Few do except for those who are wanting to get into the game/do it for thrills and those who accept only appropriate compensation from clients. If this is $100 in materials, I'd probably want to charge $500 or more to make it possibly worthwhile for me to do it.

The reason nobody takes comissions is because most people who want a commission are used to paying sub-$100 for an OOTB blaster. The other part is that the makers have too few clients willing to pay *anything* because most people DIY it if they like it.

Similar to the above bolded, those who can't do it themselves, aren't willing to pay what it's worth to get it done right. Those who can afford to get it done right, are able (and willing) to do it themselves. This is a generalization, but I think there's some truth to it.

I'm in SE PA and run with a few people in Bucks County. Our Nerf wars are more adult oriented in that we used modified stock blasters (aka: "superstock"); you might learn a lot (and have some fun) if you joined us. Your son might be a little too young for playing with us, however. But then again, I don't run the group, so you can talk with the leader of the group. He goes by DblDrgn on Nerfhaven. His site is: https://panerf.wordpress.com.

As for your battery situation, this is what I recommend:

1. Prechargead NiMH batteries and charger. The Duracell recommendation is a good one. I'm loyal to Eneloop, but practically speaking, Eneloop and Duracell precharged batteries are the same quality and performance: http://www.amazon.co...charged charger

2. C battery spacers/adapters: http://www.amazon.co...battery spacers

These should be a drop in replacement for C alkaline batteries and despite the lower voltage, performance will be about the same. When the batteries run down, remove them from the spacers and place them in the included charger. If you like this setup, I would get a total of 8 AA NiMH batteries so you can have pretty much all day play while the 8 batteries charge at night.

If you want to go with a 6 cell battery pack, you'll have to either buy one or build one yourself. I don't recommend building one unless you have soldering and R/C battery pack experience. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being what I just recommend and 10 being making a homemade of the likes and quality of what Aeromech produces, I'd put this battery mod at about a 3 or 4. You will need soldering experience for this more complex mod. If you don't have a soldering iron, you'll need to spend at least $40 (probably more) for the 6 NiMH cells, a soldering iron, soldering equipment, wiring supplies and a NiMH capable hobby or R/C charger.

Update on my question about using 4 AA NiMH cells with C battery spacers in the Rapidstrike. After comparing this set up with 4 C alkalines, the performance was slightly less, although hardly noticeable. One definite advantage: the batteries are rechargeable and the Rapidstrike is much lighter.

From what I could tell by the ABSOLUTELY PISS POOR video, the concept is legit, but it's hardly ideal.

The Stryfe is a great blaster; it's my new primary with the Rapidstrike as my backup.

Either way will work, although our way is less efficient (but quicker and easier).

+1 on most of what Jwasko said (assuming you eventually go that route). However, I would recommend using a different connector for the battery. Using the Tamiya style connector isn't great, but if it's a drop in mod, it's ok to leave it assuming you're using an otherwise stock Rapidstrike. However, if you're going to go through the trouble of soldering a few wires and installing new connectors, you might as well go with a low-resistance option, like Deans.

If this blaster is for your 4 year old, I would not recommend installing a rechargeable battery with lithium chemistry, such as Lithium Polymer or Lithium Ion. This is because of the risk of damaging them if they're overdischarged (although someone can correct me if trustfire and ultrafire batteries have built in low voltage cut off) and fire hazard if they're mistreated.

Lithium Iron Phosphate might be ok, but that's probably more trouble and cost to you than it's worth.

I would recommend a rechargeable NiMH battery pack of 6 cells. I personally use a 6 cell AA pack I made myself out of Eneloops. it provides substantial performance increase (range and rate of fire), but lasts forever and is rechargeable. The only problem with this set up as applied to you is that you'll need a R/C hobby style charger and a little rewiring or rearranging of the Rapidstrike's battery compartment. If you're worried that this performance boost would be unsafe, you could use 5 NiMH cells.

I wonder if using 4 size C NiMH cells (or AA NiMH cells with C battery spacers) would provide the same performance as 4 alkaline C cells. My gut is that it would and would be a drop in replacement and a no-brainer to recharge. Anyone have any experience with this? I can probably do some testing myself in a few days.

As for jamming, I heard removing the skirt seal can help. Also, make sure your kid isn't using bent or damaged darts.

Where in PA are you?

Nerf used Cs because alkaline C-sized batteries will last longer than alkaline AA-sized, and give better performance especially when shooting full auto...

Jwasko is right. However, good quality NiMH AA cells have lower internal resistance than C sized alkalines, hence my recommendation of the AA NiMH.

A premade 9.6v nimh battery on a rapidstrike isn't bad, though the fit is tight. Until I got the parts to triblade it into a rapidpistol the nimh pack is how I ran my rapidstrike at dart warz. And it only required removing the battery tray and soldering a connector to the battery terminals. Quick and easy. Took more time to open the blaster than to do the actual mod. My .02¢

That's pretty much what I did, but I used a 6 AA cell (7.2v) Eneloop battery pack.

