So just found a video from Tested where they show a hands on with the pipboy kit it shows it a bit closer than the pictures also it shows some of the real functions of it. https://youtu.be/mdpK1SNHBFo
I'm pretty sure I'm going to get one of these. Hopefully then some electronics experts on here can figure out a reasonably easy way to put a screen and functional buttons in it.
Peep Williams
Well-Known Member
I wasn't going to get an official one, as I have a 3D printer, and I 3D printed a Pip-Boy 3000 Mark IV which is pretty nice, but the Tested video really pushed me over the edge. It looks really good, and some of the complexities of this Pip-Boy make 3D printing it seem a little less than ideal. I think from what we've seen of The Wand Store's Pip-Boy one of the only major things that will need to be modified is the brown cloth bits.
While looking for inspiration for a packaging design for my Dosimeter, I came across what looks to be the inspiration for the packaging on the Pip-Boy 2000 Mk VI
atomic energy lab by daniel fernandez, on Flickr
The Atomic Energy Lab was a toy from 1952. It came with Uranium ore, three other radioactive substances, and a geiger counter.
atomic energy lab by daniel fernandez, on Flickr
The Atomic Energy Lab was a toy from 1952. It came with Uranium ore, three other radioactive substances, and a geiger counter.
Just added on tested a decently in depth look and build into the 76 pipboy. Has a pretty good look in the building of it and shows that buttons function and even the radio dial works.
https://youtu.be/R8Bev_PQum0
https://youtu.be/R8Bev_PQum0
Also if you go to the Wand Company's website and go to the pipboy page (I'll add a link) there is a complete build instructions with pictures.
https://www.thewandcompany.com/pip-boy-manual/
https://www.thewandcompany.com/pip-boy-manual/
I am glad to see real metal screws, pins and nuts. The radio knob movement might seem to be crude, but it is actually how many old radio knobs worked.
The decals look to be Lego style stickers. At the end of the video you can see it is still hard to wear on your arm, but the buckle looks to be functional, so perhaps it is just a matter of tightening.
They have the wrong Vault-Tec logo on the box and instructions. (Rounded off edges) But at least it is correct on the actual device.
I would like to think that my own Pip-Boy design influenced a lot of this one. The holotape tape guard door looks exactly like my snap-on door design.
You can tell that at some point they were going to put electronics inside, but I expect they ditched that effort half-way through the project. Here is to hoping they at least left some mounting points on the inside.
I can't wait to build my own. I hope it arrives this month.
The decals look to be Lego style stickers. At the end of the video you can see it is still hard to wear on your arm, but the buckle looks to be functional, so perhaps it is just a matter of tightening.
They have the wrong Vault-Tec logo on the box and instructions. (Rounded off edges) But at least it is correct on the actual device.
I would like to think that my own Pip-Boy design influenced a lot of this one. The holotape tape guard door looks exactly like my snap-on door design.
You can tell that at some point they were going to put electronics inside, but I expect they ditched that effort half-way through the project. Here is to hoping they at least left some mounting points on the inside.
I can't wait to build my own. I hope it arrives this month.
GhostMinion
Sr Member
It's very unlikely they ever intended to put electronics in the new pipboys, given how horrible of a job they did with the electronics in the blue tooth editions. Virtually none of the blue tooth editions work right anymore.
Hell, as I recall, the pipboy 3000 clocks from the FO3 survival edition didn't work worth a spit either.
LoneWanderer
Well-Known Member
***** I'm so excited to get my hands on my own too, already planning for LED's, functional radio board, rasberry Pi with screen, and of course a functional rad meter! (Just kidding.) Modding looks to be very simple and much improved for this time around judging by the amount of space available inside the cavities. Thinking of adding some functionality from our pipboy in fallout 4 though, I loved that little white uplink cable function that was used in-game for communicating with other Vault-Tec mechanization like Vault doors. I may just add one of those on to the new model here too..
Who knows? So many ideas and so much room for creativity with these new kits! Build quality looks pretty good too from the tested video.
Who knows? So many ideas and so much room for creativity with these new kits! Build quality looks pretty good too from the tested video.
So just a quick question has anyone gotten theirs yet? I know the official release is the 14th but lately I've been hearing that some folks are getting the power armor edition early. Or I've also heard that some shipments have been delayed for around a week. So what I'm curious about is if that sort of thing will happen with the pipboys.
I canceled my order from thinkgeek and walked into gamestop and snagged one at 10am today. Thing is amazing, they really put a lot of effort into every little detail.
Voltaire Surge, see my reply to your question here:
The Pip-Boy 200 Mk IV does have potential to add electronics. However, there is VERY little room behind the display. Even less than the Pip-Boy edition. I don't think anyone will be cramming a raspberry pie device into this thing. You could fit a Arduino, speaker and battery into the radio/rad guage compartments, and at least get a radio function out of the device, perhaps with a serial type screen. I don't think you would want to re-build the whole thing, the parts are quite high quality. I would instead look at trying to add internal brackets to hold parts and add function to the Pip-Boy.
Note, I will not be doing any electronics kits for mine, I have to finish my other projects first.
The Pip-Boy 200 Mk IV does have potential to add electronics. However, there is VERY little room behind the display. Even less than the Pip-Boy edition. I don't think anyone will be cramming a raspberry pie device into this thing. You could fit a Arduino, speaker and battery into the radio/rad guage compartments, and at least get a radio function out of the device, perhaps with a serial type screen. I don't think you would want to re-build the whole thing, the parts are quite high quality. I would instead look at trying to add internal brackets to hold parts and add function to the Pip-Boy.
Note, I will not be doing any electronics kits for mine, I have to finish my other projects first.
I have been told by The Wand Company they plan to add electronic upgrades down the road, so I'm holding off on.mods until I see what they release!
SCCCP
New Member
I'd like to see information from The Wand Company on that.
As for the kit it's a bit of a pain to assemble. Definitely use your own tools, not the crap drivers that come with it. There are a lot of holes that are made to thread when the screw is put in and you can't get enough force to do it with the included ones. There are also a lot of small bits for buttons, sliders and other details, so don't lose those.
My issues are primarily with the arm cuff. The latch that looks like it is supposed to tighten the cuff isn't functional. It could be with modification, which I am working out. I have given this a pass already, but found that the lower buckle is pretty weak as is. The cuff also interferes with the holotape deck, and the deck is opened by pressing in two fake screws on either side and pulling down on it. It's a bit cumbersome and lacks that tactile feel cassette trays had on older audio equipment, so that's another spot I am looking at for modification.
No room for a normal rpi, but if you wanted to use an rpi the zero would be fine. There are other computer platforms that would fit. If you go for an MCU there are a ton of small options that would fit no problem.
As for the kit it's a bit of a pain to assemble. Definitely use your own tools, not the crap drivers that come with it. There are a lot of holes that are made to thread when the screw is put in and you can't get enough force to do it with the included ones. There are also a lot of small bits for buttons, sliders and other details, so don't lose those.
My issues are primarily with the arm cuff. The latch that looks like it is supposed to tighten the cuff isn't functional. It could be with modification, which I am working out. I have given this a pass already, but found that the lower buckle is pretty weak as is. The cuff also interferes with the holotape deck, and the deck is opened by pressing in two fake screws on either side and pulling down on it. It's a bit cumbersome and lacks that tactile feel cassette trays had on older audio equipment, so that's another spot I am looking at for modification.
No room for a normal rpi, but if you wanted to use an rpi the zero would be fine. There are other computer platforms that would fit. If you go for an MCU there are a ton of small options that would fit no problem.
