48 replies to this topic

[qwertyupp]

By "easily pass the 100' mark" do you mean like by ten feet or by like fifty feet?

[Y-Brik]

By "easily pass the 100' mark" do you mean like by ten feet or by like fifty feet?

Usually by 10; I don't think I've heard of a 150' SNAP yet

[rork]

It all depends on your darts. With really, really good slingshots, 150 would be well within the realm of possibility, at least now and then; mine break 120 with slugs, upon occasion, and never really throw one to less than the century mark.

Edited by rork, 08 October 2010 - 11:13 PM.

[utahnerf]

Does lithium grease work for lubrication? (The stuff in the tube.)

[utahnerf]

Sorry, accidental double post.

Edited by utahnerf, 10 October 2010 - 11:30 AM.

[MindWarrior]

It should, I've been using that stuff as lubricants for a long time, and its very effective. And theres no harm in any of the washers its used on.

[TxNerfer]

Since we're on the topic of lube, why does everyone use silicone grease? I bought some from lowes and it doesn't work nearly as well as the spray.

[Darksircam]

Silicone spray evaporates much more quickly, and it seems to make the rubber expand slightly. Kinda annoying when you're using O-rings.
Has anyone used a [k25] spring in a SNAP before?

Slightly more relevant comment: Where do you get your clothespins? I can't find anything besides wooden ones.

Edited by Darksircam, 10 October 2010 - 03:01 PM.

[taerKitty]

Seel http://nerfhaven.com...55 for answers to your above questions. That's the general SNAP thread, which is a better place for that sort of discussion than threadjacking a given writeup.

Let's get this back on topic for the SNAP V, shall we?

Rork - good job. Very clean and straightforward.

A few more questions for your excellent FAQ:

• With the right tools and supplies, how long will this take to make?
  
  
• How hard on a scale of 1..10 is this? 1 = 'I can crayola barrel an NF,' and 10 = 'I cast my own parts'
  
  
• How much does it cost to make the first one of these, including all parts? How much does each one cost, averaged out over parts? (This reflects the fact that certain parts, such as springs, are sold in packages more than one blaster requires.)

Edited by taerKitty, 10 October 2010 - 02:31 PM.

[TxNerfer]

Taerkitty:

I bought everything on the list for a SNAP except for the adhesives and epoxy putty (I bought superglue for the plunger head, although not necessary) and it totaled around $33. I'm pretty sure everyone has hot glue so starting completely from scratch, it would be around $37-40 depending on the size of goop container you buy.

Edit: Darksircam,

First things first: the clothespin does absolutely no work in resisting the force of the plunger spring. I’ve heard some comments from people about how their clothespin is “too wimpy” and how it can’t stand up to the force of the spring, or seen SNAPs with rubber bands around the clothespin to keep it shut. Both are symptoms of the same problem….and the only reason to put a rubber band on a CPT is if you like a stiffer trigger pull.

The clothespin serves as a lever with a return spring to lift the nail, and then put it back in place: that’s all. The work of resisting the plunger spring is done by the nail and the hole.

Edited by TxNerfer, 10 October 2010 - 03:51 PM.

[utahnerf]

I just finished my new snapbow mk. v, and I'm having trouble with the pin getting caught in the [k26] spring. Should I just shorten the nail?

[rork]

Hokay:

If you're having catch tangling problems with a [k26], then yes; your pin is too long to a significant degree. You can use a [k25], but it requires the trigger setup to be made very precisely, and normal wear can cause catch issues. Silicon grease>everything else. Spray is utter shit, and it will fuck up your washers over time if you use a significant amount. My clothespins come from WalMart. If anyone just wants a couple, I'll offer them for sale on a per-each basis in my next thread.

Difficulty is tricky. I find these easy, but I have lots of practice, and the dearth of well-made SNAPs tells me that people tend to find them a little bit hard to make. Just take your time, and pay attention. Measure twice, cut once, all of that. Be especially careful when you make your handle, as that's where a lot of SNAPs go wrong.

Time is also tricky. There's a few hours in the total process for me, but I build in subassemblies, usually over the course of a week or more (working full time sucks, kids--I encourage you to find some rich parents), and I rigorously test each gun before I consider it to be "done."

[TxNerfer]

I don't see why alot of SNAPs could go wrong at the point of the handle. I find the handles to be fairly simple (just made a few today) but all you do is cut the wood, hot glue the coupler on, drill some holes and add your screws and you're done. But yes, they do take a while, especially to get the handles comfortable.

Edited by TxNerfer, 10 October 2010 - 08:22 PM.

[Whisper101]

I figure I'll add my 2 cents, as I am currently working on my first SNAP and have some comments and ideas.

In your writeup, the washers as well as a few other parts looked like theywere supposed to be eleven fourths of an inch wide/long. This confused me until I realized that you were just trying to say that they were one and a quarter inches long. I suggest adding a space between the two ones:

11/4" ----> 1 1/4"

I'd also suggest that you put next to the bushing that a +Bow bushing is essentially what you are using.

Also, wooden clothespins work just fine. Just be sure to DRILL the hole, not hammer it. Hammering it will most likely split the clothespin. I am currently using one on my SNAP and it holds up very nicely.

Just use silicone grease. It comes in a tub that costs about $4 at ACE and will last you a while. The silicone spray degrades polycarbonate and expands the rubber washers. I found this out the hard way.

[TxNerfer]

Thanks for getting me interested in SNAPs again, Rork. I got frustrated with one a while ago. I've been working on some this weekend (2 Mk.5's and one pump action). Just finished up one Mk.5 and now it seems I am getting proper SNAP ranges. I have no idea how accurate these are since I only have a 100' measuring tape and don't feel like measuring anymore, but I'm estimating 130-150' depending on the dart.

Also, thanks for revising the writeup and mentioning the bit about off centering the stock. My first one that I built was horribly uncomfortable when I primed it with the stock.

[nerfpower97]

Can someone show me what screws to use where and how to put them in? This is my first SNAP and I dont want to mess it up.
Pictures would be good, thanks.

Edited by nerfpower97, 24 January 2013 - 08:06 PM.

[Daniel Beaver]

Can someone show me what screws to use where and how to put them in? This is my first SNAP and I dont want to mess it up.
Pictures would be good, thanks.

The bill of materials specifies exactly which screws are used, and the pictures very clearly show where they go. It's okay to mess up a few times on your first SNAP, you'll learn from the experience.

Edited by Daniel Beaver, 24 January 2013 - 08:46 PM.

[Crater]

Can someone show me […] how to put them in?

Generally, when you're using self-tapping screws in holes that haven't been tapped yet, you should turn them clockwise for a bit and then back them out a bit, and repeat. That makes the tapping go much more smoothly.

[Spiderbite]

I've gotta say, I love the look of snaps. I've been on a homemade high recently and I want to make one of these, but my only question is... Cost?

Tori Belachey?

[Daniel Beaver]

Tori Belachey?

Belleci

[Spiderbite]

Great to see updated Snap writeups!
I have a 1.5" PVC Snap and have one notable updayte- Instead of potentially unreliable E-putty (Mine always crapped out on me), I took a 1.5" endcap and went t town on it with a dremel, creating a PVC catch ramp that fits right where an E-putty ramp would go. It's another option for builders, though a bit more labor intensive.

On the flipside, if you know exactly where your nail is going to strike and it always stays the same, you can use the part of the clothespin you cut off as a ramp. PM me if you want a pic of mine.

[AnOoB]

I understand that the size of the PC tube stands for the inner diameter? Because then i have bought a wrong size.

[Meaker VI]

I understand that the size of the PC tube stands for the inner diameter? Because then i have bought a wrong size.

 

If you mean PVC, then no. The labeled "size" has nothing to do with the size of the pipe other than being a (very confusing) standardized naming system. The ID will usually vary, but the OD on pipe should be consistent. For example, 1-1/4" PVC has something like a 1.66" OD. For our uses, the only pipes you need to worry about ID for are ones that are being used to nest other pipes/connectors and barrels.

[KaneTheMediocre]

 

If you mean PVC, then no. The labeled "size" has nothing to do with the size of the pipe other than being a (very confusing) standardized naming system. The ID will usually vary, but the OD on pipe should be consistent. For example, 1-1/4" PVC has something like a 1.66" OD. For our uses, the only pipes you need to worry about ID for are ones that are being used to nest other pipes/connectors and barrels.

...Which is quite often in our hobby.  The translation between PVC codewords and actual measurements can be found here among other places.

 

https://flexpvc.com/...CPipeSize.shtml

Also a good vendor for odd PVC connectors.

 

Generally the inner diameter will vary much more and be less round than the OD, because that's the part that needs to fit in mating couplers per plumbing standards.  There is a deliberate conspiracy to avoid anything that will make a nice fit inside a PVC pipe, so opportunities are few and far between.  This is part of why the 1 1/4" PVC pipe plunger tube is so popular.

Edited by KaneTheMediocre, 16 February 2016 - 04:16 PM.