I email Jim over at ICE and got some information I've been dying to hear. So I'm going to put a bunch of stuff in this thread about the Ice Epic just in case noone knows about it.
Here are the questions that I asked him and the answers that he had for me.
1. What it looks to me like you are doing is just slapping on a new year number on the marker, are there any new modifications that would make me more interested in getting a newer Epic instead of a used one? I'm sorry if that question is a little rude, I'm just very interested in the answer and felt that this is the best way to get it across.
#1 We manufacture and upgrade markers on a daily basis. Any additional features that we develop get included in the production markers as well as the upgraded. Recent production Epics that have been manufactured in the past four years should all be able to be upgraded to the current standard. Older markers have some limitations due to how/when they were produced. Most Epics look the same from the outside. The improvements have always been internal. The decision between upgrading an older marker or buying a new marker depends on what level it is currently at, and the initial cost of the marker. If it is a model that can be upgraded (and needs all of the possible updates) it would cost about $75-$110 just for the updates, plus the time and effort to make the purchase and ship it in for the work to be done, etc.....
2. How long has it been since you updated your site and the prices on it? I believe your site says April 23,2007. Are all the prices still the same? Has anything major changed?
#2 You are correct that we have not updated the website recently. We are more focused on development of products both in and outside the paintball market. We do answer the phone and emails, just not immediately every time. The prices for the markers and accessories are still the same as listed on the website. The current DV8 is still the highest level marker (and most recent model) we sell, but the classics have all of the same internals.
3. Would it be possible to get an Epic with both the side feed and the vertical feed? Not together on the marker of course, but possibly both parts? Or is the base plate of the feedneck different on the individual versions of the Epic?
#3 Yes, the loader port is interchangeable on the right hand feed. On the left hand feed it is not. Both can be purchased (vertical and side feed) and switching between the two takes about thirty seconds and requires only removing two screws.
4. How much would that cost and are you a private shop? I enjoy buying american equipment when I can. I believe that you are based in Pomona, CA. Is that correct?
#4 The extra feed port would run $35.00 for the side feed and $47.00 for the vertical, depending on which you would already have on the marker. And yes, we are still in Pomona, California, at the same address for the last seven years, and don't plan on leaving soon.
5. Someone said that the only difference between using CO2 and N2 on the Epic was that CO2 took 55 milliseconds to recharge, while N2 took only 45. I'm coming from the world of carbon fiber tanks and want something that won't freeze up on CO2. How well does the Epic really work on CO2?
#5 That info looks to be somewhat correct. Being a mechanical marker the finger on the trigger has some to do with the recharge time due to the valve opening depending on how fast/far you release the trigger. The Epic works well on CO2 but has the same limitations that CO2 is known for. If you use CO2 on a warm (75-90 degree day) there will not be issues. If you try to use CO2 on a cold (50 degree) damp morning, and rapid fire, you can cool the tank down below the operating pressure of the marker (about 350 psi), then issues can occur. CO2 works fine in the Epic if the conditions are proper. N2 is always better though because it maintains a more consistent input pressure to the marker.
If anyone has any questions, you can post em up here and I'll forward them to Jim or just point him here.
Here are the questions that I asked him and the answers that he had for me.
1. What it looks to me like you are doing is just slapping on a new year number on the marker, are there any new modifications that would make me more interested in getting a newer Epic instead of a used one? I'm sorry if that question is a little rude, I'm just very interested in the answer and felt that this is the best way to get it across.
#1 We manufacture and upgrade markers on a daily basis. Any additional features that we develop get included in the production markers as well as the upgraded. Recent production Epics that have been manufactured in the past four years should all be able to be upgraded to the current standard. Older markers have some limitations due to how/when they were produced. Most Epics look the same from the outside. The improvements have always been internal. The decision between upgrading an older marker or buying a new marker depends on what level it is currently at, and the initial cost of the marker. If it is a model that can be upgraded (and needs all of the possible updates) it would cost about $75-$110 just for the updates, plus the time and effort to make the purchase and ship it in for the work to be done, etc.....
2. How long has it been since you updated your site and the prices on it? I believe your site says April 23,2007. Are all the prices still the same? Has anything major changed?
#2 You are correct that we have not updated the website recently. We are more focused on development of products both in and outside the paintball market. We do answer the phone and emails, just not immediately every time. The prices for the markers and accessories are still the same as listed on the website. The current DV8 is still the highest level marker (and most recent model) we sell, but the classics have all of the same internals.
3. Would it be possible to get an Epic with both the side feed and the vertical feed? Not together on the marker of course, but possibly both parts? Or is the base plate of the feedneck different on the individual versions of the Epic?
#3 Yes, the loader port is interchangeable on the right hand feed. On the left hand feed it is not. Both can be purchased (vertical and side feed) and switching between the two takes about thirty seconds and requires only removing two screws.
4. How much would that cost and are you a private shop? I enjoy buying american equipment when I can. I believe that you are based in Pomona, CA. Is that correct?
#4 The extra feed port would run $35.00 for the side feed and $47.00 for the vertical, depending on which you would already have on the marker. And yes, we are still in Pomona, California, at the same address for the last seven years, and don't plan on leaving soon.
5. Someone said that the only difference between using CO2 and N2 on the Epic was that CO2 took 55 milliseconds to recharge, while N2 took only 45. I'm coming from the world of carbon fiber tanks and want something that won't freeze up on CO2. How well does the Epic really work on CO2?
#5 That info looks to be somewhat correct. Being a mechanical marker the finger on the trigger has some to do with the recharge time due to the valve opening depending on how fast/far you release the trigger. The Epic works well on CO2 but has the same limitations that CO2 is known for. If you use CO2 on a warm (75-90 degree day) there will not be issues. If you try to use CO2 on a cold (50 degree) damp morning, and rapid fire, you can cool the tank down below the operating pressure of the marker (about 350 psi), then issues can occur. CO2 works fine in the Epic if the conditions are proper. N2 is always better though because it maintains a more consistent input pressure to the marker.
If anyone has any questions, you can post em up here and I'll forward them to Jim or just point him here.
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