R2-D2 Teeces dome LED’s

September 2023

Mike wanted to reinstall his Teeces LED’s in his R2 dome again. This was after his last set of logic’s from DP, got ripped out when wires dropped and got caught in the dome gear.

So I uninstalled the DP set and made a start on cleaning things up. I made up some cardboard templates for the holes, marked the position and drilled into the resin DJ Design components using a manual hand drill and a 3.5mm drill bit. I cut down some 20mm long M3 threads and screwed on a nut to depth required. I then fitted them through the cardboard template into the pre filled holes with Araldite epoxy glue. I then fitted the screens to help with alignment.

The three Holoprojectors required new location holders, so they were sent to the printer.

I also needed to print two new PSI board holders, after a slight design modification for a better fit.

Whilst these were printing, i made a start on connecting up the cables and wiring the switches back in.

Cables and switches done. Second switch is now for controlling the holoprojectors independently.

Just waiting on them being delivered.

Another happy customer 🙂👍🏽

R5 damage repair update

I needed a new Shoulder Hub to replace the one that partially broke [edged lip]. So got online to DJ Design and order a new set. These arrived in a few days looking great!

I've not ordered any of his 'new' revised components before as these were produced after I already had bought mine a few years before. They use less resin material on the un-seen areas, but still retaining strength. The finish of them is also better than the set I had before, not that there was anything wrong, but it is stated that with moulds you can get air holes, which my last set did have. Not that this bothered me as it just added to the worn, pitted, used Droid look. But this set has minimal to non what-so-ever!!

Link to DJ's shoulder hubs DJ Designs

So after a warm soapy water wash and fully dried, I got on with primer spray. I only sprayed up the face as, well, this is the only part you'll see.

Here's after primer, silver and clear coat.

Two slightly different angles in these pictures. My spraying is the cause of the 'crinkle' effect you can see in the upper area's of the hubs. I like doing this as it gives it the worn, corroded look and feel. Also helps when it comes to weathering the parts.

R5 damage repair!!

The high's and lows of droid building.....

You know when you think your in control but gravity reminds you your not!

Well that's what happens when a three wheeled unit rolls down a slope.....turns and falls over....in slow motion.

List of things that broke/broke off:

• Shoulder horse shoe [it is a removable item]
• One half moon crescent - popped off.
• Shoulder hub - smashed edges.
• Dome bearing [lazy suzan type]
• Split Outer Feet shells [both]

I was in shock, fearing the worst, but once righted, and given the once over, R5 was back in action. Luckily he had turned and his fall was broken [no pun intended] by bush's. The foot shells damage was caused by the weight/force on them as he tipped over. Obviously they're not designed to take ANY weight on them as such.

I had to disconnect the dome motor as thankfully R5's dome locking nuts kept his head on, but the force of the fall, twisted and pulled apart the domes bearing race, there were bearings everywhere lol. I managed to press the two pieces a bit closer together, but they had separated and short of some proper tools, this wasn't going to happen.

So if you notice R5's dome doesn't look like it's on right in the MCM Birmingham photos, now you know.

So this week has been spent repairing the shells, with glass fibre and wood filler.

The black tape was very strong in holding the panels together.

The legs showed paint had cracked so sanded and fixed these. The horseshoe took most of the damage, but again, this was fixable with wood filler, sanding and painting. A new bearing race was ordered and refitted as well as a new set of shoulder hubs from DJDesign.

These just need spraying and for refitting back into R5.

Bad Motivator - upgrade work in progress 2.2

I found a red cap that I'll use instead of the diffuser, for the red LED.

The Back Plate I thought was too long, so I then trimmed it down and cut angles onto the edges, as per my sketches I made from watching ANH film, pausing it and zooming in on it,  this plate needs to be fixed and bonded into place.

Spent a lunchtime soldering up some new wire for the LED, switch & battery holder.

I got to test my handywork…… Nothing! What the……. :(

Thankfully or not, it wasn't my workmanship, but the N Size battery holder contact?? The spring cripped contact wasn't making a circuit, though you could see that it was!?!?!

So late last night, I re-wired this end by soldering the wire directly onto the spring end.

And now my Motivator is Bad, lol.

Left picture was with the camera flash, the right picture without camera flash lol.

Once I've prepped the dome cone for primer and if time, white and red pie panels…….no, I'm getting ahead of myself, not enough time before the weekend's display event…… 

So for now, I'll just fit the Motivator into his Pie Hole :).

Don Jarr's R2D2 resin parts available on Ebay, see link below.

Don's Place.

R5-D4's Head 3.6 - Bad Motivator work......

Found M12 studding, nuts and suitable washers.

The studding fits up and through the middle of the Motivator, with the mesh removed, a washer and nut are fitted in place.

Cut off lower section of the Motivator, as how it is to be mounted, it would of protruded to much out of the Dome. Once I'd measured how long I needed the studding to be, it to was cut to length.

Drilled out a plate of aluminium [work scrap piece] and this will be screwed to the inside of the dome. The M12 studding will then bolt to this, making it [hopefully] extremly secure, against little hands trying to grab it!

