Linktree for all my R5-D4 accounts

Been meaning to do this for a while, so here is my link to all my trees 😂😂😂

https://linktr.ee/JamesR5D4

Social Media for updates and more 2023 -> 2024

April 25th 2023

(updated October 2024)

Its been a while, but R5’s back on Facebook 😁. (2023)

Since Google+ ended, Blog notifications ended and so did the amount of visitors to this site. I do Tweet 😂 and of course have my YouTube channel. No adverts as I’m not here for the money lol, just entertainment/knowledge/help.

So to keep up with what’s happening in R5’s world of Droid Building, I would say you can follow me, like, subscribe, search up 'James R5D4'. And any questions, comments, feel free to post up or DM me if you’d prefer.

Facebook / Twitter / YouTube / Instagram

The Mandalorian: R5-D4 trading Card '88' : version No2

Card No2 off eBay.

This version is the wavy red on.

Still on the lookout for the other versions.

Checkout my Instagram for more and less Star Wars stuff lol

Link to previous post for card no1.

Instagram post: QR codes

Says to save these to your phone and then press and hold to open link to instagram posts.

So if this works and you get to my Instagram page, leave a like/comment saying that the Blog brought you there lol.

Droid Builders UK: Events in the UK 2024

Here’s the link to find out where club droids will be attending

(2024).

https://droidbuilders.uk/public-events/

Don't forget to check out the clubs links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/droidbuildersuk

Twitter (X): https://www.twitter.com/DroidbuildersUK

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DroidbuildersUK

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/droidbuildersuk

Instagram - I'm Back!

It's been 4 years since I was last on Instagram!

I gave myself a break from my social media when COVID hit (well nobody was going to be doing anything during lockdown (here is the UK)). And it was actually healthier for my mental state as I would get anxiety about not liking someone's post or missing one that then showed up a few days later in my 'feed'.

With Droid event's starting back up, I gradually came back online with Facebook then Twitter (why it's called X, as everyone still calls it Twitter I'll never know 😁).

Finally I’ve decided to jump back on Insta, search for james_r5d4, to catch-up with everything and also to help promote the upcoming event we'll be hosting here in #Bristol in July..... Have I mentioned it??? 😁😁😁

So I'll be liking a lot, post a little, but generally, re-joining the wider world again.

COVID-19 isolation at home - 3D design work

My work allows me to work from home, unfortunately the 3D printer is in work, so not able to print anything 😢 ......well.....it is their's 😆 lol

So I have been able to work on R5 and some other mini projects requested by friends.

Adafruit sound board
Re-re-soldered the contact pins on the adafruit sound board, changed them back to right angle ones. Easier for the leads to protrude out the side, rather than straight up for connections to the relay switch, for wherever it gets mounted.

Protection case for sound board
So because of the above, the 3D model had to be modified again to match.I added recesses in the base to allow the underside of the pins to sit in so the board sits flat.

since been modified.....again.

3D models
Been working on other 3D models for myself and friends. After a comment on my Instagram about the above sound board holder, I drew up one for the longer version, which has a headphone jack socket on it.

Next up was a holder for Paul's ESC unit. I had one of these he had lent me ages ago to try out in another project. So I was able to draw up a holder for him to test print one.
Th inside area was a bit too snug, so version 2 was a slight redesign and the addition of a rear bracket, tho this wasn't needed as the fit was just right.

And Paul was kind enough to send me some pictures of the unit fitted.

Recess' to allow the holder to fit over the top but not interfere with the cables.

Another club member wanted me to design up a mini slip-ring holder, for his holoprojector's.
This is still a work in progress.....

R5's cable management
R5 runs Red & Black power cable, as must builders probably do. His main power is 24 volts.
A while back (years) I bought some Yellow cable to match up with something....oooh yes, the 24 to 12 volt regulator. It has red/black wires in and yellow/black output wires for identification.

So rather than waste it, I decided that it would actually be a good thing to use for the 12 volt side of things. They're also now tagged with labels & clear heat shrink to aid identification.

R5's sounds
Got round to organising sounds, renaming them etc all ready to transfer onto the sound board. Then remembered that I couldn't connect the USB board as the files are virtual, as I'm remote desktop'ing to my works PC......aaaaaaahhhhh 😒
And for some reason, the USB sockets on this laptop are not recognising the drive, so will have to use another laptop.

Littlebits - Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit - pt 9 (2019)

22.10.19
Lid update.....R5 now has a 'Bad Motivator':

Printed off the updated R5 lid, which now has the correct orientation 'antenna' and also the 'bad motivator'.

The antenna's front circle needed to be facing the front in relation to the pie panel opening and the bad motivator positions.

I've uploaded a short video onto my You Tube account, it can also be found on my Instagram page.

UPDATE: 12,3,2020
The files have now been uploaded to Thingiverse

3D printed journey of the Trading Card Dispenser

It’s not till you see all the left over printed components, from a project, that you realise what went into developing it.

I kept all the printed pieces so to track my progress through the build. This was all part of the development process. Some parts, I thought, might be useful in future ideas of the build, but unfortunately none of them were.

Links to Thingiverse for the Trading Card Dispenser...

Another mini project 1.9 - Trading Card Dispenser

Yesterday I uploaded the stl files and the assembly instructions to the UK builders club forum.
The components take a while to arrive so it will be a few weeks before I get any feedback. But as I’ve printed the same version, there shouldn’t be any problems lol.

The other fun part was creating instructions for 3D printing (orientation & support placement), assembly of the bought components and then fully assembling of the unit itself.

