10 Year anniversary of R5’s build completion

As we like to say, no droid build is ever REALLY completed lol. But when all the pieces are there and he’s motorised & moving (and cleared), we call that the completed build stage.

2024 marks 10 years since I finished building R5!

That same year also marked his first event:

And some other milestones.

Two pairs of decorated shoes:

A pair of wedges for everyday wear

I also made some ‘droid callers’, which buzzed when button was pressed.

All the links to these other projects, can be found in the tabs at the top of the page, as they have their own Pages.

Han Solo costume for my Son........'never tell me the odds!'

Posted up the other day about new project for my Son. With things going on plus not having the time or funds to dedicate fully to this project, nothing more than research, happened [2014].

Well, with the film release of The Force Awakens last Dec, my two youngest cosplayers need's were re-ignited lol. My daughter, 8, is happy to just have a bought Rey outfit, which is OK, phew, but I'll add extras to make her outfit a bit special. Jacob tho is a different matter being older lol.

So been searching and updating my links, knowledge again and a friend (Karen, who I made SW shoes for) has offered to help with the making & teaching me how to sow with a sowing machine, again. Last sowing machine i used i was 11 at school lol. I can sow/stitch by hand tho, another little skill taught me by my late Mother x

Being on some great forums, gives you access to a wealth of knowledge, and this has helped enormously!! Also links to Cosplayer 'build' blogs etc.

This outfit will be as accurate as possible, but also practical for young person to be wearing and on a tight'ish budget! One big saving is the Stormtrooper belt & drop boxes, as he'll be able to borrow mine off my TK armour, just needs a belt adjustment lol.

Karen was kind enough to go looking for suitable material for the jacket this weekend and am waiting a sample for the 'blood stripes' for the trousers.

More to follow......

R5-D4's Droid Caller - 1.5 Complete.......for now.

Managed to finish off a few little extra bits I wanted to add to complete my & Magnus's Droid Callers. There are few slight differences, mainly because I wanted to be able to tell em apart when they were apart hahahaha.

I just need to install the battery, buzzer and solder them all up and Magnus' will be already to post.

R5-D4's Droid Caller - 1.4 **UPGRADE**

After being asked if I could make another droid caller. I decided that I needed to upgrade mine lol. So whilst working on the new one, I stripped mine down and masked off the electric bits, ready for primer.

 

Next was a silver coat, once dried, followed by a matt black coat. This is so 'wear & tear' will reveal the silver, to give it the worn look.

And here it is, re-assembled.

not the best picture I know lol

I think I might go for an upgrade part 2 with the top piece being longer and adding the screws lol.......

Droid caller for 'Misson Orange'

After posting up about my Droid Caller last week, I was asked if I could make another.

Magnus, over in Germany, is a one man force for good!

He raising funds for Sternenbrücke children`s hospice 

(link to the English page version)

which is a worthy cause!

He has attended events and raised lots, not just as

'Orange Charity Gunner'

but also a few other characters from film & Sci-fi.

And for all you badge fans out there, he has two available to buy. So you can get these and support his cause.

R5-D4's Droid Caller 1.3 - Buzzer

Well, my buzzer (if you can call it that) arrived the other day, I had to hocked it up straight away and.........................SQUEEEEEEK!

What the...... I know it's description states 'Piezo' but also states 'buzzer'......well, SQUEEEEEK does not sound like buzzzzzzz :(

So have ordered another, different type of 'buzzer'. Let's hope this one is more to my liking.

Second buzzer came Thursday and on me arriving home, immediately  hooked it up to test. Aaaaaaaaah, much buzzer........I mean better :D lol.

Well, its not like the film version, but it buzz's better will do the job well.

Today in work I soldered up the buzzer to battery and switch.

And here it is :)

Once all inside the buzzer sound is dampened down a bit more so is not to over powering :-)
Video with sound of buzzer

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.2 Soldering components together begins

Still waiting for my buzzer component to arrive, but in the mean time I got on with soldering up the switch to battery holder.

As you can see, for now, I've covered the hand grip with gaffer tape. Might stick with this as it looks make-shift & used......which is how I like things :D

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.1

So, last night I figure out how to fix and fit my droid caller together.

The bottom piece was marked, drilled and tapped thread to an M5.
A bolt then holds it on (not visiable in the picture below).

Next was making a hole for the momentary push button. This I did in the outer tube and then I made a slot in the inner tube to accomadate the rear part of the button. I then drilled another hole for the second 'button'. A slot was cut into the inside tube to allow the pin part to slide in.
A star clip holds it all in place. 

I then found (always keep things lol) a D-ring clip. Can't remember where I saved them off, had two. Drilled a hole and after I found a nice bolt with a square nut to secure, fitted this in place at the rear of the caller.

I think I'll cover the outer plastic with black gaffer tape.

As the texture I like the look & feel of.

Last, but not least, the block was milled (groove), drilled & countersunk. The M5 thread theme was continued into the top part so that the screw bolted it all together.

Now just waiting for my buzzer to arrive and mini 12v battery holder unit.

R5-D4 Droid Caller - 1.0

This is my attempt at making a Droid caller for R5. I read about a version made using light sensitive switches, that were installed inside and when pointed at the Astromech, it would emit a squeal {like in the film} and would also deactivate the Droid!

I don't know how far, if at all, I'll be able to go with that, lol,
but for now I'll settle for one hanging off my belt.

I'm going along the lines of the version recognised by most (I hope),

as the one clipped  on Han Solo's belt.

I'm using two sizes of PVC tubing, fitting one inside the other. This was my original idea, which I had to stick with but moddified to incorporate the new top part. I machined up an end cap for the bottom, made from some scrap aluminium in work (half hour). And then machined up a top piece (hour turning time) & A brass pin to go inside it.

I drew up some plan's on how to fix it all together.

I already bought a suitable momentary push button from eBay.

And I've also looked for a buzzer to be fitted to activate on the button being pressed.

And found some other metal fittings for the other 'buttons'.

Work so far.

[The top piece I've made shorter]