Field Pack Build From the Garage of Scootch

[Scootch]

Radio Faceplate Dial Illumination

Well let's fiddle with some fun stuff. For this bit I use a small water bottle. Drink the water, cut the top off the bottle. Cut it and check that it will fit inside the radio box. Spray the inside of the bottletop silver. Drill out the bottle cap 1/4", carve the bottle top up as shown in the photo. Install your favorite color LED with the correct voltage for your battery source. LED stuff is available at Radio Shack.

Not sure if there's a protocol, I generally cut the red wire (like in the movies) and solder one end to the switch, the other to the battery connection.

Take the remaining piece of red wire and solder to the correct end of your LED. Also solder the black wire to your LED. It's easy to find out which end goes where, just install batteries, clamp the ends of the wires up to the ends of the LED leads, and test. There's a 50/50 chance you do it right the first time! Ha ha!

We're going to bounce around a bit and build this faceplate the easy way so for now we're taking a break from the dial and moving on to the next easy job.

[Scootch]

So we're going to mate up some magnets in the faceplate which will ensure our radio box stays together.

Set a magnet on each magnet we installed in the radio box. Next pick a starting point then mark them from one to four in a clockwise pattern.

Transfer the marks to their respective locations in the faceplate, then hot glue the magnets "number side down" in their places. (Not like me, number side up! Cause then you have to peel em out and re-do it correctly!)

Next we'll make a dial for our box with a scrap piece of plastic, a small machine screw and nut, and a pill bottle lid! Drill out the piece of plastic, stick a bolt in it, snug a nut onto this, then epoxy it into the lid so the bolt is centered!

Next let's give that speaker box a more realistic look. Cut some of your neighbor's screen out of his window, (try picking a window he doesn't use much), lay it flat inside the speaker area of the faceplate, then with a sharpie.....trace out the center circle, the cirle with the long cut outs in it, then the outer circle.

Cut these out and hot glue them into position.

Sorry for the flash! But here's how it looks with the mesh installed. Way better than just vacformed "holes".

[Scootch]

I've trimmed a piece of plexiglass for the inner gauge face. This stuff is brittle so I scribe and snap until I get as close to a circle as possible, then call Chris and BS with him while I sand it nice and round. A little bead of hot glue holds it in place.

Next we'll use some industrial velcro "dots" to mount our battery pack to our inner faceplate since we've installed our toggles. we'll also add a couple small machine screws.....#8's by 1" long and secure them with lock washers and nuts. These are for our knobs.

I've thought about running a LED into the center of the speaker face off of the other toggle. May try it some other time, thought of using a little plastic bubble from one of those gumball machines for the housing.

Looks kinda cool already huh?

We've painted our three knobs, so they'll have to set up until tomorrow. The rest of the faceplate is ready except for the Dial and the light cone mount.

It looks pretty cool so far.

Time for the Pink Floyd Lazer Light Show!

I like the weird Dr. Who effect!!!!

[Scootch]

It's mortar tube time again! We've sanded our mortar tube by sanding with the circumfrence of the pipe for a machined look, then we rubbed it out and finally waxed it. Next we'll set our pitcher lid where we like it to ride on our tube and mark it for our mounting hole. I like to set mine so that the bottom of the tube and the outermost edge of the lid are even.

We're going to use a jeweler's file and square up that hole we made for our Radar dish because we're using a carriage bolt to install this thing. We'll make it a snug fit for the bolt.

This next step is a breeze......assemble by putting the pieces together.

Next we'll get some E6000 or other equivelent type sealant / glue, and install our end caps which we painted Gloss White, then sanded, rubbed, and waxed earlier!

I like to start em then stab em by placing the cap on the floor and forcing the tube into it. only because these test caps fit tight. Check with your fav armourer or Crashmann for vac formed tube caps as an alternative to these plumbing caps. Remember to specify your mortar tube outside diameter when placing your request (ours is 2-1/4" in Diameter)

Tube assembly is good to go!

