Monday, December 8, 2008

AL's on YOUTUBE!!!

Someone who graciously commented on one of my posts sent me a link to a Youtube video of Mountain Con, starring the two B9's with Greg Logue and Charlie Garcia, and introducing the one and only - AL!!! He's at the 3:19 minute mark very briefly, but it's his big debut. Better things to come this next year....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X8SzgdLWxo

In the meantime if all goes well I'll be moving at the end of this month. If the offer is accepted, I bought me a doozy of a Christmas present. My own house (not a townhouse or condo, no HOA's, quiet nice safe little neighborhood, easy access to the freeway to get to work). Over 2600 sq ft of great living space including family room, den, living room, formal dining, two full baths, and five bedrooms. Also, nice backyard with large patio for entertaining/grilling, BIG two car garage, and a large storage shed for astromech lab. So, if I get it, if any builders want to make the trip to Denver I'll have plenty of space. Wish me luck!!

Until next time,
Jawa Jaka
(Due to house hunting, house buying, moving, and a very nasty cold virus that put me in bed all weekend while missing all the great Christmas parties, AL's progress has been put on hold until next year. That's in three weeks if anyone's looking at a calendar! LOL)


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!
HAVE A GREAT NEW YEAR!


Update 01/26/09:
And here's another Youtube vid link of AL and friends in his early stages at Osfest (no skins yet, but at least he was standing!). Courtesy of my friend DarthMoose...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkecwSf3-Rk

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Mile Hi Con 2008

I was invited to the Mile Hi Con in Denver to speak about AL. I did a powerpoint presentation on the "Five Elements of Droid Building", something I've been working on for about a year. The organizers gave AL his own table which was a BIG hit with the kids. The attendance at the con was very, very low, and if it wasn't for AL people wouldn't have showed up late afternoon. I heard from several attendees that AL was the reason for coming. Unfortunately, I was there on Saturday only, taking AL down at 6:00pm. I felt that the whole convention was a bit unorganized, the fan table lady was totally unaware of AL (even after corresponding with email several times), and I even got chewed out for bringing him by some of the organizers. I don't think I'll go back to this one - it's definitely off my list!



AL at his own table.


Shot of AL. Notice skirt is on and head is straight due to the dome ring installed.


AL taking time out to shake hands with friends. (Krys of SG14)


AL's Halloween costume - child wrangler! All the kids wanted pics with AL.


The Gundam came by to say hi.


I think these were two of the authors (or could be just AL fans who got the word he was there).


And of course, gaming well into the night. This was the Podracing game. Interesting but fun!


AL got caught on camera standing on one leg. He must have been pooped after all those photo ops!

AL had fun, but overall I was not that impressed with Mile Hi Con. Next year I'm planning to go to Plano, TX for Star Wars Fan Days instead. I'm sure quite a few R2 builders will be there.
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Monday, December 1, 2008

Chapter 3 part 8

THE SHOPKEEPERS

Manny made arrangements for all kinds of odd tools that Jaka asked for. Everytime he asked Jaka why such-and-such tool was needed, Jaka simply reminded him of the deal: no questions asked. This made Manny a wee bit suspicious, but then again, everything in Mos Espa these days was suspicious. What infuriated him most was Jaka's way of wiggling into Jojo's inner circle, winning favors from her. A jawa is suppose to be subserviant to the Hutts, not the other way around, right? Why does Jojo like him better than me? Haven't I been loyal to her, being her best servant? Yes, I'm her servant, but also her closeset companion, so why this jawa? What's he up to? For two days Manny watched - spied - on the jawa and his shop. The best he could figure was that Jaka was trying to repair a bad motivator on one of Jojo's droids. But that's not why Jaka needed all those tools for, and certainly not why he came here in the first place.

