#315480
Alright,
I updated the cyclotron file to reflect on a 3" od N-filter. I wont be getting around to that part yet because I have a few parts to catch up on for my second pack that I'll take extra pictures of to illustrate things I didnt get pictures of.

There was a link to an updated file here, but it's been added to A NEW archived file in the first post of the thread, located at the bottom RIGHT HERE:http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=305434
Those of you keeping up downloading the files as I update them are ahead of the game. At the end of the whole deal, REGULAR MOVIE pack parts that I update will go into a newer, better ZIP file where I'll remove files that are unnecessary because of updates.

<3's.
#315523
Paco wrote:hey proton just wondering before i blow some money tomorrow on supplies at Walmart, is there an alternative to the tape? Can I use regular old masking tape and get the same effect?
No. You absolutely must use the Aluminum Air Conditioning Duct Tape. It runs from 10-30 dollars at Home Depot in the air conditioning duct dept (near the duct tape). The roll I bought was around 15 bucks. You specifically need this type of tape because it adds very much needed stability to the inside of your components, so it doesn't cave in or buckle when you apply resin to the face of it.

It took three tries before I found this stuff, and it is amazing.
#316368
Hey, Proton, I've been following this build for a while, and I think I'm ready to get started. Thanks for sharing this with us, I've been looking for a more practical way to build a pack for a long time. I have a question about the powercell, though. On the bottom of your powercell there is a notch cut out so that the front and the left side stick out, but on every reference picture I've ever seen the bottom of the powercell is flat so it can hold the injectors at the bottom. I know you keep saying not to get ahead of you, but is this something you are going to explain/rectify later, or does this pertain to your video game pack or what?
#316400
I'm stoked you've been keeping up and are ready to jump on your own. I'm also glad you followed along a little while before you jumped in. To address your questions:

FIRST AND FOREMOST
I only released the Movie pack files. Game pack files are still in the works, and will not be released freely. What you see in my updates (again) are movie pack files that you have. BUT game pack components I show from my pack are from an upgraded movie pack model, that share the same basic movie pack component. I'll only walk you through the movie pack part of the component for the update, and then share what my specific game pack part looks like(to avoid confusion from the movie pack part). It's really not right to have two different build threads going on of the same thing anyway.
spynet315 wrote: On the bottom of your powercell there is a notch cut out so that the front and the left side stick out, but on every reference picture I've ever seen the bottom of the powercell is flat so it can hold the injectors at the bottom.I know you keep saying not to get ahead of you, but is this something you are going to explain/rectify later,
I bolded another reason why I asked not to get ahead of me. It's something I'm going to be doing after I resin the pack. The way I drew that was the best way I could figure to mount two different sized plates, centered in the powercell...you know, honestly I cant explain it with out it sounding inaccurate.

BUT WHO CARES I'LL DO IT ANYWAY.

Essentially there's like a smaller plate that goes under the powercell, and then ANOTHER plate that goes under that one, where the injector tubes meet that plate.

Here's some pictures to illustrate what I'm talking about when I say "plates"
Image
The blue oval, shows that smaller "plate" sticking out of the bottom of the powercell, while the green oval shows the 1/8" plate that attaches to that plate, that's also attached to the powercell.

I had a measurement for that blue oval's plate some where, I just cant remember where I left it at the moment because I'm not at that point yet. That "Void" you see, is meant to be so you use any thickness piece of wood or styrene, and you use that like a "sleeve" to "slide in" to it's actual "height" THEN mount that 1/8" plate that the injector tubes are mounted to; to that.

Here's some pics from the pack with out ovals covering it up:
Image
Image

But I wont do any of that until after I resin the pack which is a while from now


You'll also notice I didnt draw plates on the Spacer and have two separate folders with Ribs and No Ribs. I prefer using the files with out ribs, because it'll be easier to add them AFTER the pack is resined, being that you're in the beginning stages, be sure to prioritize the files with out ribs, and check the thread through to make sure i didnt upload any new files to replace some in the overall zip file in the first post.

ON A RELATED/UNRELATED NOTE
This is something I hope alot of people take to heart during this build in the future:

What I dont have in these updates, I'd prefer not to talk about them until it comes to that point. I have alot of it mapped out, but talking about it NOW will confuse people (AND ME the distaction breaks my groove and confuses me)following along, what's only happening NOW.

To be quite honest, even talking about stuff in the chat room that I havent built yet is starting to irk me.

Trust me, I'm not going to release a bunch of stuff with my name on it and tell you to get all these neat flashy things, and it be a major pile of garbage that you cant even use.
Just follow the thread part by part, ask questions on current (where they stand in a recent update) or past parts(where they stand in their updates).
#316418
Thank you for that very thorough answer. I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. Even though I haven't built any packs to completion myself, I am very familiar with all of the different sections of the proton pack. When I saw the powercell and the missing piece, I started looking for the piece that would fit into that part, but it wasn't there, so I naturally got a little confused as to what you were doing. Thanks again for taking the time to explain it!
#317363
I think now would be a good time to update you on where we're at with this thing, and give you an idea of what you need to start making purchases for because of things I didnt model but are not different degrees and schedules of aluminum or pvc pipe, that if there's a waiting list, its probably a good idea to get in on right now.

