# Band Protectant



## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

I bought a Trumark tube set and it came with a moist pack of protectant and said to wipe the tubes down. Is this really necessary? Should all bands be wiped down?


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

I wouldn't worry about lubing up your bands CC. They may last a bit longer if lubed a little at the pouch connection,but if you get a bit too much on that pouch,it really gets slippery. Be careful with that stuff-very slick!


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

If the wipes were included with the product they were included for a reason. Some people are allergic to the powder so it is better to be safe than sorry.

Robert


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Model aeroplane people use a variety of rubber lubes ranging from green soap and castor oil to fancy silicome concoctions. Their rubber is twisted to the absolute limit, though. It's more about getting the maximum possible power into the fixed weight of rubber without breaking.

We have no weight limits, so I don't think it's worth bothering with.


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## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

Oh, I took it as a UV, air oxidation protection,,,,like Armour All. which leads me to another question, are all bands latex? I wonder if different materials need more protection.


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

Not all bands contain latex. Latex is a coagulant taken from certain plants. When exposed to the air it thickens and when mixed with certain rubbers helps to strengthen them. Many people are allergic to latex. It is not poisonous but if your skin burns, itches or breaks out in a rash your allergic to it. This is the reason for the wipes in your packet of rubbers.
As a child I picked the Dandelion flower and out of its stem a white sticky substance oozed out, this is a form of latex and is used to mixed with rubber or to coat the rubber with a latex powder. As a point of interest this form of latex from the Dandelion is being considered as a replacement for the sticky substance produced from the rubber tree grown in Malaya.


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## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

Well, there's natural gum, silicone, EPDM, Nitrile, SBR, Hypalon, Butyl, Santoprene, Viton, Latex, etc rubbers. I's just wondering if some are more prone to UV, air oxidation damage.


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## ash (Apr 23, 2013)

Yes, some are more prone to badness. Latex, for example.

The more important thing is that latex is easily the best for slingshot work and the more pure, the better. That's why Tex's latex bands and Dankung tubes are so good.


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## Tube_Shooter (Dec 8, 2012)

The latex as mentioned above only needs to be stored in a cool dark place it doesn't really need lubing,its biggest enemy is UV so prolonged use in sun light will lower its longevity somewhat.


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## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

*Yeah, so it sounds like Trumark is erring on the side of caution and including the protectant. They musta had folks try and get free replacements and found they had them out in the sun, etc.*


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## August West (Jan 21, 2012)

My bands don't last long enough to need protectant.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

August West said:


> My bands don't last long enough to need protectant.


I know. Right. A band set a day at least.


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Band Protectant ????

hmmm i dont now ;-) if u don't shoot, than u protect it lol

cheears


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

For your Band Sets to last for so short a time you certainly must put in a lot of practice. As I get older I find that even to pick up the stray pellet give my back a bit of a twinge, also I use tubes so they do last a bit longer. Where I live they are all old folk who have no interest in sling shots so I have to pit my skills against myself, which is not much fun as I keep winning. Still the more I practice the better I am bound to get, either that or I shall collapse from exhaustion.

Thank you again for your companionship.

Moongalba


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

CCHGN said:


> Well, there's natural gum, silicone, EPDM, Nitrile, SBR, Hypalon, Butyl, Santoprene, Viton, Latex, etc rubbers. I's just wondering if some are more prone to UV, air oxidation damage.


­While Ash got there quickly, I'd like to comment on this all the same.

Chemical engineers can tailor the products by enhancing or 'extending' the chemical and mechanical properties but only up to a point. Rubber bands for example have been designed and engineered to last longer than say a pair of latex gloves. But at some point the temperature cycles, Ozone, UV and all the other goodies are going to win and both/all types of 'rubber' will be useless scrap. My point is we have a little scope in which products we use, however we can only buy what is available... and given we repurpose other products can we really complain?

Secondly by choice many of us are choosing the highest performance shortest life products. Of course we would be very annoyed if our stock perished, but few can complain about deterioration? (Diablo Pro's tube did perish even in a dark cupboard... in a cold room but it took years of neglect!)

