Write-Up: Longshot Boltsled Reinforcement

Akimbo Assassin wrote:with Chris's aluminium sled

Try and work out whats cause the resistance
I just finished a batch of 10 sleds and realized I made a mistake with the vertical part and I have to remake that part.

Akimbo Assassin wrote:OK, I tried this method of bolt sled reinforcement yesterday, but unfortunately due to my lack of skill and inexperience, several parts of the aluminium not glued evenly around the original bolt sled. It created too much resistance on the rails, so after I primed the sled it will not sprung back when I pulled the trigger. So anyone who is not very skillful with metalwork (including me) should think twice before they attempt this method. Now I have to figure out some way to repair my bolt sled, I think I will have to file the aluminium parts that are in contact with the rails down to paper-thin layer tomorrow. Damnit, if I can't repair it, it is either I have to buy another Longshot or replace the whole bolt sled with Chris's aluminium sled

I wouldn't say lack of skill and knowledge. Just being that you're unlucky. My way was the version of not being lazy ass. Theres the other way where you just cut the shape of the aluminium to the sled and do it without the folding. Oh well you can always spend $80 on a sled and catch.

chrisb wrote: Try and work out whats cause the resistance

I am thinking it is the two long sleds that are causing the resistance. I guess due to the extra thickness created by the epoxy glue + aluminium folds, the sleds slid along the rails very tightly. So tight that Chad's spring cannot even spring the bolt sled back to its place.

littlebro05 wrote:
I wouldn't say lack of skill and knowledge. Just being that you're unlucky. My way was the version of not being lazy ass. Theres the other way where you just cut the shape of the aluminium to the sled and do it without the folding. Oh well you can always spend $80 on a sled and catch.

I do have badly made ones, sled and catches
The good sleds are $45 plus either $10 or $20 for the plastic or aluminium tail part

Akimbo Assassin wrote:

chrisb wrote: Try and work out whats cause the resistance

I am thinking it is the two long sleds that are causing the resistance. I guess due to the extra thickness created by the epoxy glue + aluminium folds, the sleds slid along the rails very tightly. So tight that Chad's spring cannot even spring the bolt sled back to its place.

Try removing all the aluminium from the under side of the sled and file down and deburr everything. You only need to be out by 1mm before it starts getting stuck, that and aluminium/plastic dont slide well together, also because it is so much harder then plastic that if you have any sharp edge it will dig it the plastic and make it even harder to move

If all else fails...


MORE LUBE REQUIRED!!

EDIT: 50th Post. Win hahaha.

yeah i should of mentioned that if you fold the aluminium underneath the sled it won't slide over properly. -_- Sorry man.

chrisb wrote:Try removing all the aluminium from the under side of the sled and file down and deburr everything. You only need to be out by 1mm before it starts getting stuck, that and aluminium/plastic dont slide well together, also because it is so much harder then plastic that if you have any sharp edge it will dig it the plastic and make it even harder to move

Thanks for the advice Chris, and that was what I had been doing this whole morning, filing the aluminium folds on the two sleds down to very thin layer, even some aluminium parts had been filed off completely. The rest of aluminium was left alone in its original 0.5mm thickness. Then I smoothened the surface of the aluminium folds with fine sand paper. Hallelujah, my Longshot lives again There is still some resistance though as I can feel I need to prime the sled quite hard to load each dart, but Chad's spring is strong enough to spring the plunger forward again.

On other note, I also attempted filling streamline dart tips with hot glue. Tried out 10 darts first and they definitely do fly a lot straighter now, but there is slight decreased in range by a few feet. Hey, I am happy to trade a few feet shorter range for more accurary any day

Now you dont need an aluminium bolt sled
Speaking of which, I'll video me trying to bend one