# Problems with ripping bands



## Romansson11 (Apr 10, 2019)

Hi fellow slingshotters,

My red precise bands 0.7 keep on slightly ripping at the pouch. I don't know why this keeps happening, its only after about 80 - 100 shots

I suspect that it's because I tie them off with the Chinese rubber strings. Because i used to use scrap rubber of the bands i am shooting with.

I wanted to upload a picture of the bands but i can't, it says I am not permitted to (maybe because I'm new to the forum).

Does anyone have some good tips to tie your bands so they don't rip.

Because i kinda don't know what to do here.

I already sling for 2 years but just made the transition to Chinese bands. (always used TBG never had a prob here)

Hope u guys can help me out.

greetings Roman


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## Tag (Jun 11, 2014)

Welcome to the Forum, sorry Im not experienced with flats enough to help you


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## Romansson11 (Apr 10, 2019)

Tag said:


> Welcome to the Forum, sorry Im not experienced with flats enough to help you


thnx for the welcome haha. hope someone can help me out.


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

I suspect your ties are good.

But here's a guess at what the problem is!

If your only change was from the TBG to .70 Precise, your bands are much stronger, and may be overpowered for your ammo. Left over energy in the bands often leads to handslap, or the pouch/bands stretching well past the slingshot and snapping back to collide with the forks.

You could use up the energy with heavier ammo.

Or you could try cutting the bands longer.

Or you could try cutting them narrower - say from 25mm to 20mm, or from 20mm to 15mm.

Hope you get it sorted out!


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## Romansson11 (Apr 10, 2019)

KawKan said:


> I suspect your ties are good.
> 
> But here's a guess at what the problem is!
> 
> ...


Thank you for the response KawKan.

I'm shooting 8 mm steelballs, and my taper is 17mm to 9mm with 19cm long bands.

I found this on a website in the link below, there is a whole chart for every type precise band combined with te ammo you shoot.

And i just went out to buy a new rotary cutter blade.

Could it also be that I tie it too tight???

https://www.dankung.com/Gcontent/genuine-precise-latex-band-best-and-most-people-used-flat-slingshot-band_2419


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## romanljc (May 26, 2014)

Tapered bands almost always start to break at the pouch and that's a good thing last thing you want is a band breaking at the fork and getting slapped in the face by it


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## KawKan (May 11, 2013)

@Romansson11: You can try going back to the TBG strips you were tying with before.

But I still suspect band stress. The next time you cut bands, try a set that is 20-25mm longer with the same taper. That should help with the band life. Breaking near the pouch is common, but we'd all like to get more than 150 shots before having to retie our pouch end!


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## Ibojoe (Mar 13, 2016)

I had some trouble once turned out I had a knick in my rotary blade.


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## urbanshooter (Aug 23, 2017)

Can you post pictures yet? Hard to say for certain through comments but it seems you may have to work through the variables to pin-point the cause.

Precise red does have to be cut a little longer than usual IMO because their elongation factor seems shorter. Having slightly longer bands usually yields a longer band life anyway.

Kaw Kan's suspicison could also be right. I find that bands failing that way is usually due to frame slap (especially when shooting TTF). If that happens, I might put on a smaller pouch so it clears the frame better, or just cut longer.

It could also be too tight a binding as you suspect. For this, you just have to make your own adjustments and observe the results. I use the Chinese crystal string all the time and I find it doesn't have to be too tight, there is really no need to stretch it out too far for it to hold fast. Also, when tying, I try not to leave the edges of the rubber rolling up in contact. I try to make sure the outer fold overlaps the inner one so everything rolls over neatly when I bind it up... Also you may want to bind it so the tie is wider, distributing the crystal string over a larger area rather than focusing everything onto one narrow spot? ( without pictures, we can't really know how you have done it).

You could also try putting cuffs over your tie like some forum members like doing?

You've got a new cutter, so that factor is probably already eliminated.

Anyway, hope we have helped and fingers crossed you find your answer...


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

I'd go with what KawKan said about overpowering being the most likely cause. Also check your frame for any rough spots.


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## Romansson11 (Apr 10, 2019)

urbanshooter said:


> Can you post pictures yet? Hard to say for certain through comments but it seems you may have to work through the variables to pin-point the cause.
> 
> Precise red does have to be cut a little longer than usual IMO because their elongation factor seems shorter. Having slightly longer bands usually yields a longer band life anyway.
> 
> ...


I don't really understand what you mean with what you try to describe with the fold, but that's me i think :banghead: .

Maybe if you have a picture with an example of it that would be nice.



KawKan said:


> @Romansson11: You can try going back to the TBG strips you were tying with before.
> 
> But I still suspect band stress. The next time you cut bands, try a set that is 20-25mm longer with the same taper. That should help with the band life. Breaking near the pouch is common, but we'd all like to get more than 150 shots before having to retie our pouch end!


I will try to go back to TBG and make my set a little longer. Although I really want to make it work with the Chinese bands.

And those bands are still specially made for slingshots and TBG aren't so it's probably all me..... :bonk:

I'll post a picture when i can to keep you guys updated.


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## Thwap (Oct 17, 2018)

the precise doesnt stretch as far as other elastics, and that is an incredibly aggressive taper,and enough rubber to put 5/8 marbles into soace. so your shot count is spot on, imo.
with 5/16 steel, id say a 12 to 9 mm taper cut another .5" longer would be really nice with such light ammo. good luck!


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## Romansson11 (Apr 10, 2019)

Hi guys,

I tried all the things you tell me to do.

Now i have longer bands but keep getting problems.

Here is a picture:


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## Thwap (Oct 17, 2018)

since the tearing is in the center, not starting at the edges, id say stretch is the problem, nothing mechanical like too tight of a tie or fork strikes...i see a tendency to taper the precise more than other brands, but dont think it can handle it noticeably better than other brands?...imho, fwiw.


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## urbanshooter (Aug 23, 2017)

Romansson11 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I tried all the things you tell me to do.
> Now i have longer bands but keep getting problems.
> ...


It looks like you have just scrunched up the bands at the tie and this may be creating crease ridges that rub against the tie and eventually cut. That little hole cut in the middle of the band indicates that anyway... As Thwap suggested, pre-stretching is a good idea and you may want some sort of band jig to assist. There was a thread sometime ago about "quick and dirty" band jigs and there are lots of ideas posted there.

You should also fold your bands so they are neat and present a smooth surface to the tie. I also like to to fold them so the edges of the rubber are tucked away under everything (2nd pic). The pink bandset is the most recent TTF example I've made. I should have probably snipped off 1-2 mm of the excess but it didn't bother me so I left it. The yellow bandset is an OTT example illustrating a different fold for OTT (this one was made by Joey J5 that I happen to be shooting). The TTF and OTT folds are different.

Just search through Youtube for instructions on how to make OTT and TTF bandsets. There are quite a few uploads explaining how and why's... Would be easier for you to watch those. Not so easy to explain here.


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## Thwap (Oct 17, 2018)

you're absolutely right, urban, and nice ties! its amazing how the ridges in latex can chafe itself...i love 1745 cuffs instead of ties...and if i dont turn em inside out, they cut the bands like a knife


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## J3ff (Apr 12, 2019)

What is good band longevity and how to track it by number of shots or time used


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## lauriano (Mar 25, 2019)

Good Morning! You're tightening the mooring. Try holding more lightly. So the bands last longer ...

bye



Romansson11 said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I tried all the things you tell me to do.
> 
> ...


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## lauriano (Mar 25, 2019)

in time: There is no other efficient way to cut bands than using the circular stylus. without it they leave very early.
is the tip


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