Painting R2-D2 - Dome Colors, Priming, Spraying, Radar Eye, Rub N Buff
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 14 июл 2024
- Part 2 of the R2-D2 build series - painting R2-D2 (specifically the dome). I'll show what colors I've chosen & the full painting process of the dome, panels & greebles.
Rub N Buff will also be covered since it's a popular method to give your 3D printed or fiberglass R2 dome a convincing looking metal finish. It even feels cool to the touch like metal afterward.
The same painting processes will be used on the body and legs of R2, so this video is the only one I'll be covering painting in detail. I'll therefore be referencing back to this video during the painting stages of the body and leg sections of this R2 build.
Take your time when painting R2-D2. As you'll see in the results, I rushed the priming process and while the end results were still acceptable, they could have been better - don't make the same mistake I did.
Video Chapters:
0:00 Introduction & Paint Used
1:36 Priming & Sanding
5:06 Painting the Dome
5:37 Painting Blue Parts
6:26 Polishing Defects Out
8:05 Radar Eye Assembly
11:44 Rub N Buff Time
Items used in this video & other helpful links:
- Dupli-Color Sonic Blue Pearl (CBFM0378):
amzn.to/3lTUArj
- Rust-Oleum Sandable Primer:
amzn.to/3GCXF6Z
- Rust-Oleum Metallic Aluminum:
amzn.to/3oIFLJO
- Rust-Oleum Clear Gloss:
amzn.to/3ELCrmO
- Rub N Buff - Silver Leaf:
amzn.to/3dDAUDm
- 4"/100mm Clear Acrylic Ball Ornament:
amzn.to/30e2C6w
- 3" Polishing Pad Kit For Hand Drill:
amzn.to/3GyutxT
- Meguiar's Ultimate Polishing Compound:
amzn.to/3s3iLHk
Making R2-D2 Video Series:
- Introduction to a DIY R2-D2 Build: • R2-D2 Build Your Own -...
- Part 1 Making the dome: • Make Your Own R2-D2 - ...
- Part 2 Painting the dome: • Painting R2-D2 - Dome ...
- Part 3 Dome lights & holoprojectors: • R2-D2 Dome Lights - Te...
- Part 4 Dome Completion: • Making R2-D2 Part 4 - ...
- Part 5 Mark 3 Body Assembly: • Building R2-D2 - Part ...
- Part 6 R2 Sound System Basics: • R2-D2 Sound System - E...
- Part 7 R2 Electronic Basics: • The Basics of R2-D2 El...
- Part 8 R2 Legs & Foot Drives: • Building R2-D2 Part 8 ...
- Part 9 Painting R2-D2: • Painting R2-D2 - Plus ...
- Part 10 Installing Electronics: • R2-D2 Build Part 10 - ...
- Conclusion to a DIY R2-D2 Build: • Making R2-D2 - Finishi...
Resources:
- Astromech R2 Builders Club Forum:
astromech.net/
- Mr. Baddeley's Patreon Page (source for Astromech Droid 3D print files):
/ mrbaddeley
- Printed Droid Website File Download Page (Printed Droid Print Guide):
www.printed-droid.com/files/
DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you!
Thank you for supporting RC Helicopter Fun.com & my channel which helps me keep creating content & fun projects like this. Please consider giving a thumbs up & subscribe if you enjoy the content - thank you & thanks for watching :) 
Хобби
Making R2-D2 Video Series:
- Introduction to a DIY R2-D2 Build: ruclips.net/video/hkkSagTsLXY/видео.html
- Part 1 Making the dome: ruclips.net/video/HaZ7ABkhwn8/видео.html
- Part 2 Painting the dome: ruclips.net/video/inoqE19ODUQ/видео.html
- Part 3 Dome lights & holoprojectors: ruclips.net/video/hDR9z1PAJSA/видео.html
- Part 4 Dome Completion: ruclips.net/video/PnjCrLlJtig/видео.html
- Part 5 Mark 3 Body Assembly: ruclips.net/video/m6VXt6VGZ3c/видео.html
- Part 6 R2 Sound System Basics: ruclips.net/video/cZ3sVYs7T9I/видео.html
- Part 7 R2 Electronic Basics: ruclips.net/video/AmUuZH3UHXg/видео.html
- Part 8 R2 Legs & Foot Drives: ruclips.net/video/PLyOKD5oAyM/видео.html
- Part 9 Painting R2-D2: ruclips.net/video/E8h0l4rHvC4/видео.html
- Part 10 Installing Electronics: ruclips.net/video/bg_tN6HCYN4/видео.html
- Conclusion to a DIY R2-D2 Build: ruclips.net/video/sIpBA6UigTQ/видео.html
I must say it’s the best 3d printed dome I’ve seen on RUclips so far, just hope mine comes out as well as yours did. 👍
Wow, thanks - I'm about the worst painter I know, so I'm sure yours will be just as good if not better 👍
@@Rchelicopterfun your dome looks amazing
@@Rchelicopterfun I’m ok with the painting, it’s the electrics the scares the crap out of me abit.