PARTS I DIDNT MODEL AND YOU WILL NEED TO PURCHASE FOR YOUR OWN PACK

Booster frame - There are a few people floating around that make them available
Jackdoud has a sort of kit to make your own
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=24917

Clippards
Phish4dinner sells real Clippard Valves, and Clippard fittings AND ALL(or most of) THE GOOFY SOCKET SCREWS.
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=24789

Misc Pack Parts
http://www.gbfans.com/shop/proton-pack/
I'll be getting a ribbon cable from here, if I cant figure out how to construct the GB1 style. This is GB2 style.

Nickatron has all of the above in resin. I believe I have a Booster frame of his that I got as a resale here. It's solid. SOLID. My only issue is the shipping costs and time/rate of delivery, being that I live in the US and he lives in Europe.
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... =31&t=8283

I'd actually prefer to purchase the resin misc pack parts from Nickatron. Where shipping rate, and international ordering is concerned, his quality outshines the other international sellers. I prefer to get as much as I possibly can within the states, because I live here, and I'm not patient enough for mail to come.

Thrower parts
Throwing chicken is working on a new gun kit (WAIT FOR IT). For now, you can use his "AJ quick wants two of them" Bundle and be set on a few of the parts I didnt model. Honestly if you have to run out and MUST GET a thrower kit, I'd get one from Throwing Chicken, BUT THAT DEFEATS THE PURPOSE OF ME DOING A PAPER THROWER. I'm doing a paper one for my own, I'm just "endorsing" his kits, because they're just so beautiful.
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=19959

Name brand sells the Heatsink
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=23377

Nickatron fills in the gaps with the parts that TC's kit doesnt offer, like hatlights and the knobs.

Pack Lenses
Crix sells them. For my game pack, I'm using something different. For a movie pack I'd go with Kris
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=18938

Various sellers, sell the hoses.
3/4 splitless loom
The Randalvic
http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 31&t=20839


I want to make an open offer to update this list of things I may have forgotten. I'm in school right now, doing my best to not work on an assignment I dont want to do. HOWEVER I DONT WANT YOU TO RESPOND WHAT I FORGOT IN THIS THREAD WITH OUT FIRST SENDING ME A PM AND THEN I WILL POST IT IN THIS THREAD WITH CREDIT TO YOU IF I FEEL IT'S APPROPRIATE. I DONT EVEN WANT YOU TO SAY WHO SELLS IT.

I refuse to let someone whos parts I dont recommend and will not buy because of their poor quality to be posted in my thread. Dont even think about being facetious, I will write you off.

This isnt something I joke around about. A Proton Pack is an investment, no matter the skills you have or the funds you have, it's best to do it as best you can the first time. Think of this particular pack like this, if it's not your final pack, get the stuff you want to have on your final pack. that way you have it, when you do make your final pack. The purpose of this post was to send you to the right direction for parts not just for this Proton Pack, but for any Proton Pack, and for me to gather everyone together when it comes to a point where I feel it's ok for me to start purchasing stuff I need for my own packs.

ANYWAY

Where am I on the pack?

I started cutting out the FIXED USE THIS CYCLOTRON FOR PEP that I think I recently added to a post when I found out the Nfilter is 3" OD. I'll check on if I put that new file up here, and if I didnt I'll upload it and throw it on here later. I have a couple ideas how to approach this, both of them include me using a trim router, and hoping you all have access to one OR are patient enough to use sand paper and/or a heavy duty file (which every person in the world should have anyway). EITHER WAY I wont be tackling this with a router or file until I resin the pack, which is when?...LATER.

I started figuring out how to do the SPACERNOPLATES, by connecting the drawing lines to create tabs. So far that's looking pretty good. I think I'll be making a skeleton for that, for sure, because of the weight it'll need to hold for resin, and the cyclotron covered in resin. Dont worry, when I figure it out, I'll walk you through it.

I also think I may ditch the mobo file, I dont see it helping anyone with this build, considering there will be different variables that change the size and shape of their mobo, unfortunately, this is one thing "operator" or "construction" error can effect something else, and it means every thing to get all your creases and lines matched up to absolutely damn flipping near a "C-hair" close. I will however, walk you through making your own mobo, and link you to a few threads here that show how to make your own. The only people that the mobo file i included will help, are the people that find these files floating on the internet with out access to this thread.

Thats where I'm at today kids.
#317685
SO...
UH..

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THE METAL PARTS?



You go here.

http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... =2&t=25357

Vincenzo330 did a fantastic job of laying out all the metal bits you're going to need for your pack and where to get them from. I modeled the packs based off of these measurements, with the exception of my freaking about the cyclotron in that thread, that was fixed a few posts back in this thread. I KNEW I was forgetting something from my last update, I just couldnt put my finger on it.


