Current Plan

The next few months are insanely busy with a lot of family functions, so if I don't lay out a strategy, I'm doomed.

DOME - Deadline 11/10
I plan on working on the dome in full when I can to have it complete by November 11th. That oddly specific date is the Albany Comic Convention, where I'll be attending as a Tusken Raider for the 501st. I want to have R5's head done so it can be on display there. There's not a LOT to do, but enough that I need to keep on it or I'll never get done.

I ordered the engine turned tape and some brushed chrome tape for the neck and dome ring, respectively (see last post). I have three large peephole kits in brushed nickel as Chris Reiff has done. I need to peel off the vinyl pie plate stickers and paint those red - I think I may pull out the skin panels that need to be this color and do them at the same time. The only other component is the LEDs for the eyes. I'll have to do a bit more research on that just because I don't want to screw it up. I have a very rudimentary understanding of electricity and how to wire things.

I plan on trying to clean up my basement amidst all the other junk I have going on so that I can work on building the router table by Black Friday (Nov 23). I will (hopefully) begin applying the styrene plans to the plastic and cutting out the frame by mid-December. I want to get the body complete by January, minus any resin parts that just aren't available. I'm thinking I'll probably make the vents and coin returns myself.

I'm not looking too much further than that for now.

Tape Ordered

The last place I wanted to order the engine-turned detail vinyl from is perpetually out of stock for the larger size, so I decided to search the Astromech forums to see what other solutions may be available. For some reason, it's difficult to come up with a good list of options, but I eventually found a post from 2010 talking about Tape Brothers.

I went to their site and was pleasantly surprised that they not only still exist, but that the item was still available.

 While I was there I also ordered this brushed chrome tape for the "ring" at the bottom of R5's head. I'll probably use it for his shoulder hubs too since I don't really mind if they are shiny or not.

Machine Turned Annoyance

I just tried to place an order for this stuff:

It's a vinyl sheet that has the correct pattern for R5's "neck" section. I'll have to cut out rectangles and glue them in place since the ladder of my R5's neck doesn't seem to come off. Thing is, the larger size of these sheets is currently sold out. I know it will come back in stock, but it seems like whenever I try to take one step forward, I'm told to have a seat, shut up and enjoy the view.

Oh well. For now I'll work on removing the vinyl pie-piece sections and repainting them. The vinyl bubbles up too much. No matter how I try to smooth it out they come back.

One Piece At A Time...

The latest piece to arrive is the Shoulder Horseshoes.

They are made from solid resin but unfinished. Flashing needs to be sanded off the back then they need to be painted, but otherwise they're looking great!

Fly Casual

This is the blog that never seems to start, or, just like the R5 in A New Hope, blows up as it just starts moving. Rest assured, true believers! R5 will be constructed and assembled in the next year!

Personal stuff this year has been at an all-time high level of crazy. With losing my grandmother, getting my first (and hopefully last) kidney stone, the push for new floors in 4 out of the 6 rooms in the house and -- oh yeah, in case you don't follow me on Facebook -- my wife and I announced that we're having our first child (Feb 20th), it's been a hectic time!

I've received the fiberglass dome that was offered on the R2 Builder's site. It's pretty great, though I need to rework the 'eyes' with lenses and lights (thanks to Chris Reiff for sharing his tricks of the trade!). I plan on making the frame in the next month, though I'm also getting the nagging feeling to just buy an A&A frame.

It's funny that part of what's holding me up, other than the lack of time, space and plain courage to start cutting into the plastic, is that I'm a bit dismayed at the lack of certain resin pieces being offered. I know - cross that bridge when you come to it, don't put the cart before the horse and so on, but it's that stress of "what if it's not available when I'm at the point where I need it?" that eats at me.

Bah - forget all that. I'll assemble the router table, start sticking the plans on the plastic and let loose.

Getting Ahead

I saw an R2 Builder offering R5 domes for sale, so I bought one. Yeah yeah - I should scratch build and all that crap. I just don't have the patience or confidence in my ability.

I'll work on the body when I get back from Florida.

Celebration VI

So, here I am, nearly a year and a half in from when I wanted to start this project and all I've managed to do is acquire the styrene, the pre-cut skins, and a proper restraining bolt. My health is much better than it was in January, and my ailing grandmother seems to be doing fine for now. Aside from my Sandtrooper armor, the only thing I have on my workbench for hobbies is this droid.

The last push in motivation was DroidCon - an awesome experience, to be sure! Next month is Celebration VI in Florida, and I hope to have the droid building fires lit once again. I need to take a ton of pictures and make some more connections when I get there.

I contacted a maker of R5 domes to put me on his list. Frankly, having someone else put that together perfectly is way better than me screwing it up.