How I Built a Life Size Battle Droid in 2 Weeks

[@glrasshopper]

Almost crashing the car is a perfectly reasonable response to seeing a life-sized B1 watching the cars go by

[@MMsPropShop]

😂

[@axcenomega]

Time to scale up production…

[@johnwillsea6600]

Ah yes proof of their effectiveness at security checkpoints. Fun facts: In the tie in games that came out before the phantom menace The trade federation had to conquer several pirate planets on their way to Naboo, since they didn't want a blockade in the same solar system this is where their weathering came from lore wise for the movies and allowed people to make their games canonical. This is also why you don't see all the various types in the game since the droids who made it to Naboo were primarily the security battle droids (what is seen in this video and the movie). They were not made for frontal combat with that being more the other droids with them that we don't see later because they were less than effective aside from the AAT which is actually a droid at first but cheaper just to make one without the brain and instead put B1s controlling. Next, originally the B1s were going to be white to pay an homage to the Clone troopers, but George Lucas overruled this so it'd be more visually distinct and recognizable. Tan was selected because it worked the best in the 3d animation software in use at the time which were more geared making characters and skin tones when it came to rigged characters and was thus more real looking at a lower cost. In lore this color has two explanations the first being that was just the color of the alloy used, and the second which was cannon at the time but is no longer being that they were just given a protective paint job (like Rust-Oleum) and tan was either the cheapest or made them more relatable since they looked more similar to actual living beings that way. I hope this helps, man do I want to make a droid to help my highschool robotics team, and I hope you have a wonderful day.

[@Mid-Coast_Bricks]

@@axcenomega I agree, we should have droid factory's in all continents and then release them ALL AT ONCE

[@tylerhenry5575]

100%

[@crispy_338]

Man I always get overwhelmed or discouraged when my projects end up having so many parts and so much post processing. Kudos on the work ethic to crank this out so fast. It turned out great 😊

[@MMsPropShop]

Thanks! I tend to go with the ‘get it finished before you think too hard about it’ method lol. If I don’t they stay unfinished for years 😅

[@CM-ARM]

Wow I had to thank you. Really, really cool

[@bryanharrison3889]

A total nerd with tech skills AND fab skills is a certified triple-threat!

[@Wico90YT]

Roger, Roger

[@YouTube_username.]

Mr Roger Rogers lol

[@billbeck3258]

Roger, Roger

[@stevengrantofthegiftshop1549]

Aaaahh you beat me to it!

[@lanturned3343]

I was about to say. I can hear the:”roger, roger…” already and seeing it walk away. So cool!!!

[@Verymusician193]

Aw man. I was about to comment that!

[@RobbieB2606]

Absolutely insane. As a kid when TPM came out, I thought batte droids were the absolute coolest. You've done such a great job - it looks quite intimidating in real life!

[@Tuesdayz]

girl that looks insane, the attention to detail is so good, you even got that grime under the droids nipple 😂

[@AchanCham_]

Absolutely incredible! I was completely blown away when I saw that the droid had movable joints! How cool! Thank you so much for your hard work and for sharing this video!

[@MMsPropShop]

He’s basically a giant action figure, haha! Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@pbookle]

Amazing! Looks like he walked straight off the set of the movie. Really beautiful work, thanks for sharing.

[@OriginalSharpe]

Literally every video I learn a new technique for weathering a piece. I gotta try that tape technique on my next build. Usually I just paint it on but I love how organic and natural the tape technique looks. Great job!

[@meadmaker4525]

Fantastic work!! It's always the sanding and prep that takes the longest, but when you take the time to do it right it's SOOOO worth it. If I had room for this kind of stuff in my house, I'd love to have a go at this myself. And shout out to whoever put that 3D print file together so people like us can do it at home!! It's just so cool to see that B1 standing there. Just needs a motion sensor somewhere on him so he says, "Roger, roger" whenever you walk by.

[@BuckyMF]

Your mom helping you is probably my favorite part. No one in my family has a love for Star Wars except for me... So cool!

[@davanti]

I have NEVER seen 3D prints look this good in my LIFE. you have such incredible skill and dilligence. your meticulous nature makes for the most beautiful work. really incredible!!!

[@flibblebot]

Brilliant build as always. Your parents are awesome for helping like that!

[@RobotOnLine]

Your work is amazing! I found your channel a few days ago and I'm blown away by your knowledge and quality of work.

