[Mod] Swarmfire Reliability

Up now: how to set up a Swarmfire rotation system to handle high-rate full auto, worn parts and adverse conditions without skipping a beat.

RapidSwarm and RapidPistol Completed

Done.

Ready to get a combat test. Rock solid.

Rifle and pistol. This is similar to an old image of mine with a Swarmpede and a Guardian PDW side by side. These RS are the successors of those Stampedes, so it makes sense.

Something that is not obvious is the Swarmfire trigger, the tiny orange button just under the flywheel cage of the RS, which is on top of a stock switch out of a Stampede or the like. A 203-style trigger pack was considered, but the bulk recommended against it. In the absence of suitable small switches and a MOSFET to set up an extremely compact trigger module, I used this support-hand button trigger concept taken from the MASS-1. It's not optimal but it stays out of the way and isn't way too easy to ND.

 Also fixed battery leads on the RapidPistol.

Close fit. Not compatible with barrel extensions, but why the hell would you need a twist-lock on the muzzle of an assault rifle? That is a RS feature that seems more like a gimmick than like modularity. I can understand the Spectre can, kinda. This doesn't need it though. Shorter is better in a zombie situation.

 

It's a terrible internals shot but I was up late working on this thing and wanted to get it done, so documentation of the process fell by the wayside and this is all I have. You can see the rear protrusion of the Swarmfire receiver which is as close to the flywheel cage as feasible and touching the front side of the magwell web, and that is after grinding some strategic areas.

When I put a better spring pack in the Swarmy, there will be images of how it disassembles. The Swarmfire is of course hung on the Rapidstrike barrel shroud, but what's more is that the RS flywheel cage has its two front screw bosses on the barrel shroud as well. By removing the 2 rear flywheel cage screws, the whole front assembly (flywheel cage, barrel shroud, Swarmfire) lifts out in one piece.

The battery wiring was rerouted. The harness now has the battery leads attached to the front assembly (connected to the Swarmfire trigger and motor) and a second Deans connector in the magwell that supplies power to the RS.

WIP RapidSwarm

Just roughed in this primary.

This is the RS development mule, its life as the lab rat for electrical upgrades over and its tour of HvZ duty about to begin.

This is NOT a slap-it-on affair. When I get a shot of the internals on this build, you will see how I CRAMMED the Swarmfire in as tightly as possible with absolutely zero exceptions for anything! Keeping this integration high and tight to the rifle was a major priority, being that a poor underslung installation can totally destroy the ergonomics and balance of the whole gun. In the past, this was also a major difference in my Swarmpede builds versus many others that had the Swarmfire hung at least 1/2" lower and 1/2" farther forward (that is, if they were not flipped upside down, shelled and other nonsense) - but this makes those old pedes look sloppy.

Look at it this way, I shaved down webs and the burrs left by flush-cutting excess plastic off in order to gain that fraction more.

Compared to the Swarmpede, which is several generations old but still has never had an equal as a well-rounded and effective HvZ rifle.

Until now! Time to wire that Swarmy up!

WIP RapidPistol

After hearing a report from teek42 of an unbarreled RS not shooting wildly every which way, I went ahead with shortening the former stock motor test gun to a pistol.

This is the shortest possible configuration. All battery box remnants are gone. The carry handle was retained, as I do not like the loss of aim reference that occurs when it is removed (leaving a non-flat receiver surface if you cut in the obvious locations). Plus, I like carry handles.

2s pack on the side gets the job done. Still to do: reroute those battery leads which were left from the last front-wired configuration, and bodywork of course. Then paint? I am also going to be putting carbons in these motors and swapping in a better set of flies when I get the chance.

There were/are plans to add a N-Strike stock mount and a stub barrel with twist-lock muzzle fitting for modularity. That is going to need to be balanced with minimum length and bulk. I could easily go as modular as a Stryfe - a full-auto Stryfe... but then again, regular old rifle RS with fixed barrels and receiver-integral handguards/barrel supports do that better. I may just keep it as is, being that this is definitively a quick and dirty type of weapon, is never going to be anything proper and formal and clean, and it is SHOCKINGLY short in its current configuration.

This thing may be my new secondary for HvZ.

Interesting data point on "TrustFires"

http://britnerf.co.uk/sutra7671.php#7671
According to BritNerf user Hammy:
   

I am now modifying a RS (commisson) and this one has 4 trustfires with solarbotic motors

I used my fluke multi metre to make the measurement.

When the 4 trust fires are not loaded, then they read 15.86V, however once the flywheels are spinning, this voltage drops to 6.5V. and the current flowing is 1.7A...

Whoa! That is a stupendous amount of voltage sag under a very minor load!

With the variability of Fire brands of cells and the fact that the rest of the system (including the cell holder, which is a VERY significant amount of resistance) was never described, this cannot be a useful numerical data point.

It's still a stark reminder of why these batteries and this practice are not a good idea, though. I will cover and explain the situation with 14500 cells in more detail in one of the upcoming battery guides, but suffice to say, they are a very poor choice, if you didn't already know.

