# Yardwork isn't so bad now



## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

thought i'd better trim some branches and at the same time i was able to round up some forks. these are all ash.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Very cool!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I am insanely jealous!!! My favorite wood and it's plentiful in this region but I have yet to find a decent ash fork.







And there you stand with seven of them.








That one on the right end in the top row looks like it's ready to strap some bands on as is.
Happy carving, Gopher! And be sure to show us the results.


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

Great looking set of forks, have fun....


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

Me gusta la segunda y la cuarta, tienen muy buena geometría. (2 y 4)

Chepo


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## Gandolphin (Jun 28, 2010)

i spend days to find a good wood for slingshot,
and you have 7 woods in good shapes


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Nice set of forks. My favorite is the one all the way on the left. When it's done the prominent knot will be a real catchy focal point. They're all good and I love the making something nice from what would be discarded otherwise.


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## Performance Catapults (Feb 3, 2010)

I have two enormous honey locust trees in my front yard. Every spring and summer, mother nature brings down a few nice size branches. I have some forks drying now. Nice assortment you have there.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

The park next to my house has a big honey locust, and i'm waiting for a branch to come down one of these days but it hasn't happened yet, that is a beautiful wood.

The one on the top row to the left (looks like it has a short handle section) will be interesting. it looks short because it is actually curved towards the camera, the design posibilities of that one will be fun since i could make a natural where my wrist could be almost straight while shooting.

The little one on the right will be my boys first slingshot.

I've sealed all the cuts and now i'll just let them dry for a while.


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

The Gopher said:


> ...
> 
> The one on the top row to the left (looks like it has a short handle section) will be interesting. it looks short because it is actually curved towards the camera, the design posibilities of that one will be fun since i could make a natural where my wrist could be almost straight while shooting.
> 
> ...


Exactly! curvature that provides excellent ergonomic features, expect to see the result after work.

Chepo


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## Seventh_He4ven (Jul 30, 2010)

Nice! I've just made an ash natural. Lovin it mostly. Have fun getting the bark off =P


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

I've debarked entire hophornmeam, osage, hickory, and ash logs for bow building, a little 'ol slingshot don't scare me!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

jmplsnt said:


> Nice set of forks. My favorite is the one all the way on the left. When it's done the prominent knot will be a real catchy focal point. They're all good and I love the making something nice from what would be discarded otherwise.


Jump, if we used nothing but our pocket knives and some sandpaper, all I can see is blisters on my hands when I look at that one, ha ha!


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

I agree dayhiker, that curved one will see power tools, but every now and then i'll make a few "whittled" slingshots that only see a pocket knife. whittling is another pasttime of mine and i just got a Boker Congress Carver


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

Those look real promising!!! I love natural forks!!!


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

Those should turn out good!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

The Gopher said:


> I agree dayhiker, that curved one will see power tools, but every now and then i'll make a few "whittled" slingshots that only see a pocket knife. whittling is another pasttime of mine and i just got a Boker Congress Carver


How do you like that knife? I just looked it up and it looks pretty handy. I use Swedish Moras, pocket knives, and a few I make myself from files and saw blades.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

our carving knives sound similar. i use a swedish mora, a basic Buck-canoe style pocket knife, a detail knife that i made from a scrap of high carbon steel...and the Boker. The boker is really nice in my opinion, the four blades give a useful variety in a small package, fits nice in a pocket and is really good steel. by far the most expensive carving knife i have, but i'm glad i got it.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

finished more trimming. 31 in total. all ash but two honey locust.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

So you're all set for something to do this winter, huh?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I think these two are going to make some interesting cattys.


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

NoSugarRob said:


> has anyone done a step by step how to vid for making a natural ?












. . .well, let's see . . . first you start by planting an acorn. . .

. . . and finally . . .


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

NoSugarRob said:


> lol thanks for that Bill ! i was being serious again man. wondered about the boiling bit and if any type of wood is best / easiest to use.


Rob,
Let's not hijack this thread. Why don't you start a new one and let some of the experts come on and share.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

what do you mean by boiling? i've never boiled a slingshot, why would one do that?


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## Frodo (Dec 19, 2009)

If you boil wet wood in salt-water it will be dry after 20 minutes (of boiling)!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Frodo said:


> If you boil wet wood in salt-water it will be dry after 20 minutes (of boiling)!


Frodo, I took your advice on that a while back. I was boiling for an hour and you questioned me on that. So I tried boiling only 20 minutes on three forks. One survived and two cracked. It was the smallest one that survived. So I guess that the stouter the fork the longer the boil might be the way to go.
At any rate, I'm going to boil all my green forks for an hour from now on.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

does boiling offer any advantage other than being able to start on a project earlier? I mean does it strengthen the wood or anything?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Well, I have seen people argue on both sides of that when it comes to carving kuksas. But I don't think it imparts anything to a slingshot. Again, as always, I'm not an expert, so I can only speak from my own experience.


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