My Latest Project

[B-52 GUNNER]

As for the inside... I know it will be R/C

and if I get the frame I want it will later have Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC's) stepper motors and a little CAROL programming.

[Kin]

Man that's serious money business

[Yohsho]

Whoa whoa whoa, did you just write that you gave your first dome to a friend who just bought a full size X-Wing? WTF? Well its looking real cool. So have you thought about the pop-up lightsaber? (maybe make up just pop up just a little)

[B-52 GUNNER]

No. 1 If you spread the money out over years it really isn't that bad.

No. 2 My friend bought the X-Wing off of Ebay and it's HUGE!!!

It isn't 100% scale though...More like 95% full scale but close enough.

As for the light saber launcher.

I first intend to make a fire extinguisher effect using a CO2 cylinder from a paint ball gun and a high pressure solenoid valve. When the door under his eye opens, a limit switch will trigger the solenoid valve to create the fire extinguisher effect.

After I get him to do that I can split the CO2 line so that I can use some of the CO2 to shoot a saber out of the top of his head.

I plan on using a saber made of foam rubber with a plastic insert so it will stay rigid in flight. But this will have to wait until I collect all my parts.

Scot

[Godzilla]

Where in God's name do you put a 95% scale X-wing? It is too big for as a lawn ornament.

[Duke Togo]

Your signature is VERY annoying. It need not be so big.

[Solscud007]

Best of luck to your project. At the last San Diego Comic Con, I saw a guy with a 1:1 scale R2D2 that he homebuilt himself too. It was fully remote control. He had al the color changing lights and what not. Like the red/blue eye changes colors intermitently and the rectangular lights on the head changed lights too. The chest stripes (the horizontal ones opened on command. Everything fromt eh head turning and the whistling was remote control. And the best part was that the top stripe was a front loading cd deck. (from car) And inside he had an entir sound system. The lower stripe revealed a audio deck display. then as it played music he made R2 dance. the funny thing was that he would make R2 drive around the dealer floor while kicking back with the remote in a messenger bag and make R2 run into people or follow people.

[B-52 GUNNER]

He has the X-Wing apart and in a trailer right now.

He takes it to conventions and people can get their picture taken in a X-Wing pilot uniform.

I'll see if I can find a photo of it and I'll post it later.

Scot

PS. Are you talking about my Signature Duke Togo?

[B-52 GUNNER]

One last thing.

How about solid Aluminum Utility Arms cut with a Wire EDM machine.

It took 2 hours to cut these under water

$220.00 Shipped in the USA

CHA CHING!!!

[Graham]

PS. Are you talking about my Signature Duke Togo?

No, I think he is talking about Godzilla's signature.

Graham

[B-52 GUNNER]

Here's another update:

I added a periscope to my R2 parts pile.

It's made of sheet styrene and aluminum.

Here is a photo of my R&J Dome and a Interactive R2-D2 to show scale.

The periscope cost approx. $65.00 for the metal parts and $1.50 for the white plastic.

Scot

[Commander McBride]

You seriously need to post pics of that X-Wing! Does it have a cockpit that you can get in? That'd be awesome!

[B-52 GUNNER]

OK, OK, Just to make you happy.

HERE IT IS!!

It has been weathered since this picture was taken and landing gear doors added as well as a more detail landing gear strut.

Scot

Edited September 11, 2004 by B-52 GUNNER

[B-52 GUNNER]

Here's a better view of the dome and periscope.

[Commander McBride]

Man, the R2 is looking awesome! Will the periscope be fixed, or is it fully retractible and extendable?

Here's a suggestion, BTW, once the R2 is R/C, put a camera in there, so it is actually usable!

[B-52 GUNNER]

I hope to have it deployable and yes I was thinking about a web cam already.

I'm currently cutting out the panels on the inner dome and I should have that done tomorrow.

After that I will get concealable hinges from McMaster-Carr so that all the panels will open.

I'd love to rig it so that all the doors would spring open like if he blew a fuse.

Well, I'm off to bed.

Scot

Edited September 11, 2004 by B-52 GUNNER

[Kin]

OK, OK, Just to make you happy.

HERE IT IS!!

It has been weathered since this picture was taken and landing gear doors added as well as a more detail landing gear strut.

Scot

Holy cow where did all the big funding come from?

[B-52 GUNNER]

He's into realestate and tooling.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

I once saw a guy with his homemade R2 at Baycon one year. It looked awesome. I definately wouldn't mind building my own, but have no clue where to start. You're doing a great job.

[B-52 GUNNER]

I once saw a guy with his homemade R2 at Baycon one year. It looked awesome. I definately wouldn't mind building my own, but have no clue where to start. You're doing a great job.

Start by joining this group:

ASTROMECHS

and then SAVE YOUR MONEY$$$$

By the way... I used to live in Atwater Ca. back in 74' thru 78'

Edited September 12, 2004 by B-52 GUNNER

[Mercurial Morpheus]

Start by joining this group:

ASTROMECHS

and then SAVE YOUR MONEY$$$$

By the way... I used to live in Atwater Ca. back in 74' thru 78'

That would predate my by five years. I saw this guy a few years ago, and it looked great. Thanks for the info.

