Rear Dome Rod - fitting

R5's rear Dome Rod was one of the first pieces I made, machined up.

Because of it's length and available scrap material also available time

as it was machined up on my lunchtime. I made it in two pieces.

This came in handy as now when trying to fit it into R5's recessed Dome boxes, it's a little snug. So a little bit of machining later and it will fit alot better.

Space inside R5's Dome is limited, a bit more than I had anticipated. My original idea was to bolt the Rod in place, top and bottom. See pic below.

Threaded the bottom and screwed a stud into it. Left piece, this will slot into the lower hole.

The top piece was going to be located with the M6 hex socket bolt.

But on installing the recessed box, I knew that the lower screw was not going to be available due to the framework inside. This wasn't to much to worry about as the lower piece of the rod has a location pin. Now for the top securing of it......?

The two piece Rod, allowed me to fit a washer and a soft spring inside to allow the top pieces location pin, to locate and hold the Rod in place.

Motivator Base Plate - UPGRADE

Used the first plate as a guide, I marked onto a new piece of scrap aluminium,

the same mounting hole positions and drilled through.

These are the two holes furthest apart [top & bottom in pictures]

I then marked the new position for the motivator securing bolt to go through [middle hole],

which is off-centre now to the securing bolt holes, and drilled.

This will allow the Motivator's position to fit better in the Pie Hole opening.

Motivator Base Plate, 1st attempt on left, UPGRADE version on right.
(which still needs a hole for wires to fit through)

R5-D4's Head 4.5 - Pie panels grooved

Tried to use Stanley knife to score out the grooves, then my 'grooving tool',

but this was not going well and would of taken forever!! Lol.

So tried my Dremel with metal milling cutter fitted. (this is not the right cutter, but was all I had, that was flat bottomed and roughly the right width). It worked a treat.

Depth was set using the Dremel router attachment.

An hour later, carefully cutting free hand, seven pie sections finished.

They just need a little work, but am really happy with how them.

R5-D4's head 4.4 - Pie Panels marked out

Got my protractor and rule out and used it to help mark out the positions of the other pie panels.

Then with pencil and rule, I marked them out.

Next is to groove out the panels.

Event report on the Sci-Fi Fest: (23rd Nov 2013) @ FLEET AIR ARM museum

My usual transport (my car) had been commandeered for the day so had to use the sub-standard cargo bay transport [don't tell the wife I called her car small :D]. Nearly two hours trying to fit R5 into the cargo bay of it! Eventually I had to resort to removing ALL his feet, not a big deal, only three bolts in total, as no electric motors to disconnect......yet. Then strap him in good and tight.

Just over an hours drive from Bristol & Yeovilton on a very cold, but Sunny morning.

Arrived and then began the R5 rebuild. Here I also meet up with fellow builder Giles & Artoojayzero. And my then unceremonious dragging him over not very smooth car park tarmac. Did a two trip journey, second was for R5's dome.

The event was organised by The Charity Sci-Fi Group.

Once inside we meet up with Mark and his 'collection' of droids! Below are links to his pages!

Podpadstudios these include a few people my recognise, and also introducing his latest creation....... Steam Punk Droid!

We set up and were off. As R5 was safley on display, I helped out with assisting Giles with his droid. Mark & Giles got loads of attention from the kids as well as parents lol. R5 also had his fair share of comments and questions and also the QR codes for our respective sites came in handy. The MK Garrison & The Southern Troopers group were also in attendance and were awesome! loads of photos taken :)

Before you knew it the day was done and it was packing up time. This was my first official event with R5....and his dome....but again, had a gerat time and managed to remember some names to put with faces. Well heres some of the photos taken.

R5 also has a Facebook page for those who would like to follow him on there,

click on this link to take you there James R5-D4

Giles & Artoo-jay-zero

R5-D4's Head 4.3 - Pie panel marking's & Motivator position

Using the centre of the dome, the dowel is just still visible, I drew on where the inner and outer diameters are. Gauged against the original pie panel opening. I knew that the centre eye and motivator pie hole were in-line from before I built up the cone, see pic of dome marked out when flat. I then drew on at 90 degree angles, centre lines for these. Next was the other pie holes @ 45 degrees from centre line.

The plan is to mark and groove the panel 'lids', so watch this space..... Lol.

Motivator position:
I plan on moving the motivator further out, so it sits more central in the opening.

R5's Dome lights & 'smouldering' Motivator

Last night I fitted the motivator, bolted it into place and then hot glued into a suitable position, its battery holder and switch. Bolted into place the Antenna. Then a test of all the lights.

I will be looking at re-wireing all these to run off the 9.6 volt battery pack installed. This will require someone to do some thinking for me regarding voltages etc lol. Will be easier and simplier. Fingers crossed for how long they all work for on Saturday! :D

R5-D4's Head 4.2 - Cone prep work & RED paint!

Yesterday morning I used a rather large plastic bag (used for rubbish bins] to place R5's Dome into. I then sealed off round the edge with masking tape. Next I applied some watered down PVA glue to all the exposed sanded wood that had paint removed from sanding the joining edge of the cone to the Dome sides.

Lunchtime, I took R5's Dome into the spray booth (work). And primered up the cone and inside the pie hole.

Then that evening, I got on with masking off the dome ready for spraying the red pin stripes around the two recessed side boxes, as R5 has in the film, the rear dome rod recessed box, doesnt have pin stripping. And also the lower of the two circumferance pin stripes to. The upper one will be applied after the dome's cone, has been sprayed up white. So, 1hr later, I'd marked off the edges with red pin stripes and then masking tape holding the plastic sheet.

For all of two minutes in the spray booth in work lol.

Am quite pleased with how these have turned out. Using the pin stripe tape reduced the amount of paint bleed. I didn't think to use it on the inside edges of the two recessed areas and the masking tape has allowed the paint to bleed a bit. I'll try to clean this up, but once a bit of dirt is applied it will just add to the old/used look of R5 :-)