‘Rogue One’ - 5years old

Five years ago, Star Wars gave us Rogue One.

Managed to get the above 50th anniversary Rogue One trading card off ebay, as I’d missed out on buying one off the website. Also managed to not pay over the odds for it.

Found and saved this above image that was posted up on Twitter earlier this year on one of the #rogueone trending days lol.

Close look and you can see droids 😎

3D Printed Badge Display's

 I wanted a display stand for my 26mm O/D pin badges. This one was my first test print but second design idea.

This stand has printed holes for the backing pins to fit through. The pins weren’t all in the same position though. So for the file release version, I’ll remove these holes. Simply press the pin into a piece of paper and then position it in the recess, then drill your hole, large enough so that the second spike part also fits through. I had to use a small piece of rubber sheet on the rear as one of the pins clasp wasn’t tight enough, but the others wouldn’t of fitted if the print was thicker.

Next up was to convert the design for two & one pin badge versions.

Link to my Thingiverse page,

.................where these will be going up on soon.

Created a new picture frame - R1, SOLO, TROS.

Been meaning to do this for ages but couldn’t find a picture frame the size I wanted. An A3 size wasn't long enough. Eventually decided to just buy one larger and cut it down to size.

laying out the mini poster prints & patch's to determine size

Measured up the pictures, A5 size, plus space for the stickers below them. Took the frame apart and measured it up for cutting. Never done anything like this before so was a bit hesitant about cutting the frame. But I managed it and it turned out ok.

I didn't have a Rogue One patch, as one was on the hoodie I had. I did tho have the sticker version. So swapped the other two patch's for their sticker equivalent.

 

And after pealing off the sticker protective paper.....

Three awesome films I've been fortunate enough

to of worked on and been able to take part in.

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!!

Builders Club swag merch.

But I'll leave you the following links to go through to get the full picture:

Celebration Europe 2016 - part 1

Celebration Europe 2016 - part 2

Celebration Europe 2016 - part 3

Celebration Europe 2016 - part 4

Celebration Europe 2016 - part 5

.......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 💗💗💗

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.

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....

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.

Event - Lee Towersey - TEDx Leamington Spa 9-Nov-2019

SPEAKER ANNOUNCEMENT!

'Lee Towersey is a droid builder and operator who has worked across the Star Wars franchise since 2013.

A long-time member of the R2-D2 Builders Club, his journey from ‘fan’ to ‘film crew’ began at the Star Wars Celebration convention in Essen, Germany where, while showcasing their R2-D2 replicas to fellow fans and members of the public, the builders engaged in a conversation with Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy about their work.

A few months later Lee Towersey & Oliver Steeples were contacted on Kennedy’s recommendation and the pair were subsequently hired to develop R2-D2 and other droid props for Star Wars: The Force Awakens as part of the film’s creature effects team.

Lee returned for subsequent Star Wars film installments and has worked as a droid operator on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Solo: A Star Wars Story and is currently involved with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

After his childhood love of Lego and remote control cars led him to Hollywood, Lee actively exhibits and demonstrates his creations to help encourage the next generation of engineers.'

Link for more on this TEDx event: www.tedxleamingtonspa.com

New Tool Box......stickers 1.0

Posted up a few pics of the stickers already added to the new tool box.

Saturday's event brought two more:

I then remembered I had another R5 sticker from left coast graphics. A vintage R5-D4 via their Etsy shop. Same sticker, but trying to not get a reflection on it.

This version was a chrome one, not a white version. These I have stuck on my transport sledge.

Two more stickers arrived with a patch I got from 'Half the Droid'. Checkout his Facebook page here. One was an artistic version of his R2-D2, and the other was the 'walk of shame'. A recent addition to the club after recent events lol, mechanical or electrical, where you've had to push your droid back to base. This stickers is just for laughs.

I also placed three very special stickers on the case.....

The Sun set's on the filming of Episode IX

The Sun setting over Pinewood Studios.

Thought it was rather apt with the filming

of Episode IX wrapped up, last Friday.

Roll on December.....

Rogue One - two years on (2016-2018)

Can believe that I didn't post up pictures of the

Rogue One event we attended back in 2016!

So as a tribute, here's some of the photos taken on the day.

The UK R2D2 Builders Club,

(myself, Brad, Colin, Emma, Simon & Adam)

joined up with Joker Squad

to raise money for charity.

group picture

what do you mean you don't serve my kind!?!?!

Jedi, Wookiee & droids.....

~~~~~@@@@@@@~~~~~

I also forgot about this sticker on my old transmitter box.

Had to get it down to document a modification

I'd carried on to add the hand strap.

~~~~~@@@@@@@~~~~~

Following links to past posts......

Rogue One Print

Designed by Paul 'Wiz' Johnson.

Watching Solo at the cinema with my youngest.

My R5-D4 Patch box

Decided that I needed a box to hold some of my patches in when at events. I already have one for my trading cards.

So I measured and drew up in AutoCAD Inventor, a holder to fit the patches into.
I used the same upper section and changed the text to R5-D4.

Here the upper and lower (holder section) have been glued together and some filler/primer has been applied. Once dried I gave it a light sanding, before adding another coat of primer.

Ledt this to dry overnight, before applying the matt black paint. This contrasts well with the grey of the box.

Above pic was taken right after spraying, hence glossy apperance.

I left it another day before hand painting the text with R5's red paint.

Here you can now see the black is matt in finish.

And once it was almost dried.....I installed the insert into the box and added patches.

The box will hold 15 patches, so when at event's I can have some on me and top up if needed. I just need to make a top piece now to stop them from moving about (there's a gap between the patches and the recess in the lid of the box.

I now also need either larger trouser pockets of some other form to hold/carry these boxes lol.

The 'Rogue Ones' limited edition print - framed

On my way home the other night, I stopped off at The Range (a UK) store near me and picked up a frame, that a fellow club member had also bought.

Really impressed with this and now it hangs on my wall at home.

The 'Rogue Ones' limited edition print

This amazing limited edition,

Lucasfilm authorised,

print was created by Paul 'Wiz' Johnson.

Each one signed and numbered.

Paul is a bit of a rendering genius, combined images of the droids that he had previously created into this reproduction of the Stormtrooper's wading in the shoreline from the Rogue One trailer images.

Here's a link to Paul's portfolio work over on Artstation

These are only available to members of the R2 Builders club.

They are limited to just 250 prints!

~~~~~

A donation from each print sold goes towards Meningitis Now,

in memory of Joanna,

daughter of a club member how sadly and suddenly succumbed to the infection.

Rogue One patch

My Rogue One patch arrived from the USA the other day, and I didn't waste any time sowing it onto my club fleece. I added to my left sleeve, underneath the club logo, as one unnamed patch 😉, is above this.

It was purched off Etsy,

price compared to Amazon saved me about £15!

Really glad I was able to get this patch.