JUST LEAVE SOME ALUMINUM STUFF FOR ME.


PACK PROGRESS UPDATE

I spent the better part of an afternoon drafting a skeleton for the cyclotron and spacer in solidworks, but I think I'm going to go ahead and scratch one up when I'm putting it together. That way there's not any extra files to download and we learn something new.

So...start dumpster diving for some nice cardboard, because that's what we're going to be using. If it smells like trash tea, or is wet...come on.

Tomorrow I'm going to put together my other cosmetic plating, which will be different from my last update, because I drew it based on a skin error of the game that removed a detail when you looked at the pack "straight on". Not that this effects you any, but man, my weekend was shot. I had a conniption fit Friday. I'll also hopefully get started on perforating, and documenting the spacer.

Which is going to be ALL KINDS OF FUN.
#318536
First off PC, you have provided a great source for my scratch build.

Second, I want to reiterate what you said earlier if you have not already. If you are building from template by printing from PDF files, uncheck the goddamned shrink to print box. Better yet just use the Pep viewer and print directly from the PDO file.

Third: how cool would a Xtacle helmet from a Pep file be?
#321208
wm6929 wrote:First off PC, you have provided a great source for my scratch build.
Thanks!
Second, I want to reiterate what you said earlier if you have not already. If you are building from template by printing from PDF files, uncheck the goddamned shrink to print box. Better yet just use the Pep viewer and print directly from the PDO file.
I made the files as user friendly as they possibly can be using the Pepakura viewer. Just open them and print. In my personal experience with pepakura, it's never EVER been that easy, and one major reason why it can be ridiculously frustrating to people just starting out with this medium. I wanted people to sort of get a little "spoiled" to it, and hopefully get people started modelling them properly 1:1 scale. Dont get me started on A4 paper bull crap. Which, may be unfortunate for you fellas over seas...it could just be a button click and done.

YOU Mr.WM6929, need to get your build going if it's not already up here yet, because I want people to see that my plans can be used as patterns.


ANYWAY,


Let's turn on some thinkin' music


I've been working on Ghostbuster stuff like a crazy man.
I finished drafting the game thrower components for my personal pack (which was an ordeal), had a few break downs over certain things not being accurate, the shape of game pack ribs, and some other stuff. I dont know if I've said this before, but really, if I expect to make any kind of progress on this project for me, and you all, is really, to get it all done by Friday night at 6pm. That's when my girlfriend comes, and while we're supposed to be doing this together...at the same time...instead we go shopping for three days. I dont know how it happened, but some how she's started cutting and perforating some stuff during the week, and then I spend the following week trying to figure out how to put it together.

ADAM QUIT YOUR CRYING

ok. So, Get your SPACERWPLATES file

FIRST THING'S FIRST
WHAT THE HECK ARE WE NEEDING FOR TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT TODAY ADAM?


Unfortunately I didnt have the foresight to take a picture of everything I was using, but I certainly hope by now, you know...
You're going to need:
A RULER
A UTILITY KNIFE
SCISSORS
DEAD BALLPOINT PEN
A SHARP PENCIL
MASKING TAPE
ALUMINUM AIR CONDITIONING DUCT TAPE
THE FILE PRINTED, AND OPEN ON YOUR COMPUTER


but this time, You're going to need
STICKER PAPER- I bought mine from Staples for 12 bucks. I probably got hosed, but I'm not driving all over town for the best price for 30 sheets of sticker back paper. Here's a link to buy it online, or so you know what it looks like when you go to the store:
http://www.staples.com/Staples-Sticker- ... plesSearch

While you're there and in the parking lot, head back behind the physical store to where they hide all those cardboard boxes they get when they get in shipments of office junk for offices. Get some REALLY nice bits of CARDBOARD, you want it to be STURDY, not wet, not damp, not covered in food, not flimsy, you want it to be sturdy and clean because you're going to be working with this alot for the spacer. The sturdier the better and you're not limited to whatever is behind Staples. I got mine behind a Harbor Freight when I was getting some hose dealies for my pack.

Dont be a wuss. Dumpster diving is perfectly fine, not necessarily legal in some places (so I hear) but I've never made a prop I havent gotten something out of a dumpster for. You're getting cardboard. If anyone gives you a hard time, tell them you need it for a school project or you're recycling it for moving boxes. That way, you have less to explain, than "I'm using it for a Ghostbusters Proton Pack, you know, what they use" blah blah blah they've already stopped listening and want to call the police for whatever reason other than, what would have been easily acceptable as "Im recycling"

Anyway, fun tangents aside, lets get this show on the road.

OPEN UP SPACER WITH PLATES.
Image

You're going to see that picture, but not my highlights.
SPECIFICALLY, FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS.
THE RED CIRCLE, PRINT ON CARDSTOCK LIKE USUAL.
THE GREEN SQUARE, PRINT ON THE STICKER BACK PAPER
THE YELLOW SQUARE IS OPTIONAL TO PRINT AT ALL, BUT IF YOU DO, IT MUST BE ON CARDSTOCK

Mostly so you dont waste any sticker paper, just in case you dont actually USE that piece highlighted in yellow. I dont...yet...or at all.


