Epic Props
BenofKent Props
Sparky's Prop Shop
Keymaster Props
www.gbfans.com/shop you can find a number of items helpful to your build here too. Remember it’s US based, so expect import charges and extended delivery times.
www.gbfans.com/community here you’ll find an absolute TON of information regarding the props. The Proton Pack section has active proton pack builds for you to follow, get ideas from and get your head around how to build your own. It’s highly advised to read through a few of these, it really
does help with understanding how all the pieces come together. The For Sale section is where you’ll find the Ghostbusters marketplace and a plethora of parts for your build
www.gbfans.com/equipment/reference here you’ll find photos of the screen used props. That way, you can see how they were built, the subtle differences between the different actors packs and details such as sticker placement.
www.gbfans.com/equipment/plans detailed plans on how to build your packs. Sean Bishop’s plans are a blow by blow account of how to put together your own equipment. Stefan’s are the most accurate to date and will show you precise measurements of where certain parts sit and line up.
- No two packs are alike. Every pack is different, even the screen used props. Try not to get too held up on making it absolutely identical to what was seen on screen. If that’s what you’re going for, fantastic! But we all build differently, it’s to be expected that there’ll be subtle differences with your own pack.
- Try to bolt or screw wherever possible. The temptation to glue is great, and whilst glue does serve its purpose during a build, think to yourself “is there a way I can bolt this instead?” It’ll make for a much stronger pack and far more resistant to damage from knocks and scrapes, which is inevitable with this hobby.
- Use allen bolts where you can. If you check the reference pictures over on gbfans, you’ll see allen bolts used pretty much exclusively throughout the pack, to hold resistors in place, the ion cap on, on the HGA, on the gun etc. Whilst regular screws will do the same job, the allen bolts are much easier to screw on and off should you need to unbolt something down the line.
- When it comes to the painting stage, try to paint individual pieces, wait for them to dry, then reassemble. You’ll find in doing this that you won’t have missed any areas with the paint. Additionally, the screen used props didn’t have a layer of primer added before being sprayed black so you don’t necessarily need to do so with your own. This is your own personal preference though.
- If deciding to weather your pack, less is more. Don’t go overboard with adding rust, dust and paint chips. While at the end of the day it’s your pack, a little goes a long way with making it look like you and your pack has seen action.
- Pack to gun hose length is entirely up to and should be what feels comfortable for you. On average, the length is around 5-6 ft.
- If scratch building, make sure that you make your gun mount as solid as possible. You don’t want your gun taking an unexpected trip to the floor!
- Research research research. Look over other peoples pack builds, look at photos of the screen used packs. You’ll find in doing this you’ll find neat tips on building and little details that you may have overlooked! The devil’s in the details with the proton pack!
- Make sure you straps are properly adjusted for you. Your pack whilst heavy should fit you comfortably. A handy guide for adjusting your straps correctly can be found here http://www.gbfans.com/community/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10227
- The throwers had twisting front barrels for comfort and an extending clear barrel. It’s not imperative that you have these on your pack, you can choose to add these if you wish.
- The pack shell has a hammered metal look to it. To replicate this, you can use textured paint, lightly sand it back and then spray black. You should have a fantastic finish to your pack. Again, this is all down to personal preference, some prefer the flat clean look.