Often, the rechargable D batteries you find are simply AA stuffed inside a larger container, not full sized. Inherently, that will limit how much current you can get out of them.

It was a great war! Close to forty, at least when I counted, showed up, with relatively little downtime between rounds. A nice change of pace, doing NIC and making it out to APOC for the first time in six years (I think).

My loadout was relatively silly, due to my lack of micro-sized slugs, but single shot air blasters worked well. The Slimeball Gobzooka was a blast, hurling 3cm diameter mongos far enough to hit people with their homemade contraptions. Scavenging ammo for the Doomsayer worked out fine, and it was great seeing people again.

New Jersey. It's a silly place.

It looks to be a clear, if somewhat chilly, day for Nerf tomorrow! Hope to see some of you in Columbus at 11am tomorrow, Goodale Park!

What approximate time will it end?

Running time will be 11am to 5pm. Moved it back an hour so that some people farther away could make it. After 5pm, we'll clean up our area, then hit somewhere for dinner

Do you know what the predicted attendance is going to be? Because ironically, this war is my bday and I might drive the 3hrs to come here if attendance is high enough

I finally updated the attendance list. Will do some more invites/reminders to better confirm things.

Do you know what the predicted attendance is going to be? Because ironically, this war is my bday and I might drive the 3hrs to come here if attendance is high enough

Superstock or NIC/DIY?

Date: October 22nd, 2016
Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm
Location: Columbus, OH
Venue: Goodale Park
Facebook page: https://m.facebook.c...157733878011101

Join me for a fun day of Nerfing, with scary good games, raffles, and all manner of creatures from your very worst nightmares.

This event will be open to all classes of modified blaster, from super stock to homemades. There will be plenty of opportunities for users of stock blasters who are new to the hobby, as well.

Ages: This is aimed at players 13 and up. Anyone younger than 13 must be accompanied by a PLAYING ADULT. This is a war, not a babysitting service.

Potential game types:
3:15 Deathmatch/TDM
Carpe
CTF
Zombie Holdout
Payload
Wingman
VIP
Defend the Core

Darts: Both stock and homemade darts are acceptable. NO EXPOSED METAL. There will be a community stock dart bin, but bring your own steams or preferred dart type.

Ammo larger than a Mega dart (3/4" diameter) or a HIR may have special rules in certain gametypes. E.g. Titan Missile hits take all lives, arrows and missiles are worth extra points in Defend the Core, etc.

Restrictions:
-Most blasters should be fine. Any air blaster larger than a Big Blast must fire at least three darts at a time, or large ammo (ball, missile, etc).
-You must be willing to be shot point blank with any blaster you use.
-Eye protection is MANDATORY. Bring some with you.
-Respect other people in the park. This is a public area.
-Nothing that looks realistic and is liable to get you shot.

DON'T BE A DICK. HAVE FUN!

Confirmed attendance:

Buffdaddy + 1

Nidoking + others from C.A.N.E.

CA99 + 1

Interested:
RzRider + 1

Vexal

EBB & FLOW

what? nothing here is explained very well at all.

 

Yeah, I don't disagree with that...

Yeah, that's my fault. Somehow I uploaded the pics and not the rest of the text. Now here I am having to retype everything, with only minutes to the end of the night for the Homemade Contest.

On my recent trip to go warring in Canada, I got an idea in my head, and discussed it briefly at dinner with a few of the other Nerfers. Piston valve (or "backpressure") tanks rely on a small piston or poppet moving back and forth to let air into the tank, and then to let it out. The piston has to be able to slide freely. Kinda like those darts we put down our barrels at every war...

Let's get started, then!
 
