Ha! My first post; (I was hoping it was going to be about a homemade high capacity drum clip I've been working on, but it's not functional yet).

I've been hosting Nerf wars monthly since Dec, and flinging foam for almost 20 years (i still have the Arrow Storm I got for my 8th birthday), but this is the first one I'm going to be advertising with Nerf haven. I usually get about a dozen people to show, ages 7 to 30, so I'm sure you'll be able to find someone close to your age. It should be a good time.

Location: my house -front and back yard in West Valley UT, (a suburb of Salt Lake City). The lot is about a quarter acre, and oddly round shaped with a house in the middle. During the winter the battles have been inside (split level, it's worked well--a decent backup in case of rain). E-mail me if your interested and I'll reply with the address.

When: Saturday April 17, 2010, 10:00 A.M. till ??:??

What to bring: Eye protection! It's required. Also a primary, a secondary weapon, and anyone else who would like to come play, (I do have quite a few loaners if they don't have any guns). A sack lunch might also be wise.

What not to bring: Bad attitudes, Cussin' and Swearin'. It might be a unique request, but kids will be present, and that's just not something I like at my house. Also, don't plan on using any guns that can exceed 100' flat, or anything else that might I may deem unsafe. You can bring them to show off your mad modding skills, but bring a backup too, just in case. I'm still toying with the 100' limit because I've never been shot with anything that could exceed 100'. All Stefan's must have some sort of padding on the tip (nothing harder than hot glue).

A gun hit counts as out, we haven't tried implementing barrel tapping, and there are some local games and variations we like to play. We'll get everyone briefed before a game starts.

If you are under 18 years of age, let me know and I'll attach a liability waver for your parents to sign. (per the request of my ever-so-patient wife). If your an adult, expect to sign one when you arrive.


Now that I've established a small local group, I'm hoping to expand it to a group of regulars big enough to move to a park for the monthly wars.

I Hope to see some new faces here-
Thanks,
Shmmee

Hey, I'm laying plans to come for Armageddon, and booking a cruse for the following week. Is the tenth a pretty solid date? It's really going to screw me if the date changes after I book. I'm really looking forward to attending my first major Nerf war.

Edit: The cruse was filling to the last 6 cabins. I had to purchase the tickets while they were still available. I'm really, really, really hoping the tenth is solid, cause i just may cry if it changes now!

This months post will be much the same as Aprils (though time has changed):

Location: my house -front and back yard in West Valley UT, (a suburb of Salt Lake City). The lot is about a quarter acre, and oddly round shaped with a house in the middle. During the winter the battles have been inside (split level, it's worked well--a decent backup in case of rain). E-mail me if your interested and I'll reply with the address.

When: Saturday May 15, 2010, 12:00 P.M. till ??:??

What to bring: Eye protection! It's required. Also a primary, a secondary weapon, and anyone else who would like to come play, (I do have quite a few loaners if they don't have any guns). A sack lunch might also be wise.

What not to bring: Bad attitudes, Cussin' and Swearin'. It might be a unique request, but kids will be present, and that's just not something I like at my house. Also, don't plan on using any guns that can exceed 100' flat, or anything else that might I may deem unsafe. You can bring them to show off your mad modding skills, but bring a backup too, just in case. I'm still toying with the 100' limit because I've never been shot with anything that could exceed 100'. All Stefan's must have some sort of padding on the tip (nothing harder than hot glue).

A gun hit counts as out, we haven't tried implementing barrel tapping, and there are some local games and variations we like to play. We'll get everyone briefed before a game starts.

If you are under 18 years of age, let me know and I'll attach a liability waver for your parents to sign. (per the request of my ever-so-patient wife). If your an adult, expect to sign one when you arrive. I've also prepaired a war primer discussing our local rules and games.


Now that I've established a small local group, I'm hoping to expand it to a group of regulars big enough to move to a park for the monthly wars.


I Hope to see some new faces here-
Thanks,
Shmmee

Thanks Nerfhaven! I've been contacted by at least one other nerfhaven member interested in attending.

