CNC Tutorial Blog for droid builders

[Droid]

I am putting together a blog for building a droid with a CNC machine. I just started it today, so its going to be a while, however it is how I got into using a cnc machine to make a droid replica. I will be posting video's pictures, and most GCODE files which you will be able to use to build a droid. So far it only covers the history and my machine and the software I use, but it will be updated again over the weekend with a build of R2 Legs.

http://www.westhierry.net

Im new to using wordpress, so if any of you have any tips or suggestions please send them my way.

Wes

 

[jedimaster]

Cool this will be great! Your droid in the jy looks great. So this means we could build a droid without waiting for the r2 club stuff to be released?

 

[Droid]

Cool this will be great! Your droid in the jy looks great. So this means we could build a droid without waiting for the r2 club stuff to be released?

It depends on what you mean released? The r2builders club has many people that do parts runs, you can sign up with them and order your parts. Many other builders there scratch build their droids from raw materials. I kind of think of a cnc droid build as a hybrid, built from raw materials, but you are in charge of your own parts runs.. The big expense is up front, buying the CNC machine. Once you have that you are all set to go. Yes, I will be posting all files needed in my own build, im going to start with the legs.

 

[jedimaster]

I have a static fiberglass droid at the mo, looks great and has electronics but not quite. Strong enough for RC. Sorry when I said released I meant waiting for a run. I have most of the resin detail parts, ports , arms couplings and vents etc , also leg and battery box greeblies , just need the dome and what you are doing is just perfect timing.

Looking at a project that I can do with the kids and the wife won't let the kids near resin so this will be great. Thanks for doing this. Gives me an excuse to get rid of the resin and molds and get a cnc set up.

 

[Droid]

I have a static fiberglass droid at the mo, looks great and has electronics but not quite. Strong enough for RC. Sorry when I said released I meant waiting for a run. I have most of the resin detail parts, ports , arms couplings and vents etc , also leg and battery box greeblies , just need the dome and what you are doing is just perfect timing.

Looking at a project that I can do with the kids and the wife won't let the kids near resin so this will be great. Thanks for doing this. Gives me an excuse to get rid of the resin and molds and get a cnc set up.

Yea, Fiberglass fumes and materials are nasty, I personally think that if you get a cnc, you will force yourself to learn quite a bit of new info which you can then use to create many other items than a droid. I personally have made signs, lithographs, coasters and other items for gifts for friends and family. its great! If you find yourself with a cnc machine and create a droid, you are somewhere between Builder and Assembler.... (the great debate that used to go on in the r2 site). You build the parts virtually on the pc, and your machine creates them ready for you to assemble.

 

[Bacara]

Hey Jedi,

A CNC machine isn't required to build in styrene. Several people at C5 had styrene droids either built or in the process and I learned that most were made with hand tools. I sat in on the budget building panel and they talked about it at length.

I have a static fiberglass droid at the mo, looks great and has electronics but not quite. Strong enough for RC. Sorry when I said released I meant waiting for a run. I have most of the resin detail parts, ports , arms couplings and vents etc , also leg and battery box greeblies , just need the dome and what you are doing is just perfect timing.

Looking at a project that I can do with the kids and the wife won't let the kids near resin so this will be great. Thanks for doing this. Gives me an excuse to get rid of the resin and molds and get a cnc set up.

 

[jedimaster]

Yeah I have looked into that as well. I trust a machine to cut clean lines better than myself. Thanks.

Hey we've been edited.

 

[rollerboi]

Hey we've been edited.

Yeah, at least two posts, mine included. [Edit: Both the situation referenced and my puzzlement over lack of notification have been resolved, no worries. It's all good.]

I still think the website and tutorial are awesome, I wish I could afford a CNC machine! Good work, keep it up.

 

[Droid]

Yeah, at least two posts, mine included, with no explanation. I can only guess maybe the original author thought better and requested that the topic not come up. I don't know, I would have liked a PM but oh well.

I still think the website and tutorial are awesome, I wish I could afford a CNC machine! Good work, keep it up.

Thanks, we have added a bit more, with some help in how to generate the files for the CNC. Going to post pics and vids of the first cuts late today.

 

[jedimaster]

Looking forward to it thanks

 

[Droid]

did the latest tutorial and made some horse shoes for r2's legs. all files posted publicly and can be downloaded. Next up skins.

 

[jun]

Wow, thanks for sharing the files. Will the measurements provided by your files meet the specification of 'council approved runs' on the R2 builders? I have few parts from the R2 builders site so i was hoping that these parts can fit your CNC measurements

 

[Droid]

Wow, thanks for sharing the files. Will the measurements provided by your files meet the specification of 'council approved runs' on the R2 builders? I have few parts from the R2 builders site so i was hoping that these parts can fit your CNC measurements

Hi Jun,

I am not a member of the builders, but I have tried my best to meet all of their specs, so I cannot officially say they do, but when they do not and someone points it out such as someone did with my skins once as well as the width of my wooden legs I make adjustments so that they do. I can say that I have bought many resin pieces off ebay that claim to be to spec and they fit my droid fine. Such as Utility arms, front resin vents,octagon ports ect... However the point of the site is so you can build every part yourself. We will even get into the dome in the end, now my dome will not be the official 300mm dome, but I will try to compensate by making adjustments in the dome rings. The goal of the blog is to show people how to build every single piece of the droid by using a hobby CNC machine. Of course when we get to electronics for sound and lights, the CNC wont be used, we will be utilizing either Basic Stamps or Adruino chips and basic RC items.

 

[jun]

Thanks for the clarification Droid! Will be following your blog anyhow. Cheers again!

 

[Droid]

added a new one today on how to make the power couplings for r2 d2 from 3/4" mdf and some styrene plastic. Can be done in less than 20 minutes start to finish

Power Coupling Complete » CNC and R2D2 - Build your own Star Wars Droid

 

[Droid]

added a brief one for the utility arms, machined by top and bottom techniques, Posted the files as well.

 

[jedimaster]

I' loving this , it's like one of those magazines from delprado. "in this issue, front and rear power couplings."

 

[Droid]

I' loving this , it's like one of those magazines from delprado. "in this issue, front and rear power couplings."

Thanks!

 

[Fetts.Sobriquet]

Love it. Following with great enthusiasm.:thumbsup

 

[simplyprops]

Thanks for sharing....will be looking at this with great interest