March 29, 2019

New Tool Box....

.....I've been meaning to get myself a proper storage/tool box for events for a while now, as my first two attempts were either not big enough (my first tool box - red) or as in the case of my wheely crate, not strong enough.

This was my first repurposed tool box, which just carried tools in. But as R5 has never needed on site maintanance, except when he had a drive belt snap (C.B), I was carrying everything but the kitchen sink in it. So I now only carry essentials.
R5-D4, tool box

The wheely crate's front stands caught on the edge of a curb and cracked the side along to the joint. This meant it wouldn't support the insert base properly, which bent under the weight of R5's batteries. The batteries & the battery boxes plus other little bits would be carried in this, before it broke.
R5-D4
This weekend the club attended MCM Comic Con in Birmingham. Now, there's not much I can do about having to carry two domes (R4-D4's was going on the display stand), but I also then had three other bags with stuff in to carry from the car to the stand. So decided that 'now was the time' to upgrade my storage/tool box.

A lot of the builders took Lee's lead and bout this type. But at the time I couldn't afford (or justify) the cost. Then the other week I saw one in a local'ish B&Q store (UK). Reduced down to £55.

So yesterday I popped in and was lucky enough to pickup the last one in the store.
This has three main compartments & was just big enough to carry everything I need.

I'll still need to carry the rear hatch, though I have a few ideas to make this a thing of the past as well lol.
After I had arranged everything inside, it was time to add stickers..... first being my own R5-D4 one.
R5-D4 sticker

.....I'll add other sticker pics later..... ;-)

Official Droid Cover for R5-D4 - part 1

Lee has been offering these on his website since last year,
but I'd just not got round to placing my order.


Lee Towersey, R2-D2, Droid Covers




I got round to ordering one last week, a red one obviously, for R5.
These are made to order, so will have to wait a few weeks.



Lee's Droid Covers are available here.


Check out the rest of Lee's website as it has loads of info
about how he started droid building
to his time at event's and how he got into working
in the CFX department for the Star Wars films.

Bristol Comic Con & Gaming Festival - March 30th 2019

......'THESE ARE THE DROIDS YOU'LL BE LOOKING FOR'......
....at tomorrow's event.

R2D2, R5D4, astromech droid, Bristol Comic Con - March 2019
Looking forward to catching up again with fellow builders, some I've not seen in a while, others this will be the first time meeting.
All with the same goal, to build an astromech droid.
The extra plus is that we get to bring them along to events for the public to enjoy.
Bristol Comic Con - March 2019
The UK Garrison, Joker Squade, Podpad Studio's
and loads of others will be attending.
click the link for full list.

www.mooseeventsuk.com

I've still to post up an event report for Birmingham, but have not had free time to.
Will post up both next week.

March 21, 2019

Birmingham MCM Comic Con - Saturday 23rd March 2019

My first event of the year & it's a big one lol.


This months event is being hosted in hall's 10, 11 & 12,
with us (UK R2D2 Builders Club) joining the UK Garrison in hall 12.
MCM Birmingham
Event map.

Link to more info at Brimingham's NEC

We have 14 club members in attendance over the weekend,
to be able to answer your droid quiestions.

(though myself & R5 are only able to attend Saturday)

There should be about 10 dorids,
though this may vary on if some bring more than one lol
UK R2D2 Builders Club, MCM Birmingham, droids
Group picture of last Novembers MCM event.
UK R2D2 Builders Club

New display boards - Futaba & R4-D4 dome

Just one of the many little things I've been meaning to do
is create some display boards.


A brief discription about the Futaba transmitter,
the type used to control R5-D4 in the original scene,
seen below in this picture.


Next display board is for my R4 dome I made.
This has a brief discription about how I made it.
Documented with photo's from the build and a
QR scanable code for a link to the begining of the build.
R4-D4, astromech, droid

Here's the QR code if not viewable on the above picture.
QR code, R4-D4, dome, wood built, astromech, droid

Hopefully this will help visitors to our table explain
how we build these domes in a bit more detail.
I'll be taking both of these along
to the Birmingham NEC this weekend,

March 19, 2019

More R5-D4 stickers

Ordered a new batch of R5-D4 stickers from 'The Sticker App' website.
R5-D4, sticker

Stickers are available via my Etsy page


Hopefully these should arrive before this weekends

Droid Depot in DISNEYLAND’S: GALAXY’S EDGE

Whilst reading this news artical the other day, and scrolling to the end,
look who get's 'displayed' in the Droid Depot image.....an R5 unit with a BB-8 unit.

