Perfection! Loved your vid! One thing .. They werent shiny in the show, because that would reflect the stage lights,, so they were all done in the matte resin. The ones on the shows are all matte resin.
Great work and good perfection just like the original props! Well..except for the insignias from the classic films just like the wrath of kahn. The monster maroon uniforms. The reflected in the headlights because they were made of metal and not of cast resin.
more people like Bill and Britt in the world please...seriously. Thank you both for bringing good things into the world and I'm talking about life not the props. The props are great but thank you for making us smile.
I noticed you did your cure with the supports still on. I find it much easier to remove supports before the cure and they don't tend to gouge out material from the model on removal
I’m just guessing, but maybe he left them on so as not to break the part during support removal? You’re right they are much easier to remove before curing but I was so afraid he was gonna break that thin of a part while removing the supports.
HI Bill, none of the comms in the show were ever machined metal. One master was made and multiples were cast in resin and painted with automotive laquer. Metal would have caused too many reflections on set. I have a couple of these commbadges from screenused lineage and one thing I can say if you decide to make these again is the delta shield part has a curve to the surface. I can send a photo if you'd like? Nice build video. Thanks for sharing. LLAP
There were metal ones made as well, though they were mainly used in other things with regard to it such as publicity events and similar, they actually had both in some of the touring displays. The metal ones were metal cast, which was then modified with the Star Trek experience and several others for electronics just to have the sound effect built in
I can't remember where I read it, but I believe there were a few metal combadges made as hero props for closeups... but given that I can't find the source, I could be totally wrong. I do know, however, that the Bajoran combadges in DS9 were made in both resin and metal versions. It also makes total sense that they'd use cast resin versions anyway, even without the reflection problem: Resin is a lot cheaper, a lot lighter...and they were also tiny props from the era of standard-def TV
@@watermelonhelmet6854 They were also used in various touring conventions. While Voyager was still in production, they had a few cast members, during the off filming periods, show up for autographs and, essentially, an otherwise free vacation in different cities. I met Tom Paris' actor at one of those that was in the Cincinnati Museum Center while he was taking a break. Of the three Trek actors I met, he was the only one where it was at something intended for Star Trek stuff, but was in one of the other parts of the museum. (Other two I met was Mulgrew when Hagan was running for state governor, and later met Shatner at a rural gas station near Louisville, KY. But the joke was that they had to take off the badge to get through security during it...
i had a similar issue with paint getting crackly when drying it. it may be related to humidity. you might be able to place the piece in a regulated dry box when drying to see if that works. examples of such a box are those used to store 3d printer filament, or make shift make a temporary one with silica gel in a tupperware box.
Just a suggestion, it's important to burnish the tape to both the part and the surface before gluing. You can use something hard and smooth like the back of a metal spoon. This greatly increases the grip of the tapes adhesive, which is the weakest link in this whole thing. I've used this trick several times. Great vid!
If you are working in metal and want the snazzy 'satin' finish they used on the TNG badges (sorry: communicators), it's way easier than you think: just use a relatively soft wire brush wheel on your bench grinder (or as big a wire wheel as you can put on your Flexshaft or Dremel).
Typically when machining like that you use a larger end mill for roughing allowing you to rapidly hog out the bulk, then change over to the ring end mill to do the detail roughing and finish. In fusion you can derive the operation from another so it knows what the prior path was
@@punishedprops The rule of thumb I was taught in school was to use the biggest diameter endmill you could for any given toolpath for the sake of rigidity.
My OCD kicked in when you did the reveal of the metal version, showing some slight scratches. Have you considered doing a brushed metal look, something to tone down the reflectivity of the metals? I like the metal fabrication much better than the resin (metal being weighted and more robust), but as many had said that on the show, the badges were not reflective, so maybe doing a satin finish (or brushed) could achieve the best of both worlds?
I have been making various Trek badges in Fusion and printing them for a while now and I am so excited to see how BIll models this one. EDIT: Not that far off from how I do it! Got a couple of glimpses into ways to improve my basic shapes though! Also, amazing how good the machined version looks, but also how *right* the rattle-can paint job looks, comparatively.
I didn't want to be "that guy", but I can see a few ways to improve on this (These are primarily for the 3D printed version of the badge), For one the front face of the "wings" are completely flat, there's no upward taper merging them with the edges of the delta (The main body of the badge). As for the delta itself, the front face as well as the rim around it has a gentle outward curve to it. Other than those two nitpicks about the badge, You did really well with it. I've 3D printed one of these with an FDM printer (In two pieces to prevent stairstepping) with the curved front face on the delta and it worked out well for me, though admittedly you could probably print it all out in one go since you don't need to worry about significant stairstepping with the SLA 3D printer you used in this video.
