# First Packbuild - It starts (Noob questions incl.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Proton Packs\ **Created:** [March 17, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168 "2011-03-17T14:11:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/1 "2011-03-17T14:11:42Z")
I purchased an Exoray shell with all necessary parts… Before I will paint it, I try to drill the holes for the parts and try to attach the parts safe to the shell. So I have a few questions: 1. Is the [Ion Knob](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ion-knob) only attached to the [bumper](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/bumper) or to the cylotron, too? 2. How to attach the [N-Filter](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/n-filter), this thing is hollow, so just glue it or glue a wooden part into it, that I can screw it? Does the N-Filter light up? What should I use for the holes, in the screenused pack it looks like white plastic or something… 3. How is the [Booster Tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube) attached? Glued? Screwed? and if so, with the same bolt as the [Booster frame](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-frame)? 4. Same question for the PPD? How it is attached? 5. Is it better to glue the Resistors, the [ion arm](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/aluminum-welded-ion-arm) is a finished part and it looks like, its not so easy to screw something into it, because there is too less space to act in it… 6. Does the [ribbon cable](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ribbon-cable) just lead into a simply hole on the pack? 7. What parts should I own before I start to build? Is it a good idea to glue on the painting or glue it first? 8. On which position is the bumper attached? 9. Is there a system to make the [crank knob](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/crank-knob) movable? Thanks, I will let you know about updates… ---
**Author:** ![Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8c91f0/32.png) [@Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Vincenzo330)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 2:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/2 "2011-03-17T14:35:10Z")
These are 2 of my all-time favorite build threads, you’ll find just about everything you need inside. [http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21988](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=21988) [http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16457](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16457) ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:19pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/3 "2011-03-17T15:19:46Z")
Thanks, especially the 2nd helps a lot… I see everyone uses L-Brackets for the [injector tubes](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/aluminum-welded-injectors), is it necessary or just a better way to make it safe?!? ---
**Author:** ![Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/v/8c91f0/32.png) [@Vincenzo330](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Vincenzo330)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/4 "2011-03-17T15:31:27Z")
Aside from it being screen accurate it also helps to protect an area on the pack that’s subject to a lot of abuse. ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/5 "2011-03-17T15:40:04Z")
Thanks, I guess I have to order the first parts and start then… Not so easy as I thought… ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/6 "2011-03-22T02:08:52Z")
Not as hard as you might think either 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/7 "2011-03-22T18:57:27Z")
Thats, what YOU say… 🆒 Seriously… I thought a pack with shell and parts is like a big puzzle, just screw and glue the parts together, but there are still problems, I never thought of… One problem is still the [N-Filter](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/n-filter), this thing is hollow, how can I attach this thing? From the side with a screw? Just glue it on the shell and fix it with some acrylic paste?!? If I screw it, I hope it won’t break in pieces… Next is the [booster tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube)… I doesn’t fit exactly to the back wall, if I attach it exactly to the back I won’t fit in the hole on the Exoray shell… Should I sand a part of the tube away, that the angle is correct or is the tube too short then?!? ---
**Author:** ![Pdred1985](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Pdred1985](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Pdred1985)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/8 "2011-03-22T19:15:59Z")
Mounting the HGA was annoying to me, but another member was able to lend some good advice. I pretty much just cut a small piece of wood that I glued inside of it. Of course when I tried to put some screws into it from the inside of the shell I couldn’t get the screwdriver in there except at an angle. And when I finally did the pressure of the screw ripped the wood free (since its not exact to the inside of the HGA). To solve this I redid the whole thing, but I used two more screws that were through the back of the HGA at the bottom. Now it holds perfectly and they’re impossible to see. And for some reason I also had a HUGE problem getting the [ION ARM](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/aluminum-welded-ion-arm) mounted on the shell. I could not get it to line up right. Just had to keep doing it until I had drilled so many holes I almost ruined it. ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/9 "2011-03-22T20:43:23Z")
Yup that is what I say 🙂 Don’t get me wrong I come up against things I’m not sure about how to preceed either, What I usually do Is go back over my fav pack builds like mburkit’s or Bigi71 or Plough through all the extensive ref images on here. Honestly though alot of your problems could be solved by looking at Libtechinit’s pack build. I think he might have an exoray shell, I have grabbed a few ideas of my shell along the way like attaching the [ion arm](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/aluminum-welded-ion-arm). check it out [V71 MarkX's - Halloween '14 Shenanigans w/ Zuul & Stay Puft - Proton Packs - GBFans.com](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16457&hilit=umoribawar) also you can see my build here in terms of another exoray shell build [Julz's proton pack build - Proton Packs - GBFans.com](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=23581) I tackled the [booster tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube) in a slightly different way as I chose to attach a much more accurate aluminuim tube, but then had to alter the height of the eda to match…basicly as you can see in Libtechnit’s build you just need alot of custom bits of metal here and there to reinforce and screw into. Soooo when i’m stuck for a “how do I install this thing” question I generally look at his page. Hope that helps. ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/10 "2011-03-22T22:29:09Z")
The HGA is no problem, there is already wood in it… If I glue a piece of wood in the [N-Filter](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/n-filter), I can screw it to the shell, but I need to know if the N-Filter is lighted in the movie, sometimes it looks that it light up with a bright white light inside… I will try tomorrow what I can do with the [Booster Tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube)… thanks for your links… ---
**Author:** ![Pdred1985](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Pdred1985](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Pdred1985)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 10:41pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/11 "2011-03-22T22:41:46Z")
I don’t think they lit up in the movies. ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/12 "2011-03-23T01:08:59Z")
