Doc's Fastback - Keep the Raceframe or Go Another Way?

[Painthappy]

It's time this thing saw the field again...



But here is my dilemma. I know crap about Raceframes. I just bought a solenoid, but the battery is probably junk (haven't opened the grip frame yet), nor do I have a charger for it even if it was good, though I'm sure I can procure one.

Choices are as follows:

1. Rebuild it with the raceframe and parts I have now. Jump through any raceframe hoops that is needed.

2. Use my gloss black E-1 frame and solenoid. Will need a new front block. I have a new board somewhere for the E1 and if I can't find it, I do have a Scifi board that was supposed to go into my E-Blazer, but since that project has been on the back burner for longer I don't mind using it for this.

3. Throw it all out and make it mechanical because batteries... pew pew.. I spit on you.

Those are the choices....

[superman]

personally i would do anything but use a raceframe. Not a fan of them personally.

I vote: pump mech, eblade in that order.

[Junglepeanut]

Gotta go mech.......

[Alexndl]

Another vote for mech or pump

[DocsMachine]

Alternative option:

Gut the electronics from the Raceframe, and swap in a new Morlock 4. Has an LCD screen (which you can mount different ways) uses a modern battery, can be charged from a USB-C and you can program it via BlueTooth from a smartphone. It can be set up to run break beam or reflective eyes, so can use those existing 3mm eyes.

Last I heard Curt had some in stock, and can make more if not.

Doc.

[Junglepeanut]

Hey Doc I am still in search of an original bolt if you ever decide to make a few

[haxorwear]

I saved as much of the stuff that Doc mentions here: http://networkinsecurity.com/pb/autocockers/race/

It's been cloned a few times by people without credit, but I keep it up so the community keeps going. I have a handful of race things left too, including a hodge-podge of battery replacement ideas that I toyed with to avoid the annoying rechargable pack thing (that I built hundreds of for people and then lost the time/willpower to continue).

[DarkApollo]

Doc, a lot of the guides are still on my Google drive that is publicly accessible and has been for over 10 years. I made a video showing exactly how to set the freekick too.

[ford]

Alternative option:
Last I heard Curt had some in stock, and can make more if not.

I have at least one of these boards+LCD kit somewhere in my closet collecting dust if you go this direction and have trouble sourcing. It may be a v2 or v3 tho

[Daltech]

I vote mech.

Keep chasing the lighter, faster, snappier, more efficient, lower pressure mech auto cocker dragon.

[NONOBLITUS]

I vote whatever gets it back on the field as I have zero experience with any of the frames.

[Painthappy]

I do like the idea of the morlock board... Might try that first. If that fails, I'll go full mech. Maybe I'll use this as my project page for this gun.

[Trbo323]

If all it needs is a battery and charger I say do that. The race frames are unique, it would be nice to keep that functioning. If you want to go mechanical a used race frame and noid can most likely easily pay for all the parts

Sent from my motorola edge 5G UW (2021) using Tapatalk

[haxorwear]

I've found LEMO cables and connectors...the real problem is the boards. The boards were delaminating and failing at an alarming rate as of like 5 years ago, I'm shocked to see a working one nowadays (dome or leaf). I've been very successful writing up how to make the software work on modern systems and use a usb-to-serial adapter that is well known to work (the chipset counts). So while not completely hopeless, it sure ain't convenient.

[DarkApollo]

The LEMO connector is still readily available, batteries are easier to come by thanks to the cells being use for tablet stylus pens, RIP works flawlessly on Windows10, Serial to USB cables work, and in my years I think I only have two failed boards, both from water/paintball debris damage.
I just went through and pulled the data into RIP from my 4 complete frames. One has under 5k cycles, another has 148 THOUSAND cycles. The boards are still alive and kicking. Heck, even the chip on the board is still manufactured so if one was ambitious enough the boards themselves could be reproduced.

[russc]

They used LEMO connectors?? Those are high end! Wild choice.

[warbosschoppa]

Need one of these bodies

[HandmadePaintball]

This is awesome

[DarkApollo]

Keep the Race. Ill help get it back to good.

[Painthappy]

Keep the Race. Ill help get it back to good.

Yeah, I'm away for the next two weeks but then will be back and can tackle this project.