Galaxy of Droidsmiths — Star Wars Droid Builders

Longtime Make: readers — and visitors to Maker Faires around the world — know how much we love R2-D2, that cheeky little astromech droid from Star Wars. We profiled the R2 Builders Group way back in our second issue, and showed how to build your own life-sized, remote controlled R2-D2 in 2016. Since then, the Star Wars universe has only grown, and the makers who create their own replicas and custom droids have grown with it. Let’s check in with them and learn what’s going on in the expanded universe of droid building!

The Astromech Builders (R2 Builders)

This is where it all started, and it continues to grow. The famed R2 Builders Club forum at astromech.net is where makers come together to share their knowledge and resources for building R2-D2 and many other popular droids.

The forum hosts blueprints and 3D models created by club members who carefully reviewed movie footage and reverse-engineered the required dimensions, and in some cases were able to take measurements directly from screen-used droids. These blueprints are then used to create detailed plans for all the droid parts.

Plans are designed to suit many different building styles — you can build a droid using hand-cut sheets of styrene plastic; or use a CNC, waterjet, or laser cutter to cut your own droid parts from styrene, wood, and aluminum; or grab 3D models that will allow you to print parts, or even an entire droid!

The forum is also a great place to get help with your build. Builders work to keep their designs compatible with each other, and many will build and sell kits for specific parts, or even completed parts. And if you don’t have access to the tools needed for a scratch build, you can get in on a “parts run” to get started.

Same Droids, New Ways to Build

Since our 2016 guide, builders have developed new ways to create their own astromechs. 3D printing was already a good way to make small, detailed parts (known as greebles), but today people are printing their entire droid, and new communities have sprung up around the technique. The MrBaddeley Printed Droid group is where Michael Baddeley shares the 3D models he creates, including a fully printed R2-D2. Find it on Facebook or Patreon.

If you believe droids should be made of metal, there are new options for you as well! Some builders have converted the club blueprints into files that can be uploaded to online custom fabrication sites like SendCutSend and OSH Cut, allowing makers to create their own parts from aluminum with minimal tools.

As the world of electronics advances, new components make their way into droids. Builders can now choose from traditional brushed scooter motors, or newer brushless motors like the Q85 and Rev Neo, which offer higher efficiency and more precise speed control. Foot drive systems such as the MaxDrive support both brushed and brushless options, and popular control softwares such as SHADOW have been updated to work with both as well.

Newer, inexpensive hardware like the audio DFPlayer from DFRobot and the ESP32 processor reduce the cost and size of some of the key electronic components. Again, developers on astromech.net are collaborating on updates and sharing their code for the new components or previous ones like the popular MP3 Trigger and Arduino Mega.

Astromechs also have a new voice! For years, most builders have used the same sound files, which cover a range of droid emotions. We now have the Human-Cyborg Relations hardware and software, which generates unique vocalizations for R2 and other astromechs based on their original speech patterns and phonemes.

As these innovations are added to our astromechs, the options to control the new features are increasing as well. The Kyber Control System allows builders to add multiple buttons to any sBus-capable RC receiver to activate sounds and animations. It was built with droids in mind, integrating with all the popular hardware and features, including Pololu Maestro servo controllers and the MarcDuino animatronic controller.

The Expanded Universe

Whenever a new droid shows up on screen, makers everywhere start thinking, “How can I build that?” New clubs have formed around specific types of droids, where makers can share blueprints and 3D models, help each other, and show what they’re working on. Let’s take a Star Tour of these builder communities and meet some outstanding droidsmiths!

BB-8 

When filming The Force Awakens in 2014, Lucasfilm used many different techniques for animating the spherical BB-8 droid, including puppetry, greenscreens, and remote-controlled “trike” versions with extra stabilizing wheels. An actual free-rolling BB-8 wasn’t needed for filming, but was still the goal for Lucasfilm engineers. When they finally rolled out the first true BB-8 at Star Wars Celebration in 2015, they proved it could be done, and set the spheres in motion for the legions of fans who wanted to have their very own BB unit. Like R2 builders, the BB-8 builders have forums to share their plans, 3D models, and knowledge. Find them at bb8builders.club/forum and on Facebook.

BB-8 Build Team Profile

Psy DeLacy, Chris Stroud, David Ferreira, Matt Hobbs, and Alex Coajou

What else do you do with your buddies, other than redesign a droid from the ground up? Bonded through the droid building community and their mutual love for BB-8, this team had all been building the little droid since they first saw him roll across the screen. Then in 2019 they decided to start anew — Chris and Dave were upgrading their custom drive system, so why not rework the entire droid to integrate new features, update existing ones, and “try a few things”?

