DAY 5 - Things keep rolling along.

This is my first actual work done on two consecutive days.  Being busy at work is a very good thing, but it sometimes only allows me a single day to myself during the week.  Laundry and rest usually eat up what precious time off I have off, but I actually got to work on R2 for two days.

More work on the feet and legs.  The foot shells were sanded and are ready for 1 or two more coats of bondo before they are finished.  One of these days, I will actually take a picture of the shells again.

I tested the Pittman dome drive motor, and it works like a champ.  Soon I will tear down the Rockler lazy susan bearing and mount it to the body.

I also tested my foot drive motors today - YIPPEEEE ! - they work, and are whisper quiet.  Chain drive, as the belt drive wheels and hubs are becoming more difficult to find.

Specs:

24 Volt 100 Watt Electric Scooter Motor
24VDC 100W electric scooter motor. Powerful four brush permanent magnet electric motor design with 100% ball bearing construction. Includes 9 tooth sprocket for #25 chain. 12" long power leads with terminal connectors. Shaft rotation reversible by reversing power leads. Dimensions: 2-5/8" wide x 3-7/8" long excluding shaft, 4-7/8" long including shaft.
Item # MOT-E100

 Here is an image of what they look like.

On to the skinning of the lower ankles.  I used my trusty Dremel to sheer off the ends of the bolts, and right before I got through the second to last one.... pop, pop, fizzle... pop.  With a little puff of smoke, my Dremel was dead.  I am not exactly sure why, as I was not taxing it too much, and I kept checking to see if it was overheating.  Luckily, when I find a tool I like, I usually have a spare, pulled out the other Dremel and finished the job.

When the PVC legs are glued and assembled, they tend to "scrunch" where the bolts and screws are inserted.  This is, no doubt a result of over-tightening the bolts and screws.  Noobie mistakes are part of the building/learning process.   The back of the lower ankle was a little cupped, so I made a pool of two part epoxy, then laid the 1mm styrene skins on top.

This two part epoxy is great - pretty much self-leveling.  I would almost use it as a a psuedo gel-coat, but it does not sand or finish well.  The heat of the sanding process turns the epoxy into a gummy mess.  I have 501st armor stories on that subject - lots of refinishing afterwards.  Trust me - it does not end well.

Here the 1mm styrene skins are in place, taped down for a nice flush fit.

15 minutes later, we have this.  You will also notice the little under arm recessed areas skinned in the same method with the 1mm styrene.  Jean (Mom) is going to kill me for putting this on her ironing board.

Another angle - hopefully more ironing board friendly.  In my defense, the ironing board is dangerously close to my Dad's workshop.  It is the only thing in the room that doesn't have a pile of my Astromech stuff on it.  So, Mom - apologies are due.  But please realize that it is all in the name of art.

With my recent progress, I decided to throw the Feet/Motor mounts on. 

A single 1/2" bolt holds the motor mounts to the legs.  Admittedly, this is a point of concern, as there will be a good amount of stress on this joint when he is fully operational.  I will see what can be done to reinforce this area.

Knowing what you know of this build.... it is time for .... a test fit.  I cobbled together some shoulder hub pieces - so this is not a final fit, but it worked for this test.   For the uninitiated, there is no doubt that you will recognize this shape.  

Off of the bucket and standing on his own two feet !!!   What a great feeling.  

Another angle.  Even in this shell-like state, having this droid in front of you is a really satisfying experience.  I can not thank all of the members of Astromech.net enough for all of their wisdom, wit and wizardry when it comes to crafting and supplying the parts that make these builds possible.

Although this will be a fixed 3-legged droid - I have to say - the two legged stance is just really cool.  There are many moments in the movies that R2 is in this position, standing like a sentry.

One more photo before I leave you for today.  When I got home - I logged into the Astromech.net web page.  I had sent out a WTB message regarding Aluminum Shoulder to Body hubs earlier in the day - 2 minutes after I logged in tonight - a member has a set for sale.  SOLD.

Preview of things to come.... Off to another state for work this week, but a few items should be arriving.  These include:

     - Previously mentioned Shoulder Hubs

     - Aluminum (yes Virginia, Aluminum) Skins

     - DOME !!!!  I have a dome on order from Crash, but JAG was offering a slightly used one, so 

       I had to pick it up (never know when this R2 will need a friend)

     - Aluminum Dome Plate (anodized blue) - can't wait to see this on

     - Motor shaft extension

     - Universal ball casters (these are on the way from the UK, so they may not arrive this week)

So - the next post will have even more progress, and the little guy will look even more complete.  Stay tuned !

