Jasons R2D2 build: More Dome work...

So Ive finally gotten all of the panels cut out and holes drilled in my inner dome.

The biggest hurdle has been using the Dremel for any length of time. I started out using a Dremel Ive had for years. Burned it up. Bought a new one, burned it up. Had it replaced and... you guessed it, burned it up...
Using it for only a few minutes at a time, yet it still gets hot very quickly. So I can only cut a little, then come back later to cut a little more.

First I finished cutting all of the pie panels out. They still need a bit of filing, so I decided to clamp the domes together for that part. This way I could see the size of the lip and the reveal between the two domes. I wanted the size of the lip consistent all the way around and I wanted to keep the cuts parallel to each other.


The unfiled inner dome, clamped in place


In order for me to file down the cut, yet not allow the inner dome to shift, I used as many clamps as I could fit on the panels to either side of the one I was working on.


The first panel filed down. The lip is fairly uniform and consistent all the way around.


All of the pie panels have now been filed down.

The pie panel cuts still need to be sanded, but for the most part its they are done. Now onto the lower cuts. The first thing I did was shift the domes around to find the best fit I could. I wasn't entirely happy with the fit, so I "sectioned" the inner dome. Cutting an additional half inch from the top of the lower half. Allowing the bottom section to slide further up inside the outer dome. It helped a good bit, there are still a few gaps around the bottom though, so I will need to wrap duct tape around my inner ring to force the inner dome out to meet the outer.

Anyway, once I was happy that I had the best positioning I could. I wanted to make sure the domes wouldnt shift as I was marking them. So I drilled a hole through both domes! I made sure that the hole would be covered by the radar eye so it wouldn't be seen later. Then I used a 1/4-20 screw and a wing nut to lock the two domes together.

The 1/4" hole drilled through the domes.

1/4-20 screw slid into the hole


Wing nut screwed on from the inside, locking the two halves together.

Once I had that done it was time to mark the panel lines onto the inner dome and start cutting and drilling. While cutting the pie panels out I had a few problems holding the dome in place securely and cutting at the same time. So i decided to ensure I wouldnt have any problems while working on the lower cut-outs. I also wanted the dome raised up to a level that was more comfortable for me to work on, and see what I was doing. So, I built a stand from scrap wood. Not only does the stand raise the dome for me, It also keeps it from moving. originaaly I cut a full circle from MDF, but i realized that it was too difficult to get the dome on and off and I had no way of clamping panels in place. So, I cut off a little from 2 sides. This allows the dome to slide over the base easier. I just press a little front and back, set it down and release, it wont move at all. and it allows me to slide clamps up from the bottom, holding panels in place when needed.

The stand, not very pretty, but very functional.

The domes sitting on the stand, showing how the clamps now have clearance to slide up from underneath.

Most, but not all panels drilled and cut out.


Everything cut out...

The other benefit of the stand was that it provided solid backing to the inner dome as I filed the cuts. Again, I filed the cuts with the two domes locked together, allowing me to see the reveals between the two domes.

Besides the progress made on the dome this week, Ive received more parts...