HERE'S WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE PRINTED OUT AND CUTTING COMMENCED

Image
Hey, Adam, what the heck are those lines doing there? They arent on what i printed out, just these goofy crosses in the corners.
Oh, these?
Image

They're called page alignment marks. They are such a major pain in the ass to properly draw, you'll see that later. What you want to do on every page of something that takes up two pages of, like the face of the spacer, is draw a SQUARE LINE WITH A RULER

Like this.
Image

And this.
Image

And this.
Image
HEY ADAM IM SMARTER THAN YOU, Why is that last one backwards?
Because First I printed 2 of them out like I always do on card stock. I am doing what I keep telling you NOT TO DO and that's go head first into this thing with out any sort of planning until I start cutting and assembling the things. That's actually the bottom, and I was fortunate enough to catch what was going to happen ahead of time (SAGGING SPACER CENTERS THAT SUCK.) If I messed up the face of the spacer, I could use it as a back up, or for the bottom for more stability that the cardboard didnt do, if it didnt.

LOTS OF COMMAS.

ALSO, what you want to do, is make sure to PRESERVE YOUR ALIGNMENT LINES by not cutting them, or cutting into them because THEY ALIGN WHAT YOU'RE PUTTING TOGETHER.
Essentially, you're making FRICKING HUGE TABS. Line them up where they meet, pick which one you think would be a better tab and cut accordingly.

Now look at this crap.
Image

How the hell, can my alignment lines be drawn, but NOT align when I start to assemble it? I dont have a clue. It is the MOST frustrating thing I can think of right now, but never fear, when you do, keep an eye on a few things.

Where the lines meet on the pieces.
Where the tabs meet on the pieces.
The overall shape of the piece is consistent.

Image
See how that pointed tab is damn near spot flipping on? It must have heard the tantrum I was having and fixed itself. Like the picture before this one, while the alignment lines may not add up, everything else did.

Image
This is an example of everything going right, and then a piece of masking tape sealing the deal...because that's what the masking tape is for for this project.

Image

See. I didnt cut everything out entirely, either LIKE I SAID NOT TO EARLIER. I also did a few more lines of masking tape on that, because I didnt even want to give it the idea that it could possibly move. after i had it together, and I was confident it was fine, I cut everything out, with the exception of the pointy tabs on the "curved" part near the top of the spacer.

If that last song is over now, here's a new one.


man. check out the proton pack thrower body in the N from tron legacy, there MUST BE A CONNECTION!

Image
Adam, what does this picture convey?
So, if you printed the green box pages on STICKER PAPER, you've started to cut them out. This picture shows you a few things that I did, when I first did this (and didnt do the sticker paper) that you can learn from, while you do your own.

1. I didnt cut off the tabs. Since you'll be applying these pieces together to the CARDBOARD, you'll be using them for the height and shape. You dont need the tabs for that, so CUT OFF THE TABS.
2. If you squint REAL hard, you can see that part of this, is the top curve. Which i'll get to later, but for the sake of this piece, you dont want the tabs where this meets either. It's tabs # 81. You'll actually use this for where both pieces, and you will have two pieces, of the spacer walls meet.
3. You dont necessarily need to perforate, because sticker paper is thin, and flimsy enough.

Image

Here you can see, that I started to apply the pieces on sticker paper to the cardboard. I also used leftover strips of sticker paper, as a "connector" or ghetto tape between the pieces to make sure they stick together. For some reason I put them all together as one strip before I applied it to the cardboard. I dont KNOW WHY I DID THIS... because it's no different than applying each piece on at a time to the cardboard.

Image

This gives you an idea what it's going to look like when you're done applying the sticker pieces to the cardboard. Remember, you need to cut off the tabs from #81 for sure, but you will need to make another break, that can be up to you, but be sure not to cut where it curves around the top small curve of the spacer.

After you apply it, and have two really good "walls" cut it out. This point is going to get very wordy.


You'll notice, that your cardboard isnt bending nicely, because you want a sharp bend on this thing for all the plates you'll be putting on later. This is tedious, but worth it.
You'll have to flip over the piece so you're looking at the cardboard side.
"Trace" where the bend line is on the face of the piece with an exacto or a utility knife, check often, cut once. Make sure you get as straight a cut as you possibly can. BUT DO NOT CUT THROUGH THE FACE PIECE.
IF you can, preserve the piece that the sticker side is stuck to as best you can. I had about 2 layers of cardboard to cut through before I hit the last face of cardboard that the sticker was attached to.


