Introduction: Ghostbusters Junior

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My son always loved the original Ghostbusters (he’s cool like that)

and played the Xbox video game. So we set out to build him a Halloween costume that would turn him into the fifth member of the team. We made a trip to Home Depot, Harris fabrics, Army Surplus, and Ax-Man Electronics to gather supplies.

Step 1: Make a Plan

Step One:

I went on the internet and did research the ghostbusters gear. Then reduced the scale of everything by about 40%. This gave me “kid size” proportions. I also set out to make it lightweight for a long night of door hoping. I took the reference and ran them all through the photocopier and reduced them until everything was the "right" size. A site called gbfans is comprised of TONS of reference contributed by huge fans of the movies.

Step 2: Backpack Base

The back mounted nuclear accelerator is the foundation of the Ghostbuster gear. I used polystyrene insulation foam to cut the basic shapes. I used spray glue to put the large pieces on a cardboard backer.

Step 3: Backpack Details

I cut detail pieces from insulation foam , cardboard, and pieces of

polyethylene rods. These are basically different sized pool noodles that they sell for insulating cracks and pipes.

Step 4: A Tough Skin

Everything got a heavy coat of a clay and glue mixture. I used

flexible adhesive mixed with dry clay. Flexible glue is like white craft glue but just flexible. Dry clay is simply potters clay. Mix the two together to make a thick liquid. I added a little black latex paint to give it a base color. Then brushed on. When dry it makes a tough flexible skin. It works great to protect the foam from nicks and bangs. An additional top coat of black gave everything a solid color foundation.

Step 5: The Hand Wand

For the gun we used a piece of PVC with foam built up around it. Details were photo printouts ad paint. The dip switches were just pieces of rubber band. The power cord was a rope with corrugated cord cover.

Step 6: Final Backpack Details

We printed all of the graphics after they were appropriately sized

and used spray adhesive to attach them Then a light dry brush of river gave it that “used” look. A few wires from the local electronics scrap store and completes the look. Some webbing from the fabric store made the straps. We then wrapped them with some leather scraps also from the fabric store.

Step 7: Ghost Traps

The ghost traps were basic wood boxes. Then painted black and silver. The internet provided

good reference for the stripes.

Step 8: PKE Meter

For the PKE meter we made a wood body and the meter actually moved

with a push button. I used a string and rubber band to make it function.

Step 9: Flashlight

For the flashlight we just used a small led light and added a PVC, a

bottle cap, and done.

Step 10: Belt Gizmos

For the belt gizmos we found a good picture on the internet and just

printed them and glued them to cardboard. An old phone cord was easy to find at the electronics junk store.

Step 11: Utility Belt

I found a small military utility type belt. It was a fashion

belt so it came in white and about the right size. I dyed it gray but was only moderately successful. I had to shorten it also. I then used leather scraps and hot glue to make the pouches. I put rivets in the corners to keep them from separating. A piece of bent aluminum scrap made the trap hook. A few clips from the fabric store. Black spray paint gave the pouches their proper color.

Step 12: Ghost Goggles

The goggles were made with a set of welders goggles and some

electrical hardware and PVC.

Step 13: Rubber Gloves

To make the long gloves the Ghostbusters wore I took some women’s

opera gloves from a costume shop and cut them off. They were the right size for his small hands. I sprayed them with plastic dip spray paint to give them a rubber look.

Step 14: Elbow Pads

For the elbow pads we took some gray spandex and a dyed old sock and

just hand stitched the pads.

Step 15: Jumpsuit

The only kids jumpsuit I could find was an army green jumpsuit. So I

sprayed it with a little paint with fabric additive from the craft store. This gave it a closer color. I used photoshop to make his name tag and ghost patch. I printed them and glued them to scraps of leather. Some hot glue and an iron attached them to the jumpsuit.

Step 16: Time to Ghost Hunt

Go find some ghosts…and some candy.