The Junk Axe - Rags to riches?

[caylegeorge]

I recently picked up a funky axe from a great seller here on MCB. Don't get me wrong, I wanted something funky - I specifically posted a WTB for a beat up funky cheap axe, and the seller delivered.
In the seller's words, its a "Beat up leaking Axe."

Lets clean this bad boy up and get it off the crap heap.

I'll post a short shop log of making this Axe less funky, and more spunky.

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This axe arrived as described - beat funky and leaking pretty good out of the barrel.

Serial Number was AXWHT0892 - a bit unexpected. WHT denoting the color. When I saw pictures before buying it, I imagined it must have had a player added paint job or powdercoat.

This thing came white from the factory. The limited edition "Storm trooper" or "BPX White" Edition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AC9X8zBMbEw

Upon some exploration, that's no powdercoat, its paint. Gross. How did empire ever imagine this would hold up?

The white paint seems to have reacted in a few spots over time (possibly from paint left on it?) and is stained a gross brown white.
Idiot marks on the feedneck and a couple around the feedneck on the body. Also a couple good gouges around the trigger guard.

[caylegeorge]

Time to get that paint off over night.

[BrickHaus]

You gonna get in annod, cerakoted, or rattle canned?

[Cdn_Cuda]

Got to love how well those citrus paint strippers work! I did a BT-4 with stuff like that and paint came right off.

[Ecapnation]

Just fyi.... If you're going to anno it make sure they're ok it was painted and stripped

[autococker04]

I’m interested to see where this is going.

[iamthelazerviking]

Following, this is fun! And I'm not shocked Empire used paint haha, but that's still odd and disappointing.

[caylegeorge]

Took a while to scrub off the paint stripper but after a few scrubs and a nice soapy bath...
This... Is cleaning up way nicer than I expected.

Looks to be factory clear/silver anodized and it has held up really well.

What do we think - Stock rebuild or think about a fun anno? Either way I'll get it rebuilt first to factory and mechanically dialed in.

Time to re-assemble!

[martix_agent]

Now I we o find out if all the ones they painted white were also silver anodized underneath.

[caylegeorge]

Rebuild coming along well so far.

Started with a new capacitor on the Shockwave board for good measure.

All new seals, new poppet tip, and will probably swap out a few of the screws that had one to many ugga-duggas when tightening.


Caps:


Refurbed board installed:


Gettin there:

[caylegeorge]

All cleaned up, assembled and tested. It rips!

With small reballs in the big bore factory barrel chrono string was:

292
286
289
285
291
289

Pretty darn good!

[Jordan]

Minis and Axes are sweet shooters... nice work!

[SpinDoctor15]

Man that has a sleek cleanness to it. I would say just leave as-is and enjoy! But you could also go pretty crazy with anno, whatever floats that boat of yours ;-)

[punkncat]

That came out really nicely. Well done.

[caylegeorge]

I have way too many invert mini's, and this is my first AXE. has a nice feel to it, though its got some weight. Anyone have a Inception FLE body for sale?

Tempted to anno it bright orange, and laser "RENTAL" on the side

[moving_target]

Powder coat or something like that. Maybe spray paint and leave RENTAL on the side with a stencil and then do a clear coat over that?

[Grendel]

"...though its got some weight..." Really, my Axe weighs less the the loader (Rotor) I put on top of it making the marker top heavy, I wish it had more mass to improve handling.