R2-KT Shuttle Project

I received my R2-KT patches today! The 501st had a fundraiser to produce and sell R2-KT patches to raise money to transport R2-KT back and forth for charity events. The patches were $10 each, including shipping.

Dome Motor Holder

At another one of the build days I missed, the group made dome motor holders. Jason helped Jeff and I make our own motor holders using his as an example. We traced the pattern onto a ¾" piece of plastic and cut them out with the band saw.

Jason cut a mounting plate for us using leftover aluminum scrap and we used his pieces to drill holes in the plastic and mounting plate. I borrowed a couple of bolts to show how the motor holder would be assembled. The longer piece will hold the motor (mounted from below) and will be able to swing back and forth. With the aid of a wheel (mounted to the top of the motor shaft which sticks through the swinging motor holder piece) and a spring (attached to the swinging motor bracket piece and the frame), pressure will be put on the edge of the Rockler Bearing by the wheel causing the Rockler Bearing (and dome) to turn at the speed determined by the motor.

Skirt Work

The rest of the building crew worked on their skirts at the last build day; and since I haven't been to a build day in three weeks, I was a little behind. I started off by cutting my skirt ring edges down to size. I drilled holes at the corners of the skirt hole to allow me to cut along the lines and take out the unneeded wood.

After drilling the holes I remember that our lines where slightly off. I used one of the previously made skirts to redraw the inside cut lines. It was a good thing I drew my inner skirt hole too small.

Cutting out the skirt hole.

The skirt a 2½" tall. Since the bottom skirt plate is a ½", I had to cut 2" strips to surround the skirt hole. I had to cut the end of the skirt strips at a 45° angle because if they were left straight the outside corner of the skirt strip would hang past the outside of the skirt boundary.

Brad and I cut long strips for the flat edge of the skirt. These strips are trapezoidal in shape with a 3" in width and a 7.826" and 9.674" lengths. Each of the long sides get opposing 18° angles on the longer edges to make a 36° total angle from the bottom of the body to the skirt plate. Sorry there were no more pictures other than the following, but I was busy working.

More Group Leg Gluing

Jeff Schipman started off his R2 Building tonight by doing some more gluing on his legs.

Temporary Receiver

I took Talon's advice and purchased a 7 Channel 75MHz receiver from MultiPlex on eBay for $5. This definitely beats the VEX Signal Splitter for $19.99. Talon says he owns one an was able to connect his VEX control crystal into it and use his VEX Transmitter.