47 replies to this topic

[Falcon]

I've finished the first half of it. I'm putting up pics, etc. of my progress, and tomorrow or wednesday I'll get the second half up.

To begin with, you'll need (duh) a Splitfire, two airtech 2k turrets, their o-rings, and two at 2k valve air output tubes (the white tube that connects the valve to the turret on a 2k.) Along with this, you'll need one 3/4" PVC endcap (you'll see why later on...)

Then, of course, you'll need whatever barrel materials you prefer for quad-barreling an Airtech 2k. Enough for two turrets.

A dremel is also nearly necessity, but you might be able to manage with a few hand files and a saw.

Oh, and epoxy. That or plumber's goop. Hot glue alone won't cut it in a few spots on this thing...

On to the mod:

Strip both of your turrets for barrel replacement...

Then take this white piece from a 2k valve (make sure the o-ring is in the turret)

And hot glue it in place, one on each turret. It needs to be a permanent attachment, so epoxy/plumber's goop would be a good idea, but it's not completely necessary at this point.


Add whatever barrels you require for both turrets. I would suggest you keep it relatively light (all PETG would really be ideal; as you can see I didn't use brass for the full length of the barrels because the turrets become really heavy. Brass will work just fine, but PETG would be easier to work with and then use later on.)


Now, set aside the turrets and open up the Splitfire. Everyone's favorite part ('cuz it's so stinkin' easy...) Plug up the pump.


Cut the barrels off right here...
*floating hacksaw*

Now the plastic yellow X's are an easy fix. Take a pair of scissors/knife and cut out the X's. Don't worry about the yellow rings they were part of. Just get the X's out of the way.

Now for the tricky part...You need to seat the white AT 2k valve pipe in the SF's air output well where the X's were. You then need to mix some epoxy or get some plumber's goop ready and fill the space around the valve pipe to permanently attach it to the SF's air output. Watch through the barrel on the turret to make sure that no glue gets in the path of the air output.

It should look something like this:

Mine's really ugly. I've never really been one for turrets/pump guns anyway...I like my SF's straightforward and double-barreled. But whatever, I'm not using it anyway. It's sturdy, and it works.

Moving on...
You'll probably notice that this little skinny plastic piece from your 2k's is not exactly holding the turret up all that well. We'll be fixing that now. Find a nice place to set the guts of your SF while we work on the shell...

Which needs to be cut to look pretty much (or exactly, if yours is identical to mine) like this:


Now, make sure that your parts are all fitting into the right spots on the shell. The one divot cut into the shell near the middle is where the spring at the back of the turret goes. The shell should be cut off so that the back face of the base of the turret can be glued/epoxied/plumber's gooped to the shell. This will help aid you in your quest for a less flimsy assembly.

Now, for the final part of stage 1 (what I did today before I got tired...)

Cut your 3/4" PVC endcap directly in half. Clean off the cut edges with scissors or a knife, then dremel down the cut side of the closed end of each of them so that it will fit (closely; doesn't need to be perfect) the side of the SF's shell. These pieces will be glued to both sides of the SF over the turret spring to protect it,a nd they'll be placed so the open ends of the endcap will be flush with the rear face of the turret. This means (yep! More reinforcement!) you can hot glue/epoxy/plumber's goop (the latter two would be best here to make sure there is NO movement when trying to rotate the turret.)

It should look like this from behind the coupler, facing the base of the turret:


And like this from the side:


And like this from the front.


Tomorrow, I'll add the second turret assembly, cut the other half of the shell down, and range test this sucker. But air output from the barrels seems to be around the average output from my standard Splitfire. I'm expecting a slight reduction in range from typical SF ranges, due to the extra distance from air output to dart, but the exceedingly high rate of fire and uber sexy look will aid it, I suppose...

*whew* barely made the picture limit on that one...

Well, I guess I should be glad that the concept picture of this I drew in AutoCAD awhile back is actually being put to use. This will be Sage's primary. Again, I'll get the second half finished tomorrow or wednesday, sign my work, and get the completed custom SF up ASAP. Feel free to ask questions, etc. until then.

