Event: Birmingham MCM Comic Con November 2019

The club attended again both days at Birmingham's NEC, with the usual great turnout of droids. I wasn’t able to attend this time unfortunately, due to family priorities.

Check out the social media’s for some of these hashtags: #ukr2d2buildersclub #r2builders #mcm2019
As well as the clubs Facebook page for pictures of the droids from the event.

There's also be a video on Comic Con News' You Tube channel, featuring the club....here.

Another mini project 1.0

This project is inspired my Mike F. originally from way back in 2016, when he brought this project he had made along to the screening of the Rogue One event at Milton Keynes cinema. I’ve always wanted to have a go at making one, but the ability and accessibility of a 3D printer was not an option at the time.

Recently I’ve seen these being offered for sale, but the price isn’t something I can justify, especially when I can design, print & build one myself lol. So decided now was the time to have a go.

I’m already on main body version no.2 lol and have been digging around in my storage boxes for items I have that may be of use. I’ve also ordered some springs which will be here in a few weeks.

I've also been on ebay looking for other components....more in a few weeks.

Page header image change - R5-D4 (2019)

Trying to simplify things for my accounts, by standardising the images used.

The previous page header was taken back in 2016 at Celebration Europe.
click link for part 1 of my event report....

Now going for this simpler design.

Also updated Twitter, & Instagram & Facebook pages.

Will be changing this page title to James' R5-D4 at some point in the future,
as long as it doesn't mess links up etc lol

Littlebits - Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit - pt 8 (2019)

So the extra tinkering I thought would help with the lid fitting better, radius'd edge, didn't and made the gap bigger. The idea for the lip is just to locate it centrally for gluing to the head. So I went back to alter the lip edge a bit more, I'll test print it this week.

This is the Littlebits droid in it's R2-D2 guise.

.......and below as R5-D4

Whilst I was at it, I re-positioned the antenna to face forward, it was just a little thing but it was bugging me lol. I also added a version with a 'bad motivator'.

Both 'lid' options will be available on

my Thingiverse account.

Littlebits - Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit - pt 7 (2019)

Last week my youngest daughter got out the Littlebits R2-D2. She had been doing some work in school and it re-ignited her imagination with electronics.

So back in work I re-opened the 3D files I had drawn up for the R5-D4 dome and got back on tinkering with the final design from earlier this year. Click here for part 6.

With our new works 3D printer and my new design, I had more confidence that this would print/work second time around.

With the print time at just over 12 hours, and all the settings set to standard, due to my limited knowledge of them lol.

This picture shows the support structure.

Once happy with everything, I set the print to start just before I left work.

With my fingers crossed for a successful print come the morning......

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.......The morning came and YES, success! I've not felt this good about a 3D print in a long time lol, especially after the previous dome print fail. Here's the pictures before removing from the print bed.

The print quality is fantastic! Even when removing the supports, the finish is still great.

I just need to finish removing all the support material and see how well the 'lid' fits the dome.

Once everything is sorted, I'll post up this print on my Thingiverse account.

I'll post up more next week.......

My own Magnetic Power Connector 1.0

3.5.19
After seeing ones available on the Astromech forum, I thought I'd have a go at designing my own as all I need is just power to the dome.

I searched up on eBay and found the magnets needed. I then drew up a few ideas, this is the first test piece.

I printed these off and when I got home, the magnets had arrived in the post. So I tested them out by fitting them into the recessed holes.

This was my first go and was happy it worked. I next thought about ensuring correct alignment & cable fitting etc.

October
I had a break/holiday over the summer and have restarted again with ideas. Some where a bit over the top and a bit to complicated lol.

Event - Bristol Comic Con - October 19-20th 2019

Myself, Paul, Mike & Wayne will be attending this local event, right here in Bristol.
UKCGF is organised my Moose Events and is at the:

UWE Exhibition and Conference Centre

R2-D2, R2-XL, R5-D4 & R2-TK

Paul will also be bringing along his own hand built
'B9 Robot' from the original 'Lost in Space' TV series.

Which has recently had some upgrades.

The event has been held here before and is always well attended.
Looking forward to attending and catching up with the other R2 guys.

I'm only able to attend Saturday, but the others will be there both days.

Event report to follow......

Force Friday 3 - The Rise of Skywalker - Droid Factory set

So last week was.......

Myself and Paul (and the droids) had planned on attending our local Disney Store, but due to a change of plans, this didn't happen.

Being a droid fan, I was excited to see the new Droid Factory 4 figure set, released (in the USA) in connection with the new film 'The Rise of Skywalker'.

A fellow club member is at Disney and sent these great pictures of the new box set. Thanks to Nik H. D-0 has already been seen, but the other three are 'new' R5-2JE, R6-LE5 & R2-SHP.

And here's the rear of the box.

The rear pictures feature the actual toy figures, rather than in the past, they have shown pictures of the actual droids.

Another group member, let me know that there's a UK Facebook group organising a list to purchase these for UK people, so I should be able to get hold of these in a few weeks.