Jaka was totally aware of Manny's spying. This wasn't the first time he had been followed. Heck, most of the other jawas had spied on him at one time or another, just trying to figure out what was wrong with him. So, he went about his business setting up shop with two other droids, a big green ugly old unit called an R1-G4 (there were only about a dozen of these made before the slicker R2 units were developed) and a pit droid that had a bad habit of falling over itself. Jaka named these two Glug and Peety, with Glug pretending to have a "bad motivator". Jaka sometimes wondered if that was Glug's real problem, though, since he seemed to be a little slow in his movements and speech. Glug was found at the end of the alley behind the shop taking out garbage with apparently no one claiming him. Peety was part of the garbage Glug was taking out. He was the "gift" from Jojo that Manny kept talking about, without her knowing it. All it took was some fancy paperwork by a neighboring counterfitter, a young boy delivering the counterfit paperwork to Manny, and a gorgeous long-legged woman convincing Manny that it was all legit. All of the conspirators were paid for with Jaka's limited supply of Correllian wine.

On the fifth day Jaka had everything in order, including instructions to Glug and Peety. He had procurred a landspeeder from Jojo during his last banquet with her. He even presented her with a fancy necklace (a very big one at that) he had found in Glug's garbage (washed and repaired, of course). She almost fell over with extreme delight. No one, not even Manny had given her such a wonderful treasure. It seemed the way to Jojo's heart was some sparkly bling to make her feel beautiful. Jaka's job here was done. He had charmed his way into Jojo's life, now it was time to go.

Go, you have to go now?
Temporarily. I have a tent full of junk to pack up.
When will you be back?
A couple days. I promise. Do you want me to come over when I get back?
Yes, oh yes, my love. Please do.

Oh brother. Maybe I went overboard on this Prince Charming thing. Now she loves me. Well, that's fine, it'll keep her suspicions at bay. Now, what to do about Manny? He'll follow me for certain. Jaka's plan was all laid out in his mind. He hopped in the landspeeder and sped down the main city exit and off into the wide expanse of sand. AL was his first priority.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Well, it's time for a building update. I received the skirt from the guys at totallywired just in time for Mile Hi Con. The con was on Saturday, so I spent Friday installing the skirt. I also installed the Rockler bearing and dome base (next blog). Here's how I installed the skirt.

I purchased from Ace (can you guess) four 3" all screws (no heads) and four screw connectors - 1/4" x 20, about an inch long. I suggest getting something a little longer if you can find it.


Screw connectors to one end of all screws.


Screw the other end of the screws where battery box connectors were (you'll have to take off battery box connectors temporarily if using JAG frame) from underneath and secure with nut.


The skirt had four screws welded on. Just line up the skirt screws with the four screws you just installed and screw on the connectors onto the skirt screws, keeping at least half of the connectors onto the frame screws. (hope that makes sense)


Make sure ALTA kitty is happy with the alignment.


Voila! One amazing skirt installed! And it fits!


I'll show the Rockler Bearing install next time. If you have the Darren 300mm dome (or even if you don't), Cole Horton has a 300 dome tutorial that includes how to install the bearing and base. Links to his tutorial and blog are on my left menu.

Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Monday, October 13, 2008

Chapter 2, part 7

Jaka spent a couple days getting to Mos Espa, mostly hitching rides on the sandcrawlers to the dismay of the other jawas. It was urgent business, he told them. "And since you're going that way just drop me off". The other jawas were humiliated by this black sheep, but they took him anyway. No jawa has "urgent" business unless he/she means it, and they knew Jaka meant it. Jaka had been to Mos Espa quite a few times and knew his way around the streets and it's inhabitants. He had made dealings, trades you might say, with some of the natives. The Hutts in particular. So, when Jaka arrived at the doorstep of one Maningas Hortas no one paid attention. Manny, as he was called, was one of the female Hutt's favorite undercover agents. He also owned several (in the Hutt system read that as LOTS) machine and repair shops throughout the city. Jaka's mission was to get permission to bring AL to one of the shops for repairs without any suspecting eyes, and no questions asked. After all, AL still showed signs of being an Imperial droid with very special capabilities.

