# Flatband material at Wal-Mart?



## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Check these out: My link. Was over at Wally World tonight picking up some stuff and saw these. Didn't have the cash to pick them up, but there are three different bands @ roughly 4' long x 6" wide each. That's a lot of bands for $10.







These are also made of latex, according to the box. I might have to give some a try, unless someone else here beats me to it.


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

Nice!


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

The only thing is, I don't know what the strengths are on each of these, and the box was taped shut, so I couldn't whip 'em out in the store and try them out.














Still, they definitely look worth a shot.


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

I agree! Let us know what you find out!


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## Bugar (Dec 24, 2009)

pelleteer said:


> The only thing is, I don't know what the strengths are on each of these, and the box was taped shut, so I couldn't whip 'em out in the store and try them out.
> 
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> 
> ...


Could make a PRETTY slingshot,


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Remember that several layers of thin is faster than one of thick, so either way you'd be set. I bought some of it a few months back and it works very well on slingshots. Has several colors in it with different strengths.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Bugar said:


> Could make a PRETTY slingshot,


No reason your slingshot can't be effective _and_ stylish.









Smitty, thanks for the info. I was hoping someone had tried these out. I think I'll pick some up this weekend.


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## Flatband (Dec 18, 2009)

Pretty much any of the exercise bands that are made from real latex will do well for us. I tried the non latex exercise bands and they are no good. I was even going to use them for ties but they kept tearing. Well ,at least I got them for free. Sometimes I used to get sales on Latex Dishwashing gloves. Don't laugh, the work!







Flatband


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## jhunter77 (Jan 6, 2010)

What is the proper taper for them? Thanks


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

I'm no flat band expert but I use a ratio of 3 to 2 that I got from Mel and Geko. I like the way it shoots and lasts. My bands are 3/4" at fork and 1/2" at pouch.


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## Jtslingshoter (Dec 18, 2009)

Smitty do you pre stress your bands? thanks. JT


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

I finally picked some up. Red is thinnest, yellow is next, and blue is thickest. I hope to start experimenting with them this weekend.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

I am definately going to stop at the Mart With Walls when I get off the boat on the 27th and give this a shot. You could say that I have been trying to find a replacement for my beloved/hated Daisy yellow tubes (in my opinion the best elastics for lead EVER) for over a year now. I like the cheap price and easy availability of this product and it may be the way to go.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

jmplsnt said:


> I am definately going to stop at the Mart With Walls when I get off the boat on the 27th and give this a shot.


A time saving hint (so you don't wander aimlessly around the store







): I stumbled across these in the sports section in the same aisle as the basketballs, etc. Should be the same at any Mart With Walls.









*Smitty*, btw, on the one in your pic with the blue bands, did you cut the little strips that go around the prongs out of the same stuff?


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## smitty (Dec 17, 2009)

Is this what you mean?






If so, I use clamps strapped to my knees sitting in a chair.







I like to use the same rubber to tie it off. I found mine with all the exercise stuff in Wall Mart. Wallgreens also sells small packs of Theraband for about $13.00


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## Jtslingshoter (Dec 18, 2009)

Yes. Thanks for the pic Smitty. JT


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## dragonmaster (Dec 24, 2009)

I bought the same a few days ago but haven't Had the time to cut any bands yet. Living in a small town I have little option for material so look for what i can.


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## jhunter77 (Jan 6, 2010)

dragonmaster said:


> I bought the same a few days ago but haven't Had the time to cut any bands yet. Living in a small town I have little option for material so look for what i can.


I cut some but have yet to try it out. I cut 6 2" strips and put 3 on each side of the blue. I want to try it with some heavy lead to see how it reacts


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

pelleteer said:


> Check these out: My link. Was over at Wally World tonight picking up some stuff and saw these. Didn't have the cash to pick them up, but there are three different bands @ roughly 4' long x 6" wide each. That's a lot of bands for $10.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I tried these they are ok. Academy offers a larger variety of the same stuff for 12.99. I ended up tossing them in the can.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

I've been messing around with these now for awhile, and here's the latest experiment. This is my modded eBay oak "cheapie" mounted with two strips of the yellow band. THese bands are folded, and each one is 4" at the fork, 2" inches at the pouch and 9" long from fork to pouch. These things are very, very fast, but fairly heavy to pull as well (nearly on par with RR-2s). The red bands that come in these sets don't seem of much use. I haven't found a combo yet that gives a decent pull. I haven't had the chance to play around with the blue yet. Elasticity on these bands is excellent. Someone else mentioned getting another brand of exercise bands and having them stretch and then not return all the way. I haven't experienced that with these thus far.


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## Chugosh (Feb 9, 2010)

I am so going to get in on this!
I had my son cut out a couple forks from some dogwood sticks we trimmed off the tree a few weeks ago. I hope to do a vid for youtube of the whole process, but count this as no promise. The Wally's bands will do great for my first experements! Thanks, Pelleteer for pioneering the way!


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Well, it turns out smitty beat me to these, so I can't take too much pioneering credit







, but I'm glad my further experimenting with these is helping some other shooters out. I'll continue to play around with them and post my results. I've cut out some blue bands the same length as these but one set is 2
x 1" and the other is only 1.5" x .75". If I get a chance this week I'll pop 'em in my Saunders Hawk and see what happens.


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## Red Beard Forge (Feb 15, 2010)

I realize Im chiming in a bit late on this and this is my first post hello everyone !!! i just wanted to comment that i have been using this rubber for bands for about a year now and i find it to be very good for slingshots Ive never used real theraband but this must be a close second a set of one inch bands from the blue is good for target shooting or pigeon hunting right now i have a tapered set of the green (middle weight) bands one my edc slingshot


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

I buy this one off ebay, its only £9 for 6m. it is 5inchers wide, and i have had no trouble with it, cheers jeff


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

pelleteer said:


> Check these out: My link. Was over at Wally World tonight picking up some stuff and saw these. Didn't have the cash to pick them up, but there are three different bands @ roughly 4' long x 6" wide each. That's a lot of bands for $10.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It is more trouble than it's worth.


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

I can now report that I have puchased and tried these. I cut a set of heavy draw blue bands and tried them out on one of my natural forks. They shot pretty well but not as well as the Theraband Gold. My wife didn't like the smell of them so I stripped them off and replaced with Theraband, which apparently doesn't bother her. They were okay but I'll be sticking with the Theraband.


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## pelleteer (Dec 19, 2009)

Looks like I underestimated the red bands. I was cutting them too narrow. I had such good success with the yellow ones at 4"x2"x9" that I decided to try the reds at the same width but shorter. I ended up with about 7" from fork to pouch and they shoot quite well. Very light pull still, but they seem about as fast as the yellow. Latex is weird stuff.














I mounted them on my homemade natural "Fat Acacia" catty.

BTW, to me these bands smell like balloons. Not super pleasant, but not terribly offensive. Your nose may vary...


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