[Alex41]

Looking great there bud. Keep at it, you'll catch up with me soon.

[ArtsNFartsNCrafts]

Just to let you know, the EXACT same thing happened to the wood I got. I was initially going to cut the gearbox out of some 1/4" wood I picked up (I wanna say it was pine, but I can't recall). As soon as I cut it, it bowed up and was just awful looking.

[lordgilpin]

Just to let you know, the EXACT same thing happened to the wood I got. I was initially going to cut the gearbox out of some 1/4" wood I picked up (I wanna say it was pine, but I can't recall). As soon as I cut it, it bowed up and was just awful looking.

LOL- Well now we know, and knowing is half the battle!

[lordgilpin]

The PVC madness is over as quickly as it began! Last night I took all my stuff over to my friends house to A) Show it off and B) Use his drill (It's a Dewalt and I could tell he didn't feel like loaning it out... lol! It's like the only real tool he has ever purchased...) I didn't do a whole lot more than hook everything up this morning but it seems like I nearly finished my pack now -lol! Thanks to mburkit for the suggestion about using the PVC couplings for the N-Filter, I found an end cap that fit inside them perfectly and used it... WITH a little modification using a dremmel. I wanted it to sit further in so I just grinded away to make the lip shorter...



Then cut off most of the bottom so that it wouldn't cover the holes in my N-Filter...



It now sits just how I want it! I'll use the small groove it creates to apply some faux weld ala Kind2311's method (Thanks Vinny!) and Bondo up the seam where the couplings meet and it should look pretty sharp!



On a sidenote, any recommendations on how big to make the holes on the N-Filter? Stefan's plans don't mention it and since everything seems so much smaller on the pack than I had thought, I'm afraid of making them too big... (Obviously the holes are too small right now.) When I made the Injector and Filler Tubes I filled the ends with a little Bondo around a piece from a wooden dowel I had around and turned them upside down on a sheet of wax paper. Turned out pretty good I think. The bootom of the injectors and the top of the one filler tube I didn't bother with the dowel since I wouldn't be using any screws there.



After my friend and I had drilled all the guide holes for the screw, I drove the screw into the guide hole to create the threading and make it easier when actually attaching it to my pack shell. I cut small pieces of my extra Basswood to help distribute the pressure. I used #10 x 1-1/4" wood screws with #10 finishing washers and screwed up from the bottom. I also applied Liquid Nail between the basswood and the shell/between the Filler Tube and the shell...



The Injector Tubes were a little more complex. Since the drilled guide holes weren't centered perfectly I had to remember which tube went with what hole and how to twist them so that they were flush with eachother- ALOT of hassle that wouldn't have been necessary if I had drilled the hole correctly... -eh? The test fitting with a spare piece of foamcore in the middle.



Once it was all worked out I again applied Liquid Nail between the Foamcore shell and the Basswood. (Had to cut out a little more of my Power Cell box so that I could brace the deepest screw in there)



All good- The deepest screw in there I couldn't actually turn... I had to twist the actual Injector Tube and just brace the screw head to keep IT from turning.



As you can see, they turned out looking pretty good and man are they solid...



I lined them up with the L-Bracket I picked up, I'll be faux welding it to the Injector Tubes... They are heavy compared to the rest of my EDA box...



So where I stand today, I cut the Booster Tube and I can't believe I never took a pic of me doing it... It took a while to get it right but it's good.



I'll be doing the filler plug for the Booster Tube, the bumper-like blocks for the Spacer, and Bono'ing the N-Filter tonight...

[Alex41]

YOU'RE A MAD MAN!!!!! Fantastic progress. I only wish I had as much engineering in mine as you do yours. Mine is together fast and nearly done but yours is sharp and clean. I would even go as far as to say it is cleaner than the screen used ones.

[nick-a-tron]

veeery nice! hard to believe its just foamboard!

can't wait to see the painting phase

[Charlie Richter]

This is so impressive, certinally giving me plenty of ideas.

You have placed Foamcore at the next level. And I am stealing all your ideas.

What are you using to cut?

[lordgilpin]

Charlie- Cutting the Foamcore with a hobby/exacto knife... Everything else (PVC, Basswod, etc..) with a handsaw. They have these fancy knives for sale at Hobby Lobby that will cut all the angles for you... If I ever make another pack from Foamcore, Ill be picking them up...

Did Get the Booster Plug done, witha slight mishap... Did some faux Welds (Too thick I think)... and just HAD to get it primer'd today! I just wanted to see everything in black... Here's the results:







I've been taking all these pics with my phone and this one inside was just too dark so I did the best I could lightening it up... I'm SO JAZZED MAN! I'm a little sad to see it all coming to an end to be honest...

[mburkit]

That is coming together very well man, good job!

[Not404Error]

Looks great! I'm hoping to finish up my spacer later, we'll see how that goes, haha... might try it the same way you did yours, I'm running low on particleboard and Restore isn't open until Thursday.

[lordgilpin]

Alright, so what have I been doing? Not much I'm afraid...

I got my motherboard taken care of. I test fitted all my Foamcore elements together with a couple bolts and attached them temporarily to my motherboard to be sure the fit was correct. I'd like my pack to be GB1 style but I was warned not to try rivets with wood so I just used some screws and may putty them up to look like rivets, I dunno...





