Upgrades and fixes..

A little while ago, I listed a number of things that was on my “to-do” list on R2 for this year.

After starting to get some order in my workshop (if only brief), I started fixing up some of the things that I wasn’t totally happy with before.

Things done on my list so far:

I’ve drawn and partially printed new ankle cylinders and cylinder holdes and wedges.
I’ve painted half my new LDP (ran out of paint. Have bought new paint since then)
I’ve painted half of the Ankle Details (Forgot it was two on each foot when I started painting… silly me)
I’ve mounted the new Fiber Optics in the dome. Actually broke the rear logics, ordered replacement, assembled that and mounted that as well.
I’ve soldered up the rear PSI, which has been an old version for a long long time now.
I removed my faulty “Magic Panel” and discovered one of the circuits giving off smoke. Sent it away for possible repairs.
I’ve removed the panels from my octagon ports, and started disassembling my main speaker for volume knob relocation
Various electronic parts I’ve ordered have arrived. These include: Relay boards, new slip rings (larger and smaller), extra amplifier and speakers.

Next task would be to mount the newly soldered PSI in the dome, cut away the disc part of my octagon port panels and glue (or 3dprint and glue) the volume knob in place. I also need to desolder the volume potentiometer and build a break-out board for it, and mount on the back on the octagon panel.

I have also received a new raspberry pi with a camera module, and will work on mounting that in the dome. Probably with addition of movement and distance detection as well.

The list of things to do is still as long as my arm (and then some), but making progress little by little. The big thing I want to fix is really the ankle, and fixing the broken down motor for the new foot drive I made.

Anyway, enough ranting, here are some pics! =)

R2 looks strange without the panel from the octagon port.. Both of them gone..

This is the one.. Removed and up close you can really tell how crude my job was at weathering my droid..

The back side. I will be cutting away the cut-out from the inside. There’s a “lip” going all around which is not visible. This is where my cut will be, allowing the “knob” to rotate and function as volume control for R2! Not that it matters, but I’ve marked which way is up and which is the front and back for clarity..

This is the behemoth rig I’ll use to cut it all out. My trusty dremel with my router addon. It will actually be the first time I use this addon!

A diamond cutting disk… I am planning on using alcogel hand cleanser for cooling when cutting through the aluminium.

I will be cutting from the inside, this is just to double check that my cutting wheel is at the correct distance. This should give me a cut fairly in the middle of the “lip” that you can see on the knob to the left.

The actual cut will be blind, as I cannot see the cutting wheel, and it will be hard holding on to the knob, but I’ll certainly do my best. Again, one of these things that would be a lot easier if I actually had a proper work shop for this.

Volume know from the amplifier removed. It will be mounted inside the hollow part (which will be cut off..) It will sort of look a bit like …

…. this.

Here is the volume potentiometer inside my amp. I will need to de-solder it, and build a small breakout board for it in order to have the volume in the octagon knob.

Only 7 solder points, (one being an optional ground, but I kind of want to be on the safe side here…) Should be easy once I relocate my solder sucker and braid…