The team made a wish list for both the frame and the drive, and got to work. Connectors were debated, tolerances and densities scrutinized, motors vetted, and prototypes printed. Quality-of-life improvements include a keyed configuration for easy frame assembly, pogo pins to connect panels, and easy access to the frame hardware. They also decided to optimize for SLS printing, which allowed for clever hardware integration in limited space, while retaining a strong frame.

For the drive system, a variety of motors and actuators were tested to determine which would give the best performance, and the engineering of the drive itself evolved as those decisions were made. Custom boards were created for the drive and the panels, as well as a custom battery to fit nicely within the drive. And much like the frame, the assembly of the drive was simplified. A lot of iteration on the programming and control side would happen after the drive was in the completed frame.

By Celebration Anaheim in 2022, BB-8 was ready to roll for the first time. Chris dove into the programming to refine the functionality, stability, and performance, dialing in settings and adding features throughout the summer. Even though BB-8 is a one-player droid, Chris made sure to add “free animation” wherever it made sense. These little things — like when BB-8 goes to turn, he will look slightly toward the direction he’s turning — not only lighten the mental load of the operator, but also give BB-8 a bit more life.

Since then, BB-8 has been to Celebration in London and Tokyo, and countless events around North America. The team is happy with BB-8’s performance. There’s always more they want to do, but there are also always new droids to build!

K-2SO

Introduced in Rogue One, with a backstory fleshed out in Andor, K-2SO is another droid with a lot of personality. You might think a 7-foot-tall bipedal robot is something more suited for a billion-dollar company like Boston Dynamics, but that doesn’t stop droid builders. Most of our K-2 builds are currently static, but not all of them! A full 3D printable model is available at Droid Division and you can join the K-2SO Builders Club for details and knowledge sharing.

K-2SO Builder Profile

Darren Moser (drscifi)

When the Rogue One trailer dropped in 2016 Darren started his first technical notebook with a dream of bringing K-2SO to life as a puppet, with several feet of 1″ PVC pipe as the skeleton, with adjustable elbow “spider joints” that allow the arms, knees, hips, and ankles to pivot. He sculpted EVA foam with box cutter knives and a borrowed band saw to cover the pipe skeleton and give K2 form. The entire puppet was connected to a tactical vest, allowing Darren to walk around wearing it, his feet in dive fins bolted under K2’s feet. A pulled-apart pan/tilt camera system supplied rudimentary head motion while a combination of wood, string, and PVC pivots created fingers that at best twitched about. It was Version 1, but Darren was just getting started.

Over the next 8 years as Darren grew as a maker, improving his skills with foam, 3D printing/modeling, programming, and painting, K2 evolved through four more versions. He called it his “Droid of Theseus” as few parts remained from Version 1 and 2 after the almost complete rebuild in time for 2022’s Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California. But this upgrade came with a cost — while the exterior was smoother and better painted, the internal structure was weaker and K2’s head slumped forward as he posed for pictures docked in his newly constructed Imperial console. It was time to go back to the drawing board.

Darren then went back to the mechanisms and processes that succeeded in earlier versions of the K2 puppet. Strong knee joints allowed the part to lock while standing for pictures, offering temporary relief from the strain of walking this droid along the convention floor. PEX pipe pistons in the armpits and hip connections gave the illusion of mechanical motion while only being driven by elastic bands and the movement of the droid. It was a time of research and learning all he could about 3D modeling and 3D printing. For K2 to come truly alive his hands and head needed to be much more responsive. Able to grasp an object or look at younglings standing beside him. Finally in the spring of 2025 all the pieces started to come together.

Andor Season 2 was a few months away and Darren set himself one goal: bring his K-2SO puppet to an Andor event. Never had the upgrades happened so fast! Darren gave K2 new 3D printed shoulder rings with greater detail, and new joint covers that looked just like the scenes in the movie, using Darren’s original trick of installing a mirror to create the illusion that the round elbow or knee was hollow. An entire new head mechanism was developed by Travis Butler from Dave Moog’s (Droid Division) 3D files, allowing for the eye and head movement Darren knew would bring that part of the character to life. But the last hurdle was the hands.

