Okay, small droid holding pattern...

I need to set droid work aside to work on costuming for CV, and some art projects. Not to fear: droid-progress ...er...progresses!

Today I received some more gorgeous parts from Keith (resin bits for the dome and body), and a lovely vacu-formed skirt from Mansugi. It was a bit like my birthday or something :-D.

I may get a bit more cutting done this week before packing that up to make room for sewing. See? See how I'm already trying to plan more droid work? Bwahahaha!

I'm in the Cutting Home Stretch!

And other sentences I'd never expected to type.

Well, I'd hoped to be done with all the cutting of the styrene today (or was that weeks ago?), but...at least yesterday I finished all the straight cuts!

Today was routering circular cuts day; I'd wanted backup at home in case something went terribly wrong, plus I wanted hubby to document it! So, he observed in a worried fashion, and took a photo or two.

This is surely the messiest thing we've ever attempted inside the apartment! Does anyone out there need some fake snow for their low-budget movie? I've got quite a bit in my kitchen now...

Unfortunately today was also to be lesson-learning day: apparently it is unwise to let the router bit get too hot, as it rather easily melts plastic! *sigh*

Looks like tomorrow will include a trip to the hardware store for some new bits. And I'll miss my self-imposed cutting deadline - but only by one day!

Dome arrival!

It's a thing of beauty, isn't it! This is the R & J Dome, and I was very lucky to get it! Thanks to Bryan S.!!

Edit: I'm such a noob at this, I didn't notice I'd taken the pic with the dome ring upside-down! I know YOU all noticed didn't you? And you were so polite and said nothing.

Router-Ready!

Yesterday we finished the router table! I've begun marking the holes for the center cuts.
Today I pulled and prepared all the patterns that will be cut using the table. I wish I'd done it yesterday, as I found I need more .125" styrene, and my styrene supplier is closed on weekends. That sounds pretty bad: "my styrene supplier." Closed on weekends! Jonesing for styrene! Pity me.

Because this is going to make a terrible mess (already did a bit of practicing and "mess" is understating it) I want to do all the needed router cuts in one swell foop! So it looks like Monday-- after more styrene is obtained -- will be the day. In the meantime I'm cutting down the styrene I've got (again) into smaller, more manageable pieces. Thrilling isn't it?

Quick little update

Was out of town for nearly a week (Heroes Con -- wooo!), but yesterday got going again on my droid. We bought more stuff for the router table (we keep running into tiny difficulties, like finding the right screws to mount the router), and I found a local source for the 2mm styrene I still needed. I also bought several paints to test (looks like I'm finally committing to yellow!), and a circle-cutting mechanism for my knife for cutting the smaller curves. Sounds like an exciting, glamourous life I lead, no?

I hope to get this router table situation sorted out this week as I'd really like to get the frame built!

I succeeded in purchasing an R&J Dome (really one of the best domes one can obtain for an R2) from another builder, and that should be arriving this week as well! I ordered, or am in the process of ordering, most of the non-styrene parts for the dome and body. My to-buy list is getting shorter! I'm so easily thrilled.

Next post should have some progress pics...