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LOL, we must have posted simultaneously. The answer to your question is in my previous post...ENJOY!

Update: Functional "Shots Fired" Hengstler Counter Musical Inspiration: Causa Sui "Euporie" Videos at the end. Although the counter is functional now, I ran into a snag that's going to require a different Hengstler coil. The coil I have is 24V, which requires two 9V batteries wired in series. Both batteries fit in the short E-11 magazine, but JUST BARELY. My intention is to make everything fully functional, including the bolt action. The two 9V batteries take up the WHOLE magazine, including the shell ramp area. This means the bolt can't slide past the magazine without trying to load the top of the battery into the chamber. That obviously won't work... I have two options: 1) replace my Hengstler 24V coil with a 12V coil (which means I could eliminate one battery) or 2) grind the chambering rails off the bolt. Although no one would ever see it, I'd rather not grind anything off the bolt. It was quite a trick to fit everything without using ANY space inside the receiver. The batteries are inside the magazine, the switch is inside the grip and of course, the Hengstler is self contained. I wanted to run the wires inside the receiver, but I couldn't do that AND make the bolt functional without grinding a clearance slot in the bolt. So, I compromised and tried to hide the wires. I used RC airplane connectors so I can unplug the wires and disassemble everything. Let me just say I can ABSOLUTELY see the advantages to a resin build now. The trigger switch would have been a simple project for a resin build... So here's how it started: There is NO clearance inside the trigger group, even for a tiny 2.5mm switch. I had to figure out another way. There's a small pin that extends down into the grip when the trigger is pulled. That seemed like a good bet. Here's the pin before pulling the trigger (bottom, center of picture)... And with the trigger pulled all the way back... Now, I just had to figure out a way to make the pin hit the switch. I used oven bake clay to determine how much space I had to play with inside the grip. I essentially loaded the whole area with clay, assembled the trigger and grip, then pulled the trigger to make a pin impression. Then, I trimmed the excess clay and carefully disassembled everything. This effectively created a "negative space" mold (I'm not sure what else to call it). The clay showed me how much space I had to play with and MOST importantly, where to mount the switch so the pin would hit it. There's not a lot of room for error when the button on the switch is only 1/8" wide. Next, I needed to determine if the pin would actually push the button, so I soldered some wires to a switch to use for testing. Soldering wires to these tiny "surface mount" switches was a 'B', but it all worked out. I ended up trashing this one during testing. The second switch I soldered came out much better - it's actually the switch in the gun right now! Penny used as a size reference... I tested switch continuity after soldering. This is where the trial and error starts... Physically, I can't put the switch anywhere EXCEPT somewhere within my negative space clay mold. I started carving and testing. Carve a little, do a test. Carve some more, do a test. Repeat until there's no interference and the pin pushes the button at exactly the same time the sear releases inside the trigger group. Here, you can see the inside of the grip. The slot in the middle is where the pin goes when the trigger is pulled all the way back. I can use my clay mold in the trigger group or in the grip to check clearances. I ended up carving away a lot more than I thought, but each test told me I needed to go a little deeper. And here's the final version of the clay mold: Funny thing is, after all that work, the clay mold just tells me where to put the switch and then it's garbage. I carved out the area identified by the mold inside the grip, did one last test, then glued the switch with a couple drops of CA glue. I had to be EXTRA careful not to get ANY glue near the button. I cut up an old computer "ribbon cable" for the wires. The wires run up the back side of the grip. I needed them to run forward to the magazine well. I used the dremel to carve a groove for the wires inside the grip. Here you can see the wires exiting the front edge of the grip and running along the edge of the trigger group. When the folding stock is in the normal position, the wires are hidden. When everything is painted, I don't think anyone would notice them anyway. Well, MAYBE Germain would notice them... With everything assembled and the wires routed through the grip, I did another continuity test: If you made it this far, you lucked out, because I got really busy trying to get this done tonight and forgot to take pictures. The only picture I took between here and the completed videos was the batteries mounted in the magazine. See how high that top battery is? You will see the problem that causes in the next video... I made two final videos. The first video is with the magazine fully seated and shows how far the 9V batteries extend to the top of the magazine. While "firing" you would normally hear the trigger mechanism clicking, but the bolt can't extend forward, so the sear is stuck. You only hear "single clicking" in this video - that's just the counter counting and no sear release. If I pull the trigger with the bolt fully retracted like normal, the bolt would release, accelerate forward, then hit the battery and most likely cause a short circuit or worse, shear off the battery terminals. There really is a significant amount of force behind the bolt. You'll see and HEAR the bolt action in the last video... While typing this, I realized I could demonstrate full function by releasing the magazine and sliding it out about 1/2". This provides clearance for the bolt and is essentially the same thing as eliminating one of the 9V batteries. You can hear "double clicking" in this video - that's the sear releasing inside the trigger group and the counter counting. Pay attention to the sound of the bolt on the "first shot" at the 13 second mark - it's IMPRESSIVE, even on a crappy cell phone video!!! The list is getting shorter and I think I've finally got an excellent option for paint. I hope you enjoyed this post!

