# Cardboard slingshots



## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Hello everybody,

After experimenting, I've found that corrugated cardboard is quite usable to make reasonably sturdy slingshots - I used 3 mm thick cardboard from an old product packaging box for a large fist grip slingshot, and 1 mm thick cardboard from a used envelope to make a mini-slingshot. The "mini" has single layer "Asda" style bands tapered from 12 mm to 8 mm: not much, but good enough to send a 9 mm BB with a healthy force.

Cut cardboard strips, which are put together in layers, folded into shape, and held together by fibre-reinforced adhesive tape, seem to be quite strong when a force is applied to the cardboard edges. I used a folded double-layered cardboard triangle to prevent the fork section of the cardboard slingshots from collapsing once elastic tension is exerted with the pouch pulled back for a shot.

Although I clearly prefer birch plywood or metal for slingshots, I was quite surprised at the draw weight I could apply without affecting the structural rigidity of these layered cardboard slingshots: if no other options are available, corrugated cardboard can make a powerful slingshot (keep it away from water... <_< ). I had no problem attaching "Thera-Band" double layered bands tapered from 26 mm at the forks to 16 mm at the pouch, and shooting 12 mm steel BB's with plenty of oomph.

The key issue is to carry out safety checks with cardboard designs to avoid nasty surprises, but it does work quite well.

Check out my latest video, which includes a shooting test and a tutorial based on the method I used:






> Have any of you made cardboard slingshots? Please let me know what method you used, etc.

Pebble Shooter


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## Marnix (Mar 29, 2014)

Interesting concept. Why not mix in some resin and make micarta though...


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Thats Genius thanks for showing will try this soon 
cheers


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## Sunchierefram (Nov 16, 2013)

I was thinking about this a few weeks ago but decided that it would probably end up being pretty weak. You have successfully proven me wrong.


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Thanks for your replies.

I've added a cardboard slingshot making tutorial in the templates section that some of you might find useful. The relative simplicity and reduced time it takes to make one of these slingshots makes it an interesting alternative to try out.

If you do happen to make one, please show it on the forum.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

This is a very clever idea! I have thought of making one using papier mache:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papier-m%C3%A2ch%C3%A9

I made all kinds of things with papier mache when I was a kid. It was amazingly light and vey strong. But I worried that it might not be strong enough for a slingshot. You have encouraged me to give it a try.

I would like to move this down to the Tutorial section, with your permission of course.

Cheers ..... Charles


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Thanks for the complements, Charles.

I have already uploaded a photograph-based tutorial in the templates section of the forum.

Technically speaking, it should be possible to create a cardboard reference spreadsheet with regard to available cardboard types and thicknesses needed to make safe cardboard slingshots with this new approach, particularly with regard to different tensions exerted on the leading edges of the cardboard forks by different kinds of flat bands.

This is something that forum members or others with engineering experience in the cardboard industry might be able to create: my idea really is the result of empirical trial and error using old corrugated cardboard packaging boxes and discarded cardboard envelopes (recycling at its best !).

I would assume that the right layer thickness, number of layers, and strip dimensions should make it possible to use even the strongest flat bands, such as "Thera-Band" Gold. Moreover, there is no reason why multiple layers of A-4 paper cut into similar strips and held together with fibre-reinforced adhesive tape could not achieve the same result: the edges of a paper strip folded into a square with the help of adhesive tape can also hold a fair amount of weight, or resist fairly high forces. It's time to experiment...

I would not recommend tubes because of the potential structural weakness caused by the attachment holes in the layered forks - although why not try it under safe conditions?

Pebble Shooter


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## Sharker (Sep 15, 2013)

I like this idea, maybe i try filling it whit resin like Marnix thought.


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## Pebble Shooter (Mar 29, 2014)

Hi Sharker,

you don't need resin, because the layered cardboard strips taped up with fibre-reinforced adhesive tape are strong enough by themselves to resist the tension force exerted by the flat bands on the leading edge of the cardboard forks - providing that band tension does not exceed the maximum resistance of the layered cardboard strips involved: it's a case of testing each setup until some reliable numbers (no.of layered cardboard strips vs. band draw weight) can be determined.

If anything, I would assume that wider cardboard strips (I used 6 x 31 cm long, 4 cm wide, 3 mm thick corrugated cardboard strips for my "cardboard magnum" shown in the video ), say 5-6 cm wide, stacked in 8 to 9 layers, will resist even the strongest band set and beyond. I have yet to test this, but what I have successfully tried up to now seems to confirm my assumption.

Charles - if you wish to move this thread to the tutorial section, feel free to do so.


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

Pretty clever!!


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