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#274363 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by Anima on 09 May 2010 - 11:43 AM in Modifications

This is the inverse twin of the maverick I posted earlier.

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http://www.flickr.co...205559/sizes/l/

The recipient for this gun is Elly, thus the corrupted spelling on the slide. I used a tightly-wound Ace bandage and a clamp to press the leather tightly enough to the grip to get the detailing to show through. Adhesive: tacky glue.



#273773 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by Anima on 30 April 2010 - 05:23 PM in Modifications

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Hey guys. S'been awhile.



#240962 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by Anima on 09 July 2009 - 02:21 AM in Modifications

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http://www.flickr.co...tty/3537296945/

A gift for a friend I finally got around to finishing. The paint is Duplicolor Metalcast, blue and green layered. Plastidip grip. Russian Roulette mod of course. The slide and cylinder are done in Metalcast yellow. Detail work done with paintpens and a lot of muffled cursing. I wish I'd gotten some better photos; indoor light doesn't do the Metalcast paint justice.



#174063 Rapid Fire 20 Death Skull Mod Video

Posted by Anima on 01 September 2008 - 02:22 AM in Modifications

Nice, clean work on the skull.

It always kind of shocks me when people post these neat things, then turn right around and hock it on Ebay. If I had a RF20 like that, I'd keep it for myself! :K)



#166892 Steampunk Mav Mod

Posted by Anima on 06 August 2008 - 06:11 PM in Modifications

You know, more and more I'm thinking this guy must be a troll. I have a hard time believing anyone would title a post the way they did and then show us...that.



#166727 Steampunk Mav Mod

Posted by Anima on 05 August 2008 - 09:59 AM in Modifications

There is *nothing* steampunk about it. Not that that's a bad thing these days with so many people slapping clock parts on a gun and declaring it steampunk. But, the paintjob sucks too.

Starting a topic with the title you did is just asking for trouble, you know. I could forgive it if you were Direct Threat (even though it would make even him sound like a douche) but this... Yuck.



#164895 Chubbs

Posted by Anima on 28 July 2008 - 02:46 AM in Modifications

Hideous. Utterly.

You didn't even try to mold that junk behind the head, did you? It's a weird idea to start with, but you could have made it look neat. Scale pattern, more than one shade of green, etc.

You should've ruined an Oozinator instead. At least that already has reptile characteristics.

It also disturbs me that you're continuing to push 'sawing' to minimize the Vulcan when Splitlip has shown you can remove the front with a little unscrewing.



#163741 The Vulcan: Unboxed

Posted by Anima on 22 July 2008 - 05:21 PM in Modifications

Rather than relocate the battery pack, just build a brace for it that will distribute the weight along your forearm.

As to the wisdom in hacking the gun up...it's his purchase, we have no business criticizing him. I do wish he'd done real measurements before altering the gun, though. We have no basis for comparison now.



#163730 New Gen Tommy 20

Posted by Anima on 22 July 2008 - 04:36 PM in General Nerf

At Toys 'R Us it was selling for $29.99.

No, I will not type up the instructions. 9,9 I didn't purchase the gun, so I have no better resolution to work from than you, and of course have no idea what the ROF is. Looking very closely at my photo of the back of the box though, it seems that there are two fire modes. If one is single-fire, that doesn't leave many possibilities for the other mode.



#163568 New Gen Tommy 20

Posted by Anima on 21 July 2008 - 03:28 PM in General Nerf

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Visit http://flickr.com/ph...tty/2690425756/ for larger sizes.

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Visit http://flickr.com/ph...tty/2690424406/ for larger sizes.

Found at Toys 'R Us in Miamisburg OH.



#163516 The Vulcan

Posted by Anima on 21 July 2008 - 01:07 AM in General Nerf

More news on the gun from my friend Jamie.

Yes, the tripod is removable. No, the belts can't be linked together, though you could sew them together if you really want to.

It's not "terribly loud" but that's pretty subjective. It isn't as loud as flywheel guns. It's "lighter than you'd expect," so it shouldn't be a monster in the weight department.

The only word I've been able to get on ranges is that it shoots 'across the house' which sounds like at least 30 feet to me, better than the unmodded Longshot.



