14 replies to this topic

[WSU Cowboy]

So I am starting my first time modding the AT2K, I plan on getting an aluminum tank if roboman starts making them again, with a higher powered set up, what is everyone doing about the goo gauge? I have looked through the modification directory and saw the elimination and the blocking of the gauge, but I was wondering if there was any new ways of doing it or what people are doing now days. Thanks!

PS: As a little background info on the post, I have done a 3k before, so this isn't my first air gun.

[Daniel Beaver]

Nothing newer than what you see in the directory. The fancy way of doing it is to just completely replace the tubing. TantumBull's writeup gives you an idea of what's involved. If you're planning on replacing the tank with one of roboman's, you'll have to do this (the stock tubing isn't long enough, and in any case the tubing is weak). If you just want to do a quick mod, you can unscrew the bottom of the goo guage, empty the goo, fill it with a hot glue plug, and screw it back together.

Edited by Daniel Beaver, 05 January 2014 - 12:55 AM.

[WSU Cowboy]

Thank you! I think I will empty it and plug it until I replace the tank, I appreciate the help! So the plug will work with a plugged pump up to 5-6 pumps? Sorry if I am not understanding, I am just clarifying before I do it!

[roboman]

Honestly, removing the goo gauge isn't really all that necessary, at least in my experience. I was using stock tanks for quite a while, even after I started selling the aluminum ones, mostly because I couldn't keep up with demand and didn't have time to make one for myself. I think I drained one goo gauge out of the ~7 2Ks I've used in the last 5 years or so. Usually, other things tend to break or develop leaks before the goo gauge will, even if you're using it around 7 pumps like I usually do. If you do plug it, a hot glue plug will be more than adequate at 5-6 pumps.

Also, you may be able to get an aluminum tank sooner than I thought, and a better one than the ones I was selling previously, depending on when I get the quote back from the die casting company and how much a run of 100 part sets is. The new ones will have a #10-32 UNF female port on the back cap, so you can use standard tube fittings (like quick connects) instead of hose barbs that have all kinds of problems with leaks if you don't use a hose clamp. If it goes the way I'm hoping it will, I'll be posting in the next week or two with more details about that.

[WSU Cowboy]

Honestly, removing the goo gauge isn't really all that necessary, at least in my experience. I was using stock tanks for quite a while, even after I started selling the aluminum ones, mostly because I couldn't keep up with demand and didn't have time to make one for myself. I think I drained one goo gauge out of the ~7 2Ks I've used in the last 5 years or so. Usually, other things tend to break or develop leaks before the goo gauge will, even if you're using it around 7 pumps like I usually do. If you do plug it, a hot glue plug will be more than adequate at 5-6 pumps.

Also, you may be able to get an aluminum tank sooner than I thought, and a better one than the ones I was selling previously, depending on when I get the quote back from the die casting company and how much a run of 100 part sets is. The new ones will have a #10-32 UNF female port on the back cap, so you can use standard tube fittings (like quick connects) instead of hose barbs that have all kinds of problems with leaks if you don't use a hose clamp. If it goes the way I'm hoping it will, I'll be posting in the next week or two with more details about that.

Thanks roboman! Do you know why they are so weak in the 3ks vs the 2ks? And I appreciate the input, I like the look of the goo gauge, so until I get the aluminum tank I will probably keep it around.

Also, I can't wait to see and try this thing out! I am super excited to see how the turret will work with the aluminum tank!

[roboman]

The diaphragm in the 3K goo gauge has much more surface area and is roughly the same thickness, so it takes much less pressure to rupture it. I left the gauge in the 2K primarily out of laziness.

Yep. Whether I go forward with the die casting or not depends on how much they charge me for the first run.

Edited by roboman, 05 January 2014 - 03:18 AM.

[Daniel Beaver]

Honestly, removing the goo gauge isn't really all that necessary, at least in my experience.

My experience was totally the opposite: all of the goo gauge membranes on my AT2k's eventually ruptured. YMMV

[Azrael0987]

I've never done a at2k but I did over hall a at3k. I didnt even want to worry about it. I removed it from the system right from the start. Between Roboman and Daniel id suggest just removing it and replacing the tubing. Not all that much trouble and the peace of mind is nice. Never have to worry about it exploding ooze all over your internals in a war.

