Phoenix Props Aluminum pipe build with Arduino!

[shaunpug[TK]]

Building this E-11 has most certainly been the most challenging build project I have attempted. I'm not done yet, but I'll start with my progress thus far.

 

I was graced with a Phoenix Props ESB E-11 from a fellow Garrison member that was originally built by Tino. It was beautiful! Tina did amazingly.

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It was already beautiful to begin with, but unfortunately the folding stock and a few other small pieces broke very soon after I received it. I was bummed, but after it happened u decided to go full bore on this build.

So, the plan was to incorporate as much from a real Sterling as possible, and also add electronics using Arduino. This build will be in two stages:

1) Reconstruction of the blaster with Sterling components

2) Arduino additions

 

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Edited October 16, 2021 by gmrhodes13
link not working removed

[shaunpug[TK]]

I went ahead and purchased a Sterling parts kit from Apex gun parts:

The condition of a few of the pieces were poor. Folding stock in particular. My garrison buddy ukswrath offered to help me straighten out and grind down the pieces.

Next up is deconstruction of the Aluminum pipe!

 

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[shaunpug[TK]]

Tearing down Tinos beautiful E-11 was a little devastating. Originally I wouldn't have even considered it, but the blaster broke so it gave me an excuse to go crazy.

I needed to cut the Aluminum pipe to match the cuts on the Sterling parts and that turned out to be quite a task.

Here is the pipe cut showing where the T-tracks were sitting.

After the pipe was cut I used a grinder with my dremel to match the angles of the cuts.

 

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[shaunpug[TK]]

Next up was brainstorming how to attach the Steel Sterling parts to the Aluminum pipe. I ended up going with JB Weld. The parts that will be attached using this method are the following:

1) Front/muzzle

2) Back/rear sight

3) magazine holder

4) Folding stock hinge.

 

Here are some progress pics:

I really globbed on the JB Weld as I knew I would be sanding it flush later.

Because I made sure to match my cuts on the Sterling parts and aluminum pipe I was able to use gravity to my advantage when letting the JB Weld cure

Muzzle and rear site cured:

Sanded:

 

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[T-Jay[TK]]

Hi Shaun, very sorry to hear about the broken resin parts. Looking forward to see you integrating those real Sterling parts.

 

Just for the records: this E-11 had originally been built as an ANH blaster. Somebody must have modified it to ESB later.

[shaunpug[TK]]

Next up I attached the Trigger housing. I used Tinos existing screw holes in the pipe and also the Resin bolt to secure it. I drilled a new hole the Sterling part corresponding to the location in the resin piece

This was more than enough to secure it firmly.

Next up is the folding stock...

 

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[Tr00per]

Just a sidetrack question ... what serial does the bolt have, and is the trigger group full auto ?

 

If you want to know the date of your parts kit, i can look it up.

[shaunpug[TK]]

Just a sidetrack question ... what serial does the bolt have, and is the trigger group full auto ?

 

If you want to know the date of your parts kit, i can look it up.

That would be awesome.  I'll take a picture of the bolt that came with the set.The trigger group has 3 settings.

[shaunpug[TK]]

Just a sidetrack question ... what serial does the bolt have, and is the trigger group full auto ?

 

If you want to know the date of your parts kit, i can look it up.

Here is the bolt:

 

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[shaunpug[TK]]

Folding stock now curing...

 

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[9934[501st]]

[Tr00per]

Well it's easy to say that the bolt is from 1962

 

Gone explain...

 

Sterling manufactured in 1962 (S62) , Abridged NATO code 960-2153 , Steel batch code R4636 (or 8, can't see it clearly)

 

You bolt still has some of the Original finish on it, wich is a very nice bonus...

 

 

 

Now if you want to know if the bolt matches the age of the cut up sterling itself (or are pieces put together kit), then i would love to see a better pic of the KR number.

i believe it say's KR 32401 ?

 

If so, then it's from September 1959.

 

Also would love to see the military coding system number on the bottom.

 

This way we can determinate what year it was made, and where it was made... In liverpool or in Dagenham, Essex

 

For example

 

A serial number broken down..

 

UF57-A 12345 or US57-A 12345 can be broken down thus:

 

U = united kingdom manufacture

F = Royal ordanance Factory No6, Fazakerley, Liverpool

S = Sterling Engineering Co, Rainham road (south), Dagenham Essex

57 = year of manufacture

A = indicates first batch of 99,999 guns

 

With this info you could figure it out yourself, but for me it would be nice to see a pic for the rest aswell.

 

There are lot's of other cool stuff to know, but for some it just ends in being a SW prop..

But it's nice to know a thing or two, for those who want to know or want to learn more about what they really have.

 

p.s. I'm on a 32'' 4K monitor .. so small and unsharp picture's are a bit hard for me to see (go figure haha)

Edited May 5, 2016 by Tr00per

[shaunpug[TK]]

Well it's easy to say that the bolt is from 1962

 

Gone explain...

 

Sterling manufactured in 1962 (S62) , Abridged NATO code 960-2153 , Steel batch code R4636 (or 8, can't see it clearly)

 

You bolt still has some of the Original finish on it, wich is a very nice bonus...

 

 

 

Now if you want to know if the bolt matches the age of the cut up sterling itself (or are pieces put together kit), then i would love to see a better pic of the KR number.

i believe it say's KR 32401 ?

 

If so, then it's from September 1959.

 

Also would love to see the military coding system number on the bottom.

 

This way we can determinate what year it was made, and where it was made... In liverpool or in Dagenham, Essex

 

For example

 

A serial number broken down..

