Hello, all I'm brand new here, as were all of you at one point. I just stumbled here, as people sometimes do, I'm sure. I thought about what sort of first post I'd like to make (first impressions are key), and decided I would like to fully establish myself as a Ghostbusters fan and reach out to the community.

On a recent Ghostbusters kick (again), I dug out my old proton pack, PKE meter, and ghost trap. They're some 15 years old or so by now, and are in somewhat sorry shape. Almost all the stickers have gone missing, and there're some minor flaws in them. I'm hoping to try and restore 'em, maybe.

Specific problems:
Proton pack: The straps are too small. They ride up and chafe my shoulders. This is the only major problem with this one.
Proton gun: The nozzle part is damaged. Specifically, the part that held that foam beam (which I still have!) is gone, clean off. No chips or anything. Stickers are missing. Also, the hose part that connects it to the pack is no longer attached, and the entirety of the hose is still on the backpack. The hose is also quite dirty/tarnished. It still makes that cool noise, though.
PKE meter: This one is in good shape. The sticker depicting the screen is still mostly attached, and the only damage is that the middle prong-thing is broken off–and honestly, I kinda like it better that way.
Trap: The hose and foot pedal are gone. I haven't seen them in years. One door to the trap is broken, and can no longer be hinged. The trap also has a dinosaur sticker on the bottom (I was, like, 5. Gimme a break).

I'm not looking to make these all fancy or anything (indeed, if I was, would I really be using the cartoon weapons as templates). I'd just like them to be somewhat restored, and maybe improved. Specifically, I'm looking for things like what kinds of paint should I use? If there's a crack or gap, how should I fill it? Where does one get hoses? Do I need to buy a whole backpack for the straps? How does one build a foot pump, or a reasonable facsimile thereof? Any suggestions or advice are welcome. I'm pretty clever with my hands, and have built several other things with old junk lying around the basement. If I know what I need to make something, I can probably do it, with some persistance. (I should note I do not have any power tools, either. Everything I do, I use hand tools for. No plugs in the garage, anyway.)

Now, naturally, you're saying “Why don'tcha just go and get one of those prop replicas, Taimatsu?” Well, the short answer is that I fear they may be expensive. And for me, “expensive” is pretty low. My whole paycheck for two weeks is $360 (US). So I haven't even looked into that. I don't know what kind of price they are, honestly. But I'd be willing to bet they're high. Gozer knows I'd love to have way cooler equipment… I'd sell a kidney for the good stuff. Maybe two. But I have to be reasonable, y'know? A man can dream, though, can't he? If you hear of cheapish ones (like, under a thousand bucks would be nice), maybe you'll let me know? Instead of buying them yourself, I mean. =3

And if you were wondering, I also have the Ghost Grabber toy, which is in fine shape (ironic, as it is one item that was not really canon). I wish I had the goggles, too, but it's a decade or so too late for that…

Anyways… I'm open to comments, opinions, ideas, thoughts, questions… (Donations? =3 ) I can later post photos if someone wants them, if you'd like to see the damage for yourself and give advice on your own viewings and assessments…

DarkfireTaimatsu
Specific problems:
Proton pack: The straps are too small. They ride up and chafe my shoulders. This is the only major problem with this one.


Do I need to buy a whole backpack for the straps?

Sounds like fun.
You dont have to buy a whole backpack for the straps you can go here and (i think) they have the alice pack shoulder and kidney straps (which i belive, are similar or the same, as the ones in the film)

http://www.imsplus.com/ims2.html

And, yes, i would like to see some photos, its much eaiser for us to help if we can see the damage for ourselfs.

Then pictures you shall have!
>_o I hope they're not too awful-big… I lack any sort of ability to alter the size of an image without decreasing the quality…



Here's the pack part. It's in fair shape. Just a li'l dusty and small… You can see where the hose detached in picture #2 (I've already snipped away the frayed part).




