Paragon

I figure if I'm going to make something belt fed, I should make it like the real belt fed guns and use the same kind of mechanism. So, here it is:

http://yoda_24.freep...elt fed mk2.mov

It's basically the ammunition belt feed system here: http://science.howst...achine-gun2.htm
I had looked at that page before starting any ideas but I first wanted to see if I could make something different that worked. But this seems to be the best approach.

Actually, the common acronym is "Keep It Simple, Stupid". I am trying to get the design down to only one motor that advances the belt. I agree that the ram loading idea is problematic.

I have thousands of dollars and a full time job that pays for my housing and all the bills associated with housing. That means lots coming in, very little going out. I have the financial resources to do this.

taz, you seem to thing I am going to use some rediculously powerful motor in a place where a small servo is sufficent. The ones I have worked with could run for a long time on 8 AA batteries. The only thing that will take alot of power will be the air compressor and you can get over 250psi on some of those. I also don't do battles or anything like that, I'm making this just to make it and because it will be cool when I'm done with it. I don't need it to be that portable.

davidbowie, I'm not talking about working with compressed air for some some dinky little nerf gun. I'm talking about shooting baseballs and other similar objects using large air compressors. Since it was a group project I do not have that compressor nor would I want to use one that big for this anyways. And obviously, one of the reasons I'm doing this project is to get experience in making a belt fed gun. Also, you realize that you can't just shell out $30 and buy the chip. The chip is worthless when you don't have the stuff to program with it. So, it's more like shelling out $80. And while that is do-able, I am trying to keep the cost to a minimum and I have yet to find something in the price range I desire. I have all that money saved up because I don't just find what I need and jump on the first one, I look around and try and find the best deal.

Edit: Simpler trigger design (the light blue is air):

The problem isn't that I don't know how to do it, the problem is that I do not know where I can obtain the materials. I've seen a hinged plug on a T-joint of a round tube so it must be possible. I realize that the current solution makes it semi-automatic and not fully automatic and I am thinking of simpler more reliable ways of going about this part of it.

I don't see how an air compressor fed into a 4 inch diameter PVC tube then fed into a 1/2 inch PVC tube would not produce enough pressure unless I missed something.

And I don't get why you are saying if i can't find solutions to the problems myself then i wont be able to overcome problems. I posted it on this forum for a reason, I could have just made the thing myself and posted the finished product when I was done. But if everyone is just going to say 'oh thats impossible' then why did I bother posting.

If I can get a hold of two servomotors and a programmable controller and a pressure sensor then I'll be ready to go. I know someone who has exactly what I need but I'm pretty sure he won't be willing to part with them. And so the problem is getting a hold of the materials I need.

You seem to think that just because I am new to this forum that I do not know what I am talking about. I have done things like this before but not all of it together. I've worked with servo motors and programming them to move in precise intervals at precise power levels. I've worked with making things that use compressed air to accelerate things. Based on my past experience with the things I'm using here, this design should work. I'm looking into simpler ways to do it because the simpler it is, the less things can go wrong during sustained use. However, I do not see how this is all that complicated.

http://www.hasbro.co.../dn/default.cfm

The kid in the commercial just pumps it while holding the handle with one hand and pumping it with the other.