For most users the answer is a definite “Yes!”. We have spent thousands of hours and taken great care to make this Communicator replica as accurate as possible to the last known screen-used hero prop that Shatner and Nimoy used in the original series of Star Trek. In order to make it so accurate we took high-resolution 3D structured light scans of the “Alpha” original hero prop. To complement the “Alpha” scans we took numerous photographs and measurements, 3D laser scanned the “Epsilon” static screen-used prop, and took castings from (and weighed the components of) the “Zeta” static prop. We also made use of HeroComm.com’s extensive access to samples of authentic original materials, which were kindly loaned to us to make sure that our Communicator not only followed the data of the original accurately, but also captured the nuances of the original prop’s intention.

However, in order to make the Communicator manufacturable and more affordable, and to iron out some of the original’s inconsistencies, we have had to make some slight changes, and as such, this replica may be considered to be an idealised version of the original hero prop.

Materials

The original hero prop was made from a range of different materials including thermoformed Kydex sheet material, brass, and aluminium. In order to keep the cost as reasonable as possible we have used the nearest equivalent material that is suitable for modern manufacturing methods. Where metal was used in the construction of the hero prop, we have used metal in the Communicator replica.

The Main Housing

The hero prop’s main housing was made by thermoforming a sheet of Kydex material over a specially shaped tool. The Kydex had a particular pattern designed to replicate a pigskin texture. Due to the process, the texture stretched slightly at the sides, where the sheet was drawn down over the steeper draft angles of the housing. Our Communicator could not be made using thermoforming due to the need for internal fixings, so as a result our replica’s housing is made from injection-moulded ABS. However, the Kydex pattern was carefully reproduced using an advanced 3D laser etching process to create the pattern on the surface of the mould tool. One of the benefits of using this process is that we were able to measure the distortion of the original sheet material and recreate it on the texture of the injection-moulded part.

The Antenna Grille

The hero prop’s antenna grille was made by forming a sheet of perforated brass to give it its distinctive rounded-corner box shape. This was then soldered onto a brass wire that was glued into the turned brass hinge axle. For our Communicator for the purposes of robustness we have used steel for the grille and the supporting wire and coated it in a gold metallic finish. The hinge axle is die cast zinc.

The Mid-Plate

The hero prop’s mid-plate was a simple shape cut out of a sheet of aluminium. While our Communicator’s mid-plate looks identical on the outside, inside the Communicator it has a complex design that is a structural element, providing a fixing for many internal parts and a strong hinge stop for the antenna grille. As a result our Communicator’s mid-plate is manufactured in die-cast zinc, causing the overall weight of our replica to be around 27 grams heavier than the screen-used “Alpha” hero prop.

The Moiré Bezel

In the hero prop, where aluminium was used for the bezel, we have copied this exactly using CNC-machined aerospace-grade aluminium. On the “Alpha” hero prop, the bezel was mounted not quite centrally onto the top of the housing – we have corrected this imperfection for our product.

The Jewels

The hero prop’s jewels were Swarovski jewels mounted on the upturned ends of vacuum metallised slot car wheel hubs. The left and right jewels were sputter coated in gold to give them an iridescent AB (Aurora Borealis) look. The hero prop jewels did not light up and were prone to falling off. Our Communicator’s jewels do light up and need to be fixed permanently in place. The replica jewels are injection moulded – with facets underneath to catch the light. The left and right jewels are also sputter coated in a gold layer to give them that authentic iridescent AB (Aurora Borealis) appearance. Light pipes connect the jewels to LEDs inside the main housing, and chromium-plated injection-moulded mounts house and fix the jewels permanently in position. In the “Alpha” prop, the jewels were not evenly spaced across the housing – this was not an intentional aspect of the design so we have corrected the spacing for our product.

The Buttons

The hero prop had vacuum-metallised slot car wheel hubs as buttons. The original hubs were injection moulded in yellow plastic that was coated in a very thin layer of shiny metal. As a result it wore off during handling, revealing the plastic underneath. Our Communicator uses specially moulded buttons that are more heavily plated (with true chrome electroplating) and will be much less prone to surface wear.

Moiré winder

The “Alpha” hero prop’s moiré pattern rotated, turned by a pocket watch mechanism inside the prop. This was wound up through a brass tube that poked out of the main housing at the front under the mid-plate. After careful consideration,we decided that this aspect of the hero prop was not intended to be shown on screen and as a result was removed from our design. To make room inside the Communicator for the Bluetooth wireless components battery and speaker, the moiré screen is rotated by a miniature stepper motor.