# Slingshot Tether Ball



## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Some time ago, Beanflip started a thread describing a target that I believe was originally designed for archery:

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/21433-slingshot-dueling-tree-attn-charles/?hl=attention#entry258440

Basically, it consisted of a pole with several revolving flaps. When hit, a flap will swing around to the other side of the pole. Competitors try to shoot the flaps on their side of the pole to keep most of the flaps on the opponent's side. Bean issued a friendly challenge for me to develop something like this for slingshots.

Well, the commercial versions of this target are well designed, and I doubt that I can improve on them. And the more I thought about it, the more trouble I had trying to devise a method to stop the swinging flaps in just the right position. Soooo ... I gave up .... but I kept thinking about it.

I came up with something sort of like the dueling tree, but my version is based on the old schoolyard game of tether ball. Here is a photo of the basic gizmo:









The idea is to shoot the tennis ball on your side, which will cause the paracord to wrap around the rod. The goal is to wrap enough of the paracord around the rod to raise the cross bar up to the red tape. The challenge is that gravity will cause the device to unwind as soon as momentum is lost, and then it will wind up in the opposite direction. If two competitors are shooting, then each one is trying to wrap the paracord up in their direction. You have to shoot fast and accurately ... and your timing has to be just right. Here is a video of the device in action:






This target is very, very easy to make. The dimensions are not critical. So get down to the workshop and put one together, and then go have some fun!!!

Cheers ..... Charles


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## BC-Slinger (Jan 6, 2013)

This thing was just a great idea and a **** of a lot of fun. I will have to make one of these in the future they are going with me every camp trip and beach day from this day forth.

Cheers thanks for posting the dimensions

BC-Slinger


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Maybe if you used a dowel (broom handle) you could just stick it in the ground and not need the frame.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

flipgun said:


> Maybe if you used a dowel (broom handle) you could just stick it in the ground and not need the frame.


By all means, give it a try.

Here are my thoughts behind this design. In situations like this, I found that no part of the device is immune from pretty serious hits. And given that we are using pretty heavy ammo, I do not hold out a lot of hope for wood doweling to last long. Then there is the problem of the cross bar. If you use large diameter doweling, pipe, or whatever for the upright, that cross bar is going to have to be wider in order for the upright to pass through a hole in it ... and that means it will have to be heavier ... and that means it will be harder to move and less lively. For slotted steel, the upright cannot be any larger than 5/16 inch in diameter, as that is the size of the holes. You could drill one out to perhaps 3/8, but then the cross bar is much more likely to bend under impact. Also, the frame helps to keep the upright rather taught, so it is less likely to bend when hit. Further, if something with that small a diameter (5/16 of an inch) were just stuck in the ground, then it will begin to wobble pretty quickly because of the lateral forces.

Anyway, that was my reasoning around this design. But I have not tried just a single upright stuck in the ground with no frame. Perhaps it will work just fine, in spite of my musings! So, have at it and let us know how it works. I do not pretend to have the last word on such a device.

Cheers .... Charles


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

I shot a tennis ball once... nearly made a new entry in the embarrassing ricochet thread...


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

I would try this: Replace the vertical rod in the middle with another piece of paracord?

It could either be over sized, say 26 inchs or attached to a rubber band to provide some extra 'give'. Then the hole in the slotted steel flat could be made smaller.

Good work all.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

flipgun said:


> Maybe if you used a dowel (broom handle) you could just stick it in the ground and not need the frame.


I hope it works this way because I'd be a little leary of the extra ricochete surfaces provided by the frame. I don't shoot that good to begin with, add speed and I really miss a lot. All my spectators would have to be wearing safety glasses. 

. . . That is a cool gizmo, though, Charles.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Crac said:


> I would try this: Replace the vertical rod in the middle with another piece of paracord?
> 
> It could either be over sized, say 26 inchs or attached to a rubber band to provide some extra 'give'. Then the hole in the slotted steel flat could be made smaller.
> 
> Good work all.


Do give it a try. I think the paracord would quickly be abraded by the cross arm rotating against it. Let us know how it works in practice.

Cheers .... Charles


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

Charles said:


> Crac said:
> 
> 
> > I would try this: Replace the vertical rod in the middle with another piece of paracord?
> ...


erm ok.

We could 'shield' it inside the body or cap of an old pen? Or wrap a little tape around it?

Any scrap wood, an old eraser, old tooth brush head, the spring from and old clothes peg... ok that's what's infront of me. Anything that can be cut with a knife and a drill would do the trick.

Link two split rings together and secure with tape?