(BTW: Lowes is FAR SUPERIOR to Home Depot when it comes to finding the proper hardware. Save yourself the headache and go there for the screws, bolts, washers, etc...) I found a nifty little piece to help me achieve the equivalent of L-brackets that I HIGHLY recommend- 'T-nuts Pronged'. (I haven't seen them used before but they rock!)



I attached my ALICE frame and found that because it is bent, I need to use a spacer on the top connection as well but to hell with it... I did get my Cyclotron from JT94 and attached it to my spacer and N-Filter. (I LOVE this thing but be advised: You need to be CAREFUL cutting this baby. I wouldn't even attempt to use a drill- My try almost mangled it...) Primer'd the Spacer/Cyclotron piece and went ahead and did a metallic coat on everything else.



If it's nice again tomorrow I'll be able to get some more done...

[Not404Error]

Looks real good man.

[UltimateGBfan]

Looking good.

[nick-a-tron]

this build is just pure awsomeness

keep it up!

[Alex41]

Man, I'm seriously impressed. I bet you can't wait to put this thing on.

[I Luv EgonS]

Moving right along I see.

[lordgilpin]

...I bet you can't wait to put this thing on.

It's as if you looked right into my mind- LOL! I'm really trying not to rush because every model I've ever put together came out terrible because I had no patience... Seriously though, when JT94's Cyclotron got here I -It was like I was Luigi and I had just picked up a 'Starman'! I got a wicked sunburn today though and I may have to take a day off. Who knows...

Thanks again for all the encouragement everyone! Since hardly ANY of my local friends have a clue, it's nice to have some support. I'm so tired of hearing, "So WHY are you building this? Like, what are you going to do with it?" and lets not forget "I think that's the stupidist thing I've ever heard" <--Admittedly NOT my friend, a friend of a friend. Anyhow, you get the idea- Thanks everyone!

[Alex41]

Dude, I live in Airforce base housing around some country ass hunting, fishing, smartass, rednecks. You can imagine the questions and comments I get.

Keep at it, the end result will blow your mind.

[vipertv]

Wow, a very nice build. You are definitely putting a lot of time and thought into this. I received one or two negative comments on the local level... but all of my friends gave me great support, granted we all grew up on Ghostbusters so it was only natural. It will all pay off when you go out on your first Ghostbuster Halloween experience, the comments never stop and are all positive.

[lordgilpin]

So I've finished painting and begun adding all the little things... I still need a Bumper & Knob, Resistors, Clippard valve, and a Hook for my eventual gun (Colored Tubing and some Clippard Straight fittings are on the way...). As my brother will be requiring my financial assistance for the next month or so, my gun/wand will have to wait for a bit. So I'll be calling this the end of 'Chapter One'. Got to use my friends NICE camera and it does my pack justice- So on with the pics:



















I can't thank all of you enough for your wonderful comments, they've kept me going during some stessful, Bondo-sanding, times! As for the wand, I'll be back...

[Not404Error]

Damn. I'm working on putting my cyclotron in today... tricky stuff.

[UltimateGBfan]

Damn man,I must say....great f****g job man.

[nick-a-tron]

oh wow! that black finish is PERFECT!!!! If i hadnt have seen the WIP shots i would never have believed it was foamcore. a whole box of for you!

[gbrob]

Holy crap man....

You be foamcore God.

[Meph]

Rad.

That is some seriously tedious work that you did to make it look better than the product you're using. No way would I be able to assume that you have a foamcore pack if I looked at the finished product.

Very nice work on the detail and accuracy. Especially the weld lines. They look perfect.

[Alex41]

I am speachless!

[lordgilpin]

...to make it look better than the product you're using. No way would I be able to assume that you have a foamcore pack...

If i hadnt have seen the WIP shots i would never have believed it was foamcore.

You know, I started out 'settling' with Foamcore thinking I could have a decent pack and somewhere in the middle I decided I wanted that really great pack afterall. It turned out far better than I thought it would and I'm glad you guys do too... I had toyed with the idea of selling it to purchase a fiberglass shell but I'm too attached to it now and honestly, it REALLY is good enough for me so I'll be keeping it for sure. It's nice that it's so light but on the level- It's SO much harder to make look great than if I were using MDF. I'll be making another pack alongside a friend here after the new year and we'll be using MDF so I'm interested to know which pack I'll end up favoring... I'm just glad it turned out so nice. There were times when I wasn't so sure it was worth it but man- When I put this thing on my back I feel like a superhero! LOL!

Now I'm just dying to get a Gun/Wand... (And a Bumper, etc... to finish the pack of course...)

...that black finish is PERFECT!!!!

You don't think it's too glossy still?! I mean I'm gonna weather it a bit (Not alot) but I dunno...? I'm sure you've seen ALOT more packs in your time than I have... LOL!

[I Luv EgonS]

Holy crap, that looks great!

[Dan Shannon]

Plan on continuing this any time soon? You made some really nice progress, it'd be a shame to never see that bumper get done.

[nick-a-tron]

Yes please continue with this! Im still amazed that thats foamcore.

You know, I started out 'settling' with Foamcore thinking I could have a decent pack and somewhere in the middle I decided I wanted that really great pack afterall. It turned out far better than I thought it would!

Felt just the same building my trap