# First Attempt



## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

So I'm almost embarrassed to post these pics because compared to all of the awesome slingshots I've seen on here this one is pretty ugly. Basically I always have 12" long scraps of 1/4" steel rod laying around the shop because they are scraps from the harmonica neck racks that I make. So I wanted to find a use for them, making slingshot frames seemed to be the answer. I bent this one up with really no plan of attack so to speak, because I wanted to see if 12" was long enough to make something useful from. This one is pretty small, about 4 1/4" inches long, but it fits in my hand pretty well. I imagine that if I had made something more basic in shape like a V it would yield a slightly larger slingshot frame. The handle part was wrapped in leather lacing that I cut from some of my scrap leather, since leatherworking is another hobby of mine. Anyway, as I said, I'm a bit embarrassed to post these, but I guess we all have to start somewhere. hahaha

Chris
www.blowyourbrassoff.com


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

a little small for me but nice work...looks like it will be a good pocket shooter


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks, now I just need to figure out what to do for bands.

Chris


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## BaneofSmallGame (Sep 22, 2010)

Embarrassed!!! Are you kidding me! That is a beauty, there are many shooters and makers on here (including myself!) who dream of crafting a bent rod shooter, especially one of that caliber. Mainly because they lack the tools, materials, and experience to execute it correctly. You did a fine job and achieved a very fine shape and luster to it.

Yes, many of the shooters made these days from wood are gorgeous, I love the look of naturals especially those that I make myself. Yet, there is beauty in simplicity and functionality and a bent rod achieves that. Right of the bat you've crafted a shooter that will last forever, have quick band attachment, be impervious to fork hits, and fit in the pocket at any time.







That is an absolute success!

All in all, I am glad you have joined our ranks, there is nothing to be ashamed of or shy about, you have done very well. Along with that, your leather working background will only prove helpful in this hobby.

Take Care, and welcome to the SSF!!!!

Cheers - John


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## Dan the Slingshot Man (Nov 21, 2010)

really really nice, I should try my luck at a bent wire


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

That looks nice shooter


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

Good job looks great and welcome to the forum. Thats a great job for the first time you should be proud of it. The small size is real handy and for me easy to shoot. I just snapped a quick picture of one I just finished yesterday will post it soon.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks for all the compliments everyone. I really appreciate it. The way I made it was I took a piece of 1/4" thick steel about 3 inches long, drilled two 1/4" holes in it 1/2" apart, and staked a couple of short pieces of 1/4" steel rod in them. I clamped that in my vice and then I just heated the rod with the propane torch and then to bend it just put it between the two short 1/4" rods and bent by hand. The trick of it was since I was working with a piece only 12" long, was to figure out what order in which to do the bends. I'm looking forward to my next attempt. I'll probably make some from flat 1/4" thick aluminum as well using my little cnc mill.

Chris


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## forest dude (Dec 28, 2010)

I love the simplicity of a well bent shooter. You did a very nice job here! I have pretty good luck with these but it is hard for me to get them exactly symmetrical. I bend the ears first and do the slight fork bends, then I bend it in the middle which is were I get a little off at times. There's probably a better way. People continue to impress me with their skills on this forum and I try to learn something new every day. I checked out your site, and wow, you do some nice custom work!

Keep posting your creations and you'll always get a warm welcome here. These people seem to be a wonderful group of enthusiasts.

best,
Steve



builderofstuff said:


> So I'm almost embarrassed to post these pics because compared to all of the awesome slingshots I've seen on here this one is pretty ugly. Basically I always have 12" long scraps of 1/4" steel rod laying around the shop because they are scraps from the harmonica neck racks that I make. So I wanted to find a use for them, making slingshot frames seemed to be the answer. I bent this one up with really no plan of attack so to speak, because I wanted to see if 12" was long enough to make something useful from. This one is pretty small, about 4 1/4" inches long, but it fits in my hand pretty well. I imagine that if I had made something more basic in shape like a V it would yield a slightly larger slingshot frame. The handle part was wrapped in leather lacing that I cut from some of my scrap leather, since leatherworking is another hobby of mine. Anyway, as I said, I'm a bit embarrassed to post these, but I guess we all have to start somewhere. hahaha
> 
> Chris
> www.blowyourbrassoff.com


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Looks great to me! Order some tubes from trulytexas and you will be good to go! I want to work with steel but dont know what I am doing. ANd have no torch.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

forest dude said:


> I love the simplicity of a well bent shooter. You did a very nice job here! I have pretty good luck with these but it is hard for me to get them exactly symmetrical. I bend the ears first and do the slight fork bends, then I bend it in the middle which is were I get a little off at times. There's probably a better way. People continue to impress me with their skills on this forum and I try to learn something new every day. I checked out your site, and wow, you do some nice custom work!
> 
> Keep posting your creations and you'll always get a warm welcome here. These people seem to be a wonderful group of enthusiasts.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the compliment

Chris


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

RecurveMaster said:


> Looks great to me! Order some tubes from trulytexas and you will be good to go! I want to work with steel but dont know what I am doing. ANd have no torch.


