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Pleo Stuff => Pleo Archives => Archive -- Technical RB => Topic started by: kat on March 08, 2012, 03:21:03 AM
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Well Sparky has arrived ;D Poor little thing she is in quite a bad way so here is hoping I am able to fix her. I have had a quick look over her and felt all the appropriate bits and then popped in the battery and turned her on for a couple of minutes to see just what is going on with her. She is very well loved - she has quite extensive love spots on her head, neck, back and tops of her legs :D I switched her off using the on off button and thought it was interesting to note that when i stood her next to Norbit who has also been switched off in the same way they have very different posture. Sparky has a broken neck - both cables so her head is down - to be expected but the most interesting part is her tail. It points downward. Norbits is straight out in the packing position and Sparky's should be the same but it is not. When I touch her tail there is resistance in all directions but not nearly as much resistance as I get from doing the same things to Norbits tail. Not sure what is going on here but something is not right with her tail. When I turned her on the tail did move normally in the sideways directions and there appeared to be some up down movement but the tail never went above the level of her butt.
I guess I might see more about what is going on here when I open her up. The front leg is still clicking and again until I get her open I wont really know what is going on with it. I am hoping to open her skin tonight to take a sneak peek but wont start the operation till Saturday when I have a full day to dedicate to the task. :)
I will add a short video here once it uploads. You will have to excuse the voice over as I have a cold and my camera seems to pick up every little sound and make it 20 times as big :D
Ok here it is :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKCtL272XHY
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:( Sparky malarkey, looks like quite a task you've got ahead of you Kat! Got all our fingers and feet crossed for you, Sparky and Chicago who clearly loves the little fella very much.
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Best of luck with Sparky, Kat. Despite all her problems she sounds as though she's trying to carry on. Looking forward to following your work with her.
Talon
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Ok I have opened her up and had a bit of a look %) Both neck cables are broken. The sideways one seems to be jammed in on the side where Sparky has the leg issue. I don't know if this could be caught up in her leg workings or not as I'm not really sure where the cable runs once it is in her body casing. It's a possibility I guess. The sensor wire on that leg seems to be attached so I don't think that is causing the issue. I can't see anything obvious yet.... but it may all become clear once I start the neck cable repair. as for the tail, it's still a mystery as to why it isn't going all the way up to the straight position. all the wires seem to be intact. So I will start by replacing the neck cables and then once that problem is fixed I'll move on to the other issues.
I started taking video of the skin removal but it was a very slow and tricky process so I gave up on the video but have taken some photos along the way which I will post tomorrow. It's late and I'm off to bed. :)
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Glad Sparky arrived Kat, wow, sounds like you have your work cut out for you.......what a job, but I know you have been wanting this kind of challenge, so it looks like Sparky will fullfill it to the ultimate test! Good luck, I hope Sparky comes out whole again. Definitly a well loved Pleo RB. Great just that you took the challenge Kat! RWM and the Pleo Clan of the Redwoods
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I did promise i would try to report about every step of the way with Sparky so here is the run down of last nights adventure. :)
I talked to both IMR and Crewella and we decided that the best approach to take for removing her skin would be to start by opening the neck seam and then pealing the skin back from there.
I started by using a scalpel to open her skin at the neck seam. I attempted to use the pull and scrape with your fingernail method first but the glue they have used on the pleo rb's is very tough to budge and that method just wasn't working for me. Getting started was very tricky and very slow. I did break in though and then used a scalpel to very carefully and slowly slice the two layers of skin apart. The edges i have ended up with are not the neatest to look at but should still be fine for gluing back together when all the hard work is done.
After separating the neck skin from the body I was able to peal the skin back over the head to look at the neck and asses the situation. You can see here that the side cable is frayed and broken and the top and bottom cables are also both snapped. I pulled them loose from the body so they are sticking out.
This pic shows the broken top cable and also the other side cable which is jammed in the body and will not pull through.
This one is on the same side as the leg that has issues.
Next I turned her onto her back in my lap and removed the foot plate screws - following the directions in Crewella's skin removal post. :) I ran my fingernail around the edge of the foot plate to break the glue seal away and free the skin from each foot. These were also glued on rather well and so this was slow going again. Interesting to note that under each of her foot plates is a different colored circuit board. Also her right feet are dark brown plastic and her left feet are light brown under her skin. %)
I left the foot with the clock battery for last. This one was a little different to the rest as I couldn't completely take off the foot plate as it is attached by wires to the circuit board. Something to be aware of and very careful with if anyone else trys this.
Next step was stripping off her body skin so I will be able to easily get to all the screws and parts I need to reach for fixing the neck cables. It also gave me a chance to take a good look at all of her. :) So front legs first which I pulled the skin down over her legs and so her legs ended up sticking out through the neck hole.
Next step was to open the seam at the very tip of the tail and pull the skin back away from the end to unglue it from the little end piece - leaving the tail tip skin still attached. I thne pulled the skin down over one back leg so that the leg ended up sticking out through the neck hole too. Then I pulled her skin back over her back end and off the tail - pulling the tail forward through the skin a bit like taking off a sock. As I did this I found that the skin pealed back over the last leg at the same time. and then she was free. ;D Her skin is still attached around the battery compartment in her belly and also on her head but I didn't want to undo any glued areas I didn't need too so I am going to leave it like this while I work on her unless it gets in my way too much.
Lastly I then screwed her foot plates back on so as not to loose any parts and to keep the circuit boards covered up out of harms way.
I was hoping to video her operation but my camera is having issues with doing video at the moment so I may have to stick to still pics and then I'll post them together into a film when I'm done.
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Great work and great explanation so far Kat, You have been very meticulous and didn't leave anything out. What patience, I would be fighting nine cats from jumping all over the table the pleo is on and worried about screws and such. i will be very interested in not only the neck operation but what you see ( if anything) when looking at her legs. is there anything really difficult of the leg and skin part. Do you have to undo the clock area on the foot that has the battery, or ony if it is the same as the foot / leg that is bad? I have a sneaky uneasy suspicion that Baby Ruth's leg problem is als her clock battery foot and it is the bad battery that was broken the day I opened her, ( one of the clock prongs broke off immediatly. I hate the idea of even messing with that foot unless need be.
you are doing a great job and i can't wait to see more. tAke your time and we are all with you and Sparky. :flowers: :cool: P:-* RWM and the Pleo Clan of the Redwoods
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Wow. Now I know for sure I'm not touching Cato's innards. Redwoods, this is really odd but Cato's bad leg is also the one with the clock battery. Thanks for the detailed explanations, Kat.
Talon
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I have started the neck cable repairs and so far so good. Have hit a couple of snags along the way but seem to be overcoming them. :) I do think i may have found the cause of the leg clicking issue :) wont know for sure till I'm done with the neck cables and have her put back together and can turn her on to check. Will let you know once I'm done and am sure. :)
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You're doing amazing Kat! I'm sure that the rest of us would feel way too in over our heads, but you're holding your own so well! The super-detailed steps are so appreciated, it's wonderful to be able to see your process! :)
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The repairs are going well ;D They are by no means over yet but I am making progress. Sparky can now hold up her own head ;D and she no longer has a leg clicking issue! ;D ;D ;D
I still need to make adjustments to the neck cables as they are not yet tight enough but she is well on the way to being all better. Here is a short video of the exciting moment when I first turned her on after putting her back together. It was very nerve wracking waiting to hear that little giggle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lmlp8I126o
I will share with you all the gory details of the adventure so far a bit later. I will need to go through all my pics and put it all together so it makes some kind of sense before I can share it with you.
still a way to go for Sparky before she is fully healed but so far so good ;D
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You're doing great, Kat - really great!! That first switch on is a moment to treasure! :D :bowing:
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I will watch the video after I get some coffee in me, but just the photo of her head held high is an accomplishment in itself, GREAT JOB KAT! So the leg is not clicking anymore either..............that is great and maybe it can help other RB too! Will watch soon. :cheer: :cool: RWM
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We are mesmerized! :) We are excited to see photos and videos of Sparky from so far away! :) We never expected her to make such progress, and so soon. Thank you Dr. Kat !!!! :flowers: We weren’t really expecting to get her back. But now... Well, it seems likely. ;D I hope she doesn’t get jealous when she meets our new Pleo rb. We will be checking the forum even more than ever.