Manny, with his dark spiky hair, in his long purple coat, and the mannerisms of a well-tuned lordship, was more than welcoming. He lavished Jaka with a banquet table stuffed with every edible thing in the outer rim. He provided a warm bath in an ornate blue-tiled sunken tub for Jaka (have you ever seen a jawa take a bath?). He even had a Hutt tailor make Jaka new robes of the finest dust-busting cloth. For two days Jaka was wined and dined, spit and polished, messaged and pampered. This was all well for a Hutt agent, but jawas weren't used to such treatment. Jaka tried to fit in, but enough was enough! He had "urgent" business, and for a jawa that took top priority. Besides, he had a feeling that AL might be in danger and had to get back right away. So, over a royal feast at the head Hutt's fortress, with dancing girls all around, and droids of all shapes and sizes seeing to his every need, Jaka bluntly popped the question to his elaborate and fat hostess, Jojo the Hutt.

"I will trade services for one of your repair shops for me and my friend, no questions asked! I need it in three days".... Silence filled the banquet hall. Jojo didn't know what to say. A jawa making demands? Of me? How belittling! Yet, her villinous heart suggested that this jawa meant business. And a Hutt always makes room for business.

What do you need it for?
No questions, remember?
You know my friend, Manny?
Yes.
Manny, make it happen.

And the deal was done.
The deal was he could have a shop to live and work in, in exchange for janitorial duties in some of the other shops in the immediate area. That was fine by Jaka. Nine hours a day he would sweep, dust, and straighten up the shops. The rest of the time was his, no questions asked. The next day, Manny showed Jaka some of the finest shops in town. But Jaka was determined to have a tiny inconspicuous shop that not even the Imperial forces would enter. Manny gave him the smallest shop in the crummiest part of town, just what Jaka asked for. All jawas know that those who live in slums don't care what happens in the neighborhood. The inhabitants are too busy just trying to survive. No prying eyes and no questions asked!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Borg as promised!

Since the last post size was getting over the limit (darn Blogger limits!) I am posting the big bad boy here. Ok, the last pic in the last post is a real cliffhanger, but I'm throwing this next pic on here because of the incredible way it was made. The person who dressed up as the Doctor also dressed up as the Green Lanter, Captain Kirk, and this guy!

His Borg was made entirely of broken/thrown out/cheap toys. A real I SPY game for the kids! His left boot is a real testiment to everything Borgness: part ski boot, part leather boot, part shin guard, and whatever else parts he could find. The green laser eye was a laser pointer, and the left eye green round laser thingy was something he picked up at an aquarium! Goes to show, it takes a wild imagination, a keen eye, and a true vision to come up with something like this on a bare minimum budget. If there was a Best Dressed Borg Award he'd win hands down (or up)! Alas, the Halo Spartan won the costume contest. Little ol' me got nothin' but loud applause and laughs. That's what I like about costuming...
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Spartans, B9's, and Borgs! OH MY!!

The Mountain Con staff with both B9's, and AL in the middle.

Mountain Con was a blast! Literally! The fan tables had every fan group imaginable and a geophysicist talking about the Apollo missions at his booth. As usual, I spent way too much in the Dealers room, racking up a lovely peacock fan for my lady pirate outfit, a mini Harry Potter broomstick which I won for answering trivia questions, and of course, the ubiquitious SW minis (a booster box of Alliance and Empire). Just can't resist those!!

R2-AL had his very own table right at the entrance. He was the first thing you saw. Well, maybe second. As you entered the lobby of the gorgous Davis County Convention Center, the very first thing you saw was the gigantanormous life-size Stargate! The only thing standing between AL and the Gate were the B9's. Charlie Garcia and Greg Logue brought there B9's, and the three of us had a great time! Greg's "Robot" (just Robot) was the picture in the local Sunday paper. He autographed my copy, hehe.

Here's some pics for ya:
The gigantenormous Stargate.


