16 replies to this topic

[Zorns Lemma]

This is a post-mod writeup, so I don't have any in-progress pictures.

Mods to do:
- Rear loading
- Modular barrels
- Improved plunger to turret seal; improved plunger to turret airflow
- Increased draw
- Catch upgrades
- Adapter for removable stock

Turret
Drill out the back of your turret to allow for real-loading. Sanding drum on a dremel works too.


Unscrew the screw, and then glue all the ratcheting pieces together, as well as the entire rotation nub together. This is so the turret does not slip when rotating under the increased friction from the seal mods we will do later.


I used 6" of 5/8" ID x 3/4" OD polyester tube for my main barrels. This is for 3 reasons: 1) Shooting megas 2) Allowing 1/2x5/8 polyester tube (or CPVC too) to nest inside all the way to the back for single micro barrels 3) Allowing micro barrels to nest inside with some gap for inlines.


I harvested the stock shotgun encapsulation on the turret to use as a spacer for my mega barrels. Center a 3/4" spade bit on the natural dimples in the 3-shot intersections for perfectly spaced holes.


I glued my barrels in by solvent-welding the base plate and the barrels, and then throwing the spacer on while the weld formed.


Inline mode:

Simply push the 1/2" ID x 5/8" OD polyester tube all the way back for regular single barrels.

Plunger tube

I cut off the stock piece entirely and replaced it with 5/8" brass nested in the 5/8" ID polyester. Finished by superglueing a rubber washer to form the seal. This improves the seal and gives you much better airflow.

After cutting off the stock connection, bore it out to fit 5/8" brass. The polyester tube is only there for support of both the brass and the rubber washer.

The brass runs into the plunger tube. The polyester is solvent-welded to the outside. Be sure that your brass doesn't go into the usable volume of the plunger tube and thus impede your plunger rod movement.


I started with a 1/2" connection piece and slowly dremeled it down until when put into the shell, there was slightly less than 1/8" distance between the piece and the back of the turret. Ideally, you want it to be just long enough for good friction between the rubber washer and the back of the turret, but not so long that this greatly inhibits turret rotation.

As seen in the previous pictures, you will have to make judicious cuts on the rubber to fit it, such as a dimple to fit over the rotation mech. Also, make sure that the hole in the rubber is 5/8", else you did those airflow mods for nothing.

Plunger rod

Cut the front set of gasket off of your plunger head. It serves no purpose except in limiting plunger travel. You can also fill in the space with hot glue, though I found that when done improperly, this actually decreases range as friction between the plunger head and the plunger tube is too high.


Your plunger rod will now be able to travel forward more. You also cut down on dead space and achieve more efficient pressurization.


Accommodating the increased forward travel
Catch


Glue your catch in the down position


This is obviously easier if you take out the spring in the back

The original purpose of this mechanism was so that you can't pull the trigger without the priming bar in the forward position. This is stupid for two reasons: 1) it actually inhibits plunger rod travel forward and 2) now you can "fire" the gun in the back position to "undo" priming the gun without dry firing.

Cut off the ^ shape on the catch:

This is the main reason why you had to do the previous two steps. The ^ impedes our increased forward stroke, but is also vital in stock operation to push the catch down so the trigger can operate it.

Edited by Zorn's Lemma, 20 June 2011 - 10:07 PM.

[Zorns Lemma]

While you're at it, do BadWrench's torsion spring reorientation. This will be all the catch spring upgrade you need.


The new orientation increases torsion spring compression by a lot, thus almost doubling the force on the catch. Reassembly involves bending the torsion spring beyond position with a screwdriver and then slipping the catch on.


Plunger rod

Dremel out the stopper in the back of the plunger rod to allow full forward travel:


Other "get it to fit together" mods

Cut down the priming bar and spring rest so it can fit like so:


Replace the forward notch on the rotation bar with a screw further back on the bar so that on the forward stroke you're not trying to push the rotation bar into the turret.


Closeups:




Shell mods

Increase the allowable forward stroke of the priming handle.


Cut out space in the priming handle so it doesn't hit the elevated portion of the shell on the outside.


If you want to attach a stock, this is my adapter method. 3/4" PVC endcap solvent-welded in, hot glue to take up space, and a 6-32 bolt run though everything to secure it. I drilled through the endcap and both sides of the shell together, and then tapped the holes through. The solvent weld is a temporary hold, the bolt is the main structural point, and the hot glue is simply to stabilize the coupler so it doesn't shake around.


Rear-loading holes


Don't forget to upgrade your springs

Stock + ACE #49. [k26] doesn't fit. You could try [k25] maybe. I know K19 inteferes with the stock spring.

Assembly

For reference, in case you missed a step and the pieces don't seem to fit.

Edited by Zorn's Lemma, 08 January 2010 - 02:08 PM.

[Zorns Lemma]

And we're done.



Wheeeeeeeeee

Edited by Zorn's Lemma, 08 January 2010 - 02:09 PM.

[Banshee]

I guess I'll be the one to ask for ranges. So... What kind of ranges are you getting?

[Merzlin]

Awesome job zorn, but you probably already knew that. As for the felt stickers, I'd like to see the entire gun covered with them.

