1:1 Millennium Falcon Cockpit Replica - Group Build

Wavey can you share how you find out the specific use history of the pumps? Is there a website with engine pictures, or a pump aficionado? :)

Hi Lt Washburn, if only there was a single goto site like a 'parts-picker' for 50 years worth of reference but I don't think there is - I hope I've not missed one lol. As a starting point for finding parts I begin with what went into a Spitfire, Hurricane and Lancaster then use Wiki to follow the trail of modifications in craft and engines from prop to jet. That then takes me to around a dozen of the usual top forums, sales sites and dedicated restoration project sites. The snippets of info I get are basic and sketchy at best to begin with but hopefully at somepoint down the line I'll get to the facts. It's the long way round but I do like reading up on a good restoration project.

That's about it.
 
Hi Gang,

Time for a quick update!

Added more paint to the chair greeblies
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Then silver!
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Once I add weathering all the nuts and bolts will blend together - I think I need to recut these new pieces I designed
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All three ready to be mounted
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It was then time to paint the frame. BUT... had to fix a few cracks and holes first
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Black paint and the greeblie together at last!
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sanded and painted the back support panel. The main panel has to be painted black and the current black panel needs to be painted silver
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I started to add filler to the backside of the back support panel to hide the wood grain but then had an idea
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I laser cut a piece of MDF that matches the same shape as the back support panel but cut it off where the frame mounts. This not only makes sanding easy they also help align the panel to the frame
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Other side adhered and in place
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PERFECT FIT!
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I cut the other panels for the other chairs - get to those tomorrow!
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It was then time to mount the nacelles! I LOVE IT!
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I used the hole template I cut a while back to locate the screw holes
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Drilled
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Mounted!
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Love this angle! The entire back panel will be painted black and have small googly eyes for rivets - that's going to be FUN!
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I have a little light sanding to do
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The armrests didn't exactly fit...
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I still need to cut the 10 degree angle into the nacelle so the armrests will slide into place
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More sanding to do!
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Headrest in place - not sure if this piece is silver or black or a combo of the two?
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I can finally see it all coming together
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And this is where we are!
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I really wish we were at Celebration with all your guys/gals geeking out and having fun! Maybe next time!

LOVED THE NEW TRAILER FOR TLJ!!!

I hoping for a GREAT WEEKEND!!! Stay Tuned!
 
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Marvelous work Sofa; these chairs are very complicated, but it'll be fun to see them with all of the rivets (good luck)!!;)
 
Hi Gang,

I hope everybody had a wonderful Easter weekend and you were able to spend time with family and friends :)

Time for the "End of the Weekend" Update! Heads up... one part of the nav chair build gave me extreme heartache! But... Enjoy!