[@TechMindsOfficial]

Wow! That is AWESOME! Thank you for sharing your process.

[@cttc-chintokastacticalcrap2421]

Awesome job! So jealous for having the space to display these Droids.

[@digipettoworkshop9091]

I've always said it's the slicer, not the printer thats the failed print issue. Thanks for introducing me to Orca. Easy installation, printing like a gem on my Qidi Plus3 on the first try. I've ben struggling for a full day with Qidi's slicer and Cura. Neither was getting it right. Thank you MM!

[@DurdenTyler21]

How are you not MORE famous? This is art... this right here!

[@tommyvaughanhaus]

No kidding.

[@mertz7305]

You don't have enough subscribers for your quality of output. FANTASTIC videos!

[@props88]

What an amazing job Michaela!!! Your perfection in painting is going to make me work even harder! Thank you so much for sharing so many techniques! I will be building mine soon, so your video is a huge help!

[@CraftComputing]

Fantastic build! Absolutely insane for a two week build.

[@Kasrk1n]

man.. you are everywhere :D

[@CraftComputing]

@@Kasrk1n I do get around 😀

[@SparrowHawk183]

Oh my goodness, this build is SO FREAKING COOL! Impressive, most Impressive. My 3D printing experience is mostly small scale, so seeing this full scale build and all the post pricessing + painting work and tricks is totally inspiring. Instant new subscriber!

[@wingnutbert9685]

Very cool!!! I love that you are doing these full scale! Not something you see a lot of people do, nor be able to afford or have the space to build. And I really think airbrushing on the grime juice instead of brushing is much better. Well done!

[@sagedrummer]

I am so impressed with your skill and your attention to detail. This droid looks incredible!! Kudos to your supportive parents too!

[@GatchamanG4]

Your channel popped up in my feed. Wow, I'm so happy it did!!! You are such a talented artist!! Going to go back and watch the rest of your. Builds! ❤👍👍

[@ComplexPlastic]

Absolutely amazing! I completed my B1 in march of this year and it took me over 3 months start to finish! Your post processing workflow is inspiring and weathering techniques would have been a huge help for me. After seeing yours, I’m actually considering doing another build after I swore to myself that I would never put myself through that again.

[@ADAM2ME]

Always love seeing B1 getting some love

[@keepitdicey]

3:27 - The what?! I just learnt you can recycle your support materials and this is awesome! Subscribed.

[@TheBadonski]

The amount of work and effort in this build is really impressive. Great battle droid!

[@Dwight.Schrute69]

Amazing work as always! Your skill level and attention to detail is absolutely incredible!

[@jacobthomassen5261]

Seen more prop videos the last few years than my reel addicted wife has seen reels 😅. Your editing is great - pace, level of information, steps etc while answering most likely asked questions along the way.. And your work is amazing

[@jackpaxton9391]

This droid is everything i've ever wanted. B1 droids are so cute! They're just little goobers!

[@LNERA3]

Amazing work! You did great job with the weathering especially. I hope to eventually finish my battle droid too and seeing your video helped me get the energy to do so.

[@asalexsanchez18]

The foot sander is a game changer! Thank you for the link. I have hand issues so sanding causes pain but this machine is great, it fits my hand easier. Also it’s very quiet so I don’t have to worry about a noise complaint. This should make building my B1 Droid way easier!

[@BudoReflex]

Absolutely amazing! You are a master printer and maker. So glad to find your channel.

[@Glitch_Arts]

wow this channel is incredibly underrated and this project and video is really well done. Your building skills is amazing to watch!

[@anklebiterwoodworks2818]

How awesome is that: mom and dad joining in! Big props to awesome parents!

[@JulianMakes]

Brilliant job! And well done mum and dad! I saw the uk premier of the movie in Leicester square. C3PO came to give a little pep talk before the movie.

[@youtubasoarus]

This is one of the coolest projects i've ever seen! I have always wanted to build a battle droid and the level of effort shown here shows why I have, as yet, been unsuccessful in that project lol. Unreal! Amazing job, this is super rad!

[@kschantz]

That was pretty amazing. I've had to assemble and finish my Darth Vader shoulder armor, helmet, Shin Armor, and other hard parts and it was a real Pain. I can't imagine the amount of time and effort you had to give to this project. It looks like the payoff was worth it. Very nice work!

