Any easy methods on making a homemade piston sleeve? This would be for a Diana 34. All input appreciated.
How can I make a homemade piston sleeve?
- Thread starter Arnie
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Should be no need for a sleeve if the guides fit correctly otherwise YouTube should have something...
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I want to lessen the metal to metal contact (so pretty much the spring vibration) as much as I can. Guides fit well…but it doesn’t hurt to maximize the reduction of spring twang.
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At least one tuner in the UK removes them from the rifles that come lined from the factory and fits proper guides. Up to the individual which they choose but there is not a need for them.
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If you have machining skills, precision measuring tools and access to a lathe, it should be fairly easy.
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I like using a sleeve. They do help with vibration if they fit well. Even with tight guides. When setup this way I run my guns basically dry on the spring.
I make mine from PTFE or FEP sheet. Easy to do with some scissors. Used to be a pattern or something floating around online. I don't have my measurements written down or I'd be glad to send them to you.
I make mine from PTFE or FEP sheet. Easy to do with some scissors. Used to be a pattern or something floating around online. I don't have my measurements written down or I'd be glad to send them to you.
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I've heard of guys using the soda bottle, but I have never done it. It would hold up fine I'm sure if the thickness is right.
As for the ptfe tape, I don't know how you would use it for that application. It's also so soft it would just wad up and roll up and cause a mess.
As for the ptfe tape, I don't know how you would use it for that application. It's also so soft it would just wad up and roll up and cause a mess.
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If I double the thickness by using 2 sheets of plastic…do you think that would affect anything?
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I’ve been shooting and tinkering with air rifles for more than 40 years. I have Hatsan’s. I sleeve every springer. It’s part of the super tune. Use a piece of blister pack plastic. It needs to wrap the entire piston wall. Full length. A good fit is critical. The spring should fit in snuggly but not forced in. If the spring falls out or moves around at all then to thin. I’ve had to use all the up to soda bottles for correct thickness. Thickness is key. This is all these $100 tune kits are.
Thanks.
Thanks.
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This is the entire process I use for making a sleeve:
Dismantle the gun, clean and polish all intervals and fit a piece of blister pack plastic in the piston that just snugs the factory spring. Thickness of the blister pack is essential. Takes some experimentation with different plastic to find the perfect thickness. Polish the ends of the spring to a mirror finish. This will aid in the spring turning and not not binding as it is being compressed Put a generous amount of spring grease on the spring to dampen any other spring noise and help guide the spring in and out of the sleeve. This is really all the over priced tune kits are. Perfect fit to spring and sleeve. When cocking the spring goes straight back and when firing straight forward. The twang is eliminated. The spring will last longer because it is not taking a negative set and being stressed with the twang. The twang noise is an indication of stress on the spring. Put only one drop of spring piston CHAMBER oil on the face of the piston seal. It is literally impossible to under oil the chamber but most over oil. To much oil causes dieseling. Also can cause chamber ignition and break the spring or damage the seal. Do not over oil!! The oil gets in the parachute of the seal lasts a long time.
Dismantle the gun, clean and polish all intervals and fit a piece of blister pack plastic in the piston that just snugs the factory spring. Thickness of the blister pack is essential. Takes some experimentation with different plastic to find the perfect thickness. Polish the ends of the spring to a mirror finish. This will aid in the spring turning and not not binding as it is being compressed Put a generous amount of spring grease on the spring to dampen any other spring noise and help guide the spring in and out of the sleeve. This is really all the over priced tune kits are. Perfect fit to spring and sleeve. When cocking the spring goes straight back and when firing straight forward. The twang is eliminated. The spring will last longer because it is not taking a negative set and being stressed with the twang. The twang noise is an indication of stress on the spring. Put only one drop of spring piston CHAMBER oil on the face of the piston seal. It is literally impossible to under oil the chamber but most over oil. To much oil causes dieseling. Also can cause chamber ignition and break the spring or damage the seal. Do not over oil!! The oil gets in the parachute of the seal lasts a long time.
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Bear-of- grayling......sounds very familiar, back in my tuning days I did pretty much the same thing. Because I worked in a machine shop, I had acess to shim stock, both steel and brass and used that to make sleeves. In some cases even machined a few where there was excess space between spring and piston. Liked your comment on seal lube also, way to many folks go overboard on seal lubricant and dampening compounds. Your ideas brought back fond memories of my tuning days, glad to see some older ideas still work.
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Thanks AirShot. You don’t have to get your credit card out for everything you need. A reminder to all that this is the season to start your blister pack collection. I cut everything into the largest flat sheets they can yield. Easy to store. There when needed. Also the soda bottles are the worst to use as they a VERY crude and inconsistent. Save the package stuff.
Thanks. Merry Christmas
Thanks. Merry Christmas
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Seriously, don't use chamber lube. If you have the gun apart, lube it right with moly paste and it will be more consistent and won't need any lube added here and there.
And also, if the sleeve is "snug" on the spring, it's too tight. Remember that the spring expands a bit when compressed. If it's too tight, you'll get grooves in the sleeve or the gun will be hard to cock and/or rob power. It needs to be a slip fit, not tight.
The whole point of these parts is to reduce clearances. Tighter clearances mean less vibration and twang. Going to tighter clearances does away with the need for "dampening compound" and heavy grease that robs power and causes temp sensitivity. So don't pack it full of grease, it doesn't need it and will only cause issues.
Here's a FWB124 piston that I lightened, added a machined-in Delrin bearing, and fitted with a FEP (like PTFE but clear) 1/32" thick sleeve. It runs completely dry other than moly on the piston skirt and seal.
And also, if the sleeve is "snug" on the spring, it's too tight. Remember that the spring expands a bit when compressed. If it's too tight, you'll get grooves in the sleeve or the gun will be hard to cock and/or rob power. It needs to be a slip fit, not tight.
The whole point of these parts is to reduce clearances. Tighter clearances mean less vibration and twang. Going to tighter clearances does away with the need for "dampening compound" and heavy grease that robs power and causes temp sensitivity. So don't pack it full of grease, it doesn't need it and will only cause issues.
Here's a FWB124 piston that I lightened, added a machined-in Delrin bearing, and fitted with a FEP (like PTFE but clear) 1/32" thick sleeve. It runs completely dry other than moly on the piston skirt and seal.
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Seriously, don't use chamber lube. If you have the gun apart, lube it right with moly paste and it will be more consistent and won't need any lube added here and there.
And also, if the sleeve is "snug" on the spring, it's too tight. Remember that the spring expands a bit when compressed. If it's too tight, you'll get grooves in the sleeve or the gun will be hard to cock and/or rob power. It needs to be a slip fit, not tight.
The whole point of these parts is to reduce clearances. Tighter clearances mean less vibration and twang. Going to tighter clearances does away with the need for "dampening compound" and heavy grease that robs power and causes temp sensitivity. So don't pack it full of grease, it doesn't need it and will only cause issues.
Here's a FWB124 piston that I lightened, added a machined-in Delrin bearing, and fitted with a FEP (like PTFE but clear) 1/32" thick sleeve. It runs completely dry other than moly on the piston skirt and seal.
<img src="" />//www.w3.org/2000/svg%22%20viewBox=%220%200%20210%20140%22%3E%3C/svg%3E
Thumper what’s the best group you’ve gotten out of all your air rifles and what did you tune?
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