R2D2 Build

Ahhh yes, I remember my 300mm dome when I first got it, that is a thing of beauty. Good luck on your build!

I hope I didn't bend the metal too much when removing the first panel. I forgot about the hack saw trick and was trying to lightly remove it by twisting it from the tabs. After I found the proper tool, things went smoothly .

We scored a Com8B Budget frame today. Along with Aluminum Skins to fit the frame. hopefully along with finding a proper skirt that fits, those will be the most expensive parts of the body taken care of. Then it'll be onto scoring the most epxensive parts of the feet. Total spent so far, about $1300...

Here is the list of parts and current status, so far, it's all metal:
300 MM dome: secured and arrived
TeeCee light kit: Confirmed, no shipping notice or arrival yet
Surrounds: astro spares...Payment confirmed and secured.
Radar Eye: Awaiting for it to go on sale at astro spares .

Body:
Com8B frame secured: Should be here in April
Jag metal Skirt secured
Metal skin: payment sent, no confirmation on anything yet...apparently this guy is a bit spotty on communication from another thread so hopefully that comes through...

total spent so far = $1780 That STILL leaves three feet, and two outer legs as probably the most expensive parts left...And that should bring the final price up to around $2600. All the other things on the droid seem to be in the $50 range and a bit more affordable. Not sure how much the remote control stuff costs..anyone wanna weigh in on that and enlighten me? ;o)

I have like 70 % of my parts, but haven't had a chance to "build" a thing

Can't wait to get started on my dome and skins though! Good luck with your build!

Yeah, I went the wooden frame route and am looking for legs. I was looking at wooden legs but Crash on Astromech.net is working on fiberglass legs so I may wait for those.

My problem is when I have money to buy parts for my droid, if I don't buy them now something always comes up and I end up spending my money on that issue and then I'm broke when the run is made.

Just can't beat the look of real aluminum. I have a pretty good dome, but its firberglass...

Hey NeilT, Are you on my run for Aluminum LDP, over at Astromech.net? You should get on that run it is the most accurate Large Data Port to date. It is under "BC Approved Aluminum Parts Runs"
"Aluminum LDP 2nd Run"
Also I highly recommend a Senna Drive System for your motor drives, NPC motors, if you need a link to parts/build plans, Etc let me know. also will look up for you what motor controllers I use and give you those links,
Happy building,
AL

boshwan527 said:

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I have like 70 % of my parts, but haven't had a chance to "build" a thing

Me too! I have a plan to get started in February. We'll see...

Great to see someone else getting off to a good start.

Ha, I'll be watching this build closely! Today I purchased a 99% complete R2 kit that the previous owner never got around to building. Good luck!

boshwan527 said:

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I have like 70 % of my parts, but haven't had a chance to "build" a thing

Can't wait to get started on my dome and skins though! Good luck with your build!

Right now, I'm the opposite.. I've got one part, and lots of time! ;o)..

thanks

It took all day, b ut I f inally got all the tabs sanded off and most of the slag removed... but is the outer dome supposed to sit even on the inner dome, or is it supposed to look slanted like that? As you can see, I bent it a little trying to get that first panel off.. hope that is fixable

NeilT said:

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It took all day, b ut I f inally got all the tabs sanded off and most of the slag removed... but is the outer dome supposed to sit even on the inner dome, or is it supposed to look slanted like that? As you can see, I bent it a little trying to get that first panel off.. hope that is fixable

If memory serves me right you cut the lower ring off and afix it to the lower edge of the inner dome? I might be wrong though, but center the outer dome and do the ring along the bottom and you should be in good shape. As for the dent I would take a small rubber mallet and gently tap it back into shape, it should be pretty pliable. You could always put a rag where you want to bend it back to keep from marring the surface up. Also I want to say the inner/outer dome should have a hole in the top center from the spin process don't they? That is an option for aligning the domes as well.

you know, I wasn't sure about that bottom ring, maybe that is what is messing things up.. if anyone can confirm that'll come off, I'll do that next.

The next step is to mark out the circles and squares to cut out, once I get he dome centered. This is going to be the next nerve wracking part. I need to cut three holo projector holes. Two light holes, and Three surround holes

I cut off the bottom ring, and it fits better now. when I saw it painted blue in the ref photo's, figured it's best to take it off..

round one of primer painting got done today. Round two tomorrow for all the parts.....I'm also going to start drilling the holes either this week, or next....not sure if I should wait for parts to start arriving before that happens, or it it really doesn't matter just so long as the dome is centered..

Today, we'll prime the rest of the parts. although I Was thinking that if you really wanted to be screen accurate, you can order the proper color to R2 (Wich I think is called Hypothetical Blue). However, with so many different droid variations out there, it could really be any color of blue and doesn't have to be close to be accurate ....

All I can really do now is paint the parts a color blue, and wait for the rest of the parts to arrive to start drilling the inner dome. Figured it might be easier to do that than make a mistake drilling the panels on the inner dome the wrong size now..unless it doesn't matter..

thanks for that, I got the needed paints off of Amazon, should be here tomorrow...We'll give it a try

phez said:

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Make sure to check for gaps between the inner and outer domes. They should fit together fairly tight.

Always cool to see a good droid build

don't judge the build yet, I've been known to have major disasters befall me before all is said and done ;o)..



a quick mock of of round one, primer paint for all parts. The proper paints will get here tommorow, so we'll try and get most, if not all done the right way then. Now, I've noticed mine doesn't fit tightly as you stated, and it's STILL a bit crooked, so obvously I've got more sanding to do. Despite the fact that the top of the dome looks like it's sitting flat, it clearly isn't. The dome is supposed to slide all the way to the bottom of the inner dome, so it matches the blue part, correct? Or is the blue part supposed to rise up to meet the outer dome?

yay! Lighting kit and surrounds should ship sometime next week!
I just got my first look at what it's going to be like assembling the TeeCe kit..holy crap I'm scared . Not difficult looking, but oh so tiny pieces!

An R2 is on the list of builds I hope to eventually do. Good luck and keep the updates coming!

The dome is supposed to slide all the way to the bottom of the inner dome, so it matches the blue part, correct? Or is the blue part supposed to rise up to meet the outer dome?

Well the metal band that you cut off of the bottom of the outer dome (the blue part) slides over the inner dome and varies a bit depending on which R2 photo you are looking at (it can never easy ). I just centered mine in the space.

Are you going to have opening panels or have them gluded in?

I am hoping to do a droid build at some point, and I am LOVING this thread!

I just joined up over at the astromech site, so when I ask this understand that I'm a droid noob, but what's the purpose of having an inner and outer dome, especially if they fit so tightly together?

-Alex

deathscythe said:

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I just joined up over at the astromech site, so when I ask this understand that I'm a droid noob, but what's the purpose of having an inner and outer dome, especially if they fit so tightly together?

-Alex

someone answered that for me...I'll see if I can refind it....


I decided to test out the Victor's Painting Moves from the droid wiki. Already applied about 6 coats of primer. One coat every 30 minutes over the course of the day. I'll let it sit for a day, and maybe tommorow or Monday will apply the blue and purple and cermaic spray to finish it off, and we'll see how long it goes...

I've decided to wait on cutting out the panels on the inner dome. I'm gluing the top panels to the dome, so no cutting there. But I will need to cut holes for the HP's and lights. Figured it's best to wait till the parts arrive to see if they fit the pre cut holes.

Someone asked this as well, the answer for the top panels is that I'm going to wind up gluing them on. None of them will open. I see no need for radar periscope or other gadgets. this thing is going to be expensive as it is