FountainPenFan

I was browsing Amazon this evening, and came across this product:

http://www.amazon.co...=rubber pellets

It's a plastic that comes in beaded form in jars (various sizes available) that can be heated in hot water, molded and shaped by hand or tools while still warm, then cools to a hard plastic that can be also be tooled. Cast pieces can be reheated and reused much like thermoplastic hot glue.

Among the customer reviews is a video (roughly the third review on the product page linked) of how it's used (which looks quite easy) and mentions of it being very durable for applications from making small springs (when cast very thin) or hooks for hanging things from walls. As making homemades can require making custom parts and or nerf blasters can require repair parts, I thought this might be an possible alternative to 3D printing (which requires access to a printer or ordering parts online, expensive for startup or per part, respectively) for some simpler components. The only tools used in casting parts would probably be flat surfaces to press with to make nicer, uniform parts and drills or utility knives.

I'm planning on starting work on a PVC blowgun with a wooden magazine/bolt action system after my finals next week, so I may well order some of this and use it along with the PVC (barrel) and hardwood (frame/magazine) materials I plan on using.

Second topic on NerfHaven - hello to all.

Cosmetic primary view.


Hello all. This is my first time back to NerfHaven for a long time (close to six years ago.) Some of you may remember me as member Mr. Tubb. Since then I've earned my Eagle rank in the Boy Scouts of America, graduated high school, and am studying at CSU Long Beach to get a BS in Mechanical Engineering. But, you didn't click this topic for a biography, so I'll get on to the design.

I drafted this a few days ago in Google's Sketchup modeling freeware (which I am quite fond of.) I did not draft the extension springs (example) because that would be somewhat of a pain with this program.

Extension springs will be emplaced between the bolts (blue) of the crossbar (goldenrod) and the priming bolt (blue) that runs through the dart sled (bright green.)

Pulling the dart sled (bright green) back will store tension in the springs. This tension will be stored until ready to fire by rotating the catch block (darkest green) such that the handle is flush with the frame (yellow), capturing the bolt pin (white) that is screwed into the mount (purple.) It will operate similar to what I believe are called dead man's triggers (such as those sadly used in suicide bombs) meaning that after one's hand leaves the handle the catch block should rotate about its pin (blue) and release the bolt pin. This will send the dart sled sliding down the rail, at the end of which the dart (loosely mounted on the white plastic straw shown on the front of the bolt sled) should be launched.

Technical primary view.

Technical side view

Technical trigger view

Technical side view, trigger released.

Sled/rail view while primed.

Sled/rail view after firing.


Thank you for reading. Any thoughts you might have would be appreciated, and I would be happy to answer any questions.

EDIT

I will be attempting the making of this in the next few days, as I will be on Easter break from college.