[@rafiqkatana]

Wow! That's a hell of a first video of yours for me to *walk my eyes through.* You rock. I'm so glad I stumbled onto your channel.

[@universaljoint]

Beautiful work! And inspirational... My printer has been down for over a year now and this really made me miss working on stuff like that. I love that you did that base "metal" with the paint on top. That for me is always far superior to brushing on metal "chipping" after the main paintjob.

[@jjfordingpoursoulstudios8581]

Rodger Rodger it looks awesome! Insane time frame for such an epic result! Kudos 👏 👏 👏

[@LivingLambeaux]

I've been using the air brushed wash method since one of your videos probably close to a year ago and I have to say it's excellent. Makes the weathering look so much better!

[@timhurst1861]

Thank you for the awesome video! I am doing the same build at this time and seeing your process has helped a lot. Also, thank you for the sander recommendation, I bought one and it is a massive time saver and quality of life for my elbow for the rough sanding stages

[@PeterSoden-eb6js]

A terrific build. So impressive, I was just waiting for it to move!

[@antdanny]

This project turened out phenomenal! I love your videos and how you explain what you do! I find this very informative and helpful, as I am currently building DroidDivision's Pit Droid. Seeing your amazing work always gets me motivated. Also it's so sweet that your parents helped you with sanding!

[@GregoryHaynes]

I really enjoy watching you demonstrate the various techniques you use. The slurry 1st then sand is unique I believe.

[@MMsPropShop]

I just thought it might save me a step. I was going to have to sand the slurry anyway so why not do it first so that I would only need to sand the part once.

[@Gautierlegoat]

So beautiful ! Your painting is truly superb ! Is it life size I have the impression that it is bigger than in the movies. A big congratulations from a French fan

[@kniffin719]

Great job! The fact that you did this in two weeks blows my mind! That's a ton of work.

[@PeterKNoone]

So much work! Amazing results! I'm grateful that you share all the details about your process. Working on some helmets myself and your tips are invaluable. Thank you!

[@PeterKNoone]

Ok I've now watched this 3 times. Love it.

[@stratagama]

i just discovered this channel, this was super fascinating and a real treat to see. Its cool to see the overlap in some techniques I use in my model trains being used on a much larger scale.

[@ronrobasser9810]

I just love your attention to detail, you do such an amazing job I love your videos

[@AsterHiggins]

The final product is so well crafted it really came out perfect!

[@MrMonkey2475]

Looks awesome, I’ve just had this video pop up in my recommendations and it makes me wonder how many great channels are out there that are unfortunately unknown due to sub count

[@ThatGuy-mp9og]

I know this is an older video, but a tip for airbrushing stencles to prevent bleeding. Spray a clear coat over the stencle while its in place let it dry then add you color of choice. The clear coat seals the gap some that causes the bleeding of the paint and since its clear it wont be noticed

[@p11_studios]

This is absolutely insane, so cool you got this done so quickly. But even at all, these projects are so huge

[@TheHomeDesigner123]

I stumbled onto your site. I am very impreed with you work and abilities. Well done.❤❤❤

[@encouragingthings]

Absolutely epic build! And, honestly, if you make a Battle Droid look so real it freaks out the locals then you know you did a good job! Great video, thank you!

[@gstone42]

So glad I found your channel! I just bought my first 3-d printer with the goal of making one of these! TY for all the steps and explanations!

[@thedoctor755]

Now you have me wanting to make one myself :) Always thought about it, a B-1 would be a perfect display item at our SW legions booth at cons! Love your techniques.... I would be likely printing PLA+ though, I seem to have better luck with it.

[@Capohanf1]

The MOST impressive Star Wars project I have EVER seen was a Full sized Storm Trooper costume. What was impressive about it you ask? It was displayed at a county fair in 1974! Some guy had built it 30+ years BEFORE the internet AND/OR 3D printers had even been thought of!

[@Roundtablist]

1974? 3 years before A New Hope came out? Do you mean 1984? Otherwise I don't know how you'd even know what it was when you saw it.

[@Capohanf1]

@@Roundtablist It was the year the first movie came out.

[@StevenWalksalone-bk7tt]

May 25, 1977 Star Wars premiered.

[@HeisenStark13]

​@@Capohanf1 you must be from another universe, came out in '77 in this one

[@BlackestBeard]

Well I just randomly came across this channel and just have to say you are super entertaining and I learned quite a bit. Thanks for the inspiration, to start my B1.

