Thomas' R2D2

The UnDead

2011-09-14T16:39:00.006-04:00

Wow, it has been along time since I had anything to post.
I'm working on R2's new foot motor holders and his foot shells.
These are the very old Kelly Krider foot shells, I have been putting off working
on them due to the fact that they needed so much work.
Even the center area for the ankle to mount did not come with the foot.

I now have the center ankle area installed and now I'm filing the channel to fit.
all of this stuff I've had put away for a longtime.

Here's another pic.

The new motor brackets will be much stronger and they have the 200w. Scooter motors.

ARC32 Micro

2011-03-29T21:51:00.002-04:00

I ordered this board today and if I can get the programming figured out, It will become R2's main brain.
This board can control 32 servos and also has the ability to use sensors and a Ps2 controller.
With this many servo ports, I should be able to get all the doors, panels and other goodies working.
The nice thing is this board will allow me to remove the 12 channel remotes used for sound control and light functions.
These functions will become part of the Ps2 controller through code.
I'll post more when it arrives.

MegaCon

2011-03-29T21:48:00.001-04:00

Mega was real blast this year as the Southern R2 Builders Group joined forces with the Rebel Legion.
Our joint efforts made the booth Awesome!!!!
Next year I think we will join again and see if we can out do what we did this year.

Large Data Port

2011-01-22T19:18:00.002-05:00

I installed the back in the LDP today.
I've noticed this seems to be a popular place for kids to stick
fingers and other items, So I closed it.
I was going to paint the aluminum plate black, But I really like
the aluminum finish as it goes with my dome.

More Panel Work

2011-01-22T19:13:00.002-05:00

I added Leds to the lower area and here's a video of them working.
Not much, But it adds some flash to the panel. There will be more
Leds coming soon.

Restraining Bolt Panel

2011-01-22T19:07:00.003-05:00

I've been working on the Panel behind the Restraining Bolt door.
This panel is made by A&A and it's really nice.
I did have to adjust the depth of the panel to clear the door hinges.

I found the little red buttons at Radio Shack and I need to paint the nuts black.
I'm adding black screen to each side of the panel, You can see the top part.

Side Work

2011-01-10T16:08:00.003-05:00

I mounted the Side Vents on R2 and made the Flat Plate for the bottom of the skins.
The Plates, I need to paint white and they are bolted from the bottom of the frame.
The Vents are some I bought along time ago from Mark.
They are not perfect and the only way I could mount them was to add small screws to each corner. Later I will countersink the screw holes and get some better screws.
I also need to add screen behind each vent so you can't see inside.
The 2 black Push Pins hold them skin in place and I'll paint them white.
Maybe in the future I will find a insert and use 2 Allen Button screws instead.
SeeYa

Frame Upgrades

2011-01-01T18:06:00.002-05:00

Ok, It's been quite awhile since I posted anything new, But I'm getting back to working on R2 again. I haven't felt like messing with R2 so it came to a stop.
Anyway, Jag (Jerry Green) had sent me a present awhile back and I finally started installing it. The top plate is now aluminum.
I did this to stop the dome from bouncing around and also to improve the strength of the A&A frame. I also plan to replace the 2nd to the bottom ring.
This will give me a solid top and bottom. I will replace the threaded rod with aluminum dowels. This will be a Hybrid A&A frame and will be very strong.
SeeYa

1st Upgrade

2010-08-24T18:08:00.004-04:00

The square 4x3 inch aluminum tube has arrived and I've already started measureing
and cutting.
I've been worried about my A&A Foot Motor Holders not being able to hold R2 when he makes a turn, So this is going to change.
The tubing has a 1/8 inch wall and I plan to only cut away what is needed.
I will also add some additional bracing inside the tube.
I need to stop at the shop and pick up some aluminum bathroom partition mounts to make the channel where the ankle fits.
More to come.
SeeYa

Finally a Post

2010-08-20T12:21:00.003-04:00

Hey Guys,
I've been very busy these last few months and I'm waiting on parts now.
I have many new ideas for R2 and as soon as the new scooter motors and the
aluminum channel arrives, I will be rebuilding R2's foot motors.
The A&A motor holders are OK for a light weight droid but since R2 is gaining
weight I wanted something stronger.
So, Stay tuned for the improvements.
SeeYa

Mr. Head

2010-02-25T17:09:00.002-05:00

It finally arrived and the quality is AWESOME!!!!!!
It's the Palpatine head I bought on Ebay for $50.00.
There's a couple of guys selling these and one guy is always in the hundreds.
It is a hollow cast, Which I was hoping it would be and it's well made.
I will be buying more of these for future projects.

Backlit Poster

2010-02-19T13:18:00.004-05:00

I had a hard time trying to get a decent picture of this thing.
It is on in both pictures and the camera really doesn't like the dark,
But you get the idea.

Driving Scrubby

2010-02-15T15:37:00.002-05:00

Just a short video of Scrubby running around.

Scrubby's Stand Cont.

2010-02-14T15:27:00.003-05:00

Scrubby's stand is almost finished.
All I need now is for the paint to dry and then I can wire up the Vex controller.
This will be the "Drive a Droid" at MegaCon so all the kids can enjoy him.
Next is to work on the 2x4 boundary, So he can't leave the area.

