# Ideas for adding inertia weight to lighter slingshots



## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

I'm still very new to the hobby, but as a science oriented kinda guy, ideas are always percolating away.

Anyway, while shooting part of Flatband's collection at the september shootaround, it was immediately apparent that slingshots by different manufacturers were all over the place in making slingshots of different hefts, and that in short order I'd immediately gravitated (pardon the physics pun) towards slingshots that had greater mass/inertia, which seemed (to me) to have reduced release-shock, and thus a slight efficiency edge (in converting the potential energy of a draw to kinetic energy in the shot).

Accordingly, it occured to me just now that if someone wanted to add a few extra ounces of inertia/mass to light-weight wooden or plastic slingshot, one way to do it, without dramatically altering the appearance of slingshot itself, could be to drill a small hole up into the bottom of the handle, and install a small hanger bolt or a female screwpost ... which in turn would provide a stable attachment point for a variable number of weights to accomodate personal preferences in heft. Some steel washers, or perhaps a lead weight with a core hole, come readily to mind. Physics wise, it wouldn't be quite the same as having a metal core, but the overall effect should have some similarity, and it'd have the advantage of being adjustable.

Anyway, it's just a free idea tossed out there, for the benefit of the vendor community.

Cheers.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

We have been looking into drilling holes in out naturals handles to hold ammo. Maybe we could put lead in permanently for a greater heft


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

I'm more inclined to keep my ammo in a pouch on my waist, so I think a lead plug inside the handle would make more sense than an ammo cavity.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

It would be more for a survival situation. Esentaly just in case


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

Another option (this one irreversible), for an all wood slingshot, might be to drill a wider hole, and install a substantial lead core directly inside the handle. I dunno how cured wood might respond to molten lead, so you might have to pre-cast it, or perhaps use a cut section of a metal bolt and glue that in. If you file the bottom level and paint it over, you wouldnt even see it.

Again, just some random ideas.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

I have been trying to think of stuff to put Inbetween wood to make some heavier slingshots. So far nothing that will work but keep the slingshot safe


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

Hmm ... another option ... if you cant put the lead inside the handle, I suppose you could put the lead AROUND the handle. In other words, you could use a ball-peen hammer and some lead sheet to beat out a lead sleeve to fit over the handle/grip, glue it into place, then wrap it in bicycle grip tape. However, that'd adversely affect the appearance and might make the grip a bit larger than desired.

Again, this is just random disposable brainstorming of ideas.


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## Brooklyn00003 (Feb 28, 2010)

I like the weight of my slingshot which is 68 grams.A heavier one might give you more stability but I just cant stand if there is something heavy in my pocket.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

I'll look into a heavier material for a core. Pure lead wouldn't be healthy but effective


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

best thing might be to drill a hole in the handle and fill it with quick silver, this might reduce the release shock.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

Does anyone know how much an acrylic sheet weighs? If it's heavier than oak it might help


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

baumstamm said:


> best thing might be to drill a hole in the handle and fill it with quick silver, this might reduce the release shock.


Neat idea. Mercury is comparable to lead in terms of mass, and eliminates the need for shaping/melting. You'd need a solid plug though, which would take up part of the room in the handle.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

To bad mercury is very unhealthy. If only there was something healthy but heavy


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

they have done this in the 70´ with costum gun stocks 4 heavy callibre and it worked good, i don´t know if it is possible nowa days;-)


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

USASlingshot said:


> To bad mercury is very unhealthy. If only there was something healthy but heavy


Unhealthy yes, but only if it's in contact with your skin, or if you're inhaling the vapors. In the idea above, it would be inside a sealed cavity inside the handle, and thus neither mode of exposure would apply.

As for alternatives, the periodic table is replete with them, but unfortunately, many of them are either rare & expensive, radioactive, extremely short lived, and often all of the above. Mercury and lead seem to be the most readily available, and inexpensive options in the high-mass end of the table. A solid cylinder of steel, brass or copper would work too, but is harder to work with, and is less massive, than lead or mercury. They'd be heavier than aluminum however.


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

It would be unhealthy for the person putting It in t he handle.


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## Darb (Sep 14, 2010)

USASlingshot said:


> It would be unhealthy for the person putting It in t he handle.


Feh ... a fairly short exposure.










For comparison, just think of what all those workers in ancient China endured when building the underground tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who had all those terracotta soldiers guarding him, surrounded with rivers of mercury, complete with boats.


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

of core in a sealed cavity!


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

I wouldn't put my body near mercury if I had a choice. Lead isn't as bad


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## baumstamm (Jan 16, 2010)

in most lights like neon light ore this energy saving light u have lots of mercury and more dangerous vapors when they break.


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

USASlingshot said:


> To bad mercury is very unhealthy. If only there was something healthy but heavy


Tungsten.

