R5-D4's Head 1.0 - Started at last

Right, I've started on making R5's head.

A while back I bought a 'lazy susan' stype bearing. It's not the one used by most R2 builders, mainly because of the cost and availability! Mainly the cost, R5 is on a tight budget, just like I.A. were lol. This design will be based on a build that has been used by a fellow Astromech builder Emy R6 who has used this on all of his Droids!

So firstly I marked out the lower connection plate ring platform.

Then I needed to add a spacer to raise everything up.

Next comes the bearing, which is screwed onto the lower disc. The three bolts sticking up are my locating lugs for the upper ring.

Here is the lower plate that will support the 'Dome' ring.

 Here is the upper plate that will support the 'Dome'. Its had material cut out, to reduce weight.

 Upper dome ring fitted onto the lower ring.

 Above image shows the clearance. The spacer pad was needed for this purpose.

And here, I started to fit the lower edge of the dome. I measured the full height needed, but you can see that I have marked it into two. This is because the lower area is to be painted 'aluminium' when finished. I clamped the strip, then drilled and then used panel pins to secure the strip in length, I didn't have a long enough piece to do it in one full length. I will then use resin later to reinforce.