# Who's interested in a trade?



## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

I love trying new slingshots (probobly why i have 8 and i have more stencils ready to print







). But i've yet to try anything other than my boardcuts, a natural, and a Trumark WS-9 that has been "modified", hehe...thats a whole nother thread. So is anyone interested? i'll try anything! boardcut, bentwire, natural, or anything your willing to make and/or part with.

I will provide a finished product: cut, rounded, sanded, stained (yes/no, color options), varnished (yes/no), and flatbanded (provide your ammo information, whether its for hunting or target or both, and draw length if possible). Of course, you could just tell me the model and say "surprise me" too. I will pay my shipping and you yours, and thats the only thing you'd need to spend. Shipping in an envelope via usps is probobly the best idea, ~$2 is about what youll pay.

You can view some of my work here.

Reply to the thread or pm me, whichever you prefer.

Thanks,
kyle


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## huey224 (Apr 12, 2010)

Ive got a natural if you want to trade ill trade it with the bands on it/with it and i like the one you call the "epsilon" if you want to trade that for my natural?
ill post pics.

what is your e-mail address?


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

quick update: can't make anymore of the "epsilon" models. The design belongs to fish, a fellow member of this forum, and it would be unfair (and im quite sure illegal







) to produce anymore. BUT if you ask fish or visit hunter catapults's site, i'm sure you can ask him to make one of his "tournament hunter" models (i am unsure if that name is correct). And I'd further like to apologize to fish for using his design, and would like to assure him that i will not be making anymore of them.

I have checked through as much of the forum as i can and have found that all of my other designs are rightfully my designs and are not copies of others'.

And i will be posting two new designs sometime this week im hoping. One is based on my favorite slingshot, my natural. The other is my first attempt at an "extreme ergo".

So if anyone is interested, pm me!


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

Pulse said:


> quick update: can't make anymore of the "epsilon" models. The design belongs to fish, a fellow member of this forum, and it would be unfair (and im quite sure illegal
> 
> 
> 
> ...


that epssilon has a look of Martins what on his profile photo, you have made some nice slingshots there, jeff


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

thanks jeff.

yeah it seems to be getting hard to design a slingshot that doesn't mimic somone elses. But as i said, i'm working on two new designs that i'm hoping to be done with by the end of this week. They are definetly my own designs though, I decided all of my slingshots were too...plain...so these are a little odd, but i think they'll work out nicely.

thanks,
kyle


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## Martin (Jan 17, 2010)

I dont want to split hairs here, but check my avatar apart from a small change to the shape of the handle, the
tournament hunter is is basically the same slingshot.

I think that this site is about an exchange of ideas.I do not have a problem with people using my designs. I know I have used other peoples ideas and been inspired to try different things. I have been using this basic shape for 30 plus years but I very much doubt that I was the first to employ this shape.

We all borrow from each other, give and take. If this is a design that pleases you carry on with it,

Its not a copy its just your take on an old design.

Martin


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Martin said it just the way I feel, about sharing ideas. We are all here for one of two reasons... to give and receive ideas with others,and or, to sell products to others. If I was selling a product I wanted to keep the design as mine I would get a patent on it. Many "designers" find out when they go to get a patent that it has been done before, or the idea is not far enough away from a basic idea to merit a patent.
Now that being said, I try to be nice and respect what others are doing, but when I see something that is COOL it is hard not to copy it to try at home. This is, for the most part an amateur slingshot forum for us to share and expect that "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". I don't think a "trade" would make anyone mad, like just boldly copying a design and shamelessly selling it to all who would want to buy it would.


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

thanks for the input martin and smitty.

The only reason i don't like making them is it gives me a "bad conscience" feeling. And especially with both fish and pallan, who both own their own companies and websites and sell large amounts of their products. By selling their designs, i would be taking their buisness, which is wayyyyy beyond my morals. PLUS, between you and me....they're MUCH better craftsman than me









I like the design though, so i may modify it to fit my hands/style better and see if its still too close to the original by martin and/or fish.

Im still lookin for anyone interested in a trade!


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

Martin said:


> I dont want to split hairs here, but check my avatar apart from a small change to the shape of the handle, the
> tournament hunter is is basically the same slingshot.
> 
> I think that this site is about an exchange of ideas.I do not have a problem with people using my designs. I know I have used other peoples ideas and been inspired to try different things. I have been using this basic shape for 30 plus years but I very much doubt that I was the first to employ this shape.
> ...