Enjoy!

Yours in Foam,

-Falcon

Edited by Falcon, 28 March 2006 - 12:54 AM.

[PissBacon]

Wow, that's pretty inventive. I can't wait to see how it looks with both turrets applied and finished up. If only my target hadn't stopped carrying at2ks months ago.

Also, how does it feel so far in terms of sturdiness? Are all of the parts fitting well together and sturdy, or does it feel like it would break if you hit it a little too hard on something?

[Falcon]

Now that the endcap has been added on and my 5-minute epoxy has cured, it is VERY sturdy.

I only wish I couldn't say the same for the now long-term bond between my fingertips and the underside of my fingernails. For all you newbies out there: DON'T TOUCH WET EPOXY! WET EPOXY = BAAAAADDD...

Anyway, it's VERy firm. I was struggling to get that stupid turret to rotate without the whole assembly shifting around, but that endcap did it.

Added plus...the endcap protects the turret's rotating shtuff from the elements, etc., and it makes it look a LOT cleaner. I can only imagine after a paintjob, when the endcap looks like it's part of the shell...

*sigh*

I need to get out more often...

[Jabs]

This gun is a real looker, and it's not even finished. What i like most is the half-PETG, half-brass barreling. I hope you didn't butcher those At2ks too badly so you can still use them. Very sweet indeed and good luck. -Jabs

[Sage]

[side note,public humiliation]Falcon, this thing is freaking PWNAGE!!! Seriously, thanks for taking the time/effort to hook me up. [/side note, public humiliation]

for those of you that hadn't seen the concept CAD work, it looks like this:


Although it's been expanded on quite a bit, and, you know, actually made into a practical model.

Wonderful Falcon, simply wonderful!

Edit: Oh, and I made up the name, if anybody cares...

Edited by Sage, 28 March 2006 - 01:37 AM.

[baghead]

I get to Be Shot At by that thing on saturday!

Seriously, Falcon You are a madman, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this badboy in person.

-bags

Edited by baghead, 28 March 2006 - 10:41 AM.

[Falcon]

I get to Be Shot At by that thing on saturday!

Sage won't be there, but I already made sure I'll have it. I'll probably use it as a primary for a round or two, just to see how it runs in an actual war scenario.

Hmmm...now that's interesting. I probably won't remove my sidearms when I use it. Dual Splitfires. Hmmmm...

Seriously, Falcon You are a madman, and I'm really looking forward to seeing this badboy in person.

Now THAT made my day. Madman...has a nice ring to it...

If I start cackling in a hideous manner on Saturday, don't be surprised. You brought it upon yourself.

[Pineapple]

Zat looks wicket.

Give that thing a Baghead-worthy combat paint job, and it'll turn heads. Well, no need, it already is attracting attention.

I'm really curious to see how it'll hold up in warring conditions. It certainly has the multi-shot firepower to hold it's own!

We ought to start a Really Clean Modifications™ Guild for stuff like this.

Now that left hand is the hand of a hardcore modder.

Better put some Neosporin on those cuts there, buddy.


-Piney-

[baghead]

Give that thing a Baghead-worthy combat paint job, and it'll turn heads. Well, no need, it already is attracting attention.

...hummmmmmm.... Brilliant!

so... falcon, sage, I still have some x-metals green left... that thing would look shweet like that...(droolls just thinking about geting to paint that monstrosity...

-bags

[Rip32]

Nice. Most people make sketches for mods they want to do, but never do it. I hope the other half of the gun comes out as nice as the first.

Also you must have a lot of guts to do this on a splitfire, knowing that the mod might go wrong, and then there a great gun gone to waste. You probably planned the mod through so that this woulden't happen. Anyways so far, its looking pretty sweet.

[Falcon]

Better put some Neosporin on those cuts there, buddy.
-Piney-

Covered.

You should see the OTHER side of my left hand... Looks like fish gills going across it (it's an old scar) from a drill bit. That was moving. When it hit me.

I think you can see a little of it in a few of the pics above, actually...

