Progress

So I am crazy behind on the progress of R2.  Dan has been working for about 5 weeks now and has gotten so much done, I can't keep up!  After talking about how we would start, first saying we are going to start with the frame...no, no, the dome....we start with the legs.  Sounds like us.  So the fun now begins with pictures of the progress!!!  

This is one of the first pictures I took.  First leg, ankle,and center foot. (after the measurements were corrected)

Starting work on the center foot.  We are using wood and styrene.   

We got a wheel!

Some detail work on the center foot.

More detail work.  Started priming.  

Bondo, primer, sand....and repeat

So much work for such a little foot!

We got the shoulder hub and booster cover.

This picture makes me laugh.  I sent it to my Dad saying something like "look, it's a foot!" or something nearly as clever.  And his response was, "Lucille Ball?"  Wait, what?  He thought the red stuff was lips and this was a face.  I love you, Daddy-O, and your ability to see things in clouds. :)

All primed and ready!

Center foot painted and leg coming along nicely.

I leave for work, come home, and BAM!  Two legs! Holy crap!

Now again, I say "we" very loosely.  Dan has done all the work thus far.  (I helped today though!) And I'm almost tempted to post pictures of the increasing mess this build is causing too, just because.  In my kitchen no less!  

Stay tuned for more pictures!  Today (10/11/12 - and no we didn't plan that) was a MONUMENTAL day for the build.  And don't worry, I won't keep you too long in waiting.  

Thanks for reading!

It begins....

So, Dan likes to build things.  No, no.  He HAS to build things.  It's the weirdest thing.  If he doesn't get to create something with his hands, he gets antsy and fidgety and crazy bored.  It had been a few weeks since the Bane project (see, more to blog about!) so I knew the day was coming till I heard him say, "I just gotta make something!"  (And yes, every time I hear him say that I have a Dane Cook moment and think, "I just gotta dance!") But anyway....

I knew he was getting antsy.  I also knew that Star Wars Celebration 6 was coming up.  SWC6 = absolute nerdgasm.  So not only was I crazy excited to go and get my SW nerd on; but I knew this would be a good place for him to go and absorb all the fun fan created works of art.  And it worked.  Enter the R2 builders!

The R2 builders club is one of the most fascinating and kick ass group of people ever.  Not only do these guys and gals build awesome droids for fun, but they do it to make a difference.  One member, with the help of the group, created a pink droid for a very special little girl who had brain cancer. (She got to snuggle R2!)  And now this droid, adorably named R2-KT after Katie Johnson) helps raise money for the Make-A-Wish foundation and The Children's Cancer Fund.  Check out their website at www.r2kt.com.  They also take their droids to schools and functions to promote education and science.  Pretty awesome. 

R2-KT

This group is also unique in that they all want to help each other out.  I was amazed at how long we stayed in the R2 builders room at SWC6 just talking.  These guys want to share how they did things, how they accomplished all the hurdles of their builds.  I was told that this is very unlike most people in the effects industry.  We saw one builder had blue prints for his build on his table, so we ask him, "How do we go about getting blueprints, or how much are they?" And he tells us, "They are free on the website!" So yeah, free blueprints + Dan's under stimulated and over creative mind = Our R2 is born.  

We talked about it for about a week before Dan started buying materials.  Once he got the idea in his head, it was all over.  This was in September, so I am a little far behind with the timeline.  (He told me later that he had always thought about building a droid, but a stationary one.  He said I was the "driving force" to make it now and make it move and talk and whatnot.  And how great it would be to have our kids grow up with an R2.  SWOON!)  

This is a picture I stole from Pinterest.  We saw this droid at SWC6 (I wish I knew the builder to give him/her credit!) But come on, how freaking adorable is this?!?!?!  

Pics to come of our build very soon!  I have a whole month of work to catch up on!


If you would like more information on this kick ass group of people, you can visit their site www.astromech.net and check them out.  

The R2 Files - Beginnings

It Begins!!!!

So, Dan and I are building an R2 unit.  I say the "and I" part very loosely as I have very little to do with the actual build process besides moral support and finances.  And now this blog!  I thought it would be a fun idea to blog about the build process and Dan will be able to link this blog to the R2 builders club as well.  (Yes, there is an actual R2 builders club...and they are freaking amazing! But more on that later.)  Later on I can also show some of the other stuff that Dan has made and the future builds that he and I do.  Don't worry world, I'm getting myself back in the creative saddle too!

But for now, I am just getting this wonderment of the interwebs started.  This is my first blog ever as well, so please bear with me.  

Also - if and when I say something about the build that sounds technical and smart...it is most likely something Dan said to me that I'm attempting to quote or just interpreting into my own non-technical jargon.  Any technical questions that come up will most definitely be directed at him.  :)

And so....here we go!