Parts List
 
(1) 1 1/4" PVC tee

(2) 1 1/4" x 1/2" PVC slip bushings

(1) 1 1/4" x 1/2" PVC bushing, slip to threaded(f)

(1) 1/2" x 1/4" metal NPT threaded bushing (plus OPRV or gauge) (optional)

(1) 1/2" OD x .385" ID x 1" nylon spacer

(1) BoomCo dart (preferably new)

(1) Sch.80 1/2" PVC (only a few inches)

(1) 1/2" PVC adapter, male threaded to female slip

(1) 3/4" slip x 1/2" threaded PVC bushing

(1) 3/4" PVC check valve

(1) Hand air pump

(1) Shower diverter valve

(1) Thread tape

(1) 1 1/4" x 1/4" rubber washer

(1) 7/8" x 3/8" rubber washer

Solvent Weld and Superglue
 
Estimated cost: $25 - $35, depending on store sources used and setup. The bottom leg of the tee can just be a 1 1/4" plug, if you don't want to worry about having a gauge and you're using a pump setup that renders having an OPRV unnecessary. The solvent weld and thread tape can be used for other projects, but they're included in the cost here.
 
 

Build Guide

The Piston
 

 
After debating what darts to use and how to properly mount a rubber seal on them, I decided to go a different route. I superglued a brand new Boomco dart inside a 1/2" x .385" x 1" nylon spacer. In terms of mass and dimensions, this is actually almost functionally identical to the piston within an XBZ. And with most of the weight (what little there is) in the back, this will always travel straight and seal against the outlet.
 
Pump Assembly
 


 
There are several options available. Five Below has hand pumps at $5, with telescoping handles and a 1.05" OD, the exact same as 3/4" PVC. That combined with a PVC check valve can eliminate the need for an OPRV, with dead space before the valve setting the maximum achievable pressure. Some Bell Airstream dual action pumps can also go into PVC fittings, but being dual action, you're forced to add on an OPRV for safety since every stroke adds more air.

Trigger Valve
 


This is a shower diverter valve, found in the plumbing section of the hardware store. It can handle typical home water line pressures, and in our case is being used to vent the pilot volume. It has 1/2" IPS threaded fittings. The female fitting (the common line) will lead to our tank, while the pump and check valve will go on one of the legs. Depends if you want your blaster set up like a pistol or an XBZ.
 
Tank Assembly


 
In front of the trigger valve, add your threaded fitting, then carefully push the 7/8" diameter rubber washer. This acts as the rear seat for the piston, just to keep it from going back too far. Next, insert a stub of Sch.80 1/2" PVC. Add your 1 1/4" x 1/2" PVC bushing to that.



You can slide the piston into the Sch40 at this point. THE NYLON GOES FIRST.

For my firing tank, I used a 1 1/4" PVC tee, with a bushing assembly at the bottom to reduce the outlet to 1/4" threaded, so that a gauge or OPRV can be added.
 


The front PVC bushing had a 1 1/4" OD, 1/4" ID rubber washer glued in place. This is the surface the rubber on the dart head seals against.
 


And after that, you're done! Be sure to use solvent weld on the PVC, and thread tape on the trigger valve and various threaded fittings.

Finished Blaster
 

So far, it's been very easy to hit 90' consistently with a 4 dart hopper, and an operating pressure of 30psi.

To operate, make sure the diverter valve is in the correct position (the end of the switch sticking out indicates which leg is connected to the common). Pump up the blaster, then depress the valve switch to fire.

Improvements: spring-loading the diverter valve, and adding a real trigger.

Making a valid double-post here, as I just came back from my first war using this blaster!

The PMS performed far better than expected. With a six stefan hopper and a footlong CPVC barrel, I was easily hitting competitive ranges. While I didn't end up measuring the shots themselves, they were about ten feet shorter in distance than shots from this blaster, which we've established can hit 140' ranges easily. There are several Canadians you can contact concerning the claims on that crossbow.

The CPVC bushing I use as the catch surface only shows a little wear, and not nearly enough to compromise blaster functionality. I tended to stay farther back and take shots, so the pullback method of priming was more than sufficient.

It was great to see all you guys, newer and older! Also got to explore a bit further over the weekend and see things like the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. So it was a good weekend.

Interested in going!

Glad to hear it! Always good to get new people involved; feel free to ask us anything!

