WIP: lordgilpin's Foamcore Pack (Chapter One -Complete)

[Mike_D]

It is VERY lightweight, almost as if it wasn’t there. But its very solid as well. You definately should use it for the gun mount box at least for better support for your thrower, especially if its gonna be a heavier resin model kit like you mentioned you were gonna get. Word of advice though, only fill it up half-way (it expands). What I did was use it sparingly (mostly along the crevices where the panels of the boxes were joined by glue, I did however fill it up in the gun mount box for a strong support for my thrower).

If you want too, just spray a little on a piece of scrap foamboard so you can see for yourself how it expands/dries. Only 3-4 bucks for a can, I just used one can myself for the whole pack.

The first time I used the stuff, I made the mistake of filling the entire cyclotron area with the stuff and I had a lot of sanding and cutting to do after it cured/expanded so I could add electronics and close it up. I wish I still had the pics from my progress the first time I built a foamboard pack back in '05, you could get a better idea of what I’m talking about.

[nick-a-tron]

bloody hell that looks amazing! can’t believe its simple foamcore. you have talent my friend

[pchrisbosh1]

Looking really fantastic Lord, and your making such awesome progress so quickly keep it up man!

Chris

[lordgilpin]

So now I’m finally finished with the Gearbox… (My friend took pity on me and loaned me a Dremmel. I DEFINATELY should have been using one of these the whole time-LOL)


I start the Ion Arm and the piece that connects the Gearbox and Gunmount today…

[Not404Error]

Looks great. What kind of foamcore is necessary for a pack build? Lowes has so many different kinds on their site that I have no idea what I’m even looking for, lol

[lordgilpin]

I got mine at a Hobby Lobby, it’s 3/16th of an inch thick. As far as I know it’s standard. The thickness shouldn’t matter much but you don’t want it too thin.

My real question is are you looking for ‘Foamcore board’ like I’ve used here or ‘insulation foam’ like Gareee used here: http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7721&hilit=gareee

Gareee’s insulation foam you most definitely would find at Lowes… Never looked there for foamcore board though, although I bet they have it…

[Not404Error]

Hah, I had no idea there was a difference. Have you ever used insulation foam? It’d probably come down to whichever was cheapest… lowes seems to have ins. foam in a 8’x4’ for ~$15 a sheet.

[Mike_D]

Yea, the idea of a foamcore pack is to build a cost-effective proton pack that’s quick, easy and still looks good.

[aj-quick]

Excellent work! This is really shaping up nicely.

[lordgilpin]

Doing what I can to save my Synchronous Generator… Besides that, I’m pretty much finished making shapes/boxes.



I’m waiting for my Cyclotron (JT94) and I’ve secured a HGA, PPD, and Booster Frame in resin. I guess while I wait for those I should start the Injectors, Booster, etc… (The PVC pipe projects…)

Now, I went to my local home store to buy some PVC for the tube on the gearbox and screwed it all up. Three trips later I decided I don’t know shit about PVC and I/O Diameter… I’m definitely NOT looking forward to measuring pipe again like the last time -Everyone looking at me funny, asking me what I’m using it for… Generally trying to help but not. I have plenty of PVC that reads: 1" on it. If someone could just tell me what sizes I need to get that would REALLY help me out…

Please…?

[m_burkit]

You want 1" schedule 40 PVC Pipe for the filler plugs. I used that size for my powercell injectors as well but but they will be a little thin; they should be 1.50" but the 1" PVC pipe’s OD is only like 1.25"-ish. You will also need 2" schedule 40 PVC Pipe for the booster tube and you can make the HGA out of that too.

For the N-Filter, I used two 2" PVC couplings put together and filled to be the right length. One coupling is not long enough so you need to put to together then cut them to the right length.

Hope that helps.

[hooker]

Looking great Gilpin. Little Debbie Oatmeal creme pies have accompanied many of my builds as well.

[Not404Error]

@hooker

Looking great Gilpin. Little Debbie Oatmeal creme pies have accompanied many of my builds as well.

…

that’s a great idea!

[lordgilpin]

@hooker

Little Debbie Oatmeal creme pies have accompanied many of my builds as well.

LOL- Yeah, I’ve killed quite a few boxes and then some…

[Gareee]

I used 3" abs pipe (the black plastic pipe) for my n filters. They make a 3" test cap for it that fits perfectly.

I got a hole drill set, and drilled out the holes in the n filter, and then put a short pringles can inside it painted flat white to looks like filter paper.

[cpu64]

I love watching people work with different materials.. ESPECIALLY paper based materials.

When I made my spartan armor, it all started out as matting paper-board.

Can’t wait to see when more of you guys start building metal packs..

I’m starting to make a few shaping tools I’ll need to get a metal pack made.

[protokev]

i am amazed, i hope my foamcore trap comes out as good

[FeinDTacticS]

god, foamcore is so awesome…this pack is coming along so nice

before i started my pack out of wood i was SERIOUSLY thinking of making a pack out of it, since my job has an endless supply of it for free.. but it means i gotta sneak make it at work .. or just sneak cut measured pieces while at work and take them home with me lol

[cklinejr]

Wow dude, insanely impressive

[lordgilpin]

I was planning on picking up some PVC, screws, washers, L-brackets and some MDF for a motherboard yesterday but I didn’t get paid yesterday like I was supposed to… Grrr. (Long story) Anyhow, It’s all taken care of now but I won’t get paid for a few days…

My brother and his friends come over on Wednesday to my apartment because it’s just a bit bigger and I usually try to avoid them. Lately it seems like Wednesdays are the only days I get anything done on this pack -lol! So since I didn’t get to go get anything I had to pretty much just do the stuff I’ve been avoiding all week: Cutting and glueing the panels for the Spacer…

All I have is a handsaw so cutting the basswood is pretty hard without some kind of support- I have this folding picnic table thing that has slats in it… How ghetto…


Now I cut out 14 panels and glued them on with the Tacky glue that has served me so well throughout this entire build… and watched as the panels slowly warped out at the sides more and more… I kept telling myself that it was barely noticeable- Then that it wasn’t TOO bad- Then that there may be a way to fix them?


All the trouble I’ve been having with this Spacer has just sucked the will outta me- I have a whole new respect for the propbuilders that make these ‘bucks’ to take casts from… (I’ve only seen Exoray’s and zombierepellent’s but they were SO clean and sharp… The amount of work it must’ve taken to create Exoray’s buck alone is worth the $400 pricetag- Forget the cost of the fiberglass…) When I came back from getting a fountain pop at the gas station the sight of my pack was just too much and I flipped. I ripped all those panels off the spacer and wiped as much of the glue away as I could and began to cut out 14 more panels…


I don’t know why the tacky glue affected the basswood like that, I just know that I tested the liquid nail I had and it worked fine…


As it stands, the only part of the spacer I can be proud of:


To get away from that beast for a bit, I turned to the 1" PVC pipe sections I’ve been working on but I’ll show some more pics of those later after I get to the hardware store… Here’s where I’m at. I can’t wait for my Cyclotron to get here (Sorry for bugging you about it JT- I was in a dark hole man…) so I can cover up my Spacer with something accurate and well done!