usaeatt2

Hi Curro, PVC comes in standard thicknesses like schedule 40 or schedule 80. For the receiver (outer tube) you want schedule 40 or thinner. Schedule 80 is too thick. You can use anything you want for the inner barrel, but I've got resin barrels that are EXACT copies of a real Sterling barrel. Much easier than trying to fabricate something. http://www.whitearmor.net/forum/topic/33001-resin-cast-sterling-barrel-and-bolt-spring-cup/?p=427498 Aaron

...rubbing hands together briskly...<br> Yep, this is gonna be good!!! Very exciting! No pressure, Tino...

Sean - you're cracking me up!!! I have a good friend who speaks everything in the type of language in your GIF... Sorry guys, there's been a slight delay in production...my wife wanted to paint the exterior of the house before bad weather (which is SOON, here in Northwest Indiana). Soooo, that's what I've been doing everyday for the last two weeks. I hung the shutters last night (using my truck headlights for lighting), so the end of painting is very near. Production on resin barrels and TK interior parts will resume soon. I've got 5 finished barrels and a few more straight out of the mold. I have USPS small flat rate boxes made up for everyone on the interest list (serves as a reminder seeing those boxes stacked up!) Summary: I should be able to pick this back up pretty quick - maybe send some orders out this week.

GS: "Why don't we talk about building you a nice AR-15 instead?" ME: <walking towards the door...>

By "simple extensions", if you mean making new sections of tube to fit BETWEEN what's left of a parts kit tube... Been there, done that. Not so simple to end up with an exact length, perfectly straight receiver. Not impossible, but it's way more fiddling around than I want to do again. And then there's the unappealing part about drilling 76 PRECISELY spaced holes. I know, you don't have to drill all the holes, but if you're going for accuracy, skipping holes is cheating. Much easier, in my opinion, to start with a brand new tube. I hadn't thought of consulting a gunsmith. Definitely worthwhile, but ultimately, the ATF decides if it's demilled, no matter what the gunsmith says. The advantage is having a third party (with no investment, financial or otherwise) who knows how to interpret the rules. Good call, Vern.

Having made the gut wrenching decision to cut my steel replica in half for legal reasons, I've thought quite a bit about Sterling demills. I've heard LOTS of bad ideas about ways to demill a weapon - most DON'T meet the requirements and look terrible, IMHO. Every demill I've seen looks BAD from an accuracy standpoint. Here are a few examples: - Muzzle bolts welded externally to prevent barrel removal - Magwell hole welded shut so a real magazine can never be installed - Horrifying MIG welds - Charging slot filled - No bolt - No barrel - Trigger group welds with huge undercuts from too much amperage With this in mind, I've developed my own ideas for a POSSIBLE demill that still passes the accuracy grade. Since Carl is digging deep to find answers and Vern is helping out, I thought I'd throw these ideas in the mix. 1) Start with a CNC machined steel receiver tube from Dday. 2) Cut the tube in half, exactly in line with the rear of the barrel (you can use a resin barrel to get the spacing). 3) Fabricate a fake barrel using a tapped steel plate for the front, a steel tube and a solid steel plate for the rear. 4) Install the fake barrel, then fillet weld the entire rear plate to the receiver. 5) Weld the receiver back together. 6) Machine the trigger sear flat. 7) Tack weld the trigger group into the receiver at the front corners (under the receiver, not easily seen) 8) Drill a 1/4" hole in the front face of the bolt to remove any chance of installing a firing pin. 9) Install the modified bolt, springs, etc. 10) Weld a steel rod across the rear of the receiver so the internal parts can NEVER be removed or replaced. 11) Position the steel rod (mentioned above) so the welds are hidden by the end cap. There's NO chamber, NO possibility of changing parts and NO possibility of loading or charging the weapon. There's NO chance of ever firing a round, but the bolt, magazine and trigger still move. At this point, you essentially have gun-shaped nut cracker. For you guys doing the deep research, would this meet the ATF's rules for demills? Or is there a snag somewhere? Something that doesn't meet the rules? If none of the parts can move, then you may as well carve your E-11 out of a brick. What's the point of a replica if all the cool features are disabled? Click, click...so my trigger makes noise... It would be FAR easier to install lead weights in a resin/plastic toy and avoid the legalities. Aaron

Fortunately, you're there to save those archaic Hengstler's from the trash bin. Makes me wonder how many have been pitched over the years to make way for advanced technology... An average worker would probably have little idea what these are worth on the prop market.

