June 24, 2011

Lower Vent Surround

The works milling machine is now set up & 'free' again. So drilled out centre part. Then milled angle onto back face.
I need to counter sink the two screw holes more to make the back flush across.

Had two minutes to spare so polished up the surrounds outside visable edges.
Next, is to mill out the internal to size.

June 22, 2011

R5's Silver Neck Tape

The other day the postman had left a card say i had a parcel ?? So Friday the wife picked up the parcel from the post office...


I wasnt expecting a parcel! A jiffy bag maybe lol, it was my R5 tape, sent to me by a fellow Astromech.net member [Asher40].



perfect!

June 16, 2011

A busy week

I'v been busy this last week machining the lower front vent surround. Milled it to it's outside dimensions.


Just need to drill & mill out the internal part, then mill the 4 Degree angle on the back face.
Unfortunatly the Milling machine was then out of action for a day or so not wanting to waste any time, started machining up a Restraining Bolt on the lathe.


Then, after finding the part-off tool, parted off and tap an M10 thread in the rear face.


Also this week I've been filling and sanding plugs and other holes in R5's base (where I had had to cut all the way through it), and also covering screw heads.

Have also marked up some templates, for building the centre leg.

June 09, 2011

R5's Skirt update to the last update......

I thought to myself, those angle pieces look a bit close to the edge?? But They were the right'ish angle?? Checked my calculations on the plans........ :-(

When reading the dimensions to cut the four internal side walls. I hadn't looked at the big bold text next to it saying not those, these dimensions.

Due to the thickness of the wood I was using I should of made the side walls shorter!!
So first thing this morning, in work, I cut the side walls down to size. Skirt height is now 2.5" high.

I then started applying filler.

A Light in the Darkness

Just got round to adding this link to a great fan made film!

There is a Face Book page as well. A second film coming out soon.......

June 07, 2011

R5-D4's Skirt **UPDATE**

Whilst paint was drying. I got back on with the skirt. I drilled & screwed the four pieces i'd already cut, onto the skirt base.

Cut out first four corners (only two can be seen here)

I'm going with this idea http://podpadstudior9.blogspot.com/2011/04/body-so-far.html on how to make the skirt. 

thats as far as i got, with the 'free time' i had lol.

Shoulder Disc **UPDATE**

Had a busy family weekend, fortunatly I had Monday off. So managed to do some work on R5. Did a bit more trimming of the top vents internals. Wasnt 100% happy they were sitting squarely.

Sanded the shoulder disc. Sprayed it with primer, then silver paint. This helped show up the bits that needed more filling. I wasnt 100% happy with this first effort, couldnt convince myself it could be 'pitting' from 'wear-n-tear'. So re-sanded a small section, re-sprayed primer & then silver. Much smoother! 10/10 lol. Will be requiring some more primer & silver paint too!

This is the filler. It was cheap and sands easily.

Shoulder Disc, showing un-sanded filler on the left of photo, sanded on the right.

June 03, 2011

R5's Silver Neck Tape

Scrolling through the Astromech.net forum the other day. A member posted that he would like to give something back to the group. He offered sets of the tape that goes around R5-D4's neck, under the 'ladder' piece.
R5's silver neck, behind 'ladder' frame

After a brief & simple email chat, I was fortunate that he still had some sets left and that one would be in the post :-)

Coin Slots - primer

I'd forgotten that the coin slots needed to be sprayed. So I masked off their front faces and sprayed with primer.

June 01, 2011

Primer spraying components 2

Sanded the Ankle Details to clean them up and then gave them a few more coats of primer.

Also re-sprayed the Octogan Port side walls.

I then used araldite to glue the Top Vent internals together. Once dried I'll attache the back plate to them. This will hold the plate in place meaning I wont need to secure it to the rear of the Vent Surround.