How does this work for you?  I hallowed out the inside so you can fit fibers or LEDs as well!

I sent ya the link in a PM!  Lemme know if that works for ya!

Maaannn........I'm just salivating over those R2 renderings!!! I can't stop looking at it, and everytime I do it makes me smile! I could do the same thing with real world materials, but it would take me quite a LONG time. There are just so many details to make, and glue together that I'd have to make resin copies to add to the backside as well as the front. I'm really LOVING that see-through look! I wish I could do what you do with this stuff!

You'd be correct, Sir! The R2 unit I started to make as a model was just a tiny bit taller than this. It's actual scale is 1/6th, and just fractionally bigger! But this will be close enough without having to be too fussy over few fractions of an inch. If those guys (Ira Keeler, and Mike Fulmer) had just done it the way it was on the smaller X-wings then it wouldn't be so hard to get the exact specs.

 

Alright... when scaled to where the shoulders are exactly 3" 11/16 wide the feet are 4.183 inches from outer foot side to outer foot side and the whole droid ends up being about 6.199" inches tall total.  That sound about right?

God bless you, Sir! I'm sorry I didn't reply - I was editing this for clarity. What I need is a droid 3" 11/16 wide the same as the width of the strip. I can cut him in half as I want to offer both versions - a whole R2, and half for landed, and in flight versions. I just can't find anything that will allow me to make even a rough draft of the body shape, and the closest I could find were two globe halves from Joann fabrics in 3" inch diameter which would fit this perfectly were it not for the fact that the legs would be too wide, and I want this to look exactly like the four foot version. I'll offer an alternate hyperdrive actuator/motivator strip that will look exactly like the original ILM models for the purists that want the look. This way they won't have to fabricate it themselves. Back to our original topic: I just need a basic form that will fit into the parameters decided by the original modelers. The forum keeps cutting off the ends of my sentences when I post, and I'll send them an email about it later. In the meantime, if you could print this out for me, and all I would have to do is mould, then cast a resin copy of it I would be very grateful for it! Maybe we can work something out if need be?

~ Cobra Chris

No problem... sent ya a couple of PMs but no response... anyway... I could make a full size droid or just the upper torso and to any scale you want.  If you want just the upper torso for mounting in the back, just lemme know the size of the opening and how much of the torso you want... I'm thinking just below the upper leg joint hole would be a a good cutoff point.  So basically here's where I'm at... I could cut him in half, just below the upper leg joint and make it 3.6875 inches (3" 11/16) wide from the side of the leg to the side of the leg... that would mean you'd have to make the hole a bit wider... or... I could drop the width down to 3.5 inches so you don't have to worry about changing the width of the hole, and that would give you .09375 inches to play with on either side and around him.  A tight fit, but worth it.  Now... if you want the full droid, you gotta remember that the feet are bigger then the arms, and would probably have to mount him from up underneath and push him thru the hole.  Either way, just let me know and I'll get to work on him ASAP!

I'd LOVE that!!! If you would do this for me it would be wonderful, and I'd be more than happy to return the favour. Um... The width of this is 3" 11/16, but the actual R2s' were a bit wider than the hyperdrive actuator strip on the original models. However, this one(R2 unit) is the same width as the strip itself . 3"11/16 from one side to the other which according to the correct measurements (of the original model) would normally be right. I looked, but nothing comes close to this size. I'd have to cut, and turn this from wood to get it right, but I no longer have access to a lathe to do this with, and nothing to turn anyway!

I started making an R2-D2 model kit years ago, but it's just a little too big (3" inches around -body and head) for this kit with the legs attached - it's the correct size for the scale, but on the four foot prototype the R2 unit on it is slightly undersized to fit in the cutout for the hyperdrive strip. The arms on the one I have would stick out of the sides as per the originals, but some of the detail of this particular kit are different since they couldn't find models of the kind in this scale. Meaning that they made R2s arms fit inside the entire strip surface instead of sticking out on the sides ever so slightly.

 

I can make resin copies of parts, only when I can FIND something to make them from! I hoped to offer a full scale version, and a half version of R2 for display purposes. I'll offer this in a landed form since I've made landing gear for this, but I forgot to take any pictures of them so far. Either way, Iif you need my personal information just send me a P.M. and we can figure out the rest. Here're a couple photos so that you can  see what I'm talking about. Click on each photo to see them bigger. Click on again once more to supersize them for a better view.

 

Here you can see that R2s legs stick out a little farther than on the four footer. <- look a hypertext link!!! How stupid.

