Flag Banners: DIY Build (not yet completed)

April 2024:

I had an idea to utilise a load of PVC tubing i had in the garage. By turning them into flag banners. I went with the pivoted top that would move in the winds direction, hopefully preventing it from being blown over.

So I drew up and 3D printed the top piece first to check for size.

When I got home, I tested it out, i then drilled through the banner arm, and secured it to the pivot top with pop rivets.

As an example I knocked up this to see what it would look like.

Thinking I might need a bottom arm to hold the banner down.

I did drew up some rings and 3D printed them for the flag pole for the banner to be attached to, but I think the arm is a better option.

Spoke with the group about printing double sided & looked online, not very cheap though. Then I found a shop on Amazon, considerably cheaper!

Messaged Mike if he could modify a higher resolution image, he said leave it with him…..

I found that the PVC tube was a bit too flexible, but I found some smaller diameter tube which fitted perfectly inside, which helped with rigidity.

I drew up an angled bracket to help support the top arm.

October 2024: not yet completed.

Prusa 3D files: account update

 Just added the following to my Prusa account:

• 4 coin display stand
• 2 coin display stand
• openr2-r5-d4-original-eyes
• Nut location holder
• Another Greeblie panel

Click the follow button on my accounts for updates

Mike’s been building Droids again

Mike’s been busy these last few weeks (September 2022) building a static two legged Astromech for an upcoming display.

He re-purposed one of his R2 domes for this project, used foot shells he hadn’t used, then made up a frame, legs, battery boxes out of wood. 3D printed details and then assembled everything together.

Once painted it was time to REALLY weather him. He asked me if I could make some lights up, nothing perfect, just something to blink as this droid needs ‘fixing’.

So I 3D printed off some of my own FLD (holed) units and got to soldering up some LED’s.

Not bad soldering

First set I only added two flashing LED’s as was all I had to hand. Ordered some more and these will go into this and the second set.

Mike asked me to make up another motor shaft adaptor for his dome motor cog. This I machined out of Brass.

Another display logo : Droid Builders UK

Got asked if I could design up a ‘club’ logo that could fit on the trading card stand.

I wanted to get as many droids on the display as possible, but realistically, I was only able to get three on at a reasonable size. So, R4,R5 & R2 domes (which I had already drawn up 😀 made the choice simple.

The colours shown are just to highlight the raised design.

I’ll be posting these up as well, onto my Prusa page.

Trading Card Display stand - Vic Matos : additional logo panels

After posting up my R5 logo display panel for Vic Matos trading card display,

l got asked if I could design up an R2-D2 one.

Next up was similar versions for other droids:

Nik H’s R5, but not an R5:

Mike B’s R4, KN-B1:

And another one for Mike’s other R2 dome:

These were drawn up in AutoCAD Inventor 3D program (works). And teach one only took about 30mins to design.

Trading Card Display stand - Vic Matos

Been meaning to design up a stand for events to display our trading cards and found the answer on Thingiverse, created by Vic Matos (click his name to go to his profile).

I didn't need three holders, so just printed off two. But I wanted something to fill in the gap, so I drew up this display panel.

I created it in two layers and combined in Cura to print off in the two colours. I didn't have to because the red and black layers don't overlap. I then printed two card holders and finally, the main holder (red), I printed overnight.

Came out pretty good.

3D Printed Coin Display Stand x3

As I've mentioned before, having things tucked away in boxes, means that you forget what you actually have.

I had to get another one of my pin badges to put in the new display stand, and whilst in the box containing it, I found the UK R2-D2 Builders Club coin from Celebration Europe 2016!

So I measured it up and modified the stand, link to previous Blog post, to a three coin version. I'll share the file on my Thingiverse page soon.

side view, showing lean angle

3D Printed Badge Display's

 I wanted a display stand for my 26mm O/D pin badges. This one was my first test print but second design idea.

