How to Make Simple and Easy Etco Goggles

by aliencatx

49K5911

Intro: How to Make Simple and Easy Etco Goggles

Welcome to my how to make simple ecto goggles instructable. I've been a fan of this site ever since I stumbled upon it a few months ago and thought why no one has made a tutorial to make ecto goggles from Ghostbusters? I've seen proton packs but no goggles or anything else. So kiddies you're in luck, I'm going to show you how to do it. When you're done post some pics in the comments. I love to see what you come up with. So without further ado let's get started.


Things you'll need:
2xPVC tubes
Safety goggles
1xSmall tube
2xPVC pipe holders
Bottle caps (optional)
Hot glue and glue gun
Masking type
Magic marker
Black Plastic bond paint (optional)
Silver paint
Clear varnish spray (optional)

Tools:
Small saw or something to cut the two different lengths of tubes








STEP 1: Cutting the Tubes

The first thing you're going to do is cut down your PVC tubes into two parts. The first one is going to be 3 inches long. If desired to be longer that's ok, this is your project but the other one has to be half the size of what the other one is. So for now let's just keep it at 3 inches. The other tube will be around 1" inches. Once done you may sand down the edges depending on how clean the cut is and take them to the work bench. And remember safety first. Always make sure your work area is clear and ready to be worked on,

STEP 2: A Good Fitting

Try on the safety goggles to make sure they fit. If not adjust the strap so they fit good but not cutting into your face. Local dollar stores are a great place to find safety goggles for a cheap price. I got mine for a dollar. While wearing the goggles take a piece of the PVC pipe and look through it. Take the magic marker and trace around the bottom of the pipe onto the goggles. Its critical to get this part right if not there is going to be really weird to look through them. Now do the other side of the goggles the same way. Once done take the goggles off and time to glue the pieces on.

STEP 3: Gluing

Plug in your hot glue gun and let it sit. Remember to place it on a non stick heat resistant surface. I use a heavy duty piece of tinfoil that I folded a few times to make sure it won’t heat the bottom and always keep away from plastics, pets and small children. If you’re making this project with the kids these next few parts have an adult help out. Hot glue the 3 inch PVC piece of tube to the left side of the goggles and the 1 ½ inch to the right. Now take the PVC pipe holders and glue them to the base of the two tubes, one on each side. If you wish this is where to can glue the bottle caps on to make adjustment knobs. This is all up to you, both on the sides, one on top, and one on the bottom it really doesn’t matter where they are as long as you’re happy on how it looks. In the picture I have them on the sides.

STEP 4:

Now that you got all your parts in place it’s time to paint. Now I would recommend black plastic bond paint. This is a little pricy I will admit but it saves you so much trouble in the end. My first pair of Etco goggles I made I used generic dollar store paint and to make a long story short it didn’t stick to the safety goggles at all and what did it was a sticky mess. So to save you all that trouble and extra money just get the better stuff and move on. Before you start mask up the inner lens of the goggles. You still want to see out of these things once you’re done. Cover the whole inside from edge to edge. Take a few long strips and shove them down into both tubes for again you want to see out of these things once you’re done. Another opinion is to use cotton balls and shove them in there instead of the type. In the end that might even be a better way to keep them from being painted as long as you can pull them out. Now go outside and paint these bad boys.

STEP 5:

While these are drying let color the small tube. The small tube can be anything you wish. I used a toilet paper roll but depending on the size of the main base tubes you could use another smaller piece of PVC, film case, or anything else you find on your travels but for now let’s go with the toilet paper roll. I used silver craft paint that I found at Wall mart for a few bucks but if you have a spray paint of silver that will work to. Just make sure you cover the whole tube evenly and if needed paint twice. Once painted let it sit on a dripping paper and let’s go check the goggles.

STEP 6: 6

Once the paint is dry and at your desired shade it’s time to add the details. Take off the masking type on the tubes but keep the type on the goggles. You remember that silver tube? Where going to cut it down to about 1 ½ inches if you want to go 2 inches that fine as well. Now take your glue gun, (if not hot plug it back in and wait a few mins) and make 4 dots on opposite ends of the silver tube so it looks like a cross. Now carefully slide the silver tube into the 3 inch so that only about 1 inch is showing.

STEP 7: Almost Finished

Now this is all optional and if you want to stop now congrats your done but to kick it up a Kroch and make this official I would recommend placing the warning stickers on the top of the tubes. Goggles “Ghostbusters labels” and click the pictures the first one that will pop up is the one I used. One will be a “caution” sign and the other will say “ecto goggles number….” I used sticker paper for them but regular paper and gluing them on will work as well. The caution goes on the right and the serial number goes on the left. Once everything is in place take the spray lacker and cover it completely stickers and all. This will protect the goggles from the weather and any other wear and tear on them. Let them dry outside and within the hour, take off the rest of the masking type and you got yourself some etco goggles.

STEP 8: Congrats

Congrats you’re done! You are now a proud owner of semi working ecto goggles. I know there are other ways that are more complexes to making ecto goggles but for someone that’s on a budget like myself these are great. If you want go all out and add lens and all other types of doo dads that’s awesome I just want to see them. I have also used this design to make steam punk goggles so go crazy. I hope this helps all my fellow ghost and gear heads until next time.

11 Comments

LakePHall 8 years ago

My only note is that, if I remember correctly, the goggles in the movie had a third strap that went over the head, but it's no big deal.

kariebo 11 years ago

This is so cool! I cant wait to get home and make this with my son ... he wants to be a ghostbuster for halloween and asked for the goggles... i had no idea what to do until now!... may have to shrink them down a bit though... he's 5.....everything in proportion :) lol

aliencatx 11 years ago

youre very welcome. When youre done id love to see them. Post a pic up here :)

Drunken Sparta 12 years ago

Hi, your instructable has given me the base idea of making my own goggles i want for a costume so i want to thank you for it. i made mine using the same type of goggle but used different sink plumbing parts instead of tubes. I sprayed it with a mettalic spray paint for a reflective effect. I want to attach some LEDs to it soon so it has a "switch on effect" well here's mine: atm...

aliencatx 12 years ago

oh wow thats great! Im deeply honored to know that I inspired you to make your own. Thats what it all about. I like the idea of using the plumbing parts, thats cleaver. I think yours look better then mine lol.
If you need any help feel free to shoot me a note and ill try my best.

Keep on rocking in the free world with those props. :)

btw. dig the swords on the wall. did you make them?

aliencatx 12 years ago

well then you need to make some swords, much cooler then shovels :)

Slimenuttz 12 years ago

If you would have checked gbfans you would have found actual instructions on how to make them, there are two ways the accurate way and the welding goggles and you didnt get the correct welding goggles these are just goggles with pvc glued to them shell out the extra cash and get some correct frames its worth it in the long run.

aliencatx 12 years ago

Thank you Slimenuttz for you WONDERFUL input however at the time this is what I had laying around the house. I never claimed that these where screen accurate but more of a fun project for a first time prop builder. In the future yes I will build a more accurate set but for now I like what I have. There good for a spare, the kids can use them and it was a great learning experience for me. So again thank you.

atombomb1945 12 years ago

I have thought of using this kind of goggles for this, but was afraid that the paint would flake off once the plastic bent. Have you had any issues like that here?

aliencatx 12 years ago

no actually, I used a plastic based paint and its been perfect. it bends nicely but as I said use a plastic bond paint for it will be a mess if you dont. My first pair I made I used the cheap stuff and it wasnt good.

any other questions let me know