Doopy build...real Sterling folding stock

[gazmosis[501st]]

I was asked to help a fellow Garrison mate with his Doopy build. IT was just a matter of good timing that made it possible to buy a Sterling folding stock. Now to marry the two....hopefully.  I want to thank all those master Doopy builders for their efforts and ideas...I WILL BE STEALING SOME OF THEM!!!!    Here we go!!!!! WARNING!!!!! PIC HEAVY!!!!!

 

Standard kit. Parts inventoried.Hmmmm...what shall we do first? Let's dig in to that real Sterling stock. What is this thing??I like this one much better!!If anyone wants a resin Sterling stock let me know. You just pay shipping!!!   Anyway, some things needed to be done to blaster's main body before anything. Since the stock will be functional, the holes in the bottom needed to be drilled out. The vent holes had little nubs that needed grinding down for a flat surface.Small guide holes were drilled.Then the main holes.I needed to change up bits for the front vent hole. It is slightly larger than the others to accommodate the hooking mechanism.Once that was drilled, a small notch needs to be carved out for the stem of the hook to rest into.In doing this, it revealed obstacle number one. The space between the hook and the stock body is about 1/8 in. Between the thickness of the resin and the inner black tube, the thickness at the locking point is clearly 3X that. I needed to carefully grind this area down so that the hook functioned properly. Once this was done, the catch worked perfectly. Now that the first issue is solved, onto the next issue: the hinge point. Many believe that the Sterling stock hinges on a bolt or rod that runs through the body. This is not the case. The arms of the stock sit over hollow studs affixed to the larger tube that is attached to the main receiver behind the pistol grip. The "rivets" on the outside fit into these hollow tubes and everything is held in place with pins that run through everything here. To start with the mod, I needed to remove the pins so I can take everything apart. You can see them clearly in this pic.Using the nail, I knock them out with a gentle tap of a hammer.With the pins out, the rivets fall out and the arms of the stock can be spread and removed from the old receiver section. You can now see how this all works. This is a little different than the Doopys kit looks. First I needed to find something that could stand in for the hollow studs on the ends. A very unlikely source showed itself......a pen.I cut two pieces longer than what I needed. I will recess these tubes into the hinge point on the Doopy receiver. It is very thick resin there. I re-connected the stock and marked the center of the holes on the arms. I found the correct drill bit, and drilled out the holes on each side.Looks pretty much like the original set up.They were, however, just a tad bigger than the originals. Rather than try to sand the nubs down, I just increased the holes in the stock arms slightly. A little drilling, alittle grinding....Perfect fit and function!!!WHEW!!!!  Next up I drilled out the little hole in the underside of the butt cap. While this was out, I might as well glue the D ring  retainer in.I wll proboably replace this white ring with a brass or darker colored one but that's for another time. I thought I'd have a go at the front sight. As you know, the front sight is mostly filled with resin and needs considerable carving/shaping. After cleaning out under the arches and around the sight base, It was time to make the sight itself. I didn;t have a flat screwdriver around that I could ruin, so I took a tip from another build that used a roofing nail. I found the correct drill bit and drilled the hole for it first. I took the nail over to the grinder and shaped it into the sight insert. I cut it off the nail head and inserted it into the hole. I put a drop of superglue on the underside to keep it in place.looks nice.The one thing I noticed was missing was the criss-cross pattern that is seen on the front and rear of the arches. I added that detail just to say I did it.  Next up are the power cylinders. I took a good look at that million post thread that discusses the center fuses. I wanted this detail to really stick out. The doopy power cylinders only have 2 molded into them. Other builds have just added a third, but I didn;t want them to look piled up on each other. I decided to start from scratch. I ground off the ones molded into the part.Blank canvas to start with.I don;t have access to the fuses so I need to make my own. The closest thing I found that might be the right diameter, is the frame from a model kit. The fuses are tubes that seem to taper on the ends then have a little disk and a lead wire attached.I cut three pieces and tapered one end. I then cut the disks for the ends.I know that the original fuses had both sides tapered...blah blah blah....this will be good enough. I attached the disks to the tapered ends. For the lead wires,  I didn;t want to deal with actual wire wire. I needed something I could shape and glue easily. I used an old modeler's trick for making spark plug wires and tank antennae. I heated a section of this frame until I was able to pull it apart into a strand. In case you are wondering, that is an RS Props suit for a different garrison mate. ANYHOO!!!!>>>>>>>You pull it until it reaches the tickness you want, then just let it cool. It can be bent and cut to whatever size you want. I mentioned earlier that I didn;t want the fuses to look piled on top of each other like this, so with some shims that I later removed, I glued them to the back plate. I shaped and cut the wires and glued them in place as well. I like the result.  I saw on another post, a guy build some really cool looking wires for the backside. I tried to copy this.The stems and nuts I had for the ends of the cylinders were too small. I got larger ones but didn;t install them yet.  I decided to move on to the pistol grip and making the trigger move. First step was to drill a hole all the way through for the hinge pin. I will be using a miniature not and screw for this. I cut the screw to length and hand drilled a recess of both the screw head and the nut. I drilled out a pocket for the pen spring in the handle and the backside of the trigger. After some tweeking of the trigger to free up some movement, I installed the assembly. Like I feared, the trigger hits the trigger guard but I don;t care. It moves and is cool. I will fill the screw recesses with putty later on when I fill all other imperfections/mistakes.  

