# New Design



## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Well, I like this new slingshot pattern, ("Smitty Panther") that I drew and cut out, but I am not sure what I can make it out of ... where it won't break at the fork rings. I PM'd Hogan Castings and Pete said he could do up a few out of powder coated aluminum for a pretty good price. I will most likely have them do at least two for me, maybe more, but I sure would like to make some entirely myself out of a material I can cut with my scroll saw. I have never tried to cut something like 1/4" brass, but I think it would work with a metal cutting blade and a drip cup to lubricate.
I am looking for any ideas or suggestions you may have. 
I am also going to make me a flat band version by removing the rings and using the regular flat band fork tip shape. Actually, that is what I am working on now until I figure out if I want to go ahead and make some of the Chinese tube slingshots myself. 
So... if you have any ideas to help me I sure would appreciate it.


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## builderofstuff (Feb 14, 2011)

How big is it Smitty? Do you have a drawing for it?

Chris


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## jephroux (Dec 21, 2009)

hey smit man
what ya think about cutting board the heavy
duity plastic stuff ,,,,
wally world has got some cheap could use it as
the core,,,
an some cool wood on the out side
thats the cheap way !!!!
could also do a cloth lamanite that would 
work in a whole or as a core
cool looking shooter either way
great job ,,


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## Matt (Mar 6, 2010)

How about aluminum? I have cut a few "dankung style" slingshots from 1/4" aluminum, and they seem to be sturdy enough


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## bikermikearchery (Sep 30, 2010)

1/4" aluminum will work just fine. I cut a lot of slingshots from 1/4" aluminum plate. 
You can drill around the profile of your desighn and then cut to shape with a copeing saw. The big hole can just be drilled to size.
I have aluminum plates pre-cut to 4" x 6" and 1/4" thick. If you dont have a local supplyer I can send you a piece.
I can also band saw these to rough shape for you.

Mike


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

bikermikearchery said:


> 1/4" aluminum will work just fine. I cut a lot of slingshots from 1/4" aluminum plate.
> You can drill around the profile of your desighn and then cut to shape with a copeing saw. The big hole can just be drilled to size.
> I have aluminum plates pre-cut to 4" x 6" and 1/4" thick. If you dont have a local supplyer I can send you a piece.
> I can also band saw these to rough shape for you.
> ...


I cut 1/4 inch aluminum with my scroll saw and a genral blade but one slingshot kill's the blade so its one for one.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

HI Smitty,
Nice design Buddy! I would go with Aluminum sheet stock. I did one up awhile back(mostly by hand) that was 3/4" thick. You don't need it that thick at all.( Way too much filing!!!







)1/4"-5/16" will be fine.







Flatband


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## Qucifer (Dec 27, 2010)

That is a nice design. I have a cnc plasma table and recently upgraded to a much larger plasma cutter, but the cold winter has prevented me from wiring it up. If you dont resolve your issue before i get out to wire it up sometime in the spring, id be willing to cut it from 1/2" steel for you. It just might be a month or more before that happens.

Q


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

That is a very nice design Smitty! Excellent as is.

If you ever decide to make a mate of that design, where the handle meets the bottom of the forks, make it narrower. The reason I throw that out there is that I prefer the narrower top of the handle and have heard others mention that too.

EDIT; Of course even with my preference it may be perfect for me, seeing I haven't held it.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks for all of the ideas everyone ! Maybe I will try cutting some 1/4" aluminum with my saw after all. That would be really cool to be able to make some like that ! Here is another picture of both versions...tube and flat . I never know if I am going to like a new slingshot until I shoot it for a while. I haven't cut out the handle hole on the flat band shooter yet. These are just patterns cut out of 1/2" plywood to be able to trace one out and cut it when I want to. The flat band one kinda reminds me of something Torsten might make, except for the width between forks. He like his narrow...mine is 2 1/4" inside and 4 1/4" outside. I like wide forks.


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## forest dude (Dec 28, 2010)

Wow Smitty, that's a beautiful and artistic shape you have there! I am loving this design!



smitty said:


> Well, I like this new slingshot pattern, ("Smitty Panther") that I drew and cut out, but I am not sure what I can make it out of ... where it won't break at the fork rings. I PM'd Hogan Castings and Pete said he could do up a few out of powder coated aluminum for a pretty good price. I will most likely have them do at least two for me, maybe more, but I sure would like to make some entirely myself out of a material I can cut with my scroll saw. I have never tried to cut something like 1/4" brass, but I think it would work with a metal cutting blade and a drip cup to lubricate.
> I am looking for any ideas or suggestions you may have.
> I am also going to make me a flat band version by removing the rings and using the regular flat band fork tip shape. Actually, that is what I am working on now until I figure out if I want to go ahead and make some of the Chinese tube slingshots myself.
> So... if you have any ideas to help me I sure would appreciate it.
> ...


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## Dan the Slingshot Man (Nov 21, 2010)

very cool design Smitty


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## shot in the foot (Jan 3, 2010)

Way to go smitty im sure you should be chinese,, love it, cant wait to see what you do, a nice brass one from Pete would last you a life time, jeff


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## stelug (Feb 6, 2010)

love that shape smitty, Cant You just drill the cinese hole in the flat bands stile fork and have an universal catty? 
I agree 1/4 aluminium will withstand any use and abuse. If where me I would go in the wather-cutting plant I have near home and probabily they can do an half a dozen in stainless steel for few euros once I provide a good pdf.


