17 replies to this topic

[Inferno Falcon]

[disclaimer]I apologize in advance if this should be in homemades, or not at all.[/disclaimer]

However stupid this may sound, I was wondering if anybody would know how to go about making an "air restrictor" out of pvc which would decrease the power of a blaster when attached via coupler.

The reasoning behind this is that for some game types (Such as zombies) having a powerful weapon is generally extremely erotic, and unnecessary. If you had a way to temporarily limit the power on it, though, you would not have to switch weapons during such game types.

Does anyone else see any merit in such a thing?

Thanks.

[minsc]

Easiest way would be to put a ball valve somewhere before the barrel in your setup. You could then dial down the air opening or flip it all the way open pretty easily.

(air system)=(valve)==[ barrel ]

Edit: Seeing some of the replies below, I still don't see the problem with a ball valve. It provides the "air cushion" you may desire when dialed down, while also allowing you to operate at full flow with a turn. It's adjustable without buying other parts or opening up the gun. It would take up less room than a dead space pipe. It would be cheaper and less assembly than pretty much anything else stated. You may be over thinking this.

Edited by minsc, 21 October 2010 - 01:46 PM.

[Inferno Falcon]

Easiest way would be to put a ball valve somewhere before the barrel in your setup. You could then dial down the air opening or flip it all the way open pretty easily.

(air system)=(valve)==[ barrel ]

That's a great idea. Thank you.

[taerKitty]

I'm having the same 'problem' with a PulseStrike.

Let's first address the peanut-gallery suggestion of "If it's an airgun, don't pump it up so much". That's great on in theory (see my .sig for the rest of the thought.) However, it's easy to lose track of how many times you've pumped it, and then you have to fill out all that paperwork for the insurance...

If it's couplered, the first thought is to shotgun it. And if that's still too powerful, double- or triple-stack each barrel.

If it's ramrodded, stuff it full of darts. Likewise, can you do the same with the breech?

If it's a pullback springer, can you add a notch?

I'm experimenting with a stupidly inefficient in-line clip - 18" of 3/4" PVC, so there's plenty of dead space. The PulseStrike still puts them about 80' away, but that's within the 'safe' range for our wars. This may still not work for HVZ.

[TxNerfer]

Piggybacking with the ball valve idea, I would just attatch a tee and have a variable length of PVC sticking out to create deadspace. There's alot of alternatives you could do using that idea. Just find the right amount of deadspace that you need.

[Ambience 327]

Adding dead-space would probably work well. Just add an extra length of barrel material with a second coupler. Might be a bit unwieldy if you are already using long barrels though.

[lionhawk]

You could get a half-inch diameter circle shaped object and drill crevices on the edges for airflow. After that you would have to put in the circle and it would probably restrict air. The dead space idea seems pretty good though. If you wanted more or less airflow you could add or decrease dead space.

Edited by lionhawk, 21 October 2010 - 09:50 AM.

[SonReeceSonJensen]

1 - Create dead space (having only one shot in a 10 shot hopper clip would do).
2 - Utilize poor dart/barrel fit: 9/16 brass and standard slugs might work
3 – Use stock darts that do not take advantage of a full barrel length
4 – Use stock blasters: very low danger of injury or pissing someone off due to overkill blasters. Magstrikes and Mavericks are easy to find.

[qwertyupp]

Adding dead-space would probably work well. Just add an extra length of barrel material with a second coupler. Might be a bit unwieldy if you are already using long barrels though.

I'm no genuis but the farther the air goes before hitting something, and so slowing the plunger, would theoretically be bad for the gun. I mean, when you stick your dart in the end of the barrel rather then the back, doesn't the plunger hit the front of the PT with more force?

Edited by qwertyupp, 21 October 2010 - 12:16 PM.

[Carbon]

Adding dead-space would probably work well. Just add an extra length of barrel material with a second coupler. Might be a bit unwieldy if you are already using long barrels though.

I'm no genuis but the farther the air goes before hitting something, and so slowing the plunger, would theoretically be bad for the gun. I mean, when you stick your dart in the end of the barrel rather then the back, doesn't the plunger hit the front of the PT with more force?

This actually doesn't slow the plunger at all: by increasing dead space, you've increased the volume in which air is compressed, thereby decreasing the operating pressure of the gun. (I did some calculations of this in relation to ballguns, which actually like high volume, low pressure air).

