Tornado acquired!

Hey peeps,

Look what came in the mail:

Made in 1998!

This funny-looking creature goes by the name Koosh Vortex Tornado. As you can see, the front has a strange protrusion--this thing does not shoot darts at all! It shoots a very rare type of ammunition, the Koosh Spinfire Ring. Utilizing a very special propulsion system, this blaster has been known to launch the rubber discs over 70 feet. Daaaaaaamn. Well, the only downside is that they don't travel too fast, so a simple step to the side will be enough to dodge a ring. Not to mention, even a slight breeze will completely throw off your aim. Anyways, I have no rings, nor any desire to use them.

People often compare the Tornado to the Crossbow, and ergonomically they are very similar--comfortable handles and stocks, and priming at the rear. However, there is one major difference between the two: modding potential. The fact is, Crossbows are skinny. You can't fit a plunger tube in there with a diameter over 1 1/4'' without bulging the shell out. The Tornado, on the other hand, has a ton of real estate inside--enough to house a 1 1/2'' PVC plunger tube! This thing will be compact and powerful.

This project will be put on the back burner for now--I've been enjoying my period of rest after finishing my RainbowPump. Soon I shall resume again and turn my Rebelle into a femme fatale. Stay tuned!

~T

P.S. I like italics.

Post #100!

Hey guys,

I can't believe it but I've actually hit 100 posts! To celebrate, I put together a little surprise for you all--keep in mind that I used my camera, so quality is not the greatest. Enjoy!

My first homemade: a Mini-RainbowPump!

Sup guys,

It has been a while, and I'm extremely excited to bring you this writeup--it just might be the finest thing I've ever produced! I know you guys have probably grown impatient with the lack of posts as of late, but I wanted this project to really shine. After many hours of toil and many beers, I have finally brought my first homemade to fruition. In fact, I probably spent more money on booze than actual materials for this project. Hey, as Samuel Tayler Coleridge once said, "Some men are like musical glasses--to produce their finest tones you must keep them wet." Never mind the holes that were drilled completely off-kilter in the pump grip and all the random Dremel marks...

In any case, my construction process was mainly based off Ryan's RainbowPump writeup. For those that aren't familiar with it, it looks like this:

Mine is very similar, but here are the major differences:

• 8.5'' K26, rather than a full 11''. Allows for more compression (power)
• Shortened grip and plunger tube by 2''
• String stop replaced by traditional foam rubber padding
• Wooden grip replaced by HDPE (cutting board)
• Plunger head is screwed in with a 2'' screw
• Trigger is 1/4'' thick, rather than 1''
• Wye is not permanently attached
• Rear stock changed
• Clear and white color scheme wherever possible!

Let's delve deeper, shall we?

RainbowPump progress: Part 2!

Sup guys,

I've been steadily working through the build, and I've finally hit a snag today--my 6-32 tap was not long enough to tap the hole in my plunger rod. With my new tap being days away from delivery, I figured that this would be a good time to give you guys an update:

As you can see, there is not much left to do! Only the front bushing and shoulder stock need addressing before this beast sees the light of day. The end is nigh, fellas!

~T

RainbowPump progress--slow and steady!

Hey guys,

I finally have laid Grand Theft Auto to rest and modding has once again resumed as normal. Here's some teaser pics of the handle that I just finished:

It is made primarily from HDPE (cutting board) and polycarbonate. Feels real nice in the hand! Hang in there, guys--it shouldn't be too much longer until this one sees the light of day.

Cheers,
~T