Star Wars ep7 BB-8 droid concept

Judging from the size comparison when BB-8 was near R2D2 on stage, I believe the closes standard size polycarbonate ball is 20". Unfortunately when I made mine last December, I used an 18". Doh!

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Judging from the size comparison when BB-8 was near R2D2 on stage, I believe the closes standard size polycarbonate ball is 20". Unfortunately when I made mine last December, I used an 18". Doh!

I agree! After seeing BB-8 rolling around R2, I would estimate the ball at around 20" to 22". Yours looks fantastic, and it's done! You can't be upset about that!
 
Judging from the size comparison when BB-8 was near R2D2 on stage, I believe the closes standard size polycarbonate ball is 20". Unfortunately when I made mine last December, I used an 18". Doh!

I agree! After seeing BB-8 rolling around R2, I would estimate the ball at around 20" to 22". Yours looks fantastic, and it's done! You can't be upset about that!

I did some comparison measurements and rudimentary math using this photo I found that has both BB-8 and R2-D2 side by side:
View attachment 469112

Using the accepted body diameter of R2 (18"), I think that BB-8 has a body diameter of 20" with a head-width diameter of 12".

I'd like to propose combining this thread with the other BB-8 one here. I think the efforts to recreate BB-8 would be best served by all of us being on the same page and sharing our knowledge!
 
this reveals some access panels... also might help with scale (click to enlarge)

View attachment 470780

I did some pixel calculations. I found the midpoint of the tangent of BB-8's body and assuming that the metal trim on the road case it's sitting in is 1" (I checked around and 99% of what I found was 1" trim) that makes the body about 24" in diameter when measuring the trim at the same perspective as the body.
 
Just wondering if anyone has had any luck sourcing some plastic ball transfer units mentioned in here? I'm going down the "lightest head possible" route & so far my searches are only turning up stainless steel ones (which makes sense since these apparently are used in manufacturing usually). Google throws up some results, so they do exist somewhere, but nothing buyable in small quantities, at least in or around europe, any ideas?
 
Something else struck me from the picture @Edwardowan posted. If you look down by the hand of the guy reaching into BB-8 the access hole has depth to it. This might be a sphere in a sphere because of the lights on the surface of it.
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Here are a few more pics from the Tested video from the Star Wars Celebration with some of the lights on. They appear at 5:27 in the video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKrFZBncjmU
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I think the main thing I am taking from the access port picture is that the droid may be able to roll with out a completely smooth interior structure. If this is the case, I think it has a frame that the pieces of the outside bolt to. And if it does have a subframe, it is less likely that it has bearings contacting the shell (unless the are all spring loaded), making this more of a balancing robot in a ball.
 
Just wondering if anyone has had any luck sourcing some plastic ball transfer units mentioned in here? I'm going down the "lightest head possible" route & so far my searches are only turning up stainless steel ones (which makes sense since these apparently are used in manufacturing usually). Google throws up some results, so they do exist somewhere, but nothing buyable in small quantities, at least in or around europe, any ideas?

I found a set of ten plastic ball transfer units on ebay for about $14. I just ordered these yesterday.
http://m.ebay.com/itm/261935961018?nav=SEARCH
 
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