# SOTM - October 2022 - Minimal Tools



## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

SOTM - October 2022 - Minimal Tools

Minimal Tools is simply using as few tools as possible to make a slingshot.
Please list all of the tools used for each build, including different sandpapers, final finishes as in CA / Varnish / BLO, etc.
If multitools are used,each specific blade or head used will be considered a separate tool.
So power tools are allowed but again any attachment change is considered an extra tool
Any improvised tools should also be listed - and may not count towards an actual tool used. All Vices and clamps used are each considered separate tools.

So this month, building pics are very important and must be submitted along with pictures of each of the tools in use. Or a video of the complete build will also work.
No building pics = No chance of winning.

Any material can be used - tree branch, G10, All Metals, etc... absolutely no restrictions.

The judges will be picking one over-all winner with the normal badges for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places.

The slingshot itself must be your own work, a new build only, and once again - Must be accompanied with dated building pics or videos throughout the month, starting today at the earliest - and ending at 11:59pm, October 31st 2022

*Up to 3 entries per person this month maximum.

*The voting and final judging will be determined by a poll first, and then we have a pannel of 6 judges at this time that will make the final judgment for the Gold, Silver, & Bronze awards.

The person's with the most votes are usually the winners but in the end, our pannel of judges will make the final decision...

*There will be Gold, Silver, & Bronze Badges awarded.
*All entries must be posted into this October 2022 SOTM thread.
*Any other "Threads" started in another section for a frame that is also entered in this sotm will not be considered because we want to keep all entries located within this thread.
* Any slingshots made or started before this date (September 30th, 2022) are not eligible.

🌞Start building and let's have some fun 🌞


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## Slingshot28 (Feb 15, 2021)

Can't wait!


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## bingo (Oct 25, 2019)

Am in here


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

Cool,this will be fun


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## David D (Oct 20, 2020)

Great idea, but I work too slowly. I'll be looking forward to the results though.


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Jumping in to this one too.
Worked on this on for about an hour after work and some chow. Starting with just my whittling knife, I'll go as far as I can with that. This is a Sumac limb I tore out of the roadside on my walk at 5am. Looks a little scary with the voids but if feels plenty strong enough so far, may have to scrap it if it doesn't pass the stress test. One thing for sure, this one has a naturally funky appeal and the ideas are runnin'
Not a ton of progress but I wanted to get it on the board...























































..............


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

I used zero tools!









ಡ⁠ ͜⁠ ⁠ʖ⁠ ⁠ಡ


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

DGBurns42 said:


> I used zero tools!
> View attachment 377908
> 
> 
> ಡ⁠ ͜⁠ ⁠ʖ⁠ ⁠ಡ


But in all seriousness, looks like it's time for some good ol' fashioned whittlin'! Looking forward to some raw, hand carved frames.


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

Here's the start to my first entry (Oct. 2nd, 2022). This is a tree fork I cut at some point last autumn that I had drying on a rack over my wood stove through the winter. Not sure if the saw used to cut it from the branch counts as a tool, but I plan on whittling with just this knife.


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

good starts guys


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

More work today. Stared at it for a while and I've decided I'm going to try putting an eagle talon on the bottom. Worked on gutting out the middle, then whittled it off at a length that will give me some breathing room for shaping the talons. I should be able to get 95% of this done with just the whittler but I will probably need to sand or file a little, and I'm definitely plugging up those voids so I'm thinking absolute minimum of four "tools", may put me out of the running, lol, hopefully end result will be worth it.....




























































...Tim


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

That one has some great character Tim @bottlecap


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Reed Lukens said:


> That one has some great character Tim @bottlecap


Thanks Reed! Yeah, some unusual features, hopefully it all works out..


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## Slingshot28 (Feb 15, 2021)

5 min natural with only a saw


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

l've discovered on youtube that cotton acts the same way as baking soda when combined with super glue....it turns into "rock" through a chemical reaction. So I've introduced two new "tools" for this entry; orange colored cotton yarn and super glue. I've stuffed most of the voids with the cotton using my whittling knife, and added super glue to harden it. Orange complements the color of the Sumac and it's a good fall color. Also have made some progress on the talons and some feather work.
So here's where I'm at to date...lots of talon work, feather detailing, shaping and finishing to go....
















































Tim


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## SLING-N-SHOT (Jun 5, 2018)

Coming along nicely Tim……you’re going to have to buy a new Flexcut carver when done 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Darrell Allen

** SlingLyfe Band Up **


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Thanks, she hasn't complained yet, and still sharp as a tack...


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## MOJAVE MO (Apr 11, 2018)

I heard a story that KawKan once carved a natty with a piece of broken glass. Or maybe it was an old toenail clipper?


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## SLING-N-SHOT (Jun 5, 2018)

MOJAVE MO said:


> I heard a story that KawKan once carved a natty with a piece of broken glass. Or maybe it was an old toenail clipper?


I heard he gnawed it to shape with his bare teeth 


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Darrell Allen
** SlingLyfe  Band Up **


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

Hi, it's been awhile, here is my #1. Tools used are knife, flat file, round file, small carving tools v tool and I tool, sandpaper #150 grit, and stain. I haven't carved for years so this was fun. Wood is Chinese dogwood. I was going to leave the bark on, but it split off so I went with carving, some more tools. Hope you like it , shoots great!


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## Portboy (Nov 17, 2021)

Cass said:


> Hi, it's been awhile, here is my #1. Tools used are knife, flat file, round file, small carving tools v tool and I tool, sandpaper #150 grit, and stain. I haven't carved for years so this was fun. Wood is Chinese dogwood. I was going to leave the bark on, but it split off so I went with carving, some more tools. Hope you like it , shoots great!
> View attachment 378599
> View attachment 378600
> View attachment 378601
> ...


