Umbrella Corp at Galaxyfest 2012

So, this past weekend I was at Galaxyfest, a brand new scifi con in Colorado Springs.  It was a blast, and if they do it again next year AL and I will be back for sure!  AL had his own table in the back of the dealers room for security reasons (OK, he shared it with Sauron).  The table next to me was RL/RMFF!  What fun we had, all of us in the back of the bus!  (reference to Riddick)  The 501st was out front with one officer at that table, another officer wandering the halls, and me in my officer in the dealers room.  Yep, we Imperial officers had all bases covered and secured!  LOL 

Another hobby of mine (can anyone have too many hobbies?) is anything Resident Evil.  You must know that I'm not a gamer by any means, but I do love to look at game scenes and the movies are fabulous if you're into bloodie zombies and groups of people running for their lives (which I am into those things).  This past summer I went to the Army surplus store and plopped a couple hundred bucks for everything I need for an Umbrella Corp soldier.  Of course, I spent a couple months researching this uniform and decided to go with the game one, complete with gas mask and all!  At Galaxyfest I decided to wear it Saturday afternoon and ran into a Racoon City "cop".  We both made our way to the FantaScenes photography booth and had this pic done for us.  My friend Don Searle, the photog, even had it "comicized" for us (like my made-up word for the day?). 

I'll post some more pics this weekend.  A few friends already posted pics of AL all over the internet.  I've got some work to do on him before March 18th, his next event at the Rialto Theater in Loveland, CO for the E3 screening.  Then it's Starfest time third weekend of April at the DTC Marriott. I've already joined the local Umbrella Corp group.  Hmmm, need to get AL a gas mask?

Until next time,
Jawa Jaka (avoiding zombies at all cost)

Sauron the Scrubber

Last September I visited a friend in Omaha and picked up a scrubber droid from him that he started way back when.  With the EP1 3D premiere happening this weekend, I've been really busy trying to get Sauron finished (he has one event on Friday Feb 10th and two on Saturday Feb 11th).  I'm also busy working on a Naboo Officer uniform to go with him.  Here are some progress pics:

The hardest part was the radar.  Here you see an old cookie press I picked up at a garage sale some years ago for a buck.  Took me several months to figure out what I can use this for after cannibalizing it.

This was taken apart before I took the pic, so just imagine this.  At the bottom of the plunger is a disk that pushes out the cookie dough (I tried to take a pic of what it kinda looked like before I took the disk off).

Now you can see the results.  I drilled a bigger hole in the middle, put a plug through it (bolted on back), and it really looks like the scrubber radar!  And to think an old cookie press was sitting in a drawer with no use for years!!!

Next came what we call "deer warnings" that came with old cars.  Mine is just a cut-up wooden dowel painted metallic silver and super-glued onto the "risers" that came with the scrubber.

I've been working on this little box for a couple weeks now (also came with scrubber).  It's nothing more than a small plastic tackle/craft box with a piece of a circuit board cut to shape, painted yellow, and super-glued on the left. Some black wooden slat pieces glued at the top of the circuit board.  I have the doodads for the right side, just got to glue them in place.  Shouldn't take more than an hour to finish.

Sauron's one eye, thus the name.  I was tempted to paint it red inside, but it's all glued together now.  If you're lucky enough to end up at a hospital like I was, you'll end up with a very extra large car cup. Silver ring is the lid to that cup, tab cut off, painted metallic silver, screwed onto body with flathead screw through straw hole.  Cut out some old circuit boards to fit (or one large round one if you like), screw those into place using any holes in the boards themselves (I even super-glued it on first then screwed it in).  Top it all off with half a plastic christmas ornament glued onto the inner rim of the lid.  Simple and free (if you don't count the hospital bill! LOL).

Speaking of circuit boards, found this old DIM memory board.  Screwed that on the side for good measure.  Just wanted something that looked neat on the side.

This takes some imagination.  This is a heavy black plastic flower pot I found at Goodwill last week.  It had a very large rim on it that I cut off.  The top of the scrubber has an added funny half-circle shape that has a cutout on the front end and tubes sticking out the back end.  It's done in two to three parts, with a Korky toilet scrubber holder cut to shape in the front and whatever you can find for the back.  The Korky part fits over the top end of this pot beautifully, and the tubes will be attached on the bottom (very hard plastic, so it should hold wonderfully).  I've already bolted on the Korky part and painted the whole think yellow.  The entire length is 11.25".  Officially it's suppose to be 11".  1/4" longer for a found object that cost me $3, not bad!!!! 

In this pic you'll notice that I repainted the whole thing a brighter yellow, cleaned up the black stripes, and started attaching things to it.  Since this pic I've added the silver tape to the corners, handmade a mounting attachment for the radar out of scrap aluminum (sturdy but kinda springy), and finished up the top portion (gotta bolt it on).

And you won't believe the drive system!!!  If I ever decide to make a true robotic drive system at least I'll have an awesome Hummer to play with!!!  LOL

Yep, Sauron has his very own mounting rack ontop of the truck.  Nothing but the best for my Sauron!  He drives in style!  How come my droids get cool toys to drive and I'm stuck with an old Subaru?? 

That's all for now.  I'll get final pics up as soon as I can.  If anyone wants to see him in person, I'll be at AMC Westminster Promenade Feb 10th 6:00pm, AMC Highlands Ranch Feb 11th 11:00am, and Harkins Theater Feb 11th 6:00pm.  Now to get the Naboo Officer finished.  Sorry, no time to document that build.

Until next time,

Jawa Jaka (wishing I had a Hummer!)