Return to the BUILD
“The main part provided is the drive motor that power R2-D2’s right wheel, which comes complete with its own gearbox and circuit board. With this in place, you will be able to wire up and assemble most of R2-D2’s right leg.”
This may be our biggest issue yet. It has so many steps in it that they chose to skip the entire Understanding Robotics section of the magazine.
Contents
Parts
Materials: The Cable Ties are plastic and the motor/gearbox is mostly metal.
Magazine
- Building The Galaxy – Industrial Light & Magic
- Droid Directory – B1-Series Battle Droids Part 1
- Build R2-D2: Model Instructions
Build
Fitting the Motor and Wiring
Step 1
Fit the square drive spindle of the Right Wheel Motor/Gearbox into the center of the wheel axle from Issue 28:
Step 2
Align the motor casing with the four matching holes in the Outer Wheel Mounting Plate:
Steps 3-4
Secure the motor into place with four (4) 2.5×10 mm silver screws we received back in Issue 28:
Step 5
Retrieve the Motor Cable from Issue 17. Connect the larger plug of the Motor Cable to the socket on the motor’s circuit board:
Step 6
Thread the other end of the Motor Cable up between the leg and the Right Ankle Plate:
Steps 7-8
Feed the larger plug of the Infrared Cable from Issue 17 up the leg in the same way:
Step 9
Slide a Cable Tie through this retaining loop on the metal leg frame, making sure it is orientated correctly for Step 11:
Step 10
Before securing the cables in place, make sure the end of the smaller plug of the Infrared Cable is 5-5/16″ (135mm) from the retaining loop:
Step 11
Loop the Cable Tie around the cables and pull it tight.
Make sure you leave a little slack in the Motor Cable here between the Cable Tie and the motor itself:
Steps 12-13
Repeat this Cable Tie process at the remaining three retaining loops in the metal leg frame:
Step 14
Cut off the excess ends of all four Cable Ties.
I recommend using sprue cutters or a sharp hobby knife here for nice clean cuts. Take care not to damage the wiring:
Fitting the Leg Casings
Step 1
Retrieve the Right Sensor from Issue 20 and uncoil the cable. It is going to fit in to this big hole in the leg assembly from Issue 19:
Step 2
Plug the Right Sensor into the round hole at the shoulder. It should sit flush.
The front edges of this sensor are soft, so I recommend putting the front through the hole first, then sliding the back down into the slot:
Step 3
Feed the Right Sensor lead out through the large hole in the center of the shoulder:
Step 4
Feed the ends of both the Motor Cable and Infrared Cable from the previous section through the same hole:
Steps 5-6
Make sure the Right Ankle Mounting Plate is far enough down the leg, then align the inner and outer leg casings, paying attention to the protruding lugs and matching holes:
Step 7
Slide the Right Ankle Mounting Plate up over both casings to lock them together:
Step 8
Fit the Right Leg Outer Plate assembly completed back in Issue 2 onto the outer shoulder:
Step 9
Secure the leg casings together with twelve (12) 2.3×6 mm black screws:
Steps 10-11
Turn the leg over. Then, take the Right Ankle Fitting assembly from Issue 8 and, noting the four protruding lugs and matching holes, press it neatly into place:
Step 12
Turn the leg assembly over again, and drive one (1) 2.3×6 mm black screw into this hole to lock the fitting into place:
Step 13
Take the Right Leg Bottom Rear Cover from Issue 21 and plug the Right Lower Leg Details from Issue 14 into the holes on each side:
Step 14
This Right Leg Bottom Rear Cover assembly has a recess (circled below) which provides clearance for the cables in the next step:
Step 15
Fit this assembly over the inside of R2-D2’s ankle, making sure the leg cables are within the recess mentioned in the last step:
Step 16
Secure the Right Leg Bottom Rear Cover assembly into place with four (4) 2.3×6 mm black screws.
The instructions are wrong here, they say to use silver screws, but they meant black:
Thoughts
The right leg is complete! We still have to add the foot coverings, but the leg itself is a beauty. There was so much to do in this issue. I wish all of them were like this, so here is to hoping for more ‘full’ issues like this one!
Next Up
Issue 31 – Outer/Inner Foot Casings