[bromie]

I posted on here a while ago with ideas of modding my Mattel trap to make it more movie-like, but after ruining it i decided (maybe a tad too late..?) it might be better to start from scratch.

So, after looking around the available kits i decided on one of Nick-a-Tron's, mainly due to the simplicity and ease of construction the kit looked like it had. And that was definitely true! It was so easy to put together, the parts required hardly any sanding or alteration, and they had a very well built feel to them. There were literally ZERO bubbles or defects that required filling. I mean the kit is so well produced that you can see the manufacturers markings on the screw heads!

I actually wanted to create a fairly decent replica of a GB1 trap (specifically a hybrid of the Sedgewick trap and the one from the promo photos), so i used all real parts where i could. These were sourced from all the usual places - the GBFans shop and forum, and MMM. I'd made the trap pedal first 'cos i hated the flimsy toy version, but this was before i'd rendered the Matty trap unusable. Anyway, here's some pics:







Metal vector plate

I looked at nearly every reference photo when making this, 'cos i'm really anal with the details. I even painted the screw threads under the relay black after seeing it on one of the real props, and the ribbon cable was fixed as close to as seen in the Sedgewick scene. As far as i know most of the parts are accurate, the only things i might eventually change are the SMC straight fitting and the label on top of the relay. For GB1 it was the Legris straight that was used, wasn't it? Also i'd like to find a metallic label for the relay - the one at the minute is the grey version from the HProps label sheet. Oh, and i could do with some feet for it as well.



Now, the eagle eyed may have noticed that connector, and it ain't just for looks. I'm actually quite proud of this - I wired the electronics from the trap into the pedal! The switch is inside the bellows, and the LED is under the Cliplite, with everything wired through the inside of base. I used a small diameter bit to drill a channel across the base, so with the Hammond boxes attached there're no visible wires.

It took a while to find the right bellows for under the pedal, but i eventually used a cut up steering gaiter from a Ford Sierra (only cost a few quid new from eBay). I wasn't going for screen accurate as i wanted it to be functional as well as look right, so i'm very happy with how it turned out. After eyeing several pictures i decided was the best size for this. I've seen some that are too small or too big and don't look right, but i think at least this size matches what was on screen. The height of the bellows was also decided by eye. It was easy to cut one fold off at a time, and i just kept going 'till it sat at the right height and was able to depress fully.
I also borrowed someone else's excellent idea for attaching the bellows - there are two metal discs either end, just big enough to wedge in tight between the folds of the gaiter. The two screws you can see in the pedal attach with nuts to the other side, and there's a third disc under the base which sandwiches the bellows and the second disc up tight against the base. I epoxied the switch to this middle disc, this took a few goes - i wanted the switch to contact perfectly on every press, but it is now absolutely spot on.


I used the same painting process for the pedal and trap - i sprayed a few coats of Plastikote metallic first, and then a few more top coats of Plastikote satin black. I used Plastikote enamel for the yellow stripes and red side rods. I kept to light coats as the coats adhere better, and (as you may find out as you come to weather the finished parts) means the paint doesn't come off in chunks when you sand it afterwards. This allows for a lot more natural weathering and doesn't just rip the paint off back to raw material.

Like i said i was going for Sedgewick/promo shoot hybrid, so incorporated different elements from each. For an example of my anality (might have just invented a word), i wanted to replicate the stripes on the trap here:





I just think they don't look right if the spacing or stripe width is off, it can make the whole trap look out of proportion. The black stripes are slightly narrower than the yellow as well.
The doors do open, but are fairly secure due to the way they're attached. The cartridge does not come out separately because i though this would take too much time to finish the way i'd want.
The whole trap is kept together with brass inserts and the screws you can see. Everything fits together a bit like a jigsaw, and each piece is fixed to more than one other so the whole thing is held together very solidly. I only used epoxy for things like the red lens and the two side knobs, but everything else is basically able to be taken apart and put back together with no problems.

Here are some pics of the finished trap, and sorry for the quality on some, they were taken with my iPad:



All real parts - knob, resistor and vector plate



Real Raytheon knob from JoeLuna - huge thanks to him. Rods from MMM



Now i'm very pleased with how the front turned out. Firstly i need to give another massive thanks to Nick. His kit has the proper size and shape GB1 knobs moulded into the front panel, so i asked whether i was able to buy these separately. He replied by sending me a bag of them...for free!!! I just thought that was amazing, 'cos they were the kind of accurate i was going for. I sprayed them metallic then satin again, trying to keep the look of the proper round knobs even though mine are made from resin.
Spraying the round knobs and sanding the layers away didn't work, so the black one's ring (erm...yeah ) is actually coloured in with a metallic marker, and the silver one with black shoe polish!! Again, i was really really pleased with how this turned out:



You can just about see but i also used a pair of small grub screws on the silver knob to add to its realism.

