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Home made Euro Spec Woodie

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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flying_spanner

Gravity Is Optional
Sep 20, 2007
138
27
0
Hello all,

I've finally finished my Speargun.

It's a 900 long (measured from hole for band loop to where the shaft sits inside the trigger mechanism), Euro Spec Gun with the following features.

Laminated Rimu Barrell
Open Muzzle
Rail Gun, Teardrop shaped barrell
7mm Rob Allen Shaft
Beuchat Handle
Single 16mm x 680mm Beuchat Laytex Rubber with Beuchat articulated stainless wishbone.

I haven't had it in the water yet as I only assembled and rugged the gun last night after the 3rd coat of varnish had dried.

I'll get pics and a report of my gun's first outing up soon. But I do have one question first.....

What diamater & length rubber should I be using?

The rubber I'm currently using seems a little to easy to load and I wonder if the gun could do with a bit more power from eith a thicker/shorter/both rubber as the 7mm shaft is definatly able to handle more power and the wooden barrell I've made has zero flex.

The lessons I've learnt from making these guns (my one is the 3rd prototype I've made) is that even though wood may be considered "old" technology there is a lot to be said for tried and true.
 
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Reactions: blaiz
There is an equation that will tell you exactly what band length to use. If you search "band length equation" you should be able to get one pretty quick. I think but am not sure its something like {(Length of gun - length of wishbone)x2}/3.5 and then add one inch for tapered ends.

As far as thickness one 16mm which I believe equates to about 9/16s of an inch seems a bit small if your only using one band. Why not double up on the bands? If you are set on using 1 im sure you can go up to 20 or 22mm?
 
Hi Spanner. Your band is wayyyyyy too long. Recommended circle band for a euro 90cm gun is 52cm (520mm) although some makes recommend as short as 48cm. I've always used the 52's as recommended by Omer and found them about right.

You can calculate the exact size by measuring the stretched length ising a piece of string or rope allowing for a wishbone and then dividing by the stretch factor. Most guns/bands use a factor of between 3 times and 3.5 times stretch. Often in production guns its just over a 3x stretch to the first spear notch and 3.5x stretch to the back spear notch.

Dave
 
Old Man Dave said:
Hi Spanner. Your band is wayyyyyy too long. Recommended circle band for a euro 90cm gun is 52cm (520mm) although some makes recommend as short as 48cm. I've always used the 52's as recommended by Omer and found them about right.Dave
Click to expand...

Here's an update. This morning I went down to my local dive shop (where I bought the parts to make my gun) and have exchanged the 650mm loop for another Beuchat loop 520mm long.

This seems to be heaps better. The gun should have a heap more power.

Today I also sourced a 7mm spring steel 160cm shaft (from another spearo mate) and have it all set to go into a blank I machined up yesterday.

The next gun I'll make will be a 120cm double 16mm rubber gun for shooting anything too big for the 90cm gun I've just finished.
 
Here's some pics


Beuchat Handle


16mm Loop and Muzzle


The gun is 900 long My partner Megan reckons it'd be perfect for her. Looks like I'm not getting to keep this gun either!!!


PS Megan has absconded my C4's also, so now I'm in the market for a new pair of fins.
 
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i'll hardly recognise your girl friend underwater once she's wearing your wet suit as well
ha ha!
 
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