#163005 The Vulcan

Posted by Anima on 16 July 2008 - 02:57 PM in General Nerf

If Jamie hadn't moved away, I would've been to his place last week and gotten measurements, internal pics, and had carnal knowledge of the Vulcan. Ahem.

As it is, I highly doubt I'll be able to convince him to open up the gun. He doesn't mod at all, and the Vulcan is *not* the gun you want to start modding with.

I do hope to get some ranges, info about how its battery-operated mode seems to work, noise-level, etc. when I can get ahold of him. I'll also ask him to scan/photograph the manual.

In the meantime, commenting on his Flickr photos may make him more willing to help. A few 'thanks for the pics!' even would be nice.



#133290 Modification and Paintjob Pictures

Posted by Anima on 21 December 2007 - 09:07 AM in Modifications

A commission I took recently for a steampunk Nerf gun.

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The alchemic injector assembly :rolleyes: screws off for easier carrying. Air restrictors removed, Russian Roulette mod completed.



#102260 Ferentus

Posted by Anima on 15 April 2007 - 04:42 PM in Off Topic

I tried downloading it once, but the installer didn't work. I didn't care enough to keep trying, :K) Same thing happened with Ragnarok Online back in the day.



#102256 Nerf Group On Flickr, The Photo Community

Posted by Anima on 15 April 2007 - 04:26 PM in Off Topic

Flickr is a photo sharing community I've been messing with for awhile, and once I realized that there were a few Nerf-minded people around, I started a group to collect them and their photos. If you aren't on Flickr already, it's an okay site, though not as good for image hosting for posting elsewhere as imageshack is, for instance. The best part is that if you have a Yahoo account, you pretty much already have a Flickr account too.

The group's here, http://www.flickr.com/groups/nerf/ and yes, it's still dinky. Join us and share your favorite Nerf photos, :)



#102249 Vinyl Dye

Posted by Anima on 15 April 2007 - 03:24 PM in Modifications

Good to see someone else touting vinyl dye. Aside from the Metalcast painted guns, most of my Nerf gun painting has been with the Duplicolor vinyl dye line. I never got good results with Krylon, so %*&! their couch. :)

It's true the color range is limited, but I did find that another brand of vinyl dye exists which comes in a much broader range of colors. It isn't available anywhere in my area though... It may've been this brand, as I do a quick google search to remind myself. http://www.autostyles.com/sem.htm 'SEM' brand vinyl dye.

Now, there are some things that weren't mentioned. You CANNOT dye plastic that has been painted with traditional paints. Vinyl dye works by seeping into microscopic pores in the plastic. When plastic is painted, the paint fills in those pores and makes it impossible to dye it. Vinyl dye on the other hand can always be dyed again. For example, the blue parts of the Maverick are original plastic and can be dyed. The yellow butt of the gun, the yellow stripe/rail on top of the gun, the gray parts of the slide, and the gray grip have all been painted at the factory. You can either sand those down to the original plastic (takes quite awhile) or you can prime and paint those bits with conventional paint.

Also, some plastic parts *do* require some prep work before using vinyl dye on them. Again using the Maverick as an example, the orange muzzle tip, trigger, yellow eject button, and revolver cylinder all should be washed with soap and water (and ideally lightly sanded after drying) to assure adhesion. I've had vinyl dye jobs flake right off those parts without that prep work. Most of it is merely removing the 'mold release' chemicals remaining on the plastic from the manufacturing process; those chemicals can prevent dye or paint from working properly.

Not all plastics will take the dye, as has been mentioned. Test the dye on a inconspicuous part of the project before going whole-hog. Let it dry as per the can's instructions, then attempt to scratch it off with your fingernail. If your nail has no effect, you're golden. :)

Vinyl dye is apparently even worse to inhale than other aerosol paints, so never use it in ill-ventilated areas and always use a mask. If you get a headache, stop painting immediately and get to some clear air.

I will emphasize Captain Slug's words about light coats. DO NOT attempt to get a solid color with each coat. Expect the original color to show through for the first two coats at least. If you overspray, you'll get drips and runs. I generally use three or four coats to completely recolor the gun. Patience!



#92193 Opinion Of The Magstrike?

Posted by Anima on 18 October 2006 - 07:03 PM in General Nerf

I just got ahold of a magstrike two weeks ago. I haven't opened it up yet, though I'll get to that in time.

