Custom Q-Loader Plumbing *Updated*

[Levi]

I wanted to get my Q-Loader hose plumbed a little tighter to my mag so I made up a little adapter to mount the low profile elbow right to the Socket.











I still need to make provisions for mounting the detent spring that keeps the balls in the feedtube when you remove the pod. Otherwise it seems to work quite well. I just made the adapter this evening so I haven't played with it yet like this yet. I did just shoot a full pod through it and it fed without a single hiccup.

I want to get some playtime in with it to see if I'm going to like this configuration. If I do, then I'm going to turn a piece to replace the horizontal section of Q-Loader hose.

[knownothingmags]

dude that sweet, simple and awsome. thats awsome to see simple and smart things like this come up.

did you use a lathe?

[need4reebs]

Whoo Whee!!! thats some good stuff man!

[Levi]

dude that sweet, simple and awsome. thats awsome to see simple and smart things like this come up.

did you use a lathe?

Thanks!

I used a clapped out old Craftsman/Atlas lathe that we have at work. I used to have my own little machine shop setup in my garage, but all my equipment is now filling a storage unit. Its been a while since I've machined anything, and I had forgotten how much fun it is.

[Levi]

Whoo Whee!!! thats some good stuff man!

Thanks Reebs!

[need4reebs]

Thanks!

I used a clapped out old Craftsman/Atlas lathe that we have at work. I used to have my own little machine shop setup in my garage, but all my equipment is now filling a storage unit. Its been a while since I've machined anything, and I had forgotten how much fun it is.

hope it stays fun for ya man! better, more creative stuff gets made/done when you do it for fun!

[GoatBoy]

I am quite jealous of all of you with machinery at your disposal for stuff like this.

I have my own stuff in the works, but I have to generally go through 3d printing to get stuff made.

[need4reebs]

I am quite jealous of all of you with machinery at your disposal for stuff like this.

I have my own stuff in the works, but I have to generally go through 3d printing to get stuff made.

did you have a Rail made using the 3D printing?

[uv_halo]

Many moons ago, I tried a similar setup with my Ion (Ion with low rise elbow, Custom adapter for identical elbow on Qloader socket). I shot the following video with some fresh Marballizer:

The very next day, it was blender city with the exact same case of paint, kept in a cooler. I was sure to get the length right (to prevent chopping rounds in the socket), I reduced the number of pre-winds down below the recommended 8, but I never figured out exactly what the problem was. I tried all sorts of changes to the gun to get it working: magnetic detents, spring detents, no QEV (for slower bolt travel), lower pressure (and higher dwell), replacing the eyes (which appeared to be working). For a couple months, I was the guy who had the reputation of showing up at the part, to work on his gun...

I switched the gun over to a warp (intellisynced with a Virtue OLED), and the problem went away for good, and it handles differing bolts, a QEV, High or Low pressure, with no trouble at all.

My final suspicions were (I never isolated it):

• Fixed hose length doesn't allow for tiny amounts of hose flex to compensate for varying ball sizes (from case to case or even the same case as they day gets warmer, this would lead to socket chops during pod changes).
• Fixed hose length doesn't allow balls to travel the necessary handful of milimeters back up the stack to prevent bolt clip.

I really wanted to use this system- I slugged through three years with the QLoader and I still have all of the pods/equipment. The last time I set it up was a direct mount onto an SP-1 with the pre-winds way down (6 or less), and it worked fine for a chrono session.

I'm not saying you've got a bad system. I'm really hoping that it works for you. If it works for you, then it must've been something else with my setup.

[knownothingmags]

it was an ion no wonder you were chopping

[Levi]

Many moons ago, I tried a similar setup with my Ion (Ion with low rise elbow, Custom adapter for identical elbow on Qloader socket). I shot the following video with some fresh Marballizer:

The very next day, it was blender city with the exact same case of paint, kept in a cooler. I was sure to get the length right (to prevent chopping rounds in the socket), I reduced the number of pre-winds down below the recommended 8, but I never figured out exactly what the problem was. I tried all sorts of changes to the gun to get it working: magnetic detents, spring detents, no QEV (for slower bolt travel), lower pressure (and higher dwell), replacing the eyes (which appeared to be working). For a couple months, I was the guy who had the reputation of showing up at the part, to work on his gun...

I switched the gun over to a warp (intellisynced with a Virtue OLED), and the problem went away for good, and it handles differing bolts, a QEV, High or Low pressure, with no trouble at all.

My final suspicions were (I never isolated it):

• Fixed hose length doesn't allow for tiny amounts of hose flex to compensate for varying ball sizes (from case to case or even the same case as they day gets warmer, this would lead to socket chops during pod changes).
• Fixed hose length doesn't allow balls to travel the necessary handful of milimeters back up the stack to prevent bolt clip.

I really wanted to use this system- I slugged through three years with the QLoader and I still have all of the pods/equipment. The last time I set it up was a direct mount onto an SP-1 with the pre-winds way down (6 or less), and it worked fine for a chrono session.

I'm not saying you've got a bad system. I'm really hoping that it works for you. If it works for you, then it must've been something else with my setup.

Hmm... I suppose we will see. I've only put one pod through it so far, so its far from a proven setup right now. I will post up my results as I tune in this setup. I like how compact it makes the feedhose so hopefully it ends up being reliable.

[uv_halo]

it was an ion no wonder you were chopping

You know, in all honesty, there was hardly any 'stock ion' any more. The Reg, the bolt, the board (and solenoid), the eyes, the detents, trigger, body, were all aftermarket from the best companies available. I got a kick because several folks lamented about using AKA and AGD components (reg and warp respectively) on an SP gun. I went with the Ion because, at the time when I started the project (2006) there were no single finger electro guns with rails.

When I switched to the Warp feed, that same gun worked great all the way till I switched to first strike rounds:

I recently (May) took it down off the shelf, cleaned and re-lubed the o-rings, gave it and the Warp new batteries, and it went through the dinner battle at living legends without missing a beat. I didn't even chrono it before I loaded it in the car.

[uv_halo]

Hmm... I suppose we will see. I've only put one pod through it so far, so its far from a proven setup right now. I will post up my results as I tune in this setup. I like how compact it makes the feedhose so hopefully it ends up being reliable.

I'm with you! A good tight Qloader setup feels much better than any hopper-based gun. Keep us posted!

[Levi]

I'm with you! A good tight Qloader setup feels much better than any hopper-based gun. Keep us posted!

That's for sure!

I was a little worried that it would make my marker too front heavy mounted like that. With a full pod the ballance point is still about 5/8" behind the trigger. So far I really like how this setup feels... can't wait to get some playtime in with it.

[GoatBoy]

did you have a Rail made using the 3D printing?

Working rail, trigger, trigger guard, mag2cocker adapter ... I have 3 parts that I'm working on that are qloader related.



Levi: a telescoping horizontal piece would be interesting to see.