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“With R2-D2 nearing completion, this issue’s components are a series of mounts and brackets used to support his sensors and prepare the remaining electronic systems for connection to the MCU and sensor control board. The circuit board supports are fitted inside the dome later on in the assembly.“

This issue is also going to be a monster as they skipped two sections of the magazine to make more room for all of the wiring instructions!

Contents

Parts

Materials: The two Head Sensor Housing Buffers are rubber, the Circuit Board Supports and Mounting Washers are metal, and everything else is plastic.

Hardware

Magazine

• Building The Galaxy – Final Fight
• Build R2-D2: Model Instructions

Build

Fitting the Camera and Lens Cover

Steps 1-2

Retrieve your Camera from the previous issue and carefully remove the protective cover off the lens.

Since we will be handing this Camera a lot to install it, I left the protective cover in place until it is fully secured in place:

Step 3

Retrieve your R2-D2 Dome assembly and start feeding the ribbon connector of the Camera through the Camera Mount, as shown.

Make sure this ribbon connector does not get bent or twisted as it may cause the Camera to malfunction:

Step 4

Carefully remove the backing paper from the adhesive square on the back of the Camera:

Step 5-6

Keep feeding the ribbon through the hole until you can stick the Camera into position on the Camera Mount, as shown:

Steps 7-8

Secure the Camera in place with two (2) 2×4 mm silver screws (supplied with the previous issue):

Steps 9-10

Peel the backing from a Lens Cover Seal and place it down in between the Dome and the Camera Mount, as shown.

I believe the purpose of these seals is to prevent the light of the LEDs below the camera from affecting the images captured:

Step 11

In the same way, peel the backing from the other Lens Cover Seal and place it along this surface, as shown:

Step 12

Retrieve your Primary Photoreceptor Faceplate from Issue 10. Remove the four (4) 2.3 x 4 mm screws holding the Camera Lens Mount onto the Primary Photoreceptor Faceplate and lift the mount away:

Remove the existing Primary Photoreceptor Lens and replace it with the new Lens Cover supplied with the previous issue.

This new Lens Cover is tinted much lighter to allow the camera to see better. The old darker Primary Photoreceptor Lens can be discarded:

Step 13-14

Peel the protective film from both sides of this new Lens Cover:

Step 15

Replace the Lens Cover Holder and secure it (and the new Lens Cover) into place with the previously removed screws:

Steps 16-17

The Lens Cover Holder has hooked tabs that fit into slots above and below the Camera opening in the dome. Slide these tabs into place and slide it to the left to lock it in place.

If you did not already remove it earlier, make sure to peel off the protective film from the lens of the Camera now:

Place the dome assembly back on the stand to keep it safe while we move on to working with the body:

Preparing the Cables

Steps 1-3

Retrieve the Front Panel assembly (last worked on in Issue 86). Uncoil the leads for the arm motor and feed the plug end of the motor wire down behind the motor mount, as shown:

Step 4

Fit the Cable Label marked A-M (Arm Motor) from the previous issue and clip it onto the leads near the plug of this cable:

Step 5

Fit two Cable Labels to the black Ultrasonic Sensors cables as shown:

• The U-TX (Ultrasonic Transmitter) Cable Label should be fitted to the cable from the upper sensor
• The U-RX (Ultrasonic Receiver) Cable Label should be fitted to the cable from the lower sensor

Fit the Cable Label marked Switch board to the multi-colored cables, as shown:

Steps 6-7

Remove and keep the two (2) screws of the Front Housing behind the upper ultrasonic sensor.

Be aware that these screws also hold the decorative silver grille in front of this sensor in place, so be sure not to lose it:

Step 8

Fit the Ultrasound Sensor Cover as shown and replace the previously removed screws.

