# Beautiful Hybrid: Ukrainian Hazelnut Natural



## JoergS (Dec 17, 2009)

Made a slingshot from the second natural I brought from Ukraine. This time, a hazelnut fork, wide but not even.










My idea was to make it even by adding a handle made from some other material.

I rummaged through my exotic wood box and found a piece from a scrap convolute I bought on ebay (like, 10 pieces for 10 Euros). I made the handle from it. I don't know what wood it is, but when I started the rasp and filework, it smelled strongly like lemon, very pleasant.










I sawed out the even part from the hazel fork and prepared it for the "marriage" with the handle.










The vise test failed (I always test before the glueing), so I replaced the wooden "dowel" with steel. This time, rock solid. I love my steel, truly.

The slingshot came out fantastic. The hazelnut looks like polished ivory, and the contrast with the dark, strongly grained handle is quite attractive, I think.

No ink this time, just clear gun stock oil.


































What do you guys think?


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## Daniel J (Dec 15, 2010)

really good!


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

Another beut jeorge!


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## Daniel J (Dec 15, 2010)

that's a nice slingshot! it looks really strong and can't wait to see it banded up and shooting.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

very attractive -- the contrast is dramatic. looks like it would be a real comfortable fork to use with strong bands (like all your forks).


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## shawnr5 (Feb 16, 2011)

Beautiful combination. How many slingshots do you have?


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Wow, I like the handle


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## Ted (May 27, 2011)

The woodwork is really beautiful. Plus, I think the handle would feel better in the hand in this orientation than the similar handle on your other design, the Howitzer, where it is rotated 90 degrees compared to this design.

Do you use epoxy to glue the fork to the steel dowel? I am wondering if epoxy would be strong enough to prevent the fork from detaching during use.


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## JoergS (Dec 17, 2009)

The Howitzer is designed to be pressed into the flesh between thumb and index finger when pulled out. That is why it is really thin at that spot, which can only work when done in metal (wood would be too weak). It is a power slingshot really.

When you hold it without drawing it out, it may feel less comfortable. But that changes when you draw. A slingshot isn't a knife.

I did use epoxy on this one, but my frames all have to work without glue. All my vise tests are done before the glueing. Epoxy is nice to fix things later on, but I don't want to rely on it once the draw force is applied.


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## Ted (May 27, 2011)

Thanks for the Howitzer explanation - there is clearly more to its design than meets the eye.

I have been wrestling with how to prevent the fork from breaking or detaching from the handle and flying back at the shooter at full draw, especially if heavy bands are used. Without glue, if an inexperienced shooter tilts the slingshot back slightly so the fork points slightly towards the shooter while the band is being stretched, then the fork might fly off the steel dowel. Possibly this could be prevented by tilting the steel dowel slightly so that the end inside the fork is further away from the shooter than the end inside the handle, when the handle is held exactly vertical. But then there would be a definite front and back of the slingshot, and the shooter would have to be sure to attach the bands facing the right way each time.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2011)

Wow! Beautiful work Joerg!


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## JoergS (Dec 17, 2009)

Ted said:


> I have been wrestling with how to prevent the fork from breaking or detaching from the handle and flying back at the shooter at full draw


You have to use threaded rods, and drill real tight so that you have to hammer in the rod. The epoxy will make this so solid that even with force and tools in the vise you can't get it out again.

One more tipp when using epoxy: Make sure your parts are not warm or hot when you apply it. I did that a few times after heavy filing or flexing/welding. The epoxy does not harden and once the time slot is over, it won't ever. Room temperature works best.

Jörg


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## Ted (May 27, 2011)

Thanks for the tips, Jörg. This will really help with the safety.


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## perffaith (Aug 27, 2012)

Hello from Ukraine

JoergS, do you speak russian?


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