I Couldn't Resist

I was finally able to turn Han over and clean up the top (most of the glue had dried). This was the first time I was abble to inspect my heating/flattening attempt. It did make quite a diference. Not perfect, but a LOT better than it was.

I had to reglue one of the broken fingers. The glue didn't adhere too well to whatever chemicals were used in making the Han Casting. I washed it and dried it...and I really wanted to see what it will look like with some paint so I blasted it with a little. I will be filling holes and seams so this will get sanded away and covered, but I just wanted to see.

I was pretty impressed. As soon as he has the paint on it picks up the details a lot better.

R2...with 2 legs!

I finshed of R2's second leg over the weekend. It wasn't too much work considering I had most of the detail pieces al ready to go when I did them for the first leg.
















He's starting to look more and more like the real deal now! Next will be the last shoulder hub piece (covers the bolts attaching the last leg), then I will make a center leg, then I gotta make 3 feet. It's not over yet....

I also spent soem time heating up my Han Carbonite and trying to flatten it out a bit. I was pretty successfull. I have seam #1 glued together and drying now..so I will have to glue seam #2 & 3, then I can begin the body filling and final celanup before painting it.

We stopped in a local dollar store last night and I found a couple "Money Magnets" that I used to mount R2's restraining bolt (the aluminum thing on his front. I glued one magnet to the bolt and one to the inside of his body. Now the bolt is removeable, just gotta pull it off. Cool!

We also found some inexpensive frames, so I finally framed a few hand drawn & signed Disney sketches. I think they look pretty cool!!!

Han Update

I wedged some pieces of plywood behind the Han panel and glued them in place. I have a few spots where I need to reglue and cl;amp to the frame, but I did get some of the curve out.

I have to glue and fill the seams and edges now..lots of work. I think I'll do a little here and there and focus more on getting R2's second leg done now.

Glue, clamps & the mess!

I spent last night working on my Han in Carbonite. I tried to heat up the lowest panel to see if it would bend if it got hot enopugh. I had it hot to the touch and it was still quite brittle. I decided I had to just glue it in the frame as it was. I marked the pieces where I felt they would be centered in the frame and glued them down (after dremelling and sanding all the edges).

The curve of the pieces and the eneveness proved to be a challenge (and here I thought this project would be easy). Once I had lots of glue around the edges I set various weights and heavy objects to hold it down flat. Didn't work too well. I took a 2x4 length of plywood and ran it down the middle (lengthways), and tried to use spreader bars at the ends to attempt to flatten the curvature and hold the edges down for the glue to set. It didn't work too well..I guess the $9 clamps were not good enough. I ended up usning a c-clamp at the top end (by Han's head) and clamping it from the outside. I wanted to avoid this because if I clamped form the inside I could leave them there.

Tonight I will try to cut lengths of plywood to brace the panel against the front of the frame (they will wedge it from the back of the frame). That should work. This will make it look kinda bad fromt he back, but you wont see that. I may make a cover for the back after al is said and done, but I don't want this to get too heavy.

I didn't have enough time to get any work done on R2's leg.

It arrived....finally!!!!!!!!!!

I finally opened my mailbox to find 2 slips telling me to go to the 7-11 post outlet and get my boxes. I went and stood in the long line, and fminally they brought me my 2 huge boxes. They barely fit in my car and one was leaking foam popcorn like crazy.

I got home and opened 'er up. I pulled out all the pieces and set them on the floor. The first thing I noticed was the curve they all had. I don't think they are supposed to be warped like that. He was also missing 2 fingers that must have broken off in shipping. Damn. I found one in the box, and the other was nowhere to be found amongst the piled of packing popcorn.

I then toyed with trying to push the pieces flat..and I gently did this and heard cracking sounds, so these things really don't have a lot of flex to them. It was then that I saw something taped to the bottom of on of the pieces....my missing finger. I set these things up on my aluminum frame that I made. Right away it looked better to me, and the curve didn't seem so bad. I glued on the broken fingers and took some pics.

I spent some time working on R2's leg #2 after that. It's going pretty good.

R2D2 Leg #2 progress

I stayed up until 2am friday night using body filler and sanding leg #2. I finished sanding sunday morning so I moved the cars out of the garage and set up my little heater. Seems like every time I want to paint it is cold and snowy.

It worked out pretty well in the garage. The paint would only dry if it was in the warm area so I had to keep moving the heater around and re-applying coats.

I painted up most of the detail parts when I did leg #1 so this one should go together pretty quickly.

Yes....still no sign of my Han in Carbonite Panel. The guy isn't returning my emails either. Did I get ripped off? Stay tuned for updates.

Leg #2 FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got my welded leg #2 from the guy who welded it for me! He did a good job and welded up al the seams, filled in gaps and grinded it smooth for me. There are some areas where sanding and body filler will be needed, but this leg will be a lot less work than leg #1 was!

YAY...now I get crack-a-lackin'.

:)

Bye Spidey!

I never really finished Spidey, but I think it's time to let him go. I hung him up for our New Year's party just to get him out of the way. We are going to slowly drywall and finish the basment, and since he doesn't really suit the Star Wars theme I have going I decided he just isn't right.

Luckily I have a friend who has a little son who loves Spider-Man, and they also have a large basement with a lot of headroom so I asked if he wants it. I think it will be a cool surprise for his kids. I'll just have to stuff his hands and feet with something easy. I hope they are able to hang him without obvious strings or ropes. Bye Spidey...I hope you have a good life with your new family!!



My 2nd R2D2 leg should be done welding any day now..and I actually mean that. I should have had this guy doing it from day one! I am getting him a bottle of something for his troubles. I wish I could take back the 2 cases of beer (of 3 that I bought him) I got the other guy since he was full of promises, but never delivered. Oh well. That was the last time I will trust him.

I still have my heart broken every time I check my mail. That Han Solo panel was supposed to ship in 4-10 working days. It supposedly shipped on Dec 19th. That put us at 12 business days (not counting holidays) and 22 regular days of axiousness. :( I have been waiting 7 months..WHERE IS IT?!??!?!

Leg #2 Update.....and Lightsabers

Here is a pic of my Force FX Lightsabers which are now hanging among some of my autographs. It was my wife's idea to hang them like this..and I like how it looks!

Yesterday I asked a different person to weld up my 2nd R2D2 leg. I went out this morning and he spent 1 1/2 hours on it..and it is all together....just needs to be cleaned up and finished welded!! He figures he should be done with it within the next couple days!! I shold have asked him MONTHS ago! I wish I could take back the beer I bought the other guy, but oh well.

Still no sighn of my Han Solo in Carbonite. I check the mail every day..and my heart breaks a little every time. :(

Nothing to Report

Wel, it was a busy Christmas and New Years so I havent had a chance for much of anything. I am STILL waiting for R2's second leg to be welded. I decided to take the loss (3 cases of beer I bought a guy who was supposed to weld it for me) and get another guy to do it. Now I just have to figure out where that first guy hid all the parts.

Meanwhile my Han Solo in Carbonite panel supposedly shipped on Dec 19th. Now it is Jan 4th....and it still hasn't arrived. It wil be in pieces in 2 boxes..but no sign of them.

So here I am with nothing to report.....