Lets start with ALL the small stuff. Started to mask off the headrest to paint the silver edges
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This little piece is going to be cast
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I broke out the belt sander and "whoosh"... took care of these three guys! Still needs more sanding and filler
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I then redesigned and laser cut these guys
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I then started work on the armrests
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I notched the other side of the one chair Im currently working
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Perfect!
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This straight cut (which looks like and angle) is from the CNC
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I then cut mounting holes for the armrest!
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Need to trim those threaded rods to fit
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I have 6 armrests! I was getting so confused which ones went where I laser cut these 1/8" MDF "marked" plates that will fit to the inside of the armrest
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It also adds a little extra strength to the extensions - cracks started to appear - note the crack DEAD center
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This one required some filler pieces - not sure why?
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I then primed and sanded the back panel
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Painted the back support
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This started out frustrating me but it actually turned out better than I hoped! This is the ejection tube guide piece. NOTE how thin the material is! That's how much room I have on the inside of the frame for the PVC pipe
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I designed and laser cut the entire design
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Which then become this
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It sits on top of the frame and guides the PVC straight down the center of the frame
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Added lots of super glue for strength - I wouldn't hang from it with a hardhat! ;)
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First coat of primer
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I then designed and laser cut a new carriage bolt template
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Marked the holes
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Drilled
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Nice! In the process I scratched up the frame... ugh
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Back to the armrests... I screwed this side to the back support panel
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By Saturday's end, it was time to dry fit everything!
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Wound up making a small error! Note the drill marks. Ugh! I have to redesign the exterior pieces of the nacelles
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Still need to screw this armrest in place
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Note the carriage bolts!
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EWE... gotta fix that exposed wood frame!
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There is a TON of detail on those back nacelles! Which is awesome! So I dove in and started the process of designing and detailing a new addition! Found some thin material to laser cut
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This panel will essentially wrap around the face of the nacelle. I think this is a must as cracks are also showing...
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Let's do a test piece
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Primer!
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OK... So... Laser cut the two pieces, spray with adhesive, let it sit and get tacky then adhere the two pieces together... simple right?
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AWESOME
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Note the etched circles... those are for the googly eyes!
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As the new nacelle skin dried I covered up these problem areas
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I laser cut two new pieces
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I then trimmed out the armrest area then noticed a VERY SERIOUS problem
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For the next two hours I had to remove the two nacelle skins and ALL the adhesive! Unbeknownst to me there was a second ultra thin protective layer on the acrylic backside that I failed to see... The skin simply popped off leaving the clear protective layer and adhesive! It was a NIGHTMARE!!!! And I made sure not to take pics! Lol This pic was AFTER I cleaned, recut and reapplied
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But all was NOT lost... I cleaned up all these little scratch marks
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Added filler
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I added filler to the holes then realized I could have simply laser cut a simple cover
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And yes... I took the clear protective plastic off! ;)
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Saves time and looks cool! I'm considering painting silver?
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Pesky filler!
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With the new nacelle skins drying I redesigned these edge pieces and added a bit more space between the mounting holes
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Primer
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The cool thing is that they slip into another greeblie! More later...
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Lets get some more paint on this frame!
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Note the cracking... Anybody have any ideas? I really dont want to fiberglass but will fiberglass resin alone hold up to the stress?
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I then masked off the chair
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Note to self... DO NOT adhere these back panels with wood glue. They simply screw into place! Silver added!
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Again, this panel should have been a standalone piece and then screwed into place... ugh
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PVC guide
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Needs more... filler?
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At the end of the holiday weekend... this is what we have!
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Another added detail
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And this is where we are!
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More to follow so stay tuned!
 
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Beauty parts there Izzy Mel...as for those Nav chairs Sofa; wow! Lots of work for those alright (details,details, details!!) Cracks in the arms will be there to stay I'm afraid...I don't have any tricks (apart from making them in one solid piece of plastic or metal) that will help you over time.
 
Hi SK

Looking good and major progress you've got going on. Have you thought about wrapping those cracking parts in a thin sheet of Alu, the type that a printing plate might be made of? Given I've noted you'd said you were a designer, you should be able to get your hands on some used printing plates???

R
 
Hey Sofa,

On the cracking, you could maybe try giving the arms a complete skim coat of bondo. If you only sand it smooth and not quite down to the wood segments it should stay smooth and the cracks shouldn't reappear!:D

Roughneckone:cool
 
Beauty parts there Izzy Mel...as for those Nav chairs Sofa; wow! Lots of work for those alright (details,details, details!!) Cracks in the arms will be there to stay I'm afraid...I don't have any tricks (apart from making them in one solid piece of plastic or metal) that will help you over time.

Hey J,

Iz is doing an amazing job! I can't wait to see these pieces printed!

The cracks are frustrating but there is another detail that goes on those armrests and I think that might solve the problem with the cracking. We'll find out when we get there! :)

- - - Updated - - -

Hi SK

Looking good and major progress you've got going on. Have you thought about wrapping those cracking parts in a thin sheet of Alu, the type that a printing plate might be made of? Given I've noted you'd said you were a designer, you should be able to get your hands on some used printing plates???

R

Hey R,

Thanks so much! I'm not sure about the alum. As I mentioned above there is added detail that I forgot about. I should be able to get the strength I need when those two pieces are added - per arm.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Sofa,

On the cracking, you could maybe try giving the arms a complete skim coat of bondo. If you only sand it smooth and not quite down to the wood segments it should stay smooth and the cracks shouldn't reappear!:D

Roughneckone:cool

Hey R,

I thought about a Bondo as well when I mentioned the fiberglass resin. I'm DEF going to use the Bondo when I add those two detail pieces. Fingers crossed that it works!
 
Hi SK

Had'd realised there were additional part. Could you not put a tension bar through it like the back piece? Counter sink the front and then fill it over?
 
Hi SK

Had'd realised there were additional part. Could you not put a tension bar through it like the back piece? Counter sink the front and then fill it over?