Scrubby's Stand

2010-02-13T18:37:00.004-05:00

Please excuse the mess in our work room, But we managed to get the stand build
for Scrubby's Vex remote. Tomorrow I will paint the yellow lines on the stand
and it will look like Scrubby.
Brenda stained the trim for our backlit movie poster today also.
She chose mahogany red for the stain and it will get a satin clear coat.

Another Small Project

2010-02-06T16:56:00.002-05:00

Brenda bought me the sign a few years back and I wasn't sure what
I would use it for back then, But now I do.
I made a new frame for it and will dress it similar to the large backlit
frame.
This one will not be backlit, I may add some lighting to the inside the box
so it shows up better later.

Lights for the box

2010-02-02T19:40:00.003-05:00

I installed the backlight in the box and I know it does'nt look all that great.
But the rope light is LED and will use less power and keep the heat down
inside the box.
I've tested the lights with the poster and it's more than enough light.

Side Project - Movie Poster Box

2010-02-01T17:31:00.003-05:00

Something I allways wanted and I finally got the chance to build it.
It's not finished, But it's on the way.
It will be backlit and the 2 sided poster will be the Clone Wars.
I plan to bring it to MegaCon and place it beside Crissy's Goldie.

Southern R2 Builders Banner

2009-08-10T18:55:00.003-04:00

I had this 3x8 Banner made for our group at Mini MegaCon.
It turned out pretty nice and hope everyone in the group likes the layout.
We'll have to figure out what to hang the Banner on and the best place to put it.
I hope to have the large Banner made for the Big MegaCon and maybe 1 of the side
Banners also which will be the background for Watto.

Dome Bumps

2009-08-06T17:25:00.003-04:00

I finally got them ready for use and it's nice to see them light up
for the first time.
I will use 1 of them on the side of the dome to turn on/off
the video panel.
The other 2, I'm not sure what I will do with them.

Lcd Mounted

2009-08-02T19:44:00.003-04:00

Well, It's temporally mounted in the dome. I wish my camera took better video, But it's all I have to post pics and video. I had to cut the housing on the screen down to get a better fit. The whole frame made it set back to much.
It sure looks good in person and I like it much better than the red Leds.
With alittle more work it will be a GREAT Upgrade for my dome.
I plan to wire it into 1 of the dome bump switches I have on the side
of the dome to turn it on/off.

Video Panel

2009-07-22T21:20:00.003-04:00

Here's a preview of how the side panel will work in R2's dome. My camera really did not do the screen justice, It looks allot better than this video. I'm placing red in between each picture so I don't stray to far away from the red in the real R2.
It will be a interesting addition to my R2.
Now just to get it mounted :o)

Mini MegaCon!!!!!

2009-07-22T19:56:00.002-04:00

Yep, That's wahat I said :o)
The group has been invited to Mini MegaCon in Orlando Florida.
It's on August 22nd and 23rd.
While we were at Ancient City Con here in Jacksonville, Brenda
was approached by a member of MegaCon and asked us to setup again.
I'm so glad they were impressed with our last setup and this will
give our group a chance to be together again.

So, Once we get this going I'll post some pics and video :o)

Possible Upgrade?

2009-07-19T17:06:00.002-04:00

Here's something I've been looking at for a long time.
This little picture frame displays digital pictures at random
and it was only $20.00. The displays that 4D systems run about $200.00.
This would be mounted in the dome where the red light on the side of R2
flashes when he's been supposedly damaged.
I have the red lights now, But it doesn't flash.

I took this display apart to see how it was made and it comes apart real easy.
It consists of a LCD screen, Motherboard and battery.
To mount the display I would have to make a small frame and the
display is almost the perfect size. It's the right height and only 1/8 inch
to short in width.
The Motherboard has a small ribbon to the screen and it would have to be mounted
on a styrene plate. The battery is no problem.

The major problem is the power button which is made into the side of the Motherboard. I could remove the button and solder a line so it could be
switched by the dome bump buttons I already have installed.

I'm not sure if it's worth the work, But it would be NEAT!!!
Let me know what you guys think :o)

Ancient City Con

2009-07-19T11:06:00.002-04:00

We went with the 501st to the Con here in Jacksonville and it was GREAT!!!
There was more people than I expected and a wide verity of events.

I did noticed something about R2,
The floor inside the area had carpet that was slightly padded and
R2 was having some problems moving around.
I have him wired for 12v. which makes him very smooth at takeoff and
gives him enough top end speed.
But on the carpet I had to run him full speed to move around at a good speed.
24v. would have been a better voltage and the carpet would not effect him.
But at 24v. he is very jumpy and too fast.
Not sure how to address this problem and I really don't want 24v.

Anyway, Brenda will post some pics of the event on her blog.
It was fun and next week we will be at the Football Stadium driving our
droids around just for fun.

New Banner

2009-07-16T17:47:00.002-04:00

If everyone has noticed, Brenda and I have new banners.
Jon was nice enough to make these for us and we both love them.
Thank you so much Jon!!!!!
:o)

He's up again!!!!

2009-07-12T14:35:00.003-04:00

R2 is back on his feet and we took both droids out for a drive. We have a event to go to next Saturday and I was starting to wonder if R2 would be ready, And he's ready.

Repaint

2009-07-03T14:46:00.004-04:00

I repainted the rear door due to my bad attempt to weather it.
And I added the power coupler. The coupler will need some touch up
because the tape pulled some of the blue off.

I also added another charge port inside R2.
This port charges the 2 smaller batteries that run the electronics.
I thought about doing away with these 2 batteries, But I have not had any problem
with battery life. So I'm leaving them in there.