LOL!!! Your Grand Prix? That car looks just FINE from what I've seen. I'm guessing original paint too, which makes it even better! Someday, I might try that, but for now, I pay a professional to paint cars and motorcycles. Bodywork is way too much work to risk screwing up right at the end. I have a friend who painted his '69 Camaro in his two car garage and he claims it was easy with his HVLP gun...it looked great after a few days of wet sanding and buffing!

Off topic for this forum, but I carved this guy from EXAPNDED polystyrene (regular styrofoam) for a party. It carves fast and I only spent about 3 days on this project. Extruded polystyrene carves better and you can make more intricate details. I sealed it with StyroSpray hard coating to make it weatherproof and strong (I can stand on it) and he lives at a friend's house next to a swimming pool now. ---------------

I've never heard of jackofoam, so I looked it up. It's extruded polystyrene. In the U.S., that material is typically used as house insulation. I've actually carved many things from extruded polystyrene using a hot knife. You can also use expanding urethane foam (like Great Stuff) as an adhesive to stick sheets together. It makes a mess, but it's a nice material for carving. Once you've got your sculptures done, then you could coat it with something to smooth it out, then use it to make a mold.

Gotcha. For this build, I can use heat...but not on the next build. I'm taking advantage while I can. I had the receiver hotter than 450 degrees while soldering. Brownell's calls for 100 degree preheat, apply GunKote, then bake for an hour at 300 degrees. I'm not sure what the olive drab coating is on all my original parts (like your folding stock), but I know for a FACT, the olive drab stuff is TOUGH. I've welded it, torched it and sanded it - about the only thing that removes it is filing. I HOPE that's how GunKote works - and you can get it in 6 different colors: matte black, gloss black, matte brushed stainless, matte olive drab green, matte gray and gloss gunmetal blue. I think the GunKote matte black is the ticket for me. Now, what to do with the 8 various cans of black I bought for testing... http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/metal-prep-coloring/paint-finishes/bake-on-aerosol-paints/gun-kote-trade-oven-cure-gun-finish-prod1150.aspx

No internet access? It's getting tough here to find a place that DOESN'T have internet access...are you going on vacation to somewhere exotic? We spent a week in Africa on a safari and most places didn't even have power, let alone internet, but even the Masai tribe people had cell phones!!! I asked how they charge the phones...apparently, a member of the tribe is given all the cell phones and they walk sometimes 50 miles to the nearest village that has power. They sell crafts and jewelry to pay for having their phones charged. Anyway, I'm not much closer to paint and I found out about ANOTHER product through a post this morning. My FISD firearm education continues... Given Dark CMF's recent experience with easily scratched flat paint, finding out about and researching Brownell's "GunKote" may have changed my paint choice once again. A baked on, extremely durable, matte finish seems like a great choice. My next update involves making more things functional. Currently, everything works, but I still need to clean it up cosmetically. I also ordered "low profile socket head cap screws" to replace all the add-on hardware. And on an impulse, I ordered a roll-wrapped carbon fiber tube for a pipe build. I'm going to call it "Hightech Blastech".

Ooooooohhhhh, this is SOOOOO COOOOOL!!!! Next update could be a game changer. Maybe my proudest blaster achievement so far... Could barely contain myself, so I thought I'd take a page out of Dark CMF's book and leave you wondering for a day or two...

REALLY NICE!!! Since it seems to be a topic of recent interest for many, I'll ask how you did the "textured" paint?

