[csullivan1980]

I'm kind of in the same boat. I want to make an affordable but accurate GB1 pack ... and I'm also from Massachusetts.

I plan on following your thread while I try to figure out how I want to go about making my own pack.

Right now, I'm thinking I want a fiberglass shell with as many metal pieces as possible. Although I don' t know what the possibilities are out there, so I'm doing a lot of research.

Good luck with your build!

- Paul
aka Ringo67

Right on [THUMBS UP SIGN]

[csullivan1980]

So tonight was a night dedicated to sanding some resin parts and painting the ion.

I wanted to screw a hole into the ion to get a GB1 accurate line up for the Clippard brass Elbow. But sadly the resin ion arm attachment was too tough to drill into and looks like the elbow will be placed in the ion arm itself. This will give me a GB2 ion arm instead. No biggie.

I sanded my second leg hose attachment and bumper (which I'm going to have to repair with some bondo due to being accidental damaged in shipping). Not sure if the bumper can be saved but I'll give it a shot. It's being held together with super glue so fingers crossed.

After the wet paint dries I'll come back and begin attaching the resistors and hoses. Looking forward to that!

[ghostbustinjrob]

What is that stuff made out of? I've never done any modeling or anything like that, what's it comparable to?

[csullivan1980]

What is that stuff made out of? I've never done any modeling or anything like that, what's it comparable to?

The ion arm, leg hose and bumper are all resin. I wish I could compare it to something else but I have nothing to compare it to unfortunately being my first build.

[akabean2004]

What kind of drill/bit were you using? My experience with resin tells me it's not difficult to use.

[csullivan1980]

What kind of drill/bit were you using? My experience with resin tells me it's not difficult to use.

Spade, brad point (dowel) and metal. All worked great before but for the ion arm attachment it proved to be too much for he bits. After a few minutes of trying I didn't feel it was worth the struggle. I filled the hole and moved on. Plus if I went deeper into the top of the ion arm attachment I think I would have come close to damaging the piece.

But on the bright side I did end up having to repaint the ion arm attachment and it came out so much better than how it was originally painted. I'll post pics this weekend. I'm working on my PP offsite.

[Venkman's Swagger]

What kind of drill/bit were you using? My experience with resin tells me it's not difficult to use.

I think Sulli was referring to their metal Ion End Cap rather than the resin ion arm. I may be wrong.

Sulli if you want a GB2 mount to the clippard elbow on top of the ion arm then you need to move it a smidge so it's central.

[csullivan1980]

What kind of drill/bit were you using? My experience with resin tells me it's not difficult to use.

I think Sulli was referring to their metal Ion End Cap rather than the resin ion arm. I may be wrong.

Sulli if you want a GB2 mount to the clippard elbow on top of the ion arm then you need to move it a smidge so it's central.

Yup the end cap, am I calling it by the wrong name?

I used this photo for reference Venkman.

[Venkman's Swagger]

I think Sulli was referring to their metal Ion End Cap rather than the resin ion arm. I may be wrong.

Sulli if you want a GB2 mount to the clippard elbow on top of the ion arm then you need to move it a smidge so it's central.

Yup the end cap, am I calling it by the wrong name?

I used this photo for reference Venkman.

Its just about preference re the name, most prefer Ion End Cap or Ion Rod. It just helps highlight that the Ion Arm and Ion End Cap are separate entities.

Ah my bad, you're referencing Hero pictures. The Semi Hero's were central. You're working well buddy, keep it up

[csullivan1980]

Light kit hooked up

[csullivan1980]

Does anyone have any recommendations about primer. As you can see I already primes the ion arm in white with a flat black. But as I read more building threads I see most people have been using grey primer.

Are there any benefits with grey versus white?

[PredatorMV]

For me at least when I paint things I like grey as if something gets scratched it will show grey under instead of white or red or whatever other color primer you might choose. Also if I am painting black grey is closer to black then white so it might take less coats of black to cover it then otherwise. But that is just me.

[csullivan1980]

For me at least when I paint things I like grey as if something gets scratched it will show grey under instead of white or red or whatever other color primer you might choose. Also if I am painting black grey is closer to black then white so it might take less coats of black to cover it then otherwise. But that is just me.

This will give me something to consider. Fortunately it's only the ion arm that I primed white. I can always go over the rest of my stuff with grey.

Thanks for the feedback. Appreciated

[PssdffJay]

^ Exactly.

