25 replies to this topic

[Ryan201821]

Background
Bullpups are the new hottest thing in the NIC these days so I decided to build one that's better than the rest. Ice9 gave me the idea a while back to use latex tubing to power a blaster. I've been changing the design constantly over the last six months or so and probably will keep doing so. I'll try to update new files and pieces in this write-up as the blaster improves. I'd like to thank Kane for access to his printer and for letting me adapt his snapoid-level catch to something that can be easily made, and works flawlessly. You'll see different pictures of different revisions, so make sure you read the descriptions for the pictures. This blaster was designed around having a 3d printer, so a lot of things will force you to be creative and come up with a different way of building it.

I will not be selling printed pieces at this time, and probably won't be for the immediate future.


3D Printed Version

3D Printing Files

STL Format (3D Printed Parts)
Bushing holder
Catch piece
Catch plate
Plunger rod adapter
Front assembly
Front barrel spacer
Main handle
Plunger head A
Plunger head BC
Back of stock
Stock tee
Trigger, half inch
Tube spacer
Rear wye spacer

IPT Format (Inventor)
1" PVC
Barrel
Bushing holder
Catch piece
Catch plate
Catch stick
Blaster assembly (.iam)
Eye Bolt
Front assembly
Front barrel spacer
Front tube
Main Handle
1/4" nut
Plunger head A
Plunger head BC
Plunger rod
Plunger tube
1/2" Post
Plunger rod adapter
1.5" PVC clamp
PVC wye
Rubber cushion
Stock back
Stock pad
Stock tee
Swing x wye
Trigger, half inch
Tube spacer
Rear wye spacer

Parts List

Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1 1/2"x10'
Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1 1/4"x10'
Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1"x10'
Hardware store - SDR 26 PVC Pipe-1 1/2"x10'(thinwall)
Hardware store - CPVC Pipe- 1/2"x10'
Menards or Sprinkler Warehouse - 3/4" PVC WYE X SWING
6338K412 - SAE 841 Bronze Flanged-Sleeve Bearing for 1/4" Shaft Diameter, 3/8" OD, 3/8" Length
5233K66 - Masterkleer PVC Tubing 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD, 1/16" Wall Thickness x 1'
8974K31 - Multipurpose Aluminum (Alloy 6061) 1/4" Diameter X 6' Length
9686T74 - Nylon Eyebolt with Nut-Not for Lifting, 1/4"-20 Thread, 1/2" Eye ID, 1" Shank, 7/8" L Thread, Packs of 25
94812A116 - Nylon 6/6 Hex Nut, Off-White, 1/4"-20 Thread Size, 7/16" W, 15/64" H, Packs of 100
2614T52 - Extreme-Temperature Silicone Rubber Plain Back, 3/16" Thick, 2" Width x 1'
9691K56 - U-Cup Seal 1/4" Height, 7/8" ID, 1-3/8" OD x 5
8572K55 - White Delrin ® Acetal Resin Rod 1/2" Diameter x 5'
90272A144 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1/4" Length
90272A148 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1/2" Length
90272A155 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1-1/4" Length
90480A007 - Zinc-Plated Steel Machine Screw Hex Nut 6-32 Thread Size, 5/16" Width, 7/64" Height x 100
4880K977 - Standard-Wall White PVC Pipe Fitting 1-1/2 X 1 X 1-1/2 Pipe Size, Reducing Tee
9657K82 - 1 Pack Steel Compression Spring, Music Wire, 10" Length, 1/4" Od, .022" Wire Dia

5234K33 - Super Soft Latex Rubber Tubing 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD, 1/16" Wall, Semi-Clear Amber x 1'
OR
9432K125 - Precision Music Wire Extension Spring, 5.0" L, .750" OD, .075" Wire Diameter, Zinc-Plated Steel, Packs of 3

Essential Tools

-3D Printer w/ no less than 7x7x2" print area
-Scrollsaw or Hacksaw
-Drill press and/or power drill
-Dremel w/ cutting wheel or Mill
-7/64”, #27, 1/4", 3/8"” drill bits and ½” spade bit
-#6-32 tapping bit
-1/4-20 tap and die set
-Scissors and/or file
-Screwdriver
-Countersink (Any size, really)
-Electrical tape
-Super Glue
-Safety Glasses
-Vise
-Leet skillz