Factory finishes involve special products to provide durability and chemical resistance, especially for mechanical parts. GunKote is baked into the metal. Normal gun bluing involves baking in salts and is essentially a form of controlled rust which acts as a protective coating to prevent further oxidation. Cold bluing is a chemical reaction which also produces controlled rust. All of these treatments are durable because there's something happening at the molecular level in the base metal. Paint is just a surface coating. 2K or epoxy paint is much tougher, but it's still just paint, which can be scratched or chipped. The body of a scope doesn't experience any kind of mechanical wear or rubbing like trigger parts. It also doesn't get cleaned and oiled regularly like the internal parts of a gun. Scopes just get an occasional external wipe down. I think every one of these M19/M38/M40 scopes shows some kind of cosmetic wear (brass showing) since they've been around for a long time. If they were originally treated with something like Gunkote or bluing, I don't think you'd see as many with exposed brass. In other words, a factory coating like Gunkote probably would have lasted much longer without wearing away. IMHO, I think the scope body was just painted with a regular black paint. I might be wrong - I haven't researched it. For a prop or replica which won't experience severe duty, I think 2K paint will look just fine, if you can apply it thin enough. Of course, your ultimate choice for a thin, durable finish would be GunKote or DuraCoat. You get what you pay for. Interested to see how you finish!!!

Wow! That looks really nice and you're doing a great job polishing, even in the difficult areas. What's the final goal? To smooth out the scope body, then paint? I would be worried about paint adhesion after all the polishing. Usually, you would want to "rough up" a glossy surface to give the paint something to grip?

You polished all the protective cadmium plating off, but it won't matter if you intend to paint it.

That's exactly how I did my ears. I have an old drafting set and you can remove the needle from each compass. There are three different sizes, so I removed the needle and used the smallest. Nice post!

Thanks guys! Much of this was spread out in various FISD threads and I had to go digging on the internet for the specifications chart. Now it's all assembled in one place.

LOL, nice! Everybody's gotta start somewhere... at least I made it here.

Excellent start, Sam! I'm a Dark CMF fan as well - there's an alluring quality to his build thread which makes things seem deceptively simple. I really like your inner barrel, especially the blue bit as a basis for the rear of the bolt. Nice job with your machine work too - I'm going to have to get one of those rotary tool extensions...it really does look like it would be easier to control.

