I’ve got the basics laid out… still quite a ways to go.
Thanks to Gareee for the electrical box design-- I had considered them when I started thinking about this a year ago, but was afraid they weren’t close enough to the authentic sizes. Since then, I’ve seen enough “close enough” packs to know that it doesn’t make a lot of difference, as long as the work is thorough. We’ll see what I can manage!
I’m using a 12" cake pan as the spacer, to minimize the amount of foam exposed on edges of the pack. This should keep dents and dings in the foam to a minimum
I think the most important thing I’ve learned so far is that flat, flush caps for 1" (inner diameter) PVC can be found in the electrical section. Except that’s not what they’re for, and you’ll need the wrong size. 3/4" knockout caps (for plugging the holes for 3/4" ID that pop out of electrical boxes) fit right into 1" PVC. So many problems solved.
I just need to see the cyclotron.sync generator from the top and sides at the same time.. something might be of, but its hard to tell when looking at only one pic. Its always best to post a few anfgles, so people can catch things that will improve your build.
I wish I’d posted more wip pics when I did ours now.
Everything is in various stages of drying at the moment, so I can’t lay it out for another picture just yet-- but I bet what you noticed is that the sync generator is only 2" thick, whereas yours was 3". I had a hell of a time getting just those tiny bits of foam cut-- if there is time, I will attempt a 3-layer sync generator, but I don’t think I’m as fast or as skilled as you.
If you tried to make each layer separately, then that might be your problem…if you are using a jigsaw, the blade can easily cut through two layers at a time.
Mine is actually slightly thin, and if yours is even thinner, then the cyclotron isn;t going to fit as close to your bumper, and the labels will not fit properly on your sync generator side.
Only the bottom layer has those odd cutouts by the fill tubes… the top two layers are identical. if you have one done, trace that right onto a new foam layer, cut a new one out it out slightly larger, and then use your sander to get close to that final shape. glue all 3 layers together, and then sand them all down to the final shape.. its mich easier to do that with them glued together.
Also you might need to use elmer’s wood filler on the sides, and then resand again is you knock any small chunks out while working on it.
The more you work with foam, the easier it gets.. I just did the back of our ghost traps with fam, and after working with wood the past few day, it was heaven!
Sadly, I don’t have a saw that will cut through more than one layer at a time. The little saber saw I use to cut the outlines can get through maybe an inch and a half. The bumper will also be a kludge with a bent piece of metal strap for this year, so I can adjust the clearance to compensate for the height. Please don’t take my shortcuts as a statement on the quality of your documentation-- I simply don’t have the same tools (or the experience) available to me for this year. Making this pack has been instructive, though. Now that I’m at least a little better acquainted with the process, there are some pieces I’ll remake when I have more time. If I can find a jigsaw somewhere, I will probably recut the cyclotron for next year using your three-layer design in either MDF or foam, and either order a premade bumper, or start learning which end of a router is “up” 10 months in advance.
Note to other first-timers: paint will not stick to a non-stick cake pan. Even if it’s a $3 one from a dollar store. It’s such an obvious thing that I can’t stop laughing about it. “Why won’t this paint stick?” (looks at label on pan) “Ohhhhhh.” (smacks head). Fortunately, it’s just the little pan, and not the big one that makes up the bulk of my sync generator. Anybody got any recommendations on where to find a cheap paintable cake pan?
just take an orbital sander to the pan you got. that’ll sand off the non-stick stuff, and you can paint away. also, are you using primer first? on my first build i used a non-stick pan and the parts that i didn’t sand down the primer took just fine.
Ahhhh, if only I had an orbital sander. Or a jigsaw. Fortunately, I have a second cake pan fresh from wal-mart, and it has straighter sides than the current cyclotron pan anyway.
Here’s what most of it looks like laid out with a coat or two of paint, with the bad cyclotron:
After halloween, I will probably take the cyclotron back off and add another layer to the sync generator-- but I don’t have time to cut, sand, fill, and re-sand another piece of foam.
I actually saw those newer “layer” cake pans.. they are straighter, and deeper as well. I might use those on my more accurate pack, since IMHO they are closer to the look of the originals.