Very helpful, not critical:
-Mill
-Custom tooling plates
-Lathe

Fabrication & Main Assembly

First, print out all of your pieces. I usually do the main handle and front assembly pieces separate, which ends up being most of the printing time. The rest of the pieces I can do in two separate prints. It should be a total of 14 pieces if you're printing a stock. They're all fairly easy pieces to print with the exception of the handle. The ideal setup would be having two extruders, one doing the actual handle, the other printing support material that doesn't stick to ABS. Since I don't have the capability, the areas with support material come out pretty ugly but are still definitely usable. If the surface is rough, just add some tape to the outside to make it more comfy.

Make sure you drill out any holes that print undersized, and tap all holes that are 7/64".

Handle assembly is fairly self-explanatory.



Cut a small piece of 1/4" aluminum rod for your catch stick and insert the spring.

Next you'll need to make your handle clamp. Cut a piece of 1.5" PVC lengthwise in a "C" shape. Test to see how well it attaches to 1 1/4". You'll probably want this piece at least 9" long. Clean it up with scissors or on a belt sander. Line up your hole with the handle and drill four #27 sized holes where they meet up. Countersink them, insert screws, and attach it to your handle.



Cut two notches in the front of it to allow space for the wye spacer.



Now it's time to cut your front tube. If you don't have a mill, your best option is probably using a dremel.



When you're cutting the smaller slot in the back, it's a good idea to attach your handle clamp to the front tube so you can cut both slots at once. The front tube should go 4 3/8" through the front of the handle clamp. The back slot should line up perfectly with end of the front piece on your handle. You'll also need to drill a 1/2" diameter hole between the end of the tube and slot. Leave at least 3/8" on the end of the front tube to allow for barrel spacer to fit.

Secure your handle clamp to your front tube with two 1/4" screws on each side.

Plunger Rod & Tube

Cut a piece of 1/4" aluminum rod, 12 1/4" long. Use the die to cut threads 1.5" long on each side of the rod. This can be tricky and it may look ugly when you're done threading. If you're holding it in the vise when threading (most likely have to), it'll leave vise marks in the aluminum. You'll have to sand or file these down so the rod can slide through the bushing.



Using a 1/4" tap, tap all three of the plunger head discs. Cut out a disc of rubber for your plunger head cushion, and poke a hole in the middle to pass through the rod. Assemble the plunger head as shown in the picture. You'll want the smallest disc in the middle, the next biggest in the front, and the largest in the back. You can either use a u-cup or skirt without changing pieces. Make sure you have a nut in front and back.



Put your plunger head aside, and start building your plunger tube. Cut a piece of 1 1/4" PVC to 8.75" long. Now take your swing x wye, wrap it in e-tape, and push it into your plunger tube. Try to get this seal as good as possible. Insert your bushing holder into the other side of the swing x wye.





Slip in your bushing and make sure everything seals the best you can get it. None of these blasters seal perfectly but it doesn't seem to make a difference in the performance.

Now lube up your plunger tube, insert your plunger rod, and put on the catch piece, plunger rod adapter, and eye bolt as shown in the picture. You'll also want a nut behind the catch piece.


*Your plunger rod adapter will obviously be printed.

Final Assembly & Miscellaneous

Now that everything is mostly assembled, take your plunger tube and rod assembly and join it with the rest of the blaster. At this point you'll want to decide if you want to use an extension spring or latex tubing. If you're doing an extension spring, you'll have to attach it to the eye bolt before you put the plunger rod inside the front tube. It's pretty much impossible to add the spring when it's mostly assembled.

Secure the plunger tube to the handle clamp with two 1/2" long screws, one of each side. It should go through the swing x wye as well.

Now it's time to make your blaster prime. Get your tube spacer.



Get your reducing tee which you'll be using as your pump grip, and stuff 1.5" thinwall in each side. Place your tube spacer on the top of your pump grip with the front edge of the tube spacer being flush with the end of the pump grip. Tape or temporarily glue it on top and use it as a guide to drill holes that line up with the spacer.