*edit: yeah; on the one with the cuts on the shell, just to the left of my thumb, you can see part of it. THAT's not going away...

Moving on...thanks for all the comments, guys! I'll be finishing it up between the small amount of time I have this evening and tomorrow afternoon. I won't have the completed project today (no way) but by the end of the day wednesday, you can expect it to be done and the write-up finished.

Edited by Falcon, 28 March 2006 - 05:27 PM.

[Greek Assassin]

That is really really REALLY AWSOME!!! The rate of fire must be sick, and im guessing the ranges dont suffer much. Put a stock on it and you have one kick-ass primary!

[nerfer34]

AWESOME, I have been trying to find a way to improve my SF!
- BUt what about the air release ? So do you pump shoot one from each turret and then manually rotate them both?

-This is a little off topic but do you know how to fix the SF when you pump it air comes out of the barrels?

[Falcon]

Do you pump shoot one from each turret and then manually rotate them both?

Exactly.

Do you know how to fix the SF when you pump it air comes out of the barrels?

Try lubing inside the barrels (at the back, where you see the black thing. Also, the first 2-3 pumps need to be done very quickly.

The way a Splitfire works is more complicated than the standard valve (like on a 2k, for example).

When you look in the barrels (when it's pumped, but unloaded) you see a black circle at the back. That black circle is a piece of rubber that is covering up the air output. HOWEVER: this piece is NOT connected at all to the two red pins that the trigger pulls out when you pull it. When you pump the gun, there are two plastic orange pipes that run straight through the middle of the two airtanks. They end near the front of the airtanks. Sleeved over them is a red plastic pipe that is larger in diameter, and has a rubber stopper on the end. This red piece with the rubber is completely free-moving. It is just large enough so that it can move between the end of the orange pipe and the hole where the air goes out.

You must pump a Splitfire quickly for the following reason:
When you begin pumping the SF, the rubber grommit is NOT covering up the hole where the air enters the barrel when it fires. The air you pump into the tanks goes through the check valve at the back of the pump, and comes out of the orange plastic pipes running through the airtanks. This air coming out pushes the rubber on the red pipe away from the orange pipe, and causes the rubber to hit the open hole leading to the barrels. The higher pressure inside the airtanks keeps the rubber piece held against the opening going to the barrels.

When you pull the trigger slowly, you can sometimes hear a bit of air escape before the gun fires. This is becase when you fire, that's exactly what is happening. Pulling the trigger opens up the back of the airtanks, allowing air to escape. However, when the opening is large enough to allow air to escape quickly, the air rushing out through the orange pipe where it came in causes a suction, pulling the red pipe with the rubber stopper onto the [i]orange[i/] pipe instead, opening up the hole to the barrel, and letting all of the compressed air fly. When you learn to twitch your finger correctly and quickly enough, little or no air will be allowed to leave anywhere but the barrel, because the pressure change will be so quick that the stopper almost immediately hits the orange piece, and the air is released.

Here are some diagrams to help everybody understand (it's raining out, so it's too cold to go out in the garage and work on the focus of this thread right now, but I'll finish up tomorrow. No worries there.)

So here are the internals.


When air comes in (barrels are pointing to the right; the gap on the right is the air output) it pushes the red tube with the black rubber stopper on it forward. This plugs the air output and you can continue pumping up the pressure in the tanks.


When fired, the exact opposite occurs. The stopper is sucked back, and the air is allowed out the barrel. The dart fires.


Hope this helps!

[nerfer34]

Thanks. I will try lubing the barrels. Because I used to get over 90' but now I get like 80'. I like your idea. I was going to just make a bunch of ammo holders but your idea is better.
How sturdy are the at2k turrets on the SF? Do they move when running with the gun?
Also another thing to consider is since you have made your SF larger(unholsterable) you MAY want to consider adding a stock and acessories and turning you SF into a rifle....Just a thought.

[baghead]

I don't see why everyone wants to put a stock on this beast, i think that keeping it as compact as possible makes it more unholy, because then you are more manueverable.

