# Homemade Pocket Predator



## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

So I recently ordered a Hathcock Target Sniper from Bill Hayes himself and as expected, was taking a long to arrive. i was very excited about its arrival and i began looking at them online and thinking, "That wouldn't be too hard to draw my own and make one before my real one gets here." So today i got to work and made my own out of 3/4" oak wood....




























I really enjoyed the project and am proud of my work. But then to make the day even better, i come inside after many hours of work to find my dad holding a package from Bill Hayes containing my pocket predator. Thank you Mr. Hayes, i could not be happier with this model and am very impressed with it's quality.










Thanks guys, tell me what you think.

-Todd


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

Excellent! Now you have two to play with.


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## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

PorkChopSling said:


> Excellent! Now you have two to play with.


One for a friend, one for me. Thanks for the feedback!

-Todd


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Good job!


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

The Hathcock is a good one.


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## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

e~shot said:


> Good job!


Thank you, it turned out well and i can call it a success.



treefork said:


> The Hathcock is a good one.


Indeed, all of the reviews i have read match it spot on. i love it

-Todd


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

Very well done. Excellent use of waiting time! You are a better craftsman than you think you are. Congratulations.


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## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

Dr J said:


> Very well done. Excellent use of waiting time! You are a better craftsman than you think you are. Congratulations.


Thank you very much, i hope to make others like it in the future.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Nice job, but one suggestion, make another one from plywood and hang that one on the wall. That design is not really suitable for plain board cuts. There is not enough meat in the fork area and it probably won't survive a fork hit. I just don't want to see you, or anyone else get hurt.


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## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

Henry in Panama said:


> Nice job, but one suggestion, make another one from plywood and hang that one on the wall. That design is not really suitable for plain board cuts. There is not enough meat in the fork area and it probably won't survive a fork hit. I just don't want to see you, or anyone else get hurt.


Okay ill get to that this coming weekend and ill extra careful when shooting that one. Thank you very much


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

Great Henry !


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Henry in Panama said:


> Nice job, but one suggestion, make another one from plywood and hang that one on the wall. That design is not really suitable for plain board cuts. There is not enough meat in the fork area and it probably won't survive a fork hit. I just don't want to see you, or anyone else get hurt.


I am a novice woodworker , so forgive the question if it is stupid, but are you saying plywood is stronger than an oak board?


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## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

SmilingFury said:


> Henry in Panama said:
> 
> 
> > Nice job, but one suggestion, make another one from plywood and hang that one on the wall. That design is not really suitable for plain board cuts. There is not enough meat in the fork area and it probably won't survive a fork hit. I just don't want to see you, or anyone else get hurt.
> ...


Definately, 18mm would be a LOT thicker than 3/4" oak


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## BlackBob (Mar 8, 2013)

It is a very nice piece of work but Henry is right Hang it on the wall. I didn't have Henry's advice when I made mine and the right fork came back and hit me in the face. No problems with 18mm birch ply though.


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## slinger16 (Nov 3, 2013)

Wow excellent job! I love the HTS and this actually came across my mind but i'd never be able to pull this off! Congratulations!


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## Cheesy Black (Jan 5, 2014)

@BlackBob, i will definatly make that this weekend and ill post pics. I am very great full for his advice.

@slinger16, thank you i am proud of it. Need to do a plywood one though.


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Individual said:


> SmilingFury said:
> 
> 
> > Henry in Panama said:
> ...


Thanks for the answer individual but if I can ask a follow up question:
18 mm =.708 inches. 3/4 of and inch is .75 inches. .708<.75 the last time I looked, so how is 18 mm plywood thicker than 3/4 " oak if it is 19.05 mm thick? Am I confused or were you just kidding?

Which is why I was asking Henry if plywood is supposed to be stronger than similar or thicker oak? I thought oak was a solid wood. If anyone can help out with an answer , that would be great.
Thanks,
SF


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## TSM (Oct 8, 2013)

SmilingFury said:


> Individual said:
> 
> 
> > SmilingFury said:
> ...


With the plywood, you have several layers, usually about a mm thick, laminated together with their grains at 90 deg. to the following layer. In SPF plywood sold locally, the layers are Spruce, Pine, & Fir. With the offset grains, the wood can take much more abuse than a solid chunck of wood that could crack straight through along the grain.


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## TSM (Oct 8, 2013)

You can't go wrong with a Bill Hayes (insert model here). That man makes and excellent slingshot. I agree plywood or HDPE would make a good copy. Great work on the boardcut.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

SmilingFury said:


> Henry in Panama said:
> 
> 
> > Nice job, but one suggestion, make another one from plywood and hang that one on the wall. That design is not really suitable for plain board cuts. There is not enough meat in the fork area and it probably won't survive a fork hit. I just don't want to see you, or anyone else get hurt.
> ...


Yes any good grade of plywood is stronger than an oak board of the same thickness. The grain in plywood runs at 90 degree angles in each layer. An oak board has the grain running mostly in the same direction. So long as the force is aigned swith the grain direction, it will have good strength, but if at a 90 degree angle it is very weak. By alternating grain direction in layers of plywood, its strength is greater. While you can destroy a plywood slingshot with fork hits, it is much less likely to break at full draw and smack you in the face.


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Thank you Henry. This is an important point. I knew one had to orient the grain on any board cuts for its greatest strenght , but I would have never thought plywood had solid oak beat. 
Is there any watermark where one would be safe given the type of bands they use? If I am using 1745 singles or pseudos, or even 3/4 inch straight cut TBG, I assume I would be exerting much less stress on a frame than say a guy using heavy hunting setups like 2-3 ply TBG or 5080 tubes. Or does this make no difference as to if a fork will break, just when?


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## Dr J (Apr 22, 2013)

I hate to but in but you are also forgetting an important point. A bit of 2x4 is not really two inches by four inches measure it. However, the advice given above is sp0t on. good luck with tour projects.


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Dr J said:


> I hate to but in but you are also forgetting an important point. A bit of 2x4 is not really two inches by four inches measure it. However, the advice given above is sp0t on. good luck with tour projects.


I know about that, but boards are usually spot on with their thickness due to the fact they charge differently for them, no?


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