174 replies to this topic

[nerfboi]

For me, I just used hot glue. It's stayed on and when I went to go fix something, I hard a hard time taking off the handle. I'm not sure if mines a special hot glue or what.

[rork]

Trust me--hot glue will give way. It may hold for up to a week of use, more or less, dependent upon how much/roughly you use it. But it does give way. I have tried glue multiple times, everything from hot to super to epoxy (everything except epoxy putty, really), Even T fittings, and the most comfortable, secure, easiest method by far is the screws/cpvc endcap method. I usually reinforce it with hot glue, but that can be skirted by using 8 screws total instead of 6.

[nerfboi]

When you remove your hot glue, is it a stretchy, gummy type or is it one to jsut snap right off? Also, how long is the plus bow spring when its fully compressed?

[Foam Shooter]

Alright, I've found the maximum length for my spring. It's two 4" spring and another spring cut to just above 2". The gun itself feels very sturdy, no adhesives were used in it. The dart's velocity is insanely fast. It is dark right now but I'll have ranges tomorrow just to compare the difference in springs.

Edited by Foam_Shooter, 10 October 2008 - 11:01 PM.

[rork]

Nerfboi: I've used multiple textures, and all have failed eventually. Also, the spring compresses to 3" or so. JSB: I'll re-measure when I have access to my materials. However, I have bought 3 packs total, one of which was ordered by another member, and they have all been identical/interchangeable, so I suspect a mis-measurement on my part.

[needak]

That would definitely explain my problem. But my final question is whether cpvc will fit into a pvc bushing.

[rork]

No. You will need to make an adapter. Hammer a short length (1 1/2" or so) of cpvc into about an inch of 1/2" pvc, glue the protruding bit of cpvc into a cpvc coupler, and jam the whole thing into your 1/2" pvc coupler/bushing.

[Foam Shooter]

Alright, I have tested my ranges and I am very pleased with them. All ranges are tested with Captain_Slug Darts.
With a loose dart that slides into 9/16" brass easily:
99'
96'
93'
93'
89'
Average: 94'
Maximum: 99'
Minimum: 89"

With a tight dart that needs a slight twist into 9/16" brass:
106'
103'
101'
100
96'
Average: 101'
Maximum: 106'
Minimum: 96'

These are about what I was expecting. All of the ranges were rounded to the nearest integer. I am going to make a breech for it when I get back from my weekend getaway. The spring in mine must be slightly weaker than Rork's but priming mine is pretty easy. I may swiss cheese my plunger rod but I might not seeing as it could structurally weaken the gun. I'll have an update if I see anything interesting before I finish my breech.

Rork: I just want to make sure it's alright with you that I'm semi-hijacking your thread. PM me if you would like me to stop.

Edited by Foam_Shooter, 11 October 2008 - 09:32 PM.

[rork]

You're not hijacking, you're contributing. I love seeing my ideas put into practice. Needak, take note. As for the springs, you seem to be losing roughly 20'; you can always put in a +bow spring later. Anything over 80' is just gravy, though. You're getting Crossbow-level performance, which is the point.

Edited by rork, 11 October 2008 - 05:46 PM.

[Foam Shooter]

I am eventually going to order parts for a DCHAP and when I do I will also order the spring. This way I can compare the two. I would agree that 80' is about the maximum for nerf wars. It is better for the dart to go further though because that way it is losing elevation as it nears the target at 70' or so. The gun is extremely accurate. I was shooting at a towel hung at the end of my 45' hallway and was consistently hitting it.
I also actually plan on making a Rev. 1 and 2 with some minor modifications. I would like to improve on the Tee design.

[rork]

Well, that's where the gravy comes in. With a gun that shoots 120', it's going to be pretty hard to dodge at 60-70'. I'm glad to hear you're interested in the D-CHAP. It's one of my current back-burner projects. If you're needing any parts for rev. 1, I've got a few in one of my boxes that I could dig out.

Edited by rork, 11 October 2008 - 07:42 PM.

[Foam Shooter]

Thanks for the offer but my favorite part of Nerfing is going to Home Depot and buying the parts necessary. If for some reason I can't find a specific part I will PM you but by looking at it it seems everything should be at Home Depot.
On the Rev. 1 is the industrial strength clothespin completely necessary or could I use a normal one.
Right now I am working on a new stock. I think that my best design so far is to make it go back around to the bottom of the 1 1/4" coupler on the back but that is unfortunately where my vent hole is. This means that to do so I will need to fabricate the coupler again.
My other design is one more similar to the +Bow. This means three pieces of PVC coming off of the back all connecting to a triangular piece that will rest against my shoulder.
The first option is much more simple but the second one will probably be more comfortable.
Opinions anyone?

[rork]

Compared to revs. 2 & 3, rev. 1 is crap. It was an exercize in internal design. I do not recommend it. Rev. 3 is by far the best. Industrial-strength clothespins are much better than regular, but regular will work. If you want a double stock, just mount another 1/2" plug on the bottom of the coupler and make a sort of loop.

[Foam Shooter]

Compared to revs. 2 & 3, rev. 1 is crap. It was an exercise in internal design. I do not recommend it. Rev. 3 is by far the best. Industrial-strength clothespins are much better than regular, but regular will work. If you want a double stock, just mount another 1/2" plug on the bottom of the coupler and make a sort of loop.

