vaderdarth
Master Member
LOL Im a completely straight heteromodeler!!! If that means I only build a particular model once, then that still applies!!!!
The Probe Droid Resin Kit Instructions Tread
- Thread starter moffeaton
- Start date
So right now I'm in the "fix bubbles, detail that's not "perfect", etc" phase for the body and head. Things like the Matilda part mentioned above:
Carving away a bunch of bubbles from the "gun" which gets built back up with Apoxie Sculpt:
And replacing any Plastruct that isn't good:
Carving away a bunch of bubbles from the "gun" which gets built back up with Apoxie Sculpt:
And replacing any Plastruct that isn't good:
Mounting the legs. Sand down the crooked screws, and fill in any holes that are off-center.
I am choosing to mount the legs using threaded rods and nuts/washers. Each leg gets a threaded rod Apoxie Sculpted into place. Careful drilling is required!
If you somehow misplace one of your threaded rods like I did, cut some bolts!
Hand the bolt heads to your wife while they are still warm and enjoy her "*****, did you burn anything?!" reaction. The answer (by the way) is always "A little bit, yeah"
I am choosing to mount the legs using threaded rods and nuts/washers. Each leg gets a threaded rod Apoxie Sculpted into place. Careful drilling is required!
If you somehow misplace one of your threaded rods like I did, cut some bolts!
Hand the bolt heads to your wife while they are still warm and enjoy her "*****, did you burn anything?!" reaction. The answer (by the way) is always "A little bit, yeah"
Now drill holes for the legs:
If you're using the electronic package, drill a huge honking hole where the body "box" attaches.
I forgot to drill holes for the leg bolt access, but the Dremel took care of it:
Now glue the central underside "sub-body" in place:
Modify the body box to allow clear sound transmission:
All together now!
Carefully glue speaker in place - it's a tight squeeze!
Glue body box on top, hiding the hack 'n slash:
Putty all the new stuff! Tomorrow, we sand seams again!
If you're using the electronic package, drill a huge honking hole where the body "box" attaches.
I forgot to drill holes for the leg bolt access, but the Dremel took care of it:
Now glue the central underside "sub-body" in place:
Modify the body box to allow clear sound transmission:
All together now!
Carefully glue speaker in place - it's a tight squeeze!
Glue body box on top, hiding the hack 'n slash:
Putty all the new stuff! Tomorrow, we sand seams again!
So I was asked to provide instructions for this Probe Droid that would be friendly to the novice builder of resin kits, So apologies if the following seems a little simplistic. I'm trying to make sure the steps are easy to follow, for all levels. So, with that in mind, break out your brass cutter (I recommend something like this):
Bench Top Cut Off Saw
I've burned through two of these, so they aren't the highest quality, but they will do the job on a LOT of tube for a couple years.
Study the reference pics for each leg, and make a determination as to how long you think your brass rods need to be. As stated before, the resin legs aren't an exact match to the ILM Probe Droid, but you can get pretty close, and no one is going to know that you're off by a couple of MM here and there when you're all said and done, unless they are intimately familiar with the ILM model and/or have scratch built one. So don't be intimidated by the struts if you have never done this sort of work before - it's really easy. In a couple of days, I'll provide measurements on exactly how long mine are from this build, if you want the data, but honestly, you can eyeball it and get excellent results.
Most of the struts are similar, and will be composed of two main parts. The thicker strut assembly that accepts the smaller tube on the thinner (lower) section. The lower assembly's brass tubing will, for the most part, remain unpainted. Keep that in mind as you build, as you may want to leave the struts off until it's time to paint.
We will be using these K&S Brass tubes in today's update (this is from memory - I will double check tonight):
7/32, 3/16, 5/32, 1/8, 3/32, 1/16
For the first one, gather the 3/16, 5/32, 1/8, 3/32, and 1/16th tubing.
Grab the resin bracket, and drill three holes - these should be of a diameter to accept a brass rod (solid) to act as a pin (the two holes drilled in the fork), and mount (the bottom hole). The brass components for the upper tube will be made to look like the three parts in this picture (ignore that scrap piece in the back):
The other side looks like this - See how they are a series of nested tubing? Make it look like this, lol!