[B-52 GUNNER]

Well, The inner dome of my R&J is cut so when I open the panels there will be a place for all the tools I can fit in the head.

Right now I plan on having a periscope, light saber launcher and life form scanner in the top pie pieces and I want to make a fire extinguisher effect to come out of the opening to the right of the two small square openings that are stacked one on the other.

Now I need to get the hinges and some JB Weld.

Here's a photo of what it looks like now.

Scot

[Chronocidal]

WOW.. judging by the size of that helmet on the X-Wing's nose, it looks a little small, but very nice... maybe it's just the wings being open that's fooling me. should be about 42 feet long if it's full scale.

Btw, if you've ever read the X-Wing series of novels (#5 Wraith Squadron and #6 Iron Fist to be specific), one of the pilots made some modifications to his personal R2 that follow right along with that lightsaber launcher, but is a much more useful feature in real life. He had it so that if he called his droid and gave him the command "Cold One" he'd launch a chilled drink out through that same port. Would be fun to rig something like that up with a voice command module, and try it out at parties.

[Knight26]

Why did you buidl your X-wing with the S-foils open? I mean in the landed configuration they are closed. Also, is it full scale and accurate to the studio models, if so how is the forward visibily out of it?

[B-52 GUNNER]

The X-Wing was made by a company in Europe, I think in Germany.

It was built along with 7 others for the release of the THX version of Star Wars.

One of the 8 X-Wings was lost when it was being transported to where it was going to be put on display.

I think these were built for $80,000 or more. One auctioned for $100,000 in a Neiman Marcus Auction.

When FAO Schwartz when under this X-Wing was placed on Ebay.

It was hanging from the ceiling of their store in Orlando, Florida.

It's not full scale, I think it is about 35 feet long. The company also built it with the S-foils open, probably if it was to tip the wings would save it.

The X-Wing also weighs about 2400 lbs.

Also if you notice the engines are smaller than the should be.

My friend bought it and is now taking it to malls and conventions around the US.

He's in Oklahoma setting it up at a convention due to start the end of this month.

Scot

[Guppy]

You don't need to worry about making it remote control. Just get yourself a dwarf! Or stick your 5-year old in there and let him out at dinner time. Or just feed him through the periscope.

And tell him that he gets extra dessert if he makes bleeping sound effects.

[nucleartiger]

Knowing me, I'd use it as a clothes hamper. Pretty damn cool though, give ya props on making something like that!

[Chuey]

Best of luck to your project. At the last San Diego Comic Con, I saw a guy with a 1:1 scale R2D2 that he homebuilt himself too. It was fully remote control. He had al the color changing lights and what not. Like the red/blue eye changes colors intermitently and the rectangular lights on the head changed lights too. The chest stripes (the horizontal ones opened on command. Everything fromt eh head turning and the whistling was remote control. And the best part was that the top stripe was a front loading cd deck. (from car) And inside he had an entir sound system. The lower stripe revealed a audio deck display. then as it played music he made R2 dance. the funny thing was that he would make R2 drive around the dealer floor while kicking back with the remote in a messenger bag and make R2 run into people or follow people.

In fact, a group of costumers also used that R2 in their masqerade sketch to win in some categories for Comic-con's 2004 masquerade.

WOW.. judging by the size of that helmet on the X-Wing's nose, it looks a little small, but very nice... maybe it's just the wings being open that's fooling me.  should be about 42 feet long if it's full scale.

Btw, if you've ever read the X-Wing series of novels (#5 Wraith Squadron and #6 Iron Fist to be specific), one of the pilots made some modifications to his personal R2 that follow right along with that lightsaber launcher, but is a much more useful feature in real life.  He had it so that if he called his droid and gave him the command "Cold One" he'd launch a chilled drink out through that same port.  Would be fun to rig something like that up with a voice command module, and try it out at parties.

The X-wings in question are about 3/4 the size of the ones used in the films. Essentially, a child could sit in one comfortabley. The Rocky Mountain Fan Force and the 501st Legion - Mountain Garrison restored an x-wing used for Celebration 1 in time for Comic-con 2004. This item will also be used at Star Wars Celebration 3.

X-Wing on display at Star Wars Pavillion at Comic-con 2004

X-wings used in Yavin IV set for A New Hope

Now if you want large, check this Tantive IV and three different scales of AT-ATs.

Tantive IV in scale with 3 3/3" figures

AT-ATs in scale with 3 3/4" figures

Full scale snowspeeder and large size AT-AT

AT-AT on display at Florida's Disney World

[peter]

What happened to the original X-wings used on the movie set?

[B-52 GUNNER]

The Original X-Wings are either at the Skywalker Ranch or went the way of the full scale Millennium Falcon Scrapped due to lack or cost of storage.

Scot

[Chuey]

What happened to the original X-wings used on the movie set?

I would sadly have to concur with B-52 GUNNER that the X-wings, Y-wings and other large scale props were probably scrapped due to space and cost considerations.

[B-52 GUNNER]

before polishing.

and after polishing.

[B-52 GUNNER]

I also made the resin Logic displays in the front and the clear resin lenses in the Holo Projectors.

Scot