Dday[501st] Posted September 22, 2015 Report Posted September 22, 2015 You honor me Aaron, I'd hardly call myself a professional just yet, maybe in a few years I'll figure out what I'm doing. Quote
usaeatt2 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Report Posted September 24, 2015 Derrek, you're a professional. Just admit it. I might add for those reading this thread that Derrek provided me with significant advice on molding and casting since I've never done it before. So, THANKS to Derrek and Phoenix Props, my parts are becoming a reality! Quote
usaeatt2 Posted September 24, 2015 Author Report Posted September 24, 2015 Update. I'm in an old school mood today thanks to a trooper PM bringing back some memories of my time in Kuwait with the US Air Force. So, there's Fleetwood Mac on the stereo and I'm demolding more parts... The bottom barrel came out about as close to perfect as my skills allow. Just to show the possibilities here, I drilled and tapped the top barrel, then mounted it in the front end of a Sterling parts set with original screws. Here's a resin 9mm round in the chamber. It inserts to exactly the correct depth and leaves the groove exposed so the extractor can grab it for ejection. It's an iPhone picture so the detail isn't great, but in reality, you can read the lettering on the back of the round - "HPR 9mm LUGER". This shows a bullet (cut from the front of a round) and inserted into the barrel. Anybody know if this would meet the "orange tip" requirement at a convention? The idea is to use small magnets for both ammunition details so they can be easily removed or installed as needed. I decided to focus strictly on the fluorescent orange color since I wasn't happy with any of the faux brass effects. The images don't do it justice - the orange almost glows - it's the same as those orange hunting vests. That's the good stuff. Here's the bad. This is where I sand off the pour spouts and vents. I had to put a small vent at the very front of the barrel because that area REALLY likes to trap an air bubble on EVERY pour. The pressure chamber helped, but it needed a vent to solve the problem. There are some sanding marks from removing the vent, but this is all hidden when installed in the muzzle. Here's what you can see when the barrel is installed. Sorry for the crumby image, but I had to jack up the brightness until I could actually see the barrel part. Here's the area that gets sanded to remove the pour spouts and vents on the back end. I've been thinking about pricing and I'm going to offer these for $25 each. This is popped out of the mold, spouts and vents removed and both ends drilled with a flat bottom end mill. You'll still have to touch up the tip of the barrel with sandpaper if you want. For another $5, I will drill and tap the bolt holes using an original Sterling muzzle as a jig, so $30 drilled and tapped. Getting the holes lined up exactly is finicky and takes a little time to get it right. Barrels will be wrapped in craft paper and bubble wrap, then shipped in a USPS small, flat rate box for $6. I'll likely start shipping in a week or two, going by the order on the interest list. When this happens, I'll move the list from this thread to an actual sales thread. Let me know what you think! Aaron 3 Quote
charlesnarles Posted September 24, 2015 Report Posted September 24, 2015 I can vouch for these Luger rounds being excellent reproductions. And at that price there's no reason not to include your barrel in my future pipe build, considering real barrels are $50 + s&h and heavy. They'll also keep light from escaping or hide wires well if you use electronics. Very cool! Quote
Twnbrother Posted September 24, 2015 Report Posted September 24, 2015 Prices sound very good... Cant wait to see these. How much are you charging for the rounds? Quote
usaeatt2 Posted September 25, 2015 Author Report Posted September 25, 2015 I can vouch for these Luger rounds being excellent reproductions. And at that price there's no reason not to include your barrel in my future pipe build, considering real barrels are $50 + s&h and heavy. They'll also keep light from escaping or hide wires well if you use electronics. Very cool! If you have those 9mm rounds, that tells me you got your magazine! I loaded "prototype" rounds in your magazine - from that test, I doubled the amount of fluorescent pigment! Prices sound very good... Cant wait to see these. How much are you charging for the rounds? I will include (3) 9mm rounds with each barrel. I haven't had any requests for it yet, but I'll go $1 each if bought separately. Quote
Twnbrother Posted September 27, 2015 Report Posted September 27, 2015 I just keep coming back to look at the pictures. This is truly amazing. <br><br> Just let me know when to send you the money. :-) <br><br> I would like to buy both the barrel and your helmet parts at the same time. I am in no hurry. 1 Quote
usaeatt2 Posted September 27, 2015 Author Report Posted September 27, 2015 There's a common thread here...I've had multiple similar requests for combined shipping. Daily barrel production continues - I've honed the process to the point of getting excellent castings every time. I've got 4 midnight shifts left at work, then I'm off for 3 weeks, so I hope to get ahead of requests. I expect to finish details (exciting stuff I haven't posted yet) on helmet parts over the next several days. I have time reserved on a vacuum forming machine on October 4th, so expect more updates soon! 2 Quote
v7sg[TK] Posted September 27, 2015 Report Posted September 27, 2015 Sounds good! Will be waiting for that PM, Quote
I'm Batman[501st] Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 I have time reserved on a vacuum forming machine on October 4th, so expect more updates soon! It's October 6th now. Well...... 3 Quote
