To the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump

I had the day off yesterday due to working last Saturday so I was able to borrow my dad's truck and take a load to the dump - the old picnic table (came with house, now rotted), wood from the fence that we had replace last year because it was rotting, plus the rest of the siding and frames from the pool. It came to a loosely packed load, nearly filling the bed of the truck - easily worth the $4 tipping charge at the dump. I took pictures of the pile, I’ll try and add them later.
Downside was that I snagged my jacket with one of the pool supports and ripped out the front panel, dumping the pocket. I was able to stitch it up but it was a great spring jacket – light, with lots of pockets. I need a lot of pockets because I carry far too much stuff. I always have, ever since elementary.

I also swung by the local Laird plastics to get some styrene for the R2 and some foam core sheets. The prices on the plastic had increased by about +50% since I had last checked at the end of April. To make matters worse, they didn't even have the .040 I needed for the skins ($14.19 to $21). I was able to get a sheet of .060 ($20.75 to $28) and a sheet of black foam core ($15.75 to $19.25). I was going to get a white sheet but, with the increase ($10.75 to $16), the black was easily worth the now-smaller extra. I had to pick these up while I had the truck as a 4x8 sheet won't fit in the car. I can always roll the .040 when I get it later.
I'm building an astromech - probably two - an R2-D2 and a R5-D4. I've been a member of the R2 Builders group online for a few years and am almost at the point where I start the main assembly. I can also use the styrene for vacuforming for the son's Boba Fett costume for Valleycon.

In the mail on Wednesday I got a DVD from one of the other groups I belong to, the Aliens Legacy - with the USCM at DragonCon 2006. I have the helmet base, the boots, and I had won one of the MR Motion Trackers for a quiz on the RPF. I have papercraft plans for making a pulse rifle that I can start on now that I have some styrene. I'm saving up for the uniform and will see how the vacuforming goes to work on the armor.

Woot! I just won an Iona shoe polisher on ebay. This is the base for a PK Detector from Ghostbusters - which is one of the costumes I have actually finished. I do need to update the belt items and fix the backpack though.

Hmm, R2, costumes, marines, props, ghostbusters, games - is there any wonder why I am short on time?

David