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Barrels Of Fun

Jasmina Meyer, Highlands Today

From left: Lake Placid High School sophomores Kevin Smit and Kyle LeBlanc are the creators of a Multiple Barrel Attachment Device for paint ball guns, on which the patent is pending.

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By BILL ROGERS

Highlands Today

Published: December 28, 2008

LAKE PLACID - M.B.A.D. could be quite good for two Lake Placid teenagers.

M.B.A.D. stands for Multiple Barrel Attachment Device that has been created by Kyle LeBlanc and Kevin Smit. A patent is pending on the switching device for a paintball gun, and the Lake Placid High School sophomores have set up a company (MBAD Paintball Corp.) and a Web site (mbadpaintball.com).

The promotional material for the device says players will be able to "switch between standard and curve inducing barrels while in play" as well as "switch barrels quickly and efficiently if a ball breaks in the barrel."

LeBlanc, 15, said he has been playing paintball for two years. He came up with the idea during the summer of 2007.

"We were playing paintball and my other friend he sits there and he (would) unscrew one of his barrels and screw the other one, and it made him a real easy target to shoot," LeBlanc said. "It took a lot of time to unscrew it and screw it back in.

"I just kind of thought of the device and pictured it my mind," he added. "Just kind of worked it until I figured I had a good idea, and I told them - my dad and Kevin - that I got this idea."

They took the idea and did some sketches. Smit, 16, then drew it on Photoshop to make it look realistic.

The design was done with a Computer Aided Design program.

Submitting the paperwork for a patent came next. LeBlanc, who said it will take at least a year to receive a patent, wrote it with Smit.

Robert Kempf, senior product manager at Tippmann Sports, which manufactures paintball guns, said he can see the need for a player to carry different barrels.

"They are onto an interesting concept," Kempf said.

Kempf noted that Tippmann does a lot of research and listens to people who are playing. He said paintball players are a "passionate group."

According to Kempf, there are two different types of paintball - Scenario and Speedball. Scenario is a more militaristic version that is played in a large area. Speedball, based on its name, is faster and played in a smaller area.

The boys want to have 50 to 100 of the devices produced. They are looking for a company to make the devices by a computer machining process.

"They put the raw metal in and then they make their drawings and it will do everything," said LeBlanc, noting the devices have to be very exact because a projectile is moving through them. "They will machine it, they'll anodize it, which is a process that turns it black, and they will engrave our name on it - all at the same place."

Earlier this month, the teens attended a show at Wayne's World of Paintball in Ocala.

LeBlanc said there were large paintball companies at the trade show as well as smaller vendors and about 1,400 players. The M.B.A.D. was displayed at the show.

"Everyone loved it; they thought it was crazy," he said. "They never really thought you could do something like that. When they see it, they really liked it. The problem with it is that it doesn't go with the militaristic style right now. It is silver because we didn't have enough time to get it anodized."

LeBlanc and Smit want to sell the idea for the device - perhaps to Tippmann - and develop more products.

"We're trying to come up with new innovations for kids trying to play the game," Smit said.

Bill Rogers may be reached at 386-5825 or wrogers@highlandstoday.com

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