The official Munson R2 build up thread
- Thread starter MattMunson
- Start date
slightlyagitatedwookie
Well-Known Member
Nice job Matt.
And so quickly. Didn't you just start a few months ago? It took me about a year and a half to get mine mobile.
My second one is taking twice as long (read lazy and haven't done much yet)
Keep us posted with progress
Heath
And so quickly. Didn't you just start a few months ago? It took me about a year and a half to get mine mobile.
My second one is taking twice as long (read lazy and haven't done much yet)
Keep us posted with progress
Heath
Darth Kahnt
Sr Member
Can anyone provide an estimate of how much it will cost for all the parts to put together a good R2?
robstyle
Master Member
ahh man,
I clicked here expecting to see the video Matt and I made at "Chest-O-Rama" last year. Thats the strip club where they actualy have a pool with live floatation devices
Hilarious as that one girl "Dusty Gazongas" couldnt swim to the bottom of the pool due to "over inflation".
I clicked here expecting to see the video Matt and I made at "Chest-O-Rama" last year. Thats the strip club where they actualy have a pool with live floatation devices
Hilarious as that one girl "Dusty Gazongas" couldnt swim to the bottom of the pool due to "over inflation".
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(robstyle @ Dec 31 2006, 11:25 AM) [snapback]1387409[/snapback]</div>
Yes, good times. Sadly, so long ago
To answer one of the questions above, a GOOD R2 KIT will run you about 6,000 bucks. I think I pulled mine together for about that much. My kit is (what i consider) VERY close to top of the line. It has a dozen or so resin parts which could be replaced with al parts, adding another 1000 bucks to the price. However, on the real R2s, they are painted anyway.
With that said, you can CERTAINLY do it cheaper. My kit has AL and Stainless components, many of which can be built very affordably from other materials.
I got my kit about three months ago. Spent about a month on and off just sort of getting a feel for the kit, and primering some of the bigger parts. But things really went into overdrive when I moved into the shop. In the past three days, I've accomplished SO MUCH more than I ever did in the month I spent in the garage. And when I say "month", it was probably 7 days all told, stretched out over a month. But yeah, i'm making progress very quickly. It's easy to do when ALL you have on your plate is R2.
here's some pics of some of the stuff I got accomplished today:
Finished up the silver on the battery detail pieces. Still have to paint some blue details. As usual, I over-engineered the heck out of these. Drilled out holes, tapped them, cut custom screws to fit.
Spent a lot of time on the logic displays. The resin pieces I got with my kit weren't wide enough in the openings to fit the Shima electronics I got. I spent about an hour on the mill making them the right size. i tell ya, I LOVE working on the mill. It might be slow, but it's just so darn precise. Sure beats sanding or filing. Also over-engineered this. Drilled out holes and tapped them so that I can mount the plex back plate to them securely, which will then fit over the LEDs. Should have some pics of that assembly finished by tomorrow.
Finished patching up a million bubbles in the should hub resin pieces. God bless the R2 builders group, but MAN do they need some help with slingin resin. OY.
Here's another resin piece that needed LOTS of love. I don't know what the name of it is, but it's the grey thing on top. It's all cleaned up and ready for painting.
I spent most of the day dorking around with the inner dome for the head. it's the biggest nightmare yet for the entire project .I've tried five different approaches so far, none of which have worked to my satisfaction. Back the drawing board, I suppose.
ahh man,
I clicked here expecting to see the video Matt and I made at "Chest-O-Rama" last year. Thats the strip club where they actualy have a pool with live floatation devices
Hilarious as that one girl "Dusty Gazongas" couldnt swim to the bottom of the pool due to "over inflation".
[/b]
Yes, good times. Sadly, so long ago
To answer one of the questions above, a GOOD R2 KIT will run you about 6,000 bucks. I think I pulled mine together for about that much. My kit is (what i consider) VERY close to top of the line. It has a dozen or so resin parts which could be replaced with al parts, adding another 1000 bucks to the price. However, on the real R2s, they are painted anyway.
With that said, you can CERTAINLY do it cheaper. My kit has AL and Stainless components, many of which can be built very affordably from other materials.
I got my kit about three months ago. Spent about a month on and off just sort of getting a feel for the kit, and primering some of the bigger parts. But things really went into overdrive when I moved into the shop. In the past three days, I've accomplished SO MUCH more than I ever did in the month I spent in the garage. And when I say "month", it was probably 7 days all told, stretched out over a month. But yeah, i'm making progress very quickly. It's easy to do when ALL you have on your plate is R2.
here's some pics of some of the stuff I got accomplished today:
Finished up the silver on the battery detail pieces. Still have to paint some blue details. As usual, I over-engineered the heck out of these. Drilled out holes, tapped them, cut custom screws to fit.
Spent a lot of time on the logic displays. The resin pieces I got with my kit weren't wide enough in the openings to fit the Shima electronics I got. I spent about an hour on the mill making them the right size. i tell ya, I LOVE working on the mill. It might be slow, but it's just so darn precise. Sure beats sanding or filing. Also over-engineered this. Drilled out holes and tapped them so that I can mount the plex back plate to them securely, which will then fit over the LEDs. Should have some pics of that assembly finished by tomorrow.
Finished patching up a million bubbles in the should hub resin pieces. God bless the R2 builders group, but MAN do they need some help with slingin resin. OY.
Here's another resin piece that needed LOTS of love. I don't know what the name of it is, but it's the grey thing on top. It's all cleaned up and ready for painting.
I spent most of the day dorking around with the inner dome for the head. it's the biggest nightmare yet for the entire project .I've tried five different approaches so far, none of which have worked to my satisfaction. Back the drawing board, I suppose.