That's from several years ago. Before I got my depression treated, I kinda withdrew from everything, including not mailing out a bunch of things people paid for. Everythings been made right since then, and I've wondered about asking how it can be removed, but I'm still cautious about me and usually just bring things to wars to deal in person.

So what's the story here... anyone know?

I wanna know too.. what happened?

Simply, I exchanged emails with the relevant office for Ft Wayne Parks, and then they stopped answering, without saying that yes or no holding a Nerf event there would be ok, or if I would need a permit, etc. And I really don't feel like holding a war anyway and putting up with anyone going nuts about it.

Due to a breakdown in communication with Ft Wayne, this event is postponed until further notice.

While I'm thinking about it, if you're feeling up to it, there's a war the following weekend in Mississauga, Ontario. If anyone has a passport, you're more than welcome to hang out and shoot each other!

It's official, I have extra time off that weekend for travel, so I'm going!

While I know there are some in western NY, there's also a decently sized group in Ontario, if you have a passport and time to drive a few hours. There's a war in the GTA in June.

The Poor Modder's SNAP (PMS)

Couplers get used mainly because they're easy for everyone to get, and simple to use. If you're worried about the dead space, you can always use some kind of bushing so that the barrel sits closer to the plunger tube.

As long as you chamfer the inside of a stub of 1/2" S40 PVC, you can hammer 1/2" CPVC into it.

The NIC scene in the GTA has been slowly getting back up to speed. There were a few wars last year, and a pretty big one just after New Year's. Be sure to come out to Return of Vengeance, and bring a few friends. I hope to see you there (consider me an honorary Canadian, haha)

Due to circumstances, including the renovation of the adjacent high school, the playing field is no longer there! That's what happens when you don't check on things before posting the event.

For the moment, I'm shifting the location to Kreager Park, and I am checking through the various park rules, ordinances, etc.

Anyone interested in attending, please post here so I can get an idea of how large a group we're going to have.

Due to a breakdown in communication with Ft Wayne, this event is postponed until further notice.

When:

Saturday, May 28, 2016
10:00 am until we are beat (probably around 5:00-6:00 pm)

Please try to arrive a bit early (~9:45) so that the first round can start promptly at 10:00 am.


Where:

Glenwood Park Elementary School in Fort Wayne, IN



This is simply an awesome location for a war! As you can see in the above image, there are lots of trees to use for cover, but spread out enough to allow for lots of room to maneuver. There are also two different playground areas that might also be usable for CTF or other objective games.

What to bring:

- A Primary, and a pistol (more than one is a good idea - in case you have breakage!)

•           While I plan on this being an NIC-type event, don't be afraid to bring stock and superstock blasters. I plan on doing many types of rounds.

- Darts. Stock darts, large ammo, stefans of any type. NO EXPOSED METAL.

- Eye protection - MANDATORY. If you do not have it, you will not play.

- Lunch / Money - There are lots of fast food places within a 10 minute drive. You are of course welcome to bring a bag lunch and eat on the field during the lunch break.

- Water

- Proper clothing - Dress for the weather. Also, don't be a moron and show up in camo unless it is neon pink or something.

- Any and all missle/rocket/ball shooting weapons you might have access to. You might find they come in handy during some of the game-types, and they are always useful for breaking shields.

- Melee weapons and shields will be permitted - see below...



What not to bring:

- Dangerous blasters/darts/etc - i.e. no metal spikes, wooden "gunblades", etc. Blasters will be banned if they are deemed unsafe for any reason, including firing way too hard. No blanket bans will be imposed, but it is unlikely that your singled Titan will be used unless it is fairly underpowered. (No, "I will only pump it X times" will not be acceptable!)

- Blasters or other gear that could be mistaken for actual weapons (i.e. black-painted blasters, silver "knives", etc.). These should definitely be left at home.

- Participants under 13 years old are welcome, but MUST be accompanied by a parent or a responsible adult (18+) who will assume full responsibility for their spawn's actions, attitude and safety. NO EXCEPTIONS.