Day 4 of the build

As I close in on procuring all of the needed parts, I did a little more work today.

First off, I made a drastic turn - I decided to go with an Aluminum Frame.  This is a JAG v.4 frame from 2006 purchased from a member of Astromech.net.

I have to tell you, building the A&A frame was a blast, but there were too many inconsistencies for my liking.  I was also worried about the weight involved internally with the addition of batteries and all of the electronic goodies.  I know many builders have had great success with these frames, and I am going to hang on to mine for..... dare I say it - droid #2.  Originally, I feared going the aluminum route due to weight and cost considerations.  Not to mention - I have literally zero experience working with aluminum.

Well - once I received the frame, all worries were quelled.  An aluminum frame does not offer any margin of error - because there is none.  All of the parts fit together without a hitch.  Jerry's instructions  are short, clean and to the point.  No muss, no fuss.  After a little cleanup, Dad and I had it assembled in 20 minutes.

Here is what we started with.  I cleaned up a good bit of what I assume was JB Weld on the parts.  WOW - if you use that adhesive, I don't think you have any worries of anything coming off easily.....ever.

Here we are a scant 20 minutes later.  There are Sherman Tanks, then there are these frames.  Strong - Sturdy - Heavy.  As my droid will be a static three legged mode, I did not need all of the parts for the leg actuation motor mounts.  Some members have voiced a concern about the weight of this frame with the PVC legs.  Duly noted - I will be watching this with an eagle eye and if needed, I may go with some wooden legs.

Here is a view from the back.  TONS of room inside, and easy access from all angles.

Another item procured from the same member is a Fiberglas Skirt.  Again - a true work of art.  Rumor has it that it's casting lineage hails form a screen-used droid.  (I pray that this little tidbit does not get anyone in hot soup - although I have seen a certain shiny Mando helmet supposedly cast from screen-used masters).  

The mounting spires were already in the skirt - 4 screws will hold it steady on the bottom of the frame.  Again, the fit and finish of the aluminum parts is something to behold.  All of the holes are drilled and tapped to perfection.

Below are the legs that I talked about last post.  I have sanded the bondo from the outer edges, and applied the 1mm styrene skins.  The tape here is holding the styrene skin in place while the epoxy sets.  WAIT - WHA ?!?!??  NO CLAMPS ?!?!!? 

Another, closer angle : The finishing work will be expedited because of the styrene skins, as all I need to do is fill some minor gaps in his under-arm area.

Here is a little test fit of the now elusive Pittman dome drive motor.  This was purchased second hand from another Astromech member, but there were mounting holes in the frame for this particular assembly.  The package I purchased has a drive wheel with the builder's club logo on it (from CIV I believe).  In this test fit, we discovered that the shaft length is too short for the wheel to meet the dome bearing.  

I threw on the A&A Dome Drive Gear.  I think I am going to go with the geared drive.  I ordered a shaft extension (only need about an inch more height) and a motor hub for the cog seen on the top cross brace.  Note - only the drive motor is mounted at this time, the bearing and gear is simply sitting on top of the frame.

Utility arms all sanded and installed.  Taped down in case they want to flap about while I am shuffling one of a thousand items around.

Captain ADHD at your service.  I have never spent so much time sitting and shuffling amongst boxes, bubble wrap and pieces/parts in my life.  I am sure my work area looks like a bomb went off in it every time someone sees it.  I want to claim that it is "organized chaos", but alas - I feel like Captain McAllister most of the time:

Captain McCallister: Arr, here be a fine vessel, the yarest river-going boat there be.

Homer: I'll take it!

(The raft sinks.)

Captain McCallister: (Sadly) Arr, I don't know what I'm doing.

Dry fitting is once again, my main time consuming activity.  I have all of the parts in various bins, all bubble-wrapped.   I unwrap each part, place it on the assembly, and stare at it for 15 minutes.  Put all of the parts back in bubble-wrap - then back in their bins.  Moments later, I find myself doing the same thing again.....

But, the results are just too cool to look at.

On the D.L.