Center Leg Complete

2009-06-29T11:35:00.003-04:00

The center leg is back together and for the 1st time,
I have the ankle cylinders mounted.
Now that this is complete, I'll move on to the next upgrade.

Small Work

2009-06-27T17:16:00.002-04:00

I bolted the dome plate into position and you can see I had to cut the center for the slip ring to fit.
I really didn't want to do this, But it works for me.

The ankle is reprimed and drying.
I did this because I eliminated 2 bolts on each side of the ankle that holds the inner plates for the center leg.
Like I said "Small Work"

More Shoulder Work

2009-06-21T17:46:00.005-04:00

The bottom picture shows the 1/2 plate with screws countersunk.
The next picture shows the 1/2 plate with all the holes cut and the
4 holes for the outer plate drilled and tapped.
Also if you can see the 2 screws on each side of the bearing screw on the top plate
which was a added bonus. Once I get my aluminum top ring and bottom ring this
frame will be very solid.
The top picture shows everything bolted and waiting for the legs to bolt.

Both sides are finished now, So I'll move on to the next upgrade.

Aluminum Shoulder

2009-06-18T16:45:00.005-04:00

The last time I drove R2, I noticed in the shoulder area he would
sway back/fourth.
I've tried all the A&A frame shoulder parts to stop the sway, But the PVC
gives too much. The A&A frame is cut to house the Satellite motors and I'm sure
this added allot of support, But if your not doing the 2-3-2 motion the PVC
is not enough for a heavy droid.
The bottom picture shows the cavity for the Satellite motor to be installed.
And this is where the trouble starts, If your not using the Satellite motor.
So what I did to solve and add allot of strength to this area was to order a
5-5/8 x 6-3/4 x 1/2 inch plate to fill this area and you can see how it fits
in the next picture. This will be bolted to the PVC inner frame around the Satellite
hole and it will be drilled for the leg bolts to connect the leg.
The next picture shows the aluminum shim I made awhile back and it will be
bolted to the thick aluminum.
You need this shim to get the legs to set at the right amount from the body.
Once I get everything together I will make another post.

In all and all, The A&A frame is a good frame for a light weight droid.
If your going to be adding allot of aluminum goodies you will have to
beef it up in certain areas.

Center Foot Painted

2009-06-16T19:50:00.002-04:00

The center foot is painted now and once it dries I can add the aluminum strips
to the front and back.
I couldn't get a real good picture because it's still wet, But you get the
main idea how the skirt looks.

One step Forward - 2 Steps Back

2009-06-14T13:07:00.005-04:00

This is another area that I found needs to be beefed up.
The aluminum plate I mounted had PVC spacers behind it and
I noticed the last time I drove R2, He was swaying in this area.
Not allot, But more than I was happy with.
So I ordered a 1/2 inch aluminum plate to fill up the area behind
my 1st aluminum plate and it will be solid all the way through to the
main frame.

Here's the Jag version of the dome plate.
And you can see it's only 1/8 inch from touching my dome motor.
This caused some new problems, I originally had some of my electronics
mounted on top of the A&A frame and the dome plate ended that idea.

Now everything is mounted to the inner back mount.
This caused allot of rewiring and I had to move a few items around.
Not bad, But it was just extra work I didn't count on.

Center Foot Primed

2009-06-13T14:15:00.002-04:00

I got the Center foot primed and ready for sanding and paint.
You can see the skirt below the foot and really gives it a nice look.

Little Amp

2009-06-09T20:00:00.002-04:00

The Ebay Amp arrived today and I connected it to a Mp3 player
and it works GREAT!!!!
It's very clear and has more output power than I need.
The next thing to do is get it mounted into R2 and connect it to
the M&A sound machine.
I'm really happy with this Amp and highly recommend it.

Center Foot Skirt

2009-06-08T19:24:00.003-04:00

I got a local welder to weld the skirt on for me today.
It's rough, But with some J.B. Weld I can work out the rough areas.
Once I get this upgrade finished, I'll be on to the next outer leg
and then the center ankle.

Leg Work

2009-06-07T14:59:00.003-04:00

If you remember I had 4 holes in the back of the outer legs that held the Boosters
in place.
These holes had caps that covered the bolts through the legs and into the Booster.

Well, They are gone now.
I puttied the holes and did away with the caps.
I'm not 100% satisfied with the work I did on the holes, But unless you hit the
light just right you can't see the spots at all.
I figured that if I needed to remove the Boosters for some reason, I could just dig
out the bolts and refix this area.
I don't ever plan to remove the Boosters unless the leg broke or something like
that happened.
All the bumps and damage that R2 will get will just be weathering :o)

Vex Periscope Lifter

2009-06-07T13:41:00.005-04:00

Here's some pictures and a couple of video of the Periscope lifter.
It works and I have plenty of adjustment points to set the Periscope
inside the dome.
The only thing is that Vex servo is loud.
It's not as loud as in the video, But it's still loud.
I'll have to see if I can find a replacement servo and not use the Vex
servo.
Anyway, It's still in the works and you can see the Jag dome plate arrived.

Email Addy's

2009-06-06T22:13:00.002-04:00

Hey Guys,
If everyone would email me thier address, I need them again.
My old comp finaly gave up and the board I bought for R2 is now my
new desktop.
I saved allot of info from the old comp, But I lost everyone's email.
If you would, send it to me again.
Thanks
Calvin

Leg Update

2009-05-31T12:56:00.006-04:00

I worked on the leg today and I managed to get the
Ankle repainted, Changed the Ankle detail parts bolts to Alen head bolts.
The bolts you get with the parts you order are Phillips head and they are very hard
to get tight. So it's a good idea to change these before you put them together.

The Booster line on the leg turned out Ok and I also repainted the leg.
The leg had a few spots that the styrene joints showed, So I fixed it before I repainted.
Still more to do to this leg, But that's the next post.

Parts Ordered

2009-05-28T21:00:00.005-04:00

I have the Jag version of the dome plate on order and I found
this little Amplifier on Ebay.
The Amp will give me more than enough power (10 watts per channel)
to run the M&A sound system.
The best part is the Amp has a pin port and all I will have to do is connect
the pin from the M&A to the Amp and connect 12v.
Connect the speakers and I should have sound.

More Line Work

2009-05-25T18:18:00.002-04:00

I used a small file that fits in the Booster Line on the Booster.
I cut the leg until it matched the line from the Booster.
I now the pic makes it look rough and it is still alittle rough,
But the major cutting is done now and all I need to do is alittle
sanding and get it ready for paint.

Booster Line

2009-05-24T17:59:00.002-04:00

I rough cut the Booster Line into one leg today.
I'll have to clean it up and repaint the leg after I do both legs.
The reason I didn't do this when I 1st built the legs was I wanted
to wait until I knew for sure the Styrene was glued real good to the
wood legs.
This is one of the upgrades I was talking about in the last post.

When JAWAS ATTACK!!!!!

2009-05-20T20:26:00.006-04:00

This is what you get when JAWAS ATTACK!!!!
I found parts all over the place and R2 was looking pretty sad :o(
Although, R3 was caught in one of the pics and she sometimes gets jealous of R2.
R3 may have went on a rampage and took out all those jealous feelings on R2.

Oh well, I needed to get allot of small detail parts finished and more work on the frame in certain areas.
So, I guess it's time to get back to work and R2 will be better than ever after I'm finished. Stay tune for more post on the upgrades.

It Works!!!!!!

2009-05-16T13:09:00.002-04:00

Well, It finally moves :o)
I had to cut the total length down 1/2 inch and this leaves me with
6 1/2 inches total lift.
All I need now is a dome plate for the inside and I can get it mounted.
The only thing is that Vex motor is loud, But maybe I can find a replacement
servo oneday.
Once this one is mounted and I know everything is working good,
I'll make another for the Lifeform Scanner.

2009-05-14T15:58:00.004-04:00

I worked some more on the motor fro the Periscope Lifter today.
I used some of my leftover Vex parts and I think it's going to turn out nice.
It will be gear driven and I'll use the Vex motor.
Once I get the gear rail attached to the lift I can try it out and if everything goes
good, I'll have a lift.
It will have that Vex motor whine, But it's better than nothing.

Periscope Lifter Again

2009-05-13T19:25:00.004-04:00

Ok, I've started playing around with this again and I've changed a few things on it.
I reduced the size of the footprint and managed to squeeze a little more lift from it.
I now have 7 inches of lift.
I'm still not completely satisfied with it and not sure how I will add the servo drive system.
It's better than before, But not just there yet.

Scrubby Update

2009-04-26T19:47:00.005-04:00

I installed the 2 black screws in the front of Scrubby and in the next
pic you can see I have all the buttons on the side and the side hoses
painted silver.
The last pic shows the small green Pc board that goes on one side only.
Still got more to do, But he's getting there.

M & A Sound System

2009-04-12T11:14:00.006-04:00

R2 will finally have SOUND!!!!!
Thanks to Muzz and Alex for their hard work putting this system together
for everyone. You can find the tutorial here: M&A Sound
The parts are inexpensive and is not a hard task to put together.
I put my setup in a small black box to keep everything tidy.
I still have some work to do and that's why I have the Vmusic taped into place for now.
I need to order the amplifier kit to make it louder and I kept it out of the main box because most amps build heat and that's not good for the other electronics.

The Real Scrubber

2009-04-06T19:13:00.005-04:00

Here's a couple pictures of the real Scrubber Droid.
I get most of my Ref. from Stick Monkeys site.
I'm close, But not perfect.
Some of the parts I can't seem to find and I have to substitute it with
something close.

Scrubber Goodies

2009-04-06T17:05:00.004-04:00

I applied the chrome tape to the edges, It looks a little shinier than the
ref. pictures but I think it is correct because the bands across the top are
chrome.
The lights are a little large, But they were all I could find.
The hoses on the front worked out nice.
I think the ones the used in the movie were the old foil type hoses and I can't
find that type anywhere.
The red buttons on each corner will get painted, The 2 in the front will be yellow
and will have the 2 deer whistles on top.
The 2 buttons in the rear will be silver and have some type of goodie on one and a satellite on the other.
I may add a surround to the eye to get it closer.

Old Yeller

2009-04-05T19:14:00.005-04:00

I think that was as YELLOW as we could get it.
There's some touchup to be done, But in all and all it looks, Well YELLOW.
After it dries we can get all the goodies on it and it should look pretty close.

Scrubber Priming

2009-04-05T14:55:00.004-04:00

We got the Scrubber primed and it's not looking to bad.
There's a few areas that could be better, But I'm not going that far into the build.
After the primer dries, We can untape and start preparing for the yellow paint.
I think the hardest part will be getting those black and yellow stripes near the bottom of the scrubber correct.

501st Event

2009-04-02T14:13:00.002-04:00

We meet up with the 501st at the old Jacksonville Library yesterday.
We took the droids and the 501st was in outfit and had a GREAT time!!!
It was my 2nd time driving R2 and playing with the kids.
Everything went well except for the fact that I was R2 was chasing one of the
Storm Troopers around and R2 ran into a concrete pole.
No damage except a small scratch on the horseshoe.
People were all over R2, Hugging and showing how much the love that little guy.
Now that we're able to go with the 501st to events, R2 will become more active.
Brenda will probly have some pictures on her site.

Scrubber Trials

2009-03-28T16:33:00.004-04:00

I'm still trial fitting some of the parts on the Scrubber.
I'm happy with everything so far, But I wish the lights were smaller.
Brenda painted the black hoses silver and the eye holder.
We're still working on the top hood area, Not quite happy yet.
More to come :o)

More Scrubber

2009-03-25T18:55:00.004-04:00

I cut the openings for the 2 hoses to enter the box and bolted the eye
into place.
The eye has a Pc board that fits inside and I have it cut.
The Pc board is suppose to have a slight cut to each side, But I cut my 1st one
and I didn't like the way it looked so I cut another in a full circle.
I also noticed there is a green Led inside the eye and I'll have to work on it.
I also started test fitting the buttons on the side to see how they will look.

Scrubber Buttons

2009-03-24T17:55:00.004-04:00

This is as close as I could get to the buttons on the side of the Scrubber.
They're kitchen cabinet door handles and the oval one I cut the bottom of
a CO2 cartridge from my BB gun and glued it to the oval for the bump.
After it dries I can clean it up and it should look OK.

R2's Charge Port

2009-03-22T16:40:00.003-04:00

The port is active now and I can charge the main foot batteries without having
to remove them.
The other 2 batteries that power the small electronics will get a seperate port
for them to charge as they don't need it as much.

Scrubber Update

2009-03-22T16:37:00.002-04:00

I'm working on the other end of the Scrubber hood.
This is the area where the large hoses will be attached.
I covered the red lid with styrene ans it's not looking too bad.
Still more work to come.

Goodies in the Mail

2009-03-21T15:33:00.002-04:00

Well actually I should have said Goodie in the mail.
Anyway, The Vmusic came in today.
I'm following the setup from Astromech Factory to get sound in both our droids.
I'll need more parts, But this will work for me until I get the onboard Comp
going and it will control the sound.

The other item I located this weekend was the bubble for the Scrubber Droid.
It's a Christmas bulb that separates and I can use one half to make the eye.
I'll need to fit a metal lid and cut the lid for the bubble to fit.
It should look similar to the eye on the original Scrubber.

Trial Fitting

2009-03-19T16:44:00.003-04:00

I started making the end for the hoses to attach.
I used the top off of a plastic container and I'm wrapping it with
polystyrene.

The hood is starting to look like the scrubber.
There will be allot of trimming and filler to get the parts to come together.
The led setup is under the hood and glued into place.
The only bad part of this build, If the leds go bad too bad.
Cutting a hole large enough to fix them would weaken the box too much.

Scrubber Hood

2009-03-18T18:01:00.004-04:00

I did alittle work on the hood and the Led setup.
I used a piece of aluminum I had and drilled some holes for the leds to mount.
I'll have to blackout the inside of the hood so the leds don't show through the top.
I'm not being real picky on this project, Because it's just something to do for now.

Led Flasher

2009-03-16T17:48:00.002-04:00

Here's a flasher setup I found at a online Auction.
The site is: Online Aution
The sellers name is Donnie and ships extremely fast.
He has other Led colors, You just have to ask for them.
The Flasher board is very small, About 1 inch x 1 inch and several different
flash modes,speeds,brightness and a connector for a external button.
He has other types of boards also.
I plan to use this in my Scrubber droid under the rear hood.
I know it's not movie correct, But it looks so cool doing the Knightrider flash.

Plungers Away!!!!!

2009-03-12T18:47:00.002-04:00

The toilet plunger housing came in today!!
You can see it comes with a base and it's pretty easy to pull it apart.
I started marking lines on it to cut it down to try and get the shape I'm
looking to get.
I'll show some more pics tomorrow and you'll see how it turned out.
This was Azman's idea from his Scrubber Droid.

Another Project

2009-03-10T18:03:00.002-04:00

I've always wanted a real (Almost Real) Arcade machine.
I've been collecting parts and using my old Dreamcast, I'll finally
have a stand up Arcade.
This is the base for the controllers and I have many other panels already
cut.
I'll add a design and cover this with clear Plexi.
I guess you guys have noticed I'm jumping around on projects allot.
But I have so many goodies I have been saving and now I'm using them up.

Scrubber Work

2009-03-07T16:04:00.004-05:00

We located the side buttons which Doug O. told me about and I cut a 3mm sheet
of styrene to cover the top for a smooth finish.
After the top dries I will smooth the edges and start working on the goodies
that sit on top.

Scrubber Drive

2009-03-06T18:26:00.003-05:00

Since I have so much Vex goodies left over, I'm working with it to make the drive system for the Scrubber.
I need to get 2 small casters for the rear and it will drive easily.
I didn't make it very fast, Just a good speed so kids can drive this when
I'm here and there.
I hope to get the lights and other goodies working and controlled by the Vex.

