View new posts | View your posts My first Ghostbusters prop! Ghost trap pedal!

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While I was waiting for all the parts for my pack build (and to warm me up ) I started a lesser (but still interesting) prop: the trap pedal. So here it is in all its ghostbusting glory!





Everything on the pedal is metal, except for the few genuine parts that are plastic. I installed all the greeblies by drilling and taping straight into the aluminum base (that was really fun! ) Both ends of the grey ribbon are screwed into the Hammond boxes too. I painted all the aluminum parts with Krylon BBQ satin black, without any primer; that way the weathering will be very realistic and will occur naturally. It was a very interesting build, and a nice bench test for many techniques that I will use for my pack.

Many thanks to AJ for his incredible metal base and the relay; Dean (masteryoda) for miscellaneous greeblies like the 20-pin cable, the vector plate and the tube socket; Colin (irricanian) for the hard-to-find Foster coupler, the tubing and the hose; and last but not least John (alkaline) for the impossible-to-import pedal bellow.

No, the tablecloth isn't for sale.

Very nice built there

The trap pedal is one of my favourite props for some reason...Not the trap, just the pedal!

Awesome work there, if this is the standard the rest of your props are built to, then I look forward to seeing your Ghost Trap, and other equipment replicas.

Looks great!
I just need to get the vector plate.

Thanks a whole lot for the kind words guys, that's really appreciated.

Kingpin: I can assure you that it is. I'm a perfectionist, and damn proud of it.

CPU64: I'm sure that masteryoda's sales thread will help you in that endeavor.

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=14933

Looks awesome. Any plans to do the trap soon? Lights and such ?

Excellent job dude. If it's any indication of how your pack is gonna look I'll be waiting for that thread. In the future you should take progress pics throughout your build. Even on something as small as this, you'll be glad that you documented the experience.

Alkaline: I plan to build a trap, but not right away… My priority right now is my pack, which I'm building sporadically when I have free time. Anyway I'm still waiting on that all metal trap kit that AJ spoke of a little while ago… If that doesn't pan out, I'll build it myself, but I still haven't decided anything yet, including the lights and such.

Vincenzo: Yeah I thought about it, but I've read a lot of bad press about shell builds and how they're boring and uninteresting and all that… Plus my building method is a little special to say the least. Since I simply couldn't wait to get all the parts to get started (I'm not a patient guy ) I worked on every part I got individually as I got them and did all I could on them with what I had. Example: my filler tubes are sanded, painted and ready to install on the shell ever since I've got them 2 months ago. That would make a weird build thread if I ever saw one! And yes, that would've been a good idea even on the pedal because I had a lot of trouble that would've been very funny to read. Maybe next time!

EDIT: To compensate for the fact that I didn't document my build, here a list of things that I used for my trap pedal (might be helpful )

11-pin octal relay (ITT RM833212 3PDT)
11-pin tube socket (TUA 77MIP-11)
3M wall header
Aluminum pedal base
Black card edge 20-pin cable connector
Black female 20-pin cable connector
Black square rubber feet (4)
DB-9 connector hood
Grey ribbon cable
Hammond project box 1590A
Hammond project box 1591L-SBK
LED cliplite
Nycoil 5/32" tubing, red & yellow
Nycoil banjo 5/32" fitting #55010
Pedal bellow (metal lined rubber hosing, 2" OD)
Rub-down transfers by PVJ
SMC straight 5/32" fitting #KQ2H03-34S
Trap labels by gbdude1011
Trap pedal hinge set
Vector plate #SR3-06,50S
White zip ties (2)

I've used 4-40 screws to install both cable connectors and the DB-9 hood, 8-32 screws to install the plastic Hammond box, and 10-32 screws for the metal Hammond box (all drilled and taped) All the fitting in the metal Hammond box has been installed by taping them with 1/8-27 threads. The hinge had also been screwed and taped into the base, but the pedal screws with nuts were too long (like Alkaline's pedal) I Dremeled the heck out of them until the nuts were half as thick, that solved the problem. The bellow was held in place with large washers screwed into the base and pedal. Almost no glue was used; everything can be dismantled and screwed back together if needed.

Well guys, while my injectors were drying last night I've decided to take some better pictures of my trap pedal. Here they are! Enjoy!

Very nice work!

