K-2SO Full-Size Build

After many months of printing, sanding, wiring, painting, and assembly, my 1:1 scale K-2SO build is finally complete. This project was built using the Droid Division files and incorporates several custom electronics, lighting systems, and builder-focused upgrades designed to improve realism, reliability, and ease of maintenance.

Printing and Finishing

The entire droid was printed in PETG. PETG provided better durability and heat resistance than PLA.

Surface finishing followed a multi-stage process:

• Acetone wipe-down to soften print lines and improve filler adhesion
• Bondo 907 glazing putty for seam filling and print defect correction
• UPOL filler primer for high-build surface preparation
• Progressive sanding through 220, 600, and 800 grit

The goal was not a perfectly smooth “automotive” finish, but rather a screen-inspired industrial appearance that retained subtle texture while eliminating visible print artifacts.

Paint Scheme

After testing numerous colors and comparing them against reference photos from Rogue One and convention displays, I settled on the following Rust-Oleum colors:

Main Body

• Rust-Oleum Ultra Matte Slate - 331187

This became the primary body color and closely matched the dark charcoal appearance seen on screen.

Accent Gray

• Rust-Oleum Ultra Matte Perfect Gray - 331184

Used on selected mechanical details and contrast areas.

Metallic Components / Base

• Rust-Oleum Bright Coat Aluminum - 7715830

Applied to exposed mechanical surfaces, joints, and wear areas.

Weathering and Highlight Areas

• FolkArt Acrylic Paint - Pure Black
• Vallejo Liquid Model Color Mask

I applied the liquid mast over the chrome paint in the areas I wanted to show up as scratches. I painted over the top, then rubbed the mask off. After that I applied a paint/water was over the pieces, focuing on areas dirt would collect. I let it sit for a few minutes then wiped it off. The photo of the hands is a good example of this.

Yellow Markings

• Montanna Shock Yellow

I Used this for the shoulder rings

I painted the ring assembly 2 colors of gray

• Outer rings in the lighter gray
• Inner rings in the darker gray

Electronics

Eyes

• JHighlandMade K-2SO Animated Eye Controller

Head

• JHighlandMade K-2SO Head Lego

Back Lighting

• JHighlandMade K-2SO LED back plate

Vocalizer

• JHighlandMade K-2SO Droid Vocalizer Classic

Power System

Rather than using batteries, I chose a fully wired AC-powered configuration.

Power enters through the leg and routes internally to the torso where a Mean Well LRS-50-5 power supply distributes regulated 5V power to all electronics.

Advantages of this setup include:

• Unlimited runtime
• No battery maintenance
• No charging requirements
• Stable voltage for LEDs, servos, and audio systems

Control Panel

All primary controls are hidden beneath the torso lip.

I added some switches to the base. One controls the LED uplight, the other provides power to all the other electronics in the droid

Lessons Learned

If I were starting over, I would:

• Plan electronics earlier in the build
• Join / glue all parts together before smoothing prints

Final Thoughts

Im super happy with how this build came out. Its crazy how big he is!