Mr. Robot Conversions

[H.I. Gosses]

I am in the process of converting four Misters Robot/Mr. Robots to something new.

I observed that it belongs to the standard issue of MR to have a rusted out battery box.

Being fed up with trying to salvage unsalvageable original batteryboxes, I decided to make a

few new ones. - as they were for conversions, what does it matter?

Though not really in view, I very much like the batterybox on the few unrusted MR's I have.

So I tried to reproduce that effect. This worked rather well with transparant decals.

As printing decals is not much of a bother, I herewith offer them for those that want to

repair rusted out mr's. I can also provide a plan of the tin needed and of the cardboard.

(You may work on those yourselves)

What you do is clean the rusted tinwall of the batt.b., spray it silver and apply the decal*.

and if need be replace the contacts.

The leaking batteries have usually eaten some part of the baseplate too, but this does not affect the functioning,

so can be left alone.

*for the application of the decal, a strong religious conviction is, though not required, very helpful...(!)

I will send a decal for postage cost and $5.- to the Red Cross or any other charity.

[H.I. Gosses]

In addition a picture of the finished product.

Instead of "technical cardboard", I used formica with paper glued to it.

This is stronger and easier to saw, it requires special punches for the oblong holes tough.

[Grandpa]

Henk,

If you need formica cut, just email the pattern. The laser cuts formica without effort. Besides I owe you one :D

[Russell]

H.I.

That looks great! Do you use one of the ALPS printers for decals or something else?

Rt

[Grandpa]

Russel,

You can use any Ink Jet printer, Alps or Laser printer. Do a search for "decal paper"

[H.I. Gosses]

Russell, I got an Alps from ebay, but the printhead is busted. This is done on an inkjet.

Black is OK. Colours are difficult 'cos even "white" decalpaper is very transparent, bright colour on a dark

background is a Nono. -or you must airbrush that part white first-

With inkjet printer the sealant is the problem. Before application you must protect the ink from

the water. If you use PU or acrylic clear varnish this becomes too brittle and flakes off when bend.

When you use nitro-cellulose varnish it burns when you later use acrylics again(!#$@#@!!!)

I found some "document-sealant" that works well, but they stopped making that.

(Two cans left..)

The principles are simple but the practice is hard. For ex. if you spray sealant over bare silverpaint

that is partly covered with a decal, the paint underneath the decal shines through the unprinted aereas,

unaffected, the bare paint gets a totally different sheen (@#$%^&^%$!!!!).

Only with hairspray first it does not..! etc. etc.

I worked for 30 years with all sorts of paints and still get surprises every day,-mostly in a

negative manner. Although by accident I found out how to make a wrinkle finish. (other topic)"

Thnx for the offer Grandpa. The batteryboxes I can manage by handpunching, but I will think of

something, I will think of something...

Litho info will get to you tomorrow.

[Grandpa]

Henk,

I have had the same problems with sealant and decals, but I found that Krylon Fixative #1306 works great! I seal the decal with 2-3 coats and I also spray the part I am putting the decal on before adding the decal. I have found this method to work even when I topcoat the finished piece with clear top coat.

[Morbius]

H.I. and Grandpa....you've proven it over and over again. You ARE rocket scientists!

You constantly amaze us 'mere mortals' with items, ideas and projects that leave us in awe, especially when what we're talking about are theoretically TOYS!

p.s. Why is it that I see many battery boxes pictured on Alpha with the batteries positioned the same direction in the battery box whereas I've never encountered one such as this? Is this anomaly more prevelent on the scarcer items?

.....a mere mortal... :blink:

[H.I. Gosses]

p.s. Why is it that I see many battery boxes pictured on Alpha with the batteries positioned the same direction in the battery box whereas I've never encountered one such as this? Is this anomaly more prevelent on the scarcer items?

No, it is just the idiocy of Mr. Robots designer. The batteries are in series. So if you make the contacts on one side of the box

out of one single stamping, you automatically archeive this aim. This however seems not to have dawned on the designer of MR.

It has four separate contacts that are connected with wire. Very stupid in industrial circumstances,-as it

requires two more "Acts of Soldering", but very convenient for me as this is easier to make.

Also this is the nicest batterybox apart from the chief robotman's. -But there the batterybox cover is always rusted away.

In addition Morbius, "Mere Toys... " . The humbler the product, the harder the design. If you have a problem with the new

Aston Martin Lagonda, you just platinum coat the exhaust. A mere $5000.- extra, will not bother it's customers. (-or make it even more

attractive)

Now think of something clever for a Honda Civic. Fifty bucks extra will make it loose to a Peugeot or a Volkswagen.

Robots brought their producers at best a dollar, probably much less. Then you need to be really clever to make

something new and surprising.

[Morbius]

Thanks H.I..

I agree, I have never looked at these pieces as 'mere toys'. They have always been an art form from my perspective. And I do realize it took an awful lot of thought, design, draughting and ingenuity as well as skilled craftspersons (as yourselves here on the board) to make the $1. toy a reality in its time and keep 'em coming back for more. Without all this we'd have been playing with only sticks and stones indefinitely!

:D

[robothut]

I too have found that Krylon clear spray works perfectly on the water base decals, I have never had the clear crack or flake off when soaking in water or bending. Nice work Henk.

[H.I. Gosses]

...........and now for the next problem:

where the blazes do I find Krylon in the Netherlands?!

[robothut]

You see just 1 more reson to move to the states, you could buy krylon and come over to play!

Go to the Krylon web site and contact them for international sales?

http://www.krylon.com

Also alot of the retail shops on line that sell kryon might be able to ship to you. I'm not sure about shipping spray cans by air mail these days I think thats a No No .