[Goffcorp]

I haven't attempted to document any of my buildups over the years, but here's to trying something new.As far as any of my props go, I have a tendency to overengineer everything, using metal whenever I can. I also have an aversion to adhesives in general, and will do everything in my power to avoid them (aside from the cyclotron lenses, I used no glue on my proton pack). I've gotten to a point beyond simple parts collection, so let's start with some raw materials...





The aluminum tubing was secured through a local industrial supply company that sells remnants to the public. I spent about twenty minutes digging through their stock and scored 3 feet of the 4" OD and 2 feet 5" OD tube for about $25. I was thrilled with scoring both the same day (their stock continually changes). The wall thickness on the 5" is beyond overkill, but I couldn't beat the price given what you can pay through online suppliers. I cut both of them to the appropriate length (approx 15 3/4" for the 4" OD and 12 3/4" for the 5" OD respectively) at home. I used a miter saw with a standard carbide tipped blade to get perfect square cuts. I don't recommend or suggest for someone to attempt these cuts without previous aluminum working experience. So, I won't document or show pics on how to cut such large pieces on a miter saw. But, it can be done with the proper jig and technique.

The hemispheres are from King Architectural Metals:

http://www.kingmetals.com/Catalog/Catal ... tailId=228

$3.00 for the 4" and about $5.00 for the 5" hemispheres. I went with steel because it is considerably cheaper compared to aluminum. The weight difference was about a pound or so at the most, so I voted with my wallet.

As far as attaching each hemisphere, I used .125" thick .5" aluminum bar stock. Do not purchase the crap they sell at a big box store. Their aluminum stock is garbage; any attempt to put even the slightest bend will cause it to snap. Trust me on this. I cut 3" strips on the miter saw and then attached them to the cylinder using .125" rivets. I used a .244" drill bit to countersink each .125" pilot hole. It lets each rivet seat below the curvature of the tubing, making filling each hole a breeze.



I put a slight bend in each strip to account for the curvature of the hemisphere. I then drilled the corresponding countersunk holes for the hemisphere, making sure that everything was properly lined up.



At this point, it would take some considerable effort to remove the hemispheres (I loathe drilling out steel rivets). After attaching the other end and giving it a quick hit on the belt sander, the results are as follows...



That's the current state of progress for now. I hope to periodically update as I continue, but we know how long that can take....

[ProtonCharger]

at the end of this build you need a video of your slime blower doing this sound when they knock their tips together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6NhfRFSaFo#t=00m038s

because so far, it's bad ass.

[ThrowingChicken]

That's pretty damn hardcore. I like it.

[xtrmn8r17]

Damn! Looks like its gonna be crazy!

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[nick-a-tron]

WOW!

[irricanian]

Looks great, I'll be watching this build!

[mikenelson1982]

same here!!! But I feel this blower is going to have some weight to it. What is your plan for the main tank?

[Goffcorp]

I am somewhat concerned about weight. Initially I wanted to use steel pipe and just braze the hemispheres to it. It would have essentially been a functional tank at that point. But a 12" chunk of schedule 40 steel pipe at OD 4" was a hair over nine pounds or so. Yikes. My lack of access to a decent aluminum welding rig is a source of constant frustration...

I'm not sure about the main tank. I'm considering getting a 9.5 OD piece of sheet steel/aluminum rolled at a local shop that does HVAC or something. Haven't parted it out, but at lot of the locals are happy for the business. I could fab some aluminum rings as an armature easily enough using my router with a circle cutter attachment. Messy, loud and it pisses the neighbors off, but it works like a charm on .25" thick aluminum plate.

Goff

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

When starting on the other tank, I discovered my 5" steel hemispheres were just a hair over .125" short in diameter. I could grind down the aluminum tube, but I doubt the results would be up to par. Plus it just seemed like way to much work for something that might, emphasis on might, look OK.

Solution: Spend more money.

Given I needed new hemispheres, I shopped around and determined that Sharpe products had some aluminum hemispheres for a decent price.

http://handrail-fittings.sharpeproducts ... res-balls?



Shiny!!!! And, at approx $6 for the 4" OD and $9 for the 5"OD not too bad on the wallet. And, a hell of a lot lighter than the steel.