I was impressed with its stock ranges, though I agree with CaptainSlug that they're just about the same as an ideal Maverick's. (My measurements are horribly crude; I judge a gun by how close I can get a dart to the bathroom doorway from across the basement. Maverick almost makes it. Magstrike barely made it. Modded Longshot almost got darts in the toilet.)

I'm afraid I got used to the RF20 though, so firing off a clip from the Magstrike feels like it jammed halfway or something. B)

Pros: Automatic fire, uses clips for fast reloads, comfortable for adult nerfers, sounds really intimidating, comes in two colors! :rolleyes:

Cons: Nearly the size of the RF20 but with a lower ammo capacity, seems to require more pumping, looks like a paintball gun (I only mention this because people are more liable to get upset at the sight of a paintball gun than a Nerf one), constructed in a way that makes clip-capacity mods much more difficult.

To get back the RF20's capacity, I'd almost like to bolt two magstrikes together side-by-side with a central trigger.



#89758 Longshot "shotgun" Foregrip

Posted by Anima on 15 September 2006 - 10:28 AM in Modifications

Hey Anima, you know that he is selling them now.


Yes, I know, having actually bothered to read the entire thread. ;K) I'm more of a do-it-yourself guy, to a point. With the nice resources Captain's made available, it should be a cinch. Just have to be careful when cutting the Lexan, that's all. Last time I worked with the stuff, I learned that high-speed saw blades melt the Lexan behind it, 'magically' sealing your cut. Blah!



#89709 Arsenal Aprassial Thread

Posted by Anima on 14 September 2006 - 05:53 PM in General Nerf

These are most of my guns that are in one piece, at the moment. Not pictured but in addition to this, I have a Buzz Bee Tommy 20, and two Sneakshots.

Most of these will be modified, painted, and then sold. Eventually. I'm a slow worker, especially during the schoolyear.
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From Left to Right...
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And the back row.
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One of the Nitefinders (Can you guess which one?) is modified, as well as one of the pictured Mavericks. My modded Firefly is in pieces right now, getting painted. The Longshot is modified with a spring addition and AR-removal. The Mustang 6 has just undergone some cosmetic surgery, no practical mods yet.



#89706 Longshot "shotgun" Foregrip

Posted by Anima on 14 September 2006 - 05:42 PM in Modifications

Very, very nice work Captain. B) Not only is it a practical mod, you made it look professional and clean. Heck, it improved the overall look of the LS. I may have to try this myself... Thank you too for the writeup, plans, etc. This is easily the best thread I've read in months.



#86494 Longshot Mod

Posted by Anima on 04 August 2006 - 05:21 PM in Modifications

Mod-progress:

I added an o-ring to the plunger (I had added two, but one of the o-rings snapped over night, and they were such a pain to put on I figured I'd go ahead and trust one to do the job) and added a BBB spring to the existing LS spring.

Forgot to plug the hole in the barrel. 9,9

Put it all back together, and shot at the bathroom for awhile from across the basement. I'm lucky none of the darts ricocheted enough to end up in the toilet. x,x Serious power.

But there's a problem. With so much more tension in the system, it's now extremely hard to load and remove clips. The orange guide on the front of the plunger, which normally slips beneath the curved yellow shield on the top of the clip, no longer edges backward enough to let the clip slide in properly.

I think I'll try trimming that guide down next time I have it open, see if that takes care of it. Right now, you practically need three hands to force the bolt backwards while thumbing the clip-release and removing the clip. 9,9



#86243 Longshot Mod

Posted by Anima on 01 August 2006 - 11:34 AM in Modifications

Even more useful when Nerf starts (hopefully) offering LS clips for sale...but how about glueing/screwing two LS clips end to end? When you run dry, flip it over, jam it back in. Saves you the trouble of shifting to get at the clip stored in the stock, :K)

I guess folks have been doing this with real gun clips for quite awhile.

Excellent work Carrtoon. I'll be performing the mod myself very soon. I'm thrilled you jumped on this so early, :K)



#85981 Longshot In My Possession

Posted by Anima on 29 July 2006 - 02:58 AM in General Nerf

Here's a shot of the inside of the Longshot's primary chamber, with the enormous air restrictor.