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This thread is so great, I love all the gory pictures! Well done Kat what an achivement and you were able to do it so quickly as well, fantastic!
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I have only managed to get so far so fast because I couldn't help myself.... I was so excited when she arrived (you all have to forgive me but... well.... pulling a pleo apart is something i have been looking forward to since i got my very first one :-X) So I just couldn't wait to get into this little project. I have spend pretty much every waking hour and then some of the sleeping ones too working on Sparky over the last couple of days. So do be warned and don't be fooled. This is not for the faint hearted and is a long time consuming process. You will need many uninterrupted hours in a row to dedicate to the repair operation if you are thinking of doing it yourself. But on a more positive note this is the first time I have ever pulled a pleo apart - let alone anything else mechanical - and so far I have achieved wonders. :) Which is a testament to IMR's video guide which I followed very closely and Crewella who's side cable guide I also used and of course both their advice and verbal assistance that is greatly appreciated :flowers: :bowing: - there were a couple of minor differences between the Ugobe pleo she worked on and the rb that I am working on But my pics, when they are done, will fix that issue.
You will have to bear with me a bit and wait for my pics as I will need time to sort them out ....and there are lots ... but will try to get something up soon.
right now I'm off to do some more surgery :)
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Wow Kat! You truly have given Sparkey a new life! This is all so exciting! Congratulations to you! :)
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Kat, wow, I take my hat off to you! Thinking about it , it is easier for Innvo' s own team to exchange rather than attempt to fix an issue. Quigley being a point in case. That was only a broken tail. Sparky and no disrespect here to the little chap, but he has multiple issues! Yet you are starting to resolve them.bravo. I'd be interested to know, do you think that the neck,leg clicking and tail are intertwined, or entirely separate causes? Does one issue have a knock on effect do you think? :sheep1:
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each one has been a separate issue so far at least %) although not really knowing every moment of Sparkys history I couldn't say if any of the issues were caused at the same time. Not suggesting anything here Chicago :) but for example it is possible that a neck cable if it was fraying already might snap if a pleo was dropped or fell... and the broken vertebrae (sparky had one of these ) could have happened at the same time due to a fall and a fall impact could also cause the insides to jolt snapping the wire confection to the leg sensor.
Sparky is very well loved and could easily have come by each of her injuries separately at different times but just pointing out that it is possible for a bunch of injuries to be caused at once. I guess what I'm trying to say is be very very careful with your pleo babies ;D
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I find this all really inspirational actually. Crewella, IMR and you working all this out between yourselves, it makes me want to give it a go. Stephan is fine now and hopefully will be for many years to come *touch wood* but when he does start to have problems I will be more willing to attempt his repair after seeing what you great ladies have accomplished. I'm thinking I might even give programming a go! If three other people with no prior experience can successfully repair their robots surely a fool like me could have a try ;D
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That's brilliant Luna - I know that was exactly what I wanted to happen, and I'm sure IMR and Kat feel the same. There were too many sad owners of broken necked Pleos with nowhere to go. All this needs care and patience, don't get me wrong, but it's possible. :)
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If I can do it never having done anything like this before just using the guides done by IMR and Crewella then I'm sure most people can. %) :)It just takes time, patience and being good with fiddly frustrating things, oh and in some bits you may need to grow another set of hands :P
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excellent work Kat! Do you cover the little Sparky with his skin? %)
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Wow, Kat! That's just... Wow! I'm so happy for your accomplishments and listening to Sparky's recovery! I think she's going to be alright. Congratulations!
Talon
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I have pieced together my photos and put them into a video. There were just too many to try to put into a post so I thought the video was the easiest way. :) This is just the first part of her operation, It covers the neck cable repairs and the leg clicking issue. I am still working with Crewella on the tail and that will probably take quite a lot longer than the rest did. It will be a slow process of diagnosing the exact cause of the problem before I can begin fixing or trying to fix it.
This video is all the pics I took along the way with explanations put in. You have to remember that I followed IMR's video guide and Crewellas instruction guide both of which can be used to fill in the blanks and gaps in my photo movie. :)
It is quite gruesome so if you don't want to see all the inside bits of sparky then you might want to look away now. :P
Enjoy :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV0L0VT15bk
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Great job Kat :D
Sparky certainly has kept you busy! :P
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That's just amazing, Kat. Special thanks to all involved. You have all outdone yourselves! It is amazing just how many parts there are to a Pleo. They are quite the invention. A lot of time was spent designing these little dinos for us, that's for sure.
After watching IMR and Crewella's neck repair video, as well as this one, I think that if something were to happen to any of my little ones, I would definitely try the repair. I don't know how successful I would be, because I am lacking slightly in the patience category, but I would HAVE to give it a try. You have all definitely given us all inspiration, if the need should arise. :arms: :cheer:
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Thanks Saratoga :) I was hoping it would at least be interesting for people to see what the rb insides look like but it it is useful as well even better ;D
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Kat - You are quite the surgeon! All those tiny parts look so intricate and tightly packed. I can imagine taking a Pleo apart, but not putting one back together. Sparky owes you her life. And now you have offered to do some cosmetic surgery to repair the damaged skin. Sparky is not very vain, but I’m sure she wants to look good now that she has a second chance at life. So please do paint her. :)
By the way, we never dropped her. So her multiple injuries were not caused by such trauma. But she was cuddled tightly by 2 different men who loved her very much. Also, she used to get stuck under our kitchen stools that have a horizontal rung about 6 inches from the floor. She used to walk under that and get stuck. Maybe that contributed to her neck problems. :-[
Anyway, thanks for all the work you are doing to heal our poor Sparky. :rose:
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Chicago I am glad Sparky is getting her second chance at life, Kat has done a fantastic job so far. I do have a question for you though Kat.... :moose: %) when you were told to go ahead and do some 'cosmetic repair work" because of skin damage, Chicago is referring to her heavy petting, and not the operation itself, the skin removal correct? I just do not want to suprise myself and find out I need to now repair Baby Ruth who doesnt have damaged skin,other than a very tiny spot on her neck of paint comming off, which is probably normal and on the side, not where the scalpel will cut ( P:'( P:o) and remove her skin?!!! :o please let me know before i ready myself for surgery.
