This is going to come across as a stupid question….but where should one even begin?
I am very OCD when it comes to stuff being accurate. I used to build props for stage/haunted houses, so I’m a stickler for detail. However, now that I’m married with a wife and kids, I no longer have a work space. I have a 3x5 shed I can duck into but that’s about it…tools…down to just the bare basics.
I’m thinking ideally I should get a kit with very. Straightforward. Directions lol. However it seems there’s hundreds of kits out there, and I don’t know how to choose the right one for me.
In terms of current projects, im working on a 3D printed set of ecto goggles, and im not overly thrilled with the design, print quality, etc. im going to turn them into a pair for my kid, as he won’t notice it’s not up to what the adults expect. I have so few tools anymore just sanding the eye pieces to be smooth/round is a major ordeal.
Any help/guidance for a good starting point for someone who’s:
A) OCD
B) very rusty when it comes to building props
C) has limited space/tools
D) knows next to nothing about electronics
Would be very much appreciated!
Thank you so much for all your help guys, your builds are amazing! I’m jealous and frankly a bit self conscious lol
-And to decide what style if Proton Pack you want, if you don’t have a clear idea in mind yet.
Each movie has a distinct, if somewhat subtle appearance for the Pack props - and it gets even more involved as multiple props in the same film can have their own characteristic differences.
The main categories are:
1984 - what a lot of fans go for.
1989 - what a smaller, but no-less-passionate collection of fans go for.
2021 - what we’re seeing become more common, and mostly focusing on the Pack Phoebe wears.
1984 Packs are considered by many to be the “default” configuration, however they do have a number of vintage parts that are very hard to find… If not next to impossible.
…However, they do have a lot of replica parts that are now available, like specific light covers, ribbon cables, and pneumatic fittings.
So while you may not be able to easily get a Pack that has 100% vintage parts, there’s a lot of good substitutes out there.
So now you have to ask yourself, what style of Proton Pack would you like to own?
Down the line, once we get a home with more workspace, I want to do my own variation of the afterlife pack, with mods I create. Sort of like I made my own changes as they fit for me and my ghostbusting crew in 2022.
If you’re comfortable 3D printing then there is the ‘Q’ pack by Quentin Machiels that is available free online (join the '3D Printed Ghostbusters Props group on Facebook), that is a very good option.
If you want a kit to build then I would personally recommend Proton Props in the UK who will be offering that in the next few weeks. Another popular option is BenofKent, also in the UK. For electronics I would either use the GBFans kits, or Ninjatunes. Both plug and play with installation instructions, so no electronics experience needed.
Tools wise you’re going to need a drill, a Dremel (or equivalent rotary tool), set of taps, sandpaper and maybe files, screwdrivers, Allen keys. That should cover you for most stuff.
Thanks for the replies both of you. I slept on it, and frankly I’m not sure if I really want to attempt to do the build. My tool selection is very limited, my space even more so.
I had to go spray paint my kids new goggles on the ground outside in a snow storm yesterday. Doing it to a 20 dollar pair of 3D printed goggles is one thing…an expensive proton pack would definitely be another!
And while I have built props in the past, there’s a big difference between building something new and trying to recreate something from a beloved franchise.
I think this time around I should probably just buy one. Once we move into a bigger home in a handful of years, then I can make my own once I have space/time/money.
That being said: where’s a good source to acquire a completed, accurate pack? Anyone got an extra they want to sell lol!
If you are buying i would go with proton props; probably does the best commission builds. Top quality and dave is straightforward and upfront with customers.
On YouTube, there is a channel called Lost Wax that recently finished a tutorial on how to make a Proton Pack and wand out of floormats and PVC pipe, along with various bits and bobs of stuff found around the house, also included how to make an ALICE pack frame out of PVC pipe. There isn’t a playlist for it yet, but the last vid in the series was posted on Saturday. The entire series is in the last six videos he’s uploaded. This is a link to the videos page. By the end of it, it looked amazingly like a pack that was made of fiberglass. Patterns are available here for what ever you want to pay.
The work space I had was usually the size of a the lid of a chest freezer (as that was my workstation for most of my first Pack’s assembly.
And on a few occasions, I was able to get the work I needed done in the garden.
As for my tools, all I had to work with at the time were a cordless drill, a selection of variously-sized screwdrivers, some Allen keys, a bench clamp and a hacksaw and a hot-glue gun.
You don’t need a garage of specialist tools to assemble a Proton Pack. It can help, but it’s not a barrier if you only have a small selection of tools to work with.
Ben of Kent does full, or mostly-full Pack assemblies (I’ve not bought from him so I’m not fully informed). I can’t speak with any authority on Proton Props.
It looks like it may be a foam pack possibly? He doesn’t say what the shell is made from in the listing, but looking at the sync gen there look to be seams where the foam has been joined. Looks to be using a Hasbro Spengler wand as well, so that may or may not be connected to the pack electronics. They aren’t a company I’ve come across before so can’t comment on them on that front though.
I’ve no experience with the company, but looking at the prop there’s some unusual ribbed/segmented texturing that isn’t on the screen-used props (likely a result of how that Pack was constructed), and it’s got the Hasbro Spengler wand toy rather than a resin or metal one.
Hey guys, I’m writing this today because I’ve placed an order with this company a year ago. I was supposed to be getting it this week when I got an email today saying parts were yet back ordered and now I won’t see a delivery until late June. Now, I was supposed to have this after Thanksgiving mind you, and so I’m worried that I’m being scammed! I made payments to him via invoices he’d email. So even though I ordered through etsy, they don’t have the transaction on the site. Did I just lose 1,600 bucks? I kept all the information from the invoices and I saved every confirmation email he sent after a payment. So hopefully etsy can help me get my money back if this is all just a scheme…IDK, does anyone have any advice? I’m freaking out!
[quote=Guyinboots101 post_id=4980838 time=1680544250 user_id=56611]I made payments to him via invoices he’d email.
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What was the payment method you used, was it Paypal, or another service? Was any of it actually handled through Etsy itself?
I don’t wish to freak you out any more than you’re already feeling, but based on the info you’ve listed it doesn’t sound good.
He took the payment from you a year back, with an estimate of Thanksgiving 2022… And he’s only now looking to order in the parts ordered to build it?
The best case scenario is he’s a slow and negligent prop builder that may eventually deliver, someone who’s been leaving things too late… Or relying on supplies that aren’t widely available, or are subject to production and delivery (like the Spengler thrower he appears to use in his builds)
However I do have a nasty feeling he has scammed you.
And if nothing was officially handled through Etsy, they may not have any ability to chase him up.
Probably not a good idea to be posting your email address and mailing address on a public website? Anyone can see it without logging in. Might want to upload a new one with those details blanked out.
