06-07-2010, 01:58 PM
Maybe I'm not being clear - the graphics line up with the tricorder body, it's the LEDs soldered to the PC board that won't line up with the graphics the way that they're intended to be for this model. Meaning, that the PC boards you sent along with this tricorder are not the ones for this particular one. It'll be finished, just not an electronically functioning version, which this was not intended to be according to the http://www.roddenberry.com site. They do not sell these in kit form with electronics at their own admission.
I further understand that you wanted this to have the electronics in it, as it should've had from the factory, but this is a recast version of the previously released licensed toy. This is a vaccum formed shell with a urethane cast door, parts, and hardware store hinges. These are made to offer the public a cheaper, although illegal version without electronics, as this site is NOT a legitimate Paramount subsidiary, or any licensee of it. The roddenberry site looks legitimate, but everything on it is an illegal non-licensed recast version -not a Master Replicas brand version, as only their products are legitimately licensed by the Paramount corporation for public distribution! Roddenberry offers electronic versions, but these are PRE-wired, assembled and made with the exact same recast materials as all the rest, but at MUCH higher price than the non-functioning ones.
Look, Roy - I'm only trying to watch out for you, as I know you don't have a lot of money, or resources. I thoroughly researched this for the last two months patiently trying to find all the right information on this particular brand of tricorder only to find that this isn't something you can buy off the shelf. I even went to the extremes of asking many other people about these all over the forums, and all their associated parts so that I could build the most accurate, and truly functioning T.V. prop that money could buy. I even charged you a much lower rate for my services that anyone else on any of these forums would have charged for the same services.
At the risk of losing you as a customer for any further work, I've tried to be as professional (unbiased) as possible, even though this took time away from all my own build time at home. The last PM I got from you sounds like you're pissed off at me, even though this is of no fault of my own. The stickers I got are the correct ones, as is the placement of all the parts to ensure as accurate a build as possible with what all I was supplied from you. I have applied myself to learn all that I can to build this cheaply, but with the utmost quality, and integrity. I have nothing against you, but in your last PM you made it sound as if I have a lack of knowledge about this tricorder, and that this is the reason the LEDs which are PRE-wired to the circuit board was all my fault! This IS the one that YOU purchased for this tricorder before ever soliciting my services. I do understand basic, and some advanced electronics, and theory. I could still make this work without a huge upcharge for parts, and without a charge for further labour.
I understand that this is a huge disappointment as you hired me to make a working tricorder. However, the parts this has are incidentally the wrong ones through no fault of my own. I only pointed this out, as I don't want to send this to you knowing full well that this isn't what you thought it to be. I'm not looking for a fast buck, but rather lending a helping hand to a fellow sci-fi fan in need. I didn't want you to open this tricorder up, and see lights where there shouldn't be any, or not see them where they should be under the graphics sheet. I don't feel that this is professional. I know that you have a budget for this project, including the Arnold figure, so I set my prices accordingly. This is also why I didn't superglue any of the parts that allow access to the electronics, so that you can replace them at a later date in time. This makes sense, don't you think? Please, don't be angry at me for doing what I feel is reasonable, and the right thing to do as far as this tricorder is concerned.
I'm not going to ask for more money, as this was already mentioned in the original email I sent you. I have to finish this as far as I originally promised to for the $45.00 that I said I would. Even if you don't have the money to buy the correct PC boards for this now, maybe you can buy them later, and not have to worry about doing anything else other than that. It's not going to cost you any more money for any more labour that I do - it's already covered. This is otherwise what I agreed to do - assemble this, and paint it in it's finished form. The electronics were supposed to be a part of this, but I already installed them per our agreement, whether working or not. The only thing this needs now is a battery. I'll have to let this dry before I can box it. This is as far as it can go without wiring a battery, or a new set of PC boards for this. I've already done what I can do with this up to this point, which is what I agreed to from the start. If there is anything else I might have forgotten, please PM me, and keep this thread clean, as it is intended to be a primer for others to see how to assemble one of these without a degree in engineering unlike the roddenberry site.
I further understand that you wanted this to have the electronics in it, as it should've had from the factory, but this is a recast version of the previously released licensed toy. This is a vaccum formed shell with a urethane cast door, parts, and hardware store hinges. These are made to offer the public a cheaper, although illegal version without electronics, as this site is NOT a legitimate Paramount subsidiary, or any licensee of it. The roddenberry site looks legitimate, but everything on it is an illegal non-licensed recast version -not a Master Replicas brand version, as only their products are legitimately licensed by the Paramount corporation for public distribution! Roddenberry offers electronic versions, but these are PRE-wired, assembled and made with the exact same recast materials as all the rest, but at MUCH higher price than the non-functioning ones.
Look, Roy - I'm only trying to watch out for you, as I know you don't have a lot of money, or resources. I thoroughly researched this for the last two months patiently trying to find all the right information on this particular brand of tricorder only to find that this isn't something you can buy off the shelf. I even went to the extremes of asking many other people about these all over the forums, and all their associated parts so that I could build the most accurate, and truly functioning T.V. prop that money could buy. I even charged you a much lower rate for my services that anyone else on any of these forums would have charged for the same services.
At the risk of losing you as a customer for any further work, I've tried to be as professional (unbiased) as possible, even though this took time away from all my own build time at home. The last PM I got from you sounds like you're pissed off at me, even though this is of no fault of my own. The stickers I got are the correct ones, as is the placement of all the parts to ensure as accurate a build as possible with what all I was supplied from you. I have applied myself to learn all that I can to build this cheaply, but with the utmost quality, and integrity. I have nothing against you, but in your last PM you made it sound as if I have a lack of knowledge about this tricorder, and that this is the reason the LEDs which are PRE-wired to the circuit board was all my fault! This IS the one that YOU purchased for this tricorder before ever soliciting my services. I do understand basic, and some advanced electronics, and theory. I could still make this work without a huge upcharge for parts, and without a charge for further labour.
I understand that this is a huge disappointment as you hired me to make a working tricorder. However, the parts this has are incidentally the wrong ones through no fault of my own. I only pointed this out, as I don't want to send this to you knowing full well that this isn't what you thought it to be. I'm not looking for a fast buck, but rather lending a helping hand to a fellow sci-fi fan in need. I didn't want you to open this tricorder up, and see lights where there shouldn't be any, or not see them where they should be under the graphics sheet. I don't feel that this is professional. I know that you have a budget for this project, including the Arnold figure, so I set my prices accordingly. This is also why I didn't superglue any of the parts that allow access to the electronics, so that you can replace them at a later date in time. This makes sense, don't you think? Please, don't be angry at me for doing what I feel is reasonable, and the right thing to do as far as this tricorder is concerned.
I'm not going to ask for more money, as this was already mentioned in the original email I sent you. I have to finish this as far as I originally promised to for the $45.00 that I said I would. Even if you don't have the money to buy the correct PC boards for this now, maybe you can buy them later, and not have to worry about doing anything else other than that. It's not going to cost you any more money for any more labour that I do - it's already covered. This is otherwise what I agreed to do - assemble this, and paint it in it's finished form. The electronics were supposed to be a part of this, but I already installed them per our agreement, whether working or not. The only thing this needs now is a battery. I'll have to let this dry before I can box it. This is as far as it can go without wiring a battery, or a new set of PC boards for this. I've already done what I can do with this up to this point, which is what I agreed to from the start. If there is anything else I might have forgotten, please PM me, and keep this thread clean, as it is intended to be a primer for others to see how to assemble one of these without a degree in engineering unlike the roddenberry site.
~ Cobra Chris