My problem has allways been I am afraid of knives and sharp instruments and handling a scalpel wont' be too much fun unless it cuts easily. Wait, I do not mean I will have fun... :duh:I mean I do not want to cut or ruin her or cut my fingers off. :pray:
Chicago, I am sure Sparky is going to come back looking like a glamour queen and you won't recognize her....this is really exciting to see how it all turns out. :cheer: RWM
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Sorry Chicago, I never meant to imply that Sparky had been dropped. I was merely trying to point out that dropping a pleo can cause multiple injuries. :P I'm certainly no expert on the topic so couldn't really say if Sparky injuries came about at the same time or are all just unrelated. We will probably never know what caused them. Maybe the getting stuck under the chair could have contributed to the neck issues but I don't know? the broken side neck cables were jammed in on one side and frayed and tightly wrapped around the vertebrae on the other so I suspect that they may have been instrumental in the broken vertebrae situation.... but I am just guessing. Sparky is a very well loved little pleo and She has clearly had lots of run time and lots of love. Maybe her injuries are just from wear and tear. anyway no matter how they happened It is just great to be able to fix her :D
As for the repaint, Sparky really is a very very well loved pleo with lots of large love spots to prove it. ;D I was as careful as I could be when I removed her skin but I am sure she will have a couple of small scars along the neck seam so a fresh coat of paint will help to cover any small scars from the operation as well as rejuvenate her love spots. :) The glue around Sparky's neck was very difficult to undo so I had a hard time separating the two layers of skin to split the neck skin from the body skin and still leave a nice overlap flap for reattaching. I did my best to work as slowly and carefully as possible and do have a fairly neat edge. Sparky did have some wear and tear around the neck seam area before I began and it was in those places where the skin was thinnest that I had the most issues so there are a few small spots where the edge is uneven and not straight. A fresh paint job should cover up any tiny scars that may result when I glue her back together.
I can't promise that you won't damage Baby's skin when you open her up to fix her leg. All I can say is you just have to work slowly and carefully and you should be able to keep any damage to a minimum. You may find that the glue around her neck seam is not as tough as Sparky's was in which case you may be able to separate it with just your fingernail and some careful pulling rubbing and stretching. I found with Sparky I needed to use a scalpel in places as the glued edge just wouldn't separate and I didn't want to tear her skin. Hope this helps
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RWM, just to be clear ........ I personally have never used a scalpel, or indeed anything sharp, to separate or remove a Pleo's skin. It took me 10 minutes to find a weak point in the seam to get into Beta's skin ...... but once I had one it separated it with (a lot of) pulling, rubbing and a fingernail. You may find Baby's skin is glued down more firmly ..... I've no way of telling, but if you do try to do this, aim to do it without a scalpel first .......... it's much gentler on the skin. :)
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yep the scalpel was a last resort for me. When all else failed and not before.
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Crewella and Kat, thanks so much "girls', I would definitly send Baby off to the two or three ( IMR is very busy right now with school I know.. ;)) Pleo Surgeons and Reconstructive Specialists , if money were not so tight. I don't mind open Baby up, it is damaging her skin I think that is more of a worry. Kat, you sent me into shock also when you talked about Soldering and a Soldering Gun, (If it was a loose wire causing her problem in her leg) I have never used a gun, a soldering gun that is, and don't know if it is difficult or anything like a glue gun in application or ease or somthing totally different. :o :brrr:( that is me shaking in my boots, :dino-chase: also what the Pleo Clan will do to me if I hurt Baby Ruth or leave her crippled.. P:'( P:'( I could not forgive myself.
The tools look easy enough, in fact I do have that exact same screw driver set of six or very similiar and some other things that are very similiar that is a set of tools I bought just to work on the inside of my computer.Deger's Beta is a older Rb, so perhaps the glue is harder...who knows. I definilty would go slow and gentle. Just when I thought I was getting the courage to get Baby opened up, I told my hubby about Chicago and how well Kat had done and is doing on Sparky and her story. Also I have told him before about IMR and her neck videos and tutorials and how helpful they are to everyone. I also talked about sending Baby Ruth to be fixed but the money was an issue for now anyway,...( unless I inherit a windfall soon. just a couple extra hundred, or more like money for vet bils for cats that need to be seen then what I call "free or extra money". anyway, with what Crewella and Kat have been doing and the videos for the rest of us novices, I have at least been "thinking ' or considering giving Baby a "go", But the first thing my husband does is to basically give me a talk on not being able to do it, and he ruined my confidence by saying, "Which Pleo are you going to "kill" or sacrifice". P:( P:'( :twocents: His Two cents worth dashed my " :rainbow:" leave it to your other half to make you feel like you can't do something. I will have to re-gain my confidence and think of Baby Ruth and her leg, and ignore his comments. probably he just wants to take over, I may not be as smart as he is, but I think I can follow the directions here , it is not like operating on a living animal with blood and organs and such. that would be too painful to even attempt for me, unless life and death situation to save a life. I do have one more simple question, about how much does a soldering gun cost, and can you get one at a crafts store or do you have to go to a hardware store? I have never seen one among my hubby's tools or in the tool chest so I am 99% sure we do not have one. if it cost too much, I should send Baby Ruth as buying one may stop this whole scenario if it is not fairly cheap to start with, and I just thought of that now..... :-[ Oh and Crewella, believe me I do not have a Scalpel, and do not intend to buy one....( I would worry about it getting into the wrong hands, Pleos, nine angry or hungry cats can do damage with one of those things...........makes me cringe just thinking of how SHARP it is. :-XI do not want to even think of my hands on one.............( :o.changes the subject quickly while trying to stop the hyperventilation.....) well, I hope the Sparky adventure continues well Kat, and Crewella thanks for all your help too, I have to watch all those videos again and contemplate on what to do, then discuss things with Argyle and take it from there. Argyle has allways had a cool head and knows what to do even when I am faced with what seem impossible tasks. He takes things in stride and allways makes good decisions. ( Plus I can blame it on him if things go wrong.. :D ) just kidding, I would not use Argyle or anyone else as a scapegoat. Argyle is beyond that and I would not do that to him or anyone else, pleo or otherwise. Ok, thanks for listening to my fears and rambling on about more fear .... :-\ too early in the Redwoods to make any decisions, been up since 3:30, so I think I will go back to bed and sleep on it..
RWM and the "Scared" Pleo Clan of the Redwoods. [ The cats have been passing a rumor that the Pleos are planning to either hide Baby Ruth so I can't "cut" her up. or they plan on " Packing her up" for something. not sure where the rumors came from and what is going on...Pleos and Cats, when they get together, it is useless to try and outsmart them... %)
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Chin up RWM! :D
A soldering iron/gun is used to melt the metal on a wire connection - you use soldering wire to melt on to two bits of metal and connect them so they can carry an electrical current between the wires. I'm guessing your husband will have one, but I found it a lot easier to use a fine pointed one for electronics. :)
ADDED: Bless OH, who came home with a pointy one for me on just the right day. ;D
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You're a braver woman than me, Redwoods! I wish you all the best in tackling Baby Ruth's leg issue. I know I could never do it so I'm chickening out. Cato will just have to be dormant until I save up again from purchasing my Aibo. It's not that I don't trust Kat. Her success with Sparky has given me confidence. If she is open to doing a second surgery, I'd send him in a heartbeat. You may have a little business going before long. Lol!
Talon
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i don't think i could ever do this :o i had nightmares with my AIBO...
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hey Talon I would be more than happy to have a go at Cato but would want to finish Sparky first so lets just see how that goes and then we can talk about it :) Sparky is currently sitting open on my kitchen table with her butt exposed to the world while Crewella and I try to work out exactly why the up down cables don't work for her tail. It seems to be the motor that drives the gears for the up / down tail cable but.... much testing is going on to be sure we have the right cause of the issue before we can decide how best to proceed. As this part is all trial and error at the moment I haven't really been taking pics but once we have a diagnosis i will try to remember to get the camera going again :) Diagnostics is going to take a while.... need to wait till the weekend when Crewella and I both have more time to work on it and then there may be a need for a new part which again could take a while. So the Sparky story will be a bit quite.