I would imagine they would use the non-shiny com-badge prop version far more often, even for main the primary cast (except, of course like you said, for close ups and the like), simply to tamp down and control reflections and glare around the set. While I can't verify this anecdote, I had read somewhere that when the original film model of the Enterprise from the original series was built, it was beautifully detailed and had a pearlescent paint job. While few if any details (like the "aztec pattern" panel detail on the outer hull) would be resolved through broadcast television resolution of the time, the highly reflective paint job was a huge problem the filming crew, so the ship (or the half that would only ever be filmed) was coated in a dull matt finish, to dampen that glare, and which also ultimately hid a lot of those nifty details, even through close-ups... Reflections can be a pain in the glass to film. 😉 Also Willow is adorable
All of the com badges on Star trek were the same, no shiny hero versions at all. They were cast resin painted gold and silver. This was to prevent them flaring out on camera. I have modelled this in fusion and the main issue with Bills version is that it doesn't have a curved face from the side profile.
What an awesome project! Can't wait to see more shiny CNCed metal builds. And Willow is the cutest, she probably wanted a badge for herself in that outtake xD
Awesome and informational, and I did actually get all three of your foamsmith books and so far, they have been very helpful. I'm planning on hopefully making some clone armor using some of the techniques I learned.
That thing is SO COOL. It was a product you could buy at ThinkGeek back when that was a thing. The dagger has real metal parts and plays sound effects; both battle noises and flute music. Best. Toy. Ever.
If you ever do one more prop accurate the paints they used on the show were Krylon Bright Gold and Dull Aluminum. They were all made the same way using polyurethane resin cast in a two part mold and attached using velcro. Your final result looks really nice, great job on them.
I was looking for something just like this. I'm getting into metal casting and was thinking about doing a badge out of an aluminum bronze with a pewter inlay. Since pewter is a much lower melting temp i think it may work with pouring it right onto the badge. Wonder if it would stick though. Anyway love the video. Definitely has me full of ideas now.
This is so cool. You can probably go steal some tiny thin components from greeting cards and actually get noises and stuff if you wanted. And thinking about a bunch of the resturation videos i've seen, you could probably electroplate that AL in tin, and have it shinier and less scratches.
y'know, making it so you can remove the chromed part from the brass frame might be a neat idea. you could swap out the flat colored silver for styles from different eras, like how the TOS/SNW badges had the division logos on them. would be a neat way to mix and match and kind create your own.
My first ever prop replica build was a Voyager era combadge. It’s hard to tell for certain, but I believe the show badges had a little dish to them so they would better match the curve of someone’s chest. Also, I believe the cross-bar behind the arrowhead was built as a separate piece. There are some shots in a few episodes where the arrowhead is clearly not centered on the cross bar. I believe the cross bar was a strip of brass with a slot milled along its length and attached later. Also, as others mentioned, they weren’t super shiny to keep reflections to a minimum.
Both those badges look amazing! I think I like the 3D printed one better, but I'd always be wishing I had the metal one. Don't tell her... Couple of ideas: I've spent plenty of time sanding and polishing small metal parts professionally in a machine shop. I didn't have to go to mirror polish, but the same principle applies. You glue those little parts to something you can grab easily so you don't fatigue your hand or sand off your finger tips. i've done both... For a one-off like that I'd have glued it to a pice of wood first using the tape-and-glue trick. For a polished finish on metal, especially something soft like alluminum, I like to sand sand to 1000 before polishing. I know... no sane person will ever notice the difference, but I do. Second, the tape-and-glue trick works best with activator. You put the glue on your part (don't forget the tape or you will be sanding that off, too) and spray activator on your wasteboard. I use that method on the regular when working on wood. Third: It looks like you have quite a lot of material left over inside that pocket. Enough to hide a circut board that just chirps when touched? Somethiing to think about for a future version.
So Cool! Those tools make crafting & creating SO much easier 👍.. I see your cat just LOVES to be held.. my sister’s cat is the same way.. I enjoy tormenting her (the cat) when I visit.. picking her up & her just screeching in my face to let her down! 😂
I finally caught up on this video. Fantastic! I've also had that exact issue with the Alclad Polished Brass. I have yet to figure it out, but a little relieved it's not just me. I love the finish, but it always feels like a gamble. I last used it for my Han Solo dice and had to repaint them twice. Aqua Gloss seems to want to cause it to crack or spread and reveal the gloss black underneath. I ended up getting a decent result on my second try and then applying another coat of the Polished Brass + Aqua Gloss over the first Aqua Gloss layer.
