# Band materials.



## HopefulHunter

Hello everyone! Some of you may be getting fed up with me and the fact that I still haven't just bought some Theraband! But I ask you, and everyone who are being patient with me (thank you!) your opinions on these two different band materials. I understand if you think they may not work, but please, in the interest of fairness, unless you have tested/tried them yourself, outline that it is an opinion rather than fact. Let's try and get some reviews of these materials aswell as just opinion (which is also very nice to have)

Material number 1:

8mm thick 'Shock cord' or Bungee cord. http://www.ropesandtwines.com/products.asp?cat=36
I got 4m of this stuff today at a boat-jumble (Jumble sale for marine stuff) at the hefty price of £1 with the intention of testing out what it's like. It says there that it has a pure rubber core, and looking end on this stuff seems to have just that. I wonder if the weave around the rubber detracts from its elasticity, in which case it may be warranted to remove the core strands of rubber (About 0.5mm across each) and have a multi band setup.

Any suggestions for rigging such cord would be greatly appreciated, I intend to attempt a gypsy tab with the cord doubled back and fastened at the pouch, and another with holes drilled through the forks through which the cord is passed and then notted, doubling back around the outside to fire TTF.

Material number 2:

Johnnies.

I know condoms are made of latex, and also that 'family planning' aka 'am I pregnant and can I get rid of it?' clinics in the UK give them out for free by the bucketload. I know Joerg has a video of a condom slingshot and was wondering what other people know of this method regarding usefulness and durability. I was thinking about it, and I think maybe the best way to use these would be to cut them into strips and layer them as flatbands, or to somehow twist them into a sort of tube/plait them as a three-strand cord, although the latter two may cause undue friction upon the latex, causing them to snap.

I look forward to hearing opinions on these two and intend to give them a go in the future, especially the bungee as i'm sitting with it next to me at present, just need to figure out the rig.

Thanks all. Eddie.


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## ZDP-189

Shock cord is slow and inefficient. It has more flex and elongation than a solid and fails more gracefully and it's more abrasion resistant, but it's not built for speed. If the strands were free to move independently and not sheathed, it'd be a different story, but unmanageable to shoot. If you are going down that route, use stationary store bands. I think 107s are getting a lot of attention right now, but I'm not an expert on chained bands.

Condoms could be cut into strips, although there won't be much advantage. I don't think a small amount of trapped air in a tube will make a jot of difference. The bigger problems will be the materials not being fast (most are non latex and being snappy isn't a design criteria) and secondly the thickness will be between 0.02mm and 0.07mm, because tensile strength is secondary to feel. Popular Thera-Band thicknesses are between 0.35mm to 0.75mm so you'll need a whole lot of condoms.


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## HopefulHunter

Thanks ZDP. I'd love to use 107s, but the price advantage in the UK isn't anywhere near the advantage of that in the states (works out about £12 a box) And I also can't order them from a shop, I have to do it online. I like the idea of being able to walk to a shop and pick something up that will serve purpose.

I will make an attempt using some unsheathed and sheathed bungee and see if there's a difference, I can tell just by pulling back and releasing on the cord that this is faster and stronger than the elastic bands I was previously using which I am since convinced have low rubber content or are just generally cheap and crappy, as in comparison to a pair of 'postie' bands i got they stretch and snap like wool.

I know Durex johnnies are made with latex because my friend is allergic to it and they have a 'non-latex' brand. I will see if I can get my hands on some and let everyone know







I mainly thought cutting them because then your sling will look less like it's got a pair of johnnies attached to it.









Also, YOU CAN GET GLOW IN THE DARK CONDOMS!


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## HopefulHunter

Okay, here's the first attempt at unsheathed bungee (so several small (0.5mm) strands of natural rubber cord, wrapped up. This is just a test and because I had no way of clamping the bands into place whilst wrapping I had to cut 2 inches of rubber off of the end, so these are nowhere near long enough for a full draw, but i'ma put them on a stickshot and see how they behave.

Entire band + tools used and the queen for scale.
First tie
Second tie
Third tie

If these prove anywhere near useable I will develop some kind of jig for holding the bands semi-stretched whilst I work on them in order to allow me to wrap these with more precision with relation to the stretch of individual strands of rubber, for the meantime I fear these will offer an uneven pull









Eddie.


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## HopefulHunter

**** the bed these things fire fast, ricochet broke my mug







Completely missed my blanket, probably ought to learn to fire these things outside. But this I feel will be a viable option given a good stretching jig and having unwound the sheathing

time will tell.