Here's the proton gun. Top, bottom, and side views. So you can see the extent of the nozzle damage, as well as the places of missing stickers and where the hose disconnected. All the hose stayed with the pack. Imagine that…



Here's the trap, top and side. You can see where the door's hinge bit snapped. It can still rest closed, but it falls out if moved. The hose and foot pedal are nowhere to be seen.


The PKE is still serviceable, although you can see where the faded label is peeling, and where the middle antenna snapped.


Here's the Ghost Grabber, for no reason other than completeness. =3

So that's what I got. Perhaps now you'll all be able to formulate a plan of attack, yeah?

Ok, thats great you got the pictures up here fast, and the size is alright.

As im unfortunatly not a proud owner of anyof these things, im gunna have to do a small bit of guesswork.
You appear to have described the damge to the proton gun as worse than it accuatly is, form what i can see, only half of the nozzle is gone, you said the whole thing is missing, it will be much easier to rebuild knowing that you can see what the other side should look like as you have one side, (i hope both sides are the same!) But can you verify that i have got this right, and theres not even more missing from the end?
My thoughs are, worry about missing stickers later, their small things, (final touches) the pack straps and hose for the trap likewise, it should be easy to find a sutable replacement hose.

I would do things in the following order;

Attempting to rebuild the end of the proton gun, (i dont know how though , i'll think about it for you but i dont think i could work out how to do it with owning one myself).

Reconnecting the proton gun to the pack and getting replacement straps.

Remove or keep the dinosaur sticker (it may be a nice childhood reminder)

Fixing the door on the ghost trap (maybe where the plastic hindge was you can replace it with a steel pin, its not lickly to break there again )

Find pictures on the internet (for reference) of the trap foot pedal (or, the one from the movie!) And build one (from wood, insulation foam (i think thats the right stuff, the ridged kind that can be sculptured with a modeling knife, (dont worry, it dosent break easy) this should be a rather easy task if you make it from that) or metal or plastic if you are feeling ambitions! (personally, i would use the insulation foam)

Get a new hose for the trap (and your new custom foot pedal)(though it may be an idea to get this first so you can madel the joint on the footpedal on it (you dont have to, you could model the joint on the one on the trap))

Find a way to make a replacement antenna for the PKE (although, i doubt you would want to!)

Get some replacement straps for the pack (hey, you can sew, you could make then yourself, you'd have your own real cusom bustin kit then)

Sort out some stickers for any that are missing, maybe some one owns the toy on here (any of the toys, i dont know what stickers are missing) and they could scan the stickers in for you and you could print then on sticker paper. The stickers that are peeling could be stuck back on (come on, you could of done that already, you have glue!) I noticed the sticker on the ghostgraber IS peeling, so much for “no reason other than completeness”

If you want, stick the peeling stickers back on FIRST so they dont have any longer to come off completely!


Maybe some one else here will have an idea on the gun nozzle, i dont get on with fixing plastic.

If you want the goggles, they probally pop up on google if you wait long enough! Or theres always these; http://cgi.ebay.com/GHOSTBUSTERS-Ecto-Goggles-goes-great-with-proton-pack_W0QQitemZ330102786668QQcategoryZ60361QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Hope iv'e helped! (and not left anything out, you wait, i'll put something in my next post in this thread that i forgot to put in this one!)

I actually stripped and re-painted an RGB proton pack a while back, in the style of the ‘movie’ proton packs. I even managed to cram a couple of flashing red LED's in there! :-) Just make sure if you're repainting, you give it a first coat with a primer or whatever first.

Actually, the “Ghost Grab-A-Meter” IS canon, to a degree. They had a variation of it in “Partners in Slime”, but it functioned more like “ghost handcuffs”

Sam G you edited your first post… I read you thought he was talking about real props at first lol

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Sam G you edited your first post… I read you thought he was talking about real props at first lol

I wrote i thought he was talking about real props?

No i didnt, i edited it because the quote wasnt working, which evidently, still isnt.

oh ok…
well I thought so since you suggested him to get the alice pack shoulder and kidney straps… for a Kenner RGB Proton Pack lol :p