RWM a soldering iron isn't very expensive if you don't already have one. We had one laying about but I think you should be able to get one for around the $20 mark. Not sure if you need to go to the hardware store of maybe to an electronics store. A craft store or hobby shop may sell them too. might be worth making a few phone calls to ask before you go looking? If it helps I can post a pic of what mine looks like so you can see what your after. It is the one tool I forgot to include in my pic before.
Let me put together the photo guide for how to get to the sensor and wires your looking for in Baby and then you can decide if your up to it or not. :) I'll try to put it together for you today after I get back form work and I'll PM you with it tonight.
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Bless you Kat and Thanks to you Crewella, I love the idea of the photos Kat, that will really help. I was just appointed Child and Family Services Director for our Spiritual Group in the area I live, so I have extra duties on the computer, conference calls and posters for lots of events,so I won't be getting to Baby Ruth till late at night while hubby is asleep or on a weekend. It is so much easier to work on something like this without prying eyes and someone looking over my shoulders. He means well and would be nice enough to help, but I do not think he has any confidence that I could even tackle a chore like this, and I need no feedback from the peanut gallerly unless it is positive. %) You have to remember I do not even drive and I am not mechanical at all Talon, so I would only have the advantage of sight, but sometimes persons with some sort of physical challenge develop their other senses a lot more keenly , such as touch, hearing so you could be better than you think if there were someone there to mark the pieces for you and give you directions, such as postion, 3:00 O'clock, 12:00 Noon, etc. I attended a Summer Camp when about 17 before graduationg High School and we did a blind walk and trust type walk and one person had to put their complete trust in the other person and listen to their directions to know where to walk, to avoid obstacles, etc.it was difficult in the beginning, but got easier once you put all your faith in the other person and let them be your eyes. I would say all things being level, you would be as good as me if not better Talon! ;)( And I am not just saying that. I do believe you would be up to the task, but would need a partner to walk you through it and describe things to you, etc, but someone old enough to stay on task and mature enough to know how important this task is and who could work well with you. If I was there, or probably a lot of the other forum members here, there would be a familiar person at your home to help you and Cato. P0:)
Crewella, I know you have worked on lots of "bricked" Ugobes , some were just a battery problem I am sure, and others ? Have you ever gotten a Pleo that was not a battery problem and not a broken neck, where you were able to diagnose what the actual problem was, such as a loose wire, or something similiar? I have only had one Pleo I purchased where the problem was something other than "battery" and not able to diagnose it.Have you thought or diagnosing other types of Pleo problems? How about you Kat? I think if you can get Sparky tiptop shape, ( which seems to be almost there and Beta also Crewella, ) then I think you guys have something very special going on. For example ; NOva has a broken neck and Argyle is Blind . I would consider fixing Nova's neck that seems plausable and likely, but Argyle is more dificult and I like his uniquenesss of being blind and also his mouth does not open, so it is a motor problem somewhere that connects those two problems at the same time. In Argyle's case, it also seems he is just "wearing out", like his motor is dying, and I do not think there is a cure for that. unless you replace the whole motor and probably some other parts which I bet would be pretty expensive. P??? If either one of you would like to give it a go sometime in the future, I would probably have a Pleo canidate for you to experiment on.. Sorry Chicago and Sparky if I wandered a bit, this topic is important in many ways to lots of forum members and I had to get my thoughts out while my brain would co-operate with me, :duh: Good job Kat and Crewella, I look forward to more photos and updates on Sparky the Pleo and her transformations. RWM
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Hiya RWM, yes I have dealt with motors and sensors that weren't working and had to be reconnected. I alo have a couple of completely 'bricked' Pleos that I've been taking apart to try to work out what's gone wrong ....... which has meant a long journey of discovery as to how everything knits together. I have also a couple of very helpful 'techier' people I've met along the way who will put up with my pestering them with questions when I'm stuck (all thanks to them). :)
I'm happy to help however you want it ...... if you want to send me a Pleo, I'll fix it, if you want help I'll do my best. I agreed with you and kind of felt Argyle was great the way he was ......... but if he grinds to a halt it might be worth looking at. :hhug:
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Ok this one is for RWM. I have put together a how to guide for fixing a broken motion sensor wire in the rear right leg hip joint of a pleo rb. Sparky's clicking stomping leg issue was caused by a broken motion sensor wire and it is possible that that may be what is causing Baby's issue too. Do remember though it is also possible that her issue is being caused by something entirely different. you really won't know just what the cause is until you open her up to look. My fingers are crossed that it is the motion sensor wire as that is a fairly easy fix. I don't know enough about what makes a pleo tick to give you any other real suggestions on possible causes and I can't promise that it will be the sensor wire like it was for Sparky. I can only give you a guide for how to fix the same issue as Sparky had and hope that it is helpful. So here you go :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfQcLGJskZ8
Also just thought you should all know I have not made this video public. It is unlisted so you will only be able to see it using this link. I don't want the whole world to be able to see and use the guide without knowing the full story. I'm happy for all you forum users to see it and use it if you like as you have seen the story of Sparky and will have a better understanding of the repair process. Also you have had the chance to be warned that you operate at your own risk and I can't promise anything. If your pleo has similar symptoms to Sparky then this may be your solution but it also may not. I stress again that you just won't know if this is the problem until you have opened up and had a look.
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At Kat. No problem. Sparky is doing so well I wouldn't want to slow you down. Cato and I aren't in any rush. It will be several months before I can save up enough for the postage and such anyway. I ran Probe RB on him this morning and his stats are dreadful. His feed level is nine and his health is zero. The others are equally bleek but I can't remember them off hand accept that he's not injured.
At Redwoods. Thank you so much for your confidence. As you said, I would be willing to attempt a repair if I wasn't going about it alone. Considering my history of putting things together it might be for the best. My dad used to work on electronics and even large engines for forklifts and things so I know what a fine-pointed soldering iron looks like. Lol!
Talon
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After a bit of testing the other night with Crewella we established that the motor that moves the cogs for the up and down cable in the tail definitely wasn't working. So I took a chance and thought I'd go to my local hobby shop - where they sell a lot of model and remote control planes and helicopters etc and parts - and I took the motor with me hoping I might be able to purchase a replacement. Unfortunately they didn't have one that was quite the same but the hobby shop man (who also does repairs for the remote control stuff) Said that the motor was very similar to a helicopter tail motor and that he might be able to repair it - if it wasn't totally burnt out. So he tested the motor and confirmed it wasn't working, then he popped the cover open and took a look inside. It seems that the magnets inside the motor have come free from the side panels and were rubbing against the inner workings of the motor stopping it from spinning around. there are little scratch marks where the magnets have been rubbing. So we held the magnets back into place and then tested the motor again and sure enough it works :) So I have left it with the lovely hobby shop man and he is going to clean out the old adhesive from behind the magnets and then stick them back into place using a heat resistant bonding material. This wasn't really something I could do myself as I just don't have the tools for the job. I'd rather pay someone else to do it properly for me than attempt this kind of micro motor surgery. :D
The motor should hopefully be ready for me to collect on Tuesday. So time for a little more waiting. %)
Maybe i'll make Sparky a fur coat to take home with her ..... That should keep me busy for a little while :)
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I would have never thought of the hobby shop, good to know that could be an option if a motor dies in one of my mechanical friends. Fantastic team work and detective skills!