 

UF57-A 12345 or US57-A 12345 can be broken down thus:

 

U = united kingdom manufacture

F = Royal ordanance Factory No6, Fazakerley, Liverpool

S = Sterling Engineering Co, Rainham road (south), Dagenham Essex

57 = year of manufacture

A = indicates first batch of 99,999 guns

 

With this info you could figure it out yourself, but for me it would be nice to see a pic for the rest aswell.

 

There are lot's of other cool stuff to know, but for some it just ends in being a SW prop..

But it's nice to know a thing or two, for those who want to know or want to learn more about what they really have.

 

p.s. I'm on a 32'' 4K monitor .. so small and unsharp picture's are a bit hard for me to see (go figure haha)

I would love to know more about it.  Part of why it interested me so much to have real parts is because in my own way I'd be carrying a little bit of history with me! Because I used the Resin bolt for the build, I'm going to keep the other bolt for some kind of display.  It really is in great condition.  I'll take more detailed close ups of the serial numbers for you a bit later today. Thanks for looking all of that up!  Awesome resource. 

[shaunpug[TK]]

Folding stock has cured. I was a little worried that it wouldn't hold the weight on just the hinge with the JB Weld but it held great. I'll take pics later of the folding stock working.

Magazine chamber is now curing!

It's pretty hard to be precise with the JB Weld so everything looks messy until it's all sanded down.

 

\m/

[shaunpug[TK]]

After some more fine sanding the blaster was ready for its first coat of flat black paint.

 

After first spray:

 

The original plan was to use VHT Wrinkle Plus, but seeing as how mine hasn't come in yet and I don't have the proper environment for it to set (nor do I have a heat gun), this will be something I tackle a bit later.

 

\m/

[shaunpug[TK]]

Reverse coat.

 

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[shaunpug[TK]]

I'll be posting a significant detailed picture update soon on the blaster explaining what else I did, but in the meantime here's what the (95%) finished blaster looks like in my submission photos.

 

[shaunpug[TK]]

Detail Shots!  There are still a few places that I need to do a bit more work on, but a few notes:

-I'm not sure if I'll do a full wrinkle finish.  I actually quite like the "old" look that it has right now...We'll see how I feel a bit later.

- The T-tracks were a nightmare to install, but the way I have them is pretty much the way  I want them.  Not perfectly flush against the receiver.  This adds to the "old" feel.

- I'm missing a cap on one side of the stock hinge.  I'll have to find a replacement.

-I need to smooth out more the transition from the aluminum receiver to the rear sight portion.

-Would it have killed me to wipe the blaster off with a dust rag before  Itook pictures?! lol

 

Edited May 8, 2016 by shaunpug

[PeregrinusZ10]

Wow! This is looking amazing bro.

 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[T-Jay[TK]]

Seems like the T-tracks seriously suffered from getting removed and added again. I understand your point of having them look old, although they stick out a bit.

 

In case you plan to replace them with new ones, just drop me a PM. Have a set left and could include that missing hinge screw for your folding stock into this shipment.

Edited May 11, 2016 by T-Jay

[shaunpug[TK]]

Seems like the T-tracks seriously suffered from getting removed and added again. I understand your point of having them look old, although they stick out a bit.

 

In case you plan to replace them with new ones, just drop me a PM. Have a set left and could include that missing hinge screw for your folding stock into this shipment.

Hey T-Jay.  The T-tracks definitely feel off the more I look at them. I'll gladly take you up on your offer, so long as you can guide me through installing the new ones!  

[T-Jay[TK]]

Hey T-Jay.  The T-tracks definitely feel off the more I look at them. I'll gladly take you up on your offer, so long as you can guide me through installing the new ones!  

 

Answered your PM and yes, I am soon going to make a tutorial for T-track installation. That was on my list anyway

[kman[TK]]

Yeah, the T-Tracks don't look quite right. Glad you're replacing them, because this build is SICK, otherwise! I LOVE the real Sterling builds.

 

One other minor thing that might look cool, maybe steal a lens from a cheap Amazon toy and install it into the scope? They did some cool things with that in this thread, and I think it would be easy and take your E11 one step further to perfection.

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/35879-hyperfirm-e11-scope-lens/

[shaunpug[TK]]

Yeah, the T-Tracks don't look quite right. Glad you're replacing them, because this build is SICK, otherwise! I LOVE the real Sterling builds.

 

One other minor thing that might look cool, maybe steal a lens from a cheap Amazon toy and install it into the scope? They did some cool things with that in this thread, and I think it would be easy and take your E11 one step further to perfection.

 

http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/35879-hyperfirm-e11-scope-lens/

That's an awesome idea! And an easy one to implement. I'll definitely be adding it in.

The T-tracks I think are one of those things I think I need to fail at before I can get it right. Man are they a pain! At least the way I tried to do it haha

 

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[shaunpug[TK]]

Not really a significant update, but I did some testing on the electronics with a friend of mine who has worked with Arduino before, and it's looking like it's going to work out great. 

The next steps are:

-Hollow out resin Bolt to allow for cable threading and chip housing.

-Grind down edges of speaker to allow for fit within the aluminum pipe

-detach trigger and handguard assembly and grind attachment point to allow for better fit to pipe

-cut out slots on underside of aluminum pipe to allow wiring down to the trigger assembly.

 

It's also looking like I may need to create new code based off of what others have done previously as my build simplifies and removes alot of the features of other Arduino builds.

I'll be sure to post a ton of updates as I continue to work on this ever expanding project.