R2-D2

I bought Lego set 10225 R2-D2 Memorial Day Weekend 2012, because I was bored and I needed a project to keep me busy on Monday, before I went back to work Tuesday.

I don't normally buy these massive sets that are designed to be decorative pieces, but there was something about that R2 unit that made me think, "Hey, maybe I can assemble it, throw in some Power Functions and Mindstorms, and create a fully-functional, mobile droid."

It did not go as well as I had hoped.  I knew the set was going to run me $200, and Mindstorms was an extra $300, plus whatever motors would cost me.  But I didn't imagine how much engineering I'd have to do design a new internal mechanism.

So far, so good.  Only 9 more bags to go.

R2 is built pretty solid, and it'd have to be to contain all the gear and axle pieces working in harmony.  It did not leave much room to add components, which would have meant making R2 bigger and buying more bricks.  I already dropped a couple of C notes, I didn't want to spend more.

We still haven't found those stolen data tapes, Lord Vader.

Once I got R2 to this point, I started considering alternative uses for it.  "It came with a couple of arms hidden behind doors, maybe I could attach a USB drive to one of them and use him as external storage.  Or, um..."  That's all I could come up with.

Nearly four hours, 105 steps, eight bags of bricks, two booklets, and who knows how many pieces later...

R2 accomplished its goal.  Keep me occupied for an entire afternoon.  And it was a lot of fun to let my imagination run wild with ideas to use it for more than just a decorative piece.  The thoughts of putting some wheels on it, driving it with a remote control.  Man, that would have been sweet.

All done...  Phew!!

R2 just sits on a shelf at home right now.  Maybe one day, I can take it over to my friend Vern's house and we can make it more powerful.  But Vern has two young kids who'd maybe get in the way, wanting to play with the Lego droid.  And we live about 30 miles apart.  Not too bad considering a project like that would require a day trip, but that's still a bit of a hassle, and I don't want to inflict that on anyone.

Don't just stand there, shut down all the garbage smashers on the detention level!

R2-D2 also came with this nice little display plaque (which also required assembly).

This is what happens when you trust a strange computer, it'll leave you all exposed.

Left-side, rear, and right-side views of R2-D2.