#4888329
Built four proton packs for a web series, after the rough and tumble of filming I noticed certain areas were more fragile than others. My packs are 3D printed, but I'd imagine the solutions would be the same for most.

-Blue and Red Tubes from Power cell to Sync Generator (and those 1/4 inch split loom pieces) slipping out.
-The silver resistor hanging off the opposite side of the pack from the gun. Mostly because mine was just epoxied on and not screwed, but if it take the right hit it comes flying off.
-We have no idea how it happened but a crank knob from the Gearbox was ejected at a high speed and lost. These were also just epoxied on but for Mark 2 we thought of getting actual potentiometers for them- what do you guys use?
-Red tube and the banjo from the proton gun getting pulled off and dangling (even saw what appears to be a rubber band holding this on in the Funny or Die Ghostbusters skit)
-One MAJOR fall of the proton gun, after the hose got caught on a piece of the set and the actor was walking forward. Any tips on keeping the main hose from being unruly? (I blame myself, not the actor). This also broke the (plastic) wand holster on the proton gun. Any good metal alternatives you'd recommend?
-The green tube with two legris straights gets pulled out constantly, whether from the legris straights or the tube itself. It's just always in the way enough that it gets snagged. How did you attach it to your guns? And how did you attach the tube to the legris straights?
-Not so much the set, but in the build, the trigger parametric (metal circlet at the very end of the proton gun clear plastic tube) is VERY thin and fragile- how do you attach it securely without breaking it?

Also question: for those of you with fiberglass packs do these kind of breaks happen often? If they do does it set you back much money? All in all even with a major hit to one of our cylcotrons (I watched in horror as it shattered into four pieces on filming day 2) the price for fixing four packs to full status as if they were good as new will be about 25 bucks, is that comparable to other types of builds?

I know "be careful" is always a nice tip- but we're making a movie and crap happens and we need solutions on the fly, people who walk the con floors what do you have in your pockets for repairs? Thanks ahead of time!
#4888330
Oh yeah! Here are some pictures, we even got featured on a local 3D printing company's instagram.
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Last one I forgot- the 1/4 split loom cable from the HGA to the sync center part kept slipping despite being very tightly wrapped with electrical tape.

For any other progress check us out at:
Facebook: Ghostbusters Web Series
Instagram: @ghostbusterswebseries
Twitter: @ghostbustersweb
#4888335
It is all about the right glue or fastners
For the crank knobs can you put a screw from the back side to hold it? I put a cut nail in my knob and then drilled a hole in the gear box. Then epoxie.
For the tubes I cut and then put 16d nails in the tubes and then drilled a hold where it was going to go and put the nail into the material with epoxy. Then you have a mechanical and glue hold. I did this on the green hose too. Although my gun is made from wood so it was easy to put nails into it.
Problem with the gun is they are fragile. The end has all kinds of parts that will get broken off. Use the clay epoxy whenever you can. Dries super hard and is easy to control. Try to install screws or nails to hold parts together along with glues.
Unfortunately most glues don't bind metal to plastics well. The guns in the movies took a beating too.
BoondockRev liked this
#4888413
As a 12 year GB cosplayer, I can tell you from experience to get used to fixing something after every outing. There are too many variables to consider so basically roll with what happens. I always have a pre event touch up session and a post event fixing session (The worst was when we did a gig in 95 degree heat and our packs started melting) basically have a tool kit and a hot glue gun or super glue gel with you for quick repairs. That's part of the reason I switched to building all my pack with an EVA foam base so they're lighter and more flexible.
BoondockRev liked this
#4888481
I try and stay away from CA Glues (Super glues) as they then to not hold as well under side loads.

I like to use an epoxy like JB weld for the glue and to have screws through everything as a mechanical joint. If the material is not as strong use washers to spread out the load.

