R2-D2 VACUUM

This is an "express" project. The target is to “transform” -skin- an Einhell vacuum cleaner (model TC-VC 1820 or similar) into an R2-D2 easily and quickly.

ATTENTION: I am not responsible for the loss of warranty on the vacuum cleaner or for any security problem of this type of modification may entail. You must do everything at your own risk. I only tell you what I have done with my vacuum cleaner at my own risk.

• Vacuum cleaner (Einhell TC-VC 1820 or similar)
• Basket ball (size 7)
• Printed vinyl (scaled) based on R2D2 papercraft (page1): https://www.papercraftplaza.com/r2d2/
• cutter, glue.
• Power of the Force.

To get the vacuum cleaner to have a spherical shape on the "head", I have removed the handle and used a basketball of the largest possible (size 7). I have cut it in half and joined both parts so that they have consistency. I have cut out the shape of the air intake and the power cord. It is a little smaller than necessary, you could make a hemisphere with a larger ball and papier-mâché, but it would no longer be an express project.

Print the first sheet of the papercraft (https://www.papercraftplaza.com/r2d2/ ) on an adhesive vinyl and stick it to the vacuum cleaner. To do this, I have gone to a print shop and asked them to print the sheet (A4) in a scaled size (16€). The printing scale is calculated by measuring the height of the vacuum cleaner (metal part) 30cm, and calculating its proportion with the width of an A4. In our case it is necessary to print on A4 size 141.4 x 100 cm. This way you can calculate the print size if your vacuum cleaner is a different model.

The vinyl setting process has been more difficult than I thought, and the results can be easily improved, for example using water with the vinyl; less big hands; or less rush ;-).

For the aging and oxidation process of RD2D2 I have used a kind of varnish, called "betun de judea". it allows to hide the imperfections of the project, in addition it gives an aspect closer to the function it performs.

Finally, you have to make the r2d2 eye with cardboard inside, and glue a cuple of plastic cap for the other stuff.

I don't know if we have achieved the transformation, or rather we have made a Halloween costume for the vacuum cleaner. You decided!

As always in our projects, it is necessary to give it a “story”: The droid is an old combat unit model R2-D2 veteran of the Clone Wars that, after a bet in the Instructables bar, has ended its days sucking up the dust from a clandestine workshop in a remote corner of the Galaxy.

But it has a secret hidden inside him that may change the course of history ...

You can follow this project and others in my web page: http://jfsebastian.telekomor.com (in Spanish, of course). Soon in instructables (and in perfect English, hahaha).