A bike cable linkage system connected a custom puppet controller Darren developed to the individual fingers allowing K2 to point, fist bump and grasp light objects. Dual joysticks controlled the head motion and neck bob. All feeding the twin cameras that allowed Darren to see from his attached position behind K2 what was in front of him and where K-2SO was looking. V5 K2 could have his head removed and stored in a padded case for transportation. Snapping into a tabbed socket in the body allowed the single umbilical cord to connect and power all of the head systems smoothly.

At last Version 5 was complete, just in time for the Hollywood El Capitan premier of Andor Season 2 at the El Capitan Theatre. After Darren suited up in a parking garage around the corner his handler and friend Mark Edwards (dressed as Cassian Andor from Rogue One) walked out onto the red carpet to greet fans, crew and stars as the night’s festivities began. Darren says that while on his making journey there were many seasons as the flow between late nights in his workshop balanced with parades, conventions and praise of the puppet’s abilities.

“It’s important to find joy in both the workshop and the showcase. We cannot just live in one.”

Is Puppet K-2SO finished? Darren says he has more upgrades in mind to make the walking process use less effort. K2 weighs around 30 pounds and gets 4 hours of run time off a Ryobi tool battery. “He’ll be at Star Wars Celebration Los Angeles in 2027 to be sure! I promise to get the Cassian hand slap out of his programming by then.”

More pictures and video of Darren’s puppet K2 can be found at drscifi.com/k2so.

B2EMO 

Of course we can’t talk about droids from Andor without talking about B2EMO. With feet that can expand and retract, a multi-segmented spinning body, a highly articulated head, and the ability to strafe sideways on omniwheels, this is obviously a challenging build, but given that Lucasfilm used all mechanical/practical effects for the filming of Andor, it’s an achievable one. The most popular model comes from MrBaddeley Printed Droid, but like other droids, there is a community of builders innovating components and sharing plans, software, and 3D models. Find the B2EMO Droid Builders Group on Facebook.

B2EMO Build Team Profile

Steven Dodds and Brian Dodds

B2EMO caught Steve Dodds’ eye right away in Andor Season 1. This new droid was clearly a practical animatronic prop, not CGI, and full of character — like an old, loyal family dog who spends much of his day snoozing in his bed. The time came to build B2 after a Thanksgiving dinner conversation with his brother Brian last year. Season 2 was just around the corner! They started in early December 2024 and had B2EMO presentable for WonderCon in March 2025. A week later, he was rolling around the California Science Center in LA for Yuri’s Night on April 5.

Their B2EMO is a highly customized build. He’s based on Michael Baddeley’s V2 files, with a modified version of David Ferreira’s “Pro” head mechanism and a variation of Tim Hebel’s prototype drive system. The brothers never build anything without adding their own touches. They split tasks based on their strengths — Brian handled the internal mechanics and wiring, while Steve focused on B2’s exterior and code.

B2EMO’s shell is 3D-printed ABS plastic, while the internals are a mix of aluminum and ABS. Brian custom-machined many of the aluminum components, including the adapter rings that house the brushless motors inside the 6″ Mecanum wheels, giving B2 his ability to move effortlessly in any direction. He also designed, modified, and built many of B2’s other assemblies, routed power and communications wires, and got things ready for the skins. Over time, they plan to replace many of the internal 3D-printed parts with milled aluminum.

Meanwhile, Steve kept his printer running nearly 24/7 to produce the exterior skins. He spent months gluing, sanding, texturing, and distressing everything to achieve the screen-accurate damaged look. He also modified parts like the foot shells to fit the new internals Brian was building. Paul Thomson contributed his expertise on the final paint and weathering touches, while Steve dove into the code to bring B2 to life — programming and installing the lights, collecting and editing sounds, and enabling code-controlled motion capabilities.

B2EMO includes all the movement features seen in Andor: including omnidirectional drive, and the ability to contract into a compact defensive posture (turtle mode). He can speak lines from the show and play various other sounds, and has a customized RC control system that allows one person to operate him — with practice.

The brothers can’t wait for more people to meet him — and as B2 would say, “I’m very pleased to meet you all.”

D-O 

The Rise of Skywalker introduced yet another droid with a lot of personality: D-O. The backstory of this self-balancing, one-wheel droid — cobbled together by a droidsmith using odds and ends from his workshop — has obvious appeal to the droid building community.

The first working D-O droid was revealed by Disney at Star Wars Celebration in April 2019, and the community didn’t wait — they started building 3D models based on video of the stage event, and many fan-built D-O droids were completed even before the movie was released that December.

