(Re)Starting on my long neglected projects...

[LightArmsJXF]

Hi all on MCB,

Thanks to the Carver Air desktop CNC I'd "discovered" a few months back, I decided to order one before pulling my paintball gear out of storage so that I could finally realise the mods I'd imagined back in the day. I wasn't imagining anything particularly over the top back then but there was always that hope that someone else would make the parts that weren't being made. Some things did and I'd managed to buy some of them when I'd had the money. Most things didn't. So, long story short, none of my markers ever got finished properly. Oh well, never mind eh? Anyways, I'm just starting with the CNC milling thing now so it's gonna be slow going to begin with. First thing's first though, I've gotta have something designed in order to mill out some metal.

To that end here's a quick render of my current design. It's a modular clamshell style frame for my Spyder projects so that I could change the trigger/guard setup to a single trigger. It's something I've wanted for almost 20 years but no one else made it. It's base measurements are taken from a combination of the Spyder ESP eFrame and the Raven Nexion eFrame using a combination of digital vernier calipers, radius gauges and 3D printing to check general alignment when compared to the original parts. The single trigger is basically a cut down version of a Warrior Paintball trigger that I'd jumped on when they were first released. The trigger guard itself was inspired by the Beretta pistol trigger guards. Unlike the original Spyder frame, the solenoid isn't secured by 2 grub screws but by the compression of the left side of the frame when it's screwed down. Lastly, another design "must have" for me was the compatibility of grips. I have Dye Sticky3 grips and CIP dragon grips to use so it was imperative that I'd designed to include those in the mix. N.B. Right after I'd done this render I'd changed my mind about the hole(s) on the back of the frame. I have different boards fitted across my Spyders so it'd make sense to have an interchangeable back plate to match whatever board I fit. I'd started the redesign but got a bit side tracked trying to pull out all the different boards to double check measurements.

It's taken me about 2.5 to 3 months of work in Fusion 360 between this and a remake/modelling of a pre-2k Cocker slider frame. Now that I've gotten to this stage I've run into another little problem. The Carvera Air doesn't have enough clearance to mill this Spyder frame standing up to mill the curvature on the top nor the clearance to mill and thread the bottomline holes but I've figured out a little work-around for this problem. I simply need to remove the 15mm thick work-plate so that the model can stand directly on the X-Y Carriage so I've designed and 3D printed a work plate to accommodate this. (I'll post up pics of that once I've got some M5 inserts melted in so that I can show it all test fitted.) Incidentally, the pre-2k cocker frame has a similar issue. The issue that it has is whether or not I can find a milling bit that's long enough to get all the way down into the top to mill out the space required for the slider plate. Once I find a bit that'll do the job I'm sure that I'll have problems with clearance again because the bit has to be quite long.

Like I'd mentioned above I'm just starting out with the CNC thing so I'm pretty sure that my designs are more than likely a bit ambitious (maybe over ambitious) for someone with almost zero "Subtractive Manufacturing" experience. I've just got to work up the courage to not be afraid to waste materials, something that my eternally tormented finances won't appreciate I'm sure, and get cutting that aluminium. In the meantime I'll continue designing for my projects and posting up what I hope I'll be able to mill out sooner rather than later and hopefully it'll all turn out ok in the end.

[flyweightnate]

This looks cool!

Two bits of advice: proof your toolpath in something forgiving first (like wax or MDF)

Carbidetoolsource.com is the best deal out there, when stock levels normalize.

[LightArmsJXF]

Thanks. I'll check them out. Hopefully they'll ship to the UK.

[LightArmsJXF]

Following the above advice from flyweightnate I've ordered some MDF to practice on. In the meantime I'm going to try to remember how to do a Makera CAM setup. I've kinda forgot what I'd learned about it a couple of months ago. That's what I get for getting so absorbed into the design stage, I guess you could say.

edit:
I've been rewatching vids about MakeraCAM setups and [sigh] I'm going to have to rework my model to NOT have threads designed into it. I've tried working around the threaded holes but I'm worried that it'll create a weird offset or misalign holes if I don't do the changes. Not happy about it but it is what it is. I'm so used to designing for 3D Printing that it's taking some getting used to designing things to be CNC'd. I'm generally not that good at modifying my designs at such a late stage because it often goes catastrophically wrong when I make even the slightest change and I've never been able to figure out why. I guess I've just gotta learn how to design things for CNC.

[flyweightnate]

Use BORN (basic ordinal reference node, IIRC) strategy when you model. Constrain sketches and features to your origin, not some previous feature, so when you make a change to one thing it doesn't take everything else with it.

[LightArmsJXF]

Not much of an update but here goes...

