Zyzybalooba

I want to mount a laser pointer in place of the strobe on the Firefly. I figure, since the wiring and a switch is already there, it'd be convenient, and a cool addition. I am not sure if it won't work at all, due to voltage, but I plan on using one of those cheap lasers you can get from the gas station. I figure the button can be removed, and the connection can be joined with solder, and the batteries replaced with the wiring from the AA batteries that previously connected to the strobe.

Any suggestions? I found one SS2 mod that said they used a laser pointer, but it didn't go into any details about wiring. All other searches, on forums and on Google, have come up with almost nothing of use.

I'm not a serious Nerf-war guy, but I play with my friends in and around my house. I understand that this isn't something that I should point into people's eyes, nor do I plan on it. It's not like I'm going to be chasing someone with a pinpoint laser on. I just think it would be a cool show-offy mod indoors, and a decent replacement for the strobe.

Does anyone have any experience with hose shutoff valves? I was looking for some way to connect a firing tank to an auxillary tank with something smaller than a ball valve and I ran across one of these in my garage. They can hold water pressure (obviously) but could they hold any decent PSI for nerfing, or leak like crazy? They come in plastic (which I doubt would work) and zinc.

Also, on a different note, would a silicone lubricant on the inside of PVC help reduce friction on a dart or would it coat too unevenly?

This being my first homemade (I’ve never actually built one) I have a few questions about lengths and what works well. I’ve done some mods but I don’t have any
experience with homemades yet.

The idea behind this gun is a sort of carbine-rifle. I want to use at least one main air tank, and one firing tank. I am going for a good looking gun, but everything is subject to change based on resizing the barrel, air tanks, and other stuff. As for power I am going for a decent accurate range (70-ish feet or better) with at least 3 good shots from the tanks.

My estimated length would be around 2 feet including room for the stock in the back, and the barrel would be 1-1.5 ft. If I can figure out how, I may make the barrels interchangeable between 40 and 80SCH PVC, so I can use both micro and mega stefans. For now I just plan on 80SCH because I’ve gotten good results with normal stefans and Zero darts inside 80SCH PVC on an SS2. I want the barrel to stick out the front so I can attach a faux suppressor for looks.

The breech would be a variation on one I saw a while back. I’d use 1/2" cl200 PVC with a dart hole on one side nested inside a length of 1” PVC. Rather than pulling out the 1/2" PVC, I would rotate it with a rod or nail and insert the dart directly into the opening of the barrel, then rotate it back, pretty much sealing it. The reason I say cl200 PVC is so there is more room to load the dart in, though 40SCH may be better for this, I am not sure. I can draw out something if that was confusing.

My firing valve would be a pressure washer spray gun, as I read in another thread how it is very effective, and better than a hose handle. I don’t know much about them, but from what I see, it looks like I can chop off parts of it to make it more handle-trigger feeling.

For the air tanks, I want to make the main tank the length of most of the gun with 1” PVC. The ends would be sealed with CPVC endcaps caps or something like that for the sake of looks. I haven't decided if I am going integrate the pump as of yet.

I plan on using a Zero valve between the airtank and the firing tank, just because it’s more compact than a ball valve, and it would fit much better with the theme of the gun. I don’t want to use a ball valve, but I’d have to if I can’t get a non-leaky Zero valve.

On the main firing tank, I don’t know what size to make it to get maximum performance without discharging the pressure too quickly in the main tank. I am really not sure at all what sizes would be good for this kind of thing.

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Like I said, I have some sort of clue of what I’m doing, but I don’t have much experience with homemades.

Sketches:
image - left side with labels
image - right side

I was wondering if the size of the vinyl tubing mattered. In all of Zero's models, it says to use 1/4" vinyl tubing. The only reason I can see not to use 1/2" or 5/8" is that it kinks at 30-60 degrees. It seems like that 1/4" tubing would really restrict air and only a small amount of air would actually be used. Am I wrong?

I have to do a science project for a science class. For the project, a friend and I decided to try and make a way I can pressurize a chamber using mixtures that create gas using household items. If I can actually do it, I am going to try and make a gun based of of using these mixtures. To test it, I am going to use 1' PVC and a ball valve used as a way to seal the it off and also a firing valve.

And suggestions on mixtures? We already have baking soda and vinegar, Alka Seltzer, and club soda.