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And here's the mess you'll make when you take apart a Longshot. Ugh! So many springs... Gotta take it all out to paint it though.

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#85875 Longshot In My Possession

Posted by Anima on 27 July 2006 - 02:00 PM in General Nerf

The Ohio Walmarts have the Longshot as well, now. No Magstrikes that I've seen yet, thus far.
I think the only reason there were any left when I visited the store was because the six remaining were on the very top shelf. *I* certainly couldn't reach them, but my 6' 9" friend could, luckily. ;)



#80539 Clear-coating Chrome/metallic Silver Paint

Posted by Anima on 21 April 2006 - 02:12 PM in Modifications

I don't know how many of you have tried using highly-reflective silver/chrome paints yet, but you may have noticed that spraying on the usual protective clear coat will absolutely ruin the look of it. What was bright and shiny chrome becomes a dull pot-metal gray when clear-coated.

I discovered recently, reading prop-replica forum threads, that this is a well-known problem. The solution? Floor wax. Future Acrylic floor polish can be brushed (or airbrushed) over a chrome/silver paintjob, and not interfere with its look. I gather this is because it's an acrylic, and not a lacquer or enamel like the usual spray-paint clear coats are.

There's a thread here with more tips concerning use of the floor polish:
http://www.j-aircraf...loor_polish.htm


I recently made a blue/chrome Maverick for a friend, but the clear-coat ruined the beautiful shiny chrome and filled me with fathomless sorrow. :K( (Fortunately, the friend didn't care. :KD ) Now that I have this tip in my arsenal, I can create wonderful gleaming chrome pieces that won't get chipped or fingerprinted at the drop of a hat.



#80178 Ebay People

Posted by Anima on 17 April 2006 - 09:03 AM in Off Topic

Yep, it ticks me off too, as an Ebay seller. I'm always honest about my ranges, and don't bother touting my modded guns as 'super' anything.

What REALLY ticks me off though are the people who say stuff like 'Most experienced Nerfer on Ebay' and such. I can't claim that title, but then who could? Makes me want to punch people through the internet. (Can we work on a way to do that?)



#79555 Painted Expand-a-blast Wip

Posted by Anima on 11 April 2006 - 03:59 AM in Modifications

I'm working on an Expand-a-Blast, because I think it has a lot of potential for a nice looking prop weapon.

I also need to modify it for more power, because as it is...it's pretty sad. The color scheme is the problem at the moment, though.

Before the clear-coat,
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After the clear-coat,
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I haven't reassembled it yet, just put the folding handle back on. The black is just Rustoleum flat black, over a coat of plastic primer. The silver is the Metalcast ground coat, because I find it simulates bare metal nicely.

There are lots of accents on this gun. There are tick-marks common to the Hypersight toys, some peg-shaped bits, a knurled wheel near the front of the gun, etc. etc.

That big fat marquee-like space where a sticker used to rest is going to contain a sticker again I think, but something more appropriate and realistic. A warning label, or somesuch.

But what about the rest? The extending barrel, if I leave it in, will probably get a chrome coat. The rear extending stock will probably get a coat of Plastidip on the stock itself, though the stock's 'stalk' will go unaltered.

I was thinking some red might work well for hilights. I'm open to suggestions; let's hear 'em.



#79467 Buzz Bee New Guns!

Posted by Anima on 10 April 2006 - 05:56 PM in General Nerf

o,o

The 'Wild Wing' looks like a Dr. Seuss gun! Who did they have working on that thing?!

The Tommy could use some work. Knowing it's motorized though pretty much eliminates any chance of decent power. Their other motorized gun was the most pathetic toy I've ever had the misfortune to use.

The LBB knockoff actually looks better I think... Hopefully the insides are as durable and easy to mod.



#78604 Ohio Thrift Stores

Posted by Anima on 03 April 2006 - 05:41 PM in General Nerf

The Salvation Army store I visit down near Dayton Ohio has actually surprised me, as far as Nerf guns go. I've been there twice, and found something each time. A Tech Target gun the first trip, and the bottom of a Defender T3 gun as well as a missilestorm in excellent shape. The Defender gun was covered in a fine layer of chocolate, but after some washing it looks fine. x,x And I was searching at a 'bad' time of day, when everything had been picked over already.

