17 replies to this topic

[jwasko]

So we all know that the Maverick has terrible range but great rate of fire. Carrtoon improved the range by integrating a NF plunger, thus giving it near-NF ranges. However, I wanted to make something with great range while improving on the Maverick’s rate of fire; thus, the idea for the Viper (design 3) was born. It may or may not be practical in a war (I think it might), but in any case I think it would be pretty awesome as well as fun to build.


Note: Picture not necessarily drawn to scale

Note: I put this in the homemade section because about half of it is homemade. On the other hand, the other half is a Nerf gun made by Hasbro. So, I guess I’ll leave it up to the moderators to decide where they want it.

Now, I’ll give a little explanation of how this thing works, coinciding with the labels on the picture (“A” through “J”)

The Air System
A. The pressurized air storage tank. It will be made of 2” PVC and should be pressurized to about 80 or 90 PSI

B. The first solenoid valve. When opened, it allows the air from the pressurized air storage tank into the pressure chamber.

C. The pressure chamber. It will be about the same size as an AT2k pressure chamber or larger, thus (hopefully) giving similar ranges.

D. The second solenoid valve. When opened, it allows the air in the pressure chamber to move forward in the barrel. Note that the first solenoid valve will have to be closed in order to prevent the whole storage tank from being released as well.

E. The Mav turret will have had CapainSlug’s “end-clip” mod done to it, along with extended CPVC (or possibly 9/16” brass) barrels added to it.

F. A bike pump, which could be used to fill the pressure chamber for single shots.

The Electrical System
G. Three 9 volt batteries, wired in series, to power the solenoids

H. On/Off switch turns off the whole system.

I. Contacts. These will work similarly to the NF’s light, but if you noticed there are a total of three contacts here. The center contact is attached to the trigger. When not being pulled, the completed circuit opens the rear solenoid (B.) to fill the pressure chamber. As the trigger is pulled, the first circuit breaks and the rear solenoid valve closes. Continuing the trigger pull, the barrel lines up with the air output point (like a regular Mav) and the second circuit is completed. This opens the second solenoid (D), firing the Viper.

J. Another On/Off switch. It will break the circuit for the rear solenoid (B.) even when the trigger is forward, thus allowing the use of the bike pump to fill the pressure chamber and not the storage chamber.


While I'm posting, I hope that someone could answer a quick question: is my method of filling the pressure chamber for single shots going to work? All it is is a piece of tubing (vinyl, I think, is the one to use) that will be on a fitting that will be epoxied into the pressure chamber. Do I need some sort of valve for this to work, or will just running it into the chamber work? Also, do you suggest some sort of cutoff valve for when I’m not using the pump?

Also, any other suggestions for improvement of the design would be much appreciated.

PS: I know that some persons don't like people who just post ideas. I'm sorry, but I just wanted to see if I was doing anything wrong in the design before wasting money. I promise that it will be built eventually, in some form, unless I completely messed up and this won't work at all.

Edited by jwasko, 30 April 2007 - 08:46 PM.

[monkey with a nf]

I'm fairly new here, but my impression is that only ideas without any kind of basic plan are disliked. For example, posting "it'd be cool if you had a semi-auto mav!!" would not be okay, but this is.

I don't know enough about air powered homemades to answer most of your questions, but you might want to do something like the semi-auto valve in the homemades section here. It'd be cheaper than spending a bunch of money on solenoids.

Edited by monkey_with_a_nf, 30 April 2007 - 04:20 PM.

[CaptainSlug]

Pick a different gun to base this on. The maverick has a sucky turret seal interface.
A Dart Tag Blaster would be easier to adapt without significant problems.

Your current setup isn't semi-automatic.
In the current configuration that solenoid sprinkler valve labeled "B" is pretty useless and could be replaced with a simple ball valve since it's not actuated by the trigger anyways. You'll want to toggle that valve inbetween shots to avoid dumping the entire tank every time you press the trigger.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 30 April 2007 - 05:03 PM.

[jwasko]

1. Pick a different gun to base this on. The maverick has a sucky turret seal interface.
A Dart Tag Blaster would be easier to adapt without significant problems.

2. Your current setup isn't semi-automatic.
3.You should consider using one directional control valve instead of two solenoid sprinkler valves.
4. In the current configuration that solenoid sprinkler valve labeled "B" is pretty useless and could be replaced with a simple ball valve since it's not actuated by the trigger anyways. You'll want to toggle that valve inbetween shots to avoid dumping the entire tank every time you press the trigger.

1. Yes, I know. But, I like the Mav and I may be able to improve the seal somehow.

2. Actually, I believe that it is. I must not have explained it well enough. Or I'm completely missing a giant flaw in my plan.