Also, make sure you aren't mixing brands of paint. You don't want to risk the paint of reacting badly and having to redo it.

[csullivan1980]

^ Exactly.

Also, make sure you aren't mixing brands of paint. You don't want to risk the paint of reacting badly and having to redo it.

Excellent point! Never thought of that! I have been keeping my paint brand/type consistent so far.

[csullivan1980]

No building tonight. I let my sister borrow my copy of GB2 weeks ago for my nieces. I wanted to watch it so I had to borrow it from my library.

[Lewis Tully]

To go back to your question about primer, I went with a coat of gray primer on the shell just because that's what the screen used packs had. If it gets a nick, or a scratch that gray will show through, just like on the screen used shells, making it just that much more accurate.

[csullivan1980]

To go back to your question about primer, I went with a coat of gray primer on the shell just because that's what the screen used packs had. If it gets a nick, or a scratch that gray will show through, just like on the screen used shells, making it just that much more accurate.

Thanks

[Ringo67]

I have yet to even start putting together a pack, but I've see some people do an undercoat of metallic silver. That way, when they do their weathering it will show through.

I think that's what I'm going to do with mine.

[Lewis Tully]

That is ultimately a question of "accuracy" vs "idealized." Ideally the packs are ALL metal. In real life the shell was fiberglass, and the parts (booster, Ion Arm, PPD, vacuum hose tube, beam line/ filler tubes) were aluminum. It depends on what you want the pack to be. Personally I wanted my pack to be as close to what the actors wore on their backs on the set of a film, as opposed to an unlicensed nuclear accelerator in a fictional world, which is why I chose to go with the gray primer and aluminum parts. If you are using resin tubes/ ion arms and you want to replicate the original props a coat of aluminum paint under black would be the most accurate way to go. Either way, avoid metallic silver at all costs. You want aluminum colored paint.

[Ringo67]

That is ultimately a question of "accuracy" vs "idealized." Ideally the packs are ALL metal. In real life the shell was fiberglass, and the parts (booster, Ion Arm, PPD, vacuum hose tube, beam line/ filler tubes) were aluminum. It depends on what you want the pack to be. Personally I wanted my pack to be as close to what the actors wore on their backs on the set of a film, as opposed to an unlicensed nuclear accelerator in a fictional world, which is why I chose to go with the gray primer and aluminum parts. If you are using resin tubes/ ion arms and you want to replicate the original props a coat of aluminum paint under black would be the most accurate way to go. Either way, avoid metallic silver at all costs. You want aluminum colored paint.

You're right, aluminum would be correct. That's my bad.

Like I said, I'm a total noob. I haven't built a pack yet. I've just been scouring this board for ideas, and that was one that I really like and plan on trying.

[Lewis Tully]

No worries. Just trying to help. A lot of people go for that bright shiny metallic color and not only does it not look right, the black has a hard time adhering to it.

[csullivan1980]

Little by little it's slowly coming together.

Tonight I began by attaching resistors to the ion arm with Allen wrench screws making sure they will securely hole the pieces before I add another coat of flat black.

More coats will be needed before I place everything in their final positions. One coat of paint definitely scuffs easily revealing the white primer underneath. Gladly, I did buy some grey primer tonight for other parts I plan to paint from this point out. Lesson one learnt: go with grey primer.

The screw holes for the big dale resistor and brass Clippard elbow were just a bit too big and I will set them with glue. I like where the holes are and am fine with gluing them down. I do have more than one of these so if I upgrade the ion are I have replacements.

Next came using bondo to repair and reshape the bumper I got. This is my first time working with bondo and I'm doing just okay. I think with the more practice I get the better it will be. Any feedback is welcome .

Tomorrow I plan to sand the bumper to see if I can get a more even shape out of it before priming.

[csullivan1980]

Ended the night with paint.

Tomorrow is another day

[csullivan1980]

No updates today. But made a list of parts I still need. Looking at it I realized how close I am to getting this thing fully built.

[csullivan1980]

Whoo hoo! Alice frame arrived!!!

Rothco, Model 2255, Black

[csullivan1980]

Ion arm is just about complete.



Not all the parts are 100% accurate but for what I was able to find/get I think it turned out good.

[Ringo67]

Oooh, that's nice.

It makes a great little display piece all by itself.

[Riggs45]

Looking sweet! The ion arm always stand out to me as one of the coolest parts. Good job!

[csullivan1980]

Thanks for the feedback Riggs45