10 replies to this topic

[Yazzeh]

Hey, so I'm modding an NF, and I'd like to make it cock from the top, akin to a Maverick's cocking handle. I always found the NF's cocking handle to be annoying, in the way, awkward, and I wanted to give it the ease of Maverick priming. That way when you reload it, or keep it in your pocket, it's more solid and the whole rod wont get in your way.

What I want to know, is a good material to use for the handle. Note, I'll be sawing off as much of the circles at the back of the gun that read 'NERF' to make the gun more sleek and to allow the top cocking mechanism to be as slim as possible against the shell. I want a material that I can find easily, preferably cheap, and durable. I was thinking either wood, epoxied or something into a sort of box frame as the cocking handle, or take some PVC, cut it in half lengthwise and try to heat it into a handle-suitable shape. Any ideas?

Edited by Yazzeh, 02 August 2007 - 01:23 AM.

[MithMorchaint]

I don't think it is going to work as well as you imagine. You're going to need the cocking shaft (the thing that you pull on to cock it) to be at least as long as the plunger tube, longer in all reality so you have something to attach your cocking grip thing to. That means that, basically, you'd only be cutting the loop off of the cocking shaft. Ok. THAT means that you're still going to have the shaft sticking out the back once it is cocked. Unlike the Mav, you will also not be able to slide the grip forward again once the NF is cocked, so you'll now have a huge boxy thing jutting out the back AS WELL AS the cocking shaft.

Really don't think this is going to work that well, or have the results you imagine. I can only imagine one way, really, that it could be done, and that would be a very complex and, most likely, fragile structure.

But if you're going to do it anyway, my answer is : I would use cut PVC.

[Dr Moose]

The only reason that the mav's cocking handle can slide back forward after you cock it is because it uses the reverse plunger system. The nf does not.

[monkey with a nf]

You actually can have a sliding cocking handle with a normal plunger- like the DTG.

[MithMorchaint]

You actually can have a sliding cocking handle with a normal plunger- like the DTG.

But you would still have to deal with the cocking shaft sticking out the back, wouldn't you?

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

It wouldn't be worth it. With the spring replacement that you'll need to get good ranges, the stress on the slide would be great enough to crack it after prolonged use. Unless you reinforce it like crazy, in which case it would be boxy and look horrible. Plus, as MithMorchaint mentioned, the priming rod will still stick out the back, or the entire slide will jut out. If you were to install the slide's pin internally, then you risk cutting or damaging the plunger tube. If this could be done easily, we probably would have seen it before when Carrtoon did his NiteMav.

[Prometheus]

You actually can have a sliding cocking handle with a normal plunger- like the DTG.

But you would still have to deal with the cocking shaft sticking out the back, wouldn't you?

Yeah, just like bolty's BS-9. You can't really index the plunger.

[Yazzeh]

The only reason that the mav's cocking handle can slide back forward after you cock it is because it uses the reverse plunger system. The nf does not.

Firstly, thank you all for your responses.

Now, dealing with the plunger shaft still sticking out, I understand that, but it seems fragile to me, and if you have it encased in a more solid cocking handle, it would be less likely to snap with rough use. Of course, I do have a plan or two to bypass the rod sticking out. I could try cutting off most of the plunger shaft up to the indent, and then screw a chain onto it so that when you cock the gun, the chain will pull back the plunger shaft, have it locked and primed, and the cocking handle can be put back into place, via a small spring or no spring. This way, the chance of the additional weight of the cocking handle slowing down the speed of the plunger wouldn't matter.

I'm not very fond of the idea of destroying my nitefinder and having to scrap it for parts, but I'm willing to do it to see if this is feasible.

edit
To Shadow Hunter Alpha,

I don't intend to replace the spring with anything stronger. I want to do this as a matter of concept.

Also, my dearly beloved Home Depot doesn't stock any springs. It's the only Home Depot in Montreal. Talk about aggravating. So if I want springs, I'd have to order them online. For now, I shall be content with stock springs.

editx2
To MithMorchiant,

I've never had to shape PVC before, know any methods for doing it?

Edited by Yazzeh, 02 August 2007 - 11:16 AM.

[SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA]

If you do use the stock spring, you'll have a much longer service life with this experiment if it works. I would still reinforce it with some aluminum sheeting or something similar, though, so you don't have to worry about being extremely gentle with it. I assume this will be for indoor wars if it is completed and sees action?

P.S.: I've heard of hobby shops, Ace Hardware, and local town hardware stores carrying springs, but you've probably tried those if they are around where you live.

P.P.S.: To shape PVC, cut it to the length you want, and then heat it with a lighter, torch, fire, etc. Do this until it is pliable but not dripping. Then mold it (I recommend gloves here) into the shape you want. You'll probably want to press it right over the top of your NF. Do this until it is the shape you want. I imagine that it can be done with regular-thickness PVC, but I've only molded thinwall this way. Be careful, and don't breathe the fumes.

Edited by SHADOW HUNTER ALPHA, 02 August 2007 - 11:23 AM.

[MithMorchaint]

To shape PVC, cut it to the length you want, and then heat it with a lighter, torch, fire, etc. Do this until it is pliable but not dripping. Then mold it (I recommend gloves here) into the shape you want.

That is what I would recommend as well. For heating I use a small hand-held butane torch I happen to own. It works very well, but you have to be careful not to burn the plastic. I have actually lit plastic on fire by accident when doing this - yes, you can light plastic on fire. So yeah, I would be super careful when heating it.

I've never tried this, but in theory it should work and is much easier - heat it in the oven. I'm not sure what kinds of temperautres or times you'd need, but it would achieve a uniform temperature throughout, and can be controlled fairly precisely. Just a thought.

[Yazzeh]

If you do use the stock spring, you'll have a much longer service life with this experiment if it works. I would still reinforce it with some aluminum sheeting or something similar, though, so you don't have to worry about being extremely gentle with it. I assume this will be for indoor wars if it is completed and sees action?

P.S.: I've heard of hobby shops, Ace Hardware, and local town hardware stores carrying springs, but you've probably tried those if they are around where you live.

P.P.S.: To shape PVC, cut it to the length you want, and then heat it with a lighter, torch, fire, etc. Do this until it is pliable but not dripping. Then mold it (I recommend gloves here) into the shape you want. You'll probably want to press it right over the top of your NF. Do this until it is the shape you want. I imagine that it can be done with regular-thickness PVC, but I've only molded thinwall this way. Be careful, and don't breathe the fumes.

Well I'm not really aware of a Nerf community in Montreal. I've just gotten into Nerf modding as a hobby in itself, though I'd love to use what I spend all this time on. There's a Sci-Fi club at my college that hosts a small Nerf War once a year, so I'll see if I can sneak into that.

Last time I checked, Ace Hardwares aren't in Canada. And the only hobby shop I've seen closed down just as I got interested in Nerf.