Bulldog44 DD E-11Build

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Your build is looking great!  I just did this mod last weekend.  It isn't finished yet but you can see what I've done here:

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/30899-front-sight-mod-on-a-doopy-doos-resin-kit-added-realism/

It was surprisingly easier then I thought it would be.  In my opinion def worth doing.

 

Nice work on the dovetail mod! Yeah, once you saw into the receiver, there is no going back but it was a lot easier to do that anticipated. The Doopy receiver is nice and thick to support this kind of mod. Glad you tried it and it looks perfect. Excellent attention to detail. Your how to thread will be helpful to inspire more people to try this. Once I knew this was how the real sterling sights actually were like, I had to have the same way.

Best of luck on your build!

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Had a little time to test fit the bolt plate, compression spring, charging handle and end cap. The charging handle hole on the bolt plate is a bit off the mark causing the plate to shift up a bit high. Tis makes it harder to slide the plate into place where the extractor pin/plunger sits. I was considering to somehow affix  that extractor pin part to the bolt plate itself and just carve a channel for it to slide into. The charging handle input jack port needs to be permanently set in the pipe section it sits, keeps getting caught somewhere inside the receiver. 

 

 

To keep the compression spring from rattling around, I cut a small 20 mm section of black PVC pipe and then placed a rubber washer/ring around it. This piece just sits in the spring to the rear and gets pushed forward by the end cap, keeping the spring compressed  just enough to stay in place and centred in the receiver. It is almost completely hidden from view.

 

 

Just need to decide on the extractor pin placement and then glue the stereo jack input port securely in the support tube section. 

Next after that is to cut the inner barrel pipe to correct length and start on the scope rail and counter bracket. 

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Could anyone help me with which of the crescent shaped guards goes where?  One guard piece is smaller than the other. Its hard to tell from just photos which goes where. 

 

One is for the front flash guard  = I think it is the later one?

The other is the for the ejector port guard- = smaller one?

 

If possible, please confirm if I am correct. about the size and placement of these guards. Thanks.

[jaril]

I believe the small one should be for the front. If you put the larger one against the ejection port,you'll see that it matches the curve exactly.

 

If that isn't the case, I'll be right back after I re-glue mine.

[The5thHorseman[501st]]

I remember a picture from someone else's thread (dm101 if my memory serves) answering this question. The guy owned a real Sterling so i guess he could be trusted.

 

Edit: Found the original post. From dm101 indeed. My memory seved me well!

Edited April 20, 2015 by The5thHorseman

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Thanks Derek and Germain! Its funny how the smallest parts can cause a lot of headaches! Germain, your Jedi memory found those great comparison photos! Super!

Edited April 20, 2015 by Bulldog44

[Dday[501st]]

I remember a picture from someone else's thread (dm101 if my memory serves) answering this question. The guy owned a real Sterling so i guess he could be trusted.

 

Edit: Found the original post. From dm101 indeed. My memory seved me well!

 

I'll take photos of my 2 original flash guards tonight. I would not trust the doopy ones, they look like dog chow compared to the real ones.

[Dday[501st]]

Thanks Derek and Germain! Its funny how the smallest parts can cause a lot of headaches! Germain, your Jedi memory found those great comparion photos! Super!

 

Oh, crap I see what you were asking now.You were specifically looking at the doopy guards.

 

Still I will post the originals and see if they are indeed different or it's just the doopy kit.

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Oh, crap I see what you were asking now.You were specifically looking at the doopy guards.

 

Still I will post the originals and see if they are indeed different or it's just the doopy kit.

Awesome. Thanks Derrek. The more people can clarify this the better. Any comparisons are welcome. I have a DVH1 kit but the guards are really rough too I can't be sure what is really what.

[Artshot]

I noticed from my builds that the Doopy guards are very different from the guards on my Sterling.

 

The Sterling guards are about 1.5 to 2mm thick, they look like two moon shaped pieces of flat metal that were just curved to shape then fixed in place, I imagine they were just stamped out the metal when produced.

