Dome Panel Cutting

I started cutting my dome with a hand saw again. This is a very long and tedious process.

I don't know what it is about R Series domes, I just have to try them on.

I borrowed my fathers Dremel. While looking through the box of supplies I found a thinner cutting wheel. I decided to try cutting the panels with the Dremel rather than cutting them by hand with the saw. This ended up working great. It was fast and the lines where straighter.

The Dremel worked so well on the straight lines I decided to try it on the holoprojector holes. I cut close to the edge of the circle but not on it. When I finished cutting all the way around, I popped out the piece and used a Dremel sanding attachment to take it to the line and make the hole perfectly round. I then took a drill, using the largest bit I could find, and drilled out the holes for the dome bumps. I made them perfectly round by using the same sanding attachment I used on the holoprojector holes.

I got all the lower panel cut out, so I had to take pictures.

I got started on the dome panel before everyone cleaned up and went home for the night. I was able to cut the bottom arc and the sides of the panel with the Dremel, but the top arc was too sharp. I will have to find a smaller cutting wheel or use a handsaw for the top of the dome panels.

Finished Sanding The Skirt

The wood putty was finally dry, so I sanded the skirt hole. Now I have to prime it.

Skirt Reinforcing

While sanding the skirt the styrene edge started to crack in a couple of places. My plan is to eventually fill in the gap behind the styrene with wood putty or some other material to strengthen it so when R2 is transported it doesn't break. Until that happens I don't want the skirt edge to get damaged, so I reinforced the thin styrene skirt edge with 1/8" styrene. I started by cutting the 1/8" styrene into manageable size strips that would bend easily to the contour of the thin styrene already on the skirt.

The strips were then cut into smaller pieces and glued one by one to the inside of the skirt edge with Tech-Bond.

The inner skirt hole still has a lip where the boards were put together, so I added wood putty to the edge and will sad it when it dries.

Great Day For Sanding

No pictures, but I spent a good portion of the day sanding my skirt while the kids played in the yard.

2009 Star Wars Night At The Omaha Royals

Tonight was Star Wars Night at the Omaha Royals. Because R2-NU is still not done yet, I signed up to be a droid wrangler. Until you tried it, you will never know how hard it is to be nice and still keep several dozen excited children from touching their favorite Star Wars hero. By the end of the night I was exhausted.

Syrena taking a picture with her grand kids, and Brad and Moose drove their R2s around.

Jeff, in his rebel legion costume, stops for a picture with Casey.

Brad and Casey locked in a heated light saber duel. By the way, many thanks for letting me drive his R2 around part of the night while he mingled with the crowd and took pictures.

Members of the 501st leaving the stands after Darth Vader through out the first pitch.

R2-CM got cornered by the 501st.

Jeff and the attending R2s pose for a picture.