I have a screen used commbadge from Voyager. Funny thing is both of yours actually look better than the 'real' thing. It makes sense. No point spending unnecessary time and money for something that was going to be tiny on an Standard Def TV show most people were watching on CRT's. They're also have a matt finish to avoid reflections.
Thanks for the video. You should age the resin one. Make it look like a found one, when looking for missing crew from an away mission. Keep safe and stay well.
I actually prefer the look of the duller plastic one. In the shows/movies , **all** the comm badges were plastic with a matte-finish. None of them were made of medal or had a chrome finish, not even for close ups. The fictional device is supposed to be made of various metal alloys, so whenever high-end prop makers or fandom companies produce replicas, they always assume they need to be made of metal, too, but that polished shininess looks false to me. That said, I do own a QMx metal replica of this badge, and your version is basically identical and does look fantastic, excellent job!
@14:10 I for one like to CNC my parts with like a 0.2mm offset using multiple but equal depths to free them from the Stock Material and then do a single full depth final pass + spring pass to clean the cut surface up - Nullifies most of the cleanup necessity...
Absolutely awesome! I love the Trek badge, especially the Voyager design. I have a few cast medal ones that have magnets embedded and a removable metal backing to stick them to shirts.
I am hoping you don't mind a question for help on another thing. You have wide source of information, so I'm hoping that you can point me in the right direction. I purchased this (SHUORUI Creative Peeping Monster Bookshelf -Resin Sculptures) from a seller on Amazon. It didn't come as the seller's image suggested, see my review and picture at the bottom of the page. I don't think the items claws are from the "original". Do you know anyone that sells something like the OG picture? Sorry for asking for help on this, and thanks for reading this.
Congratulations! another very inspiring video. it is not always easy to obtain an aesthetic result in metal, however the result is always more authentic. I have fun in lost wax casting, I have some videos on Tik Tok. When I saw the beautiful molds you made, it really made me want to cast them in aluminum alloy, zinc or bronze.
Two of my favourite people collaborating! Woo! :D And awesome commbadges. They used to sell ones that chirped when you tapped 'em at Star Trek The Experience in Vegas, but that closed down like 20 years ago.
I actually have a background cast member com badge.A family friend was an extra on an episode of TNG and she knew I was a huge Trek fan when I was a kid so she took the badge and gave it to me. Still have it 30 years later.
I first saw the super glue and masing tape trick on the Crimson Guitars youtube channel and have used it myself. It's such a simple but handy little trick!
Do electronics exist that would be small enough to put in between the aluminum face plate and the brass back so tapping it would trigger a contact switch that plays the SFX?
I'm curious about the upwards rounded "ramp". How did you find that? I always assumed the backplate was flat, not rounded up. I haven't been able to find any photo's of auctioned screen badges that have a side angle to be able to see verify if the rounded ramp is there? Only found one photo of a replica so far... I imagine the ramp would make separating the badges out of the resin molds cleaner and easier... Would love to verify this detail!
I don't remember where I got the idea. I may have even come up with it on the spot. For whatever reason my brain has always assumed there was a ramp there, but I never verified it.
@@punishedprops I'm pretty sure there isn't supposed to be a ramp on the backplate, but all the edges and corners of the real props were "softened up" by the paint job and whatever manufacturing/finishing process they used (injection-molded?), so I think putting a ramp in the geometry was a perfectly good choice for your replicas. Looks great.
Does anyone know how the TV props were made at the studio? What process did they use? They they make molds and just cast them? There were a ton made for all the shows. Just curious. The process shown is great for ones and twos. Can't imagine the Studio doing it this way.
I love how good that little CNC router is. I desperately want something a little bigger and more powerful that can properly mill metal parts for props and replica's, but a proper CNC milling machine is ridiculously expensive. Just need something somewhere in the middle that's more powerful and flexible than the cheapo small routers but not as huge or expensive as a Floor Mill. Love some advice on those kinds of more advanced tools and equipment.
In my past I have found that you cannot put a coat over a metallic paint unless you want it to look like paint and that leaving it raw but cured will net the closest look to a metal finish.
