Wife said its cool to build an Astromech. As long as it vacuums.

[Shinchu]

Ok so I was watching a vid of a droid some guy built using a trash can but he kibbled it out pretty good to look like an R2 Astromech with a roomba under the third leg.
My wife saw me watching and goes "hey I would be totally cool with you building that as long as it actually vacuums."

I nearly fell out of my couch. I dont think she knows what she (nor I?) is getting into.
I am going to do some research on Astromech builders or is it R2 builders. Not sure if I want to build an actual R2-D2, or just a "random Astromech".
I DO know I dont want it to look like a trash can. I want to get as accurate as I can. And yes I know its pricey and time consuming. And a roomba under the feet could ruin what could have been a super accurate build.
But hey, I got the green light so why half-arse it, right??

Accepting input, suggestions, and criticism...

NOW!

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

Put a compact vacuum cleaner's guts in the base of the main body and run the suction hose down the third leg, maybe? Lines remain intact. Trickier would be to incorporate the guidance systems of a Roomba into it, so the other two legs drive it around, and bump sensors redirect it. But definitely do-able, I think.

 

[Shinchu]

Yeah I have an old semi functional rhoomba. Might be good for at least prototyping.
I also have an old interactive Hasbro r2. I would hate to gut it but its got good sound and would be semi autonomous and interactive.
Either way, seems I'm going to have to get smart on arduino FAST.
Oh and I should probably mention I have a couple decades of RC car/truck experience so ive got that going for me lol

 

[Darth Lars]

This is the video? I think that's really nice for a trash-can. It looks like the astromech is just a lightweight shell that is pulled along by the vacuum cleaner.

What droids are there with a cylinder close to the floor?
From the top-of-my-head I can only think of:
• FX-series medical droid (tall cylinder with lots of arms) seen in the medical bay at Echo Base on Hoth. Too tall?
• Hangar deck scrubber droid in The Phantom Menace. But it's kind of industrial-looking and ugly.
• First Order angular white Sentry droid. Too evil?

 

[Mr Mold Maker]

Well that is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen. Definitely interested to see your progress!

 

[Ash]

I saw the same video and thought it was ingenious. Then I thought what if you were to disassemble a Roomba and put all the parts in the shell of a mouse droid. The coverage area of cleaning would be MUCH less but it wouldn't be as obtrusive as an R2 unit running around your place.

 

[TazMan2000]

This is not real but a concept image that is meant for a desktop USB powered vac, but a neat idea.
You could leave the canister vacuum in the middle of the room and just plug the hose in when you needed it.

TazMan2000

 

[Shinchu]

Taz I got a belly laugh from that pic! That's GREAT!!!
and the mouse Droid is a cool idea too.
I was thinking of a gonk droid since his legs look like vacuum hoses and he kinda shuffles anyway.

But I think an artoo with attachments is the way to go.
Loophole found! She never said the vacuum part had to be permanent hahaha
Still waiting for my account to be approved at Astromech.net but I have been doing my homework like a good newb in the meantime.
Seems a basic aluminum chassis kit for the drum is about $500. I showed the skeleton chassis to my wife and said last chance to back out, just the frame is 500 for the budget model. She said OH my god...
But she never said stop
And i might do her a favor and just get the plans/patterns to build it from styrene. I'm guessing the huge 3mm sheets will cost less than the AL chassis.
Now where to get a dome...
* also might be able to sneak a luke ROTJ saber to raise from a flap on his dome
Yuma or v2? Cant remember what he fires off the sail barge... Or was it a separate "projectile" just shaped like a saber?

 

[Inquisitor Peregrinus]

Of all the places to splurge and skimp on an R2, the dome deserves to be done right. There are reasons these builds can take years or decades. Start with verifying the scale you're working with, and get the legs and feet sorted. You can set the legs off to the side to work on later, but, for this, make sure you have the third leg and that it matches. Then focus on the body. Framing, internals... Get all of that figured out, tested, and ready to go before turning your attention to the skin and doors. Figure out if you want any more attachements or tools, or if it's just going to be vacuum and saber.

Once you've worked up to the top, and determined the mount you're using for the head, then go to work on the dome, which is almost a whole other separate project. Turned and laser-cut aluminum is the best. But also the most expensive.

What all do you have for resources? 3D printing? Wood shop with CNC table? Someplace with a big enough laser cutter you could do the skin in one or two sheets, cut out perfectly? The more you can do yourself locally from raw materials, the more you can shift the "cost" column from actual cash to your own time and effort.

 

[Shinchu]

Thanks for that amazing insight, every word made perfect sense.
Im no stranger to long term projects.
I have been working on a 1/10 scale rc version of my dads 79 ford f150 for about 3 or 4 years now. Its 3d printed body an a custom lengthened vaterra ascender body with custom narrowed axles. Here is how it sits now.


So yeah I dont have a 3d printer or a wood shop. Just a decent work bench in my garage and a ton of hand tools. A dremel is about as fancy as I get.
But I have resources and I'm pretty good with what I've got.
And I totally agree about the dome. Its very important. I just want decent screen accuracy as far as functions. I dont need a periscope or scanner. But the lightsaber being able to raise up and down would be cool and I'm not sure I have seen one do that. Im also a bit of a saber junkie so its suiting.
Thanks a whole lot for your insight its much appreciated and exactly why I came straight here with this thread.

Now for another hurdle: do I contain a small shop vac in the bottom of the body? I know it will dash any capability of retracting the third leg but that might be something worth sacrificing. Unless he wears the vac like a backpack?
Cross that bridge when I get there but its a pretty large peice of the overall puzzle.

Thanks everyone. Keep the ideas coming and I will post updates when i start ordering supplies and parts and examining plans!