The gist of it is that this type of Li-ion cell on its own, even in a best case (such as cells from the likes of Sanyo) is totally unsuitable for the uses people keep putting them to in nerf! This type of cell is designed for a 1C or 2C discharge rate - 1.6 amps at the very most - and even at that rate, the cells are sagging a good bit and heating up. Its internal resistance is far too high to perform anywhere REMOTELY near how a proper battery choice will on a mod - and it is also being abused quite severely. The quality problems of Fire cells and resistance of cell holders only compound that, perhaps significantly.

Carry on, and seriously, lay off the TrashFires!

Rapidstrike Chronographed

I formally took the data on the Rapidstrike stuff I have done up to this point.

Without further ado, here is the data.

Details and observations after the jump.

Shelf Watch: Vortex, Xploderz, Zing Bows

Store: Target, Butler Plaza, Gainesville, Florida USA


In addition to the expected stuff not worth mentioning (including what seemed to be a recently enhanced stock of Mega 20mm, due to the Centurion's ammo-mulching tendencies no doubt), there were a few standouts.


Nerf - Red/White Scheme Vortex XLR Discs - Card Pack, qty 10. New Style Packaging Art.

 

Rapidstrike development gun on video.

Demonstration of operation at 900-1000RPM, 500RPM practical ROF, and ability to fire single rounds. Chrono'd at 100-110 in its current form, video description is out of date and my numbers were a bit premature and sketchy.

 

 Yes, the details are STILL coming. I am going to explain exactly how to build these, so stay tuned, anyone who has kept reading me through the dropout in posts as of late. A lot has gone on with these rapidstrikes which has not been entirely solid and the best repository for this sort of play-by-play is still the forums.

The latest news, however, is that the Blade 180/pusher diodes/3s battery combo seen in this first attempt at the RS overhaul has been combat tested. I brought it out at a Thunderdome-type Humans vs. Zombies event, and it pumped out 500RPM 100fps all day long and didn't malfunction a single time.

That is the real breakthrough here.

Sure, we have had high-rate autos all along, and automatic rifles and 100fps autos for years - but never have all been combined until now, and never with such devastating, terrible, inexorable reliability. Mark my words, this is an ass kicker, a game changer and a quantum leap for HvZ and stock class nerf, and it is unlike anything the world has ever seen before. That video, with some crappy old darts, does not even do it justice. It's almost a bit unsettling having used it in an HvZ situation, like it's just too damn good. Too perfect for the good of the game.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have some zombies to stun.

Rapidstrike Test Mule. More to come on the flywheel front.

 Once again, I have important things to post. Important things about flywheel motors, about Rapidstrikes. And not enough time and coherent thought to get them all together. If you have read me on the HvZ forums I have posted a lot of RS related stuff, stuff related to this gun above. Except it's not more than a stream of posts and observations and conversations among a bunch of modders. The problem with blogging this stuff is that it forces things to coalesce into an identifiable resource that someone can look at. Wait, that's the point. That's why I created DZ. Now I need to step up and get it done re: THIS.

So what's the ugly old thing up there? Long story short, a guinea pig for Rapidstrike mods.

It will eventually be cleaned up, and then it will be a real build - but for now, it still has wiring hanging out and temporary guarding of protruding motor endbells. And no integration or HvZ optimization. That will be fixed. And the info posted, along with a video showing some mag dumps which, I assure you, will remove any doubt about this system and its potential.

[Build] Stryfe Blade 180 swap

This gun was used as a test mule for a flywheel upgrade motor that several NIC and HvZ modders have experimented with, which is the stock motor from an E-Flite Blade CX RC helicopter.

This is not a full tutorial or anything, but it gives a good idea of the build process for one of these and how straightforward it is. More info coming on the motors, test results, etc. later. For now I need to get this up fast. I have way too much stuff to do. 

 

Stock Stryfe teardown. All stock wiring, switches, motors and other superfluous hardware not shown.

Layout of hop-up parts: Deans, 14 AWG silicone insulated wire (I decided to overkill this one for fun, though 16 would be adequate and cheaper), 10A+ microswitch with lever, and two Blade EFLH1210/1211 motors.

Original grip switch cavity trimmed and inside of grip roughened in preparation for epoxy putty to bed microswitch. This is somewhat of a hack method, but is effective and reliable and the switch is removable with care and can be reinstalled with a drop of CA.

Completed microswitch installation. Note switch button end is flattened and sheeted over to present a flat contact surface for the switch lever.

 

180 motors cleaned up. If you encounter press fit brass pinions on donor motors, these are best removed with the proper puller - but dikes used as a lever will do it with care. Also beware that the stock wire pigtail on these comes with a PTC (which may or may not be a good idea to use) and is somewhat small of wire for this app.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Note that the 180 motor endbells are more or less flush with the surface of the receiver when installed in a Stryfe. Only the bearing snouts and the wiring sticks out.

 

 With 3S pack of Sanyo UR18650SAX and ready to get some. These battery packs are another thing that I did a while ago and haven't been posted here yet.

The results of this venture have been surprising and potentially of significance to the NIC, so I will cover that in another post.