#4879942
Halloween is coming and I usually start planning in August. Wife and I are doing Ghostbusters this year as a theme. Last year was Nightmare Before Christmas.
I did not realize how involved these are. I love to build stuff so I wanted to make it from scratch. Now a little into it and man it is a lot of work but having a blast doing it. All parts are home made with a focus on construction as many of these builds have resin parts attached to a pre made shell. The whole fun to me is trying to figure out how to make it.

Quick Outline of materials:

1/2" Plywood for motherboard, wood circles, gun support, PPD Booster frame
1/4" press board to make all boxes
2x4 pine boards cut up for inside supports and strips on Gearbox, Powercell, etc.
1" PVC tube for Ion tubes, mini PPD tube, Crank tube, and gun bits
Washers: Ends of Ion tube, PPD details
Styrenen Sign from HD for ends of PVC, curved parts, anywhere thin material is needed
2" electric coupling for HGA
9" Cake pan from AC Moore for Cyclotron
Kebas Skewers for PPD Booster Frame
1" Foam for bits around the syncrons generator
PVC Pipes in 1", 1.25" 2" and I think 3"


Apoxy (Amazon) to fill holes and mold parts
Hot Glue hold press board together
Epoxy Attaching different materials like metal to plastic
Super Glue
Bondo (never used before)
Flat Black spray paint ($1 cans)



Tools:
Table saw
Jig Saw
Miter Saw (chop saw)
Drill
Ruler
Utility Knife
Screw driver
Protractor
Clamps

Using Norms and Stefan's plans I went to work. Norms because they are easier and Stephan's because they are more detailed. I also was not good about taking pictures in the beginning.

Motherboard made wrong, had to remake it. Everyone makes mistakes. Put bondo on the 1/2" plywood to hid some of the wood grain and sanded everything:

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Next was the Cyclotron base. I have yet to get a 9" pan. This is made from 1/4" press board, 1 1/4" PVC top and styrene from a sign at HD. Wood blocks and hot glue, super glue, epoxy holds it all together.

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Ion Arm made from 2x4's. You can see the notch for the "aluminum end" that will be painted different

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I am worried Ion Arms would not be strong enough so I had them go through the power pack box (not sure if that is the name) and will put a long screw through the motherboard to hold them.

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Some Bondo to smooth out things:

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Then it was onto the Power Cell part. I only have pictures of this finished.

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I made the ribs from 2x4 that I cut down on the table saw and miter saw.

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Using a stop block to get all the same sizes:

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I used JB Weld to make this with a half circle cut from a piece of plastic. Tube is 1" PVC with a metal washer on the end. Inside I have the Ion Tubes going through a 1/2" piece of wood and epoxy to secure them.

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Last edited by xyster101 on September 25th, 2016, 6:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
#4879943
Next was the gearbox. I cut all the pieces from the 1/4" pressboard and assembled it. As you build you need to account for the thickness of the material on all the parts. I then used a 1" PVC pipe and piece of styrene to make the sealed end with some bondo.

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Power cell is held on with 2 4.5" screws in the side so they can be taken off. I plan to put some electronics in here.

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Sanded all the wood strips before I cut and glued them up.

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Used a coping saw to add details to the ribs on the Gear box then a file to make them larger.
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HGA was made from a 2" electric coupler. The one in the plumbing section was not long enough. I cut styrene for the top where the bolts will go and I put a piece of wood on the bottom and screwd/glued it to the side of the gear box.

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Mocked up on the correct mother boards. I might trim the mother boards a bit more, not sure.

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jackdoud liked this
By PssdffJay
#4879969
Great job so far!

Funny how you mention the builds don't show how the parts are made or bought. There are quite a few scratch builds that go into detail on how to make the parts. Batfly's styrene is a great build to follow. I even built an 85% scale pack out of foam core and paper mache for a friends son for Halloween 2 years ago and went into a lot of detail if it helps. I think the thread is titled Mini Pack Build or something like that. I'll see if I can find some links for you for both.

Edit for links:

viewtopic.php?t=40186

viewtopic.php?t=38092

By no means is my mini build the be all or end all, but definitely spend a lot of time in Batfly's build. There are many others in the forums as well.
Best of luck! Looking forward to updates!
User avatar
By xyster101
#4879976
I am using a table saw, miter saw (chop), jig saw, coping saw and knife to cut the parts. I am concerned about the press board for durability but I did not want to use luane plywood because of the grain. I guess I could have if I cover it with a resin or something.

