Next the phase modulators were built. I made up the electronics and used more magnets to attach it with.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild063.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild065.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild067.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild069.jpg

And a video.
http://s225.photobucket.com/user/sir...l?sort=3&o=179

The bottom was closed off and brass contacts made so power from the rifle couls also light the side LEDs.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild075.jpg

This is the floor of the modulator compartment with the springy contacts and the two battery charging ports. The batteries are lithium ion packs made for Canon camcorders. Small with a 1200mAH rating.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild078.jpg

Next I worked on the sights creating the back light and the flashlight.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild086.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild087.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild088.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild089.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild091.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild092.jpg

After some long effort blending out mold lines and other faults, they were primed and painted. The paint is a two tone silver plus a semi-flat black, The silver paintsI have mixed at an auto paint store and rattle canned. The black was Rustoleum flat black which looks more like a satin to me.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild108.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild121.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild126.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild141.jpg

Next was a lot of wiring and assembly.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild143.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild144.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild146.jpg

And then finished rifles.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild147.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild149.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild151.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild150.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild152.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild153.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild154.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild158.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...leBuild159.jpg

And a poorly done video of one working as I had to hold the camera as well as operate it.
http://s225.photobucket.com/user/sir...tml?sort=3&o=1

Now I'm building six Future Tricorders. This tricorder was made for the ST:Generations movie but never got screen time. It is the last in the series of pop-up tricorders that began with the third movie. The vacuform part and the two gray parts are from Mike Moore and like the original parts. The other resin parts are reproduction STIII tricorder parts that get modified.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild022.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild029.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild028.jpg

Other than having all six sets of shells at the same stage this brings me up to date.

Ninety-gazillion pictures in one flash! My brain can't keep up! :dead:

Lookin' good though. :sunny:

Yeah sorry about that but I was on a rampage to get through my backlog of work. As it is the latest prop shown has been waiting it's turn for longer than a year.

Seriously amazing work going on here :sunny:

Update time.

I've matched the shells at the mid-line seam, created the seam gap with strip stock and built the fasteners.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild033.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild034.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild036.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild037.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild038.jpg

I've got the plant-ons done now and this is how it went.

First stage was a pattern which covered the area on the flat part and left wings where the part would curve over the edge.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild039.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild040.jpg

Next I used a heat gun to soften the parts and fold them over the edges. I'm using .030" sheet stock which is much thinner than the shell so the heat wasn't going to bother the shell.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild041.jpg

Next the wing was trimmed and the corners rounded followed by gluing and clamping.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild046.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild047.jpg

After a bit of sanding to remove the slight lumpiness of the bend they looked like this.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild044.jpg

The last bit was making the button plinths. I used a file to make the two inner seams so the part remains one piece.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild048.jpg

So yesterday got going with making sure the Grayhill switches fit.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild049.jpg

After that I filled all the slots and voids on the pop-ups as I don't plan on using them.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild053.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild054.jpg

I also added some filler to the corner areas where the main shell meet the pop-ups.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild051.jpg

So today will be getting the hoods to fit nicely to the mains shells. Some of this is old ground that all of these tricorders seem to have. An overbite on the left, an underbite on the right, and too narrow overall. These have the added joy of not meeting the vacuform shell at the top outer edges at all. Should be fun.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild052.jpg

Well it's taken all day but the pop-ups now fit well but I'm sick of dust now. Glad almost all of that is done now.

Fist I sanded the resin parts down where needed.

The overbite.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild055.jpg

The underbite.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild056.jpg

The corners.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild057.jpg

Some .060" strips were added to thicken the area where the sanding was cutting through.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild058.jpg

And then a marathon of filling and sanding until I got this.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild059.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild060.jpg

I love seeing the work you're putting into these. :sunny:

I need oiing.....
http://stickyhealth.files.wordpress..../tin-man-2.jpg

So I've made the continuation of the horizontal band into the vacuform part.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild064.jpg

Blank the opening off with Styrene scrap...
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild065.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild066.jpg

...and glue on some ribbon cable.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild067.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild068.jpg

All the display windows are now opened as well.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild069.jpg

So last night I used the Dremel to make the syringe slots, and with that, the shells are ready for the next step which is finalize the pop-up electronics and build the boards.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild070.jpg

Amazingly, I had all the right bargraphs I wanted on hand. Here's a test fit to see what the cavity for the electronics shaped up like. It looks like there is enough room for the plan.
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild071.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild072.jpg

Not getting a lot done as I've been digging a trench for a french drain this weekend after breaking up the concrete that was atop it last weekend. Anyway I did get the first board made. A bit sloppy but only one mistake found after I was done which was attaching one resistor leg to the wrong place. The follow on ones should be a bit neater,
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild079.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild080.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild081.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild082.jpg

http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...erBuild083.jpg

And a video in situ.
http://s225.photobucket.com/user/sir...tml?sort=3&o=0

Sorry the video link paste was just getting it wrong. Fixed I believe.