April 30, 2012

Coin Slot up-grade 1.1

Whilst looking at R5's skin the other day, I realised that my coin slots would have to be modified, as they would stick out from the body/skin to much. My coin slots were made to the R2 club spec plans, but due to my frame's up-right's position being in the way and R5's skin thickness being less thick, I need to make these changes for them to fit right.

So I disassembled the coin slots, by removing the sel-lok pins holding them in place against the back plate. Then I set each coin slot up in the vice on the Milling machine and milled them down to suitable size for R5's frame.

Then I drilled right through to completely open up the slots. Due to the cutter length, I wasn't able to do this the first time. I then filled the slot ends square.
R2-D2 coin slots
Up-graded coin slots :D
They still need to be secured in place.


It was late when I got to work on the Skin. So no power tools! Had to use Mr Stanley knife to score and cut through. Then used wood glue to help seal the edges. This took about an hour!


Am thinking of fitting some blue L.E.D.'s behind the slots to shine through. If I do, I'm hoping to  use some perspecs plastic to defuse the glow.

R5-D4 Body & Leg

Wanted an updated picture of build so far. Just the body and leg. Will have to sort a stand so I can fit the centre leg/foot and re-take this picture.


Photo taken on a slight angle to give the right impression of how he should look :).

April 26, 2012

Tee-Threepio: Human Cyborg Relations


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A fellow Blogger and builder in need.
Please check out his page and help him on his way to help others.
(click on the title to link to his page)

April 21, 2012

R5-D4 Body Skin 1.4 - Rear Hatch Section

Cut to length 1st up-right that will form part of the rear hatch. Next I marked up and using a jigsaw, cut out the two curved pieces that will form the rear door. Then used my rasp plane to smooth and shape. This is great for removing material.

Sanded & smoothed curves to size. Trimmed hatch curves & up-right (length shortened). Screwed all together. Fitted the hinges I'd bought earlier 99p (no screws with them). Used a magnet off a 'built-in' washing machine kitchen unit door, fixed to a piece of metal strip, screwed to rear hatch up-right. Then drilled a counter-sunk hole & using resin, stuck a washer in place. Before I measure up the skin for rear hatch, I need to look into the strength of the lower rear panel. Since cutting out the power coupler hole, the strength has been reduced & is also not keeping the curve as before. I may have to make a full length rear hatch.
Hinge 1 of 2
Washer for magnet door look
Washing machine door magnet
Rear Hatch
Rear Hatch

Rear Hatch

R5-D4 Body Skin 1.3 - Rear Hatch Section

Have been working on the second lower flat side piece of body. Cut a piece & a curved section to size and glued together. Then worked on it fitting correctly.
Creating a lower rear section, housing both rear coin returns & power coupler.
Cut a piece of board to size, that will be used for this. Measured half the gap between the lower & bottom panels that appear on the rear hatch/door & marked this as the mid cut off point. Frame will require two small end up rights & a curved upper piece to fix to. Then planning on the rear hatch haveing hinges.

Bottom Rear Left
Bottom Rear Right

I then cut out the first coin return slot [pictured above]. Already made up the coin return rear out of metal, cut and bent to shape. I need to next work on the hole for the Power Coupler & other coin return.
Not cut to depth yet.
Lower panel, test, fitted

April 16, 2012

R5-D4 Body Skin 1.2

Filed the extra extensions to which the lower side flats will be fixed too. These were made when I originally built the frame, and were a little bit wrong lol. Whilst I was at it, I filed the front up-rights by adding a slight curve to their fronts. This was so the skin fitted flush with the frame, top ring and bottom base. Next I drilled holes and screwed, to secure the curved parts, either side of the flats to again help them keep thier curved shape :). Once this was done, I could then finish off plaining the skin edge, flush with the base.
Screw holding body skin curve.
Using a cardboard template, I then cut a curve out of 3mm hardboard & glued it to the lower side plate no1. See picture above.

Fiitted top rear strip, above where rear door will go. Cut, drilled, nailed in place with panel pins. Applied some wood filler, later to be sanded & re-applied. This piece is now fixed in place.
Using the cardboard template, I marked out the first coin return onto some sheet metal and cut it out. Then bent it to shape.
Has since been modified to actually fit against the inside face of the skin/body frame.

Cut out first leg hole, as marked. But it wasnt quite central, so had to re-do it. Now I need to fill the gap. Already know how I'm going to fix it lol. What I did to correct this was to locate the leg disc onto the bolts. Shoulder disc fitted onto bolts, shows large gap :(
Hole in body skin, off-centre :( this will need some filling.

April 10, 2012

R5-D4 Body Skin 1.1


Finished converting imperial to metric on the drawings, to be able to transfer them onto the board. I broke the plans up into sections that would fit to leave a section for a 'rear door'.


I've had the board strapped tight round the frame, I then removed it so, I could cut the board to correct body length. He looks much more like an Astromech being built now. Then I drew on the 'sections a b c' onto the board, Rear panel, Front panels, Rear panel. Lined up the skin dimensions with 'my' leg holes to make sure everything would line up correctly.


Marked & drilled holes through skin into frame up-rights.




Cut out sides for lower flats & fitted first one in place. Also the L.D.P. (Large Data Port) then, the coin return hole, for front & the recess for front pocket vent.
Made up a cardboard template for the recessed part of the coin returns. Make them out of metal or wood?

April 04, 2012

R5-D4 Body Skin 1.0

After seeing an Astromech in the flesh, well, wood actually, I decided that this was something I could do myself. Then after surfing the net, I found R2 Units made from Styrene with same material skins and then I found ones made out of metal, with Aluminium Skins (that cover the body). And I thought, I want some of those for my R5.

Styrene is cheep, but...... I wanted Aluminium ones........ But as am working to a very tight budget, and the UK R2-D2 Builders Club skins are reasonably priced, I am going to attempt to build R5's skin out of wood. It's been done before, so it's not impossible to do.

So here's the start of making the skin.

Picture shows 3mm hardboard, clamped around R5's frame, not even cut to length
Inside view
Just strapped this sheet on to see how easy it will/won't be. Working out if I need to buy a longer sheet and cut out the rear door section or cut this sheet short??

April 02, 2012

Centre Foot - Mark 2.8

Sanded down lower foot lip. Applied more wood filler to sides of foot lip and then sanded again, once dried. Thinking how best to make/do the slots. Had thought about making a cardboard template, then transferred it onto some 3mm thick hardboard. Cut out the slots and then glue the trim onto the base lip. Then decided to try and just cut into the lip with my dremel fitted with the router attachment, to keep things square.

First slot doesn't look to bad, once cleaned up :)
Did the front and back slots, took me half hour. Again, they'll need cleaning up.

Then I did the sides. The black dots in the picture above, are where the edges need wood filler. Added wood filler to straighten out the edges of the slots. Then once dried, sanded to shape. I applied some PVA glue to the cut wood grain, to help seal prior to spraying with primer. Once dried, I gave it a coat of primer to check finish of slots etc

Next I used masking tape to clamp the foot shell and the lip section together. Then used P40 resin along the inside edges.

Once that was dried, I applied more wood filler to the outside join between the two sections.
Once dried, sanded it all down and then sprayed with primer. Then finally, on with a few coats of the white and then the clear top coat.  :)
Oooops, almost forgot, to stick on the aluminium front/rear strips.
R5-D4

Now it's finished! :)