Although I plan on glueing the pistol grip, I added a screw for extra measure.That is as far as I got. More pics when I make more progress.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

So far it's a perfect combinaison of all the enhancements you can bring on a Doopy kit! I have the strong feeling this one is going to be a masterpiece

[hairball[501st]]

wow. love your modification. 

[captsafe66[Admin]]

Nice mods!!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Note to self: You CAN put a real stock on the Doopy!

 

It will be mine. Oh yes, it will be mine!

 

Looking great!!!

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work, love the finer details

[Toddo[TK]]

Superb hybrid project. This is inspirational.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

I have a real scope and counter for sale if you want them!

 

also you've done a great job!

but the only part that buggs me is the front sight knurling pattern... it's only on the top

edges on the real thing... and does not go all the way down... just sand some off.

 

want a detailed photo?

Edited February 16, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

but the only part that buggs me is the front sight knurling pattern... it's only on the top

edges on the real thing... and does not go all the way down... just sand some off.

 

want a detailed photo?

Vern, would you mind posting the photo for general purpose? I've actually done a very small amount of digging tonight for such a photo, after seeing Steve's work here. I knew it was on the front, but didn't know how far back it goes. If you would post it, it would be of assistance to me and, I'm sure, many others down the road.

 

Thanks.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

my phone won't take photos... and my camera is missing?  crap.

asap photos of the original sterling front sight.

 

heres a photo showing that the original does not have the pattern all the way down

 

 

and here's a BAD PHOTO showing BAD crinkle paint on a late model smg

DON"T USE THIS!

 

Edited February 16, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[gazmosis[501st]]

Post up the pics!

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

the front sight details on the original L2A3 show a much different shape than a screwdriver head.. or a nail shaped.

 

there should be a taper at the wide base... and a square head.

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

...

Edited February 16, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

just sand off the pattern until it's only at the top of the front ridge. and you're gold. the rear of the sight has the pattern

ending on a horizontal line across the back... so it does not go all the way down in the front.. and ends on the back along

a horizontal plane.

as soon as I have more natural light... I will try to capture the front sight I have from the early 60's

which is the accurate year for bapty props e-11's

 

the knurl pattern only extends about 1/4" below the vertical on the front. the rear is much more interesting!

 

photo that I will add a red line for this side

 

 

 

 

I had trouble capturing the details with my camera... so I did the next best thing.  I added a red line to your photo showing where

the pattern starts at the front of the sight... then I added a blue line showing where the pattern ends on the rear of the sight.

Edited February 16, 2014 by TK Bondservnt 2392

[PGHtrooper21]

Loved the details on the cylinders! Very Creative!!!!!

 

Andy

[Cantina Security[501st]]

I can take a few pics of my sterling pieces if you would like Steve...

[TK bondservnt[501st]]

photos updated. see how the pattern is a series of diamond shapes pressed in?

would be almost impossible to get that without making a casting of the real thing.