Next you'll need to cut a piece of 1" PVC, 7 3/4" long. Do the same thing with the tube spacer on the piece of 1" except you'll want to use a 7/64" bit, and tap the hole. The screws will anchor into here. Cut a slot on the bottom of the piece of 1" to allow enough space for the catch piece.





Now, insert your latex tubing if you aren't using an extension spring, followed by inserting the 1" piece of PVC. Line up the tube spacer, 1" PVC, and pump grip. Secure them with four 1/2" screws which should fit perfectly without going too far in the piece of 1" PVC.





Almost done. Secure your rear and front barrel spacers with 1/4" screws



Insert barrel, pvc wye, and vinyl tubing (fits in PVC stub)



To complete you blaster, you'll need to cut a 2" long piece of 1/2" rod (delrin or nylon). This will act as your "spring rest". Either the latex or extension spring will rest on this. Drill a hole towards the top of the 1/2" and insert a screw to prevent it from falling out.



Tensioning the latex can be difficult. You'll want to tie a knot over the 1/2" rod while making sure you have a considerable amount of pre-tension. You'll have to mess with this a bit until you get the amount of tension you desire.

3D Printed Stock

The flat back piece does not necessarily have to be printed, which is why it's a separate piece. I usually cut mine out of 3/8" sheet. For the foam back piece (8865K53) I used a belt sander to shape the back however I wanted. Works really well and only takes a couple minutes. Make sure you drill some vent holes to allow air to escape behind the plunger rod.

DO NOT POST

Edited by Ryan201821, 04 November 2013 - 04:40 PM.

[Ryan201821]

Non-3D Printed Version*




*Disclaimer - I haven't actually built a completely non-3D printed version of this blaster so a lot of the pictures won't make sense. Read the descriptions and please ask if something is unclear. A lot of the directions will be up to you to figure out. This is more of a guideline and not a step-by-step writeup. I'd also recommend also reading the 3D printed version of this.

Parts List

Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1 1/2"x10'
Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1 1/4"x10'
Hardware store - Schedule 40 Solid Core Pipe-1"x10'
Hardware store - SDR 26 PVC Pipe-1 1/2"x10'(thinwall)
Hardware store - CPVC Pipe- 1/2"x10'
4880K44 - Standard-Wall White PVC Pipe Fitting 1-1/4 Pipe Size, Tee
Menards or Sprinkler Warehouse - 3/4" PVC WYE X SWING
Hardware store - 3/4" PVC Plug (must be round)
6338K412 - SAE 841 Bronze Flanged-Sleeve Bearing for 1/4" Shaft Diameter, 3/8" OD, 3/8" Length
8619K461 - Rigid HDPE Polyethylene 1/4" Thick, 12" X 12"
8619K431 - Rigid HDPE Polyethylene 3/8" Thick, 12" X 12"
8619K471 - Rigid HDPE Polyethylene 1/2" Thick, 12" X 12"
8619K491 - Rigid HDPE Polyethylene 1" Thick, 12" X 12"
5233K66 - Masterkleer PVC Tubing 1/2" ID, 5/8" OD, 1/16" Wall Thickness x 1'
8974K31 - Multipurpose Aluminum (Alloy 6061) 1/4" Diameter X 6' Length
9686T74 - Nylon Eyebolt with Nut-Not for Lifting, 1/4"-20 Thread, 1/2" Eye ID, 1" Shank, 7/8" L Thread, Packs of 25
94812A116 - Nylon 6/6 Hex Nut, Off-White, 1/4"-20 Thread Size, 7/16" W, 15/64" H, Packs of 100
2614T52 - Extreme-Temperature Silicone Rubber Plain Back, 3/16" Thick, 2" Width x 1'
9691K56 - U-Cup Seal 1/4" Height, 7/8" ID, 1-3/8" OD x 5
8572K55 - White Delrin ® Acetal Resin Rod 1/2" Diameter x 5'
90272A144 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1/4" Length
90272A148 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1/2" Length
90272A157 - Zinc-Pltd STL Pan Head Phillips Machine Screw 6-32 Thread, 1-1/2" Length
90480A007 - Zinc-Plated Steel Machine Screw Hex Nut 6-32 Thread Size, 5/16" Width, 7/64" Height x 100
4880K977 - Standard-Wall White PVC Pipe Fitting 1-1/2 X 1 X 1-1/2 Pipe Size, Reducing Tee
9657K82 - 1 Pack Steel Compression Spring, Music Wire, 10" Length, 1/4" Od, .022" Wire Dia