Life kinda sidetracked me so no cutting of metal to report. I did buy a load of 150x200mm MDF boards to start practicing with, started setting things up using the masking tape & superglue trick, then got a bit bogged down on "how can I film it without keeping the lid open?" question. I designed a mounting point for my phone and went through a couple of prints to get it sort of working. It was at this point that I got sidetracked because I ran out of clear working space and needed to do something about it. Doing something about it became a bit of a fall down a Gridfinity and Ikea Skadis rabbit hole. This, in turn, sent me looking for an alternative to my compressed air dusters because I've been running low and the cans now cost more and carry 50ml less for the money. I've been considering a compressor for my Paintball HPA tanks for years and figured that I might as well go that route. As luck would have it, the Tuxing compressor that I'd been considering came up in one of our UK charity shops (via eBay) so I nabbed it, saving myself about 1/3 of the cheapest price I could find and also helping out a charity to boot! It arrived today and I'm now filling up the only non-fibre tank I have, a 13ci, which I can use as an air duster with an adapter I'd bought back in the day (circa 2005/6).

Correction- the 13ci tank is filled faster than I could type this update.

[LightArmsJXF]

Orders have arrived!

Today I've received my TippmannParts order.



I've been waiting a while, unsurprisingly, because of international shipping and I've been getting particularly anxious about this order because of what I'd ordered, two A5 trigger frames and a bare 98 Flatline barrel. I didn't know if the 2011 trigger frames would fit, or could be modified to fit, my pre-2011 A5. As it turns out it won't fit right out of the box, I guess I should've looked it up before ordering, but it doesn't look like much modification will be required to get it fitted. Whether it's gonna work afterwards is something I'll find out once it's on.



Looks like I'll need to remove a bit of plastic here.



Good news is that my AirHog grips fit ok. I might put a little sticky bit on the rear end to hold it up but otherwise it looks good.



The 98 Flatline is another thing. How do I remove the tip off the old barrel? I've tried everything that I can think of that won't damage it in some way. I don't have a strong heat source (e.g. a blow torch) to try getting it hot before trying to crank it off so every technique I've tried has been 'cold'. I'd really wanted to reuse it on the new barrel if possible.

[StaticShocked]

Wild idea. If the barrel tip is locktited on, then 250 to 500 degrees depending on locktite type is what is required to soften it to get it to release without damage. Without access to a torch or other fire, you could achieve part of that in the kitchen without a torch using the deep frying method. Deep fry the barrel tip using a deep pan, vegetable oil, and a cooking thermometer. Standard deep frying safety applys obviously like do not exceed like 350 degrees F (depending on elevation) on your oil though and creep up on the temperature so it does not foam over/catch fire. But that could be enough to soften it to allow removal. The barrel tip should be heat soaked through after 5 or so minutes in the hot oil bath. Handle with care.

[LightArmsJXF]

Deep fried barrel? Yum! lol

Honestly though that's one wild idea I would never have considered. Thanks.

[LightArmsJXF]

And then yesterday I'd received my CuratedPB order but forgot to take pics. Aside from CCM Autococker barrel backs/sizers (which are now packed away with the marker they were intended for) I'd also received this CCM barrel that's been Freak bored.


It's not been done fully though because the inserts sit 0.4mm proud instead of flush with the end. I'm not sure how to go about fixing that.



I'd also got volumizers for my Angel 05 Speed. I'd wanted equal length ones on both sides but got a bit confused about what fits on what version of Angel. I saw these and took a chance. Luckily they fit. I'm not bothered about colours at the moment because I'm intent on getting things reannodised at some point anyway.





Then there's volumizers for my Spyders. I bought 3 of these, thinking these would look better than the stock Shutter one (on the left) while still keeping with the aesthetic. I was right (or, at least, I think so) but it won't fit unless I remove the Shutter's barrel shroud. I really think it loses something when the shroud isn't there so I'm going to have to modify something, either the volumizer or the shroud, to make them both fit at the same time.



I'd also received a TechT iFit kit (eBay purchase) that I wanted for my Spyders but I don't have a Spyder back yet. TechT haven't answered my email enquiry (are they still in business?) and there's only 1 available via MCS in the UK. I'm thinking I'll need at least 3 so that they can be anodised for different projects.

[LightArmsJXF]

I was watching a video of a 2011 A5 teardown and noticed that the little tombstone latch was missing on their A5. The slot for it and its spring were still there but the two of them weren't present/fitted and so weren't there to hinder the fitment of the newer 'selector switch' frame. This got me thinking that all I'd need to do was remove them from my pre-2011 A5 in order to make it fit and, lo and behold, that's literally all I did and now it fits! I haven't gassed it up yet but the marker does cock & hold and releases on a pull of the trigger the same as with the old frame, no physical mods needed, no cuts necessary.

It ain't much but little wins are still wins!

[LightArmsJXF]

Here's the update that I was hoping to do at the end of last week. Stage 1 of my modular/clamshell Spyder E-Frame prototype done!

