603 replies to this topic

[imaseoulman]

Does anyone know the answer to this one? I'm still undecided, and it would change my clip capacity from 25 to about 32, which would be nice.

I've done some experimenting with this and I didn't get much better ranges (if at all) with the Nano darts. It's difficult to add a large enough weight to get the needed range and their accuracy isn't as good as a micro dart. I only use nanos in my magstrike.

[Split]

Alright. I've been experimenting with a lot of the methods posted here. Ice cubes were terrible. They gave my tips pointy edges. I've tried dryers, hairdryers, and heat guns to straighten. By far a week of CXWQ's method worked superiorly.

When I was burning in the tips, adding glue, adding weights, then adding glue for the domes, I tried a few methods too. To make 125 holes in wood would take up a lot of space and time. I tried putting them in a little rectangular box that held 6x4 stefans perfectly. But that took forever to line them up. So I came up with something else entirely:



I count out 20 stefans, put them in my hand, and wrap a loose rubber band around them. I then push each one flat to the table. It makes them portable, perfectly vertical, and very easy to manipulate.

Why 20? My weights come in 20 per pack. It just worked out nicely I guess. You could do 10 per band if you wanted, it might avoid scrunching the sides a little bit, but it would also take much longer.

After a couple of batches, I found out that 4 of these 20 packs was the perfect number. I could burn holes in the first 20, then glue and add the 20 weights, then repeat for the other three. By the time that was done, the glue for the first 20 was cooled and the domes were ready to be made.

The bands hold the 20 darts well enough that none fall out if they need to be moved, and gravity makes the domes perfect when you use just the right amount of glue. I found that being conservative helps here. You can always add more.

I went through each batch and used a utility knife to cut away any excess glue. This also worked well, but by the 5th or 6th batch, I had one or two at most that needed to be cleaned up, because these are very easy to get good at very quickly. By my last batch, none of the darts sticked together, all of the weights were perfectly centered and pointing upwards, and the domes were all flawless.

I would recommend this method to anyone. The only cons I see are that if you left these bunches together for more than an hour, the outside stefans would probably be damaged. I always broke up the bunches right after they were dry.

[bartel]

Well, I might as well add my method, so here goes:
I use a peice of cpvc with slits at 3/4", 1", 1-1/2", 2", and 2-1/2" so that I can make any size stefans, though I usually do 1". I cut with a small craft utility knife and use smooth stokes while applying light pressure to avoid crooked cuts.

After that, I toss the darts in a pillow case and turn on the hair dryer. I periodically pull out a couple of sample darts and test them in my cpvc barrels. When they are straight and fit in my barrels correctly, I pull them out and set them up in my dart holder, which is a 2x4 with 25 5/8" holes drilled in it.

To Glue them, I turn on the glue gun and when it's hot, I make the holes. I don't use weights, but I do make a hole to allow more space for hot glue, and more weight. After that, I add about one pull of the glue gun trigger, straight into the hole and the glue centers itself and forms a perfect dome. If the dome does not form correctly, I lick my finger and fix it, but that happens very rarely, and I've only made a couple batches, so I'm still learning. Throughout the glueing process, I pull the plug on the glue gun to prevent the melting of the darts. I usually alternate ever ten darts with it plugged in and un plugged.

When I'm done I pull the darts out in the order I glued them and toss them back into the pillowcase and repeat the process.

Pros: Little down time and good darts

Cons: have to keep an eye on the heat of a glue gun, and no weights.

[Mr Tubb]

I was wondering; is there any way to soften hot glue? I'm asking because hot glue domed darts sting a bit too much in my opinion, and I wouldn't have nearly as much fun nerfing while in pain (even brief pain.) I'd appreciate any assistance.

Edited by Mr. Tubb, 27 August 2008 - 12:36 AM.

[Ambience 327]

J.S. Bob's idea of using felt tips on standard Stefans is sound - I've added felt tips to some CDT's and they work quite well. They lose a tiny bit of the aerodynamics of the rounded stefan tip, but they don't sting nearly as much, and you can get a consistent tip on them a bit easier.

Basically, follow your normal stefan procedure - i.e. melt hole, add weight, fill with hot glue - then just slap a felt disc on top, flush with the foam, while the glue is still hot.

[Mr Tubb]

Basically, follow your normal stefan procedure - i.e. melt hole, add weight, fill with hot glue - then just slap a felt disc on top, flush with the foam, while the glue is still hot.

I've tried that and succeeded, though I was using cut out pieces from a felt square. However, my older brother still thinks they sting too much, sadly enough . I might try Just some bob's idea by puncturing the hot glue while it's drying so that it has some air in it. If nothing else, I may just have to use some of my clear PVC cement. That stuff has an almost rubbery texture when dried. Defect: drying time .

[Aimless]

You should try using silicone caulk, it should be dry after a night, and as a bonus, they bounce quite a bit too.

[nerfboi]

Hey, What do you guys think is better for dart weights? copper BB's or 3/0 fishing weights? I'm thinking of swithing to copper weights becuase of cost wise. Or how about 1/4 sling shot weights?

[imaseoulman]

Hey, What do you guys think is better for dart weights? copper BB's or 3/0 fishing weights? I'm thinking of swithing to copper weights becuase of cost wise. Or how about 1/4 sling shot weights?