3. I didn't know what that was at the time (and still don't, right now). I'll look it up and see about using it.

4. This must be te part that you missed, or that has a flaw I don't see. In my original design, I was indeed using a ball valve instead of solenoid valve "B." However, I thought of a way to make the thing truly semi-automatic using a second solenoid. I'll try to explain it better than in my first post.


The diagram's a little ugly, but it works I suppose.

So, the trigger has three "stages." In the first stage, when it's not being pulled at all, the "trigger contact", which is directly connected to the batteries, is touching "Contact B," which is connected to solenoid B which in turn is connected to the batteries. This completes a circuit and opens solenoid valve B.

In stage two, the turret is rotating the next barrel into place. Also, the trigger contact, because it is connected to the trigger, has moved back and broken the circuit with "Contact B." The trigger contact has not yet touched "Contact A."

Once the trigger is pulled all of the way back (stage 3), the trigger contact touches "Contact A," which completes the circuit for "Solenoid A" and opens it thus releasing the pressure in the "pressure chamber. "Solenoid B" is still closed, thus maintaining the air pressure that is stored there.

Thank you very much for taking a look at my plans, Captain Slug. If it turns out that I didn't understand why this isn't semi-automatic (as you said it wasn't), please let me know. All others are welcome to point out mistakes as well, of course.

Edited by jwasko, 30 April 2007 - 08:48 PM.

[Gengar003]

Truly automatic? Surely you mean truly "semi-automatic."

I understand what you're trying to do. I look forward to seeing it completed.

You might find the "bike pump" extending when the pressure chamber is filled - you would need a valve somewhere on the tubing to prevent that, or you might not, depending on the pump.

[jwasko]

Truly automatic? Surely you mean truly "semi-automatic."

I understand what you're trying to do. I look forward to seeing it completed.

You might find the "bike pump" extending when the pressure chamber is filled - you would need a valve somewhere on the tubing to prevent that, or you might not, depending on the pump.

That's definitely what I meant, I just forgot to put "semi-" there. Thanks for pointing that out; I fixed the error.

Tanks for the tip about the bike pump, as well as your support. I look forward to seeing it completed, too.

[CaptainSlug]

All bike pumps include a check valve. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to pump any air.

Edited by CaptainSlug, 30 April 2007 - 11:31 PM.

[Newbie]

I think that would be very cool, except for a few things:
1. I think you should use rechargeable batteries.
2. How would you fill up the main air tank?

EDIT: I get it now: You would open the rear valve and use the bike pump.

2ND EDIT: Really nice job!

Edited by Newbie, 11 May 2007 - 07:34 PM.

[shadowkid33]

This is a cool idea. The only problem is it will remain only a cool idea unless you're an expert at making homeades. This just seems complicated to me and I don't think anyone but CaptainSlug could really pull this off. But, I'd LOVE it if you proved me wrong and built it jwasko. I'd say go for and hope for the best, but expect for the worst.

[jwasko]

I'd say go for and hope for the best, but expect for the worst.

That's all anyone can do, is it? But seriously, it doesn't seem that complicated to me. It's mostly just the wiring. But maybe I'm just blind.

Speaking of being blind, where does everyone get their solenoid valves? I've looked all over Home Depot, but couldn't find any. Can you only get them online? Then again, it took me 20 minutes to find the vinyl tubing...in the row right next to PVC.


To Newbie:

1. Rechargables would be a good idea.

2. I'm not sure of how I will refill the pressurized air strage tank. It will be fairly large and thus will require a lot of pumps to fill manually, but a potable air compressor would be good. I've actually been thinking about interchangable holding tanks, with a ball valve to keep the pressure in when it's not attached. Does anyone know if threads (such as those found in a PVC ball valve) would be airtight enough for my purposes, while still being able to unscrew it fairly easily?

[PointBlank]

Thats a sweet idea!

[Prometheus]

It would take a lot of structural support to make this a stable integration/mod. I know you like the mav, but a bigger gun, like an AT2K or AT3K would handle it better, and they also have the pump, which makes it somewhat easier to refill the tank.

[jwasko]

It would take a lot of structural support to make this a stable integration/mod. I know you like the mav, but a bigger gun, like an AT2K or AT3K would handle it better, and they also have the pump, which makes it somewhat easier to refill the tank.

I'm looking at an AT2k and a MAv right now, and they actually appear to be just about the same size. I don't have an AT3k.

Regardless of size, however, a necessary component here is a turret that rotates by pulling a trigger. The Mav (as well as the 10-shot DTG) already have that, while the AT2k's rotation is manual and the AT3k has its rotation connected to the pump.