I just use a propane or mapp gas torch from the hardware store.

Chris


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## bikermikearchery (Sep 30, 2010)

Very nice work. thanks for posting it.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

bikermikearchery said:


> Very nice work. thanks for posting it.


Thank you for the compliment.

Chris


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## roadie (Jan 23, 2011)

RecurveMaster said:


> Looks great to me! Order some tubes from trulytexas and you will be good to go! I want to work with steel but dont know what I am doing. ANd have no torch.


found a great video on how to bend the wires


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## roadie (Jan 23, 2011)

oh, here is another way i found on Utude to bend without blowtorches ........


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Hi Builderofstuff. I really like your slingshot and while I am a fairly well-known maker and shooter of chained natural forks I really like your work. Yours would fit nicely in a pocket and there are a lot of catapults made by our UK friends in particular that are even smaller than the one you've put up here. Again, while I prefer a well-worked natural fork I have two of these made by Dragonmaster and they are excellent; one of them is in my favorite Top 5 and is a brutally efficient shooter.

I'm looking forward to seeing more from you and in particular I think a bent-brass rod slingshot would be pretty awesome.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Ain't nothin' wrong with that one. Looks like a real nice lil' shooter. You can use rubber bands chained or chinese tubes from Truly Texas. Excellent work!


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

That is a fine slingshot ready for anything and will last for the rest of your life. Of course, one of your friends will think so too and tell you if you would let them have it they would shoot with you and you can just make another...and another...and another. Really great work. I like it!


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

That is a neat looking little slingshot, I like it a lot.
Martin


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

smitty said:


> That is a fine slingshot ready for anything and will last for the rest of your life. Of course, one of your friends will think so too and tell you if you would let them have it they would shoot with you and you can just make another...and another...and another. Really great work. I like it!


Thank you very much Smitty, your youtube video was the inspiration for giving it a try. I didn't make up a nice jig like yours because I was just going at it blind, mainly to see if it would work, but I'll probably make up a few jigs for future use. However it was kind of fun just bending it up with the simple two prong bending piece that I used because there was no telling how it was going to turn out. hahaha

Chris


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

Thank you very much everyone for the compliments! I really really appreciate the kind words. I really was hesitant to post the pics because I really didn't think it turned out all that well, but for me personally I'm happy with it and look forward to getting some rubber and making some bands. I just ordered a copy of Slingshot Shooting the other day so I'm looking forward to reading that, I hope it helps expand my knowledge on the subject. I'd like to come up with a design to cut on my little cnc mill from aluminum and I'd like to try some board cuts as well as natural forks.

Chris


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

builderofstuff said:


> That is a fine slingshot ready for anything and will last for the rest of your life. Of course, one of your friends will think so too and tell you if you would let them have it they would shoot with you and you can just make another...and another...and another. Really great work. I like it!


Thank you very much Smitty, your youtube video was the inspiration for giving it a try. I didn't make up a nice jig like yours because I was just going at it blind, mainly to see if it would work, but I'll probably make up a few jigs for future use. However it was kind of fun just bending it up with the simple two prong bending piece that I used because there was no telling how it was going to turn out. hahaha

Chris
[/quote]

Now I don't use a jig on mine. I just use a sparkplug socket and some bolts in the vice. I only measure once for the middle of the rod and eye ball every thing else.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

Dayhiker said:


> Ain't nothin' wrong with that one. Looks like a real nice lil' shooter. You can use rubber bands chained or chinese tubes from Truly Texas. Excellent work!


Could you point me to a thread if there is one on how to do the chained rubber bands? It's not my first choice, but I would like to see how it's done.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

smitty said:


> That is a fine slingshot ready for anything and will last for the rest of your life. Of course, one of your friends will think so too and tell you if you would let them have it they would shoot with you and you can just make another...and another...and another. Really great work. I like it!


Again, thank you very much. I just posted some pics of my second attempt. It really wasn't what I should have been working on today, but I just couldn't resist the urge to try again. hahaha

Chris


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

second attempt was nice to.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

Hi Builder; if you will look in BaneofSmallGame's Blog (the blogs link can be found at the top of this page) you'll find a link to Nico's excellent chained bands tutorial.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

I made up some bands last night using some cheap office rubber bands that I keep on hand and I made some light bands for it. I made 3 links with 3 rubber bands on each link. It works great! I'm more accurate with that second little slingshot than any commercially made one I've ever shot. I'm completely addicted. hahaha

Chris


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

just made up chained bands for the first shooter I made and it shoots really good as well. it would benefit from a lanyard like the second one though, but all in all I really like these little bent frame shooters.

Chris


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