Prometheus Rising Studios   Ben Mininberg's models, toy customs, and design work.

Things have been busy lately at the PRHI factory, and I have been dying to show off what I’ve been working on. I didn’t want to start revealing these too early, but now everything is ready and the PRHI Shapeways Shop has been updated so you can dig in! Astromech droids are one of the most iconic aspects of the Star Wars franchise and Kenner clearly recognized this early on, releasing more versions of the venerable little R2-D2 figure than almost any other character. Astute viewers of the original films will be able to spot loads of different Astromechs, and the modern Hasbro line is rotten with obscure variants. For vintage Kenner collectors, the options are a little more limited. There are plenty of beat up old Kenner R2s and R5s out there that could be customized, but they have a certain charm in their well-loved, beater form. Now you can whip up any custom Astromech you can think of with the PRHI Astromech Kit available from Shapeways. This kit mimics the original Kenner R2/R5 toy design, but with modern COO markings for easy identification. PRHI Astromech Kit parts are even compatible with vintage parts for repairs, and the PRHI droid’s head clicks when turned just like the original. Grab a kit in any color you like and whip up a sticker to complete the look. Thanks to all the options Shapeways has, you can make a whole slew of different colors droids, and even make a clear-domed R3 model using the R2 head printed in Frosted Ultra Detail. You can get your R2’s head printed in Stainless Steel for a more rugged look that I’m rather partial to.

Also available are some options not made by Kenner, specifically the R4 head, the R5-D4 Prototype sculpt head from the same early catalog as the PRHI Power Droid Prototype Kit, and now you can finally complete your Jabba’s Palace scenes with a 3D printed R2 Drink Tray! The Drink Tray is an especially fun project, and is compatible with vintage toys and the PRHI Astromech Kit. The Drink Tray fits on without any modification to your toy, and looks great with a quick paint job. Not too detailed, just the way Kenner would have done it. All of these goodies are available now through Shapeways!

To build a complete PRHI Astromech Kit you will need the following:
For all Astromechs:
Body
Leg Sprue
Head Peg (or you can use a 6-32 5/16″ screw for Strong Flexible heads)

Then, for R2/R3 droids:
R2/R3 Head
R2/R3/R4/R5P Insert

For R4 droids:
R4 Head
R2/R3/R4/R5P Insert

For the R5 Prototype:
R5 Prototype Head
R2/R3/R4/R5P Insert

For R5 droids:
R5 Head
R5 Insert

I’ve been whipping up custom Astromechs like mad using some custom stickers I got off ebay. These are going to be all over my vintage display once it’s set up.