This stand has printed holes for the backing pins to fit through. The pins weren’t all in the same position though. So for the file release version, I’ll remove these holes. Simply press the pin into a piece of paper and then position it in the recess, then drill your hole, large enough so that the second spike part also fits through. I had to use a small piece of rubber sheet on the rear as one of the pins clasp wasn’t tight enough, but the others wouldn’t of fitted if the print was thicker.

Next up was to convert the design for two & one pin badge versions.

Link to my Thingiverse page,

.................where these will be going up on soon.

Mini project: Toolbox Display banner carrying straps

 Back to cutting & sewing.

As mentioned in previous post, I wanted something that could hold R5’s display banner to the toolbox for ease at events. I did a few sketches and settled on this simple design. I only have one display, but this can be extended to two, possibly three, depending upon the weight.

Dug out the strap webbing I had bought for the dome bag project. This was used for the handles. Took some measurements and started cutting up & stitching them together.

And here is the start of ...... ‘it’.....

Did some more planning and then added the second strap. Double stitch by hand for this test piece.

Ordered some pieces as I couldn’t put my hands on items I know I have....stored somewhere lol. I did find them eventually, but they were just leftovers lol only one side of the snaps.

New ones coming soon. Next was making the second strap parts of this project......

I measured up a length and then cut up two  small ‘loops’. These will be for the main strap. They are stitched together and fixed in place on the main strap.

The banner bag wouldn’t be in place when wanting to open the toolbox. And the straps move and don’t restrict the lid opening.

The snaps came today, so got on with fitting them.

And this is the lower strap in place.

Next then was to fit the upper strap and mark the single snaps location. And here it is.

And here’s the finished banner holder fitted on the toolbox.

Really happy with how this has turned out. Next is to modify the design to accommodate multiple banners.

Thingiverse page - James R5-D4

Since creating my Thingiverse page, it’s inspired me to design more and (I hope) they are useful 3D designs.

Click link to my page which has the Trading Card Dispenser,

'Y' smoke tube adapter, mini pumpkin brackets, Frankenstein neck bolts,

trading card display stands and lots more.

Vintage Futaba Antenna - Ribbon indicator 1.1

Way back in January of this year I posted up my search and 3D printed design for the antenna ribbon indicator clip. There are two types, but this was the first one I found and so drew it up. See link below for previous post on this topic.

Click these link's to Vintage Futaba Antenna - Ribbon indicator 1.0 and also this link to my Thingiverse account & the ribbon clip.

I've been searching online over these months looking for an authentic blue ribbon, as seen in the above picture. I found one but the price was a bit much! So I picked up some blue ribbon off eBay, that matched as close as possible, to tide me over till I actual find a vintage one at a reasonable price.

I just need to cut it to a suitable length for the display unit.

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.

Here's the QR code if not viewable on the above picture.

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,

for MCM Comic Con.

R5-D4 Trading Cards & DIY Display Stand

Since I started my R5 build, my searches for info, pictures etc have revealed a few items dedicated to him. The toy figure, being the most obvious one. I also now own a 'Bad Motivator' hoody and T-shirt. But I'd also come across a few trading card game cards, which led me back to the original film, cards.

A quick eBay search and Amazon too, revealed five different cards. So I found/bought the six. (Six, yes, one I bought two of lol). Next I wanted to display them, so came up with this idea.....

 The material is perspex and machine's well, I used a Milling machine to cut the slots, though you could just as easilly use a drill or dremel?? You just have to keep it cool so it doesn't melt. I then spaced out the slotted pieces and glued them in place with regualar super glue. The Galictic Hero R5 is not glued down, might do in the future.

 And here are my cards (so far). The two blue boarder ones are vintage 1977 cards. The far right is a modern trading card one (this is the one I have two of) The two middle ones are trading card game cards. And the bottom one, which is the same image as top left card is one made for the Japaness market. These are not all 'specific' R5-D4 cards, but they have rare images of him on these types of cards and thought it would be cool to have them. There's one or two cards I've see that I'm still after, I'll post these up in another post. 

Picture above shows the reverse of the cards.