[OnEdge]

It’s great to see your back at it!

[tobycj]

I will have to remove these later to paint the MB, but they fit well. I will also drill a third hole behind the power cell mount to add a third bolt between the two, to provide more accuracy to what is seen on screen.

I will likely drill and tap a hole for a very short screw just for aesthetics.

The powercell bracket was riveted in place, rather than using screws

[edspengler]

Thanks for that input on the rivets, I may or may not go for it as it would be nice to have the mounts be easily removable… but I might change my mind. For now I just used some button heads that I happened to have on hand, this isn’t final.

[edspengler]

I am brainstorming the options for audio. I am leaning towards using 3 speakers:

5x7 in the cyclotron
1 inch tweeter in the top area
4 inch mid in the top area

These would all be joined using a 3-way crossover. The current GBfans board has two stereo outputs, I am thinking I would have to run both outputs into a mono converter that would feed the crossover. Could potentially run an external amp before the crossover like I did with my spirit but that would also require a line out converter… which i have on hand. I guess i would test this setup first without the additional amp to see how loud it is.

I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

I was considering 2 5.25 inch speakers in the cyclotron but from research I have concluded that they would be too close together and the sound may not be as clear. Also the different sized speakers with crossover would provide an excellent range (in theory) for all the sounds the pack makes.

Edit: I purchased a 6.5” woofer (for under the cyclotron), some 1” tweeters, audio crossover, and a stereo to mono converter. I have a 4” mid already on hand. I’ll set everything up this weekend and hopefully it is a success.

[Mike3042]

Any way you can post some side profile shots of the installed GBFans injector tubes? I have the same tubes and since they are 1 1/4" dia instead of the correct 1 1/2" dia, I want to see some more photos of what they look like installed...

[edspengler]

Got to prototype my audio setup and it sounds AMAZING!! I got a dud for a stereo to mono converter so I ordered a new one, I had to test the setup out of a single channel of the board so the sound effects themselves were a little wonky (files are stereo and not mono). Everything is crystal clear at full volume with no distortion at all.

Rather than install speakers directly into the board, the crossover distributes the audio signal amongst the proper speakers - bass to the woofer, mid to the mid, and highs to the tweeter - meaning all the speakers work together. Ordinarily single speakers have to work too hard to produce all the ranges at once and can distort at high volume… not this setup! Also I have to say the improved amp on the newer GBfans board powers this setup incredibly well.

Edit: I just plugged this speaker setup into my scaled spirit pack that is outfitted with the older (mono audio) GBfans board and a 100W additional amplifier and the volume is unreal.

This is my original spirit build:

Additional amp connected to the older GBfans board:


Connecting this amp into the crossover (board on my desk) yields incredible sound. However this amp does not play well with the newer GBfans board as it generates distortion (works perfectly with the older board with a line out converter).
The spirit pack unfortunately may be gutted and rebuilt at a later time… in the name of science!!

Here is a sample of Haunted House on unbearably loud volume hooked up from the spirit pack 100w amp, the audio setup balances the highs and lows wonderfully with no distortion at very high volume.


The only drawback to this design is if you run it at the insane volume it will eat through the battery faster than the typical setup. Given the crazy volume will not be used too often, I can live with this tradeoff.

[edspengler]

Any way you can post some side profile shots of the installed GBFans injector tubes? I have the same tubes and since they are 1 1/4" dia instead of the correct 1 1/2" dia, I want to see some more photos of what they look like installed...

[edspengler]

A bit more brainstorming on how all the audio equipment will actually fit. The intent is to mount everything to the MB, but I need to see how it would actually fit in the shell. The boards will likely be stacked on risers to conserve space. This is the overall idea:


Audio board, amp, crossover, and a few other bits and bobs. Not to mention the smoker relay too, but stacking the boards using risers should solve that. I may also go for a more powerful tweeter… as there is more depth available under the vac line.

I am also considering mounting the crossover and amp at 90 degrees to add more space:



Overall this system is so loud that you I would not be able to wear it at high volume without ear protection. But that’s what a pack should be

[edspengler]

Here is a demonstration of the audio system that will go into this pack, it has the capability to be incredibly loud which is perfect for outdoor events. I would not wear it at high volume without ear protection. I continue to speak after turning it on so you can hear the volume relative to my voice, in this video it is at approximately 1/4 volume which is a lot indoors.


I am also brainstorming how to fit this all into the pack. So far my plan will be to cut an acrylic plate to mount all the electronic boards to - the electronics will not be directly mounted to the MB. Two reasons for this, if I ever want to change the electronics I can mount to a new plate and not change the mounting points in the MB. Also, a plate will hide a lot of the wiring and it will look cleaner.

I cut a paper pattern for now to determine the plate shape as well as experiment with how everything will fit, so far so good.


