I’m exploring something in the same wheel house as Daft Punk…

R2-D2 builders are elite prop builders and have electronic, software and fabrication skills I’ve always aspired to. The problem with building a quality astromech is that you either have to have access to a shop with a lot of expensive tools, or rely on runs of expensive parts from the R2-D2 builders club.

While R2-D2 might seem out of reach at the moment, there’s new droid, BB-8, from “The Force Awakens” that may be more accessible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c

A lot of people were surprised to see a functional R/C droid on the stage at Celebration Anaheim last May. There were 7 BB-8s used in the movie. They had different functions and were puppeteered by individuals in green screen suits. The R/C droid was created after the movie was filmed, for red carpet appearances and other live events.

The BB-8 builders club is a group devoted to building BB-8 replicas. One popular method of fabricating of this droid has been 3D printing. Two members, Tiny Panganiban and Michael Irwin, have created and released a highly detailed set of parts that can be reproduced consistently on a consumer grade desktop 3D printer.

There have also been several independent builders that have come up with their own or club modded designs like James Bruton of http://xrobots.co.uk/ and Anthony at http://www.xlrobots.com/.

There are two main drive mechanisms that have been proposed for BB-8:

1) Hamster Drive

The hamster drive is essentially an R/C car place inside a sphere that can drive the body in any direction. This is how the BB-8 toy by Sphero functions.

2) Single Axel Drive

The other theory is that since BB-8’s body only moves along a single axis, it uses a single axel drive mechanism.

 

Build Log:

My build currently consists of a T & M dome and XLRobots skeleton. I’m designing my own single axel drive mechanism based on the best features I’ve seen from existing prototypes. I’m using XRobots flywheel and tilt mechanism for turning. I will be using leftover parts from my Daft Punk builds, including the Daft Punk Discovery Gauntlets which will be used to control BB-8.

 

BB-8 'Wiggler' achievement unlocked! from insultcomicdog on Vimeo.

Want to buy a used droid? @BrianHezza, @donttrythis Thanks to my friends in the @501cdngarrison, #r2builders, #bb8buildersclub and especially my 4 year old son and wife who were beyond patient as I attempted this pint-size, scratch built Star Wars costume. #Jawa #halloween #utini #starwars #notbuildingbb8

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Oct 31, 2016 at 4:43pm PDT

Yesterday was a good opportunity to test out mounting BB-8's LED body panels for first time. I discovered a bug w neopixel animation, and wonder if it's a loose wire or the PWM signal being interfered with by magnetic field. #arduino #notbuildingbb8 #ws2812b #3dprinting @adafruit #adafruit

A video posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Nov 1, 2016 at 6:57am PDT

WS2812b pixie dust added for that just landed on Jakku, movie accurate look. I made my own lenses and crimped custom harnesses, so body panels can still be removed for maintenance. #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #neopixel #arduino #StarWars #theforceawakens #adafruit @adafruit

A video posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Oct 5, 2016 at 12:03pm PDT

Droid wrangling on LIVE TV in front of master BB-8 puppeteer Brian Herring. @BrianHezza Did that really happen?? Thanks again @501cdngarrison for the opportunity. #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #keeprolling

A video posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Oct 18, 2016 at 8:29am PDT

Keep calm and roll on. Hamilton CC – CHCH PR appearance this morning with Bryan Herring (BB-8 puppeteer for The Force Awakens), my droid and TKs of the @501cdngarrison. Thanks for having me! #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #theforceawakens #hamiltoncc #starwars #astromechbuilders #501st

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 30, 2016 at 6:16am PDT

⚡️⚡️⚡️#astromechbuilders #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #arduino

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 29, 2016 at 7:34am PDT

Nothing to see here. Move along. Move along. #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #arduino #starwars #3dp #astromechbuilders #3dprinting #robots @tommybuilt @xrobotsuk @niclebray

A video posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 28, 2016 at 8:29am PDT

Class of 2016. #501stlegion #rebellegion #astromechbuilders #bb8buildersclub #starwars #fanexpo #fanexpocanada

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 13, 2016 at 5:30pm PDT

Hot set. #fanexpo #501stlegion #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #fanexpocanada #r2d2 #artoodeetoo #bb8 #astromech #starwars

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 6, 2016 at 4:14pm PDT

Having trouble with your droid? Jawa droid sale at #FanExpo. #fanexpocanada #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #c3po #r2d2 #artoodeetoo #artoo #astromech #droidbuilders