Created a PDF to be downloadable with simple instructions.

I finished printing my frame holder to fit into R5 so hoping to get this all installed and tested soon. There’s still work to be done with alignment etc, so more posts on this to come.

R5 gets a mention on Instagram

If your on Instagram & are into Star Wars, apart from following me lol, well R5 & all my other projects, you should also follow Lee Towersey (as well as a few other club members).

Lee has recently been posting up the Builders Clubs trading cards that he produced for cleared club droids.

Today is the turn of R5-D4.

Honoured and proud member of the UK R2 Builders Club 

Merry Christmas gifts 2019

Being a Dad, Christmas gifts are usually simple stuff, unless specifically requested by me lol. This year I got boxer shorts, socks and a cool tie.....all STAR WARS of course lol

Best part tho was when putting them away, I realised that one pair of boxers matched up with the tie lol.

.........No I won’t be posting picks of me in this combo :D lol.

Another mini project 1.3 - ‘Trading Card Dispenser’

So I have now named this project 'TCD' lol.

Monday I started to design up a 'box' to put the electronics in for ease. This was drawn up in AutoCAD Inventor. In my last post regarding switch relays, it had given me an idea on how this could also apply to this project.

'switch' - update:
I printed a lower plate that the switch could fit into. I wired a switch to activate an LED when the pressure was released.But the pressure required to keep the switch down wasn't achievable, so I'll have to think of another position to locate a switch.

Back to the electronics box:
After a few redesigns and only a few actual test 3D prints, I'm really happy with the finished box. Here's my instagram post picture.

Really please that the two clips I designed actually work [on my second test print lol]. It's the fine tuning of the sizes, plus here, minus there so that the tolerances fit when they come together.

Ultimaker Cura image on the printer plate

And here's the soldering up of the components that will fit inside it.

This version is for my first attempt, but this could be customised to by controlled by other methods. In the above picture, you have the 'remote control' [bottom left], a 'timer relay' [top orange box] and a 'micro voltage regulator' [right]. Not shown in this picture will be an LED to indicate power. At some point I want to fit another [probably a remote LED] to indicate via the micro switch.

'Droid Builders UK' a new central builders hub

Droid Builders UK (link)

A new central builders site for Droids has just gone live!

It's for all droid builders from Mouse to the new D-O from the new film

The Rise of Skywalker

With a lot of builders who have now become cross over builders in similar groups, the site aims to link all up together as a central point for news and info. It has links to the Facebook pages for the droid groups and also events being attended.

There is also a Twitter & Instagram account

 

@droidbuildersuk

Page header image change - R5-D4 (2019)

Trying to simplify things for my accounts, by standardising the images used.

The previous page header was taken back in 2016 at Celebration Europe.
click link for part 1 of my event report....

Now going for this simpler design.

Also updated Twitter, & Instagram & Facebook pages.

Will be changing this page title to James' R5-D4 at some point in the future,
as long as it doesn't mess links up etc lol

Instagram - James_R5D4

It's been a few months since I was last on Instagram. A lot has/had been going on and I just didn't have the time. Missed posting up about two attended events, MCM Birmingham & Bristol Comic Con, both last month. Since then tho I've got back into things and have stuff to post up, so if you don't already, click the link to follow.

Click the link below

or search ‘james_r5d4’

or the hashtag #r4d4 for above post picture

which will take you to my account.

www.instagram.com/james_r5d4/

Birmingham MCM Comic Con - March 2019

MCM BIRMINGHAM COMIC CON - MARCH 23rd-24th 2019

The Club will be attending this event over the whole weekend,

with droids attending either both or one or the other day,

Saturday or Sunday, in my and R5's case,

we'll be there on the Saturday only

Last Novembers group photo

Follow the club by clicking on these links

 Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

PsyfoolRulez Customz - Solo - a Star Wars Story

I follow on Instagram & on Facebook 'PsyfoolRulez Customz'.

He does incredible paint jobs on not only droids, but other model kits as well,

like toy blasters, diaramas & helmets etc.

Yesterday he posted up on Facebook, his set of droids he's recreated using

different model kits, these are NOT the Disney Droid Factory set

you can buy from the Disney store as a four pack!

These are all pictures he posted up on his Facebook page.

Bristol Comic Con & Gaming Festival - March 30th 2019 **UPDATE* No3*

.......another update......this time it’s a change of attending droid. Nik will be bringing his second droid,  R2-H16.......I forgot that some club members actually have more than one droid.

www.mooseeventsuk.com

Littlebits - Star Wars Droid Inventor Kit - pt 6 (2019)

So yesterday on my lunchtime, I had a look at the 3D drawing of the dome. I had done some upgrades since I had last printed (and it failed), but I wanted to look at splitting the dome into two parts. This would save on 'support' material (needed) to support the top area, which may of led to the print failer on the last attempt.

R5 dome for the Littlebits R2D2 droid

And here's the lid. It has a lip to locate onto the main body.

Images also on my Instagram 'james_r5d4' account

I left the antenna on, and again, I'll see how well this prints as it may be easier to print it as a seperate item.

You can see from this next image the differences & improvements made.
Also the motivator hole was in the wrong place, this I've removed from the updated version.

I've tried to make this as simple as possible as it is just for fun. I'll post up both the two part and the single part dome on my Thingiverse account once I've printed the two part dome.

To get instant notification of when this is uploaded,

as my Thingiverse account is linked lol,

follow me on Twitter @jamesr5d4