I finished this MkVII Science Tricorder this past weekend. I started it about two years ago and had finished the body and paint, but with the advent of electronics with an LCD display I held off until the electronics were available. That was a year ago and I was too busy to install them then.

The kit was produced by HMS Studios, sold through Roddenberry.com, and is now unavailable. HMS built these for the TV series and the kit is identical to the props filmed in "Star Trek: The Next Generation".

The LCD screen has about thirty different screen animations that can be selected by switches under the graphics. I created three of those animations which involve about 90 to 120 frames. Enjoy.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...SciTric061.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...SciTric059.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...SciTric057.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...SciTric062.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...SciTric063.jpg

I don't know how I missed that three days ago. That is just... :rock::yep: :sunny:

You have some real skill there. I am very envious of people who can model to that level of detail. :yeah:

Does that spacecraft model come in a snap-tite version? :oops::D

Really it just takes time with some mentoring. Plus money, lot's of money. Start small and learn techniques so your mistakes and failures aren't so dear. Many hobby shops have clubs where you can get lot's of advice from old hands. They really do like to help. Props on the other hand are a different animal in many ways from models as they are meant to be used.

What kind of phaser do you want? There is really the entire gambit available within Star Trek, or any other film for the most part.

For the entire realm sign up for the Replica Prop Forum. This is where it all is. Industry big wigs and amatuers alike spanning the entire prop industry.

I spend most of my time at the Trek Prop Zone which is a members only forum devoted to Star Trek props alone. Industry bigwigs regarding Star Trek are also members there.

Here are the latest cows out of the barn. These took awhile as all I got to work with was the fiberglass base, resin and wood screen frame, and the graphic.

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer112.jpg

Here's a better photo with the graphic lit. It runs on 12 VDC from either an AC wall adapter, or two 9 volt batteries regulated to 12 volts.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer108.jpg

The chassis. The base is a 6" lazy-susan bearing and the BBs are counterweights to the screen.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer102.jpg

The back light is made by LightBeam and theses are available in custom cut sizes and three color temps. Mine are 5000K natural light.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer050.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer048.jpg

And part od the work needed to make the screen frame nicer.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...omputer019.jpg

As Kaylee would say...Shiny! :sunny:

Quite amazing :sunny:

I've been working a long project building eight hero tricorders from the second Star Trek movie which I'll post some images of soon, but I wanted to put up a link to the video blogs about the fan film I built a couple of props for and showed earlier.

The film has commenced shooting principal photography and is called "Star Trek-Horizon". One of my props can be seen being held by a cast member in the stills shown in the Vlog. The CGI in use with this project is simply the best I've seen.

Vlog 04
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOlADRxVyTQ

Vlog 03
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MjOmGMRaKQ

Vlog 02
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkJSs-yyMtg

Vlog 01
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JD-fzZjk5Is

Here's an older project of mine that is still unfinished although I did work on it a month ago.

This is the original Star Trek TV series phaser pistol built to the design of Matt Jeffries concept drawings. The paint and color scheme are my own invention as there is nothing indicated in the drawings.

There are two known drawings which I used and made notes from.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...esNotes001.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...esNotes003.jpg

The main castings are from a kit produced in small quantities by Ron Shanko and are fiberglass. A few aluminum machined parts were also sourced but much was scratch built. The main castings were modified to a fair degree to match as near as possible the relative dimensions of the drawings.

The P1 shells.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko001.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko012.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko020.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko028.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko063.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko070.jpg

Jump ahead to where this piece is nearly finished and still needs to be.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko095.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko100.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko103.jpg

And if you've paid attention so far here's a treat. This is my build next to one of the screen used midgrade P1's from the original series.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko113.jpg

The next part was the P2 shells and the Unit #3 grip.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko120.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko125.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko127.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko165.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko166.jpg

One brass part I made.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko135.jpg

Here the P2 is getting pretty far along.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko204.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko207.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko209.jpg

The drawing made a reference to a Unit #4 that attached on the back of the P2 so I took that to mean a rifle attachment and began building one of my own concept.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko262.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko265.jpg

Here's another treat. The phaser on the left is also a screen used one from the original series. One of only two known to exist publicly and known as the West Coast Midgrade. I am not the owner unfortunately.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko271.jpg

And skipping to current events. I was able to obtain a nozzle and emitter from a Masterpiece Replicas phaser and substituted it for the one shown earlier. The MR nozzle has a functional range ring and by turning it the emitter extends or retracts. That was the last feature dictated in the drawings I needed to get them all. It should be noted that the screen used heroes did not follow all the notes and they are notably different in detail.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko306.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko307.jpg

And where it stands today. I was trying out the Federation flag as a backdrop.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko309.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko311.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko312.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko313.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...RShanko315.jpg

Amazing work indeed :sunny:

Very very cool.

The things we do to satisfy our urge to be creative. :nope: :yep: :rock:

Somehow I see the commercial aspects of all this! That hand Phaser could be converted to an really cool ear wax remover! For old 'Wagon Train to the Stars' buffs like us, already invested in 6k worth of programmable hearing aids, ear wax IS a pesky issue. We've already got everything else...Buddahaid could retire!$$$ And really when you think about it, Star Trek was all about the ears! Ready to beam up and ma' hailin' frequency's open courtesy of WIDEX! :up::hmmm: The grips could store the hearing aids and the thing should float...in case the boat sinks.:yep: call WHAMO tomorrow!:O: