This page was created to be a place where you can easily ask a question and have it answered. Simply enter a question in the text box below and I will do my best to answer it. Both the question and the answer will be posted on this page. My hope is that after a while this page will become an archive of frequently asked questions about all my homemades. Feel free to ask anything about the FAR, GNS, BASR, or any of the others. There are no stupid questions so ask away. Please give me some time to respond to your questions and get a reply up. I will try to reply as fast as I can.
Ask Away!
Model
Name
Question
View a real time list of submitted questions
SCAR-N
03/25/2006
Asked by Maverick Master
Q:
Is there a magazine other than one from an AR15 that I can
use on the SCAR-N? If I used that thing in public I'd probably get
arrested.
A:
You could probably build a magazine from scratch fairly easily.
You could use the mag spring and follower from the AR magazine and
build your own box. It would be prety easy to build the mag
body out of lexan and use brass tubing for the feed lips. If
you are worried about the look of it, then you could just paint an
AR mag bright orange and you should be fine. That is what I
intend to do.
SCAR-N
03/23/2006
Asked by Maverick Master
Q:
What size is the plunger, did you
still use 8" for the barrel of brass or did you cut the brass 12"
long.
A:
The plunger stroke is 4.5 inches. The plunger rides in 1" thin
walled. Same as the FAR and the GNS. The barrel is a
full 12" length of 17/32" brass.
SCAR-N
03/23/2006
Asked by Maverick Master
Q:
On the pump, is that 3/4 thinwalled over 1/2" or what. Also
is the pump all one piece like the handle connected to the bottom
piece that slides and pushes the cam pin. Is this correct, if not
please help.
A:
The pump-slide is a 1/1/4" T-joint sliding over the receiver which
is 1/1/4" PVC. The T-joint is bored out to slide smoothly over
the PVC. The pump slide is connected to the bolt carrier with
a operating rod. This rod is made from sections of 1/1/4" and
1" PVC glued together to form a think bar that resists buckling.
The pump does no connect to the bolt carrier through the cam pin.
It is rigidly attached to the carrier with a piece of music wire
that passes through the carrier jsut behind the cam pin. The
cam pin is just there to rotate the bolt. I hope this is what
you were asking about and answered your questions
BASR
03/23/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
Hey, I do not understand the need for a
rotating bolt on the bs-1. I was curious and wanted to know why you
chose to make a rotating bolt. I also am confused about the action.
Could you elaborate on that please
A:
The rotating bolt is necessary for feeding and ejecting. I
used a gravity feed magazine so that feed port had to be near the
vertical on top of the receiver to allow the rounds to fall in.
I also relied on gravity for ejection. So the ejection port
had to be near the vertical on the bottom on the receiver. The
bolt rotates to allow these ports to be open at the correct time and
to position the round to fall out of the ejection port when the bolt
is open.
FAR
03/22/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
How much did you spend overall on the FAR and how much would it cost
with out some of optional components (scope, strap, etc..)
A:
I had a lot of the materials and parts before starting on the FAR.
The PVC is cheap and I probably only spent about $10 on PVC.
The music wire is a couple dollars for 3 feet. Same with brass
tubing for a foot. The red-dot was $30. It's very cheap
but works well for its purpose. The paint was probably $10
worth or so. I would say you could probably build one for
under $40 if you had no materials at all.
FAR
03/22/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
How is the catch pin fastened to the crank? Is it bent to fit in the
crank groove or did you affix some other mechanism?
A:
The catch on the FAR is actually two pieces of music wire. The
vertical piece is straight and is what engages the catch face. To
attach the vertical pin to the crank I cut another piece of music
wire and fastened it to the vertical piece at 90 degrees. I
reinforced it with thread and glue. The resulting catch forms
a sort of T shape. The horizontal piece engages a slot in the
crank. The catch on the GNS and SCAR is one solid piece that
is z-bent.
BASR
03/13/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
I'm curious as to where the CO2 tank actually is in the BS-1?
A:
The CO2 cylinder is located in the pistol grip of the rifle.
The end cap screws off for insertion of the cartridge. It is
the same layout that the Brass Eagle that the valve came out of so
it was easy to integrate into the grip of my rifle.
FAR
03/11/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
What is the "music wire" in the GNS master parts list for the
charging handle?
A:
Music wire is hardened steel wire. It is called music wire
because it is the same material that guitar strings, etc are made
of. Music wire comes in a variety of sizes and is usually sold
in 3 foot lengths. You can pick it up at any hobby shop.
FAR
03/11/2006
Asked by Jeremy
Q:
How exactly did you get the shells to eject? I have tossed
around a few ideas but I am not really sure.
A:
The shells are ejected by a spring that pushes on the rim of the
shell as it is extracted. A section of carbon rod protrudes
from the bolt face and is depressed by the shell when chambered.
STD
03/10/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
Why did you name it STD?
A:
It simply stands for Semi-auto Technology Demonstrator.
Because the gun never got finished it got the designation
"technology demonstrator". I didn`t plan on it coming out like
that but it seems kind of fitting that it's named STD since it never
really amounted to anything.
