26 replies to this topic

[Solscud007]

I always wanted R2-D2 to have maneuvering thrusters after watching him fly around in PT. I used a pair of Clone Trooper helmet lights and drilled a hole of the same diameter as the helmets into each leg.

Also you can stick an antennae into R2's head and pretend it is a periscope.

[Mr Man]

This is a great MOD Solscud007, I might steel this idea myself. on a side note wouldn't the black ARC gear be better than the grey?, I love the turning head, and the 3rd leg too.

[Solscud007]

I dont know. I prefer the gray thrusters and a gray periscope but I was too lazy to go fish out a gray antennae for the pictures.

[apemax]

A very nice mod for R2. Well done.

[lightningtiger]

AWESOME R2 modifications there 'Solscud007' and may the brick be with you.......always !

[KielDaMan]

Very ingenious additional mods to Artoo Solscud! It's the first time I've seen someone pull off these thrusters and periscope details, both of these go really well with the rotating head and third leg.

[Masked Builder]

Looks pretty good!    I do prefer to keep my R2 units purist though. I've never seen a periscope though........

[Solscud007]

Yeah but I have like three white R2s: 1x white head and 2x gray heads. So this one is my "swiss army" knife R2. Im debating drilling into the body and give him a probe via antennae/handle But I dont think I will.

[Masked Builder]

Solscud007, on 15 April 2011 - 03:08 PM, said:

Yeah but I have like three white R2s: 1x white head and 2x gray heads. So this one is my "swiss army" knife R2. Im debating drilling into the body and give him a probe via antennae/handle But I dont think I will.

I see.  I would say that that's asking a bit much of him!

[Brickdoctor]

Great job, Solscud. Nice, simple, effective custom.

[Fives]

That is pretty flippin' great! I'm just wondering, how did you do the swivel head thing? Like, I can see what piece you used, but how'd you attach it?

[Mr Man]

Fives, on 15 April 2011 - 07:59 PM, said:

That is pretty flippin' great! I'm just wondering, how did you do the swivel head thing? Like, I can see what piece you used, but how'd you attach it?

The normal way but He cut off the corners I think, I seem to remember a thread about it some time ago.

[Solscud007]

Sort of. The common method is to cut the bottom rim of R2's head. Instead I shaved the studs off the top of the body. Then used a turn table disc to swivel the head.

Edited by Solscud007, 15 April 2011 - 11:01 PM.

[Fives]

Solscud007, on 15 April 2011 - 09:31 PM, said:

Sort of. The commonmethod is to cut the bottom rim of R2's head. Instead I shaved the studs off the top of the body. Then used a turn table disc to swivel the head.

What did you use to take the studs off with? And did you need to drill a little hole to fit the swivel disc.

[Solscud007]

I used a sprue cutter. You can get them at your local hobby store. They can be called "wire cutters" at Joann Fabrics and Michaels Craft stores but they are sharp wire cutters. Then use a hobby knife like an xacto to shave any remaining plastic.

I have a hobby manual drill called a "pin vise" It comes with very thin drill bits. I had a drill bit that was the perfect size hole as the Clone Trooper helmet holes.

You need to make sure the hole you drill is the right size. if you make it too large the turn table disc will not pop into place. I used super glue and put a drop in the hole and plugged the turn table on. Then kept moving the disc for a few minutes. That way the glue will not set properly and fix the turntable permanently. You just want to tighten the friction but only do this if you made the hole too big.

Also I had to trim the top half of the leg posts. Otherwise the technic pin that pokes out will get in the way f the turn table post.

hope that makes sense.

[Fallenangel]

Mr Man, on 15 April 2011 - 12:21 PM, said:

This is a great MOD Solscud007, I might steel this idea myself. on a side note wouldn't the black ARC gear be better than the grey?, I love the turning head, and the 3rd leg too.

The third leg was Pepa Quin's idea. I thought the swivel dome might have been as well, but he cut the studs off the body piece instead of the ends of the dome piece as in Pepa's.

[Stardusty]

I think you should make few hundreds of these and sell them (just joking, I know that would take to much time).
Although it's a joke, I would like to have at least one.

Anyway, it great.

Are you planing to do it with other R2/R4 droids you have?

[Solscud007]

I gave my black R2-Q5 a black third leg. But I dont think I will do it to all of them.

[Churchill]

Sorry if I've missed this along the way (with this or the previous posts about mods of astromechs) but what is the piece used to attach the third leg?  I can't figure it out!

[Brickdoctor]

Churchill, on 19 April 2011 - 02:13 AM, said:

Sorry if I've missed this along the way (with this or the previous posts about mods of astromechs) but what is the piece used to attach the third leg?  I can't figure it out!

It's a Technic Half-pin, most likely. The old R2 bodies allowed one to be fitted in without any modifications. For the newer bodies which have an axle receptacle fitted into them, you can use a Technic Half-pin or 3L axle with stud on end, in both cases cut to a shorter length. For a purist solution for the new bodies, squeeze a 'fig hand into the cheese wedge and put that into a short piece of flex tubing or pneumatic tubing, then put the whole assembly into the body.

Hope I explained that well.

[Churchill]

Thanks Brickdoctor.  I'm not going to cut, and I'm not sure I like the squeezing arm solution... so I'm not sure what I'll do because I really like the way it looks.

[Brickdoctor]

Churchill, on 19 April 2011 - 03:14 AM, said:

Thanks Brickdoctor.  I'm not going to cut, and I'm not sure I like the squeezing arm solution... so I'm not sure what I'll do because I really like the way it looks.

Well you can try buying one of the older ones. I'm not sure when they changed over, but obviously if you buy a 1999 set with R2 in it you'd be pretty safe.

[Solscud007]

Just cut the technic axle pin with stud. It will be up inside R2 and you will never take it out.

[gotoAndLego]

Masked Builder, on 15 April 2011 - 03:06 PM, said:

Looks pretty good!    I do prefer to keep my R2 units purist though. I've never seen a periscope though........

An R2 with a periscope is about as movie accurate as you can get.

[Churchill]

Solscud007, on 19 April 2011 - 01:09 PM, said:

Just cut the technic axle pin with stud. It will be up inside R2 and you will never take it out.

Thanks Solscud007.  I certainly have technic pins that I'm sure I'll never use, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to bring myself to cut them.

It would be nice if Lego would change the head, and give it holes like the clone helmets.  Then we could easily attached accessories.