[@coltonpruitt3050]

I just purchased a Neptune 3 Max, and this is my dream print. Thank you for making this video!

[@cree8ion401]

wow!!!! that is so cool. Somthing I have always wanted. You are incredibly talented. Thanks for showing the process. And WTG your Mom.

[@LordHerbert32]

The droids used in the phantom menace which looked like b1s were actually OOM battle droids which is why they talk/sound different. The B1s were only later used in battle as opposed to “peace keeping” and stuff like that.

[@JrielCel]

I really admire your dedication to these time-consuming projects. I'm glad it paid off in the end. For It is a fine addition to add to your collection

[@harigarou]

Really love your droid builds, awesome weathering on the B1 in particular. Also you're pushing me to look into FDM printers again 😅

[@stevenrielly240]

Excellent work. A wee aside. I know acetone is readily available, but MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) may be better for your slurry... it's what we used, when I worked in plastcs fabrication, specifically for ABS. As well as for welding, we used it for slurry. It doesn't evaporate as fast as acetone too.

[@Tomcat_Centauri]

The KZbin algorithm blessed me with your Channel today, love to see a fellow geek Gal building awesome props !! You've done some really impressive stuff, keep making Droids 🥰🥰 And i wholeheartedly agree, ABS may be annoying the Print and bla bla bla, but anyone who has worked with ABS before knows it's a MILLION times easier to post-process than PLA, not to mention you can use ABS-slurry to glue parts together, it's basically a free glue and beats any CA glue or Epoxy type of glue you can buy... If i had an enclosed Printer, i'd favour ABS over PLA any day.

[@dustydesigners8657]

Stencil vinyl you say. Regardless of my skill/experience level I always manage to pick up something new from your videos. Bravo!

[@MMsPropShop]

Yep! It’s a lower tack film, typically a transparent colour so that you can see where it is and what’s underneath. There’s also artist masking film that’s more commonly used in traditional artwork applications. Same idea although I think it’s always completely clear. Can be difficult to make out where it is if you’re trying to double check placement which is why I switched to the vinyl.

[@dustydesigners8657]

Awesome thanks for the reply. I've just been using sticker label paper for stencils, which as you could imagine can be problematic

[@codecombustion7878]

I was nervous about my QIDI Plus 4 purchase but feel better about after seeing your prints on QIDI stuff.

[@aidanbowen1693]

Thank you for this informative how-to. inspirational stuff. You got skills lady!

[@stoneledgetinyhouse]

AMAZING build! Just happened upon your channel. Loving Droids I am curious are you able to remove the back support pole & place it in the transport folded position?

[@DanCarman]

So Cool! Next up a full scale Droideka!!!! Great job.

[@jonhoffman4146]

Hello, thank you for making this informative video. I have been tempted to go large for awhile but your video pushed me over. So I am going for it to use QIDI X-Max 3 and a Anycubic M5S pro to do the job. I am ordering 5 spools of the same ABS you are using plus some resin for the printer. I even got me a foot sander, never thought I'd buy one of those but hey, here we are. Anything I forget? I will use as many of your links as I can so you get your affiliate stuff. Thanks again.

[@kelpstorm]

love the metallic chipping!! it really makes it

[@timmehjimmeh]

You're making me want to make one to go with the droid blaster I designed and printed a few years back! Best display stand for the blaster, obviously.

[@MMsPropShop]

Haha, that’s my kind of thinking 👍🏻

[@timmehjimmeh]

@@MMsPropShop You got me good 😂

[@Fraxls]

This is so cool! Just found your channel and these look so good, the detail you put into these is amazing!

[@digipettoworkshop9091]

Thanks MM!- I have never heard of Orca Slicer before. My other slicers have just been failing me. Just downloaded it for my Qidi XPlus3. Wish me luck!

[@MMsPropShop]

Orca has definitely been my main slicer as of late. It works with the majority of my printers and I’ve always had fantastic results using it. If you go to try to set up the x-plus 3 to send print jobs remotely, you’ll need to add :10088 after the printer’s IP address in order for it to connect properly.

[@digipettoworkshop9091]

@@MMsPropShop Thank you for replying and the IP advice. BTW- I'm a 3D modeler and have a few 3D models I think you'd be interested in maybe creating. No charge of course but happy to send you photos if you'd like to see them?