I love Batfly's thread BUT I am not using styrene. Way too many hours to get that built by Halloween in 2 months. Thinking about it if I used my saws to cut the styrene I could speed up the build process although my attention to detail would be less.
#4880103
Jay,

Your mini thread is awesome! I loved to read over scratch builds. What I meant by not good assembly pictures was a lot of people spend the money to buy shells and resin parts or real parts and put it together. This is not as interesting to me as a scratch build which really shows off imagination.

With that said, I spent a few more hours in the shop last night.

The Power cell is removable via some 4" screws. I plan to put some electronics in here. I need to clean up the joints a bit. They really do look poor in this picture.

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The Ion Tubes are held in with some epoxy and nails. Looks ugly from the inside and pretty nice on the outside.

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Inside of the PPD. This is made from press board and wood bits.

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I saw someone on here putting the battery in the booster tube, so for now I left the ability to remove the top plug of the booster tube. It is made from 2" PVC pipe I found on the side of the road. The plug was cut with a hole saw and sanded down to shape with a belt sander. Then I attached 3/4" PVC to the top. It is actually the bell coupler from 3/4 PVC so it is a little thicker then 3/4".

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The PPD needs random circles on it. I was going to cut them out but I glued on washers. I just stacked 2 per side and filled it with epoxy.

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#4880105
My apologies, I thought maybe you just hadn't seen any scratch builds that could show you some ideas on how the shapes come together or are built. I love a good scratch build, but I also have a hero build with all purchased parts. Starting with my hero build made it way easier on the scratch build. But it's good you're starting early. A month was almost not enough time to build it.

Keep it up!
xyster101 liked this
#4880295
Jay,

I did word my post poorly. I have read through a lot of builds, what I am learning is there is so many ways to do it, there really is no one way or person you can follow. It looked much easier when I started all this and I am learning it is not easy at all.

I am also going to update my list of materials. Another thing I researched a ton was what can be used for what and it seems that you have to do a lot of reading to figure things out. Granted there are many many ways to build these, so hopefully my list will help someone. Also as I move alone and the budget is consumed, less effort is put into movie accuracy plus I am running out of time with October fast approaching.

Today was getting the PPD attached. Using a miter saw I cut a piece of wood 3 times until I liked the angle. Then cut the 2" pipe.

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Then I cut 1" PVC to 2" long at the short end with a 26 degree angle. I put styrene on the top and bottom.

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Threw a blob of Apoxy inside on the angle part as a wire goes on this later.

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Ran it over the belt sander. One is sanded one is not.

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Attached them all and put Apoxy around everything. I think my little tubes are a little short, but oh well at this point.

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Next I started the booster frame. I set the table saw to 15 degrees and cut a piece of 1/2" plywood standing up.

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Then stood the blade up straight and cut off 3/4" wide piece. I will sand this and attach kabob skewers to it later.

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twmedford23, jackdoud liked this
#4880621
Scored some weird vintage safety glasses for possible costume wearing. Might just wear them at work as I am a "shop" teacher although now we call it Technology.

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Glued up my plywood Booster Frame and then sanded it smooth since it was made from 1/2" plyowod:

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Took some Kebab skewers and sanded the bottom half off.

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Cut pencils on the miter saw at 45 degrees and then sanded the other end to 20 degrees.

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Used super glue to attach the rib things:

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Then made up some center parts from my press board. The back side has the texture that is similar to the real one.

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Not perfect, but it will be great once painted.

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Then started to make the gun mounting box. I used a piece of 1/2" ply for one side and press board for the rest. The plywood side will support the gun mount.

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All done for tonight. Booster frame took about 2 hours to make.

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User avatar
By xyster101
#4880798
I took the Booster frame to work and sanded it. Then coated it with a layer of wood glue mixed with water to hide the look of plywood.

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While looking for Resistors for the pack, I came across a lot of resin bits for a great price. Guy bought them and then wife was mad. Anyway, I will still need to make a second set as I am doing 2 packs. This resin Booster Frame is of poor quality IMO compared to my scratch built one. Sure I have 2 hours into the booster frame and the resin one needs about 15 minutes of clean up. I will resell this on ebay. You can't tell from the pics, but the resin one is very thin and not as detailed as mine. Even though mine are made from wood and kebab skewers.

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By PssdffJay
#4880807
It could be a recast. (Which if you don't know, is bad! It's theft.)