~ Cobra Chris

Cobra 427

Just hang on - IT WILL BE DONE! In the meantime I'll have to go to Lowes to see if they have anything that I can cut into spherical shapes for the R2-D2, and hyperdrive actuator. The shapes that I WAS going to use I just found out last week are too big, and now I need to make a smaller version to fit properly to scale.  I don't want to clutter this thread with a bunch of picutures of half finished junk only to make you wait a long time looking at it wondering if there will ever be a light at the end of the tunnel! Stay tuned - I hate having to leave post after post with nothing to show, but know that this is going on behind the scenes although I haven't posted pictures yet. There WILL be a light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you for reading.

Hey bro... give me the dimensions you need and I'll make ya a 3D print of R2 for ya so he'd be perfect!

Yes, Sir I am too! I had to remove the rear internal support, and reshape it. For some unexpainable reason it wouldn't come out right no matter what I did!  I see now that it was at an angle, so I sanded out the irrregularities, and now both sides measure 4" 3/16 from top to bottom - end it end! Now I'll wait for that to dry since I did this a few hours ago. Now I'll remove the sewing pins, and finish the rest of the fuselage form. There's a slight bulge on the left side, but that will be straightened out when I add the rest of the reinforcement to it before being covered in sheet styrene. Please be patient with me - I've come a LONG way from the days when I first started this project, and although I've shown quite a bit it just isn't enough for me to say that I've earned the respect of the other modelers here on fine scale. This is something that I had planned for years, and worked slowly as I could get a chance to, but this will be done!

Just hang on - IT WILL BE DONE! In the meantime I'll have to go to Lowes to see if they have anything that I can cut into spherical shapes for the R2-D2, and hyperdrive actuator. The shapes that I WAS going to use I just found out last week are too big, and now I need to make a smaller version to fit properly to scale.  I don't want to clutter this thread with a bunch of picutures of half finished junk only to make you wait a long time looking at it wondering if there will ever be a light at the end of the tunnel! Stay tuned - I hate having to leave post after post with nothing to show, but know that this is going on behind the scenes although I haven't posted pictures yet. There WILL be a light at the end of the tunnel! Thank you for reading.

 

~ Cobra Chris

Looking forward to more photos!

OK. Small update. Problem solved - disaster averted! Everything is sanded, reglued, and back together. However one end is slightly taller than the other. How this happened is STILL a mystery since I don't know what is wrong with the measurements since they are spot on! I think it's from the very bottom pieces where they join in the center have bowed a little causing the dimensions to shift ever so slightly. Despite this the sides both measure the exact same from bottom to top edge. ?????  I even recut the supports internally, and cut the needed shapes for the spars to go into the internal supports for the wing armature to mount directly to the bottom plates of the form themselves. All this is even except the end toward the vault (ass end) of the fuselage....

Any way, I need a drink after all this! I'll finish this hopefully tomorrow, and start on the top half of the fuselage then, or monday. As soon as I have a recognizable shape I'll post the pictures of all this but it won't have the styrene on it yet. I'll have to see how much of this I have left, and measure to see if it'll be enough to cover this inside, and out! This will be a HUGE help in getting this done before spring which is when I'll be casting as the weather will be warm again. Stay tuned - pictures WILL be forthcoming good, or bad!

 

~ Cobra Chris

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate it. I got some bad news though. I had to remove the forms that I had glued at each end of the fuselage bottom. I also had to carefully break away the sides of the fuselage as well since the rib on one side was hackneyed. Somehow when I glued the spars to the end support I didn't realise that the template that I had used was slightly smaller than the actual fuselage plans when I glued it together. However I thought that I could glue this, and make up for the gap between the wall, and the bottom spar. I had to remove it after removing the side wall, and the internal supports on both ends, then remove 1" 9/16 from the back since it was too long, and I had to clean up all the glue, and broken balsa pieces from everything.

 

Now I'll have to measure again since one side is somehow taller than the other. Meaning that the support on the end towards the vault (fuselage end) is taller than the one inside towards the cockpit. I don't know how all this asymmetry happened, but the bottom is wider than the template about 3" 1/6 of on inch on each side. So I have to re-glue the pieces all back together again after I figure out which measurement is correct by 3/8th of an inch difference between the two inner forms. Once I get all the cutting, and sanding necessary to fix my mistake, then I'll go forward with the rest of the fuselage. I need to build it from the back to the front since I have the wings for this from the first go-around. This makes it easier for me to adjust the correct proportions. UGH!! Stay tuned - as I said before this is ABOUT to become interesting!