Then bend it. So the face bend line, is properly bent where it's supposed to. Like this

Image

See my scissors? It still didnt bend right, so I cut off at an angle, both sides of every bend so that it looks like this:

Image

In the end all of your cardboard strips with the sticker pieces should look like that on the cardboard side. You can see that i have that LAST face of cardboard preserved from the inside. Make sure you do that. Like I said, i used thicker cardboard (sheet/corrugated/sheet/corrugated/sheet), which I recommend you find, but if all you have is the sheet/corrugated/sheet type, then be careful.

Image

On the face it will look like that. Everyone, admire that nice little bend there.

Image

You can see, I started to attach the walls to the face of the spacer. Dont even bother with superglue yet, because it's worthless right now. Ideally, you take bits of masking tape, and line up the number on the edge of the top of the spacer, to it's number on the top of the spacer walls. Like tabs. but, not.

Image

That's what it looks like on the inside, while I'm still applying.

Image

Now when you get to that top curve of the spacer, you want to eliminate most of the cardboard in that area. It's going to look ugly, but preserve the outermost layer like before, and remove all the other layers so it takes that curve and bends nicely.

Now cut out the pointy tabs, hopefully you were like me, and taped over them. Which is fine here, because the taped tabs will be a sturdier bend and hold their position for that curved piece to curve around to hold it's shape.

Image
This is what it looks like when I get over excited. Look ONLY AT THE SPACER. After I attached the cut tabs of the spacer wall together with masking tape, I flipped it over and superglued the bottom of each wall REALLY GOOD so they were flush and snug. then i took a piece of plastic, and a book and laid it across the top of the walls for a while, so it could set.

Image
This is what it looks like when it's finished, and my cosmetic plating attached to it.

You may see that your cosmetic plating doesnt match up properly, because you're ambitious like I am and have been putting your pieces together and sizing them up to see how they fit. Dont fret yet, Dont attach them yet. I've come up with a solution I will share later when I start assembling the whole shebang.

Another thing, is hang on to that cardboard, because we may be making a skeleton for this and the cyclotron before we resin. I'm leaning on "definitely" for the spacer. It's up in the air for the cyclotron.

This is finished for now. FIND A FORK BECAUSE I CANT FIND MINE.

Next update should be the cyclotron, and I'll be using the updated cyclotron file, that I posted a few posts ago.
#321311
I have an addendum to the SPACERWPLATES update

Where you have the two spacer walls meet (you were supposed to make it in two strips,so you'll have two different connections) on the spacer, you want to superglue the inside of that edge on both points really well. I mean, goop the crap out of that seam. You want it flat, you want it smooth, and you want it not to split when you resin or when you move it around while you're getting all the other parts ready for that point.

Also, I used a regular cardboard on one spacer, but I will be removing that cardboard wall set up and replacing it with the cardboard I used for the spacer I shared. It's too thin for me, and the thicker cardboard I showed you, is a much better strength, and less caving in. So, I recommend using as thick as you possibly can, OR doubling up what you have. Personally, it's easier for me to just make a new set from my super cardboard, but it may be easier for you to double it up.

I also will be using what's left over of the cardboard to use as a skeleton when I resin the face of it later, much like I did to create the spacer walls.

I also have an addendum to the PPDBOX1 update

This kind of irks me, because I have no way to properly fix this and I can't figure out what measurements are incorrect on the PPDbox1 (they are according to stefan's plans), and what to do to make it right, but that "sleeve" we made for that box, is incorrect for the OD of that pipe. I have a 2.35" OD there, when it's supposed to be 2.5" OD.

DONT GO CRAZY AND REMOVE THAT SLEEVE. The solution I came up with, which is the easiest, is to take a sheet of cardstock superglue it to the face that has the sleeve, covering the sleeve, and use a sharp exacto knife to remove the paper around it making that face a smooth face.

Why you keep the sleeve, is to keep the rigidity of that box. It can be removed, CAREFULLY after you put your resin on the face of the box, before you start fiberglassing the inside.

Cutting that angle correctly on the pipe wont be so bad, because you'll be covering it up with a fake weld anyway.

This is how I'll be doing it, since I've already attempted that box 4 times and dont want to make it again.

FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST STARTING THE PROJECT AND NOT YET ATTEMPTED TO DO THE PPDBOX1

Dont cut out that sleeve circle on that face piece. Just leave it solid and possibly make a tab there. Then you'll be ahead of the game. I may just redo the file and reupload it later and this will just be a "What was this guy doing/talking about?!" kind of thing.
#325295


Alright kids, get your hands on that cyclotron file I put a few posts back, OR go to this link
There was a link to an updated file here, but it's been added to A NEW archived file in the first post of the thread, located at the bottom RIGHT HERE:http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=305434
I've been getting annoyed working on other Ghostbuster projects like belt gizmos and belt fobs, so I started working on the CYCLOTRON. I have one 80% together right now...

but I forgot to document any of it....
not that Im happy with how it looks anyway...

because Im not.

Good thing Im making two packs at once huh?