Edited by Merzlin, 09 January 2010 - 01:19 AM.

[Mr BadWrench]

Good work on the screw for the priming spring.... Ive had nothing but trouble with those.

[Zorns Lemma]

I guess I'll be the one to ask for ranges. So... What kind of ranges are you getting?

Around the same as your average +bow, SM1500, or PAS with +bow spring. Less than a Big Blast or pump-replaced 3k. More than a RFDG with +bow spring. Less than a RFDG with +bow and K19 springs.

Good work on the screw for the priming spring.... Ive had nothing but trouble with those.

Thanks, I came up with the idea to use the screw after the notch on mine actually broke. Especially when you increase turret friction, that piece seems like the weakest point in the gun.

[mitch s95]

When you said "
Unscrew the screw, and then glue all the ratcheting pieces together, as well as the entire rotation nub together. This is so the turret does not slip when rotating under the increased friction from the seal mods we will do later."

Did you mean this piece? And how would I do that. Would I get rid of the spring?



So far this has been a very helpful wright up. nicely done zorn.

[Zorns Lemma]

Yes.

Leave the spring in. You want to pop the rotation cylinder (the big white thing with slots on it for the bar) and ratcheting mechanism (the small circle gear things inside the rotation cylinder) apart, and then glue them all together and then glue it onto the turret. Make sure that you assemble and disassemble the piece a few times so you are sure which piece goes where and in what order you have to glue it together. Also make sure that the orientation is correct.

[mitch s95]

Yes.

Leave the spring in. You want to pop the rotation cylinder (the big white thing with slots on it for the bar) and ratcheting mechanism (the small circle gear things inside the rotation cylinder) apart, and then glue them all together and then glue it onto the turret. Make sure that you assemble and disassemble the piece a few times so you are sure which piece goes where and in what order you have to glue it together. Also make sure that the orientation is correct.

Not to sound stupid but mine wont come apart. There was a small screw inside witch I removed but i an pull it apart. could you perhaps make a diagram of this on paint? Or make a quick video? Im sure Im not the only one to get this wrong.

thanks zorn

[nerffirefight24]

DAMN that is one sexy beast.

[Zorns Lemma]

Some revisions which are due:

After seeing and hearing so many issues with catches breaking, I decided to rebuild my own (it was starting to flex under enough stress which would cause the blaster to unprime if primed too quickly)


Basically I took a piece of 1/16" polycarb angle bracket (I bought the original 12" length to make firefly turret retainers) and epoxied it on. Then I drove a screw through the side.
It is important to realize which side to attach the angle bracket from. The side closer to the front of the blaster is under a ton of shear stress while the side further away is under compressive stress. So obviously we want to reinforce the side that is in the front. The purpose of the screw is mainly to firmly attach the polycarb, but it also serves to better redistribute torque on the catch.

The reason this piece undergoes so much stress even though it isn't involved the the actually ratcheting mechanism of the plunger rod is because this is the piece that via the catch spring and trigger prevents the "catching" portion from rotating.

To make room for this new catch, we need to make some cuts in our shell


I also took this time to liberally apply epoxy to the nub the pin for the catch lies in. Because this is the fulcrum for the lever-type catch, it also undergoes a ton of stress. The epoxy is not meant for structure, but to act as a further means of redistributing forces on this fulcrum through tensile forces.

Now because a support is gone in our shell, I mount my plunger rod with screws.




This should be self-explanatory.


Finally, I also took the time to replace my plunger head. There have been plenty of other threads on this so I won't go into too much detail here.

Edited by Zorn's Lemma, 24 June 2011 - 08:42 PM.

[ImportedUniversal]

Amazing job, Zorn. But that goes without saying.
However, how reliable is it? Does it break a lot?

[Zorns Lemma]

Amazing job, Zorn. But that goes without saying.
However, how reliable is it? Does it break a lot?

It has never actually broken. Most of these are preemptive fixes/reinforcements.

[makeitgo]

When ever I hear about the catch breaking, it's the other part of the catch that breaks. Neither has ever happened to me either but your reinforcement is something I may have to do. I like it.

Why did you get rid of the plunger tube support bracket? Or did it break?

[ChaosPropel]

Why did you get rid of the plunger tube support bracket? Or did it break?

I know I'm not Zorn, but I figured I'd save him a post..
He got rid of it so the new catch could move freely:

To make room for this new catch, we need to make some cuts in our shell

Also, Zorn, is that a polycarb circle or eputty under the rubber washer on your plunger head?

EDIT: Post #100, whoot.

Edited by ChaosPropel, 26 June 2011 - 08:26 AM.

[Zorns Lemma]

Why did you get rid of the plunger tube support bracket? Or did it break?

The L bracket makes the catch thicker so the support gets in the way. You only have to remove the one on the right side of the shell so the left one is still in but I added screws to both sides just for added stability.

Also, Zorn, is that a polycarb circle or eputty under the rubber washer on your plunger head?

It is a disc of PVC. I superglued it onto the plunger head and then drill/tapped to mount my rubber washer. The plunger head doesn't actually take any stress in terms of the seal being in front of the molded plastic so superglue is more than sufficient to keep my seal on.