A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...a droid, known as C-3PO, was crafted into being.

While “Star Wars” aficionados may give Anakin Skywalker the official credit for the robot, a Litchfield company also has a good deal invested in the famous “Star Wars” character.

Rare Earth Coatings spent much of the past year bringing the robot to life for a popular cable television show.C-3PO

In August 2006, “Mythbusters,” a Discovery Channel show that tests common myths, contacted the metal coating company to metalize their life-sized model of C-3PO. Rare Earth Coatings General Manager Jason Olson said the company jumped at the opportunity.

“No. 1, I love ‘Star Wars.’ No. 2, I love ‘Mythbusters.’ This will just be one of those fun things where you can say, ‘Hey, I gold-coated C-3PO for ‘Mythbusters,’” Olson said.

In early March, Rare Earth Coatings received the model in a six-piece shipment — a head, torso, set of arms and set of legs. Engineer Glenn Rueckert recalled the atmosphere was like kids in a candy store as they pulled the body parts from the box.
“I thought it would be cool. It would be something new,” he said. “I get to do all the fun, interesting projects.”

Read about gold-casting the life-sized C-3PO figurine in the Jan. 3 Independent Review.