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Sonix Victory 75 Reproductions


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Stay tuned folks. I never found my battery charger so I had to order another one for my camera. Video as soon as that arrives.

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I appreciate the acknowledgment Mike. But due to certain events, Mike and I no longer collaborate on this project.

That said, you can see the prototype components (check creation dates to note that these were made in January, to-early February). So, I made the majority of the part, which are in this gallery - http://gallery.me.com/john.sale/100361 - Note the Lightwave rendered and converted digital file to a CAD driven rapid-prototyped primary dial. Also, note the drawn SonixVICTORY75 logo I generated, the quartered tuner face in weathered black and white, and the laser cut panels.

Don Coleman was lavished with special thanks for his decals, which are nice, but my hours of work, and the hundreds of dollars I spent to generate these prototypes, and to have not a cent of reimbursement from Mr. Harrison.

Due to a disagreement, he and I dissolved the "business partnership" to offer these as a collaboration project.

As for detail after the collapse of the partnership, If you note the 30th image in the gallery, it is as if he took a hammer to my work.

It is clear, you can see the destruction of the prototype-parts before Mike returned them. Apparently in a fit of anger (I have the e-mail he sent where he curses me in a way un-befitting a DL). If he decides to lock, or delete my post here, then he is burying the truth. I would like to see Rolf chime in since he is the Master of Arms here.

In hindsight, I had the choice of 2-3 fellows I could have collaborated with, but I asked Mike to make copies of MY work... it was a mistake and I could have avoided this incident entirely. That said,, I have found someone who has agreed to assist in the replication of a new kit option, and at half the price... but the pics speak the truth. The former XO of MEPD, said to keep a log of communication and images and invoices. If any mods want a full account and report, I have a comprehensive PDF with all communication, images, and invoices.

I took over $200.00 in loss on this, so I need to recoup. And it seems the only news on MEPD, as of late, is about Mike' super-duper replication of my prototype parts... and "as a labor of love."

I have watched for weeks this thread turn into a glory fest... Mike poured silicone over my prototypes, and made resin copies.

That said, I will be commissioning and making a large run of first generation replicas of my parts. A very simple kit. A face (vac-formed in .040-.060 HIPS), one large dial (first generation), two secondary dials, SONIX logo, image of tuner face, a triangular "D" ring for the right side (absent on Mike's kit), a couple of .10¢ snaps, and side strap details.

As for the gallery - http://gallery.me.com/john.sale/100361 - note the images towards the end of the gallery. You can see I have repaired most of the vandalism to my prototypes. That mentioned, as for Mike's resin radios, all units beyond the first 5-10 by Mike will be recasts of his degrading moulds... since I own the true prototypes... and the digital files to reproduce if needed.

An important fact. Mike's are also made in resin, and are therefore brittle. I would only use as a display piece... if you put your pack down, the radio could break like a clay pot. My kit will be vac-formed faces, off of precisely reconstituted parts, with air channels for a tight impression. I will also offer copies of the large dials for guys who want to upgrade their current radios or scratch-build a Sonix.

Sorry for the "Drama" but it is about time the truth came out. Mike helped me produce replicas of my work... and not the "acknowledge" of me helping him... I picked him from a list of guys who could help. I made a terrible mistake in hindsight.

This is a project I've been working on for the past four months. I first want to acknowledge the help of John Sale who created most of the face panels and large dial as 3D graphics, then had them laser-cut in acrylic. I constructed the final radio model and all the molds, then spend about 4-5 hours making each radio by hand. It's truly a labor of love for sure.

Special thanks to Don Coleman for helping with the white, water-slide decals to add that final touch.

These radios are all accounted for. Sorry. However, I'll be moving in the next few weeks and once settled in the new shop, I'll try to crank these out as soon as practical. So please, no PMs! But save your pennies, I'm projecting a cost of about $150 plus shipping.

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And so, once again, we take one step forward and two steps back in our goal to perfect the ultimate, movie -accurate Sandtrooper costume...you got to love human nature. <_<

Oh well....it was nice while it lasted.

Mesa Steve

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Greed and anger and spite.

I am just trying to recoup costs. It was my work and design.

And so, once again, we take one step forward and two steps back in our goal to perfect the ultimate, movie -accurate Sandtrooper costume...you got to love human nature. <_<

Oh well....it was nice while it lasted.

Mesa Steve

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What does all this mean? It means some people can't leave well enough alone and just go on their way. For anyone who knows anything at all about this situation or the wider circumstances that are prompting it, you knew it was just a matter of time before John did this. Utterly inevitable and utterly contemptible. So many shades of TE in this kind of post I can't help but wonder if John's maiden name was Gauthier... :angry:

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There is much back story to all of this - true, and I and many other have it all properly documented.