5234K33 - Super Soft Latex Rubber Tubing 1/4" ID, 3/8" OD, 1/16" Wall, Semi-Clear Amber x 1'
OR
9432K125 - Precision Music Wire Extension Spring, 5.0" L, .750" OD, .075" Wire Diameter, Zinc-Plated Steel, Packs of 3

Essential Tools

-Scrollsaw
-Drill press and/or power drill
-Dremel w/ cutting wheel or Mill
-7/64”, #27, 1/4", 3/8"” drill bits and ½”, 5/8" spade bits
-#6-32 tapping bit
-1/4-20 tap and die set
-Scissors and/or file
-Screwdriver
-Countersink (Any size, really)
-Electrical tape
-Super Glue
-Computer, printer, and full sheet label paper (templates)
-Safety Glasses
-Vise
-Leet skillz

Very helpful, not critical:
-Mill
-Custom tooling plates
-Lathe

Non-3D Printed Version Templates

PDF Format
Inventor (.dwg)

If you're printing templates, make sure you set it to print true. Do no scale it to any extent, or you'll end up wasting a bunch of plastic.

Fabrication & Main Assembly

First, print your templates on a piece of label paper. Cut each piece out and stick it to the appropriate materials. The thickness for each part is on the templates. There are a couple options for your handle. You can make it pretty much any thickness you want, I usually go for 1". If you don't want to buy expensive 1" material, you can do a sandwich of three 3/8" or 1/4" pieces, or a combination of both. Before I started making exclusively 3D printed handles, I used two 3/8" printed pieces on the outside, so I could have a nice round edge. If you're reading this, I assume you don't have the capability of printing stuff. I usually used to grind the shit out of whatever material on the belt sander to make my handles. A router would also work. This part is entirely up to you. Do whatever you want to do for your handle.

There is one piece on the templates that is supposed to be curved on one edge. This is your catch plate. It might not even be critical to have this piece rounded. Once again, you'll have to figure this out on your own, but there are options. Another piece not listed on the templates is a 2 3/8" long piece of 1/2" rod or bar. You'll need to make a 1/4" hole that is centered which will act as your plunger rod adapter for the eye bolt.


*The plunger rod adapter is not to scale in this picture. It should be 2 3/8" long.

Make sure you drill holes in the top of the main handle, and the front piece which will attach your handle clamp to the handle. Having a small vice is really helpful for this. Tap the hole when you're done.



After you have your pieces cut out, you can assemble your handle. This should be pretty self-explanatory so I'm just going to let you look at the picture.



Depending on what size you want your trigger and catch to be, you might need spacers to keep them centered. You can either cut these out of sheet or order specific spacers off McMaster. The thicker the trigger, the better it generally feels in my opinion, so if you have a 1" handle, I'd go with a 1" trigger.

For the catch spring you have a few options. You can cut the front piece entirely out of a solid 1" piece and drill a hole for the spring. You can also do the layering method and have the middle piece have a notch cut out for the catch spring.

Next you'll need to make your handle clamp. Cut a piece of 1.5" PVC lengthwise in a "C" shape. Test to see how well it attaches to 1 1/4". You'll probably want this piece at least 9" long. Clean it up with scissors or on a belt sander. Line up your hole with the handle and drill four #27 sized holes where they meet up. Countersink them, insert screws, and attach it to your handle.



Cut two notches in the front of it to allow space for the wye spacer.



Now it's time to cut your front tube. All the pictures up to this point are of a blaster with a different method to attach the pump grip, using two slots instead of one. With two slots, it becomes very difficult to make them long, which they need to be for this blaster. You also won't be able to use an extension spring with this method so I'm going to show you the way I'm doing it now.

If you don't have a mill, your best option is probably using a dremel.