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

That's a really nice design. Pete could make a beautiful slingshot in either aluminum or brass, it would look nice in Micarta or G10 as well.
Either way it will be an outstanding slingshot.
Martin


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I got no ideas for you smitty, but that is an outstanding design!


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## Pro-Shot (UK) Catapults (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi Smitty get some car Body filler and build some depth in 3d on to it? parm swell/Hand grip ect


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## wd40 (Jul 19, 2010)

Great designs, Smitty.

I like them both.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks for the help and kind comments. I'm going to have Pete cast a couple for me to keep forever, but I need to take some careful time to round it out and get it ready to cast. I just bought a new carbide bit to help me to finish it up. I also rigged up a jig to help me do better rubber to pouch attachments.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Here is the finished slingshot I am going to send to Hogan Castings to make me a few tube shooters out of. I think it is going to make a great little slingshot for me to enjoy.


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## Rayshot (Feb 1, 2010)

That does look like a comfy tube style catty, with style.


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## jamoni (Jan 21, 2011)

Smitty, if you can slow down the speed of your scroll saw, you should be able to cut as much aluminum as you want. The high speeds meant for woodworking are just too hard on tools when doing metal.


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## neil (Jan 25, 2011)

Thats a realy nice looking slingshot castings the way to go would be extra nice in brass or bronze but I think you already thought that


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Designed by Smitty & Casting by Pete - is there any need of review about this slingshot


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Thank you all for your help and encouragement. I am looking forward to more experiments with this great sport. These forums must shorten the learning curve by many years ! It's great !!!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Triple AWESOME!!! Smitty. You got mad skills!


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Thanks Dayhiker ! I hope it comes out on the finished product like I think it will. I am not too sure how to design products for casting.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I have been trying for months to make a slingshot worthy of casting for Hogan's but I just don't have the skills.


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## Fin (Jan 2, 2011)

Lovely looking design there Smitty.

I'll echo Stelug's comment - why not drill tube holes and cut slots in the flatband model to give you the best of all worlds - rather like the Dankung Toucan:

http://www.dankung.c...shot-p-395.html


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## neil (Jan 25, 2011)

smitty said:


> Thanks Dayhiker ! I hope it comes out on the finished product like I think it will. I am not too sure how to design products for casting.


It should come out pretty much the same as it goes in and from your template it will be great if hogans castings are going to polish it for you, unless your planing on geting it raw cast and finishing and polishing it yourself you may have a little bit of a parting line but realy easy to sort out hope to see some pictures when its done its going to look realy cool







by the way you should ask them if they do lost wax castings if you have any future projects the wax is realy easy to work and shape


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## Pro-Shot (UK) Catapults (Apr 21, 2010)

Hi yes we do lost wax but the cost for this type of job is way over the top . I have worked with smittys pattern and i know when i get it theres going to be no problem locating the joint line is were the skill comes in and making the sand odside but its like i said well have no probleb with smittys master Pete


neil said:


> Thanks Dayhiker ! I hope it comes out on the finished product like I think it will. I am not too sure how to design products for casting.


It should come out pretty much the same as it goes in and from your template it will be great if hogans castings are going to polish it for you, unless your planing on geting it raw cast and finishing and polishing it yourself you will have a bit of a parting line but realy easy to sort out hope to see some pictures when its done its going to look realy cool







by the way you should ask them if they do lost wax castings if you have any future projects the wax is realy easy to work and shape
[/quote]


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

I think the larger holes on a dedicated Chinese tube slingshot do a better job of letting the tubes do what they want to do than the smaller ones used on (either-or) types of slingshots. If the tubes have free movement through the attachment ring I seem to be able to have a slight accuracy edge over the smaller holes. I think it would be better to make small holes like Hawk does on his slingshots and fasten the tube with a metal ball in the hole if I wanted a slingshot that would do both.
AND... Anyone who has ever gotten a slingshot (Catapult ) from Hogan Castings doesn't mind having more than one. They do awesome work and I feel we are lucky that they are willing to help us out by casting our slingshots for us for a very fair price.


Fin said:


> Lovely looking design there Smitty.
> 
> I'll echo Stelug's comment - why not drill tube holes and cut slots in the flatband model to give you the best of all worlds - rather like the Dankung Toucan:
> 
> http://www.dankung.c...shot-p-395.html


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## neil (Jan 25, 2011)

Hogancastings said:


> Thanks Dayhiker ! I hope it comes out on the finished product like I think it will. I am not too sure how to design products for casting.


It should come out pretty much the same as it goes in and from your template it will be great if hogans castings are going to polish it for you, unless your planing on geting it raw cast and finishing and polishing it yourself you will have a bit of a parting line but realy easy to sort out hope to see some pictures when its done its going to look realy cool







by the way you should ask them if they do lost wax castings if you have any future projects the wax is realy easy to work and shape
[/quote]
[/quote]
Hi Pete (I'am a big fan of your work by the way







) the lost wax was just a thought sorry I never thought about the extra cost Neil


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

smitty said:


> I think the larger holes on a dedicated Chinese tube slingshot do a better job of letting the tubes do what they want to do than the smaller ones used on (either-or) types of slingshots. If the tubes have free movement through the attachment ring I seem to be able to have a slight accuracy edge over the smaller holes. I think it would be better to make small holes like Hawk does on his slingshots and fasten the tube with a metal ball in the hole if I wanted a slingshot that would do both.


I have to say I agree with this. I have fairily limited experience with Chinese tube shooters, but I've made a few with different size rings and there seems to be a "sweet spot" both with ring size and spacing.


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