July 24, 2020

DBUK 2020 - Live event schedule

1st of July saw the schedule for this event posted up on the


Details below:

It is what you have been waiting for the schedule for the 2020 DBUK Live event on a few weeks away. Prepare your viewing area, prepare the snacks, have your mobile ready to join in. More details will follow in the coming weeks and is subject to change...
DBUK2020schedule

Buy your Raffle Tickets for amazing Star Wars prizes (details coming soon and keep an eye out on the day!). Check out the main page link above for full details and more.


Looking forward to this!

DBUK 2020 - Live event coming soon!

In 2018 the UK R2 Builders Group hosted R2UK near Peterborough as an event ‘by R2 Builders, for R2 Builders’, including multiple talks and events such as droid races.
A year later in 2019 a second event was held in Shropshire with the same format and expanded content.
From feedback received and looking at other droid groups we have decided to broaden R2UK for 2020 and expand it to include any droids from the Star Wars universe, from Astromech's to BB units and beyond. This will allow us to showcase other droid builds and have additional content such as the 39.1% egg cup race.
Going forward R2UK will be called DBUK (DroidBuilders UK) and will encourage builders from the BB8 Builders Group, 39.1%’ers, T3 Builders along with 3D printed Battle droids/Pit droids and anything else Star Wars droid related to be in one place all at the same time.
By expanding beyond Astromech's this will allow us to have a more varied content including different talks and different approaches to building, however it will not mean that there is any less R2 related content.
2020 will be something different and is now an online event.
A Weekend full of droid related entertainment for droid builders with Talks, Demonstrations, Limited Edition Merchandise, Food, Drink & Droids Galore!

Throwback Friday - 10 years of the UK R2D2 Builders Club

This weeks throwback is a day late and also a few weeks too.....

June 9th marked 10 years of the first gathering of like minded builders. There were other builder groups, but this event marks the beginning of what has become the UK R2D2 Builders Group.