When you're cutting the smaller slot in the back, it's a good idea to attach your handle clamp to the front tube so you can cut both slots at once. The front tube should go 4 3/8" through the front of the handle clamp. The back slot should line up perfectly with end of the front piece on your handle. You'll also need to drill a 1/2" diameter hole between the end of the tube and slot. Leave at least 3/8" on the end of the front tube to allow for barrel spacer to fit.

Secure your handle clamp to your front tube with two 1/4" screws on each side.

Plunger Rod & Tube

Cut a piece of 1/4" aluminum rod, 12 1/4" long. Use the die to cut threads 1.5" long on each side of the rod. This can be tricky and it may look ugly when you're done threading. If you're holding it in the vise when threading (most likely have to), it'll leave vise marks in the aluminum. You'll have to sand or file these down so the rod can slide through the bushing.



Using a 1/4" tap, tap all three of the plunger head discs. Cut out a disc of rubber for your plunger head cushion, and poke a hole in the middle to pass through the rod. Assemble the plunger head as shown in the picture. You'll want the smallest disc in the middle, the next biggest in the front, and the largest in the back. You can either use a u-cup or skirt without changing pieces. Make sure you have a nut in front and back.



Put your plunger head aside, and start building your plunger tube. Cut a piece of 1 1/4" PVC to 8.75" long. Now take your swing x wye, wrap it in e-tape, and push it into your plunger tube. Try to get this seal as good as possible. Now you'll need to get your 1" round plug, or anything that will plug in a 3/4" coupler. You'll need to drill a centered hole in the plug, 3/8" diameter. It's very important this is centered so good luck. Before I printed them, I did this on the lathe.





Slip in your bushing and make sure everything seals the best you can get it. None of these blasters seal perfectly but it doesn't seem to make a difference in the performance.

Now lube up your plunger tube, insert your plunger rod, and put on the catch piece, plunger rod adapter, and eye bolt as shown in the picture. You'll also want a nut behind the catch piece.


*The plunger rod adapter is not to scale and will be much longer than in this picture.

Final Assembly & Miscellaneous

Now that everything is mostly assembled, take your plunger tube and rod assembly and join it with the rest of the blaster. At this point you'll want to decide if you want to use an extension spring or latex tubing. If you're doing an extension spring, you'll have to attach it to the eye bolt before you put the plunger rod inside the front tube. It's pretty much impossible to add the spring when it's mostly assembled.

Secure the plunger tube to the handle clamp with two 1/2" long screws, one of each side. It should go through the swing x wye as well.

Now it's time to make your blaster prime. On the templates sheet you'll see a piece with four holes that says "tube" for the thickness of the piece. This is your tube spacer which will connect the 1" PVC and the pump grip. You can probably use 1.5" PVC for your tube spacer. I obviously print mine, but I've done similar things using 1.5" as a tube spacer before and it works quite well.



After you've cut out your tube spacer, get your reducing tee which you'll be using as your pump grip, and stuff 1.5" thinwall in each side. Place your tube spacer on the top of your pump grip with the front edge of the tube spacer being flush with the end of the pump grip. Tape or temporarily glue it on top and use it as a guide to drill holes that line up with the spacer.

Next you'll need to cut a piece of 1" PVC, 7 3/4" long. Do the same thing with the tube spacer on the piece of 1" except you'll want to use a 7/64" bit, and tap the hole. The screws will anchor into here. Cut a slot on the bottom of the piece of 1" to allow enough space for the catch piece.





Now, insert your latex tubing if you aren't using an extension spring, followed by inserting the 1" piece of PVC. Line up the tube spacer, 1" PVC, and pump grip. Secure them with four 1/2" screws which should fit perfectly without going too far in the piece of 1" PVC.





Almost done. Secure your rear and front barrel spacers with 1/4" screws



Insert barrel, pvc wye, and vinyl tubing (fits in PVC stub)



To complete you blaster, you'll need to cut a 2" long piece of 1/2" rod (delrin or nylon). This will act as your "spring rest". Either the latex or extension spring will rest on this. Drill a hole towards the top of the 1/2" and insert a screw to prevent it from falling out.