6.4 oz for the 5" OD hemisphere. That's not too bad compared to an acrylic hemisphere of comparable thickness



Since I had the time, I fabbed a new tank with the techniques outlined in the first post. Sum total of the small tank is now 2 lbs, 14 oz. Not sure what other folks builds total weight wise, but I'm pretty pleased in the weight/strength ratio. The hemispheres are a 3003 alloy, so they are a bit "gummier" to work with than the usual 6061 I have lying around the garage, but the new tank t is a much cleaner fit and a pound lighter than it's predecessor (If anyone wants the old tank from the first post, let me know, its just a hair over 4 lbs.)

At this stage, I mixed up a quick batch of JB to fill in the rivet holes and the hairline seam between the tubing and the hemispheres. Next stage is getting the 5" OD tank assembled.



That's it for now. I'll update as progress continues....

[spiff]

Great build so far, watching this for sure!

[jimbo7]

Badass work!

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:


Perhaps update is a bit of false advertising. I just wanted to post the following goodies that showed up in the mail yesterday. They were all secured through Allied Electronics. I know that the sourcing of these items is common knowledge (thank you those that went first), but I figured I'd include the info to provide a more comprehensive build thread for those coming in cold. On that note, here's what showed up...



The Project boxes are by BUD Industries. Model numbers PBS-11327-G ($12.80) and PS-11521-G ($3.10) respectively.

The large green light is actually two separate parts. Both manufactured by Chicago Miniature. The lens cap is Mfr Part no. 2855 and the socket is 2803. Total cost for both pieces was $2.48.

The smaller lights are also by Chicago Miniature. Mfr part no for 4625 for the green lens, 4623 for the amber. Lens caps ran .83 each. At that price I bought a few extra in case I break or lose one. I also purchased the sockets so I wouldn't have to mess with glue. Mfr part no 4611 at $1.27 each.

I can't vouch that these are the exact lens caps. In fact, I'm certain they aren't. But they are damn close and will look good on the final build. They'll work for me.

Each socket will need to be cut down to make room for the LEDs and wires. But, I won't have to worry about the lens caps falling off during transport or getting jostled by some overly friendly con goer...

That's it for now. I hope to have both of the smaller tanks finished soon. Updates to follow.

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

The 4" and 5" tanks are, for all intents and purposes, complete. At some point I will need to drill and tap to attach the project box and the 4" wide aluminum strip that is used for all three tanks. I guess I could just pop rivet it all, but since I went to the trouble of using metal I might as well drill/tap and have it dissasemble should the need arise.

I'm very pleased with the final product as far as aesthetics and weight are concerned:



It's about as seamless as it's going to get. I used the following three items in my filling/sanding/smoothing arsenal to get the job done:



As stated in previous posts, I used JB weld to fill the hairline seam between the hemispheres and the tube as well as to fill in the recessed rivet holes. After curing, I knocked off the excess JB on the belt sander. I followed with the self etching primer after using acetone to strip the tank of any residual grease and residue. Aluminum can sometimes be problematic when it comes to paint adherance. I find that throughly stripping the metal after a light sanding and using a decent etching primer makes a tremendous difference.

I then used the tried and true glazing/spot putty to fill any residual boogers here and there. In a summer heat it takes five minutes for it to cure, one of the only advantages to being in a garage in Sacramento during this time of year. After knocking down the putty with some 220, I used a couple of coats of high build primer to get rid of all sanding marks. I am a huge fan of the high build when it comes to pieces that lack detail. It's also great for folks who like to make one-ups out of MDF or wood. With enough coats and a final hit with some steel wool you have a very, very smooth surface ready for the final cosmetic coat of paint.

That's the current state of affairs. I hope to post more progress as I continue...

[ShadesMcPherson]

Those tanks... holy hell. Beautiful.

[nick-a-tron]

Yup have to agree, those tanks are something special.

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

Nothing too exciting, but progress is progress. I've completed the cross braces and the mounting of the 3/4 Parker fitting to the ALICE frame:



Cross brace material is .125 aluminum bar stock in 1.5" width. Ran me about $7.00 for eight feet at my local metal supply store (I swear I should get some sort of frequent flyer discount). I bent the top brace in the vice. In a perfect world I'd have some kind of awesome press brake for such a situation. But, for now, my puny vice and some muscle will do the trick.

The metal covering over the Parker fitting was some scrap .09" aluminum sheet that I cut to fit. I made a quick and dirty template in Illustrator to ensure the bends would conform to the hex shape of the fitting. All braces and the covering were then secured via .125" steel rivets.

