Diana 34 Mods: The Next Step

[Crimson Sky]

Firstly to give a little background, I'm a pro computer case modderand author of "The MaximumPC Guide to Extreme PC Mods" and by nature I can NOT leave anything stock. I did a few mods to my 34, but I want to go even further and totally change the appearence. I installed a Morgan adjustable, made a new billet trigger guard, and just received a JM GRT kit for it.










What I'd like to do is start a very detailed (and exclusive) worklog with plenty of good pics and video right here at GTA so you can all follow the progress, enjoyand give advice. Maybe we can all learn some new things from the project!. Here's what i have in mind:

-Either skelotonize the wood stock then paint it with epoxy, or make a cast of the original in silicon mold rubber, then pour a synthetic material for a new stock.
-Have an aluminum shroud made (Do you still do this Gene? awesome work I've seen here!) and have it anodized, or leave polished aluminum colored.

-Mill a new scope rail

-Mill a new compression chamber end cap and safety switch to replace the plastic. Possibly just a cosmetic"sleeve" on the safety, because I believe the flexibility of the plastic tabs on itare part of its important functionality.

-Have it tuned by the maestro, CDT.

I would really like to take this new airgun passion/hobby of mine to the next level, and get together with the pros to think about creating comprehensive and helpful guides to other hobbyists out there. I have all the sound/video editing equipment and software, plus a team of web specialists on staff at my community forums.

I'm itching to create tutorial videos, video and podcast reviews, publications and online media together with anyone interested in teaming up. If anyone wants to contact me on this, please do so! My time is always open for ya.

Any other thoughts? This will be fun!



cheers,

Paul Capello

[NMCA_Ron]

I only have one question...

Where are the limes?

Ron

[Crimson Sky]

Limes are In ma' belly!

[NMCA_Ron]

Nothing quite like having a few refreshments and plinking in the back yard. Nice looking rifle.

[JMG]

Hi Paul,

 I like the idea's you have and your generosity of time and resources are also very cool.Hehe I would be just happy to own a digital camera worth a darn. Not to mention some more tools. I am not a pro tuner since I dont make a living at it. But I do feel competant in my mechanical abilities and common sense to do the work I want to on my own air guns. Unfortunately many people need more than this to maintain their armory. Some people have no interest in doing so and have a professional tuner do the work. And then there are others that want to learn how to do things. Gene and Bob have started a very good forum here.....but I think that having more reference material available would be a good thing. If I can help in your endeaver let me know.... my resources may be slim but my imagination and mind are intact enough to be somewhat usefull. (Some may debate the comment about my mind lol) Send me a message if you need some help.

John

[shadow]

Fine shooter and mod's Paul...SWEET. Ed

[Crimson Sky]

I appreciate the enthusiasm, and I will def appreciate people pitching in ideas for the project. !!

Wow what a small world! And its kinda neat I have read your publications.. What else do you do for maxpc, On there podcasts at all?? I could potentally have a ton of questions for you, as I myself am going into that line of work. Not the journalism side but the game dev/design side of things.


And that is a snazzy trigger guard, ever think about anodizing it ?


Jason

[IJL]

Paul,
I'm up for this, I'm probably better with CO2/PCP nowadays but I can still spell spring. email or PM me if I can help

Ian

[Crimson Sky]

I'm going to get this project started right, first by letting Gene get his hands on a shroud/brake combo for the 34. I installed a Maccari GRT kit a few days ago, and it's incredible what that thing has done for the cocking effort and firing behavior--Like everyone says, it's how RWS should deliver it from the factory--but never will. Just fantastic.

I also added a B-Square adjustable riser base, and this product seems custom made for the droopy Dianas. It even has a stop pin on the front for hanging over the scope rail. Much better solution than the B-Square AA adjustable (17101), which is in need of an angry sledghammer adjustment at this point in my frustration with it. That thing has more grub screws than the space shuttle.

[Crimson Sky]

eighty8fierogt - 8/9/2007  9:38 AM

Wow what a small world! And its kinda neat I have read your publications.. What else do you do for maxpc, On there podcasts at all?? I could potentally have a ton of questions for you, as I myself am going into that line of work. Not the journalism side but the game dev/design side of things.


And that is a snazzy trigger guard, ever think about anodizing it ?


Jason

I've done a few articles for MaximumPC, and I think they are interviewing me soon for their weblog. In fact I've put the PC Modding aside until I get my airgun ga-ga's out...maybe a few years...or more!

Hmmm...I need to try home anodizing....

[Crimson Sky]

And I forgot to mention that the factory spring was broken, snapped about 3 rings clean off, and it was compressed under the remaining coils. Only had about 1500 pellets through it.

[Gene_SC]

Just now got to your post here Paul. Now that is a beautiful 34 you have there. I want that butt plate setup for mine...:) Where did you get it and did you grind the but of stock to get it to fit?  You gots me nickers in a fix....am all excited..... lol

Just beautiful

Gene

[Crimson Sky]

Hey thanks Gene! This is going to be a fun project rifle! If you want, you can always send me your stock and I'd be happy to put on a Morgan or a Wegu plate. Here is how I did it:

First, I used my chop saw to cut the stock just in front of the curve on the end. I squared up the stock on the chop saw relative to the blade, using a combo square and various pieces of wood because the shape as you know is very awkward. The darn beech wood was a LOT harder than I thought. I put several tight layers of masking tape right at my pencil mark, so the blade wouldn't chip the furniture as I cut.

 I was lucky and got a nice square cut on the first pass. I suggest having a very sharp blade in the saw, with a fine tooth. Let the chop saw get up to maximum speed before starting the cut, something people don't often know to do.

I then put some white masking tape on the butt plate and placed it on the raw end of the stock. I traced the shape of the end onto the plate. With my pencil mark made, I simply shaped the plate on my bench belt sander with 80 grit until it matched my cut end. It's also a good trick to first take a sharp X-Acto knife and cut the masking tape gently along the pencil mark--this allows the tape to "shear" off as you get closer and closer to the mark with the belt sander--otherwise you may gum up the tape and lose your precise pencil mark.

I finished it off with some wet sanding by hand, and then just screwed the puppy on. I was too late in getting the older Morgan adjustable pad with the aluminum plate (they stopped making them!), so I had to use the plastic one.

edit: I forgot to mention that I sealed the raw end of the stock with several coats of quick drying acrylic based clear topcoat (the type used on hardwood floors) to protect from moisture.