Nite Finder Mod!

Background:
Ah, the Nite Finder--possibly the most recommended blaster for noobie modders. Simplicity is the name of the game, and the direct plunger allows for some pretty good power. This is another one of my early mods that turned out great. The Nite Finder pictured above is probably the third one I've completed, the other two being completed by friends of mine (with my help, of course).

Mods:

1. Spring replaced with an Ace Hardware #49 (OSH #49 in my case). This spring is VERY strong--even stronger than the Orange Mod Works 6kg spring I also bought. It fits very nicely into the blaster and doesn't sit compressed like the OMW 6kg spring. Let me tell you, getting the plunger tube screwed down with that OMW spring is a PAIN IN THE ASS. It is almost a two-man job, since you have to compress the spring at the same time you align the screw holes of the plunger tube with the pegs in the shell. Just get an Ace #49--it's cheaper and stronger. You can even nest another spring inside it if you want to get really crazy.
2. Catch spring replaced with one of my random Ace springs. I have purchased the following, in order of small diameter to large: Ace #1, #71XAU, #24U, #150U. All of these are great replacement springs. I would recommend picking them all up, since they are all cheap and highly useful as catch springs and return springs. They are necessary if you replace your mainspring. Mcmaster.com has a bunch of springs, but usually you are stuck buying a huge pack that you don't need (plus shipping).
3. Plunger seal improved. Nothing new here, just the usual Teflon tape under the O-ring. I believe I added an extra O-ring as well for an even better seal.
4. Glued a half of a CPVC coupler to the end of the plunger tube. Some people like to keep the "cap" on the end of the plunger tube, like for Gengar's Clean Nite Finder Mod (great first mod!). I chose to ditch everything except the plunger tube itself. A CPVC coupler fit perfectly inside the end of the plunger tube. I just made sure it was clear of the front of the blaster's shell then epoxied it into place. As usual, MAKE SURE YOUR COUPLER IS PERFECTLY CENTERED!
5. Reinforced the blaster with hot glue. This is probably the most important mod of them all, especially considering the power of my spring. If you look closely, you'll notice that the plunger is held in place by screws that go through two flimsy "tabs" on the sides of the plunger tube into two thin threaded posts attached to the body of the blaster. These posts are a point of failure, so you must hot glue the shit out of them after you get your plunger situated. Another point of failure is right behind the mainspring. You'll notice a small gap between the spring's rest and the trigger catch--fill it up with hot glue just like I filled up your mother last night. If you want everything to be rock solid, you can hot glue all the space around the plunger so that NOTHING can move.
6. Whipped together a simple speedloader so you can reload every two shots instead of one. I opted for 5-inch barrel, but I should have gone longer with such a powerful spring inside. As a general principle, your barrel length should increase as your blaster gets more powerful. I could lecture on for days about barrel length and dart fit, but that's a topic for another day :)
7. Minimized the shell. I still have to cover the holes with Styrene, but right now it's not high on my priority list. I knew I just had to get rid of that worthless light.

So there you have it--that's how I did my Nite Finder. I have another grey one in my "to do" pile, and I think I'll max out the power in that one and do a proper write-up. One thing I should mention about this blaster that I've noticed in all the Nite Finders I've worked on is that the barrel naturally tends to point upwards a little. Keep this in mind when putting on your new barrel or aligning your coupler. Thanks for reading!

Cheers,
~T da B