Darth Kahnt
Sr Member
Thanks for the help about the cost Matt. I just joined the R2D2 builders group on Yahoo and hope to start one sometime in 2007. I need a bigger workshop but we are looking at getting a bigger house over the summer, one that will hopefully have a gargage I can convert into a workshop.
In the meantime, I will continue to soak up all the information about building an R2 that I can.
In the meantime, I will continue to soak up all the information about building an R2 that I can.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(wamser_e @ Jan 1 2007, 02:31 AM) [snapback]1387736[/snapback]</div>
Family, Shmamily. Holidays come and go, but droids last forever....
Matt, your R2 is lookin' good. I guess Wayne and I aren't the only R2 builders spending more time with our droids than our family this holiday season.
[/b]
Family, Shmamily. Holidays come and go, but droids last forever....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MattMunson @ Dec 31 2006, 09:17 AM) [snapback]1387754[/snapback]</div>
Family, Shmamily. Holidays come and go, but droids last forever....
[/b][/quote]
Haha. So true.
Matt, your R2 is lookin' good. I guess Wayne and I aren't the only R2 builders spending more time with our droids than our family this holiday season.
[/b]
Family, Shmamily. Holidays come and go, but droids last forever....
[/b][/quote]
Haha. So true.
Awesome.... simply awesome, Matt. :thumbsup
Glad to see it's coming together so well. I can't wait to see him all finished up.
-Jay
Glad to see it's coming together so well. I can't wait to see him all finished up.
-Jay
Spent another six hours on the lil feller yesterday. Worked non stop, but not a lot to show. I guess the precision of the work I'm trying to accomplish makes things advance slowly. S'OK though, as I'm very hapy with the results so far.
Logic displays have been painted, screwed to their mounts, and attached the the boards. I believe the screen used droids then had clear resin or epoxy poured in there to seal them up, but I"m not going to do that. That way, I'll have the option of replacing the surrounds with Al ones eventually.
Also got a movie of the logic boards blinking. Truly stunning. It's actually so bright, it hurts your eyes to look directly at them. (LINK TO COME)
I also had to pull R2 apart so that I could start working on the details of the feed and legs. Here's all that's left..
Here's the feet with a few detail pieces attached
The biggest thing I did that took the most time yesterday was attaching the booster covers to the legs. I had to cut a drilling template out, measure everything, drill holes in the covers, drill holes in the legs, tap the holes in the covers, custom cut screws to the right length, and clean up the holes in the legs. LOTS of work went into this process, but it all turned out really great. The booster covers only sit .02 of an inch off center.
Holes in the legs:
The booster cover with the holes and screws
An assembled leg with the painted shoulder hub in place.
That about covers it. i also did some work on the rear logic display surround, but nothing to show yet. had to mill it out again just to make it fit the shima lights, and along the way, I screwed it up a little. Nothing some putty won't fix.
Logic displays have been painted, screwed to their mounts, and attached the the boards. I believe the screen used droids then had clear resin or epoxy poured in there to seal them up, but I"m not going to do that. That way, I'll have the option of replacing the surrounds with Al ones eventually.
Also got a movie of the logic boards blinking. Truly stunning. It's actually so bright, it hurts your eyes to look directly at them. (LINK TO COME)
I also had to pull R2 apart so that I could start working on the details of the feed and legs. Here's all that's left..
Here's the feet with a few detail pieces attached
The biggest thing I did that took the most time yesterday was attaching the booster covers to the legs. I had to cut a drilling template out, measure everything, drill holes in the covers, drill holes in the legs, tap the holes in the covers, custom cut screws to the right length, and clean up the holes in the legs. LOTS of work went into this process, but it all turned out really great. The booster covers only sit .02 of an inch off center.
Holes in the legs:
The booster cover with the holes and screws
An assembled leg with the painted shoulder hub in place.
That about covers it. i also did some work on the rear logic display surround, but nothing to show yet. had to mill it out again just to make it fit the shima lights, and along the way, I screwed it up a little. Nothing some putty won't fix.
Darth Kahnt
Sr Member
Matt, these great pics are making me want to go out right now and get kit. I don't have the money or space for it yet... stop posting. You're making me too envious.
Seriously though, great pics and great references.
Seriously though, great pics and great references.
spastromech
Sr Member
Looking great Matt. Yeah as you can tell in the video driving R2 is a lot harder than it looks.
Yeah I'm with you Wayne, 3 years is about right
Yeah I'm with you Wayne, 3 years is about right
hyperdyne
Sr Member
Yeah 3 yrs is pretty standard from my experience (part time weekend work that is). If you can spend several days on it I am sure you could bang out a lot of the work. Looks great so far. I hope you like the logic lights.
Are those GW alu legs? I need to finish up my 2 legged guy, he has been on the shelf for almost a year now...
Are those GW alu legs? I need to finish up my 2 legged guy, he has been on the shelf for almost a year now...
Don Jarr
Active Member
Hi m8
I am watching this tread with interest, as its my project for 07 to try and build one, and I am still gather info at the mo, and just wondered if you had fitted the computer interface arm yet, and if so how did you fit it on. I have looked through r2 builders web sites, and while there are plans to make it, I couldnÂ’t find anything about fitting it on.
Any info would be much appreciated as always.
Don
I am watching this tread with interest, as its my project for 07 to try and build one, and I am still gather info at the mo, and just wondered if you had fitted the computer interface arm yet, and if so how did you fit it on. I have looked through r2 builders web sites, and while there are plans to make it, I couldnÂ’t find anything about fitting it on.
Any info would be much appreciated as always.
Don
Ok timeout. :lol I'm just curious whether most of you guys already know how to do all the electronics or are just learning it along the way. I could build an R2, but the electronics would stop me in a sec.
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