53 replies to this topic

[Ice Nine]

Let me settle this now: the Vortex Tornado has a more comfortable shell than the Crossbow. It is slightly bigger in nearly every dimension, giving it a more “adult size” feel, and the stock, grip, and handle are extremely nice. It’s too bad it shot rings using a crazy cool, but not really modifiable, mechanism, because it would be a beast machine if you, say, had a Crossbow in it.

Let’s do that. Or something better.

THE TORNADOBOW: AKA, THE IMPREGNATOR.

In case you don't want to read this, here is the write-up set to a fantastic song.

Start with a stock Tornado. Gut the awesome ring shooter, save it to duct tape to a Longshot shell. Save the trigger and yellow priming handle.

Cut a plunger tube (1-1/4" OD x 1-1/8" ID polycarbonate) that is the length from the front of the gun to the rearmost circular support, and machine two PVC sheet supports. No templates for anything; I did this all by hand in the workshop.





Make a plunger head using one of Split's awesome plunger head dealies. I used mad fatty polycarb for both sides of it and tightened it onto 3/8" PVC square rod. It's the business. Vacuum loads backwards; no air loss forwards.





Cut some 1 1/2" ID polycarbonate tubing and solvent weld it over the front part of your plunger tube for support. Then, put in a coupler.



Put everything back in the shell to make sure it fits.



If yes, you can solvent weld the plunger supports to the plunger tube (AND NOTHING ELSE, AT ALL, ESPECIALLY NOT THE SHELL).





Make a spring rest out of the same 1/4" PVC sheet. Good stuff.



Throw in a K26 and see how it looks.

Edited by Ice Nine, 15 February 2010 - 03:07 PM.

[Ice Nine]

Looks good, right? It should. It's awesome.

Cut down on the stock priming handle, and cut a smallish square of 1/8" polycarb or similar plastic. You won't need a ton.





Sand it down (it's a li'l too wide) and solvent weld it in place.



Now would be a good time to extend the track on the gun. I got mine up to five and a half inches of travel.



You will have to cut some of the bottom out for the plunger rod.



Throw it in and make sure it moves all the way both directions, in both shell halves, smoothly.



Now, you can set up the plunger rod. This was adapted from Split's super-sweet LAB, and at Zorn's suggestion at the mod party.







It's really good looking. This way the priming handle can return after priming, just like it did on the stock mechanism! Plus this way you can put your cheek on the stock and not get it raped, like on the +bow. Excellent.

Edited by Ice Nine, 15 February 2010 - 03:06 PM.

[Ice Nine]

I found a sweet section of extension spring that fits great over the stock trigger nub piece. I hot glued it on.



And then I drilled a small hole in the shell for support. Trigger pull is excellent, and I could firm it up even more if I wanted to.



Now that all these parts are done, you should be starting on the part that everyone dreads: catch and trigger. Ugh.



If you notice I cut it backwards the first time. Took some shaving but this was corrected. Don't be dumb. Make sure you haven't been sitting in an unventilated garage with smokers, spray paints, and solvent welds for several hours. At this point we were pushing twelve.

I hardcore glued a section of PVC sheet to delrin for the beginnings of the catch. Partway through I restarted with polycarb, so that should explain the discontinuity in the next couple of pictures.



And then trim it.



Solvent weld a piece onto the trigger to actuate the catch. Same angle, please.



Cut out your catch. I used a half-inch spade bit and trimmed it, but made this a lot tighter in the polycarb iteration.



Cut the tracks.



And then make sure it slides.



You will have to trim the shell to make the catch fit, and slide comfortably. Unfortunately it's at a super awkward place for the dremel to reach, so I used a dremel and a razor blade to clear that noise out.

Edited by Ice Nine, 15 February 2010 - 03:08 PM.

[Ice Nine]

At this point, you're essentially done. Make a catch spring, attach it to the top of the shell with a li'l bit of adhesive, and then reassemble.





Looking super cool, right? I had to do SO LITTLE shell work to get this setup proper. The only place I had to do any real cutting was for the plunger rod in the stock. Excellent.

Remember the stock mechanism? That orange piece is pretty sweet. It would be a shame not to save it for something.



The final product:











Looks ridiculously cool, right? I love it. At the moment, it isn't quite working as properly as I'd like, because I did another dumb thing with the catch. Once I make it actually slide smoothly, it will shoot ridiculously, because right now as a pull-and-release gun with my sixteen inch +bow polyester speed loader, it nearly breaks one hundred.

There's a future part two to this project, after the catch is fixed. Here it is.



Enjoy it.

⊂3

Edited by Ice Nine, 15 February 2010 - 03:12 PM.

[Zorns Lemma]

Super sub-optimal penis gun gogogo.

Minor corrections: the plunger tube is 1-1/4" OD x 1-1/8" ID polycarbonate, the PVC rod used to hold the rubber shaft sealing skirt (9562K44) is 5/8" OD, and the PVC rod used for the plunger rod is 3/8" square.

[diamondbacknf1626]

I 100% agree with your first point...Tornado shells are absolutely more comfy than X-bows. Looks awesome. I had gone the easier route and slapped a 3k tank into mine, and it was great, but this is more what I would've liked to do thinking back. Can't wait to see final range results once that catch is fixed up. And that ~100' you have now, is that with slug darts or slingshot weighted ones?

