Alan Carter

Droid (s): 1/2 Scale R2-D2, 1/2 Scale Chopper, Sentry Droid

So why build a droid?

I think it was purely a case of, I didn’t have one (Isn’t that everyone’s answer?lol)

Why did you choose to build 1/2 scale?

I was a member of the Yahoo group for years, before making a full scale R2. I made a minor (really minor) mistake and at 90% finished and not happy, it became a guy and I set light to it on November 5th 2013. (It’s a date I won’t forget.) November 6th, I found The .Info and .Org sites. Realizing the terrible mistake I had made the day previously, I didn’t have the patents to build a full scale version, realizing no one stupid enough had made a 1/2 scale and not really know exactly what I was doing, I did a 2 month long research program. January 2014 I started sourcing materials.

What materials did you use?

All of my frame work build is 1.5mm Ply (waterproofed) All of my skins are 0.5mm real wood laminate (waterproofed) Ever detail is handmade with the exception of the utility arms they’re 3d printed The current dome is a V2 dome one off, It’s practically bulletproof. It took over a year to sand, finish and paint! Dome lighting is via arduino. The front/rear PSI lighting incorporates 2 metal icing funnels to dissipate the light from a single 3mm led (random fact)

How many droids do you have, complete & working on?

1/2 scale chopper (WIP) Sentry droid (WIP)

What was your first event with a droid, what was your experience?

…interesting Question. Star wars Celebration London 2016! 3 days of organized and un-organized fun….there was a queue for the queue for the queue (that’s not a typo!) to see the R2 builders stand and displayed droids. Anthony Daniels popped over to see us (as you do) and called my droid “adorable” The event was nuts (in a great way) and something I will never forget.

Which was your favorite/most fun build?

My 1/2 scale R2. I started him in 2014 and (as I write this, November 2019) 5yrs on, I still haven’t finished.

What challenges have you encountered while building droids?

Building 1/2 scale models, I have encountered all the challenges that the builders way back at the very very beginning had. Because, What I was/am doing no one had really done before, so essentially I’m on my own.
Major challenges are the feet drives, which I’m still working on. The little guy weighs in at 6Kilos so the challenge is something small enough and powerful enough to move around a 6kilo lump around, without summoning the blue genie.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/HalfTheDroid
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https://twitter.com/HalfTheDroid