Spimmy
Spimmy is a type of custom paintball marker created by combining a Spyder body with the internal components and operating system of a Bob Long Intimidator. The name is a combination of Spyder and Timmy, the commonly used nickname for the Intimidator.[1]
Spimmy conversions became popular among paintball equipment enthusiasts during the mid-2000s. Unlike a standard electronically triggered Spyder, a Spimmy uses an electropneumatic ram-operated system derived from the Intimidator.[1][2]
Spimmy is a name for a type of custom conversion rather than a factory-produced marker model.
History
[edit]The Spimmy emerged from the paintball marker modification community during the early 2000s.
Kingman Spyder markers were relatively inexpensive and widely available, making them a popular starting point for custom equipment projects.
The Bob Long Intimidator, introduced around 2000, used a more sophisticated electropneumatic operating system associated with professional tournament paintball.
Enthusiasts began adapting Intimidator components to fit Spyder bodies, creating markers that retained the external appearance of a Spyder while using the Intimidator's firing mechanism.
A discussion published on Automags.org on 14 November 2004 documents enthusiasts planning these conversions and discussing suitable Spyder models, component costs and technical difficulties.[2]
Similar projects appeared on paintball forums during 2005.
On 31 May 2006, a PbNation user known as electraman7 published an illustrated guide titled Comprehensive Spimmy Tutorial (with pics). The guide documented a conversion using a modified Spyder Xtra body and Intimidator components.[1]
The tutorial acknowledged that earlier conversion guides already existed, establishing that the modification was known within the enthusiast community before its publication.
Design
[edit]A Spimmy generally retains the receiver of a Spyder marker while replacing much of its original operating system with Intimidator components.
Typical conversions incorporate:
- Spyder receiver and feedneck.
- Intimidator pneumatic ram and ram sleeve.
- Electronic control board and trigger frame.
- Electropneumatic solenoid.
- Low-pressure regulator.
- Intimidator-derived bolt and valve components.
- Pneumatic hoses and associated fittings.
- Electronic anti-chop eyes, where fitted.
The conversion requires substantial modification to accommodate components originally designed for a different marker.
Because Spimmys are individually built, their exact components and configurations vary.
Operating system
[edit]The principal difference between a Spimmy and a conventional Spyder is the firing mechanism.
The original Spyder uses a stacked-tube blowback design in which a spring-driven striker opens the valve. Gas pressure subsequently recocks the mechanism.
Electronic Spyder models retain this basic operating system while replacing the mechanical trigger linkage with an electronically activated sear.
A Spimmy instead uses an electropneumatic solenoid to control a pneumatic ram, following the operating principles of the Bob Long Intimidator.[1]
The conversion therefore changes the marker's underlying firing mechanism rather than simply adding electronic trigger controls or aftermarket accessories.
Custom marker culture
[edit]Spimmy conversions formed part of a broader period of paintball equipment customisation during the early and mid-2000s.
Enthusiasts modified inexpensive markers using components originally developed for higher-end tournament equipment.
The projects required mechanical and pneumatic knowledge, and the cost of acquiring individual Intimidator parts could approach the price of a complete used tournament marker.
Contemporary forum discussions document the expense and complexity of these conversions, with some builders questioning whether the projects were economically worthwhile.[2][3]
Spimmys remained a subject of interest among collectors and paintball equipment enthusiasts after the original conversion guides were published.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- PbNation, electraman7, "Comprehensive Spimmy Tutorial (with pics)", 31 May 2006. Contemporary illustrated guide documenting the Spyder-to-Intimidator conversion.
- Automags.org, "I Think I'm Gonna Do It! (Spimmy)", 14 November 2004. Contemporary discussion of conversion components, costs and suitable Spyder models.
- PaintballForum.com, "Spyder / Timmy Conversion", April 2005. Contemporary discussion distinguishing a complete Intimidator conversion from ordinary Spyder upgrades.