[@Les12flingues]

It was really amazing, I watched the whole video. I love your explanations of the whole process, it was very entertaining and I learnt a lot, cheers from France! :)

[@Robothut]

Fantastic job on the droid. Thank you for sharing the project with us.

[@WaitWhat99]

So much careful attention to detail. That was a real pleasure to watch. Thankyou! Subscribed 👍

[@robert5770]

Hello, those are some awesome tips for the finishing the Droid. I had a funny thought about these droids. Add a Quiver and Bow! Or even medieval them up. That's my quirky sense of humor. :) I'm gonna try and make a few of them myself. Take care.

[@elvislucas5087]

Congratulations, another wonderful job. Your projects are really impressive.

[@DavidConant]

Love this whole video! 15 minutes in you discuss the beige color change and lighting. Most likely the change in color and appearance was due to the render engines used for the Phantom Menace. (Possibly RenderMan)The physical reference props built for George probably sport the most accurate color, but each one can be different :)

[@rOEN911]

thats very nice ,what i suggest you if you got an air compressor you should start using automotive primers that are 5 times better than the spray cans especially when you using high build primer you need to do your part once and not multiple times then a final fine primer if needed and you are done ,i used to do that also with spray cans and is expensive and you wasting your time at the end of the day !

[@MMsPropShop]

I would love to but any type of primer/paint/finishing coat that I would like to use is non existent in Canada. I’m still trying to weigh the pros and cons because the few types that I might be able to source still become a whole ordeal to get. Right now being able to pick up cans from multiple possible stores when I need them is much more practical for me.

[@rOEN911]

@@MMsPropShop i just had a quick google search por15 ,Eastwood ,pro form,duplicolor that i normally use are available in Canada from almost every store a layer of high build primer of one of those drying and is ready to work on it in about an hour and a single layer is like 3 layers of a spray can ! Like i said you should try to work exclusive with automotive colors are cheaper more durable and drying very fast plus you can make at your local store any shade of color you like !

[@xxxxzorroxxxx]

Love the video can you post the paint you use? Specially, the silver and so on or codes thank you always loved your channel.

[@Bluebrain]

@MMsPropShop I really wish, you'd (maybe just additionally) make more and longer, more in-depth videos of your great work. Your camera work is great, your way of commenting is great, cutting is great and also the final outcome! 👍 I'm planning to make my first life size figure, so I also watched several others on KZbin making one, to inhale as much tips and tricks as possible. There are many out there feeling very confident, but often their outcome is not nearly as clean and nice as yours! I have absolutely no idea, why your channel has only 15k subs. Seems massively underrated. Please keep up the good work! But I think it would be even more beneficial if you explained the steps and your working methods in more detail.

[@badger_7018]

absolutely amazing!! fantastic job! The B1 battle droids are my favorite.

[@droiddivision-rushmorestudios]

Superb job as always Michaela. Mr Rogers looks perfect :)

[@MMsPropShop]

My workshop would be a sad, droid-less wasteland without your wonderful files.

[@johnromer2100]

Thanks for sharing so many ideas. Really appreciate your dedication to the craft and to sharing with us.

[@Noahleitner98]

I see you have constructed a new droid. Your skills are now complete. Indeed you are as powerful as the emperor has foreseen.

[@N17C1]

Excellent work! I've found UV 3D printing resin is better than ABS goo for surface finish. Brush it on the same, let it cure in the sun and it fills all the low parts and is very very easy to sand. Still have to use a good respirator like you are already doing. It requires almost no spray filler. For a professional like you, it will save time and money, making things a bit more profitable for you.

[@RadioBespin]

wow im amazed - this is fantastic work you should be a movie prop creator!

[@mattylarkspur9858]

omg this is SO cool!! would you ever consider doing a droideka or a (scaled-down) droid starfighter? i always loved those designs

[@Jaws-LRD]

First time for me that I see your channel, you win a subscriber 🎉 keep the good work

[@anthonypoole4025]

Amazing craftsmanship ❤❤❤. It looks fantastic

[@DagrtOne]

I love when the family gets involved!!! Great job on the droid. What’s next?!!!

[@MMsPropShop]

I should probably finish up my K2SO. Printed him in the winter but now that the weather is nicer I’ll be able to work on post processing and painting him.

[@Animob-Tv]

This looks awesome!! Mr. Roger looks like he walked right out of one of the prequel movies.