This nested brass method allows you to glue the bracket slightly offset from the tube, as pictured:
The bracket will attach to the legs by drilling a hole into the tabs that stick out on the resin legs (though I recommend replacing them with styrene, as it might be a little stronger?). You'll have to cut "pins" to complete these hinged assemblies:
Swivels easy peasy:
The other side is even easier. The main tube was made from the 3/16, 5/32, and 1/8th brass tubes. This means the next size down is 3/32nd, and this will be the main part of the lower assembly. Again, nest a pin inside the end where it meets the bracket, and glue these flush to the bracket. In this photo, I have also added the leg bracket (made from styrene) so once the tube is inserted into the main assembly, all you have to do is superglue the bracket to the leg:
Now, to find how LONG this smaller/lower assembly needs to be (to avoid popping out, or impeding movement), contract the arm's joint on the leg you ar work on. Place the brass assemblies side by side, and cut the smaller tube slightly below where it will run out of room inside the larger tube - like this:
STICK IT IN, ROMEO:
Bend it like Beckham:
Stretch it like you just don't care:
So that'll be what you do for almost all of the leg pistons. Lather, rinse, repeat. HOWEVER - ILMers were sneaky jerks who liked to do weird things that they knew would confuse 40 year olds 30 years later. There is one assembly that is a little different:
So take one of the resin brackets and cut it like this - you don't have to glue it to your thumb like I did, but you can if you want to. I'm not your mother.
Grab the largest brass tubing (7/32) and cut a small bit off as seen in the ref pic above (Courtesy of Forbidden Plastic), and glue the resin to the brass like so:
Make another tube that looks like this, nesting down three tubes (and offset the collar as seen in the ref pic):
You'll putty over the top, to make it look like the real one (I'll sand this down tonight):
The other smaller assembly gets a collar around the lower bracket assembly as well, and the bracket itself in this case isn't going to be a resin part - scratch build it from brass or styrene tubing and graft it to the brass "piston". I have once again made a styrene bracket, which I recommend since you will be gluing this to a kit part:
Glue the piece that my thumb is pointing to, to the leg (I had to replace a miscast detail with a grey styrene bit, which is why it looks different):
Grab another Morser Karl part (the same that is used on the head, but sadly is not included in the kit, so we might need to get some cast up for the kits?), cut it down, and glue it behind the part you just added (and note that this whole area differs from the ILM model, so there is a little artistic interpretation going on):
Once again contract the joint and mark where the smaller assembly piston is to be cut (and see how the bracket will mount tot he grey Karl part?):
Slide the piston assembly together and glue the bracket to the Karl part:
Tah dahhh:
Here's another bracket pic - as I said, dimensions to follow when all five legs are done, and I will show their placement as well, specifically - so hang tight!
Bench Top Cut Off Saw
I've burned through two of these, so they aren't the highest quality, but they will do the job on a LOT of tube for a couple years.
Study the reference pics for each leg, and make a determination as to how long you think your brass rods need to be. As stated before, the resin legs aren't an exact match to the ILM Probe Droid, but you can get pretty close, and no one is going to know that you're off by a couple of MM here and there when you're all said and done, unless they are intimately familiar with the ILM model and/or have scratch built one. So don't be intimidated by the struts if you have never done this sort of work before - it's really easy. In a couple of days, I'll provide measurements on exactly how long mine are from this build, if you want the data, but honestly, you can eyeball it and get excellent results.
Most of the struts are similar, and will be composed of two main parts. The thicker strut assembly that accepts the smaller tube on the thinner (lower) section. The lower assembly's brass tubing will, for the most part, remain unpainted. Keep that in mind as you build, as you may want to leave the struts off until it's time to paint.
We will be using these K&S Brass tubes in today's update (this is from memory - I will double check tonight):
7/32, 3/16, 5/32, 1/8, 3/32, 1/16
For the first one, gather the 3/16, 5/32, 1/8, 3/32, and 1/16th tubing.
Grab the resin bracket, and drill three holes - these should be of a diameter to accept a brass rod (solid) to act as a pin (the two holes drilled in the fork), and mount (the bottom hole). The brass components for the upper tube will be made to look like the three parts in this picture (ignore that scrap piece in the back):
The other side looks like this - See how they are a series of nested tubing? Make it look like this, lol!