And the last few glamour shots:





Forgot to close the doors properly here, they aren't wonky like that in person

As you can see i haven't fitted any electronics yet. This is just because there isn't a kit i've seen that works or looks the way i want it, so i'm happy to wait 'till then.

After this was all finished i gave it a sanding on the edges most likely to be worn down over time, and then a light dusting of Fullers Earth. This was just brushed on straight from the bag and then brushed off to a more natural dusting.

The only things i'm missing now are the labels for the battery cover and bottom of the trap. I did buy one of Joe's last labels but ended up ruining that, so i'm just waiting for his next (more accurate) ones to come out.


So - that's it. I hope something here can help someone with their build so i can pay something back into the site i've gotten so much from.

I may have forgotten a detail so i anyone has any questions just let me know, i'll try and help as best i can.

Finally, thanks to Nick-a-Tron for his amazing kit, JoeLuna for some authentic parts and an amazing fuse label, Multimedia Mayhem for many parts and those fantastic metal plates, Dimension Fabrications for the real metal vector plates, and GBFans for their absolutely fantastic shop and insanely helpful forum.

Thanks,
Dan.

[westies14]

Very nice trap - great attention to detail! Hard to imagine someone going to these lengths not wanting to convert to a removable cartridge sooner than later though...

[bromie]

Thanks!

And i know what you're saying. I just wanted to get the trap finished quickly and easily, so decided at some point that it would be a lot easier to have it as a static 'hero'. I mean, the Sedgewick trap was full of electronics for that scene, the 'light is green' trap had a removable cartridge for that scene, so it helped with my decision as it was like i was replicating an actual screen trap rather than making compromises.

Also, you've seen how much work it takes to make a trap that has a removable cartridge and working electronics (like noslliT's build), and i don't have the space or equipment really to do it justice. Everything i've done is just with hand tools and an eye for detail, so going over the best way of doing things with what's available and making sure it won't take too long are normally one of my first thoughts with a build.

I also eventually planned to buy another Matty trap so i had that for the electronics and sound and the one i made as an accurate replica. To be honest, when i was talking about electronics for the trap i made i specifically meant one that had a sequence like the Matty trap (which is basically the same as the Sedgewick trap). But, i haven't seen one like that yet so i'm happy to wait 'till then.

[jros3484]

I think you did an awesome job and good call using nicks kit. His stuff is awesome.

[bromie]

Thanks for the compliment, really appreciate it! I think some of it's down to the quality of Nick's kit. I've just seen someone else's build of one of his kits and it doesn't look too different to mine.

It just shows how much consistency his kits have, they really are like fitting a shop bought model together. It's basically down to: how you want to fix the pieces together; your painting skill; and how detailed you want it to be.

It definitely makes the whole build a lot easier as you can concentrate on the more intensive stages of the build instead of constantly being weighed down by one of those stupid problems. Most of the hard work has been done for you.

[nick-a-tron]

Wow! Thats a really really nice build!

[bromie]

Thanks Nick, that really means a lot. And i think that's my first Crunch bar! Hopefully i, i earned it...

But like i said, a lot of it was down to how well-made your kit is. Can't give you too much praise, and you've been especially helpful with the small details like the (free!) accurate front knobs. Thanks again Nick!

Only small bits to finish it off now - JoeLuna's new accurate fuse label when that's ready, and a light kit when i find one that i like.

[gold333]

Awesome....

Btw is it possible to buy predrilled aluminum rods (painted metallic red and weathered) to click on the Matty as a realism mod?

[bromie]

Don't think anyone offers something like that.

MMM's rods come supplied with spring pins - i drilled holes in the metal plating which were slightly smaller than the diameter of the pins so that they just pushed into place with no chance of working free. I suppose you could remove the pins and drill out the holes to the diameter of the posts on the Matty trap. Although i'm not sure the holes or posts would be in the same positions, so the backs of the rods might end up a bit messy.

