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Bazzack wrote:...And 500-600 hours for all parts!!
Totally different to what the FAQ says, and a bit scary.
...

If that's for realz, then might need to consider molding and casting.

MattG wrote:

Bazzack wrote:...And 500-600 hours for all parts!!
Totally different to what the FAQ says, and a bit scary.
...

If that's for realz, then might need to consider molding and casting.

Have confirmed. 500-600 hours including body parts.
A couple people have gone over 100 hours on the dome parts alone.

Bazzack wrote:

MattG wrote:

Bazzack wrote:...And 500-600 hours for all parts!!
Totally different to what the FAQ says, and a bit scary.
...

If that's for realz, then might need to consider molding and casting.

Have confirmed. 500-600 hours including body parts.
A couple people have gone over 100 hours on the dome parts alone.

eek! Yeah I reckon if you can split the initial cost you should mold and glass the wee beastie's head

oota goota wrote: eek! Yeah I reckon if you can split the initial cost you should mold and glass the wee beastie's head

Would you be thinking 3D print a set of parts, and then make molds from those parts?
Glass rather than Resin?

If people want to make the thing operational, the dome will have to be really low weight, but strong enough to take it falling off onto a hard surface every so often...

It is quite the interesting concept, I agree with the time factor looks a little bit scary but if like the R2 builders club, parts were made and a shopping list so to say for members wanting to buy the parts as and when needed by the makers of said parts, like R2's leg parts dome body etc etc.

Bazzack wrote:

oota goota wrote: eek! Yeah I reckon if you can split the initial cost you should mold and glass the wee beastie's head

Would you be thinking 3D print a set of parts, and then make molds from those parts?
Glass rather than Resin?

If people want to make the thing operational, the dome will have to be really low weight, but strong enough to take it falling off onto a hard surface every so often...

Yeah I think so. You'd still need something to mould. I guess you could cnc it instead and mould later. Glass and polyester can be surprisingly light and heaps stronger. You can pre weigh everything to make sure you don't get too heavy. There's some awesome glass cloth out there and I recently came across UV cure polyester resin. So you don't even need to mix catalyst just put it out in the sun :O

With urethane resin you could rotocast it but it's harder to get a even weight inside as the resin sets up.

Cool project you fullas!

Hey if anyone ever goes further with this I reckon two acrylic domes like Matt G suggested with vac formed styrene panels for detailing would sort the main body out and avoid a lot of 3d printing. A printed head would work well with this perhaps. Oh man like I really need another project but my kids would love a full size bb8

oota goota wrote:Hey if anyone ever goes further with this I reckon two acrylic domes like Matt G suggested with vac formed styrene panels for detailing would sort the main body out and avoid a lot of 3d printing. A printed head would work well with this perhaps. Oh man like I really need another project but my kids would love a full size bb8

Definitely still planning on a build. Seeing the movie was positive reinforcement
vac forming the panels of the body shell sounds like a great idea.
Do you think a set of 3D printed parts would be the best starting point for the forms?

Bazzack wrote:...
Definitely still planning on a build. Seeing the movie was positive reinforcement ...

With you on that one - I seriously need a life-size BB-8 now!

Bazzack wrote:

oota goota wrote:Hey if anyone ever goes further with this I reckon two acrylic domes like Matt G suggested with vac formed styrene panels for detailing would sort the main body out and avoid a lot of 3d printing. A printed head would work well with this perhaps. Oh man like I really need another project but my kids would love a full size bb8

Definitely still planning on a build. Seeing the movie was positive reinforcement
vac forming the panels of the body shell sounds like a great idea.
Do you think a set of 3D printed parts would be the best starting point for the forms?

Yeah I guess so. But it makes sense that if you can get an acrylic dome 500mm for $60 or whatever you could use that as a base to vac form over and then use templates to cut out the pieces. If you used 2mm abs or styrene that would give you a final diameter of 504mm. nice!

You could then clad two acrylic domes and it would be a perfect fit. I think that's what that xrobots guy did? Just an idea might be more accurate to print dome pieces and assemble? It'll probably be about finding a balance between accuracy and affordability