I would come, but I moved a couple years ago. Oh well. and I thought there weren't any nerfers in Utah!

That's too bad, but that is the current feel of it so far. I've only met one other Utahn on Nerfhaven so far, but we're slowly building up a group out here. I keep posting the wars for visitors, and any Utah members I haven't met yet.

I'll make sure There's an active Nerfing community in Utah, even if I have to build it myself.

Hi,

I've modified a secret shot II with a duel action bike hand pump (which also has a pressure gauge integrated into the handle to help avoid over-pressurizing.) and re barreled it in brass to shoot micros. It worked very well for an entire day of Nerfing, but when i fired it again a few days later it discharged with a half-second hiss instead of the explosive pop that I've been hearing. The air tank does hold pressure until the trigger is pulled. It just discharges slowly.

I haven't made any other mechanical alterations to the tank, or trigger and I don't see any obstructions in the barrel. Any thoughts on causes and repairs? Would shooting silicon lubricant down the barrel and into the chamber help? I'm not sure about the internal workings of this tank. It might be a big brother of the secret strike (Two air chambers with depressurization of a smaller one instigating depressurization of the main- barrel side tank. There has been a fabulous write up by:
iknowmy3tables - http://nerfhaven.com...254&hl=revealed describing the secret strikes internal workings so I won't go farther into it.) The white firing pin coming out the back leads me to suspect the dual air-chamber set up. Perhaps the stopper on the barrel side tank isn't getting out of the way completely? I'm not sure. I anyone could offer any help or insights into the matter I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
Shmmee

I've lubricated both the barrel side (hopefully some got in) and in through the air in let tube and fired until puffs of lubricant started firing out of the barrel. Performance is improved, but it's still not where it was. Could it be possible that the check valve (one way valve) separating the two air chambers could be faulty, allowing an excess amount of air to shoot back when the secondary chamber vents? Guess i could discharge it under water and see where the most bubbles are coming from...

Progress... After repeated low pressure firings it now works at about 25 psi (a pump and a half) it gets it back to about stock ranges. I was able to fire it at about 40 psi with a pop.

You're right on track, and for the benefit of other readers: This isn't just a one-shot "cure" it is more like "therapy" ... don't pump it up high, but pump and fire a bunch of times, holding the blaster at different angles, but mostly downward. The goal is to help whatever it was get all the way out.

So it would seem. After what must felt like 100+ low pressure firings, it's back up to firing at 30-35 psi. A few more should have it back to where it was earlier.

Thanks all for your advice.

Thanks all for an frekin' awesome war!

my recap Pros:

~Even though i was gluing it up, and had never even fired a full clip through it my PAS, not only lasted the entire war, but got some ownage in too.
~Even though my gun broke some how, some way each war, i had the tools and supplies to field repair anything that broke and get back in the game.
~My first major nerf war was a full on war, and not one of the little skirmishes like what I'd host back in Utah.
~leaving the hotel room at Glendora's garden inn and suites to see 3 others loading Nerf guns into the back of a van and asking: Geddon?
~Having my ERTL PAS examined, admired, and even feared. I had to cross a lot of design issues, and work though a lot of problems to get that thing to work like it did. Thanks for the props.


Cons:

~Rolling my ankle during the first round, hobbling through the rest of the day, and probably spending the next week on the cruse layed up (not actually a bad thing) because i kept playing on it.
~watching in absolute horror as the barrel of my gun snapped off while attempting a barrel tap on someone with a sword. (it was straight from a samuri movie)
~using # 8 washers for steffan weights when i should of been using #6 and having the hot glue jam up in my pistol splat.
~Being naive enough to think 70 Steffans would be enough.
~Probably won't be able to attend every year! Lame.

I normally read, appreciate and keep my mouth shut unless i actually have something to contribute, but that's too cool to not comment on. I love that you use the elasticity of pvc instead of a spring. Your design pays a great homage back to the classic days of nerfing. I'm deffinately going to have to ad that to my list of things to build.

Greetings all, for those who live in the Salt lake city area, or those who live close enough and are willing to travel, I'm putting another war together in the West Valley area.