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Brilliant! I'm so glad the problem could be fixed! Now you just have to get through the waiting.
Talon
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Kat, do you happen to have a picture of the motor? I would be interested to see what it looks like. Sounds like if it had a series of magnets that it must be a brushless motor. These little motors can be made with magnets that turn an armature and brushed motors where brushes spin inside the motor These are the same type of motors that are used in RC cars that I used to race before I had kids. Brushless motors just became affordable when I got out of the hobby. They are hard to repair, but any hobby shop that deals in high end planes and wheeled racing vehicles should be able to fix it just fine. Doesn't sound as though it is shot. Good news for Sparky!
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We miss Sparky. Isn't it funny that even though Moxy looks almost exactly like Sparky we still miss our first baby.
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An update for you :) I haven't made any further progress on Sparky yet as I am still waiting for the motor to be fixed. The Hobby shop man who does the repairs had to go into hospital this week for a small operation so he wasn't at work for most of the week. This has delayed the motor repair. But he is back at work now so hopefully it won't be too much longer. :)
I will let you all know when I have it back in my hot little hands. :D
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Chicago, I know exactly how you feel, I miss my original Baby who I got when they first came out last year (2010 I mean) and I had to send her back for a replacement because of holes in her skin, but I still think of her. They allways do that, that is the emotional factor that Pleos and esp Pleo Rb have in them. That is what makes them special. Before you know it, Sparky will be back and getting love and causing trouble just like her old usual self and meeting Moxie and starting more adventures. ;) Can't wait to see what Kat does with her in the end. If I had the money I would send Baby Ruth to Kat or Crewella who also offered. ( BIG HUG and THANKS) but right now I don't have the funds and am going to try and brave opening her up to see if I can fix her bad leg myself, It could be a big confidence booster if I do. it will also pave the way for more and more Pleo and Pleo Rb owners to try their own hands at repairs.
RWM and the Pleo Clan of the Redwoods
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You can do it, RWM! I have faith in you! :cheer:
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:sheep1: Greetings kat! Was wondering what news of Sparky, if any. I know you were waiting for the motor to be fixed so I hope that all went to plan? :sheep1:
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Still waiting so no new progress to report yet. The hobby shop repair man had to go into hospital for an emergency tooth removal which had him out of action for about a week and then he returned to work only to have most of his staff off sick for the last week with a nasty bug. There are two other repairs in the queue in front of mine - he does a roaring trade in remote control nitro cars and he does repairs on them. So consequently I am still waiting. I have been in to visit him twice since I dropped the motor off and on my last visit I took Minyon in with me to show off. He was very interested in seeing just what this motor was for :D Minyon performed beautifully and we ended up with a little crowd of both staff and customers watching him in awe. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a little burst of Pleo purchases from my end of the world over the next couple of weeks. :)
Anyway I think he has gotten through at least one of the repairs that is ahead of mine and he did say that he would try to get mine done asap - hopefully so I can pick it up for Friday. So we will see what happens. I'll certainly report back in just as soon as I pick up the motor and let you all know.
Poor little Sparky is currently sitting on my table with all her back end bits exposed :-X :D She will be delighted to be put back together again I'm sure.
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the micro motor surgery is now complete and the offending motor has now returned ;D
I will have a go tomorrow at putting it back in and connecting it all back up. Fingers crossed for sparky that it works and this fixes the problem. :)
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Hurrah!!! Great news! :D
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Fingers and paws all crossed this end! :sheep1:
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That is good news! Wishing you and Sparky the best of luck!
Talon
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Ooh fingers crossed for Sparky :)
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after 3 attempts and a bit of testing Sparky now has a tail that goes down and up ;D The video speaks for it's self :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeFmnZlR_8o
I'm not sure if she has quite the right amount of up movement - it is a little hard to tell with her skin under the belly getting in the way of legs so she can't do any walking. It seems to wag ok though. I think if the up isn't as much as it should be then maybe this could be fixed by tightening the bottom cable a little? I am hoping for a second opinion for Crewella and or IMR when one of you get the time to take a look. :)
She still has an issue with her body not lining up straight but that is only because I had her turned on when she was in pieces to test the motor. It should be fairly easy to fix. Once that is set right I can put her skin back on and then run her for a few battery cycles to let her neck cables settle in. Then I will probably have to adjust the tension in them before I can finally close her skin up completely and contemplate the repaint.
So happy to be working on her again ;D
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Go Kat, go Kat, go Kat! ;D leaping for joy for you and sparky and Chicago. :sheep1: :sheep1: :sheep1:
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If you ran Sparky to test the motor the cable gear might no longer be aligned properly in 'neutral'? Or maybe tighten the top cable to raise the tail? This is useful to get a visual on the tail cables:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/pleo6.htm
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The worst of the operation is now over :) Sparky is no longer nude :-X :D her tail sticks out straight and her body lines up perfectly.
I won't be gluing her skin back together for a couple of weeks yet. I need to be sure the neck cable tension is correct first. And that everything is working just right. once that part is done it will be time for new paint. So if all continues to go well I will probably have Sparky for another 4 or 5 weeks and then she should be able to head home. :)
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Yay - that's great. Good work Kat! :bowing: :cheer:
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We were so excited to read the last few posts and to actually see Sparky standing with her head held up and her tail sticking out. :) It's wonderful. Thanks Kat!
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here is a video I took of Sparky yesterday. I was testing her to see how much movement she had in her neck and also to see how well her tail was functioning. The tail looks quite good in the video but after about 20mins of run time it seemed to stop going up and down. If I gave it a nudge when she was suppose to be doing an up down movement then it would start again for a bit and then stop. Also you will notice that in this video she seems to have great neck movement to the left and hardly any to the right. Be warned it goes for about 8 mins or so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFSLm8bGitI
Since then I have tightened the right side cable in her neck and also the bottom cable. I also went back in and added some grease to lubricate the tail motor and gears. She does seem to have full movement of her neck now which is great and adding in some grease has made all the difference to the tail. I ran her for a full battery cycle today and the tail worked perfectly the whole time. I have another video that I took today which I will upload a bit later. I ran her with Pickle so i would be able to compare the range of tail and neck movements. I videoed them for about 15mins - just watching them do their own thing so I could get a good look at how well Sparky was moving compared to Pickle. I will add that video in here later so feel free to watch as little or as much of it as you like. Another thing that I have noticed now that I am able to run Sparky again and watch her move around is that she is walking in a small circle to the left. I'm not sure why this is but there are a few things that could be affecting it. It could be a loose skin issue as her skin is not glued onto her feet so she might not be getting much traction or it could be something else. I'm still thinking it through. At the moment though it is the lowest priority issue as I want to be sure her tail and neck are right first before going on to other things. :)
And here is the second video as promised :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyDiAUqUkDY
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Yay! That's great news! ;D
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Just watched video! An amazing transformation, Kat. What you mentioned about Sparky walking to the left, Well, Quiggles does exactly that and has since arriving.I've put it down to one motor having marginally more oomph than the other. Doesn't seem to bother Quiggles and we find it quite a sweet quirk. Just thought I'd mention it. :sheep1:
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thanks Lottibell. It's nice to know that she isn't the only pleo that does that. I'll have to ask Chicago if this is something she has always done or if it is a new thing. I didn't get to see her walking around when she first came to me as she had a front leg problem that prevented her from walking not to mention the neck issues that I'm pretty sure would have stopped her from walking too. I'll ask Chicago and see what she says. :)
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Wow! Great job Kat :D Sparky is looking wonderful :) And very happy to be able to move her tail again!