Greg, Charlie, and the B9's heading through the gate into unknown worlds.
Close-up of the Gate. It says Mountain Con at the top.
Yep, that's AL greeting everyone at the door. Had the R2 BC website up on the laptop for everyone to play with. The Dancing Hasbro Interactive R2-D2's were also a big hit - kids loved 'em!

Speaking of kids, here's a couple of cuties trying to figure out what the heck he is.

R2-AL in all his best con glory with open arms to the public. Lookin' good!

Here's a hot lookin' B9 saying hi to all the con-goers. AL and Robot actually got along. I think they're friends now.

AL gets a helping hand from the Doctor. Vital signs are normal...

Robot, however.... Yep, that's my "Robot Building for Dummies". Even the Doctor needs a good reference once in awhile!

Maybe Robot's problems are really caused by the Jawa. hehe Greg did his best to protect both B9's.

In the meantime, look who's protecting AL!

The entire Empire completely trusts him! Little do they know he's a Rebel spy.

The Spartan is here! Guess he's looking for something to blow up, but the SG1 officer is protecting the Gate.

Hey, what's with this!? They both want to blow up AL?
And now the Empire is in on this? Who told everyone about my spy business? Yikes! Will I survive for the next con?

Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Chapter 2, part 6

Part 6:
AL still had a hard time walking (he couldn't) so he made up some tunes to play in his head. This was new, he never sang before. It was kinda fun! He still couldn't remember b.c. (before crash), and soon he didn't care anymore. He had a nice shady home full of stuff to play with, an abundant supply of oil to keep him going, his eye could see much more now that Jaka fixed it (somewhat). Yeah, he was a little bored but was able to amuse himself with all the junk Jaka left behind. He found a great port panel that he used to excercise his CPU arm. I can still aim my arm into the port and twist! He found a raider doll that he practised sewing with after finding a needle and some old thread. Hand-eye coordination is still good! He found a piece of an old life form scanner.... Something jogged his memory. He had something similar in his dome, but couldn't make it work. Oh well, time to try out this old whatisit. He had so much fun playing with all the old junk while Jaka was gone, that he decided to make something for his new best friend (Dad?). Let me see, if I take a few of these cables and this port panel, maybe this voice chip (can I make that work again? sure I can!), put it all in this doll with new jawa robes I made for it.... I know, I'll make Dad (why am I calling him Dad?) a talking moving jawa doll. He'll like that, I know he will. Please hurry home, Dad....

It was while making the talking doll that AL noticed a flash of light landing in an area that Jaka had described to him as the valley near where he was found. Dad promised to take me there sometime, can't wait. But what's that in our valley? AL wished he could walk so he could greet the newcomers. He was eager to have visitors. But something deep inside told him to hide. These strangers were not welcome. AL pulled all the tent sides down, pulled himself with a couple long sticks to the junk pile and hid. Two prestine white uniformed men with black blasters came into the tent. In a voice very familiar he heard one of them say "No one here. Wherever he went he took the droid with him." Then the two stormtroopers marched out and disappeared.

AL's mixed feelings were overwhelming. Who were those guys? But I know what they are, I think. They're Imperial something-or-other. I've been around them before.... served them before.... The memories trickled in while the realization that the two armed men were looking for him was even scarier. He didn't want to leave his good life, didn't want his feelings to disappear. OH MY! THAT'S WHY I'M CONFUSED! I HAVE A NEW PERSONALITY CHIP!!! Please hurry, Dad! I'm scared!

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Clone Wars Opening, Health Issues, etc.

It's been a hell of time health-wise for the past week. I ended up with pink-eye that spread to the lymph nodes that produced my first asthma attack that put me in the emergency room. I'm still very weak and shaky from the medication, but I'm on the mend, actually going back to work today. Needless to say, I haven't worked on AL sinced the Clone Wars opening. However, AL did make his big debut at the opening along with the rest of us Order of the Grey. Here are a few pics:

R2-AL had his own display area, courtesy of the theatre.




