tuskentrooper
Sr Member
I think building a Gonk Droid is something of a rite of passage for Star Wars fans. Not only does the droid hold nostalgic value as an Original Trilogy background character and iconic Kenner action figure, but it's also a fairly simple costume build (they always begin with that notion, don't they?) that every Star Wars parent should consider for their kids. While I had put together some award-winning costumes for my kids in the past, this was the last year that my son would be short enough to pull off the old Power Droid convincingly. With Halloween looming just a few short weeks away, we embarked on our Gonk journey.
Research consisted of scouring the Interwebs for Power Droid pics. After finding that there are several Gonk designs that were used in the films---none of which are really very accurately documented---I decided to forego screen-accurate for "screen-inspired." That would save a lot of time and money sourcing original parts and seemed to be the way that most who had gone before me had done it. I looked at builds by RPF'ers like TK409, Skaught, adamata and others, and tried to narrow it down to essentials like the stacked storage bin shape, recessed faceplate, ribbed legs with hydraulic hoses, two-toed feet and random greeblies.
Because I knew we would be entering a costume contest with this, I wanted to take things to the next level. After all, it would just look like a walking box to most people so this Gonk needed elements to convince people it was a robot. It needed lights. It needed sound. It needed...well, you'll see.
We got almost everything we needed with a single trip to a hardware store and Wal*Mart. Two 18-gallon Rubbermaid-type storage bins (being careful to get the size that would work best for my son's height), primer and brown spraypaint, some faucet hoses, foam anti-fatigue floor mats, a square plastic container, two round plastic containers, ribbed split-loom hoses and a flexible pipe. It turned out later that I didn't use the flexible pipe or faucet hoses, but I like to buy what I think I'll need and hold onto the receipt so I can return what I don't use. You'll also note that I picked up an extension cord and a portable travel surge protector/power strip to replicate an idea that Skaught had---turning the costume into a display prop with working power outlets for convention booths. I love functional props!
The ribbed legs were a bit tricky to source as my son's thighs were too thick for the standard 4-inch-diameter dryer hoses or black plastic drain pipe. The hardware guy recommended 6-inch-diameter flexible aluminum duct---bingo! One piece was long enough for both legs with some to spare (seen here in its compressed off-the-shelf form).
The hardest part would be the feet. There's just nothing that even remotely resembles the two-toed Gonk feet, so I planned on building them from the EVA foam mats. I hadn't played with foam construction before, so I figured it would be a good entry-level project.
Next up, construction begins!
Research consisted of scouring the Interwebs for Power Droid pics. After finding that there are several Gonk designs that were used in the films---none of which are really very accurately documented---I decided to forego screen-accurate for "screen-inspired." That would save a lot of time and money sourcing original parts and seemed to be the way that most who had gone before me had done it. I looked at builds by RPF'ers like TK409, Skaught, adamata and others, and tried to narrow it down to essentials like the stacked storage bin shape, recessed faceplate, ribbed legs with hydraulic hoses, two-toed feet and random greeblies.
Because I knew we would be entering a costume contest with this, I wanted to take things to the next level. After all, it would just look like a walking box to most people so this Gonk needed elements to convince people it was a robot. It needed lights. It needed sound. It needed...well, you'll see.
We got almost everything we needed with a single trip to a hardware store and Wal*Mart. Two 18-gallon Rubbermaid-type storage bins (being careful to get the size that would work best for my son's height), primer and brown spraypaint, some faucet hoses, foam anti-fatigue floor mats, a square plastic container, two round plastic containers, ribbed split-loom hoses and a flexible pipe. It turned out later that I didn't use the flexible pipe or faucet hoses, but I like to buy what I think I'll need and hold onto the receipt so I can return what I don't use. You'll also note that I picked up an extension cord and a portable travel surge protector/power strip to replicate an idea that Skaught had---turning the costume into a display prop with working power outlets for convention booths. I love functional props!
The ribbed legs were a bit tricky to source as my son's thighs were too thick for the standard 4-inch-diameter dryer hoses or black plastic drain pipe. The hardware guy recommended 6-inch-diameter flexible aluminum duct---bingo! One piece was long enough for both legs with some to spare (seen here in its compressed off-the-shelf form).
The hardest part would be the feet. There's just nothing that even remotely resembles the two-toed Gonk feet, so I planned on building them from the EVA foam mats. I hadn't played with foam construction before, so I figured it would be a good entry-level project.
Next up, construction begins!