Just got this: what do I have?

[Chikahiro]

Groovy.

The tighter in it is, the higher the velocity? So, in an effort to be thorough, I might've sabotaged myself?

Good to know. Got my HPA tank refilled, and the local field is letting me borrow a tank just so I can be sure I don't run out of air again while getting stuff done. Long weekend, and I've got Friday off to help out with a school event, so I can hopefully be playing paintball as early as Friday afternoon :3

[athomas]

You don't need to triple regulate any gun. Two regulators is all you ever need. A regulator gives a preset output but the output is often dependent on a combination of the spring and the input pressure. The spring tension is a constant, but the input pressure can vary, especially in a paintball tank regulator where it actually varies from about 4500psi down to about 800 psi of usable air. The output from the tank regulator can vary by 50psi as the tank looses pressure. So, to compensate, most guns use a second regulator to add stability. So, instead of a 3700psi change in pressure, the regulator on the gun only sees a 50psi change. Therefore, the output from the gun regulator only varies by 4 or 5 psi which equates to less than a 2 fps velocity drop from a full tank to an empty tank. Shot to shot velocity drop won't even be noticed.

The main reason we don't add extra regulators to provide more stability, is because each one acts like an air restriction and slows down the flow of air. To adequately maintain a good flow rate, you need about 200psi or greater between the input pressure and the output pressure of each regulator in the line. Even then you are still adding a delay in the air response. So, don't use any extra regulators beyond what is actually needed. Two is the optimum number for good flow rate and good regulation. Stick with the one on the bottle, and the one in the mag valve.

[Chikahiro]

Nice! Thanks for the detailed response!

I'm really enjoying the Automag so far, even with the challenges its presenting my newbie self. I had thought about buying Tippmann Crossover down the road*, but now? I might opt for a new Automag instead. We'll see. From what I'm understanding, I can virtually rebuilt this Classic into something pretty modern with all the parts from AGD and Tunamart :)

*reward for playing a solid year and getting under 200lbs.

[Chikahiro]

SWEET!

I've got my leaks down to two locations now: the o-ring on the remote line plug (trivial), and the macro-line plug. Well, guess I need to retry the macroline (again), but thankfully I ordered a second length of it so if it fails? I've got a backup. Once I'm done with those, I'll be able to set up a target and actually shoot it to see what else is up

I'm close to being done, and am quite happy with that!

[Chikahiro]

Leaks seem mostly fixed, at least externally. There seems to be one internally, and the power tube (?) seems to get stuck. Not sure why. Maybe I need to lubricate it more?

http://1drv.ms/1Pw6aUQ

I'll have to rewatch that video on trouble shooting.

It will fire, though! Got a number of reballs off at a back-yard target :)

edit: rewatching, and I believe it did stop leaking when I held the trigger down. So, looks like its something with the power tube.

edit 2: Bolt stick (8:40) seems to be the issue. Okay! Glad I ordered the spacers from Tunamart.

[athomas]

If the bolt is sticking forward, then your body washer is mushroomed. Just file it out so that the deformed metal is smoothed off and the hole is opened back out to its proper hole size.

Bolt stick is when it fires and resets, but not far enough to allow the sear to reset. If the spacer or spring is too short, the oring holds the bolt forward. A longer spacer will fix this. It generally won't leak when this happens unless the powertube oring is bad. If your body washer is mushroomed, you need to fix it first, as that will affect your operation.

[Chikahiro]

If the bolt is sticking forward, then your body washer is mushroomed. Just file it out so that the deformed metal is smoothed off and the hole is opened back out to its proper hole size.

Bolt stick is when it fires and resets, but not far enough to allow the sear to reset. If the spacer or spring is too short, the oring holds the bolt forward. A longer spacer will fix this. It generally won't leak when this happens unless the powertube oring is bad. If your body washer is mushroomed, you need to fix it first, as that will affect your operation.

I'm looking at the exploded view, and don't see anything called a body washer. As such, I'm not sure which part you're talking about

[athomas]

I'm looking at the exploded view, and don't see anything called a body washer. As such, I'm not sure which part you're talking about

The exploded view is for the valve. The body washer is welded inside the body and separates the valve from the breach area of the body. The bolt spring rests between the front of the bolt and the body washer. The body washer is a permanent part of the body and is not removable. Sometimes it does get mushroomed a bit depending on the use of the gun throughout its life. It is easily fixed using a file to hone the hole out.

[Chikahiro]

The exploded view is for the valve. The body washer is welded inside the body and separates the valve from the breach area of the body. The bolt spring rests between the front of the bolt and the body washer. The body washer is a permanent part of the body and is not removable. Sometimes it does get mushroomed a bit depending on the use of the gun throughout its life. It is easily fixed using a file to hone the hole out.

So, this thing?

http://1drv.ms/1LexWif

Okay, I'll see what I can do. I've got files, but they're for war-gaming miniatures. And mushrooming means its getting flattened on the inside? Making that hole narrower, even if its not obvious to the naked eye?

[athomas]

That is the body washer. You should be able to tell if its mushroomed, just by looking at it. If you drop the bolt into the body, it should easily fit into the body washer without any restriction. If the bolt fits without any rubbing and the body washer is fine, then something else is out of alignment. An issue such as this is usually the body washer.

You might have to get a more robust file than one for minatures. Stainless steel is fairly hard and the inner surface is a large circle. A 1/4" round fine tooth file would be ideal.

[Chikahiro]

Hmm... seemed to drop in fine. The spring around it, though? Its brand new, and seems to be less accommodating. I didn't think to check it before, but it seems to be scraping the sides of the bolt... I wonder if it was sometimes grabbing the bolt rather than just pushing it back? Hmm... lube the outside of the bolt? I dunno...

[athomas]

Hmm... seemed to drop in fine. The spring around it, though? Its brand new, and seems to be less accommodating. I didn't think to check it before, but it seems to be scraping the sides of the bolt... I wonder if it was sometimes grabbing the bolt rather than just pushing it back? Hmm... lube the outside of the bolt? I dunno...

The spring can be tight. It will expand outward as it compresses, so it shouldn't be a problem. You can wet the spring with oil to help keep it from rusting, but dry it off with a cloth. A bit of the oil residue will stay. Don't lubricate the outside of the bolt or the spring. The lubricant will transfer to the breach area and the balls which will cause them to fly erratically.

If the bolt is sliding into the body ok, then the bolt sticking forward in probably not caused by your body washer being mushroomed.

Try putting the gun together so that the valve is installed with the bolt on but without the bolt spring. Hold the trigger and tip the gun forward so that the bolt slides forward into the breach. Does it stick?

[Spider-TW]

Try putting the gun together so that the valve is installed with the bolt on but without the bolt spring. Hold the trigger and tip the gun forward so that the bolt slides forward into the breach. Does it stick?

Without gas attached.

[Chikahiro]

Without gas attached.

Don't you want me to get a Darwin Award?

[athomas]

Yeah, I should have mentioned without gas.:) Actually, if you do have the air attached and hold the trigger, it should work fine as long as the on-off orings are good. But, to make it easier, don't attach the gas.