When:
Saturday Sept 25
3:00 P.M.

Where:
6680 W Bridle Farms Rd (3940 S) West Valley, Ut.
Google map it if you don't know where it is.

Eye protection will be required if any guns are modified further than AR removals. (which i really hope happens. My PAS needs some maintenance, but should be working by then, so bring some just in case.

It's a small neighborhood park, and sees little use. It's also kind of new, so there is little cover apart from the play ground, so I'm going to be working on developing cheap and quick, removable walls to throw up as cover. If it seems beneficial, I'll write it up.

As far as guns and darts, just be smart about it, no exposed metal or excessively weighted steffans, or anything that is ridiculously over powered (enough to cause injury and such)

Thanks, and i hope to see a good showing, feel free to e-mail me, and post replies if you think you might be able to make it.

Shmmee

After a little research, i found the cheap movable walls i've been thinking of had already been written up by Captin Slug, and named Mobsticles. The slight differences being the material and wall height. I'm thinking of using weed fabric. it's shorter, and comes on a long roll. We'll see how it works out. Though i do like his shower curtain ring idea. It would keep things from getting torn. Perhaps some day i'll come up with something that hasn't been done before....

This war is canceled! Sorry it's only a weeks notice. PM/e-mail me if you wanted to come, to the west valley wars and i don't have your e-mail added to my nerfers contact list. The next monthly war will likely be held inside my house. (being cold and all...) I'm still open to a modders party for Friday the 22, I just haven't heard from anybody yet.

Greetings all,

Thanks for your attendance at Augusts nerf war. It was among the most well attended wars I've hosted. I was especially excited to see a few faces from NerfHaven! It really made all the planning worth while I was really starting to worry about a modding community in Utah. I can't wait for your validations to come through, so you can post replies, and i won't feel like I'm talking away unnoticed... and ignored... in an empty room..... (not a jab at the moderators, Seriously, thanks for all you do. It's just taken a bit of time to get actual modders attending instead of the normal set of locals who don't even own their their own gun.)

Anyway...

This months war is being set for:

Saturday, October 23, 2010
3:00 pm

If the weather is plesant it will be held at:

6680 W Bridle Farms Rd (3940 S) West Valley, Ut.
Google map it if you don't know where it is. It's the same park that Augusts war was held.

If weather is not plesant it will be held inside my house (address noted in the parent participation form. I don't want to post it online. If you would like to attend at either venue, e-mail me, and i'll be happy to reply with the waver (don't bother if your parents have already signed it.) It has also helpfull things like our local rules and games.).

So prep for both far shooting field running, and couch warfare.
Standard safety rules apply concerning eye protection.

I am also planning on putting together a modders party for friday Oct. 22 (the day before) probably around 6 or 7 pm. Time and date is completely negotiable as there will be fewer attending. If you can't attend the mod party, e-mail me and we'll try to come up with a time that works for everyone. This will be an event more strongly geared to the NerfHaven folk (those thems who actually own their own frekin' guns and are daring enough to open them.) Basically just a chance to show off what you have modded, and geek out /think tank about future projects. I know i've got a few ideas on the table to discuss.


Thanks, I hope to see just as many there this month!
I'd like to get a head count going. Who can make it to either events? (E-mail me a reply if you're still waiting on validation)

~Shmmee

Something has come up, this war has been canceled. Much apologies!

We'll just have to look forward to Novembers war. (Either nov 20, or 27)

If you're willing to move away from the homemade pre-requisite, and you're using an air gun, a ball valve teed off of the pump, leading to a "pop-safety valve" (aka relief valve) would be worth looking into. McMaster has some "soft seal valves" starting at $6.25. you could open the ball valve to limit pressure durring HVZ, and close it when more power is appropriate. If they can be disassembled without being distroyed, you could slip in /remove springs to adjust when it triggers.

And to quote the McMaster:
"Soft-seal valves have an airtight silicone seal, a brass disc, a music wire spring (unless noted), and a pull ring for testing. Temp. range is -15° to +250° F. Connections: NPT male bottom inlet and vented side outlet. Please specify set pressure. All are available from 25 to 150 psi in 5 psi increments, and from 150 to 300 psi in 25 psi increments, unless noted." They are only open while pressure exceeds the set limit.

