Aaron's First Aluminum Particle Thrower Build

And here we are.

I wish my story were more unique or interesting, but like most everyone here on the board, I’ve wanted a proton pack of my own for, well, my entire life. Literally. And, like most, I’ve tried my hand at builds over the years. Between my lack of wood-working skills and the unavailability of reliable info, the builds never got very far.

I kept up, though. It was a hell of a transition between Norm Gagnon’s old plans and actual measurements from screen-used packs. High school Aaron could have never imagined fiberglass shells being offered en mass.

So, when high-quality aluminum parts finally made it on to the scene, I figured it was time to jump back in. It was time to finally have what four year old me could only dream of.

A few things had changed since my last build attempt. First of all, I was no longer struggling with Algebra II homework, and secondly…I’d met a woman. Well, not just A woman. I’d met THE woman. A ring was still a little down the road but I knew it was coming.

With that in mind, I approached my build as a kind of last hurrah. Sort of a metaphorical end to the stuff I wanted as a kid.

Dumb. Just a dumb notion. But, hey, it sounded good at the time.

I got my name on Umori’s list for thrower parts and the game was on.

During the wait for everything, I started in on the hardest decision a Ghosthead building a pack has to make: hero or semi-hero? Of course, each has their draw. The hero is iconic. Its look and ingenuity are still revered. The semi-heros took all of that and built on it in several ways. I love those Makita batteries. Sue me.

In the end, I went with both. A hero approach to a semi-hero pack. All the aluminum of a hero with the looks of a semi. It’s a thing.

It took a couple of years, but eventually everything was in hand, and construction started. It was nerve-racking. I was certain I was going to mess a part up. I was convinced I wasn’t doing anything as it was supposed to be. And I probably wasn’t. But it all turned out fairly well.

Raw Materials:

image

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-7_zps66fa7296.jpg)

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-4_zps8f5b4f6b.jpg)

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-6_zps45e86fc3.jpg)

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-10_zps955fa526.jpg)

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-11_zpsf41fbcd4.jpg)

There was a spacing issue for the light bar. We’ll get to it.

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo-1_zps61018d40.jpg)

Dry fit:

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo12-59-37_zps58520928.jpg)

![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/pb/aaronthenorton/Proton Gun Construction_photo_zpsee1287e5.jpg)

image

image

image

Finished:

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

image

I’m still trying to figure out how to do the tip-springing mechanism along with the rotating handle action, so my front handle can still do this…

image

REAL PARTS:

Arcolectric Indicators (1 clear & 1 red)

Clippard Barbs

Clippard & Nycoil Tubing (OD 5/32" & 1/4")

Clippard R-701 Valve

GB Fans Hat Light Caps (1 orange & 2 white)

Hex Socket Head Cap Screws (4-40, 6-32, 8-32 & 10-32)

ALUMINUM PARTS:

Umoribawar Gun Box (with welded rear handle & base plate)

GB Fans Gun Knobs

Umoribawar Gun Track (with discs and S-hook)

Umoribawar Heat Sink

Umoribawar Rear Cylinder

Umorbawari Rear Instrument Bar (with access panel)

GB Fans Side Knobs

Umoribawar Trigger Box

Umoribawar Finished Tube (with welded ears & barrel lock)

Umoribawar Front Cylinder

Umoribawar Inner Tube

Umoribawar Trigger Tip (with welded trigger)

Umoribawar Brass Banjos

RESIN PARTS:

Venky Gun Grips

MISCELLANEOUS:

Bobamatt Vinyl Labels

R2Devo Light Kit (with amber bar graph)

Umoribawar Barrel Clear Tube (acrylic)

Umoribawar Green Lever (steel with Clippard green tubing)

Namebrand & GB Fans Rub-down Transfers

Umoribawar Stainless Steel V-Hook (female)

:crunch:

Well done.

Thats the path I am going with my build…once I get to the actual particle thrower. :slight_smile:

Thanks a lot, guys! She was a ton of work but I loved every second of it.

Also, I’m totally open for critiques. I want to know if anything needs to be tweaked. Seriously, tear this sucker apart.

A thing of beauty, Aaron.

Nice work man :cool:

If you haven’t already you need to grit your teeth and drill a hole under the front nub partially through the weld to fit the from handle hatlight wires through… be careful of your paint work :wink:

ALso in regards to the spring mech… if your going for an accurate trigger mech that is driven my the rear green lever and not the non accurate handle version, then check out Matt Burkit’s build GBFans.com

I’m following his mech set up. It’s based off the bigi thrower setup with a few tweaks.

Julz–

Thanks for the info!

By the way, your hero build thread has been like a textbook for my impending pack build. Just so many amazing ideas.