# Gypsy Catapult



## shot in the foot

My grandson wanted a other sling shot so i made him a gypsy catapult, this is easy to make,
And you dont even need a perficted fork, This will be easy for so of the young members on here, you can also make a walking stick catapult the same way, but it wont fit the oven, you wil just have to wait for it to dry,

1st get a branch.










2nd then tie the branches together,










3rd, put in oven for 30mins on low, or just put in the shed and forget about it, after it has cooled take the string off,










4. then get a knife and take the bark and the middle branch out,










5, then get a old garden glove or any leather you want, and i used coloured wax to treat it,










6, make your pouch, and the leather to hold the bands or tubes,










7, put it all together and your away,










A dog food tin shot at 10 yards with 8mm steel ball


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## Frodo

That's a cracking fork!


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## NoSugarRob

me thinks it looketh easier than it is


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## Holzwurm

Great craftwork







, ...especially the constant bend of the fork







, ...........thanks a lot for sharing







!

..............and it even punches nice little circular holes







!

greetz , Holzwurm


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## shot in the foot

NoSugarRob said:


> me thinks it looketh easier than it is


No its easy try it, my oldest grandson is 11 year old and he made one, it was a good job, he put foam on the handle. jeff


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## PJB21

nice looking catty, so simple to make one =)

im guessing the bands are fairly light because the forks dont look that thick, though being a natural its stronger than a boardcut of the same thickness...

nice finish on it also and great tutorial


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## shot in the foot

PJB21 said:


> nice looking catty, so simple to make one =)
> 
> im guessing the bands are fairly light because the forks dont look that thick, though being a natural its stronger than a boardcut of the same thickness...
> 
> nice finish on it also and great tutorial


It was made for my grandson so its only got the chinese tubes on, but you will get a shock how hard the forks are, if it was a touch thicker you could put hunter bands on it, i dare say it would take thera band black, 
them tubes that are on it will take any game bird and have, jeff


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## harpersgrace

There's a old article out there somewhere by a 50's shooter who used the same method, I'll link it if I can still find it. http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2007/08/05/rubber-band-sharpshooter/?Qwd=./PopularScience/8-1946/sling_shot&Qif=sling_shot_0.jpg&Qiv=thumbs&Qis=XL#qdig
here it is


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## shot in the foot

harpersgrace said:


> There's a old article out there somewhere by a 50's shooter who used the same method, I'll link it if I can still find it. http://blog.modernme...mbs&Qis=XL#qdig
> here it is


Cheers for that, a old friend of mine showed me how to do it over 15 year ago, he was a traveler, its how he used to make his walking stick catapults, ive made a good few over the years, i used them when poaching, they were my throw away ones, i didnt mine loosing them if the farmers came ha ha, jeff


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## Rayshot

That was good. Thanks Jeff.


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## Tex-Shooter

We did that on live trees in the woods when they were small and let them grow to the size we wanted. Some of the nicest natural forks that I have seen were made this way. Thanks for posting this thread. -- Tex


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## philly

Outstanding! I have to add that to my list (getting very long) of things to try. Thanks for sharing.
Philly


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## Martin

Nice one Jeff. Its a good looking catapult I like the attachment method. I have a nice one from frodo using this attachment.
Martin


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## shot in the foot

Martin said:


> Nice one Jeff. Its a good looking catapult I like the attachment method. I have a nice one from frodo using this attachment.
> Martin


Cheers every one, and Martin do you like my knife i used ha ha, cheers, ive skinned loads of rabbits with it and it still has its edge, jeff


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## Martin

shot in the foot said:


> Nice one Jeff. Its a good looking catapult I like the attachment method. I have a nice one from frodo using this attachment.
> Martin


Cheers every one, and Martin do you like my knife i used ha ha, cheers, i ve skinned loads of rabbits with it and it still has its edge, jeff
[/quote]
Yes, Wonder where that came from? it seems strangely familiar









Martin


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## Sam

Excellent tutorial, your pictures and prose make it look and sound easy, but I doubt I could do it justice!









It's also impressively powerful (look at those nice clean holes it made!







) So I expect to see it claiming a good few crows!