[Scootch]

It may seem we're jumping from one unfinished project to the next, and we are, but it's for a very good reason. We're assembling the pack in this odd order to make assembly as easy as possible for us, and also to allow certain paints, glues, and epoxies their full cure time so that we don't have trouble later.

Let's get back to our radio box faceplate:

Let's grind our screws flat for our set screws on our knobs. Do this with a dremel tool and abrasive wheel, or before installing them, use a file.

Next we'll find a print out of one of the latest dial gauge images from MEPD. This one is really cool, but I had to utilize my noobaur skills to shrink it to a size that would work for me. Still did a hillbilly job of it, hopefully most people have better skillz than me at this. Mine are hit and miss. Better yet, rumor has it decals will be out soon!

Next we'll cut it to fit our piece of plexiglass, squirt some hairspray on the plexiglass, wait until it tacks up, then stick the PDF on there close as we can get it to perf. Then just dab some WARM hot glue to hold the cone in place after making sure the LED shines directly center of the PDF!!!!!

Use tape if you have to. The hot glue will melt the water bottle like ice in a sunstorm!

Okay so this is something like what we should end up with for our finished radio box......only yours will be a bit more precise.

Here's a shot of the lanyard system that keeps your faceplate safe even past what those magnets will do:

It's just some elastic secured to the box and faceplate by some of the mounting screws.

[Scootch]

Touch Up Painting:

Touch up painting is easy. The trick is to conceal as much of the seams, rivets, and screws as possible. But I should point out that the weathering will conceal the "Holidays" in the touch up paint. So it isn't the end of the world if some "hard to get to" stuff isn't covered completely.

I like to use a small Pyrex bowl. Shoot the same spray paint we used for the black pieces into the bowl until you have enough to be able to dip a small artist's brush and utilize.

Begin painting the seam in the seed trays on the radiobox / toolbox side of the pack. This way when you turn it onto it's side to paint the other end (mortar tube side) the boxes will hold the fresh painted stuff up away from the table!

Work by loading your brush up and dabbing the paint so it flows into the seam. Then go back over with a nice brush stroke. Cover up the rivets, screws, etc. Touch up any nicks or scratches which may have occurred over the duration of the build. Also, you may paint the "breaks" in the speed tape on the blue boxes unless you plan to add more tape later.

Repeat this procedure with your blue color.

Now at this point we may allow this paint to set up, sand buff and wax. It's not necessary, just personal preference.

Here's the touched up pack:

Weathering For the Sandtrooper Field Pack:

Next we're going to add a bit of weathering the "Gundamzeppelin Way" because it's pretty much THE BEST way I know of weathering with Acrylics...... Look for his weathering tutorial here: http://forum.mepd.net/index.php?showtopic=4973

We'll begin with some Raw Umber and a little chunk of sponge. Dab Raw Umber in spots here and there, allow to dry for a bit, then pat and twist with a paper towell taking most off but leaving a little which resembles dirty specks.

Repeat with Burnt Umber but leave a little more behind this time. Don't forget the mortar tube!

Once the darker colors have been established, we'll mix up some Country Twill or similar Tan color with a bit of water and sponge it over all the cracks, nooks, and crannies in our pack. Let it set a while then begin wiping it away from the high spots, but allow it to dry up inside the crevaces and lines. It will look like dust later.

We're not going to rush through the weathering process and risk ruinning a lot of hard work, so after we've worked our tan colors to where we like them, we can take a break from weathering.

[Scootch]

Finishing The "Bee-Stinger":

There are all kinds of cool things to utilize for the bee stinger tip. I found this doorstop to be a good stand in until something better comes along. Use whatever you like on your stinger, I'll walk through the spring stinger one time just for good measure.

Let's take a look at this thing. There's a screw and mounting plate, then the spring, and that rubber piece of slingshot ammo.