Michael Baddeley created the first D-O replica, followed by Matt Denton. Denton, who worked on the official D-O for the movie, documented his construction process in a comprehensive four-part YouTube series. You can join the D-O Builders Club on Facebook.

D-O Builder Profile

Steven Foster

Encouraged by fellow droid builder Chris Stroud, Steven purchased his first 3D printer and followed Denton’s YouTube tutorial series. However, after completing most of the droid, there were several improvements he wanted to make. Despite having no previous CAD (or mechanical engineering) experience, he embarked on an ambitious journey to redesign D-O almost entirely from scratch.

With ongoing support and valuable feedback from fellow builders Psy DeLacy, Neil Hutchison, Dave Ferreira, and the overall builder community, they have nearly completed their new D-O that achieves screen accuracy in both appearance and behavior. Like many passion projects in the droid-building community, they suspect D-O will continue to evolve and may never be truly “complete.”

RX Series Droids

Movies aren’t the only inspiration for droid builders. The Disneyland attraction Star Tours introduced us to RX-24 or “Rex” as the animatronic captain of the StarSpeeder 3000, on his very first flight to Endor! Rex has since been re-purposed as R-3X and is helping to create the vibe as the DJ in Oga’s Cantina at Galaxy’s Edge. Fans have created plans, 3D models, drive systems, and speech synthesis/modulation software for both RX-24 and DJ R-3X. There’s even a “CantinaOS” in the works, that allows R-3X to converse with you, in character, using ChatGPT! You can find the RX Series Droid Builders Club on Facebook.

RX Build Team Profile

David Ferreira, Chris Stroud, Matt Hobbs, Patrick Gray, and Trevor Zaharichuk

RX-91L, also known as Gil, made his debut at Star Wars Celebration Anaheim in 2022. Brought to life by a team of friends, this RX droid not only has a winning personality, but also has helped develop new tech being used by other droid builders.

Because he has a lot of functionality — a drive system that lets him move around freely, three arms, and a head with multiple axes of rotation — operating him can be difficult. To overcome that, the team set up two different modes, one-player or two-player! They also utilized “free animation”: rotate his head up and the visor will also rotate a tiny bit, or vice versa. Gil also has a voice, which the operator controls by speaking through a headset, and the vocalization drives the lights in his mouthpiece.

To create DJ-R3X style droids like Gil, and other RX droids such as RX-24, the team had to do a lot of research trips … to Oga’s Cantina and Star Tours. Any chance to get photos, videos, take notes on timing, look at hardware, or just observe the performance — all of it was crucial to develop the look and performance of the RX droids.

BDX Droids

In 2023 Disney Imagineers outdid themselves, unveiling the real-life BDX Droids (commonly referred to as the “Duckling Droids”). These small bipedal droids are usually seen in a pack of three, wandering around Galaxy’s Edge with their trainers. Created in a collaboration between Disney, Nvidia, and Google DeepMind, they’ are’re a step beyond the animatronics we see elsewhere in the park, using AI for amazingly lifelike motion and emotion as they interact with guests. We also expect to see these droids in The Mandalorian and Grogu movie in 2026.

Want to build your own? Join the community that’s working to develop the plans, models, and software. There are several initiatives in progress using different hardware solutions to re-create the BDX personality. Join the BD-X Duckling Droid Builders club on Facebook.

BD-X Builder Profile

Jaime Machuca

This BD-X droid was built by Jaime Machuca, a robotics engineer and member of the ArduPilot Dev Team, who began the project in August 2024 after seeing Disney’s version at GTC. Jaime writes: “Inspired by the droid’s lifelike motion and emotional presence, I set out to replicate it as closely as possible using insights from Disney’s published research. The build combines PLA-CF 3D-printed parts with CNC-machined components, off-the-shelf electronics, and dual Nvidia Jetson Orin NX computers. The droid is currently being trained with reinforcement learning to walk and move like its Disney counterpart. The project will be fully open sourced, with versions available both for ROS 2 users and for those building without ROS. Collaborators including Mimir Reynisson, Jessica “Psy” DeLacy, and the Open Duck Mini community — Antoine Pirrone, Mankaran Singh (Mansin), and Grégoire Passault (Gregwar) — are helping push the project forward, and Mathew Collins built the Steamdeck app that will be used as the controller. A more accessible, walking version called Open Duck Mini is already available on GitHub: https://github.com/apirrone/Open_Duck_Mini, with a growing community on Discord: https://discord.gg/krkSKZYJuT.”

