17 replies to this topic

[Gage]

On a recent trip to Dollarama, I noticed this blaster sitting on the shelves. It was a Rebel Trooper Blaster knock-off that fired Mega Darts, and there was another that fired arrows. I couldn't resist the $2 price tag, so I picked it up. I tried it out, and it was decent. Not too powerful, but good for something I found at the Dollar store. It came in red and green, but I picked up the green one. I saw the cocking mechanism and thought "this might actually have some potential!", so I decided to crack it open and see if I could improve it.



This is what it looks like. I am aware that it's smaller than the regular Rebel Trooper Blaster, and doesn't have the light-up features. It's also close to $20 less, and comes with more darts. Ranges topped out for most Nerf darts at around 10 feet, slightly less probably. The farthest it shot was around 18 feet with the darts that came with it, and Banzai darts hit around 15 feet.



There's this horrible scope that is on the top of the blaster that you can't see anything out of. It's the worst scope I've ever seen.



This is the "barrel". There is no barrel, it's just a peg that is coming out of the shell. This is why the dart is about 90% out of the shell, and is extremely easy to knock out of the barrel.



These are the darts that it came with. The tip is transparent, and they were constructed very poorly. There was glue all over them that I had to remove. They are a little thicker than most darts.



This is a comparison of the size of these darts since I've never seen them before. I call them Mega Darts sine they are quite thick, and have difficulty fitting into most Nerf barrels, although it doesn't seem that way in the photo.



Trying to get this bastard open is difficult because of this scope. On it, all three orange pieces are glued on. It's hard to get them off, so you'll have to break the plastic open to get them off, because there is no way to gently pry them off.



The tip of the blaster will also have to go, unless you just cut it along the lines of the shells.



I ended up cutting out a section of the plastic for the tip so that I could actually open it.



The scope was also cut in three places, although I ended up giving up on the first one and ripping it off entirely. The plastic is super-easy to break, so don't apply too much pressure.



Once it is opened up, you will see remarkably simple internals. Just your basic Nite Finder internals, but slightl longer. There is nothing in the scope either.



The barrel has a separate shell for some reason. I find it to be unnecessary.



Inside, we discover why ranges are so terrible. The air has to travel along a long path will with dead space just to exit, which needs to change.



The spring mechanics seem to work fine, and the spring is decent. I tried integrating a Nite Finder spring into it, but it wouldn't catch, so I took out the stock spring and just left the Nite Finder spring.



As you can see, the spring assembly is much longer than the Nite Finder's, and has an extra piece to it as well. It's something to do with the plunger tube.



Time to get rid of the dead space.



Rip off the tube and the "barrel". You can either put these in the parts bin or throw them away.



I still wasn't happy, so I removed the rest of the blue piece to allow more air to pass through. I'm sure I could have removed more, but I left the rest.



Yes, I have finally tracked down some PVC. Unfortunately, it wasn't cut right, so it's rather bent on one side. If anyone knows how to even it out, that would be greatly appreciated. Anyways, take your PVC and cut it to 3-4 inches. I think the guy who cut it made mine a little too long.



Take some tape and wrap it around the blue piece to ensure a tight fit for the PVC.



It should look like this when done.



Place this back into your blaster. We're done with it for now.



Fit everything back into the correct place on the blaster.



Now, close up the blaster and make sure the catch works correctly.


EVERYTHING AFTER THIS IS OPTIONAL.




This is where the minimization comes into play. If you're not satisfied with the horrible scope, just cut it off like I did. I think it looks similar to a Stormfire, and I'm very pleased with how it turned out.



You will need to close up the hole in the top of the blaster, unless you like it for some reason.



Make sure you sand the edges and clean it up before you put anything on it. I put on some tape in a window formation, because even though it looks like crap, I still think it looks alright.



This is what the end result should be; a much sleeker blaster, and a better-performing one too.



This is what it looks like with the PVC on it. I like how it turned out, it's a better blaster. It's comfortable too, and it also vacuum loads, which is a bonus. When it comes to ranges, it's not too good, only around 20-30ish feet depending on the dart, the seal of the dart, etc. It's still a big improvement when compared to the initial 7-18 feet. I have also officially renamed this one from "Air Blaster" to the "Seeker" to suit the changes.



