Styrene Octagon Ports Part 1

Octagon port base

For the octagon ports, you will need a hobby knife, some .040 thick styrene sheets, CA glue (superglue), or plastic cement.

The first step is to lay out the pattern. The one on the right is not a good way to do it.  Nothing is supposed to intersect in the middle.

Octagon port trace outlines
Trace outlines of right and wrong way to make an octagon port

Slowly cut out the outline.  Use the hobby knife to carefully do this.

Cutting out the base.
Cutting out the base from the styrene sheet.

Once all cut, the sides of the box are made.  Some sides are rounded and others have sides with two different heights.  Check measurements.  This needs to fit the curvature of the droid.

Sides of octagon port
Octagon port sides
Octagon port box sides
Cutting octagon port box sides
Beveled octagon port sides
The sides of the octagon port are beveled to fit better.

Glue all these together and trim the edges so the top face can be put on.

octagon box without the face
The complete box without the face
Trimming octagon port box
Trimming octagon port box
Outer octagon port box
Applying glue the octagon port outer box

Use this box to make an outline for the top face.  I traced mine and moved it along the arch at the same time to make sure the box had proper measurements.

Tracing box outline
Tracing box outline
Traced octagon port top of box
Traced octagon port top of box

Once the top is cut out, glue it to the box along the curved parts.

Gluing the octagon port top face in place.
Gluing the top face of the octagon port in place

Glue the bottom on to that and we will make the circle discs that go on the inside in our next post.

Center circles for the octagon port.
The center circles of the octagon port.