Tensioning the latex can be difficult. You'll want to tie a knot over the 1/2" rod while making sure you have a considerable amount of pre-tension. You'll have to mess with this a bit until you get the amount of tension you desire.

==============================================================
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDPplDGaunY&feature=share&list=UUDePVgpUWIrPFqh5_AxSzLA


Feel free to ask questions, comment, etc.

Edited by Ryan201821, 05 June 2013 - 05:47 PM.

[DartSlinger]

You can probably avoid leaving marks on your aluminum plunger rod by sandwiching it in the vice between two pieces of wood.

[Ryan201821]

You can probably avoid leaving marks on your aluminum plunger rod by sandwiching it in the vice between two pieces of wood.

I'll have to try that. My only question is if it'll grip well enough where the aluminum doesn't rotate.

===================



I have this blaster for sale minus the 3d printed stock for anybody who is interested.

[sodizzle3113]

You can probably avoid leaving marks on your aluminum plunger rod by sandwiching it in the vice between two pieces of wood.

I use a bent piece of 1/8in aluminum over the jaws of the vice to prevent marring up any work. Wood would probably do the same thing but I feel like it would crush around the part if you tighten it enough

[ggk]

Have you considered using one of these oring lip seals underneath your bushing to increase seal on plunger rod?
Idk if it matters, I just wondered.
http://www.mcmaster....l-seals/=mxkh53

[The Little Prince]

Just ordered the parts for this last night. Still not to clear on where the catch spring goes. Can someone provide pictures or a detailed explanation.

[Ryan201821]

Have you considered using one of these oring lip seals underneath your bushing to increase seal on plunger rod?
Idk if it matters, I just wondered.
http://www.mcmaster....l-seals/=mxkh53

Not really. The bushing seals pretty much perfectly, and an o-ring would probably just add more friction. Plus I don't really want to have to lube my plunger rod.

Just ordered the parts for this last night. Still not to clear on where the catch spring goes. Can someone provide pictures or a detailed explanation.

Right behind that piece of aluminum.

Edited by Ryan201821, 27 May 2013 - 07:44 PM.

[snakerbot]

Plus I don't really want to have to lube my plunger rod.

Yeah. Some pretty disgusting stuff happens when you lube the plunger rod.


Note that this is from a different type of blaster. Obviously it uses a rainbow catch instead of Ryan's snapoid catch, but the layout is the same.

[Stark]

Nice design, seems like the printing really streamlines the build process. Couple of questions. How well do printed parts hold air? It looked like there was space between some of the beads that the printer laid down and wondered if those are a concern. On a related note, it would seem that Inventor 2012 does not like your files, is there any way you could hook me up with a backward-compatible version? If not, I can just shoot from the hip on this. Basically the dead space with the swing wye and feeding wye makes me lactate liquid rage and boredom dictates that I fix it. 7x7x2 print window, right?

[Ryan201821]

Nice design, seems like the printing really streamlines the build process. Couple of questions. How well do printed parts hold air? It looked like there was space between some of the beads that the printer laid down and wondered if those are a concern. On a related note, it would seem that Inventor 2012 does not like your files, is there any way you could hook me up with a backward-compatible version? If not, I can just shoot from the hip on this. Basically the dead space with the swing wye and feeding wye makes me lactate liquid rage and boredom dictates that I fix it. 7x7x2 print window, right?

The pictures shown of the pieces with major gaps in the top layers was pretty much my fault. The prints were too thick so I had to mill down one of the sides to get it to fit. So this is more of a fuck-up, than a concern.

As for the Inventor files, the new files aren't compatible with older versions. If you're still a student however, you can get Inventor for free from Autodesk.

The deadpsace concern is definitely warranted. Eventually I'd like to replace the swing wye with a printed part that eliminates more deadspace. The required print window for all of these parts is roughly 7x7x2", but we're capable of just a bit more in each axis.

Edited by Ryan201821, 29 May 2013 - 11:59 AM.

[Lucian]

Printing right now, what infill did you guys use?

[Ryan201821]

Depends on the piece bit usually about 15% infill.

