Clone Wars: R4-P17

I'm snowed in here in Bloomington, so I can't get home to grab more parts. In the mean time, I'm really struggling to find some new material to update. I need parts & tools from home and until I do, no real building for me. In the mean time....

The only other astromech unit seen to date from the animated Clone Wars series has been Obi-Wan's R4-P17. Again, the droid is highly stylized and the model looks to be just like R2-D2. The image shown here is a screen capture from the Clone Wars trailer shown at Celebration IV. Check it out at StarWars.com

Celebration IV DVD

I finally got around to taking a picture of my valentines day gift! For the second year running, my valentine ordered me something R2 related. This time it was the latest R2 Builders club DVD from Star Wars Celebration IV.

Michael McMaster does an amazing job on these DVDs. I took a couple hours to sit down and watch the whole thing... and about half way through I realized I was grinning ear to ear. Its cool to see different people who I might have met at CIV, or others that I recognize from the internet.

Because of my responsibilities with the 501st, I wasn't in the builders room as much as I would have liked, so this is the next best thing to being there. Kenny Bakers visit was particularly special and Chris Bartlett's C-3PO adventure is very fun as well. If you would like to get a DVD set for your valentine, or just get one for yourself, head over to McMaster's Artoo page.

More pictures of 3D Artoo

Here are three more screen shots from the new Clone Wars feature on StarWars.com. If you thought the radar eye was wacky, check out the liberties they took with the back side of the dome.

Accurate or not, I think its pretty cool. It fits the design used in the rest of the series... and everyone still knows its Artoo.

2008: Attack of the Droids?

Toy Fair 2008 is coming to a close and droid lovers everywhere should be pretty happy with the robot related toys in line for the coming year. As I mentioned before, the droid factory line will be a favorite for astromech lovers. Each 3 3/4" figure will include a different piece of a droid... when you collect all of the figures, you have all the pieces you need to put together a droid. Each wave has at least one unique, never released droid. In addition, the parts have universal connectors, meaning you can swap the different parts and customize as you see fit.

Wave one features figures from Return of the Jedi and 8 figures. Collect all eight to build R4-D6 and R7-Z0.
Wave two features figures from the original Cartoon Network Clone Wars and will include the parts to build R7-T1 and R4-J1.
Wal-Mart will offer 6 different exclusive 2-packs that allow you to build C-3PX. These exclusives all feature a figure and droid. For example, one two pack will feature Jedi Master Plo Koon and his droid R4-F5, and a part you need to build C-3PX. In all there are tons of astromechs to be had in this line.

In addition to these classic figures, we will also get an R2-D2 from the animated Clone Wars series. Target will have an exclusive Asyla Secura Jedi Starfighter with droid, and even some Galatic heroes droids for the kids.

For all the updates on collecting, head over to Rebelscum.com now!

More Coin Returns

Styrene building continues, this time with the rear coin returns. Just like the front return, they are very simple to make. Just be careful not to break the thin strip on the bottom. These two parts are simply the same part mirrored. Once you cut one, you can use it as a pattern for the second.

To add some strength to the coin returns, I added extra styrene strips on the back to help hold together the pocketed part. They now feel very substantial and should hold up well in the droid.

Styrene Foot Strips

Another small detail that is easy to make with styrene is the foot strips. The first one I built was the center foot strip. The outer strips are just a bit more difficult because they require cutting a hole in the middle for the hose fitting to go through. That will have to wait until I get back home and use the drill press.

I built the strip using two layers of styrene. The first layer is thin: .04 thick. The top layer is .08. That brings the total thickness to just under the required .125. With primer and paint, the strips will be just thick enough.

Making the strips is very simple. Just cut the two rectangular pieces, glue them together, and after they have dried, file one end by hand to give it the correct chamfer. Use lots of glue, especially around the edges.

Droid Build-A-Figure Promo

First reported by JediDefender.com, now confirmed by Hasbro, it looks like there will be some cool droid toys in 2008.

STAR WARS 3 ¾” BASIC FIGURES DROID FACTORY
(Approximate Retail Price: $7.99; Ages 4 & up; Available: July 26, 2008)

Collect and build a never-before-created droid action figure with every new wave of “Droid Factory” figures. Beginning in July, one part of the unique droid will be packaged with each action figure. A total of 30 figures will be released in 2008, with seven unique droids that kids of all ages can collect, build and combine.

We'll have to wait to see what exactly the seven droids will be. Sounds to me that the idea is similar to what other toy lines have done. When you buy an action figure, you get a little piece of another figure. Put them all together, and you have a droid. Sounds pretty good, but it won't make the carded collectors too happy.

Scratchbuild Coin Returns

The first of my scratch built styrene parts is now complete. The first part I tackled was the front coin return. Looking at the blueprints from the R2 builders club yahoo group, this piece looked like it would be pretty easy. All straight edges were key. The hardest part was the thin section at the bottom. This part was so thin that when I tried to cut out the center, it split. I had to remake that part by tracing the broken one. Most of the cuts can be snapped off, but the center cutout needs to be cut clean.

I cut all the parts without a 1:1 blueprint. If I had a full scale drawing of the part, cutting would have been much easier. Instead, I used a digital caliper to help me get the correct dimensions. Had I not used the caliper, converting the dimension form decimals to fractions would have required way too much time and effort; the conversion also is not very accurate.

The last photo posted here is a shot of one of the coin returns from a film-used droid. Notice just how rough they are. Scratch built returns will definitely look as good or better.

The Clone Wars R2-D2

The Clone Wars cartoon will be here in August and perhaps one of the most intriguing aspects of Lucas Animation's premier cartoon is the highly stylized 3-D animation. When I was at Celebration IV where supervising director Dave Filoni introduced the first audience to The Clone Wars, we learned that the animation was a sort of bridge between the previous Clone Wars cartoon and real-life video. Many of the main characters are highly stylized and have strong, angular features.