And they meet ASME VIII (consctuction code for pressure vessels) for air, which really isn't relivant to nerf, but still a fun note for the other poor people who are forced to deal with such a beastly code.

Easy Hornet Tank Capacity Expansion

And thus begins my first intellectual contribution to Nerfhaven...

This easy mod will expand the capacitance of a hornet back-fire tank, customizable to as much volume as needed.

Ranges are dependent on your own pressure used, and how much you choose to expand the tank. Therefore, I won't be offering any review concerning ranges, but logically more discharge capacity can support a longer barrel, and provide more acceleration.

Part I: capacity expansion (holding pressure and firing)
Part II: output expansion (not holding pressure)

Part I materials required:

3/4” PVC threaded tee
3/4” threaded plug
Teflon tape
PVC glue and primer (epoxy might also work, but the PVC glue is nice and gooey for filling gaps and air tight proven in my prototype)
3/4”x1/2” CPVC reducer (if you are using a CPVC barrel)

Optional:
3/4” threaded nipple (optional if you want to expand it beyond what the plug will hold)
3/4” threaded cap (optional (to cap the nipple))
3/4” ball valve (very optional) (placing a valve midway down the nipple will create a third expansion usable mid war.

Part II requires a Bic pen (and cap)
3/8" drill bit (equal to a Bic pen cap outside diameter)
epoxy
pipe cutter
e-tape
1" pipe clamp
3" clamp
(clamps and tape are to form a temporary seal for testing)

Tools needed:
Heat gun (glorified hair dryer) or torch (preferably heat gun. Much more controlled) I got mine for 13$ new at Harbor Freight (a discount tool chain. Love that place!) probably 20$ish everywhere else.
Dremmel with spiral cutting bit, or drill press with 1/2” drill bit (preferably a Forestner type bit. It cuts a little more shallow)
Canned air/air compressor with spray nozzle

Time:
Less than an hour (+glue setting time)

Start by disassembling a hornet and getting to a bare tank. This is already covered in other posts, so I'll assume yourself capable of using the search function if you have questions.

Lop off one of the side legs of your tee level with the middle leg.

Here's the exploded view of what you'll be doing.


Insert your threaded plug to keep it from stretching out of round. (hand tighten to snug fit. You don't want to stretch the threads once it's heated)

Heat the PVC tee with a heat gun until it becomes shiny (it will be in a slightly mailable state)
Please don't burn yourself. Heat guns put off some serious heat.

Once it's shiny, stuff your hornet tank in through the leg you shortened until about 1/8” of the tank is sticking out the back. Re-heat and stuff your CPVC reducer into the barrel end (if you're using a CPVC barrel)
You can see how it's stretched and slightly deformed.


Allow to cool slightly, unscrew the plug and look to make sure the shoulder of the reducing section is past the hole of the the threaded leg.

Remove the tank and reducer. I had to use a rubber mallet. If it's really tight, re-heat then remove.

Fit test the tank and CPVC reducer into the tee once cooled. If every thing looks good, apply PVC primer to the inside of the tank (not the threads) and hornet tank. I realize it might not be the perfect chemical match for the plastic of the hornet tank, but we at least know it's appropriate for the PVC. Next apply PVC glue to both the tank and tee. Goop the heck out of it. We'll need it to be completely covered and air tight. Stuff the tank in, and rotate it 360 degrees to ensure the glue makes complete contact with all sides. Don't glue the reducer in. that will probably hold on it's own, and you may want to fill dead space later. Set it down with the plug pointing up and let it dry.

Once dry, remove the plug, and Dremmel out/drill out the shell of the hornet tank visible inside the threaded tee portion.

Don't drill any deeper than you absolutely need too. There is a peg with a piston on the end centered in the tank. You don't want to damage the rubber fitting on the end.

