AKA Excalibur User Manual
Excalibur
Operator’s Manual
Warnings and Important Safety Guidelines
Warning! The Excalibur paintball marker is not a toy!
Careless or improper use, including failure to follow
instructions contained within this manual, may result in
injury or death.
Read Operator’s Manual before use and comply with all
safety instructions. Do not fire this, or any marker, at a
person when at a close range. Observe all local laws,
regulations, and ordnances when using this marker. Use
only at paintball fields where safety codes are strictly
enforced.
You must be at least 18 years of age to purchase this
marker. Users under the age of 18 must do so only
under adult supervision. Use only bottles approved for
Nitrogen, compressed air, or CO2. Make sure all bottles
are hydro-tested according to DOT regulations.
Use only .68 caliber paintballs in this marker. Do not
attempt to fire foreign objects from this marker. Use an
approved barrel blocking device when your marker is
not in use. Always disconnect air source and switch off
power source when not in use. Never shoot at velocities
in excess of 300 FPS. Never put your fingers or foreign
objects in the feed tube of the marker.
Table of Contents
Introduction 2
Specifications 2
Power Source 3
Air Supply 3
Excalibur Notes 4
Firing the Excalibur 4
Velocity Adjustment 4
Cleaning and Maintenance 5
Troubleshooting 6
Custom Work 7
Accessories 7
Ball Detent 7
Electronics 8
Hammer 10
Never expose battery to open flame or heat source.
When connecting or disconnecting the battery, take care
not to short out the battery.
Always wear eye protection when adjusting, servicing,
or using your marker. When doing any work to your
maker, make sure the power and air source have been
disconnected. Be sure all paintballs have been
removed. Seek professional assistance if you unsure
of anything.
Lightning Bolt 10
Other Component Parts 10
Pneumatics Regulator 11
Pnematics Ram 13
Screws and O-Rings 13
Sidewinder Regulator 14
Solenoid Valves 16
Trigger Frame 16
Tornado Valve 17
Schematics
Introduction
This manual is a work in progress and will be continously
updated as needed. If you see an area that needs work,
contact us thru e-mail and let us know. If you have
sugestions or a different method of doing something
that pertains to the Excalibur and its components, write
us with your suggestions. We decided to place the
manual on disk for the simplicty of keeping it up to date
and to eliminate paper waste. The manual was written
in HTML so it will be compatible with well over 95% of
the computers people use in their day-to-day life. A
PDF version of this document is also included on this
disk for users who prefer to print out their own hard
copy of the manual.
The ground work for the very first ideas of the Excalibur
were laid down back in 1988 as I was working on my
apprenticeship in the family machine shop - Leads Metal
Products, Inc. Leads Metal Product’s other division,
Endeco Soldering and Desoldering, had just finished
developing an electronically-controlled power vacuum
desoldering station which used solenoids and 4-way
solenoid valves to actuate the mechanism. Endeco had
been manufacturing and selling soldering and
desoldering irons since the late fifties.
outside of paintball to draw from, AKALMP, Inc. and
LEADS METAL PRODUCTS, Inc. bring the paintball
community the finest paintball products available.
AKALMP has the finest products with the highest
performance ratings which will not be compromised.
President AKALMP, Inc.
Aaron K. Alexander
Specifications
Model: Excalibur(tm)(pat pend)
Version:1300-B Caliber: .68
Action: Closed Bolt Electo-pneumatic Operation
Gas Source: Compressed air, Nitrogen or CO2
Power Supply: 9 Volt battery ROF (Cyclic Rate): 13
BPS(MAX)
Standard Barrel Length: 12.0" Javelin (Cocker Threads)
At the time of the development of the new power vacuum
desoldering station, I had developed several paintball
gun prototypes, several blow back guns, and one
pneumatic blow forward. I had an idea and added a 4way solenoid valve from the desoldering stations to one
of my paintball gun designs. It worked great, but the 4way solenoid valves at the time were far too big to make
a portable paintball gun. I continued to develop the idea
but later shelved it when I went off to college in 1990.