It all depends on your blaster. I use 1/4" steel sling shot ammo for most of my primaries, but for pistols (or any gun with about 70' max flat range) I use copper BB's. Hope that helps.

[123caviler]

Is there any Fbr that fits cpvc really good?

[bartel]

I got 1/2" from Lowe's and it's too big, but last week I got some from Menard's and it fits perfectly. The darts slide in easily, but stay in just enough. Try different stuff until you find the right stuff.

[Rambo]

Basically, follow your normal stefan procedure - i.e. melt hole, add weight, fill with hot glue - then just slap a felt disc on top, flush with the foam, while the glue is still hot.

Not too sure if this has been previously posted in this thread, but I've notice these felt discs get a bit worn down over time. Although it requires more work, I think putting a small piece of your FBR instead of the felt disc would ultimately get more life out of your dart.

[Mr Tubb]

Not too sure if this has been previously posted in this thread, but I've notice these felt discs get a bit worn down over time. Although it requires more work, I think putting a small piece of your FBR instead of the felt disc would ultimately get more life out of your dart.

I've done something like that for my dart heads. Basically, I hot glue a ~.6"x.6" felt square* over the weighted end of the dart, and trim off the excess felt. Next, I cut a ~.6" piece of FBR and cut it in half to make two semicircles. Finally, I hot glue the flat side of one of the semicircles to the felt square, and trim off the excess. The result is a very well padded dart, though it takes practice.

*: I cut these out from ~8 1/2" x 11" pieces of felt that are available at craft stores for about $0.25 each.

Edited by Mr. Tubb, 01 September 2008 - 02:28 PM.

[keef]

Is there any Fbr that fits cpvc really good?

True Value hardware stores fit perfect after straightening with a blowdryer.

[123caviler]

I got 1/2" from Lowe's and it's too big, but last week I got some from Menard's and it fits perfectly. The darts slide in easily, but stay in just enough. Try different stuff until you find the right stuff.

Is there any Fbr that fits cpvc really good?

True Value hardware stores fit perfect after straightening with a blowdryer.

Yes, I have Menard's Fbr and True value fbr. I'll have to test those out.

[Mr Tubb]

I'm just curious, would I be able to effectively use 5/8" stefans in a 1/2" sch 40 PVC barrel? The 1/2" FBR I got from lowes was too small, even to small for my brother's stock NF barrel.

Edited by Mr. Tubb, 02 September 2008 - 01:01 AM.

[bogboogalars]

As far as the Foam from lowes...well that was your first mistake, but to check out your idea just take a little of the barrel materal with you and gently open a bag in the store and check if it fits.

[Retiate]

1/2" Sch. 40 PVC will fit 5/8" FBR. If it's too thin, putting in the drier for like 10 minutes should make them expand a little bit.

[Mr Tubb]

1/2" Sch. 40 PVC will fit 5/8" FBR. If it's too thin, putting in the drier for like 10 minutes should make them expand a little bit.

Thanks, that's all I needed to know.

[bartel]

As far as the Foam from lowes...well that was your first mistake, but to check out your idea just take a little of the barrel materal with you and gently open a bag in the store and check if it fits.

Yes, I know that now, but it was my first batch of stefans and it was that or nothing. My new stuff is much better.

[analogkid]

Making darts, the analogkid way:
I searched around a bit and couldn't find any posts that described making darts this way. You need:

-Dremel
-FBR of choice
-Hot glue gun-low temperature preferred
-Conical grinding bit
-Weights for your darts



Use this to bore a small hole in the dart, just big enough to allow the weight to drop in and sit flush with the top of the FBR.



Insert your weight into the hole:


And use the low temp glue to make a dome on top of the dart. Low temp is used because it doesn't melt through the foam.



I prefer this way because I find it difficult to make centered, equal size holes with the glue gun. I have partially switched over to Slug's stefans, but I still have a lot of steel BBs to use up.

[nerfnut23]

I like to wait until the glue isn't sticky, but still soft. Then I like to shape them to a pointed tip. They hurt like hell at 50 feet from a AR-less Firefly, but for long range, they are perfect. Here's a pic of a CTD pointed dart that is insane.

[Draconis]

I like to wait until the glue isn't sticky, but still soft. Then I like to shape them to a pointed tip. They hurt like hell at 50 feet from a AR-less Firefly, but for long range, they are perfect. Here's a pic of a CTD pointed dart that is insane.

So, you like finding one time Nerf opponents? Because you can bet your ass that if you hit me with a dart that you designed to hurt more than normal.... I'd be kicking your ass, and then never nerf with you again.

[nerfnut23]

[quote]So, you like finding one time Nerf opponents? Because you can bet your ass that if you hit me with a dart that you designed to hurt more than normal.... I'd be kicking your ass, and then never nerf with youagain.


Actually Draconis, I designed them for accuracy and range, made about 300, and when I shot a hole into a cardboard box, I didn't think it was weird until I shot my friend and it left a paintball-esque welt. And I use a single 00 buckshot pellet as weight. So sorry about that, I only use them to penetrate cardboard armor now, so if I see someone with cardboard on the field, consider yourself warned...