For a while now, I've been thinking about doing something that combines my model skills with the kids. I was thinking of remote controlled (r/c) cars or maybe even a helicopter. Then I was looking at race track cars, and then just models. None of it really sang out. And then, like an epiphany from the gods, Celebration V in Orlando delivered the vision: We are going to build our own R2 unit.
Besides being a depository for our growing recipes and daily lives, I am going to chronicle this project from it's very start. Sort of a running digital diary of a new builder's frustrations and accomplishments.
The next Celebration is in 2013, and so June 2013 is my deadline. My budget is no more than $200 a month. If a part costs more than that, I'll have to save and wait. So, here we go.....
NAME: R2-A4 aka "Aye-Four"
MEANING: All R2 units have to have "R2" as their first designator. After that, it's up to the builder, but it must be unique. The third character must be a letter, and the fourth must be a number. Anna starts with "A," and the "D" in Derek is the 4th letter in the alphabet. So, there you go. Name has been registered with the R2 Builder's Club.net.
COLORS: This will be a standard R2-D2 unit in silver, white and blue.
MATERIALS: I intend to use CNC Aluminum for the frame and dome. Resin parts for the most serious components. Styrene for other parts, including the skin and scratch-building various parts.
This project kicks off August 20th with some tool purchases and building an adequate workbench in the garage. I've needed to do that for sometime anyway.
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