1:1 R2D2 building from scratch - Just about done!

For a while ago I started my R2D2 scratch build, all work is done by myself alone, only help I have got is to be driven to the store for more supplies like the MDF-plates.

First time I saw the Star Wars movies fully was for about 6 months ago, I liked R2D2 before I saw the movies, but I just loved the R2 afterwards. Thats when I decided to build one of my own. I am 16 years old, so I like to see myself as one of the youngest to take on a build like this.

The details will be bought, plastic details like the radar eye, shoulder hub etc. One of the details that won't be bought are the booster covers, because they cost around 65$. The homemade one isn't that different, good enough.

I don't have that much experience either, so it's a challenge!

Legs, feet, booster covers and battery boxes are all about done, very soon.

All the blueprints are taken from the R2D2 builder group on yahoo. Didn't find what color the blue was, so I took a guess after what I think look the best.

Some parts are white because I wanted to try the new airbrush gun so badly.


Bought a new MDF-plate today to finish the center leg and the main frame for the body and a long plank to hold the main frame together (that plank is cut on the picture).



Paint from left to right:
Chrome, blue (spray is expensive, like 30 bucks for one, so using box from now on), white and clear paint/lacquer for mainly the dome at the end, to prevent rust.



The dome, bad pictures, sorry..








Center foot

Not done yet, so not completely right.




Outer feet

Left don't look right on the picture either, but is irl.








Battery boxes
REALLY hard to get right, because of the stupid shape..




Steel wire inside to hold it in place. (got 4, but just pictures of two)






Legs





SAME COLOR, but doesn't look like it because of the light.









Ankle

















Booster covers

Will get another layer of paint too, done by brush eventually.







A sign made in a couple of hours (thats why the paint ain't that precise, inaccurate taped)
Made mainly to see the blue on the white, but looks a bit different irl. The blue paint is from the spray can, can be slightly different from the box with blue paint.




Haven't taken any pictures until today, but in the future I will take picture as I am building.

Thanks for all comments and all feedback!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

What did you use for the dome? Is that something you bought like the plastic parts?

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Thought this was great, then I read you were only 16 and now I'm even more impressed! Looks great so far, man. Always nice to have some younger builderson here as well.

Good luck on the build.

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Always good to see another Star Wars fan. Another good source for info and help is astromech.net. They have a lot of good advice there and the forum is broken down into the various parts of R2 as well as painting tips, etc. There are several people on there who do runs of parts as well. I have been eyeing one of their styrene domes myself. I have the frame and skins done and am starting the legs for my R2 now. As for the blue paint used in the movies I believe it was originally Dykem blue for metals but they have examples on astromech of various other colors that have been tried. Good luck and keep up the good work. Building R2 parts from scratch is nothing but awesome.

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Welcome aboard and what a great project to start off with! Don't be afraid to ask questions or guidance. This forum is loaded with expert advice and all really wonderful folks!

Great start so far! Be sure to post lots of pics...

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

This looks like a fun build! It is probably how I'll go about my Artoo when I have more free time and cash in the next few years (hey, I'm dreaming big!). Subscribed!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Thanks a lot everyone for all the great comments! Seems like a nice forum and looking forward to keep on moving with my project!


Silvermask: I am looking around at astromech.net at the moment, great side with lots of information and useful guides, thanks!


Starsky: I haven't bought any plastic parts yet, but will do it soon.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00136490/ is a lamp shade that I sanded down in the start, but took a very long time. Finally I tried a flapdisc with a angle grinder, worked great! Although I had to sand it a bit afterwards. The whole dome is at the end sanded with 1000 sandpaper (with water) and is smooth 100% without paint.

Took me a total of 7-8 hours to get it done, counting just the work.

The measurements are not 100% correct, but it will do. I have to add that in my country (Norway) where everything is extra expensive the lampshade cost me 85$, not 70$..




I got just one question so far, how can I get squared holes? Holes are wrong word, but don't know the proper word in english.

The place where the shoulder hydraulics and shoulder button go. All advices and suggestions are very appreciated!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Kevlarr said:

Thanks a lot everyone for all the great comments! Seems like a nice forum and looking forward to keep on moving with my project!


