# The Tiger Scorpion



## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Made from purpleheart, quilted, spalted, burl Maple... with an integral solid black ballistic G10 core and tips... looks nice and it shoots pretty well too!


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

That's beautifull work! The contrast in the handle is amazing...can't imagine how you achieved that effect... brilliant.


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

That shot was AWESOME! Something to aspire to.


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## curmudgeon (Jun 11, 2011)

That is a great looking and shooting slingshot.
Keep up the good work Bill.


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

DAM Bill, your skills are outstanding through out the entire spectrum of the slingshot world.. from shooting to making and anything that can fit in between..

LGD


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## Thornbottom (Apr 9, 2012)

WOW! Bill that looks so cool! How many hours go into a piece like that? Did you make that for someone or is it going in your personal collection? Either way she's a bute!


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## wombat (Jun 10, 2011)

bullseyeben! said:


> That's beautifull work! The contrast in the handle is amazing...can't imagine how you achieved that effect... brilliant.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

lightgeoduck said:


> DAM Bill, your skills are outstanding through out the entire spectrum of the slingshot world.. from shooting to making and anything that can fit in between..
> 
> LGD


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## strikewzen (Jun 18, 2010)

now that has style and class...

mmm


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

Love it Bill! I like that the artistic vision was matched by execution.


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## Stevotattoo (Jun 28, 2012)

Awesome as usual Bill


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## shawnr5 (Feb 16, 2011)

Very cool. You've outdone yourself with this one.


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## Chepo69 (May 1, 2010)

Looks great that tiger skin!


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## tomshot123 (Mar 31, 2012)

That's outstanding!!! How did you achieve the angles!


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

eureka.... I just worked out how its done









that is awesome, cool idea with impressive results!


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

That's awesome!


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## reeko (Jan 15, 2011)

awesome work!


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

Awesome craftsmanship and shooting as usual.


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## PrideProducts (Jan 4, 2012)

akmslingshots said:


> eureka.... I just worked out how its done
> 
> 
> 
> ...


me to clever idea!!


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## harson (Oct 21, 2011)

Nearly chocked on my coffee ,when i clicked on this ,Amazing.


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks Guys... just a fun one to make in my spare time (yeah right!)

It's actually very easy to make, the hardest thing was sourcing the best woods.
All you do is take two 4.5 X 5 inch boards, one is a dark wood (PurpleHeart) one a light wood (spalted, burled, quilted Maple)... glue them flat to each other with rubber cement... draw out your pattern... then cut it out through both boards with you bandsaw...
Take it all apart and put it back together bottom board alternating with top board... easy!
When you glue it all together, use a died glue... I died thick CA in black, but you can use anything, red, blue, gold, whatever. Make sure all pin holes are filled then after it's all glued and mounted cut it down to size with a flush trim bit....
Basically your imagination (and time) is the only limitation!
You can make anything from Chessboards to zebra stripes with this technique.

Party on Guys!

Oh yeah, on this one... I almost forgot to add... I stabilized the woods AFTER it was mounted and 95% finished.... 3 gallon jar, one step clear acrylic enamel (used in car finishes).. a small hand held vacuum pump used for bleeding brake lines....
Put the liquid enamel in the jar, put the slingshot in it... pump out the air... once the wood doesn't bubble anymore.. take it all apart, put your enamel in an air tight container for next time... clean off the excess off the slingshot, hang and dry with a heater fan.
Once it's dry and not tacky at all... buff it all off.
Now you have an impervious finish to go with your unique creation!


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## kingmurphy (May 16, 2012)

Mr hayes you are truly a master at slingshots and as soon as i get my hands on some purpleheart i think ill be trying your
technique thanks for showing off your awsome weapon and sharing your technique thanks

Alexander .s. Howson


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

Bill Hays said:


> Party on Guys!


thought as much on the construction, like the dying the glue thing, thats cool

also the stabilizing wood thing.... what sort of negative pressure do you need for it to work, i would imagine there is a minimum


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

akmslingshots said:


> Party on Guys!


thought as much on the construction, like the dying the glue thing, thats cool

also the stabilizing wood thing.... what sort of negative pressure do you need for it to work, i would imagine there is a minimum
[/quote]

You know something, I don't know!
I just put it in there and pump the air out until the wood starts to bubble a decent amount. Once it quits bubbling, I give it a few extra pumps and if there's no more bubbles, then it's ready to come out. It is a kind of "done by eye" thing for me. I know there's a lot of guys who get real scientific with it... and also use positive pressure as well after the vacuum... but honestly I've not found there to be enough difference in the finished piece to notice. PLUS it tends to mess up your hardener as well if you leave it for any period at all being exposed to a lot of air...