If you made it through the SPACER NO PLATES, you'll make it through this. You can probably get started on cutting it out and applying the aluminum air conditioning duct tape (Id really like to not take pictures of redundant things like that so we can keep this going faster). There is no need to make it out of cardboard, but I will be sharing a file when
I do update I made that you can use to make like a skeleton from. Nothing incredibly fancy though.

You will need to make one regardless, because the surface area on the top of the cyclotron will still cave in. Not that you really need my help making a skeleton for it, if you use the same technique for your spacer's skeleton it applies here. just remember, you want it to be 2" tall.
#327700
Alright. Let's play some music that's fun, but slightly annoying.


i really like the killers. seriously. where the hell have they been?

....BECAUSE FUN AND SLIGHTLY ANNOYING DESCRIBES THE CYCLOTRON TO A T.

This is the most frustrating part I've encountered. I've probably said that with every one so far, but jesus, I've had so much trouble with this part, it's not funny.

Anyway, by now you're used to:
opening the file in your Pepakura viewer and printing it out on cardstock.
Prefolding

I'll stop you right here...BECAUSE.... there are a few ways to approach this part I didnt try, that just covering it in Aluminum Air Conditioning Duct Tape, might not help. I think it's what was most of my problem.

You could approach it these ways, which I wont go into extraneous detail because I didnt do them, but they most likely would work.

1. NOT covering it in the AACDT until AFTER it's assembled. It adds a little more to folds, giving gaps and the like. I dont totally like this idea, because I did it this way for another project, and it's hard holding it's shape as it is with out the tape.
2. Doing the cardboard method like I did the spacer, for atleast the 1.5" high part of it.
3. Using my cyclotron file, doing steps 1,2, and 4, up to the point of the "disk" the cyclotron rests on, where you'd make out of some sort of 1/2" material of your choice.
4. The way I did it. Which is what I've been preaching all along, and as long as everything matches, like the top of the cyclotron, matches the sides, and there isnt any warpage or angled sides you can fill it in come resin time with more paper.

NOW.

TO THE WAY I DID IT!


Image

Everything is perforated, prefolded, AACDT'D.
someone thinks they know more about my work that i do wrote:Why did you cover the holes? Are you some kind of idiot?
Reason why I covered the holes is it allows more inside space for fiberglassing. We'll be routing the top off with a 3/8" bit (or sanding if you dont have a router). BEFORE routing we're going to slap on a shit ton of fiberglass and bondo so that needs to be there for stability. im not kidding. there will be a shit ton of fiberglass and bondo in the inside crevice of the top of the cyclotron so it has something to round over.

a shit ton.

anyway.

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These parts consist of the "top" part of the cyclotron. Not that little disk. Anyway. Match the first few tabs on a wall from where you'll put your Nfilter later and super glue them.

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Sort of like this. Then tape them on the outside with masking tape, you see on the far right?

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This is a side, I taped where the wall met the top every few tabs. Dont start super gluing yet. Just tape where the tabs meet really well.

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Because you're supergluing on the inside like you did the spacer. Also while we're here, get comfortable with where you super glue. because that's where that shit ton of fiberglass and bondo's going later.

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This is what just the top looks like finished. check out that white tab at the top of the inside of the cyclotron. See that gap?

CRAP.


That's going to happen a few more times. Tabs will stop matching up on this component no matter how hard you try to make them. NOT to worry, because you're smart. You know, that when you resin, because the top and the sides match perfectly, are flush, straight and pretty that gap can just be taped over and filled in when fiberglassing.

someone thinks they know more about my work that i do wrote:WHY U NO LIKE THE KILLERS!?

maybe it was this last album. the other ones were phenomenal. are we human or are we dancers?

what the hell is that supposed to mean brandon flowers?

Jim Morrison walked through a desert with introspection better, and he didnt wear a stupid jacket.

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Here we're doing the "Disk" of the cyclotron. It's easiest to do it the same way we did the cyclotron, only vice versa. superglue on the first few tabs on the inside, then superglue outside after you match where it meets on the inside.

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So, the top of the disk is done. Start on the sides. Just like you have the rest of the cyclotron. Taping every so often, and yelling profanity at the gaps created by numbers not matching up.

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I dont know what hairy appendage of mine that is. That's not what I was yelling at in this picture. see how everything else is flush and flat and smooth, with the exception of those gaps? I dont understand it. It's a paradox.

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LOUD PROFANITY

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This gap wasnt so bad.

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Here's the two I have done. I covered the holes that have the sticky side of AACDT tape exposed with the brown sheet you pull off the AACDT so I dont collect hair or dust or anything.

What you can't see in this picture is the top "bubbled jjust a little and something wasnt right with the other one. Which, with books I have from school for reference material (remember that whole "buy a ream of cardstock and use the rest for resumes" thing?) for future employment and put them on top.

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Like this. Go ahead and make some kind of joke about "symmetrical book stacking." Anyone with a keen eye, will notice the books arent symmetrical.

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FINNITO.


Here's where we stand with everything that's been put together so far.

