Training Remote

I hadn't planned on building this anytime soon. However, I recently took an interest...

Here's something I threw together based off of Frank's instructions. It's all been laser cut/etched.

- The plate is a guide for the lines of symmetry.
- 2nd photo, top part, half circle cutout, is an exact guide so that the lines of symmetry can be drawn on the hemispheres.
- The split circle is made according to Frank's dimensions but I still need to figure out the amount of edge to trim. Once I figure that out, I can have a final drawing that will be ready as soon as it is cut. Then, I'll make an entire set for a Remote.
- Not shown, but I made a bunch of the small rectangles.

While I will be using this for my own build, I am hoping this stuff might be useful in a certain "kit". :love

Off to Plastruct I go... More soon.





Joe

HINT: The Separation, MUST be Angled, as when you lay those two " C " on a ROUND surface, they distort.

Best way to make these? VACUUM form over the hemisphere, then draw and cut out.

Frank

Roger that, Frank! Ultimately, I want to create a flattened pattern that will be ready....i.e. distort correctly over the sphere...once cut out. I think I will vacform the first one, draw, cut out, flatten and convert the flattened shape into a vector pattern.

I'm being lazy, I know!

Joe

When I was building one I wasn't able to vacuform so I drew my circles on the sphere then transferred the pattern via tape to a flat surface. Adhesion was a challenge in styrene but after some preshaping the end result needed very little fine tuning.

Recently I have come to prefer the idea that this is a "seeker" or training remote of Han Solo's. I like the idea of Obi Wan utilizing whatever is nearby for a makeshift Force lesson for Luke.

Either way it's a lot of fun.

Nighteyes said:

When I was building one I wasn't able to vacuform so I drew my circles on the sphere then transferred the pattern via tape to a flat surface. Adhesion was a challenge in styrene but after some preshaping the end result needed very little fine tuning.

Recently I have come to prefer the idea that this is a "seeker" or training remote of Han Solo's. I like the idea of Obi Wan utilizing whatever is nearby for a makeshift Force lesson for Luke.

Either way it's a lot of fun.

Click to expand...

Duh! (To myself)

I used the same method for a robot Knight I started. I had leftover 4" half spheres. I cut my AMT Slave I for donor parts but could not get them to conform to the curved surface. So I used tape the way you said, and transferred the flattened shapes to a sheet of Aves that I flattened in my pasta machine. How could I have forgotten?

Frank, according to your tutorial, the edges distort when positioned and then you cut an angle to make them straight. Is that not the case after all? Your post made it sound like they would distort in a way that would not allow you to snip the edges.

I know the best answers sometimes for these things are trial and error. Just thought I would ask. Thanks, fellas!

Joe

Actually, the tops will get closer, so trimming then straight again works just fine. The inside will also separate a bit.

So make the Circle, Split it, position it, THEN trim it.

I got my VHH-600's in. Quick side story....It never sunk in how big this model was! Same thing happened when I built a mock-up of one of the 32" Falcon's hex boxes!

Anyway, so I'm on a mission to make templates so that I can laser cut the styrene parts on the Remote. In this take it was the half-rings I was after.

I vac-formed a piece of styrene over the half-sphere, took all the measurements from actual parts and ref pics, drew everything on the styrene (which was still on the half-sphere), and cut out one ring. I used Photoshop to carefully trace over a scan of the flattened part in order to make a vector drawing for cutting.

Here are my results...now, while I am happy with the laser cut parts.....they fit perfectly over the hand cut half-circles.....I'm not happy with the glued on parts. Everything came out fine until I decided to drop them in boiling water to soften them up a bit so that they could conform to the curvature. I left them in a little too long and they began to warp. I still managed to get them glued on but they are not as round as they should be.

I also made the mistake of not drawing the guide circles with my compass so I could easily place the parts in the correct position. Either way, I still think they look good despite a quick job.

The ironic thing was that I actually enjoyed hand cutting more! Hehe!!!

is this project still alive ?? are there any custom remotes out there ? Model kits ..etc... ??

I've been searching through the intewebs and the RPF specifically looking for training remote information and I keep seeing folks refer to "Frank's instructions".

What are these instructions, if I may ask, and where can they be found? Would anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction?

SavageCreature said:

I've been searching through the intewebs and the RPF specifically looking for training remote information and I keep seeing folks refer to "Frank's instructions".

What are these instructions, if I may ask, and where can they be found? Would anyone be kind enough to point me in the right direction?

Click to expand...

Brundelfly is Frank.

He put together the best set of instructions/tips out there. At one time he had them on a website, but it is down. I have them as a pdf, send me a PM with your email and I'll send them to you.