Be obsessive about cleaning out the shavings. Rinse it out with water, then use canned air or an air compressor to blow it out. Shoot air through a straw down the barrel nozzle. Get them all gone. Even one particle can hinder a seal.

Apply Teflon tape around the threads of your plug, and screw it in. You'll want a tighter than hand tight fit this time. (or until it stops leaking...)

Pump it up and test fire.

If you want more capacity than the plug holds, just screw in a nipple with a cap on the end.

If you want a mid-war expandable tank, just glue a ball valve in the middle of the nipple. Just slap on a coupled barrel extension to increase barrel length, and turn the valve to expand tank capacity to match, pump more and fire at an increased range.

Theoretically, you could create a hornet tank with more capacity than a titan if you wanted!

Part II:
My incomplete airflow expansion: (Piston won't seal and hold pressure. Grrr.)

If you wanted to completely open the shell to try to enlarge the output nozzle for increased air flow, use a pipe cutter to gently get a channel set before applying pressure and cutting. This heat – stuff – glue method could be used to mate both halves back together. Though, I'm just e-taping, pipe clamping both halves together with a C clamp to hold both halves together laterally to test and trouble shoot. (E-tape and a pipe clamp didn't hold. the halves separated, and one half shot across the room. It took me 3 weeks to find the piston.) Don't glue it till you know it's capable of holding a seal. Mine still is not sealing. I drilled out the barrel side nipple, and epoxied a Bic pen cap in it's place the cap is too wide for the piston to seal on, but the cap lets you nest an adjustable Bic pen tube inside.)) If anyone else wants to give it a try, have at it. At the very least, I'm open to suggestions.

Pics of internals (because I haven't seen any on Nerfhaven)


barrel side peg, and supports partially drilled out to be replaced with Bic pen cap section at right.


cap prep


cap being epoxied into place (pen tube inserted to help make sure it's going in squarely)


Taped and clamped for a test fire. (leaks out barrel. still a work in progress)


Any thoughts?
I haven't looked into it, but I've been wondering if the same heat – stuff - glue - drill method could be applied to increase the output capacity on a RF-20 piston...

edit. goofed reply

Nicely done, I always thought a hornet tank expansion might be viable, the only issue is its small opening. Have you tested this with a barrel yet? and if so, does the relatively slow air release effect range? (or is that one of the reasons for the outlet expansion in part 2?)

I haven't performed a comparative test to an un-modded tank, but when fired with a generous 16" cpvc barrel (not sure how much air pressure used at fire) The dart still fired with quite a bit of force.

I found more depends on how much tubing is connected to the tank, blast button, and pump. The less tubing used, (like in your "tiny tim" eliminator mod (very cool)) the quicker the system can vent and the quicker the piston can get out of the way. Which leads to a more explosive force applied.

Thanks for pointing me to your magstrike mod. I had actually thought about using the piston to load darts, but the output power was so low i gave up on it after testing it singled. That's an elegant solution to both problems.

Very innovative, and a great use of parts- like many in the nic, I have plenty of extra hornet guts lying around just waiting to be used for something clever like this. Good luck getting the back pressure valve to seat against the larger opening have you considered the use of an o-ring or a small diameter neoprene washer on the end of the pen cap? Also, I noticed you used regular pvc cement on the tank and tee- Ace hardware sells a cement for mating pvc to abs and other plastics, it's in the can with the yellow label. Thanks for the inspiration!

I've tried a large rubber washer seated around the pen cap, but it wasn't thick enough to rise above the pen cap so the piston wasn't contacting the washer. I'll try raising it by placing an O ring above it on the nested Bic pen tube. thanks for the suggestions.

I'm actually liking the concept of your homemade tee. (even though it eventually failed) Using a barbed Tee adds a lot of dead space in the tubing and fitting, chopping them down encourages leaks. and when you're plumbing multiple tanks, having a Y shape looks cleaner and allows you to put tanks closer together. A few months ago i started over on an entire project because i didn't like the rats nest that was forming in the tubes, and how the lines would kink if i placed the tanks too close together. Very nice mod! I choose function over form whenever they conflict.

