Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

OK. Fixed the problem, it was on my end. Not exactly sure what it was, but I had to strip out the metadata from all of them and rotate them all, since they all magically turned upside-down after I stripped out the metadata. Kind of a pain, but it does optimize the photos and save me disk space, so I'll just do that from now on.

Sooooo...

2014-10-26 12.47.19.jpg

Since it's the power supply, I went with red and black wire. It's true that lightbulbs don't care about polarity. You can hook up power to them any way you want and they'll work. But there's a great tradition in electronics regarding color, clarity, team pride, and a deep and abiding passion for consistency. Besides, it's what I had on hand. :p

Tools again: you have to loop the end of your wires to go around the old-timey terminal screws in the Hubbell plug, and those of you who've built John Long's P1 kit also know there's a fair amount of wire looping in there. There are great instructions in there on how to do it, but after I discovered jeweler's/beader's tools, I was a new man. They have them at Michael's with the beading tools. As always, never pay full price at Michael's. That's why God made coupons.

2014-10-26 13.06.33.jpg

I have another one I just bought at 40% off, but I don't have a picture right now. I'll post that when I get to the P1 internals.

So here's how you use one to put a nice loop in a wire:

2014-10-26 13.04.11-2.jpg2014-10-26 13.05.45.jpg2014-10-26 13.09.42.jpg

I know, I know -- horribly complicated. But I have faith in you. You'll get the hang of it. :p And don't forget to loop your wire clockwise, so that it doesn't try to pop loose while you're screwing down the terminals.

Now, you'll notice I used solid-core wire instead of stranded. I don't even own any stranded wire. Solid core wire can break because it doesn't stand up to bending and twisting a lot, but that's just not gonna happen inside the handle, ever. Plus, it's easier to solder, easier to hold in place, and you just can't use stranded wire on a breadboard. And stranded wire also carries yucky Ebola AIDS cooties. That's really the big one for me.

And now, off to the electronics bench! Not strictly necessary, since I can just grab a small multimeter and test for continuity right at my workbench, but come on...

2014-10-26 13.11.13.jpg

I'd live next to this thing if I could. Me so geeky! Me solder you long time!!

So you hook up the wire to the terminals, then twist the loose ends of the wires together so you can make sure all those happy little electrons can make the full lap around the circuit.

2014-10-26 13.15.39.jpg

Different models of continuity meters work different ways, but commonly they beep when you have a complete circuit. Pretty much every multimeter you can buy will have a continuity checker. This bench model beeps, and the display goes absolutely batsh!t haywire.

2014-10-26 13.11.30.jpg2014-10-26 13.17.58-1.jpg2014-10-26 13.20.01-4.jpg2014-10-26 13.20.01-2.jpg2014-10-26 13.20.01-3.jpg

Now that the plug is ready to go in the handle, it's time to get the handle ready for the plug. Back to sanding! Yay! Kinda.

2014-10-26 14.00.50.jpg

I spent some quality time with the sanding block and my wood parts making sure I had a nice, even joint between the handle and the butt plug. And there was a lot of sanding.

2014-10-26 14.01.51.jpg2014-10-26 14.01.44.jpg2014-10-26 14.02.42.jpg

Ultimately, though, I wound up with a very nice fit overall, and now all my parts were ready... for more sanding...

2014-10-26 14.03.13.jpg2014-10-26 14.08.08.jpg

I then made a quick detour to the laser cutter (cuz I got scared), to make some more templates for the woeful ordeal that is the end plate...

2014-10-26 15.11.21.jpg

This time I meant business.

Meanwhile, back at the mill (I always wanted to say that)...

2014-10-26 16.39.06.jpg

I drilled and countersank three of the templates to increase my chances of getting one good one. I've been doing this work sloppily to get done, and it always bites me in the butt in the end. I did get one completely filed out, but I actually managed to misread my own markings and the big hole looked awful. Still, I'm finally getting the technique down, and I'm perfectly sure I'll get a really nice butt plate in the end. Which is where they go. :p

Quick sidebar on shop etiquette: always clean up after yourself. If you're ever going to work in a professional shop, you need to get serious about not leaving messes behind. It pisses other people off, and makes you look unprofessional. Here's how I leave machines when I'm finished:

2014-10-26 16.47.39.jpg

Thanks to my über-clean habits, I get constant offers for kinky sex from the Techshop staff. Okay, not really, but they say thank you a lot and that's almost as good.

That's 24 files, onto the next post...