AL has many uses, such as holding up Yoda. They're great friends now...




Vader hanging out with, well, Lil' Vader.


Clone Troopers came to the show.


Vader and Obi-Wan can't quite make up their minds about AL. Is he good or evil?


Table Base One being watched carefully by volunteers.

Leiah helping the crowd with the Trivial Pursuit. One team made it to Level 10. I made it to the first question.
These and other pics will be posted soon to the new Order of the Grey website.
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Chapter 2: NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
Part 5:
Days and weeks went by. Jaka had managed to scrape most of Exate's paint off while trying to clean him. Poor creature! He tries so hard, but doesn't he know that a droid's paint job is a symbol of pride? I feel so naked....

However, there wasn't much else Exate could do. A new paint job might be what he needed to remember. Although he had this feeling that this jawa (as Jaka kept explaining) never held a paint can ever in his life. On the other hand, he saw this jawa go from a grumpy cursing creature to something that was nurturing and kind. Exate never felt those feelings before. Come to think of it, he never felt any feelings before. Imperial droids have personality chips that trigger feelings removed to make them clone-like. Yet, Exate started having some... well, kind of.... sort of... feelings? For the odd jawa creature? Exate never knew love before. Neither did Jaka.

Jaka noticed how much aluminum was used in building the droid and decided to call him R2-AL. At first Exate was highly confused, but soon learned that his new name (at least according to Jaka) was AL. Somehow he liked the name. From now on I'm AL!! Cool! Why does this jawa like (love?) me so much? Why do I like (love?) him so much? What am I feeling? Why can't I remember anything before the crash?

One day, Jaka bid farewell to the droid named AL. He was heading off to Mos Espa to get some help. This was Jaka's first droid, and he wanted to do it right. AL was a little nervous about being alone in the desert, especially with raiders about. He was a fast learner, though, knowing to pull the tent sides down when a band of sandpeople came around so they wouldn't see him (Jaka taught him this trick). With extra oil and a power plug, AL would be fine for a few days. (Five at the most, I promise. I'll be back very soon, my lovely child.) So, off Jaka went, down the canyon, across the desert, and into the hot-bed of villiany and scum, Mos Espa...

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Futaba, Finally!

After lots of research and much debate, I finally purchased a Futaba 10 channel R/C with auto frequency lock (or at least that's what my guy at Colpar called it). It searches for frequencies not being used in the area and locks on it. No crystals needed, no asking everyone else with a droid/robot in the area "what frequency are you on?". I bought the helicopter version as it had a smoother non-ratcheted throttle control. As a pilot I have never liked the so-called ratcheted throttles. Most throttle controls have a locking mechanism anyway that is checked before take off. Personally, I have much better control with smoother throttles (and I just like 'em, so there!).

Bill, my guy at Colpar (and the nicest most knowledgable salesman you'll ever meet), also sold me one inexpensive $10 servo with plastic gear and one $30 servo with metal gear, just so I can try them both out. Sometime this week I'll get the holes drilled in the Rockler, finish putting together the dome, and try out the servos. Bill gave me a list of things I need to write down so I can get the speed controller. He didn't want me to buy one yet without knowing some stuff, like weight of dome, how fast I want it to spin, etc.

Other than this big purchase, not much else in droid building. I've been asked to give a panel on my droid during MileHi Con, but only if I can get a spot on Saturday (I work Sundays). If plans go well, I'll be sharing my panel with two others: one guy will speak on vacuum forming and my friend will be showing basic leathermaking. The three of us are calling it Propmaking 101. Ummm, jedi leather belts, simple $10 vacuum form table, and my mega-thousand dollar ultra R2.... this should be very interesting, if plans go well.