Let's attach the mounting plate to our stinger. This is easy because we pre-drilled that piece of oak we placed into the body. So it goes together nicely.

Star Wars stuff is supposed to be slightly familiar but leave you guessing a little. So for that very reason we're going to saw off half the spring and make it short and funky looking. Now just spin it into the mounting plate and dab some weathering on the end.

Let's mount our Mortar tube next. I don't like installing the keypad until this is done so that I can place it exactly where I want it. Remember, now we're mounting it for good so use the correct screws for those mollies!

[Scootch]

Strapping The Pack:

For my field packs I like to use a 1" nylon webbing for the majority of the work. This material can be found at Army Surplus stores, Fabric shops, etc.

I also like to use E-6000 to "Hold" things for me before I punch them and install rivets.

The Rivets I like to use may be found in Fabric Stores or Tandy Leather. They are easily installed with pliers.....needlenose pliers will work!

Also, try to find an old backpack with the padded shoulder straps and remove these, they are great for long troops!

In the photo below you will see that my youngest son did a fine weathering job on these straps I "borrowed" from his old Jansport backpack.

The first thing I want to do is remove the lower nylon pieces since they're kid size anyway and pretty worn out.

Next I'll make a couple of small pieces of plastic to reinforce my upper strap connections...........and using E-6000 I'll get them glued in place.

Next I'll butter the end of the strap with a thin layer of E-6000, fold it over on itself, and clamp it together. I want to let this glue together very well so I'll take a piece of my masking tape and log the date and time I glued it. I want it to cure for 24 hours un-molested.

Next I'll cut a couple of strips of my 1" Nylon webbing long enough to wrap around my pack frame's 1/2" PVC Pipe.

With the glue joint on my padded straps fully cured, I can now glue the Nylon loops to them, clamp them, and allow these to set up.

The Lower straps can be assembled while we wait.....I will cut two strips of 1" Nylon Webbing about 18" to 24" long, loop them around the pack frame beneath the lower Aluminum crossmembers so that the "tag end" faces in behind the pack, then E-6000 these and clamp them as well.

Once 24 hours has lapsed I will drill holes through the webbing and install two rivets per attachment.

[Scootch]

The top straps are thick, so I am using Aluminum Rivets and washers for assembly. I'll cover these rivets up with some loop velcro to conceal them.

I would like to share a trick with you I learned from abailey1 which will help you keep your pack on your back nice and streight!

Wrap a nice 2" wide piece of Black Industrial Loop Velcro around the center of your pack frame's top pipe.

Install a piece of White Industrial Hook Velcro on your armor as shown in the photo below!

Now you can respond to those pesky alarms down the street at the docking bays comfortable in the knowledge that your pack is on your back!

[Scootch]

For final weathering I like to use Fuller's Earth or some other similar product. This one is named NOCH WEATHERING POWDER and may be found easily on Ebay or most hobby stores. There are several two ounce containers ranging in colors from dust, sand, soot, rust, ash, lichen, etc.

I mostly like the Sand and Dust powders for TD stuff, the soot and ash for battle scars to armor, and a bit of rust on any parts I wish to appear metalic.

We'll go outside for this and BE SURE TO WEAR LATEX GLOVES!!!! this stuff is ******* skin. We're going to use some gnarly hair spray and a tiny brush.

The steps are as follows.

Spray hairspray onto a piece of the pack.

Dip the brush into the weathering powder then flick it at the sprayed area. (It will appear as if only a very small ammount has landed on the hairspray)

Pat with a paper towell until you feel it tacking up, then smear it.

Like magic it will become a huge filthy mess!!! Then just work it with a moist paper towell and your dry one until you like the effect.

A small ammount of this stuff goes FOREVER!

If you'de like to see it done on video, check this Youtube flick. Pretty cool weathering tips for Clone armor, but half way through he touches on the weathering powder application........

Anybody recognise this guy??? He looks kinda like the DL Big thanks to Jango 5204 for turning me onto this video!

