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Rainbow

New style of internal catch

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#1 Stark

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 02:51 AM

So Beaver, Paul and I were hella bored on the drive to the Rainbow Clan build party at Ryan's, and we tossed this together in Inventor on the way. The +bow catch is a fantastic catch, but it requires bulky sideplates to contain it. The goal was to create a catch mechanism that was completely contained within the plunger tube. This would dramatically reduce the amount of polycarbonate required as well as the machining time involved. It has the added benefit of a streamlined appearance and a blaster that would be very easy to convert to pump-action.

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The overall appearance is quite reminiscent of Carbon's SNAP, but what sets it apart is the Catch.

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It's template time! I purposely did NOT include the templates for the handle for a couple of reasons: it requires mad sanding via sanding belt and I don't want to add that to the tools list, my hands are different than yours so there'd be no guarantee that it would fit your hand, and lastly it's a fucking snap-on handle. I'm sure you can figure out something comfy.
Catch Templates
Catch Templates hosted by Beaver
(Same template in both downloads, just different hosts)

Well, here's a parts list. The quantities I have listed after each part are not the quantities they are sold in, they are the amount of the material you need
49035K26 Clear 1.25 inch Schedule 40 PVC: 16 inches
9562K46 Ring Shaft Seal (skirt seal): 1 (it's a skirt plunger head, you know the drill)
8541K18 Nylon Rod .5 inch diameter: 1.5 feet
8574K28 .25 inch thick polycarbonate: like, 5 square inches. Honestly, it's crazy.
90272A151 3/4 inch long 6-32 machine screw: 3
90272A148 1/2 inch long 6-32 machine screw: 4
90272A155 1 1/4 inch long 6-32 machine screw: 2
91375A148 1/2 inch long 6-32 machine set screw: 2
A short length of ruinously strong catch spring, 96565K36 would probably do the trick: .5 inches
9637K26 or 9637K25 Continuous length compression spring: 1
1 inch to 1/2 inch PVC reducing bushing: 1
Packing tape
Plumber's goop

Tools required:
scroll saw
screw driver
#6-32 tapping bit
drill press or power drill
handsaw, chop saw, or table saw, just be able to make square cuts
7/64", 1/2", and 1/8" drill bits
utility knife
safety glasses


If you feel ambitions, you can print the templates and cut them out with a scroll saw. But circles suck, so here's how to do it with a hole saw! Use a 1.5 inch hole saw to cut out the two polycarb discs and a 1 inch hole saw to cut out the polycarb for the catch. The discs that the 1.5 inch hole saw cuts out are just a bit smaller than the ID of 1.25 inch PVC so they fit real nice. These will be the catch supports. Take the catch supports and use a .5 inch drill bit to widen the center hole in each support to fit the nylon plunger rod. (If you are a masochist, you could adapt the catch design to use a square plunger rod, which would eliminate any problems with your plunger rod rotating.) The reason we cut out the supports before drilling the hole in the center is that it is nearly impossible to keep the hole saw centered if you drill out the center before cutting it out. Just use a vice grip to hold it steady in the drill press. Drill and tap the two 6-32 holes on each support. You then cut down the edges of the smaller disc to ride between the screws in the assembly. Shape the inside of the catch to catch all nice and lastly, drill and tap a 6-32 hole in the bottom of the catch. Here is a shot of all the components laid out.

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So just use two of the screws to hold the catch supports in place, making sure there is enough room between them for the catch to slide freely. Wait to put the screw into the bottom of the catch until the assembly is inside the plunger tube. The screw is the bit of the catch that extends out the bottom of the plunger tube for the trigger to push on. If you just have a polycarb nub instead of a screw, you will not be able to assemble the rainbow because your catch will not slide into the gun. Anyhow, here's a shot of the final catch assembly outside of the gun.

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Note that you really don't need more than the two screws to hold the assembly together because there isn't any force being put on the rear support.

We'll be using clear pvc from mcmaster for our plunger tube because blindly drilling into your catch through normal pvc would be ruinous and polycarbonate is literally 10 times more expensive. So grab your front bushing, wrap it in packing tape and goop it in. Seriously, packing tape is awesome. You get super tight fit, it doesn't crinkle like aluminum tape, and it keeps the bushing way straighter than e-tape.

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Next, cut your plunger rod out of nylon rod and tap the ends for the handle and plunger head. Make your plunger head and pullback handle out of whatever you want, we used skirt seals and nylon rod handles.