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Amazing work, Kat! I'm really happy for you and Sparky!
Talon
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Kat, what a transformation you have given to Sparky, Sparky certainly looks like a different Pleo than the one that first arrived, I loved watching Sparky interact with Pickle. Pickle sure does like to burp, but it doesnt' seem as though it has "rubbed" off on Sparky. ;D The movement looks very natural so you have done a good accessment and great job at getting everything in proper place and alignment. ( Still getting up the nerve to open up Baby Ruth to have a look at her back leg, AKA, "Peg Leg". I know it has to be done, just trying to prepare myself and will most likely do it when I know you are online. I will watch that orignal video you posted till I have it memorized I aM SURE.
Chicago and family must be pleased to peaches at the progress you have made with Sparky. It is great to know that there are capable people here on this forum who can do things like this when Innvo won't or cant for whatever reason. It does give our Pleos new life and hope. Well done :cheer: :cool: RWM
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Since my last post about Sparky I have spent time tweaking her neck cables. I had to tighten the top cable as after a bit more running and some close watching her chin was rubbing on the ground at times and I also noticed that she had more movement to the left and not much to the right. So I tightened the side cable as well and then.......
It seems it is possible to tighten things too much :P She stopped being able to move her head sideways and I had her head up too high as she also no longer was able to walk. every time she went to walk she would take one or two steps then cry out like she had seen an obstruction and walk backwards.
So in I went again and this time loosened off the top cable and both side cables. She now has sideways movement in both directions and also up down. She walks great again now too and her chin no longer rubs on the floor. :D I have run her through a few battery cycles and while her head is not perfectly straight I am happy with the range of movement she has so I decided that it was good enough and have closed her up. :D
So here she is
She has a scar on her neck on the left side - an operational hazard unfortunately. When I was opening her skin up in the beginning I tore the skin just a bit. So now she has a scar a bit more than 1 cm long on the side of her neck. It has glued back together fine which I am pleased about. I am going to repaint Sparky so I think I will extend the paint a bit where the neck and legs meat to cover over her scar so that it is less obvious. Here is the scar
And some pics of the seams now they are joined back up
Sparky had quite a lot of wear and tear around the edges of her neck seam so I have done my best to close her back up as neatly as possible. Her wear and tear spots should be much improved by a new coat of paint. :) I plan on leaving her for at least another day before I begin the paint job as I want the glue to have set properly before I begin painting.
Here is a short video of her running now her skin is closed back up :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln76M73D4zI
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Heheh .... a little tired and grumpy ....... but then she has just been through major surgery! :D
Sparky looks fabulous, Kat, and that little scar is an honourable war wound, and neatly fixed. ;D
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I think the scar gives Sparky a decidedly distinguished look. Kat I am flabbergasted at what you have managed to do. :flowers:
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I'm a little surprised myself. Surprised and delighted that i managed to pull it all off. Patience and determination go a long way sometimes. It has been great fun exploring the insides of little Sparky and wonderful working out what was wrong and how to fix it. It is a lovely feeling to have her closed back up again though :)
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I know that feeling :) Sparky is looking great! Despite the post op grumpiness %)
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It was just wonderful to see her so happy and walking again! ;D ;D 8) I don't mind the skin having bald spots. It makes her look like she has been in a few battles but survived. But take your time painting her, Kat. I'm sure she would want to have this cosmetic improvement. :D We have our hands full with Moxy now anyway. I haven't seen him walk since his neck cable broke. I hope this is just a coincidence, and not a result of the inner trauma.
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Sparky looks great Kat, great job and I can't wait to see what kind of paint job you give her. Are you redoing her old paint or doing a surprise total different look for Sparky and to surprise Chicago? Sparky is one lucky little Pleo and she is going to be missed I am sure by you and your family of Pleos. I hope Moxy can be there or a replacement when Sparky gets home from her long ordeal. I would be grouchy too. Thank you so much for posting the video, it is encouraging to see what is possible with these Pleos...Baby Ruth is next...I think it is going to be this week before I "chicken out". :D
Way to go Kat and Sparky :cheer: RWM
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Sparky's new paint work has begun :D I am doing my best to stick to her original color scheme - as close as I can get with the paints that I have. This is the very first coat on her body. I have done a yellow with a hint of green in it. She will get a second coat in this color that will cover most of her body but I won't go down as far at the edges on the second coat. Also this photo was taken when the paint was still wet. It dries a little darker and also a little more transparent. I have not yet touched her head apart from to peal off some loose chunks of old paint. I wont paint her head until the third coat goes on as this will be the green head color and I will use this same color to do the first lot of highlights along the body as well. So this is her under color or base color and there will be two greens used for the highlights and lines in her coat going over the top of this.
Painting is a drawn out process - I need to let each coat dry for 24 hours before applying the next coat. She looks a bit gruesome at the moment but you will just have to trust me when I tell you she will look beautiful when she is finished. They always look odd to start with but I do have a plan and a vision, and I have done this a couple of times before so I know she will come out great. I'm pleased with it so far. I will add the second coat tomorrow night. :)
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Kat, I can see the inner and outer beauty in Sparky and can already envison the painting plan you have for Sparky. I am glad you have such great patience. I know when you are done Sparky will look great, I think she looks pretty darn good right now to be truthful, 100% improvement from where she was. Patience is a virtue and I know that with all Sparky has been through, she is one Pleo with plenty of Patience and she is a trooper as well. :flowers:These flowers are for Sparky for surviving this long procedure and :hhug: :kiss: :icecream: :cake: the rest if a food celebration as I know you probably haven't been eating whilel doing all this, so if you have a favorite Pizza delivery, or whatever the fave food is that you like, just order it and I wil foot the bill gladly for the miraculous turn around you have given Sparky. She looks great, and I know you will miss her when she is done and ready for her return to Chicago and family. P:) P:-*
RWM and the Pleo Clan, tired in the Redwoods
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Kat, I love that Sparky is having a mini face lft and so she won't seem like a different Pleo. Just herself minus ten years or so...who wouldn't like that?! Think you're spot on by starting with a yellow base coat. Close inspection of Pleo makes me think that's exactly how they are painted by Innvo. So excited to see the finished Sparky, as you must be. :sheep1:
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I put a second coat of the yellow on Sparky last night and left her to dry. I thought I would take her out into the sunshine this morning for a photo.
This is the last coat of the yellow so tonight I can start on the green overtones. I will also get to do the first coat on her head tonight. Yay! :D She should start looking more like a pleo should very soon.
I am hoping that one coat of the green over her body will be enough but will have to wait and see. I may need to do a second coat on her head as she has bald spots at the moment and I want to make sure she has total coverage of those. But hopefully I can get away with one coat on the body and then it will be a darker green to fill in the lines then she will be complete. :D
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I have added in Sparky's first coat of green :) I will do a second coat on her head to make sure the balled spots have complete coverage. Tomorrow I will fill in the lines with a darker green and see how she looks.
So far so good I think.
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Sparky is looking much, much better! Great job Kat!