video link
click on link below to view video

~~~~~

July 23, 2020

Workbench Lockdown 2020 - storage unit

More organising & making.

Was going to start on fitting a sliding shelf for storage under the draw. I can put all my electronics/electrical components in/on it for easy access.

But before I made a start, I instead started on making a wheeled storage unit for under the bottom shelf. I wanted it to hold my drill and drill bit boxes and anything else could be stored in it.
wheels, storage box

I cut the base and fitted casters I already had. The above picture shows the short side opening for the drill and bits boxes.
storage box

The above picture shows the unit almost complete. The wood is not very good, (hence the clamp and PVA gluing layers together), but it was free a few years back and now it’s being put to good use.
I have a ratchet set but wanted it vertical for easy access. So cut up some of the scrap material and made a bracket that the box slides down into.
storage box
Ratchet tool box with handle, had a wood fitted strip to help retain it in place. Can be just seen in above picture.

Next up I added some fold-able shelving. I wanted to be able to utilise the depth of the box, without restricting access to the lower, not used to much, area. Some left over wood, just the right size, some supports and a pair of hinges I've had for ages lol. The two pictures below, show before & after with shelf in use
shelf shelf

And a quick video showing it in action lol.
shelf
I had bought some LED lights to help see under the bench and illuminate the shelves as the ceiling lights cast shadows.
Under bench lighting
These are really bright and will come in handy.

Lastly, for now, I wanted somewhere to have my soldering irons in reach. So made up a holder that slides over the edge, the cables just go into the box.
.......pic
soldering iron holder

I've still got plans for more upgrades...

July 17, 2020

Funko Pop Astromech 3D - more work [R5-PHT]

Just added this comment to my Thingiverse item:

Major UPDATE:
My own design for R5-D4's body with recessed panel and restraining bolt are now drawn up.
[This took ages as I needed to do some modifications to allow the illusion of the legs being the curved face to body look.
R5's head is also now completed! A soft spring would be required. I think I'll also do a small joining collar so the head doesn't require a spring, just to give the spaced impression.

Once I've been able to print these off to test, I'll upload them.

What I haven't said is that Monday, I drew up another R5 head....this time, R5-PHT from Solo a Star Wars Story. This R5, briefly seen in after Han has made it through the gate room scene, has a special Holo projector located just under it's sensor eye. There's a story behind this.....but that's for another time ;)


R5-PHT - Solo a Star Wars story

I also produced another 'standard' body, without the restraining bolt and recessed panel. The body I'll upload once printing confirms it's good.

July 16, 2020

Throwback Thursday: Celebration Europe 2016

What can I say!!

I had attended events before and was really excited to be joining builders from not just the UK, but also from Europe and further still. Some I’d only chatted with online in forums.

But I was not expecting the overwhelming feeling of excitement that hit me a few days before the event had even opened lol.

Arriving, unloading R5 and my gear, walking into the massive Star Wars arena was awesome!!
Club swag, celebration europe
Builders Club swag merch.
But I'll leave you the following links to go through to get the full picture:






.......Celebration Europe 2016 - part 6.......lol, no there is no part 6, think 5 was enough.

Just one of my highlights.....being stood two feet away from Andi, who was casually sat on the Star Wars stage....me trying to be casual and giving her a 'hi' smile.....whilst trying not to Fanboy out over her 😍 hahahaha 💗💗💗

July 14, 2020

Funko Pop Astromech - 3D.......complete!

Last Friday, was a long day of working on finishing off the 3D modeling.

  • Body - rads added to corners.
  • Dome - full build, with eye's, sensors, dome rods, pie panels & antenna.
  • Then just for these pictures, some colour added. 
Funko Pop Astromech 3D
R5 colour scheme added, missing pin striping on dome.
A few alterations as they were bugging me....
The antenna, now points forward & I've added a restraining bolt, to match mine and R5.

I'll hopefully get this all printed soon, and then once happy, I'll upload to my Thingiverse page.

Workbench Lockdown 2020 - Bench drawer & shelf

One thing I really needed was a large drawer for my tools and also to have easy access to the ones used regularly.
workbench drawer
completed workbench drawer....wood filler waiting to be sanded
I wanted a way to store them but not create a problem, either getting to them or just finding them. Watched loads of YouTube videos, and got a few ideas. Next up....making it.

LOL, now I usually draw up plans.....but not this time. I already had some not really usable (probably grade 'D') plywood sheets, that I knew I wouldn't use, but didn't want to get rid off, just in case. And this was their time to shine lol.

Measured up the area, and marked all the pieces for the drawer onto one sheet.
Not having a circular saw, only a jigsaw, I used a straight piece of metal clamped in place as a guide and got cutting.

The sides, front, rear where screwed into the base and probably should of looked at sorting the poor quality wood out with wood filler and glue.....but more on that later.

The drawer runners I wanted and for once, where bought at local ScrewFix store [pay online, click and collect, due to COVID-19]. These were ball bearing runners, 450mm for £6!! They can take a load up to 45kg!

Next, I found some large pieces of 2"x4", thought would do for support. These were screwed to the underside of the bench's worktops and the drawer runners added. After watching one video in particular, I learned that the 'tabs' on the sides of the runners allow for the whole unit to 'align' itself if the gap at the sides is to large. Never knew this!

I was going to get all creative and fancy with making up a drawer handle out of dowel, but found this old handle what came from my parents old 'under the stairs' cupboard and thought, YES, that's a nice touch and a reminder to my past. It's also has a low profile and is not ever going to get something caught on it!

