[nick-a-tron]

PM sent Brian

[parksdesign]

Just a minor update... Got my metal from speedy metals in. Here's a pic of the filler and beam line tubes. They need to be drilled and tapped and either welded (or fake welded) to the base plates. They're a perfect fit on the pack though. The spacing is nearly exact to the reference photo I'm working from.



So thanks to Vinny for the measurements on these (and also for the awesome shell, while I'm at it.)

I'll probably be taking a little break for a few days. Got some actual real world work to do

[parksdesign]

And back to work on this...

While I'm waiting on my filler tubes to be welded, I thought I'd start on the gun.

I would have loved to have had an aluminum gun...but it's not in the budget.

I would have also liked to have a throwing chicken gun but none are available and a deal didn't work out.

That's not to make it sound like I'm settling for Nick's gun...to be perfectly honest, for a while, I didn't even realize he sold a gun kit. When I inquired about it, he let me know that he was redoing his kit. Later, when he showed me the pics, I was totally sold on it.

I'm completely happy with it. It's very light and looks great.



He took quite a bit out of the insides compared to his old kits, evidently.



I'm adding a few extra things like a vent light reflector, so I still had to take some out.

I managed to wrangle my neighbors dremel tool away for the evening. Not violently or anything.

Then I took out as much as I could without threatening the structural integrity.



When I was done with that, it was time to start dry fitting the parts.

I've been collecting parts for a new gun for about 3 months. I don't quite have them all yet but almost. Saw my hatlights shipped. Props to AJ for making those available.

I've got parts for RJ, JPA, and Nick, of course. Some arcolectric lights I found on ebay for cheap. A Namebrand heatsink was also provided by Nick. Thanks Nick.

I may not have an aluminum gun body but it'll be 95% aluminum when I'm done. Here's the spread so far.



So I commenced to dry fitting as much as I could until I couldn't keep my eyes open. Here's where I am so far. More to come...

[KagaSakai]

Awesome! You're going the exact same route I did, Brain. Resin gun body (TC 2.5 in my case) and grips, with every other part being aluminum! You'll love the weight and feel of your thrower when it's done.

[parksdesign]

Awesome! You're going the exact same route I did, Brain. Resin gun body (TC 2.5 in my case) and grips, with every other part being aluminum! You'll love the weight and feel of your thrower when it's done.

I can tell already. My first one weighs 12 (ugh) lbs.

[nick-a-tron]

Im VERY excited to see more! Looking good Bri!

[parksdesign]

While I'm waiting on some parts to be welded, I took a break from working on the gun to install the lights.

I was going to use reflectors but I decided that I didn't care for that look. Instead I used the reflectors as bases and devised my own setup of incandescent lights with light diffusers. I'm pretty satisfied with the look. I know it's not, strictly speaking, screen accurate but I like the glow better than obvious light bulbs. The power cell lights are like—whoa—blinding. I may have to come up with a diffuser for those too.

Anyway, here's a video update taken with my iphone...

[parksdesign]

Anyone got a spare bobamatt HGA label?

Update coming soon.

[bigi71]

Anyone got a spare bobamatt HGA label?

Update coming soon.

Yeah, but its slightly damaged ^.^
I can take a pic for you if you want it, would be free of course

[gbrob]

Great build! Love that bigi shell.

[MandoMan]

Looking great! So how are you liking the resin gun body with the aluminum parts? I was planning for a full aluminum gun, but I'm just not sure if that's going to happen, but I'd like to go for as many metal parts as I can.

[parksdesign]

Looking great! So how are you liking the resin gun body with the aluminum parts? I was planning for a full aluminum gun, but I'm just not sure if that's going to happen, but I'd like to go for as many metal parts as I can.

Nicks gun body is really nice. It's pretty damn close to those elite plans that just surfaced too. I'm waiting on a few more parts from Jason and RJ, but it's coming together. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

[parksdesign]

A finished a little detailing work this week while I'm waiting on parts from Seemingly everyone.

I looked at a lot of reference photos of Egon's pack, even took some screenshots of my own from the movie...while it wasn't dissapearing and reappearing on the rooftop scene, I noticed that Egon's padding that goes at the top of the mobo was oddly shaped. I'm about 98% sure it's like this. So, I got my fun foam and my X-acto and cut it out. Used spray adhesive to make it stick.



Next, I moved onto the powercell rivets. I saw that his were aligned differently than on the other packs (they're probably all aligned differently) and I did my best to approximate how he has aligned. They are closer together with the top one slightly higher. Done.



Overall, here's how it looks from the back... Added the new accurate warning label too.



These images have nothing to do with the build but I just had to show off how cool my kids' halloween costumes are. Just got them made...





Finally, got a couple things in the mail this week...a bobamatt bumper label from Nick. Looks wayyy better. I can see why everyone is so crazy for these. We need to find this guy and shake him down for more of them.

Got a piece of really accurate ribbon cable from my new friend pchrisbosh. Thanks man!

I'll be putting this on this weekend, hopefully!

