ropsitos Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 (edited) I'm ramping up my garage airsoft and after making a bunch of knock down targets, I decided I needed a texas star, especially since the BAM airsoft star has been out of stock for several months. All plywood minus the steel for the shaft and bearings. The paddles are held on with magnets. I need to do some work with the magnets because they seem a little too grabby. I might also have some binding of paddles on the side supports when the paddle is no in the vertical position. Plate are 5-3/8" diameter and arms are 16" from the edge of the circle to the end of a single arm. I'm about 7yd away. I'm also not sure it's moving fast enough, the thin paddles might not be shifting the CG enough when they are knocked off...I might try slotting the arms to remove some weight so the CG shift is more dramatic. I'll have to find some videos of the real deal to compare too. Take a look and let me know what you think. thanks Bob Edited January 20, 2014 by ropsitos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
actionshooter Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 That's awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ming the Merciless Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 That looks to be about the same speed as a full size Texas Star. I modified my BAM Texas Star the same way you're thinking about to get it to react faster by drilling holes in the arms. It reacts and spins much faster than a full size Star. I can slow it back down to the original speed by sticking magnets to the arms. Full size Stars now seem really slow and easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Very nice. How thick is the plywood? Any chance we might get some close up photos of the attaching point for the plates and how you attached the plywood arms to the bearing and shaft. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropsitos Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 I will take some pictures this weekend. The arms are 3/8" ply and the paddles are 3/16". I used 3/4" with some poplar glued to the front so I could turn it down (holding the shaft in the larhe) and make it run true to the shaft. Bearing blocks are doubled 3/4" I had left from a shelf project. Bearing are standard rollerblade/skateboard bearings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatland Shooter Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Good information. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropsitos Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Pictures. For the bearings I just used a spade bit ground down to give me pocket so I have a light press fit for the bearing. The screw protruding just below the tape in the image of the arm, was originally intended to provide a interface to stop the paddle from being slung off while rotating. Similar to the tab on the BAM paddles. I think it didn't work out quite right so I now use it to bias the paddle off and control the separation force. I drilled some holes in the arms and it seems to rotate better now. thank Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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