ID10T
Sr Member
Earlier today, after surviving Walmart, I tore into the Nerf blaster. It came apart fairly simply but some bits put up a fight and I didn’t want to break anything.
First, a detail view so I can get the thing back together correctly.
Here’s the “guts”. Not a lot to it. One switch on the trigger activated the sound and a second switch on the “bolt” activated the UV LEDs for charging the glowing darts. I trimmed a few bits of melted plastic used for retention, and was able to remove everything together. The clear plastic bit roughly centered is the “fiber optic” for the purple glow, which comes from a single LED on one end.
Then the mess started. I got a few bits in semi-gloss black right away (after an alcohol wipe)
Then I tried a new idea for the silver: cold galvanizing paint. Never used it on plastic before. Might be a disaster, but I had no silver paint left. At least it’s metal.
this is after scraping and sanding the Gettysburg address off the side of the frame. I use a new single edge razor blade to scrape it down flush (like a cabinet scraper if you’re a woodworker) and then a fine sanding block (for drywall). Five minutes tops got the bulk of it gone.
This is what I’m using for silver: I’m certain it causes cancer in California, since plywood does.Good thing we’re safely across the country from that dangerous place.
The frame after painting
During painting
I should be able to assemble, weather and clear tomorrow. I will re-install the Nerf bits, so you can put someone’s eye out. But no noise. That’ll go into the Airsoft based version. If I can engineer that
And I got an idea for the Airsoft version. Besides the “Pew” sound, I’m thinking getting an old photo flash rigged into the barrel is a good idea. Nice bright white (or color filtered) light when it “fires”...
And again, because ADHD, I plan to build an in-universe sniper blaster. Based on real USMC Scout Sniper M40A-1 to A-5 variants. Stay tuned for that because I think it’ll be good. Or at least, good enough.
First, a detail view so I can get the thing back together correctly.
Here’s the “guts”. Not a lot to it. One switch on the trigger activated the sound and a second switch on the “bolt” activated the UV LEDs for charging the glowing darts. I trimmed a few bits of melted plastic used for retention, and was able to remove everything together. The clear plastic bit roughly centered is the “fiber optic” for the purple glow, which comes from a single LED on one end.
Then the mess started. I got a few bits in semi-gloss black right away (after an alcohol wipe)
Then I tried a new idea for the silver: cold galvanizing paint. Never used it on plastic before. Might be a disaster, but I had no silver paint left. At least it’s metal.
this is after scraping and sanding the Gettysburg address off the side of the frame. I use a new single edge razor blade to scrape it down flush (like a cabinet scraper if you’re a woodworker) and then a fine sanding block (for drywall). Five minutes tops got the bulk of it gone.
This is what I’m using for silver: I’m certain it causes cancer in California, since plywood does.Good thing we’re safely across the country from that dangerous place.
The frame after painting
During painting
I should be able to assemble, weather and clear tomorrow. I will re-install the Nerf bits, so you can put someone’s eye out. But no noise. That’ll go into the Airsoft based version. If I can engineer that
And I got an idea for the Airsoft version. Besides the “Pew” sound, I’m thinking getting an old photo flash rigged into the barrel is a good idea. Nice bright white (or color filtered) light when it “fires”...
And again, because ADHD, I plan to build an in-universe sniper blaster. Based on real USMC Scout Sniper M40A-1 to A-5 variants. Stay tuned for that because I think it’ll be good. Or at least, good enough.
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