FACT: I offered to buy John out, reimburse him for every dime he spent to prevent him from doing exactly this. To make this project drama-free. He declined and here were are!

FACT: I did not purposely destroy his "parts". Because John wanted all his parts back, which were glued to my parts to form the master model, I had no choice but to pry them apart. That's what John wanted, and that's exactly what he got. It's also why I offered to buy him out of the project because I knew it would happen, but alas he did not understand.

FACT: I sent John the first finished radio as compensation and will continue to send him radio kits in the future as further compensation. This was actually part of the original agreement and one I stuck to, to honor that.

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I have had zero replies to any attempts at communicating with you – FACT.

Your "parts" were about $1.50 worth of styrene that you ripped away from $120.00 worth of Water-Jet cut parts – FACT.

A Dremmel Tool would have sufficed – FACT.

If I were to post your cursed posts to me, people would not be fully convinced that I am the only "dramatic" person in this situation – FACT.

You said to me, after you dissembled the parts, that they were "****" – FACT.

You said to SkyGunBro they were "salvagable" which sends a very mixed message. – FACT.

I asked you to make copies of my work in January. I could have (and should have) gone with JAVA. – FACT and HUGE MISTAKE!

You stated you will make copies of your copies, and proceed regardless of what I say or do. – Go for it.

I will provide an option, that is a kit, and costs less. Will it be as pretty as yours? NO. More durable? ABSOLUTELY.

I can post pics of the wafer thin resin of my box (reinforced with Sintra). If a baby breathed on it, it would crack. NOT TRAVEL WORTHY.

Mike, if you like, we can ramp it up. I can send out a full PDF log of all of your e-mails, where you curse me in a maniacal tirade. Let me know if I need to PM those to your Mod Staff? I have already made contact with Rolf. His objectivity will be put to the test... and I believe he will be quite surprised at your behavior, including you banning me from my Forum, Clone-Empire. Mutiny. The moment I mentioned INTERNIC, you backed down.

Feel free to discuss the glory of "Mike's" design of the radio. Carry on.

John

There is much back story to all of this - true, and I and many other have it all properly documented.

FACT: I offered to buy John out, reimburse him for every dime he spent to prevent him from doing exactly this. To make this project drama-free. He declined and here were are!

FACT: I did not purposely destroy his "parts". Because John wanted all his parts back, which were glued to my parts to form the master model, I had no choice but to pry them apart. That's what John wanted, and that's exactly what he got. It's also why I offered to buy him out of the project because I knew it would happen, but alas he did not understand.

FACT: I sent John the first finished radio as compensation and will continue to send him radio kits in the future as further compensation. This was actually part of the original agreement and one I stuck to, to honor that.

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Same fan-boy circle. You will gang up, and beat down anyone who does things outside your little rule book... or short list of prop prototypers. I expect a Sci-Fire replica of my parts in a matter of weeks. Art, you got one too... right?

I wonder if your maiden name was *********? Maiden name, ****!

What does all this mean? It means some people can't leave well enough alone and just go on their way. For anyone who knows anything at all about this situation or the wider circumstances that are prompting it, you knew it was just a matter of time before John did this. Utterly inevitable and utterly contemptible. So many shades of TE in this kind of post I can't help but wonder if John's maiden name was Gauthier... :angry:

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FACT: I have copies of many of these email exchanges between Mike and John.

John did a huge amount of work on this project that cannot be overlooked or swept under a rug. You can hate him all you want, but that doesn't change his contribution to the project.

Mike also did a lot of work as well, as can clearly be seen.

Reading through the email exchanges I disagree that Mike broke them in anger and do believe - after talking to each on the phone as well in the past - that it is as Mike describes - they had to be broken to be removed.

This is not a Matt/Gino maneuver, so while it can look similar is not the case. Both gentlemen collaborated and the end product is a result of both of their work. That's just the long and short of it.

Both it seems will take this and create their own end products.

I know you'd all love for there to be a clear hero and villain to this story, but like many things in life there is not. Just lots of gray, and a loss of what was a good team.

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Same fan-boy circle. You will gang up, and beat down anyone who does things outside your little rule book... or short list of prop prototypers. I expect a Sci-Fire replica of my parts in a matter of weeks. Art, you got one too... right?

I wonder if your maiden name was *********? Maiden name, ****!

No fan boy here and I have no rule book or list of favorites. It is unfortunate that it seems to annoy you that I like working with reputable people who do a great job and lack the psychological and sociological issues people like you continually vex this hobby with. I am not "beating" you down, just observing your character and nature and your response above only proves my point.

Sci-Fire and I have currently shelved the radio project after seeing Mike's radio unless we are able to get out hands on an original radio. Your self-congratulating assumption that we would use your parts is all-together laughable. Unlike you, John Bush and I feel no overwhelming need to prove ourselves or force our way into a market that is being adequately served. We are both just happy that better radios are being made available.

