Solvents for the win

Bringing in the heavy artillery

Hey reader,

If you have read my last couple of posts, you know that I'm gearing up for the upper echelon of Nerf mods--homemades! By now I own quite a few tools, including screwdrivers, hammer, mallet, a Dremel, drill press, diagonal cutters, pliers, pipe cutters, hobby knives, scissors, hacksaw, metal scribe, metal shears, glue gun, and more. Unfortunately, this isn't enough. For example, I have no way to cut complex shapes out of plastic sheeting or wood. Today I made a trip to Orchard Supply Hardware to pick up the last piece of the puzzle--a scroll saw!

The way it works is very simple--a thin blade that runs through the table oscillates up and down, so all you need to do is feed in whatever you're cutting into the blade and follow the line (or curve) you draw. The table tilts up to 45 degrees and the speed is adjustable. There are several types of blades that can be used, including normal, skip-tooth, crowned, and spiral. Overall, this saw seems well-made and definitely worth the price at a little over $100. In addition, I get a 1-year warranty which is a nice bonus.

It's time to take my mods to the next level--I hope you all stick around for the ride!
~T da B

Thrifting for plastics!

Hi guys!

Today I made my first trip to a place that specifically sells all sorts of plastics, Tap Plastics of San Jose, California. They don't have the biggest selection, but they have enough to give the experienced modder a fairly large boner. Observe what I picked up today in the "scrap" bin for $3:

On the left is 1/16'' polycarbonate sheet, in the middle is 1/8'' polycarbonate sheet, and on the right is 1/4'' cutting board.

Polycarbonate is a very strong plastic that has a high tensile strength and high impact strength, making it a great candidate for any high-stress jobs. It is used for everything from reinforcements, to trigger catches, to barrel spacers, and much more. "Makrolon" is one of the many names given to it, along with "Lexan" and "Makroclear." It is easily machined with a drill and scroll saw.

Cutting board, or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is just a very comfortable plastic that has many nice properties, including high impact strength, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, and near-zero water absorption. Basically, you can leave it outside, drop it, dunk it in water, or abuse it in many ways and it can take it.

Support your local plastics supplier and mod things on the cheap!
~T da B

Shit just got real

Readers, friends, and lovers of Nerf--I have reached a true milestone. After this purchase is received from Mcmaster.com, I will begin a new chapter in my modding magnum opus. Before I explain what I'm getting into nowadays, it would behoove the reader to become familiar with the path I've already trodden. Here is my progression so far, in chronological order:

1. Drop-in springer kits, like the Orange Mod Works Massacre Kit
2. Simple springer modding (air restrictor removal, spring swap, coupler, plunger padding)
3. More advanced springer modding (reinforcements, breech replacement)
4. Simple air gun modding (plug pump, PETG barrels)
5. Advanced air gun modding (adding bike pump, safety valve, PSI gauge, aftermarket tubing and fittings)
6. Working with brass (slide breech, brass breech for Stampede)
7. Plunger head replacement (Big Bad Bow)

Now some of you might be thinking, "well T da B, what's left to do?" I'll tell you what's left to do--it is time to enter the realm of homemades! I'm about to do my first complete internals replacement, which will segue perfectly into the construction of 100% homemades. Once I buy a scroll saw and a few hole saws, I will be ready to tackle the most challenging mods on the planet! To be honest, I'm giddy to start machining my own polycarbonate and never having to spend another cent on a barrel spacer. I hope you guys stick around for the ride because shit just got real.

Big Bad Bow Mod: Part 2!

Sup lady and gentlemen,

A little while ago, this blog did not exist. It was merely a curiosity in my mind, as my modding was still in its infancy. The BBB was among the first few mods I ever did, and I was satisfied with it at the time. However, nowadays my thirst for power has become insatiable, and some of my older mods are no longer up to my standards. My BBB was ok--the ranges were decent, but it had slight issues with the trigger not catching. Also, the stock plunger head was absolute shit, and sat on an extremely thin portion of the plunger rod that was just waiting to snap off. I knew it was time for an upgrade!

Elite Firestrike Review

Sup guys,

I don't think I've ever officially reviewed a blaster on this blog, so it's time for that to change. To be honest, I haven't been that impressed with the Elite line of blasters, as most of them are just re-shelled N-Strike blasters. Even though they contain direct plungers, the overall modding potential for them is pretty low. However, a few of them stand out above the rest. The Firestrike happens to be one of them!

How to Make Slug Darts

By popular request (1 person), I have put together a dart-making guide! This guide is dedicated to making one specific style of dart, commonly referred to as a slug dart, or slug. Slugs are the most common type of homemade dart, since they are cheap, easy to make, quick to make, and relatively durable. This is the perfect dart for those who are just starting to make their own homemade darts. Let's do this!

Ertl Pump Action Shotgun Mod!

Hi guys,

It has been a while since I posted a mod, so I wanted to bring you guys another good one! Of course, it's another blaster that isn't made by Nerf. This time I decided to tackle the blaster that, according to ForsakenAngel24, "dethrones the Crossbow." This piqued my interest and I decided to seek one out and overhaul it. After a long search, I finally got one off a flaky piece of shit on Nerfhaven named ChaosPropel. Don't do business with him. Anyways, it's here now and it's time to turn it into something up to T da B's standards. Let's ride!

Next on the modding menu...