# any input on the success of a proton pack made out of wood? **URL:** \ **Category:** Proton Packs\ **Created:** [May 8, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428 "2010-05-08T07:57:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![leader0101](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@leader0101](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/leader0101)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/1 "2010-05-08T07:57:22Z")
ive seen some packs that were made primarily out of wood and now im kinda questionable about making mine out of wood, which would be cheap for me bc i can get free scraps of alot of sizes for free. i didnt get to see any pics of finished products that looked as sharp as the resin ones and such so i was wondering does anyone know of someone that has made a wood pack and it look really good? and if there is one, what are some suggestions about building with wood? i know there is a weight problem which im concerned about, and then you deal with screws and stuff. thanks for your help. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Richter](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@Charlie\_Richter](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Charlie_Richter)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 9:10am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/2 "2010-05-08T09:10:52Z")
Depends on what wood you are going to use exactly. ---
**Author:** ![121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/121-gigawatts/32/186036_2.png) [@121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/121-gigawatts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:23am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/3 "2010-05-08T11:23:42Z")
Mine was made entirely from wood. Check the pics in my first post in the “introductions” area. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Wobbaz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Bob\_Wobbaz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Bob_Wobbaz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/4 "2010-05-08T11:24:46Z")
Check my profile pics, my pack is made mostly out of wood, a few resin parts here and there. The thrower is a multimediamayhem kit. Hope this helps 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![MrSpider](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@MrSpider](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/MrSpider)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 11:49am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/5 "2010-05-08T11:49:24Z")
First one I made was from plywood, second from MDF ---
**Author:** ![Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/gareee/32/5994_2.png) [@Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Gareee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/6 "2010-05-08T12:19:26Z")
I think almost all packs that are custom scratch builds have wood in them somewhere. Thing is, a wood pack can be VERY heavy.. some people’s packs are 45 pounds, and that’ll kill yer back. I think the best custom builds use different materials to lighten them up to be manageable. Our packs and guns, with the alice frames weigh just under 12 pounds each, and at the end of a long convention day, even just a 12 pound pack seems a pain to put back on. ---
**Author:** ![fifth\_beatle](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/e9a140/32.png) [@fifth\_beatle](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/fifth_beatle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 1:09pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/7 "2010-05-08T13:09:55Z")
If you make it out of “MDF” wood (which you can get at any Home Depot or Lowes, it comes in a 2.5 x 4 foot sheet I think) it will end up weighing about the same as a fiberglass or Syntra plastic pack. Now, if you make it out of plywood, you might want to locate a good chiropractor, just in case. Plus getting rid of the grain could be an issue. Lots of filler, plus sanding, more filler, etc., etc. The MDF on the other hand is already smooth, and you would only need to fill the seams where you join the pieces, and sand. (But, most of the time, I don’t even do that, because when you use primer, it will fill it.) ---
**Author:** ![MrSpider](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/58956e/32.png) [@MrSpider](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/MrSpider)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/8 "2010-05-08T14:23:40Z")
yeah… I dont recommend the plywood… I was young, and naive ---
**Author:** ![DBAKIN-11](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@DBAKIN-11](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/DBAKIN-11)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:15pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/9 "2010-05-08T15:15:02Z")
You can also check out my [Proton Pack](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack). It’s not completely screen accurate, but I made it for $100 and have gotten a lot of compliments. ---
**Author:** ![121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/121-gigawatts/32/186036_2.png) [@121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/121-gigawatts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/10 "2010-05-08T15:58:54Z")
You can actually save a lot of weight by getting creative with the [cyclotron](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/cyclotron) area. Instead of stacking up wood and cutting, try taking a thin strip of wood (as wide as the cyclo is deep) and wetting it to warp it around creating the wall. Saves a ton of weight and gives you a lot more room inside the pack. ---
**Author:** ![Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/gareee/32/5994_2.png) [@Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Gareee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/11 "2010-05-08T17:53:32Z")
I just made my sync generator out of insulation foam. I used cake pans for our [cyclotron](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/cyclotron), and used real metal washers for the cyclotron, but on our next builds, I think I’ll make the cyclotron out of insulation foam as well, and find a lighter alternate solution for the cyclotron washers.. the cake pan and washers added a lot of additional weight, and they are protected by the [bumper](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/bumper) anyway. I think I can shave another pound off our packs with that, and making the gear and crank boxes also out of insulation foam. ---
**Author:** ![Ketchum](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@Ketchum](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Ketchum)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/12 "2010-05-08T18:04:21Z")
I have a question about the insulation foam. How is it for painting? Does the paint hold good? ---
**Author:** ![121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/121-gigawatts/32/186036_2.png) [@121-gigawatts](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/121-gigawatts)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:44pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/13 "2010-05-08T18:44:10Z")
I wrote [cyclotron](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/cyclotron) up there and I meant sync gen. Thats what i get for trying to answer forums on my Droid. Lol ---
**Author:** ![DBAKIN-11](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@DBAKIN-11](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/DBAKIN-11)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 6:56pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/14 "2010-05-08T18:56:48Z")
> [@Ketchum](#): > > I have a question about the insulation foam. How is it for painting? Does the paint hold good? Yes for me it worked fine, but most spray paints will damage the foam. This is what I used… > **[GBFans.com](https://forum.gbfans.com/)** ---
**Author:** ![Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/gareee/32/5994_2.png) [@Gareee](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Gareee)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/15 "2010-05-08T19:34:02Z")
I just used flat black house paint, which builds up a thick plastic coating. Its cheap, and easy to apply. ---
**Author:** ![Paul-Butt](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/ee7513/32.png) [@Paul-Butt](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Paul-Butt)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2010, 3:43am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/16 "2010-05-09T03:43:38Z")
Check out my build thread towards the bottom of the first page. I also have a pic of my pack (unfinished) as my avatar. I’m making mine out of plywood. It’s been tough and it does look a bit rough if you really concentrate on it, but I am very, very happy with the results. It’s hard work sure, but it will pay off in the end. Also, there is a lot of weight, but they were heavy in the movie, so to me it’s more authentic. Just my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![GAVAL](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/b9bd4f/32.png) [@GAVAL](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/GAVAL)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/17 "2010-05-10T14:23:56Z")
Mine’s mostly wood. Plywood, 2x4 scraps, etc. See link on my signature… G ---
**Author:** ![cpu64](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/cpu64/32/104792_2.png) [@cpu64](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/cpu64)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/any-input-on-the-success-of-a-proton-pack-made-out-of-wood/39428/18 "2010-05-10T14:43:46Z")
If you have the tools, you can make one our of poplar that no one will be able to tell that it was made out of hood. Its my favorite one to work with. There’s one guy at the 405th forums who made Halo 3/ODST weapons that look absolutely sick!