At last, an update!

Sup guys,

Once again I have gone AWOL after finishing a big project, but by no means have I been idle! I've been hooked on The Last of Us--a must-own PS3 exclusive. I also modded my car recently--a simple speaker and head unit installation that was completed in a couple of sessions, thanks to the Internet! The S2000 community is very supportive, and reminds me a lot of the Nerf community. It's a lot of like-minded people coming together to share their findings and pave the way for the betterment of their hobby. As for what's next, here's a clue:

The Ported Piston Plusbow

What's up, my people?

It took a while, but I've finally finished my first Plusbow! It is designed by the one and only Captain Slug. For those who don't know him, Slug possesses the mind of a genius, a love for Nerf, and a hatred for Dremels. Though he is a gentleman and scholar, I still found several way to improve upon his design. Here are my changes:

• HDPE grip
• Solvent welded front bushing
• Longer screws for everything
• Extension spring instead of ghetto rubber band
• Ported Piston plunger head
• Plunger padding
• Smaller holes at the sideplate connection points

Here's Slug's original creation for reference:

Now let's get down.

The Ported Piston--a new type of homemade plunger head!

Sup my people,

After finally getting around to thoroughly testing this prototype, I'm very excited to present you all with some dope new technology that you may not have seen before! The idea is not mine, but I'm "porting" it over from our sister sport--Airsoft! Before we dive in, let's quickly go over the advantages and disadvantages of regular old O-ring plunger heads:

Advantages:

• Incredibly cheap
• Take up very little real estate
• Easy to maintain
• Long-term reliability
• Low friction

Disadvantages:

• Sealed breeches don't allow air into the plunger (vacuum loading)
• More machining required
• Tight tolerances to get a working plunger head

The Ported Piston, or PP is a modified O-ring plunger head that eliminates the first disadvantage off the list and adds yet another benefit--an improved seal while firing. Though Nerf has incorporated primitive ports onto some of their O-ring plunger heads, none of them offer all the benefits of this design. Here is a picture to illustrate:

Of course, you have to imagine a dart plugging up the right side of each plunger to understand the real benefits! Now let's learn how to make one.