7 replies to this topic

[badger]

I need help with a rather unusual modification. I have a Rapid Fire 20 that I am modifying for the show that I'm involved in. If anyone has been to Rocky Horror before, you have an idea of what goes on inside the theater. During the movie there are audience participation parts that include throwing things around the theater. One of the first things you throw is rice. Now, in the past, we had an audience member who had converted two AT2K guns into rice launchers. They looked pretty unique. All he did was do a PVC barrel replacement as far as I know. We may even still have one floating around, I'll have to ask. We never fired a dart out of one, but it projected rice about 12' into the air, making for one nice spread, so he must have done something right.

Now, I have a rather deviated thought process. I dceided that I could do better. So i took one of my RF20 guns and began to modify it for full-auto rice dispersal. I also came across some problems, like getting the gun opened up, getting the turret back inside the gun, getting all the barrels to fire again, and most importantly, stopping the rice from falling inside the gun's internal mechanics and jamming up everything (although the biggest problem was that I never modded a single fucking gun in my life). I removed all of the barrel posts, but I've been without a clue as to how I should proceed after that. I was thinking of using a piece of metal screen sandwiched between the two sections of the turret assembly to eliminate the rice getting inside the gun's mechanics, but after that, I will be lost again.

I know it is a rather unique mod, but if anyone out there can help me, it would be really appreciated.

[Flaming Hilt]

Aye, metal screen is just what I was thinking.

As for barrel material, just use whatever is easiest to cram rice into. As with a dart, the more airtight the fit, the better... but I guess with rice that's hard to say.

One problem I project will be ranges. While that At2k can shoot rice 12,' it can shoot a dart 100 feet. An RF20 can shoot a dart 25 feet, so if you put that into proportion, you shouldn't be getting more than 3' with rice. If you want rate of fire, maybe stick with a 3k (auto-rotating).

I just don't think an RF20 has the power you need.

As for the rice, I would barely moisten it (hold it above evaporating water for a couple minutes) to increase the seal potential. But too wet could make it harder to get out of the barrel.

[alex6432]

What i think you could do is add little 1/2 inch pieces of foam backer rod into the barrels and then add the rice so the seal would be good, and you also wouldnt need any screans, just an idea.

~ALEX

[badger]

Thanks for the ideas both of you. I can't moisten the rice prior to firing it as this will make it more of a mess at the show than I want the cleanup crew to deal with, but I never thought of just using FBR pieces as a sort of a ram component similar to what you find in confetti cannons. I also don't care so much about the ranges I get as it will be just sprayed at the audience to begin with, but once again the FBR may solve the range issue as well. Thanks to the both of you for your help. Now I just need to get the gun back in one piece and I should be almost done.

[Flaming Hilt]

NP. Pics : oD and... you'd better tell us how that thing works.

[Master Yogurt]

The FBR should work out very well. I've used it to make shotgun blasts with airsoft BBs in my BBB (only in experiments - I'm not dumb enough to try that in a war!). My suggestion is to actually stick one sliver in (and it can be really thin, too, from my experiments), pour in the rice, and put another one on top to create a tighter seal and to stop the rice from falling out. Do it another 19 times and you're good to go.

Really, it should work out decently well. The rice's limitation comes from its natural tendency to not fly, not from the lack of power of the gun, so you should be able to get a nice spread and reasonably decent distance. Maybe not 12', but probably around 10' or so.

Yeah, I'd like a follow-up on this myself.

[davidbowie]

You might want to think about putting a piece of FBR on top too, to keep the rice from falling out if you tilt the gun in the wrong direction.

[Paloose]

My suggestion is to actually stick one sliver in (and it can be really thin, too, from my experiments), pour in the rice, and put another one on top to create a tighter seal and to stop the rice from falling out.

You might want to think about putting a piece of FBR on top too, to keep the rice from falling out if you tilt the gun in the wrong direction.

Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to get the quotes in a specific order.

Edited by Paloose, 25 June 2006 - 07:21 AM.