Proton Pack

Quick note: The pictures go from oldest version of the build, to the newest. Just an FYI. This is going to be my third time I have visited this pack. The old girl just does not know when to die. (See what I did there?) I do not feel like writing a novel here, but I will try to offer some insight on what all went down. First, I want to get this out of the way early: I am a terrible wood smith, electronic guru, painter, and just about anything else you can think of that requires skill. How or why I even considered undertaking a proton pack way back in 2003 I do not know. Another important thing to consider is that I am a cheapskate. To me, a prop is good enough in the eyes of the builder if it has the basic characteristics that the builder can visually recognize. That said, I never really sweat the insane details. I usually pick major key visual targets and make sure those look good. The first time I built the pack was a very interesting experience. I had a friend help me on the woodworking part and I ordered a spacer from Scott (Java Monkey). I will post a few pictures of the first build. I will be the first to say it kinda sucks... The biggest problems were a terrible measurement of the upper portion, lack of bondo/sanding/painting time, and weight. Everything sans the spacer and PVC pipes were wood. Mostly solid wood. The second time I went back to the pack, I had learned a little. Mainly I cleaned up the shoddy paint job and tried my hardest to make the wood grain go away. I swapped a lot of the wires and various other small parts with the real deals or a close enough cheat. I also contacted a buddy who hooked me up with a limited light setup. I had green lights instead of blue and everything burned solid, but I did not mind - the thing lit up. Since I butchered the measure on the top portion, there was this gap that was conveniently filled with a project box from Radio Shack. We used this as the electronics hub. Weight was still the biggest issue. But for the most part, the pack was done. And that is where it lay for several years... Now it is 2009. With the June release of the GB game, I have decided to revisit the pack and update it for a third time. As of right now all I have are plans in my head and a proton pack on my work bench that is falling apart. I have begun taking the old girl apart and salvaging what bits I can in preparation for the future... If anyone is still reading, more to come!