New Treadwell Build

[deathproof]

I can't wait to see a Lego Treadwell. You suffer from the same affliction we all, it is called "Iwanttobuildthatonetoo" disease.

I could collect them all!  But then I'd have to make a Lego Sandcrawler.... and Lego sand to display them on?

I'd love to build a to-scale Lego Sandcrawler. I've got both of the Lego sets.

A Sandcrawler is about 120 feet in length and a mini figure is 1.5" tall (assuming it represented a 6 foot tall human), that means 1 foot = .25 of an inch. My grasp of conversion ratios is weak at best, but I believe that would equal a Sandcrawler measuring about 30" long - does that sound right?


Please correct my math if it's off. Not my strong point.

[deathproof]

I present to you... treads.






Found a guy selling used blower motor belts on Ebay for $15 each. Not sure if one is long enough so I got 3 in case I need to splice them.



Got delayed in my build as I have a new roommate moving in so the apartment is a bit disheveled.

[kresty]

Ooo, looks like treads!

[savagecreature]

cool! Treads! they look just right, I think

[deathproof]

cool! Treads! they look just right, I think

I had asked the seller what their circumference is but I don't recall what he said now. I got three in case they were too short and I had to splice them together.



Really wanted to work on the build over the weekend but my one roommate works nights and sleeps until mid-afternoon... plus my new roommate is still moving in and I wanted to keep out of her way until all her stuff is in and organized.

Going to try to work on the base on Thursday.

[deathproof]

Just a brief update:

I had acquired a new roommate about 4 months ago. Unfortunately she had a whole house full of stuff that got crammed into the apartment so I didn't really have much room to work. And I don't like spending too much time at my business doing non-business stuff.

I also had run short on funds for a while... this is a fun hobby but an expensive one. I need to get some cash together for the wheels that go to WED's treads. I want to use PVC couplers but they're about $5 each and I need 10 in all. Might not sound like much, but I haven't really been able to afford to drop that extra $50 on parts. Hopefully after I pay rent this week I'll have a few bucks to use.

I have the dowels and the treads, at least. My plan is to get the couplers, fill them with spray-on foam, and attach them to the dowels. If I'm happy with those, then I'll finish the body and move onto the neck and getting the head mounted.

I've decided that, despite my work in getting them made, I didn't like the way the flash light reflectors looked inside the eyes... although they do add a certain depth. So I will probably paint the reflectors black which will still give the eyes depth but the head will look much closer to the movie version.


So many projects... so little time. And money.


I really can't wait to start my R5-D4 build... the plans alone cost me $150 and I still haven't even printed out the "manual" that describes tools, how to cut and glue the plastic, etc. At least that much I can print out at work but I really want to get WED done first.

Baby steps.

[savagecreature]

So many projects... so little time. And money.

Brother, we all feel your pain.

I'm sure every one of of us can remember a time when 50 dollars was more than we could muster. Good luck, and we all look forward to your triumphant return.

[deathproof]

Got my slide projectors and finally got around to extracting the inside lenses.







I find it fascinating how the prop guys were probably just digging through junk yards or wherever and found stuff like slide projectors or jet engines and turned them into iconic images on the big screen. Plus the model makers who took old airplane/spaceship/etc. models and make them into X-Wings, TIE fighters, etc.

It takes a certain type of creativity and vision to be able to look at a piece of junk and imagine it being used to build something out of it.

[savagecreature]

How exciting! Those look really awesome. Glad to see you finally have them in hand

[deathproof]

I still have some polystyrene left over from Halloween. I think I might try to rebuild the WED-15's head with it. I need to practice with Weld On anyway, if I ever started on my R5-D4. I ordered a can of Weld On yesterday and should have it tomorrow. Plus I realize now the blue I chose is not the right shade. I'll have to take a sample to the paint store to see if they have something similar.

I know the balsa wood eyes I already tried to build aren't quite right, mainly because the material was a pain in the ass to work with. The polystyrene will give me a much cleaner cut so I can make sure everything fits properly.