishing kit for my dremel. Wanna make this metal emitter shine!

 

[Chrisisall]

Gave it one more coat of gray, and waited a bit. Got the dark bronze on the handle. Some sputter from the rattle can, but nothing noticeable once it began to dry.
Now there really is nothing more I can do on it until Monday but polish the emitter, fins & side-turn.
Monday I'll have to do a little wet sanding & light polishing, then I can attempt assembly barring setbacks.

 

[mrwax]

Looks great! I need to pick up a can of that dark bronze, hopefully somewhere local has it.

 

[Chrisisall]

Wet sanding went well, buffed it by hand (tests with the dremel on the discarded body showed enamel unevenly semi-melting at even the lowest speed).
I epoxied the ring for the side turn, and the front end cap. Now more waiting for it to set. The inside of the side turn, the rear fins, the emitter & the P1 are all basically plug-ins requiring only small spots of hot glue.

 

[Chrisisall]

Okay, just finished it. I may do some minor detailing, but this is basically it. Better photos tomorrow.

 

[Chrisisall]

The Cloud Minders shot:

 

[Chrisisall]

One final beauty shot:

 

[Chrisisall]

Okay, a guy on another site told me I needed to add the screw. He pointed out that it's visible onscreen in The Cloud Minders. So I just added it. It's not even a real screw, I couldn't find one the correct size so I made it out of a discarded plastic trigger piece.
NOW I'm done!

 

[mrwax]

If you don't mind mentioning, what other site have you found? The Fleet Workshop has been gone for a while now (at least for me without an account), and Trek Prop Zone has gone down in the last month or so.