Bubba's Astromech Building Blog

Color Scheme (a.k.a. An Amazing Lack of Progress)

Bob Vitas — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 22:40:00 GMT

Well, I got all the blanks for the legs and rings cut, as well as the templates for both. I also cut the main supports to width, but they're all in four-foot strips. All this has taken me about two weeks. Talk about slow...

Anyhoo, we've chosen a color scheme for RD-22. The main body will be a cream color, in honor of the Lincoln Continental my mom used to drive around. Colored panels will be a combination of red and black, in honor of the Carolina Hurricanes. Aluminum stuff will still be aluminum. The body will probably be weathered, since it will hide the normal wear-and-tear.

I also got by Styrene skins in the mail the other day, and am completely confused about what's what. If I get a minute or sixty, I'll figure them out... probably about the time I get the frame together!

Bob
July 19, 2007

Names and the Seven P's

Bob Vitas — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 14:15:00 GMT

OK, I've not done much of anything but the seven P's on my astromech. What? "Seven P's"? You don't remember the Seven P's?

Proper Prior Planning Prevents P***-Poor Performance

Or, as Norm Abram would say, "Measure twice, cut once."

I laid out the template for the legs of my R2 unit by hand, and found out that I was an inch off. Why? Because I wasn't taking into account the differences between aluminum and plywood in the blueprints for the legs and ankles that I downloaded. Better to catch these things now, than when I get to building, right? So, I decided to print out a full-sized blueprint, and used that as the outline for the template.

I have a handful of resin parts (thanks, Ken!), and am awaiting my Sintra skins (thanks, Andy!). There are still quite a few things to order, though: the dome (my wife wants me to start with a Weber grill...), the other body parts, feet, etc.

In the meantime, I have decided to name my astromech RD-22. This is what my mother used to call R2-D2, before she passed away in 1990. She understood my Star Wars obsessions, but never really got it. Nevertheless, she was there for me, so this is my way of honoring her.

My plan at this point is to build a "prop" two-legged droid to start with, hopefully, by Christmas. After that, it's on to the third leg, but still a prop. Once I get the mechanical stuff down pat, I'll move onto the electrical and RC stuff. I might be able to see you at Celebration VI with this guy fully working!

I'll have some pictures shortly. Just don't expect miracles yet. I'm not that good at measuring twice and cutting once.

Bob
July 6, 2007

Of Plywood and Men

Bob Vitas — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:05:00 GMT

Well, my older daughter and I went to the local Lowe's this weekend and picked up the wood and stuff to get started on my droid. There's a stack of 1/4-inch plywood, 1/2-inch plywood, and 3/4-inch MDF in the garage. I also got a template cutting bit for my router, as well as some Gorilla glue, Bondo, and primer. Next stop... cutting!

The two most important tools...

Bob Vitas — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:24:00 GMT

I have a lot of tools, but these are the most important:

Obviously, you need a measuring tape. As Norm Abram says, "Measure twice, cut once." Of course, in actual practice, I often fall short of this lofty goal.

The second is (drum roll, please)...

Yup, like many other weekend warriors, I fret over the details. And when I do, I stick out my tongue. My lips get so chapped, it's not funny.

Bob
June 24, 2007

This is how it all begins...

Bob Vitas — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 23:59:00 GMT

Well, I'm going to take a serious plunge here... I'm going to start building my own astromech unit. Yup, I got the builder's bug while I was at Celebration IV in Los Angeles, and have decided to carry out something of a dream: to build my own robot. I've decided to re-purpose my bobsblog URL to be my Astromech Build Blog.

Once I get started, I'll try to keep a regular diary of my activities while building this droid, which may or may not end up looking like R2-D2. Being something of a non-conformist, chances are that it will be a bit different that everyone's favorite astro-droid.

So, I'll post when I get started. I've got lots of blueprints and designs from the folks at Astromech.net and the R2 Builders group. I'm planning on starting cheap, building a wood frame and using resin parts wherever painting is required. I'll go aluminum where necessary (eg., the dome!), and will build in stages. Initially, this little guy will have two legs and be static... i.e., immobile. Over time, I'd like to add the third leg, as well as some robotics and RC components.

So, keep checking back. I have already ordered my first sets of parts (including some Sintra skins), and will be headed over to the local Lowe's next weekend to get the wood.

Thanks for stopping by...

Bob
June 24, 2007