Eventually I hope to make the Motivator able to 'POP-UP' like in the film, but for now, it will be fixed in place, semi protruding, out of R5's head.

Bad Motivator - upgrade work in progress 2.0

Continuing on from previous post regarding my/R5's 'bad' motivator. I took apart the three main assembled pieces. I then had to remove a piece of molding that was going to be in the way :( I've kept it as I can re-attach it in a new place later.

Next I had to file a flat on/into the top dia, so that the 'heatsink' pad would sit flat. I then drilled a new hole where I wanted the 'coiled' piece to be. I need to make up a new circle piece to go on the stub, but this might not yet be seen, depends how much motivator I have sticking out of R5's head :)

So here's my work so far and the image I found for comparison.

It's not 100% accurate, but it's getting there and I'm a lot happier with how it's looking :)

Bad Motivator - upgrade work in progress

The other day, I found this really close up image of R5's 'bad' motivator.

And it got me thinking back to my original drawings and ideas of how mine should look like. I bought a great resin item when I saw others were using them to and thought about keeping it 'cannon' so to speak, with everyone else's.

My original sketch from zooming in on the TV screen, DVD paused :D

This is how mine looks, but am going to attempt to re-jig it to look like the above image.

http://r5-d4astromechdroid.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/r5-d4s-motivator-13.html

R5-D4's Motivator 1.3

For part 1.2, which was only spraying up silver, go to this post

I used Humbrol black tinned paint and using a brush, did a process called dry brushing, over the parts of the Motivator. This helps to pick out the high point details and also dulls down the  silver paint, hopefully to give it a charred/burned look.

I cut a piece of coated wire and then fed it through two holes, one near the top and the other into the side of the 'stump'. These were then glued in place. Next I drilled a hole through the 'heat sink' (again, for want of a better word) into the 'stump'. This was then pinned and glued in place.  I then added some extra electronic components I'd saved and glued these in place.

The mesh is not fixed in place yet, I need to sort out internals for fixing to the Dome and also to stop little fingers from pushing it deeper inside lol

I then went and re-painted with more black paint, made it really dirty :)

Body Skin 3.5 Body work, all over

The other day I started cutting out the slot's in the side vent.

You can just see them on the right of the picture.

Next I marked up and cut out some more perforated metal sheet,

that will be used behind these side vents as these are very weak by themselves.

SHOULDER HOLES

I applied watered down PVA glue to the cut hole edges, then used some more P40 resin in the gap around the shoulder disc (shoulder disc has been removed in these pictures). Then later I started to add wood filer.

Used the left over resin by applying it to the back of the vent 'pocket' back.

Whilst all that was drying off, I cut out the second hole for the shoulder disc.

No mistakes this time!!

I cut well inside the line, then repeatedly offered up the disc, locating it on the bolts, till it fitted and the clearance around it looked right.

Other work done:

I sanded the wood filler on the recessed panels again.

Primed and blue sprayed up the second pocket vent backing plate (this one will go on the rear of the body). 

R5D4'S BAD MOTIVATOR

Bought a new silver spray can so sprayd up the second rear Coin Return & the components that make up the Motivator.

Motivator bits [top of picture], rear Coin Return No2 [bottom of picture]

PANEL WORK

Lastly, I had time to recess the panel next to where the Coin Slots go.

 

The left picture shows the panel scored ready to be carved out. the right pictue shows job done, and with watered down PVA glue applied, to seal. This also helps to stop the wood soaking up the spray paint :)

Yellow shows work done

R5-D4's Motivator 1.1

Grey primer sprayed up the bits.

Applied more primer onto the area's not previously sprayed up.

I've been thinking about the Motivator being chrome painted. I've seen this done and it does look good, and I was intending to spray it up this colour. But now I think I've decided against, [stick with my original idea], on the grounds that it would look too flash and 'new' for what is supposed to be an old & battered R5 Unit.

R5-D4's Motivator - modifications 1.0

Found my old sheet of gauze that I bought for my Stormtrooper 'nose' vents. It's now looking a bit rusty.....which is great lol.

I cut out a piece and finding a correct size piece of bar, shaped it over it so that it will fit in the end of my Motivator.

It is flat, but looks curved, once fixed in and inside painted up this won't show.....much lol

R5-D4's Motivator - Bought Item!

Early birthday present came the other day, from the wife ;-), R5's motivator! Purchased from Don Jarr (via e-bay).

http://www.donjarrs-place.com/

Had originally drawn up ideas to make my own Motivator, search my labels for past posts. Then I saw a picture of of a Motivator on another R5, sprayed up silver (picture below). And was impressed!! So, adding to the continuity of the Motivator, I decided that this would be a nice touch.

Chromed Motivator [not my R5]

I will go down a slightly different finish route, as my Motivator will show years of use. So it will be dirty........... well it had blown! ;-D

I'm also planning on adding a Mesh grill to the top bore & a long locking bar to fit down through the motivator to hold securly inside R5's dome.