While I'm posting, I wanted to point out that the goal of this little project is not really to create a semi-auto Mav, but to create a semi-auto compressed air nerf gun. It just so happens that the Mav has an essential component of the nerf gun (the trigger-powered indexing of the turret) and also looks awesome. Thus are the reasons that a Mav will provide the base of the Viper

[Prometheus]

Oh, semi-auto, like the A.B.P. Consider looking at that design, so far the most plausible semi-auto homemade.

[jwasko]

Oh, semi-auto, like the A.B.P. Consider looking at that design, so far the most plausible semi-auto homemade.

Holy crap! I never mentioned that this thing was semi-auto in my original post! I'll need to fix that.

Anyway, I don't even understand how the A.B.P. works, let alone know how to adapt the design to this. That is in fact why I'm going with a simple, mechanically rotated turret rather than a box magazine and bolt.

[Recruit]

This looks good and is very plausable.

To shadowkid33 I know a whole forum worth of people myself included that could do this (speak metaphorically) with their hands tied behind their back and their eyes blind folded.(ends metaphor)

"Then why dont you shut up and do this then?" You ask. Simple My funds are zero, my reasource are zero,and futher more I am not going to go buy a nerf gun here unless I have to. Because as I have said before, the prices here for nerf guns are outragous. 70€ for and NF just to give you a hint.

[hard rockr]

So we all know that the Maverick has terrible range but great rate of fire. Carrtoon improved the range by integrating a NF plunger, thus giving it near-NF ranges. However, I wanted to make something with great range while improving on the Maverick’s rate of fire; thus, the idea for the Viper (design 3) was born. It may or may not be practical in a war (I think it might), but in any case I think it would be pretty awesome as well as fun to build.


Note: Picture not necessarily drawn to scale

Note: I put this in the homemade section because about half of it is homemade. On the other hand, the other half is a Nerf gun made by Hasbro. So, I guess I’ll leave it up to the moderators to decide where they want it.

Now, I’ll give a little explanation of how this thing works, coinciding with the labels on the picture (“A” through “J”)

The Air System
A. The pressurized air storage tank. It will be made of 2” PVC and should be pressurized to about 80 or 90 PSI

B. The first solenoid valve. When opened, it allows the air from the pressurized air storage tank into the pressure chamber.

C. The pressure chamber. It will be about the same size as an AT2k pressure chamber or larger, thus (hopefully) giving similar ranges.

D. The second solenoid valve. When opened, it allows the air in the pressure chamber to move forward in the barrel. Note that the first solenoid valve will have to be closed in order to prevent the whole storage tank from being released as well.

E. The Mav turret will have had CapainSlug’s “end-clip” mod done to it, along with extended CPVC (or possibly 9/16” brass) barrels added to it.

F. A bike pump, which could be used to fill the pressure chamber for single shots.

The Electrical System
G. Three 9 volt batteries, wired in series, to power the solenoids

H. On/Off switch turns off the whole system.

I. Contacts. These will work similarly to the NF’s light, but if you noticed there are a total of three contacts here. The center contact is attached to the trigger. When not being pulled, the completed circuit opens the rear solenoid (B.) to fill the pressure chamber. As the trigger is pulled, the first circuit breaks and the rear solenoid valve closes. Continuing the trigger pull, the barrel lines up with the air output point (like a regular Mav) and the second circuit is completed. This opens the second solenoid (D), firing the Viper.

J. Another On/Off switch. It will break the circuit for the rear solenoid (B.) even when the trigger is forward, thus allowing the use of the bike pump to fill the pressure chamber and not the storage chamber.


While I'm posting, I hope that someone could answer a quick question: is my method of filling the pressure chamber for single shots going to work? All it is is a piece of tubing (vinyl, I think, is the one to use) that will be on a fitting that will be epoxied into the pressure chamber. Do I need some sort of valve for this to work, or will just running it into the chamber work? Also, do you suggest some sort of cutoff valve for when I’m not using the pump?

Also, any other suggestions for improvement of the design would be much appreciated.

PS: I know that some persons don't like people who just post ideas. I'm sorry, but I just wanted to see if I was doing anything wrong in the design before wasting money. I promise that it will be built eventually, in some form, unless I completely messed up and this won't work at all.

The only thing i see kinda as problem, is the turret chamber. If you cut off the front, and then put barrels on top of that, it will be pretty flimsy. My advice is to cut the PETG, CPVC, or BRASS, and put that inside the chamber.

[zaphodB]

Hard Rockr, stop it.

seriously though, you keep reviving topics (althoug this one isn't that old) with comments that aren't even that constructive.

And again, for god's sake, stop quoting the entire post.