Props Help needed : Anyone ever opened a Jasman Plasma Rifle ?

[kaween]

Well, as the title already suggests : I need to open up one of these older Laser Tag Jasman Plasma Rifles. It got a hold of a nice looking though defective one (electronically).

But my problem is I can't get it open. Even after having loosened all visable screws, the blue caps of the housing won't budge because on the the front side, there's still a screw somewhere which can NOT be accessed as it (at least in the underside part of the gun) sits under the "bottom ignitor" so to speak. So you'd suspect you've have to loosen that dome-like ignitor, but that won't budge either.

If someone knows or knows somebody else who's ever opened up one of these rifles and get me a tip of how to pop open one of these machines without breaking the plastic, I'd be very greatful.
If I come up empty, I'll try to cut the remaining screw with a multitool, hoping it will become clear how this housing is assembled and how it should normally be opened, hoping that the top side of the gun is identical in nature.

 

[MasterSensei]

Have you tried plying it apart with screwdriver ?

 

[kaween]

I'm not mechanically challenged. XD, thanks for asking. I've disassembled .... everything from laptops to cars in my life so far (well, everything short of the engine itself). So no, I do know when I can safely apply presure to open a snap-clip device. This is a different problem :
As said, I can't, as there's still one screw in place without any way to access it. Prying it open with that screw in place will break the plastic shell.
Still, don't think I don't appriciate you thinking along.

 

[peterthethinker]

might I suggest befriending a dentist..... sounds odd. but Some will Xray stuff for a nice tip. Might be usefull.

 

[TurboCharizard]

I only have experience with the Jasman Plasma Pistol, there's some screws hidden underneath the battery pack and rumble, it might be similar in the Plasma Rifle.

 

[kaween]

Thanks the both of you for the suggestions !

Lol at the dentist thing. It's a nice idea, but that won't fly I think. I do have a small inspection camera that I use on hard to reach places for visual inspection. Thing already sat next to me at the time of writing, but other than confirming the notion there's still a seemingly impossible-to-reach screw, that hasn't really helped my cause.

Well, the bottom shell covers the rumble part on the rifle. So even if that would be the problem, it just would add to the chicken&egg issue. But that's not the case here : the bottom shell is completly loose with exception of that front side of the shell where it all is kept together by that damned screw. Problem is that as it's that far inside the nose of the assembly, you can't "just take a saw" to reach it : not enough free space. Will try a couple of other things, if those still fail I'm thinking about using a wire saw to get in there and around the screw position.

It's a bit frustrating and if the rifle wouldn't be such a relatively uncommon prop, I'd probably would have resorted to caveman tacticts some time ago. Still hoping for a golden tip that would shed light onto the matter.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

To save you the agony of watching this 3 minute video.... All he suggests is replacing the batteries... Lol.

Worth a mention though. From the sound of it you can recharge this guy, so you might not have thought of changing the batteries.. ? I don't know I'll keep looking to see if anyone else has had to open it up.

What is the reason you need to get inside?

 

[kaween]

Hey Duke,

Heh, the equivalent of "have you tried it turning off and on again".

Sadly, that's not the issue.
I'm sure about that because the part was first offered as "second hand but working", later downgraded to "electronics fail" when the guy did this test with new batteries. The gun still does SOMETHING, but the control electronics more or less flip independantly if the trigger is pulled or not. Pretty sure the issue will turn out to be a burned out mosfet or transistor. Yes, it behaved the same way here as the seller reported.

I'm actually pretty sure I can fix the electroncis. But I had never expected that opening the prop would be such a challenge.

 

[PerniciousDuke]

Huh, did you watch the video? It is actually sounding like his report.. the gun making the same sound when pulled and not pulled.. despite how lame the advise is it might be beneficial to watch the video just to rule it out. :/

And I know, I hesitated posting about it just because I didn't want to offend your intelligence. But, hey, sometimes... lol

Good luck, I hope you fix it. Another youtube video a guy in the comments posted his email adress saying he had the gun and to ask questions. I sent him an email pretending to be the one with the problem. We'll see, maybe he's pulled his apart before.

*update*
he responded-
"Hey DudeThere are screws on the grey areas of the rifle but i understand the blue bits to be glued on. with some force these can be taken off and re-glued."

PM more specific information if you'd like me to follow up with him.

 

[kaween]

Yeah, I watched that video before asking here. XD

Thanks a bunch on sourcing that guy down. I'd be surprised if the last position is glued, although it would explain why I can't find a access for a screw;



Here's those two screws he's probably talking about, they're well and good removed

After that, I can pry open the blue cover pretty far, but it will not let loose. On the next pic you'll see why I suspect there must be another screw



You can see the left and right studs standing open where normally the self-tapping screw will catch the blue part to the grey part.
It's a bit fuzzy, but you should seen 5 of those pins. 2 of them in the frong, clearly free. the two in the background seemlingly closed are those which interconnect to the two screws of pic 1. And in the center background, thre's that darned "i think you are a screw but where are you hiding" position.
But right at the back, you can see a center "stud". That's my issue : that one won't let loose. It is positioned underneath the grey "dome" at the front of the gun, which is why I suspec the grey dome itself is clicked or glued somehow, and there's a screw underneath the dome that attaches to that center pin.

As said, if this thingy wasn't this rare, I'd would have gone medieval on it a long time ago. But atm, I'm trying to avoid damaging the plastic shell. So if you can get any more info from that friendly guy, it would be great.

And don't worry, you can't offend what isn't there. XD

 

[PerniciousDuke]

No problem Kaween! You know I like to help.

Here's what I sent him,


"Thanks for the response!

I'd be surprised if the last position is glued, although it would explain why I can't find a access for a screw;

Here's those two screws you're probably talking about, they're well and good removed

After that, I can pry open the blue cover pretty far, but it will not let loose. On the next pic you'll see why I suspect there must be another screw...

You can see the left and right studs standing open where normally the self-tapping screw will catch the blue part to the grey part.
It's a bit fuzzy, but you should see 5 of those threaded pegs:

2 of them in the front, clearly free.
The two in the background seemingly closed are those which interconnect to the two screws of pic 1.
And in the center background, there's that darned "i think you are a screw but where are you hiding" position.



Right there at the back, you can see a center "stud". That's my issue : that one won't let loose. It is positioned underneath the grey "dome" at the front of the gun, which is why I suspect the grey dome itself is clicked or glued somehow, and there's a screw underneath the dome that attaches to that center pin.

If this thingy wasn't this rare, I would have gone medieval on it a long time ago. But atm, I'm trying to avoid damaging the plastic shell.


I understand if you don't have the time to help, but I would really appreciate if you had any thoughts.


Thanks,

Chris Pense "


kaween - He responded by asking me where I was from and then gave me the email of a prop repair guy in Belgium. This guy charges, but maybe he could help you solve the problem for free. If anything sounds like another egghead to join the group. I'll PM you his email address.

 

[kaween]

Hm. XD. Thanks for the trouble you did for me, Duke.
But this bloody gun is not going to get the better of me.
Time to get out that saw wire.

I'll post stuff here as I learn about the unit. Maybe it will serve other people one day.