9 replies to this topic

[TimberwolfCY]

Hey all. So my Wildfire totally busted on me. The endcaps cracked and broke on both ends of the bladder. I picture them here.



So to fix them, I used pipe/tube fasteners at the ends of the bladder, keeping the old plugs in to keep in the pressure.

Pipe/Tube fastener.

I plugged the air release with hot glue, since the cap at the end keeps the valve itself together. I put the plugs back in on both ends of the bladder, and then put on the fasteners around where the caps used to be.



I then put everything back in its place, making sure to remove the air restrictors from the turret assembly, which I had never done before.




I get a blistering 30 feet with it straight, and about 40 feet at an angle (about 35 degrees). Is the range really that sucky on everyone else's Wildfire?

Just thought I'd post my repair job for you guys to see; might come in handy for similar guns, like the RF20 or PowerClip. Let me know if you've had a similar problem, and thanks for any feedback. Sorry for the blurry pictures.

[fobpawwor]

Wow, I see you fixed your problem. Thats a great idea, make the tube even bigger maybe for a strong and higher capacity air tank. Good job on the repair mod. Keep it up!

[J cobbers]

I've done something similar to my WF but I used them to reinforce the tension on the existing plastic clamps Since they hadn't broken as badly as yours. I also plummer's gooped the air release on the back.

[CheeseNerfer]

Yeah, not exactly a new idea but glad you realized it and were able to utilize it. I've been fixing PC and RF20's like that for a couple years and I know of at least a couple of people that used those hose clamps to reinforce the weak stock ones.

Edited by CheeseNerfer, 22 March 2006 - 10:27 PM.

[The Trouble]

I'll answer your question, Timber.

The range on that Wildfire should be a *little* bit better. Did you remove the air restrictors completely, or did you just remove the posts (leaving black "rings" in the turret)? If you removed the restrictors completely, range will actually decrease due to the lack of a seal.

Since the repair job has made it stronger than before, I'd recommend putting a bike-tire innertube around your bladder. It'll force the air out faster, and give you better results.

[skiermon]

Timeberwolf, nice repair.

The_trouble:
If you put the inner tube around the bladder would give you more power, but wouldn't you need to pump it alot more? Have you - or has anybody - ever done that mod to any of your guns? Not that I don't believe it'd work, i'm just curious as to how much your range is improved. I've got a wildfire, too, and i'm trying to figure out how to maximize it's range.

[TimberwolfCY]

Thanks guys.

Actually, I first took out the air restrictors altogether, than Jangadance over at NHQ told me that I should leave them in, minus the posts. I did this, and the range and power improved slightly (I guess +5 feet). I may do the inner-tube idea, or maybe rubberband it, but I'm not overly concerned about it. I really just wanted to get it working for the next war I do, in case someone wanted to use it; and I was killing time by fixing it. I may band it or inner-tube it, but I'm not sure yet; good point though.

[The Trouble]

My personal RF-20 is inner-tubed. It requires 5 more pumps than normal, and the rate of fire is greatly improved. Any range improvement I may have noted I'll leave to my imagination, since I did nothing to the piston spring.

*the comma is my friend

Edited by The_Trouble, 24 March 2006 - 09:00 PM.

[skiermon]

Thanks for clearing that up. 5 more pumps doesn't sound too bad, and if it increases ROF and range, i'll probably have to do that to my wildfire.

[Forsaken angel24]

The problem I see here is the rubber on metal expanding and contracting all the time. Just to be safe, I would wrap the parts around ends where you are going to attach the jubilee clamp with E-tape to protect your bladder.