Info About the History & Demise of The Air Assist

[Z-man]

Hey AO I was doing some reaserch (ok just a few google searches) and I was curious about where the air assist originated and how long it lasted bfore being replaced by the forcefeed hoppers.

-Was this one of these ideas that no one really knows who made it and it started appearing as home and proshop mods?

-Was it ever offered stock on any markers?

-When did it start showing up and by bout when was it over.

The air assist seemed a bit like the intellifeed in that it came and went in a pretty short order (as far as being used in Revys and other agitating loaders). I would love to be pointed in some direction.

[personman]

I'm pretty sure they came stock with some shockers.. maybe not, but I'm pretty sure shoeboxes are the only markers I've seen air assist on.. Maybe you already knew that much but whatever.

[VFX_Fenix]

the Shoebox Shockers came with an air assist port in the side of the gun (at least all the ones I've seen have) however they needed to be sent back to the factory to have the port tapped to accept a micro line fitting. Other guns that came with Air Assist (stock) would have to be the Adrenaline Elemental Angels. Beyond that I don't believe any guns had it. The thing with the Air Assist is that it pretty much needs to be run on an electro and in the days of the Shoebox and Angel there really wasn't much else that srpings to mind. Sure there were the ICD Bushmasters/Defiants but ummm... yeah, full electropneumatics weren't all that numerous.

EDIT: Apparently someone was crazy enough to mod a Stingray II with an Air Assist as well. I'm guessing that the AA thing was from around '00 to '02 since I couldn't find any real information on an LED Angel with AA and I know the '01 LCD generation did thanks to Adrenaline

[BigEvil]

I remember back in the day that I&I Sports offered an air assist vl200 for the VM-68. It had a piston in it of some kind, with a air line that ran to the side screw on the body for the valve.

[SpecialBlend2786]

yeah, I remember them on the Adrenaline Angels. It couldn't be added to the Feather Adrenalines because of the low rise.

http://www.buypb.com/adrenalineangel.asp

[cledford]

The shockers did not come with an "air assist" - that was an exhaust port that was REQUIRED. Someone jus tapped it and came up with a gimmic. I don;t think anyone ever proved that the air it supplied was enough to move the mass of the ball stack.

-Calvin

[MagManULE]

Air assist is definitely best described as a gimmick. I remember the shoebox with the air assist, I think the only think accomplished was blowing grease from the 'noid all over the feed tube and making the barrel a disgusting mess. My friend did this to his led angel and he seemed to be happy with it but I was never convinced it did anything and for all the effort he put into making it sound legit he eventually took it off and the led worked the same.

[warbeak2099]

It's really easy to do on a tippmann with a RT ready powertube. There's already a plugged port sticking out the side of the body for the line that goes to the RT cylinder. Unplug that port and screw in a fitting. Then attach a line to the fitting and attach the other end of the line to another fitting. Drill/tap a hole in the feedneck and screw the 2nd fitting into it going downward. That way you have excess air coming from the valve.

[RRfireblade]

And even less shots per tank on an already infamous gas hog.

Don't waste the time, it hardly as any effect at all over blow back especially on any marker with as much blow back as a....... blowback.

[Automaggin2]

And even less shots per tank on an already infamous gas hog.

Don't waste the time, it hardly as any effect at all over blow back especially on any marker with as much blow back as a....... blowback.

Eh, I dunno if it would give you less shots per tank. Wasn't it an exhaust valve that people routed an airline to?

[personman]

Eh, I dunno if it would give you less shots per tank. Wasn't it an exhaust valve that people routed an airline to?

No, he's talking about the tippmann rt.. even though I dont think they are really gas hogs but whatever.

[RRfireblade]

Tippy RT. I should have specified that.

On the Shocker yes, it was a pre existing exaust port.

Don't think a Tippy RT is a Gas Hog? It leaks air all over the place during a shot, feeds air to the cyclne AND to the RT off the same pulse of air.

The factory air leaks alone from a single shot could cycle some markers a 1/2 dozen times.

Wanna see something funny, run a Tippy RT on liquid CO2, holy crap...smoke comes spewing from EVERYWHERE !!!




It's quite a sight.

Much like this guy.

[GT]

however they needed to be sent back to the factory to have the port tapped to accept a micro line fitting.

all of the shockers I owned were pre-tapped, and it wasnt a macroline as the 1/8 npt fitting is freaking HUGE!!! any gun with an external exhaust had the possibility of being "air assisted" angels, shockers, etc....

[MonsterMag]

The Tippmann R-t takes the air that is normally discharged into the air outside and uses it to power a cylinder to make the (r-t effect) You use the same amount of air as a stock tippman. The A-5 uses the air to power theyre "cyclone feed system " and the r-t ram

[RRfireblade]

The Tippmann R-t takes the air that is normally discharged into the air outside and uses it to power a cylinder to make the (r-t effect) You use the same amount of air as a stock tippman. The A-5 uses the air to power theyre "cyclone feed system " and the r-t ram

That's not true. That tap when not being used is not an exaust for anything. It's a tap directly off of the valve chamber diverting air the would normally go to fire the ball.If it's not being used to feed the RT, it's not being used at all.It the same source that is used on the A5 as they are the same marker for all practical discussion.