But how does this animation style work for out three-legged friends? Here are a few screen shots from the very end of the latest video posted on StarWars.com. Again, we see plenty of angles; particularly in the radar eye and utility arms. We also see that many of R2's features are simplified, especially areas like panels and skins details.

As the series theatrical release draws near, we will surely see more of 3-D animated R2.

Clone Wars Theatrical Release!

Just posted tonight on StarWars.com was a major update on the Clone Wars animated series. The two big announcements are that there will a theatrical release on August 15 and the series will continue to air with 30 minute episodes on Cartoon Network and TNT. For a new video and a press release chocked full of executive banter, head on over to the official site!

My new goal for this droid is to have it ready to run at the premiere. Many people thought we would never see Star Wars in theater again, so I don't want to miss this opportunity.

Began Dome Drive Assembly

For a few months I've had some pieces of a dome drive sitting in a box. I picked these up from Daren a while back and finally got some time to start putting it together. The wheel itself can certainly be considered "scratch and dent." The etching isn't pretty, but its going to get the job done. I think it adds some character to the setup!

Assembly is super easy. Just line up the parts and put some screws in. Use these photos that Daren provided here.

Now I'm off to find a good motor to go with it. Looks like I'll be reading Chris' blog again...

Ordered Styrene for Scratchbuilding

I recently ordered some plastic so that I can build the few remaining parts I need to complete the droid. I already have (or have ordered) all of the major components. I have a 300mm Dome, A&A frame, Matthew Henricks wood legs, Krider budget aluminum outer feet, JAG steel center foot and skirt, Keiths resin parts, and Ryan's aluminum battery boxes. I only need a few more smaller cosmetic pieces to round out the remainder of the build.

I could order many of these pieces in aluminum, but the prices are rather high. They certainly look amazing, but I need to cut some corners to stay on budget. Of course, the only way to get something really cheap (usually) is to build it yourself. I have decided to build all of my parts out of styrene. Styrene is an inexpensive, easy to work with plastic that can be ordered from many sources. Some people recommend buying from local plastics suppliers or a local sign shop.

I chose to get my styrene from an online retailer. I ordered from www.indplastic.com. They are located in Anaheim, California and the transaction was very easy. I ended up ordering 4 pieces of .080" white styrene and 8 pieces of .040" white. The .04 will be used most, because many of the parts I plan to build require this thickness. The prices were reasonable and the shipping was quick. If you need some plastic, I would recommend Industrial Plastic Supply Inc.

Blog Highlight: Artoo-Detoo.net

Over the last year, and especially the last few weeks, I have spent a lot of time reading one very cool building page. Chris James has built an amazing blog with tons of information and pictures to show his progress and provide invaluable advice. The domain should be easy enough to remember: Artoo-Detoo.net!

Some of my favorite posts:
How to finish JAG skirt ribs. Great info for anyone using a JAG aluminum skirt.
Dome Drive Motors. Tons of info on dome drives.

There is a ton of great content over there, so go check out artoo-detoo.net today.

I am for Sale on Ebay!

Fellow legion member Diane sent me an email today to let me know that I am up for bidding on eBay.com! Well, not me personally, but my 501st trading card is.

Looks like someone who got ahold of my card and others at Celebration IV is trying to sell them. I am currently being sold for $5 but have no bids. Heck, even I don't think I'm worth $5!

300mm Dome Tutorial v2.0

The latest batch of domes are at the laser cutter and many builders will soon be getting started on this very important part of their droid. I have reworked the old tutorial to clear up some points, added a few pages, and included some new pictures. You can download the tutorial here.

The tutorial is now 15 pages long. All of the extra unimportant photos and tips have been integrated into the rest of the tutorial or replaced with better information.

When you start working on your dome, I urge you to read the entire tutorial before you get started. As with all parts, you want to be thinking ahead as you start building. The tutorial will guide you through basic dome assembly, but you will have to think for yourself when it comes to any special features you might add. Also remember that the techniques described in the tutorial are my favorites, but there are certainly other ways to get the job done. There is no 'right' way to build a droid!

I have to thank Daren Murrer for walking me through the entire process, Chris James for his awesome page and photos, and Jerry Chevalier for letting me help out on the Dallas Children's Hospital droid & providing the test dome for the tutorial.

If you have any questions, shoot me an email or post them up on the Astromech.net forums (when the site relaunches).

Vote in the 501st Legion Elections!

For all of the 501st members out there, be sure that you stop by 501stforums.com to vote in the annual legion elections. For the first time in legion history, all voting is taking place in one location; voting only takes a few minutes. Simply log onto the members only forums and click the Legion Elections banner on the right hand side of the page.

Photo on Star Wars Official Site

Last week I was checking the starwars.com photo caption contest when I saw a familiar picture. Not only did I recognize the trooper, but I was the one who took the picture. The photo was taken at the Speedway Indiana Spring Fling, a charity event that Bloodfin Garrison has trooped for a few years now. The trooper is my buddy Ed (aka Music Trooper). I submitted the story to Bantha Tracks, and although the story didn't make the final cut, they did keep the picture. Now the funny captions have been posted, so go check it out here.

Scratch and Dent Dome Parts Still For Sale!

Just a reminder that I still have some aluminum rings for sale. These rings are leftover from the development of the 300mm Dome run. Most people who have purchased these plan to use them with plastic domes or R5 domes. There are tons of uses for these things, so Daren wanted to get them out of his shop and into builders' hands!

All the info can be found at the Scratch and Dent Section of 300mmdome.com