Mist system for R5-D4 - 1.0

I've always wanted R5 to have a 'mist' extinguisher system, like R2. I'd thought about this years ago on first seeing on on Mark Enright's 'Zoe' R2 astromech.

But there's always something that's distracted me lol. There are lots of different ways people have come up with in order to 'pull a trigger', 'press the nozzle', some technical, others simple. So as I was on Thingiverse, i had a look which has revived my idea for this project.

I found this servo mounted trigger, designed by 'sliptonic'. So I 3D printed it, on my works printer, and then assembled it.

Instead of screws I push fitted spirol pins in to hold the trigger arm in place, one on each side. I could of used one long pin, but I couldn't find one at the time.

Next up was fitting the trigger arm in place.

I did need to do some trimming so the servo found fit when fitted in the mount, as my servo housing was causing some interference when being bolted down.

Just now waiting on suitable securing bolts and to get hold of a test spray can.

R5-D4 - Bad Motivator Smoke system 1.1

Last October I was looking at making a smoke system for R5's Bad Motivator.

R5-D4 - Bad Motivator Smoke system 1.0

I looked on the R2-D2 forums & Build Blogs for smoke and how to get it [without burning lol]. Then my search went wider on the net to find big, large amounts of smoke. This led me to videos of e-cig and the best way to get the most vapours! WOW!! One of the picture searches led me to the Ghostbuster forums as on there members had got good results from using e-cig's/pumps etc. There are tutorials on how to build these into the Proton Pack's & Ghost traps! 

The below e-Cig I had is different to the ones used in the GB post, and it was a case of YouTube searching, that I found this guys explanation and how to fix. Click his link below.

Mini smoke machine test for Ghostbusters ghosttrap

So off onto eBay I went in search of components. I had some parts, I just needed to source the others.

For testing I used  AA battery power for the pump, running at 3 volts and more to fire up the e-Cig running @ 6 volts.

The You Tube link explaining my e-Cig was watched, but found that the centre contact is live and I don't have to push the wire all the way down the hole (blocking up valuable air flow lol). The negative wire was fed through the side hole I had previously made and soldered to the inside threaded area of the e-Cig.

I then connected up some clear tubing I had, to the e-Cig. This had a small hole cut into it to allow the positive wire to poke through (just visible in top picture above red tape). Then I hot glue filled the lot into place! Next I connected it up to a smaller piece of tubing from something off one of the kids old toys (I think lol), this fitted nicely over the pumps outlet stub pipe. I've left the tubing long for the time being until I sort locations out for everything in R5's dome.

Fired it all up......and YES, it works! I just need to get some glycerine fluid and maybe some scented e-Cig fluid lol.

More to follow.......... including some video......

'Bad Motivator' - upgrade to power lift 'Blown' status 1.0

Here's my work on building the frame to hold and lift up the 'Bad Motivator' when it 'blows'.

18th September 2014
After doing some measuring, I've worked out the length of a beam and point to act as an off set pivot point. The movement on one end will then be more on the other end. Am hoping this will 'pop-up' the motivator as if it had blown.

I cut a small piece of angle and drilled a 12mm dia hole in it. This will be secured by the motivators main bolt & nut that goes right through it. Next, two M5 threaded hole to bolt onto a main section angle. This has guide blocks with guide rods to ensure the motivator lifts straight up.

Originally I had flats machined onto the rods and tapped out holes for locking screws, but the threads stripped, so I drilled and pinned the rods from the other side.

22nd September 2014
Next was to drill, tap and pin the upper block to the Motovator's angle bracket.

Looking at the Motivator moving up through the pie hole, I could see it was a little tigher than I would be happy with. So I had to prise out the two inside side pie hole panels. This will need to have wood filler applied, smoothed and sprayed up (See last two pics below).

Using a piece of aluminium angle, I cut and bent it into shape to act as a securing bracket to mount the Motivator assembly to the original inside bolt hole.
(This bolt location was what was fitted to secure the static motivator into the pie hole socket)

23rd September 2014
Drilled a hole in the support bracket, this is for securing to the T-nut already installed in the dome. I cut down the guide rods to a more suitable length. Then the run part, adjusting the hole in the support bracket with a file so that the right amount of clearance was achieved for the Motivator to fit/slid/pop up through the Pie Hole!
This little lot took over an hour and it's still not 100% right.....more fine tuning required!

View into the Pie Hole

Fire Extinguisher 1.3 - 'Bad Motivator'

Flashback date: 24th June 2014
So, this was my first idea for how to get the effect of R5's Bad Motivator blowing.

Then I thought, why stop there!?!?! So my next thought was to mimic the effect from the film, as best as it could be lol.

With idea 'B', I'd have extra vent points, positioned around the edge of R5's dome.

On activating the system, Mist would be ejected out of the Motivator pie hole and from around the edges of the dome, along with the sound effects of R5's motivator blowing up.

~~~

Roll on a few months and I'm now starting work on how to 'pop-up' the Motivator & vent mist at the same time. The sound etc will follow.

Fire Extinguisher 1.2 - 'Bad Motivator'

With most of R5 pieced back together, i've been starting to plan the extras that I want to fit into him. Now I have my Radio Controller unit, and have been re-reading forum posts on extra switch controllers, the simple 'Fire Extinguisher' project, just stepped up a notch lol.

I'd like to link a sound effect of R5's motivator blowing with the Bad Motivator popping up and 'mist' effect coming not just out the pie hole at the top, but also from around the edges of the dome, as seen in this screen grab from behind the scenes vintage footage.

Not sure I can manage the flash as well......but you never know.....
I have sketched up an idea of how it might look, but of course it has to be tried and tested.

Fire Extinguisher 1.1

R2-D2 uses a Fire Extinguisher (mounted in his dome rear) in a few scenes in the

Original Star Wars films.

Builders have recreated this and repositioned it to different areas of the body :-)

I plan to also fit a mist spray unit to R5.

I started by picking up a 12v central locking unit off eBay.