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

lightgeoduck said:


> Thanks Guys... just a fun one to make in my spare time (yeah right!)
> 
> It's actually very easy to make, the hardest thing was sourcing the best woods.
> All you do is take two 4.5 X 5 inch boards, one is a dark wood (PurpleHeart) one a light wood (spalted, burled, quilted Maple)... glue them flat to each other with rubber cement... draw out your pattern... then cut it out through both boards with you bandsaw...
> ...


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

That's very kind of you to say... Thanks!


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## akmslingshots (Mar 2, 2012)

Bill Hays said:


> You know something, I don't know!
> I just put it in there and pump the air out until the wood starts to bubble a decent amount. Once it quits bubbling, I give it a few extra pumps and if there's no more bubbles, then it's ready to come out. It is a kind of "done by eye" thing for me. I know there's a lot of guys who get real scientific with it... and also use positive pressure as well after the vacuum... but honestly I've not found there to be enough difference in the finished piece to notice. PLUS it tends to mess up your hardener as well if you leave it for any period at all being exposed to a lot of air...


a suck and see scenario









thank you, if i can find the components easily i will definitely give it a try, the idea is more for knife scales so that should make is even easier

thank you Bill


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## WILD BILL (Jan 26, 2012)

Beautiful creation Bill! WELL DONE!

Bill, when you say to "clean off" the excess epoxy, what is the preferred method and what kind of dye is preferred?

Thanks

Bill


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## shawnr5 (Feb 16, 2011)

What is the one part epoxy that you use? It sounds like something I'd like to try. Have you done any cutting to sere how deep the epoxy penetrates under vacuum?


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

akmslingshots said:


> Beautiful creation Bill! WELL DONE!
> 
> Bill, when you say to "clean off" the excess epoxy, what is the preferred method and what kind of dye is preferred?
> 
> ...


I had to review what I wrote because I see I accidently wrote something wrong on there.... there is no one step epoxy used in this particular piece, it's one step clear acrylic enamel like that used for car finishes.... I shouldn't write instructions when I'm tired I guess!
One step epoxy is a touch to thick to use for the PurpleHeart in this one, but enamel works fine.

Other hardeners can be used as well... pretty much anything that will soak in and air dry can be used. You just want to make sure it's thin enough to penetrate fairly easily. Obviously heavier woods take longer/more pressure... the PurpleHeart on this piece, for example, took over twice as long to start bubbling as the Maple right beside it... and being denser it didn't bubble as much anyway... less air in it in the first place.

Anyway, use an old absorbent rag/towel and just clean off the piece... get all the "wet" off.


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## Ordie69 (Aug 25, 2011)

Bill Hays said:


> Put the liquid enamel in the jar, put the slingshot in it... pump out the air... once the wood doesn't bubble anymore.. take it all apart, put your enamel in an air tight container for next time... clean off the excess off the slingshot, hang and dry with a heater fan.
> Once it's dry and not tacky at all... buff it all off.
> Now you have an impervious finish to go with your unique creation!


That is the coolest thing I have read in quite some time. I will absolutely have to try this. And that is a fantastic looking slingshot. I would say that it shoots very well but I suspect from watching your videos that you probably use the "FORCE" to shoot and the frame is just to make us meer mortals feel better. Great work!


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## Bostradamus (May 15, 2012)

Holy Smokes!! that is wicked!!
you are an inspiration


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## SlingGal (Jun 18, 2011)

Wow! I mean WOW!! Absolutely incredible!


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## Matt. H/C (Jun 7, 2012)

That looks amazing sir


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## tomshot123 (Mar 31, 2012)

How do you cut out the shape as well though!?


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

Thanks again Guys... and Restita!

Tom, it's all cut out with a bandsaw... but a scroll saw or even a coping saw would work too, it'd just take more time.


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## quarterinmynose (Jan 21, 2012)

Dang! That sucker is sharp!!


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## tomshot123 (Mar 31, 2012)

Thanks for the response bill, but do you tiger stripe the whole board or just the slingshot template?
Cheers, tom


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## Pro-Shot (UK) Catapults (Apr 21, 2010)

First time i have seen this one bill a nice bit of work there mate


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## Devoman (Oct 15, 2010)

"Schooled" again by the master! Thanks bill, we all grow together. You are a true asset to this forum, and the Slingshot world!


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

tomshot123 said:


> Thanks for the response bill, but do you tiger stripe the whole board or just the slingshot template?
> Cheers, tom


It's only necessary to mark up and cut the slingshot part of the boards... of course it can be done either way I suppose.


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## tomshot123 (Mar 31, 2012)

Oh ok! Thanks allot bill i really appreciate it!
Cheers, tom


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

No problem, have fun with it.
My original plan was to introduce this technique in Joerg's Gemini contest, but I just ran out of time and made one like this instead just for fun and how I like it... and apparently how my second daughter likes it as well, because it's disappeared into her collection now!


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