May 30, 2014

R5-D4's Droid Caller - 1.5 Complete.......for now.

Managed to finish off a few little extra bits I wanted to add to complete my & Magnus's Droid Callers. There are few slight differences, mainly because I wanted to be able to tell em apart when they were apart hahahaha.
Droid CallerDroid Caller

I just need to install the battery, buzzer and solder them all up and Magnus' will be already to post.

May 29, 2014

R5-D4's Droid Caller - 1.4 **UPGRADE**

After being asked if I could make another droid caller. I decided that I needed to upgrade mine lol. So whilst working on the new one, I stripped mine down and masked off the electric bits, ready for primer.
Droid Caller Droid Caller
Next was a silver coat, once dried, followed by a matt black coat. This is so 'wear & tear' will reveal the silver, to give it the worn look.

And here it is, re-assembled.
Droid Caller
not the best picture I know lol

I think I might go for an upgrade part 2 with the top piece being longer and adding the screws lol.......

May 27, 2014

Droid caller for 'Misson Orange'

After posting up about my Droid Caller last week, I was asked if I could make another.
Magnus, over in Germany, is a one man force for good!
He raising funds for Sternenbrücke children`s hospice 
(link to the English page version)
which is a worthy cause!


He has attended events and raised lots, not just as
'Orange Charity Gunner'
but also a few other characters from film & Sci-fi.


And for all you badge fans out there, he has two available to buy. So you can get these and support his cause.

May 23, 2014

R5-D4's Droid Caller 1.3 - Buzzer

Well, my buzzer (if you can call it that) arrived the other day, I had to hocked it up straight away and.........................SQUEEEEEEK!

What the...... I know it's description states 'Piezo' but also states 'buzzer'......well, SQUEEEEEK does not sound like buzzzzzzz :(


So have ordered another, different type of 'buzzer'. Let's hope this one is more to my liking.

Second buzzer came Thursday and on me arriving home, immediately  hooked it up to test. Aaaaaaaaah, much buzzer........I mean better :D lol.

Well, its not like the film version, but it buzz's better will do the job well.
Droid Caller
Today in work I soldered up the buzzer to battery and switch.

And here it is :)
Droid caller

Droid callerDroid caller
Once all inside the buzzer sound is dampened down a bit more so is not to over powering :-)
Video with sound of buzzer

May 19, 2014

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.2 Soldering components together begins

Still waiting for my buzzer component to arrive, but in the mean time I got on with soldering up the switch to battery holder.
Droid CallerDroid Caller

As you can see, for now, I've covered the hand grip with gaffer tape. Might stick with this as it looks make-shift & used......which is how I like things :D

May 16, 2014

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.1

So, last night I figure out how to fix and fit my droid caller together.
The bottom piece was marked, drilled and tapped thread to an M5.
A bolt then holds it on (not visiable in the picture below).

Next was making a hole for the momentary push button. This I did in the outer tube and then I made a slot in the inner tube to accomadate the rear part of the button. I then drilled another hole for the second 'button'. A slot was cut into the inside tube to allow the pin part to slide in.
A star clip holds it all in place. 

I then found (always keep things lol) a D-ring clip. Can't remember where I saved them off, had two. Drilled a hole and after I found a nice bolt with a square nut to secure, fitted this in place at the rear of the caller.

I think I'll cover the outer plastic with black gaffer tape.
As the texture I like the look & feel of.

Last, but not least, the block was milled (groove), drilled & countersunk. The M5 thread theme was continued into the top part so that the screw bolted it all together.
Droid Caller

Now just waiting for my buzzer to arrive and mini 12v battery holder unit.

May 15, 2014

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.0

This is my attempt at making a Droid caller for R5. I read about a version made using light sensitive switches, that were installed inside and when pointed at the Astromech, it would emit a squeal {like in the film} and would also deactivate the Droid!

I don't know how far, if at all, I'll be able to go with that, lol,
but for now I'll settle for one hanging off my belt.

I'm going along the lines of the version recognised by most (I hope),
as the one clipped  on Han Solo's belt.

I'm using two sizes of PVC tubing, fitting one inside the other. This was my original idea, which I had to stick with but moddified to incorporate the new top part. I machined up an end cap for the bottom, made from some scrap aluminium in work (half hour). And then machined up a top piece (hour turning time) & A brass pin to go inside it.
I drew up some plan's on how to fix it all together.

droid caller - Han Solo style

I already bought a suitable momentary push button from eBay.
And I've also looked for a buzzer to be fitted to activate on the button being pressed.
And found some other metal fittings for the other 'buttons'.

