Showing posts with label New Transport platform Mk2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Transport platform Mk2. Show all posts

October 05, 2020

Transport sledge modification 2020

1st September 2020 

Yep, upgrading the sledge....again lol.

Well, due to circumstances, transportation of R5 may now have to be done in my small car. This does means him being disassembled, legs off, which was also part of his electrical upgrade. So now it’s just figuring out how to get it all IN the car.

Transport sledge upgrade

Looks drastic but it’s all part of the plan. The material being cut off will reduce the height when the sled is led down in the car. This also makes it lighter still. Also looking at the handle bar and the bracket that holds R5 at the top, again for when sled is led down. The bracket serves a purpose but also restricts having the dome fitted on the body if you needed to move him as one unit.

October 02, 2019

Official Droid Cover for R5-D4 - part 2

R5's new droid cover.

It arrived a few months back, just not got round to posting up a picture of it.
It's large enough to not only cover R5 (body) but also his transport sled too, which will come in handy as it's made of wood too.

Checkout my last post here, Official Droid Cover for R5-D4 - part 1

First event in a long time will be this Friday for it's first 'official' use......

November 27, 2018

Transport upgrade - New Handle

R5's transport sledge finally got the handle I needed to fit on it. I managed to get this all done last week before MCM Birmingham.

Due to the weight/balance point it was uncomfortable to more it around. You had to bend at an awkward angle to balance the weight.

So I removed one of the top 'supports'. These were just to give the upper section some stability when R5's loaded up and is in transit in the back of tha car. It wasn't actually needed, hence why I used it. I literally cut it in half as to get the maximum height. I then positioned the uprights in position. Then using the holes already drilled, I fixed them in place. Next was to drill a large hole through to fix a t-nut for the M6 bolt.
R5's new sledge handleR5's new sledge handle

I then drilled two 1" dia holes for the two new aluminium sockets I had to machine up in work. Then it was a case of screwing and bolting both uprights onto the frame.
I had already checked that these wouldn't be a problem once the sledge was led down in the rear of the car.

I just need to paint up the sawn pieces.
R5's new sledge handle
The MCM  Comic Con event was it's first 'test' and it was a great help. Still not perfect, but WAY better than it was before lol.

May 17, 2018

Transport upgrade - Wheel base

After loading up R5 & sledge into the back of the car, I noted that if the piece of wood that the wheels are attached to was removed, then it would actually still fit in, without having to remove it every time I loaded the sledge.
Close, but that's because of the extra
thickness of the wheel platform.
See picture below.

The problem was that the t-nuts for the securing bolts, wouldn't be able to be fitted in the original panel due to the strengthening wood pieces.

So the only thing I could do was to cut off the lower section and screw the wheel base panel onto it.
I fitted these back on as the swivel ones would of been good once loaded into the back of car but probably not so good once out and pushing the sledge & R5's weight!

August 29, 2017

Sledge mini update - **Left Coast Graphics**

I didn't have time before holiday to finish off painting the sledge cut outs &
since being home, I then had an urgent work commitment.

I then consoled myself by seeing Left Coast Graphics (instagram page)
retro stickers and ordered some for the sledge.
Just a little something to identify my sledge lol

July 17, 2017

R5's transport sledge 'upgrade work' pt 7

Had time at the weekend to finish off cutting out more wood from the sledge.

Time and thought has to go into where to and where not to cut!
As you need to think about any potential weak points. Hence the rounded hole edges etc.


Once all were cut out and edges taken off with a file and then sanding.
The frame top section was re-attached.


The frame is now no effort to lift, I don't have to tense up my body/arm to lift it by itself.

Next was to apply the first touch-up coat of paint to the cut areas & to give the whole frame a fresh coat.

July 14, 2017

R5's transport sledge 'upgrade work' pt6

This was something I had had planned since building the sledge to get its weight down. It was a strain to lift it by itself when I first made it, thinking it had to be to support R5's weight.


So I marked out areas that could have material removed, not near corners or stress points, used a large wood bit for radius and drilled and jigsaw'd out some material.


I've not done anything to the top area......yet.....as it was getting late. But am looking at the 'double' layed section that extends to support the top of R5.