I have no idea what this part is for, but if I had to guess it is meant to prevent interference between the two ultrasonic sensors:

Back Panel Label

Retrieve your Back Panel assembly (last worked on in Issue 74) and fit the Cable Label marked Speaker to the only cable on this panel:

Dome Label

Retrieve your Dome assembly and fit the Cable Label marked MIC (MICrophone) to the black Microphone cable, as shown:

Dome Motor Label

Finally, retrieve your Dome Head Motor assembly from Issue 96 and fit the Cable Label marked H-M (Head Motor) to its cable, as shown:

At this point, you should still have four (4) unused Cable Labels, which will be fitted at a later issue.

Making the Connections

CAUTION: Double check that you are connecting these cables to the boards correctly. There are tabs that correctly align the plugs only in one direction. Plugging anything in backwards may cause damage to your R2-D2!

Fitting the Front Panel

Step 1

Bring your Front Panel assembly close to the front of R2-D2 and feed all of the cables of the Front Panel under the metal center frame and over the electronics, as shown:

Steps 2-5

Carefully bring the Front Panel assembly into place, being careful not to pinch any wires.

Something that is not mentioned in the instructions is that are long tabs along the bottom edge of each side of these body panels that need to slide into this groove as you fit the panels:

With the Front Panel in place, the mounting holes along both sides of the panel should line up to the screw holes in the frame:

Steps 6-7

Connect the cable labeled A-M into this matching socket on the Sensor Control Board. Slide any surplus cable under one of the Cable Clips:

Step 8

Connect the cable labeled Switch board into this matching socket on the MCU:

Steps 9-11

Paying attention to which is which, connect the U-TX and U-RX cables into these matching sockets on the Sensor Control Board:

With careful routing of this wiring, we should still have a large open space under the dome opening:

Fitting the Rotary Sensor Housing

Steps 1-2

Fit a Head Sensor Housing Buffer to each end of the Head Sensor Housing Top, as shown:

Steps 3-5

Place the Head Sensor Housing Base over this assembly as shown, and secure these parts together with two (2) 2.3×6 mm black screws:

Step 6

Remove and keep the flanged silver screw holding the Centre Stop in place on the Top Ring:

Steps 7-8

Slide the old Centre Stop off the tab and discard it. Replace it with the new Head Sensor Housing assembly (part number facing up) and secure this into place with the previously removed flanged screw.

This new head buffer assembly uses rubber ends to gently limit the head rotation:

Fitting the Dome Motor Support

Steps 1-4

Place a Mounting Washer on the rear of each Leg Support Bracket with the small hole fitting over the locating pin, as shown.

These Mounting Washers act as shims to correctly align the motor assembly:

Steps 5-6

Insert the Dome Drive Motor assembly into the frame with the cable down and the motor to the rear of R2-D2, as shown.

Make sure this assembly sits fully down onto these four alignment pins:

Step 7

Fit the Spring Washers (from this issue) onto the end of four (4) 2.5×8 mm silver screws:

Step 8

Secure the Dome Drive Motor assembly to the Leg Support Brackets with these screw/washer sets, as shown:

Step 9

Connect the cable labeled H-M from the Head Motor into this matching socket on the MCU (making sure it fits correctly and is fully seated):

Fitting the Dome Support

Steps 1-3

Inside the dome assembly, take the black Microphone cable (marked MIC) and pass it under these two Cable Clips, as shown. The plug end of this cable should end up near the circuit board:

Step 4

Retrieve the Dome Support assembly (from Issue 87) and align it to the bottom dome ring so the support leg with the projecting lug is next to the lightsaber tube, as shown:

Step 5

Secure the Dome Support assembly to the dome ring with six (6) 2.5×4 mm silver screws.

Thoughts

With the work completed in this issue, the exterior of R2-D2’s head dome is now finished and it looks phenomenal! I enjoy just rotating it on its stand to see all of the details. The dome will be installed to the body in Issue 100, but first we have to install the dome’s main circuit board in the next issue. Save the unused metal Circuit Board Supports in this issue until then.

Next Up

 Issue 99 – Dome Circuit Board