Found your videos searching for droid builds and I've got to say, I'm very impressed! Thank you for dumbing things down for those just getting into droid building. Can't believe how well that polish took out those minor imperfections. I would cry if I had to strip it down to plastic and start over.
Thanks for the comment and have fun with your build/s 👍
Above and beyond John! Awesome build and you are always great at sharing challenges, materials, etc... and I have always loved your Channel for this! Patience with the Painting, you can do it! Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and my best wishes to You and your Family with Christmas just around the corner. Cheers and stay well my Friend! 🇨🇦❤🙏❤🇨🇦
@LARRY GEORGE - Same best wishes back your way mate. 🙂
That's an amazing build !!
Looks fantastic! Now I have to take a look at your other videos! Wish I had the time and space to do this kind of project…
Wow nice work
fantastic painting
Thank you! Cheers!
Great job!
Great job with the paint so far on R2D2.
Thank you - Cheers 🙂
Awesome!
beautiful results and also a great help on products and technique Thanks
Thanks & happy holidays
@@Rchelicopterfun Merry Christmas I have subscribed ... trying to figure out which files to use is a minefield lol
Great video! I use rub and buff and buff so hard I burn my fingers. You have to be careful about rub & buff, it doesn't shine up too well on resin or plastic - it has to be on primer or paint. If you have bare resin or plastic it will be darker and dull. I'm glad you provided the clear gloss spray for the blue parts because I'm about to paint all mine and didn't have a clue which one to use.
Good stuff
Thanks for the visit
Amazing results. I think something that might have been understated a bit is that you are not putting the rub & buff directly on unfinished, sanded, prints. By initially intending to finish the dome with paint - you (unintentionally?) provided the ideal substrate for the rub & buff to be applied to. I'm learning that R&B does not like to be applied directly to the printed material.
Yep, the smoother the finish, the better the R&B results; if you want a polished aluminum look anyway. I cover this in more detail in the R2-D2 build part 9 video under the video chapter Rub-N-Buff Tips: ruclips.net/video/E8h0l4rHvC4/видео.html
John, thanks so much for sharing this amazing project. This has inspired me to try this on my own. Question: Did you clear coat over the rub n' buff layer or leave it as-is? I've read mixed reviews about whether or not this is necessary in order to keep the compound from rubbing off later.
Hi Charles, No clear coat over R&B. It's a wax so it's impossible to paint over it with most paints - fish-eye city and no stick. Even if you could paint over R&B with some special wax adhering clear paint, it would totally defeat the look and function.
R&B looks so close to real metal because that is essentially what we are seeing - all those tiny polished aluminum particles contained at the surface of the wax layer. Put paint over that, and that look would be gone.
The downside with R&B as you pointed out is it will wear off if you don't apply it correctly and wait for the wax to fully cure which can take weeks if not months. I can rub a white cloth across the dome now after 3 months and hardly get any silver residue showing. In the first week after application when I did that, the cloth would turn silver. No idea however how heat will impact R&B out in the sun? May soften it again and cause it to rub off easily?
There are pros and cons to R&B, hopefully this helps you decide if you want to use it or not.
@@Rchelicopterfun Fantastic information, thanks so much for taking the time to share. Looking forward to ongoing installments of your project!
Hey John. How did you mark the mounting holes for the radar eye onto the dome?
I'm sure I'm missing something here in your question, but you can mark the drilling holes with any marking device you want (pen, pencil, scribe etc.) I may not have even used marks for drilling. Seems to me I recall just securely taping the radar eye in the position I liked on the front side of the dome, and then drilling the 4 holes through the back side.
Awesome build, really interesting project, you may of listed it elsewhere but what 3D printer and brand and model have you used to print all your parts John....can't wait for the next video, from start to finish what is the rough cost of the R2D2 project. one of my all time favourite robots
@Gary Owen - I go over tools used including printer in the R2 build introduction video: ruclips.net/video/hkkSagTsLXY/видео.html
Printer is a Sovol SV01.
No idea what the finished cost will be - and I don't want to know. 😄 I was budgeting around $1500 CND, but shipping has gone up so much in the past year along with parts shortages & inflation, so some things are more than I was expecting. It's been the little stuff like hardware, consumables & paint you don't even consider at the beginning (at least I didn't) that has really been a drain on the budget - at least up here in the great white north.
With that said, the range of costs of full size R2 builds are vast. A 3D printed R2 like this is likely one of the least expensive ways. Full metal/aluminum ones on the other hand are the most costly with some builders having well over $20K into their builds going by the Astromech build threads. Also depends how complicated you want it to be.
A static prop R2 that has no movement is going to be the least expensive, increasing in cost with how much animation you incorporate into your build. Presuming I'm able to get mine to work the way I'm planning, it's going to be fairly simple. Drives, head spins, 2 holo-projectors move, the normal lights, and it makes R2 sounds.