Silvermask: I am looking around at astromech.net at the moment, great side with lots of information and useful guides, thanks!


Starsky: I haven't bought any plastic parts yet, but will do it soon.
IKEA 365+ BRASA Pendant lamp - black - IKEA is a lamp shade that I sanded down in the start, but took a very long time. Finally I tried a flapdisc with a angle grinder, worked great! Although I had to sand it a bit afterwards. The whole dome is at the end sanded with 1000 sandpaper (with water) and is smooth 100% without paint.

Took me a total of 7-8 hours to get it done, counting just the work.

The measurements are not 100% correct, but it will do. I have to add that in my country (Norway) where everything is extra expensive the lampshade cost me 85$, not 70$..




I got just one question so far, how can I get squared holes? Holes are wrong word, but don't know the proper word in english.
View attachment 219551
The place where the shoulder hydraulics and shoulder button go. All advices and suggestions are very appreciated!

Click to expand...

You can use a chisel to make them square. But there rounded on mine. Keep up the good work!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

In my imagination chisel seems hard to use on MDF, or is it quite ok and worth it at the end?

Or maybe I just have a delusion?

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Nice work. always good to have another generation enjoy the films the galaxy and the beings that make up the star wars

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Looks great so far.

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

I have started at school already, but so far I have cut half of the shoulder flanges and the rings for the body.
Was gone almost whole yesterday, and will be gone in the weekend, so can't work then

Not too fancy, but a small progress:

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Kevlarr said:

In my imagination chisel seems hard to use on MDF, or is it quite ok and worth it at the end?

Or maybe I just have a delusion?

Click to expand...

Hey there welcome aboard! Perello23 is correct on the chisel for carving those out. If you have a good, and properly sharp tool working the MDF isn't too bad. I actually used the same method on my R2, and it worked quiet well.

Your doing a great job by the way, keep it up, it's a great and fully rewarding hobby! Also remember to reach out to members here, there is a wealth of information in this community! Good Luck!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Great Build! Looking forward to more and dang 16! i wish i had started out building that young. You are doing a fantastic job!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Woo! I love watching budget builds!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Thanks to all of you, really great to see such positive comments!

Will pick up a piece of chisel(s) very soon, latest on monday.

After buying the chisel(s) and a couple of other things, I have to wait a bit more to buy the R2 parts that I planned.
Is there any cheaplace to buy R2D2 parts?
The three different sellers I have seen is WORR parts, r2d2parts.com and resinparts.com.
I understand that they are all private sellers and need to make money, but it will total cost me around 500 $ for the parts (including shipping). So if anyone know of a cheaper seller, I would be glad!

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Sorry, I don't know where I got the idea of plastic parts from. A great idea for a dome , I hadn't seen that in Ikea. That would be the key item for me if I was going to build an artoo.

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Nice, nice, nice. Go ahead

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

On the astromech sight you can keep a check on the junkyard. Sometimes you can get a really good deal on there. But it may take a while for someone to sell whatever piece you're looking for. You can also post a thread in the same forum asking for whatever piece you need and some kind soul might have one they are willing to part with.

Re: 1:1 R2D2 homemade scratch build

Thanks!

Actually Starsky, the guy behind r2d2parts.com tipped me on the dome. He said that there should be a IKEA-lamp that fits as a dome, easily found after a couple of minutes

Silvermask, I will check for parts there frequently from now on!

Done some work today, the frame will be done in a couple of days. It doesn't look like much work, although the cutting and a bit of sanding on the frame takes a lot of time.



All 4 rings cut done, they don't look identical in the picture, and they aren't. There are a lot of differences, but when they are spread over 50 cm it won't really matter, at least not after the plastic is on. It would take days of work and at least 10 hours if I had to get every circle identical and 99% perfect..




Cutting out the inside:


Ca. = about





While digging through some drawers I found these chisels in the back, hopefully they will do the job!


1/3 circles has the inside cut out now, if everything go down as planned I will finish them tomorrow.