 

I can sort out a few photos when I get in from work if that helps ?

[Bulldog44[TK]]

I noticed from my builds that the Doopy guards are very different from the guards on my Sterling.

 

The Sterling guards are about 1.5 to 2mm thick, they look like two moon shaped pieces of flat metal that were just curved to shape then fixed in place, I imagine they were just stamped out the metal when produced.

 

I can sort out a few photos when I get in from work if that helps ?

Thanks Art. Only if you have time to do so. From all the sterling photos , they almost look the same size so I got confused when I re-examined my doopy parts.

Appreciate your help and info !cheers!

[Novak Dimon[TK]]

Hi,

I just measured the guards of my Sterling. They are exactly the same size. 25mm x 15mm x 10mm.

 

Cheers

Christian

[Dday[501st]]

Hi,

I just measured the guards of my Sterling. They are exactly the same size. 25mm x 15mm x 10mm.

 

Cheers

Christian

 

 

I concur. they are exactly the same shape and dimensions. Verified on a parts kit as well as a full sterling on my bench.

[Artshot]

Hey Brian

The guards as mentioned above are definetly the same size, I put them at 2mm in thickness and are at a right angle to the barrel, no diffrence in the width between the edge and where it joins the barrel, I noticed the Doopy guards are slightly thicker, but this could be down to how they were made.

 

I plan on making new ones for my Doopy from templates I hope to make from the sterling, masking tape and a craft knife should do it.

 

Here's a few photos, hope there of some use, happy to provide any reference shots you need.

 

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Hi,

I just measured the guards of my Sterling. They are exactly the same size. 25mm x 15mm x 10mm.

 

Cheers

Christian

  

I concur. they are exactly the same shape and dimensions. Verified on a parts kit as well as a full sterling on my bench.

  

Hey Brian

The guards as mentioned above are definetly the same size, I put them at 2mm in thickness and are at a right angle to the barrel, no diffrence in the width between the edge and where it joins the barrel, I noticed the Doopy guards are slightly thicker, but this could be down to how they were made.

I plan on making new ones for my Doopy from templates I hope to make from the sterling, masking tape and a craft knife should do it.

Here's a few photos, hope there of some use, happy to provide any reference shots you need.

Thanks a bunch Christian , Derrek and Art for your help. Its good to know you are not going crazy when you think something looks the same in photos but what you have in hand is not and even better to receive all your first hand knowledge of sterlings! . I will try to sand down the guards to meet those dimensions. Now I have those exact measurements and orientation of the guards on the receiver thanks to you all. Art, the photos are great thanks a million. Great close ups. I will certainly be using them as my reference tonight when I get back to work on the blaster.

I am considering to make my own but I need to get this blaster done in under two weeks. My first troop will be on May 4th & a trooper without a blaster is a sitting duck against rebel scum!

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Some test placement of parts. I established where I wanted each part and drilled some holes for the screws/ bolts to pass through and hold them to the receiver. Instead of using screws for the most of the attachment hardware, I chose to use 3M flathead bolts.  On the receiver, I implanted the nuts where the bolts pass through. I will use a strong epoxy to hold the nuts into place and some screw lock to keep the bolts in their place at the final stage. I used the same method for my trigger. Hope it holds! 

 

Here are some shots of the parts all mocked up:

 

If something looks off in placement or assembled completely wrong, please let me know. The rear sight is the only part that just doesn't sit well. If correctly aligned on top, the very bottom base of the sight hangs over the charging handle channel's round opening just at the top of the circle, by a millimetre or so. Maybe the hole was enlarged slightly when I was removing all the resin on the inner tube so maybe that is why this is happening. At the moment, I have left it right on the edge of the round opening. 

 

Once I started to add these parts on, it really started to feel like a real blaster. Really exciting to see it come together. 

