R2server

[Rankenphile]

BillyBob, out of curiosity - what do you do for a living?

[crazybillybob]

BillyBob, out of curiosity - what do you do for a living?

I'm an "IT Engineer"....That's the title they.. made up for me when I started here.

I Work for a Software company that supplies test software to manufacturing companies. My responsibility is Internal hardware / network (like 4 of us share this job) and I order and build / install Servers (and some client) machines, as well as setup our software on them (Database stuff too!)....In a nut shell I'm an IT Geek (but I have an Electrical/Electronic Engineering degree...Talk about not using what you paid for!).

Is that painful enough for you? or do you want more details?

(as a side note, I grew up on a farm, my wife is in Vet school (animal doc) We plan on owning a farm as soon as we can!...So I truly am a Redneck, I'd rather be in flannel and denim any day! and deal with animals rather than city folk I'm just pretending to be a GEEK! :omg: )

Crazybillybob

[Rankenphile]

Actually, that sounds about right.

I was just curious. You've got a lot of knowledge for all sorts of mechanical and electrical engineering, and have always been a big help on this site. I know a couple of IT guys who sound a lot like you.

[crazybillybob]

You've got a lot of knowledge for all sorts of mechanical and electrical engineering, and have always been a big help on this site. I know a couple of IT guys who sound a lot like you.

I'll tell you what, this R2 Project has double my knowledge. I've been talking to guys that have designed things for years, Mech and Eleco. To figure some of the things out, Then I still have to sit here and do the old....Now what was he saying about this angle and that angle.....Screw it!, this looks about right!

I've always loved working with kids, Even when I was one I tried to help where I could. Now that I'm in the "Big Kid" category I try and help everyone (older, younger, the same) I've been getting allot of help with this project. Most of it is in the form of Ideas, allot has been in learning skills, and very little has been in work. When I started I didn't know how to weld, lay fiberglass, or see the usefulness in really bending sheet metal (not just 90degs or 45 degs) but designing / fabricating sheet metal. Now I can weld with an oxyacetylene torch, fiber glassing can be fun , and I'm making shapes out of sheet alum that I never thought I'd make!
It's been fun, I guess that's what I call a good hobby. For me it's less about how many cases I pounded out and more about the experience gained in the creation of a case. To that end I've tried to pass on what I've learned to all of you!

Crazybillybob

[Rankenphile]

I think you nailed it, friend.

In the process of putting together the xbox arcade project I've got going now, I've already learned a ton. I've never really done much woodworking before, and knew nothing of soldering and electronics. Now, I'm doing both, and learning about them as I go. That's the beauty of a hobby like this, and having a forum like this with worklogs to pour over in the process - there are so many parts to know about in these types of projects, from basic artistry to electronics design to manufacturing and fabrication, that you HAVE to learn as you go. Nobody can know everything, and the most fun I've had in these projects is the learning.

I can't wait till I get to start working with plexi. Defyant's mods have really gotten me excited about that stuff.

See?

[crazybillybob]

This weekend was productive for me
I was able to get a few detail pieces painted. This blue color takes allot of time, as there is 3 coats of primer, 3 coats of metallic purple base, 3 coats of blue metal fleck candy, and 3-5 coats clear.. These only have 3 clear I have some touchups to do on some so I'll smooth the clear with 1000grit and lay 2-3 more coats soon.
Some of these pics are a little dark (it was night and I was outside)

The Purple Base

The Blue Candy

The Finished Product

I also was able to cut out new Shoulder mounts so hopefully the legs will be mounted on R2 this week!

To make the mounts I cut out 2 Rectangles of plywood. Then laid out the start and stop points of my notches. These notches allow me to stand R2 up (2Leg) for transport by removing his front leg. While also allowing me to drive him in 3 leg mode with out him falling over. I used a compass to draw in the center line of the notches.

Then I center punched holes along the center line, I'm using a 1/4 hole so I tried to keep the centers just over 1/4" apart (less filing later)

Next It's just a matter of drilling allot of holes.

After a bit of clean up here's the finished Product.

Saturday Morning I loaded R2 Up, for a Road Trip to Detroit for the MI R2-Builders Meet. There were only 4 R2's at this meet and only one that was complete...Sadly my pics of him Suck so their not here. But here are a couple of pic from the meeting.

Matt Bush (Star Wars Artist) Stopped by and fun was had by all!

While I was out on Saturday The Pic Flasher came in the mail...WOW that was Fast! So I put it together (some idiot forgot to take a pic of the parts not assembled ) But here it is all wired up.

And here it is all lite up!

These big LEDs are just there to test it, I'm going back to the Drawing board with my big display so it will be a little bit before we see it all up and running.

All in all it was a good weekend, my wife was sick with a fever (her flu shot got her!) but was better by late Sunday, but even with that it was a good weekend!

I'll get another update up soon (I've gotta mount those shoulder blocks!)

Crazybillybob

[Malatory]

the Flasher looks like the same one I have on one of my mods that have been put on hold for a while ...

and

[crazybillybob]

If it's the one from Carl's Electronics then it's the same one! (I know that they order it from another company so It's a very good chance they are the same!)

It will drive well over a hundred LEDs If you hook it up per the Directions, but more if you go Series/Parallel!


If you've got any Q's let me know.

Crazybillybob

[Malatory]

If it's the one from Carl's Electronics then it's the same one! (I know that they order it from another company so It's a very good chance they are the same!)

It will drive well over a hundred LEDs If you hook it up per the Directions, but more if you go Series/Parallel!


If you've got any Q's let me know.

Crazybillybob

same one ... no questions ... Just need to finish the project, and I also started a 2nd one (So I need to really get the work done on both).

I do have a movie of the lights working but i need to re-do it in a different codex so it is not one that will kill my bandwidth.

[crazybillybob]

I've gotta get a Webcam for R2. Once I get it and the display worked out I'll host some video of it.


Crazybillybob