Ah !

     With you the " Force " Is . Fluid of life for the " Force " is shed . Good this is . Modelmaker of years telling you this is . I believe that's what YODA would say .Love your work . T.B.

How very true! I've been bleeding out of every part of me - not just my skin! I've been having trouble working since I have NO place to build, except for my bedroom now that my ass hole brother has moved in with me, and my old lady. He WON'T move even though he now has a full time job, and full time pay, and full time benefits, and full time hours. Not one, but TWO legally plated, insured, and running vehicles one of which is in my moms' driveway, and he doesn't drive it. Why the hell doesn't he just move on?!

Either way, I have the plans almost done now, and some of the inner forms done as well. I don't want to show a bunch of pictures of partially finished pieces, so just hang on everyone until I can get the rest of the basic form cut, shaped, sanded, and glued into a recognisable form. I had hoped to have it done by now, but I had to get more spars, and more balsa sheet before I could progress any further. This will be very much like an RC plane with ribs inside with balsa covering over them. This will make it easier to form a fuselage from than trying to make hollow form glued together, and hoping that it will be strong! 

I won't be vacuum forming afterall - to much involved, and too much time to get any results, so I'll be working on finishing what I started with the rear vault (buttplate) so that can be moulded, then mould all the small parts for the wings that need to be duplicated, then finish the wings so that they can be moulded. The R2-D2, and the power strip behind him (hyperdrive actuator) will be made from scratch made parts, and moulded as one piece, except the middle piece which on this model is raised, and different from the original ILM versions of 1977.

The pilot, and interior will be one of the last things that I make since I'll need to size it to the fuselage. This will be a hell of push to get this done before spring, but I won't hold my breath since I have one model to finish that has been on the back burner for a month after working on it for over a year now. I also have my 1/48th scale ILM version of the X-wing as well that is in the finishing stages of the wings, and will be cast as soon as I get enough money for the silicone rubber, and resin for it, and the four footer. Like I said before, the last pictures are a teaser - this is about to become interesting! I just need to find some sulpher free clay for the figure so that I can mould it without degassing problems.

 

~ Cobra Chris

You're not a true modeler until you've bled for your craft.  I know my mother was scared to death of letting me use an X-acto hobby knife the first time.  She was certain I would end up slitting my wrists or cutting off a finger, I almost did quite a times.  I think the worst of it was when I accidentally dropped my knife in my lap and instinctively they closed, thus jabbing my thigh pretty deep (I think I ended up with like 7 stitches).  But the end result was totally worth it.  Making your own tools to do the job shows an even greater level of commitment and ability!  I'm loving the work your doing.  Your eye for detail and the quality are top notch.  Am watching this build with a keen eye!  Keep it up.  I look forward to the final product!

Yeah, I remember how much easier posting photos were before the 'new and improved' forum. Oh, well that's progress for you... 

Blows that you lost the original plans but great to see you moving on this again. 

 

I hope this works since Finescale has decided to go to an ALL NEW FORMAT for posting which SUCKS!! The original version of this site was so much EASIER to post pictures to. Hang on - this is just a teaser. The plans were also destroyed along with the fuselage master that you see in the pictures before these. Thank you everyone who has shown interest in this thread, and has hung in there PATIENTLY after an EXTREMELY LONG TIME! I'm now forced to go this alone and in so doing is a very lonely affair. However I'm not going to let that get me down, nor will I let it stand in my way!  Hang on, people - this is about to become very interesting! I took these last night right after drawing them up. I need to make a few corrections so this isn't the final draft.

Cool! Looking forward to seeing her all dusted off and back underweigh. 

I just saw this thread today and I am amazed at what you've done. Count me in for the rest of the ride.

Can't wait to see new pictures!!

OK, People I got the rest of the supplies I've needed for a LONG time to finish this project that I started in 2009 which I joined this forum despite the incorrect join date shown under my member name. I'm still in the beginning phases of the fuselage since I've had to start over. The original balsa form that I started to create a fuselage with fell down between the wall, and a storage container that had mildew growing on the wall behind it, and was there for at least the winter months before I started spring cleaning not realising that this was there, and was consequently destroyed. I apologise to all those who have been watching this thread for not updating it more often. However life itself has not been to good to me so now I have to pick up the pieces where I left off as I have several projects that I have to finish at the same time. Silicone rubber, and polyurethane resin are very expensive, and not financially feasible for me to buy in large quantities. Basic frame of fuselage to start this week, and hopefully photos soon to follow. Stay tuned - this is about to become interesting! ~ Cobra Chris

Um, OK. It's been THREE YEARS now! I STILL have nothing to show since my life situation has changed, and NOT for the better!  The form for the fuselage has been destroyed by mildew. I found this between a wall, and storage tub, that had mildew growing on it. There's not enough to salvage, but I still have the measurements for it. Don't lose hope people, I'm still going to finish this project, but without vacuum forming. I'll explain later. Either way, this is my pet project that I'll finish as soon as I get the other things I have finish first. Stay tuned - this isn't over yet, but FAR from it!