Also it was really easy to paint and weather the rods. I used Plastikote enamel aerosol in Metallic Red:


I pushed the posts into some cardboard for a little painting booth and gave the rods two or three coats. Once dry, i just sanded a couple of corners and scratched them with a screwdriver, it was literally that simple. It's honestly really easy to get a good looking finish.

The main thing with weathering is to not go overboard - you can always add a bit more damage but it's a nightmare to have to start from scratch.

I also look at the most likely places for natural wear and tear. Some people's weathering looks better than others and it's because it's done it a way that makes it looks like it's had years abuse, not like it's brand new and belongs to Edward Scissorhands. For example i've weathered most of the projecting edges on the trap because these will brush against objects the most, whereas more hidden and covered places won't see much wear. Same with the bumper, you'd expect something called a bumper to do a lot of...bumping. So i gave that a bit more abuse. Then around the switch 'cos you'd get a lot of scratches from people constantly turning it off and on.
I also gave some of the open areas a light brush with steel wool. Not everything that defines age and use is about heavy damage, sometimes the paint fades or chips away. Like i said, just think about what areas would get what kind of damage over the years, and: take it easy, see how it looks, then decide it really needs one more scratch.

One more thing that definitely finishes a part off is Fullers Earth. It makes a brand new part look instantly years old - you just dust it over something (i just loaded a paintbrush and brushed it on), and then brush the excess back off. It will probably look too much at first so again you think about what areas would naturally see what amount of use. I've gone over the trap and pedal since these pictures but i went over them again just brushing the dust off with my fingers. This leaves the Fullers Earth in the cracks and inaccessible places, with the open areas less covered. It just gives the whole thing a more 'real' look (see Filandrius's trap near the end of the build).

I'll be posting some new pics when i get the parts i've ordered from Nick, GBFans and MMM. I'll change the SMC straight for a Legris replica, and i'll show some pics of Joe's new fuse label on the trap.

By the way, i completely recommend Joe's new label. It looks so much better and somehow really makes the trap look complete (well, except for the hole in the front indicator!).

Anyway, this is just how i've picked my favourite ways of doing things from what i think are the best examples of other people's work. It's about what looks good to you.

If anyone needs any more info about anything i've done don't hesitate to ask.

Dan.

[bromie]

So, it's been a few months but i feel like i've finally finished my trap build!

It's a big relief, but it's amazing how a few small changes make a huge difference!

Firstly, i finally cut my fuse label properly without messing it up:



This is one of JoeLuna's revised labels, and it looks AMAZING!!! Seriously, i can't believe how much of a difference this makes to the whole trap (never mind just the battery box)!

And of course the other half is stuck underneath:



Even though i can't even see it when it's sat on the shelf it still helps give the trap a 'completed' feel every time i look at it. You can also see one of Ejgunth87's brilliant v-hooks. I bought a complete set for my pack build, but always knew i needed one for the trap to finish it off (even though i know i'd never use it!). Eric was able to send an extra female v-hook no problem, so massive thanks to him!

The only other thing i did was to finish off the front indicator:



Nothing fancy but i added a trimmed CD case (like some people do for their thrower bargraphs) and clear acrylic under the front indicator. I also used some masking tape behind that to give it a cloudier translucent look, and coloured the section under the LED hole yellow just to give the impression of some kind of indicator light. I was never going to fit electronics to the trap but i'm happy with the look this gives me.

Oh, and the last change i made - the trap pedal:



I finally fitted the Legris straight replica and the circuit diagram dryrub (both from the GBFans store - thanks AJ, and anyone else involved!). The dryrub is perfect and so easy to apply, but i really should have touched up the paint on the box before applying it (you can just about see the metal surface in the middle of the dryrub). Still, it's only a small mark so i'm OK calling it 'weathering'... Again they both make a huge difference, and for some reason that one straight suddenly makes the pedal look 'GB1'!

And this is just a gratuitous glamour shot:



You can kind of see i've used a couple of small zipties on the pedal hose. I wanted to give it that functional look, like it's sat on the firehouse basement shelf or something like any other tool or random piece of equipment.
Since taking these pics i've also undone some of the weathering slightly, i wasn't happy with some of the bits especially on the doors so i just retouched them with a black Sharpie (they were only small so you can't notice it's retouched, but overall makes a huge difference i think).

So - that's that. I've finally finished it. Thanks again to all involved, especially Nick-a-Tron and AJ. I've got my pack build to look forward to now - I've bought and prepped every part i can, just waiting for Nick's GB1 shell (which i know from experience will be amazing!).

