Blue Milk Special

This sort of thing has probably happened to us all at some point. Just switch the jungle for a city, a parking garage, or a convention. Sometimes you just have to make a decision and roll with it. Even if it ends up being downhill. Some people have expressed concern for Kenny Baker, who is obviously inside our R2 unit. Don’t worry, this is just a webcomic. No one was harmed in the making of this strip.

Here is part two of our interview with R2 Builder, Jason Pangborn.

Blue Milk Special: What is life like with an R2 unit, being at conventions and being able to share it with others?

Jason Pangborn: Doing events with R2 is great. He always steals the show. It is so much fun to see the reactions people have when they see him. Everyone loves R2 and I try to share him with as many people as possible.

BMS: How many hours went into the making of your R2?

JP: I don’t know the number of actual man-hours I put in to R2. I wish I had kept better track of that. it is one of the most common questions I get asked.

I can say, that from the day I joined the R2builders club til the day I took R2, completed, to his first event, was 17 months. During that 17 months, there were periods where no progress was made for weeks at a time, and other times when I spent weeks working on him every available moment.

BMS: Would you consider your R2 finished? Or are you like my dad with his car and constantly tweaking it?

JP: There are improvements id like to make. I had intended to do more with him than I have. All of my droids panels and doors are hinged, but I have never added the servos I need to open and close them remotely. I also have a number of “gadgets” ready to be installed, like the periscope and the gripper claw for example, but I have not installed them either.

Now that R2 is finished and regularly doing events, maintenance becomes more important than upgrades. My R2 has done more than 80 events in the last 30 months, he takes a beating. There is always a wire loose, a belt slipping, or a wheel that has worn down and needs replacing. Keeping R2 in working order for the next event takes priority over the advanced features I’d like to add.

BMS: What’s next? I heard something about a BB8 (the new ball droid from Star Wars VII) project? How did you come to this decision?

JP: With the new movies, come new characters. All indications are that BB8 is going to be a favorite and I want to be able to give the kids what they want to see. So to that end, I have begun working on a BB8. unlike my R2-D2 which is all aluminum, BB8 will be made from all 3d printed parts wrapped around a 20″ Polycarbonate sphere.

BMS: Are kids still going to give R2 some love?

JP: Of course. R2 is one of the most recognizable characters in the Star Wars universe. He has been in all of the movies. He was in the Clone Wars and has appeared in Star Wars Rebels. He will be in The Force Awakens As well.

Not only do the kids love R2, the adults do too. R2 will be getting plenty of love.

BMS: What’s your best R2 memory from the events you have taken him to?

JP: Wow, that’s a hard question. There have been so many great memories to chose from.

My R2 has visited Make-A-Wish children, has been at the birthday party of a young girl who had recently lost everything she had, including siblings, to a devastating house fire, Has been the ring bearer at a wedding and carried the ring to a woman as her boyfriend proposed to her. He has done parades, baseball games, charity events, schools and libraries. he has been seen on the news, in the newspaper, in magazines and in fan films. Which memory is the best? All of them!

Each and Every time I roll my R2 out of his trailer, someone is going to smile. That is why we do this. Every time a child sees R2 and smiles, it makes it all worth it.