- December 1st, 2008, 11:58 pm#82911
remember this from the episode "Look Homeward Ray"........
well a friend of mine (fifthrider) and i decided to make real ones.
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-CASE-
we kicked around a few ideas about how to make the pack fit in the case and mobility of the case... but first we needed to find a case. after putting a poll up on proptopia, it was decided to use a military carrying case that was for shipping computers.
( ** indicate photos by fifthrider)
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-AXLE-
the axle is a 3/8 aluminum rod (you'll need to cut it to length desired), two casters (wheels), washers and locking nuts. now in fifthrider's** you can see that the rod is completely threaded. in mine (which i need to do a new pic of) you can KINDA see that only a portion of the end of the rod is threaded. we found that the fully threaded one will lock up your wheels. so i bought a smooth rod and a tap and die set and threaded it myself
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we didnt take exact measurement on where to place the hole for the axle. what you are looking for is so that when the case stands on end, the wheels arent touching the ground; but do touch when you bring the case to about a 45 degree angle.
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-FOAM-
now we came up with two ideas two ways of protecting the pack, using the foam inside and making our own (basically) foam shell. fifthrider used the foam already in the case so i went with the custom foam job. we'll look at fifthrider's first.
basically you just keep cutting away until your pack slips in there nicely but snugly. we found the best thing to use is like a steak knife that has a nice serrated blade.
**
**
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now mine with the custom foam job. i used 'great stuff' expanding foam. for the most part it worked nicely, forms a nice little shell around the pack. you have to do it in layers and let each layer you put down fully harden before adding more.
now the first thing that comes to mind is "but how do you stop the foam from expanding into areas it shouldnt go?". simple (simple concept, pain in the ass to do) form up your pack with cardboard then put in a garbage bag so the foam doesnt stick to the cardboard...
here is how it looks once it hardens.
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RECAP
what we learned is that the when making the axle, to thread your own rod like i already talked about. the other MAJOR learning experience is that unless you can find a cheap, but good expanding foam; it is not cost effective what so ever to go this route. just that one half of the case took 6 cans of "great stuff" (which is like $5 a can). so stick with the carving out of the foam it comes with. if you notice in my pic below, one half is the "great stuff", the other is what the case came with.
our fist test came at the time of comic con. when it arrived in san diego, there was some damage. the ion arm, one of the tube in the center (the one with the clippard elbow), and injector tubes had broke off. i cant say i was surprised about the injector tubes, i was having an issue with them staying on to begin with, which is why i added an L bracket to atleast keep them from falling completely off. and i wasnt that surprised about the ion arm cause that was just held on by super glue; same with that other center tube. and since i was in a hurry to fix mine up so i could help out bryan finish his stuff, i didnt even think to take pics.
but when the pack arrived back in my hometown and i picked it up at the ups store, everything was was in perfect shape when i got it back. see...
so there it is. a carrying case for your pack.
though i have mine, the one fifthrider worked on was given to mr. hudson
-ORIGINAL THREAD MADE ON PROPTOPIA IN JULY-
well a friend of mine (fifthrider) and i decided to make real ones.
____________________
-CASE-
we kicked around a few ideas about how to make the pack fit in the case and mobility of the case... but first we needed to find a case. after putting a poll up on proptopia, it was decided to use a military carrying case that was for shipping computers.
( ** indicate photos by fifthrider)
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
_______________________________________
-AXLE-
the axle is a 3/8 aluminum rod (you'll need to cut it to length desired), two casters (wheels), washers and locking nuts. now in fifthrider's** you can see that the rod is completely threaded. in mine (which i need to do a new pic of) you can KINDA see that only a portion of the end of the rod is threaded. we found that the fully threaded one will lock up your wheels. so i bought a smooth rod and a tap and die set and threaded it myself
**
**
we didnt take exact measurement on where to place the hole for the axle. what you are looking for is so that when the case stands on end, the wheels arent touching the ground; but do touch when you bring the case to about a 45 degree angle.
**
**
**
_______________________________________
-FOAM-
now we came up with two ideas two ways of protecting the pack, using the foam inside and making our own (basically) foam shell. fifthrider used the foam already in the case so i went with the custom foam job. we'll look at fifthrider's first.
basically you just keep cutting away until your pack slips in there nicely but snugly. we found the best thing to use is like a steak knife that has a nice serrated blade.
**
**
___________________________________
now mine with the custom foam job. i used 'great stuff' expanding foam. for the most part it worked nicely, forms a nice little shell around the pack. you have to do it in layers and let each layer you put down fully harden before adding more.
now the first thing that comes to mind is "but how do you stop the foam from expanding into areas it shouldnt go?". simple (simple concept, pain in the ass to do) form up your pack with cardboard then put in a garbage bag so the foam doesnt stick to the cardboard...
here is how it looks once it hardens.
________________________________
RECAP
what we learned is that the when making the axle, to thread your own rod like i already talked about. the other MAJOR learning experience is that unless you can find a cheap, but good expanding foam; it is not cost effective what so ever to go this route. just that one half of the case took 6 cans of "great stuff" (which is like $5 a can). so stick with the carving out of the foam it comes with. if you notice in my pic below, one half is the "great stuff", the other is what the case came with.
our fist test came at the time of comic con. when it arrived in san diego, there was some damage. the ion arm, one of the tube in the center (the one with the clippard elbow), and injector tubes had broke off. i cant say i was surprised about the injector tubes, i was having an issue with them staying on to begin with, which is why i added an L bracket to atleast keep them from falling completely off. and i wasnt that surprised about the ion arm cause that was just held on by super glue; same with that other center tube. and since i was in a hurry to fix mine up so i could help out bryan finish his stuff, i didnt even think to take pics.
but when the pack arrived back in my hometown and i picked it up at the ups store, everything was was in perfect shape when i got it back. see...
so there it is. a carrying case for your pack.
though i have mine, the one fifthrider worked on was given to mr. hudson
-ORIGINAL THREAD MADE ON PROPTOPIA IN JULY-
"thats a 'smile-all-day' mental image" - kh
"We are the busters of any, G-H-O-S-T... I, I, I aint afriad of no ghost"
Myspace: Custom Logo album; GalenaGhostbusters
Facebook: Custom Logo album; GalenaGhostbusters
"We are the busters of any, G-H-O-S-T... I, I, I aint afriad of no ghost"
Myspace: Custom Logo album; GalenaGhostbusters
Facebook: Custom Logo album; GalenaGhostbusters