In October 1998, after hearing many complaints about
the electronic markers available at that time, AKALMP
decided to build a paintball gun that would hold up to
the punishment that any paintball gun endures. Most
electronic markers are based on an inexpensive blowback semi-auto open bolt marker which limits their
performance. The Excalibur’s(tm) (pat pend) design
makes it the most advanced integrated paintball marker
in the world. The electronics are state-of-the-art but have
been kept simple for durability and longevity. The
mechanical components of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend)
have been designed to give many years of flawless
operation with very little maintenance. The whole marker
was designed around the “KISS” (Keep It Simple Stupid)
principal. The design is very simple and rugged but is,
at the same time, very advanced. The outside of the
Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) may not look fancy, but the
inside is what is adavnced. The Excalibur(tm)(pat pend)
is built more like a high performance tank. We leave the
decoration up to customers and airsmiths. In addition,
we wanted to provide a warranty that was simple, not
long and complicated.
Length: 8.125 inches
Height: 8.4 inches (Top of feed tube to bottom of grip)
Width: 1.75 inches
Weight: 3. lbs (Without battery & barrel)
Operating Pressure: 140-180 PSI @ 280 FPS
(depending on paint size)
Input PSI to Sidewinder: 400-800 PSI
Pneumatics Pressure: 90-100 PSI
Features:
Tornado(tm)(Pat# 5791328) Valve Low Pressure, High
Efficiency Lightning(tm) Bolt(delrin) with Quick Release
Pin Javelin (tm) Barrel 45 Grip Ball Detent Built-In Vertical
Mount Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) Vertical Pressure Reg.
Threaded Vertical Feed Adjustable Trigger (3 adjustment
points) Adjustable operating software, includes,
hammer drive, hammer release, bolt drive, bolt release,
Adjustable ROF, Warp feed drive, Ball drop sensor
optional, plus more. Adjustable Low Pressure
Pneumatics Reg. Pull Through Cleaning Easy
Disassembly & Low Maintenance Rugged Design Barrel
Plug Carrying Case
With many years of design and manufacturing knowledge
Power Source
The Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) uses a 9-volt battery stored
in the grip as its power supply. For maximum number of
shots and velocity stability you should only use high
capacity rechargeable batteries or lithium batteries. The
Excalibur’s(tm)(pat pend) circuit board is designed with
a special voltage regulator system to allow the use
standard alkaline batteries. For best performance it is
still better to use rechargeable or lithium batteries. We
are currently using high capacity Nickel-Metal Hydride
batteries, with great success. The velocity and the
feeding consistency of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) can
start to vary if the paintball maker is fired using a low
battery.
Installing a Battery:
Step 1: Make sure the marker is unloaded, de-gassed
and turned off. Remove one of the two screws holding
the grip panel on the left side of the marker. Rotate the
panel out of the way. Remove the 9-volt battery from the
battery cable. Make sure not to pull the battery cable
apart.
Step 2: Install the new 9-volt battery on the battery
cable and place it back into the grip frame. Make sure
no wires on the battery cable are pinched. Gently loop
the wiring and lay it on the side of the battery.
Step 3: Rotate the grip panel back into place. Then
replace the grip panel screw. Your Excalibur(tm)(pat
pend) is now powered and ready to use.
Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) is supplied with a Sidewinder
(tm)(pat pend) regulator which has been designed to
work at the low pressure range in which the
Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) operates. The input pressure
to the Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator should be from
500 to 800 psi.
Air supplied at fields and tournaments is often dirty.
Scuba air is not always clean either. This dirty air is one
reason for paintball gun and regulator failure. Next time
your gun or regulator fails at a tournament, stop - before
blaming the manufacturer of the paintball gun or regulator,
and check your air supply. Some of this dirt eventually
ends up in the marker. Electronic markers with solenoid
valves are particularly vulnerable to dirt. For this reason,
we recommend a portable filter such as the Guardian(tm)
when filling your tank, even if your tank has a built-in
filter.
**The Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator is designed
for a maximum input pressure of 800 psi. It has been
designed specificaly for use with the Excalibur(tm)(pat
pend). It also works well with many other paintball guns.
Refer to the
this manual for more information. If you change out the
Sidewinder regulator, you will quickly discover that the
Sidewinder regulator is currently one of only two regs
that will keep up with the low operating pressure and
high flow demands of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend). The
Palmer Stablizer is the only other regulator that will
work.**
**Use only steel braided hose and stainless steel quick
disconnects or Macro-line. Micro-line is inappropriate
and unsafe for use in paintball.**
Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) Reg. section of
Air Supply
The Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) is designed to operate on
nitrogen, compressed air, and CO2. It requires a high
flow of CLEAN gas. (Over the many years I have played
I have never had a problem with CO2 being dirty, only
the compressed air at some tournaments.) Most nitrogen
systems, including preset regulators, will work well. The
**When attaching the air line make sure to blow the line
out with air before attaching it to the marker to make
sure the air line is clear of debris.**
**DO NOT USE TEFLON TAPE.**
**The use of pro-connects and fittings like those can
cause a drop in efficiency and can cause drop off
problems while firing the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend). They
are not a good fitting for low pressure guns.**
**When using CO2 it is a MUST that you keep liquid
CO2 out of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend).**
If running CO2 on the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) you must
use a tank with an anti-siphon tube. It is best to double
regulate by using a secondary regulator attached to the
bottom of the grip. AKALMP recommends the Palmer
Stabilizer. The Stabilizer’s output should be set at 500550 psi running into the Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend)
regulator which controls the velocity. Liquid must be
kept out of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend).