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Cut your catch(s) in however far back you want, attach your plunger head, put the spring on, and slide it into your plunger tube. You can now simply drop your catch assembly into the plunger tube. Drill a hole for the catch screw to go through, make sure it is loose enough that it won't bind on the threads. Now that you know where your catch is going to be, take the plunger assembly out of the gun. Drop the catch assembly back in and screw in the catch screw. This will keep the catch supports in place while you drill and tap them. So drill and tap at least 4 holes into the support that will be in contact with the spring.

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Now pull the catch assembly out, it's time for a handle. Pretty sure we spent half the time building the gun, and half the time farting around with the handle.

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We used snap-on handles similar to the way Carbon does them because you can really use just about anything as a handle. Paul and I both used handles similar to those on the pacbow while beaver used a handle from a paintball gun.

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The only requirement is that pulling the trigger pushes up on the screw that sticks down from the catch.

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Don't stick you handle on quite yet, but get it drilled and ready. Stick the plunger assembly back in the rainbow and drop in the finished catch. Because of the placement of the bottom two holes (they will be covered up by the snap on handle) you'll have to use set screws for at least two of the holes in the catch support. We made set screws by cutting the head off a normal 6-32 screw and cutting a notch into it. If you want to sleeve a pump grip over this thing, just use set screws for all four holes. Anyway, screw in the catch assembly. Now put a washer on your catch screw and slide your catch spring on it. Screw this into the bottom of the catch itself through the hole we drilled earlier.

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Now all that's left is to snap your handle onto the plunger tube, screw it on, and attach your priming handle to the plunger rod.

supasub-optimal firing video


Congratulations, you now have a super-fabulous RainBow! Give it sparkles!

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Edited by Stark, 13 October 2010 - 09:45 PM.

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#2 Boot

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 03:34 AM

Nice! I love how everything is simplified so much, this literally cuts the parts that need to be machined almost in half, and seems like a great combination of the Snap's simplicity, and the Plusbow's... Plusbowness.

If I ever get my hands on some polycarbonate, or other suitable plastic (NOT Acrylic :P ) it seems like a great design to try. The lack of bulky side plates also make's me think that pump action should be much easier to accomplish while still keeping the blaster fairly compact and streamlined.

PS: I love the sparkles, now add some e-tape!
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#3 Zorns Lemma

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 03:56 AM

Now you just have to cut slots in your plunger tube and ditch the spring to have a real RainBow.

P.s. you already know how awesome it is.
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#4 burning-ice

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 10:09 AM

3 things...

1)Parts list?
2)Templates? (Yes, I know Beaver has your caliper).
3)Great Work Man!!!
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I lurk alot.
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#5 atomatron

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 11:01 AM

Speed/vent holes are kind of important as there isn't much clearance around the catch mechanism for air to move.

Mine was dryfire-able before I added these:

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#6 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 11:49 AM

Speed holes make it go faster.

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#7 koree

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 12:24 PM

Very nice. I assume it's catching just as well as a clothespin trigger and a +bow trigger mech?
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#8 Eh Watt

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 12:52 PM

Hey, nice job on this, Starkster! This is a very good idea! I think that the fact that this requires comparatively small amounts of machining will make homemade blasters such as these available to a larger group of people. And of course, the name and the sparkles pwn. :)
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#9 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 01:31 PM

Very nice. I assume it's catching just as well as a clothespin trigger and a +bow trigger mech?

Yes. If you make them right, these catches won't fire even if you drop the blaster (that was a performance criterion that we were aiming for). In terms of feel and functionality, it is equivalent to the standard plate catch used in a +bow.
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#10 rork

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 06:28 PM

That is sexy as hell.
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<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20296" target="_blank">SNAPbow Mk. V</a>
<a href="http://nerfhaven.com...howtopic=20409" target="_blank">Make it pump-action</a>

#11 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 07:54 PM

FYI, I do not have your calipers. You probably left them at the cancer shack.

Post a parts list when you can.
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#12 venom213

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Posted 11 October 2010 - 11:44 PM

I was saving my 1000th post for something of mine, but nevermind that. This single, stupidly simple, incredibly inexpensive part is going to effectively destroy every other homemade catch design. When I first saw this, I saw it as just another somewhat interesting homemade. Upon further consideration, I realized virtually every other catch is truly inferior to this in many ways. The conventional SNAP triggers require fine tuning and are not nearly as durable or reliable. The +bow catchplate requires a considerably larger amount of machining as well as much more expense and complexity. I continue to find it hard to accept the fact that something this basic and seemingly familiar to previous work is possibly "the future of homemades". I congratulate you, my fellow Minnesotans. There is no question as to what my plans are for my pieces of polycarbonate I've been neglecting for some time.