The hose thing I can relate to as I snagged that on a door knob and pulled the wire out from my pack even though I had it wrapped around a bolt as sort of a strain relief. I am much more careful now :)
BoondockRev liked this
#4888499
@DarkSpectre Ah, okay that comforts me a bit- as a part of me was horrified as I watched it happen but in the back of my head I had a feeling everyone experienced breaks any time you wear them.

@grogking- yes, I used Tony Goacher's files on Thingiverse. Here is a link to his home page there, you'll have to track down all the parts individually within the page though- http://www.thingiverse.com/tgoacher/about

@xyster101- the screw crossed my mind after making everything- I was in such a rush to make film deadline that I just slammed the crank knobs on with epoxy and prayed. When you use clay epoxy what do you use as a temporary fastener to allow the epoxy to dry? Is tape enough? Or what about a C-clamp? My only worry with C-clamp is the fragility of the gun when you tighten it on.

@styrafoam_guy- ugghh isn't it brutal, my heart just dropped when I watched it snag from behind camera pulling out the V-hook too.
#4888500
Also @grogking- I modified one thing of tgoacher's off the top of my head- the cycltron top (the flat part) comes in four pieces. I was able to just smush them together in Simplify3D (which has been an excellent program to work with). That way you only have one seam that is hidden by the shock mount.
#4888503
When you use clay epoxy what do you use as a temporary fastener to allow the epoxy to dry?
Really good question...I found using hot glue to hold things on temporarily while the epoxy cures was really effective. My method has turned out to be hot glue in the corners, epoxy in the middle of a surface. That way, you can cut away any hot glue that seeps through. Epoxy is harder to deal with.

And sometimes, putting a dowel or chopstick or toothpick into the parts to be mated has helped quite a bit as well.

As a quick example, have a look at how I got my fake Clippard caps to hold better...

viewtopic.php?p=4884067#p4884067

A dowel gives you a large surface area for two parts to mate up.
#4888526
Astyanax wrote:
When you use clay epoxy what do you use as a temporary fastener to allow the epoxy to dry?
Really good question...I found using hot glue to hold things on temporarily while the epoxy cures was really effective. My method has turned out to be hot glue in the corners, epoxy in the middle of a surface. That way, you can cut away any hot glue that seeps through. Epoxy is harder to deal with.

And sometimes, putting a dowel or chopstick or toothpick into the parts to be mated has helped quite a bit as well.

As a quick example, have a look at how I got my fake Clippard caps to hold better...

viewtopic.php?p=4884067#p4884067

A dowel gives you a large surface area for two parts to mate up.
HOLY! This forum is GOLD and those parts look amazing!!
#4888594
I know 3D printed parts in ABS or PLA have different durability, especially parts made up of different smaller sections glued together (Like your bumper and cyclotron)
But my general rule of thumb is to use removable bolts and screws for as much as possible. If stuff gets loose you can always re-tighten it, if threads rip off you can always re-thread it.

I'd say the only downside of 3D printing a pack is that it's made up of so many tiny parts that there's a bigger chance of something getting bumped off. My metal parts pack seems indestructible but it also weighs like 40lbs haha so there's a trade off
#4888898
Excellent advice on here.
Epoxy clay does not run or drip. It is clay that you mold then push into place.
Epoxy liquid works great too. Just hold a part in place for ~10 min for it to set then don't touch it for a day. You can move the pack around as it finished curing. You can also mix it and wait the 5 min. It will "kick" when it starts to set and become a gel. Once that happens you have about 30 seconds to use it and then it turns to honey followed by really thick paste you can't use any more.
Both of these require you to really rough up the surfaces being joined with like a 100 grit sandpaper. Epoxy doesn't need a clamp like wood glue or gorilla glue. Just not to move until it cures. So green painters tape works great with epoxies while they cure.
Remember the weakest part breaks first. You screw and epoxy the gear crank on really good and next time the little handle breaks off. Attach those hoses in the fittings really good. Next time one catches a door knob the HGA gets pulled off. So having a weaker joint that is easy to fix can be ok too. [emoji3]

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