You finally had some extra scratch and bought that vintage Hengstler you've had your eye on? Now you want to set your TK number or make your counter functional, but don't want to risk damaging it? Follow along and gain confidence to perform some simple work on your counter. I will disassemble, set numbers and perform modifications to a German Hengstler counter. This particular counter is likely pre-WWII because it has a large eagle logo. When WWII started, the Hengstler company replaced the 'eagle' logo with an 'H' logo to avoid association with Nazi politics. "TK Bondservnt 2392" has covered some of this procedure in different postings over the years and he also provided some background history, so this thread wouldn't be complete without mentioning him as a resource. If anyone KNOWS these counters, it's Vern. By the way, I've seen several threads talk about brass sockets. So far as I've seen, NO Hengstler counter has a brass socket. The sockets are just cheap "pot metal" castings which are cadmium plated. For comparison, the first common item that comes to mind when I think cadmium plating is automotive power brake boosters. Cadmium plating offers excellent corrosion resistance and can be used as a final finish or a base coating for paint on many metals including aluminum. The gold color is a result of the cadmium plating process. With cadmium plating, you usually also see hints of reds and greens mixed in with the gold color. If you need help identifying the specifications of your counter, especially electrical, try referencing the chart below. These counters were originally used in industrial automation - the most common use I've heard is counting post office letters. In a 2012 post, Michael from Germany said the engraved writing "Patent applied for DBP angem." means this counter was probably used by Deutsche Bundes Post. The Hengstler company still produces instrumentation, but today they've advanced into digital instrumentation. Start by using the correct tools. Use jeweler's screwdrivers and a light touch. Many parts are delicate plastic, and remember, back in it's day, this was a precision piece of measuring equipment. Be careful and go slowly so as not to scratch or damage anything. I'll refer to "front, rear, left and right" as seen when the counter is properly mounted on an E-11 balster. For reference, imagine holding the blaster and looking at the numbers. One last tip before we get started...the screws are TINY and if you drop one, good luck finding it. I use a trick I learned while working on avionics in Air Force fighter jet cockpits - cover your work area with a contrasting color fabric. On the flightline, we would get as many clean, white rags as we could find and lay them in the cockpit under and around the equipment we were working on. If you drop a screw or a nut in a fighter jet cockpit, you MUST FIND IT, otherwise it could find its way into the wrong place during flight and cause a short-circuit. The rags cover gaps and provide contrast so a dropped screw or nut is easily found. The NEMISIS of flightline avionics specialists? The F-16 throttle grip, with 6 switches, a tiny electrical connector and two WICKED springs to prevent unintended throttle movement past "mil thrust". I guarantee more than one ejection seat has been removed because of parts lost during throttle quadrant maintenance! So, now that we have a good, clean work area over a contrasting color, let's get started. Remove two brass screws from the top and bottom of the rear plastic cover. I like to set the screws on their heads so they don't roll off the table. After both screws are out, carefully pull the cover off. Remove the front socket by simply pulling it off. There's a small metal tension clip on the right side that holds the socket in place. The electrical connector on the socket may or may not have external pins. The connector attaches to the cover with a small screw. The screw was missing on my counter, so I'll replace it during reassembly. If you'd like to remove the connector, remove the screw and carefully pull the connector off. The external pins just use a compression fit over the inner pins. I've heard of some counters being bought with other electrical components attached - they were not sold this way, so if yours has "extras", it's likely because it was actually used. You might have a small resistor soldered across the two lower pins - this is done to prevent "chattering" caused by "noisy power". In an industrial environment with lots of equipment, small amounts of stray voltage induced by electromagnetic interference is common - the resistor is used to drop voltage and prevent counting the "noise" voltage in the wires. Some people like to remove the pins. These pins are retained by very tiny e-clips. Remove the e-clips using the tip of your screwdriver and/or needle-nose pliers. Be careful with these - they're known to shoot across the room as you release them. Once the clips are off, you can push the pins from front to back through the plastic housing. Inside the counter, there's a metal plate used as a linkage which may or may not be loose. If it's loose, it might fall out, so be aware and keep the counter over your work area. If all you want to do is adjust the numbers, you DON'T need to remove this plate. To adjust the numbers, the easiest way I've found to do it is by using the reset button. You need to apply JUST ENOUGH pressure to the reset button to disengage the plastic gears, but NOT SO MUCH that the numbers reset. It's a fine balance. When you find just the right balance, you can use your finger to freely rotate each number wheel to your liking. Patience is key. DO NOT force anything. The numbers should rotate easily. If they don't, try applying a little more or a little less pressure to the reset button. You should be able to easily accomplish this after a few tries. I can't really show a picture of this because it takes both hands. Use one hand to gently push the reset button and the other to rotate the wheels. If a number is slighty off, you probably need to rotate that number wheel one more tooth. In this picture, I'm holding the counter between my thumb and finger and applying pressure to the button with another finger. It's easier than it sounds. In this picture, I'm showing how to use your finger to rotate the number wheels. You may want to temporarily install the rear cover with the number window to check the alignment of the numbers. As an alternative to manually adjusting the numbers, you could actually push the number incrementing lever hundreds or thousands of times, but I figure that's not likely. It gets old real fast. In the following photo, the toothpick is touching the incrementing lever. Once you've set your number, you will want to ensure a simple push of the reset button won't eliminate all of your work. This can be done by 'disabling' the reset button. There's a small slot in the bottom of the button. You can place something in the slot to prevent the button from being pushed. I've seen a scrap of plastic placed in the slot. I used a small, brass, flathead rivet. Whatever you use, make sure the cover fits over it. Just remove the item if you want to reset the numbers. If you just wanted to change the numbers, then you can skip the coil section and begin reassembly. If you want to remove or replace the solenoid coil, the metal linkage plate must be removed. The plate in my counter was tight, so I used the tip of a screwdriver to work one edge loose. Because of the retaining tabs, the plate has to come out at a slight angle. Work one side out, then carefully pull the plate out at an angle. Remember the orientation of the linkage plate. The small, raised arm actuates the number incrementing lever. Under the linkage plate is a thin plastic insulator. Carefully remove the insulator by lifting each side over the retaining tabs. Remember the orientation. There's a cut out area for the number incrementing lever. Don't tear the insulator. Remove the coil bracket retaining screws. Again, these are small, so stay over your work area. After both coil screws are removed, you can help remove the coil assembly by applying light pressure to the top of the linkage plate retaining tabs. The coil assembly slides out of the metal housing just like a drawer. Carefully pull until the coil assembly is removed. Coil assembly removed. I need to make some internal electrical modifications to my coil, so I'll also be removing the internal pins to expose the ends of the wires. This probably isn't necessary for most people, but I'll cover it anyway. I also didn't like the "sticker" on my coil, but didn't want to destroy something "original", so I VERY carefully peeled the sticker back using a screwdriver tip to work at the adhesive. MUCH better and I think more "vintage" looking without the sticker. To preserve the sticker and prevent it from getting lost, I just flipped over the assembly and stuck it on the back side. Internal pin removal. These pins are retained by a V-shaped plastic clip. Use the tip of your screwdriver to carefully pop each side of the clip out of the pin grooves. With the V-shaped plastic clip removed, the pins are free, but they still have wires attached. These pins pull out of the front of the plastic assembly. Use a soldering iron to melt the solder and remove the wires. These are tiny wires and it only took about a second to melt the solder. Keep in mind that you are working very close to plastic parts and the wire insulation is thin. Any more than a second or two and unintended things will start melting. This is also precisely WHY I removed the V-shaped clip FIRST. Wires de-soldered and internal pins removed. I put the clip back onto the pins so these loose parts don't get lost. Now my wires are prepared to be extended and wired into an internal switch and batteries. The 12V coil will activate with a single 9V battery. 24V coils will activate with two 9V batteries wired in series. Don't be surprised if the steel core in your coil is stuck...these counters likely haven't been used for a long time. Sometimes, you can loosen them up with a short burst of more power or by working the core manually. Reassemble the coil by positioning it correctly and sliding it back into the housing. You'll notice there are metal "guide" rails cast into the housing, similar to drawer rails. When the coil is fully seated in the housing, install the coil assembly screws. Next, install the plastic insulator. Make sure it's in the correct orientation, so the cutout area provides clearance for the incrementing lever. Next, install the linkage plate, making sure the arm is engaged with the lever. Slide the front socket on and install the rear cover and screws. Install the electrical connector and screw and you're done! Easy. Hopefully, this guide has helped you maintain, adjust or just get to know your Hengstler counter a little better. Don't hesitate to post or PM if you have questions.

Same here...I liked the "first time threat". It was unique and instantly recognizable, like Tim's "slightly beat up" thread. LOL, you should ask gazmo to change it back!

My armor isn't finished and I've never trooped, but common sense tells me this should be PINNED. Great advice! Thanks for sharing, Derek!!!

AWESOME!!! I did a similar disassembly and cleaning, but didn't strip the original paint. What do you intend to use to replace the original black sealer (especially noticeable around the edges of the front lens assembly)? I used black gasket maker/RTV, but wondered if there might be a better material for this. Can't wait to see it finished!!!

I didn't know who Irvin Kershner was, so I looked him up. Joining the director team might be tough since Irvin Kershner died on November 27, 2010.

Germain: Good guess on hero belt parts! I hadn't thought of that and I think I remember Tim talking about doing hero armor. Ian: I thought about hairspray too, but figured it would be a sticky mess if it got wet. I think fixative is a "paint" version of the same thing. Mystery item: A test pull for final approval on gloss and color? Matching hardware tray for your build? Giant chicklet gum?

Really inspiring work, Tim! I truly look forward to reading every one of your updates. I'll be really sad to see this thread end, but I'm excited to see your armor build start. I'll be sandblasting my receiver tomorrow and I painted the grip yesterday - it's so glossy I'm afraid to touch it for fear of scratches. I had another thought for protective coating - clear matte fixative for pencil or chalk drawings. You should be able to find it at any Michael's or Hobby Lobby. One more option that's not semi-gloss or satin. Curious, I can't identify that piece of armor? And why does it arrive separate?

+1

The comparison picture speaks for itself, no? THANK YOU, GERMAIN! Getting closer to being done - one step at a time... I didn't even know they made Metallica Chuck's! Our bride friend will be thrilled to know (if she doesn't already). Nice Pink Floyd cup in the background too! We have a friend who plays keyboard and sings backup vocals in a Pink Floyd tribute band named Think Floyd. They ONLY play Pink Floyd covers...that's it, nothing else, but they are PRECISE. If you close your eyes at their gigs, it's like being at a Pink Floyd concert! Thanks for sharing!