R2-D2

Yes, it has been a while since I updated this blog with something useful.

The exteriour of the droid has been finished for quite some time, and I still have plenty of outings that I need to put on here, I am just sorting through the images!

However, I made a new TODO list on my droid, for things regarding to upgrades and thought I’d start with posting it here:

R2-2DO:
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• Remount/revisit HP control systems
• Alter top HP control for small servos
• drill hole for small servo for dataport door
• drill hole for small servo for cbi door
• change magnet in dataport door to sheet metal
• fix faulty cbi
• fix faulty dataport
• find 8mm brass tube with 6mm inner diameter
• build new motor/wheel holders for main wheels
• cut new holes in foot shell and battery boxes
• paint/weather inside of motor holders
• mount dome plate to dome ring
• countersink holes in dome plate
• buy/find RS-232 extension cord (?)
• make “dome protection plate” for dremel cutting
• open pie panels in dome
• build PCB for Mystery Panel (LED plus resistor)
• check code for teeces plus random hp + hp flicker
• add code for mystery panel (rear hp code copy?)
• construct lifter with turn motion for periscope
• construct lifter with turn motion for lfs
• build lifter for periscope
• build lifter for lfs
• open more dome hatches
• get more JAG hinges (small)
• finish construction of top round panel hinge
• buy servo spring rods for hp’s and dome

Some of these things I’ve already adressed at this point:

• Remount/revisit HP control systems

Based off a design idea from Björn Giesler, I went back and did some work on my Holo Projectors.

Yes, the existing design works, but it is bulky, and considering I’m going to put a lot more things in the dome in the near future, I’m going to need a lot more place. Plus, it is smaller, smoother and will be a lot better.

This is what it looked like before starting:

New templates being cut out! My hole saw is almost perfect for this!

One of the new mounting plates for the servos..

I am using small, 9g servos that I had laying around. I used two 15mm long threaded distances that I screwed into the plates from underneath, and fastened the servo from above.

A much smaller foot print inside the dome: Check this out:

Next step is mounting the electronics. Since I’m doing an overhaul of the inside of the dome, this is still something that needs to be done.

At the moment, I just hooked up my radio controller to test the movement, and it works!

This is what it looks like from the inside:

Looks good, now let’s take a look from the outside!

Next step for me is to alter the controller code to automatically control the main HP eye by default when the droid is not moving!