And no, I haven't gotten anything from Mike and won't be getting anything from Mike in the foreseeable future because I am funneling all my funds into non-prop projects and can't afford to buy one of Mike's radios right now, as much as I would like one and as much as I think the purchase would be well worth it. So, no radio for me unfortunately. Sorry your innuendo that I was getting a kickback for my support didn't work out there...

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John did a huge amount of work on this project that cannot be overlooked or swept under a rug. You can hate him all you want, but that doesn't change his contribution to the project.

...

This is not a Matt/Gino maneuver, so while it can look similar is not the case. Both gentlemen collaborated and the end product is a result of both of their work. That's just the long and short of it.

Both it seems will take this and create their own end products.

I know you'd all love for there to be a clear hero and villain to this story, but like many things in life there is not. Just lots of gray, and a loss of what was a good team.

Daetrin,

I don't think anyone is disputing John's contribution to this project. His claims of participation are not what is making his current actions "villainous" it is how he is publicly making a spectacle of this and making every effort to trash Mike when Mike has bent over backwards to do the right thing. To me this is little more than sour grapes stemming from the whole C-E fiasco. This isn't about defining a hero and a villain but about handling an issue with incredibly poor taste, especially considering the history here and all that Mike has done for John.

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Daetrin,

I don't think anyone is disputing John's contribution to this project. His claims of participation are not what is making his current actions "villainous" it is how he is publicly making a spectacle of this and making every effort to trash Mike when Mike has bent over backwards to do the right thing. To me this is little more than sour grapes stemming from the whole C-E fiasco. This isn't about defining a hero and a villain but about handling an issue with incredibly poor taste, especially considering the history here and all that Mike has done for John.

Understood and I have no dog in that fight. The only relevant point in my mind is to ensure that it's clear that this original project was a collaborative effort between two artists, and who contributed what piece.

After that, I'm out of the conversation.

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Read and weep...

CursedJohn.pdf

post-1912-1241809111_thumb.jpg

1 mm thick resin. Anyone who works with resin want to describe how well my compensatory copy of my radio would hold up on the bottom of a TD pack. Say I were to put it down? How well would 1 mm of resin stand up to, say, the weight of a Boy Scout Frame or primary boxes, of if the siphon taps it?

Paul I appreciate your neutrality, but you have to admit it has been weeks of Mike saying... "Behold my labor of love" around the radio... 7 pages of posts, all saluting Mike? I just felt the truth needed to be out.

And I will replicate, and offer an option that can withstand what resin can't. Mine -- as made by Mike -- shall sit on a shelf since it is too fragile to ever use.

As for my friends here...

I am let down a great deal... Also, I admired Mike. Quite a bit. I tried to make peace after he admitted to "feeling guilty" to me. Do I need to PDF that one for proof? The reason I wanted my parts back was he banned me from Clone-Empire... a place I created, and invited him to lead. He betrayed me, went to ct.net, and called me crazy.

Read the PDF if you want crazy.

So, there it is. Nice to have Brak snipping at my heels too. I bet not face-to-face though. Right Brak?

Rolf, please keep the fires off of me... it is becoming a flame-fest, and I do not appreciate the heat.

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we all don´t want this thread to be locked, right?

SO PLEASE KEEP IT CIVIL AND NICE!

use the PM´s to discuss your problems, please! no need to decide your struggle in a public thread, right`?

i´m trying to be as even-handed as possible but please keep this thread friendly

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Thanks Rocko. I was feeling toasty from the flames... I am an individual, with 50% objective interpretation by Daetrin, and no other. As you can see, the gang has jumped me.

Perhaps Mike can start a new thread and say he is making replicas of my prototypes that he had for a brief period, and which I have re-claimed, and I start a new thread on the Value Radio Kit I will offer soon.

Sound fair?

I would like to hear from Rolf on this. He is an objective guy... I know it puts him in a spot, but he needs to review all of this.

Regards Rocko,

John

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i´m just trying to keep the public threads clean from arguing and baiting!

my post wasn´t adressed to anyone personal nor any site of this dispute but just a general request to keep this thread free from hostilities!

if you feel to discuss this specific problem any further use the PM´s! PLEASE!

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FACT: I have copies of many of these email exchanges between Mike and John.

John did a huge amount of work on this project that cannot be overlooked or swept under a rug. You can hate him all you want, but that doesn't change his contribution to the project.

Mike also did a lot of work as well, as can clearly be seen.

Reading through the email exchanges I disagree that Mike broke them in anger and do believe - after talking to each on the phone as well in the past - that it is as Mike describes - they had to be broken to be removed.

