Paintball gun Dust balls?

[flipsidekrew]

Does anyone know where I can buy Dust balls or spark balls online?

[GageFX]

I have a link on my other computer. I'll post later.

-GageFX

[flipsidekrew]

thanks, i've been googling it for hours and so far i got jack.

[GageFX]

http://www.creative-effects.com/Expendable_Supplies/expendable_supplies.html

I couldnt find my links so I searched. First search string turned it up. (It's been 9 months since I originally looked so I'm surprised I hit.)

There are more. I'm in a hurry, though.

Yahoo search string was " special effects dust balls ". Give it a try.

-GageFX

[flipsidekrew]

can you get back to me later on those other links. thanks

[Justin Kuhn]

wow. I had never thought of that, I just figured that they laid in squib sequences. Paintball FX would be so much easier.

I'm wondering if you can shoot something out of a paintball gun that will actually give you sparks, though--I didn't see any of flipside's spark balls. (please, keep it in context).

[GageFX]

can you get back to me later on those other links. thanks

The links are gone. I went through my entire Favorites folder and they aren't there.

As for Gobo's question, I've been on shots where they shot dust and spark balls from off the shelf paintball markers, but almost all the balls that I've seen online are for a special type of gun. The link I posted above - the store is literally 5 minutes away from me. I'm outta town for the next couple days, but I'll run over when I get back and check it out and get back to you all.

-GageFX

[epplegacks]

That'd be great if you could I've been looking for this kind of stuff for awhile.

[flipsidekrew]

its okay, i'll try to search more, thanks for the quick reply.

[GageFX]

So I went over there (got back into town early). Nice people. Their website makes them look like a store of some sort, but it's mostly just an industrial fab shop. They are doing tons of fab work for currently shooting huge productions.

Anyway, they sell the dust balls for $2.25 each in either 62mm or 68mm (I think normal paintball markers are 68mm). I got one in each size to test.

They sell the dust balls in any qualtity, from 1-???. They also sell EMPTY balls. These are the same exact balls as above, but have nothing in them. They are 2 part balls that you fill, snap together, then use a little bit of superglue to hold them shut. The dust balls are filled with light fuller's earth. I will be needing at least 100 balls, so I think I will end up buying the empties and filling them myself. Oh, sorry, the empties are $.50 each. $50 per 100 + fullers earth (or anything dustlike) and a little time putting em together sounds a little better than $225 + tax.

Anyway, that's the scoop.

-GageFX

[BLT]

Hmm interesting. So do these work with regular $30 paintball markers one can get from Wal Mart?

[epplegacks]

Thanks Gage you are a stand up gent.

[MiniMan13]

Yea 68MM is the Norm for paintball guns, And BLT it should work as long as its a 68MM gun.

[GageFX]

If Mini says it, I'm sure it's true. I have a friend that is all into the paintball thing, and even though he has equipment coming out his wahzoo, he is unsure what the "standard" or "normal" size is for paintball markers. The competitive guys have barrel kits with different size barrels because paintball sizes vary from manufacturer to maufacturer - even production runs. So he took my balls (nowhere near his wahzoo) and put them in his "sizer" (oh dear) and determined he has a barrel for the 68mm, but not the 62mm. I imagine it will work in the Walmart special, though.

I was going to stop by there today to get a load of 100 empties and start filling them, but I forgot. I'll try again tomorrow and maybe run by Walmart and pick up a marker and do some tests. Either way, I'll post when I do.

-GageFX

[BLT]

Okay sounds great! Thanks for your help. Let us know how it goes haha.

[Mattykins]

Having played paintball on the competitive level for two years. I can tell you that the standard size is .68 mm. Those barrel kits you were talking about Gage are used to perfectly size the ball to the barrel for a more effective shot, better accuracy and what-not. But that goes into the realm of the thousandths of a mm. And your walmart special, typically a spyder (brand) will shoot .68 perfectly. Worry not about the barrel kits.

-Matt

[drummerboy678]

I just got off working on a film, where they had dust balls and spark balls, shot out of a paintball gun. I know for the sparking ones (filled with explosives, spark on impact of anything hard enough), you need a pyrotechniques license.

[PopcornFlix]

Spark hits are made from gravel and zirconium. But don't mess with them, you'll put your eye out.

