Rear Hatch Alarm

With R5's first mobile event getting closer and fiddeling with bits & pieces. It got me thinking about, what if's? One thing I thought of was the rear hatch. It is held on securley via two spring loaded clips, but what if it come loose or someone opens it up if/when I'm not around R5.

So I dug out my soldering iron, a piezo buzzer (the first one I got when developing my Droid Caller) & used one of the new micro switches I'd planned to use for the dome control unit & soldered them all up.

The micro switch is wired in the NC (normally closed) position.
The buzzer is wired in-line. I was going to install a swith to turn off the buzzer when working inside, but re-thought this as a possible 'forgot to turn on' so left it as I just have to remember to place the batter back in, hence, installing it fight in front of me.

Installed the micro switch inside the rear hatch opening, in a place even better than the one I had originally intended.....bacically because where I wasnted it to originally go, it wouldn't of fitted lol. I then routed the cable through some flexible tubing round to the inside front of R5. I then screwed the piezo buzzer onto the frame. And secured the mini 12v battery holder in place.

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]