AI Video Summary: Adam Savage's One Day Builds: 1000 Shot NERF Blaster!
Channel: Adam Savage’s Tested
TL;DR
Adam Savage modifies a NERF Rival Nemesis blaster to hold 1,000 shots by designing and building a custom curved acrylic magazine from scratch. The video details the volumetric testing, material fabrication using heat-bending and welding, and aesthetic upgrades like kit-bashing and painting before testing the massive weapon against dinosaur props.
Key Points
- — Adam introduces the project: upgrading a NERF Rival Nemesis blaster to fire 1,000 shots in a row instead of the standard 100.
- — Explanation of the Rival's internal mechanism, which uses spinning wheels like a pitching machine and a conveyor belt to feed projectiles.
- — Volumetric testing begins using foam core to determine the necessary dimensions for a 1,000-ball magazine.
- — Adam decides on a curved magazine design and begins cutting and heating acrylic sheets to form the magazine body.
- — Using a lab oven to soften acrylic to 150°F, Adam bends the plastic into a curve and glues the magazine sides together.
- — Testing reveals the single magazine holds over 1,000 balls, leading Adam to abandon the double 'Flying V' design for a single upright magazine.
- — Adam modifies the magazine to fit the gun, using cyanoacrylate glue and baking soda for structural strength at the connection points.
- — The aesthetic phase begins with 'kit-bashing,' adding details from model kits to the blaster to enhance its look.
- — Adam masks and paints the blaster, creating a heat-shield effect with silver and black gradients to hide imperfections.
- — The completed 1,000-shot blaster is filled and tested, firing continuously at dinosaur props in a final demonstration.
Detailed Summary
Adam Savage begins this One Day Build by introducing the NERF Rival Nemesis blaster, a toy he admires for its pitching machine-like firing mechanism. The standard blaster holds 100 shots, but Adam aims to upgrade it to fire 1,000 shots in a single reload. He explains the internal mechanics, noting the spinning wheels that propel the foam balls and the conveyor belt system that feeds them. His plan involves creating a massive custom magazine, adding aesthetic details like Picatinny rails and a red dot scope, and potentially adding a bipod. The first step is determining the volume required to hold 1,000 balls. Adam uses foam core to create a prototype, filling it with balls to test capacity. He discovers that a single magazine needs to be approximately 34 inches tall to hold the desired amount, but he quickly realizes a double magazine setup might be too cumbersome. He decides to pursue a curved, single magazine design that looks more like a high-tech weapon, resembling a 'Flying V' shape initially, though he later adjusts this plan. The fabrication process moves to the workshop where Adam cuts eighth-inch acrylic sheets. He faces a mathematical challenge in tapering the magazine so the balls flow freely without jamming, deciding on a shape that is wider at the bottom and narrower at the top. Since acrylic resists bending, Adam utilizes a lab oven to heat the plastic to 150 degrees Fahrenheit, softening it enough to curve into the desired shape. He admits to taking a 'sloppy' approach to speed, knowing that the final assembly and painting will hide minor imperfections. He uses Weld-On 3 (thin) and Weld-On 16 (thick) acrylic cements to bond the pieces. The thick cement acts as a structural gusset, bridging gaps in the corners. After the first magazine is assembled, he tests its capacity and is surprised to find it holds all 1,000 balls on its own, exceeding his initial estimates. This leads him to abandon the double magazine concept in favor of a single, upright magazine to maintain better balance and weight distribution on the blaster. With the magazine body complete, Adam focuses on attaching it to the blaster. He realizes the connection point is the most critical structural element. Instead of standard glue, he uses cyanoacrylate (super glue) combined with baking soda to create a hard, gusseted bond that can withstand the significant weight of the filled magazine. He tests the fit and finds it locks securely. The build then transitions to the aesthetic phase. Adam engages in 'kit-bashing,' a technique where parts from various model kits are repurposed to add detail to a model. He attaches small details to the blaster to make it look more complex and industrial. He also decides to paint the blaster, specifically masking off areas to create a 'heat shield' effect where silver paint fades into black, suggesting the gun gets hot during use. He notes that masking is tedious but essential for a professional finish, and he uses black paint to hide any masking imperfections. In the final stages, Adam assembles the fully painted and detailed blaster, attaching a bipod and a red dot scope. He fills the massive magazine with 1,000 foam balls, creating a satisfying 'thunder' sound as they cascade into the container. The completed rig is heavy and imposing. For the final test, Adam takes the blaster to 3210 Productions in Marin County, California, to test it against some 'prehistoric prey'—dinosaur props. He fires the blaster continuously, demonstrating its ability to sustain a long stream of fire. He notes that the weight of the balls requires him to shake the magazine occasionally to prevent jamming. The video concludes with Adam successfully testing the 1,000-shot NERF blaster, laughing at the absurdity and success of the massive modification, proving that 'life finds a way' even in toy engineering.
Tags: nerf mod, one day build, acrylic fabrication, kit bashing, diy, adam savage, tested, model making