My new project... Flying an Angel ;-)

tjs0349 · 07-31-2009, 11:40 PM

A1 frame on a G7 (Gat/06 Speed). See the pictures below. I still have a couple of things left to do for everything to be fully functional. I need to slot a new pivot point inside the frame to move the trigger forward appox 1/8 th inch. This will allow me to use the stock trigger instead of the A1 trigger. The advantage of this is that the magnets and vernier wheel will all line up and be functional without additonal modding. I also need to adjust the arm on the G7 trigger that trips the opto switch on the A1 board properly. In addition, I also need to fashion some eyes that will work with the A1 board. I think I can adapt the A1 ribbon eyes to work. If all else fails, I'll just solder together my own eye harness and either create an adapter for the connectors on the A1 board or solder it directly on to the board. The last thing I need to find a way to keep the set pin for the ram assembly in place. Normally it's held in place by the frame, but since this frame is not as long, the pin hangs down from the back of the body. I think I'm going to simply tap the hole and replace it with a set screw. Maybe I'll cut the pin and JB weld part of it to a short set screw or the hardware store might have something like that already made. After all that is finished, the only thing left to do is order grips and the scroll switch cover and bezel. Once everything is working I'm going to get the frame annoed with a black to red fade to match the marker.

jonotwist · 07-31-2009, 11:55 PM

I like! kudos.

juggernaut326 · 08-01-2009, 01:09 AM

Very nice. I think a snatch or talon grip should be added to even out the length of the frame to the body.

FrmrSpecialist · 08-01-2009, 02:43 AM

thats sick.. I like it.

SK33W0NK · 08-01-2009, 02:45 AM

Me likey.
Nice idea, very clean.

rammstein_5v2 · 08-01-2009, 08:47 AM

Looks ****ing tits broseph.

Very clean

payntballer · 08-01-2009, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juggernaut326

Very nice. I think a snatch or talon grip should be added to even out the length of the frame to the body.

I agree. That does look cool too, I always liked the G7 body more, but an A1 frame... Nice

tjs0349 · 08-01-2009, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by juggernaut326

Very nice. I think a snatch or talon grip should be added to even out the length of the frame to the body.

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.

The snatch grip is a good idea. It would also serve to hold the set pin for the ram assembly in place. I'll have to see what I can come up with. It might be difficult as all I have to work with is a dremmel, so fabricating something from scratch is a bit out of the question. I'll have to see if I can find a snatch grip that I could modify to work.

P8NTBAWL'ER · 08-01-2009, 10:41 AM

very clean. good job.

jonotwist · 08-01-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjs0349

Thanks everyone for the positive comments.

The snatch grip is a good idea. It would also serve to hold the set pin for the ram assembly in place. I'll have to see what I can come up with. It might be difficult as all I have to work with is a dremmel, so fabricating something from scratch is a bit out of the question. I'll have to see if I can find a snatch grip that I could modify to work.

delrin is plyable.

XKE · 08-01-2009, 02:41 PM

I always like the feel of the gat/speeds frame more, but this does look nice. Well done.

loki32687 · 08-01-2009, 04:39 PM

Where did you come across a spare A1 frame? Or did you sacrifice an A1?

tjs0349 · 08-01-2009, 05:30 PM

I posted in the WTB section on angelowners.com. Someone had a frame. The rail was slightly messed up, but the ASA I'm going to use still fits on the rail securly and you can't see the bent sections of the rail when it's on.

dr.strangelove · 08-01-2009, 06:20 PM

Good luck making A1 eyes work. Using wires may or may not work either, as the channels for the ribbons are very, very thin and the routing isn't well suited to wires. If you are able to get the wires routed through the body, you can simply solder pins onto the ends of the wires and stick the pins into the sockets for the ribbon eyes - that's easy (see this thread for some ideas: https://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=2396989. This will be by far the most difficult part of this mod.

For the ram retaining pin, I'd recommend using part of the original pin instead of using a set screw. A set screw is going to taper at the end, so unless it's very tight it may allow room for the ram to move/vibrate. You could simply find a set screw the same diameter and flatten the head with your dremel, or, like you mentioned, you could attach a portion of the pin to a set screw. Alternatively, you could cut the pin roughly in half, push it into place, and then use a short set screw to hold it in. If you do that, you'll have to use a magnet to get the pin out, or drill a hole in the pin then tap it for threads so that you can use a screw to pull the pin out.

Also, you may have a bit more trouble than you're anticipating getting the G7 trigger in the A1 frame - the mounting system is pretty different. You'd probably be best off using the trigger from a G7 .45 frame.