New Project

2009-03-05T16:30:00.005-05:00

After removing the letters from this area, The panels are glued into place.
Later the aluminum will be covered with a silver tape so all the parts are the same
color.

These aluminum panels are leftovers from my R2 skins and they fit perfect.
I'm glad I'm a PACK RAT :o)

Yeah I know everyone knows what this will be used for, SCRUBBER DROID!!!!!
I've been wanting to build one and right now I need a break from R2.

MegaCon 09

2009-03-03T18:36:00.000-05:00

Here's all the pics and videos we took at the show.
MegaCon

MegaCon is Over :o(

2009-03-03T18:27:00.004-05:00

This is how you feel after the event is over.
It drains you dry.

Here's a pic of how we got our droids to MegaCon.
As we drove down the road to the show, People were driving beside my truck
and taking pictures and video. It was alot of fun watching the faces.

Just to say THANKS!!!!

2009-03-01T22:51:00.002-05:00

I just wanted to Thank Jim & Yvonne for inviting us to MegaCon with the group.
This has been the most fun we've had in a long time.
Keith & Carolynn were there to put up with us again.
Doug with his R2 and as usual, Helped me solve some of my drive problems.
Jerry C. with his ideas for Brenda's R3.
Brad was so funny and kept the party going.
Aaron & Cassey for giving R2 a body guard.
Mark with his unusal goodies.
Trent and his happy attitude and others where there also.

I hope to have more goodies for MegaCon next year and I can't
wait to be there again.
I'll post some more pics soon.

MegaCon Sunday

2009-03-01T22:38:00.002-05:00

Well Sunday was a different story for R2.
Seems like R2 was getting alittle moody and started showing off.
After trying to run over Aaron and chasing some of the other droids,
He decided to take on the Umbrella soldiers.
This was a big mistake and I got the photo to prove he was getting
too big for his britches.

MegaCon Video

2009-03-01T21:47:00.003-05:00

Here's a small video of the area where the droids were setup. Brenda has some more Video on her blog. We took alot of video and pictures and I'll post them soon. Some of the video was taken with our camcorder and I'll have to find a way to transfer them to our blogs.

MegaCon Saturday

2009-02-28T22:21:00.006-05:00

Getting my R2 driver lesson in a live audience.
I did Ok and I didn't run over anyone, But I almost ran over Aaron.
He was my spot man and R2 took off and almost got him in the foot.
Sorry Aaron :o)

The Trooper on the right is a fellow I know from my local Hobby shop.
I didn't know it was him until after the picture was taken and he removed
his helmet.

R2 was having a ball meeting all kinds of characters and he behaved like a good droid
should around so many people.

MegaCon Setup

2009-02-26T21:35:00.005-05:00

Well, We made the trip to MegaCon without any problems :o)
Here's some pics from the 1st day of setting up for the show.
There will be many more pics as the event goes forward.
Some pics will be here on my blog and some will be posted on
Brenda's blog.
More to come!!!!!

Welcome to R2 in the Box

2009-02-22T18:58:00.004-05:00

He's all mounted and ready for MegaCon!!!
Now as long as the box holds up we will actually be ready for the trip.

Finished Boxes

2009-02-21T18:45:00.003-05:00

The boxes are complete, Well as far as they go for now.
We replaced the back door with 3/4 particle board and it's strong enough
to run the droids on it as a ramp.
We put the eyelets in the bottom to strap the droids in place and we have some
wood cut to stop the wheels from rolling.
The boxes are not weatherproof, But they will protect the droids.

Plexi Installed

2009-02-19T20:38:00.004-05:00

The plexiglass worked out pretty nice.
We also added a aluminum safety band around the sides just incase R2
tries to run away.
The plywood door/ramp on the back I'm not happy with and will change it
this weekend.

Da Ding Dang BOX!!!!

2009-02-18T18:36:00.003-05:00

We got the plexiglass today and we'll get it installed soon.
We also tested the box and loaded it with 150 pounds.
The box itself held up GREAT!!!!, But the Ding Dang eyelets
are giving. CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I knew this would be my weak spot.
At 150 lbs they are pulling in slightly, But my droid doesn't weigh
this much so I think for the MegaCon trip it will be OK.
After the trip I'll change out the 5/16 rods for 1/2 rods with 1/2 eyelets.
I just can't spend anymore time on this project

Now It's Da Boxes

2009-02-17T18:46:00.003-05:00

Yep, I got 2 standing now and I installed the top in 1 of them.
The Plexiglass is ordered and I'll pick it up tomorrow.
We also found some cable at the shop, So we'll make our own lift cables.
WORK, WORK, WORK, That's all I have time for now.
SOMEBODY HELP ME!!!!!!!!!!

More on Da Box

2009-02-14T16:21:00.005-05:00

All 4 threaded rods are installed and the bolts are countersunk.
We also attached the eyelets to the top for lifting onto the truck.
I hate to say it, But if anything fails on this box it will be the eyelets.
The threaded rods are 5/16 and the eyelets are too, But I'm just not sure if that's enough.
We also got it mounted on the 3" caster today.
Tomorrow if the rain stops, We can cut the top and start on the other box.
Monday, I will get the cables and I'm going to call about the Plexi for the side panels.

