I’m kinda new here, joined recently and did some research and am now ready to start a build. I see on Gbfans they have a fiberglass she’ll for 299.00 I saw people that have vacuum molded plastic shells. My question is which is better and does anybody make an all aluminum shell?
Being better defines many things and is quite objective. Here are things to ask yourself:
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What’s your budget? The cheapest ways to obtain a shell is to scratch build or buy a vac shell from companies like Studio Creations. There’s the foam version!
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What style are you going with? Hero, semi-hero, video game, or stunt?
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Are you able to tote a 40lb pack or maybe a 15lb pack? Full hero can be around 40lbs if built right.
To answer your question about shells, research this site. There are SO many out there. Examples are: pchrisbosh1, nick-a-tron, GBFans, karnivorous creations (mikenelson1982), vincenzo330, etc…
You also want to determine whether or not you want a shell that is idealized-accurate or production-accurate. For example, idealized-accurate would be a very clean and consistent shell, whereas production- accurate might have rough surfaces, slightly askew fins, molded-in nail heads, etc.
What sort of budget do you have in mind?
One shell maker I would post a specific message to avoid would be the owner and operator of Bob’s Prop Shop, his shells have earned a poor reputation for being poor quality and not worth what he charges for them - it should also be noted that he was banned from this forum because he recasted the work of others.