Sideways.  Note, none of the resin parts have been sanded, so some of them may look a bit wonky.

Close up of the shoulder.  New resin shoulders from Wayne Orr, as I totally messed up the A&A shoulder assembly.  The top layer slipped a bit during the gluing process, and when using CA cement - you don't have much time to react.... so I had a big ol' pile of fail on one of my shoulders.  Problem solved with a set of resin beauties.

Have I shown you my legs yet ?  These photos do not do justice to the "dimensionality" of the leg assembly.  There is so much going on with the legs alone - just a treat to look at.

After all of the chaos - I actually packed everything back on my temporary workbench.  If it looks like a lot...rest assured, it is.  I also got the feet sanded and ran another round of bondo on the edges.  They are looking mighty fine.

Until next time  !

Day 3 of work on the little guy.  Decided to assemble the foot shells.  Below is a photo of what you start with.  Lots of styrene - laser-cut pieces that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.  Not much need for instructions, as the parts only go together one way.

I did, however use Alex Kung's excellent tutorial for reference.  Bless the iPad and the internets - instructions for nearly anything right at your fingertips.

ALEX KUNG'S FOOT TUTORIAL 

Center Foot all squared, glued and clamped up.  I used CA (Cyanoacrylate) Glue with an accelerator.  The Accelerator sets the glue instantly.  More than a few layers of skin from my fingertips will ride along with R2.  Then again - there are many body parts that are permanent residents in my various costumes.  These projects involve blood, sweat, tears... and some skin.  Progress was much quicker when I had an extra set of hands (Dad's) to spray the accelerator as I held the pieces in place.

Gratuitous clamp shot.  Loves me my clamps.

Completed center foot shell.  The edges will be reinforced from the inside, bondo and a lot of sanding will finish out the outside edges.

Below is a shot of the internal plate locking mechanism for the side door on the foot shell.  Still not sure if it will be used, as I am a HUGE fan of rare-earth magnets.  The locking mechanism is a little engineering marvel created by A&A.  

Complete (almost) foot shells and center foot shells.  The biggest joy of assembling (or receiving) parts is actually holding the item we have all grown to love.  Instantly recognizable, and no doubt will stay that way for a very long time.  Initial gap filling with plastic-welder.  This will be sanded down and the bondo - sanding fiesta will commence.

Another angle of the feet.  Almost ready to roll around... I can dream, cant I ?  I still have to insert the lower inner curved parts on the outer feet.  I saw another builder's blog that used a PVC pipe cut to size that looked rather promising.  

Other items worked on:

Put the first layer of Bondo on the outer and center legs.  Sorry - no photos.  It would look like bondo setting, which is tantamount to watching paint dry.

I received a good amount of resin parts this week.  A good chunk of the day was spent test fitting and marveling at the accuracy and detail in the pulls.  HUGE thank you to Wayne Orr and Steele for your craftsmanship.  Photos of these items will be coming up - keep watching.

I also test fitted the Outer skins on the body.  Once again - I got very excited, as the skins make the body instantly recognizable.  Tapes the skins temporarily to get some "memory" working into the curvature of the frame.

Again - sorry for the lack of photos of the test fitting of parts and such - I was too busy admiring all of my little mock-ups.

SECOND DAY of actually working on the little guy.

WOW - Talk about an ADHD'ers worst nightmare.  I have a tendency to go in a few directions at once every now and then.  This project only magnifies that little problem.  There are SO many things to work on, choosing what to do next proves difficult as I wait for freshly glued assemblies to dry.

Here is what I got into today - 

Test fit of the main Leg structure- again - blessed are the brazing rods !  They make alignment easy and spot on.

Glued up and clamped.  Not sure if this is a blog about building an R2 unit, or showing off my collection of Quick-Grip clamps....  All of the inner surfaces that need to be glued were prepped with 50 grit sandpaper, purple primer and then PVC Cement.  50 grit sandpaper is the stuff that you wipe over the surface with the delicacy of wiping something from your eyelid, yet it gouges the surface as though you raked a 15 lb. axe across it.  Good stuff.

More Clampity goodness.  The ABS cement cures rather quickly, but I let the pieces sit in this state for a couple of hours, just to make sure they will stay in place.

Did someone ask for more CLAMPS !??!?!

