Electronic Autococker 3-Way

[Angry Man]

Alright, I'm a cocker owner (I like mags too though, don't get me wrong) and one thing that has always bothered me is how difficult it is to get an effective electro frame for a cocker. Once, due to some iffy timing, I shot through my safety (short stroke, of course). It was the shortest pull I'd ever seen on a non-electro marker...actually, the shortest I'd ever seen at all.

So I got to thinking that I could have a trigger pull that short if I had a short and precise enough 3 way. Why all the fuss over electro frames with standard 3 ways when you could just make an electro 3 way (basically an external solenoid i guess) that was basically infinitely short? It would be expensive, but nothing compared to the 500 dollar electro cocker kits I've seen....and timing would be tricky, but I'm sure it could be adjusted digitally or something, in fact that would be even more precise this way.

Why aren't there electronic autococker 3 ways? It seems like a good idea to me.

[Kweasi]

Erm. What do you think electro cockers use?

There are lots of electropneumatic 4way valves on the market. So many it's hard to keep track of them.

-Kweasi

[Angry Man]

The centerflag uses any standard 3 way.

And I'm not talking an electro frame, I'm talking a frame that sets off the three way in the same way the intelliframe sets of a revvy. Would this be feasable?

[TRIAD]

Dude, that's like what's already made, there isn't an actuating rod and coupler, just a wire running from the trigger frame to the selonoid.

[Telefragged]

If you want to tinker around with some of that stuff, the SandRidge ones are definitely the most advanced. The valves and ram are rated to over a billion cycles, and they're the fastest around. Granted they're a bit bulky, but the technology involved with making something that tough and that precise just ups the coolness factor 100 times!

[sniper1rfa]

it would work fine. but remember, the timing of a cocker is highly dependent on how fast you pull the trigger back. so if you did it right the trigger would be just as long.

[Kweasi]

Just FYI, sandridge doesn't make it's own solenoids, they're just plain jane mac valves, same units as are used in the brass eagle Rainmaker and AKALMP Excal.

All these units are based on automation industry parts, they're not really paintball specific, though some maunfacturuers have made modifications to suit paintball applications.

-Kweasi

[cledford]

Nice Idea...

But the Racegun guys have beat you to it. I purchased a Racegun kit at the IAO that has a solenoid based 5way that you replace the trigger linkage and 3(4) way with. The trigger frame (second half of kit) has a leaf type switch (Angel/Timmy like) in it that activiates the solenoid for pneumatic control, and trips an electronic ram that releases the sear.

It can be programmed using a PC or Palm Pilot. It cost $535 dollars. Came with a recharger, data link cable, CD, and NiMH battery. It is capible of cycling up to 22 cycles per second and has 4 different modes: classic (release the trigger to close bolt), semi (cycles gun completely for each trigger pull), turbo, and full-auto.

I purchased it for the full auto-mode. Look for some tests in the near future in which we evaluate the consistency of the 'cocker - as well as it's ability to feed (or not feed) at the higher ROFs :)

Can also be fitted with an ACE system. (Requires drilling cocker body.) The ACE is like that of the Timmy - 2 opposed eyes.

-Calvin

[nicad]

yall i think hes wanting to make the trigger hit a switch, which then does the work that the trigger would normally do.. no computer, no timing.. just an "electronically interfaced trigger".
This one was done well over a year ago...
Angry Man you didnt mention how your wanting to drop the sear tho.. still mechanical? that takes some trigger throw too..

[Angry Man]

That link you posted was pretty cool and 14bps on a cocker is nothing to sneeze at. I didn't even know they could fire that fast. I don't have the mechanical/electrical skills to do something like that but it's cool to know that it's possible.

My original idea was simpler (I think) but probably less effective....an electronic 3 way that is set off with the exact same method as a mag's intellifeed. If you hold down an intellifed intelliframe the hopper keeps cycling until you let go. So the same idea would go with the electronic 3 way....the 3-way would remain in the "on" position while the trigger was held back and once it was released it would go back to normal. Just like a normal 3 way, but set off with an electronic switch instead of being pulled manually. This could be timed by adjusting where in the trigger pull the switch was set off (maybe you could move the switch in the grip frame from side to side a little to do this). This would be so cool! Btw, this would be with a slide trigger, not a hinge cause the switch would be placed under the trigged plate.

Anyone know where to buy a solenoid that would work like a cocker's 3 way and be converted into one?

[Angry Man]

Well, I found a solenoid store. These things look cool. Anyway, I'm wondering if I want a 3 way or 4 way solenoid. Here's a link to one that looks good:

http://www.valvestore.com/assolval55.html

[Kweasi]

24VDC and 1/4"NPT inputs? Maybe something a little less.....um....insane?

-Kweasi

[Angry Man]

Yeah, I didn't look at the item very carefully. I'd need a flipping battery pack to use it. Anyway, I can't really find anything smaller....if you know where to look that would be excellent, though. If I can pull this off for like 70 dollars it would be pretty sweet since these solenoids seem not to be as expensive as I thought.

[Kweasi]

Look at the valves already used in paintball. I'm afraid I don't know serial number off by heart, but I think Have Blue does. Look at MAC's, SMC's, parkers/skinners, even humpheys. But you're looking for the really small ones, and some that run at reasonable voltages, ie less than 9v.

-kweasi

[Angry Man]

Thanks. Btw, I will need a 4 way 2 position and NOT a 3 way valve, right? Just making sure.....