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://onestop-key-rings.co.uk/images/8mm-split-ring.jpg&imgrefurl=http://onestop-key-rings.co.uk/split-rings-c-8.html&h=436&w=600&sz=18&tbnid=wvPdyaS-hOk-bM:&tbnh=87&tbnw=120&zoom=1&usg=__on1SJZWHICVUBUkns7YEEcHgy40=&docid=--mVQs3tm4w5yM&sa=X&ei=AujuUe_qA8is0QXu5YCoCA&sqi=2&ved=0CFgQ9QEwAQ&dur=3446

I didn't want to end up with a fancy attachment.

I use paracord for bootlaces, My Altbergs use saddle eye-let things (the eyelet is 'sheet metal' thats been folded over and riveted to make a "P") While I had no trouble with orginal laces which are a similar uber-tech-plastic twine. It's paracord in them just now. As with all things it has a limited life, But I'd hope the paracord would be availible enough and tough enough to satisfy the needs of many.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Crac said:


> Charles said:
> 
> 
> > Crac said:
> ...


Give it a try ... :wave:

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I thought this thread would be longer than this by now. There are very few things more fascinating than Charles makin' gizmos. :lol:


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> I thought this thread would be longer than this by now. There are very few things more fascinating than Charles makin' gizmos. :lol:


Not enough controversy ... Now, if I put sights on it, or maybe turned it into an electronic AP (whatever that is), or maybe even put out a Kindle version, then the knives would be out and blood would flow!! :rofl:

Cheers .... Charles


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## Cjw (Nov 1, 2012)

Never bring a knife to a gun fight. ????


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## tradspirit (Jul 23, 2012)

Charles..you are a truly entertaining inventor. All of your targets provide the response so necessary for acknowledging target acquisition. Have you tried hanging a kindle from a cord in a tree and shooting at it until it disintegrates??


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## Adirondack Kyle (Aug 20, 2012)

Very cool Charles!! I shall make one!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

tradspirit said:


> Charles..you are a truly entertaining inventor. All of your targets provide the response so necessary for acknowledging target acquisition. Have you tried hanging a kindle from a cord in a tree and shooting at it until it disintegrates??


Nahhh ... they tend to disintegrate on their own ... :rofl: :devil:



Adirondack Kyle said:


> Very cool Charles!! I shall make one!


Excellent!! Post pics or vids ... :thumbsup:

Cheers .... Charles


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Bravo Charles! A new, fun, and simple design. :thumbsup:


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## B.P.R (Dec 28, 2012)

Charles... any way of keeping it from sliding straight back down?...

Would be good if it hit...and stopped at the highest point.... next shooter takes a hit...tries to reverse the last shooters good work... and so on....

Cheers.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

blue pocket rocket said:


> Charles... any way of keeping it from sliding straight back down?...
> 
> Would be good if it hit...and stopped at the highest point.... next shooter takes a hit...tries to reverse the last shooters good work... and so on....
> 
> Cheers.


There are a couple of ways I thought to do this.

1. Use a nylon lock nut epoxied to the flat bar so that it winds on the ready rod. But the problem I found with that was that there was just way too much friction. Anything that gives enough friction to hold the bar really reduces how lively the apparatus works.

2. Use a plastic flapper on one or both sides of the frame so that the tennis ball just contacts it. I did not try this. However, I suspect that the plastic would pretty quickly get shot to he11, at least given the way I tend to shoot under those circumstances!!!

I wanted it to be pretty bullet proof, but lively. I just could not see how to modify it in the way you suggest that would satisfy both desiderata. But ... maybe you can come up with something. Build one and try it out.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## B.P.R (Dec 28, 2012)

I cant think of a way to do this...

The nylon nut sounds the best...but friction will be a problem as you say....

Hmm i might have to have a think about this....


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

This is a great idea Charles! This will be great for my wife and I. Thanks so much for the great video too. I'll be building one for sure.


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## ryguy27 (Nov 8, 2013)

For A Free Standing Device Without A Frame Maybe A Twisted Square Metal Rod With A Point To Drive Into The Ground Might Do The Trick, Then No Paracord Would Be Needed, Just The Slotted Bar And Tennis Balls. There Would Be Minimum Ricochet, And The Twisted Metal Would Hopefully Deflect Any Hits Away From The Shooter.

If it was placed horizontally then you could have two players, one trying to push it to the left and the other to the right!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

ryguy27 said:


> For A Free Standing Device Without A Frame Maybe A Twisted Square Metal Rod With A Point To Drive Into The Ground Might Do The Trick, Then No Paracord Would Be Needed, Just The Slotted Bar And Tennis Balls. There Would Be Minimum Ricochet, And The Twisted Metal Would Hopefully Deflect Any Hits Away From The Shooter.
> 
> If it was placed horizontally then you could have two players, one trying to push it to the left and the other to the right!


Try it, and let us know how it works.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## DecoyOctopus96 (Nov 16, 2013)

Looks like fun, too bad I don't have the patience to put together an elaborate target. Sticking to cans and such.


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## myusername (Oct 5, 2013)

looks fun!


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