Finishing off the center foot.  If I actually measured the bolt length I needed BEFORE I went to the hardware store, I would not have to cut off the ends..... (Never was much for planning ahead)

Bolts cut with a Dremel Cutoff wheel.  Lots of sparks, hot nubbins and bolt pieces falling on my sandal-clad feet.  Remember: always wear the correct safety gear, not what Scott is wearing.  Nylon center lock-nuts used.  Final cover was sealed with PVC Cement.  This piece is ready for a skinnin' ! 

Below is the 2012 Poster Boy for ADHD.  Please donate generously.

Now that I have the parts coming together, I cant stop dry-fitting all of the greebles and detail pieces.  I put something together and just sit there and stare at it for 10 - 15 minutes.  I then take the assembly apart, try to think of what to do next,  and put it back together again.  I have barely started, and this is already an extremely rewarding project.

Dry-fit leg assembly.  See - can't take your eyes off of it - huh ?

Another angle - another 15 minutes......

You can even look at the over-exposed version for at least 10 minutes.

Some of the more iconic pieces arrived this past week.  The stuff that makes R2, R2 (Center Vents and Arms) - LOVING it.

And if all of that was not enough - here is the lightshow:  Sorry about the audio - the TV was on, and apparently VERY close.  There are a good number of videos of the dome lights on the internets, but they do no justice of this little wonder in person.  The show is amazing.

More work tomorrow.  I wish I knew what I was going to get into.... only time will tell.

Sunday, October 7th....


So here it all begins.  Parts had been washed last week.  Now the assembly / gluing and screwing begins.  I got my Father into the act - and his help was invaluable.  I found a couple of the assemblies were much easier to get together with at least one extra hand.

Foot Shells test fit.  I am still amazed by the engineering that goes into the making of these parts.  It is a real pleasure to assemble.  The manuals available online are helpful, but for the most part, all of the pieces go together only one way.  I primarily use the manual to find out where difficult pieces/parts belong.

Bolds, Nuts and threaded rod.  I really dislike Home Depot's selection of fasteners now... you have to purchase these items in individually sealed bags with 3 or 4 bolts each, instead of a box at a time.  I would rather have 26 left over bolts than have 1 too few.  (Which happened at least twice)

Believe it or not, there is a part amongst all of the clamps.  This is the center foot support.  Found out that the Oatey "All purpose" glue does not work on the ABS parts.  Used Locktite two part quick-set epoxy on the ABS - I have used it to secure magnets to various armor projects with no issues.  The 1/4" brass rods are left-overs from my father's career in the Brazing industry - they proved invaluable for lining up the assemblies for gluing.  Once dry, I will apply the bolts. 

Here are the shoulders, glued, clamped and looking pretty.

Another angle of the shoulders.  Once you get past the fact that the PVC frame is going to get roughed up during assembly, things are much easier.  The parts look so nice when they are removed from the box, but the laser cut side is dulled because of the heat applied while cutting.  Most of the parts that face outward on the frame are on the underside of the cutting - so they are nice and clean.  Again - I have to believe A&A planned it this way.  (Thank you Gentlemen !)

Shoulders and main torso glued and screwed.  Note how nice and shiny on the outside.  I will do my best to make sure it does not stay that way... hahaha

Here is The rear door assembly being held together with my patented "Ghetto-Clamp" method - AKA - painters tape.  Again, a hold-over from my armor assembly days.  Some surfaces are just not fit for clamping due to the angles involved.  A few wraps of way-expensive blue tape holds them together fine.

G-Clamp method applied to the arm box assembly.

Test fitting of the final center leg assembly all glued and screwed.  1/4" brass brazing rod sitting on top - again - big thanks to my Dad for keeping this stuff around 15 years after retiring.  You will see a baby gate in the background - this is for my 18 month old Nephew.  He stands behind it and watches the assembly like a teen at a H.S. Football game.

Slightly different angle, sans baby gate.

Here is the frame pretty much complete.  I have a newfound hate for threaded rod.  While it was not extremely difficult to do, there were some tight spots to get in and around.  I ended up removing one of the internal shelves in order to get the nuts tight.  Not a huge issue, as it can be added back in later.

Here is the next project - the legs have been dry-fit.  These will be glued and screwed next.

Another angle.

That is it for today.  I am very happy at the progress made in a day.  I am still a mega-noob at this stuff, but the invaluable resources at Astromech.net have helped ease the pain.