Wel said Martin, ive done a 1000 copies of that bamboo slingshot you gave me, and im now flooding ebay with them, my ad reads, Slingshot of the month for sale, ha ha , the idea of a site like this is to share ideas, and help others, ive been shooting for over 40 years on and off, and im still learning a lot, jeff


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

From the perspective of a craftsman who sells slingshots to put food on the table and pay the bills I am thankful for the "morals" that Pulse and others have. I really think that all artisan/ craftsmen and sellers rely on the honor and integrity of others as any legal proceedings are something we all can do without.

ZDP paid me for a one time "one off" license because he wanted to enjoy trying to make my design. He loves to make different things on his own. I guess that would be a little like paying for a kit or plans. He got to make one and as owner of the design I still received income. He has also purchased other finished slingshots and supplies from me since.

It's true that it is quite difficult to make something that doesn't look like something others have already made, but it can be done. I worked long and hard to design something that was enough different to be a marketable distinct product unique to me.

Similarities between slingshots are inevitable because as a friend recently said "they are after-all only forked sticks." I would encourage everyone to just be creative, and if you start with certain design elements that are familiar to a known slingshot or designer, make sure you change it enough to make it different and your own. If you put enough of your own changes and ideas into something it really makes it different and not the same. While it can be flattering when someone makes a close copy of my work, I would add that it's even more flattering when they just buy one from me.

I also know that I can't keep amateur builders from attempting to make one of my designs on their own, and to get caught up in doing so would be ludicrous. I believe I make and sell a unique and quality product that bares my name and makers marks. Anything else is simply not the A+ Slingshots, PS Signature Series Original!!! 
While I hope if people like my work, that they would just buy my products, the only real problem would be someone (as Smitty said) shamelessly trying to make and sell my designs, or one obviously close. That would really not be cool!!!

A simple but profoundly powerful (if practiced) saying comes to mind .... "Let's all just try to be kind to each other."


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

Thank you for the input pallan.

I would really like to apologize for using your design without your consent. I can promise you that i will not be making anymre of them.

I would really like to purchase one of you ps-1's when the finances permit. I figured that i'd get one from somone who knows a real thing or two about slingshots.

And i hope i haven't lost any respect i may have earned amongst members of this forum. I'm an ameteur still learning and making mistakes. I will be producing a few more designs this week, time permitting, and they are all completely my designs and ideas.

I hope that i haven't offended anyone and i also hope that i didnt turn this board into a court room.

thanks to all,
kyle


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

It must work both ways though, its not right people who make slingshot for there wages, copying the lads singshots and selling them, not that anyone would want to copy mine ha ha , jeff


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

Thanks Kyle!!! No worries mate!!!! I certainly don't have any bad feelings and I don't think anyone else on the forum does either. Keep up the great work making and shooting and as for me... again I say thanks for even being concerned. It tells me your a good man!


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

Thank you Pallan! It makes me happy to feel a little respected being only a 17 year old. I will continue my work as dilligently as possible.

Any more interested trades or purchases are welcome!

Kyle.


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

There is hope for the future yet!!!!







Wonderful Kyle... I have two teen sons, 16 and 18. You have quite a talent for wood.


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Pulse I have a lot of respect for you too! It takes a real man to admit a mistake and I have had to apologize a few times myself. We all make mistakes and as far as I am concerned, you are top shelf! I think you are going in the right direction by thinking up your own variables of the forked stick. It takes a lot of experimenting to get one right, but when you do, it is an awesome feeling. I used to make me a slingshot once in a great while when I was a kid. They were only functional, but that is all I knew. About a year ago I started to shoot again and after seeing the slingshots others were making, I really wanted to make some of my own. I had no idea how much there was to know about the subject. I think I have gotten better at getting what I really want and not settling for what happened when I was done. Ha!
Here are some pictures of some designs I came up with that I was really proud of at the time and now I would really just as soon forget. We are all learning. If we stop learning we should just go ahead and die, because we have lost the joy of discovery. I like these designs because they are mine and I wanted to do something different. The guys on the forums were nice and encouraged me to keep it up. If they had treated me like my designs were crap I would have dropped out from disappointment. I am not embarrassed by my dorky designs because they help to make me feel a part of something bigger than me.








