Make A Wooden Hand Slingshot
Titel der Datei A slingshot's frameThe frame of a slingshot is the rigid, typically Y-shaped part that is held inthe hand. A proper frame holds the bands safely, makes shooting comfortable andgives you a proper sight picture, if this is beneficial to your shooting style.Yet, I must stress that the frame itself has not much to do with a slingshot'sperformance. Most experienced slingshooters can take pretty much any frameand shoot accurately with it after some time of training. Only models with extension of the drawing length by elongated forks or rollersystems have an influence on the rubber band's performance.Making a slingshot frame is a rewarding activity.
Some people like the constructionof a slingshot more than actually shooting it, and there's nothing wrong with that.There are many different ways to make a frame - I've seen slingshot carved out of stone,sewn from heavy leather, molded with epoxy resin - but the majority of the slingshot can besortet into one of the following three categories: Natural ForkEvery child in the world that had the luck to grow up in a rural area made aslingshot out of a tree fork. This sometimes leads to the notion that tree forkslingshots are toys, or somehow inferior to other designs. Nothing could be furtherfrom the truth.
Many Top-notch shooters attend (and sometimes win) tournamentswith them.Natural forks have a number of charming advantages. First, they are usuallyfree to obtain. Second, they can withstand a lot of force if dried correctly -the fibres in the branches run always along the curves, which is not the case in aboard cut slingshot. Third, many tree forks grow in a shape that makes them fit thehand without much carving work.Board cutIn Europe and the USA, the most popular type of slingshots are board-cuts. Thename says it all - they are cut from a plank of wood, or sometimes a metal or Micartasheeting. The big advantage of making a board-cut is that there is almost no limiton its shape. Fork height and width, grip angle etc.
Wooden Slingshot Pattern
Can be matched perfectly tothe shooter.Be careful to choose the proper wood for you board-cuts. Let the fibres (which runalong the tree's growing direction) also run vertically on your slingshot. Use good hardwoodonly, and keep the throat area, where the forks meet the grip, large enough to withstandthe forces that will rest upon it. Plywood is a good alternative to hardwood, and I recommendit if you are unsure what wood to take. Have a look in the Template section to see some gooddesigns.Bent and welded wireAnother common material are bent metal rods - starting with a bent coathangerthat is a typical child's slingshot, and ending with sophisticated models made fromhot-bended metal rods.
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Most mass produced slingshots are bent-wires, with plastichandles to increase their ergonomy. The advantage is the high stability, in a smallpackage: A well made bent-wire from 6mm steel rod can take about any band strength,while being slim and easy to stash in the pocket. However, this material choice putssome limitations to the possible designs, and band attachment types. Additional parts- such as rubber wrapping or a wooden handle- are often necessary to augment the metalframe's ergonomy.