The Wand Company Review 12th Doctor Sonic Screwdriver
At San Diego Comic-Con this twelvemonth, I was lucky plenty to be role of The Wand Company's express run of new extending 12th Dr. sonic screwdriver universal remotes equally #039 of 168 numbered pilot production units. I had extraordinary fun flicking it out and showing information technology off all weekend, but equally I examined it more and more I realized something:
I wasn't able to really tell how awesome or not awesome the prop is.
As a Tenth Doctor die-hard, I haven't spent much time with Matt Smith's sonic. Even though I could kind of describe information technology to someone who didn't know annihilation most information technology, I simply didn't accept the knowledge to do a real examination of it and decide just how screen accurate it was or wasn't.
But I practise know someone who could absolutely assistance with that!
I sat down with my friend Brian Uiga, Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer at Lasergraphics Inc., life-long Whovian, sonic screwdriver enthusiast, and friend to both Nick Robatto and the guys who run The Wand Company. He'due south also the production designer for Inspector Spacetime, congenital a ray gun for the BBC to do a photoshoot for Physician Who Legacy mobile game, and restored the screen used 8th Doctor TARDIS Console with the owner.
Role of Brian Uiga'southward collection of Who prop replicas
Not only is he passionate near sonics and knows the man who created Smith'south, he owns #130 of Nick's LE250 run of screen authentic sonic screwdrivers and has had much fourth dimension to chat with Robatto about its construction. Afterward an initial comparison of eleven sonics and story sharing, we sat down and recorded another hour and fifteen minutes worth of word on the specific history of the sonic and every inch of both the Robatto sonic and the Wand Company replicas, as well as some conversation nearly the toys. It'southward entirely possible that I will exercise some crude editing on our podcast-manner chat and mail service it hither in the future, but for now I'1000 here to take that information and give you everything you need to know when considering picking upward an 11th Dr. sonic screwdriver, particularly if you lot're looking at the Wand Company. Let'southward showtime at Ground 0:
Rubbertoe Replicas is a visitor endemic and run by Nick Robatto, the man "responsible for personally making on screen versions of every sonic screwdriver that has been featured on the bear witness since its re-launch in 2004" according to his website. He has been licensed by the BBC to replicate the 11th Doctor sonic screwdriver as seen on the testify – and he is currently embroiled in a limited run of 250 of these screen accurate sonic screwdrivers, which he personally constructs past manus. Let'southward have a await at it.
The emitter and core of the sonic are fabricated of resin which has been peculiarly cast to requite it a marbled effect (this is achieved by waiting for the resin to generally cure, then eyedropping several drops of light pigment on top and manually swirling it around in the mold with a toothpick). The cadre then has a hole drilled through the center to allow for wiring that connects to an LED in the emitter. The claws are aluminum, machined on a water jet cutter, and are individually jump-loaded. The aluminum parts of the cage (with the knurling) are machine CNC'd (the originals were paw-tooled, just for ease in the edifice of 250 of them, this has changed) along with the copper cage pieces, which are riveted together past hand with brass rivets. The copper pieces connecting the muzzle to the grip have now been internally redesigned to accommodate a screw thread structure, even though cosmetically information technology yet looks as it did in Matt Smith's era.
The grip is fabricated of Napa leather that has been stretched and heat-shrunk over a conical internal core probably made of either die-cast or 3D-printed plastic after being hand-stitched shut. A microswitch sits on the other side of the grip and controls the LED in the emitter. Audio is added in post-production, and no screen used version of the sonic is fitted with any sound design (although Robatto will add sound to a Rubbertoe sonic when requested for an extra cost).
The handle is cast in resin from a mold taken of the original handle, which was hand-tooled by Robatto; it is ivory colored and yellows a bit over time. The original sonic had a cap on the dorsum that housed the activation push button (as on the toy version), merely after finding that most of these carefully constructed caps had been super glued close by the props squad (and Matt Smith rarely held the sonic CSI maglite mode, every bit was originally intended), Robatto redesigned the cap to exist function of the now completely static back slice, which is CNC'd on a metallic lathe along with the cage and secured with a set screw (or grub spiral if you're from the UK) located in the handle.
EDIT: A wonderful video has surfaced of Robatto showing off the brand new Mk I before bringing it to set for the first fourth dimension, and you can see every inch of the very first incarnation in great detail, including the dorsum cap, the wait of the brand new copper, and what it looks like when fully extended.
This impressively-engineered prop was designed from a concept drawing by Dan Walker and built in ix days. The Mk I was given to Matt Smith on his first twenty-four hours of filming (The Time of Angels was the offset episode filmed for S5), where he promptly bankrupt it, equally information technology was designed to be gently pushed open up with a thumb – Smith pulled on the cage and accidentally yanked the whole thing apart. Information technology has since been redesigned to exist aggressively flicked open West Side Story-fashion, every bit Smith decided he wanted to do with it, and is now a much sturdier prop than before. Information technology measures 8⅝" long when closed and ix½" long open, and weighs about 9.iv ounces (ix.8-x ounces with the sound module). Through Rubbertoe Replicas, hand-synthetic by Nick Robatto exactly equally information technology's fabricated for S8, this prop tin exist purchased for £659.95 (about $1030), and for another £140 (about $219) you tin can go i with the audio module installed.