Here are my earliest slingshots after getting bitten by the slingshot bug:


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

I think what you are doing is honorable and I agree that there is a certain point where copying becomes forging but don't beat yourself up too much everyone here has built on someone else design, take a few hours and go thru back issues of sports magazines and old slingshot pattens you'll soon see that there isn't much new under the sun. People are still copying and modifying the Wham O Sportsman 60 years later. As has been said "in the end it's just a forked stick"


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

We've philosophised a lot about this the morals of this topic in the knife-making community. Just like slingshots, it's a basic technology and most designs have been made similarly by someone at some time in the past. Just like slingshots, people are trying to make a a recognisable product and to make some income from it.

There's a whole spectrum of morality going on.

My position is:


I like to come up with new designs of my own. I'm sure to be influenced by past designs and current trends, but I acknowledge them where I can.
Sometimes I'd like to try out a design I've seen. I generally prefer to obtain it from the maker. If that's not practical, I'll ask permission. If it's a commercial design, I'll offer to pay for permission.
If a design is so commonly used that no-one remembers who came up with it, then it's impractical to acknowledge the source or offer payment, unless he shows up and demonstrates ownership.
It is morally wrong to knowingly copy a product without permission for personal gain. It is doubly wrong to pass it off as your original design, worse to pirate is as a forgery and even worse still to knowingly assert ownership of someone else's design.
Some of these things can happen by accident, but the subsequent inventor must set things straight if he discovers he's reinvented the wheel.


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## Brooklyn00003 (Feb 28, 2010)

I believe a person could make the exect copy of any of the slingshots for PERSONAL use only and it is still ok to show it here what he have done.Most of it will not match the quality of the original anyway. No trading , No selling. However f its modified enough then why not , there are hundreds of designs allready its hard to make a new that nobody has done before.
I am actualy making 2 slingshots( first ever) and both are copies but still modified to my OWN PERSONAL preferences. The quality is far worst then the original ones.I will post pictures and I realy dont want somebody start picking on me cuz they are copies or look alikes.
This is only my personal opinion!
Cheers.

Ohh and one more thing .If we want slingshots to be more popular we should not start picking on this issue now lol.
If its for personal use why not !


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## Pulse (Jun 16, 2010)

Well this has ceratinly taken a turn for the contemplators and thinkers. Thanks everyone for the input. I am trying to work on more designs, but allergies are affecting me seriously, and my hip seems to have broken for all i know (great health for a 17 year old.....). I will return to work as soon as i can! To those with orders or trades on hold, i am very sorry for the inconvenience, and i will try very hard to work as much as i can, but there may be some delays. Thank you to everyone who has helped me and worked with me in the past, and i look forword to the future mistakes i will make, and even more to the lessons i will learn from them.


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## Simon Van den Broeck (Jul 28, 2010)

I do want to trade with you , i've made slingshots out of a steel rod in forms of a china sling just a wristrocket without the thing for the wrist ( I can try to make that if you want to ; you can say wathever you want i'll try to make it for you the only thing is that i dont have bands for the slingshot ; and you can suprise me with the model but please stain it and attach some bands thankyou please contact me

just send me an email

greetings from belgium ;

Simon


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

Pulse said:


> thanks jeff.
> 
> yeah it seems to be getting hard to design a slingshot that doesn't mimic somone elses. But as i said, i'm working on two new designs that i'm hoping to be done with by the end of this week. They are definetly my own designs though, I decided all of my slingshots were too...plain...so these are a little odd, but i think they'll work out nicely.
> 
> ...


hi pulse,
today, i´ve tryed to make a new version of my zebrawood catty in plywood. i´m very proud not to copy, not eaven my own slingshots, so i decide making the prongs wider also making some changes on the handel. i´ve used a old blank of mine. bevore staining and finishing , i always rig my cattys up to shoot them, i know i have enough cattys, but i can´t wait to shoot a new one. so reading this thead, and looking on my catty, i see i´ve maid a 1:1 copy of your avatar catty! i swear, i´ve not eaven thought abt doing it!!!!
much respect, u´ve designt a excelent catty!


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## hawk2009 (Dec 30, 2009)

This world is a very big place making similar copies of those who run a slingshot business is not going to put a dent in their income, if your in business you have a set price for the item and quality you are selling usually this is set quite high £20 upwards many people cannot afford these prices and will not spend that kind of money on a slingshot ever,so your not taking business away from them because they would not buy from them in the first place,many people as in all sport out of ten who take up a new hobby only a couple will continue to carry on after a few weeks and as parents we know how much pressure kids can put on parents to get what they want,and as parents we look for a cheap compromise to keep the peace.As long as your not targetting the same clientel as the company you are mimicking it should not cause any problems.


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