[Finner]

I was a SPFX best boy for many years before I moved to the camera department. Trust me on this the balls snap together just fine without glue so for GODS sake dont use glue. As far as a spark hit goes fill the cap with a little magnesium and zirc (more zirc then magnesium) and test a few till you get the look you want and again do not glue them together. Now the capsules you get are not like paint ball capsules they are much harder and hurt like hell if you hit someone. Trust me on how much they hurt (I have pics of my ass with a nasty mark that lasted almost 3 weeks). Happy Gobo asked why spark hits - Spark hits work great off cars or anthing else metal. Just remember if you have any talent near the intended target be careful as these balls tend not to fly as straight as paint balls and then after the hit they send hard little plastic peices off in all directions. Now if ya have stunt YO-MO's let shots fly.

Hope this helps some people

[Finner]

A few more things you do not need a pyro card for spark hits. Electric squibs, gas bombs, black powder bombs and det cord are what you need a pyro card for. Also dont put gravel in the hit (VERY BAD) the acceleration of the capsule in the barrel of the gun could cause the magnesium and zirc to bang against gravel and blow up in the barrel.

If you don't really know how SPFX work do not make suggestions as you could really hurt someone.

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

So has anyone actually tried ordering these .68 cal dust balls? Any test footage? I'm super curious, they sound awesome. I've got a good autococker that should let me put them wherever I want to on camera. Also, has anyone tried making their own dust balls from the empties and their own fullers earth?

[235 Studios]

You guys have got my interest - any footage / test shots? Like Shawn, I'd love to see what they look like on camera.

[saturnin]

watch any action movie..lol...u'll see them in action :D

[GageFX]

So has anyone actually tried ordering these .68 cal dust balls? Any test footage? I'm super curious, they sound awesome. I've got a good autococker that should let me put them wherever I want to on camera. Also, has anyone tried making their own dust balls from the empties and their own fullers earth?

I have purchased pre-made dust balls, and I have also purchased empties and filled hem myself. They are exactly the same as the pre-filled just have some migrant types in the back room filling them exactly the same as I fill them. I have not shot any yet. Still deciding if I will even use them or just composite later.

I'll let you know and post some footage when it exists.

-GageFX

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Thanks GageFx! I'd be really appreciate to even see some test footage if you end up doing that. You should do a side-by-side test. Shoot a clean shot to do composite later then do a dustball hit and then see how they look!

[mainframe311]

Has anyone tried tracking/ composting green paint-balls?

[Shane Jackson]

Has anyone tried tracking/ composting green paint-balls?

Paintballs travel at over 300 FPS or 200+ MPH.... I dont know if it will be easy to track or not.....

I have a paintball website (www.wholesalepaintballz.com (http://www.wholesalepaintballz.com)) I will check with my suppliers and see if I can find the dust balls cheaper......

Also standard size for paintball is .68


SJ

[Nostromo]

Here's an interesting what if:

You could buy a bunch of those little explosives that explode when you throw them on the ground, empty them out and put the explosives in the paintball empties. I'm not sure if they'd make sparks though, probably just quite a bang. It'd be relatively safe, cheap, and easy. If you try it wear gloves and glasses though.

[SOE digital]

What would be the point?

[Shane Jackson]

Here's an interesting what if:

You could buy a bunch of those little explosives that explode when you throw them on the ground, empty them out and put the explosives in the paintball empties. I'm not sure if they'd make sparks though, probably just quite a bang. It'd be relatively safe, cheap, and easy. If you try it wear gloves and glasses though.

My guess is that they would explode in the gun as the ball is subjected to high pressure when you fire the gun.

[FellowHeirProductions]

Haha, that's funny, I was just about ready to sell my paintball gun for funds for film props and stuff. I guess I'll keep it. :-)

[BLT]

Hey I hate to revive such an old thread but we are in the midst of trying to purchase some of these balls and I'm wondering if there were any cheaper alternatives? A currently run a non-profit student organization at a UC and our budget's pretty low. Even though $2.25 per ball is rather understandable, it's a bit 'ouch' for us - The picture of me throwing wads of $2 bills liberally at actors comes to mind haha.

[onesockshort]

i just purchased 100 of the empty halves .68 caliber "sweeney" capsules...they were .45 each i dont have any footage yet but will soon. I got them from www.rogergeorgerentals.com (http://www.rogergeorgerentals.com)

[saturnin]

buy the empty ones and fill them up yourslef... :D

also when u film make sure u plan each shot so u dont waste your time and resources :D

[HBlack]

Not sure if this has been said, but paintball guns aren't 68mm. They're .68 caliber, as in a fraction of an inch.

[smokeybear]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp-VUCaOYhE

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

i just purchased 100 of the empty halves .68 caliber "sweeney" capsules...they were .45 each i dont have any footage yet but will soon. I got them from www.rogergeorgerentals.com (http://www.rogergeorgerentals.com)

Can you post footage please? Thanks!