R5-D4: Update May/June 2023

Update from May 29th 2023

June:

TCD Control box update:

The new relay arrived, last month (May), but didn’t get a chance to do any work on the new 3D housing as work (that pays me lol) was really busy with deadlines before I was then away for a week.

I modified the base and lid to accommodate the relay & printed them out. See previous post here.

Here’s a picture and link for the new relay from Model Radio Workshop:

(Im not affiliated with this or any other sites that I link too)

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.

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.

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.

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

Weathering 1.3 - Body, Leg, Outer Foot and Battery Box

My attempt at weathing R5's body. Started next to the fitted rear hatch and worked my way round. The Leg got in the way so moved onto this lol. This then led down to the Battery Box. I then turned him round and carried on with the Body, working down to his skirt (no pics yet).

I got round as far as the Centre Vent's but didn't take pictures, will do for next post.

This is by no means perfect, not that it's supposed to be, just my interpretation.

Braided Hose's set No.2

With everything else I'd forgotten about my second set of Braided Hose's. I'd test fitted the securing screw into the hose ends to keep them in place in the Knurled Hose Fittings and then put them away in a storage box. So here they are masked up and ready for 'Brass' spraying.

Brass????? ....................Yes, brass.

Technically they should be a 'copper' colour, but I liked the colour and it will help to be one of the 'key items' to look out for when people see an R5 in picture on the internet lol.

And sprayed up.

The camera flash make's it look like the ends haven't been sprayed, but they have.

I then clear coated the hose and the Knurled end fittings.

It's all white.......part 2

This morning, early start, finished sanding wood filler on recessed panel, and on the battery box. Then applied some more Satin White all over.

Next the shoulder horseshoe needs sanding and more white.

Then once dried, the vents will get masked off for spraying up Silver.

R5's weigh's how much!?!?!

Centre Foot & Leg
Way back in 2012, after finishing his centre foot (leg) build, i weighed it.
The weight was 4Kg's [foot shell, internals inc. wheel and the whole of the centre leg]

The recent upgrades i've made, inside cut-out of foot shell [see above], new lighter tho larger scooter wheel; internal mounting for wheel and brackets to connect to centre leg, may alter the final weight of the centre foot, but I can't see it being by much. So for now I'll use this weight.

Legs
I first weighed both leg's. Fitted with their shoulder disc's and bolts in place, they both weighed excatly the same.....5.5Kg's each!

R5's Dome
I also re-weighed R5's dome. Before the 3 recessed boxes or his dome cone were done, it weighed 4Kg's. After, with the cone & everything else added, eyes, rods etc, it now weighs 6.5Kg's.
I was a bit worried at first, till I read about others (aluminium) domes and their weights! :)

Feet
The feet, which are non motorised just scooter wheels at present, fitted with Battery Box & Braided hose, weigh in at 3.0Kg's each.

R5D4 Body
OK, here goes! The body, without batteries or anything......as he doesn't have electrics yet, weigh's 14.5Kg's.


Total weight of R5 at this stage is...........42 Kg!

It's all white..... Outer Foot, Battery Box No.2's

Sprayed up foot shell & battery box no2, in Plasti-Kote Satin white.

A light sanding all over and I'll then give them another coat.

Assembly - Battery Box No2 with Braided Hose & Outer Foot Shell

Thought I'd share a mock up of the battery box, hose fitted, battery straps & Outer foot shell no2.

Still working on the battery straps, as can be seen, the blue panels are not fixed on yet. And of course it all needs spraying up.

Battery Box No2 - 1.2 & Braided Hose

So grey primer is on. This helps hi-lights all the work still needed to be done :D
More filler where needed along with sanding.

I also got on with finishing off the set of battery straps I started making, last year, when I made the first set for box no.1. The idea being to keep the 'flow' going.......yeah, that worked didn't it!?! lol.

These are simply made up of small pieces of hardboard over lengths of wood strip. Filed pieces and then wood filler inbetween the gaps. The top pieces are seperate, that are pinned & glued to the main strap.

Braided Hose
Cut ends off hose, taped up and fitted wall plugs & screws (test fitting) as still need to be sprayed.