I'll be most interested in seeing what solution you come up with for the eyes. Keep us posted. Looks pretty good so far. If you get it all functioning, match-ano that frame. It'll be very nice.

By the by, A1 frames can be purchased any day of the week from www.fixmyangel.com

http://shop.fixmyangel.com/angel-gri...nly-p-904.html

tjs0349 · 08-01-2009, 09:29 PM

Thanks for the info Dr. Strangelove! I appreciate your feedback!

My ideas for the eyes are along the lines of the link you provided. I was thinking of using an old IDE cable from a computer. The wires are flat and thin. I could cut them in to flat strips that have several wires connected side by side.

The marker I am working with is a Gat. My understanding is that it's similar to an 06 speed. I actually think the wire channels for the eyes are fairly deep in the body until the point where it has to go under the rubber covers. That was where I was thinking wire would give me trouble. I could make my own rubber covers like in the link you posted. My idea if I had to resort to this was to use the eye covers from an e-cocker and cut them to fit.

What I think I'm going to try first is to use the original eye ribbon cable and solder wires to the end of it. There are big flat leads where it goes in to the connecter and I could easily solder some wires on to that and then use pins to get them into the right place in the A1 connecters like in the link you posted.

I need to figure out the pin out of the eye connectors on the A1 board before I can decide if this will work. I'm assuming each connector has a positive and ground for an emmiter or reciever, and then a positive and ground for the visible "laser".

For the retaining pin I'm pretty sure I'm going to use your suggestion of cutting the pin in half and then putting a set screw in behind it. I was thinking that I would JB weld the pin and set screw together. This would make it easy to remove.

I think the trigger will actually be easy. Like I said this is a Gat/06 speed. I don't know if it's different from a standard G7. This is the only Angel I've ever owned.

The way I have the frame mounted all I have to do is move the pivot point just in front of the two screws that hold the trigger in. On the A1 frame the pivot point is just behind the screws. If I move it just in front of the screws the magnets on the front and back of the Gat trigger line up to the magnets in the body. The post for the vernier wheel also lines up. I'll have to cut out a a small section of the A1 frame where the screw is that adjusts the backstop of the A1 trigger. This is neccesary to allow clearance for the Gat's trigger. Other than that the only thing I will have to do is adjust the angel of the arm that trips the opto sensor. It may need to be shortend as well. I won't be able to tell until the trigger and board are in place.

If I'm succesful at getting this functioning, my plan is to have the frame annoed to match the marker as you suggest. Also I think I'm going to have SPD copy the Gat's skull grips in order to keep the marker's overall appearance close to original.

I'm definitly going to keep you guys posted. I probably won't have a chance to work on this again for about a week, so don't expect any updates until next weekend at the earliest.

Again, thanks everyone for the positive feedback and interst!

dr.strangelove · 08-01-2009, 10:23 PM

Yeah, you know what, brain fart on my part. I was thinking of wired eyes in an A1 body - not a G7. You won't be able to use A1 eyes, but wired eyes should be workable for you. The eye polarity will be easy to figure out if you've got a multimeter. If you don't have one, pick one up. Harbor Freight sells them cheaprer than Chinese toys with lead paint at the dollar store.

JWest_87 · 08-02-2009, 12:38 PM

That looks very professional!

How much did everything cost?

tjs0349 · 08-02-2009, 07:57 PM

Picked up the board for $20 or $30 used and the frame was $55 used. The frame has a slightly bent rail, but the rail is still useable.

tjs0349 · 08-03-2009, 10:05 PM

Okay, I lied about not being able to update until the weekend. I don't think I'll be able to do any work on this over the weekend so I worked on it tonight and I have a minor update.

The trigger from my Gat/06 Speed is now in the frame and working. The magnets line up, and the vernier wheel works. The arm on the trigger that trips the opto sensor didn't need any adjusting to work correctly. If I have a chance I'll post some video to prove the vernier wheel works, but for now here is a picture.

All that is left to do now is fashion an eye harness and address the set pin for the ram assembly. I also need to place an order on fixmyangel.com for screws (to hold the board in), grip cheeks, the light pipe for the LED, the scroll wheel cover, and the scroll wheel bezel.

I probably won't update again for a couple of weeks.

fs8frenzy · 08-03-2009, 10:12 PM

looks very professionally done

tjs0349 · 08-05-2009, 04:24 PM

I created a grip design to match the originals that I will be sending to SPD to have grips made.

Original Grips:

My Design for SPD: