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Monday, June 30, 2014

ESLT

Well, I guess it is just an LT since it has latex tubing and not an extension spring. Anyways, this is my ESLT.















As you can see, this thing looks awesome. It features:
- 3d printed handle/trigger assembly
- 3d printed barrel holders
- 3d printed catch pieces
- 3d printed plunger rod adapter
- 3d printed plunger head (u-cup)
- 3d printed air redirect piece
- Clear plunger tube
- Vertical pump grip
- Super comfy stock
- Latex tubing powered
Yes, a lot of the features involve something being 3d printed. 3d printed parts are actually the main feature of the blaster. Ryan on NerfHaven designed this blaster around 3d printing. The printing streamlines the process and makes it so there is no cutting polycarbonate or wood for a handle. This makes it a fairly simple blaster to put together and a fun one too.














I decided to go with the 3d printed stock instead of a tee and I am very happy with that decision. I added cutting board and foam to it and it makes this homemade the comfiest out of any homemade that I have ever made. I also used the 3d printed air redirecting piece instead of the special PVC fitting found in the writeup. This piece cannot be found in the writeup and you have to ask Ryan for it. It eliminates dead space, making the blaster better. The only problem with this piece is that it didn't fit the little metal piece needed to seal the plunger rod. Because of this, I had to design my own adapter and print it out. Luckily it worked the first time.














This blaster is very fun to use. The vertical pump grip makes the priming easy and the latex tubing eliminates any problems caused by springs. With the combination of the latex tubing and the snapoid catch, this blaster is incredibly smooth. Just priming it is satisfying. The trigger is also awesome because it feels like a real trigger when it springs back. It's also pretty sweet to the the plunger rod in front of the plunger head. Surprisingly, when I put my finger on the top of the air redirect piece, it gets a great seal.
As for the blaster acting as a bullpup, it is very nice. Having the barrel closer to you is always better. My only complaint it that the hopper is in front of my face on this blaster, unlike on my bullpup (thanks to MIG) when it is behind it. This isn't a big problem and I'm probably just not used to it yet. Bullpups are infinitely better than everything else and it is hard to go back to normal blasters after using bullpups.














This blaster performs very well. There are still problems that need to be fixed, but I still managed to get good performance out of it. I tensioned the tubing to have a more difficult draw than a K26 and that is probably why it is getting good performance. The ranges are on par with every other homemade which is great and the accuracy is increased because it is a bullpup. This is a great blaster overall. It is fairly easy to make (you still need a good amount of experience), it is comfy, it is fun, and it performs well. Ryan designed and amazing blaster and if you ever have to chance to buy or build one of these, I highly recommend it.

What needs to be fixed for those of you that care:
One problem that need to be fixed is when I put CPVC in the air redirect piece, it cracked the piece. It now creates a hole for air to escape every time the CPVC is inserted, making the blaster barely have a seal. Another problem is that the blaster sometimes created a vacuum when priming and firing. The latter can be fixed by drilling more holes in the stock, but the priming one can only be fixed by using T da B/Ryan/Kane's ported piston plunger head. Luckily, I printed the plunger head and the o-rings are on the way!

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