11/9/2010 Part II update:

Part II still isn't working. I realized the replacement Bic pen cap peg is 3.5 degrees off of, so tolerances are really tight. for my second try, Instead of replacing the center peg with a bigger center peg, i've tried resting a rubber washer level with the barrel peg, and filling the space below it with epoxy. It's now opened to .25" and holds pressure (good progress), but vents back out through the piston peg instead of shifting the peg out of the way and venting to the barrel. I'm thinking it's doing that because the piston head now sits flush on the rubber washer, so there isn't any piston head hanging over a peg for the air in the tank to get under and push against (moving the piston out of the way). Basically more surface area at piston inlet than at the piston outlet to push against.

Untill i get this last piece of the puzzle figured out you may want to hold of on this second part of the mod. (but part I still works great, and is really easy.) If i get it working i'll post the part II as a separate mod.

The only concern i have from a barrel tap would be if the "tapper" had an uncovered brass barrel. I like Muttonchops idea of using the side of a barrel. I think I'll try to incorporate that locally.

I'm always impressed with what you're able to pull off with the materials you have available in china. I'm begining to become a fan of your work. From the shape of the thing it looks like it might fit reasonably well inside a firefly shell (with the bs tanks sticking out the side instead of down, and the bladder replacing the turret) should you ever choose to abandon your minimalist ways


Interesting move switching from the MS to a backfire tank, though i was hoping for more information as to how and where you expanded the MS piston in the first incarnation. (i'm hoping to do the same thing to my rf 20 which is similar in function.). I'm looking forward to seeing the final version of this project.

In this blasters current state, it looks like you'd be able to fit it very well inside of a Magstrike shell. I might have to give this one a try; I've got everything but a viable back pressure tank.

Crap! that does look like it would fit perfectly in a mag strike shell. The tank should sit well in the clip slot, and it's allready fitted to a pump and bladder. Firefly. Really? What was i thinking! I'm going to have to try that with an expanded hornet tank durring Christmas break! Now i'm really excited for this mod.

Many use craft foam (sold at most craft stores). It's a 1/8" or 1/4" foam sheet. Felt might work. I've tried using a slice of foam from a "fun noodle" (pool floatation thing) but it ended up getting loose, and clogging the barrel.

So the Magstrike/RF20 trigger is just a steady stream of air that shoots out darts, right? No pulsing shots or anything?
Really cool. And intimidating.

Exactly. The air pushes the dart until it gets stuck in the cpvc. When it is lodged in the cpvc, it creates a perfect seal. Pressure builds until it overcomes the friction, and the dart is shot. This process repeats more than 10 times per second. The more pressure in your tank, the faster and farther the darts fly. Pulling the trigger halfway will also slow the rof, so you have total contol of how fast it shoots

Facinating! Any chance of a photobucket hosted (youtube gets firewalled by my computer at work) video of this part firing? If it's as functional as you make it sound i'd like to integrate this mod into one of my own guns.

Do you have any ideas to make it more visually appealing?

If i may, I'd like to point out that guns painted all black are generally discouraged at many organized wars. An all black gun could be mistaken for a real gun, which could turn into a bad situation should neighbors become concerned, or law enforcement somehow becomes involved.

Brighter colors identifying a nerf gun as a toy are encouraged. If you wish to research someone I count as a master, take a look at some of Bagheads paint jobs. Any thing he touches turns out gorgeous.

I love my Ultimator, It's the only nerf gun i've seen with a notable recoil. I almost got a shiner from the priming handle after shooting it the first time on christmas morning. Though, it is too inaccurate to use as a missle launcher, and i've been to scared to screw up an irreplacable relic by doing anything but barrel attachments. I think i would miss the "Hummmmmm" the stock tenson spring makes after discharging.

I'm quite surprised you only get 115' (though it's still plenty of range) out of this mod. The Ultimator has a shockingly huge air cylinder. I don't know how you might test it, but how does the strength of the [k26] springs matchup to the stock spring? How does it do with fewer pumps? I'm left wondering if it's still discharging air long after the dart has left the barrel.