I also received my vintage straights in the mail today, the first picture shows the fitting next to the reproduction that I was previously using followed by more pictures of the fittings and installed on the shell.


So far I have been able to secure a good number of vintage parts, progress!

[edspengler]

My goal was to mount all the electronics to an acrylic board, which I was having trouble cutting. I finally had some luck! After drawing my pattern on the board again, I scored the cut lines with a knife to help guide the dremel cutting wheel. I used the 90 degree attachment to be able to have better control of the cutter relative to the surface and it worked!


Next came overlaying all the various PCBs as I had previously done with the cardstoxk pattern to drill mounting and cable holes. Took some time to do it carefully, but this also worked fine.


Next mounting all the boards and making sure it fits as intended.




Test fit


And finally a test of the arrangement to make sure it all works.


This took me a good several hours to get done but I am really happy with it.

Well I took a break and came back! I decided to take the plunge and finally mount the setup to the MB. I used blue painters tape to hold it in place while placing the shell, had to repeat a few times using trial and error to find exactly the right spot for it to fit. I used a marker to mark the holes, center punched, and then drilled using a step bit. Here are the results!



I feel like I have cleared a major hurdle in the project. Of course I’ll have to remove everything to paint the MB, but it will be easy to reassemble.

[edspengler]

A few minor updates. I am waiting for a new low profile subwoofer to arrive, the speaker I was using to fill this roll is too tall and I feel it could have more bass, it is labeled as a midrange. I scoured the net and was able to find a subwoofer that is actually that, and will meet my size requirements.

Also, my electronics setup results in bolt locations in the MB that are not “accurate”. I have decided to countersink these holes so that once planted they will appear to be flush - except for under the power cell. I will be ordering a countersink bit set to address this.

Then it will also be time to cut speaker holes in the MB, I have a few ideas but still have not decided on a hole pattern.

[SP Productions]

Great progress! Enjoying your build!

Sean

[edspengler]

I received the new subwoofer today and it is absolutely phenomenal. It is an actual woofer versus using a larger speaker to channel the lower frequencies. The bass is deep and rich and will only sound better with the shell applied.


It compliments the mid and tweeter perfectly.

[edspengler]

I am brainstorming between two options for the subwoofer and trying to weigh each option before I proceed.

1. Cut a 6.5” hole in the MB behind the cyclotron and mount it from the outside and place a protective screen over it. Pros: it will give the surface optimal movement and will offer a little more clearance under the cyclotron. Cons: May not look as nice, but I could get a nice grill.

2. Mount the subwoofer on risers and drill a hole pattern in the MB as a speaker grate. Pros: May look a little cleaner? Cons: the configuration does not provide optimal air movement for the subwoofer and it will be a tighter fit possibly rattling other components. Here is how it would appear mounted on risers:



I was contemplating building or buying a small box for the subwoofer, this could be more possible if the large 6.5” hole is cut… but the cyclotron portion of the shell will also act as a box once assembled - and the speakers are as far apart as possible.

I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.

[edspengler]

So things have been quiet for a while and I haven’t really worked on anything. I finally got a chance to compete a minor task that has been waiting and that I was dreading - but was far easier the second time around!

I had acquired some vintage brass banjos from a friend and finally got a chance to install them on the wand today. For reference here are some side by side photos of the vintage banjos and the GBfans replicas (which are beautiful and will be saved for a future build). In these photos the GBfans replica is drilled and the vintage one is not, you can spot the slight differences.

Pulling the wires through the red tubing was a bear of a task the first time, but this time I did it quite quickly and easily by generously spraying the inside of the tube with silicon spray first! I eyeballed the drill point from the previous banjos and easily pulled the wires through the new red tubbing with the aid of silicon spray.

The flashbulb wires go all the way back into the wand body, so I decided to snip and rejoin them where they fall behind the front grip.

It was a bit more difficult to fit the wires through the real banjos due to the internal properties, they kept getting caught on parts of the interior - but a little patience goes a long way and it was soon done. Here they are installed!


I used a section of red tubing with text this time (from the same friend that supplied the banjos). I don’t know if this is accurate, but I really like the way it looks. I decided to once again pull the wires through the holes in the ear - not accurate to 84, but I really like how it manages the wires. I have so much to catch up on various project but it can be difficult to find time or inspiration, hopefully I’ll update again soon!

[edspengler]

I got an update on my parts and they’re being welded! As a recap, I sent my ion arm and booster off to get welded together with the Spengler weld along with getting a Spengler specific HGA - which has the holes offset and is a little shorter than the others. Here are some pics of my parts on the bench (I am not the one doing the welding).


This update inspired me to get a few more things going. I drilled and tapped the holes for the ribbon cable clamp paying attention to how it is mounted on the Spengs, which is different than how it is mounted on the Superhero (which many packs use as a reference for this detail). Also drilled and tapped for some brass fitting to holes the injector tubing, a friend of mine was kind enough to supply red Clippard tubing that is a flatter color than the thinner red/orange tubing.