OK. Three months and NO progress to speak of. I've been recently refitting the 1/48th scale version of the MPC X-wing. I'm using this kit as an experiment in moulding and casting. I have a little more progress done on this, but I need to get back to the shop to finish the wings, and the cockpit. I'm going to finish the fuselage this week in tandem with the smaller of the two X's so that I can get at least the forms done. I have to make some moulds of each, and learn how to make a cheap, and easy to use vacuum former. This will be the next step in making this kit a reality. I just needed to figure out how to make a mould box without using a lot of silicone rubber while moulding so I can have a durable mould, and save money with this design. I'm sure I can do this without a lot of trouble. Please stay tuned. More to come.

 

~ Chris

Sure thing! Here's a little of what I've been doing the last few days. I'm stuck in a rut. I can't figure out the detent of the fuselage to cut along the sides, and the wrap around for the cockpit area. The cockpit cutout will be the hardest.. I can measure from here to eternity, but I can only cut once! I'll have to make some type of shape for this to build this around.  Hopefully I'll get the rest done on the top of the fuselage today, or tomorrow. Enjoy what you see until then. ~ Chris  

I was trying to shape this more to the vault the way it was cut. Somehow I couldn't get it just right no matter how I did it. I ended up making the strips I had in storage serve the purpose that I originally intended for reinforcement. These did double duty.

This is Mitzy - she's helping me. Her sister, Mandy was sleeping when I took this picture.

This is 1/8" strip that I cut into  "purfling" with knife. The "kerfs" are slots that I cut to relieve the balsa to wrap around convex shapes. This is what is used inside guitar bodies to hold the top, and back to the sides. It also gives it reinforcement along its' edges. This will serve the same purpose. It took me half an hour to do this. I broke some of the pieces since it was so flimsy, but it was neccessary to do this anyway  - I can't just glue the edges together, and hope that they'll stay. I'll just cut the broken spaces between them out, then butt them against each other to make a solid joint.

 

 

Cobra: Very cool! I've fooled around with resin but nothing to the extent of what you're doing here. No rush but I've love to see how she's coming when you get some time to work on her.

Yeah, I know. I just haven't been able to get to it, and now I have the supplies to do it, and the fire in me to get it to the finish line before the end of this year! I thought I'd get some casting done today - I need to make some mould boxes. This will hold the mould material in place for parts that I need to make multiples of. I have both rubber, and resin - only I don't have enough of both to do this, and the two other X-wing projects that I started earlier this last year. It'll happen, people. Patience is the key.

 

                                                         THE RESIN

                                              THE SILICONE RUBBER

 

                                                    THE HARDENDER

This is mixed by weight, not volume. This means I'll have to measure this ten parts to one part rubber. This will be the hardest part of it all. I need to buy some mixing cups, and stir sticks.

 

Cobra,

I too would love to see you pull this project out and finish her. Really cool idea, seems you killed it before I even joined this forum.

Cliff

LOL, waiting for more x-updates

I'm with 427 Cobra.

                         This way to cool of a build to just disappear!

                          I took a some pictures when STAR WARS Where Science Meets IMAGINATION was in the

                      Pacific Science Center .

                    Here the link to my shutterfly page http://russtravilingprehistoricmusium.shutterfly.com/

                     yes I know I spelt Museum wrong.  I also have picture's from Battlestar Galactica The Exhibition,

                    Walking With Diniosaurs LIVE, and some other stuff.

Reviving this thread before it disappears into oblivion forever! I'm going to start the fuselage forms today to get this towards the finish line. I hope to at least accomplish that before the end of this week. I need to make a vacuum former to finish the fuselage in six pieces - three for the top half, and three for the bottom. This will be joined together permanently with pins to align them straight. Stay tuned - hopefully more to see this friday. I have a lot of casting to do, so I won't be on the forum until then.

~ Cobra Chris