82 replies to this topic

[autonerf]

I'm not sure if this is news but there is a new website OrangeModWorks and youtube channel I found where they are making metal internals and custom springs for the Recon and other guns. A representative from OrangeModWorks requested me to do reviews of their modification kits. Here I have completed my review for the Nerf Recon Stage 1 kit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg_OLpSj4YU&lc=EK1XHV_tx2JBFMoDt-Xzbd25gI-AWuRtXFgndqT6_i4&feature=inbox

The Stage 1 Performance kit claims ranges of 65 ft and it comes with a much stronger Recon spring, a metal catch and stronger catch spring, plus a metal reinforcement plate for the arm bar. There is a free modification guide on the OrangeModWorks website that has just about all the Recon mods. After completing all the modifications in the guide I got ranges of up to 65 ft. However some of these modifications would be difficult for a kid who has never opened a Recon before, so I imagine a lot of kids might assume all they need to do is install the kit and it will shoot 65 ft every time. If you do all the hardest Recon mods, then yes it's possible to get 65 ft flat with only the first kit. I am still unsure why OrangeModWorks did not choose to sell both Recon kits 1 and 2 together in one kit since that would make the Recon way easier to modify. Here's a picture of the Stage 2 Performance Kit that is supposed to be available in July. It has an aluminum barrel that is a perfect fit for streamline darts, plus an aluminum plunger.



I learned from the representative at OrangeModWorks there will be more modification guides and kits. Here's part of a message I received a couple days ago, "And thanks a lot for your compliment on our eBook. We plan on coming out with an eBook for every blaster we are going to be making kits for. At this time we are planning kits for 5 guns. Specifically which ones, I'll have to ask the product manager and get back to you. We definitely have some very exciting products lined up for the near future. Let me tell you a little bit about what we have in the works - We are planning to release 10 more kits in the next couple of months, as well as custom-made darts, vests, and paint kits. So if you are interested, you'll be getting a lot of mail from us."

If you have a Youtube channel, subscribe to these guys and maybe they will request you to try out some of this stuff. I am working on a video now where I am showing how to do all the modifications I did to the Recon with the stage 1 performance kit to get 100 ft angled. Of course, it would be easier to just wait for the stage 2 performance kit and then you can get a good barrel with no air restrictor and a metal plunger tube that can't get busted.

Edited by autonerf, 13 June 2011 - 10:56 PM.

[evilbunnyo]

We been hearing about these lately. Its nice to know that they are doing it for more than the recon. I am defintaley buying these to replace my recon parts instead of stock pieces.

[Kid Flash]

Am I the only one that doesn't like the whole "mass produced custom internals"? I mean, they're not custom if everyone has them... If everyone has the same internals in their recon (although it is still a recon, and I wouldn't use it other than for an indoor war) then everyone is going to have the same performance (other than how the darts will fit in the barrels). Just a little confused as to why anyone would purchase this unless they just don't enjoy modding.

[father time]

I don't know about you, but as far as the "mass produced custom internals" go, I think it's really cool. Some of the people in this world just don't have the manual dexterity to create the blasters that some of us do. That's why people like You, SVT, and many others do contracts, otherwise some people would not be able to compete with higher powered blasters. This isn't that different than doing contracts, is it? Also This may open up a new level in mods for the Recon, which is limited partly because of the fact that if you put too much power into it it disintegrates. But then what do I know? I'm just some old guy that plays with toy guns.

[238232]

I'd agree with you on wondering about "mass produced custom" items, seems a bit of a contradiction.

That said, some people are just more interested in shooting people with foam darts rather than modding their blasters. Similar situations can be found in any number of hobbies including cars, real firearms, watches &c.

Me personally? I like firing foam darts at people/things, that's why I like Nerf. I'm an engineering student and amateur machinist, that's why I like modding Nerf blasters.

[Darksircam]

Pretty cool. I won't be getting it, but this is a good idea. Metal parts are hard to machine - most I've done with a reverse plunger blaster is make a Raiderpistol with ARs removed and a powerstock.

It's a completely different style of "mod" that is basically replacing the internals. Or buying homemade internals and sticking them into a shell.

It still doesn't have nearly the power level of other blasters... but it can hold up against a modded NF pretty well.

I find the modding process the most fun - design something, make it work. Shoot people with it. Sell it/keep it. Repeat.

