In this episode of Bench Tested, Charlie Harsh sits down with Corey and Andrew from C&A Prop Design to break down the side of Ghostbusters builds most people overlook, the parts behind the scenes that make everything actually work.

From early 2000s scratch-built packs to today’s modern kits, they walk through how the hobby has evolved, how they got started, and how a simple frustration with existing parts led to creating their own solutions. The conversation dives into smoke systems, ribbon cables, hose connectors, and the engineering challenges of making parts that are not just accurate, but functional, safe, and consistent across different builds.

They also get into the reality of building, including trial and error, material failures, constant redesigns, and why the smallest details often make the biggest difference. This episode is a deep look at the problem-solving mindset behind serious prop building and why the “invisible” parts are what separate a decent pack from a great one.

In this episode of Bench Tested, Charlie Harsh sits down with Nomake Wan to talk about how a lifelong Ghostbusters fan went from being disappointed by toy sounds to helping shape open-source modding for packs and wands.

They get into his early connection to the gear through Extreme Ghostbusters, how the Hasbro wand pulled him into modding, and how curiosity around one missing sound effect turned into real contributions to Ghostbusters electronics. The conversation also covers beginner-friendly advice on tools, soldering, diagnostics, JST connectors, coding, AI-assisted development, and what makes a pack or wand feel more authentic.

This episode is less about hype and more about demystifying the technical side of the hobby, and showing builders that getting started is more approachable than they think.

In this episode of Bench Tested, we sit down with Chris Nance and Greg Burke from the NorCal Ghostbusters to talk about what it really means to build and wear these props in the real world.

This isn’t just about putting something on a shelf. We get into what holds up at events, what breaks, what actually matters when you’re wearing a pack for hours, and how builds change when they’re meant to be used, not just displayed.

We also dig into uniforms, the details people obsess over versus what actually translates in person, and the ongoing balance between accuracy, practicality, and personal style.

If you’ve ever wondered where the line is between overbuilding and building smart, this one brings a different perspective straight from the field.