R5-D4, Droid Depot, Disneyland, Galaxy's Edge

R5's are not been shown much as being one of the droids you can buy, so here's hoping he's actually available.
Droid Depot, Disneyland, Galaxy's Edge

For the full story, click on this link below:

March 13, 2019

Birmingham MCM Comic Con - March 2019



The Club will be attending this event over the whole weekend,
with droids attending either both or one or the other day,
Saturday or Sunday, in my and R5's case,
we'll be there on the Saturday only

The UK R2D2 Builders Club
Last Novembers group photo
Follow the club by clicking on these links

 Facebook, Twitter & Instagram


Lee Towersey - DeAgostini's R2-D2 & Meningitis Now

Lee Towersey is fundraising for Meningitis Now,
with this DeAgustini R2-D2.

As you can see, it was built by himself
and expertly 'painted & weathered' by Henrick.
Both have worked on the Star Wars movies since
The Force Awakens in the CFX Department.
Check out Lee's twitter here.

And the link to the JustGiving page for your chance to win this awesome R2-D2

All for a good cause.......

March 05, 2019

'JamesR5astromech' Etsy shop - March 2019

James' R5-D4 patches - available on Etsy

Stock take the weekend and I only have just over
90 patches left.

I advertise 10 for sale at a time on my page.
I take some while attending events in case someone wants to buy one.

The majority of the patches have been sent to the USA,
Europe & here in the UK.

Patches are still £5.00

Worldwide postage (per patch) is just £2.00
(UK postage per patch is just £1.00)

I also have stickers, which I will continue to get made after all the patches are sold.

These are a limited patch!
Designed and made as I just wanted to create an R5D4 patch.

Once there gone there gone!

James' R5-D4 patches via Etsy (click for link)

March 04, 2019

Meningitis Now - Joanna (R2-JY)

Meningitis Now - Joanna's story

This story, which is close to our club members, went up online last week. Please read and share to help support, thanks.

Click the link below for Joanna's story...

To loose someone is hard enough, but to loose a child.....😢


 Mengitis Now website link

The Smugglers Room - You Tube Channel

Being part of several forums (mostly Star Wars related lol) I came accross a member who had created some amazing pieces, set backdrops etc. He then started his own You Tube channel to show how he made them. Just thought I'd share:



The Smugglers Room is a channel dedicated to building something out of nothing.
We use a large variety of materials and methods to create totally geeked out projects.
We include; 3D printing, electronics, woodworking, CNC carving, and more!

We want our geek-a-fide projects to expose you to as many different approaches to building as we can. We'll take you from concept to finished product and hopefully pass on a few tips along the way.
These videos are our way of providing a little entertainment as well as sharing techniques we have learned over the years from so many great people and projects. We want to share our wild ideas with you, and hopefully inspire you to get out there and build something!



March 01, 2019

Bristol Comic Con & Gaming Festival - March 30th 2019 **UPDATE* No4*

We have another droid signed up for next month's Bristol event.....

Steve with his R2-AC3 unit
Steve's R2-AC3 droid

So that's SIX droids we'll be attending with!



PsyfoolRulez Customz - Solo - a Star Wars Story

He does incredible paint jobs on not only droids, but other model kits as well,
like toy blasters, diaramas & helmets etc.



Yesterday he posted up on Facebook, his set of droids he's recreated using
different model kits, these are NOT the Disney Droid Factory set
you can buy from the Disney store as a four pack!


PsyfoolRulez Customz - Solo a Star Wars Story


These are all pictures he posted up on his Facebook page.
PsyfoolRulez Customz - Solo a Star Wars Story

PsyfoolRulez Customz - Solo a Star Wars Story