# Starships and extended forks. Can we talk 'bout them please.



## ERdept (Jun 10, 2010)

I've been thinking a LOT about slingshots and unfortunately they've displaced work related topics while Im at work.

But regarding starship and extended fork design slingshots, can you affirm some of my _*assumptions*_ about these designs................

1 The extended forks allow the bands to work more efficiently?
What I mean by this is that they allow you to use longer bands that are weaker, but due to their greater lengths, still propel a projectile quickly, without the heave pull. Also, the extended forks allow the band to preload and propel the ammo faster.

2. The hand is protected from slap because the bands are so far out and the handle is usually under the fork body and protected?

3. This design will propel a similar weight projectile faster than a flat type slingshot with equal band lengths, due to the bands stretching further on the draw?


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

All true. They have more inertia too and might release the ball more consistently. The extra draw length allows a cheek draw. These above reasons are why they're so popular at competitions.

The cons include:
>Lack of pocketability, bulk, mass
>Illegality in some locations as they require a wrist brace

Therefore, I'd probably use one for competition but not in the field.

If you ask me, I think they would help the most for someone used to 1045 tubes. Chinese style has a short draw and a fork extension would be a big boost.


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## Brewman (Feb 1, 2010)

Tex-shooter and Flatband can tell you a lot about Starships from practical experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


ERdept said:


> I've been thinking a LOT about slingshots and unfortunately they've displaced work related topics while Im at work.
> 
> But regarding starship and extended fork design slingshots, can you affirm some of my _*assumptions*_ about these designs................
> 
> ...


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## JoergS (Dec 17, 2009)

From wikipedia: "Mechanical work is the amount of energy transferred by a force acting through a distance."

Means, the longer the draw, the higher the kinetic energy.

So a starship ONLY increases the energy of the shot if the draw gets longer. A band set that you can fully draw out on a conventional slingshot will achieve NO speed increase if you put it on a starship. So you have to use LONGER bands on a starship.

The band width defines the draw weight, it does not matter how long the bands are. If stretched to the same percentage of the original length, a 2 inch rubber band will have the same draw weight as a 20 inch one. The two bands simply stretch out to different lengthes.

Look at my "Novitzkenegger", which is basically a starship taken to the extreme. 3 meters (10 feet) of draw extension.

I have only been at one tournament so far (ECST), and I have to say the great majority of shooters used a conventional slingshot. Flatband used starships, but only because he had an injury that troubled him when he shot his classics.

Jörg


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## HOE (Nov 13, 2010)

Make one and try out for yourself and you will love it! If you have the jigs and skills in bending steel rods, you can simple bend one out.







I can't bend metal myself.


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## ARB (Dec 31, 2009)

I have made a few large starships with some interchangeable parts. The biggest one has around 29 inches extension, I think this is the one in the pic below. The small slingshot is a Black Widow for comparison. This is an extreme starship that is very bulky but it shoots well.

As you can see you need to reach well ahead of the handle to grip the relaxed rubber. Assuming you draw to the same anchor point as you would with a non extended slingshot, the rubber has a much longer "power stroke". As Joerg says, the rubber needs to be longer for the same % stretch.

Examples:

Non extended fork:
6 inches of relaxed rubber. 30 inches from handle to anchor point. No extension. Draw weight x. Power stroke 24 inches.

Big extended fork
12 inches of relaxed rubber. 30 inches from handle to anchor point. 30 inches from handle to fork. Draw weight x . Power stroke 48 inches

So the power stroke is twice as long in this case, does this mean this extended fork has twice the power or twice the speed. No! But it is still higher.









.


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## Brewman (Feb 1, 2010)

It's not hard to figure out which one has more power potential!!!!!!!!!


ARB said:


> I have made a few large starships with some interchangeable parts. The biggest one has around 29 inches extension, I think this is the one in the pic below. The small slingshot is a Black Widow for comparison. This is an extreme starship that is very bulky but it shoots well.
> 
> As you can see you need to reach well ahead of the handle to grip the relaxed rubber. Assuming you draw to the same anchor point as you would with a non extended slingshot, the rubber has a much longer "power stroke". As Joerg says, the rubber needs to be longer for the same % stretch.
> 
> ...


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

I have a plan for a mini .


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