Board Thread:Questions and answers/@comment-45656015-20200501102944

Hi guys! I am working for local YMCA (or some sort of it we have in my country). We're using quite a lot of nerf guns - we have a nerf arena after-school clubs for kids and Star Trek-like weekend event, where we use them as "phasers" and a lot more. Some months ago, I found out a big box of non-working blasters in the stock. Our chief told me, that these blasters broke down and no one has time to look what's wrong with them (but the organization would be happy to use them again, If they are shooting). Well, I did. I took the time to take the blsaters apart and fix some of them. But I have a serious problem with 10 disruptors and strongarms.

So, what is the problem? The problem is in the cocking mechanism in a double-part sometimes refered to as "outer shell"  (as an ilustration, there is a photo that I've found on ifixit.com  ). The exact problem is in a "small block" or someking of a "catch" that you can see only when the blaster is dismantled. This small block is used for stretching the piston backwards - there is a cool short video I found so as you know what I am talking about: https://youtu.be/N8JpePwvuHw?t=105  (1:45 - 2:00). And the "small block" is missing. It broke off and went missing probably becose kids sometimes hit with these blasters.

​​​​I was wondering, how to fix the issue - becose it makes the blasters unfunctional. And I think the best would be to find a 3D template of the grey outer shell. A friend of mine would 3D printed it for me If I had one (but I have no skill in making 3D templates). I took an google search job and I was unsuccessfull.

So, my question is: do you guys know some 3D template of the outer shell? Do you know where or how to find it?

I've considered other possibilities to repair these blasters. I came with the idea to attach the outer shell to the piston - but I could not took apart the blaster againt. There is a possility to stick something in the place, where the "small block" was, but I dont like the idea of gluing plastic. One of the blasters even came pseudo-repaired with a screw in the place wherethe "small block" was, but it wasn't working properly - the mechanism was slipping and the whole outer shell looked like it will break apart eventually. As far as the YMCA does not possess a lot of money, simply "throwing the blasters to the recycling bin" is not the best idea - and it is not the best example for the kids, also.

If you guys have some idea how to fix it without 3D print, I would give it a try and maybe reconsider it, but for now the 3D is optional. 