While I imagine the lighter weight of the printed version will make it much more convenient for cosplay, the weight of that machined version must be so satisfying to hold.
@@punishedprops Sorry my question was worded strangely. I wasn't sure if you had put a barrier of aquagloss between the polished brass and the other clear coat. That is super strange. Paint can be such a fickle thing.
ooh, now just need to either hollow it out to add a little micro controller and a buzzer or run it to a micro controller in the pocket and hook it up using the capacitive touch pads!
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Perfection! Loved your vid! One thing .. They werent shiny in the show, because that would reflect the stage lights,, so they were all done in the matte resin. The ones on the shows are all matte resin.
That makes so much sense! I bet I could run mine through a rock tumbler to get a more dull finish.
Mr. Superclear matte may lend a more shiny but not reflective finish. Plus you could mask a super thin border to keep shiny to give it more depth.
Great work and good perfection just like the original props!
Well..except for the insignias from the classic films just like the wrath of kahn. The monster maroon uniforms. The reflected in the headlights because they were made of metal and not of cast resin.
more people like Bill and Britt in the world please...seriously. Thank you both for bringing good things into the world and I'm talking about life not the props. The props are great but thank you for making us smile.
Happy to bring a little more joy to the world. =)
I noticed you did your cure with the supports still on. I find it much easier to remove supports before the cure and they don't tend to gouge out material from the model on removal
I’m just guessing, but maybe he left them on so as not to break the part during support removal? You’re right they are much easier to remove before curing but I was so afraid he was gonna break that thin of a part while removing the supports.
HI Bill, none of the comms in the show were ever machined metal. One master was made and multiples were cast in resin and painted with automotive laquer. Metal would have caused too many reflections on set. I have a couple of these commbadges from screenused lineage and one thing I can say if you decide to make these again is the delta shield part has a curve to the surface. I can send a photo if you'd like? Nice build video. Thanks for sharing. LLAP
There were metal ones made as well, though they were mainly used in other things with regard to it such as publicity events and similar, they actually had both in some of the touring displays. The metal ones were metal cast, which was then modified with the Star Trek experience and several others for electronics just to have the sound effect built in
I can't remember where I read it, but I believe there were a few metal combadges made as hero props for closeups... but given that I can't find the source, I could be totally wrong. I do know, however, that the Bajoran combadges in DS9 were made in both resin and metal versions.
It also makes total sense that they'd use cast resin versions anyway, even without the reflection problem: Resin is a lot cheaper, a lot lighter...and they were also tiny props from the era of standard-def TV
@@watermelonhelmet6854 They were also used in various touring conventions. While Voyager was still in production, they had a few cast members, during the off filming periods, show up for autographs and, essentially, an otherwise free vacation in different cities. I met Tom Paris' actor at one of those that was in the Cincinnati Museum Center while he was taking a break.
Of the three Trek actors I met, he was the only one where it was at something intended for Star Trek stuff, but was in one of the other parts of the museum. (Other two I met was Mulgrew when Hagan was running for state governor, and later met Shatner at a rural gas station near Louisville, KY.
But the joke was that they had to take off the badge to get through security during it...
My handmade shrinky-dink pin-on combadge is looking rough, I might need to get those parts 3-d printed and do this build myself!
Go for it! =D
CRAF SMAN -- Great guy! I used to work with him. Funny, after all these years, to see his stuff back there. Good to know his legacy carries on!
Crafsman is just the best!! =D
I honestly like the rough look of the 'brass' for the resin one.
I love the whole project but as someone who really enjoys sanding, that sanding station is just amazing.
Oh yeah it's phenominal!
i had a similar issue with paint getting crackly when drying it. it may be related to humidity. you might be able to place the piece in a regulated dry box when drying to see if that works. examples of such a box are those used to store 3d printer filament, or make shift make a temporary one with silica gel in a tupperware box.
Great tips, thanks! =D
Just a suggestion, it's important to burnish the tape to both the part and the surface before gluing. You can use something hard and smooth like the back of a metal spoon. This greatly increases the grip of the tapes adhesive, which is the weakest link in this whole thing. I've used this trick several times. Great vid!
Awesome addition, thanks so much!
If you are working in metal and want the snazzy 'satin' finish they used on the TNG badges (sorry: communicators), it's way easier than you think: just use a relatively soft wire brush wheel on your bench grinder (or as big a wire wheel as you can put on your Flexshaft or Dremel).