Thanks, man.

and yet, a great trap pedal is so lonely without a great trap...

I know... I know! :'(

Haven't really planned anything for the trap yet. I only bought some supplies (including a full set of greeblies) but for the trap itself, nada. I'm still dreaming of that full metal trap kit that AJ was talking about...

Minor update: I upgraded a few parts on my trap pedal tonight, and I thought I'd show it to you guys. I replaced the Nycoil banjo and the SMC straight with a Legris replica from jpa35 and an Aklon straight from the shop, respectively. I also turned the octal relay the other way, so that it would face the same direction as in the GB1 screen caps.





I have to find the courage to start a ghost trap build. The little guy is getting lonely.

Outstanding!!

Hey there, Great looking pedal. I was wondering where you got your Pedal bellow (metal lined rubber hosing, 2" OD) from. Thanks - KeeF

That is a ridiculously pretty piece, looks almost as if was a manufactured device that you recently unboxed!

Check this thread out, should really help.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=19143

That's a great compliment, right there. "Hey guys! Turns out the trap pedal was an existing piece of hardware. Found a source, how about a run?"

Thanks a lot, man.

OK! Last update for my trap pedal: I found some brass Foster couplers and Arcolectric red indicators, so I had to update that thing. Here it is!



Genuine, vintage Arcolectric indicator! Reeeally looks better than a cliplite. Worth every cent (not that it cost a whole lot )



Another angle, which shows the brass Foster coupler.

That thing is pretty much 100% accurate to GB1 now, and I like it a lot. You may have noticed that it's a little dirtier than last time... Well I kinda tested the fuller's earth on that thing when I got it. The stuff came in a ziploc, and I was transferring it in a shaker, and I spilled some. Not wanting to waste any of it, I took the spill and dusted my pedal with it. A few brush strokes later, and voilà! Instant used prop. I mean it's real subtle (I only used a tiny little bit) but damn is it easy and fun to use. Can't wait to weather my other props!

Now to complete my trap to go with it... That's it for this prop! Hope you guys like it.

Yup that's pretty much perfect. Great job Mike! Those last touches are a great addition.

I didn't say perfect, I said accurate.

And I agree about those last little touches. Really feels complete now. That's a first for me.

The fuller's earth looks great!

Told ya.

Well, with all the new discoveries about the GB1 trap pedal, I had to do something about mine. It was getting less and less accurate by the minute. So here it is after a few minor fixes:



Black DB-9 hood! I only removed it and repainted it flat black. Minor detail, but I like it a lot.



And how can we forget Bobamatt's label on top of the relay? Luckily I had one left.

So that's it for now! Maybe I'll replace the ribbon cable assembly for a correct 26-pin, but not right now. Too busy with the new house!

Very nice! Gunna remove the vector plate fins for uber accuracy?

Maybe later. I'm aware of the remaining inaccuracies (the extra fins on the vector plate, the 20-pin cable, the card edge connector, the unpainted pedal screws...) but they'll have to wait. Just like my pack, I'll start working on it again when the move is done.

Speaking of which, any idea on how to remove these? This looks tricky without utterly destroying the plate.

simply sensational ......

Here's the latest (and probably the last) update for my trap pedal. I finally got around upgrading the parts from my latest GBfans shop order, and I now consider my trap to be GB1 accurate. So here's the pics!



Replaced the 20-pin wall header and the ribbon cable with the correct 26-pin. It's a real subtle difference, but nothing is subtle when it comes to accuracy.



I also got rid of the card edge thingy, which was more accurate to GB2. Now the 26-pin cable goes straight into the DB-9 connector, where it's held in place with a screw that goes into the project box. Tough as all hell.



Another subtle detail that I fixed: I painted the screws and the hinge. I also painted the hex bolt thingy on the end of the base, because it's a little more subtle and that detail is a little obscure.



Another shot for the road. Like I said, I now consider it GB1 accurate, at least as much as my trap. I also reapplied a little fuller's earth all over, but that's a given.

That's it for this prop! If I lose my mind someday I may try to remove the extra ridges on the pedal, but I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

It's a beautiful Trap Pedal (and were it not for this build, mine wouldn't be what it is today). Great photos.

Thanks man, real appreciated. And glad to be of help. Yours turned out great, by the way.