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## shot in the foot

Sam said:


> Excellent tutorial, your pictures and prose make it look and sound easy, but I doubt I could do it justice!
> 
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> 
> It's also impressively powerful (look at those nice clean holes it made!
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> ) So I expect to see it claiming a good few crows!


The holes look cleaner than they are, its the photo, its the same band set up as a Dankung, that slingshot wont see any crows, its my grandsons, plenty of cans though, jeff


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## smitty

Beautiful work Chief ! You da man !


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## TastelikeSnozberries

That's beautiful work, I've been wondering how you get that really rich red finish on your naturals, I've been envying every picture you posted of a natural, especially since I have been unable to find a good one since starting shooting. Quick question, do you cut your forks down or find already downed branches? Thanks


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## shot in the foot

TastelikeSnozberries said:


> That's beautiful work, I've been wondering how you get that really rich red finish on your naturals, I've been envying every picture you posted of a natural, especially since I have been unable to find a good one since starting shooting. Quick question, do you cut your forks down or find already downed branches? Thanks


Do i cut the branches down ha ha, put it this way friends of the earth wont like me, were i get them is the farm i do all my hunting on so the farm is ok with it, jeff


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## TastelikeSnozberries

haha very well, off to the woods I head to cut me a fork!


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## Dayhiker

I wish I knew about this when I made my three-pronged fork. Thanks Jeff. Great looking catty.


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## lucifer93

Great job Jeff thats a fine looking catty. Every fallen tree i find is rotten, so i cut mine fresh from the trees too







.


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## Chepo69

Great gift for grandson Jeff, the benefits of a green branch it worked good.

Coordial greetings.


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## jmplsnt

Excellent work Jeff and I like it a lot. Your grandson is lucky to have a pawpaw like you who'll make him something and also teach him how it's done.

I love the leather tabbed-naturals and they're about all I make anymore. I like them with the chained rubber bands myself but if you're punching holes in a soup can with your dankung tubes then they're obviously good enough!


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## stelug

These is how I made almost my natural catty when I was young (me be we italians ar all a little gipsy).
If You force a chunk of wood between the limbs about the place here your's finghers will grip, and then you tighten and dry on fire, when you will open the lace and remove, you ll obtain a more fashionable shape too becore the tipps will be closer. Hope to be understand


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## shot in the foot

Thats every one, i thought it would bring memories flooding back, The slingshot is now with my Grandson Jack, ive told him he has to do something to it now to make it his, like rap cord round it or even change the colour, but told him not to touch the forks, i can wait to see what he comes up with, i will post what he does with it, jeff


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## Nico

This is a wonderful tutorial Jeff,

I always wanted to know how they made a catapult and special thanks to you I now know how to make one in a pinch at that!
Wonderful thread I like these projects..

Thanks for the tutorial
Nico


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## bentfork

what size are the 8 mm balls? is it the same as 3/8 inch? and do the leather gympsy tabs defeat the purpose of having chinise tube bands already made up? how would you get them on?


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## shot in the foot

bentfork said:


> what size are the 8 mm balls? is it the same as 3/8 inch? and do the leather gympsy tabs defeat the purpose of having chinise tube bands already made up? how would you get them on?


I dont glue the leather to the forks i just whip them on the same way you would flat bands with elastic, only takes a 2mins,. jef


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## bentfork

oh, okay. that makes sense. that's a really good idea too. that way you can shoot gympsy tab or over the top, either one


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## Dan the Slingshot Man

very nice, thanks for the directions


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## M.J

bentfork said:


> what size are the 8 mm balls? is it the same as 3/8 inch? and do the leather gympsy tabs defeat the purpose of having chinise tube bands already made up? how would you get them on?


10mm=3/8"


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## jmplsnt

8mm=approximately .32 calibre


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## Dennis the Menace

Wow! I wish Il had a grandfather who would make one for me! But mine already died more than three decades ago. And both were retired coppers anyway. 
Yes the red finishing sure looks great! Respect!


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## bentfork

thanks. so is 12 mm equal to 1/2 inch


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## M.J

bentfork said:


> thanks. so is 12 mm equal to 1/2 inch


13mm is almost exactally 1/2".


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## Dennis the Menace

1" = 25.4mm, so multiply your inches by 25.4 and you have millimeters. Whatever rocks your boat though.


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