Upon farther investigation, I discovered that the person who made it used too thin of polycarbonate for the 1/8 pieces. It does not even seem like it is polycarbonate. After wasting $10 on a new sheet of polycarbonate and realizing that the maker had done such a hack job that I could not make the replacement pieces line up. The guy who was helping me with the machining decided he wanted to re-engineer the whole thing. Naturally, I did not protest.
He began by turning a custom bushing for the front that would seal with an oring, It accepts any pvc barrel, just like a normal +bow.
Then we installed custom fabricated aluminum blocks onto the sides of the catch area.
We then made a front plate and put threaded rods through the aluminum blocks and the front plate and tightened nuts onto either end.
Now, instead of all the force of the spring going into the front joints and a tiny little bolt, the stresses are held between aluminum plates and pieces of 1/4 inch polycarb, attached together by steel rods. This is by no means the best way to do this, but it used what we had on hand, and works well.
Also, if I my say so, It looks damn imposing.
Edited by flashflint, 12 August 2009 - 11:04 AM.