A shot of the tubing I am using compared to the redder tubing that is mostly found these days, I believe the more orange tubing to be accurate.


I added the decals and dry rubs to the N filter - I selected the gray danger label from the Mack’s set to replicate what is seen on the Spengs. Drilled the hole for the crank knob volume pot, I had to get a pot with a longer shaft to fit, the pots I had on hand were too short to fit through the shell with enough threading sticking through the front (more spare parts collected). The crank knob pictured is the GBfans replica.


Drilled and tapped the hole for the small bolt that goes below the hole for the ribbon cable (unique to the Spengs) and drilled and test mounted the charging plate.


Now for the big task (which is still in progress)! I wanted something unique for the speaker holes so I drew a pattern for the midrange to emulate the vent holes on the wand. Placed the template, drilled the initial holes, and then did the big cuts with a jigsaw… overall not bad but I will have to do some clean up filing work.


My large metal file set should arrive tomorrow so I will then clean up and finalize the midrange speaker holes.

A few shots of where things stand:


More to come!

[edspengler]

My file set arrived today and I was able to clean out the jigsawed vent holes pretty well… I guess I am also preparing for when Alcatraz reopens.


I will also have some mesh under the holes to make them look more like a functioning machine vent. It will be somewhat hidden once all put together but a nice speaker grill nonetheless.


Next I’ll be cutting the BIG hole in the MB to drop in the subwoofer, I have a friend preparing a REALLY nice custom speaker grill for that one. I am also likely going to replace the tweeter I am using with a more powerful one… it continues…

[edspengler]

I just got an update on the booster tube and ion arm that I had sent out to receive their Spengler weld and I am SO HAPPY with how it looks! Below are some of the pics I just received along with a library reference picture for comparison. This is such a special detail and will look amazing!!


I have to keep moving on mounting the audio to be ready when these parts arrive. Stay tuned!

[edspengler]

I finally took the plunge to cut/drill the holes and mountings for the woofer and tweeter. I was originally going to use a hole saw for the subwoofer but a friend recommended against that method in favor of using a jigsaw cutting around drill points. After hemming and hawing for a while on cutting the big hole I finally got to it and it thankfully turned out great!

I cut the hole to drop the woofer in the on the exterior to save space on the inside, even though the woofer itself is pretty shallow the pieces add up in there very quickly.

The mailman appeared with the tweeter just after I cut the woofer hole so I went for that too. The tweeter sits behind the clippard and the hole is nicely hidden behind the frame, I will file out the hole a little nicer soon.


I decided to give it a go and test it all out and I am very pleased! I just need to drill a few more holes in the MB and then get it painted. Here is a video of the system in action:

[edspengler]

Small victory for today, I got the cyclotron lights mounted to the MB. I attached them first using painters tape and trial and error to get them to fit at the proper spot under the shell, then marked and drilled the holes. I still have to drill a hole for the wires to and from the charging plate and figure out a way to mount the smoker. Once that is done I will remove everything, clean up and file the holes as needed, and then paint the MB. Here are some shots of how it looks now


From the inside it looks like the woofer sits a little high, as many builders fit the speaker right under the cyclotron lights, however as installed it avoids conflict with the spacers on the other side where the MB attaches to the frame.

[Ebobhazard84]

I think the location of the woofer is fine. It'll be against your back, anyway so it won't be like it'll be super visible. I know you've posted video samples of music being played through your rig, but have you posted any of just the straight up pack sounds? I bet those sounds absolutely beautiful.

[edspengler]

but have you posted any of just the straight up pack sounds?

I won’t tease you, here you go


I haven’t messed with the audio files yet, the Adterlife startup is active by default, but I’ll change it to 84, and I also need to add my TVG overheat/restart sequence that I mixed a while back. I’ll go back to dancing in the mirror with my pack…

[edspengler]

Also a few thoughts, while I am trying to be as accurate as possible to the 84 Spengler, the speakers in the MB are a glaring inconsistency to the screen used prop. However, I think this is fair given the movie props didn’t have any audio and sounds are mixed in later… I want this pack to have the sound and feel of what a proton pack would actually sound like in person, loud as hell. So, given that the pack will be worn or displayed without the MB readily visible I think it is fair to trade the audio capabilities for the lack of accuracy.

[edspengler]

Today’s progress, disassembled everything from the MB and drilled the hole for the charging plate wires to pass into the pack. Also cleaned up all the holes and filed out the speaker “vent” a bit more and gave the tweeter hole an oblong shape. Then gave the MB a few paint passes on each side.


I will give the MB some slight weathering similar to all the other metal pieces and shell, then begin to attach the electronics and wire everything up neatly. I have been thinking of methods to mount the smoker, that is still in the works.

[OnEdge]

Man you’re making progress fast! Keep up the good work!