# The Kestrel



## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

I've been inspired by Flicks to update one of my designs, thank you Flicks!

I present to you: The Kestrel

This design is an iteration of my "GS-12" Fly off the handle design. I wanted to name this one after a bird of prey so i started looking around and narrowed it down to a few favorites, one of which was the Kestrel. When I read a description of the Kestrel that sealed the deal; "the American Kestrel packs a predator's fierce intensity into its small body".

I wanted the debut to actually look like the namesake. so this slingshot is made from: Lacewood, Pine (with blue stain fungus), Black Palm, Padauk, and a thin Hickory core. Getting that "smokey blue" color in a natural wood was tricky, luckily I was making a couple of Adirondack chairs and had some pine with the blue fungus in the lot.

I have also had a 3D printed version made that i am planning on using to try my hand at silicone moldmaking and casting, and I also had 10 of these cut out on a CNC from die-board (plywood on steroids).

Thanks for looking!


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Oh yeah, i forgot to mention, it is a CA finish.


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## Mister Magpie (Apr 10, 2013)

Very nice design and workmanship!

Darren


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

very nice slingshot

any chance for pics from the 3d printed thing`y ? and the steroids one ?

cheers


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## ryguy27 (Nov 8, 2013)

Wow! That Looks Amazing! Great Job On This One! The Woods Look Superb. Let's See the 3D And Plywood!


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## Marnix (Mar 29, 2014)

Very cool!


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

Now that's perfect for the pocket!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

You have done a beautiful job on that one ... just lovely.

Cheers ... Charles


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## JohnKrakatoa (Nov 28, 2013)

Very nice work! Did you use some pins or is it just the hickory cire and the other wood pieces?

EDIT: CAN we pls see the die-board ones? Sounds awesome.


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## PorkChopSling (Jan 17, 2013)

Beautiful!


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## Btoon84 (Nov 22, 2011)

The Kestrel is one of my favorite birds. I had the pleasure of watching one near the house for a season. It would hunt in the evenings and I noticed it had a very distinctive hunting style in which it would hover above the ground about 20ft up then sort of pounce on its prey.... very cool birds  Your slingshot is awesome Gopher. The GS-12 lives on! Great job sir. As always of course.


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## youcanthide (Jun 16, 2013)

Kestrels can see the uv spectrum. When ones hovering they are more than likely tracing the trail of a mouse or vowels urine. Waiting at the point where it ends for when it spots the prey. Amazing little predators. Nice catty aswell


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

thanks guys, i'll post pics of the printed version and the die board version although they are not finished yet.

There are not pins, just wood (except for the brass insert for wrist strap)

Love the tidbits on the Kestrel, cool little bird indeed!


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## Drew_Bilbrey (Dec 6, 2013)

Beautiful work!


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Here is the lineup, the fancy one, the first prototype, a maple die board just off the cnc, another one with the edges rounded but no sanding yet, the printed one that i am still working on (lots of acetone and ABS cement) and an acrylic template for layout and a router template. Also you can see the difference between Baltic birch and the die board. Don't let the thick laminating fool you, each of the 7 layers is solid maple.


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Wrong pic got in there


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

Thanks for showing 
That look really good kea chain compatible 
Cheers
(Do I have to search them in the 4 sail section?


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Once i get a couple of the die board ones done they might show up in the for sale by owner section. These are bigger than they might be perceived, it is a full size frame it just doesn't have a handle.


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## S.S. sLinGeR (Oct 17, 2013)

Very nice work!


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## flicks (Feb 16, 2013)

Very cool! The choice of woods is awesome. Not to mention that I really like the design. 

Great job! I love it!


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## carboncopy (Jan 14, 2014)

Very nice design!


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## The Gopher (Aug 25, 2010)

Here are a few pics of the Kestrel made from maple die board. Won't be ssotm worthy but i love how this stuff works and looks.


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

I love it too! I totally want one!


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## Can-Opener (May 11, 2013)

This is very creative.  I would like to see how it shoots


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## SkullsFB (Jul 7, 2014)

Can-Opener said:


> This is very creative.  I would like to see how it shoots


Me as well.

Daniel


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