I mounted the fitting to the frame by drilling and tapping for a 1/4 20 hex bolt. It's beyond secure and fits really snugly into the metal covering.



I have no idea why the covering looks asymetrical in this pic. Perhaps it's the angle.

That's it for now. I'm going to take a stab at the heatsinks next. I'll post pics etc. as progress continues...

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE: Anatomy of a Heatsink

The two heatsinks found on the blower were annoying me. Looking online for a pre-fabbed heatsink with the proper dimensions, number of fins, etc. was getting nowhere fast. Plus, the thought of manually cutting them on my friends mill would be a tedious task, not to mention the prohibitive cost for a chunk of aluminum billet that large. Resin would be a good standby alternative in some respects, but I'm really psyched that my build is all metal thus far. I had tabled the issue until I stumbled upon a large stack of the following heatsinks at the surplus metal supply company I frequent.



Although the fin height isn't perfect, the spacing and .375 inch base really fit the bill. A quick measurement and I confirmed that there would be ten fins per heatsink with the proper offset for the 45 bevel. And, the $9 scrap price for an 8 inch by 8 inch square sealed the deal. Some quick measurements and some clamping and cutting on the miter saw resulted in the following:



Since I had the material, I cut two sets in case I botched one. I then cut out a corresponding aluminum plate in .5" stock to mount each respective heatsink to. I then used my damn near endless supply of steel rivets for attachment (not a fan of JB). Although they look pretty beefy in the pic below, they are remarkably light:



I then left the warm confines of my garage to use my friend's mill. I cut a 45 degree bevel on each heatsink. On a completely unrelated note I also cut the channel for the rear cylinder for my wand (it's a piece I've been putting off for a while now). The sinks fit in irrican's pump boxes like a glove.



Nifty. All that's left is to drill and tap the .5" plate to match the holes on each respective pump box. Next up on the agenda is to get the plates/ball mounted to the ALICE frame.

That's all the progress for now. I'll continue documenting as developments arise...

[FunkPunkTwang]

the Heat Sinks look fantastic man great work!

[Goffcorp]

Thank you sir!

And I must say that your SB looks fantastic as well. I'm hoping my finished buildup can hold it's own next to some of the other quality builds out there.

Goff

[SWmaster]

How did you make the pump boxes and what dimensions did you use?

[Goffcorp]

How did you make the pump boxes and what dimensions did you use?

I wish I could take credit for the pump boxes, but I purchased them through irrican's first run a few months ago. It was just one of those parts of the SB I really didn't feel like fabricating. They were laser cut aluminum and bent to the correct angles with a brake. I think a second run just finished recently and a few extra sets are on ebay as well. Check the For Sale forum or PM irrican if you need one for your build.

Goff

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

Not much of a build update, per se. Just more goodies that showed up in the mail. Although, I must say I was pretty damn excited when these suckers hit my door:





So, it looks like this build will be sporting two vintage Cat Eye HL-300 lamps. They are in great shape given the 20+ years on them. I missed out on the King Sword run a while ago and I had pretty much given up on having the correct headlamps. I was amost to the point where I was going to use my friends 3D printer to pump out a new set. (fun to do but it just isn't the same as the real deal).

I'm thrilled that I get to bolt these bad boys on. I'll convert them over to LED and run a separate circuit so I can turn them off/on with a toggle switch.

That's it for now. I'm almost done with the rear ball assembly. It turned out great. Pics and a subsequent update will be in the near future.

Goff

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

The left assembly is fully mounted and attached. Plus, I secured the correct parker fittings. The ball is a 6" OD steel ball from King Architectural metals. It's a bit on the heavy side, and I may replace it with aluminum at a later date. However, for $16 it is cheaper than getting two Plastruct domes and its damn near indestructible. It's mounted with a 1/4 20 socket cap bolt from behind. The fitting is also attached with another drilled/tapped hole for 1/4 20. I turned down a bolt and press fit into the L fitting. It's finally starting to look like something now.