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Mag Housing-

    Before I permanently attach the magazine housing/well, I wanted to open up an access window to the magazine if I ever manage to cram some electronic in the blaster. Probably I will hollow out the magazine to be used to hold a battery pack and the little extra room left in the magazine housing & receiver (behind the bolt plate) to accommodate the sound board, etc. Speakers could be hidden in the counter if I ran the wires to there but that is something I will figure out later on.

 

 

 

One question I have before I attach the mag housing is this-  Does the mag housing (when attached to the receiver angle downwards slightly toward the front of the blaster? Or does the top of the mag housing sit perfectly parallel to the receiver tube? 

Blue line represents the receiver horizontal.

Red line is if the mag housing itself is centred on the receiver, top and bottom both sloping inwards/downwards.

The green line is if the mag housing top runs at an exact parallel to the receiver tube. 

 

Sorry, its actually really hard to explain what I am trying to say so if I failed to be clear , apologies for posting mumbled English!

[usaeatt2]

Your attention to detail is EXQUISITE, Brian!  My OCD is rejoicing!

 

Simple answer to your mag well question:  split the difference.

 

Long answer:  Neither edge should be parallel to the receiver tube.  The mag well opening is a "trapezoid shape".  The back edge is longer than the front edge.  An easy way to get alignment would be to find the centers of both the front and rear on the opening in your receiver.  Draw a line through these centers, extending past the front and rear edges of the mag well.  Draw center ines on the front and rear of the mag well.  Set the mag well by aligning the center lines of the receiver and the mag well.  If you make another colored line drawing, the top line would slope downward and the bottom line would slope upward in relation to the receiver.  Hope that makes sense.  Good luck! 

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Your attention to detail is EXQUISITE, Brian!  My OCD is rejoicing!

 

Simple answer to your mag well question:  split the difference.

 

Long answer:  Neither edge should be parallel to the receiver tube.  The mag well opening is a "trapezoid shape".  The back edge is longer than the front edge.  An easy way to get alignment would be to find the centers of both the front and rear on the opening in your receiver.  Draw a line through these centers, extending past the front and rear edges of the mag well.  Draw center ines on the front and rear of the mag well.  Set the mag well by aligning the center lines of the receiver and the mag well.  If you make another colored line drawing, the top line would slope downward and the bottom line would slope upward in relation to the receiver.  Hope that makes sense.  Good luck!

 

I will try the long way!thanks for providing me again with expert advice! I just didn't want to go by instinct and regret it later by not confirming what is really correct. Both ways I tried looked fine but photo comparisons just added confusion. Hard to truly see the angle downwards.

Cheers!

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Tried to get my blaster painted in time for my first troop but I made a big mistake. I used tamiya gloss aluminium spray paint on all the parts and now the matte black paint just scores off . Is there anything I can do to fix this?

I guess I can strip ll the paint off again but will that damage the resin? If anyone has some solid advice on a fix or this please let me know.

 

The matte black doesn't stick well to other parts I didn't paint with gloss aluminium. Can it be just the character of matte paints?

[T-Jay[TK]]

Brian, very sorry to hear this, man. Sounds like not the silver paint is the problem, but the black one. Doesn't seem to be good on any surface.

 

Is the black spray paint also from Tamiya (TS6, TS14, TS29, TS40)? Is the silver you used TS17? Did you use a plastic primer for the resin parts before adding the first color?

 

Is there any indication of an expiry date on your spray cans? Do you have any other black spray paint available to test on a leftover part?

[justjoseph63[Staff]]

Hey, Brian...  Sorry to hear about your paint problem.  I use spray paint a lot, and like Tino said, I think the problem is the silver.  Matte finishes can have a problem adhering to shiny ones...  What I would personally suggest is to (and I hate to say this) lightly "rough up"  the silver finish with sand paper, prime it, and re-paint.  I know it will be a pain, but well worth the effort.  There is a special sandpaper I use from 3-M, which is made from a thin, flexible silicone sheet instead of actual paper.  It is almost impossible to tear, lasts 10 times as long as paper, and you can "mold" it around things to get into the tight spaces.  I realize that it may be hard to find over there, (I was stationed in Japan as well) but I would be happy to send you some, no charge.  It's the least I could do, as I used you thread a LOT on my E-11 build.  Let me know, and all the best...