[SpectreX]

To be fair, OMW's products aren't aimed at the modding community, because modders can already get exceptional ranges out of their blasters. They're HvZ players making products aimed at HvZ players. There's a market out there for these products, and props to them for actually making a serious business out of Nerf modding. I just hope that Hasbro doesn't shut them down.

Besides modding, I'm also a HvZer, so I decided to get the OMW Recon kits to see if they were as good as their claims and worth recommending to other HvZers. I've got the Stage 1 kit installed on a Recon that only has the air restrictors out and the results are impressive. However, I think it'll be the Stage 2 kit that will really be a game changer, but I'll have to wait until it's released at the end of the month to say for sure. In theory, with the Stage 2 kit anyone with a screwdriver and a couple minutes to kill can suddenly go from a stock blaster to an optimized breach setup. No messing around with air restrictors/air release holes/o-rings, just open it up, take the stock parts out, drop in the OMW parts, and close it up.

If you're a modder it definitely takes the fun out of making it yourself, but for HvZ players and lesser skilled modders it allows them to get quick effective results as long as you're willing to pay for it (prices are incredibly reasonable for the results you get).

[VelveetaAvenger]

People have been selling mod kits for nitefinders for years, it's not going to suddenly ruin the game because somebody decided to do the same thing for recons.

So does this kit fit on any of the other "recon internal" blasters? Just curious if we can put these on an alpha trooper or raider to get some pump action, or if we have to wait for an "official" version.

[LTJG Rob]

'VelveetaAvenger', on 14 Jun 2011 - 4:13 PM, said:

People have been selling mod kits for nitefinders for years, it's not going to suddenly ruin the game because somebody decided to do the same thing for recons.

So does this kit fit on any of the other "recon internal" blasters? Just curious if we can put these on an alpha trooper or raider to get some pump action, or if we have to wait for an "official" version.

I know for sure that the kit won't fit either the AT or the Raider. It might fit the Deploy or the Long Strike but I wouldn't know for sure.

[MavericK96]

I'd like to see a full-metal internal kit for the Stampede. Using voltage mods it seems like there's a lot of stress on those moving parts in there.

[shandsgator8]

'LTJG Rob', on 14 Jun 2011 - 6:21 PM, said:

I know for sure that the kit won't fit either the AT or the Raider. It might fit the Deploy or the Long Strike but I wouldn't know for sure.

I imagine the main spring, catch spring, and reinforcement plate would work in the Alpha Trooper as drop in replacements, right?

As SpectreX already said, I always thought of this mod kit as targeted for HvZ-ers. Rate of fire, practicality, and legal/policy considerations of on campus Nerf wars seem to be begging for a product like this.

[ice]

'Kid Flash', on 14 Jun 2011 - 04:08 AM, said:

Am I the only one that doesn't like the whole "mass produced custom internals"? I mean, they're not custom if everyone has them... If everyone has the same internals in their recon (although it is still a recon, and I wouldn't use it other than for an indoor war) then everyone is going to have the same performance (other than how the darts will fit in the barrels). Just a little confused as to why anyone would purchase this unless they just don't enjoy modding.

I brought that up in rouges thread about his plunger, but he shit a brick, so I dropped the subject. I completely agree with you.

[Blue]

I don't get why anyone would get so uptight about this, how is purchasing one of these kits any different from buying a homemade from someone? And why would you even care what someone else is producing anyways?

[TantumBull]

Actually, Blue, I would care. But I care for an entirely different reason than all the other whiners who think that OMW parts take the modding out of nerfing. I look at it this way: I know how to make blasters that are reliable and very competitive on the field. But there are many people who don't, or simply don't have the time to do so. And at the same time I also don't like having a huge advantage over most other nerfers on the field. It's one reason why semi-auto hasn't really been seriously pursued by many nerfers - not many people can make stuff like that. I know that's why I haven't delved into it beyond a theoretical standpoint. Mod kits like what OMW is producing changes that whole mentality. Once they start producing kits for blasters that could potentially be more powerful, I won't have to worry about using blasters that have too much of an advantage over those of less experienced modders. One of the most frustrating things for me, in nerf, is having to dumb down what I make or else be required to make a ton of loaners. A company like OMW could really change that.

tl;dr: What OMW is doing could potentially even the playing field and allow us modders to push ourselves to higher limits.

Edited by TantumBull, 14 June 2011 - 09:46 PM.