I also mounted the 4" OD and 5" OD tanks to a 4" strip of aluminum that I ripped to the correct width on my table saw (not recommended unless familiar with doing so). I lucked out and found a piece at the scrapyard that was .1875" in thickness. Given the weight of the tanks, especially with how the 4" juts out, I'm glad I opted for a slightly thicker piece. It took some fiddling to get proper alignment with the right .25" aluminum plate, but I'm really happy how it fits at this stage. I still need to drill and tap the plate to mount the pump box, but here it is as it stands:



Ignore the horrible locknuts on the 4" aluminum strip. They're just placeholders. The spacer for the 4" tank is a piece of 2" round stock I turned on the lathe. It's partially bored out to conform to the curvature of the tank and has a clearance hole for 1/4 20 bolt. The tank is also subsequently tapped for 1/4 20. A hex bolt goes through the pump box, the spacer and attaches to the tank perfectly. By the time I mount the pump box to the plate, there will be zero flex or give and will be rock solid.

That's it for now. I'm eagerly awaiting irrican's slime blower gun assembly and I still need to source the 9.5" OD tank. Otherwise, this one is coming together quite nicely.

Goff

[Josh Foote]

Looks amazing!

[XxEctOxX]

powder coat that s**t

[Goffcorp]

powder coat that s**t

Ha!. Might as well. It's not like this build is getting any cheaper.

Goff

[Goffcorp]

UPDATE:

The superb SB gun kit arrived last week from irrican. It's fantastic, of course, and I started working on all the bits and pieces that bolt on to it. First thing I knocked out was the handle:



Handle is made from 1.5" steel bar stock in .125" thickness. I made a quick and dirty template in illustrator and then ground out the rounded portion on the belt sander. I completed the bends once again using my vise and a three pound hammer to get the 90 degree angle. I swear I will get my hands on a decent brake at some point. I did divert from the original prop and use a piece of leftover 1.25" round stock as the handle. I drilled a clearance hole for the 7/16 bolt on the lathe. It fits nice and snug and has a much nicer feel than a piece of PVC. I will prime and paint it white at some point so it will look consistent with the original prop.

The next item I tackled on the agenda was the internals on the nozzle assembly. I wanted all the bits and pieces on the original as seen here:



Granted, there's a significant amount of crud, corrosion and generalized nastiness on the photo above. Of particular note, though, is the thin metal tube/sleeve that the notched diffuser plate rests in. I really wanted to replicate this look, so I cranked out the following goodies on the lathe:



From left to right, I have the following assembly

1. A 1/2" bolt. It was originally 4" in length, but I ground about .25" or so.
2. Sleeve tube. I happened to have leftover stock from when I made my Ecto googles. I turned down the diameter some and then bored out the interior so the diffuser plate could be seated properly.
3. The diffuser plate. Initially I started with a square of .375" thick aluminum. I then glued a template created in Illustrator to drill the holes with the correct spacing. I then turned it on the lathe to get the correct size circle.
4. The beveled steel washer was turned from a scrap spacer I had lying around.
5. Finally, I firmly believe the original used a castle nut on the end. I picked up a 1/2" castle nut at a locally owned store that actually carries real fasteners (as opposed to the joke "fastener" section found at the big boxes).

I'm really pleased with the end result. I feel it approximates the original quite nicely. There are a few things I didn't do, such as tapering the diffuser plate. But, I prefer the look below for now.





Just trying to approximate the screen used prop has given me a new found appreciation for the ingenuity of the original propmakers. I still have a significant amount of work left on the gun, and have yet to determine how I'm going to tackle the two black "project" boxes.

That's it for now. I hope to post more progress as the weeks continue...

[skeg_man]

That looks great mate!! i honestly always thought the MMM cone seemed too wide.. But after doing that work it comes up looking great.

On mine... I ended up scalling the nozzle defusser down. So its not as large as MMM.. And placed a ring on the outter to mimic like your one. Mind you, mine looks crap compared to urs!!!

Keep up the great work mate!!

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[irricanian]

Looks great Goff, I like what you did with the nozzle. The cone is sized perfectly for the 4.5" o.d of the tube, rolling the nose to a smaller hole does not work out dimensionally given the length of the cone, otherwise it would look pointy. I think everyone building one of these should follow Goff's lead as an example of how to finish the nose. Great work!

[skeg_man]

Completly understand Colin. i wasnt trying to have a stab. Re-reading what I wrote.. I should've pulled my head in. Haha. Sorry dude.

It def needs that outter tube on the inside of the cone for sure. Def tops it all off perfectly.

Great work again Goff. Also Colin, keep providing great gear mate.

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