Like many in this community, my fandom started in my childhood. My first proton packs were cardboard numbers, neither of them particularly accurate but fun to strap on nonetheless, vague mishmashes of the movie and RGB packs complete with basic lights and an extending tip (via a bit of elastic tubing). Bustin’ ghosts in the neighborhood with my friends was the favorite afternoon passtime.
And then I grew up. Oh, the humanity. When I stumbled upon this site last year, it rekindled my love for the franchise. And I knew it was time to build another pack. Having never tackled a prop-building project this big since those days of running around in the jumpsuit my mom made, I decided to start small to see if my skills were up to the task. So I tackled the thrower first, since the materials were readily available locally. It has since sort of become my “tinker project” that I futz with in passing a few minutes here and there. The body is built out of .08" styrene sheet and 1.25" x .0625" plastic drainpipe, reinforced with 2-part putty.
Unfortunately up until now I’ve been bad about taking pictures, but here is how it stood a few weeks ago, after finishing the main body. I just had to dry fit the switches and lights – to see if they fit, of course, and not to play with it or anything. 
The red lens on top is a placeholder until I can either find an appropriate clear version or cast one up on my own.
And today I got a few parts in from MMM, so here is how it stands, with the gaps puttied, the edges sanded, the palm rest added, and the knobs test fit.
ToDo:
Finish front barrel assembly, patch, sand and fit grips
Build injection cylinder
In a couple of weeks I plan to order larger sheets of .125" styrene, and the full pack build will begin in earnest. Lights and sound will be provided by a custom Arduino setup which I’ve got roughly 75% complete. I am trying to build as much from scratch as possible, sans the detail bits.
Halloween ‘10 is the target. Here’s hopin’!