FAR
03/06/2006
Asked by Justin
Q:
What did you hold everything together with?
All screws or maybe some type of glue?
A:
I use superglue to bond everything together. Superglue holds
extremely well to PVC and most other types of materials. I use
screws to hold components together that need to be disassembled.
FAR
02/28/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
Did you ever use SCH40 PVC in the FAR?
A:
Yes, most of the FAR is made of SCH 40 PVC. The only thing that is not SCH40
is the 1" thin walled that I used for the bolt and other sections. The 1/2"
PVC and 1/1/4" PVC is SCH40.
GNS
02/27/2006
Asked by MrFeetio
Q:
How much did it cost to build this pistol?
A:
Like the FAR, the GNS is almost entirely PVC so the material cost is pretty reasonable. More than likely you will have most of the PVC you need
laying around the house. The spring can be bought
FAR
02/26/2006
Asked by Kavu
Q:
How big are your screws on the FAR?
A:
The screws that I used on both the FAR and GNS for assembly are ordinary
1/2" pan head sheet anywhere: Hardware stores, Walmart, Grocery store....
XCC
02/22/2006
Asked by Chickenboy
Q:
What are all the parts of the XCC?
A:
I never made a
parts list for the XCC as I did for the FAR and GNS. I never really
thought anyone would want to build it verbatim. It is pretty simple construction though. That tanks are 3" PVC with
endcaps. The barrel is 1/2" PVC with
couplers and some 1" PVC to create the breach. The stock is just a
section of 1/1/4" PVC with a T-joint. The pump and valve were
borrowed from an RF20. There was no serious fabrication on this rifle
and no real
special parts either.
Generic
02/22/2006
Asked by anonymous
Q:
How does having access to a University and it's equipment have an effect on
all of these projects? Are there any resources not
yet utilized in your university that you would like to use in the future?
A:
It actually has
very little effect on them. Up through the GNS, I didn`t utilize
anything the university has to offer. It wasn`t until the rapid
prototyper came around
that I thought about broadening my resources. Aside from RP technology
there isn`t much else to utilize. The school has a large machine shop that I
use quite often but I haven`t and don`t really plan on getting that involved in
one of the Nerf projects. Machining metal parts for homemade nerf guns
seems too far in my opinion. Who am I to talk though, The way I have been
going I`ll probably end up at that point not too far from now...
Generic
02/20/2006
Asked by anonymous
Q:
Out of all the rifles you have made, which one was more time consuming and
which one was the most expensive?
A:
Both of those are kind of relative terms to me. For all my homemades I typically don`t buy many materials specifically for them. I tend to
use what I
already have. So the cost out of my pocket is typically very low.
If you were to add up the material cost as if you were buying it all from scratch,
then the FAR I
believe would tip the scales. Especially with the red-dot. As far as time is concerned, the FAR only took about 10 days to build.
It was the most complex and had the most intricate fabricating but I worked diligently and got it done pretty quickly. I have to say the most time consuming was the BASR. At that point in time, everything was virgin
to me and I was just learning how to work PVC and design the gun. The multiple redesigns ate up a lot of time.
FAR
02/20/2006
Asked by anonymous
Q:
Do you have to use a AR15 full rifle length spring or is there another
spring that can work?
A:
No, you do not have to
use that exact spring. But keep in mind I designed the rifle around that spring.
Meaning the size and length were tailor fit to that specific spring. If you were to use a different spring you would
most likely have to redesign the rifle around your specific spring. Items
like plunger travel, free and compressed lengths, spatial tolerances come into play. As I have the rifle designed, the spring is about half
compressed when installed in the rifle. When the plunger is charged, the spring
is fully compressed getting the maximum force out of it.
GNS
02/19/2006
Asked by anonymous
Q:
What tactical light did you use
on the GNS, how was it mounted, and how expensive was it?
A:
The prototype has a knock off surefire type light I
got off ebay for like $6. It is mounted with 1" rings I picked up at Walmart on clearance for $2. It is a pretty nice light for $6. The light on the Mk2 that I sold was left over
from a cheap airsoft rifle I bought. It was pretty crappy. If I had t set a
monetary value to it, I would probably say around $3.
FAR
02/19/2006
Asked by anonymous
Q:
Is there any way to purchase a AR15 spring without having to order it online
like is it possible to find it in a local gun store?
A:
Yes, you should be able to purchase a spring from your local gun shop.
They
may or may not have them in stock. If they do not, then they should definitely be able to order you one. It may cost a little more from a
gun shop.
FAR
02/19/2006
Asked by ARRaider14
Q:
I was wondering where and how you acquired the magazine spring
A:
The magazine spring is a coil spring and was cannibalized from a retail fixture
that pushes merchandise forward. The one I used came from Target in the
pharmaceutical section. I knew one of the employees at the time and he
hooked me up with one. The advantage of this type of spring is it has a constant stiffness independent of displacement. It also has a large displacement capability. Both of these attributes were highly
desirable due to the
large shells used in the FAR. More than likely you could achieve the same
effect with a good compression spring. Although, it might prove as equally
hard to find as the coil spring.