I'll give you advice I give to everyone. STAY OFF OF EBAY. I'm not saying you bought this on eBay, I have no idea, but from experience (having been burned myself when I started, and now knowledge of the parts), UNLESS you know these parts inside and out and check seller feedback here first, stay off eBay. Everything you need to build a pack can be bought here in the store or from the sellers who sell here on the forums (and yes, some of them also sell on eBay but they sell here as well, where they are held to a higher standard than the people on eBay) or from a couple of people who are members here but sell from their own online store. eBay sellers are usually out to make a quick buck, where as people here do it for the love.

Your build is much too good to be taken in from the bad sellers who make bad parts.

Nice work on your scratch built frame btw!
ccv66 liked this
#4880874
I did get some parts off eBay only because it was a lot sale and the guy said his wife was mad he bought the parts and had to sell. I see why if you are going to buy to get the better stuff from here. I was looking for real resistors and just stumbled on these. It has to be a copy of a copy type thing.
Wife is worried about the weight already and we are at around 20 lbs. 35 would be too much for her. I could always make another mother board out of luane to keep weight down on one pack.
#4880949
Worked on building a deck this weekend, so not much GB time. I made a resistor from mirror clips and epoxied it to a washer. I should have searched the garage for a better washer. Looks good compared to the resin one I picked up.

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jackdoud liked this
#4881027
This might not be 12 hours fast like the other thread on here, but we are hustling along. Completed my Gun mount boxes. Gun mount side is 1/2" ply, rest is 1/4" press board. I cut the pine strips from a 2x4.

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Then the circles that go under the clippard and the thing above that. The smaller one, 2", I used a hole saw. The larger one, 3" I used a jig saw and sanded to the line. That one came out nicer looking. Again 1/2" plywood.

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Scuffed up some 1" PVC 2" long and filled the bottom 1/4" with epoxy.

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I covered all the wood parts with a mixture of wood glue and water (about 20% water). It is still wet here. This hides the wood grain and if you do 2 coats, hides the edges of the plywood circles. I did NOT do the glue coating on the power cell and you can see the wood grain there.

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twmedford23, jackdoud liked this
#4881366
Worked on the gun mount tonight. Bought the Dixie cup part and made the rest. Took some aluminum I pulled from the trash a month ago and cut it up with a jig saw.

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Then it was poor planning and I cut a rabbit groove on each side with the table saw. It was too small to hold, so I used a clamp. DON'T DO THIS. It was dangerous, but I used push sticks to keep my fingers away.

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Drilled them and counter sunk them.

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Parents moved a few years ago and I inherited all the old hardware including drawers full of slotted screws. Who uses slotted screws from the 1970's? Lol

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Then I made my Halloween Party invites. A test tube full of slime. Used shampoo as all the recipes I found for slime would mold in a week or so.

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#4881473
Time for the BUMPER! Ahhh, scared of this thing. Printed Stephan's plans out full size and stretched it to fit my size. I then cut it out and tried it. I created a wood bit out of some 2x4 and glued it. For those woodworkers I glued the end grain which is not a strong hold. I will be laminating 1/4" plywood on the top and bottom.

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Then it was on to the holes in the cylotron. I made the washers with the 1/4" press board and used 2 hole saws to cut it.

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Then sanded on the belt sander and drill sander.

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It was a bear to cut the holes in the cake pans. I tried a hole saw, but it bounced around and ripped up the pan. One really needs a drill press and clamps to do that. I used a dremel, but it took a cut off wheel per hole to do it. So that took like 20 minutes to do. Then epoxy'd the washers on.

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twmedford23, jackdoud liked this
#4881579
Had a few set backs today, but on to the pics!

Making the parts that go between the boxes and the syncros generators. I traced the parts on the mother board, then made paper templates.

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I cut those out of foam and used Gorrila glue to hold it. Gorilla glue works with foam and does not eat it.

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You can't spray paint foam or it melts, so some latex paint to be a primer. I happen to have black laying around.

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I glued wood blocks to the back of my parts to attach them to the mother board with screws. This just seemed easier then making the aluminum "L" brakets.

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Tubes that will go on the foam bits. I filled each end with Apoxy (type of epoxy). That way I can put a screw through the mother board to hold it and secure it.


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jackdoud liked this
#4881581
Then it was time for the Proton Gun. I totally messed this up. I have one resin one I got from a lot on eBay. I need to make one. See if you can tell what is wrong.

I started by bending a piece of 1" PVC to fit over 1"PVC

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Then I cut a scrap at an angle to make the ellipse. Turned out to not work right.

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So I went old school and made a paper template.

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Awwww crap. I made a really nice reverse gun from the regular one. I was 2 hours into this and I don't have time to start over. We shall see if it still works backwards.