Shipping box

2009-02-12T18:40:00.002-05:00

I mounted the floor in the box today and got some of the bolts countersunk.
It's made from 3/4 particle board and is very strong.
Under the floor I will mount another 3/4 plate where the casters will mount
and this will give more than enough strength for the casters.

I didn't notice but my aluminum channel is 2x2 instead of 1-1/2.
Now you would think I would have noticed this ;o)
I need to get some more bolts and the threaded rods for the corners.
The only thing I'm not sure how to make is the cable lift for the top.
I need to find out, How you attach 4 cables to a eyelet so the crane will
have something to hook.

Ewok Captuered!!!!!!

2009-02-11T18:34:00.002-05:00

Started building 2 R2 shipping boxes for the MegaCon vacation
and look what I caught, A LOOSE EWOK!!!!!!
And the trap was'nt even finished :o)

The aluminum rails are 1-1/2 rails and the box measures
31 x 33 x 48. All we need now is the threaded rod for each corner
and to countersink all the bolts.
Once this is finished I can add the sides, bottom and top.
The threaded rods will go from top to bottom and out the top will
be 4 eyelets for a cable system.

Once the box is finished, I'll put the Ewok in the box and see how
the crane lifts the box onto my truck.
More to come.

Porch Testing

2008-12-29T16:25:00.002-05:00

I took R2 on the front porch today and drove him around some.
His foot motors are wired for 12v. and they are working GREAT!!!!
I was also testing the range on the PS2 controller and it was
pretty good, Since the receiver is inside R2's aluminum body.
Seems like the maximum range is around 40 feet.
Now that's from my porch, out of my front yard (15 feet)
across the street (15 feet) and about 10 feet into the neighbors yard.
If I held the remote up high, I could regain a signal.
That's not bad for a cheap PS2 controller and I never intend to get
that far away from him while driving. :o)
With the Cheap Controller (C6C)
and a Sabertooth Motor controller
I don't think you can go wrong with the price of both parts.
I'll post a video of R2 in the street when I get a few more things completed,
He's not ready for any real exercise yet.

12v. vs 24v.

2008-12-25T12:43:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to run my scooter motors on 24v., Which they
are designed to run.
But the power is just too much.
I'm going to try running them on 12v. which responds and moves much
better too me.
I'm going to order 2- 12v. 22amp batteries after the holidays and wire
them for 12v.
These batts should give me enough run time even though it will be 12v.
I have some emails out concerning the motors.
I don't want to damage the motors are run them too hot, So when the emails
return I'll let everyone know what I've learned.

Rear Logic Complete

2008-12-21T14:11:00.003-05:00

I finally got that ding-dang rear logic working.
The wiring process is what kept throwing me off.
So, If anyone needs to wire this thing through the 24v. converter
here's how it wires:

Run the 12v. neg./pos. from the 12v. Batt. to the Pic Flasher.
Run a 2 jumpers from the Flasher pos/neg to the 24v. input on
the converter neg/pos. This will supply the power for both items.
Run a 24v. pos. wire from the output of the converter to the rear logic.
The output 24v. neg. on the converter is not used.
And believe it or not it works.

Everyone was telling me how to wire Leon's rear logic, But it was not working
for me.
And after I burnt up the rectifier on the pic flasher, I tried my own setup.
I'm glad this is over, It was a pain :o)

Voltage Regulator

2008-12-16T18:03:00.002-05:00

My regulator arrived today.
This will convert 12v. to 24v. for Leon's rear logic display.
The regulator is adjustable so I will need a better Multimeter
to get the voltage correct.
Since I always give credit where it's do, This is one of Chris James
idea.
The regulator can be purchased on Ebay and it ships from China.

Dome Side Light

2008-12-15T17:50:00.004-05:00

Before anyone ask me, I have no idea what this light is called :o)
If anyone knows the name, Please let me know.
In the movie at the cave with the Ewoks, R2 gets zapped by one of the
Storm Troopers and goes CRAZY. As the dome turns you will see this red light
flashing.
I had planned to place a small LCD screen in this area so it would flash red
and if you push one of the dome buttons it would show pictures and video.
That will have to come later.
These two pics show the light off/on. When it's off the panel is like a mirror
and you can't see inside the dome. The pics are kinda crappy, But you get the idea.
And the LEDs don't show that bad in person, The camera makes them really show up.

More Wiring

2008-12-14T16:23:00.004-05:00

I did some more wiring today and installed 2 main power switches.
The switches are setup as: 1 for 12v. and 1 for 24v.
We put the 2 switches inside one of the large doors for easy access.
The only thing left is to run the wires inside the legs and I'm hunting a
good master connector for the charge plug, speakers and the flashing red lights
in the front skin. The master connector will allow me to remove the front skin
and unplug 1 master instead of a lot of small connectors.
Everything is run through the fuse box and I'll experiment with different size fuses
to see what will be the correct size for each item.

Door Magnets

2008-12-10T17:46:00.003-05:00

I added magnets to the rest of the doors and everything looks good except 1 door.
I noticed when I cut the doors open from the original aluminum skins, The aluminum
seems to have a little tension on it when you cut the parts apart.
So this door doesn't want to close completely. Maybe the servo will keep it tighter
when I get to this part.

Anyway, Here's where I stand in the build.
Once he's complete, I'll dirty him up to look like the Empire Strikes Back R2.

