# Is a styrene pack wearable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Proton Packs\ **Created:** [March 28, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623 "2012-03-28T17:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/1 "2012-03-28T17:35:24Z")
Hello again gang, its been a while since I last posted (before Christmas I believe) but I have been lurking since then, and I have some question regarding using styrene as my building material. Has anyone made a good, durable pack completely out of styrene and worn it around with no damage? Would it pull the glue seams apart under its own weight? Is it too heavy? I ask because I’ve researched these boards, and found that most people build mold masters out of styrene, then cast a shell. I’d rather not just purchase a shell, I wanted to make this with my own two hands. Right now, Im planning to start small and make a movie thrower out of styrene and PVC pipe, and if that works, try my hand at a styrene RGB thrower with some movie-realism tossed in. Thank you for your thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![chrisman99](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@chrisman99](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/chrisman99)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 8:06pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/2 "2012-03-28T20:06:19Z")
I have not finished mine yet to the wearing stage but have made the shell and by the time you glue it all together and fill all the gaps with filler its pretty solid. Go for it with styrene its the future. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Hawkins](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/alan_hawkins/32/4015_2.png) [@Alan\_Hawkins](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Alan_Hawkins)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/3 "2012-03-28T20:52:34Z")
It’s pretty sturdy. Much more than any Styrofoam and there are a few of those out there. ---
**Author:** ![ejlambert](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/ejlambert/32/179750_2.png) [@ejlambert](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ejlambert)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/4 "2012-03-28T21:05:08Z")
Styrene scratchbuilder here. Hi. In terms of scratch building, it’s more sturdy than foamcore and cardboard, but nowhere close to MDF. If you’re really worried about the integrity of the build you can always reinforce the inside with fiberglass resin and/or expanding foam. ---
**Author:** ![ProtonCharger](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@ProtonCharger](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/ProtonCharger)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:25pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/5 "2012-03-28T21:25:35Z")
short answer: yes. long answer: of course. ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 2:34am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/6 "2012-03-29T02:34:30Z")
Sounds like the aye’s have it! Getting started on the thrower tonight! I should start a build thread once I get somewhere with it. ---
**Author:** ![WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/dec6dc/32.png) [@WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/WeeMadHamish)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/7 "2012-03-29T16:20:29Z")
Styrene builder here. It is plenty sturdy, but you definitely want to reinforce your corners with an extra layer just to make sure the joints are bonded well. I’ve banged mine against walls quite a few times and other than a little dent in the plastic it’s held up just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:11am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/8 "2012-03-30T03:11:56Z")
WeeMadHamish I can cite your build thread as inspiration for me, I’ve referred to it already several times in the course of my build, which I started today. I ran into the same problem you did by noting that the front barrel was a major stress point, and I’m still not exactly sure how I will reinforce it. ---
**Author:** ![zombierepellent](https://forum.gbfans.com/user_avatar/forum.gbfans.com/zombierepellent/32/5970_2.png) [@zombierepellent](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/zombierepellent)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/9 "2012-03-30T18:59:52Z")
It is wearable. But it also depends on what thickness you use. I built mine out of .080" for ease of building, but I don’t think that would be durable enough to wear around. You can fiberglass the inside of them, but you need to be careful of using too much resin and having the heat of the curing resin warp your pack. My thrower, and Funkpunktwangs throwers, were scratchbuilt by me out of styrene, and they did tend to need to be repaired a lot. After a while, I just swapped our throwers out with TC kits. ---
**Author:** ![WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/dec6dc/32.png) [@WeeMadHamish](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/WeeMadHamish)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/10 "2012-03-31T23:56:10Z")
My thrower body is .08" styrene but the pack is .125"… I don’t think I would go thinner than that. ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/11 "2012-04-01T01:59:46Z")
> [@zombierepellent](#): > > It is wearable. But it also depends on what thickness you use. I built mine out of .080" for ease of building, but I don’t think that would be durable enough to wear around. > > You can fiberglass the inside of them, but you need to be careful of using too much resin and having the heat of the curing resin warp your pack. My thrower, and Funkpunktwangs throwers, were scratchbuilt by me out of styrene, and they did tend to need to be repaired a lot. After a while, I just swapped our throwers out with TC kits. I just started a thrower out of 0.06" styrene. I’ve reinforced all right angle joints with square styrene tubing, and I’m also double layering most of the external panels with another layer of thinner styrene. Seems solid so far, but who knows how it will hold up what with being pulled off the pack all the time. I have a feeling I’ll eventually wish I went with a kit for durability. Hearing the throwers needed to be repaired often doesn’t fill me with confidence either. I’d rather not get into fiberglass, as I know nothing about it and don’t really have a workspace aside from my floor, lol. ---
**Author:** ![m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@m\_burkit](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/m_burkit)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/12 "2012-04-01T02:19:57Z")
Is a styrene pack wearable? ![image](http://www.gbfans.com/images/fans/props/2010_9538060939.jpg) Well it looks like I’m wearing it out in public (I’m the one in the center) 😛 Yes, they can be very sturdy. I made mine from 0.125" styrene but then also fiberglassed the inside of it for added support. Is it sturdier then a fiberglass shell? I doubt it but it held up nicely for me until I retired it to storage in favor of my fiberglass pack. ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/13 "2012-04-02T15:21:49Z")
That looks great! Is fiberglass hard? Thats nothing something to which i have any easy access. ---
**Author:** ![xtrmn8r17](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/x/f0a364/32.png) [@xtrmn8r17](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/xtrmn8r17)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/14 "2012-04-02T17:05:49Z")
Yea fiberglass is very sturdy. The interior of a [proton pack](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack) shell is often coated in fiberglass to reinforce the exterior of the shell. Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Ghostbusters Fans on Android ---
**Author:** ![MRblahface](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@MRblahface](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/MRblahface)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 9:00am UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/15 "2012-04-08T09:00:39Z")
I think you can get a fiber glass kit from an auto parts store for 20 or so bucks. There are a few tutorials around here some where. this is burkits styrene pack [mburkit's NEW Proton Pack WIP (Lights complete! 7/8/09) - Proton Packs - GBFans.com](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10747) [Paper Proton Pack build with Pep Files and Solidworks CAD fi - Proton Packs - GBFans.com](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=24730) goes how to glass a paper [proton pack](https://www.gbfans.com/wiki/equipment/proton-pack) shell. and Burkits commission vac pack [The Marvelous Accounts of a "Budget" Pack - Proton Packs - GBFans.com](http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=22161) ---
**Author:** ![Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/e56c9b/32.png) [@Silverstreak](https://forum.gbfans.com/u/Silverstreak)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:24pm UTC](https://forum.gbfans.com/t/is-a-styrene-pack-wearable/14623/16 "2012-04-10T14:24:02Z")
Well I’m nearly finished with my styrene scratchbuild thrower. I’ll post a build thread later this week. (I didn’t want to start showing pictures before I had made enough progress.) I’m pleased so far.