# Carving a crotch - size for OTT?



## Liam Heatherson (Apr 11, 2016)

Hi I've just signed up to this forum and have a question to ask.

I have previously shot Through The Fork using a fairly crude slingshot with thick elastic tied around either side of the croth, and I now feel I need to step up the accuracy with something more refined. I've carved a slingshot out of wood but am yet to shape the two fork prongs. I will be attaching single flat Theraband Golds to it Over The Top style as seems popular with them. My slingshots in the past have been TTF and quite wide/large, but I've seen it isn't uncommon to have a very small crotch, often fitted over the top.

How long should the fork prongs be to avoid crotch hits? It is in a V shape rather than a U, and the prongs are currently 4.6 inches long from the join, with a 4 inch gap between them at the top. I would like to shorten it a bit as this is currently too large for the pocket - how much can I afford to cut down the prongs, and should they be cut perpendicular to the forks (slanted from the gound) or parallel with the ground (so you could rest a ruler along the top of them, but diagonal to the direction of the prongs)?

For an idea at 3 inches up the prongs the distance between them is 2 inches. Also consider I will be holding the slingshot sideways preferably 1 inch up the crotch but also at the very base at a right angle to the ground.

Cheers,

LIam


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## Greyman (Mar 9, 2016)

Liam Heatherson said:


> Hi I've just signed up to this forum and have a question to ask.
> 
> I have previously shot Through The Fork using a fairly crude slingshot with thick elastic tied around either side of the croth, and I now feel I need to step up the accuracy with something more refined. I've carved a slingshot out of wood but am yet to shape the two fork prongs. I will be attaching single flat Theraband Golds to it Over The Top style as seems popular with them. My slingshots in the past have been TTF and quite wide/large, but I've seen it isn't uncommon to have a very small crotch, often fitted over the top.
> 
> ...


hi mate and welcome, rather than a long drawn out badly spelt answer may I suggest you go on you tube and type in pickle fork shooters, shooting style is far more important than the length of your forks, the 3x2 dimensions you are after should be absolutely fine, most of my forks are simular to that, this one is quite big by my normal standards


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## Tendele (Nov 29, 2014)

Hi. I shoot OTT with double theraband gold and most of my frames have a gap of about 2 inches between the forks. The length is not that critical but shorter is sometimes better if you are using heavy bands . Its surprising how short the forks can be without the ammunition hitting the frame. Longer forks generate more leverage and strain on your hands. Have a look through the templates sections and see some of the dimensions other people are using for their slingshots.


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## Liam Heatherson (Apr 11, 2016)

Cheers guys this is a great help. Just want to clarify if I should cut the fork prongs square or diagonal to their direction?


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## Tendele (Nov 29, 2014)

I have done both and it doesnt seem to matter however I prefer if they are square to the fork itself.ie. Square . Your post and my recent answer got me thinking so I went and had a look at some of my slingshots , most of which I band up with double theraband gold for hunting purposes and have a heavy draw. I measured the longest forks I have to be 90mm long and about 65 mm wide and I must say it is one of my favourites. There are no hard and fast rules, just whatever feels most comfortable.


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## Greyman (Mar 9, 2016)

Liam Heatherson said:


> Cheers guys this is a great help. Just want to clarify if I should cut the fork prongs square or diagonal to their direction?


. I cut mine square, making sure the saw cuts both forks at the same time, so I'm left with a flat take off point for my elastic,s don't know if it makes a difference,but it's what I have always done, trial and error is the only way to find out what suits you, I have loads of cracking looking forks yet the one I seem the most accurate with was almost binned,it looks like a twig more than a fork, but every time I use it I take one or two shots to get my eye in then it seems to keep hitting the target, which gives me more confidence, which in turn breeds success, and so the cycle goes on


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