# Bands Keep Breaking....help!



## valkerie

Right well my problem is i'm having loads of band sets in TBG breaking at the pouch end.....some after only a few shots but some of them last for ages....I can't work it out?
I'm using tapers of about 30 - 20mm around 22cm long. Single bands with 9.5mm steel. I fold the pouch band end in half and pull throught the pouch then use a strip of TB to wrap it on. Maybe 5 wraps around then 3 more over the loop I use to pull the tag end through, pull it through after wetting it slightly (so no tears etc when pulling it through to tie off).
I don't think i'm doing anything weird so any suggestions or links to videos of somebody tying up bandsets would be great.
Cheers


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## treefork

There are numerous possibilities.One suggestion to try would be heavier ammo. That's a pretty powerful taper with light ammo. you could shoot 1/2 steel with those bands.Post some pics of your set up. There are many other causes for this issue also.


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## kobe23

pointers:
-tapered bands do break at the pouch
-bad pouch-band connection
-ammo too light, could amend by either increasing pouch weight or ammo weight
-fork tips not smooth, pouch end up slapping the fork ends?


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## josephlys

What Kobe said, my taper bands always tear at the pouch after 100-150 shots too. And heavier ammo helps slow the process down.


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## valkerie

Cheers guys.
I'll take some pictures today.
Yes I know tapered bands break at the pouch!
I'm guessing it's a bad pouch-band connection!
If I increase pouch size/weight then it slows the ammo down so i'm not into that....
Fork tips are perfect so I really can't see that being an issue.

I have been folding the pouch end of the band in half to get it through the pouch holes. So what i've got is like a compressed u shape of band being squeezed up against another. The tears are always starting on the 'edges' of the folded section. It seems like an obvious stress point but I can't think of a way to eliminate it. Where the tears start the edges look just like a high tpi sawblade then they get far enough across the width of the band and just rips the rest of the way with clean sided tears. Also like I said sometimes the bands are lasting way longer than others....so I must be doing something not right or else they would all last similar amounts of shots.
As for using heavier ammo yes I understand the concept but i've got a bag of 3000 9.5mm steels and rather than not use them I need to work out the 'perfect' bands for them. The taper and lengths i'm using are from Joerg Spraves calculator so I think they are fine, also i'm getting zero handslap so they can't be too far out?


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## bullseyeben!

Checked your rotary blade has no knicks in it, usually from contacting the ruler when cutting.. this will put tiny knicks or teeth in your bands that will quickly become tears, usually at pouch end, especially when tapering.. I also prefer pouch tying with wrap and tuck method using a thinner rubber than that being shot..ie tb gold bands I tie off with a 30mm x 5mm wide strip of tb blue, I find it reduces friction at the tie.. cheers


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## valkerie

Thanks Bullseye! You may well be right my blade is getting a little blunt. I also use TB black to do the ties.
I have just found this which I think may help, I like the way he 'rolls' the bands up instead of just folding them like I have been doing.


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## bullseyeben!

Im a folder, and get well over 1000 shots... next time your about to cut a set, have a practice cut on a small piece of band..then stretch it and have a close look at the edges..if you can see small teething in the edge your blade is done... all the best mate...


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## M.J

valkerie said:


> The taper and lengths i'm using are from Joerg Spraves calculator so I think they are fine,


That's all well and good but it still sounds like way too much band for 9.5mm.
Joerg's program probably doesn't care how often your bands break.


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## XxDollarBillxX

it may be a simple issue of wrapping the thin strip too tightly, it really doesnt have to be that tightly wrapped around at the pouch end. This will definately make a difference.

What i mean to say is you dont need to stretch the thin strip very much when wrapping around the primary band.


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## valkerie

XxDollarBillxX said:


> it may be a simple issue of wrapping the thin strip too tightly, it really doesnt have to be that tightly wrapped around at the pouch end. This will definately make a difference.
> 
> What i mean to say is you dont need to stretch the thin strip very much when wrapping around the primary band.


Interesting - i've been stretching the thin strip until it can't stretch anymore....i'll try it without excessive tension.
MJ - I may well be wrong but i've found that as soon as the handslap goes then the band size is ok?


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## Tex-Shooter

Here is another thread on this topic. Notice my post on this thread, it could be the problem. -- Tex
http://slingshotforum.com/topic/16274-tubes-and-bands-life/


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## All Buns Glazing

I'm not as experienced at making bands as a lot of the guys here, but I've made a few now and I've been using soft cotton string and a constrictor knot to attach the pouch to the bands, with good results. Another suggestion could be abandon the wrap and tuck method for a cotton string (cooking twine) attachment. It works well for me and while the bands do break, they're not breaking excessively early.

I agree with DollarBill, too. Your blade is worth replacing, even if it's not totally dead - can't be too new, right?


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