Work so far.
Droid CallerDroid Caller

Droid Caller

[The top piece I've made shorter]

May 14, 2014

***** Events for the UK R2 Builders Club 2014 *****

If you want to catch R2, Artoojayzero, R5, Emy, Zoe and Astromechs
the UK R2 Builders, then check out the


For a recap on past event's attended, click here.

May 13, 2014

Star Wars Shoes 1.3 - finished

Another hour or so Sunday night, to do edging and the finishing touches.......

And hear they are..............



Last request is to have pictures of R5 on the underside of the shoe,
so that will be the final addition, but for now they are finished.

May 12, 2014

Outer Feet - motorisation is on its way 1.2 (small update)

Saturday morning, Mr Postman didn't come bearing gifts :(
So re-checked the delivery date for my wheels. If was earlier than I had originally thought. They should of been with me by 5th/6th, not the 9th/10th as first thought?!?!?

So emailed supplier via eBay. The reply was one of apologies as my order had been missed. Perhaps you shouldn't state items posted until you actually post them!!!

I await a reply.........

May 09, 2014

Star Wars Shoes 1.2

Toe work done to shoe no2.



Another few hours working last night, mostly on the edges, but also got the front done.

Almost finished.
My friend is VERY excited lol.

Outer feet - motorisation is on it's way 1.1

Whilst waiting for my wheels to arrive, (over a week now!) I've been swotting up on build designs for R5's motorised feet. Also been sourcing material for the new internals. I found some scrap brass bar which I machined up to use for spacer tubes for the motor fixing screws. These can be seen bottom of the pic. The motor has a post-it on it for hole location transfere checking.
R5D4 motor
I'm planning on having a go at modifying my original internal frame to accomadate the motor and new wheel. The metal plate strip I'm planning on using to locate the new wheel's axel.

May 08, 2014

Star Wars shoes 1.1

Work on second shoe,
finished off detail to outside face, most work done to inside face....
Star Wars shoesStar Wars shoes
Another fw hours working on both pairs.

Just to recap how I did these. First I read the comic book from cover to cover lol.

I then cut out 'iconic' images, Vader, Han, X-Wings, Tie's, Stormtroopers etc.
Next, I looked for & cut out enlarged text printed, sound effects etc.
These were added on top of the pictures.

This next bit is just me, I selected what I wanted & where I wanted these main images to go.
I then applied the mod podge onto an area of the shoe.
I started at the back along the seem and applied my first piece.
Some of the larger pieces I cut 'bend cuts' into, to help curve to the shoe. I then applied mod podge onto first piece and overlapped with next picture piece.
Just continued all around the shoe.

After she showed all her friends the work in progress pics,
I now I have a request to make a pair of 'Avengers' heels lol.

More to come on the Star Wars heels..............

May 06, 2014

Star Wars shoes 1.0

A female friend of mine 'K', who loves Star Wars, wanted a pair of Star Wars heels.
She found a woman on Facebook, who would decorated shoes.
She had asked me (back in September 2013) if I could do it, but didn't have time
or the know how,to make them in time for when she wanted them.

So she 'ordered and paid' this woman to make/cover a pair of heels with Star Wars pics on them. This process is called decoupage and you use a product called 'mod podge'. After waiting months [longer than originally stated], they never arrived and because it was longer than 3 months, Paypal said there's nothing they can now do!
So I said I'd have a look into how to do it.

She also asked for a pic of R5 to appear on them lol.

Before working on them.... Those keen eyes among you will notice this is an old pic ;D
mod podge star wars heels
R5's NOT to impressued I'm working on something other than him lol.


Here is where I started....
mod podge star wars heels
Pics of shoes, mag and glue

Sunday was May 4th, so as good a day as any to start on K's shoes.
mod podge star wars heelsmod podge star wars heels

mod podge star wars heelsmod podge star wars heels

I had read 'how to' sites but was still not sure if I could do 'random' cutting up??
So deliberatly cutting random, cut-n-paste, is new to me............ 
.............well not since I was in primary school, lol.
The pics are ones sent for progress updates & to confirm she was happy with them.

This took about 3hrs to do and I did manage to start on the other shoe.
mod podge star wars heelsmod podge star wars heels

More to follow.....

May 01, 2014

Outer feet - motorisation is on it's way 1.0

I've managed to save up some cash and have started seriously looking at electric motors & wheels. I sort of know what I'm after, it's just the matching codes for motors with codes for belts and number of teeth etc lol.

I was looking at having chain driven drives, as my thinking was R5 is heavy. But on talking to fellow builders at last weekends event, I was reassured that the normal rubber belts and motors should easily cope. So I've ordered sets of motor's, wheel's & belts......£36 (UK pounds)

Next up will be alxe's & then, new frame internal's for the motor's.