Typically when machining like that you use a larger end mill for roughing allowing you to rapidly hog out the bulk, then change over to the ring end mill to do the detail roughing and finish. In fusion you can derive the operation from another so it knows what the prior path was
That's a really great pointer, thanks for sharing!
@@punishedprops The rule of thumb I was taught in school was to use the biggest diameter endmill you could for any given toolpath for the sake of rigidity.
My OCD kicked in when you did the reveal of the metal version, showing some slight scratches. Have you considered doing a brushed metal look, something to tone down the reflectivity of the metals? I like the metal fabrication much better than the resin (metal being weighted and more robust), but as many had said that on the show, the badges were not reflective, so maybe doing a satin finish (or brushed) could achieve the best of both worlds?
I have been making various Trek badges in Fusion and printing them for a while now and I am so excited to see how BIll models this one.
EDIT: Not that far off from how I do it! Got a couple of glimpses into ways to improve my basic shapes though! Also, amazing how good the machined version looks, but also how *right* the rattle-can paint job looks, comparatively.
I wanted something like this since I was a kid. Now I have a chance to do it myself! Thanks Bill! 🖖🏻
You're welcome!
This was super fun to watch - nicely done, Bill!🖖
Thanks so much!
That clickspring impression gave me a huge smile !
I didn't want to be "that guy", but I can see a few ways to improve on this (These are primarily for the 3D printed version of the badge), For one the front face of the "wings" are completely flat, there's no upward taper merging them with the edges of the delta (The main body of the badge). As for the delta itself, the front face as well as the rim around it has a gentle outward curve to it. Other than those two nitpicks about the badge, You did really well with it. I've 3D printed one of these with an FDM printer (In two pieces to prevent stairstepping) with the curved front face on the delta and it worked out well for me, though admittedly you could probably print it all out in one go since you don't need to worry about significant stairstepping with the SLA 3D printer you used in this video.
As a clear coat I use Liquid floor wax , it is water based and dries to a super gloss finish with no interaction on metal paint.
I would imagine they would use the non-shiny com-badge prop version far more often, even for main the primary cast (except, of course like you said, for close ups and the like), simply to tamp down and control reflections and glare around the set.
While I can't verify this anecdote, I had read somewhere that when the original film model of the Enterprise from the original series was built, it was beautifully detailed and had a pearlescent paint job. While few if any details (like the "aztec pattern" panel detail on the outer hull) would be resolved through broadcast television resolution of the time, the highly reflective paint job was a huge problem the filming crew, so the ship (or the half that would only ever be filmed) was coated in a dull matt finish, to dampen that glare, and which also ultimately hid a lot of those nifty details, even through close-ups... Reflections can be a pain in the glass to film. 😉
Also Willow is adorable
1 thumb up for the incredible transporter effect at the end.
It’s always a good day when I see that you guys have a new video up .
All of the com badges on Star trek were the same, no shiny hero versions at all. They were cast resin painted gold and silver. This was to prevent them flaring out on camera. I have modelled this in fusion and the main issue with Bills version is that it doesn't have a curved face from the side profile.
What an awesome project! Can't wait to see more shiny CNCed metal builds. And Willow is the cutest, she probably wanted a badge for herself in that outtake xD
Awe, I want to make her a tiny badge!
@@punishedprops would it pin to a collar?
Awesome and informational, and I did actually get all three of your foamsmith books and so far, they have been very helpful.
I'm planning on hopefully making some clone armor using some of the techniques I learned.
That sounds like a ton of fun!
@@punishedprops Indeed it should be.
-Good Day
Awesome…both of the badges look and function great
"G'day! Bill here! And welcome back to Punished Props Academy!"
Cheers, Bill! If I'm not mistaken, the primary design element of the Starfleet insignia is referred to as a 'delta'. (i.e. Δ)
Awesome, thanks for sharing that tidbit. =)
The green ranger flute dagger on the wall is totally awesome btw.
That thing is SO COOL. It was a product you could buy at ThinkGeek back when that was a thing. The dagger has real metal parts and plays sound effects; both battle noises and flute music. Best. Toy. Ever.
😍
If you ever do one more prop accurate the paints they used on the show were Krylon Bright Gold and Dull Aluminum.
They were all made the same way using polyurethane resin cast in a two part mold and attached using velcro.
Your final result looks really nice, great job on them.
That's great info, thank you!
@@punishedprops No problem. Fun note, the paint number Krylon use for the Bright Gold is 1701.