Then, given everything nosotros know nigh the screen used prop, how exactly does the Wand Visitor version stack up?
Let's hit the elephant in the room first so we tin get into the nitty-gritty of things: This prop was never meant to be a 100% screen authentic option. It was meant to be every bit awesome as possible for as cheap as possible to get it firmly into the mid-range for collectors and cosplayers. And to that end, I call back this sonic succeeds beautifully.
The Wand Company's sonic cosmetically differs from the SA version in really merely a handful of little ways: The claws are slightly longer, the whole affair is slightly fatter and taller, the core is brighter, the grip is rubberized instead of leather (and the button is part of the safe instead of a secondary microswitch), some of the angles of the machined copper are different and at that place are some minor proportional differences. As well, the Wand Company sonic is copper plated instead of being solid copper, so it reflects and wears slightly differently than the existent sonic, which requires constant polishing and care.
On the 12th Doctor sonic, the emitter is the same clear plastic every bit on the toy, just the Eleventh Doc Wand Company replica has a murky seafoam colored emitter (see left) that is actually closer to the real marbleized resin. While the above list is cosmetic differences sounds extensive, these are all minor bug and, as you can see above, y'all really need to put the 2 pieces next to each other to determine those differences. Accept some other look at that photo above – simply how dissimilar practice they really look?
And permit's talk virtually what they accept to piece of work with. The deviation between the Robatto sonic and the Wand Company sonic is the difference betwixt depression volume production and high book production. The Wand Visitor is also working to create an affordable prop – obviously it couldn't be handmade from copper and Napa leather and custom-swirled resin.
Every non-plastic piece on the Wand Company sonic has been die-cast in pot metallic. The copper parts are then plated and all the metal is sealed.
Though the emitter on the 12th Physician sonic is a clear plastic like on the toy version, the core is a peculiarly cast marbleized plastic made similar to how executive pens are made. Essentially, a molten green plastic and a cooler white plastic are added to a mold and swirled around past a machine while the plastic cures. One time it'southward completely cooled, the upshot pictured at left is the result. This is obviously easier, faster, and cheaper than swirling each part by hand with a toothpick and an eyedropper filled with pigment. Along with the core, the remainder of the inner mechanisms are plastic-based, which allows for more than stability in the flick-open action of the sonic. Unfortunately, the flicking noise information technology makes (which, to be fair, is a very satisfying clunk) sounds much closer to the toy'due south flick-open up noise instead of the Rubbertoe flick-open up racket, which has that lovely metallic click that you hear foleyed into the testify. Also worth noting is that the Rubbertoe sonic clicks and clinks every bit you movement it, exactly as yous hear on the evidence, which y'all don't get as much of from the plastic internals of the Wand Visitor versions.
The grip is a rubberized plastic similar you lot would find in the interior of a car. The push is big but relatively hidden in the grip, unlike the microswitch of the Robatto sonic. Being rubberized plastic, there'due south no need for stitching, though they accept added faux-stitching into a molded seam in the back of the grip, which is a cute affect. The copper department connecting the muzzle and the grip has near no shape to it on the Wand Visitor sonic – this is partially to suit the fact that this unscrews so that batteries may be installed and replaced to brand the electronics work. Also worth noting, the faux-rivets on the muzzle have also been copper plated and left as-is, so that the contrasting brass wait of the real rivets is missing from the Wand Company version.
The handle on the Wand Visitor sonic is decently shaped and cast in plastic. The biggest issue with the handle is that it does not include the prepare spiral of the real one, or even something representing the set screw. The handle is also one of the biggest changes between the 2 Wand Company options (flicking abilities notwithstanding): The handle on the Eleventh Doctor sonic is bone white, while the handle on the Twelfth Doctor sonic looks properly yellowed and includes brown flecking, mimicking the expect of the original, hand-tooled handle of the Mk I prop currently on display at the Doctor Who Experience, which was likely originally done on accident past use of dirty tools in Robatto's blitz to blueprint and build the prop in a single week. Another cute detail on the Wand Company sonic – each Comic-Con exclusive has the production number lightly etched into the handle, and etched and then that information technology will exist hidden when held with your thumb on the button.
Lastly, the back cap on the Wand Company sonic is generally correct merely could use some tweaks in specific dimensions and shapes. It's possible some of the lack of clarity in the blueprint is a by-product of having information technology copper-plated instead of machined, but it could still stand some minor improvements.