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 5, 2016 at 2:19pm PDT

Mark Critch, Canadian Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, Boba Fett and my BB-8 droid. #fanexpo #fanexpocanada #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 4, 2016 at 10:31am PDT

Warming up behind the velvet rope at #fanexpocanada. #endor #endorbunker #fanexpo #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 1, 2016 at 12:00pm PDT

For those about to droid… #fanexpocanada #fanexpo #501stlegion #rebellegion #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8 #droidwrangler #arduino #3dprinting #3dp cc: @mcmaster_robots @themikesenna

A video posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Sep 1, 2016 at 10:26am PDT

Good enough for a rattle can finish and a backyard spray booth. May have to go back and refinish the rest of the body panels. #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #3dprinting #3dp

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Aug 29, 2016 at 8:20am PDT

BB-8 Dome Electronics Demo from insultcomicdog on Vimeo.

Separating N52 Strong Neodymium Magnets 2″ X 1″ w ~270lbs Pull Force For BB-8 Build from insultcomicdog on Vimeo.

 

He’s a BB unit! Orange and white: one of a kind. The only BB-8 at the droid building panel and at Comic Con today. That’ll change over the next 6 months to a year as the major issues are worked out and some awesome designs come out of closed beta. #NFCC #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Jun 5, 2016 at 12:19pm PDT

The “Droid Building 101” panel. Old School VS. New School. #NFCC #comiccon2016 #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #starwars #artoo #r2d2

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Jun 5, 2016 at 5:27pm PDT

I’ve been invited to speak and demo my WIP rat rod BB-8 at Niagara Falls Comic Con this weekend. The panel is “DROID BUILDING 101 WITH THE 501ST CANADIAN GARRISON.” Will be bringing a lot of extra parts and dead end prototypes to barter with Jawa-style. Looking forward to meeting other local builders. I did a mini sprint this week to get ready. No gaffers tape is left on build. All body panels are mounted with screws and inserts. There is one removable maintenance panel secured w magnets. One of the gimbals and flywheel for the drivetrain is installed. Had to use some hackery and ship in bottle approach bc the XLR V1 frame wasn’t designed to accommodate a large flywheel. #NFCC #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #niagarafallscomiccon @niagarafallscomiccon

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Jun 3, 2016 at 8:29am PDT

Under the dome. Modeled a spinning mechanism in #Tinkercad that allows for rotation above the ring via a servo in dome. Dome magnet installation and testing is next. #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #3dp #3dprinting #bb8 #starwars #theforceawakens

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on May 16, 2016 at 10:39am PDT

BB-8 in repose until I model fasteners to secure body panels. #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #3dp #3dhubs #3dprinting #Arduino #theforceawakens

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Apr 2, 2016 at 11:06am PDT

BB-8 Animated Dome Test #1 from insultcomicdog on Vimeo.

 

Second attempt at fitting body panels went a lot better w minimal gaps. Gaps and misalignments give your droid character like R2’s crooked radar eye. Waiting for threaded, brass heat set inserts to arrive. Also picked up a temp $3 droid jig from @canadiantire. I will use this until I design a jig with bearings that will allow BB-8 to roll in one spot for testing. #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #additivemanufacturing #3dp #3dhubs #3dprinting

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Apr 13, 2016 at 9:20am PDT

 

Heat setting garden variety brass nuts from @HomeDepot into skeleton w a soldering iron. Using ss socket screws for body panels to prevent magnetic interference with dome mount. I wanted to use fancy heat set inserts from McMaster-Carr but they don’t ship to individuals internationally and they were more expensive. #notbuildingbb8 #bb8buildersclub #Arduino #3dprinting #3dhubs #theforceawakens #additivemanufacturing

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Apr 5, 2016 at 9:10am PDT

Their primary target will be the power generators. #bb8buildersclub #notbuildingbb8

A photo posted by Sunil John (@insultcomicdog) on Mar 8, 2016 at 10:43am PST

https://www.instagram.com/p/BCGMImvGDUF/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBpvW5UGDaI

https://www.instagram.com/p/BBnLYnmGDXa/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BAuchuPmDeZ/

BB-8 Build – Printing Dome and Greebles from insultcomicdog on Vimeo.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BANHMJ3mDRa/

 

[embpicasa id=”6243793885432953217″] [embpicasa id=”6312537465629167841″] [embpicasa id=”6306054028062650081″]