I was looking for something just like this. I'm getting into metal casting and was thinking about doing a badge out of an aluminum bronze with a pewter inlay. Since pewter is a much lower melting temp i think it may work with pouring it right onto the badge. Wonder if it would stick though. Anyway love the video. Definitely has me full of ideas now.
This is so cool. You can probably go steal some tiny thin components from greeting cards and actually get noises and stuff if you wanted. And thinking about a bunch of the resturation videos i've seen, you could probably electroplate that AL in tin, and have it shinier and less scratches.
y'know, making it so you can remove the chromed part from the brass frame might be a neat idea. you could swap out the flat colored silver for styles from different eras, like how the TOS/SNW badges had the division logos on them. would be a neat way to mix and match and kind create your own.
That's a great idea!
I found that an issue as well. Some of the Alclad metallics need an acryllic base clear to prevent that cracking
Or you have to leave em a long time to gas out.
My first ever prop replica build was a Voyager era combadge. It’s hard to tell for certain, but I believe the show badges had a little dish to them so they would better match the curve of someone’s chest. Also, I believe the cross-bar behind the arrowhead was built as a separate piece. There are some shots in a few episodes where the arrowhead is clearly not centered on the cross bar. I believe the cross bar was a strip of brass with a slot milled along its length and attached later. Also, as others mentioned, they weren’t super shiny to keep reflections to a minimum.
Ooh, fascinating!
Both those badges look amazing! I think I like the 3D printed one better, but I'd always be wishing I had the metal one. Don't tell her...
Couple of ideas: I've spent plenty of time sanding and polishing small metal parts professionally in a machine shop. I didn't have to go to mirror polish, but the same principle applies. You glue those little parts to something you can grab easily so you don't fatigue your hand or sand off your finger tips. i've done both... For a one-off like that I'd have glued it to a pice of wood first using the tape-and-glue trick. For a polished finish on metal, especially something soft like alluminum, I like to sand sand to 1000 before polishing. I know... no sane person will ever notice the difference, but I do.
Second, the tape-and-glue trick works best with activator. You put the glue on your part (don't forget the tape or you will be sanding that off, too) and spray activator on your wasteboard. I use that method on the regular when working on wood.
Third: It looks like you have quite a lot of material left over inside that pocket. Enough to hide a circut board that just chirps when touched? Somethiing to think about for a future version.
voyager was my grandas favorite star trek series, so much so that he wanted the theme at his funeral and he did and it was perfect
That is amazing!
I appreciate the little Laura Kampf reference at the end
We
Really interesting to see some of your tools and setup like the sandpaper rack, would be cool to see an updated shop tour
So Cool! Those tools make crafting & creating SO much easier 👍.. I see your cat just LOVES to be held.. my sister’s cat is the same way.. I enjoy tormenting her (the cat) when I visit.. picking her up & her just screeching in my face to let her down! 😂
Yes Willow here is always so chatty when she's picked up!
Holy crap!! I need a sanding booth like that!!! Also, might look into that CnC for my 1/6th building.
The CNC machine performed really well. I'm super impressed.
I finally caught up on this video. Fantastic! I've also had that exact issue with the Alclad Polished Brass. I have yet to figure it out, but a little relieved it's not just me. I love the finish, but it always feels like a gamble. I last used it for my Han Solo dice and had to repaint them twice. Aqua Gloss seems to want to cause it to crack or spread and reveal the gloss black underneath. I ended up getting a decent result on my second try and then applying another coat of the Polished Brass + Aqua Gloss over the first Aqua Gloss layer.
I have a screen used commbadge from Voyager. Funny thing is both of yours actually look better than the 'real' thing.
It makes sense. No point spending unnecessary time and money for something that was going to be tiny on an Standard Def TV show most people were watching on CRT's. They're also have a matt finish to avoid reflections.
Been contemplating purchasing the fusion course for a long while. Just grabbed it I'm very excited
Oh hot diggity! Have fun! =D
They also made a couple com badges that you could open and you could see actual wires inside
Woah neat!
Thanks for the video. You should age the resin one. Make it look like a found one, when looking for missing crew from an away mission. Keep safe and stay well.
That's a really great idea!
I actually prefer the look of the duller plastic one. In the shows/movies , **all** the comm badges were plastic with a matte-finish. None of them were made of medal or had a chrome finish, not even for close ups. The fictional device is supposed to be made of various metal alloys, so whenever high-end prop makers or fandom companies produce replicas, they always assume they need to be made of metal, too, but that polished shininess looks false to me. That said, I do own a QMx metal replica of this badge, and your version is basically identical and does look fantastic, excellent job!