[Draconis]

I still don't understand this concept. Why use aluminum? It's easily twice as dense as ABS plastic, thus requiring a stronger spring just to achieve the same crappy ranges. At some point, the stronger spring and heavier plunger are going to cause shell failure. If you are making custom internal kits for an otherwise shitty blaster, why keep the reverse plunger design? Whomever is building these kits certainly has the funding or machining skills to have these made, but they obviously do not have the engineering skills to come up with an ACTUAL improvement to the design. This isn't a mod, it's simply a material exchange.

[Blue]

'TantumBull', on 15 Jun 2011 - 02:44 AM, said:

Actually, Blue, I would care. But I care for an entirely different reason than all the other whiners who think that OMW parts take the modding out of nerfing. I look at it this way: I know how to make blasters that are reliable and very competitive on the field. But there are many people who don't, or simply don't have the time to do so. And at the same time I also don't like having a huge advantage over most other nerfers on the field. It's one reason why semi-auto hasn't really been seriously pursued by many nerfers - not many people can make stuff like that. I know that's why I haven't delved into it beyond a theoretical standpoint. Mod kits like what OMW is producing changes that whole mentality. Once they start producing kits for blasters that could potentially be more powerful, I won't have to worry about using blasters that have too much of an advantage over those of less experienced modders. One of the most frustrating things for me, in nerf, is having to dumb down what I make or else be required to make a ton of loaners. A company like OMW could really change that.

tl;dr: What OMW is doing could potentially even the playing field and allow us modders to push ourselves to higher limits.

I was talking more to ice and the others who have voiced fears about this part, I'm all for new ideas and products. I doubt that any part they make will change the playing field though; look at it this way: For purposes of just supplying people that don't mod with a blaster, a decent snap will still be only $40-$50. If you bought all the kits and a recon, you are looking at a ~$60 blaster that has a 50 foot lower range and only slightly better ROF... and it will still be shooting very expensive inaccurate streamlines.

[VelveetaAvenger]

'Draconis', on 15 Jun 2011 - 6:40 PM, said:

I still don't understand this concept. Why use aluminum? It's easily twice as dense as ABS plastic, thus requiring a stronger spring just to achieve the same crappy ranges.

Isn't it stronger also? So it could possibly be thinner and weigh the same as a stock plunger system?

It will be interesting to see how the shells hold out now that the plunger tubes supposedly won't break from springs that are too strong.

↓ Didn't even think of that area, might want to make sure the edges of the piece that goes in there are beveled and not sharp.

Edited by VelveetaAvenger, 15 June 2011 - 11:17 PM.

[shandsgator8]

'VelveetaAvenger', on 15 Jun 2011 - 7:30 PM, said:

Isn't it stronger also? So it could possibly be thinner and weigh the same as a stock plunger system?

It will be interesting to see how the shells hold out now that the plunger tubes supposedly won't break from springs that are too strong.

I used an aluminum plunger tube in a clear Recon and noticed sudden, increased wear on the internal rails on the inside of the shell. This wasn't the OMW plunger tube, so it could be just my aluminum plunger tube.

On a slight tangent, I believe the yellow Recons will prove to be more durable as the clear plastic Nerf blasters are more brittle (but stiffer) than the regular colored blasters.

Edited by shandsgator8, 15 June 2011 - 06:30 PM.

[Draconis]

'Just Some Bob', on 16 Jun 2011 - 09:04 AM, said:

I agree with you. But on the other hand buyers do seem to be picking them up.

I suppose that comes with the subject matter, no? Silly kids.

Quote

Also. one of the markets is HVZ games, which are often on campuses where administrators rule. If one talks to them about modified blasters, they might be satisfied by "we replaced some parts with metal, to be more durable, but they're the same size and shape" when they're likely to reject a lot of other types of mods.

It's going to be really obvious when you fire and the blaster says "CLANG!". What I foresee happening is the barrel section deforming and eventually not sealing either from damage to the inside of the plunger section, or the seal itself. I also expect the mount points for the barrel to be the failure prone area, allowing the tube to be shot out the front when it breaks.

[TantumBull]

'Blue', on 15 Jun 2011 - 7:24 PM, said:

I was talking more to ice and the others who have voiced fears about this part, I'm all for new ideas and products. I doubt that any part they make will change the playing field though; look at it this way: For purposes of just supplying people that don't mod with a blaster, a decent snap will still be only $40-$50. If you bought all the kits and a recon, you are looking at a ~$60 blaster that has a 50 foot lower range and only slightly better ROF... and it will still be shooting very expensive inaccurate streamlines.