I just kinda wanted to make a collection of SnapBows. Also having a crappy gun isn't always a bad idea for me because it gives something for my friends to fool around with without me caring. The main reason though that I want to build it is because I have a good idea for attaching the handle to the tee section.

[rork]

If it's spares you're after, It's actually easier and cheaper to make rev. 3s. The rev. 1 is the most expensive, hardest to make, and least comfortable. Trust me on this.

[Foam Shooter]

That's interesting, I would have figured that the Rev. 1 would be easier to make because of the lesser amount of holes and screws, and parts. I'm just interested in the tee idea though. I may go against your will and make one just for some experience. I thought it over in my head and I already have all of the necessary materials so it's just the process of fabricating that's holding me back. Now that I do have experience with the Rev. 3 though, it should be much easier the second time around.

Edited by Foam_Shooter, 11 October 2008 - 10:22 PM.

[rork]

The T fitting is much harder to drill properly than an endcap. It also requires you to mount the trigger in a much less secure, more complex way. The handle is too low, and the stock is too high. Rev. 3 incorporates the good aspects of rev. 1 without the prototypical crap.

[Foam Shooter]

Alight, I think I have a pretty good design on how to minimize it further. I was planning on putting a 1" coupler in the back of it but that would require a massive amount of sanding and would make the walls to flimsy. My next idea was another bushing in the back. It would be a 1" x 3/4" bushing. I would sand down a 1/2" endcap a little bit and then hammer it in. This seems like the best idea to me. My third and final idea is to take a piece of 1" thinwall PVC and wrap it in electrical tape. Next I would put a electrical taped 1/2" endcap inside of it. I would drill a 5/8" hole in the endcap. I would hammer the whole assembly inside of the 1 1/4" body and screw it in.
I think that my second option is the best. Right now I am away from home and I will be getting back tomorrow. I might be able to make a trip to the hardware store from where I am but nothing definite. I have my SNAPBow with me and some tools so it could happen but most likely tomorrow I'll have the whole assembly in.

[rork]

That would work; I would recommend you just use another 3/4" endcap with a 5/8" hole in it.

[Foam Shooter]

That does sound like a better idea. I don't have many materials at my vacation home so I forgot that 3/4" end caps fit in 1 1/4" PVC. That was a big mental error considering there are two in my gun right now. When I get back home tomorrow I'll try that out.

[boisie]

Feel like giving us an updated parts list? I'm gonna head down to my local hardware shop at some point, and I want to make sure I get all the right parts. I've already wasted money on o-rings that don't fit and two different, non-working plunger head replacements for my LS.

Edited by boisie, 12 October 2008 - 04:12 PM.

[rork]

REV 3 PART LIST:

Sched. 40 PVC piping: 1/2", 3/4", 1 1/4"

CPVC piping: 1/2"

1/2"CPVC T

PVC FITTINGS:

1 1/4" endcap

1"x1/2" bushing

3/4" endcap

3/4" plug

1/2" plug

1/2" elbows (2)

1/2" 45 deg. elbow

Misc.:

Rubber washers: 3/16" ID, 1 1/2" OD, 1/16" thick; 3/16" ID, 1 1/4" OD, 1/16" thick

Screws: #6 sheet metal screws in 1/2" (need about 20) and 3/4" (only need 1) sizes.

Cotter pin: 1/8"x1"

Fender washer: 3/16" ID, 1" OD

Finishing washer: #8

Spring: +bow spring (see p. 1 for part #)

Roofing nail

Angle iron

Industrial-strength clothespin

Hot glue

Long zip tie

Short zip ties (2)

Edited by rork, 12 October 2008 - 05:22 PM.

[boisie]

Thank you for that. I'll be making a trip soon. It'll involve all those parts mentioned. Incedently, is the write-up for rev. 1 going to have the correct lengths, other than minor changes noted in rev. 2 and rev. 3?

[rork]

FOR THE LAST TIME, do not bring up. Rev. 1. It is relevant only as a prototype. The improvements involved in rev. 2 & 3 are anything but minor. All positive aspects of rev. 1 are included in rev. 3. There really isn't even a writeup for rev. 1, as it was an ever-evolving experiment. I've given correct part lengths for rev. 3.

Edited by rork, 12 October 2008 - 05:12 PM.

[Foam Shooter]

FOR THE LAST TIME, do not bring up. Rev. 1. It is relevant only as a prototype. The improvements involved in rev. 2 & 3 are anything but minor. All positive aspects of rev. 1 are included in rev. 3. There really isn't even a writeup for rev. 1, as it was an ever-evolving experiment. I've given correct part lengths for rev. 3.

Seconded.
Alright, I've made my 17/32" breech. There isn't a noticeable range difference in the normal barrel and the breech. The breech is just 9/16" over a piece of 17/32" brass. I plan on making a 9/16" breech also for my larger stefans.
Something I wanted to add but have forgotten, Home Depot doesn't carry the proper 3/4" plug. The plugs fit into the corresponding pipe size, not the fittings.
Nothing else to report, the guns holding up great.