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## strikewzen

very creative lol, seems like you're more interested in experimenting than actual shooting









anyway, more knowledge for us members and we have to thank you for that!


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## NaturalFork

Seems that both of those options would be WAY more expensive than other options.


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## ZDP-189

NaturalFork said:


> Seems that both of those options would be WAY more expensive than other options.


I spoke to him in chat last night and questioned his rationale. It seems the mat, cutter and metal ruler, plus a roll of exercise band is beyond his reach, an he cannot get his hands on good quality 107s.

HH, you could also try this: http://slingshotforum.com/topic/1127-experiments-with-hybrid-tube-bands/ although I think you'd be better off with chinese tubes or some theraband.


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## HopefulHunter

They are not so much beyond my reach as I am reluctant to have to rely on the internet for obtaining band materials. The bungees can be picked up in any Chandlery and aren't hugely expensive, mine was bought at a jumble and cost £1 for 4m, although that is a tad on the cheap side. The website in my first post (albeit online and therefore not counting in my goal, has 100m of the stuff for £30. Also, condoms can be obtained in their hundreds for free from health clinics etc (I'm paying taxes, I mightaswell see some of it back in bands eh?







)

Thanks ZDP, I saw the balloons before and thought they were a terribly good idea. I will have to keep my eyes open for them, although I have a cunning plan involving using condoms cut into a tube (somewhat useless for the original purpose!) then rolled into a 'solid' tube and wrapped in either strips of condom or strands of bungee rubber. Thus avoiding the 'edges' which have been theorised lead to increased tearing, and avoiding the big flappy mess that results from cutting them into bands or strips.

Srikewezen may have hit the nail on the head. I am always interested in experimenting with things (I took my first watch apart within 3 weeks of having it... Not a popular move with my parents) I am also a fan of obtaining components for DIY from places one may not expect to find them normally.

Thank you for your discussion gents, I'm finding it very interesting.

Eddie


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## MIGUELITO

We have a saying in my country and it says, Everything, is already invented!!! although I appreciate the extra information. thks


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## HopefulHunter

Haha I dare say Miguelito that not quite everything is invented, but at the same time, I fear everything that could have been invented by a mind with my average power must have been invented. The rest is left to the highly educated and the highly fortunate.

Eddie.


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## ZDP-189

How have you gotten on with your experiments? I'm very keen to hear.


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## chuk101

I made a pine slingshot (just cut it out of a 1x6 board), I don't trust it's strength enough with strong bands, so I experimented cutting up latex dishwashing gloves, 2 layers of 1 inch strips, length from cuff to fingertip. They're not strong, but have a bit of quickness to them and just fun for playing around. And those gloves are easy to obtain. My wife probably throws away a pair a week when one of them gets cut or a hole worn into them.


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## HopefulHunter

I'm afraid I've not managed to do any experimenting over the weekend as I went home for Guy Fawkes' Night and to spend some time with my family and my girlfriend. Got a chance to practice a bit of shooting with that 'small fry' i've got posted but didn't get a chance to tie those stripped elastic cords yet. Will let you know asap







Not tonight though. verrrrry sleepy and still a bit hungover.

cheers.

Eddie.


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## ZDP-189

The elastic ribbon in '80s era wound golf balls should be pretty high performance.


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## MIGUELITO

I have also heard of red tubes of airplane * small aircraft* used to inflate tires long ago were magnificent have you guys heard of this? I asked around and they tell me they are nt used anymore...


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## HopefulHunter

ZDP-189 said:


> The elastic ribbon in '80s era wound golf balls should be pretty high performance.


That is VERY interesting. I may have to look into that. I have a golfball in my bag I was going to use to tie a monkey's fist around, but maybe it holds precious rubber. Do you know how to tell when the golfball is the rubber type ones rather than whatever they use now instead?

cheers, Eddie.


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## ZDP-189

Be cautious if cutting. I have a rather large scar from peeling golf balls in my teens.

This was before golf balls went to solid cores. There was a time before elastomer technology was advanced enough to make a one piece core. Golf balls were built around a core filled with a syrup. Around that was wound a rubber ribbon and then it was capped in a balata cover. The core reduced spin and the bands provided the 'oompf'. The balls I would use were Titleist, but you are really looking for the older ones. Ask your pro for pickup/ damaged balls with a three piece or wound structure if the ball is smaller than you're used to seeing, then that's probably a wound ball as it means it was sold before the rule change that outlawed small balls.


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## HopefulHunter

Eeenteresting. Well if this bungee thing with the tied strands works I will definitely have to take a look at them golfballs. Don't know where my nearest course is but we're near the sea so i bet it's not far off...


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