Do some research on youtube or some high traffic R/C plane or car message board for advice on how to build battery packs and soldering basics. Like many other things in life, there are different ways to do the same thing, with some methods being better than others, but you'll find what works for you. A few universal pointers:
 
- Use the hottest soldering iron you can when building packs. Until you are proficient at soldering, it's probably more cost effective to just buy a ready made pack or order a custom pack. www.cheapbatterypacks.com is a good site for custom packs.
 
- Burning organic matter stinks, but get used to it. It's inevitable you will burn your skin, flesh and/or clothing, although if you're careful and smart, it will only happen once.

As for connectors, I'm a WS Deans guy. I use their Micro Connectors on Nerf stuff: http://www3.towerhob...?&I=LXDKA2&P=ML
 
For something that'll pull major amps, I use their Ultra Plugs: http://www3.towerhob...p?&I=LXKX39&P=7

I don't know of many companies, but there are many individuals that will do contract work or "commissions." Post what you want in the trading forum of NH and you'll get offers.

I think the reason you don't see more companies or advertising is that there is little room to make a decent profit. Someone else can correct me if I'm wrong, but a fully modded Rapidstrike with re-wiring, high voltage and current capable battery pack, upgraded motors, high current microswitches and charger will probably cost about $70-$80 just for parts. Then it will take an experienced modder probably at least 4 hours to do the work. Assuming the modder charges what his skills are worth, that's about $150-$160 shipped for a turnkey Rapidstrike, which is more than more people are willing to pay (I think $100 to $120 is the going price for something like that). Why is this so? My theory is that those incapable of doing the mods themselves generally don't have $150 to drop on a turnkey Rapidstrike. Those that have the money are generally willing to do the mods themselves. I don't know if this is true or not, but it's just a theory.

However, I do know there are plenty of people out there willing to pay good prices for well modded blasters. I just think the market is too small for there to be a company that does mods exclusively. I personally don't understand why it's so small. Someone with a reputation like Coop772 could probably charge what he wanted for a commission, such that he could probably make a decent living. but for whatever reason, he doesn't, I've figured it was due to either: liability (I bet he's received legal advice by now, given the money he's making and his popularity), the market won't bear prices he feels he needs to charge to do the work, and/or he can make more money working on his youtube channel or doing other stuff.

I assume this is a joke.

Still, neat work!

I had heard about canted flwyheels, but didn't know what that meant until your pics; thanks for that. But what's the advantage of using canted flywheels?

Good News Everyone!

I added a smaller spring with the stock spring and got a 10-15 foot increase in range!

From a voltage perspective, a 2S LiPo will work well with MTB Rhinos. You may not get the highest FPS, but you'll get tighter groupings (at least this is the case with Koosh Gen 3 darts). Speedr117 is correct in that MTB Rhinos are designed for 3S battery packs, but they still work great at lower voltages. In my opinion, they work better at around 7.5 volts.

However, I don't know how well a 2S LiPo pack that has 850mah capacity will be able to handle the current draw. I use Eneloop AA NiMHs with my MTB Rhinos (in a 6 cell pack configuration which is very close to a 2S LiPo setup).

I'm about 2 hours away in Western KY. If there are enough people for a war, I might be able to justify a drive over there.

I use the original grey one and I've had no problems with it.

How much did the 100 pack from Walmart cost?

Asked here on the off chance I'm not the only one whose interested. Is that taboo?

I assumed you were asking me. If so, how would I know what voltmeter someone else uses?

I removed all the locks. If I recall, there was no dart sensor lock, so I just had 2 to remove.

Update: Just used this setup at a very cold superstock Nerf war (it was snowing while we played). I was able to hit over 100FPS and when firing in rapid succession, I was getting very little FPS drop off.

This is a VERY good setup for CQB type wars.

Here are pictures of my recently modified Stryfe. I did the following:

- Enlarged and modified battery door and compartment to handle special 6 AA cell Eneloop battery pack

- Rewired with 20 AWG silver low resistance wire

- Installed MTB Rhino motors

- Installed a 10 amp micro switch

The stock is from a Lightning storm super soaker and the mags are just Stampede and Rayven mags expoxied together.

Yes, but the improvement in performance is more related to the Eneloop's ability to deliver high currents with little voltage sag than it is voltage increase. Using 4 alkalines gives 6 nominal volts, but under load, I'm betting it's significantly lower; this is evidenced by slower moving flywheels when trying to shoot your Stryfe rapidly while using alkalines.

Six eneloops provide 7.2 nominal volts, but in reality it's close to 8.2. Under load (firing your Stryfe as quickly as you can), I'm guesstimating the 6 eneloops are providing about 6.0 volts.

