Who Ya Gonna Call For Your 3D Printed Ghostbusters’ Proton Pack? Tom Lemieux!

Thomas Lemieux

Before the words Ghostbusters are even off the tip of my tongue, we know what everyone is humming, whistling, and singing. Who knew, when that movie first came out, that it would be followed up on with a sequel and with rumors always circulating about a new one, as it was to become one of the biggest feel-good franchises of all time — not to mention seriously helping to launch a few big careers — ranked in the top 100 best comedies in history.

Perhaps we are watching another big career match up with the movie franchise as Thomas Lemieux presents his 3D printed proton pack to the world. Now, if you are a Ghostbusters fan, there’s no way you’ve forgotten the Ghostbusters gear — and I think I have a vision of Dan Akyroyd (cigarette falling from his mouth forlornly) and the entire ghostbusting crew from the 1984 sci-fi comedy film burned into my brain, each wearing one of the high-tech devices.

Lemieux, famous for his Iron Man suit, has since been working to outdo himself. While he’s not the first to make a proton pack with 3D printed parts, he is the first to make one completely 3D printed. It’s designed to, as you probably know, maim and capture spirits of the underworld, swirling about with drama, causing paranormal mayhem.

The original crew, from the 80’s blockbuster, ‘Ghostbusters’

The suit features the particle thrower, which looks like a handheld wand — and let’s get technical here — it’s also known as the ‘neutrino wand.’ On the back is the large particle accelerator made for firing at and polarizing ghosts which need to be disposed of, as it drains them of their villainous and ghostly energy. The fictional proton pack had some issues though in that it sometimes fired at objects and caused surprising and terrible damage, adding to the comedic effect of the ghost comedy.

This 3D printed proton pack certainly includes technology that the three wacky New Yorker parapsychologists would have been astounded by. The actual proton packs that were used in the Ghostbusters franchise have become, not surprisingly, extremely valuable and sought after collectibles. While reports vary, some have sold for tens of thousands of dollars. Chances are, you probably aren’t going to ever lay hands on one of those, but you can try your 3D printing skills out and make one if you are as creative and motivated as Lemieux.

And as all good Ghostbuster’s fans know: “A proton pack is not a toy.” So if you are making your own, beware — and be careful out there in the streets fighting spirits.

Are you a Ghostbusters fan? What do you think of Lemieux’s design? Share your thoughts and let us know how this 3D printed design inspired you in the 3D Printed Proton Pack forum over at 3DPB.com.