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Friday, April 11, 2008

R2D2 project is now active

The R2 project has officially begun. The last couple days I've been digging out parts that I've been collecting over the past two years. There were a few duplicate parts so there will probably be an R2 garage sale after my friend Brad takes what he needs. Plus I found a few parts that I thought I still needed to purchase already in my R2 treasure chest. Almost every part is accounted for and 90% of them are aluminum.

As I'm going to be doing some fabrication of motor brackets and a few other things, I finally broke down and bought a new drill press. Something I've needed for awhile but didn't want to sacrifice any bench space. And that was the problem yesterday when I brought it home. I had to dismantle part of my work bench to come up with a way to mount the drill press as I had to get a rather large 12" model. It took awhile but it's looking pretty darned cool in my workshop. A drill press isn't something you use a lot so that's why it took so long for me to go out and replace the one I had.

Being the sensitive guy I am, I realize that the coming months will subject my poor wife into being a robot widow once again. So this weekend we're going to Disney world and staying at one of the resorts. And I've been warned about a hundred times not to complain and crab when we're fighting the crowds and dealing with general Disney madness. I do tend to crab about being there a little much but we've only been there about a thousand times. However what makes her happy makes me happy ..and if I'm good, she said we can go on Star Tours at MGM and see the droids !

A plan is forming in my brain how to mount the motors to the feet and ankles. The plan is starting to gel but it's not something you want to rush ... especially since it involves cutting parts.

Now I'm getting excited about this project. Too @%#@ bad I have to go to @%## Disney @%# World @%^#@5@%# this @%#@# weekend.
(( Just kidding. )))



5 comments:

Mike D. said...

A vacation is a great way to kick off a project. I figure sometime along the trip you'll have a little down time without the distractions of home, and you can focus and sort out your plans.

Of course living in Kansas affords me all kinds of down time during vacations since there's almost nothing to look at while we drive!

Unknown said...

Hey I'm starting an R2 myself, but I'm in a tight spot as I can't find material for making the dome. I heard of an 'R&J' dome, but I haven't been able to find it anywhere (and it's quite expensive). Would you have any suggestion?

Jim said...

Alan, join the newly launched http://astromech.net forum. I noticed a good deal on an R&J Dome in the parts for sale section and I believe there may be a dome run going on now but not positive.

Mike, Disney is not my idea of a vacation. Just trying to make the wife happy but now I'm in the doghouse because that trip didn't turn out so good.

PF said...

Hey alan,

I'm one of the admins for astromech.net, the official site for the R2 Builders Club. There's a Yahoo Group you would be interested in as well. Go to astromech.net, get a login, and there are tons of resources and links available to you. Drop me a PM and I can get you dome information (I'm pixelFiend there as well and quite visible). Nice blog Jim!

Jim said...

Thanks Fiend ! Glad you stopped by.