It is now a lot less effort to lift it, just by itself. More to come......

July 11, 2017

R5's transport sledge 'upgrade work' pt5

The small caster wheels on the skid where not up to the job and became a pain whilst loading into rear of car. But they needed to be small to keep the sledge at a height to fit in the rear of the car, so I'm not mad at them :D.

I looked at collapsible sack truck's but reports I've read recon that unless your droid is light, then they can't handle the weight. And I'm not up for spending loads of money on a solid fixed one. Plus the fact of then having to load for transport to events with already limited space, were also negative points.

I read on www.astromech.net that one builder had done a similar thing to my way of thinking. But instead of lifting brackets, he's used large threaded hand wheels. But how R5 is, foot heavy, I didn't want to be struggling holding the overhang of the sledge up with one hand, whilst trying to unscrew the locking hand wheels.

So my idea was to build a removable set of wheels, but sack truck style.
I cut up a piece of 18mm thick Plywood, attached two old, large, rubber'ish wheels and made up two brackets that hook underneath the transport sledge. The brackets were something I had keep from something that would of needed fixing brackets lol. Always good to keep stuff. One of the brackets I bent and is a little bit snug fitting on the bent edge, but it goes on and stays put, so not the end of the world.

The wheel brackets have T-nuts on the rear face, countersunk. I only had hex bolts the right length, two of which needed to be cut to a more suitable length.

Tried it out last night and it didn't break :D
 Wheels fitted, next was to mark out the bracket position.


 Countersunk T-nuts, as this is the face that will be up against the sledge.

And here it is test fitted, before I then gave it a mini test run, lol.

The metal brackets are very strong, and should last.
But if they don't I can fabricate some new ones.

Next up is to fit some sliding strips to the rear of the sledge.
Less resistance, point contact etc.

April 04, 2017

R5's transport sledge 'upgrade work' pt4

With the new dome lazy susan bearing soon to be permanently fitted in place, the sledge will also need an upgrade.
In order for the lower part of the sledge to be able to lift up R5, the top struts (seen in the above picture) need to be trimmed to accommodate the extra 10mm or so of the new bearing. So I marked up and then jigsawed off the extra material. These have insulation foam on as can be seen in the lower right part of the picture, to protect him in transport.

Due to the position of the dome location bolts, the length of the struts needed to be shortened as well.
Bottom strut has a pencil line for where to cut to length. The upper strut in the above pic had already been cut to new shorter length. The foam was then re-attached to the struts as well as the cross beam strengthening piece.

February 17, 2017

R5's transport sledge 'upgrade work' pt3

The two 'fixed, in-line' wheels, where good, but made pushing in directions a bit difficult at times.

So wanted to replace with two more swivel casters. I also wanted to reduce some of its weight and clean up the lines a bit. So the two protruding sections (holed wheel slots) where marked and sawn off.
Transport sledge

I then marked and drilled two holes for the threaded swivel casters. I used t-nuts this time rather than trying to fit normal nuts, like on the two the other end.
Transport sledge

Not much lighter, but is a bit and is easier to move when R5's not loaded up on him. Defo easier to move around.

October 06, 2015

New platform/support/frame for R5 in car - Sledge 1

After quite a few events, what I really want is for R5 to be ready to roll, straight out the back of the car, so to speak. Travelling to local events, he can fit in rear of my car, standing up on his motorised feet, but in the car other (used for NOT so local) events, they have to be removed, due to the rear hatch being lower. This adds more to the time needed to disassemble/reassemble him, and in which order.....

So I needed to build a new support frame so he can be led down, instead of stood up.

There are loads of different ideas, so which one is best for me......?? lol
So plans are being drawn up to accommodate his specific needs....

Sunday 27th, I got to start work on building, the idea I setteled on is one I've seen used a few times by other builders. Had been measuring up and marked wood, so today was cutting it all out.

Well I managed to get it 95% completed....enough to support in car anyway lol.

The underside of the frame sits on the lower protruding parts, then it helps to tip R5. The upper 'arms' stop him sliding once in the car. Then he'll be strapped in place on sledge and to points in car boot.