Excalibur Notes
AKALMP is continuosly refining the Excalibur to push
its performance to the extreme. Here is a list of things
that have changed between the different batchs of
markers. This manual covers most things on the
Excalibur but be careful becuase there may be a change
that is not in this version of the manual yet. AKALMP
reserves the right to revise and improve its products as
it sees fit.
to be set at 90 to 100 psi. Once the Excalibur has had
a few cases of paint through it you can adjust the
pneumatics reg down around 70 to 80 psi.
Firing the Excalibur
Turning the Excalibur “ON” and airing it up:
Step 1: After making sure the marker is unloaded and
de-gassed, push the bolt fully forward.
Serial numbers: 0 thru 57.
These are original production units. They have had the
circuit board and ram upgraded to the current version.
These Excaliburs also used the Spyder style ball detent
and non-threaded feed tubes.
Serial numbers: 58 thru 159.
Are equiped with the new circuit board and ram. They
have the new threaded feed tubes and other small
adjustments to set screw sizes to make assemble
easier. This version Excalibur uses the F-4 wire nubbin.
Serial numbers: 160 to present.
The barrel was moved back farther into the body by
about .125 to allow the paintball to be seated in the
barrel better. Set screw sizes were finalized. A few small
adjustments were made to the sizes of the air passages
to make the pneumatics more efficient. The bodies are
now completely finalized. The only thing left for the body
is the ball drop sensor which is being worked on. Any
tuning will now be in the cartridges themselves.
Febuary 21, 2001
A change in the Excaliburs valve spring was made. We
have changed it from a spyder style valve spring to a 98
cocker length spring. We have found this to help
effeciency and also lower the sound signature of the
marker more.
Notes:
Step 2: Turn the marker “ON” using the recesed power
switch. The raised screw on the back of the grip plate
next to the power switch indicates the “ON” position for
the switch. There is no LED light to indicate the marker
is on.
Step 3: Turn on the air source. If the bolt is not in its
forward postion it will now move forward closing the
breech. If air comes out of the barrel gently hold the bolt
back - this will allow the valve to seal.
Step 4: The paintball marker is now ready to use.
Step 5: Firmly grasp the grip, simply point and pull the
trigger
**Always keep your finger out of the trigger well
when you are not firing the paintball marker.**
Velocity Adjustment
The velocity of the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) is controlled
directly through the Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator
mounted vertically in front of the trigger frame.
The Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator that comes with
the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) is adjusted in this fashion:
1. Turning the adjuster screw clockwise will lower the
pressure, thus lowering the velocity.
2. Turning the adjuster screw counter-clockwise
will increase the pressure raising the velocity.
As adjustments were made during production a few set
screw size changes, so be careful if you have to replace
one. Make sure it is the same size as the one removed.
The tube section of the valve chamber endcap is fine
the way it is, some may want to cut the sides out of the
tube section. We’ve tested that all ready and there was
no change in performance. Theres no need to cut the
sides out.
There is no need to cut grooves on the outside of the
ram and hammer cartridge. The air flow around the
cartridge is already high enough, if you cut grooves
around the outside you will only be slowing them down.
When the Excalibur is new the pneumatics reg needs
When making velocity adjustments you should use
extremely fine adjustments so as not to go past the
desired velocity. If you are unsure where your operating
pressure is, simply turn the pressure down until the
velocity drops to about 200 fps then slowly turn the
pressure back up.
**Do not exceed a
velocity of 300 FPS**
Cleaning and Maintenance
The barrel on the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) can be cleaned
during a game by either unscrewing the barrel from the
marker or by removing the bolt and swabbing through
the marker and the barrel.
Every 50,000 cycles or 6 months:
Inspect, and replace if needed, the Ram and hammer orings.
