X-Wing Rocker with R2-D2 – Custom built gift
I can’t take full credit for this project, as I took inspiration from a google image I found while sourcing ideas.
Back when my sister and her partner (now husband) announced the arrival of their baby to be, I felt compelled to build something monumental, and indeed it was!
At first, I started off with sketches of the look I wanted to achieve. Then this was drafted on to a thin board of MDF known in the trade as a ‘rod’ to actual size. A lot of the design and measurements were an estimation and what looked right to me. When this was met, I began to form a cutting list of materials.
Main body (chassis)
First of the construction was the body of the x-wing. This comprised of an elongated box, which had an opening for the baby to lay down, (from ages new born – 12/18 months) and when the child eventually outgrew to even sitting upright, there was a removable panel to allow the child’s feet and legs to stretch further.
R2D2 (Droid)
A compartment directly behind, housed the friendly droid R2D2, which I had turned using my wood lathe out of a solid block of redwood timber.
The droid’s legs were constructed and dowelled into the side of the body. The head was formed by cutting through horizontally leaving almost a half sphere on top. A hole was drilled through the body but only part way through the underside of the head, to receive a dowel which would be glued to the head but not to the body to allow this to move freely. A washer and screw device would stop the two parts separating. Wooden receptacles were turned and recessed in, this would be the droids eyes.
Later, a paint job to capture the alluring blues and reds, followed by a few coats of lacquer for sealing.
Wings
The dual wings were made of a mixture of joinery softwoods and sapele for colour and strength. Four lots of ‘blasters’ were turned using a substantial block of Douglas fir (softwood) for the main barrel, then a dowelled section to attach the weapon ends. This was glued, screwed and plugged for a subtle and strong fixing. Two metal threaded bars were glued into the wing base to act as locators onto the main body, and tightened up using wing nuts making it easier to store.
The rocker
The rocker feet were designed and made using a curved ‘jig’ (a device for mass producing something a certain way) which forced several laminations of timber to set at the designed curve, no more than around 4mm thick each. This was glued together using a water-based adhesive called cascamite. After 24hrs of drying time, this would then be cleaned up and sanded etc. and incorporated into a framework which would later support the body. On top of the ‘saddle’ to take the body would reside a mechanism to lock both rocking feet and body together safely.
Final thoughts
This project has by far, been the most fun to make and received the most compliments, and despite this project being made as a ‘gift’, I intend to make more in the future, as there truly cannot be enough Star Wars based objects out there!
This Gift for my sister took around 6 months of my spare time working around my day job, but I expect the manufacturing time to be slashed massively for future construction.
I have also been toying with the idea to design this project on CAD so the x-wing can be widely available and more affordable than the handmade version.