Until next time,
Jawa Jaka

Jaka and AL: chapter 1, part 4

Part 4:
Daybreak, and Jaka woke up startled! He didn't mean to fall asleep. How was our patient doing? Still shut down. Oh well, Jaka didn't want a droid anyway. He got up, gathered his stuff, and decided this whole droid-rescue thing was stupid. It was time to go home. But something kept stirring in his heart. He never had anyone or anything to take care of, no family, no kids, no pets. Well, if this droid doesn't work out then no big loss. After all, there were too many droids for Jaka's taste running around on Tatooine. Then the droid squeaked and wiggled.

Jaka never felt overjoy before, but this new feeling was so overwhelming he cried. You're alive! You're alright! It's going to be OK! OK, Ok, now to get the canvas.... Jaka took his inner tunic off and loveling wrapped it around the droid as if to protect a child. Yeah, a child, that's it, this will be my child. Funny, I don't have any children, but this seems right. This is my child that I'll nurture and teach somehow. I'll be back my lovely child...

Jaka went to the camp. The patrollers were still there, munching on what looked like rotten flesh. He had woken up hungry but seeing this made him less wanting for breakfast. The sounds of bantha footsteps were clear now. Jaka could barely make out the two banthas in line with eacth other. The raider on top of the first bantha raised a long gaffy stick glinting in the extreme sunlight of the desert. The patrollers answered by raising theirs, then gathered their belongings, walked toward the two banthas and hopped on. At last they were gone. Jaka waited patiently for the banthas to go out of sight, then quickly he took the canvas and disappeared into the morning shadows of the ravine.

It was about mid-morning when Jaka finished the stretcher. He gently put the droid on it, tied it down so it wouldn't roll over, put the tunic cover back on it to protect it from the sun, and started for home. It took a few hours of heavy lugging through the extreme heat, but Jaka finally made it back to his tent where he left the rest of the junk. After pushing everything to one side of the tent, he made a little bed for the droid. This was Jaka's first droid and didn't know that droids slept on their feet with a power coupler on. Making the droid as comfortable as possible he began to clean it up with what little precious water he had in the little bottle. The droid was painted all black, a symbol of Imperialism, with beige panels and utility arms. It had been dented and had several broken parts. This droid had obviously been through a bad crash indeed. On the bottom was the small letter-stamp that identified it. R2-X8.

Exate sat quietly while Jaka attempted to clean him up. This poor little creature is sure trying, but I don't think he's been around a droid before, it thought. I need oil, not water. Exate slowly gained his conscience again, trying to remember the crash. Something about his ship blowing up and he fell, fell, fell to the drab sandy planet. But which planet? Not knowing where he was bothered Exate. He didn't know why, but it did. So, since he couldn't remember much, and this creature was trying to help, and there wasn't much else to do, Exate laid back quietly on the lumpy bed and tried to relax. He needed to remember, that was important. And to do that, he needed to heal.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Osfest Fun!

With lots of droids (and builders) in attendance, I had sooooo much fun at Osfest in Omaha. Kudos to DarthMoose74 (Moose Mendolia, who actually had his droid, Patches, running around and blooping at everyone) for organizing the R2 tables, the panels, and the minis games. He had a lot to do, but kept everything running smooth. Since there was a lot going on I'll just post pics for now. After all, a picture paints a thousand droids - umm words. LOL



Many droids came. AL is in corner with blue ribbon on right leg.




A finished Artoo by Clay. I think someone said it was 9 years old, possibly making it one of the older club-built droids.


One of our tables, with DVD's running on my laptop.


Lots of parts on table, including resin and aluminum.


Both tables loaded to the hilt!



Iron Man, winner of costume contest.


Me and Iron Man. Notice the actual working blue lights.

Denise Crosby doing her best Vanna White with the droids.
And dubbing Artoo as an honarary Jedi Night.

The R2 Central Builders with Denise Crosby.

The R2 Cake, and it was goooood!

I've already paid for next year's Osfest (they had a special discount going on during the con). AL should be rollin' and bleepin' by then. He sure had fun at his first con!
Until next time,
Jawa Jaka