Hey R,

There are 2 1" half round rubber strips that run across the back of the part in question. If I put a mounting plate behind them it should keep the piece from flexing especially with the larger "Numbered" plate I just added.

I'll see how the plate works before adding anything else. I was hoping the threaded rod would take care of the tension but I found out very quickly that over tightening one side just a bit causes all the cracking. :facepalm
 
Hi Gang,

Dont you think its time for an update?

What a great week its been! I mean that with all sincerity! Lots of time with the CNC, a few set backs here and there, a few changes as well and then capped it off with a a visit from some great folks!

Finally painted one of the access panel doors
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And installed
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Still need to install the cabinet door struts - which are now primed
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Got this guy all finished up
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Laser cut these new pipe surrounds
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Mounting brackets to help the pipe surrounds stay mounted to the frame
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Look something like this
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I laser cut this hole guide
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Marked and drilled
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Drilled these metal pieces and created a countersink
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Just need to prime and paint
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More pieces designed and laser cut
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PRIMER!
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These pieces fit on the inside and align the top piece and pipe
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LOVE IT!
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Mounted
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EH... screws look too big
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More Primer
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Filler
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After a few hours of sanding and filler... more sanding and filler
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Changed the screws and painted black
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More primer
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Painted black
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I laser cut this spacer piece
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Counter sunk this area
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Dry fit - now all the bolts and hinge areas dont hit the frame
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Lousy pics!
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I then designed this piece - based on several images I've received from J and S!
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Dry fit
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Paint!
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Nice and solid!
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Getting this guy ready to be molded!
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Need to counter sink those screws a little more
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Daniel and I spent a fair amount of time with the CNC over the weekend. We cut these new back support panel with the padding insert routed out!
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Edges routed
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Primer
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Filler
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Sanded and more primer
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The screw I used a bit too big for the hole... UGH
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All fixed
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More touch-ups
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I then spent a LOT of time with the nacelles. They gave me SO MUCH GRIEF!
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More spot filler
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This one is at a 90% solution
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This one... Not so much!
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Day 2 with the CNC! I decided to break away from the single thin post pedestal that was used in the OT so I designed a new box frame
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And then 120 of these little guys!
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So where did this weekend take us?

Now... the chair has a more solid footing
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This top piece looks awesome!
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Other side of the headrest mounted
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Coming together!
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Nacelle Temp in place. I think they're going to turn out!
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Kinda sticks out but I think I can fix
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These pics are just horrible!
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I know the new seat pedestal looks odd but trust me! It's much more solid and is actually MUCH safer! This also avoids having to create and weld a plate and post.
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BUT THAT'S NOT ALL!!!!

Last Thursday, fellow RPFer Fuzz's folks stopped by and spent the day in Huntsville before making their long drive back home to Texas after geeking out at Star Wars Celebration! They were not only kind enough to take a few things to Fuzz for me but they also brought along a few of their projects!

Minion
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L3-FTY (made from "leftover" parts)
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Can't remember this guys name! ;)
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These little guys are 2/3rd Scale R2 units - NOT full scale
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Its a tight fit! And yes... they were zooming all around the workshop! It was so much fun!
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The whole gang!
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Is this the first time R2 has been in the cockpit?
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We had a great time! Two of the nicest people I've ever met and they are welcome back anytime! :) OK... Fuzz can come too!
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And this is where we are!
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A HUGE thank you to Daniel for taking time out to help CNC and to Fuzz and his folks, D & C, for making the project much more fun! Hope you guys had fun!

Stay Tuned! Lots more to follow! :)
 
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Thank you Sofa for the opportunity to visit your amazing project, you and your team have done an out of this world job. As I said, any Star Wars fan would love to see this up close and personal. We will all be blessed when you get this out in the public eye, for all to see.

I posted a few pictures on Facebook on the R2 Builders page, and the fans went wild, Now at 121 likes, loves and comments of WOW!!! Amazing!!!.

Fuzzual and I will be back to help in any way we can
Thanks
Dan
 
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where to begin? Nav Chairs: love it, getting there for sure (great new sturdy base it seems). The shot of the lit cockpit: priceless!!:cool
And the R2 unit are way cool!
 
Thank you so much my friend. I am so jealous that my folks and my droid got to see this in person. We really appreciate the amazing hospitality!!! Still the best build around!

B
 

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