[Macktacular]

When I received my Haslab pack, I was thrilled. Combined with the Spengler wand and what I'd managed to make or commission, I had a pretty complete costume that was great for conventions (and my Halloweens were taken care of for the rest of my life too). But there was a problem; where to keep this stuff. It's no secret that the box that the Haslab pack came in is huge, and while it's neat I just didn't have a good space to store it or the rest of my gear.

So I decided to make one.




I repurposed an old metal locker that had been in my family's barn for as long as I can remember, and had likely either been saved from the local dump or salvaged from one of my father's former employers.




A new lock (the old one had a key broken off in it), some sanding, several cans of spray paint, and some caution tape; and I've not got all of my stuff in one space that doesn't just store my costume but is almost part of it. I decided on grey because it felt industrial - I had considered white (to harken to the Ecto-1) or red (containment unit), but in the end I thought either of those wouldn't work with the logic of the universe.

It's not perfect, of course. Because of the depth of the locker and the size of the Alice frame, I have to remove the shock mount, bumper, and cyclotron cover in order to close the door; but I think that actually makes it look a little interesting when stored that way so it's a fair tradeoff.



While I can store the pack fully-assembled, it's actually really difficult to place it in the locker / remove it with the wand connected. The upper shelf is removeable as well, but not with the pack inside - so for actual storage I have to disconnect the wand.

The hooks inside the locker presented a problem as well - they weren't the right shape to hook onto the frame itself, or onto the straps. I solved this by adding a short bungee cord to the top of the Alice frame, tucked under the padding I have ziptied there.



The locker isn't done though. I need to get some appropriate hazard stickers (and other little flair like a nameplate) for the outside, and maybe some more ghost-themed pinups for the inner door. You can't have a personal locker without a cheeky pinup, that's just not how it's done.


(Pinup by Tara Audibert)

Any suggestions and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Honestly, looking at the old pictures I almost wish I hadn't painted it at all - it was weathered and stained in a way that's very difficult to replicate. Oh well.