I once had a problem with my priming bar slipping too. I opened it up, wiped any lubricant off of the rod, and fidgited with the spring on the trigger some. (it had slipped) It stopped after that.

I am a big fan of the clear tube. That looks absolutely awsome!

West Valley, UT nerf war

Hey, letting everyone know that the next war I’ll be hosting is set for Jan 8, 2011 3 p.m

The basics:
Jan 8 (Date changed from Jan 1. one of our key nerfers couldn't make it on the first), 3:00 pm
Modders party either before or after (give feedback please)

Held at my house in West Valley, Ut. (Couch warfare style!) (pm / e-mail me for the address and waivers if you haven’t warred with us before.)

Eye protection is required at any age.

Please, no over powered blasters (singled titans, bbbb’s, basically anything that can clear 100’ flat. It’s an indoor war, and big range shots aren’t going to come up.

No over-weighted / exposed metal weights on steffans. (I tip mine with a #8 washer, and a ½” pom pom for padding)

I reserve the right to spot ban for safety.

No swearin’. There are kids present.

Don’t be a jerk.

I do have loaner guns, but some work better than others, be nice to them.

I’d like to get a head count together so those who might travel can decide if it’s worth it, let me know if you can make it, and how many you might be bringing.

This day is close to my wife's' due date. Hopefully our first son doesn't try to attend the nerf war. So this war may get bumped.


Thanks everyone, and just to give you further heads up:

I’m hoping for February’s war to be huge. It’s looking to be in late February. My sister/co-organizer is coming back to UT after being away for a year and a half. She’s gotten 15 people together for a war with only a phone call and 2 hrs notice. (They’re usually casual nerfers though, not so much modders, but still good foam fodder anyway). Adding her socialite skills to our group should make for some great nerfing. That war will probably be held at her house (also my parents) located in South Jordan Ut (about 20 min south of me) it’s a longer rambler style house, and is better for Nerf wars. Everyone should be looking forward to that one.

Thanks, Shmmee

Mod partys are just as usefull for noobs as they are for experienced modders. Even the most seasoned modder can be shown something new, and be inspired. It's amazing what a fresh perspective can provide. Granted new nerfers will benifit the most, and many nerf wars disolve into them anyway.

Seriously awesome first post! I think it's safe to say that that we're all looking forward to seeing where you go with this next. What psi were you running at for that test? 80' full - auto? That will be a serious gun to contend with if you aren't spending your entire time pumping.

A write up explaining magstrike piston theory was done by "Gas Mask Guy" and can be found here:

Magstrike Firing Mechanism Autopsy

I've never played with one of these before. With a proper barrel fit could you shotgun load a pair of 1.5" steffans in each tube and still maintain a functional blast radius?

Congratulations on your career and family! Three children under three is an amazing thing. My wife and I just had our second yesterday. That makes two under the age of two for us. Single guys: pick well and live a life with meaning and purpose! Gotta give credit to the amazing women who are willing to go through the incredible process that brings more little nerfers into the world (and who also put up with us the bigger nerfers).

Off topic: I have a tough enough time explaining this hobby to the refinery guys i work with. I cant imagine explaining the logic of foam ballistics to a group of guys who play with real, fully automatic weapons.

Edit: interrupted by crying toddler (ironically enough...) Didn't have time to proof the first post.

I've noticed the same issue when i did a barrel replacement on my sharpshooter I pistol. It is a skirt seal, but i filled some of the inner void with toilet tank gasket foam to flare the edges out and regain some lost contact. I found a significant range drop with vacuum loaded darts fired quickly after loading (as much as 15+'). Though there may be some debate about single O rings vs double O rings, I think theirs validity in the theory being shared. I had considered adding a vent hole, but was scared to screw up the first pistol i ever owned. Is this a working, proven model or just a concept? I still worry about dragging a sealing edge across a gap and tearing. Granted skirt seals are less rugged than O rings (hornet trigger valves bridge 6 gaps as the trigger is pulled), they are also harder to replace.

This war rocked! We had 12 attendees (about the max my house could of handled) and 3 active modders.