MSE-6 (Mouse) Droids

The MSE droid is as old as Star Wars itself, having debuted in 1977’s Episode IV where it zipped around the Imperial ships, making deliveries and small repairs. Today’s builders are using 3D printing, styrene, wood, and aluminum to faithfully re-create the original, as well as unique versions like “Mousezilla” that are strong enough to take a ride on, and even tow an astromech behind! It’s a fun first droid to build; learn how at mousedroidbuilders.club or on Facebook.

Mouse Droid Builder Profile

Romano and Connie Bassi

This MSE droid was inspired by a 2008 episode of Robot Chicken. Externally, it is designed to be as screen accurate as possible to the droids seen in Star Wars. The outer shell is made from vacuum-formed styrene, sourced through the Mouse Droid Builders forum. For authenticity, the side greeblies are real computer IC chips and capacitors mounted on breadboards, while the top greeblies were 3D printed and enhanced with additional computer components. The shell is mounted on a modified RC car chassis and powered by an off-the-shelf RC car brushed motor, Sabertooth motor driver, and steering servo.

Inside, Romano and Connie created a miniature cockpit using 3D files from Thingiverse, which they customized in Tinkercad. The cockpit houses two mice: MSE-3827, the driver, and his supervisor MSE-421 in the passenger seat. Both figures have 3D-printed frames designed in Tinkercad. The driver’s head moves side-to-side using a single mounted servo. The passenger has three servos, for left-right and up-down head movement, and for tilting the body so he can lean out when a hidden side door opens. That door is operated by another servo attached to the top shell.

They crafted the mice heads using needle felting, with the hands, feet, and tails sculpted from pink oven-bake clay. The mice uniforms were repurposed from licensed 1:6 scale Imperial officer action figures, tailored to fit the mouse bodies while allowing servo movement. Armor and helmets were 3D printed using files from Thingiverse.

For added detail, they installed LED lighting in the cockpit. The mice servo movements were programmed using a Maestro controller. Sound effects — including clips from Star Wars: A New Hope and cute mouse squeaks — are triggered via RC transmitter switches.

GNK-series Power Droid (Gonk)

The GNK droid is another that’s as old as Star Wars itself, and can be found all over the galaxy, providing power where needed, dispensing payments, or even being used as a weapon. GNK droids are some of the easiest to create, as most builders start with two plastic storage bins stacked on top of each other, then use their creativity to add greebles such as lights, vents, holoprojectors, and often a functional charging port! The Gonk Droid Builders Group can be found on Facebook.

Gonk Builder Profile

Mike Longo

Mike always had a fascination with movie and TV robots. When Star Wars came out in 1977, he was 12 years old and marveled at the variety of cool-looking droids. R2-D2 was his favorite, but he had a fascination with the funky Gonk droid we saw in the Jawa’s sandcrawler. Years later when a friend posted pictures of a Gonk they’d just built, that ramped up Mike’s enthusiasm to make one himself. Perusing storage bins at the local hardware store he came upon an oddly shaped plastic tote that resembled what he thought a Gonk body should look like, and so his build began.

Mike used a 3D printer to make the feet and many of the greeblies. He also designed a few parts of his own like the E-shaped panel on the side. The cable is a bungee cord spray-painted silver, and the “face” is made from a food storage container. His son Nick got involved too, wiring up the four LED lights on the face. To cover up the seam where the two bins meet, he cut long strips of PVC plastic boards and heated the strips with a hairdryer to help bend them into shape. To cover the seams between strips, he 3D printed some brackets.

Next, to make it more than just a big paperweight, he added a portable charger with USB sockets. It powers the droid’s LEDs and portable MP3 player with speaker, and connects to external ports on the side of the Gonk for charging phones.

The base coat of this Gonk is granite gray and midnight blue, protected by a layer of clear matte finish. Mike is now in the process of weathering it to make it look old and used. It currently resides in his home office, but you may soon see it at the next Star Wars-themed event!

C-Series Astromech Droid (“Chopper”)

C-series droids were considered obsolete during the Galactic Empire, but a few remained in use, most notably C1-10P, aka Chopper.

Originally featured in the animated series Star Wars: Rebels, Chopper made the leap to live action in Rogue One and then Ahsoka. There are some differences in appearance between the two versions, and builders have embraced both of his looks. Find the Chopper Builders group both on astromech.net and on Facebook.

Chopper Builder Profile

Jaime Acevedo

Jaime and his wife are big fans of Star Wars Rebels. They were inspired to build Chopper due to his personality: he’s not a typical droid subservient to humans.