Edited by baghead, 28 March 2006 - 09:35 PM.

[duce]

I've got 12 sm1500 turrets chillin in my basement. I'm doing this to my triple strike.

I really like how you sturdied it. I added a truuet to one of my xbows and it wobbles quite a bit. I'll have to try your method.

Most excellent work.

[Falcon]

Hate to burst all of you people's bubbles, but I see no reason why there should be a stock added.

It's a small primary. So are AT 2k's... You don't see tons of people adding stocks to those.

What I'm getting at here, is that the ST2k is meant to be small. It's a mobile mass of pastic and death wrapped in a compact, sexy package. Adding a stock would hamper it's ability to really be used effectively. It's not like Sage is going to be sharpshooting with this thing.

I can't imagine anyone really spending the time to concentrate and carefully aim with something like this. I can only see it being fired by both hands through quick snapped shots or with one hand at full arm extension.

A stock would hamper it's ability to be mobile It'd make firing over a shoulder more difficult, it'd make cornering more difficult...holduing the gun steady wouldn't be affected really, because for it's use it wouldn't be all that necessary.

So, in short, unless Sage has a very Snake-like moment (Snake being another member of our clan who insists on putting a stock and a "sight" on EVERYTHING, cincluding our Beast of a RF20, which has both a stock and a "sight", which is really just the cocking slider from an old broken mav...) then there will NOT be a stock installed on this baby.

EDIT:

I don't see why everyone wants to put a stock on this beast, i think that keeping it as compact as possible makes it more unholy, because then you are more manueverable.

Thank you Bags, I rest my case!

Edited by Falcon, 28 March 2006 - 09:55 PM.

[KirbySaysHi]

Question:

Do you consider this an AT2K integration (at2k into another gun)? I do, and when the second part is done, I'll post them both in the directory under Spitfire integrations. What do you think about that?

Copy!

[baghead]

I'd say that it's more of a Splitfire integration if you call it an integration at all, the bulk of this gun is still Splitfire, and the turrets are most likely scrap from singled 2ks.

[Falcon]

The turrets are most likely scrap from singled 2ks.

Correct. In fact, these are the turrets left over from the 2k's that I singled and put in that Manta Ray shell! See, it all works out...

Funny that that Manta/2k integration was the first gun Sage ever tried using. Fall CAFF last year. Good times...

I would prefer if this weren't considered an Airtech 2k integration. It's a Splitfire Integration, using 2k parts. But this only mimics one aspect of a 2k, and that is the barrels. It is a Splitfire to the end.

Thanks for volunteering to publicize this thing, though!

This all reminds me of something, Bags...I have lots of 2k valves and pump tubes for you come saturday...

Excited?

i know I am. Oh, and this thing is so fun to mess around with, that I'm going to buy another Spklitfire this summer and make myself one for use with my converted dart tag darts. Imagine the ranges...*foams at mouth*

Edited by Falcon, 29 March 2006 - 02:13 AM.

[Sage]

I'm glad I decided I wanted one...

I think you've started a fad, Falcon

[baghead]

The turrets are most likely scrap from singled 2ks.

Correct. In fact, these are the turrets left over from the 2k's that I singled and put in that Manta Ray shell! See, it all works out...

Thanks for volunteering to publicize this thing, though!

This all reminds me of something, Bags...I have lots of 2k valves and pump tubes for you come saturday...

Excited?

i know I am. Oh, and this thing is so fun to mess around with, that I'm going to buy another Spklitfire this summer and make myself one for use with my converted dart tag darts. Imagine the ranges...*foams at mouth*

you bet i'm excited!

...but the thought of you having a ST2K of your own worries me just a little bit, that and PJ.... I'm skered, Falc, I'm skered...

-bags

[DarkSide]

Great mod! If I had a splitfire, I would definately try this. However, I think you should put some kind of belt or something around the two turrets (when you're done), so that when you rotate the right one clockwise (or the left one counter- clockwise), both of them rotate.

[nerfer34]

I may try this mod. How did you sturdy your barrels?