[parksdesign]

Took a stab at the ribbon cable... It's still a work in progress but it doesn't look bad.



What say you?

[Stroudy]

Looks great

[FunkPunkTwang]

those costumes are epic!

. . .

Yeah the pack is nice too

[parksdesign]

those costumes are epic!

. . .

Yeah the pack is nice too

I agree about the costumes...

I'll never be happy with the pack.

[Spengler28]

ahahaha the costume are very cool and funny, and the pack is a piece of art!

[parksdesign]

ahahaha the costume are very cool and funny, and the pack is a piece of art!

Thanks on both. I'm trying hard!

[parksdesign]

I honestly don't know if I can get the ribbon cable much closer to my reference pic than this. The filler tube being added will help fold the ribbon over slightly, and I'm also going to try to add the folds where they are in the pic. I'm not completely satisfied but there comes a point where you just have to live with it for a while.



The cable goes up and then straight down into the hole on the pack. It's much more steep than it looks—this is just the best angle I can get with my iPhone camera. The little cap head bolt is there where it should be and it's functional.



I don't think this sucker is going anywhere. The cap head goes through the ribbon and then through this big washer which is really tight on it.



When I get the filler tube, I think it will be as close as I'm capable of getting it while keeping my sanity.

This is fun though...

[nick-a-tron]

I think the ribbon cable needs pushng towards the EDA box a little more. It sticks out a bit too far.

Apart from that it looks killer!

[parksdesign]

I think the ribbon cable needs pushng towards the EDA box a little more. It sticks out a bit too far.

Apart from that it looks killer!

I was trying to match the photo reference I'm going by...the outer edge of the cable sticks out at about the same point on the powercell box as mine. I think my camera angle makes it look off a little. If I push it in more then then it will be off on the other side. I had to make some compromises. I think when I get the filler tube and beamline tube on there it will make a big difference.

If not, I can always pull it in more, but it's going to be off somewhere else then. Trust me I fooled with the cable forever.

[parksdesign]

Thanks for the critique, Nick. That's what I was looking for. See what you think now. I chopped about 3/4 of an inch off the bottom. I think it looks pretty good now.





Also, I replaced my modern legris straights with the real, vintage ones. Thanks again, Kenny!

[nick-a-tron]

Looking good, you've done a great job of replicating the pack in your source material. I think it bothers me that you can see the injectors to the right of the cable though.

I THINK that the cable has slipped out of place and come a little loose in your reference photo. The photo below shows it alot closer to the EDA...

[bigi71]

Great pack Brian !
I have to agree with Nick, it would be nice to have the cable closer to the EDA...maybe you can add one more twist to get it closer (?)

[Ferrariracerjv7]

Looking good, you've done a great job of replicating the pack in your source material. I think it bothers me that you can see the injectors to the right of the cable though.

I THINK that the cable has slipped out of place and come a little loose in your reference photo. The photo below shows it alot closer to the EDA...

Judging by the way Winston's ribbon cable is twisted, is it safe to say that his is the Omni pack?

[Sidearm]

Yeah, i really think the "Omni" pack is the Winston one.

[parksdesign]

Looking good, you've done a great job of replicating the pack in your source material. I think it bothers me that you can see the injectors to the right of the cable though.

I THINK that the cable has slipped out of place and come a little loose in your reference photo. The photo below shows it alot closer to the EDA...

Great pack Brian !
I have to agree with Nick, it would be nice to have the cable closer to the EDA...maybe you can add one more twist to get it closer (?)

You know that I have great respect for you both as builders along with many others on this site. I'm really just a newb. I could only hope to get to the level you're at.

So you know I'm telling the truth, without a hint of sarcasm, when I say that you're absolutely right about the cable. Looking at the pic of Egon's pack you posted, I think we can say for certain that the pack I'm building, in that famous reference photo, is without a doubt Egon's.

i can see the cable tie is above the EDA in that pic which really does suggest that the cable slipped a bit out of the hole in the pack. So I don't dispute you at all on that. It's undisputable (sp?).

However, if I'm going to stay true to the pack I'm trying to imitate, then I think I should leave the cable the way it is for now. An example I can cite for this kind of thinking is on Bjorn's pack. He has the bumper label on the wrong side. Now we know it didn't appear that way in the movie but he's trying to duplicate a specific pack.

However, personally, I kind of like the way this looks. You see more of the cable this way. Plus, I can always go back later and tighten it on the inside more.

Also, I think of the pack in the reference as battle worn (and maybe that's why the cable would be out more.) When I weather this thing, I'm going to use the marshmellow (shaving cream). So, i'm really going all out.

But please don't think that I'm just some newb that's doing it his own way and disregarding the "heavies."

Not at all, I just really love that pack photo. I grew up with it, pretty much.

[nick-a-tron]

I understand Brian. Keep up the great work!

[parksdesign]

I understand Brian. Keep up the great work!

Thanks for the constructive criticism. I hope you'll stay on my back when I get cold feet about weathering this thing.