R2-D2

The past year, I’ve taken R2 out on various outings and had lots of fun.

However, I’ve made the biggest mistake of them all.

“If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it!”

I had a working drive train with R2 using scooter motors, but I wanted to change into a better drive system that uses up less power and weighed a lot less than the old system.

I opted for using Jaycar motors, and found a wheel with a hub that was made for mounting directly on the the drive shaft. Only problem: it had another dimaneter than the drive shaft on the actual motor.

Not a big issue, I found a piece of fitting aluminium pipe and cut that off to the correct dimensions and all is well.. or so I thought.

On the first real outing, I encountered a piece of thick, sticky carpet, the worst kind of surface to drive on –ever! Half an hour into the event, He stopped moving. HE. STOPPED. MOVING! .. Panic!

So what it turned out to be, was that the small grub screw that locked the hub on to the ankle had slightly loosened, and the entire hub (with wheel) was just spinning loosely around the shaft.

So, I had to do something about this. I worked on another system, based from fellow UK R2 Builder, James Short, using two drive motors in each foot, hoping that the added torque (and better fit with better wheels) would prove better and fix the issue.

Well … it was better, but it did not fix the problem.

The grub screw still comes lose and skids around the shaft, damaging it, and makes R2 immovable. This time we had two wheels on each side so it is a lot better but not good.

This is what the shaft looks like after a short while. Note the damage on the left side. The dent is due to the grub screw slipping.

Removing the hubs from the shafts turned out to be quite difficult. I had to oil up the shafts and start the motors running at full speed, while trying to pry and slip the wheels off.

I asked around for various solutions, and fellow R2 Builder and good friend Sigge, checked with a few people at work, and basically came back with the best option: To drill a small hole (not through) into the drive shaft, so the grub screw would have somewhere to really stick, and seal the position of the grub screw with a thread locker, such as Loctite 272, the hardest out there.

Drilling a hole in to the shaft turned a bit easier than I thought, possibly due to me just byuing hardened steel drills that were up to the challenged. I started with a 1,5 mm hole, went up to 2,5 mm on the second time, and finally settled in a 3,2 mm hole. The hole itself is about 1,5 mm deep into the shaft, so just deep enough to allow the grub screw to take hold.

Not bad for being done freehand without a pillar drill!

I am awaiting new wheel hubs, since they old one did not get through the removal process untainted, and the thread locker. Once that has arrived (should be next week) , the wheels will be assembled again, and hopefully it will all work out as intended!

My last option, is to drill down through the hubs and shaft all the way through and insert a steel pin, but that will severely weaken the shaft… but if worst comes to worst, that is the last option! =)

So, for now, this is the situation. Next up: time to rewire the electronics in the dome and mount those servos!

So, Christmas is upon us and it should all do us good to take some time and think about the people who are not as fortunate as the rest of us.

Last week, me, R2 and two friends visited Sweden’s first Child Hospice.

For those not sure what a hospice is, it is basically a place where you go to be cared for at the end of your life.

This was such a place… for children, who will never have the chance of growing up, never experience the joy of having kids of their own, never have time to realize their dreams.

As soon as the question came if we wanted to come and help do something special for these kids, I immediately thought to myself that this is not something I can turn down. I made sure I did not have anything booked on the evening in question, and took a minute or two to really think, really make sure I had the strength in me to do this.

I was happy that two of my friends, also Star Wars nerds like me, and proud members of the 501st and Rebel Legion, immediately agreed to come along.

The week leading up to our visit was tough, to be frank. I found myself looking at my 6 month old and just hoping, wishing she would never have to go a place like the one I was going to visit. I started talking about what we were going to do with friends. Not because I wanted people to pat me on the back, saying how good it was of me to go, but because I needed to talk about it. I needed to process it.

I knew I could cope with it, while being there, but I had a firm belief that I would break down and cry in the car home. If that was the case, so be it. I still had to go. If only we could help bring some joy to the sick children and their families on this evening, right before their last christmas. Ever.

Upon our arrival, we were told that two kids that were supposed to be there would not be there during the evening. Their condition had worsened. I was told that in their case, we were talking hours.

What struck me as soon as we entered the room, with the Main Theme from Star Wars playing loudly from R2, was the positive feeling in the room. We showed off the droid and our costumes, and I had an option of saying a few words on who we were and why we are doing what we do for charity.

After the christmas dinner, we all posed for pictures will all the kids and their families, and I was moved by how positive everyone felt and grateful towards us for being there.

I didn’t break down in the car home. I actually felt quite good, knowing that the kids who stay at the hospice are well cared for and surrounded by people who love them.

When I finally got home, I woke up Emma, who incidentally was turning 6 months that very same day, and just hugged hur for a while. Nothing else, just held her for a while and I was incredibly grateful on how healthy and great our daughter is.

Somehow, my daily troubles seems a lot smaller and easier to deal with after this.

Thank you for this year. More to come next year with many updates and fun things… and I promise I’ll be better with updating this blog 😉

Happy Holidays!