R2D2製作記

　

New!　Oct.26　頭部の製作ページを開始しました。

I wished if I have R2D2 in my house while C3PO will be noisy. Basicaly R2D2 is consisut of pipe, hald sphere and plates which are very basic figures and easy to find at DIY stores. I serached and found some sites doing similar thing. Some sale parts very well made but expensive. I have decided to build my R2D2 from scratch materials for fun.

1：　BLUEPRINTS

As the first step I need blueprints to specify the size of each parts to be build. I obtained Stat Wars Blue Prints from Amazon for the purpose. This is inexpensive but quite useful documents. I also purchased 1/6 scale figure which was expensive ($250) but also useful to see three dimensional constructios.

I sized the figure and scale it up to 6 times which makes the size of 960mm hight which matches to the information on the net. With this scale the body diameter should be 420mm, however I found parts sold on the net is usualy 450mm diameter which does not match. I found this I have figured out all sizes and already started to cut the materials so I have decided to go with 420mm.

I had a plan to make clean CAD data to start with, but actualy I used notebook with freehand writings start with and still work with it.

		This is Star Wars Blue Prints I ahve started with. You can build your own Milenium Falcon with it if you have enough space and pecience.
		This is 1/6 scale figure to check thre dimensional constructions. This scalew is same as G.I.Joe or Barbies.
		This is revel version of bluprints which is not popular at all at Amazon.com. I suppose evil is more beutiful and attractive.
		This is the deluxe version of Star Wars bluprints which costs me $460 i8ncluding the shipping to Japan. I finished to draw my own blueprints before I got this, so I did not use it to start with. This is very nice item for Star Wars lovers however.
		I was supprised when it arrives. It is big and very heavy so you may injured if you drop it on your feet. You can see how it is big compared with Star Wars blue ray box at the left. From the diagrams in this book, I made life size copy at copy shop like Kinko's. It costs me $70 but it is worth to have single paper life size diagram to measure the size of a part.
		This was I originaly used life sized diagram made from the data on the net. This is the same data above but I needed to print nine A3 diagrams and pasted them together.
		I also used paper craft data available on the net. This is quite useful too to make line art on the body.

このページのTOPに戻る

Step 2:　MATERIALS

You can purchase any parts made of alminum or regin on the net, but they are rather expensive and no fun to build. I tried to find that I can use of it.

Fromthe diagrams and figure, I have decides that the diameter of the body as 420mm. I could build it with wood frame and put outer panel but it needs a lot of work.

Fortunately I found a seller at an auction who sale 420mm diameter pipe with any length I wish. This is good since cutting that size of pipe is another hard work.

Body has many line works which represents access panel and others. I put lines on the surface and used trimmer to dig the lines.

Dome is another hard to find part.

At first I purchased an alimum bowl with 420mm diameter. But this is not real half sphere and the top is 100mm lower than it should be. I rought this to an iron factory if they can make it to real half sphere. But they can not since this is too thin to do that.

Fortunately I could obtained aclylic dome with 400mm dianeter, real half sphere. It is 10mm shorter at evry sorroundings but I have no other choice and will see if this is real problem or not.

I need four disks, one for the bottome of the dome, two for each side of the dome and one for the very bottome of the body. I asked DIY shop to cut them and they did good job so that if I put them in the pipe, it is hard to remove it.

Dome should move of course. The problem is how, I can choose to use center pole or place guide rales around the top of the body. I am trying to make it works and still trying, it is much more difficcult than I thought.

I also obtained 400mm PET thin PET dome but I did not use it.

Leggs seem complex but they are consists of plates with trapezold foot.

I made them from wood plate which are easy to cut and strong enough to hold heavy body. I made leggs with two 24mm plates to make it 48mm thickness. It seems that it should be 40mm instead measured from big (expensive) diagram. But I already started and do not want to go back to make it from the first so I will go wiht it.

Left plate is the base of a foot. It carries moter and tires which may occupy a lot of space.

I used used wiper motor of automobile. Tey are good because they are chaep, easy to get and comes with reduction gears so I do ot need to worry about the reduction. I used them to make lkife size robot when I was a high school student so I know how to use them.

I found that the motor I got has different rotaiton rate for forward and reverse. I need to use them in the same direction.

I am going to use 12V/7Ah batteries used for my UPS. I checked how much current the motor required. It is 1.8A without load and even I tried to stop the motor, it rottes without increase of the current. So I can expect the battery lasts at least 3 hours.

While I plan to put a note PC in it for self controlled operation, I am also going to R/C capabilities.