Lastly following the trend of experience, we are generally seeking latex products because we know 'pure' latex works so well. I think the problem is few are willing to take a 'risk' testing a material!

So what is the 'protection' for? I don't know. I STRONGLY hope every precaution as well as a bit of thought when into packaging and protecting to ensure the product reached the user in the best possible condition? But seriously it's there for a reason so I would look for a 'conspiracy' first then use the stuff.


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## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

moongalba said:


> For your Band Sets to last for so short a time you certainly must put in a lot of practice. As I get older I find that even to pick up the stray pellet give my back a bit of a twinge, also I use tubes so they do last a bit longer. Where I live they are all old folk who have no interest in sling shots so I have to pit my skills against myself, which is not much fun as I keep winning. Still the more I practice the better I am bound to get, either that or I shall collapse from exhaustion.
> 
> Thank you again for your companionship.
> 
> Moongalba


I have decided not to pick up 'pellets' anymore,,,lol I saw old man Rufus on Youtube and he had a cut out gallon milk jug full of rocks. I have decided to do the same. I cut me a milk jug and I have a pile of pebbles out back, nice round ones of all sizes. I now have a jug full of pebbles and I don't chase them or pick them up.


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## CCHGN (Oct 16, 2013)

Crac said:


> CCHGN said:
> 
> 
> > Well, there's natural gum, silicone, EPDM, Nitrile, SBR, Hypalon, Butyl, Santoprene, Viton, Latex, etc rubbers. I's just wondering if some are more prone to UV, air oxidation damage.
> ...


I reckon that the protectant is to prolong that inevitable deterioration.


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

I have said it once and I will say it again, 70 years ago we were flying airplane's made of Balsa and paper covering. We used an elastic band made for the turning of the propeller. We would give the Prop. about 150 - 200 full turns and let her fly on the wind. After playing with it, or until it crash landed, we took the elastic band and dunked it in the green semi liquid soap which was available at the time. About the nearest you will get to the same soap is from the hand wash dispensers, or washing up liquid. There the band would stay in the soap until we wanted to fly our plane again. We would give the band a good drying off then assemble it into the plane. I have used the same band for many a none repairable plane. The green soap came by as a tradition. We did not question it because it worked. We had no fridges so the band stayed at room temperature in the soap, and you know what? I think it was to keep the air away from the band.

Well that's the bit of advice this Old Codger has for you worriers today. Go on, give it a go. Smother your ties with soap as well and if all does not go according to plan then you had your tongue on the wrong side of your mouth when you were concentrating. Do not forget to wipe everything dry before sending some innocent steel ball into the wide blue yonder.

Moongalba


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## moongalba (Sep 2, 2013)

CCHGN said:


> moongalba said:
> 
> 
> > For your Band Sets to last for so short a time you certainly must put in a lot of practice. As I get older I find that even to pick up the stray pellet give my back a bit of a twinge, also I use tubes so they do last a bit longer. Where I live they are all old folk who have no interest in sling shots so I have to pit my skills against myself, which is not much fun as I keep winning. Still the more I practice the better I am bound to get, either that or I shall collapse from exhaustion.
> ...


I live at a Mobile Home Park in a proper house with all the mod cons and great neighbor's. My problem was that I did not enough space to get in some decent practice, I mean what can you do in five yards. I might just as well throw the pellets at the target. But I did not despair for someone was on my side. The park has an eight feet wall surrounding it. I found a nice quiet spot with no homes nearby; set up my catch box and at 10 meters pinged away for half an hour. I had to give up when I noticed that my lead fishing sinkers were wearing a hole in the wall. Well from 5 yards to 10 meters one cannot be expected to hit the target on their first try (Or was that 50 tries?). I just hope that Joshua and his trumpets do not come otherwise Thorneside Mobile Home Park will be without a wall. I suppose I could have been like the little Dutch kid and his dam and stuck my finger in the hole, but dinner was ready which left me no choice.

Moongalba


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