SUH-WEET!!!

Roy sells blaster size T-track sets. If you don't see them on his website (link listed above), send him an email. IMHO, Roy's are the best track you can get for your money.

Wow, I'm getting misty over here. I could only hope to express my sentiments with such eloquence. A real class act and an even better friend!

Bittersweet. I always looked forward to reading your professional and detailed armor reviews. I can't even begin to express how much I've learned from your myriad postings. Your knowledge and the way you presented it will be sorely missed. On the other hand, you have clearly earned your retirement, with honors. To paraphrase a famous AC/DC lyric, "For those about to troop, we salute you!" Enjoy your retirement and please stay in touch!!!

Han "sat" first... I don't know about "shot", but he definitely "sat" first.

Thanks, Matt. I'm honored to receive your very first post!!! DON'T throw your E-11 in the bin - use the information on the FISD to improve it!!!

So cool... You're bringing back lots of memories! Man, I LOVE this stuff!

Hey Mark, can you post pictures of the revised parts?

NICE. I like how you cut the caps. Different than what I did, but more effective I think. They sure look nice and shiny! I removed the caps using a torch first, then cut them to the correct size. If you heat the caps, the solder melts and the cap just falls off. The heat discolors the cap a little, but it's not a big deal since they'll ultimately be painted. It's always good to learn a new trick! Thanks!

Sorry Chris...I was on my way to bed when I responded. I posted capacitors, NOT resistors. Tino's images straightened me out...THANKS! The RESISTORS measure 9 to 9.5mm long and 3 to 3.5mm wide. There's a tiny bit of variance. You can probably find these anywhere for cheap, but if not, PM me and I'll mail them to you. These were extras from a job I was doing at work... Aaron

Check the classifieds...Dday (Derrek) had two new, complete E-11 blasters for sale as of yesterday (10/6/2015).

Hey Chris, here's a picture of the resistors Andy identified in his research PDF as screen used. The body is 23mm long, with 1mm "caps" at each end for a total length of 25mm. Width is 5mm. Apparently, these were being given away (free!) at one point, but most supplies have been exhausted now. I have 6 loose originals that will forever remain untouched...I would never be able to paint such a rare item flat black!!! But they are perfect for display or measurement!!!

You know you're doing it right when I have to scrutinize closeup pictures twice to actually believe this is a resin build... BEAUTIFUL WORK.

AWESOME. Thanks for the update and upgrades Mark! Can the revised parts be purchased separately for troopers who already have AP armor?

OK guys, I spent the day gathering packing materials and setting up a "shipping area". I'm waiting on a delivery from ULINE shipping supplies, which is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Other than that, barrels, spring cups and bullets are packed, boxed and ready to go to the post office. I'll start sending PM's tonight.

I'm gonna jinx this right up front and say I don't think this will be difficult to find. The spring needs to be 7/8" diameter. Maybe 15/16", but that would be really tight, and 3/4" would be almost too small. I'm guessing some guys will figure a different way to install the spring cup because you'll never see the inner spring on a resin gun. I was already thinking along the lines of black foam tube or something similar. If someone DOES find the correct diameter spring, they'll probably have to cut it to avoid putting to much pressure on the cup (LOL, sounds really BAD). The spring cup walls are only about 1/16" thick. I'm casting these in regular resin AND high impact "semi-rigid" resin. We'll see how they hold up, but I'm expecting to replace a few in the beginning...until somebody devises a practical way to install these.

Well... Turns out I had my schedule mixed up - October 4th was something else. Vacuum forming was scheduled for October 5th and since it's a 4 hour drive, I actually arrived back home on October 6th. Good news? I modified my mold and got 14 really good pulls tonight, errr, last night. I have enough parts to start putting together helmet kits, but that's another thread... For THIS thread, I have 5 barrel castings worth sending out and more coming. Packaging starts tomorrow. My silicone barrel mold is developing a very minor tear, but it affects quality, so that's going to have to be re-made. Good news is, the bottom half is still in perfect condition, so it's just a simple re-pour, no clay, parting lines, etc... This also gives me the opportunity to improve pour spouts and vents. LOL, and the Aussie busting my "rhymes with walls" hasn't even ordered a barrel!! Although he DID get dibs on the first helmet kit sometime last year... Time SERIOUSLY seems to move faster as you get older...

The "green things" are speakers!