So if you used a 6 cell eneloop (or any high quality NiMH AA cell, for that matter) in a stock Stryfe, you will get a significant performance boost. I don't know how long the motors would last, but I think it would be a decent amount of time. I say this because so many people use 2 or 3 Trust/Ultra-fire lithium cells in their Stryfe and get decent life out of their stock motors. I know some use 4 Trust/Ultrafires and get enough motor life to consider the battery setup worth it.

But even if you use higher-current-capable batteries for your stock Styfe, you're losing some of this advantage from the stock wiring and rev switch. It's not significant, but the inefficiency is there. I personally use a 6 cell Eneloop pack in my fully stock Rapidstrike and get a significant boost in performance. Given the complicated nature of the Rapidistrike, it's not worth doing a rewire and installing higher current switches. It's not a perfect comparison, though, because the Rapidstrike has higher performing flywheel motors than the Stryfe.

One of the reasons I'm running MTB Rhino motors is for the hopefully longer motor life. If MTB Rhinos get decent life from an 8 cell NiMH or 3s LiPo set up, I'm pretty sure I'll get an even longer life from a 2s LiPo or 6 cell NiMH set up.

I have no idea how to find an Aussie supplier. Maybe contact MTB (Make.Test.Battle) directly through their youtube channel?

As for burning up stock motors, Maybe using 2 ultafires with 2 dummy cells will work. Should be the rough voltage equivalent of a 6 cell NiMH pack.

Where did you get the voltmeter?

PM the guy directly and ask?

Is there any reason to upgrade to the MTB Rhinos when only using 8.4 volts? The stock motors arent too bad with higher voltage, and the Rhino's rpm is worse when only running on 8.4 volts.

1. Do you have a source for this statement? I'm not saying you're wrong, but I would like to know where you got the conclusion that stock Stryfe motors have higher RPMs on 8.4 volts than MTB Rhinos. Even if true, my understanding is that MTB Rhinos have far more torque per volt than stock Stryfe motors.

2. It's also my understanding that MTB Rhinos can handle higher voltages (say, 7.2 to 14.4 volts) far better than stock Stryfe motors. When I said handle, I mean last longer before having to be replaced.

3. Assuming stock Stryfe motors provide the same or comparable performance as MTB Rhinos, I would still go for the latter since they should last longer using an 6, 7 or 8 cell NiMH AA battery pack.

Very well. An 8 cell pack will shoot the darts faster, but my darts (Koosh Gen 3) can't handle the FPS, so they veer all over the place. Bottom line is that the increase in FPS and range isn't worth the loss in accuracy. In case you are wondering, I'm using generation 4 Eneloops.

For  more eneloop reading: http://www.candlepow...ge-study/page11(info is a bit outdated since there are newer generation Eneloops out there, but it's a good reference. Candlepowerforums has more up-to-date Eneloop threads if you're really interested).

Eneloops can handle relatively high current draws just fine:

There is no difference. You can make your own pack like I did,but it's a bit tricky, especially if you don't have any other soldering experience.

I got the MTB Rhinos from here: http://www.containme...op/mtb/mtb-001/

However, Containment crew got these motors from Australia, so I imagine there's an Aussie supplier.

The Eneloop option will be more expensive than the LiPo option. As for using trust/ultrafires/IMRs batteries, I those options will probably be cheaper, too.

You run any brushed motor at spec and it will eventually burn out. So the more you overvolt it, the faster it'll burn out.

You could always make some kind of mounting system so you can take the pump off when it breaks. While OD varies from pump to pump, a tee with a slot cut in the top lets you put the pump in it with the pump shaft, so it's secure. You can then epoxy the Tee to a blaster and run the proper tubing to it. I'm pretty sure BuffDaddy's homemade does that.

Bike pumps are much more durable than stock pumps because they have a more difficult purpose. Any name brand should do.

One thing you gents are missing is the comparison of internal pump tube diameters. To be perfectly honest, ball pumps, as suggested in the second post are going to be much more difficult to pump at higher pressures. Bike frame pumps are likely to be much better suited to use at the 30-40psi that we run many blasters at, due to their design for use at the typical 40-60PSI of bicycle tires. The plastic housing units will be less expensive, the the metal housing units, such as the suggested Bell unit (I also like these, and have used a few) will survive much more abuse. The only problem with the metal pumps I have found is that they tend to be molded together such that if you develop a problem with the shaft seal, you are unlikely to be able to disassemble, repair, and reassemble.

I beat the ever-loving piss out of my pumps, and they still work great.

Neat write up. I had to make heavy changes to my Stryfe's battery door to house it's 6 cell AA NiMH Eneloop battery pack, but this stock might be able to avoid that trouble while keeping things looking clean and as "stock" as possible. If I get a chance to get one of these for cheap, I'll definitely pick one up.