R2D2 Build

[KrangPrime]

Center ankle is on.. still needs a bit of adjustment...
well, that'll work a little better.. it'll even out when i get the wheels it the center foot. plans for that will happen tomorrow..

hoping to get his first test drive going too..just to see what still needs working on...

 

[KrangPrime]

Center Foot setup...Redoo. Hopefully this time it's the right height and it won't dissapear under the foot.

[youtube]qN-ox9NG7Yg[/youtube]
that's three hours i'll never get back..but it was worth it. sound system installed. only thing that went wrong was speaker two's wires ripping off..now they have to be re-soldered.

I even went back and cut that cutting board straight down both edges for you perfectionists ;o)...

Tomorrow is going to be try two of putting it all together, and hoping everything fits right this time..
r2 sound setup - YouTube

 

[KrangPrime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyfSqkPAZv0

well, i finally got the legs on... the above is a very slow, very quick test to see what was right and what was wrong..

R2s second steps. - YouTube

Here, I went a little faster. as you can see, the left motor is grinding for some reason....I will need to take the leg apart to see why. The second issue is the center foot. I damaged the bolt that is attached to the foot when trying to fit it for the hole at the top. it went in fine, for whatever reason, it got stuck coming out. so i couldn't put a nut on the second bolt to tighten it.

So now i've got to take that off, find a way to fix the bolt, put both back on, and I should be good to go again for a real test drive.

but, i've reached the first hurdle, so i'm happy for now! just have to fix these two issues, find a way to secure the battery, install the switches under the skirt, and get the battery boxes on...Then i will be done. this one wore me out! )

 

[KrangPrime]

back frames will be back on R2 on Tuesday.

On Monday I hope to get his leg issues worked out so he's stable and the center foot doesn't catch.

When his front frames come back next week, he'll all but be done.


i'm still waiting on three metal parts to arrive. his horse shoe, his ankle detail and his under shoulder detail. Evenetually i will upgrade the shoulder buttons to metal. the only thing resin on him will be the center ankle and booster cover...

final updates hopefully next week!
R2's third steps.. - YouTube

 

[KrangPrime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK83RF6_C6k

Franken 2 moves! His temporary center foot template got him pretty well mobile, until he got on some thicker carpet, something came loose, and he started to smoke with the strain. everything is apart again, no electronics damaged thankfully, and awaiting a more stable center foot setup delivery to finish it off.

the battery boxes are on.. i need to shave off a little more on the top of the second motor to get the other one on.. and i had to cut off a little more of the pre-existing hole to get it to fit..but it's on. no idea how i'm going to secure it though...it doesn't quite reach the bottom of the foot..maybe the magnet idea....there where some on the inside of the box, but i took 'em off not quite sure why they where there...now i know after reading some posts

a nearly completed leg.

thankfully, the frames where not as bad as I thought. they where ALWAYS warped at the top..but now even more so. there's more of a gap at the top than there was before. Annoying, but do-able.

BEfore, that was only less than half an inch noticeable.. not so much now.Odd thing is, the bottom has always fit like a glove..not so much the top for some reason.

On Monday I will shave off the top of the other motor, get the BB on. Glue in the harness. Glue in the remaining back frame panels and re-assemble back frames.

Taking a week off. On Saturday, I will re-wire R2...Properly Terminate the wires to the battery, install the switch in the skirt. Hope the battery doesn't spark with the proper terminals attached.

Then I will install Jags foot setup, install the front frames which should be back by then....and if everything runs smoothly with no smoke, the fat lady will have sung..

 

[sskunky]

Looking good mate.

Can't wait to see the skins back on.

 

[KrangPrime]

(when you put the wire into the cable ring terminal use pliers or a wire crimper to squeeze the plastic area to crimp it to hold the wire firmly)

Back frames will be done today. Front frames come back tomorrow from the auto restore guy.. yay!... some guys in the shop out back moved my frames around and i lost a little panel. thankfully, it was easy enough to make my own. never leave anything in a warehouse...guys move shoot ;o). I guess after being pro sand blasted and my very light attempt at re-painting, they look a little smoother than they did before the sand blasting.

as suggested...

connection to the battery...

scraping down to bare metal...not sure what color it was when i got it..but the metal is still under neath there

the switch is also in to the bottom of the skirt. If things start smoking, i hope just turning off the switch will kill all the current and stop smoke ;o).

i WAS going to take off this week, but with things coming together...maybe i'll just go in tomorrow and get the front frames back in order.

i'm still awaiting two metal parts....and one foot drive. once i get those, it's just a matter of re-assembly.

