12 replies to this topic

[Vintage]

It's been my dream to make a homemade nerf repeater. I was cruising Ebay for regulators, and stumbled upon one for $7. The listing advertised the distributor's website, and sure enough, it was there for $8. Here is the site:
http://www.marketwor...6578&i=16010774

What do you guys think? Seems extremely useful for my purposes, with a built-in gauge for monitoring the pressure. The only thing I am unsure of is the maximum pressure output. However, I don't think Nerf ever reaches 100 PSI, so it should be fine.

~Vintage

[nerfspecialforces]

I love you ... in a non-homosexual way...

[rusty]

Anything that works with one of those should work for nerf air-pressure wise. My only concern would be that the gauge doesn't let air out fast enough.

Also If your homemade is going to be a repeater with less than a 100psi tank are you planning on short range or short tank life?

Good to have you back.

[cxwq]

Full tech specs (including pressure ratings and flow) are on this page under AR-150. I'll leave translation from metric to PSI for your enjoyment.

Edit: Actually, now that I look at it, one says 1/4" and the other says 1/8" but the product number is the same. Caveat emptor I guess...

[Vintage]

Actually, if the flow rate is slow, it will be better for me. The regulator will be placed before the main firing valve. It will fill up the main tank with the same pressure for each shot.



All the basics right there. All that is missing is the high pressure backpack, and a handle grip.

So, Cxwq, do you think it is a decent regulator for the cheap price?

~Vintage

[GeneralPrimevil]

I read on some paintball site that because the regulator works by channelling the high pressure air through a small hole into a bigger cylinder, with some sort of stopper on the inlet hole when the pressure becomes to great in the lower-pressure cylinder. It also stated that the flow rate s slightly slower than running a direct hookup from the tank to the valve. That doesn't really seem true because the regulator (see next paragraph) I have on my aircompressor (20 gallon) has noticebly higher output than an unregulated tank at the same pressure. We all can figure out why though.

I seem to like double gauged ones more. That way one can check both their input and output pressures easily. Unfortunately they cost more, so I might try looking for a single gauged one at Lowes tonight. Then I don't have to use one of my gaugeless ones.

On a side note, propane and other higher-pressure tanks have built in crude regulators (the turn handle on the top/side/whatever). Unfortunately the tanks are pretty bulky, except those little gas grill tanks and torch tanks. Those two even have built in fill valves without removing the tank

Nice design. For a repeater you could have a valve between the tank and regulator. Burst of high pressure air -> large quantity of low pressure air, right?

[Langley]

fyi
http://www.google.co...c...to lbs/in^2
for converstion. On a side note it seems american science and surplus no longer carries those little $7 regulators.

Edit: added a link to googles calculator for Litres per minute to cubic inches per second. Oddly enough they came out almost equal. You can change the value in the search bar to find the conversions for different models.
http://www.google.co...7...n^3/seconds

Edited by Langley, 17 November 2004 - 10:25 AM.

[Viper]

Pretty brilliant I must say vintage. U could probably achieve even more spohisticated designs than nerf put out with a regulator.

[earl the bunny]

All that is missing is the high pressure backpack

Already been done

Tank out of backpack

Tank in backpack

I used a $10 regulator from Harbor Freight which can regulate the pressure from up to 160 PSI.

[cxwq]

One of these days when I have $100 sitting around doing nothing I'll build my over/under break barrel regulator fed shotty.

[Vintage]

Langley, what did you mean when you said that they no longer carry the $7 regulators?

Earl, that is a neat backpack. How much PSI can it hold? I heard that wider PVC holds much less pressure than small diameter PVC.

GeneralPrimevil, are you saying that the airflow is too high to use it without a secondary valve? My diagram only has a main firing valve, but another secondary could be added between the regulator and the main valve.

I was hoping to get as close to "pull one trigger for each shot" style weaponry. Opening and shutting another valve would take more time between shots.

~Vintage

[GeneralPrimevil]

I'm just saying that it's kinda hit or miss. It should be fine for use with multiple shots without a valve, just don't hold the trigger down for more than a second or else more air than needed will come out.

[earl the bunny]

My backpack can hold 180 PSI in water pressure, but I am scared to go that high with air pressure.

The most I have put into it is 100 PSI.