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DONT BREAK OUT THAT RESIN YET.
I'm trying to make up my mind, if I want the next update to be the bumper or the thrower. I'm leaning heavy on the thrower, because I want to see how my modeled game pack components work...but getting the bumper done, means some people looking for specifically bumpers would benefit from that update.

Make up my mind. First three replies with one or the other, that's what I do.

Take me out Franz Ferdinand
[quote="Franz Ferdinand] ok. [/quote]

#327796
Carpeteria wrote:You suck at symmetrical book stacking.
ssssNAP


So, we're looking at two votes for the bumper. I'll start staring at it REALLY good this afternoon. I may rearrange the file around if I dont like where things are going( already did that once), or...even go back to the solid works file and break it down to smaller parts. HOLY CRAP THERE'S ALREADY ALOT OF FILES....

I wonder if anyone noticed I didnt put the bottom of the cyclotron on, even with the guide holes for the spacer. That's because I didnt figure out a decent way to do it, especially with the cyclotron holes covered up...but i will be putting them on when I have skeleton's made Im happy with. Or that, I didnt do the rings either. Closer to resin time, we'll be making them out of 1/8" styrene and sticker paper and putting the bottom of the cyclotron on.

ALSO, nearing time for resin, I'll have an inner skeleton drawing up to benefit you during the outside layers of resin. I'll probably show you how to put them inside the pieces (hot glue them to the top inside face!), and seal the cyclotron up then. The spacer on the other hand wont have it's bottom, but will have a skeleton. I have some drawn up, but frankly, they arent good enough yet to share if anyone's interested.


...might as well start hunting down 7/8" X 5/8" acrylic tubing, and a site that cuts it to size (AND SHARE WHAT YOU FIND) for your throwers. AND get a decent amount of 1/8" styrene. Enough for a bumper(think 2'X2') and cyclotron rings (think 8"x 8"), and extra, because it's always good to have 1/8" styrene laying around for other projects. Probably by the time the bumper's assembled and up, will mean you've had plenty of time to obtain the tube and the styrene/sintra.
#328915
I have the bumper remodeled to where I think it might be easier to put together.

Remember when I said this?

I wrote: ...might as well start hunting down 7/8" X 5/8" acrylic tubing, and a site that cuts it to size (AND SHARE WHAT YOU FIND) for your throwers. AND get a decent amount of 1/8" styrene. Enough for a bumper(think 2'X2') and cyclotron rings (think 8"x 8"), and extra, because it's always good to have 1/8" styrene laying around for other projects. Probably by the time the bumper's assembled and up, will mean you've had plenty of time to obtain the tube and the styrene/sintra.
Get your hands on it (and that sticker paper if you havent already), like, right now. I've finished dicking around on other modeling projects, and hope to start cutting out the bumper paper files tonight. If, Im satisfied where the pieces lead, then I'll upload the files while I'm assembling... if not, when I have the update.

if you're wondering
you wondering wrote:what about acrylic? or something as long as it's 1/8" thick


Go for it! You need something perfectly flat and smooth. It doesnt matter what.
#329547
I got a pm this morning that the cyclotron file download page didnt work. So, here's the link for the new file, that I fixed again. The last page with the cyclotron rings, print that on sticker paper and stick it on 1/8" styrene. I left the sides of the rings there, but you dont have to print them out, unless you want to.

If you have the last updated one, dont worry about downloading this one. to know which one it was you should have seen it as a separate file from the archive in the first post, posted and downloaded from a new update in this thread.
There was a link to an updated file here, but it's been added to A NEW archived file in the first post of the thread, located at the bottom RIGHT HERE:http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?p=305434
If anyone has a good place with more permanent hosting I can keep an eye on to upload the files to Id appreciate you letting me know via pm. Dont hesitate to send me any more issues with the files either via pm.

If any of the other files links arent working, please let me know asap.



A little apology for a cluster of new and fixed files as this goes. I have every intention of updating them as I build them if need be, to make things absolutely simple when you are making your own pep proton packs, so until the very end they'll be separate. Hopefully, by then there's a more secure stable hosting site to post them on.
#330766
Here's where Im at right now with the bumper:

The way I originally designed it, isnt easy to put together so I separated it into parts. The bumper has been cut out now, twice. I'm stuck at the moment figuring out how to get resin on the inside of this piece if I make them solid boxes. Im tempted to try it with the back end open, to slush resin and fiberglass in (maybe i'll show how to rondo with this part), until it's solid. However, doing it that way will be expensive.

If I keep going the way im going now, it'll still turn out the same way, because you'll still have to slush resin and fiberglass in it anyway.

One major problem in running into, is it just refuses to be straight. There's nothing I can do to make it square that I havent thought of yet, short of leave the back side open and wing it with a cardboard skeleton on the inside and rondo the hell out of it.

That's probably what we'll do. Sound good? Everyone excited?


ANOTHER THING.

So.... what are we doing about the grips for the thrower?
Should I go ahead and make them out of GUMOUT containers per norm's plans and share how that's done? Scratch them from pvc show how to do that? or say "screw it, lets just find someone that sells resin ones"?

