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Building a pistol grip?

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:48 pm
by JDP12
Hey all- I need to create a nice pistol grip for my BBMG- and I could go out and buy a cheap airsoft gun, but I don't want to do that, i would like to build one.

Does anyone have any tips on what to use? I was thinking maybe wood, but I don't know yet- that's why I'm asking you guys!

Thanks,

ILTBTU

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:51 pm
by SEAKING9006
Easy way? Get a heat gun and some PVC, heat it up and squash it a bit length wise. I got a 'Plastic Welding Kit' from Harbor Freight that works better as a heat gun than a welder, I used it to make a fore-grip on a prototype I'm working on. (Stuck it on with mighty putty.)

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:52 pm
by JDP12
Oh hmm that's a good idea thanks

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:00 pm
by Carlman
melt down some pvc and let it cool to a warm touchable temp then using greased gloves mould it into your desired shape.

rag's H.E.A.L. had a moulded grip

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:02 pm
by jimmy101
You can also start with a basic wood shape, then add the finger/hand grip pattern with a suitable putty.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:04 pm
by Fnord
I've made a couple from wood and they look quite nice, but you can try bondo if want something stronger and easier to work with.

I can post pictures later if needed.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:05 pm
by SEAKING9006
Or you can just cut one off of an old airsoft gun or toy. But it won't look very nice, so putting a thin coat of epoxy putty over the surface and then sanding it down a bit can make it look a lot better.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:08 pm
by Hubb
http://www.boltsniper.com/BS-5/BS5.htm

Nice Nerf gun, but check out the grip. Back when I had my BBMG, I built a grip like that. It's not as hard as it looks.

What I did was get a 1" Sch40 pipe and cut two pieces about 6" long. I split one piece, giving me two halves and one whole piece. I put sandpaper on the whole piece and worked each half until I had a bevel. From there, I cleaned it up and glued the halves to the whole.

Once the glue was dry, I put the whole thing in a miter box and cut it off at 45 degrees, then trimmed it down to about 4 1/2".

As far as shaping it to the receiver or body or whatever it is called that it is connected to, I simply put some sandpaper around the receiver and worked the angled portion of the grip until it was beveled. My receiver was PVC, so I glued the handle onto the receiver.

I wrapped it in cloth tape to give it a grip. I didn't have individual finger grooves on it, but I'm sure it could be done.

I'm sorry I do not have any pics, I have since disassembled the BBMG. Maybe I helped you...

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:12 pm
by mark.f
Ragnarok's HEAL used polymorph, not melted PVC.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:29 pm
by SEAKING9006
IIRC, PVC is quite difficult and dangerous to melt.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:29 pm
by JDP12
Hmm thanks hubb seems like an easy idea

I'd also need a way to secure the inners of a pressure washer handle easily- any ideas there?

Here's a picture- I'm going to be cutting down the long steel tubing in order to make it shorter- gonna use a compression fitting.

The angled part would go out through the back of the grip, the steel part would be horizontal above the grip if that makes any sense. the grip will be attached to something that would hold the pressure washer valve- any tips on how to secure that inside something?

<img src="http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t79/ ... 1237404632">

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:31 pm
by SEAKING9006
Don't try to melt it. Though you CAN use the torch to make it malleable.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:35 pm
by Hubb
Well, what I did was put nothing in the grip. I had everything in the receiver and it sat just above the grip. My receiver was cut, allowing the trigger to run out just in front of the grip.

I also had a somewhat different type of BBMG too. I used a BTB vortex / cloud hybrid. Here is a quick sketch of what it looked like...

Image

Actually, I have plans to rebuild this using a pressure washer handle when I finish my current project...this time I'll get it posted.

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:39 pm
by JDP12
Yea thats what I meant- I need a way to mount the pressure washer part and the gun (series of 3/4" and 1/2" STEEL nipples and a tee pretty much) inside a receiver of some sort-similar to the nerf gun. I just need a way to securely mount it all inside a receiver

It's an unregged- thats why its steel. Tips on how to secure it inside the PVC?

Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:42 pm
by Hubb
I used a regulator inside mine. Everything was connected to the regulator using pipe and fittings. This kept everything from moving around. The regulator itself was held in place with a hose clamp.

Unfortunately, I needed to use this reg elsewhere, which is why this thing got disassembled.

If you do not plan on using a regulator, I'm sure you could find a place to hold it down somewhere with a hose clamp.