16 replies to this topic

[sublimedom777]

Good evening NH, I have for you my first write-up. Please excuse the picture quality where acceptable. I, like Dizzy, am fond of my E-a-B, but even more so now.

Sublimedom777’s Expand-a-Blast: Brassed, Breeched, and Clipped.

Note: I recommend using DizzyDuck’s writeup for internal reinforcements and plunger improvement if needed.

Materials:
1x E-a-B.
Dremel with plenty of cutting wheels.
Sanding attachments OR sandpaper
Enough barrel material of choice to make a breech.
Hot glue/ gun.
Other adhesives/filler.

Optional:
Materials to perform Dizzy’s mod.


Firstly, open your E-a-B. No major surprises here, (screws that I might use to build a deck with), but very sturdy. Make sure not to forget the two screws under the expandable stock, and the one under the fore grip lever. Be careful when opening it (seeing as any E-a-B is getting on in age). I had my catch platform snap off. No worries, but do be careful, lest something more important break.


Internals

Optionally, everything but the plunger assembly/trigger can go away. I personally enjoy the useless expandable stock, but that’s just me. Keep the springs from the expansion catches, they seem useful as, duh, catch springs.

Grab the massive plunger tube and mark approximately where you want the unnecessary barrel to stop. In retrospect, cut it as close to the plunger tube as possible while still being able to mount the barrel.



Now cut the front part of the barrel off and set it aside for possible future use (you never know). Also at this time, you should knock out the pegs and plate inside the barrel, it’ll only be in the way.



Start constructing your breech. Mine is big enough to accept stock darts, but I suggest using whatever size/style serves you best. (Seeing as this is my first breech I’m having a few troubles with it but hope to have them worked out soon enough). *MAKE SURE TO LEAVE A BIG ENOUGH STUB ON THE BACK TO REACH ALL THE WAY TO THE PLUNGER TUBE!*





Next, do whatever you can to enlarge the barrel to minimize the use of filler. I put e-tape on a stub of PVC, over a stub of my larger sized brass. Now decide which side you prefer the breech opening to be on, this determines where your clip will feed from. (This guide assumes the clip goes in the left side of the gun. Lefties, mirror the cuts later for it to feed from the right. If any of you goobers want it to feed from the top or bottom, well, figure it out yourself.) Fill in the area with whatever combination of sealants and filler you wish. I used mainly high temp hot glue. (Drat, picture is lost).

A good way to keep the barrel aligned properly is to do what I did. Cut the expandable barrel in front of where the peg is, insert your larger diameter barrel material, and slide it over your inner barrel and hold/clamp the gun closed until your seal sets.

Now the dimmer of you folks might be scratching your head as how to access the breech. Do not fret young’uns.

Now we take the breech/tube assembly and lay it in whichever side of the gun the clip port will be on. Make sure that the little peg on the plunger tube is pointing down and make doubly sure that the little rings fit into their designated grooves. Figure out where the opening has to be for your breech to accept a clip. For me, this spot lined up with the small groove in front of the scope as the back, and the bottom as ¼ of the way into the little buttons below the window.



Remember kiddies; Measure twice, cut once. Make sure the cuts are straight and make sure the area you cut out is just big enough to accept a clip. It’s always better to have to remove more than to remove too much.

Finished-ish project:



I feel a good suggestion is to affix the barrel stub to the front of your larger size barrel, if appropriate with your breech. This will A) Keep the barrels straight and steady, Provide something to grip to actuate your breech, and C) For the standard safety reasons Nerfers like I employ, such as keeping some stock orange plastic on most blasters.

I have reinforced the plunger rod/head, as well as the spring rest with epoxy putty, because I replaced the stock spring with an ACE #49.
[edit] The lever has been mostly gutted to make room for dart storage [/edit]

Ranges: Stupid. When I feel like getting around to doing the math I might calculate the muzzle velocity (better than ranges, but that argument is for another time/place).

Now all that is left is to give it a sick paint job since I love this blaster:



Yes, that is a golden raptor. This blaster is a tribute to XKCD. Currently it is named VelociRapture, but suggestions are still being taken.




Reads: In Memorandum June 11, 1993 (day Jurassic Park opened, yeah, it’s been 16 years!)



Look for an update some time in the next week, I’ll be making an amendment to the finished state of this blaster, unless I fall back to plan B, which will still probably be worth looking for

(Edit: Linked to Dizzy's Mod, Fixed title for better searches)

Questions? Comments? Flames? Your Mom?

Edited by sublimedom777, 20 July 2009 - 07:12 PM.

[white moonlight]

Very nicely done and the clip is a great addition too.

What are the ranges?

[sublimedom777]

No ranges yet, I need to fix the plunger seal, and then crunch some numbers. Like I said, ranges seem somewhat silly, seeing how I'm between 6'1" and 6'6" depending on what convenience store I'm leaving. I'll post muzzle velocity when I can.

[jubjub517]

Incredible, it looks like a Raider.

[dizzyduck]

Nice work. The paint job is pretty fresh too.

Perhaps I'll do something like this with one of my other EaBs.