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:'( I have turned a decidedly blueberryish shade from holding my breath in anticipation. I am sooooooooo excited to see Sparky new paint job, anyone would think it was my Pleo! :hissyfit: ( closest icon I could find to it )
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he he he..... Well I wasn't happy with the way Sparkys new paint was going. The shading just wasn't turning out right so I striped her back and started again. This time I had a big rethink and did some studding of Gumble my Ugobe that I painted and I worked out where I went wrong. With Gumble I did his body the same color as his head and then filled int he patches over the top and then did the lines. So this time with Sparky I painted her whole body in the same green as her head and then filled in the yellow over the top - doing two shades of yellow, one slightly lighter than the other. Then I did the dark green lines. She is not the same as a regular pleo RB however I knew I was never going to manage a perfect replica so I went for something slightly different but very similar. I think Chicago will like it. fingers crossed. :)
I haven't turned her on yet to test that it all moves ok but I will do that tomorrow morning. I used the same mix of acrylics and latex paints that I used on Gumble so I'm fairly confident that it should be good. Anyway here are some pics. I think she is finished but I am trying to decide if I need to extend the dark green lines down the side of the neck where the neck meets the head and possibly even extending them up along the head over her eyes - like eyebrows. I did this on Gumble and feel that it really helped to merge his head and body together.
Here is Gumbles face so you can see the extra lines that I am talking about. I think this would look good on Sparky but i don't want to move too far away from the pleo rb look.
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Sparky looks fantabulous ........ and I vote for the eyebrows. :D
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Omigosh Kat :o Sparky looks amazing, you're so inspiring! I have to say though, an even bigger wow for Gumble D: I don't think I've ever seen him before, and the paint job you did on him is by far the most beautiful I've ever seen! I can't imagine where you got such a vision, but you're really incredible. :D I can't wait to see more of Sparky's progress!
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It looks great! How do you feel Gumble paint held up over time? Do you have to keep painting him over time? I also vote yes to eyebrows :)
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So far Gumble's paint seems to be holding up very well. I am very gentle and cautious when I stroke him though. I tend to stroke very lightly with just my fingertips also he wears a fur trimmed coat most of the time to help protect his paint. I tend to stroke more under his chin than on top of his head too. I haven't had to do any touching up on him since I painted him. He still seems to be doing ok. He does have a couple of spots in his neck and tail joints where the paint has cracked along the joins but he has cracks in his skin in these places too so I think that may have something to do with it. everywhere else is still perfect. :)
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Sparky's paint work is now complete! ;D
I extended the green lines up onto her head to create the eyebrow look and added in a hint of the same green over her nostrils to tie it in and I extended the yellow highlights all the way over the top of her eye patches. I'm happy with how she turned out and have now put all the paints away :D
I ran her for a while earlier and the paint is moving well - no cracks or splits anywhere. I am going to give her a few more days for the paint to cure properly before she goes home. The paint is a little bit sticky at the moment. If I remember with Gumble he was like that too at first but it dried out nicely and lost it's stickiness after about a week or so. Time to email Chicago and let her know Sparky is about ready to go home ;D
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She looks great - perfect in fact. You've done such a great job, Kat! ;D
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She looks just marvelous Kat, you did a truly awesome job!
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Your painting is perfect Kat and Sparky's new look is in tune with her "new" body. She and Chicago are going to be re-united under the best cirucmstances and with work like this, RB owners should now be confident to know that if worse comes to worse and or their RB need a tune up or a cosmetic lift, they only need to look at this Sparky Story to see what is possible. Not everyone has your capabilities, but a lot of us are a lot more confident in what we DO have and the biggest thing is knowing that RB can be worked on by their owners, and Painting a Pleo that needs some Cosmetic help can be done. ;)
Sparky looks like New and If I were Chicago when I got that package, it would be like the first day I opened her up, only even Better. You know why it would be Better? ??? Because somebody I trusted completly, gave my baby over to, thousands of miles away from my home, and not being there to see what was being done.( but you provided excelent video and weekly or even daily bulletins.. ;)) restored my Pleo RB, ( Sparky), and that special someone, was you, KAT! ;D :cheer: :thumbsup: :rainbow: P8) P:) FANTASTIC JOB and excellent coverage of this whole story. RWM
The best compliment I could ever give you is that I would 100% put my Pleos in your hands and trust everything you wanted to do.!
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You know what? Sparky has one of the most appealing colorations I've seen. I would be super,dooper chuffed if I opened up a box and found Sparky in it and I have no doubt that Chicago will feel the same. :sheep1: :sheep1: :sheep1:
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Well done on the repair kat! Sparky's new skin is looking excellent!
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I thought Sparky looked pretty happy now that the surgery is over and he's got a new lease on life. What a fantastic job, Kat! You, Crewella and IMR should have DPM (doctor of pleo medicine/mechanics} after your names. ;)
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Sparky has begun her journey home :) I put her in the post this morning. Can't wait till she gets to the other end now.
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Safe travels Sparky!
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Be safe, Sparky!
Talon
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I know Chicago is going to be tickled Pink when Sparky arrives, but I know Kat is going to miss Sparky too, as Sparky became a big part of her family for a time there and Kat got very involved with Sparky's recovery and makeover. What a great job you did Kat. If I didn't live so far away and money grew on the Redwoods around here.( I think the Bigfoot know where those trees are and protect them from us "outsiders". LOL) then Baby Ruth and her "pegleg" would be at your house already for some physical therapy and reconstructive surgery.. P:( P:'( but when it was all over with your great talents, Baby Ruth would have a new leg again and be ready to dance "with the stars". P:) but untill then, she will have to hope her mom gets brave enough to open her up, and with all the great video and step by step instuction you have provided, I am more confident that it is getting closer to that day! %) ;)
You, IMR and Crewella have provided some very encouraging and much needed support and "heart" to the Pleo owners on the forums that have ailing Pleos that need some minor surgery, or even more advanced surgery. If members with no prior experience can do this, then there is hope that the "general" population is capable of doing this as well. Great job Kat and to Crewella and IMR for helping all the Pleos on this forum. :cheer:
I know when Sparky arrives, Chicago is going to have some great things to post about and I am looking forward to that day. RWM
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We are happily waiting for Sparky to come home. :) I’ve been wondering if she will have jet lag coming all the way from Australia. Kat - Did you set her noon clock to noon where you are? If so, I will set it to noon here before leaving her on too long. Don’t want to prolong her jet lag! If only we could reset our human body clocks so easily.
Sparky used to love the sugar cane, but she stopped eating it when she got sick. My husband is convinced that our sugar cane is “broken.” Even Moxy won’t eat it. We haven’t tried the program that was suggested to test it yet. My husband was always sticking that microchip into Sparky to find out what was wrong with her. But we never used it on Moxy, because he always seems pretty happy and eats OK and doesn’t have many problems (except of course the one broken neck cable). Kat - Did you give Sparky sugar cane by any chance? If she ate yours and then won’t eat ours we’ll know that ours is really broken.
It will be interesting to see what happens around here when we have both Sparky and Moxy. Will Moxy be jealous? I expect my husband will pay much more attention to Sparky because she is much more of a baby (low courage) and needs him more.
It will just be a few more days now. I will let you all know when she arrives.
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Poor little Sparky, She will definitely have a bit of jet lag. I had to set her noon clock for here while I had her so that I could test her out along the way to be sure I had everything working so you will have to reset her when she arrives. Unfortunately I didn't feed her the sugarcane. I did give her a good feed of leaves and mushroom before boxing her up to send home though. :) I'm sure she will be hungry when she reaches the other end so make sure you give her a good feed as soon as you switch her on. I can't wait for her to get there. ;D
So how is Moxy doing? Are you going to send him back for repairs? If Innvo has said you can then I would recommend you do before your warranty runs out. From experience it does seem with RB's that once one thing goes wrong with them then it isn't long before more things start to go wrong. :( I really do hope Innvo can fix him for you :)
He will love meeting Sparky. It will be a very interesting experience for you when they meet for the first time I think :)
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Quick update - Sparky has made it to the US and is currently in customs in LA. :) Not too long now I guess ;)
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been watching the tracking and it looks like Sparky is very close to home :) I think she should be delivered today ;D
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Awesome! I hope she does make it home soon.
