Hello from Orlando FL. After seeing the incredible work you guys have put into your proton packs I have decided to join the fun. Mainly I want to be and will be the best halloween costume at work this year.
I can see a lot of work goes into making these things look like the real deal so I've decided to start early. I will attempt to do my own LED effects in the pack and the sound will probably end up low quality. 2 Radio shack 20sec digital voice recorder kits will be used for the effects; one for the power up and one for the gun activation.
Thank you to all who have done so much research on the packs. I can't believe the detail that has been captured. Props to Stefan Otto for the spec work!! Pun?
Anyway here are the first pics:
For construction of the walls I used “B White Base” plastic base board from Home Depot; very sturdy and forms well with a heat gun.
2" pvc coupling worked great for the top of the synchronous generator.
The brown material is 1/4" thick MDF board; rough on one side, slick on the other.
For thickness build-up I used 1/4x1/4 hardwood for the walls and capped with the MDF board.
I remember when I first started mine a couple years ago I got very excited when I saw the shape of the motherboard cut out. Couldn’t sleep for a while after that.
you’re off to a good start. Is that light of heavy? it looks like it would be light (since it’s thin) but wood is heavy (not as heavy as metal, but heavier than plastic)
Right now I’m guessing 5 pounds…and that’s comparing to a 5 pound weight. I think light? Then again when everything is said and done for maybe it will all add up to the average mid 20’s poundage. The styrene trim has virtually no weight to it but is very sturdy.
By all means…take whatever you can learn, I have. I’m making almost step by step pictures to help anyone else that wants to make the packs.
I had made the Gearbox originally using luan board because i got it for free. It was a bit warped and I mistakenly thought I could control the pieces and straighten them out. I was wrong.
The material capping off the top so that I could get a round edge all the way around is 3/4" mdf…i lot thicker than needed for the curvature but it’s material I already had. I routed out the inside of the caps using my dremel to cut down on weight.
slick work there chief!! good idea routing out the inside of those 3/4" mdf caps on the gearbox. i built my pack out of 1/4 mdf and it ended up about 40lbs, so anywhere you can trim weight is a good thing. keep those pics comin’, and keep up the good work!
The trim pieces will be added when all immediate area components are on.
Anyone ever used Great Stuff to fill in all the cavities? It wouldn’t add very much weight to the pack and would help strengthen everything. The stuff can be nasty to work with though…and you would have to make sure the expanding phase has an escape route else it pop your piece. I think I"m hesitant to use it…