Battery Box No2 - 1.1

20.06.13

Cut the plastic guttering into strips, this helped utilise the curve. These were drilled & pinned in place with panel pins.

Once all pieces were fitted, P40 resin was used inside to stiffen everything up. Filler applied to smooth outside curves.

This is my attempt with available materials I had. For a proper way to build these, view Adam Strawson's amazing R2-D2 Build here.

~~~

**UPDATE**
05.11.13

Drilled the two holes for Knurled Hose Fittings to fit into.

~~~

**UPDATE**

10.01.14

So, with the foot shell No.2 left to dry. I turn my attention back to battery box No.2.

I was planning on doing the same process as before, but this is time consuming lol. So this time I marked the plastic guttering, cut it to length but kept as much of the curved width as possible. I then clearance drilled through into the wood ends. The plastic was then pinned in place with panel pins. The ends were then trimmed with a sander to length.

Next thing that needs making are the clips that the box hangs on/locates on [picture below]. These are just two sets of thin hardboard. With screws into the inside face of the Foot Shell. The Box hangs over the inside of the box.

There's a lower locating pin for the bottom of the box. I found this was needed as once the hose's are fitted, they 'kick-out' the battery box from the foot shell.

So here's the battery box, so far. It's not a pretty sight, but it will look a lot better once finished.....honest :D

Wood filler in all the gaps, grooves etc. once dried, sanding & primer time.

Battery Box No2 - 1.0

I already had the ends cut out from when I built the first Box. But wanted to build the first one and if it worked out or didn't I could change Box no2 accordingly.

Stacked, drilled and screwed the end pieces together from the inside this time, ground the ends off, then applied some wood filler.

Then measured and cut out the side pieces. Pinned and bonded, on the inside, to the end panels.

Next, the curved surfaces......

I give you........R5-D4

So, this morning, the kids were out doing 'activities' and the wife was out too, and to top it all the SUN was out shining and the wind was still.

Didn't take two seconds to realise, now was my chance to 'do' some work on R5.

So I assembled R5, legs, feet, 'aluminium' strip to feet channels, battery box on to check for clearance etc.

Whilst assembling, a gentlman walking his dog, by himself, said [to himself or his dog], 'Look, it's R2-D2!' So I was chuffed it was recognisable, then a bit miffed he got it wrong! hahaha :D.

Test fitting of outer foot internal to leg

Then on with the rest of the legs and feet.

 

And the pictures you and I have been waiting for............

R5-D4 standing on his own three feet.

This shot show's Foot No.2 is still a W.I.P.
I didn't fit the booster cover etc or the horseshoe.

This shot shows R5-D4's rear, rear hatch, opening into his outer foot

And back round to the side.

Close up of the Battery box fitted.

 

 

 

I also fitted the fake aluminium strips to the channels of the feet. They are screwed in place and these will need a spot of paint on them.

And here is the 'trimming' I had to do so the legs would fit into the channel of the internal foot channel.

This leg still needed trimming, but this time along the thick part of it. As it was touching the shell. Found this out when the leg and foot were assembled and the wheels weren't sitting flat on the floor.

Braided Hose - the SAGA continues

Wasn't 100% happy with the fit of my first attempt with the 'real copper' braided hose. As the gap around the hose and the hole in the knurled fitting was to large for my liking.

So saw these the other day and thought I'd try them, (sprayed up, of course).

 

 

Well, I wasn't to happy with the colour, 'Brass', it was the only colour they had in the shop, less so of the fact the paint leaked out all over the can & my hand!

First i had to cut off the ends. Then trimmed the plastic tube inside. Although this didn't work, so I drilled out the Knurled fittings so the hose would fit properly inside.

Drilled out the second set of Knurled hose fittings to accept the braided hose. Used a drill bit to line them up in the small vice, before counter drilling them with a drill bit suitable to accept the hose. I'll fix the hose into the knurled fittings later.

Finished spraying the first pipe with brass spray, although it does look more gold than brass lol, this will get weathered down......a lot!

For the second hose I crushed the ends in the vice, this time, to release the hose end fittings.
Taped them up to prevent the braid from fraying and then started spraying them up in erm....brass.