We played team battles, dork vest, and king of the hill.

My most memorable experiences: JT and Tyler holding the hill for 10 points (winning the game) using an Ultimator, and a Switchshot (We're all still baffled about that because the Ultimator has a ROF of like one shell a min. But Tyler is dead accurate with the switchshot.)

Seeing eyes light up in shock as an Ultimator shell screams past their heads and thuds against the wall behind them.

And accidentally shooting one of the little neighborhood kids in the forehead while she was complaining about someone else shooting her in the head. I feel bad about that, but it was hilarious irony. (Head shots aren't counted in my wars, and are discouraged)

Spending the next few weeks playing "oh look, I found a Nerf dart".

Geeking out with other modders!

Good times. Thanks all. Looking forward to the next war some time in February.

Again awesome work. I love hornet tanks and feel they are too quickley dismissed because of their low volume. Thanks for proving their 100' range potential.

and a pump replacement would kill the range.

How exactly? If I were to simply drill a hole in the side of the SSPB pump, glue shut the hole that the stock pump enters through, and attach a plugged hornet pump to the the hold drilled in the side of the SSPB, so that I basically have a pump replacement without messing with the internals around the pump, I don't see how that's going to decrease range as long as the pump is plugged....

Its a matter of pneumatics. If you look at a bottle jack (like for a truck) it uses a small pump to force a small amount of fluid into a piston with a larger diameter. By squeezing in "just a little more" with each pump it grants a mechanical advantage, and can reach higher pressures with less required force per pump. (but more pumping is required to make up for the reduced volume) Using the small diameter SSPB pump to force "just a little more" air into the hornet tank lends itself to higher pressures. But more pumping is required.

With a .25" diameter pump you'll need to pump with 15 pounds of force on the final pump to reach 60 psi.
With a .5" diameter pump you'll need to pump with 30 pounds of force on the final pump to reach 60 psi.
With a 1" diameter pump you'll need to pump with 60 pounds of force on the final pump to reach 60 psi. Good luck doing that with a plastic handle.

Boot is guestimating 80 psi. ranges that couldn't be reached with a larger diameter pump.

Each individual tank is about 1.125" in diameter, and about 2" long, not including the port on the back, or the barrel.

That's interesting, I was going to say I don't know that anyone has ever posted exact dimensions before, but here is a really useful thread that has good pics and provides decent relative dimensions (by showing the tanks inserted into standard pvc fittings):

http://nerfhaven.com... tank expansion

It is also looks like a really cool thing to try with extra hornet tanks.

Just ignore the second part (output expansion) I eventually got it to seal, but enlarging the output hole sends all the contained air back through the piston stem instead of shifting the piston and venting out the barrel. But that whole mess is covered in later posts.

and 3- Yes, I am in fact interested in making an all-custom tank of roughly the same size or maybe larger. Though the dimensions of a hornet tank specifically are not as important to this goal. The dimensions give me a rough approximation of the volume of such a tank though, which is helpful.

Building your own backfire tank sounds like a really challenging project. Let me share some lessons learned.

From my failures in working with hornet tanks I've learned that you need to:
Make sure your barrel side internal peg is a smaller diameter with less contact surface area than the inlet peg (the peg the piston sits on) or it will just vent back out of the piston stem instead of shifting the piston and venting out the barrel.

From my successes in working with hornet tanks I've learned that you need to:
Keep your blast valve as close to the tank with the shortest amount of tubing possible. The less air there is to vent the quicker your piston will move out of the way, and the more force your tank will fire. (And yes force. I can actually feel and see it kick my thumb when held above the tank nozzle.)

And from my recent observations I've decided that Cheyner is a mean-spirited cur who would probably flame his own grandma if he found the opportunity. Apologies to Phillypretzel, i should of said "later replies" instead of "later posts". That was unintentionally misleading.

If you want to buy a bigger volume back fire tank, try one from a big salvo. I haven't played with them, but they come highly recommended. (or expand a hornet tank) [self serving plug].

How about Salvage? It's simple and grungy, but still has nerfy undertones.