More complex builds have opening dome & body panels, with all working internal tools, probes etc. Some even have working 2-3-2 leg transitions (where R2 goes from three legs to two). Basically an R2 build is similar to a scale RC helicopter or airplane build - the more complicated, the more $.
Hi John. What was that thing you bought to clean sand paper with. Thanks. Ps got my sv01and looking forward to getting stuck in
Hi John, amazing work!! And many thanks for sharing the howtos on youtube. I know this is a lot work. I have 2 questions. What rings are you using to hold the panels while sprying them? Is it necessary to spray the dome chrome bevor rub´n buff it? Thanks & regards, Michael
Rings are just foam pipe insulation. As to base coat on the dome under rub-n-buff, it should be something that is almost the same color as the rub-n-buff (why I used the Astromech Forum recommended Rust-Oleum Metallic Aluminum).
Reason being, if/when the rub-n-buff wears off or more importantly, all the little panel recesses where it's very difficult/impossible to apply r-n-b, would then show up as that non aluminum base coat color. The only other color I might consider is a lighter grey sandable primer if you wanted to forgo aluminum paint, but I have no idea how well that would look in all the little recesses where the r-n-b doesn't' get to?
@@Rchelicopterfun How do you attach the foam pipe rings to the panels?
John - newbie here, building another star wars droid out of a 3D print base, but found your videos invaluable compared to many other sources I found. Any reason you used Rub N Buff for the silver of the dome as opposed to the automotive polish you used for the blue top pieces?
Complete newbie here so apologies if I missed an explanation!
This question is covered in detail in the Astromech forums, but the quick answer is only rub-n-buff will give that polished aluminum look (that is what I was after to simulate a costly spun aluminum dome). Clear over silver paint will just produce a metallic silver paint look, basically exactly like you would see on any silver colored vehicle; it doesn't look anything like polished aluminum.
@@Rchelicopterfun that is a great explanation and makes perfect sense!! thank you!!
Would you recommend a gloss black coat after the priming but before the aluminum coat?
I never understood that recommendation of painting silver over black. I tested the silver out over gloss black and I certainly couldn't see any difference. Of course I was already using a dark primer and I'm sure the type of silver paint used plays a roll. In short - totally your call.
is it possible to weather / wash the painted parts that are treated with Bun n Buff?
Folks get some amazing weathering results with Rub n Buff, techniques vary as well as what is used. Several threads in the Astromech forums. Washing - I use a damp microfiber towel to wipe down R2, I do keep him away from the garden hose and car wash bucket however. 😄
Hi John - I'm working on my R2 build, and I've noticed that while I am hand sanding and priming to dome panels, I've noticed that the larger panels no longer fit into the dome. It's almost like they have warped out of plane. Have you ever had that issue? I'm wondering if those larger panels need to be re-printed and I need to keep a better eye on them if they happen to be in the sun of longer than 10 minutes. Any advice would be appreciated - thanks!
Never had that issue so not sure what happened? Hot day, hot sanding, warped PLA - possible I suppose... No idea?
@@Rchelicopterfun warm days but the parts were in the sun for just a few minutes before I got them back inside. I wonder if the humidity might be playing a role. It’s only affecting the larger panels and a few of the pie pieces. I’ve got them back in the basement and I’ll keep an eye on them over the next few days. Thanks !
Update for those with the same issue: I've had good results using a hair dryer to gently warm up the warped parts while keeping them pressed into place. I think having these thin panels out in direct sunlight for just a few minutes caused the warping problem after all.
My rub n buff'd dome looks terrible compared to yours!! Any tips on getting a consistent shine? Mine is so patchy
Hi Paul. The main thing I learned with rub n buff is the smoother the surface is before you apply it, , the better the results. Put it on thin and polish with your fingers/hands or better yet, a piece of soft leather. I do cover these rub n buff application tips I learned in more detail in the Part 9 "body painting" video: ruclips.net/video/E8h0l4rHvC4/видео.html
Just look for time chapter titled "rub n buff tips" within that video.
@John Salt that's extremely helpful, John. Thanks for that. Your other R2 build videos have been great too. Much appreciated 👍
I sand, I prime and I paint - my pies do not shine :( I don't have access to the same blue so I'm using Tamiya 'Pearl Blue' over a coat of Tamiya 'Purple'. #1: I get rough spots shining through, probably because I'm impatient with sanding and #2 my blue doesn't 'shine', possibly because I don't have the metallic undercoat. Two pies poorly finished, today is pie number 3.
where do i find the files for this
As stated in the first video in this series going over resources: Mr. Baddeley's Patreon Page - direct link is in description in all the videos in this series.
Thank you i was so excited for this i must have missed it
Do you use clear coat after painting?
As I show & mention in the video, I cleared the blue parts only - nothing else.
@@Rchelicopterfun thanks for the reply! I used clear coat and it made the silver look faded. Gotta paint again.