This nested brass method allows you to glue the bracket slightly offset from the tube, as pictured:
The bracket will attach to the legs by drilling a hole into the tabs that stick out on the resin legs (though I recommend replacing them with styrene, as it might be a little stronger?). You'll have to cut "pins" to complete these hinged assemblies:
Swivels easy peasy:
The other side is even easier. The main tube was made from the 3/16, 5/32, and 1/8th brass tubes. This means the next size down is 3/32nd, and this will be the main part of the lower assembly. Again, nest a pin inside the end where it meets the bracket, and glue these flush to the bracket. In this photo, I have also added the leg bracket (made from styrene) so once the tube is inserted into the main assembly, all you have to do is superglue the bracket to the leg:
Now, to find how LONG this smaller/lower assembly needs to be (to avoid popping out, or impeding movement), contract the arm's joint on the leg you ar work on. Place the brass assemblies side by side, and cut the smaller tube slightly below where it will run out of room inside the larger tube - like this:
STICK IT IN, ROMEO:
Bend it like Beckham:
Stretch it like you just don't care:
So that'll be what you do for almost all of the leg pistons. Lather, rinse, repeat. HOWEVER - ILMers were sneaky jerks who liked to do weird things that they knew would confuse 40 year olds 30 years later. There is one assembly that is a little different:
So take one of the resin brackets and cut it like this - you don't have to glue it to your thumb like I did, but you can if you want to. I'm not your mother.
Grab the largest brass tubing (7/32) and cut a small bit off as seen in the ref pic above (Courtesy of Forbidden Plastic), and glue the resin to the brass like so:
Make another tube that looks like this, nesting down three tubes (and offset the collar as seen in the ref pic):
You'll putty over the top, to make it look like the real one (I'll sand this down tonight):
The other smaller assembly gets a collar around the lower bracket assembly as well, and the bracket itself in this case isn't going to be a resin part - scratch build it from brass or styrene tubing and graft it to the brass "piston". I have once again made a styrene bracket, which I recommend since you will be gluing this to a kit part:
Glue the piece that my thumb is pointing to, to the leg (I had to replace a miscast detail with a grey styrene bit, which is why it looks different):
Grab another Morser Karl part (the same that is used on the head, but sadly is not included in the kit, so we might need to get some cast up for the kits?), cut it down, and glue it behind the part you just added (and note that this whole area differs from the ILM model, so there is a little artistic interpretation going on):
Once again contract the joint and mark where the smaller assembly piston is to be cut (and see how the bracket will mount tot he grey Karl part?):
Slide the piston assembly together and glue the bracket to the Karl part:
Tah dahhh:
Here's another bracket pic - as I said, dimensions to follow when all five legs are done, and I will show their placement as well, specifically - so hang tight!
vaderdarth
Master Member
holy cow, that's the best piston assembly results I've ever followed on this board. Nice job Jason. 
That looks just like the proto!!!!
That looks just like the proto!!!!holy cow, that's the best piston assembly results I've ever followed on this board. Nice job Jason.
I agree Dave, thats a bonafide guide indeed, i think we differ in what kind of work quality we strive for, but as a guide to you PD newcomers, Great job Jason, your getting there mate!
Lee
vaderdarth
Master Member
Well Lee you can't get identical results from a resin kit that you can from building your own using actual donor kits that's a given. Still Jason makes it look both professional and easy with his mad skills.
Well Lee you can't get identical results from a resin kit that you can from building your own using actual donor kits that's a given. Still Jason makes it look both professional and easy with his mad skills.
No doubt! Awesome!
Lee
vaderdarth
Master Member
Sweet. You have made poppa proud Jason. That is looking great!!!
That is looking great!!!
vaderdarth
Master Member
I got back on the building of the legs last night. Was going thru a case of the blahs and hadn't felt like building but now I'm back on it again. Legs definitely seem to get easier as I go, mainly because of the experience on the first two legs I suppose.
Yeah, it happens to every one. My electronics were sent back to Hyperdyne for an update (he has improved the rotation of the head) and I should have them back in hand shortly, so I'll be able to get everything installed soon. I don't want to glue certain things together until I ensure the electronics do their thing, again, lol! I know I've tested all the assemblies a million times, but it's better to be safe than sorry, and have to disassemble something if you fudge the installation without testing the servos in place.
vaderdarth
Master Member
Amen to that. I love these projects where guys work together and make a better product in mid stream rather than saying sorry, you're stuck with it, too bad!!!!! I appreciate what you guys have done with all this. It helps us little kit builders get so much more enjoyment out of the kits we have. Everyone dreams a kit can do this or that, but making it actually happen with electronics boards like this is crazy cool!!! This makes our little plastic toys cooler than the original props in some ways.