So Nerf guns do make it into these stores at least, that seems obvious.



#78235 Where To Buy Paint

Posted by Anima on 31 March 2006 - 03:14 PM in General Nerf

I've had a bad experience with Krylon paint, so I shy away from using it. I prefer Rustoleum paints atop a gray primer, for any parts I can't just vinyl dye.

Vinyl dye can be found at Autozone and other auto part stores. Rustoluem paints are practically all Lowe's carries.



#77936 Anodized Painting Tips

Posted by Anima on 28 March 2006 - 06:01 PM in Modifications

I love the Maverick, aesthetically. I've painted a NF, but I ended up hating how it looked, so I haven't said much about it. x,x I'll probably try again soonish.

I prefer the feel of the Mav in my hand, its ammo capacity, and its general shape. The NF feels too small in my hand, though we all know it's a more powerful gun.

I have a Firefly in the works, an Expand-a-Blast, and fairly soon a Ballzooka and Razorbeast.



#77886 Anodized Painting Tips

Posted by Anima on 28 March 2006 - 01:46 AM in Modifications

Anodized-simulating paints have gotten popular lately, so I thought I'd share what I've learned with you all after painting three or four guns with it.

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First and foremost, I learned patience. >,<

The can tells you to use light coats. THEY MEAN IT. If you even try to get full coverage on the gun with each coat? There will be runs and drips. For a Maverick, you do four passes on the left and right sides, two on the top, two on the bottom, one from the rear and one from the front...per coat. Move the can smoothly back and forth, taking about a second and a half in each direction. Always trigger the spray off the gun to avoid spattering, and pause to shake the can frequently.

Before you apply anything, you want to make sure the paint gets good adhesion. Clean your gun thoroughly and make sure any residue left over from removed decals is scraped off. Lightly sand the plastic. Wipe it down with a kleenex. Then apply either a plastic primer, or an 'adhesion promotor', a product Duplicolor also uses. I used the latter; trying to use the same brand of paint throughout a project is a good idea, reducing the chances of weird compatibility problems.

Then of course you have to apply the Metalcast 'ground coat', which lays down a color that simulates bare metal, which the paint requires to let its anodized qualities shine. Follow the directions on the can carefully. I've found that using the ground coat alone can give you some nice effects, since it really does look a lot like bare metal.

When you start applying the Metalcast color paint, wait ten minutes between coats, and apply all coats within an hour's time. I recommend, if your gun has a trigger guard, sticking a broom handle or other suitable object through it to hang the gun and let it dry between coats.

With every gun there are places that are awkward to spray, and that won't get the same coverage. You'll have to touch these areas up, but be very careful. The more of the Metalcast color you spray on, the darker the hue gets. You can go from a light sprinkled-red to thick fresh-spilled blood very quickly. The trouble-spots on the Maverick are the 'floor' and 'ceiling' of the rectangular area where the cylinder rests. Paint doesn't settle well there, and these areas must be sprayed quite directly.

Let it dry for a good day, then mask as you need to, and apply *at least* two coats of clear-coat. I used a clear enamel spray, but I don't like it much. The resulting texture is displeasing.


The clear coat is essential. This paint is 'thin', and fragile. You lose none of its lustre by clear-coating it.

If you do any masking, make certain the edges of the tape have been pressed down *hard*. This paint seems to love leaking under your tape. If you've gotten leaks, well, don't just try to spray over the messed-up area with the Metalcast color. You'll have to spray the ground coat again first, then recoat with the color. Try your best to match the rest of the gun, but chances are it will still look wonky. If you don't get it perfect on the first try, it'll be hard to recover. Practice on something you don't like much, first. :ph34r:



#77362 Red Anodized-look Maverick

Posted by Anima on 23 March 2006 - 10:31 PM in Modifications

Here are some better pics, finally.

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#77303 Red Anodized-look Maverick

Posted by Anima on 23 March 2006 - 05:10 AM in Modifications

I had a can of the red Metalcast paint (the same kind I used to make my earlier green Maverick) and thought some kind of Tribes-type paintjob might be nice.