This is most of the left side milled out so that when I mill out the right side to the same point I can fit them together to mill all the holes & mill threads together so that everything aligns as they should. Then I can radius the left side before flipping over and doing the same to the right side. At that point I'd need to tackle the top radius and vertical holes on both top (to mount to the upper receiver) and bottom (with threads for the bottomline).

I started cutting on the 5th of July but, in between my CNC inexperience and the extreme heat we're having over here in the UK, it's taken me this long (10 Days) to get this far. Things are also being hindered by the fact that my design needs smaller bits than I've got (more have been ordered) and it also needs slight tweaking because the programs keep bringing up a particular error message about the holes being too small for M3 threads, even though I thought I was following the instructions about sizing for the drill (2.4mm or 2.5mm) correctly to have material to cut the threads. I'm working on that now, now that the temperature in my room is cool enough to no longer give me migraines.

I did get a bit over eager and removed the piece before it was ready but it looks like I'd managed to get it back into position ok, managing to avoid serious misalignment issues for the last few fine passes. Overall, I'm quite pleased with the results so far. I'd designed the frame to basically be a mid point between the Spyder ESP E-Frame and the Raven Nexion E-Frame, which are essentially the same but slightly different from one another. Overlaying the piece on the right side of either of both frames shows me that my measurements were pretty close to identical over all the points that I was aiming for so I'm happy.

On a side note, the milling process actually left some layer lines that might become useful. The clapper solenoid area has horizontal grooves that might come in handy to 'grab' the solenoid housing when I tighten the sides together. That'll help limit rotation during use, methinks. I'll have to wait and see when the right side is done. I hope I'm right. The other, obvious grooves to the front of the frame were an accident and have to real use/purpose. I'd used a large bull nose mill thinking that it'd give a cleaner finish but it cut channels instead and no other passes with a flat end mill corrected it for some unknown reason, even though the setup should've cut to the same depth (see the vertical line on its left end for reference). I really don't know what I'd done wrong there and I really don't want to cut away more material at this point, just in case. There are blemishes here and there, things that no amount of polishing and anodising can cover up, but I think my results thus far aren't too shabby for an absolute beginner, even if I am being a bit over-ambitious with my first CNC project.

[LightArmsJXF]

Yesterday marked a CNC milestone for me. My first snapped CNC bit!
I was almost done with that particular part of the process when the 2mm end mill sheared itself in half. It simply didn't like the masking tape & superglue combo and got a bit gunked up. Bad point is that I can't see where it caused any damage (if any damage occurred).
Things don't look bad as far as I can see but I'm sure I'm going to find out after I've finished and pull this half of the frame off of the bed.

Anyways, after ordering a replacement end mill, I figured I'd do something about my air duster. Macroline was letting way too much air out and I was having to recharge my tank a lot more often than I'd hoped. I'd thought about getting a thin needle nozzle like the ones to inflate sport related balls but couldn't find one that I could be confident would fit on a 1/8NPT threaded hole. I toyed with the idea of buying a new set of 4mm microline but wasn't keen because I'd rather spend the money elsewhere (parts, tooling, materials, etc.). I then remembered that I'd got some microline sitting in my spares from when I'd unsuccessfully tried to fix a friend's pump marker. This is what happened a few minutes later...

Microline fitting with a short piece of microline... with a straw from an air duster can pushed into it. Surprisingly it makes very little difference to air consumption but it does make the air jet more focused and a bit more powerful because of it.

Last pic while I wait for replacement bits to arrive.:
Test fit of the left side onto the right.

There's a couple of points where the dimensions appear to differ, something I'm a bit confused about at the moment, but otherwise it's looking nice so far. I'm hoping things will sort themselves out as I continue on.

[LightArmsJXF]

I've just remembered a "sort of plan" for an Autococker build and I was wondering if anyone knows where I can get a hold of some VF Tactical parts, namely the additional rail bits and front block, or how much they're currently (re)selling for. I don't want to post a WTB thread just yet. I just need to know if I'm going to have to abandon this idea because it's no longer economically viable or if I have to give up simply because the parts just aren't available any more.

[LightArmsJXF]

Finally managed to get myself a Q-Loader kit after all these years!

I'd wanted one of these kits since they'd first come out 'way back when' but kinda left paintball, or set it aside, before I figured out the build I'd wanted it for. Then they were discontinued and I only found that out years after that had happened.


I still don't have a firm plan for a build but I figured that I'd better not miss this opportunity to get a kit, especially seeing as I'd missed out on a complete kit (note the matching Q-Loader pod pack that isn't present) because I was busy 'umm-ing and ahh-ing' over whether or not to go ahead with it.

Now that it's in my hands I can feel a little more relaxed about deciding what build it's going to be.

Last addition, also in the pic, is the polished silver Whacko Cocker barrel. I'm short a few barrels for my Cocker projects and I knew I'd have to have this when I first saw it. Now I have to try it out on my projects to see where it looks its best.