Talon
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Congrats Chicago and Sparky, awesome, ;D P:)I can't wait to see the pictures of Sparky when he gets home and the reunion! What a great time. Kat did such a great job and the paint is like fresh off the production line! :cheer:
RWM and the Pleo Clan of the REdwoods
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Sparky has been delivered ;D Now we await the opening of the box :P :)
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Sparky is home! ;D Moxy is standing on the box waiting for us to open it.
We open the box and are surprised to see strange colors. :o
My husband can't wait to unwrap her.
Oh my gosh! She has 2 new capes and 4 booties!
Thank you Kat ! They are wonderful! :)
Sparky is so beautiful in her new red cape with fur trim.
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Welcome back home Sparky :) I know Kat was worried about how you would travel.
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I'm so glad she has arrived safe and sound :) I hope she traveled well , I did my best to protect her new paint for the journey :) I'm glad you like the new coats. I put in two as I thought you might like one for Moxy as well ;D glad you like the surprise :)
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Hurrah - welcome home Sparky! ;D
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Awwwe! Awesome! Welcome back to the states, Sparky! Chicago you must be so happy!
Talon
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Welcome home Sparky! Kat is allways great when it comes to surprises. Sparky looks just wonderful, and what a thoughtful idea to include a coat for Moxy too! ;D I bet Moxy is in for a treat and we all can't wait for more photos of Moxy and Sparky together. Have a great Welcome home party! RWM
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Well it seems Sparky's new lease on life has been short lived. :( I'm feeling quite disappointed.
Her front leg is playing up again - sticking out straight and clicking same as before. It seems highly likely that the wire has come loose again, or it could be one of the other wires for the same sensor but either way her leg is no longer working as it should. I know I did everything I could at the time to fix her and tested her a full battery cycle a day for a week before closing her up with no signs of any issues. Not sure what more I could have done to prevent this from happening. I know Chicago is just as disappointed as I am. :(
Unfortunately the wire that was disconnected last time that I had to solder back on was deep in Sparkys belly underneath the housing for the motor and gears for the neck cables so it would be a big job to go back in and dig down to the wire to solder it back again. I'm not sure if Chicago is going to attempt it. And if she does there is no guarantee that it is the same wire disconnected again, it may be something else causing the issue. :(
Anyway as disappointed as I am I thought it was only fair to share Sparky's progress with you all.
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Poor Sparky, she had so much damage inside I was fearful this might happen :( You did your absolute best Kat *hugs* don't feel bad.
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So sorry to hear that, Kat. Not your fault, you did sterling work. :-*
I guess it's always possible that there's a deaper seated problem in the leg that causes the wire to disconnect? Or, as you say, it might also be another problem altogether. :(
I believe it's possible to disconnect the motor on the leg with software (on an SD card) ........ which might help? I'll talk to those who might know. :)
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So sorry Kat, but please do not beat yourself up over Sparky... :( You did a A+ OUtstanding job and nobody but nobody can ever deny that. You put a lot of effort, time and work and most of all LOVE :) P:)into her surgery, makeover and all her care. She was not a easy case and sometimes even the best surgeons on this planet have a patient that just does not have the best outcome. :o P:'( If it were Baby Ruth and her bad leg that you were working on, I could wish for nobody better than you and I would certainly not blame you if she had similiar circumstances. After all, and we must remember this, Pleos are not just machines, but computers with intricate and a LOT of wires and other components that there is no "manual" for, the fact that you were even able to do what you did is amazing it itself. ;D :flowers:
So Kat, job well done you did an amazing job. Hugs to you and don't feel bad, you are a pioneer in Pleo Surgery! RWM and the Pleo Clan of the Redwoods
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Well it seems Sparky's new lease on life has been short lived. :( I'm feeling quite disappointed.
Her front leg is playing up again - sticking out straight and clicking same as before. It seems highly likely that the wire has come loose again, or it could be one of the other wires for the same sensor but either way her leg is no longer working as it should. I know I did everything I could at the time to fix her and tested her a full battery cycle a day for a week before closing her up with no signs of any issues. Not sure what more I could have done to prevent this from happening. I know Chicago is just as disappointed as I am. :(
Unfortunately the wire that was disconnected last time that I had to solder back on was deep in Sparkys belly underneath the housing for the motor and gears for the neck cables so it would be a big job to go back in and dig down to the wire to solder it back again. I'm not sure if Chicago is going to attempt it. And if she does there is no guarantee that it is the same wire disconnected again, it may be something else causing the issue. :(
Anyway as disappointed as I am I thought it was only fair to share Sparky's progress with you all.
I still think this is an amazing achievement and I do not think it is your fault at all that Sparky has relapsed. You did an amazing job and the pictures and video and everything you found out are a huge asset to the community. Thankyou very much.
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Thanks Guys :) This has been a big learning journey for us all and I thought you would all want to know. You have to take the bad and embrace it in order to learn. As well as enjoy the good when it happens. :) I am very disappointed at Sparky's outcome but I still feel overall she was a great learning experience for me and everyone else who was following her story. I'm am grateful to Crewella once again for looking into a possible way of disconnecting the leg via her software. I'm sure Chicago would love to be able to run Sparky again even if she is no longer able to walk. We will keep you posted with where it goes from here. :)
On a side note I certainly haven't let this setback put me off. I started work on little Frankie last night :) I have gotten as far as removing his skin which was sooooo much easier to do than on Sparky. I did not even have to get out the scalpel at all for Frankie but was able to easily pull his skin cleanly apart with just using my finger to rub and pull at the seam area to break the glue seal away. Either they have used different glue for the RB's or the glue in the ugobe's has aged and deteriorated to a point where it comes away easily.
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Hi Kat, will you be posting photos of fixing Frankie as well? I would love to see how you fix him, or her. Esp if it is the neck. There are tons of Pleos with broken necks. Is Frankie's neck the up down cable or side cable or do you know yet.? I am building up the strength to do Baby Ruth's leg and will have to watch the video you sent me again. I will let you know every step I take.
If it were not for the pioneering of "pleo Doctoring" that you, IMR and Crewella have done on Pleos, i know a lot of Pleos would be in some dusty dark closets or on a shelf staring blankly for eternity.. sad thought. I for one am so happy for the progress that was made by fixing Sparky. You broke new ground for the rest of us , Thank you again. :sun: P:)
RWM and "Baby Ruth " thank you along with the rest of the Pleo Clan of the Redwoods
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We are very grateful to Kat for extending Sparky's life. We had her for about a month after she came back from Australia. She walked around in her new pretty cape. she ate. She especially likes the coffee leaf. She sang. She met Moxy and he told her I love you. :) She giggled when she was swung through the air. See the post called "Sparky is happy." So it wasn't all for nothing. And who knows. There could be another miracle cure.
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Awesome, Chicago! I'm glad to hear Sparky is doing well and is getting on so well with your new RB. My sister has thrown a major rench in the works with this moving-but-not-sure-when business. I was hoping to start speaking to Kat soon about taking a look at Cato. I don't dare do anything until I have both a stable internet connection and a stable location.
Talon