usaeatt2 Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Posted October 6, 2015 Well... Turns out I had my schedule mixed up - October 4th was something else. Vacuum forming was scheduled for October 5th and since it's a 4 hour drive, I actually arrived back home on October 6th. Good news? I modified my mold and got 14 really good pulls tonight, errr, last night. I have enough parts to start putting together helmet kits, but that's another thread... For THIS thread, I have 5 barrel castings worth sending out and more coming. Packaging starts tomorrow. My silicone barrel mold is developing a very minor tear, but it affects quality, so that's going to have to be re-made. Good news is, the bottom half is still in perfect condition, so it's just a simple re-pour, no clay, parting lines, etc... This also gives me the opportunity to improve pour spouts and vents. LOL, and the Aussie busting my "rhymes with walls" hasn't even ordered a barrel!! Although he DID get dibs on the first helmet kit sometime last year... Time SERIOUSLY seems to move faster as you get older... 1 Quote
usaeatt2 Posted October 6, 2015 Author Report Posted October 6, 2015 Now for the inner spring I'm gonna jinx this right up front and say I don't think this will be difficult to find. The spring needs to be 7/8" diameter. Maybe 15/16", but that would be really tight, and 3/4" would be almost too small. I'm guessing some guys will figure a different way to install the spring cup because you'll never see the inner spring on a resin gun. I was already thinking along the lines of black foam tube or something similar. If someone DOES find the correct diameter spring, they'll probably have to cut it to avoid putting to much pressure on the cup (LOL, sounds really BAD). The spring cup walls are only about 1/16" thick. I'm casting these in regular resin AND high impact "semi-rigid" resin. We'll see how they hold up, but I'm expecting to replace a few in the beginning...until somebody devises a practical way to install these. 1 Quote
I'm Batman[501st] Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 LOL, and the Aussie busting my "rhymes with walls" hasn't even ordered a barrel!! Although he DID get dibs on the first helmet kit sometime last year... Time SERIOUSLY seems to move faster as you get older... Haha! But it won't fit in my blaster. My receiver has thicker walls. I'd have to build a whole new blaster..... Hmmm, I am about to build a Snowy. Could do with a ESB spec blaster I suppose Let me get back to you. Quote
Twnbrother Posted October 6, 2015 Report Posted October 6, 2015 Great progress. Can't wait to see a PM to buy this and the helmet kit. Quote
usaeatt2 Posted October 7, 2015 Author Report Posted October 7, 2015 OK guys, I spent the day gathering packing materials and setting up a "shipping area". I'm waiting on a delivery from ULINE shipping supplies, which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Other than that, barrels, spring cups and bullets are packed, boxed and ready to go to the post office. I'll start sending PM's tonight. 2 Quote
Bulldog44[TK] Posted October 7, 2015 Report Posted October 7, 2015 Stoked! Game changing parts for blaster builds! Cheers Aaron! 1 Quote
Twnbrother Posted October 7, 2015 Report Posted October 7, 2015 I got the PM Can't wait to build my next E-11 with this barrel. 2 Quote
usaeatt2 Posted November 11, 2015 Author Report Posted November 11, 2015 Sean - you're cracking me up!!! I have a good friend who speaks everything in the type of language in your GIF... Sorry guys, there's been a slight delay in production...my wife wanted to paint the exterior of the house before bad weather (which is SOON, here in Northwest Indiana). Soooo, that's what I've been doing everyday for the last two weeks. I hung the shutters last night (using my truck headlights for lighting), so the end of painting is very near. Production on resin barrels and TK interior parts will resume soon. I've got 5 finished barrels and a few more straight out of the mold. I have USPS small flat rate boxes made up for everyone on the interest list (serves as a reminder seeing those boxes stacked up!) Summary: I should be able to pick this back up pretty quick - maybe send some orders out this week. 2 Quote
usaeatt2 Posted November 22, 2015 Author Report Posted November 22, 2015 checking in. Perfect timing. You must be checking in because your barrels are ready to check out of my shop. PM sent. Aaron 1 Quote
artimorty Posted November 22, 2015 Report Posted November 22, 2015 I have the feeling I should go for this one,... Will PM you for details. Quote
TK bondservnt[501st] Posted November 23, 2015 Report Posted November 23, 2015 (edited) Thanks Derrek for the casting advice. That sounds like a better idea using the two part mold. Sorry Aaron, topic hijacked. <br><br><br> Back to your topic Aaron.......... Best of luck with the work shifts. Sounds rough. Looking forward to seeing the different castings with the colors and metal mixtures.<br><br><br> The stock would be another area I would love to see In a kit form. Casting that in parts would be difficult I guess but just for detail alone it would be great. You could always use a hybrid of resin and metal parts. and use metal to support the stock arm. a slightly lighter spring would work best. I'm thinking that the spring plate could be steel, and the arms could be resin on aluminum, with the shoulder cap in resin, along with the tube being aluminum with resin inserts. The catch would be nice as an aluminum part. Edited November 23, 2015 by TK Bondservnt 2392 Quote
SeanTX Posted December 12, 2015 Report Posted December 12, 2015 Oh yeah. I got my barrels. Great casting. can't wait to put them together. 2 Quote
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