2-1B Replacement Build

[TatooineMachine]

I had purchased Zorg's last 2-1B kit to finish it and offer for sale. After my office was broken into and my beloved 2-1B was stolen, my plans changed. This was the only thing stolen that wasn't easily replaced, so I'm thrilled I had an extra. Been working on this for a few days and made some good progress so far!

Raw Cast out of the box

Sculpted mic removed

Dark blue GM base coat

Light blue Honda top coat

Alice band, magnets, and pewter "ears"

Tatooine Machine aluminum neck ring on "frosted" neck

Mic interior backing plate

More to come!

 

[TatooineMachine]

I forgot what a labor some job the microphone is to mod! Cut off the stand mount, shaped it with a sanding wheel on the grinder, coarse filed it to shape, fine filed all the coarse file marks, then remove the nickel and copper plating with 150 sand paper, 220, 400......then polish on the bench wheel. Tomorrow morning I'll go down to the shop and use the table belt sander to shape the front and remove most of the plating, then back to hand sanding, and polish...PITA

I am excited to build a new one of these, Zorg's pieces are works of art!

 

[russellsch]

It's coming together nicely!!!
Zorgs kits are the best!

 

[TatooineMachine]

Sanded off the rest of the plating and got it polished out. It needs some more work, too many scratches left still. Needs another 400 grit, then 600 wet sand, then polish!

Ready to drill the hole for the PL-259 connector

 

[TatooineMachine]

Dulled down the bright aluminum alice band

Painted 2-1B with watered down brown paint....

I used baby wipes to clean him up and made sure that the weathering was where I wanted it, more to come!

When he dries he won't look as dirty as he looks in these photos!

 

[TatooineMachine]

Neck ring is dry so I weathered it just a touch

 

[OdiWan72]

Love it!

 

[TatooineMachine]

Got the PL-259 connector cut down, distressed, and the mic drilled...hoping to get the mic interior completed tomorrow and glued on! Mic needs a pass of 400 and 600 paper, still a little rough

 

[joshimus]

Looking great. Are there any screen shots of the Mic interior?

 

[TatooineMachine]

Looking great. Are there any screen shots of the Mic interior?

Thank you, not really. More shots of the original droid on display than screen grabs. You can make out the Tomtit model airplane cylinder & a brass wire inside the mic on 4K

 

[TatooineMachine]

Made some more progress on the mic internals - One of the film winding gears off one of the Chewie Bowcaster cameras, Romans Mk 1 transistor washer, custom made mesh, and an Arriflex lens jewel screw was used -

I discovered Apoxie sculpt and I LOVE it. Used it to form a base for the internal "mic" and back the brass wire. Caulked the backing plate in black to no light seeps through

 

[TatooineMachine]

Shure mic epoxied on and caulked black

Still a bunch to do -

Wire up eyes & remote control
Apoxie Sculpt on neck
Eye Greeblies
PL-259 stripe
Hose and aluminum details
Final weathering

 

[Desert Rat]

Chad, I sent you a PM with pictures of what you had requested. I hope it helps. Your 2-1B is coming out great, by the way.

 

[spacebob]

Unreal, I had no idea there was so much detail inside the mic shell. Beautiful work, just stunning

 

[TatooineMachine]

Unreal, I had no idea there was so much detail inside the mic shell. Beautiful work, just stunning

That’s a real compliment from you Bob, your droids are amazing. Thanks for making my day!

 

[clanger68]

Looks absolutely stunning, I too had not realised how much detail was on the interior of the mic. Amazing

 

[russellsch]

Another gorgeous build, my friend. You're knocking this one out of the park!

 

[TatooineMachine]

There has been many different interior mic greeblies used here on the RPF By brilliant builders. Most common is the half a read cylinder, half of the piston like on ESB Han DL-44 blaster, and the brass wire. I’ve never seen the droid on display from ILM, I just trusted who has. I added the small camera lens and the custom mic piece for fun and I think it looks very Star Wars. Thanks for the kind words. I hope to wire up the eyes this evening and get him finished up!

 

[zorg]

There has been many different interior mic greeblies used here on the RPF By brilliant builders. Most common is the half a read cylinder, half of the piston like on ESB Han DL-44 blaster, and the brass wire. I’ve never seen the droid on display from ILM, I just trusted who has. I added the small camera lens and the custom mic piece for fun and I think it looks very Star Wars. Thanks for the kind words. I hope to wire up the eyes this evening and get him finished up!

there was nothing behind the grill when on tour in scotland (art of star wars), they keep changing stuff and replacing bits and bobs on these exhibits so unless you can confirm it on screen i would take a lot of parts with a pinch of salt. the side spikes on the side of 2-1b head for example.

 

[TatooineMachine]

Well there you go! Thanks Chris