Mercury is used in some archery stabilisers but I think that's to eliminate tremor.

I've previously thought of building stabilisers on rods into the design, but as Tex-shooter says, it's a gimmick we grow out of.

I build my T1 very slim and light to be pocketable and easy to carry. I do like the way the brass Scallops shoot, though.


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## BCLuxor (Aug 24, 2010)

http://www.google.co...1t:429,r:2,s:51

There you go been doing that with my natruals for a while to add weight drill the hole a .5 smaller than your heavy bolt and hand tighten. Trim the ends of the bolt beforehand to make the bottom flush ,some of the carriage bolts are really heavy i guess they add strength to.


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## flippinout (Jul 16, 2010)

I recently repaired a favorite shooter that had begun to crack by running a 1/4" brass rod through the frame and securing it with epoxy. It added a nice heft that seems to have made it perform better. Looks good too.


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## watcher by night (Jun 14, 2010)

One thing that's quite heavy but non-toxic is tungsten. Kind of pricey though. You can find fishing weights made of it. It's very hard and compact---1.7 times as heavy as lead. It would definitely be a way to use a fairly small hole or cavity to add quite a bit of mass....
You can see an example of some here: tungsten weights


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## watcher by night (Jun 14, 2010)

Hey! Have to add more because I saw a couple of things that are new (at least to me) in the tungsten line. One is a moldable, reusable Tungsten putty! It looks quite promising. It's "only" 1.3 times as dense as lead. but is a lot cheaper than the pure tunsten weights, and you can use it to fill any kind/shape of cavity. 
The other is powdered tungsten that you can use as a fill weight.
here are amazon links to a couple of representative specimens:

tungsten putty

tungsten powder

here's another link for putty at a different store. looks like 25 grams of it for about 6 dollars. The putty looks like it would be really easy to experiment with. Hey, I bet you could even pinch off a piece of it and use it as ammunition!


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

Tungsten putty would be interesting as a high impact force projectile. Think hollow-point bullet. It would hit and spread on impact. If it is too soft though, it might just stun your prey.


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## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

I really like a heavier shooter. I wouldn't use mercury, in case it broke open and spilt, all the others should be ok ... but my two cents says ... If you want to make a cheap slingshot heavier, drill a hole in the base of the handle, add some cord, tie whatever weight you wish ... no problem.


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## Hugues (Mar 27, 2010)

I personnally feel more at ease with full metal frames, especially plain aluminium ones, and I reckon that using just a small counterweight on a wooden or light catty couldn't match in bringing me the same comfort...this pleasant and secure feeling (results drastically improved, just worked for me, thanks again, Pete!) I get from the "whole" thing...well I simply don't want to get back to lighter frames, I'd go for heavier materials and just work on the shape!
Just my two pences.


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## arnoldus (Dec 11, 2010)

Gold is 1.7 times as dense as lead. For survivalist or SHTF-people, it would be a good idea to use it. Store of value & mass damper in 1 format!


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## King Cat (Dec 19, 2009)

How about using lead wool (normally used for calking) forced into a drilled cavity.
Jack Koehler


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

Jack, that's a good idea, but you can cast low MP solder or bismuth straight in. Failing that, make a lead rod: Drill a hole into a firebrick or a block of dry plaster, cast lead into it smash the mould and you'll have a perfect fitting slug that will even match the drill tip. If you undercut the rim of the hole drilled in the slingshot about 3/16" down, you could swage it in for a rivet fit.


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## bunnymansp (Oct 25, 2010)

i have this heavy steel wieght that ive been thinking about putting in mine


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## styks (Nov 28, 2010)

USASlingshot said:


> It would be unhealthy for the person putting It in t he handle.


Or if the handle got damaged/broke.

Greater mass especially around the grip is certanly of benefit in Archery increasing stability and reducing shock. The arrow of course is still attached to a relatively
rigid string to the end of the stroke compared to the rubber of a catapult
I'm only a cat novice but I would think the beneficial effect would be minimal when it comes to hunting catapults. I guess that some hunters prefer greater mass in their hand, most I've 
seen don't appear to need it. 
I have seen many target catapults with stabilisers which of course do a similar job and help control torque (rotation) while on aim.

Also, in the short time I've been shooting I've adopted the flip style with my right hand and feel very little difference between the two cats I have.
The one is very light wood and the other heavy steel and wood. .... I have a fused left wrist and can shoot hammer grip with it. Now that wrist is solid and I can certainly feel the extra shock transfered to my arm using the light wooden cat compared to the heavier steel. Of course it's physics 101 and I'm sure target cats are designed with it in mind.

Interesting thought though, being like minded and in need of all the help I can get, I'd go with a tad more mass


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