By Adub794
#4926375
Hi all,

I’m in the research phase of my full size hero build and wanted to get opinions on various shells. I’m seeking reviews on karnivorous creations, benofkent, and GBfans shells. Looking for first hand builders experiences and pros/cons of each, if possible.

My main goal is durability. I want to utilize aluminum parts when available. I’ve already inquired to CPU64 about his aluminum wand and possibly utilizing his aluminum parts.

Any information on the above mentioned shells would be helpful

Thanks
-Albert
#4926404
I have a BenofKent shell as I also wanted the motherboard premounted. It was painted with a primer that dried a bit fuzzy but I was planning on resending and detailing anyway. The pack is robust, detailed, and somewhat pliable being polyurethane. I was never worried about it cracking while being drilled and it feels like it would bounce back from a few good dings without cracking.

The material is a bit thick in some parts requiring more drilling and clearing out to get tubing and stuff run but I can’t say how satisfied I am with the shell.
Adub794 liked this
#4926449
In terms of accuracy the top of the list in no particular order would be Pchrisbosh1, GBfans, HMS and its related castings ( derived from a reworking of a pull from a destroyed stunt pack mold) ,V330 , karnivorous.

It depends what you're looking for really.
There are plenty of other shells on the market outside of those .
Although if you're looking for a true hero style build The other shells on the market are basically very idealised versions of the pack and lack the quirks and details of the original packs.
While the shells above have a lot of these details off the bat .

Any shell which is cast using a fiberglass layup will be more durable.
Not that a straight resin shell or a vacform won't be durable but the reinforcement that layers of resin and fiberglass gives you can really take some punishment.
Thats not to say that you couldn't reinforce them yourself though.

I believe the GBfans shell comes from an updated version of the V330 buck if i remember correctly.
Please correct me if I'm wrong.

They are professionally laid using a machine chopped method.
I have one myself and the layup is really consistent with a nice uniform thickness throughout and little to no airpockets that I've found aside from the usual pinholes in the gelcoat but even those are few and far between.
Adub794, Wedgeismyhero liked this
#4926997
I’m glad members are finding use for the information posted.

I ended up placing an order for the gbfans fiberglass shell. I found several build threads on the forum that had detailed pics of the shell and it seems to be the one of the best ways to go for durability. With that said the shop went from 3 in stock to back ordered over the last week. I waited too long lol
#4928441
RedSpecial wrote: December 10th, 2019, 12:31 pm Great choice, not thst I'm biased or anything [emoji14]

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it :)
Thanks Red. Your thread and info actually swayed me to the GBfans shell.

Btw who do you use as an image host to put pics of your build on here?
#4928605
General question, I have an old proton pack that’s taking some damage over the years. Can anyone recommend the right type of glue to use? The right paint to use?
Also there seems to be a white type of puddy that was used to weld certain pieces together? Do you know what that would be? Thanks in advance for any help. Want to restore this beauty!
#4928669
Some pics of thepack would help us to gauge it properly Perrbear.

Its always best to use mechanical fixings wherever possible instead of glue, its much easier to repair and replace parts that way and its a much stronger connection over all.
Although when I need to use glue I like to use JB weld original two part epoxy.
Its a 24hr cure but its one of the strongest adhesive bonds you can get in my experience.
Typically , the longer the cure time for epoxy adhesives the stronger the bond.

The white stuff is most likely a two part epoxy putty.
There are loads of brands available but again, I've found jb welds epoxy putties to be some of the best.
Especially the steel stik.

Paint is down to personal preference but I like to use good quality grey primer, followed by a black satin paint.
It depends where youre located for the brand.
Here in the UK we have a great shade of satin black made by Halfords which seems pretty close to the shade of the paint on the original packs .
For US alternatives brands you might want to look into either Krylon , rustoleum or Montana.
Adub794 liked this
#4928674
I concur with what Red posted, good information. To add to it, with any of the epoxys, make sure to also use clamps. Wood clamps, Irwin makes a good “quick clamp”... With any fasteners, use flat washers for added support.

I’d also like to see pics of what you’ve got
RedSpecial liked this

    Are they just newspaper clippings or something? […]

    Patch 1.8.0/DLC 5 added two more -Bitter Cold: […]

    If you check the post below from reddit, one of […]

    got a link? It appears that some time today[…]