Tools of the Trade
One of the reasons we love the Ghostbusters fandom so much is there is so much amazing equipment! It takes a lot of patience, expertise, and trial and error to build a proton pack, never mind a containment unit!
We all have different methods and skills. Fabricating, metal work, coding, painting, sound and light boards, you name it. We do everything from scratch builds to modifications. Below are some of our go-to methods.
FDM 3D Printing
Filament Deposition Modelling(FMD) 3D printing has opened the world of prop making to a large audience now. Even entry-level printers are capable of printing the parts for many props including the Proton Pack.
Microcontrollers
Arduino and Raspberry Pi microcontrollers are the brains of many hobbyist electronics systems. They are small, portable, battery-powered, and can be programmed for a wide variety of tasks. These little boards bring life to our props by incorporating lights, sounds, smoke, and motion into our props. Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it looks.
Welding
Working with metal parts is an advanced level of prop making, and welding ability is a necessary skill. Prop making offers many learning opportunities to pick up new skills you may have not even known you wanted. Proper Protective Equipment is highly advised.
Soldering
Prototyping electronics on breadboards is good for quick changes, but once a final design is made then soldering comes in. Soldering is used to solidify electrical connections on microcontrollers, custom prototype boards, or even simply attaching speaker connections.
Resin 3D Printing
Unlike FDM printing that uses solid material, resin printing uses a liquid that is printed with a laser. This laser beam is far smaller than the print nozzle of an FDM printer, so the level of quality for small details is greatly improved. There are some extra steps for post-processing and the printer build volume is smaller than FDM, so this method is typically used for smaller accent parts.
Woodworking
Wood is a time-tested and easy to use material. Wood is great for larger props such as a Containment Unit or Proton Pack motherboard. Wooden frames are a great way to hold up custom banners or sheets for photos and can be designed for easy assembly and dissassembly.