A Tea between friends :-) How was Your Day

[LePaul]

R2-D2 and I had a busy weekend, the Bangor Symphony Orchestra did "The Music of Star Wars" and we were entertaining guests and on stage for both shows

My parents came to the Sunday show

[Izzy]

Looks great, how about dressing up as an old Jedi too?

[jonnybischof]

...old Jedi...

You mean the parents, of course?

[LePaul]

I opt not to be dressed up while controlling R2-D2....it requires my full attention. Kids and adults jump in front of us all the time while we are moving about and I really try to stay far enough away to not be directly seen....but direct eye sight of where R2 is going.

I've been doing this for 7 years now and It's really amazing. The things I have learned!

The Pros have been the amazing reaction from adults and kids when they meet R2. That really fuels the passion, all those amazing smiles.

The bad side...well, kids and adults don't always respect your creation. Hitting it, pushing on doors and lighting to the point of breaking, forcing opening motorized panels. A lot of repairs that took hours to fit, leading me at times to wonder why I do this to myself!

[Frederik]

The bad side...well, kids and adults don't always respect your creation. Hitting it, pushing on doors and lighting to the point of breaking, forcing opening motorized panels. A lot of repairs that took hours to fit, leading me at times to wonder why I do this to myself!

You need to incorporate a zapper to fight of Ewoks (or its human counterparts) – just like it was originally designed

r2-d2 zapper

or in the dome

r2-d2 dome zapper

[LePaul]

You make it sound so easy! Those misbehaving ones have lawyers!

[Izzy]

I know it's more work (long term) but what about having the doors on a spring or elastic fix on the lever, so that if they do open the door it doesn't effect the actuator and the door will spring shut again?

[Izzy]

It's a bit of a pain when despite best efforts somebody forces something and huts themselves then try's to blame you!

We say that we try to design thinks to make the "squadie and idiot proof!" But we always end up with that one 'special idiot' surviving against the odds so far to either break your bit or themselves, the type of person that gets a paper cut off of 3 ply toilet paper! A complete oxygen bandit!

[LePaul]

I have springs and other 'servo saver' types linkages in there. But when a kid rips open a panel, even thatbwont save a linkage or metal gear servo!

[jonnybischof]

I'd suggest a tar and feathers dispenser!

But at the end of the day, the "good" kids' joy makes up for the dumb kids ignorance

[LePaul]

Exactly....the good ones outnumber the unruly ones.

[Titus]

Anyone going to the ProtoSpace re-opening too ?
http://www.meetup.com/nl-NL/ProtoSpace- ... =237955093

[nallath]

Nope, I've got other plans.

[LePaul]

My X-Wing fighter is down in a swamp...some green bastard won't help me lift it out.

[Izzy]

Know father he does, bastard is not, green he is.