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Here is that 1/4 piece attached.

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Sure doesn't look like 3 hours of work here.

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jackdoud liked this
#4881669
On to the Bumper today. So far it has been pretty simple. I have spent more time on other parts. I took the wood bit I glued up yesterday and printed out Stephan's CAD drawing full size. I had to stretch it a bit to match my measurements. Then glued it to the wood.

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Off to the Band saw and then belt sander.

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Spindle sander to do the inside.

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I then glued 1/4" luane plywood to the top and bottom. Clamped it for a few hours.

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Then I put another copy of the pattern on and band sawed that shape and more belt sander.

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Looking good.

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Repeat for the second bumper.

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This weekend's goal was to get the pack on the Alice frame. That did not happen. So I busted out the skills and made it happen tonight. Some PEX plastic pipe for spacers and a wood "hockey" puck". I used what I had laying around.

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Wife tested it, she is 5'11" for reference. I will say it is not comfortable. The frame digs into my back. Going to have to play with the straps and try to get a better feel. Suggestions on making these more comfortable? It weighs in at 15lbs currently.


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jackdoud liked this
#4881679
Do you have the foam on the top of the Alice frame? It's just pipe insulation from home depot. That should help of that's where you're feeling the pain.

The first photo of your wife, the pack is really low, those top straps need to be tighter to lift the pack up. Here is a pic of how it sits on my back. The foam on the Alice frame is wrapped in black gaffers tape, but I later changed it to black gorilla tape because the gaf tap was leaving black marks on my suit.

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#4881876
Finished the bumper from scratch today. Here are the center bits.

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Glued and clamped on


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Originally I forgot about the center parts and sanded the edges round. So I had to fill that with Apoxy.

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Some paint.

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Overall I am very happy with it. You can hardly see the wood grain under the coats of glue and paint.


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#4881904
This is an impressive build! Very nice internal bracing for strength and also keeping material weight down.

I read through scratch builds for years! Took me a while to decide on styrene as my medium. Even then, following about 8 favorite builds, I still ended up doing things in different ways. These things when scratch built seem to want to be as unique as the builder. That's a beautiful thing!

I am going to have to remember that diluted wood glue tactic for hiding grain for later projects! Thanks for the idea.

Shop is really called technology now? Do you teach how to build the tools? I jest. It's still shop to me! :)

Again, excellent build! The bumpers are gorgeous.
#4881944
Batfly wrote:This is an impressive build! Very nice internal bracing for strength and also keeping material weight down.

I read through scratch builds for years! Took me a while to decide on styrene as my medium. Even then, following about 8 favorite builds, I still ended up doing things in different ways. These things when scratch built seem to want to be as unique as the builder. That's a beautiful thing!

I am going to have to remember that diluted wood glue tactic for hiding grain for later projects! Thanks for the idea.

Shop is really called technology now? Do you teach how to build the tools? I jest. It's still shop to me! :)

Again, excellent build! The bumpers are gorgeous.


In hind sight it would not have been much more work to do styrene for the whole pack instead of press board. The press board, while light and easy to cut, has poor glue properties. The material pulls apart as it is just compresses paper. I will be trying my hand at styrene for the gun part.
Thanks for the compliments on the bumper. Yours is pretty amazing as well. Both our bumpers are awesome. Yours is slick and professional looking. Mine is super strong. Both have a unique way of construction.

Shop? Ha basically, but here in NY they have not called it that since 1980's but adults still call it that. I am 36 and it was Tech when I took it. I teach grades 6-8 and we do woodworking stuff (catapults, Rube Goldberg, Bucksaws), rockets, CAD, Animation, Structures (bridges and trusses), keyboarding, Office, internet safety, 3D printing, and much more. I taught in Ohio and they had Industrial Technology. Woodworking, home Maintenance, CAD, Design and Drawing, Principals of Engineering.
Basically my favorite class everyday. Kids are interested when I bring a few parts of the pack in. I show them the CAD drawings from Stephan and what parts I have made.
Last edited by xyster101 on September 29th, 2016, 7:47 pm, edited 4 times in total.
#4881946
Time for the N-Filter. Most people make this sooner, I had trouble finding a decent sized pipe. I ended up using a 2 1/4" electrical elbow. Any 2.5" pipe will have an outside diameter of just over 2 3/4". I happen to have this left over from running power to my detached garage. It was expensive, $8 for one part and I can't return it.

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Mocked up some paper.

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Band saw time.

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Used a template from the "How to Section" You guys rock on here for making some things just easy!

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