One More Video

2008-12-08T16:04:00.003-05:00

I put a set of 12v. 10amp batteries in a 24v. configuration and what a power difference. He was so strong I had to reset the C6C and the Sabertooth to get a smoother start. Setting the C6C can be alittle odd since all settings are set by pushing different buttons on the PS2 controller.
Hey, The table got run over once and I got run over 3 times. And believe me, R2 has quite a bit of strength and started pushing me around pretty good :o)

Now that the settings are correct, I've got to get the ankles locked and get a few things done. Hopefully by Sunday, I'll be able to get him to the street and do
some more testing.

Anyone useing the C6C, I suggest you read the manual or you'll get run over
like me and the table!!!

Added More Wiring

2008-12-07T14:58:00.002-05:00

I added the Voltage regulator into my system for the C6C to obtain
power from my 12v. batteries. You can buy these at Walmart for $10.00
and it has a switch which allows you to select the votage you need.
I set mine to 7.5 volts. I have one of these in my dome to power the Vex
Micro and it works fine.
I also picked up a Pelican wireless Ps2 remote and it works Great.
So far range tested on the remote is 40 feet, More than enough.

Once all is wired, I plan to add two main switches to the system.
One for the 12v. and one for the 24v.
I will also add some relays to switch between charging and run time.
More to come :o)

2nd Test Video

2008-12-07T09:15:00.002-05:00

Ok, Here's a short video of R2 moving with both feet.
It's not much But I don't have much room in my junk room to move around and the wires
are hanging all over the back of him right now.

I still need to work on the controlls as it's still alittle touchy on the remote.
I've got to lock the outter ankles in place because they want to jump as I aply
power.
I'm running for now 1- 12v. 4.5amp battery for both feet.
I'll get the other batteries ready today.

1st Test

2008-12-06T15:59:00.003-05:00

I did a little test to see if my wiring was going to be OK and in
the pic you can see I've got one foot motor connected to a small
12v. 4.5amp battery.
As soon as I gave R2 a little juice from the PS2 controller he jumped and turned
to the right. Which is what I was hoping would happen.

One thing I did notice, The C6C has a adjustable throttle and it needs to be turned down. And this is possible with this little board.
I have more wiring to do and still have work to do on 1 of the legs,
But maybe soon I'll be able to take him for a spin.
I have some large 24v. Scooters and I'm going to borrow the batteries from them,
So I can give R2 a fair amount of power for the test run.

Electronic Locations

2008-12-04T17:12:00.003-05:00

I started installing the motor drivers and the C6C.
1st, I cut another piece of Plexiglas as a base for everything to mount
and tried to set the parts in the best spot.
I need some more white wire clips and some other goodies, But at least it's started.

More Goodies

2008-12-03T15:33:00.004-05:00

These 2 pics show the C6C (PS2 Controller) that I plan to use to control R2's
feet, Dome and Utility Arms. I've ran the controller for a few hours on the dome to
see if it can handle use for a long period of time. And it seems to be up to the job.

The Sabertooth 2x25 amp controller came in today.
I will use this to run the 24v. foot motors and I have a Syren 10 to run the dome motor.
If all goes well and I'm lucky, I may have R2 ready for a test run this weekend.
I still have to order the 2- 12v. 20 amp batteries that I have made room for in R2.
These should supply more than enough power to run the feet.
I have 2- 12v. 4.5 amp batts that will supply power for the small stuff.

Crazy Days!!!!!

2008-11-29T16:19:00.002-05:00

I knew this day would come and I was not looking forward to it.
R2 from the Ankles up is basically finished, There is a couple of details that
need paint but I'll do it later.

When I started the build, Everything was done in a temporary mode.
As things changed and more functions were added it didn't make seance to
make everything permanent.
So, Today I started tearing him apart a piece at a time and making everything
fit. It took all day to rework 1 leg. All the bolts were added and I changed allot of screws to Allen head bolts.
I also drilled the outer ankle for the wiring to pass through to the foot.
I made a aluminum plate to put under the shoulder hub to bolt my wood outer legs
to the frame. The plate adds allot of strength to this area and I'm positive now the leg won't give in a strain.
Tomorrow, I'll start on the other leg and do the same process.

Even though I have an A&A frame, I have added many different modifications to the frame and used aluminum for these mods. I have never glued the frame and still will never glue it, So future gadgets can be added.
I have screws in all the weak spots I could find on the frame.
Some people claim the frame is too weak for a fully loaded R2, But I disagree.
Mine doesn't give in the joints, It doesn't squeak like some people claim.
More to Come :o)

Skirt Update

2008-11-28T09:31:00.002-05:00

I mounted my skirt to see if the screws in the center ankle would show and only the bottom 2 can be seen if you look from the bottom.
I haven't seen the painted skirt mounted until now and it looks funny to me.
I guess I'm use to the flat bottom.

I still have alot of work to get done before MegaCon and I hope I get it finished.
The skirts on the feet, Finishing the battery boxes, Painting the rear door
and alot of small details here and there must be completed.

We ordered the Sabertooth motor controller for the foot motors and I have the Cheap PS2 controller, So it will be wiring time soon.
For MegaCon, I'm going to wire the basics. Feet, Dome and lighting.

General Update

2008-11-19T20:44:00.002-05:00

I got the center foot set and it's level with the outter feet.
Both casters in the center foot are touching the floor and R2 seems to be very easy to push around.
I still have allot of work ahead and really need to start finishing up.
Well, Not much to post but a small update.