Unfortunately my two fav colors are nearly depleted so I am only able to get a light dusting onto this pack. No worries, It's going to need further weathering by it's new owner to match his armor anyway, so we just want to get it to him slightly dirty!

[Scootch]

I'll bet you guyz think we forgot something huh? Naw, just saving the best part for last! Let's install the keypad with some E6000 so it won't come off so easily!

And again the GUNDAMZEPPELIN Way!

For anyone interested.....GundamZeppelin offers weathering services.

Okay this pack is good to go to it's new owner! He will only need to weather it to mach his armor and customize the shoulder straps.

Let's enjoy our finished job!

[Scootch]

[Scootch]

Some Highlights for fun:

[nice-biscuit]

I feel a sticky coming on.

[Scootch]

I feel a sticky coming on.

That would be too cool.

[R2Dan]

it's well worth it!

[Scootch]

it's well worth it!

[Caomhanach]

Awesome pack, awesome work and awesome tutorial...

Did I also mention it was awesome?

[Lufo1138]

It is a fabulous tutorial and everything looks terrific, but am I the only one who thinks those main seed trays are a tad too small? I got the same trays a while back and found them to be too small for the vintage boyscout backpack frame, and they look too small even on this homemade frame. Are there really just no manufacturers out there that make a bigger seed tray? Do we really have to resort to fan-made castings or kitty litter boxes for this part of the backpack? I am feeling quite surprised at how hard it has been to track down a found part for this that will work.

[Scootch]

It is a fabulous tutorial and everything looks terrific, but am I the only one who thinks those main seed trays are a tad too small? I got the same trays a while back and found them to be too small for the vintage boyscout backpack frame, and they look too small even on this homemade frame. Are there really just no manufacturers out there that make a bigger seed tray? Do we really have to resort to fan-made castings or kitty litter boxes for this part of the backpack? I am feeling quite surprised at how hard it has been to track down a found part for this that will work.

There are more fan made versions coming up, I know a couple guys who plan to come out with accurate sized trays for a very fair price, CAP being one of them. I'm sure trays will pop up somewhere, sometime soon. I've been checking around with all the garden supply people but it becomes a geographical problem much like the UK toilet siphon piece when it comes to availability.

Thanks for the kind words bro!

[Rolf]

What a beauty bro .

Freaking CCCcooollLLL!!! .

And all most scratch build .

How much, will a version of back pack cost like this .

Thanks for sharing bro.

[TD2802]

That looks great Scootch and has definitely given me some ideas on any future builds.

[Scootch]

Thanks 2802 Glad to know some of that hillbilly stuff will be useful.

Rolf I think it ends up costing around $100 to $130 bux when all said and done. It could go a lot cheaper depending upon what fasteners are used and also how much modeling skills the individual builder may have (making more of the parts from scratch). Maybe then around $50 to $75 bux.

I know R2Dan had asked that too, and I kind of lost track of my expenses.

[Rolf]

Thanks 2802 Glad to know some of that hillbilly stuff will be useful.

Rolf I think it ends up costing around $100 to $130 bux when all said and done. It could go a lot cheaper depending upon what fasteners are used and also how much modeling skills the individual builder may have (making more of the parts from scratch). Maybe then around $50 to $75 bux.

I know R2Dan had asked that too, and I kind of lost track of my expenses.

Then there is no excuse, not to go sandy.

If its only the pack, stopping you.

75$, its all most for free + a lot of fun.

Love your magic pictures, through the topic bro.

It sure give a great! idea, of how to put it togther.

And make it solid, and strong for trooping too.

Your topic, is a big inspiration for many out there i´m sure.

Love your TD bro.

Have a nice weekend in sunny Cali .

[Dutch Dirty Trooper]

Really a ''monster '' bro ! Awesome topic with very cool pictures and bright info !

Thanks for sharing this !

Grtz RAY