[azrael]

Very very cool. I have one thought, though...If it's 3D printed, why not design a more ergonomic handle? Is this just something designed to be universal, then? I know hand sizes vary a lot, so that would make sense.
Overall, very cool, really makes me think about building a homemade.

[Ryan201821]

I didn't want to make anything too detailed since as you said, people have very different sized hands. I wanted something that anybody could use.

Also, Kane's printer doesn't do great precision and the support material on the bottom side looks really ugly before and even after cleaning it up. If we had a dual extruder printer that could print support material that wouldn't stick to ABS, I think we could do stuff in much greater detail without it being extremely difficult to deburr.

[TheSilentRebel]

I just finished up a Latex Tubing Rainbowpup. It's doing alright, but I was wondering about is the tension of the latex on your blasters. Is there any pretension when the blaster is not primed? And also, what kind of knot do you have tied on the front of your tubing? As of now, I just have two granny knots but I'm sure there is a much better way of tying the latex up.

[Ryan201821]

I just finished up a Latex Tubing Rainbowpup. It's doing alright, but I was wondering about is the tension of the latex on your blasters. Is there any pretension when the blaster is not primed? And also, what kind of knot do you have tied on the front of your tubing? As of now, I just have two granny knots but I'm sure there is a much better way of tying the latex up.

This is why the latex is so dicks to work with. You'll need a lot of pretension in order for it to perform well.

I don't know of any fancy way of tying knots with this stuff, so good luck.

Edited by Ryan201821, 03 June 2013 - 12:47 AM.

[makeitgo]

Now that you've made and used quite a few of these, how many shots (estimated) can you get out of the latex bands before having to replace them?

And considering that, which do you prefer; latex bands or extension springs for your ESTL?

Have you tried or considered using therabands? They're flat bands preferred by slingshot enthusiasts.

...what kind of knot do you have tied on the front of your tubing? As of now, I just have two granny knots but I'm sure there is a much better way of tying the latex up.

Look up 'tying slingshot bands'. They've (slingshotters) pretty much got it down.

Edited by makeitgo, 04 June 2013 - 04:28 AM.

[Langley]

You'll need a lot of pretension in order for it to perform well.

That's why Ice Nine is so good with them.

[Ryan201821]

Now that you've made and used quite a few of these, how many shots (estimated) can you get out of the latex bands before having to replace them?

And considering that, which do you prefer; latex bands or extension springs for your ESTL?

Have you tried or considered using therabands? They're flat bands preferred by slingshot enthusiasts.

I really don't have any idea how long it takes for the latex to degrade to a point it's no longer usable. So far I've only used them in one or two wars which is a pretty small sample size. If I were to totally guess I would say they probably need to be replaced within a year assuming you nerf a lot, but I could be totally wrong.

Without knowing how long it would take to need to replace the latex, I still prefer the extension springs. They're extremely easy to install and do not have variable tension which is a nice thing when testing similar blasters looking for consistent results. I still do like the latex since it's a lot cheaper and quieter when firing, especially dry-firing.

I'll have to look into those therabands. They're actually slightly cheaper than latex tubing, plus might be a little bit easier to tie since they're flat. The only real drawback I can see is this isn't available at one of the normal places I'd get blaster supplies.

[The Little Prince]

I have aquired all the parts except for the 1" pvc plug. I was wondering is this is the right type?Link

Edited by The Little Prince, 05 June 2013 - 05:43 PM.

[Ryan201821]

I have aquired all the parts except for the 1" pvc plug. I was wondering is this is the right type?Link

It's actually supposed to be a 3/4" plug. I've corrected it in the OP.

You might also be able to get away with using a 1/2" one and hammering it into the swing x wye.

[Lucian]

I just finished mine, it really wasn't too bad, asides from tensioning the band, and figuring out the best way to assemble the components...


I still need to adjust somethings, but that's whatever. Am I the first to follow the guide and make one of these?

[The Little Prince]

Just completed the handle. I was wondering if a 1/2" pvc coupler could be used to plug the wye instead of the 3/4" plug?

[cheerios]

Just completed the handle. I was wondering if a 1/2" pvc coupler could be used to plug the wye instead of the 3/4" plug?

You would still have a hole in the wye with a coupler. Also the plugs are a more efficient method.