You can now throw out these unnecessary pieces.

Thank you for reading. Constructive criticism, questions and comments would be greatly appreciated.

[KoRnEd]

It looks as if the spring is pretty beastly, and it looks like it has a lot of draw. It also appears to have a cup-like seal, which can be really good. No doubt with proper barrel material (1/2" PVC is generally too loose of a fit on the darts too gain any range.). Also, is it just me or is the actual PVC bent?

[Gage]

It looks as if the spring is pretty beastly, and it looks like it has a lot of draw. It also appears to have a cup-like seal, which can be really good. No doubt with proper barrel material (1/2" PVC is generally too loose of a fit on the darts too gain any range.). Also, is it just me or is the actual PVC bent?

I agree, I think that this blaster has a lot of potential. Could be even more than the Nite Finder if someone with a ton of experience tried modding it. Yes, you're correct. I had it cut in the store since I couldn't find anything else other than brass, and the guy who cut it made an error, curving the PVC. As soon as I can I'm going to try and get a better spring and a better barrel, but there's nothing I can do right now.

[SpokkyLucaz]

Besides E-tape, did you use any other methods of securing the barrel in place? And what types of darts are you using with the PVC? I'd suggest 1/2"CPVC seeing as this is essentially a larger and more neon NF.
Also, did you say someone else cut the PVC for you? Did you not have the proper cutting tool yourself?

[Gage]

Besides E-tape, did you use any other methods of securing the barrel in place? And what types of darts are you using with the PVC? I'd suggest 1/2"CPVC seeing as this is essentially a larger and more neon NF.
Also, did you say someone else cut the PVC for you? Did you not have the proper cutting tool yourself?

No, I haven't used anything on it so far except for e-tape. I figured that it would create a tight enough seal. I use streamlines because I haven't made stefans yet. Yeah, I got it cut in the store since I don't have a pipe cutter (over-protective mom). I don't think I would be able to convince her either. Thanks for pointing out where it could be that the performance is worsening, I'll be sure to try the CPVC next time if I can find it.

[cheyner]

Good work, you will have to do something with the plunger rod though if you plan on adding any springs or rubber bands to it. It will snap like a twig otherwise. The spring from these are good for adding to other blasters, they will nest under most springs.
Have you shown your mother rotary pipe cutters? They are safer than most other kinds.

Also, you live where about 99% of the wars in Canada happen, you should click the link in my signature and join, at least half of the wars only get posted there.

[Briguy52]

The "extra piece" in the back of the plunger assembly reminds of the Tech Target blaster. I just cut mine down (in the TTG) in order to accommodate a larger spring (ie Home Depot 'Handyman') leaving just a little cap at the end to hold the spring in. Since that orange piece seems to have another piece nested inside, I would recommend cutting down the inside (while maintaining structural integrity) so that you can upgrade the spring if you so wish to do so. If you don't want a longer spring, I would guess that you just need a stronger catch spring and you should be able to take the extra spring load of the stock + NF springs. I normally just use the spring from a "Pilot G2" gel pen (kinda expensive) in most of my pistols and it never seems to let me down with misfires or malfs or anything.

[Gage]

Good work, you will have to do something with the plunger rod though if you plan on adding any springs or rubber bands to it. It will snap like a twig otherwise. The spring from these are good for adding to other blasters, they will nest under most springs.
Have you shown your mother rotary pipe cutters? They are safer than most other kinds.

Also, you live where about 99% of the wars in Canada happen, you should click the link in my signature and join, at least half of the wars only get posted there.

Thanks! I'm planning on adding re-inforcements to the blaster as well, so that might improve that. I'll have to talk with my mom about that, thanks for the suggestion!

I'd love to join the community, thanks for bringing it up! If the times fit my schedules, I'd love to join some wars.

With a piece-of-crap blaster, and a bent chunk of PVC, you made something actually worth writing up. Nice job!

And no, there's no reasonable way to fix bent PVC, that piece shouldn't even be worth a (Canadian) dime. Maybe you can meet up with a local modder who can help you out, or next time, buy somewhere else.

