Repro High Wheel To Battery Op

[robobob]

I've always wanted a Battery Op High Wheel, but

the cash and the robot never seem to meet. So

I decided to buy one of the cheap high-wheels from

Bill at Neatstuff ( thanks Bill ) and have a go at it.

So here is my own version of the B/O high wheel !

[robobob]

Not a lot of changes...I made a mold of the face,

and then cut the original one out of the robot. I

added a motor from a dollar store car, and a single

light behind the face.

The remote is from an Ebay donor doggie. I cast the

new face in yellow tinted clear resin and epoxied it in

from behind. I also moved the antenna from the head

to the backpack.I painted him with a blue metalflake

that was leftover from my B/O planet robot repair.

[robobob]

Here is a shot of him in the dark. It's definitely

NOT as nice as having an original, but he will

do for now !

And thanks to Larry 7 for posting a pic of his B/O

High Wheel in another thread...It got me motivated

enough to get this guy finished !!!

[larry seven]

:) Oh man, robobob! He looks great! Very nice!Tell me about the color, is it from a spray can or did you have to mix for a spray gun? Do you have a nice mold for the face pieces? If so, any interest in casting a few for Alphadrome members who may want to buy one from you for their own conversion project? Are you satisfied with your color for the face piece? Is it a traslucent yellow? That is definitely the different look of the robot from the black windups! Thanks for showing us the pictures, -Larry 7

[robobob]

Larry,

Glad you liked my latest little guy !

The color is Plasticote blue metalflake. I honestly

have pretty good luck using small spray cans. The first

attempt at the face was more translucent, but looked

pretty pale when done, so I added more yellow. It's less

translucent, but I think the color looks better.

As far as the molds....I have come to the realization

that I am hopelessly mediocre at casting and molding

items. No matter what I use, I always end up with

quite a few air bubbles in the rtv mold, and in my cast

pieces. Maybe I need a vacuum jar to outgas the stuff.

Maybe it's too warm, or too cold. Maybe I'm just not

patient enough, or stirring the wrong direction, or not

holding my head right - I JUST DONT KNOW !!!

Perhaps Bart could share some of his experiences here -

he seems to have cast a few nice pieces lately. I know it's

getting pretty frustrating, not to mention pricey, buying

all these different casting resins to experiment with.

Anyway, some of you care to share any casting tips ??

[dratomic]

Robobob... If you do a search for a thread I started on making a model ray gun, you'll find some tips from John Rigg on casting, as well as some advice re: casting compounds. I haven't had a chance to try them out since then, but having seen first hand the mods he makes, I know that the stuff must work well (granted, there's his own skill involved, but still...). I'd say the original thread ran about a year and a half ago.

I'm rushing off to work or I'd post a link to the topic myself... if no one's done so before I get a chance, I'll follow this post up later.

[robobob]

Thanks, Doc...

I'll go back and do some re-reading.... B)

[robothut]

Hers the deal on Silicon rubber molds, you have liquid rubber and putty rubber. I use the putty type rubber (Sil Putty) when making one off parts, its fast and works for most parts but if you have a detailed part with deep under cuts then you should use the liquid rubber. Now to keep the air bubbles out of your liquid rubber molds and the resin parts you cast you can use a vacume, I have a vacume pot that I built but unless you just happen to have a vacum pump that can pull enough vacum it will not do you any good. Now for the good news, almost every guy has a air compressor, if you have one that can supply 60 psi then all you need is a preshure pot that can handel 60 psi. put your liquid rubber in the presure pot and give it 60 psi as its curing alllthe air bubbles will be pushed out of the rubber, Now when you cast your part put the resin in the mold and the mold in the preshure pot and give it 60 psi as it cures and all the air will be pushed out of the liquid resin. The guys at Sil Cast told me about this years ago and it does work. Most parts I don't bother with preshure or vacume cafull stirring and slow pooring will keep most air bubbles to a minimum and if it is not a clear part then you can always sand and fill any small air bubble spots as you know.

[bartzenegger]

Hers the deal on Silicon rubber molds, you have liquid rubber and putty rubber. I use the putty type rubber (Sil Putty) when making one off parts, its fast and works for most parts but if you have a detailed part with deep under cuts then you should use the liquid rubber. Now to keep the air bubbles out of your liquid rubber molds and the resin parts you cast you can use a vacume, I have a vacume pot that I built but unless you just happen to have a vacum pump that can pull enough vacum it will not do you any good. Now for the good news, almost every guy has a air compressor, if you have one that can supply 60 psi then all you need is a preshure pot that can handel 60 psi. put your liquid rubber in the presure pot and give it 60 psi as its curing alllthe air bubbles will be pushed out of the rubber, Now when you cast your part put the resin in the mold and the mold in the preshure pot and give it 60 psi as it cures and all the air will be pushed out of the liquid resin. The guys at Sil Cast told me about this years ago and it does work. Most parts I don't bother with preshure or vacume cafull stirring and slow pooring will keep most air bubbles to a minimum and if it is not a clear part then you can always sand and fill any small air bubble spots as you know.

first bob!! very nice job ! cant wait to see whats next!

hut.... thanks i have had problems pulling bubbles from resin. i will try this method.