Life-Sized DIY BB-8 Droid Less Than $15

Hii, in this instructable i'm going to teach you how to make a radio control life-size bb-8.

There is a science exhibition in my school so i need to make a working model then i think to make bb-8 droid.

It cost me about $12 to make this project.i am not including the recycled parts prices.

so lets start the Introtuction of the bb-8 droid.

Step 1: How Bb-8 Works

This video will taught you how the bb-8 works.

When i saw the bb-8 first time then there's a question generated in my mind that how bb-8 head stay's upside all the time.

So the answer is that the mechanism which is inside the bb-8 body keeps the head of the bb-8 on the top.The bb-8 body mechanism always want to stay downward due to its weight.

This will keep the magnetic mechanism upside all the time.

Step 2: Materials and Parts Required

Here's the list of materials and parts you required to make this bb-8 droid.

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Robotics and Electronics:

- Radio control car module

- 12V motor

- 9V battery x 4

- PCB board

- Wires,switch,solder

Body of BB-8:

- Inflatable ball

- Newspaper

- Foam sheet

- Wood putty

- Glue

- Orange, white and grey paint color

Head of BB-8:

- Thermocol

- Orange,white and grey paint color

- Antenna

Step 3: Fill the Air

Now take the ball and fill the air until you reach the maximum size of the ball.

Step 4: Cut the Newspaper

Carefully cut the newspaper like given in the picture above with a help of a knife.

Step 5: Cover Newspaper on the Ball

Now cover the strips of newspaper on the ball and i make a water and glue mixture to paste newspaper on the ball.Cover the 3 layers of newspaper on the ball and after you paste the 3 layer of newspaper, left the ball to be dry.

The ball is working like the mold of the newspaper.

Step 6: Layer of Foam

After the drying process cover a layer of foam which is 0.5 cm thick. These foam is used in the packing of a furnitures. You need to paste it to ball with the help of glue.We're not going to paste it with water and glue mixture paste.

Step 7: Cut the Overlapping Foam

To make our BB-8 to run smother we need to cut the overlapping foam on the ball.Cut it with the help of a knife.

Step 8: Final Layer of Newspaper

Now paste the final layer of newspaper on the foam.You can now use the water and glue mixture paste.Paste only one layer of newspaper on it.

Step 9: Apply Wood Putty on BB-8 Body

The bb-8 body still has some gaps.so i'm going to use wood putty to fill those gaps.This will make the bb-8 body more smoother to run.use an metal applicator to apply wood putty.Any excess putty will be removed after the sanding process.

Step 10: Let It Dry

Leave the body of bb-8 to be get dry.Be sure that the body is fully dried before going to the next step.

Step 11: Head of the Bb-8

While the body of bb-8 dry we will make the head of the bb-8.The store is running out of styrofoam ball so i need to make the ball like head manually.To make you need to buy thermocol and then paste the 6-7 layer of thermoco and then left it to get paste completely for 10-15 minutes.then cut the round bb-8 head like structure of the thermocol.

Step 12: Apply Putty on Head

Now apply the wood putty on the head of the bb-8 droid to make it loke smooth and nice.

Step 13: Paint the Head

First sand off the excess putty from the head and then you need to see the pictures above to see the designing of the bb-8 head .carefully draw the design and paint it with water color.

Step 14: Sanding the Body

Now after the drying process sand off the excess putty from the body.sand off the body untill you reach a marble smooth surface.

Step 15: Reaching the Smooth Surface of Body

When you get a smooth surface of the bb-8 body then you can start the painting process.

Step 16: Painting the White Paint on the Body

Now, take the white paint and paint it all over the body.I used a wall paint to paint it but i recommend you to buy the spray paint if you have a little more budget.If you use the wall paint then you need to left it for some hours because these paint take some time to get dried.

Step 17: Painting the Design of Bb-8 Body

Now, make the design on the bb-8 body.the design of the bb-8 is on the above.you can see the design from there.

Step 18: Cut the Bb-8 Body

After the paint dries cut the ball into two equal parts using the hacksaw.you can also use a knife to cut it but be sure to cut it into two equal parts.

Step 19: Build the Mechanism

First take a old project file and then cut the cardboard of it.Mark the point to be cut and then cut it with the help of a knife.

Step 20: Add the Motors to the Cardboard

Now join the motor on the cardboard.I used the zip tight to keep the motor on the place.

Step 21: Add Ball on the Cardboard

I used the ping pong ball to make the mechanism balanced.This will help us to reduce the friction.so, take the ping pong ball and cut it into two equal parts take the galvanised wire and make the shape as given in the picture.i used the zip tight to place the balls on cardboard i used it to make the mechanism balanced.

Step 22: Magnetic Magnesium of Bb-8 Body

Take a wood of cuboidal shape and join a cardboard on it.i used a old 9v battery metal to make sure the metal nail do not break and get pass through it.

Step 23: Joining Wood Stand

Now join the wood stand to the mechanism of the bb-8 body.like before use the 9v battery metal to prevent nail to pass through the cardboard.

Step 24: Connecting the Radio Control Car Module.

I take my old RC car and take out this RC module to control the bb-8.connect the motor wires to the motors and battery wires to battery.I used four 9v battery to power the rc module which means 9 x 4 =36v. Be sure to connect the battery in series and to add on/off switch in it.

Step 25: Put the Magnets on the Wood Stand

Now paste the magnets on the top of the wood stand.i recommend you use speaker magnets as they are much powerful magnets then other.

Step 26: Add the Magnet in the Head of the Bb-8

Use these type of magnet in the bb-8 head.i forgot to click the picture of the balls inside it so i am going to taught you that in written.first take the ping pong ball and cut it into two equal parts but we need 3 cut ball so cut two balls but we only need 3 cutted balls.by using the galvanised wire join three ball in the shape of triangle. Now add the magnet on the galvanised wire and then put this mechanism inside the head of bb-8.

Step 27: Seal the Bb-8 Body

Use a powerful glue to seal the bb-8 body and do a small hole on the body pf bb-8 for the on/off switch.

Step 28: Completed

So our bb-8 droid has been made.i think you are happy with this instructables.if you have any doubt then ask in comment.i do my best to answer all your questions.