14 replies to this topic

[nerfer34]

When banding the bladder of the magstrike does it matter how tight you loop that rubber bands around it? How many should you put on? Like 50 or so? Thanks! I have searched and found nothing and I've already been PMed 6 times on how to band a bladder.

Banding a bladder is basically locating the bladder in an automatic blaster( its in the "paintball stock" part of the magstrike) and puutting rubber bands on it. The harder way but probably more effective way is to saw off about an inch of the bladder.

[LastManAlive]

The best way I can tell you is to not do it. I banded my PC and the bands just slid down the bladder. I didn't see big changes anyways.

But the best way is to loop a rubberband 1 times to one inch of rubberband. So, loop a 2 inch long (measured when pulled taught) 2 times around the badder, thus giving the band room to "grow" with the bladder.

Edited by LastManAlive, 30 July 2006 - 01:47 PM.

[puggy]

Why not just cut up a bike inner-tube and put it on the bladder?

[NerfMonkey]

Banding is cheaper and easier than innertubing.

LMA, my PC gets about 45-50' flat now with bands compared to about 35' before.

I'd say just get some smallish bands and slide one over the bladder, then pull on one end and twist it, then pull the second loop made by twisting it over one end of the bladder and take it back to the original spot. You may have to do the twisting thing more than once if it's a larger rubber band. Voila! You have successfully banded one portion of the bladder.

For mine I completely covered the bladder in bands so that you can't see any black when it's unpumped. This will probably cut down on the life of the gun but I have two spare RF20 bladders to replace it with if the bladder bursts. I doubt that will happen anyway.

Here are some pictures I took; the first one is unpumped and the second is pumped. Notice the amount of rubber bands gobbed on to the bladder. I've seen people band only the middle but this seems to work just as good.




Good luck with your Mag.

EDIT: Yeah, you said Magstrike. I thought you meant Powerclip. This should all still apply though, since they are pretty much identical.

Edited by NerfMonkey, 30 July 2006 - 03:40 PM.

[Doom]

You know what's still cheap, easier and works way better? Latex rubber tubing. This is the same stuff the bladder is made from.

Just buy a tube with a slightly larger ID as the OD of the Magstrike bladder. Slide it over. Thickness equal to hundreds of rubber bands and many bike tubes immediately.

Alternatively, you could buy a thicker tube to replace the original with. Though, to get extremely thick tubes, you have to order from other places.

Rubber bands in my experience will just fall off. And yes, I would know because I've tried stacking everything under the sun over a rubber tube. Rubber tubing is very picky about consistency of thickness - if the thickness is not consistent, the fluid will go to the part with the least resistance, many times moving what was layered over.

I would not recommend banding at all. That would be inconsistent. Bike tubes work well, but are expensive. Latex rubber tubing on the other hand is thicker than a bike tube and costs less.

[pat 1st Lt]

MY thoughts exactly, Doom. You seem to know your stuff about this! But, then again, you're over on SS Central too, so obviously you'd know a fair amount about high pressures and fluid dynamics.

I wouldn't band it at all. Either do what Doom said (The Latex Rubber Tubes) OR.... you could do this mod.

I did that mod to my Powerclip, and it got a good 40' flat, and it's more professional looking than globbing rubber bands on. Once I put a piece of an inner tube on, I get high-to-mid 40's consistantly. If you do this to a Magstrike, you'll lose the whole two-clip thing, but you'll get more power per shot.

Also, rubber banding, given its irregularity, is harmful to the bladder and decreases its life. Rubber tubing is much less harmful, but still not exactly 'good'.


So, go ahead and put rubber bands on if you want. But if I were you I'd do a less hamrful mod.



Sincereley,
Pat

[WratH]

Pat, cutting the bladder is probably the worst thing you can do. You realize that it was not meant to be that small or hold that much pressure, so your bladder WILL blow up.

[pat 1st Lt]

Wrath: it hasn't blown up in more than a year now, of use for upwards of 12 hours a month of use. That's more than 144 hours of 'holding that much pressure', adn there are no leaks, and it hasn't blown. Maybe I just got a tough PC, but it can hold that much pressure without ill effect.

Maybe you're right, and I just haven't seen the ill effects of what I've done, but I see no evidence to support your point. I'm sure that there are cases in which peoples bladders have blown by doing things like this. But, cutting off only a bit less than an inch increases the pressure enough to increase results, but not by enough to cause ill effects.

I understand that if I cut the bladder in half and expected it to hold at the same pressures, I'd be crazy. However, cutting only a small amount does not put un-due stress on the bladder so much as to warrant not doing it.


You certainly have a point that the concept of this mod is a bad idea. However, it's all in the execution.


But yes, it is a risky mod to do. If you overdo it, you'll ruin your gun. So, cut the bladder at your own risk. But, if you do it right, you shouldn't have to worry.



Sincereley,
Pat

[NerfMonkey]

Doom's idea seems like a good alternative to bands. My PC hasn't had any problems yet after having the bands on for four months or so, but in the long run that would definitely be better.

And, if I'm right, isn't the Magstrike's plastic opaque and not translucent like the Powerclip's? So it wouldn't really matter how the bladder looks if you can't even see it.

Just to reiterate what everyone else has said: bands are probably more harmful to the bladder than the rubber tubing stuff that Doom suggested, and will not be as "consistent" in their coverage of the bladder. However, my bands have not come off in the four months they've been on there and I don't think the inconsistency screws anything up at all. All the air leaves the bladder through the same hole anyway, so what is it going to hurt?

So I guess weigh all the options given and do what you think would be best. Keep in mind, though, that cutting the bladder would give you way fewer shots for the same amount of pumps in exchange for a bit of extra range that could be attained through the rubber tubing or bands.

[Master Yogurt]

The thing with rubber bands seems to me that, as likely as it is that it'll be fine (in NerfMonkey's case) and be evenly placed, there's an equal chance that your bands will not be equally distributing power on your bladder. So, while the mod may pay off, it's risky.

[euphemism]

Bike tubes too expensive? From what I hear you can used ones for free at most bike shops.

[nerfer34]

I really like Doom's idea but I can't find a rubber tube that has near the ID of the magstrikes OD....

[Doom]

Just to reiterate what everyone else has said: bands are probably more harmful to the bladder than the rubber tubing stuff that Doom suggested, and will not be as "consistent" in their coverage of the bladder.

Being inconsistent won't damage the bladder. It just means that the rubber bands might move and the bladder will inflate in one spot rather than the others. The rubber likes to do that. If you have it on consisently, there will be no problems. I just have no idea how you got it consistent.

Pat, cutting the bladder is probably the worst thing you can do. You realize that it was not meant to be that small or hold that much pressure, so your bladder WILL blow up.

This is correct. The only powerup you'll get from shortening the rubber bladder is the one from when the air is nearly completely filled the chamber. I've noticed there's a bit more power at that point because the pressure increases a bit. Remember that the rubber is doing 90% of the work here however - pressure-wise the pressure is low. It's dangerous to cut it that close however. I'd completely recommend against shortening the chamber.

Admittedly, you can replace the chamber with rubber tubing, but it simply would be better to avoid that.

I really like Doom's idea but I can't find a rubber tube that has near the ID of the magstrikes OD....

What's the OD of the Magstrike's chamber? If it's bigger than one inch, your only option would be to replace the chamber. The second link I mentioned has thicker tubes.

[nerfer34]

Yea, Its bigger than 1 inch.

[1313]

How big is it sompared to a RF20 bladder?