[Bulldog44[TK]]

Thanks Tino and Joseph for your quick responses.

Tino, I used TS-17 glossy aluminium and TS-6 matte black but I also used MR. hobby matte black too as an undercoat. I don't think the different company matte blacks caused the problem cause I used just the Tamiya one on certain parts and still had paint come off. I did use a resin primer first then a light surface primer coat , then the silver, then black.

 

I will leave it until I get enough time to tackle this job. I was considering using a light amount of thinner and remaing the black coat and then do some light sanding as you mentioned Joseph. Then apply a clear primer coat , then try the black again. Stop me if you think I am heading for a further disaster.

 

I probably should have left the silver coat to dry a lot more. The black just scrapes of with contact. Might be good for natural weathering but I am guessing there is no stopping it so I might as well do it over.

 

Joseph, interesting to hear you were over here in Japan. I will let you know if I need that special sanding paper. Thank you for offering, I will pay for it ,no sweat!

[Bulldog44[TK]]

In order to have a blaster ready for my first troop on May 4th, I had to finish the paint job at lightning speed. Unfortunately there was no time to photo log the process and the results were below my expectations but it had to get done. 

My first problem was where to paint. With close proximity living space in japan, spray painting is not something you can do right outside your back door. So withe a big box in my hand and all the guns parts, I found an open parking lot to spray away. There were a few passing citizens with suspicious looks. I don't blame them, I was creating a toxic mess not to mention how scary I probably looked being a foreigner with a mask & goggles on.

 

In my previous post I mentioned that the matte black paint was chipping off at a worrying fashion. I stuck the blaster in the shower room which is equipped with a heat drying fan , and let it bake in there for 4-5 hours. I don't think it worked for all parts of the gun but it certainly dried the paint without question. Perhaps it helped merge the black and silver layer together a bit. Since then I have had minimal chipping or flaking. I only put down 2 light layers of matte black paint. Still some areas need more paint coverage as I ran out of paint toward the end. 

 

Here are the results- sorry I am using iPad quality photos so its hard to really see the fine details. 

 

Metal parts still need to be primed and painted. 

 

The counter eagle was left gold just for testing my masking skills. I will paint over it in the next round of painting. I also had to use a cheap metal bracket to mount the counter so the placement is temporary.

You can see some flaked off paint on the grip, the stock and the end cap lock. 

 

The Doopy trigger guard was never a perfect fit on my kit and it puzzled me on how to attach it without it just breaking off. After a 10 minute crack at trying I soon realised that I would not be able to attach it safely for trooping. So I broke out a file and a strip of 3mm thick aluminium and started to grind down the metal to match my DVH trigger guard. After it was beveled, I bent the strip. The DVH guard was not easy to copy and I did my best to make it look the part. It still looks too straight along the bottom and needs to be rounded out a bit. But It looks far batter than the Doopy one did. It took me roughly 2 hours to complete plus some blood and sweat! If I did use the Doopy guard, there was no from for the trigger to move freely.

Let me know what you think. 

 

I really love the matte black look but debating on going with a satin/semi-gloss black look if I were to paint another layer. What were the screen used blasters like? Matte black? The grip and tracks I will bump up in gloss a bit from the rest of the parts.  Hammer paint is not available in Japan as far I as I could see so no cool texturing for this blaster unfortunately. 

[usaeatt2]

Satin black is my favorite paint for many different things. I think it looks "professional", it's easy to spray without blemishes and it's a lot tougher than a matte finish. I know a lot of people would poo-poo the screen accurate aspect, but for a durable trooping blaster, I wouldn't hesitate to use satin black.