[gazmosis[501st]]

Thank you guys...I sanded the wrong ones off and added some to the top of the arch. I'll post pics later

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Thanks for the thread, Steve.

 

Thanks for sharing the pics, Vern.

 

I have one more bit of work added to my "to-do" list now!

[gazmosis[501st]]

In the close up shot of the front sight, who's hair is that??

[gazmosis[501st]]

A little more forward progress has been made. I wanted to get the obligatory Allen screw changes out of the way. I flattened and drilled out the blobs on the muzzle.I found that there really was no material behind these areas so the allen screws needed to be glued in to keep there position. But they are in.Next up was the screw at the bottom of the pistol grip. I replaced this one just because everyone does it. I have jumped off many a bridge for this same reason!!!! The cast on this handle was very good and I contemplated leaving it. But alas, I did it anyway.There is a ot more meat in the grip so the bolt actually threaded into it quite nicely! I went back and installed the nuts on the power cylinders.These were actually little screws which made installation a breeze. I just made sure the holes were drilled on center, screwed them in and clipped the heads off when I was happy with how much was left over. I cleaned the ends with a Dremmel cutting wheel. I then went back and addressed Verns comment on the knurling pattern on the front sight. He indeed was correct on all counts so I tried to make the adjustments by sanding down what I "overknurled". The pattern is now removed from any areas lower than center horizon. Now onto something I have never been happy with in regards to the doopy kit. The magazine. Stealing a picture from Vern's sale thread, you can see how the magazine sits in the mag well. It touches all sides. It's not supposed to. The magazine is supposed to sit further forward making room for the magazine retaining clip like this.Since the walls of the doopy mag well are so thick, I was able to grind out a bit of material on the muzzle side allowing the magazine to sit in the properer place.I will deal with the mag retaining clip later. The other issue that bugs me is the end of the magazine itself. Doopy was able to make a mold and cast a magazine but not the end cap?????? Maybe they are going for the look of that shot of the screen used blaster with a piece of wood or whatever made the end flat. Whatever the case, I didn;t want this one to look like that. First, I ground down the end a bit.I am going to make a new end with scrap ABS.I will be heating up the sides and bending them to mimic the curl of the metal on the original clip Like this.Fist, I marked the outer edge of the mag itself. Those will be my bend points not to go beyond.I then heated along this line with a LOW flame on the torch.I tried using a hobby iron, but it just didn;t melt the plastic evenly. It just pitted the surface. This pic is actually the SECOND attempt. ANYHOO! Once the plastic was soft enough along this guide line, I used the edge of my saw table to make the even bend along this line. I purposely left extra material on the sides. Heting and bending plastic is not an exact science.  I would bend it first then trim it to size. I repeated this on the other side. I then trimmed off the corners. Although the this picture shows the end cover on backwards, you can see how the front of the cover bends downward slighty.I did this with the hobby iron.Now to deal with the button nub on the bottom. Not knowing what size the actual hole was, I eyeballed it a drilled it out. Next, I needed to find something that was the correct diameter to fit into the hole. But it also needed to be metal as I planned on heating it and creating this nub into scrap ABS. A drill bit end fit perfectly. I heated it up.I made several attempts to get it right. The heat trasfer between the bit and the plastic is unpredictable. I kept pushing it too fast and melting it through. I finally got it right.DUH!!! Didn't think about this. The button would need to sit under the new cover I made which sits flat on the Doopy magazine end. I trimmed out the button.I made the button plate round and ground a recess in the mag end itself.Once it was deep enough for the base plate sit flush, it fit and looks nice.I carved the "off" into it next. That came out a little rough but I'm not too worried about it. More soon, hopefully

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

It's strange because on this pic the "Off" is not upside down 

 

 

Anyhow, you're doing great! I'm impressed by your Power Cylinders, you really enhanced them to the top

[Arnie_DK[TK]]

This is awesome!!! Really great eye for detail!

[Dark PWF[Staff]]

Looking great, Steve!

 

Really impressive work and thought process with that magazine.

 

Question (as I'm struggling to find it anywhere else), what size were the screws and nuts that you put into the cylinders?

 

Thanks for sharing...

[gazmosis[501st]]

I used metric screws and nuts. 6 mil