This journal follows the construction of my full-size R2-D2 droid replica.

R2's construction is divided up into some basic sections:

Dome

Body

Legs

Feet

Details

Electronics

Links

My love for the little droid goes way back. I really started thinking about building one for myself when I found Dave Everett's Yahoo group in 2000. It became a new reality. There were guys out there actually doing it, and even helping others with drawings, parts and advice. I was in.

A few more years of moving, collecting info, moving, scouring the Web for reference pics, moving, buying the needed tools, and more moving finally brought me to the place where I had my own home, workshop, and the green light to proceed.

Instead of actually measuring and drawing on wood, I preferred to use the Club Plans as the template in designing the entire construction on my computer. I work at a sign shop, so my plans usually include a full line of custom-cut vinyl templates instead of rulers and pencils. I can skip the trigonometry and get to the cutting.

I am also of the "build camp." That is, I am going to scratch-build as much as I can myself. The Club has gotten to the point where there are a lot of parts available most of the time, but what inspired me the most was the guys way back when who were making all their own stuff. That's the kind of grass-roots astromeching I'm into.

I'll be adding to this as much as I can. The wealth of knowledge that I found in different peoples personal sites is beyond measure, and for what it's worth, I hope this log becomes as useful a tool to someone else as other sites have been to me.