R5-D4's Body Skin 1.8 Rear Hatch upgrade :D

Been looking at R5's rear hatch and my attempt at a separate lower section panel.The wood curved and kept it's shape well, when it was a solid piece. But since cutting out the Power Coupler and Coin Return slots, it has become much weaker! Rather than attempt to add extra strengheners behind to help keep it's curve, I am going to remove it completely and combine it all onto the rear hatch. As like most normal people have done :P lol.



Measured up and marked out new rear hatch. Cut notches out for hinges.



Drilled and screwed, hinge side, of rear hatch skin to hatch frame. Then bent skin around & clamped other end to skin frame.  Then used my straps and a clamp to hold the skin around the frame, then drilled & screwed in place. Marked edge to then trim to fit. Drilled & pressed in some panel pins to help shape the edges of the panels. All these & the screws, I am planning on hiding with filler.


I removed the magnet locking as this wasn't allowing the hatch's skin to sit flush with the main body. Also need another locking/closing mechanism.

Rear Hatch

Rear Hatch

Am not happy with the hinges being visible, so my intention is I am going to move them to be hidden under the skin. Then fill in the notched areas with resin. As you can see in the top picture (taken this morning), the hinges now don't allow the hatch to fully close ??