January 2000 Tech Tips

TIP #1   TIP #2   TIP #3   TIP #4   TIP #5

TIP #1  -

I unplugged my remote line ---- it was real hard and when it came loose air went everywhere. Now when I plug it in it leaks.

The above comment I here way more than I would like. This is caused by not releasing all the air out of the hose before disconnecting. When you turn your tank off there is still a considerable amount of air on the line. This needs to be bled off completely. For safety sake if no other reason - that line can take off like whip and crack somebody good.This is generally done by shooting the gun after you have turned off the tank until it will not "pop" any air out whatsoever. As for the leak generally what happens is when all that air was released it blew an o-ring out of the quick disconnect. This o-ring is just a little bigger in diameter than a #2 pencil and sets in the bottom of the female portion of the quick disconnect just below the ball bearings. When I replace these I usually put a urethane o-ring in as opposed to rubber. They last longer and are not as sensitive to CO2.

Waddya mean did I get all the air out --- BOOM-WHOOOOOSH-AHHG

TIP #2  -

My motorized hopper won't stop running when sun is bright.

This is a problem only with the clear or colored hoppers. After considerable use the paint in the neck area will flake and/or get rubbed off. This paint is to prevent ambient light from setting off the electric eye. The best fix is to take the two halves of the loader apart and remove as much of the old paint as possible and simply re-apply some paint to the neck of the loader and its surrounding area ---- about an inch out from neck all the way around. I have had best luck with model paint (the same hobby paint you would use to paint your favorite warplane).

Go away eets not finished yet it still needs more paint - I am an arteest!

TIP #3  -

My burst disc blew and now my dealer says I gotta buy a whole new valve. Why?

The manufacturers and safety experts have determined that burst disc assemblies need to be standardized and sold as one complete unit. The down side is there have been 4-5 different size and thread pitched burst disc plugs built over the last 12-14 years or so and the new burst disc assemblies are not always matching up with these older valves. Please be extremely careful if/when trying replace a burst disc ---- if it doesn't thread in easily or wobbles as it threads DO NOT USE. Be safe and buy a new valve they generally sell for 12-15 dollars. That's a whole lot cheaper than body parts.Your tank valve should be replaced every so often any way, brass is a soft metal and is prone to wear and tarnishing.

Eeny meeny minee mo pick a monster between his toes ---- how's a guy supposed to knows. I AM better off buying a new one!

TIP #4  -

When I fire my gun it cycles but no balls come out.

Most blowback guns have a "hammer" or "striker" (same thing by the way) and a "bolt" that are linked together in some manner. The most common way of doing this is with a through pin passing through or connected to the bolt and slips down into the hammer/striker. These pins take one heckuva whippin. In other words they suffer being beating back and forth every time you fire the gun. They simply can't do that forever they eventually snap in two (or more). This part is most commonly replaced in raptors and older illustrators but does/can happen on dozens of other models. When this occurs the hammer goes back and forth as it should, but no longer being connected to the bolt it doesn't chamber the balls into the barrel, which is the bolts job.

After all I've done for you ---- you went and split on me!

TIP #5  -

My automag is like a Waggoner power painter --- it breaks so much paint.

The following is not always the case but is common enough to mention here. Some of the older automag guns and even new guns upon request can have what is affectionately called a "foamy" bolt. What this means is that glued onto the front of the bolt is a piece of foamy rubber that cushions the ball as it is being fired. In colder weather or with extra brittle paint I really prefer these to the "foamiless" bolts. Every so often this piece of rubber comes off --- it is just glued on. Without it the balls roll to far back in the barrel and allow the ball above it to come too far down and get pinched or sliced. When replacing the foamy the most important thing to do is removed every last little bit of glue and old foamy from the bolt, and rough up the surface with a pick or the blade of a screwdriver. The glue I recommend is the gel form of krazy or super glue. Be sure to put glue on both surfaces also.

Is there something missing here? I can't seem to put my finger on it.

Erik Hoffman is not to be held responsible for any injury or equipment damage. Our recommendation is that all paintball equipment repair or modification should be handled by a competent and qualified airsmith or by the manufacturer of said product. Anybody using these tips should take great care doing anything to and/or operating any paintball equipment.