Pretty wild Cass looks good


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

I like it!....Spirit Sling,...nice handywork!


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

Very Nice @Cass 
Beautifully done. 
🤠 🍻


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## Slingshot28 (Feb 15, 2021)

That's amazing @Cass


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

Slingshot28 said:


> That's amazing @Cass


Thanks!


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

Reed Lukens said:


> Very Nice @Cass
> Beautifully done.
> 🤠 🍻


Thanks!


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

bottlecap said:


> I like it!....Spirit Sling,...nice handywork!


Thanks!


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

Portboy said:


> Pretty wild Cass looks good


Thanks!


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

@Cass Very nice,excellent wood spirit carving


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## Cass (Nov 16, 2020)

skarrd said:


> @Cass Very nice,excellent wood spirit carving


Thanks!


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Here's my final. Would have loved to get into it a little more with a dremel, and other tools but...
So five tools total for this. Whittling knife, small aggressive wood file, one sheet 220 sandpaper, cotton yarn, super glue.
It's comfortable and shoots well, could be funky enough to fit into a halloween theme....














































Tim


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

🤠 🍻  Very Nice @bottlecap  🍻 🤠


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

bottlecap said:


> Here's my final. Would have loved to get into it a little more with a dremel, and other tools but...
> So five tools total for this. Whittling knife, small aggressive wood file, one sheet 220 sandpaper, cotton yarn, super glue.
> It's comfortable and shoots well, could be funky enough to fit into a halloween theme....
> View attachment 378999
> ...


Very cool! That sling almost looks like its trying to cop a feel hahaha.
What kinds of bands are those? Not seen a set that was dual colored like that before.


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Reed Lukens said:


> 🤠 🍻  Very Nice @bottlecap  🍻 🤠


 Thank you Reed!



DGBurns42 said:


> Very cool! That sling almost looks like its trying to cop a feel hahaha.
> What kinds of bands are those? Not seen a set that was dual colored like that before.


Thanks! Embarrassed to say I get all my band/pouch combos from Amazon,.....I'm a little leaguer, I know, but it suits my sling needs at this point.
Here's what they look like on the site...


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

bottlecap said:


> Thank you Reed!
> 
> 
> Thanks! Embarrassed to say I get all my band/pouch combos from Amazon,.....I'm a little leaguer, I know, but it suits my sling needs at this point.
> ...


Hey, as long as they work for ya' that's all that matters. And they're aesthetic! I wish there were band color options out there, I dont always want to use the typical yellow or black. That's what drew me to Sumeike when I first got into band making.


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

Well my original attempt at a low tool entry was foiled as the fork just wasn't really one I felt was worth finishing. The wood was too striated and just wanted to peel and peel. 
Instead, here is a scaled down mini SPS that I made yesterday (Oct 29th) and finished oiling and polishing today (Oct 30th). It's made from a skateboard kicktail, the same one I made a Micro Ranger out of 2 months ago (shoutout Bill 🤙).
Tools used were a scroll saw, belt sander, two wood rasps, 120 and 2000 grit sandpaper, and a drill press for the lanyard hole. Not exactly minimal tools, but it's all I made this month and it's fewer tools than I would have normally used. Finished with one coat of red mahogany wood finish oil and two coats of tung oil polished with the 2000 grit.








































Shoutout to Performance Catapults for designing the SPS frame!!


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

🤠 🍻 Nice Job @DGBurns42 🍻🤠


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## DGBurns42 (5 mo ago)

Reed Lukens said:


> 🤠 🍻 Nice Job @DGBurns42 🍻🤠


Well thank you kindly Mr. Reed 😁


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## bottlecap (Jan 16, 2021)

Looks great, DG', alternate plan worked out nicely!


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## David D (Oct 20, 2020)

Cass said:


> Hi, it's been awhile, here is my #1. Tools used are knife, flat file, round file, small carving tools v tool and I tool, sandpaper #150 grit, and stain. I haven't carved for years so this was fun. Wood is Chinese dogwood. I was going to leave the bark on, but it split off so I went with carving, some more tools. Hope you like it , shoots great!
> View attachment 378599
> View attachment 378600
> View attachment 378601
> ...





bottlecap said:


> Thank you Reed!
> 
> 
> Thanks! Embarrassed to say I get all my band/pouch combos from Amazon,.....I'm a little leaguer, I know, but it suits my sling needs at this point.
> ...


I used to buy those green and blue ones too. They're pretty fast in my opinion. I stopped buying them because the pouches were sometimes too small and the bands were shorter than advertised. They do work though. Crazy looking slingshot too. I like it.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

The October SOTM is officially over, only 4 entries this month so I'll have the poll up soon.


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## Reed Lukens (Aug 16, 2020)

Ok, this was a pretty barren month and it is awarded based on using minimal tools. I sure wish that I could have put mine together, but I'll have it for the future 🤠 

The voting this month didn't work out and the judges & I wanted it go by comparring the number of tools used for each slingsgot. But being that we only had 4 entries with the different amounts of tools used made the final decision pretty easy.

I'm still being called lefty and I'm a bit late posting because I just got back from a 4 day drive up & back from my buddies memorial, where I was one of the main speakers. 

So here's our winners for last months SOTM finally!
Congratulations guys! -

1st Place) Slingshot28's Natty - using only 1 tool
2nd Place) Bottlecap with 5 tools
3rd Place) Cass with 7 tools

I will send out the badges soon 🤠


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## skarrd (Jul 20, 2011)

Congratulations Everybody


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