C1 Astromech

[Valor]

After building Artoo's head I'm smitten with the idea of building a full astromech. But R2 scares the crap outta me. I'd like to do something a bit less intimidating and a notch more original.

I love the squat design of Chopper from SW Rebels. But I'm considering a modified design. Chopper is pretty banged up and mismatched. I know THAT's what makes him cool, but I began wondering what another C1 series astromech might look like. So, I've been building out a bunch of models in Photoshop to see if I can find mine.

It's a pretty fun model to play with the color scheme on.

 

[Friskythehutt]

I am building one right now and Its the same as building an R2 which I have built one and currently working on another. I think chopper will be easier than R2, but there are no plans or parts from the builders group to build chopper. However, he will be done in Aug. of this year, maybe sooner.

 

[minifig]

...I think the red ones are my favourite...they feel like Star Wars to me...

 

[CT7567]

I think it'd be cool to do one in the paint scheme of R5 although I do like the top middle one and second down on the right

 

[Fuzzual]

Valor, have you made any progress on this, or done anything?

 

[Valor]

No ... I have a full-scale blueprint hung in my shop. I walk by it everyday, but I've been too busy with commission work to really dig in.

 

[hdtheater]

I built an R2 a few years ago. Once you have the replica, it makes it easier to make the decision to do something original. I have some parts that make me want to build another and do something non-canon.

 

[Valor]

This project might be back on, but I might be doing a different small astromech. I spotted this guy at Milwaukee Maker Faire and kinda fell in love. I'm trying to connect again with the maker. I also remember seeing this concept art of Chopper where he had a round dome. I think I'm seeing something coming together here

I have motors, wheels and a aluminum spun dome (from the same guy who made my Cap Shield) on order. .... Gotta close in on the exact design soon

 

[Fuzzual]

wow man, that is very cool. I love these types of inspired designs. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

 

[xl97]

I saw that too at the Milwaukee Maker Fair.. (along with some others)..

a little 'too' squat/short' for me.. but still..cool build!

 

[Valor]

I suspect I'll end up somewhere between the short red one and Chopper. Boy. That small droid would actually fit in the Jedi star fighters.

 

[Valor]

Maybe something scale-wise, like this. I think I'd like to keep his details similar to an R-series, as opposed to Chopper. This allows the little guy to "feel" more like what most people recognize as an astromech.

 

[Valor]

So, I think this is the new model of droid – a more compact (short) version of an R2 astromech. This is a model you haven't seen in the canon films. It's specially designed for work in tight quarters. This image shows a relative scale of my smaller astromech next to R2. It's still built on an 18" dome and diameter. I'd like to keep the design attributes of an R2 series ... it keeps this looking like a Star Wars droid. The colors are up in the air.

So .... if this isn't an R2 .... I need a name .... thoughts?
SR2 (Short Round) ... SR is also my initials

 

[xl97]

The back story works, (w/ the purpose and all) IMHO

If SR are your initials, then thats even more of a reason.

S=short
S=specific

or maybe MR2 (M=mini)
or
R2-TQ (tight quarters)

 

[Fuzzual]

I agree, if SR is your initials . . . its a done deal bro!

 

[AnubisGuard]

"SR-L2" has a nice ring to it.

 

[Valor]

Continuing to explore the potential for smaller astromechs! It's pretty fun seeing how adaptable the R2 platform is. They scale quite well. This smallest one is similar to the wee one I saw at the Milwaukee Maker Faire. Why build anything other than a proper R2? ... Good question. I guess I like the smaller scale, and I like the idea of something different. Maybe the tiny one is getting a bit too tiny. Not sure.

 

[Starwoid]

I like the concept of differing size of astromechs. We saw in Episode 2 an astomech that was wired into Obi-Wan's Jedi starfighter. So this is not out of the stretch of the imagination. loving the progression of this thread! Keep up the good work.

 

[Valor]

So, apparently there's some "near-canon" to the idea of what I'm doing here. It was called a "truncated" astromech. Quoting from the astromech site:

"There was a scene on Genosis where R4 was attacked by some creature while Obi-wan was gone...or something like that. I had a conversation with George about the body, and I can't remember if it had already occurred to him that a full-size body wouldn't fit in the starfighter or if I pointed it out (of course, I'd like to think I did), but we did discuss a truncated body. Since it wasn't something they were ready to shoot as part of the main filming in Sydney, I discussed it further with Rick McCallum about doing it as part of a later pick-up shoot and asked Rick if we (the Droid Team) could design the body. He said sure, and Justin Dix came up with a few sketches...but that's as far as it ever went. The scene was cut and nothing was built."

Obiwan's Poor R4 become known as R4-P17.

From Wookipedia:
R4-P originally possessed the R4-series's trademark conical head dome, but was involved in a messy incident while trying to repair a trash compactor on Gyndine, resulting in the droid being crushed. Anakin Skywalker, on a visit to the shipyards to inspect the Jedi customizations to the Delta-7, found R4's wreck and rebuilt her with an R2-series dome.[4] From that point on the communal property of the Jedi Temple, R4 became the prototype for other integrated droid navigators in Jedi ships. As part of the Delta-7, the astromech had a truncated body, which was, after her destruction, permanently attached to the ship.

So, apparently, I've been designing a R4-P class astromech.

Neat