Thanks! I figured it wouldn't be worth much, so I'm attempting to find a dremel and fit in a CPVC coupler/CPVC instead next time I go back to the store.

The "extra piece" in the back of the plunger assembly reminds of the Tech Target blaster. I just cut mine down (in the TTG) in order to accommodate a larger spring (ie Home Depot 'Handyman') leaving just a little cap at the end to hold the spring in. Since that orange piece seems to have another piece nested inside, I would recommend cutting down the inside (while maintaining structural integrity) so that you can upgrade the spring if you so wish to do so. If you don't want a longer spring, I would guess that you just need a stronger catch spring and you should be able to take the extra spring load of the stock + NF springs. I normally just use the spring from a "Pilot G2" gel pen (kinda expensive) in most of my pistols and it never seems to let me down with misfires or malfs or anything.

Strange, the Home depot nearby that I go to has no springs at all. I'll be sure to try that though, that sounds like a pretty good idea! Would there be a store that sells these pens in Canada? Thanks for the suggestions!

[Curly]

Nice mod, I was hoping these things had potential. You shouldn't be using straight 1/2" PVC for barrels. You're probably using taggers or other stock darts that fit into that size pipe, but for short barrels you want the foam to be the part that the barrel fits, like on a stock blaster. 1/2" CPVC is probably your best bet for stock darts. You might have to roll the dart in your hands before loading it if the fit is tight.

If you need a dremel 'round these parts you should head to Canadian Tire and pick up a Mastercraft rotary tool with the bit set it includes. I think they're usually $60, but Canadian Tire likes to put Mastercraft stuff on Sale alot. I picked up my set for $30, and it has all the features of a high-end dremel, for less. When buying any sort of dremel type tool you MUST get variable speed, otherwise the blaster you're working on will melt into a puddle.

[Xtech]

Just as another helpful hint, you could try to get an ACE #49 spring from the Ace hardware store. Its a bit smaller than a nitefinder spring, but it would fit nicely in that "Air Gun" shell. It's cheap (1.30), and really beefy for a spring its size. Of course, you would need some kind of reinforcement to accomodate for it, but I'm pretty sure it'll be able to squeese alot more range out of that gun than just a nitefinder spring.

[Curly]

Just as another helpful hint, you could try to get an ACE #49 spring from the Ace hardware store. Its a bit smaller than a nitefinder spring, but it would fit nicely in that "Air Gun" shell. It's cheap (1.30), and really beefy for a spring its size. Of course, you would need some kind of reinforcement to accomodate for it, but I'm pretty sure it'll be able to squeese alot more range out of that gun than just a nitefinder spring.

We don't have ACE Hardware here. There are places to get springs, but there aren't any ACE stores in Canada.

[Xtech]

We don't have ACE Hardware here. There are places to get springs, but there aren't any ACE stores in Canada.

Sorry Curly, didn't know that you and Gage both lived in Canada.

[cheyner]

Gage, springs at Home Depot are in the same isle as the nuts and bolts, at least in Kingston they are. Canadian Tire will also have springs that should fit, same isle as the nuts and bolts as well. Home Hardware is useless for most things, and Rona is hit-or-miss. That pretty much covers the major Canadian hardware stores.
FYI, you and Curly live pretty close to each other (during the week), like biking distance close, take advantage of having another nerfer so close to you. It's rare in this province outside of Scarborough and Mississauga.


Edit: Curly, he joined CanNerf and posted a more precise location.

Edited by cheyner, 07 July 2012 - 08:28 PM.

[Curly]

Gage, springs at Home Depot are in the same isle as the nuts and bolts, at least in Kingston they are. Canadian Tire will also have springs that should fit, same isle as the nuts and bolts as well. Home Hardware is useless for most things, and Rona is hit-or-miss. That pretty much covers the major Canadian hardware stores.
FYI, you and Curly live pretty close to each other (during the week), like biking distance close, take advantage of having another nerfer so close to you. It's rare in this province outside of Scarborough and Mississauga.

Really? His profile says Toronto, but I guess that's partially inaccurate. If you (Gage) need FA24's beige stefan foam, PETG, or something like that and can get to Oshawa I'd be happy to meet up with you. I also have a Mitre saw that cuts PVC nicely, if you want me to get you specific cuts I can do that too. No bent crap either

Edited by Curly, 07 July 2012 - 08:09 PM.

