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Work Out Mat Barrel Spacers

Barrel Spacers

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#1 makeitgo

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 04:49 AM

Work out mats (kids play mats) can be found at thrift stores or even some dollar stores for pretty cheap. I found a whole bag at my local thrift store for $2.99.


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Using the turret of my choice, I traced it out on to the foam mat.

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Since my barreling material is PETG for this particular blaster, I simply used a piece of PETG to core out the barrel holes.

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Next I just cut it out.

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Doing it in the above order makes it easier to core out all the barrel holes since there's more material to hold on to.

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These are very easy to make and always have a perfect fit. Since these are foam, barrel tapping will be a little less painful.

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I made both of these barrel spacers in under 20 minutes from start to finish.

I could have used a Dremel to create the holes but finding the 'exact' measured bit for the barrels was not available to me. Plus, coring them out like this produced a useful by product.

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I call them, Fruit Loop Slugs.

*EDIT - added video of testing these Fruit Loop slugs.

My Bro-in-Law is filming using my iPhone4. He's not an experienced videographer. I'm at the far end while he is standing right at the 150' mark. I've put down pylons every 50' feet, aiming directly at my Bro-in-Law. The first shot lands just to the right of him near the bottom of the frame. It's hard to catch but you can hear it land. it bounced a good 15' past him. You can see where it rested when he turns around to look for it. The second shot is easier to see, landing just to the left of him in the grass. Considering that he's 150' away and these are realistic outside conditions, these Fruit Loop Slugs are pretty accurate.

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This wasn't a range test so much as it was an accuracy test. But for those who want to know, the darts landed at around the 140' and 145' mark in 7 degree Celcius (44.6 degrees Fahrenheit) weather.

Edited by makeitgo, 08 October 2012 - 05:19 PM.

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#2 s0lidace

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 05:21 AM

Nice! are the darts any good? heavy enough? hopperable etc? :)
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#3 Hammy

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 06:21 AM

Nice innovation for the barrel spacer.

For the dart tips, you can buy 1/2" punch, costs less than S$5. Then with a mallet and thick block of wood under the foam, just punch out the tips.
Much easier than twisting the metal tube.
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#4 iModify

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 11:10 AM

Great job MIG! now I gotta go to my thrift store.....
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Air guns go bang bang

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#5 Lamlamomo

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 11:45 AM

You can use a pencil sharpener to make the tips more aerodynamic ;)
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#6 Zorns Lemma

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 12:11 PM

Coring out an eraser with brass seems pretty reasonable.

How are you moving through squishy foam with PETG? Did you sharpen the PETG? I imaging you'd have to press down on the mat first to compress it enough that the PETG gets some bite into the material but wouldn't that pose a pretty big risk to bending/shattering the stub of PETG you use?

Maybe Canadian PETG is just thicker walled.
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#7 Mully

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 01:12 PM

Yet again, a good idea, I may even use the stuff to make slugs.
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S.C.U.N.

#8 Curly

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 01:41 PM

Coring out an eraser with brass seems pretty reasonable.

How are you moving through squishy foam with PETG? Did you sharpen the PETG? I imaging you'd have to press down on the mat first to compress it enough that the PETG gets some bite into the material but wouldn't that pose a pretty big risk to bending/shattering the stub of PETG you use?

Maybe Canadian PETG is just thicker walled.

Canadian PETG is .572 OD .528 ID if I remember correctly. It's the same stuff you guys use. Provided you don't put much pressure on the sides PETG is pretty strong for that sort of thing. Using a 1.5" stub would probably minimize chances of the PETG caving in.
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#9 makeitgo

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 04:52 PM

Coring out an eraser with brass seems pretty reasonable.

How are you moving through squishy foam with PETG? Did you sharpen the PETG? I imaging you'd have to press down on the mat first to compress it enough that the PETG gets some bite into the material but wouldn't that pose a pretty big risk to bending/shattering the stub of PETG you use?

Maybe Canadian PETG is just thicker walled.


The foam is firm enough, that simply twisting PETG into it can score the surface. I didn't have to do anything to the PETG. Both ends are sanded down pretty smooth. I didn't create the PETG stub for this purpose. It was just a piece I found in my parts bin.

I have Some PETG from NoM and it's pretty much the exact same as our Canadian brand.
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#10 cheyner

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 08:16 PM

These rock, I actually seen a bag of these at my local Value Village, they wanted 3 times more then what you paid though so I passed.
Would you be willing to make a RFDG spacer out of the purple for me? If it fits that is, most of those pieces look too small.
Although, a half green, half purple one would look cool locked together.
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#11 makeitgo

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Posted 08 October 2012 - 11:27 PM

These rock, I actually seen a bag of these at my local Value Village, they wanted 3 times more then what you paid though so I passed.
Would you be willing to make a RFDG spacer out of the purple for me? If it fits that is, most of those pieces look too small.
Although, a half green, half purple one would look cool locked together.



TADAAAAAHAAHAAA!!!

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...took 15 minutes.

Edited by makeitgo, 08 October 2012 - 11:28 PM.

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#12 cheyner

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Posted 09 October 2012 - 12:19 AM

That's friggin sweet.
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Beaver's post claiming Kane's post claiming Demon Lord's post is correct is correct is correct.


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