Yes I’m fairly darn sure it wasn’t lit 😉 for the iron arm and nFIlter, I cut out sements of round wood. I made sure it fitted snuggly inside each and then put lots of little countersunk screws to hold it in place..The screws on the nfilter are hidden by parts of the pack shell and the ones on the [ion arm](https://www.gbfans.com/shop/aluminum-welded-ion-arm) are then filled in with epoxy putty and sanded. With the ion arm inside wood block, I drilled a larger hole to fit the large washer that seems to come with the large [dale resistor](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/dale-resistors). So when the wood block is inside the ion arm, the dale resistor is able to screw into the washer making it very secure. having the wood on the nfilter also makes it easy to put a white paint roller and metal netting inside…gives you soemthing to glue or screw into 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/13 "2011-03-28T13:58:26Z")
Here we go again: I need the distance from the top of the [booster tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube) to the [Booster frame](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-frame) or maybe the first hole for the frame… Would be helpful… Has anyone a list for the correct screws? I dont believe that the screws are always the same on the whole pack…?!? I need the sized of the heads, especially for the HGA, booster frame, screws to hold the pack on the [motherboard](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/motherboard), the screw from the [ion knob](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/ion-knob), so ALL visible screws… Can anyone help out?!? ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/14 "2011-03-28T20:52:42Z")
Well for the screws I sure you can find that out. For starters look at the stickied thread near the top of this pack forum on installing the [motherboard](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/motherboard). The screw size is mentioned in there and I pretty sure the ones on the HGA are the same. Seriously though please try eye balling some details based on the lovely abundance of reference pictures particularly the ones at the top of this pack thread. There are only so many choices in terms of the right socket screws you can choose from so in many cases you can work it out. As far as the ladder frame fitting on the [booster tube](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack/booster-tube) and where to put the holes…I did just what I have told you. If you look at the angles in relation to each other in the reference pictures. Ie the EDA, powercell and the ppd you can see quite clearly where the frame goes and also where to put the screws. I certainly don’t mind helping you out from time to time, but alot of the questions you are askign are ones that I have had to find out myself just from looking at the ref pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Undrtkrbob](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/undrtkrbob/32/6223_2.png) [@Undrtkrbob](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Undrtkrbob)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 9:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/15 "2011-03-28T21:35:30Z")
If you read through the stickied [Master Parts List Thread](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16866), you’ll find most of the discussion is about the screws used for the pack. Kind2311 has a post in the thread on the first page with each screw, where it goes and how many. ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 9:38pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/16 "2011-03-28T21:38:34Z")
KInd of my point… The sticky threads are there for a reason. Soooo many people seem to miss them :sigh: ---
**Author:** ![system](https://discdn.gbfans.com/original/2X/c/c5b3f4ae5c26d244057cd203721288eccc8b8ad6.png) [@system](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/17 "2011-03-28T22:38:57Z")
By the way…the accurate screws with the fine ribs on the sides of the allen heads seem to be pretty hard to find in germany unless you want large quantities, so if you still have to order something from the us you might be able to get the correct ones too that way. ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 10:42am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/18 "2011-03-29T10:42:55Z")
> [@julz](#): > > Well for the screws I sure you can find that out. For starters look at the stickied thread near the top of this pack forum on installing the motherboard. The screw size is mentioned in there and I pretty sure the ones on the HGA are the same. > > Seriously though please try eye balling some details based on the lovely abundance of reference pictures particularly the ones at the top of this pack thread. There are only so many choices in terms of the right socket screws you can choose from so in many cases you can work it out. > > As far as the ladder frame fitting on the booster tube and where to put the holes…I did just what I have told you. If you look at the angles in relation to each other in the reference pictures. Ie the EDA, powercell and the ppd you can see quite clearly where the frame goes and also where to put the screws. > > I certainly don’t mind helping you out from time to time, but alot of the questions you are askign are ones that I have had to find out myself just from looking at the ref pictures. I know, I know… I have a really bad eyes and my 3-dimensional thinking is not very good, so I have build a too big [ghost trap](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/ghost-trap), a too big [proton pack](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack), an inacurate sniffer, and changed 3 times the [slime blower](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/slime-blower) tanks, because it always was too big or too small… So, I dont want to make any mistakes now… Stefans plans were very helpful, but not everything is mentioned in his plans. I have some reference pics, but its really hard to see all the things you need to know. I dont want to screw only one screw or drill a hole if Im not sure, that it’s 100% correct… And as bigi said, I have to calculate everything in mm and Im pretty sure that its hard enough to find something useful, what comes close to acurate… ---
**Author:** ![julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/da6949/32.png) [@julz](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/julz)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/19 "2011-03-29T20:25:12Z")
hmmm in that case I can give you measurements on what I did. But I wouldn’t swear that they were 100% accurate( as they are not) But then again accuracy is always one of those things thats hard to achieve with out 100% acurate plans 🙂 … a constant topic on this site 😛 As I said before I eyeballed the holes for the screws for the ladder frame but I will be happy to measure for you. bare in mind that I used 2.5 (63.5 mm") aluminum tube for my booster so if yours is different you might need to make minor adjustments. Ill get round to that tonight hopefully ---
**Author:** ![Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/o/a6a055/32.png) [@Onkelpsycho](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Onkelpsycho)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168/20 "2011-03-29T20:45:08Z")
Thanks… It is really not easy, because most of the parts are not 100% acurate to the parts I have… So hopefully everything will fit… [Next page](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/first-packbuild-it-starts-noob-questions-incl/11168.md?page=2)