Miscellaneous Information:

- We don't do "barrel tapping". Please don't shoot someone from five feet away with your high-powered primary if you can help it (we all know things happen when you surprise each other around cover). If you have a melee weapon, use that. If you have a weaker side-arm, use that.

- Beyond that, we do allow you a "mercy shot" if you are very close - fire your primary into the ground near the feet of your target and tell them they are "out". (Judgement and the honor system are needed here.)

- If you act like a 3-year-old, we'll send you home like a 3-year-old.

- Please clean up after yourselves - a trash bag will be provided, and everyone is expected to participate in dart-sweeps.

- Please note that there are no restrooms at the war site. Go before you get there, and go during lunch. You have been warned!

- Please keep the loud outbursts and swearing to a minimum - we will be playing in a schoolyard with nearby residential areas and don't need any residents or passers-by to have reason to complain about us.

- We will break for lunch some time around 12:00 or a bit later, probably for 30-45 minutes.

- I have not set up a specific game schedule. Gametypes will be determined mainly by popular opinion - but we will likely be playing mostly objective-type games (CTF, Sieze the Balls, etc). Meatgrinder will most likely be used as the first round and the post-lunch round - it is just a great way to get warmed up! I have the gear for the following objective games:

Sieze the Balls
Capture the Flag
Team Powerball
Defend the Core
Infection
Melee-only rounds

(Details for these gametypes can be found later in this thread.)



Melee & Shield Rules

Melee weapons will be allowed, though they should conform to a few basic rules.

- No metal should be used in the construction of the Melee weapon.

- All striking surfaces should be covered with a sufficiently thick layer of foam.

- Unmodified, store-bought plastic toy lightsabers will be permitted without regard to the above two rules. Lightsabers are cool. Bonus points if you use them with batteries for that lovely hum & glow.  (Polycarb-bladed "Force FX" sabers are not included in this - those blades are HARD!)

- Anything I deem ridiculous or dangerous will not be allowed.

- Melee weapons can be used for blocking darts just like shields (see below) - but only if they are in your hand. If your Melee weapon is holstered, a hit on it counts just like a gun hit.



You'll be limited on the maximum size of your shield depending on what blaster you're wielding. This will be the standard ruling for most gametypes. Here is the breakdown. (Your most powerful blaster is what counts here.)

Melee Only = 3 sq/ft
[The largest blocking face of the Melee weapon(s) counts as part of the maximum shield area.]

One Single shot pistol, ranges < 50' - 2 sq/ft

Anything else, ranges <50' - 1 sq/ft

Blasters shooting over 50' will not be allowed to use a shield.

Shields may be used to deflect darts - hits on shields do not count as long as the shield is in your hand, strapped to a blaster that is in your hand, or strapped to your forearm. A shield strapped/slung anywhere else will not block hits - it will count the same as a gun hit.

Balls, missiles, rockets, etc. (basically any ammo larger than a Mega dart) may not be blocked by shields or Melee weapons - a hit on a shield or Melee weapon with ammo of this type will count as a normal hit.

Shields can be made from whatever, cardboard should be reinforced with duct tape. Shields that do not meet the specifications for Melee weapons may not be used as such. (i.e. Don't go whacking people with a large wooden shield!) Shields that are deemd unsafe for any reason will be disallowed.

You may just have to pick a date,and make a new thread for the war itself. That would get more attention.

EDIT: Actually, I'm going to pick a date for a war. There's been FB talk of a centralized midwest war, and I think I'm going to restart Foam in the Fort.

I've just gotta ask because the #62 Hilman is one of my absolute favorite springs, how's the power?

The power's pretty nice, actually. After tweaking the barrel setup, I'm breaking 200fps with a five dart hopper. Still have a few other barrels to try out. I'm making another one with a [k26] for comparison's sake.

Isn't this a snap trigger anyway? lol
*in reference to the name*

Well, yes it's a snap trigger, but more importantly it's neither a clothespin nor reliant on a ramp on the plunger rod. There's no putty ramp to screw up or eat away at over time, less mass for the spring to have to move, and if for some reason the bushing should wear down, maintenance consists of replacing one piece. That's it.