ASSEMBLING an R2 Kit / Need some pointers...

[bounty treasure]

I have a Chaucer kit from a couple years back, and know these have some inherent issues...

Was looking for some 'general' tips, techniques, & how-tos on:

-Attaching the arms to the body

-Attaching the boots to the arms

-Attaching the dome to the body

***NOTE - FYI, will likely go with the 2-legged, standing pose (But may want the ability to convert to the tripod, if that helps with any advice...)

Would take any 'specific' tips too, on remedy-ing any warping or mold issues as well.

THANKS FOR ANY INPUT - Just looking to get this project going, as my 4 year old daughter is now ready to help...

 

[OdiWan72]

Check out Mattmunson R2 blog...you should be able to find pretty much every single assembly step explained.

Markus

 

[xeno]

first thing you have to do is slap yourself on the forehead, en say to yourself "What was I thinking !!", then go to the R2Builders site

just kidding :lol, I wish you the best of luck Chauser's R2 kits are not known for quality work.
if you have parts that are really bad you can probably get replacements on the R2 Board, or give me a call.

www.xenoweb.nl

.

 

[wamser_e]

Step 1. Sell the kit. It will save you a lot of headaches in the long run.

Step 2. Head on over to the R2 builders forum, you'll be glad you did.

Ed

 

[Darth Cross]

I agree with what's been said. Head on over to the R2 Builders. They're a great bunch and can give you lots of help and info. :thumbsup

And if I can help with either advice or parts let me know.

 

[bounty treasure]

Appreciate the advice...

Got a combo deal on a 3PO and R2 a while back (Hold the groans - As I'm sure I'll have a few questions if I ever get to the 3PO kit...)

I understand that I don't quite have a screen accurate piece to enjoy... But from what I'm hearing, don't think I could sell this for much, and do not have a budget to shop for a new one (Unless someone has the miracle answer out there) Anyone???

For what it will be used for, I can settle for a bit less than 100% screen accurate, but just wanted some advice for constructing from what I have...

If there's a way to feasibly make a switch, at close to a wash $$$, let me know...

Otherwise I'll have to stumble thru the pain...

 

[MattMunson]

At this point, I think the things you really need to sit down and consider are issues of time vs. money.

I'll be the first to say what the others are only hinting at: The chaucer44 kit you have is probably THE biggest piece of garbage out there. I've seen his castings of both the pieces you have. I've seen some of his other work too. I can say in all honesty, that out of 20 or so years of modelling and building, I have NEVER seen worse craftsmanship.

The sheer number of hours you will need to invest to get those things merely out of the "utter crap" range may very well make it worth your effort to get rid of those kits and search for other alternatives. The R2 builders club can help point you in the right direction. For example, you could get an aluminum dome, aluminum skins, and a full set of resin parts for under a thousand bucks. Build your own wooden frame and build it out for just a few bucks more. You can do hand cut styrene skins and an alternative dome for a few hundred bucks cheaper.

It will LITERALLY look HUNDREDS of times better, and will be something you can be proud of. Even a SERIOUSLY overhauled Chaucer r2 is still just a well sanded POS.

However, if your time isn't worth much to you, you can go the alternative route, and fix up what you have. The types of things you want to do is research working with bondo, painting, primering, sanding, putty, stuff like that. You may want to look in to fiberglassing too, in case you want to patch up some of the more rough spots. Things like mechanizing the dome and getting the lights to work are also things best done via research on the R2 builders club or some place like astromech.net

I've also put together a page of "tips" for beginners. Though not all of them will be applicable to your case, some of them might come in handy. Here's a link:

http://www.mattmunson.com/r2/tips.html

But seriously, my belief is that it would be a wise investment to dump those crappy castings and start from scratch. You will take a hit up front, but when you consider time and materials over the long run, you'll come out a winner. Your droid will also look infinitely better. You can't straighten a warped body or dome no matter how much bondo you apply. Trust me on this one.

 

[bounty treasure]

Appreciate the honesty...

Alright - Anyone looking for a challenge want to trade straight out for an R2 kit?????