(WIP) G1 Prototype

That is the name for now since I cannot think of anything better. This is my foray into the growing number of fully-3D printed nerf blasters being produced by modders like me. So, let the blog begin!

This blaster initially stemmed from my original desire to create a brushless nerf blaster much like the FDL2. I originally decided to place the internals inside a rapidstrike shell because I did not want to waste time and filament to produce a blaster from scratch. I originally assembled this into a semi-decent package that worked to a degree. The issue came with the flywheel cage. The original cage I had used in this weapon was based on a 42mm OFP cage. It was designed to fit a set of 2212 brushless motors I had acquired earlier. The performance of these wheels were better than stock, but not by much. Several reddit questions later, and  I deducted that the cage I was currently using was not the best for the job, as the best type of cages were not stock-sized. I later found this article that reinforced what I was already thinking. The answer was clear: I needed a different cage. Using the research that had already been laid down before me by the fantastic efforts of people like torukmakto4 and FDL-1, I began to design a better system for my blaster. I quickly whipped out a prototype cage much like the one described in the above hy-con blog. It had an outer diameter of 50mm, and a complete envelopment of 9.5mm. Everything worked, and it laid the grounds for what I produced below.

Unlike the previous brushless weapons that were designed to be prototype test beds, I wanted something that actually looked good. Those others were great and all, but the research into weather brushless flywheelers will actually work has already been proven by said weapons, so why continue to make them look boxy and malshapen? I present to you the (work in progress) G1:

I’ll admit, it is not the most form pleasing in this current iteration, but that is OK. I am still developing its finer aesthetic details, but the basic form of the blaster is still present in this cad prototype.

For a test, I printed off this section of the blaster’s handle. It is cut down in every area that is not essential, but it shows the basic principle in which it works.

I will post more developments as they come.