Oh I know you were, haha. I was trying to have a witty open, but clearly it was just confusing. And I don't mean for the recon per se, more for future blasters they might do. LS kits for example could really be significant. But yeah, I know what you mean. I'm probably being a little hopeful. But a man can dream, can't he?

[autonerf]

When you sign up on their mailing list you get the latest updates, like this email I got today. So I guess there will be 3 Recon kits now?

Hey Orange fans,

We have some good and bad news to report today.

First... the bad: The release date for Recon Stage 2 kit is now
July 12th due to manufacturing delays. We are very sorry for the
inconvenience; we have had such a huge demand for this kit and are
working overtime to meet the need! We *promise* that there will be
no more delays.

Now, onto the good news: To compensate for the delay, everyone who
preordered (or preorders now until release) Kit 2 will receive
a FREE Recon metal trigger! The metal trigger won't be released
again until Kit 3.

This preorder special will be extended to midnight CST on July 11.
If you still haven't preordered it yet, now's your chance to get $2
off AND receive a free metal trigger. Be sure to use the discount
code "preorderkit2" at checkout. Here's the link:

Recon Kit #2

In other news, our first stage kits for the Raider, Alpha, and
Longstrike now have an estimated release date of July 25, 2011.
We'll let you know when preordering and more details are available.

Thanks everyone, and have a great day!
Orange Mod Works Team

P.S. As members of our mailing list, you'll be the first to receive
latest updates from us. As always, we will only email you when
there is something important or special to report. We promise to
never spam! Other perks for members such as contests,
freebies, and more are in the works! Stay tuned...

[SpectreX]

'TantumBull', on 16 Jun 2011 - 8:33 PM, said:

LS kits for example could really be significant.

They have announced that they'll be putting out a LS "Immortal" kit, but no information about what it will have in it. However, they have announced that it will come in a collectors tin, so that probably means the pricing will be more of a premium than the Recon kits. It will be interesting to see what of the Longshot they decide to make out of metal.

[shardbearer]

Alpha Trooper kit...oh yeah.
But for guns with more room like the Longstrike they should make a standard plunger that fits in it.
Longshot is totally gonna be Level 1 spring, catch plate, and catch spring, level two they replace the boltsled, plunger rod and plunger tube, and level three is gonna be an aluminum angel breech. And hell, level four pump grip.

[Nerf Gra]

This post is adapted from a thread I posted on the Revolution as a cry for help. It got closed in about 3min. Who'd have thought I'd get so slapped down on that forum? Abuse? That's what I come here for. If my post breaks any rules so be it Ill take my licks but I digress on to my point.

I am very excited about all of these and the upcoming projects giving so much potential to all of these blasters. Effectively breathing back into the blaster a life of relevance. Now obviously with all the REclones that have come out you would imagine that it would be very easy for them to make kits for all or most of the current blaster line up and you would be very correct. Yet I found something to be missing from that list....

The Deploy. Possibly one of the coolest most hilarious and awesome blasters Nerf has made in a while. As much of a novelty as anything else. It was the only N-Strike blaster that I bought purely because of what it was and could do. It was/is wacky and fun and a shinning example of what Nerf is all about. The only bad part about this blaster is is less than stellar performance and (unless your Rogue) its lack of potential. So you can imagine my excitement when I found the group of people Orange Mod Works who were bringing back from obscurity these reverse PT blasters. I thought surely they won't leave out the Deploy that most beloved of transformers blasters. So I searched and searched and couldn't find any evidence that they were going to make such a kit. So I posted on their Facebook page asking them if they had any plans to make one. Sadly their reply was a dull "no". But they did give me some hope. They stated in the response that if 50 people respond to my facebook posting that they would develop and produce kits for the Deploy.

So I am sending this cry, this fleeting plea for help. Please if you care about the Deploy as I do, if it captured your heart like it did mine, if you don't to see if go by the wayside as these new kits come out and bring back to life all these other blasters then I ask you to make yourself heard say it loud say it proud. Get on Facebook and respond to this post and let them know that you want the Deploy to have a fighting chance.

[Longshotlord]

So is this kit worth getting for someone like me who can't mod a recon very well at all?