So thanks, and thanks for taking the time to read!
Dan.

[Lewis Tully]

This trap looks incredible! I am hoping to do something similar in using Nick's trap with added metal/ real world parts. This post is nothing short of inspirational! I will be referencing it often (hopefully not asking too many questions.) I am probably going to make my cartridge static, too, as it will primarily be a belt hanger. Again, fantastic job!

[nick-a-tron]

Yup, have to just comment once again on this....outstanding work!

[noslliT]

Great trap!

[Demon Vice Commander]

Nicely done! In an age of Matty traps, it's nice to still see people building these from scratch.

[bromie]

Wow! Thanks fellas, I really appreciate the comments!

And you've kind of prompted me to take some up to date pictures...

I've made the odd change since i took these pics a few years ago, so i'll get them up when i can.

[damster117]

I've just started my own Nick-a-tron build and I'll be using your trap for reference pics! You've done a great job of it!
I notice you're in the UK too, may I ask where you got the brass inserts and screws from as it seems like a really good idea. Did you use imperial or metric screws? Having trouble finding the correct ones over here!

[bromie]

Hey Damien,

Sorry about the late reply! And it looks like you're off to a great start with your build. I've actually (kinda) finished a GB2 trap that's a lot closer to your build, so I might actually get round to putting it all in a thread today.

I use a site called http://www.modelfixings.co.uk. They do every type of socket cap and button head screw you'd need for any trap or pack build, and I think the cost is really reasonable (even the shipping's fairly cheap). The site's not the best to navigate, but the section you're looking for is Fixings > Socket Headed Fixings > UNC Steel Cap Screws (as long as you're going with the proper imperial screw sizes). They also do the matching Allen keys.

They do do brass inserts, however they're more for wood (they have a thick screw thread on the outside, whereas the other type are a push-in). The inserts are a bit harder to find, but on my semi-hero thrower build I've just about finished I managed to find some at http://www.wheelspinmodels.co.uk; just search for 'brass inserts.' They're still the screw in type but don't have as coarse a thread. Resin is very easy to strip the threads with, so as long as you take it easy and use the right size drill bit, or use a bit of two part epoxy for extra security, you shouldn't have a problem.

You'll hopefully see what I mean soon but on my second trap I decided to just screw straight into the resin on parts I knew wouldn't be coming apart again. I used countersunk screws, so that when the side panels are on none of them are visible.

Hope this helps! I'll definitely be following your build!

Dan.

[damster117]

Thanks for the info Dan I really appreciate you sharing where you found all the hardware needed for the trap. I just need to work out what sizes and lengths i'll need now to work with this kit.

I'll be keeping an eye out for your GB2 thread as it promises to be good based on your past work. I was actually in two minds as to whether to build a GB1 or GB2 and I actually have both different size vector plates and side knob options just in case!

[gold333]

Good luck to you.

Is there any image or place that clearly shows the difference between GB1 and GB2 traps?

[bromie]

gold333, I tried to point out the major differences on the trap plating interest thread a while ago:

http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtop ... 30#p473399


It's hard to say what the differences are, as there were a number different trap styles used in both films (stunt, hero, smoker, roller, etc.).

I class the GB2 hero as the courtroom trap, which as far as I can see there are no reference pictures of. All of the Planet Hollywood pictures in the reference section are of the GB2/GB1 stunts, so the only pictures I have to go by are movie screenshots.

I believe that the courtroom trap was only used one other time as the buried trap that catches the jogger ghost, as certain features match (i.e. the stripe pattern, lack of fuse label on the battery cover, screw positions on the battery cover).

This trap seems to be a new build judging by the way it looks, so there are plenty of 'minor' differences with things like the plating sizes, screw positions, etc. However, the main differences between the two 'hero' traps (from what I can see) are:

Side rods - red for GB1, bare metal for GB2
Front knobs are different in both movies
Knob on right side is different (cylindrical metal knob in GB2 vs. conical black plastic in GB1)
Vector plating is larger for GB2 (gold resistor doesn't need any filing to fit inside the plating ribs)
Four screws in large side plates for GB2 vs. two screws in opposite corners for GB1


Again, though, there are no real reference shots of the GB2 hero, so some of these details may be confused with the other traps (e.g. the larger Vector plating is visible on the stunt traps, but not confirmed for the courtroom hero).

Hope this helps!

[gold333]

Awesome, thanks for the reply