I checked real R/C from Futaba which are expensive. I bought toy R/C tank instead for $60. It is well made I almost hesitated to disassemble it. It has motor control of each side and rotates gun tarlette, resembls fire the cannon and makes machine gun shooting sound. I can use those functions for drive motor control, dome rotetaion, make speech sound and so on.

This is I found at $1 store which is perfect for head projector.

This is motor uint taken out from my old drill driver. It has reduction gear and clutch which might be worked as limitter.

Return to the toip of this poage

Step 3:　TOOLS

		The drill driver I used for decades does nolonger work properly and I was forced to buy new one. The new one costs me a hundred dollars which is much chaeper than old one but works better.
		This project needs a lot of wood crafts and I bought one of the least expensive work bech for $40. It is chaep but it does whta I need.
		Red Jigsaw I have 10 years does not work well. I can not cut in straight and I bought Disc Saw behind. It is dangerous but useful tool. Ieven can cut curves.
		Thiss is my new Jigsaw costed me another hundred dollars with big discount. It does very well, I can cut straight line and curves without problem. I realized I should buy goog tools for good results.
		A simple jig to cut straight line.
		Another jig to cut straight lines along with pipe.

Step ４:　BUILDING

DOME
BODY
LEGGS
OTOR DRIVE
R/C

	Fromthe diagrams and figure, I have decides that the diameter of the body as 420mm. I could build it with wood frame and put outer panel but it needs a lot of work. Fortunately I found a seller at an auction who sale 420mm diameter pipe with any length I wish. This is good since cutting that size of pipe is another hard work. Body has many line works which represents access panel and others. I put lines on the surface and used trimmer to dig the lines.
	Dome is another hard to find part. At first I purchased an alimum bowl with 420mm diameter. But this is not real half sphere and the top is 100mm lower than it should be. I rought this to an iron factory if they can make it to real half sphere. But they can not since this is too thin to do that. Fortunately I could obtained aclylic dome with 400mm dianeter, real half sphere. It is 10mm shorter at evry sorroundings but I have no other choice and will see if this is real problem or not. I need four disks, one for the bottome of the dome, two for each side of the dome and one for the very bottome of the body. I asked DIY shop to cut them and they did good job so that if I put them in the pipe, it is hard to remove it. Dome should move of course. The problem is how, I can choose to use center pole or place guide rales around the top of the body. I am trying to make it works and still trying, it is much more difficcult than I thought. I also obtained 400mm PET thin PET dome but I did not use it.
	Leggs seem complex but they are consists of plates with trapezold foot. I made them from wood plate which are easy to cut and strong enough to hold heavy body. I made leggs with two 24mm plates to make it 48mm thickness. It seems that it should be 40mm instead measured from big (expensive) diagram. But I already started and do not want to go back to make it from the first so I will go wiht it. Left plate is the base of a foot. It carries moter and tires which may occupy a lot of space.
	I used used wiper motor of automobile. Tey are good because they are chaep, easy to get and comes with reduction gears so I do ot need to worry about the reduction. I used them to make lkife size robot when I was a high school student so I know how to use them. I found that the motor I got has different rotaiton rate for forward and reverse. I need to use them in the same direction. I am going to use 12V/7Ah batteries used for my UPS. I checked how much current the motor required. It is 1.8A without load and even I tried to stop the motor, it rottes without increase of the current. So I can expect the battery lasts at least 3 hours.
	While I plan to put a note PC in it for self controlled operation, I am also going to R/C capabilities. I checked real R/C from Futaba which are expensive. I bought toy R/C tank instead for $60. It is well made I almost hesitated to disassemble it. It has motor control of each side and rotates gun tarlette, resembls fire the cannon and makes machine gun shooting sound. I can use those functions for drive motor control, dome rotetaion, make speech sound and so on.
	This is I found at $1 store which is perfect for head projector.
	This is motor uint taken out from my old drill driver. It has reduction gear and clutch which might be worked as limitter.

R2D2製作記

1：　BLUEPRINTS

このページのTOPに戻る

Step 2:　MATERIALS

You can purchase any parts made of alminum or regin on the net, but they are rather expensive and no fun to build. I tried to find that I can use of it.

Return to the toip of this poage

Step 3:　TOOLS

Step ４:　BUILDING

DOME

Return to the top of this page

To SOL20

R2D2製作記

1： BLUEPRINTS

このページのTOPに戻る

Step 2: MATERIALS

You can purchase any parts made of alminum or regin on the net, but they are rather expensive and no fun to build. I tried to find that I can use of it.

Return to the toip of this poage

Step 3: TOOLS

Step ４: BUILDING

DOME

Return to the top of this page

To SOL20

1：　BLUEPRINTS

Step 2:　MATERIALS

Step 3:　TOOLS

Step ４:　BUILDING