So Red Metalcast + Flat black accents + Gloss black cylinder + Plastidip rubber grip =

Draconian Measures

The pictures aren't too great, I'm afraid. I'll try and replace these with better ones later. What doesn't come through in these images is how gorgeous this paint looks on the gun. It really looks like a sports car, or fresh-spilled blood.
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The slide is actually flat-black, but the protective clear coat leaves it looking like gloss...though somehow darker than gloss black. I still don't have the Metalcast stuff down cold yet. There are a few darker areas where paint ran.
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Here's a closeup of the grip. It feels a bit sticky, but leaves no residue on the hands. It's just that nice of a grip. I used it on half of the butt as well in an experiment, but it's been a pain in the rear ever since I came up with the notion, and I won't repeat it with the Plastidip. The grips however, I'll continue doing with the Plastidip.
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I've recently been experimenting with the seal-tightening method of placing a spring beneath the front fitting on the cylinder, (the rear fitting already has a spring) and I've had mixed success. Sometimes it seems to improve performance; other times it seems to halve the original range of the gun.



#76213 Golden Gun Night Finder

Posted by Anima on 14 March 2006 - 11:08 PM in Modifications

While normally I use vinyl dye when I want to change the color of something plastic, those orange pieces are stubbornly resistant to the stuff. In most cases I've had to use the primer-->spraypaint-->clear coat combination. That way it doesn't wear out so fast, and usually still moves smoothly. I wouldn't try it on anything too intricate, but the trigger and muzzle rim are fair game.



#76152 Maverick Seal Improvement

Posted by Anima on 14 March 2006 - 05:55 PM in Modifications

I vaguely remembered this mod when I had a few Mavericks open the other night, so I decided to give it a try.

I didn't want to use the air restrictor spring, however. I didn't think it had enough oomph to make a difference. So I tried a leftover spring that normally nests inside the Mav's eject button.

It was too long, and prevented the cylinder from rolling out. So I flipped over the gray bracket from the front of the cylinder,

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And found that there was no way the spring could seat inside the bracket at all, thanks to four cross-pieces put there for support, I suppose. Meh, who needs those? I painstakingly chopped out those little plastic supports, leaving just a round peg there, (the outside of the 'well' the metal rod sinks down and through. The button-spring was barely large enough to slide down around that peg, and it still wasn't quite enough to reduce the spring's length enough to allow the cylinder to eject. So I trimmed off about a sixth of the spring with some wirecutters.

Put it all back together, and it worked nicely. Unfortunately, I noticed no change in ranges whatsoever. It still gets air-restrictor-removed ranges.

I think this mod could possibly contribute to better performance when combined with other changes (like that o-ring) but on its own, the difference is negligible.



#76151 Painted Maverick

Posted by Anima on 14 March 2006 - 05:41 PM in Modifications

I'd be interested to hear how this paint job holds up. If Krylon Fusion paint works like vinyl dye does, then you'll be able to scrape/scratch it off the inside of the grip, the butt, the top-rail, and the slide (assuming you didn't sand any of those prior to painting). It should have bonded completely to the basic blue 'frame' of the gun though, so that should take a lot of abuse.

You did a nice clean job, definitely. The method mentioned for painting the grip works, (the whole tape and x-acto knife thing,) but you have to be very precise...and press the tape down firmly at the edges, or you'll get leakage beneath it.



#75763 Sharpshooter2

Posted by Anima on 10 March 2006 - 05:09 PM in General Nerf

To be fair, I thought I'd point out that the catch in the SS2 is actually rather hard to wedge into place well enough to give you time to reassemble the shell. Someone unfamiliar with the gun may think that because it's so hard to get it to stay put, it may not be meant to work that way.

It *is* one of the simplest Nerf guns internally, but it's also a gun not often talked about these days. I'm sure there would be more questions about NF innards on the board if the NF was more than five years old.



#75329 Painting Guns

Posted by Anima on 05 March 2006 - 10:14 PM in Modifications

post and link deleted for spam / pr0n reasons.



#75057 Who Are You?

Posted by Anima on 03 March 2006 - 08:29 PM in General Nerf

Low-rider came closest for me, though I'm not so protective of my paintjobs. ;K) And I modify my guns too where possible, so it isn't all cosmetic work. I mean, what's the point of having a pretty gun if it sucks?