John here -- They did not need to be removed. I do not believe that using a blade and hammer to free the $1.00-$2.00 worth of sign plastic (cheap styrene), and some scrap Sintra, under the 4 pieces that are arrayed around the "speaker" was necessary. He had made a functioning mould AND it is truly my opinion that he did this in spite. Why? (1) since the Clone-Empire Usurp Incident and Mutiny and my reporting him to INTERNIC, and (2) to delay me in reconstruction so I can make radios to recoup my costs. He said... "Because to get you your pieces back I've had to destroy the model. The pieces look like **** now, no idea how they can be useful." Mike is the one with functioning moulds AND he said he will continue to make radios, despite me.

So, to be useful, I had to do an assload of work to undo the damage. As I said, I should have gone with JAVA to make the moulds.

This is not a Matt/Gino maneuver, so while it can look similar is not the case. Both gentlemen collaborated and the end product is a result of both of their work. That's just the long and short of it.

Both it seems will take this and create their own end products.

This is a fact. They will be available on FISD.

I know you'd all love for there to be a clear hero and villain to this story, but like many things in life there is not. Just lots of gray, and a loss of what was a good team.

I feel very grey, clone-empire was thrown under the bus by Mike on ct.net, I was insulted there, and here. But despite that, I tried on 3 occasions to contact Mike... and he gave me the cold shoulder. This dance had two equal sides of contribution... except, he is making $150 per sold radio, and I am $240.00 in the hole.

LESSON: Be sure to really trust who you are working with. And have a contingency where there is equality in the outcome if there is a split (for any reason). I got shafted and used, and dogged here.

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Thanks Rocko. I was feeling toasty from the flames... I am an individual, with 50% objective interpretation by Daetrin, and no other. As you can see, the gang has jumped me.

Perhaps Mike can start a new thread and say he is making replicas of my prototypes that he had for a brief period, and which I have re-claimed, and I start a new thread on the Value Radio Kit I will offer soon.

Sound fair?

I would like to hear from Rolf on this. He is an objective guy... I know it puts him in a spot, but he needs to review all of this.

Regards Rocko,

John

John

Rolf's wife Sara is expecting the birth of their little boy virtually any minute now

so it may be some time before he's back on the boards mate.

Just thought I'd let you know :)

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I appreciate the info. Rolf has way more important things to worry about than a quibble between Mike and his crew versus Captain "Drama" John Sale. If you talk to Rolf, wish him my best.

A tangent... Rocko, I have said my piece. I think there is enough truth out to show that the radios Mike is making and selling, are exactly the way they are due to my contribution. That said, I will mount the pieces to my MDF base, and finalize and bore out the backside air channels to get the tightest pulls possible. Only parts that will be resin will be the big dial, and two smaller dials.

Sonix logo and tuner face images are ready to go.

I will likely fore-go the decals.

Trying to keep the kits simple, and I believe they are painted over anyway.

Later Bill!

John

John

Rolf's wife Sara is expecting the birth of their little boy virtually any minute now

so it may be some time before he's back on the boards mate.

Just thought I'd let you know :)

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Hi gang.

My little trooper are not out yet, but any minute now...

Where to start here, about this topic.

I´m so tired of beef, around this hobby.

There are bigger things to life, then beef over plastic.

I think many members on many forums, have swim too long out.

And its about time, we swim back.

And find out again, why we join this great hobby years ago.

To have fun, and make a childhood dream come true.

To me it sounds like, there a two versions of the story here.

Maybe just a misunderstanding, like beef normal is.

Keep the hobby a life, and make peace.

Troop on!

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I am going to have to disagree here. This isn't a "misunderstanding." This is John doing the John thing... and then trying to twist it to make himself somehow look the victim. He has done it here before, he has done it ad nauseam in regard to c-e, and has done it at TDH. All Mike can be blamed for is being naive enough to work with John when he already knew John's nature. Let's not be spineless placaters here... lets call it like it is. This is the same old crap coming from the same old people.

John, your supposedly damning email shows nothing but the fact that your ridiculous demands had driven Mike to utter frustration. While he was using curse words, which you seem to be quite fond of yourself, he isn't calling names or slinging mud... again, unlike you.

Now, given the weak-kneed "lets all sweep this under the carpet and not call a spade a spade" people who are the unfortunate majority of this board, I don't expect anything to happen or anyone else who will be willing to say it like it is, but even if I have to stand alone, I will, and will continue to say you are wrong. You posting in this thread is wrong, unbecoming, clearly envious and based on some desperate jealousy, and is pretty pathetic. The fact that such drivel is allowed is equally pathetic. The fact that no one wants to admit a lot of this simply stems from your personal issues with Mike only proves how pathetic all of this is... but keep on keeping on. There will always be those who are too afraid, too blind, or too dumb to see people like you for what you are so you are certain to always have an audience.

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