Jaime 3D printed Chopper using the files from MrBaddeley Printed Droid. Given the complexity of controlling a droid with a high degree of animation like Chopper, Jaime developed several different controllers to allow him to quickly access the correct sounds and sequences for interacting with others at events.

He has a custom phone app and game controller that wirelessly connects to an ESP32 in the droid, giving him full control over all of Chopper’s actions. When he wants to be more stealthy, a custom-built controller can fit in the palm of his hand, with buttons for each of Chopper’s most commonly used sounds and actions.

Treadwell Droids

WED Treadwell droids pop up all across the galaxy, tending moisture farms, repairing the Millennium Falcon, grilling up Krayt Dragon steaks. After playing a minor role in A New Hope, Treadwells have appeared in The Empire Strikes Back, Attack of the Clones, The Mandalorian, and The Book of Boba Fett. Paul Thompson and Ross Saggio are working on detailed build plans; find the Treadwell Builder’s Club on Facebook.

Treadwell Builder Profile

Paul Thompson

Paul was 9 when he saw Star Wars in theaters for the first time and was completely blown away. He begged to see it again and again. His parents bought him The Star Wars Storybook, and inside was a small photo of Luke standing beside a Treadwell droid, gazing at a battle in the sky. Paul knew one day, he’d build that droid.

In 2009 when he started, there wasn’t much information available. His build (Figure ) has evolved with the help of other droid sleuths. Turns out Treadwell’s “eyes” are the internal lenses from a Paterson Trident 35mm slide viewer. The gripper claw? A repurposed pickle fork. Tracks? A 3″ race car blower belt turned inside out. Once he identified these, he could extrapolate dimensions for the whole droid.

Paul’s Treadwell is a mix of wood, aluminum, plastic, 3D-printed components, and found parts. The head is mostly wood, fitted with 3D-printed details and the authentic Trident lenses. The mast is aluminum, supporting five arms, each crafted from a combination of printed parts, metal tubes, vinyl hoses, and found items. The wooden base conceals the battery pack and electronics that bring the droid to life.

Scrubber Droids

First seen in The Phantom Menace, the Scrubber droid cleans up around hangars and workshops. Early builders discovered it was actually an 8-gallon storage tote inverted and attached to wheels. Many use an R/C car as the platform, and as these totes are fairly rugged, one of the most common uses of scrubber droids has become … racing! Any get-together of droid builders with more than one scrubber droid is likely to lead to a race and/or smash-up derby!

You can find the Scrubber builders group on Facebook; also check the Mouse droid forums as they share some of the same ideas.

Scrubber Droid Builder Profile

Jesse Maricelli

Jesse has been building droids since The Force Awakens was released in 2015, but has been a Star Wars fan all his life. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Houston, with an emphasis in power engineering and embedded systems and controls, and participated in the IEEE robotics competition there. His day job doesn’t deal with robotics, but he keeps his interests alive with Star Wars droid building projects. Jesse is a member of the Houston Area Droid Builders Club, and his designs have been reproduced throughout the world. Most notably, he completed a design for a fully animatronic, life-sized C-3PO.

Jesse was inspired to build a Scrubber droid after seeing a Scrubber racing competition at his local club. The mayhem that ensued from ludicrously fast droids tumbling down the street, flinging parts as they disintegrated, was enough for Jesse to say, “Yeah, I want one.” He began by purchasing a screen-accurate Action Packer for the shell. Designs for all the greeblies are available on the Scrubber builders Facebook page, but Jesse only used some of the standard parts. He wanted to incorporate as many “found parts” into the build as he could but still have the droid fit with the original style. Jesse used power transformers from an old DLP TV for the side greeblies. He built the radar from a medical squeeze bottle top and an arm bracket from a toilet float.

For a unique feature, Jesse repurposed an old iPhone as a terminal display on the rear of the droid. He rendered custom animations that cycle on the iPhone, mimicking a status screen. A combination of building materials were used, including 3D printed PLA and resin, ACM (aluminum composite material), and thin aluminum sheet. The electronics consist of Sabertooth motor controllers, an Arduino Mega, and PS3 Move Navigation controllers. The scrubber runs on a modified version of SHADOW, popular with R2-D2 builders, and can strafe left and right with the use of Mecanum wheels in addition to driving normally.

This droid was an easy project that Jesse could knock out quickly while he mulled what would inspire him next. He’s excited to start his next droid build, looking out toward a galaxy far, far away.

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This article appeared in Make: Volume 94.

Featured photo by Chris Moody