Inside the main drawer I wanted some way of having smaller tools that I use readily to hand without rummaging. So I remembered that I had a pair of small draw runners that I had bought years ago as part of R5's bad motivator pop up idea. These were perfect and after measuring and cutting out some more wood, I created this small shelf/tray for inside the main drawer. I was going to place it centrally, but then decided that the rear for it to be pulled forward would be better. This then allows full access to the main lower area, but also when the tray is pulled forward, you can see the rear area for all those things that usually get pushed to the back of a draw and forgotten lol.

I cleared out more junk again, re-organised stuff and added a shelf so things weren't just piled up on top of other boxes etc.
shelf, shelf idea
Looks fancy, and it is a bit, but I know how annoying having 'support legs' in the way can be lol.

Went looking in the back of garage for paint tins colour choices....but nothing really suitable, so will have to get something I actually like.

And here's the bench progress so far.
workbench
......before I cleared everything away lol.

I added a thin scrap piece of wood centrally on the lower shelf to stop things getting pushed under the draw itself and possible getting wedged. I'm planning on possible adding a second slide tray/drawer mounted there.....for what, I don't know yet. The three containers stacked on the floor (purple) fit just right under the new shelf.

As per usual, I've already started drawing up and sourcing mini LED lights to mount under the shelves etc. These will come next or before painting of the drawer/new shelf wood.

This was my weekend....which was delayed starting due to having to sort out the dishwasher that kept tripping the electrics.

More workbench build work updates coming soon.....

July 09, 2020

Funko Pop Astromech: 3D Body progress

Yesterday I spent most of my free time drawing up the front panels, lower skirt with recesses.
The skirt recesses took ages as I had extruded it with angles, which caused me to struggle to then inverse 'emboss' the panel recesses. After a few attempts tho I got something that matched up with the original.

Next up then was the real fun part.....the panel details. I had to create a few different sketch layers in order to produce the recesses and then the protruding coin slots.

The Power coupling needed three sketch layers just for it alone. These tho I am hoping to be able to mirror to the rear of the model.
Funko Pop 3D

There's still a lot more to do, but it's really looking good to me so far.
Funko Pop 3D Body video
Created this short video of the panels being created.
#funkopop #astromech #thingiverse #3dprinting

Throw Back Thursday - R4-D4's Holoprojector work

This weeks Throw Back Thursday post is back to 2018 and the start of my attempt at motorising and illuminating the holoprojector for R4's dome.

Links to the start of project.
#astromech #r4d4 #3dprinting

July 07, 2020

Funko Pop Astromech: 3D

So in my last post I said I’d uploaded the feet, battery box and leg version of R5’s Funko Pop Astromech to my Thingiverse page. I had made a start on creating the feet hoses ages ago......what a nightmare to try to recreate them!

But after several hours and then a version 2, I finished up as close as possible, a pair of feet hoses that  resemble the ones on the Pop droid.
Funko Pop Astromech droid R5D4

I think they still need some adjustments, but I have to also remember that these are very small so I shouldn’t beat myself up over going to fine on the details.

Once I’m happy with these i’ll upload to my Thingiverse page.

I wasn't planning on doing this but thought I'd make a start on the body. It is hollow, not solid like the other pieces.
Funko Pop Astromech droid R5D4

The colours are just to help see the build. Am please so far.......

July 02, 2020

Thingiverse - R5-D4 Astromech [Funko] ....the start


I started drawing this idea up back in January/February, but then got side tracked. I already owned the Funko Pop R5-D4, but was disappointed that they didn't release any more or even ones from the other Star Wars films. Rogue One, Solo or The Rise of Skywalker! So I decided that if you want something no one else has made, you just have to make it yourself lol.

Using my original for it's dimensions, I started to create a 3D version.
astromech, funko, droid

I started with a foot. This was fairly simple......not! But I got there in the end. I introduced a socket in the top, to allow the leg to push fit in and be glued securely. The handy thing about this that the feet are reversible, only requiring the hoses to be fitted and glued on.

The battery boxes are also reversible. These are just glued into place.

Next up was the legs. These have taken a bit longer to produce as the positioning of certain pieces to create the effect, had to be done in different orientations. Not easy when your CAD program is a Tech one not a creative one lol. Stop moaning and continue....

astromech, leg, Funko

And this is what they look like when assembled.

I've just finished the leg updates and have now posted these up on my Thingiverse page. If I get round to drawing up the body and head, I will add them to my page. My first one will be an R5 dome. And then possibly an R2 & R4 domes. If you have or are creating the body or domes for these other droid types, drop a comment below or via my Thingiverse page.
It would be great to combine forces!

The legs, feet & battery boxes can be found here.

Thingiverse - Futaba vintage transmitter stand

Thingiverse

Back in 2018, I drew up a display stand for my Futaba M series vintage transmitter. It was one of the first things that I drew up so was basic but it did the job. After finding out that this model was used to operate R5-D4 & possibly the other droids on the set of A New Hope, I had to find out more about them. I was also fortune enough to get two (an M4 & M6) off eBay for a bargain price!
Futaba M6 transmitter

With attending events, having the controller would also be a talking point for people to ask questions. So the stand was simply drawn up and 3D printed.
Futaba transmitter stand
This is the stand with R5's name and the club's name in raised print.

Futaba M4 transmitter, stand
The M4 version can be seen in the image above.

I've just uploaded the files for this onto my Thingiverse page (click for link)

Throw Back Thursday - Vintage Futaba transmitter

This weeks throw back Thursday
is to my purchase of two vintage Futaba radio transmitters.

Futaba, transmitter

Futaba, transmitter

These were a little part of R5's behind the scenes history.
And was the start of a few mini projects linked to them.





Vintage Futaba - Crystal hatch 3D printed 1.0 [2019]
Vintage Futaba - Crystal hatch 3D printed 1.1 [2019]

I also designed up and printed a display stand.....but I don't think I actually blogged it....? I'll have to dig it out and post pictures....