[Coop]

sublimedom777, on Jul 13 2009, 10:36 PM, said:

No ranges yet, I need to fix the plunger seal, and then crunch some numbers. Like I said, ranges seem somewhat silly, seeing how I'm between 6'1" and 6'6" depending on what convenience store I'm leaving. I'll post muzzle velocity when I can.

Actually, muzzle velocity would be even more inconsistent from nerfer to nerfer. The weight of the dart can significantly throw those readings. You can only get like 5-10 more feet when you fire from a few feet higher (different height of shooter), that's why most people use range tests.

[serpent sniper]

I'd just like to point out that it seems you've permanently inscribed your gun with the phrase "In Memorandum."

You mean "in memoriam."







Seems like a nice mod though.

[sublimedom777]

Coop, on Jul 13 2009, 11:21 PM, said:

sublimedom777, on Jul 13 2009, 10:36 PM, said:

[snip]

Actually, muzzle velocity would be even more inconsistent from nerfer to nerfer. The weight of the dart can significantly throw those readings. You can only get like 5-10 more feet when you fire from a few feet higher (different height of shooter), that's why most people use range tests.

I plan on using stock darts in good condition, but whatever. Range < Speed of dart in my opinion.

serpent loser, on Jul 14 2009, 01:02 AM, said:

I'd just like to point out that it seems you've permanently inscribed your gun with the phrase "In Memorandum."

You mean "in memoriam."

[Disregard links]

I don't know. Again, whatever. I guess I'll just roll with it, and if someone calls me on it, I shoot 'em in the face and walk away.

Also, thanks Dizzy.

Edited by sublimedom777, 14 July 2009 - 08:24 AM.

[CA13]

Can't wait for the Jeff Goldblum action figure to grace the blaster.

[sublimedom777]

*Crrsch* Stu, we have a cleanup on aisle 9, some jagoff spilled the beans. [/joking]

Anywho, since the cat has been unbagged (as if anyone cared all that much), Yes, I do indeed have a Jeff Goldblum action figure en route. I have yet to decide if he will truly join the raptor, of if there's a better, more noble place for him, say, on his own gun

[Norther of Heaven]

I would love to see a video of this made. Very nice job.

[Captain Scottland]

Just wondering....Since this blaster can accept long shot clips will it also accept the raider drum magazine. If so, this will definitely be a mod I will be doing.

[canuck]

Nice. I would make the clip able to shoot stefans. I realy enjoy the side clip feed.

[white moonlight]

Captain Scottland, on Jul 14 2009, 11:07 AM, said:

Just wondering....Since this blaster can accept long shot clips will it also accept the raider drum magazine. If so, this will definitely be a mod I will be doing.

Yeah I would assume it could, but it may need some extra support because the drum mag has to be a good
amount heavier.

Also you HAVE to make the clip accept stefans, (if you haven't already).

[sublimedom777]

Norther_of_Heaven, on Jul 14 2009, 02:20 PM, said:

I would love to see a video of this made. Very nice job.

What might you like to see? I'm sure when I find some time I could try.

canuck, on Jul 14 2009, 04:07 PM, said:

I realy enjoy the side clip feed.

I do too. I'll be one of "those modders" and say that it reminds me of the STEN sub-machine gun from Return To Castle Wolfenstein. I originally wanted to make the clip feed from the bottom before I made this connection.

white moonlight, on Jul 14 2009, 04:31 PM, said:

Captain Scottland, on Jul 14 2009, 11:07 AM, said:

(Drum mag proposal)

Yeah I would assume it could, but it may need some extra support because the drum mag has to be a good
amount heavier.

Also you HAVE to make the clip accept stefans, (if you haven't already).

First, yes Moonlight, I agree it'd have to be reinforced, even if the drum mag isn't too much heavier. I would recommend creating a shelf-like piece to help support it since it'll hang further out than the regular clip.

Secondly, I assume I will make the clip stefan friendly, once I get to making some worthwhile stefans. Is there any way to make the clips universal? If so it'd be a large incentive for me to do that sooner rather than later.

[nerfitynerf]

I am confused on how the breech works. on the longshot the breech moves forward and back. what does this gun do to take the dart out of the clip and into the barrel without leaving it open and losing air pressure.

[sublimedom777]

Please excuse any typos as I am mobile currently. I will clean anything up after I get home.

First a disclaimer: This is not how. Recommend doing this. It is at least partially retarded and also smells weird.

My breech is actuated manually, which you pointed out in how it is indeed not like a LongShot. In its current configuration you can either pull the breech open by the front orange barrel cover (Which is epoxy puttied on to the larger brass) or you should theoretically be able to simply spin the large brass by the same orange part. This being my first breech it is slightly iffy and a tad temperamental.

I am still trying to determine the cause of these issues.

If it weren't for other plans I have in store for this blaster I would likely cut a hole for a priming handle, or work harder on making the lever actuate the breech. As such though, I am intent on installing a voice box activated on trigger pull, which eats up a lot of internal space.

If anyone has another E-a-B on the cheap, I certainly could try again with the aim of making a better action.

In other news, keep an eye on this thread for an update with pics of the sidearm some time this week.

(Edit: Proofread and fixed errors due to mobile post update.)

Edited by sublimedom777, 20 July 2009 - 07:14 PM.