Things are about to get more interesting for our hobby-ing with my friends. One of them, German, now has a 3D printer that is able to craft parts from computer designs. Pretty much whatever we can manage to create on a computer, it can render in plastic form... which will become quite handy for both Nerf and Laser Tag. The first order of business? Creating sensor housings for my Pulse Rifle! 
These are "dead bug" versions of how we might be installing two IR Sensors into the vents of the main barrel of the Pulse Rifle. There will be 3 sensors built into this blaster so that it'll function like an LTX with the target being the blaster itself. Previously, when we were using Laser Challenge, you would just hit the user's chest with the sensor rig being separate from the blaster. Instead of installing an ugly red dome on the Pulse Rifle, we are integrating 3 sensors onto the blaster itself. With one sensor on each side of the blaster and a third facing forward, it should replicate the same kind of coverage that a Phoenix LTX would have.
The 3D printer will be building a housing for the two sensors pictured as one part and a second part as the housing for the one that'll be center-mounted. We're hoping to have them installed by Wednesday! If all goes well with this, it's likely we could be building our own blasters and accessories from the ground up!
in theory, (maybe not in practice), you could print longshots. most likely the printer does not have a large print area and would have to be done in sections... another factor would be the cost, and pretty much if you wanted to make more than 5 longshots without it taking a couple of weeks due to sections you would be better off buying a plastic injector. oh well, any idea how much it costs and how much the cartridges are?
ReplyDeletePrinter itself is can be from 1,000-10,000+, but you have to look for at least a square foot of printing space. The abs cartridges are about $300 for a decent amount (i think).
Delete3d printers are awesome, but are pricey.
I am just fascinated how you installed the sensors into the vents of the tagger. I am putting together some zombie control collars, like the ones in the film Fido, needing something low profile and your design looks like it would work the best.
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