# I ain't afraid of no ghosts!



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

There's something strange in the neighborhood and it don't look good. Oh ... that's right ... it's October and that means getting ready for Halloween. Which means costumes. And a Ghostbusters costume means PROPS! Oh yeah!

Prop building — Always great fun because there's no right or wrong way to do it. So let's see ... we'll need a nuclear accelerator more commonly known as a Proton Pack, a Neutrona Wand particle thrower and, of course, a trap to capture all the ghosts.

As you can see from the photos I used my box joint sled to make the ghost trap boxes. The ghost trap is primarily mdf . The metal-look side panels are painted hardboard. The various knobs were salvaged from a broken stereo receiver and are glued on with epoxy, and labels are added for effect. The box joints are overkill for this project but they gave me a chance to play with my new sled.










I didn't document the Proton Pack and Neutrona Wand builds because I was too busy having fun to stop and take photos. But basically the Proton Pack components are a combination of plastic electrical boxes, bottle caps, a cake pan, some reflectors and other odd and ends. I found some battery operated led strobe lights at Home Depot that hide behind the reflectors and flash for effect. The Neutrona Wand was made from a gray electric junction box, some pieces of conduit, a plastic tube that a miter slot bar came in, an led flashing toy from the dollar store, and a few more odds and ends. All the labels were printed out on self-stick label paper on my printer.

So Halloween should be great fun. As Dr. Peter Venkman says: "Why worry? Each of us is carrying an unlicensed nuclear accelerator on his back." So, if there's something weird and it don't look good, who you gonna' call?


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

That's pretty cool.


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## phillip.c (Aug 9, 2012)

Love it.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

That *clunk* was my jaw hitting the keyboard...


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

Pure genius Oliver. Happy hunting.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Another whimsical masterpiece Oliver or maybe it's a masterpiece of whimsy. Not sure which but I like it.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)




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## OPG3 (Jan 9, 2011)

Oliver - I am sincerely hoping you have a patent on that contraption, because it is certain to be a BIG SELLER!

Otis


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

OPG3 said:


> Oliver - I am sincerely hoping you have a patent on that contraption, because it is certain to be a BIG SELLER!
> 
> Otis


Nope, no patents Otis. Just trying to approximate the original movie props. There's a wealth of information (video and print) out there about building these props. Amazing that a thirty-year-old movie still has legs and so many fans who want to dress up like a Ghostbuster. (Hmmm, I guess that means me too.) Since I spent so much time on the props and the rest of the costume is so much fun, I may have to wear for Mardi Gras as well as Halloween. :haha:


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Gaffboat said:


> I may have to wear for Mardi Gras as well as Halloween. :haha:


With a costume that looks that good, I would wear it anytime I felt like it!


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

You know we now want to see pictures of you in the full costume don't you?


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## fdcox (Dec 3, 2007)

Sweet Prop


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

That is awesome ! I swear you could build a shuttle replica out of wood . It wouldn't do to well on re entry , but it would look identical till then 
Was wondering what kind of paint you used to get that metal look?


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

RainMan1 said:


> That is awesome ! I swear you could build a shuttle replica out of wood . It wouldn't do to well on re entry , but it would look identical till then
> Was wondering what kind of paint you used to get that metal look?


I've had good results with Rust-Oleum Bright Coat Metallic Finish, Rick. It really does give a bright shiny metallic-look when used on a smooth surface.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Gaffboat said:


> I've had good results with Rust-Oleum Bright Coat Metallic Finish, Rick. It really does give a bright shiny metallic-look when used on a smooth surface.


Thanks Oliver 

Your attention to detail does boggle the mind of us mere mortals


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