Thanks so much!
I adore finding out y’all are big trek fans! You should come do workshops/panels at the bigger trek cons!
@14:10 I for one like to CNC my parts with like a 0.2mm offset using multiple but equal depths to free them from the Stock Material and then do a single full depth final pass + spring pass to clean the cut surface up - Nullifies most of the cleanup necessity...
Thanks for sharing, I still have so much to learn.
Dude those are both really sweet! So which division of Starfleet do you see yourselves working in?
Engineering, totally!
Absolutely awesome! I love the Trek badge, especially the Voyager design. I have a few cast medal ones that have magnets embedded and a removable metal backing to stick them to shirts.
Thank you so much!
I am hoping you don't mind a question for help on another thing. You have wide source of information, so I'm hoping that you can point me in the right direction. I purchased this (SHUORUI Creative Peeping Monster Bookshelf -Resin Sculptures) from a seller on Amazon. It didn't come as the seller's image suggested, see my review and picture at the bottom of the page. I don't think the items claws are from the "original". Do you know anyone that sells something like the OG picture? Sorry for asking for help on this, and thanks for reading this.
For a 2.5d shape like that I recently used Inscape to create the outline, then brought that into F360 for extrusion.
Ooh yes, Inkscape is such a great tool!
Congratulations! another very inspiring video. it is not always easy to obtain an aesthetic result in metal, however the result is always more authentic. I have fun in lost wax casting, I have some videos on Tik Tok. When I saw the beautiful molds you made, it really made me want to cast them in aluminum alloy, zinc or bronze.
Beaming up while wearing two communicators is a good way to end up with a transporter clone, Bill.
So THAT's where my identical twin came from...
I saw this and instantly thought of hearing about Nichelle Nichols' passing today. A fitting tribute.
Two of my favourite people collaborating! Woo! :D And awesome commbadges. They used to sell ones that chirped when you tapped 'em at Star Trek The Experience in Vegas, but that closed down like 20 years ago.
Oh wow! I bet those pop up on eBay from time to time.
@@punishedprops I haven't seen one in years by now. You're more likely to find a Playmates TNG tricorder (I got one some years back for almost $100).
Thank god for that even the master has problems with paint cracking 😲
Yes the paint gods treat us all with indifference.
Love to see some Love for Star Trek!
you were able to use fusion for the cam control? was that the paid version? I've only used shapeoko software to control and cut.
I absolutely love Willow’s meow 😂
Great news, she meows ALL THE TIME! =D
I actually have a background cast member com badge.A family friend was an extra on an episode of TNG and she knew I was a huge Trek fan when I was a kid so she took the badge and gave it to me. Still have it 30 years later.
Wow that is amazing!
Now we just need a tricorder and a phaser!
I also humbly request more Willow content
NOW you put the Vash revolver on sale? I just bought the files like 2 weeks ago...
Both versions look really great. The metal hero version is so shiny.
Right?! I am in love with that shine.
I first saw the super glue and masing tape trick on the Crimson Guitars youtube channel and have used it myself. It's such a simple but handy little trick!
I'm super impressed with how well it worked.
Thanks for sharing the files
You're welcome!
Do electronics exist that would be small enough to put in between the aluminum face plate and the brass back so tapping it would trigger a contact switch that plays the SFX?
I bet a solution exists!
Relieved and thrilled this wasn't some kind of NuTrek tie-in...just good ole DS9/Voy, aaaaaaahhhhhh.
Keep being the best, Bill and Brit!
Thank you so much! =D
It came out great
I'm curious about the upwards rounded "ramp". How did you find that? I always assumed the backplate was flat, not rounded up. I haven't been able to find any photo's of auctioned screen badges that have a side angle to be able to see verify if the rounded ramp is there? Only found one photo of a replica so far...
I imagine the ramp would make separating the badges out of the resin molds cleaner and easier... Would love to verify this detail!
I don't remember where I got the idea. I may have even come up with it on the spot. For whatever reason my brain has always assumed there was a ramp there, but I never verified it.
@@punishedprops I'm pretty sure there isn't supposed to be a ramp on the backplate, but all the edges and corners of the real props were "softened up" by the paint job and whatever manufacturing/finishing process they used (injection-molded?), so I think putting a ramp in the geometry was a perfectly good choice for your replicas. Looks great.
