Envio
Robot
COMPLETE:
081130
PURCHASED:
061030
BEGUN:
061101
COMPLETE:
070110.02
Lights: 081130
01 WIring Overview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=imhe8-qy8GM
02 About Done 3.5 min
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYI1DZO2BAA
CONSTRUCTION LOG
Pre-arrival -- I purchased this kit as the only bidder on eBay. When others were paying $30 plus for the same model alone. I lucked out and got it for $17 shipped. Initial research indicates this will need much additional work.
I've also seen pre-built light and sound kits for this model. However, they are very expensive. I may be able to piece together my own far cheaper. I've begun watching all the old episodes for visual reference and to consider audio clips, should I get a soundcard to this kit.
061023
Arrived today! I put the basic body together and studied the parts. The reviews were devastatingly accurate! Terrible flash! Nightmare seams! It is however built to be lit! Though I would have to custom modify the dome.... I will likely give this kit a new base as the included one basically sucks. And I will absolutely replace the arms!
I guess they put him in a 13 inch box to show you how much you're not getting. Someone needs to do B-9 some true justice! Having watched 12 plus episodes now I'm unimpressed with the torso proportions. Additionally, the molding is weak and the rims are undefined. The torso rotates, so I could theoretically hook up some servos... put in real treads and could have him do robot patrol. This kit is not the season one robot.
061028
Primed. I later silvered the kit up as a test and then re-primed it as putty was needed everywhere.
061224.00
I pulled robot out and pondered today. I'm skipping all ideas on modifying this kit. If it was bigger yes. Another is always cheap if I change my mind later.
I laid everything out friday night, silvered all the pieces and now it's put away for next weekend to give the silver total curing time. After watching more episodes, I determined the paint methodology. A base silver with gray/purple wash on rubber parts in the black treads.
I will still try to do the arms better in an enclosed position with new parts. I imagine that a hardware store should have some threaded bolts that should be the same size as these arms.
070104.22
Pulled Robot out again today and painted his red claws on one side. I'll do more tonight. I may start gluing. Also, I should really address the seams with a file, however it's a massive effort required to do it.
070105.18
I really tackled the robot today by gluing major body assemblies together. Upon seeing it, I'm leaving the seams as is to show how bad they really are. No lights. No sounds. No finishing. The straight up model from the straight up kit with a straight up paint job.
I had a nice silver finish over the entire body. I let it dry for 10 days, even. But the blue tape, I used to secure the body parts while he dried gobbled the finish up like rotting flesh patches. Ugly.
So, some light masking, more silver, and all set for final assembly. Still thinking about replacing the supplied arms with bolts of appropriate size. It's not too late at all.
Last steps: paint black treads, do rubber section washes after Master Silver, paint red and yellow and then I can finish claws.
I would be done tomorrow, if not for letting the silver said again. Let's call it next week for done.
070110.21.
I gave him the new silver and messed that up while I was washing his rubber parts. So yet again, I need to do one last silver pass before calling Robot truly done. I may even need another wash on his legs as well. That remains to be seen.
Also I need to determine how to do his red eyes sensor since his arms are flailing he must be activated. And if his arms are flailing. Then he must be saying something as well. Therefore the red sensor should be lit. However, since I'm not putting lights in this kit. I need to come up with another scenario. I had thought some red reflector tape would work. However the backside of the tape is not red it's silver. Which means it comes down to painting, or a red piece of paper or some other thing.
The arms and the top sensor dome fit so well that they don't need to be glued. I've therefore kept them unglued, allowing me access to the insides. Once I finally determine how to do the front sensor grill, I can seal him up. Since the arms don't need to be glued in, I can take my time in finding replacement bolts. Robot is otherwise finished!
070215
Over the last weeks, I've come to the conclusion tha a red light is the only way to go for his head w/ a pressure switch, run on a 9v. There's room and it should go easy. Someday soon. It was Maximilian's successful head light that got me going for this one.
070425.15
Over the last month, I have collected numerous amounts of electronics. I finally had a few evenings to get some layout work done. Of the stash, all the CCF's have been distributed w/a few to spare, some EL Wire has been assigned, a few LEDs, 1 sound module.
Robot has the last 3 jumbo leds assigned to him now. The place I got 'em moved and may be out of business.
The bare board sound module switch I got for him fits just inside his legs and all the rest of the wires barely fits. The microphone will sit inside his dome center, pointing forward. I need to put longer wire in the mix there to reach. Otherewise, mp sits in his waist where the thickest plastic is.
A simple wiring test didn't produce any results, though I didn't figure they would. If they had, i would have glued the module in and prepped him a little more before putting him away.
Instead, I pakced him all together and put him back on his perch until a later such time as I can get to him. As he was 'finished' months ago, there's no hurry for him now. I have a number of other kits that need dire attention for the immediate future.
081130.11
19 months? Well, I certainly didn't hurry on this one.
I got back into the elec work the other day and he essentiially was first up. Didn't want to deal with the sound board, so took that out of the mix. The jumbo leds were dead, so he got 6, 5mm leds instead. They are nowhere near as bright as the jumbo's were unfortunately.
I had to put a thin piece of plastic across the front grill so the points of light would ablate. I sanded the leds down to disburse the light, but to little effect.
I put a pressure switch in the mix so he lights up only when the button is pushed. The switch goes in his side leg where a little greeblie should be, it looks good.
DONE!
