Anyone have any idea how strong airsoft springs are?
 

I'm curious as to how strong these springs are.

I'm trying to use a solenoid that could pull back an airsoft spring (or rather, the piston on the end of the spring). Of course, first I need to know how much force I need to compress the spring (probably more than my solenoid can deliver :().

I wanted to know this as well.

So here is a hint. Take a one joule spring. It delivers one joule of energy. Work= force times distance.

Have fun. :)

Well... which spring in particular are you referring to? There are several dozen springs available, probably up to 100 different springs available if not more. Different aftermarket companies make different rated springs for different applications and upgrades.

Unless you're referring to a bone stock Tokyo Marui gun.

how long are the springs when compressed and when decompressed?

Once again which gun are you refering to.

42.

Standard TM AEG I suppose.
M16A2 if you really need a specific one.

So long, and thanks for all the fish.

you probably can't find a solenoid with enough force and travel to cock an AEG spring. They travel about 5cm with a fair bit of force. I don't really see you doing it without connecting to household mains with a big transformer and DC rectifier.

Just what exactely are you trying to do?

I'm smelling something fishy, and it aint Illusion.....

trying to take the motor and gears out of the equation

might need a stronger power supply but in the absence of a motor and gears, there's a lot of extra space :)

I think thats a great idea! The only "airgun" that Ive heard of using a solenoid, is the Drozd select fire BB gun, but the solenoid only serves as a full auto hammer.

Hell even a mini powered by a solenoid would be interesting (under 200fps with .12g bbs), and I would love to have one, as if built with the right materials, it should be MUCH more durable than the crap the usual minis are made from...

Keep working on it, and let us know how it goes!

Cheers!
Alex

Staggered solenoids would help cover the distance

Read Madmax's post again.
Go to mcmaster.com and look up some linear solenoids. Nice and small eh? No, they are big.

Your approach to the problem is very much like how an engineer would go about it, but you need to go further. Here is a question, you want to replace the motor and gears with a solenoid, why not replace it all with a solenoid? Instead of the spring use a solenoid to push the air.

List your design criteria and what exactly you hope to do and we can help you further.

if you had a solenoid you would not need the spring just use a connecting rod directly to the piston solenoid. if you used a solenoid to compress the spring you would have to engineer some sort of sear to release the spring, there is no way that a solenoid would be able to keep a spring tensioned for any amount of time with out draining your battery in about 10 seconds. also I may be wrong but I don’t believe you would be able to make the gun full auto it could possibly work in a sniper rifle.