BASR
02/12/2006
Asked by flurry
Q:
What type of valve did you use on the original BS-1 when you were running
compressed air? Was the valve itself practical,
as in was it as good as an airtech 2k valve?
A:
The valve I used
in the bolt-action rifle prior to CO2 installation was the trigger valve
from an RF20. It is just a basic push open air valve. It allowed
air from the main tank into the barrel. The valve worked fine and had
enough airflow. The downfall of the system was the tank size and priming time.
BASR
02/09/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
I was just wondering if you could put up videos of the BS-1 being fired and
cycled a few times?
A:
That's not a bad idea. Unfortunately, BS-1 is out of commission right now.
The trigger has worn down to where it will not release any gas. All it
needs is a new trigger or to just rebuild the old one. One of these days I`ll get around to fixing it and then I will take some videos of it firing. I
can surely take a video of the action as that is still fully functional. I will
get that done soon.
SCP
02/07/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
How do you cock the SCP?
A:
The pistol was intended to be slide-action. So you would cock it like
you would a springer airsoft pistol or such. The pistol never go that far though. In it's
current state, to cock the pistol, you pull back on the red portion attached to the piston until it lock into place. Not the most
convenient.
Generic
02/07/2006
Asked by Cheesenerfer
Q:
How exactly do you glue your pvc handle to the main frame of the gun in a
way that will keep it from braking off?
A:
When I fabricate the grips, I match the curvature of the base of the grip
with the curvature of the PVC the grip is being mounted to. this maximizes
the surface area that can be bonded. I just use plain superglue to do all
the bonding on my guns and this includes the grip. The grips come out very strong and I have never had one break off.
BTR
02/07/2006
Asked by Cheesenerfer
Q:
I was recently looking at your BTR design and I would like your permission to make a slight variant of it. If you are ok with it I
would love to build it and of course give you design credit.
A:
You are more than welcome to used my designs either directly or in variation. Credit is always appreciated.
FAR
02/07/2006
Asked by Anonymous
Q:
What size chamber did you use for the plunger to move through (also I'm guessing you used PVC for it, but if you used
something different what was it)?
A:
The plunger tube in
the FAR is the back of the bolt which is 1" thin walled (200psi) PVC.
BTR
02/07/2006
Asked by Flurry
Q:
I am in search of a valve similar to the one you built on the BS-7. Do you
know if they make that sort of valve in some
form.?
A:
I do not really know of anywhere you can buy just a valve similar to the own I
made. The valves found in the RF20 and PC are of the same type, but smaller. Your best bet may to pull it out of something similar.
Generic
02/07/2006
Asked by Flurry
Q:
I looked everywhere for 1 inch 200 psi pvc and cant find it. could you aid
me on my quest?
A:
I have gotten 1" thin walled (200-230psi) PVC at both Home Depot and Lowes. Typically, it is not right next to the SCH40 PVC but is
generally near it in the same aisle. I have yet to encounter a Hardware store
that does not carry it. If you can not find it with the other PVC check
with the irrigation equipment as that is what it typically used for.
BASR
02/06/2006
Asked by Malcom
Q:
Why do the darts set near the rifle in some of the pictures have such a
strange look about them? Also how did you round the tips
of them?
A:
I imagine you are talking about the tailed darts. Those are sections
of FBR with plastic
tails on them. The tails are left over pegs from my PC. I was experimenting with darts dynamics and trying to make a more stable dart. The
tips are just built up hot glue shaped to the desired shape, whether it be
rounded or pointed
BASR
02/06/2006
Q:
How does your magazine clip work?
A:
On the BASR the magazine is a gravity feed. It is simply a box
made from balsa box open on both ends. The shells are dropped in the top and
fall on top of each other. When the bolt is retracted, the breach opens,
and a shell falls in. The magazine is attached to the rifle with rubber
bands.
GNS
02/05/2006
Q:
I was wondering if it would be possible to use the idea you had for your
bullpup rifle on the GNS, to make a revolver
A:
You probably could but the resulting pistol would be pretty big. The cylinder I have designed is larger than the mavericks. Getting homemade mechanics crammed in there would be tough and you would still need
to account for a prop system. It would be tough to get a homemade compressed air down to pistol size. To answer your question, sure it's possible, I hadn`t really thought that direction too much.
Generic
01/31/2006
Q:
Will you build me one of your guns if I pay you?
A:
As you can probably guess, each gun is very time intensive to fabricate.
I do not have the free time make copies of my guns to sell. I would
rather spend what little free time I have to design and build new guns. With
this site I am trying to provide a good deal of information so that you can build a
gun yourself.
FAR
01/29/2006
Q:
What kind of spring did you use in the FAR?
A:
The spring in the FAR is a full rifle length AR15 action spring.
FAR
01/29/2006
Q:
Where can I get said AR15 action spring?
A:
There are many online suppliers of them. To name a few:
Brownells,
Del-ton,
Wolff Springs,
etc