The Wand Visitor sonic weighs vii.2 oz and is 8¾" long when closed and 9⅞" when open, making it only slightly lighter than the Rubbertoe version and slightly bigger (the Wand Company sonic has clearly been based on the toy version, as its size, shape, and relative inaccuracies are almost exclusively shared with the toy). It really has great heft to it and the flick activity of the 12th Doc version is fantastic. It was actually all I could do for the residual of Comic-Con to not carry it around with every cosplay and flick it open up all day. The makers say information technology'southward good for at to the lowest degree 10,000 flicks, which isn't a whole lot just is enough to get you through a few years at to the lowest degree, provided you display information technology on occasion. In one case for auction, The Wand Visitor sonic will cost $120, so ten% of the toll of a Rubbertoe sonic.
I have i major beef with the Wand Company 12 sonic; they knew they were going to redesign their Eleventh Doctor sonic to moving-picture show open up, which would take some reconstructing of the inner mechanisms. When they designed the Eleventh Dr. version, they had but acquired the license to practice this and their only real reference was the toy and whatever the BBC may take supplied, so it would make sense to employ the toy every bit the main reference. By the fourth dimension they came around to the idea of redesigning information technology to flick open properly (there have been many people "converting" the 11th Doctor sonic to flick), they had already washed their 10th Doctor sonic, which, in the wonderful tradition of doing it better the side by side time effectually, they managed to 3D-scan from David Tennant's actual prop (which, as I understand it, was a lucky happenstance) – it was non only a fantastic idea, it paid off extremely well and they were applauded for their efforts. And then, when they went dorsum to redesign the 11th Md sonic… why didn't they find someone with a Rubbertoe sonic or chat with the guys running the DWE and 3D-browse a Robatto or QMX prop? The all-time caption would exist the cost, as they don't intend on selling nearly every bit many of the 12 sonics as they did the 11 sonic (and therefore would accept to interruption fifty-fifty with far less sales), but it really would have been fantastic to take had information technology retooled from a 3D-scan of a screen accurate/used prop. Information technology too tin can't have been for space reasons – they shoved the same electronics into the 10th Doctor sonic and information technology's manner smaller than a Robatto sonic. That would have solved about every cosmetic critique detailed above, despite how minor about all of them are.
That said, at this point I've just talked virtually the look and feel of the sonic. This is where the comparison to a screen authentic sonic ends, because the SA sonics aren't fifty-fifty wired up with sound, and the Wand Company sonics are universal remote controls!
The first thing to note is that the Twelfth Md sonic is LOUD. It'south easily the loudest sonic screwdriver selection available, and can definitely be heard well on a busy con floor. Information technology as well has the fantastic knowledge of retrospect, and includes a zillion little hidden features either unique to it (E.G. if left turned on, it will eventually blink its light at yous, and afterwards 5 minutes it will beep/flash "S-O-Due north-I-C—O-Thou-A-Y" at you in Morse code, which is a cute reminder to turn it off as it takes two AAA batteries to run) or new to the Twelfth Dr. edition.
As a gesture-based programmable universal remote, it recognizes up to 39 different flicks, taps, and twists, which can be programmed to run whatever infrared system y'all may have set up upwardly (like your TV or stereo) – three memory banks let up to 3 different devices to be remembered in your sonic at whatever given moment. Along with this, it's been outfitted with a Telly-B-Gone feature that allows y'all to plow off ANY TV, anywhere, regardless of whether or not it has been programmed into the sonic (though it cannot plow a non-programmed TV back on). Subconscious features in the remote let for information technology to exist locked (so that yous can't use the features without a passcode), a variety of sounds from the Doctor Who universe, more than Morse lawmaking, and possibly more than than I haven't discovered yet.
The functionality of the electronics and universal remote capabilities is, frankly, astounding. If you already own a Wand Company replica, you're familiar with this already, just it bears repeating: They brand a truly fabulous gadget.
Overall, I give the Wand Visitor Twelfth Physician'southward sonic an A-. While the cosmetic differences could take been stock-still upward by scanning a Rubbertoe prop, the extreme reduction in price for the vast improvement in quality and functionality over the toy or their 11th Doctor version help boost my rating (though, for the casual or very young cosplayer, the toy is however a much better option than the Tenth Doctor toy, which is significantly larger than the screen used prop). It's a fantastic mid-range selection for people like me who want a college quality prop for cosplay but can't afford a $1200 flashlight. I actually do love my flickable Wand Company sonic (which, equally has been pointed out elsewhere, is slightly amusing as their Eleventh Doctor sonic is static and their Twelfth Medico sonic flicks, even though Matt Smith flicks his sonic all the time and Capaldi all of twice in the entirety of S8), and I highly recommend it to collectors and cosplayers who can save upward the scratch to pick one up.
The Extending Twelfth Doc's Sonic Screwdriver volition be available starting September 7th.
CLICK Here TO PRE-Lodge YOURS!
EDIT: For more than data on The Wand Company'southward 12 sonic, here is a fantastic write upwardly by Wand Company co-owner Chris Barnardo – in it you can see a hero Capaldi prop with precisely the aforementioned flecking in the handle every bit the Wand Company's 12 sonic!
Source: https://thegingerdoctor.wordpress.com/2015/08/07/the-eleventh-doctors-sonic-the-exhaustive-look/
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