There is a lot of information to be found in the posts to the group. Also check the files & photos sections of the Yahoo group page. Look for where group mod (mullenmj) has posted some nice blueprints for a full sized MSE droid. There it is also a tutorial for building your own top greeblies (posted by mullenmj but written by Darryl Sorrenson). The PC chip board side details are normally scrounged parts thgout soem have gone to the trouble of fabricating them from screen accurate discreete componenets.

As this is a 'Builders' group members are encourage to examine the bluprints and try it for themselves. Once you get a glimpse at Mark's blueprints in the files section you will see it is not hard to build an MSE body from foam-core or sintra, and any apropriately sized R/C car will suffice as the 'go-tivation' though there are one or two that are regarded as more accurate.

You might be surprised to learn that the screen used MSE droids were almost two feet long. The severe camera angles used to film that scene with Chewbacca in ANH offered nothing in terms of scale and give a false impression that the droid is much smaller than it really was. Many people believe the MSE was about the size of a toaster because it was never seen in close proximity to other characters such as Chewbacca (though there were smaller MSE like droids seen in ROTS). In another ANH scene where the MSE is seen leading a squadron of stormtroopers, the camera is very low ('mouse-eye' view). Since the droid is so prominent in the foreground of this shot the viewer's mind often 'corrects' what is sees assuming it to be a fish-eyed lens effect.

Many members have posted details of their droid builds in personal blogs or websites. As you read through posts you will find their URL's. Understand the some older information may be outdated.

As to cost, like any one off project such as this or building an R2, the final cost depends on what you can do for yourself as opposed to what you can buy 'ready made'. I personally regard my MSE as costing under $100 because I already had all the R/C stuff and only needed the body which I bought from Max Cervantes. However, replicating my setup would require an investment of well over $300 in radio gear and support equipment, not to mention that my top greeblies were made from leftover scrap scrounged from a $400 set of R2 legs. This puts the replacement value of my droid on my home owners insurance (I kept the receipts) at almost $1000.

There have been very nice MSE's built from cardboard and sintra and even a few aluminum ones. No two MSE's are completely alike which is true even of the screen used droids.

Do some reading, ask some questions make a few friends and post pictures of your progress.

Above all... Have fun!