I'm leaning towards scratching them from PVC, or GUMOUT containers (because I've gotten into this kick of fixing my car up on my own and pouring strange liquids into it always seems like a good idea.)

Everyone got their plastics yet? YES is the only acceptable answer, because you will be needing it
#331260
Quagmire9 wrote:but you have totally scared me off of Pep Builds
Comparatively, if it werent for me having designed the pack for pep myself and working through it so it's easier for you to assemble, and I just found the files and followed this tutorial like any one else, it's very easy. What's making it appear difficult is me working through them to make sure they're easy enough for someone that just stumbled on the files randomly some where else on the internet.

Most pepakura projects come from little pieces in odd shapes with strange cuts and awkward folds, that eventually pieced together make one shape. Where, with this project, almost all of the pieces are larger shaped, very few pieces per pack component.

Here's the Rocketeer helmet pep file i used for my first Pepakura project (OH JEES, THAT AGAIN!?) that I had to re-arrange the pieces and print out a mirrored half, because whoever modeled it absolutely failed to make it symmetrical. Also, no piping. Fortunately, he had the forethought to not put piping on the helmet, and those eyes are wrong. Dont get me started on the eyes or the mouth or his original scale of the helmet, the awful things I can say about a person... especially after they said they made it for their head. NO ONE'S HEAD IS 45" ROUND.

I'm really trying to illustrate the WORK that goes into getting most pepakura files up to snuff. Anyway, this is what i had to use, i dont remember if this is the one i started with, or the one i rearranged.

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Where, this is the Cyclotron Pepakura file, I made for the Proton Pack:
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You'll notice a few things at first glance. Larger parts, should be the first thing. It's much easier to put together something if you have larger pieces to work with and I designed it that if you wanted, you could use the Pep files to create patterns for styrene, wood, or whatever you want. Second, there's space to work with between parts. There may be a few pages, but there's enough space between parts that you dont over cut into another piece. If that happens, you have to print out a whole new sheet (even if you make it the only thing on the page) Third, everything is planned out, I have notes (the red square zoomed in on the file), Parts that attach to each other are next to each other as much as I possibly could. Im even building it myself and if something was wrong, I released a new file fixing those errors.

Just look at that Rocketeer helmet, and then the Cyclotron, it even LOOKS easier to assemble, and that one was just a pain in the butt because of certain things i did, that i told you, that you can remedy when you start assembly on your own.

I didnt get that with my Rocketeer helmet. The Pep makers Ive encountered make things for themselves (why often the scale is terrible or they're not symmetrical) and when they put it together, it's "good enough" and then on to the next anime, ironman or halo themed pepakura project. They just dont care, except "MOAR HELMETS. MOAR ARMOR. GIMME 15 DOLLARS FOR MY FILE"

I dont work that way. I wanted people to have the best, slightly budget pack they can get because I was going to be wearing this on my back.






SO WHERE THE HECK ARE WE AT WITH THIS PROJECT ADAM!?


Man, So I figured out a way to make the Bumper, and I have it separated into three files. I'm going to finish putting this one together, and then I'll take pictures of my second one. It's actually, not near as bad as the cyclotron was after I figured it out, why was I wussing out about this part the whole time?

hell i dont know.

But after I got on a roll yesterday, Im finally happy with the one part on every Proton Pack Ive ever made that Ive hated the most. Seriously, the bumper has always been my least favorite part of the pack to construct, and often the shittiest looking part on it (and I've used a razor package for a Powercell at one point.) Give me a couple weeks to have it up, then YAY! I GET TO START ON THE THROWER!
#331317
Actually, i completely see what you're saying, and it really is very clear how much you have cleaned those plans, and they are very nice :D i am a complete Pep virgin and until this year, had never even heard of it, and as you rightly said, there are some seriously contrived plans out there, which i think is where i was getting mired down. those plans you are making though are amazing stuff. my hat goes off to you, and i imagine your plans will be great :D can't wait to see your pack when finished!!
#331322
heh, i just noticed that was an older version of my cyclotron file.

This is the one that i just finished assembling, and i made it so you could print the cyclotron light rings on sticker paper and stick to 1/8" thick styrene. MUCH better than that last one.
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#331560
I've actually never worked on a pepakura project before either, but this is my first one. I really like how all of the printouts have the notes on what to look for and how easy you've made it to follow along. I've started keeping a log of my build so people can see where I'm at so far with it at my friend's blog (http://dallastokuforce.wordpress.com) and so far I've done the Ion Arm, PPD box 1 & 2, Power Cell with ribs, Crank Generator with ribs, and the Corner Plate. Today I'm going to work on the Gun Mount box with ribs. I'll be starting on the Cosmetic Plating after that. I've still got a ways to go before I catch up to ProtonCharger's build here, but it's been an enjoyable, if not sometimes frustrating, and rewarding experience. ^_^ I can't wait to see your final game pack build and I look forward to more of your other works. ^_^
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