Lots of work done......

Ankle Braclet
I cut out a piece of hardboard to fit at the back of the Ankle Braclet. Once sanded I sealed it with watered down PVA glue. It will need re-sanding once dried.

Coin Slot
Before I fitted the Coin Slots back into the body, I painted the visible frame black, that could be seen through the slots.

Leg No2
Sprayed primer over Leg No.2. This helps to show up all the bits that need attention! I wil also need to drill and add a few more stratigic holes to help clamp the pieces tighter together. I did this before then applying more wood filler to gaps and all over where needed.

Horseshoe
Whilst the wood filler was setting on the leg, I started spraying Primer onto horseshoe.

Booster Cover
Masked off the 'blue' on the booster cover and then applied primer over the lower half & in the grooves. Left to dry, then later I sprayed it up blue. Need to buy another small can for finishing off the Octagon Port wall edges.

Shoulder Hub
This resin item had already been cleaned, just not got round to painting it. So on went a few light coats of primer. A few as you want to get the paint in all the corners, without the spray 'running'. Spray, leave, spray a bit more, leave......you get the picture :)

Outer Foot Sheel No1.
I already had this piece cut out. I just needed to cut the angles & it to length. It fits on the back face of the foot [actually the inside part of the foot, where the 'foot battery' sits. I bonded it in place with p40. Ooops, when I taped it up, the piece was slightly too long when I measured to check squareness etc. Luckily I had some scrap wood that was enough to move the piece to make it the right length. And then left it all to set. Next I then cut plastic pipe I had for the curved section. Using my coping saw I cut away most of the board I had left on. I then used my dremel with sanding drum attached, to create the curve.

Coin Slot up-grade 1.2

Started on drilling holes in the back's of the coin slots to accept 4BA screws (smallest suitable thread I could find). These will go through the perforated metal angle [with clearance holes in] and then be screwed to the inside frame upright.

 Positions marked onto the angle.

Coin Slots all drilled and thread tapped.
Just need to cut down in length, the four on the left of picture


This is them starting to be assembled

A few of the clearance bolt holes were off centre, so had to file them up for the screws to fit.

I like the fact you can see the perforated metal through the slots :)

Body Skin 3.7 - Rear Hatch **COMPLETE** & some more front panel grooving

Sanded the wood filler filling the gaps between the skin and second coin return. Then used small paint brush to 'touch-up' the filler. Next was to touch up the red panels around the edges. I added black paint ot the grooves and oter places as 'oil/dirt' marks.

The whole rear hatch was then sprayed with clear sealer & once dried, the Power Coulper was fitted and secured in place with it's bolt.

Grooved out and recessed the panel which will have the Restraining Bolt fitted to it. Also the Front Vent surround groove and also the Utility arms grooved surround.

Then sealed it with watered down PVA glue.

Before I finished up for the night, I bent some perforated metal that was just the right size.
This will be used for fixing the Coin Slots [front view] to it from behind & fixing to the frame.

Coin Slot up-grade 1.1

Whilst looking at R5's skin the other day, I realised that my coin slots would have to be modified, as they would stick out from the body/skin to much. My coin slots were made to the R2 club spec plans, but due to my frame's up-right's position being in the way and R5's skin thickness being less thick, I need to make these changes for them to fit right.

So I disassembled the coin slots, by removing the sel-lok pins holding them in place against the back plate. Then I set each coin slot up in the vice on the Milling machine and milled them down to suitable size for R5's frame.

Then I drilled right through to completely open up the slots. Due to the cutter length, I wasn't able to do this the first time. I then filled the slot ends square.

Up-graded coin slots :D

They still need to be secured in place.


It was late when I got to work on the Skin. So no power tools! Had to use Mr Stanley knife to score and cut through. Then used wood glue to help seal the edges. This took about an hour!


Am thinking of fitting some blue L.E.D.'s behind the slots to shine through. If I do, I'm hoping to  use some perspecs plastic to defuse the glow.

R5-D4 Body & Leg

Wanted an updated picture of build so far. Just the body and leg. Will have to sort a stand so I can fit the centre leg/foot and re-take this picture.

Photo taken on a slight angle to give the right impression of how he should look :).

Leg cut out & painting components.....

1.5hrs to mark out and cut out first main leg. Three pieces thick, two 18mm + one 8mm = 44mm thickness [guide dimension only]

Picture below has the wood template fixed on still, but rain stopped play at this point. I cut out the centre piece's stabiliser socket. I'll use this as a guide to cut out on the other two main pieces

Next, i'll screw the leg pieces together. There is a lot  of shapeing and wood fillering to be done.

~~~

I sprayed up the one Octagon Port, Coin Slots and the top parts of the Ankle Details [and inserts].
All these components had previously been sprayed with white primer. The results were not what I expected. Where as the Cylinders had been primered grey, the 'dark' under coat made the metalic blue the 'shade' I wanted. The white primer made the blue a whole shade lighter!! I had already un-masked the Octagon Port back plate.

The other components I might re-mask, re-prime in grey and re-spray in blue to get the shade I want. As for the Octagon back plate, this one might have to stay this shade and be fitted to R5's rear.

I then spent another hour shaping the octagon port walls, cutting out a cylinder wedge side template out of cardboard, cleaning off tape residue on coin slot face.

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.

Coin Slots - assembled

Thursday in work, I finished off the coin slots. Drilled holes in the pre-marked backing plate. Then positioned the centre lines on the backs of the coin slots under the holes and using a pillar drill, dilled into them. I then hammered in 'sel-lok pins' through the plate to secure the clots in place. Then I peened the pin ends over to secure. Not a pretty sight lol, I'll cover these over later.

Friday I was out with the family at a local event to watch the Royal Wedding. But in the back on my mind was a nagging thought. Were the base dimensions correct???
So that evening, I had to reassure myself that I had drawn them up in the correct position, as everything get's built around these!!

PHEW!! They were. Also the arms I' marked up, also fitted (length). It's one thing to follow a set of plans, but following more than one with a few 'modifications' thrown in, makes things......... interesting lol :-D

Coin Slots - Machined Pt2

Got in work at 7am today. As wanted to crack on with milling the rest of the angles and the coin slots.
Managed to break one slot milling cutter :-D lol and I was only taking a small cut as well.

Machined Coin Slots

Just need to drill and tap/drill and pin them onto the support plate.

I'm thinking about leaving the rads in the slots ??
I don't have a problem filing them out square, but thought it might me a nice touch, saying as the R5's were supposed to be a 'cheep' model.

Comments welcome please.

Coin Slots - Machined Pt1

Managed to start machining up the coin slots at lunchtime. Cleaned up all the rough faces and put on the first side angles.

Machined, part 1.

Coin Slots

Cut the rest of the 'coin slot' blanks out, just need to machine them up.

Cut two lower side supports for the side flat parts of the body.

Coin Slots

On my lunchtime today I started working on a coin slot.

These I'll attempt to make individually and attach them to a back plate.