[Scirion]

ORCA, you can probably answer this one. I REALLY REALLY want an airsoft F2000 (with the grenade launcher, rails, all that good stuff, including the modular design), would it be possible (and reasonably priced) to custom manufacture your own body, and use standard parts where possible? I mean, I work in a manufacturing plant (stamping, CNC, EDM, all that crap), so it shouldn't be too hard to find someone to do the work, it's just designing it that'd be the hard part.

By the way, I'm not talking about mass production, just making one for myself. Although, I'd be happy to have more made, if someone wants to buy one. (assuming it ever happened)

 

[ORCA]

Well collectively between all the peeps Airsoft Extreme knows with manufacturing capabilities, including myself and SniperX's machines shop, we can make anything airsoft. The problem is the cost will be ridiculous.

I can make a prototype of anything for the right amont of money. 1 of my shops even has 3D Rapid Prototypers, Laser cutters and CNC's. Stuff can be run but is costs money. For example if I 3DRP a 10"x10" object, it would cost around $2000.00-$3000.00. 3DRP stuff can be used in a casting process, but keep in mind this would only be a small part of the process.

Figure if it could have been done it would already have been done.

The prob with guns like the FNScar, FN2000, IMITavor, etc is none have an easily obtainable civilian version to make designs off of. What CA, ICS and GNG do is they wait for Tokyo Marui to absorb the cost of inital design then they copy it.

There's a group in Japan that makes resin garage kits to convert Airsoft guns to Anime style ones, The shop is called Poseiden http://www.poseidon.co.jp this process uses sculpting, vacuuforming and cold casting resin. But from first hand experience building up a few of these, it's an expensive way to ruin the functionality of a perfectly good airsoft gun.

So with that said, until you can freely use the machines at your shop, get someone who can design the parts correctly for the CNC's to create, I don't think you can do this w/o some financial backing.

 

[Scirion]

Of course, this is all theoretical and all, but I was thinking about making it out of sheet metal maybe... (Aluminum? Stainless? I dunno...) What's the real one made out of?

Actually, the main problem for me probably wouldn't even be paying to get it done, it'd be buying the materials and being really nice to certain people. Where I work, if you provide the materials, they have no problem with you making stuff for yourself. On your own time, of course. So all I'd have to do is come up with a design (dimensions, all that crap that I couldn't do), buy the needed materials, and convince some people to do some work for me. Seriously, if we don't have the proper machinery, I don't know who would... We've got laser cutters, laser markers (which are cool, by the way), presses (anywhere between 20-ish tons, up to 1000 tons), CNCs, Sinker EDM's, Wire EDMs, a cleanroom, the list goes on and on... and on..