Anyway, your assumption has merit: by decreasing operating pressure, you reduce the air "cushion" that the plunger head will land on at the end of the barrel, possibly causing damage.

Rather than decreasing pressure of the blaster, you could increase the time it takes for the air to get to the dart. In the case of a 1/2" PVC barrel in a bushing, you could simply put a washer with a narrow ID at the base of the barrel, that sits inside the bushing. Constricting the airflow will slow down how long it takes for all the air to act on the dart, decreasing range, while also keeping the pressure cushion for the plunger head.

[shmmee]

If you're willing to move away from the homemade pre-requisite, and you're using an air gun, a ball valve teed off of the pump, leading to a "pop-safety valve" (aka relief valve) would be worth looking into. McMaster has some "soft seal valves" starting at $6.25. you could open the ball valve to limit pressure durring HVZ, and close it when more power is appropriate. If they can be disassembled without being distroyed, you could slip in /remove springs to adjust when it triggers.

And to quote the McMaster:
"Soft-seal valves have an airtight silicone seal, a brass disc, a music wire spring (unless noted), and a pull ring for testing. Temp. range is -15° to +250° F. Connections: NPT male bottom inlet and vented side outlet. Please specify set pressure. All are available from 25 to 150 psi in 5 psi increments, and from 150 to 300 psi in 25 psi increments, unless noted." They are only open while pressure exceeds the set limit.

And they meet ASME VIII (consctuction code for pressure vessels) for air, which really isn't relivant to nerf, but still a fun note for the other poor people who are forced to deal with such a beastly code.

Edited by shmmee, 21 October 2010 - 01:51 PM.

[Carbon]

No offfense, however, it may have an unintended effect. Have you guys ever heard of "Baffles"? Odd name, but they do as their name says. Let me explain- in small artillery pieces (spud guns, tennis ball mortars) and early gunpowder cannon, it has been found that a similar commpression ring every so often acutally dramaticly increases range, despite the expanding gases having to force their way through the compressed opening before reaching the "firing barrel" and projectile chamber.

Doesn't work that way in Nerf guns. We're working with comparatively low pressures: stuff from combustion doesn't necessarily apply.

That said, it's all just supposition and ass-talking until it's applied, so I added a nylon washer with a 1/4" ID between the plunger and wye on my SNA-PACbow. Results: about 20' less than without the constriction.

[BritNerfMogul]

I've been thinking about this...

In the setup for hoppers, you normally have a length of pvc, wye, and then more PVC + barrel material.
Would drilling holes in the first section of PVC, between the plunger tube and the wye, assist in 'restricting' the power, but making it simple and removable?

I'd test out my theory, but I've only got one hopper at the moment.

[Carbon]

In the setup for hoppers, you normally have a length of pvc, wye, and then more PVC + barrel material.
Would drilling holes in the first section of PVC, between the plunger tube and the wye, assist in 'restricting' the power, but making it simple and removable?

That'd work too. Just drill small holes to bleed off pressure until desired range drop is achieved.

[durka durka]

I can vouch for carbon's method. Once I was trying to decrease dead space in a blaster and accidentally ended up restricting airflow to the point where ranges were significantly affected.
Also, loading darts into the front barrel of an empty RSCB leaves you will a lot of dead space. You also won't have to do any modification to your blaster as long as you are already using an RSCB.

[Buffdaddy]

If you're really worried (say you already have an RSCB and still are shooting too far), make it with a 1/2" cross instead of a tee, and run PVC along the top of your RSCB a few inches for more deadspace. That's what I had to do for my modded Iron Man 2 Super Soaker; it was borderline dangerous at Hell Before Halloween 4, and really needed that extra reservoir to be safe.

Granted, this doesn't apply to most things used in Nerf (I had a large amount of power compared to most things), but if you really need to cut range, it works.

[Inferno Falcon]

If you're really worried (say you already have an RSCB and still are shooting too far), make it with a 1/2" cross instead of a tee, and run PVC along the top of your RSCB a few inches for more deadspace. That's what I had to do for my modded Iron Man 2 Super Soaker; it was borderline dangerous at Hell Before Halloween 4, and really needed that extra reservoir to be safe.

Granted, this doesn't apply to most things used in Nerf (I had a large amount of power compared to most things), but if you really need to cut range, it works.

Thanks, that seems very practical and useful.