14 replies to this topic

[KaptainKrazy]

Ok, so this is my first "real" post on NerfHaven, so let's see how it goes! (Feedback would be great!)

When you upgrade a spring, it exerts more force on the plunger head/tube, and you run the risk of destroying your internals. When I was perusing the aquarium supplies selection at at Petco, I saw something that made a light go off in my head.

Supplies Needed

--Silcon-based Aquarium Sealent

--A Toothpick or something equivalent

--Masking Tape

--Plunger Head of Choice



STEP 1

Read ALL the warnings on the packaging of your sealant. It really sucks if you do this in a unventilated area, and you end up smelling like vinegar.



STEP 2

Put a nice big dollop on the head; I used latex gloves to put it roughly where I wanted it, and then used a toothpick to finish it up.



(And no, that orange stuff is not a ginger's pubic hair, it's felt, dummy.)

STEP 3

You're almost done! Put some masking tape around the head to make sure it doesn't ooze down the sides, and put it outside to set. Give it about 24 hours to fully set.



That's it!

Questions? Comments? Flames?

[thesaz123]

I don't get how this is padding? How is this any more, if any, more durable than craft foam or using part of a BBB arrow?

[KaptainKrazy]

'thesaz123', on 18 Feb 2012 - 9:59 PM, said:

I don't get how this is padding? How is this any more, if any, more durable than craft foam or using part of a BBB arrow?

It adheres better to the plastic of the plunger head. Foam is made of cells right? Overtime, the impact between the head and the end of the tube will collapse those cells, making it less and less effective with each impact.

[thesaz123]

So you put padding on top of the goop then?

[KaptainKrazy]

'thesaz123', on 18 Feb 2012 - 10:13 PM, said:

So you put padding on top of the goop then?

No, the Silcon sealant itself is the padding. When cured it has the viscosity of very soft rubber.

[thesaz123]

I don't think that would hold up very well, especially against springs like an ace 49 or an everbuilt spring, IMO. Have you done any testing to see how durable it is?

[thesaz123]

I don't think that would hold up very well, especially against springs like an ace 49 or an everbuilt spring, IMO. Have you done any testing to see how durable it is?

[Exo]

'thesaz123', on 18 Feb 2012 - 10:27 PM, said:

I don't think that would hold up very well, especially against springs like an ace 49 or an everbuilt spring, IMO. Have you done any testing to see how durable it is?

Many moons ago, TaerKitty made plungerhead seals out of RoomTemperatureVulcanizing silicone. They got perfect seals, andhered well, and after ??? shots, they still managed to stay intact. Shmmee als did the same thing, although with Oogoo, and they held up equally well. I have made some seals out of GE silicone II, and they have held up miraculously. This stuff is squishy, and it absorbs shock quite well. I almost considered filling shells with this stuff, instead of foam, but that would have cost a lot of money.

[BOSS9]

That's pretty smart. I agree with you that foam is a bad cushion, I've instead been using foam rubber or rubber to pad plunger heads, and I'll definitely try this out, with a thicker layer.

[iamthatcat]

That masking tape dam idea is nice. I'll try that for sure. My experience with RTV (similar I suppose) has only been for sealing gaps and such. I do know that it can adhere to PVC to the point that you need pliers to peel off a small area. I would suggest tearing apart your blaster, after some use, to remove any stray bits that might be in the plunger.

Edit : I purchased aquarium sealant and tried gluing plunger padding on with it. It's holding up and grips like crazy. I am still waiting for my plunger head to dry (using KaptainKrazy's technique).

Edited by iamthatcat, 21 February 2012 - 12:33 PM.

[Pause]

'thesaz123', on 18 Feb 2012 - 9:59 PM, said:

I don't get how this is padding? How is this any more, if any, more durable than craft foam or using part of a BBB arrow?

In my experience, 3b arrow foam isn't durable at all. After a good dozen shots, the foam is already compressed.

Anyways, this is a pretty cool idea. Props.

[shmmee]

Nice work, well done. Silicone is surprisingly durable if you can get it to adhere. I'll bet the aquarium sealant adheres much better than silicone caulk or oogoo.

I'll bet this stuff will have a much longer life than any kind of foam.

If you have any silicone lubricant, spray it on the finger of your glove. You'll be able to poke and smooth it out without it sticking. Just be careful not to transfer any lubricant to the part. It will prevent a bond between the part and the sealant.

[pSyk]

Nice!
Thanks for sharing.

I personally use rubber or foam furniture bumper stickers as padding.

Just a quick question...
If you can use masking tape to prevent drips / spills / overflowing, why dont you wrap the diameter of the plunger head with masking tape first, then apply the silicone?
I'm just thinking that by doing so, you can effectively use the masking tape as a sort of "wall" to keep the silicone in a neat-o circular shape.

I may be wrong though.

Edited by pSyk, 23 February 2012 - 07:50 PM.

[KaptainKrazy]

'pSyk', on 24 Feb 2012 - 12:47 AM, said:

Just a quick question...
If you can use masking tape to prevent drips / spills / overflowing, why dont you wrap the diameter of the plunger head with masking tape first, then apply the silicone?
I'm just thinking that by doing so, you can effectively use the masking tape as a sort of "wall" to keep the silicone in a neat-o circular shape.

I may be wrong though.

Just a personal preference. The silicone isn't very liquidy, so there isn't much of a chance that it will ooze over the edges immediately. I just put the masking tape there to to stop it it in case it falls over or something later; it's easier to get the silicon into shape without the masking tape dam.

[magnum]

just one thing: this mod looks nice and all but what if you wanted to replace the spring in it. you would have to cut the back of the plunger rod to get to the spring. I would say you cut a very small section of a straw then glue it on top of the srcew then do the rest of the mod normally. Just so you could access the spring.