Edited by venom213, 11 October 2010 - 11:46 PM.

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#13 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 12:05 AM

For your entertainment, I have modeled the whole damn thing in SolidWorks. You can futz around with it if you like. I haven't tried making templates with this yet, so beware - there may be mistakes. If you don't have SolidWorks, well, sucks to be you.

Solidworks Package of the RainBow

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I also performed some range tests today using Ryan's Super Foam, slug tips, and an 18" CPVC barrel. The blaster itself [k26] and a 5.5" draw on it (i.e., less draw then optimal), and the seal is perfect. The darts flew waaay past the end of my 100ft tape - at least another 20 or 30ft. In other words, phenomenal.

Edited by Daniel Beaver, 12 October 2010 - 12:23 AM.

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#14 Hipponater

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 12:08 AM

This is definitely some awesome stuff, thanks for the work so far. If you could get templates, that would be awesome, otherwise I may need to find my hole saws.

The only issue is one you addressed, it might be difficult to put into non-clear plunger tubes. Could you possibly mount the catch inside a coupler? There's a ridge in the middle that it can be lined up against, and if you place the coupler at the end of the plunger tube, it doesn't matter that one half of the coupler is 'full'. If you screwed on the coupler, instead of solvent weld, it would even be able to be removed for other blasters. (Though these seem easy to make).

Awesome work, this is going to change homemades for sure
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#15 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 01:09 AM

Pump-action RainBow design. Purely in the design faze, but I will be building one sometime this week.

SolidWorks package for the Pump-action RainBow


Unprimed:

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Primed:

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Edited by Daniel Beaver, 12 October 2010 - 01:20 AM.

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#16 Stark

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 01:28 AM

Updated OP! Now with 100% more templates, parts lists, and tools lists!
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#17 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 02:16 AM

Another variant on pump action, this time with priming action in the rear, similar to PumpBows. The overall blaster is 3.5 inches shorter, and the grip is much farther forward. This is a case where an internal catch allow a great streamlining of the design.

SolidWorks package


Unprimed:

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Primed:

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You can get the templates for the catch direct from me.

Edited by Daniel Beaver, 12 October 2010 - 02:20 AM.

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#18 Ryan201821

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 02:33 AM

Great job again guys, for obvious reasons. I plan on implementing this simple design in many future designs.
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#19 Ubermensch

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 06:17 AM

This is just begging for the creation of a Double RainBow.
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#20 Daniel Beaver

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 11:53 AM

Quick change to the priming mech. Now I've got two screws going through slots, which push against a regular t handle. Way more simple, and more robust. You do have to cut 4 slots, though.

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Edited by Daniel Beaver, 12 October 2010 - 12:05 PM.

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#21 utahnerf

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 03:03 PM

SolidWorks rules. We use it for our designs in our FIRST robotics team.
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#22 BustaNinja

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 03:23 PM

Holy shit beaver... That is one awesome design. I love how your redux that you made is literally the regular rainbow with a longer section of PVC, and a sheath over it. This is pretty much as good as Nerf needs to be. Its hella simple, combines the cool factor and the actually working catch of the +bow with the simplicity and plumbing section-ness of the SNAP. Damn.

Damn guys, that is really awesome.
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#23 Stark

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 03:24 PM

@Beaver, that design would not work at all. The disc version is not structurally sound enough and the one with 2 bolts and 4 slots would be a bitch to make and the bar that is being pushed back could just rotate and slide between the two bolts. Also, none of your designs have any way of indexing the plunger rod to keep the notch from rotating out of contact with the catch.
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#24 BustaNinja

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 03:27 PM

@Beaver, that design would not work at all. The disc version is not structurally sound enough and the one with 2 bolts and 4 slots would be a bitch to make and the bar that is being pushed back could just rotate and slide between the two bolts. Also, none of your designs have any way of indexing the plunger rod to keep the notch from rotating out of contact with the catch.

Make the bar in the back of the bar version just long enough to fit in a pre-cut groove on the PVC. Not long enough to cause face diddle, but just long enough to have it work as a guide.
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#25 Stark

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Posted 12 October 2010 - 03:31 PM

Are you suggesting cutting 6 slots in the back of the plunger tube? Please don't do that.

A better way to do this would be to have the priming handle bar thing extend out of the 1.25 pvc enough to be pushed back by the pump grip sliding over the pvc.
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