[makeitgo]

You can find these in the party section of Dollarama.

[Gage]

Nice mod, I was hoping these things had potential. You shouldn't be using straight 1/2" PVC for barrels. You're probably using taggers or other stock darts that fit into that size pipe, but for short barrels you want the foam to be the part that the barrel fits, like on a stock blaster. 1/2" CPVC is probably your best bet for stock darts. You might have to roll the dart in your hands before loading it if the fit is tight.

If you need a dremel 'round these parts you should head to Canadian Tire and pick up a Mastercraft rotary tool with the bit set it includes. I think they're usually $60, but Canadian Tire likes to put Mastercraft stuff on Sale alot. I picked up my set for $30, and it has all the features of a high-end dremel, for less. When buying any sort of dremel type tool you MUST get variable speed, otherwise the blaster you're working on will melt into a puddle.

Thanks! Yeah, I know. I was in a bit of a rush trying to look for barrel material that I thought they both would get similar performance. I'm glad I learned though.

I could probably use the dremel that my dad has, but thanks for the suggestion! I would look for that, but I live with an over-protective mom who does not allow that sort of stuff. She wouldn't even let me use the drill until recently. Also thanks for the tips!

Gage, springs at Home Depot are in the same isle as the nuts and bolts, at least in Kingston they are. Canadian Tire will also have springs that should fit, same isle as the nuts and bolts as well. Home Hardware is useless for most things, and Rona is hit-or-miss. That pretty much covers the major Canadian hardware stores.
FYI, you and Curly live pretty close to each other (during the week), like biking distance close, take advantage of having another nerfer so close to you. It's rare in this province outside of Scarborough and Mississauga.

The Home Depot nearby my house has absolutely no springs at all for some reason, and I don't know if the Canadian Tire in front of it does either, so I'm unfortunately at a loss when it comes to springs.

That's a really good idea, thanks for bringing it up! I didn't think that there would be any actually. Not a lot of Nerfers around Whitby usually that I know of.

Really? His profile says Toronto, but I guess that's partially inaccurate. If you (Gage) need FA24's beige stefan foam, PETG, or something like that and can get to Oshawa I'd be happy to meet up with you. I also have a Mitre saw that cuts PVC nicely, if you want me to get you specific cuts I can do that too. No bent crap either

Thanks a lot! That's pretty generous! Maybe some time over the summer I could meet up with you, that would be pretty awesome!

[Crater]

Would there be a store that sells these pens in Canada?

Staples sells them. I'd just buy some cheap clicky pens first and see if their springs work. I'd rather keep my G2s for writing. :)

…I live with an over-protective mom who does not allow that sort of stuff. She wouldn't even let me use the drill until recently.

This is the best I can do.

The Home Depot nearby my house has absolutely no springs at all for some reason, and I don't know if the Canadian Tire in front of it does either, so I'm unfortunately at a loss when it comes to springs.

I haven't had much luck finding springs either (though that Dollarama party popper looks good). Surgical tubing is a good alternative for some blasters, but I don't see how you could make it work in this one. :(

[Briguy52]

When it comes to cutting SCH 40 PVC (ie "Thickwall" PVC) rotary pipe cutters get kinda annoying, as about halfway through the wall of the pipe it requires quite a bit of torque to finish it up. If you're cutting 1/2 inch CPVC, thinwall PVC, or even sturdy plastic tubes the rotary cutters are easy and clean, but my best recommendation would be to get the pipe cutters that look like rose clippers. Even hacksaws are good too as long as you don't mind the PVC dust all over the place. If you're using rotary cutters, you might also want a rasp/file/Dremel with a sanding cone in order to clean up the edges as the rotary cutter creates a sort of "lip" on the end that's a pain if you're making breeches or even using a tight coupler. Especially if you're using brass, do NOT use a rotary cutter to make cuts as no matter how slowly I try to cut through, it always ends up screwing up my breeches as you more or less have to maintain the exact outer/inner diameters in order to nest properly (since each size only differs by 1/32 of an inch.