2014-10-26 12.47.19.jpg


2014-10-26 13.06.33.jpg


2014-10-26 13.04.11-2.jpg


2014-10-26 13.05.45.jpg


2014-10-26 13.11.13.jpg


2014-10-26 13.09.42.jpg


2014-10-26 13.11.30.jpg


2014-10-26 13.15.39.jpg


2014-10-26 13.17.58-1.jpg


2014-10-26 13.17.58.jpg


2014-10-26 13.20.01-2.jpg


2014-10-26 13.20.01-3.jpg


2014-10-26 13.20.01-4.jpg


2014-10-26 14.00.50.jpg


2014-10-26 14.01.44.jpg


2014-10-26 14.01.51.jpg


2014-10-26 14.02.42.jpg


2014-10-26 14.03.13.jpg


2014-10-26 14.08.08.jpg


2014-10-26 15.11.21.jpg


2014-10-26 16.39.06.jpg


2014-10-26 16.47.39.jpg


2014-10-26 17.33.03.jpg


2014-10-26 17.36.00.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

And now we're in the home stretch on the handle. I tried a different method for lining up the popsicle sticks -- tape, scribing marks into the handle, and contact cement to get my initial line-up.

2014-10-26 14.35.33.jpg2014-10-26 17.33.03.jpg

Because of the contour of the handle, you get a gap on the outside, which is actually helpful, because you can work the JB-Kwik right into it.

2014-10-26 17.36.00.jpg2014-10-26 17.47.29.jpg

I use the gloves whenever I work with epoxies and fillers now, since it lets me use my fingers without having to keep cleaning off between steps. Basically I just shoved the epoxy into the gap with a toothpick, laying it down really, really thick, then I wiped off the excess with my fingertips. I used the epoxy very liberally, so I've got a pretty good bond in there. If you pay attention, you'll see I have the handle on the wood form for a lot of these shots. Helps avoid denting or bending the handle out of shape. Even so, I still have to give it the occasional whack with a mallet to fix something. No biggie, the dents come right out.

2014-10-26 19.28.47.jpg2014-10-26 19.34.31.jpg2014-10-26 21.20.00.jpg

Once the sticks were all on (which is a bigger pain than I'd like -- I'm spending part of my off-week designing a jig for this part), I gave it a good coarse sanding all around to take down the grungy deposits from the annealing and soldering, followed by a little rubdown with Scotch-Brite.

2014-10-26 21.20.46.jpg2014-10-26 21.24.38.jpg

And finally...

2014-10-26 22.07.09.jpg

Shaping in with Evercoat...

2014-10-26 23.20.14.jpg

The first couple coats of primer...

2014-10-26 23.43.54.jpg2014-10-26 23.47.35.jpg

And ye olde Bondo spot putty. Now it suddenly looks like a phaser handle! I'm using Duplicolor white primer at this stage for reasons I know I don't have to explain to this crowd. The final color will of course be the Rust-Oleum Dark Bronze Metallic, which is the only rattle-can color that's ever been visually matched to GJ's original in direct sunlight, and it's an absolutely perfect match. All those other grayish, gunmetal, platinum, etc. colors mentioned around the web come from people who've never seen the GJ hero in person, so I don't put much stock in them myself. Of course, to each his own -- some people like those colors, and this ain't no commie dictatorship. :)

So this handle is now finally turning the corner and heading home. There will be a few more where it came from...

2014-10-26 23.52.56.jpg

... but for now, this is the handle I'm going with for this build, and I'm incredibly happy with it. Not bad for my first-ever (not counting 274 ****-ups) scratch-built handle if I do say so myself, which I do, so there.

Next time, I'll have my tang nut and threaded rod, which I'm pretty sure will end up being a 10-24 size and thread. I tested an 8-32 and it definitely seemed too small:

2014-10-26 11.28.30.jpg
It also kept yelling "JOHNNY FIVE IS ALIVE!!!" Which totally creeped me out. Anyway, once I have the right hardware, I'll have to turn down the tang nut on the lathe just a teeny bit, and then I'll be ready for final assembly and finishing of the handle.

Finally, even though it was past midnight, I was totally burned out, and the staff were starting to tease me about being a total slacker, I cleaned up my area:

2014-10-27 00.12.30.jpg

And that's it for now. Back soon. Now that we're out of Handle Hell, it's time to go back to, um, Sanding Hell. :p My next post should be the final segment on the handle, followed by finishing the TMOST P1 build-up, then on to the pistol and its internals...