[charlie156]

I tank expand all of my AT2Ks and 3Ks with the goo gauge. Most people have told me that these things will rupture, and I've never had a problem. I run my 2k at somewhere around 6-9 pumps, just depending on how much of a dick I want to be, and I use cpvc barrels, so the fit is super tight, yet I get rages at 6 pumps, upward of 120-130 flat. as for my 3K's, I've done a little experiment, back when I did my first one, I did a draw extension on the stock pump and got I think somewhere of like 6-8 pumps safely, and didn't bother to take it any higher cause ranges where as the 2K, 120-130 flat. now of my current 3K, I have it replaced with a FULL rapidfire 20 pump, and can run it up to 8 pumps with the draw extension. no leakage from any of my many overhauled tank expanded 2k's and 3k's that all get 120-130 sometimes 140.

[spencerak]

I've never done a at2k but I did over hall a at3k. I didnt even want to worry about it. I removed it from the system right from the start. Between Roboman and Daniel id suggest just removing it and replacing the tubing. Not all that much trouble and the peace of mind is nice. Never have to worry about it exploding ooze all over your internals in a war.

In case you have never worked with a at2k, unlike the at3k which has tubing on both sides of the gauge, it is connected directly to the tank of the at2k. Because it is a direct connection to the tank it is much more of a pain to remove in the at2k than in the at3k.

OP, I would at least empty the goo because if it does rupture, it is a pain in the ass to clean out and makes the internals quite nasty.

[Azrael0987]

I've never messed with one but i'm familiar with their internals too. You can replace the tubing all together and run it from the pump directly to the tank.

[Blue]

I've redone the tubing on at least half a dozen 2k's and it's really not that hard.

I did all mine with hornet tubing.

Snap the orange gauge off the tank. Get one of the metal dremel bits that looks like a drill bit and just slowly start going around the inside of the tank input. I advise against using the green grinding stone one because you can very easily melt the plastic. Once you break through the red ring at some point and the rest of it is really thin you can just go in there with a push pin or something like that and peel off the plastic. Thoroughly rinse or blow the tank out to make sure there is no plastic bits in there. At this point I advise doing an airflow mod.

A lot of people just snap or cut the front stem off where it connects to the tank. This is useless. The stem actually goes inside the tank lip for a bit and you can see it if you look from the back of the tank input... so until you remove the inner part the flow is just a restricted as before. Try wiggling the stem around a bit and see if you can't just snap the glue... if it doesn't go don't try to force it and risk snapping the front of your tank off. Instead, cut the stem at the base and do the same drill as the input to slowly grind the ring away. Pull the pin back when you hold it to minimize the chances of damaging the seal. This part is more important to not screw up than the back because if you stick the dremel past the ring at an angle and start hitting the walls of the inner tank it won't seal anymore. Enjoy my mspaint rendering:


Here is what a tank with the peg snapped out clean looks like: (notice where the diameter of the peg changes, goes a little more than halfway into the tank output)

Another comparison pic: (left mid is airflow modded and tubing replaced, right mid just has the peg snapped)

What tubing nesting looks like:



Now get your hornet tubing and wiggle it in the back of the tank. It should fit snugly. You will want a small but noticeable amount of tubing going into the tank itself to lessen the chances of the tubing being blown out of the tank from the pressure; just make sure you go past the base of the tank. Does this a couple times because when you put the glue on you aren't going to have much time to adjust it. I think I used superglue followed by goop but all you have to do is get the tubing attached. Maybe it was just goop. Once it's cured (or I guess you could do this step first if you want) stick a big screw driver or something like that into the other end of the hornet tubing to widen it a bit. It's more pliable if you put it in some very hot water for a few seconds first. Quickly stick in the AT2K pump output tubing and twist it around until it's inside the hornet tubing a fair amount and then cover the connection with goop and/or superglue.

Slice up the base of your goo gauge as needed for the tubing that takes it place and put a little goop on one side and stick it in the shell so it looks stock if you want.

And check out my topic here: http://nerfhaven.com...showtopic=18529 for detailed pics of an airflow modded turret (remember it's backwards for most pics)

Connecting the turret: (3k tank in pic, but you get the idea)


Yeah...

[WSU Cowboy]

Thanks everyone! I will be sure to at least empty the goo gauge for the time being, at least until I get the metal tank, it will be eliminated completely once I do that anyway. The rest of the blaster is easy for me since I got the 3D printed turret from roboman. I appreciate the help from everyone!

[azrael]

I just reinforced my AT2K tank with fiberglass mesh and resin and epoxy putty. Was super easy to do, definitely consider doing it for the stock tank.

[WSU Cowboy]

I just reinforced my AT2K tank with fiberglass mesh and resin and epoxy putty. Was super easy to do, definitely consider doing it for the stock tank.

I may do this with my other two 2Ks I picked up from good will the other day, I am really hoping to mess with them a little and see how that goes.