It's been a few days since I updated this, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy building ;)
On the contrary! Brace yourselves...
First up, back to the frame. After my careful dismantling, I put it all back together, added a few more bits I hadn't got round to before and viola!
Very pleased with how this is looking now :D This picture is with it all pretty much complete, minus dome motor mounting plate and should hub reinforcement (which are now in there). Speaking of the shoulder hubs, notice I'm using Daves new plans for manual 2-3-2 position. Manual for now...
I'm planning on having as many doors open as possible, including the charge port door. So in goes the charge door plate!
This sits back a bit in the frame, not sure if I was over zealous with the file or frame is slightly wide but it's no issue. I've added a strip of 1mm in there along the front and it sits flush now.
Now, there seems to have been an on going joke with everyone who has seen the progress in person that it's looking like a lovely waste paper bin. I thought the joke got old pretty quick but no-one else did. So I decided it was time to do something about that.
The skins were more fun than I'd imagined. Cutting 1mm is 3 times easier than 3mm and I found getting neat edges wasn't an issue so long as you're patient.
While taking a break from cutting out the skin, I decided to test fit my eBay bought 18" bearing in my styrene dome
The bearing is a bit bigger than the rockler (I believe it's 456mm) but fits in the dome base ring and the dome rather snug. I'm not sure how I'll end up fitting this yet but for demonstration purposes this is how it's sitting.
After finishing the front inner skin, how could I resist a test fit? And with the dome already out... well why not hey?
The obligatory test fit of bits and bobs to make something resembling R2 :D
The skins are only held on with tape for now as I need to get the arm door hinge mounts.
Epic update gets more epic.
I mentioned before I was busy cutting out parts for the legs while deciding what to do with my frame . I ended up cutting them all out, so what better to do next!
I couldn't find any 16mm PVC tubes, but I did find a 19mm steel tube which will add extra strength to my legs! Luckily, my friend with a CNC router was happy to cut these 19mm holes in my styrene parts to ensure that all the holes were level and tight. And boy are they tight!
I butted all the pieces together and clamped them while on the pole so I could file them to a level finish on all edges.
Gluing them all down at the same time was bit of a nightmare but I managed it, and to be sure they were glued I went round the joins with more glue and the're now sitting pretty.
Here's everything inside the leg, except the sides.
I'm aware that cables will pass through this tube later down the line, and because I don't want them chaffing on the edge of the metal pole I saved myself a head ache and added some electrical tape round the edge now.
A few more bits of plastic and, a couple of blobs of glue, a bolt and a nut later and the legs is ready for skinning
That's pretty much it for now. 6 Days work in one post.
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