Inspect the regulator seat on the pneumatics regulator
and the Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator for wear.
The bolt can be field-stripped from the Excalibur(tm)(pat
pend) while the marker is pressurized with gas. This
allows you to clean the marker and oil the bolt when
needed.
The Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) should be cleaned
externally using a cotton cloth and window cleaner or a
50% alcohol/water mixture.
All external and internal moving parts should be lubricated
using a light synthetic oil only. Oil can be added by
placing a few drops in the input quick disconnect on the
Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator and then dry firing
the gun. A few drops should also be placed on the orings on the Lightning bolt. This should be done every
time you play, and the bolt should be oiled
throughout the day of play.
Recommended lubricants: Extreme-lube from AKALMP
or Palmer Pursuits paintball gun oil.
**Under no circumstances should you use Vaseline,
WD-40, Grease of any kind, Engine Oil, 3-in-1, gun
oils, and any similar oils. If you have a question
about the type of paintball gun oil you are using email us.**
Inspect the Urethane bumper on the Ram and Hammer
for wear.
Every 75,000 cycles or 9 months:
Inspect, and replace if needed, the Ram and hammer orings.
Inspect the regulator seat on the pneumatics regulator
and the Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) regulator for wear.
Inspect the Urethane bumper on the Ram and Hammer
for wear.
Every 100,000 cycles or once a year:
Inspect the whole marker for any signs of problems that
could be starting.
If the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) is to be stored for more
then two months, remove the valve spring. This will
increase the spring’s lifespan. It is a good idea to do
this with both hammer and valve springs on any paintball
gun that is to be stored for a long time.
The electronics are protected against moisture, but the
Excalibur’s(tm)(pat pend) electronic compontents should
never be immersed in water or damage may occur.
All the threads on the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) are
American threads. All set screws are American sizes.
Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) maintenance schedule:
Though the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) was designed to be
virtually maintenance free the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend)
will give you many years of use if normal maintenance
is done to the marker. Even if the Excalibur(tm)(pat
pend) does not need it, good maintenance will keep it
running properly for many years. Every time you play,
put a few drops of oil into the input quick disconnect on
the Sidewinder (tm)(pat pend) regulator.
Once a month, remove the cartridges and clean the
marker.
Every 25,000 cycles or 3 months:
Check the output pressure of the Pneumatics Reg.
Troubleshooting
Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) will not fire
Is the battery fresh and new?
- See Power Supply.
Is there a battery in the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend)?
- See Power Supply.
Is there air/nitrogen or CO2 gas present?
- See Air Supply.
Was the compressed air or nitrogen clean?
Is the Excalibur(tm)(pat pend) turned on?
- See Power Supply.
Is the trigger adjusted correctly?
- See Trigger Adjustment.
Is the bolt jammed?
Is the pneumatics regulator working?
- See Pneumatics Reg.
Is the circuit board working?
- See Electronics.
Is the hammer dwell set correctly?
- See Electronics. Check for damaged wiring.
Firing too slow
Is your rate of fire (ROF) set correctly?
- See Electronics.
Are the dwell settings correct?
- See Electronics.
Is the pneumatics regulator set correctly?
- See Pneumatics Reg.
Is the battery fresh and new?
- See Power Supply.
Excessive gas consumption
Is hammer dwell set correctly?
- See Electronics.
Is there a leak?
Gas leaking
Velocity too Low or too High
Is output pressure from Sidewinder regulator set
correctly?
- See Sidewinder Reg.
Is hammer dwell adjustment set correctly?
- See Electronics.
Is hammer piston o-ring in good shape?
- See Hammer.
Is the pneumatics regulator set correctly?
- See Pneumatics Reg.
Is the battery fresh and new?
- See Power Supply.
Chopping paintballs
Is your hopper working correctly?
Is your bolt “OPEN” dwell set correctly
- See Electronics.
Leaking from Tornado(tm)(pat # 5791328) valve?
- See Tornado Valve.
Leaking from Ram (pneumatic cylinder)?
- See Ram.
Leaking from Pneumatics Regulator?
- See Pneumatics Reg.
Leaking from Sidewinder(tm)(pat pend) Regulator?
- See Sidewinder Reg.
Leaking from Solenoid valves?
Electronic problems
Check battery power level.
- See Power Supply.
Check for damaged wiring.
Check circuit board dwell settings.
- See Electronics.
Is your ball detent working?
- See Ball Detent.
Is the pneumatics regulator set correctly?
- See Pneumatics Reg.
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