# Oak Ply / Cherry Mini-'Ship



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Back in July I enquired about oak plywood, having seen some at the local hardware store. I thought it looked cool and wondered if there was a reason I didn't see it being used for slingshots. I finally went and got some (how's that for prompt action!) and have a better idea of it's worth.

Here's what I made out of it, my Mini 'Ship design in oak ply with a cherry (free floor sample  ) palm swell:

















This wood is definitely oak on the outside and in every odd layer but something else in the even layers. I would venture to reckon that it's some sort of pine just based on the way it smells when cut and sanded.

Positives: The oak faces do look cool and would look better if I had oiled them and sanded to more than 150gr.

Negatives: Not as strong or well put together as quality birch ply but costs more.

It's probably still stronger than an oak board just because it has alternating layers of grain. I tried to break the forks off of this one and couldn't do it with anything short of standing on it, even with the rather small cross section of wood between the forks. I wouldn't trust it to have slotted holes for looped tubes, though.

This one has leather tabs and small-diameter Simple-Shot latex tubes. The extra four inches of draw length really works well with these because of their almost-bottomless stretch potential.

A solid shooter and still one of my favorite designs. Hope you like it :drinkup:


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## ghost0311/8541 (Jan 6, 2013)

i was hopeing to get a better look at that when i seen it in your video.


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## GHT (Jan 22, 2013)

Nice build,nice write up and a bad ass shooter.


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## dan ford (May 13, 2013)

Very cool !
I'm fighting the urge to build a starship, you ain't making it easy !


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

dan ford said:


> Very cool !
> I'm fighting the urge to build a starship, you ain't making it easy !


This little one is like a gateway drug


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

dan ford said:


> Very cool !
> I'm fighting the urge to build a starship, you ain't making it easy !


Don't fight it man, we need more designs in the fleet.


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

M.J said:


> Back in July I enquired about oak plywood, having seen some at the local hardware store. I thought it looked cool and wondered if there was a reason I didn't see it being used for slingshots. I finally went and got some (how's that for prompt action!) and have a better idea of it's worth.
> 
> Here's what I made out of it, my Mini 'Ship design in oak ply with a cherry (free floor sample  ) palm swell:
> 
> ...


Be careful with that stuff I had some bad luck with "Oak"ply. Some of it they put some real junk wood in the middle. There showed be a law against doing that. I got to admit your's looks very good.


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## Wingshooter (Dec 24, 2009)

dan ford said:


> Very cool !
> I'm fighting the urge to build a starship, you ain't making it easy !


Don't try to resist the force.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

ghost0311/8541 said:


> i was hopeing to get a better look at that when i seen it in your video.


Here's the one I've used in videos:

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/26315-mini-ship-back-in-black/

The design is basically Bill Hays' "Hammer Takedown" with a 4" stretch between the handle and the forks.


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## DougDynasty (Jul 8, 2013)

Great job M.J !! Very very awesome


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

Looks great!


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## Bill Hays (Aug 9, 2010)

You know Mike, I made one almost just like that a couple of years ago... if you want the template it's below.

I didn't like how it shot compared to the the more standard type so I never pursued it... but I'm sure if the beavertail were extended about 5 or 6 inches and a wrist brace installed you might have a really really nice little starship.

It's just not something that interested me that much at the time... kind of like the slingrifles and stuff I did around that time.. I just did them so others can mess around with the designs, as I like the more pocketable type shooters.










and here's what my first one looked like... I don't have it anymore but using the templates it's pretty easy to make a new one if need be.:










Anyway, like I said, anyone is more than welcome to use modify and just do whatever do want with the design...


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Looking good, Bill!
The part of the "barrel " behind the forks on mine is thicker from top to bottom because I lay my index finger along it when I shoot. That clears up the stability issues I had when I held it with a full hammer grip.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Very cool shooter which you made there Sir.

I am certain future efforts may be even better, given Mr. Hays advice.

Cheers Allan


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## Deano 1 (Oct 11, 2013)

This starshipping is very appealing but new to me. What is that pin for that sticks up above the grips?


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