[Draconis]

Simply gorgeous, Ice9. Great job on repurposing a great blaster that was nearly unusable due to a lack of ammunition. I hate to see awesome blasters die.

[Eh Watt]

It's called the impregnator because it makes you pregnant whenever you look at it, right? Or was that just me? Anyways, astounding work, here. The Tornado is a great shell, or so I hear.

[Ice Nine]

Super sub-optimal penis gun gogogo.

Minor corrections: the plunger tube is 1-1/4" OD x 1-1/8" ID polycarbonate, the PVC rod used to hold the rubber shaft sealing skirt (9562K44) is 5/8" OD, and the PVC rod used for the plunger rod is 3/8" square.

Thank you, Zorn. I'm still sleepdead and basically a carcinogen. Corrected.

I 100% agree with your first point...Tornado shells are absolutely more comfy than X-bows. Looks awesome. I had gone the easier route and slapped a 3k tank into mine, and it was great, but this is more what I would've liked to do thinking back. Can't wait to see final range results once that catch is fixed up. And that ~100' you have now, is that with slug darts or slingshot weighted ones?

Slingshot weights, being pulled-and-released. It don't doubt it will break one thirty with them after I fix the catch.

Simply gorgeous, Ice9. Great job on repurposing a great blaster that was nearly unusable due to a lack of ammunition. I hate to see awesome blasters die.

Thanks Drac. I appreciated the input from the IRC I got from you. I also used the shell you sent us for this one.

It's called the impregnator because it makes you pregnant whenever you look at it, right? Or was that just me? Anyways, astounding work, here. The Tornado is a great shell, or so I hear.

Ryan called it that, and because Ryan knows the business, that's what it's called.

And yes, he called it that because Merzlin got impregnated when he saw it at the mod party.

[Ryan201821]

That is tighter than my butthole.

[Spud Spudoni]

Sweet. Someone finally posted a topic on this gun. Good thing I got this.

Wasn't the song in the video by Girl Talk? Sounded like him.

Edited by Spud Spudoni, 13 February 2010 - 11:51 PM.

[Gears]

My new favorite shell getting the loving it oh so deserves.

Fantastic work.

[TantumBull]

Holy shit, that's really cool. Great work all around. Especially with all those custom parts.

[HOTH]

Brilliant. The guns are insanely comfortable. Quite a primary.

[MindWarrior]

Have you ever shot the coupler plug? Not at anybody hopefully =P.

[Ice Nine]

Sweet. Someone finally posted a topic on this gun. Good thing I got this.

Wasn't the song in the video by Girl Talk? Sounded like him.

I'm glad I was FINALLY able to fulfill your needs. It's just a pain to wait for someone to do everything, right?

Yes. Girl Talk. Off Night Ripper. He's better live.

My new favorite shell getting the loving it oh so deserves.

Fantastic work.

Gears, you know I do these things to be more like you. The Man Cannon, the LB, and now this? <3

Holy shit, that's really cool. Great work all around. Especially with all those custom parts.

Thanks. I'm glad you appreciate the custom machining aspect; it was more difficult than I anticipated.

Brilliant. The guns are insanely comfortable. Quite a primary.

Indeed. I think my +bow will take a small backseat once I finish the catch.

Have you ever shot the coupler plug? Not at anybody hopefully =P.

I have not. It would probably be painful.

[hawkshot]

This is probably one of the coolest things I've seen since I started nerfing a year and a half ago.

[Spud Spudoni]

Do you think you will do contracts for this gun?

[Ice Nine]

Do you think you will do contracts for this gun?

If the money is right. But that would be a lot.

You can PM me if you want.

[Merzlin]

And yes, he called it that because Merzlin got impregnated when he saw it at the mod party.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>:[

Overall, nice job Ice9. Beats my tornado to a pulp.

[TED]

Very nice beats my tornado by a very wide margin.

[BustaNinja]

The legitimization of this tornado has of created the ability to harden the appendages of men. I truly looked and enjoyed the sight of looking at this work of masterwork. Thanks X, where 0<X<63.7

Dude, thats pretty fuckin tight. Gotta see that in action some time. I love the tornado shell.

[Ice Nine]

The legitimization of this tornado has of created the ability to harden the appendages of men. I truly looked and enjoyed the sight of looking at this work of masterwork. Thanks X, where 0<X<63.7

Dude, thats pretty fuckin tight. Gotta see that in action some time. I love the tornado shell.

Unfortunately it looks like I won't be able to make the Minnesota war. You should come to Cataclysm to see it.

Anyways, I reupped the pictures onto a Pro account so they should all be fixed now. No going down.

[Daniel Beaver]

Plus this way you can put your cheek on the stock and not get it diddled, like on the +bow.

As you would know well.

I don't normally post in these threads just to pat your back, but you deserve it. You're the Spice of my Life after all. All innuendo aside, this is my favorite Nerf blaster of all time. I want one.

[Jlego]

I don't usually post any comments about mods, but that's some seriously beautiful work right there, mad props.