PROBE DROID - Here comes trouble!

[Duncanator]

I wanted to build a model of the Probe Droid from the day I saw it when Empire was first released, and now I am finally diving in to it.

Special thanks to members Moffeaton for his amazing Probe Droid ID archive thread with its shopping list of model kits needed, and also to MarsAttack and Satazius for sharing dimensions of the body and head so I could make my vacuform patterns.

It has taken me a few years to gather all the kits for the greeblies, but I've finally got them. So the next step was making the shells. I have a 12'x18" vacuformer, but the patterns for the PD body are too big to fit on it, so I needed to find a larger machine.

I was hoping to pull the shells using the same 24" vacuformer that ILM used on the original Probe Droid which has been in the 32TEN studios model shop until this year. Unfortunately, 32TEN closed its doors recently, and the tools were sold off. So I turned to another friend who had a large vacuformer.

Enter the lovely and talented Adam Savage! I turned the patterns on his lathe, so as soon as we can get his vacuformer out of storage, I'll pull the first set of parts. I can't wait!

Here are the patterns I made. Wish me luck!

 

[Bjorn]

And Renshape or similar tooling board no less. Very nice start to this Duncanator.
Such a shame to see 32ten close its doors. However, great to hear that Adam is able to assist you with this.
Good luck with the pulls.

 

[joberg]

Great to see a pro like you starting to build that iconic model. Eager to see the first pulls

 

[Duncanator]

Thanks for the encouragement!
Just to let you all know; this probably won't be a speed build.

 

[JediMichael]

This will be fun to watch. Vert tricky with all the different shapes and rounded edges. Already got a good start though.
And yeah, take your time, no rush....we all can't ALL be like GEEK1138...lol.

 

[Duncanator]

This will be fun to watch. Vert tricky with all the different shapes and rounded edges. Already got a good start though.
And yeah, take your time, no rush....we all can't ALL be like GEEK1138...lol.

Yah! That guy is bananas-fast!

 

[Media Man]

Awesome stuff!

 

[MangyDog]

I loved these droids... perfectly sinister!

 

[MattWinchell]

Excited to see how it turns out!

 

[moffeaton]

Hell yes!!

 

[Boxcar Bret]

You go, girl!!! That’s the perfect size too!

 

[Duncanator]

Sorry for the lack of updates. The patterns are all made, but untested. Adam just got his big vacuformer out of storage, but had to head out of town. Hopefully we will get our first set of parts in the next week or two.

 

[Duncanator]

Holy Cow it has been too long!

It took a while but we got the vac machine out and functioning again. And I finally have parts!!

Huge "Thank you!" to Adam for the use of his shop and vacuformer.

 

[Boxcar Bret]

Oh, my! How does one get on the list for a set?

 

[Duncanator]

I started trimming out some of the shells.
Vacuform shells end up with a fillet at their base, so I included a 1/2" riser on all my patterns.
This also made it easy to trim the parts by using a height gauge to score a line 1/2"inch off the table surface. Then I can snap the parts loose using the ol' score 'n' snap system.

Of course, then I couldn't resist stacking up some parts to see the overall shape. It's in the ball park!

 

[3Dsf]

I'd like the tuna poké in takeout containers, please!

Such a harmless looking start for a scary looking droid.

 

[joberg]

Looking good so far...no webbing on those vac-formsClean looking!!

 

[Duncanator]

Looking good so far...no webbing on those vac-formsClean looking!!

Adam's big machine has nice gradual vacuum, which gives the plastic time to stretch, rather than fold in on itself when sucked fast.
The slow pull does leave you with larger fillet at the bottom, but I'd planned for that with my standoffs.

 

[Duncanator]

Well gang, I have to be honest with you. I got side tracked.

Since it took a while to get the big vacuformer ready, I had another long awaited project drop in my lap - the family of robots from Batteries Not Included. I'll be doing a build report on them as well, and I will continue the probe droid - but sometimes ya' gotta go where the inspiration leads you.

So here is where this guy sits at the moment.
The shells have been trimmed, and they have been glued to plates on the mating surfaces. The general shape is taking form - I'd love to hear what you think of the shapes so far.
I'm also struggling a little to find reference of the top of the head to lay out the placement of all the eyes and other bumps. I'd appreciate any help on that as well. Thanks y'all !!!

 

[joberg]

Looks really good from where I stand Duncanator