 

[KrangPrime]

The Returned Front Frames from MAdson Restoration Arrived. Apparently this kid has worked on Local R2's before... curious if anyone has taken one to him in NJ on rt 46.
Jags setup arrived. yay! Since i don't have the wheels he does in his picture, i'm going to test it with my temporary plate from before.If that is stable, i know it'll be great when i find out what wheels i need to order : to finish the setup as shown on his page.

tomorrow is test drive number 10. Hoping for good results, no smoke....and will then leave R2 alone for a week or two until his final parts show up and then i can close him up for good.

For those wondering, those 7 little panels on the bottom right, I did NOT send to the automotive guy. I didn't want them to get lost and painted them myself. In hind sight, seeing how great the returned front frames look, i probably should have sent them. but it'll give Franken 2 a unique look .

 

[KrangPrime]

Well, he still moves, but he'll be much more stable with that three wheel center foot setup...so i've got to do some asking .

Not much to do now.
-Install Metal Horse Shoe and ankle Detail when they arrive..
- Finish up Battery Boxes
- Properly setup Center Foot

The Metal plates in the center foot front are getting glued on now. That Center Vent Plate will have to be shaved a bit more so it's a proper slide on fit.

almost done now..

 

[KrangPrime]

people are wanting to take photos with it now....

it has begun...and it's not even finished yet.

and it all started way back in 2010 at a New York big Apple con...Wonder if this owner is registered here...no idea who's droid this is.

 

[KrangPrime]

His back frames are on.....

-Need his metal horse shoes and Ankle details to arrive to finish up legs
(next week?)
-Need center foot omni casters to arrive to finish up center foot...

If he test drives well, I will consider this project closed.

 

[CaptainMarvel]

Neil .... I really hate you - IN A GOOD WAY - for how AWESOME your R2D2 is turning out.


And when I say "hate" - what really mean is ADMIRE and - in my own personally intimidated and procrastination-cursed way - ENVY you for how you've been so dedicated and consistently worked so hard to see this project through. The results speak for themselves !!!


I also want to THANK YOU PROFUSELY for regularly updating your thread as to your step-by-step progress throughout this project. I have little doubt that seeing the plentiful and detailed steps you consciously - and generously - post for all to see will both inspire and (very much) assist others to want to try to create their own astromech droid someday .... myself included.


KEEP UP THE MOST EXCELLENT WORK !!!




TOM

 

[KrangPrime]

Metal Booster run may have a chance of getting scored soon. There's a slim chance i may have scored some metal shoulder buttons.
If so, this will be an all metal droid soon.

Final Part list along with final price will be posted soon. Video for assembling the leg will be coming soon, possibly next week. just waiting for final parts to arrive.

Also, for you fellow star wars nerds, just found out my australian friend knows Zac and Jessie Jensen. You get nerd props for knowing who they are without resorting to google like I did

 

[KrangPrime]

Neil .... I really hate you - IN A GOOD WAY - for how AWESOME your R2D2 is turning out.

KEEP UP THE MOST EXCELLENT WORK !!!

Only minor parts of it left to do now ...Not much more remains..

Battery Boxes are on, yay! They don't even have to be forced on, they slid on rather nicely i'm happy to say. Now I only have to take the legs off and apart to put on the metal ankle detail.Also need metal side plates. My option didn't work well.. I forgot about the side vent tabs...

Eventually, I will upgrade to a Jag metal ankle as well. Just to have an all metal droid, not that there is anything wrong with the resin one.
Bragging rights and all that. ;o)... But the resin one will enable me to show him off moving later in may, so it serves a very necessary purpose now .

 

[KrangPrime]

Metal Shoulder Buttons secured...yay! Should arrive next week if i'm lucky with my horse shoe! Hopefully by then i will have the ankle detail and omni wheels in place and I can finish this thing up.

Also might put in an order for the next project...It almost demands a C3P0 build

 

[KrangPrime]

If I'm real lucky, metal buttons and horse shoe can arrive next week, along with shims. Then all that is needed is Ankle Detail and OmniCasters. Spent $100 on those, might as well give them a try. you'd think they'd be more stable than the normal wheel casters , but based on R2 user reviews, apparently not.

Also, C3P0 head kit purchased. The next project begins in September.

 

[KrangPrime]

More Things of Beauty... Almost sad I've only got one more bit coming.

Backup Drive plate in done and sitting in the wings. We'll see how well the casters work again now that the left leg is tightened up.

 

[KrangPrime]

Today marked the last day the drill will be needed for this project. I only await the Ankle detail to finish things up. I may by metal boosters but those might not be coming till june.

Horse shoes will go on tomorrow. I'm having a problem with the left NPC motor. It moves, but it doesn't turn at all for some reason. Not sure why.

This motor is having turning problems. will take a better picture in the morning when it's brighter

 

[Mean Joe]

What a thing of beauty.....great job!!!

 

[KrangPrime]

horse shoes are on.. now to look at that motor issue.
if that's an easy fix, all i have to do is wait for the ankle detail