Does anyone know how the TV props were made at the studio? What process did they use? They they make molds and just cast them? There were a ton made for all the shows. Just curious. The process shown is great for ones and twos. Can't imagine the Studio doing it this way.
I bet it was a little different for each production, but odds are good they sculpted one and them molded and cast the copies.
@@punishedprops Sound right to me. I wonder if Adam knows. He does know alot about television and movie production.
Al Clad crackling is the bane of my existence
I feel you.
What did you use to clear coat? Alclad is really fragile when it comes to coating. Stick with Alclad's own Klear Koat or Aqua Clear.
We used Alclad Aqua Gloss
I love how good that little CNC router is. I desperately want something a little bigger and more powerful that can properly mill metal parts for props and replica's, but a proper CNC milling machine is ridiculously expensive. Just need something somewhere in the middle that's more powerful and flexible than the cheapo small routers but not as huge or expensive as a Floor Mill. Love some advice on those kinds of more advanced tools and equipment.
I feel like this Shapeoko fits the bill. Mine is actually the smallest version too, they make them larger.
In my past I have found that you cannot put a coat over a metallic paint unless you want it to look like paint and that leaving it raw but cured will net the closest look to a metal finish.
Yeah the raw metallic paint always looks better, but it's often extremely fragile. It's always a balancing act.
Never expected to see Ali in a video. Always interesting to see the TH-cam "bush" (family tree?) and how everyone intersects.
It's sure been awhile! You'll have to go back a ways to find Ali on our channel: th-cam.com/video/PsiwUHbSrLA/w-d-xo.html
next one you make, you should add in a little sound chip to make the comm badge chirping noise when you tap it.
That is SUCH a great idea!!
While I imagine the lighter weight of the printed version will make it much more convenient for cosplay, the weight of that machined version must be so satisfying to hold.
I bet you're right! A plastic badge would be less likely to fall off on an away mission. =)
@@punishedprops and the 3d print is easy/cheap to make multiple so it isn't a big deal if they get lost.
I would cry if I lost a brass one
Great video, as always!
Consider this my formal request for more Willow content. 🤣
Thanks I'll talk to Willow's agent and see if we can get her in more videos. =D
@@punishedprops Purrrfect!!
I wonder how a casted one with buffed metal powder would compare to the actual metal one
All the original ones were matt brass and had a painted black border to give depth on screen and no hero ones were made.
Ooh super interesting!
@@punishedprops I've seen a few screen used ones at cons
When world's collide. Funny seeing Ali here.
Right?! Ali and I have been friends since Dragon Con 2012 I think. Which is forever in TH-cam years. She is the BEST. =D
Ah the wonderful world of speeds and feeds.
Ohhh Shiny. I'd love one of the metal ones. But I don't have a CNC machine and zero knowledge of working with metal.
My goodness. Put down the flerken before you lose an eye there Fury. Great video too by the way!
do you have a reamer it's a small toul used for deburring
Cat: Meeeow.
Bill: Yeah. That's right, Willow.
Man. I love your sense of humor.
Well she just has so many important things to say!
The crackle one makes me think of one that would be found with Data's head in our time when it was found in the desert. ;-)
When you were doing the outlining, how did you select the parts of the outline that went across to delete them?
That was the "trim" command.
Did you use the alclad aquagloss on the polished brass first? If you did I didn't see it mentioned in the video.
No, I used the Aqua Gloss after the polished brass.
@@punishedprops Sorry my question was worded strangely. I wasn't sure if you had put a barrier of aquagloss between the polished brass and the other clear coat. That is super strange. Paint can be such a fickle thing.
Dont the prop badges have a bit of a curve to them to follow the curve of the wearers chest?
Oh I didn't even think of that!
ooh, now just need to either hollow it out to add a little micro controller and a buzzer or run it to a micro controller in the pocket and hook it up using the capacitive touch pads!
That would be awesome!
So fuckin AWESOME! I just getting into prob building and this channel is amazing! Thank you for being an aspiration for all makers.
Great video. Now I want a metal combadge. 😂
It's SOOOO satisfying to hold!
this is so insanely cool :)
Both are looking Fantastic. But almost everyone who's making those Badge's forgetting the curve of the Delta.
Now I'm going to have to put this to the test with my extrusion printer. I also demand the Willow cut.
OK, but it's just 15 minutes of meowing.
Alexa - Beam me up!
"OK, But I'm not sure where I'm sending you." {transporter sound effect}
Then she offered to do Star Trek Trivia questions.
Love it. Do you sell your work?