Okay, I'm getting all poppy-pants now... :(
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Absolutely. Then I realized it would be getting putty, paint, and primer, so I sanded it down to a loose fit. That turned out to be a good idea. :)

Basically, there's no way to predict the exact diameter of the handle to create a perfect fit beforehand, at least none that I know of. Even 1/64" of variance can throw off the fit. So I always knew there would be some final sanding to shape with the wood parts in that area.

If you look closely back at the photos of the wood plug parts right out of the laser cutter, you'll see I even left in a sharp corner where the straight face of the handle meets the curve. Rather than spend another 20 minutes tweaking the bezier control points in the artwork, I just decided to sand it away during construction, since there's just no escaping the need to use sandpaper to get down to your final contours anyway.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Nice work here. I did the mini phaser kit for Dan a while back and nearly made it. I was very inexperienced and learned everything the hard way....
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Nice work here. I did the mini phaser kit for Dan a while back and nearly made it. I was very inexperienced and learned everything the hard way....
Yeah, we all start out that way, screwing things up like an amateur. But with time, mistakes, and perseverance, I've learned to really **** things up at a professional level. :p
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Hey, I've started a new gig today which will keep me busy for a week or two, but I'm looking to finagle a shop day on Sunday. My nuts came in this morning. The tang nuts. The other ones are right where they belong, thank you. Anyway, with a little luck, Sunday the handle construction will finally be finished. :)
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Ray are you going to put a clear coat over the Rust-Oleum Dark Bronze Metallic paint or just leave it as the final coat?
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

I am loving this thread ASA :)
I have not dug out my box full of phasers in a long time.
Considering what you are working on i figured you would appreciate this blast from the ASAP days.
Man, my iPad camera never takes a good pic of anything :unsure

image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Woah...what's that? I don't remember that from the ASAP days.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

I'd like to think I'd remember one that nice, so I went back to my pic file. That's THE mystery phaser, isn't it? I remember that one for sure, just never knew it traded hands. Nice score.
 
Last edited:
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

That's THE mystery phaser, isn't it?
Yes, I forgot we called it that :lol.

It is the jlong Phaser II box art kit prototype.
The kit was in the pipe line to get released next right before the economy tanked.
Now John is too swamped with work to take on a project this big :(.

I really hope this kit comes out at some point.


quarryman
I stopped over at ASAP (I don't think I have been on there in years) and had forgotten you were the one who did those amazing MM and ROD.Com hero builds. Just, wow.
 
Last edited:
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Thanks for the pics phez, I've only seen a couple pics of that one so it's nice to see more.

And thanks quarryman for restoring your ASAP pics, those are great looking builds.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Hey guys. Wonderful pics, phez. Them was the days. Great build.

Spacerone, I haven't decided yet. I may try it on something else first to see how I like it. The main issue is clearcoating darkens the color. I don't think John's reference was clear coated when he matched it to the GJ, so maybe not. I'm so decisive. :p

BTW, I'm Aureliano, not Ray. Don't fret, with a name like mine, roughly 90% of folks I meet get it wrong, so I'm used to it. :)
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Hey guys. Wonderful pics, phez. Them was the days. Great build.

Spacerone, I haven't decided yet. I may try it on something else first to see how I like it. The main issue is clearcoating darkens the color. I don't think John's reference was clear coated when he matched it to the GJ, so maybe not. I'm so decisive. :p

BTW, I'm Aureliano, not Ray. Don't fret, with a name like mine, roughly 90% of folks I meet get it wrong, so I'm used to it. :)

Sorry Aureliano :) I see what your saying. I will wait to see what you come up with.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

TOS is Ray, if it makes you feel any better :p

Gloss clear coats will make colors darker, flat will make them lighter. Just like gloss black looks darker than flat black.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

TOS is Ray, if it makes you feel any better :p

Gloss clear coats will make colors darker, flat will make them lighter. Just like gloss black looks darker than flat black.

Robn1 that makes me feel better, I hate to see a good name go to waste.:)
That makes sense on the clear coat. I guess no coat will keep it from changing shades but what will help protect the paint?
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

Haven't thought about that much. Protecting the paint isn't a priority for my own props, since I'm trying to use accurate undercoat colors. Though I might hit the TMOST p1 with satin over the Zynolyte, which seems lighter to me than it used to be. I'm going to check it against my Burke chair in storage, the base of which I painted with the old stuff. We'll see.
 
Re: John Long Phaser 1 Kit Buildup plus MM P2 Restoration

BTW, I'm Aureliano, not Ray. Don't fret, with a name like mine, roughly 90% of folks I meet get it wrong, so I'm used to it. :)

If you were stuck with my last name Aureliano, you'd feel a lot better about people mistaking your first name, lol.
 
This thread is more than 5 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top