# Band snapped - how come?



## freeman45 (Jun 2, 2012)

Only 200-300 shots in, and the theraband gold snapped near the pouch.

It's my first time using tapered bands. 8" long. 19mm on one end, and 10mm on the narrow end. Two sets of bands on the slingshot.

Was that too much of a taper? Too thin at one end?

I don't have much bands left, no room for experimenting. Which is why i'm asking here.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Hi There,

You are likely correct, as that is approaching a 2 to 1 taper.

I use a 22 mm to 16 mm taper on both double .04 latex, and triple TBG; and when I have a band snap, which rarely occurs, usually on the latex, it occurs at the fork end.

Others with more knowledge will likely also make additional comments; although I think they will agree, you current taper is way too much.

Best of luck for the future though.

Cheers Allan Leigh


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

I can PM you some other ideas to try.

But I'll need something more to work from:

What are you shooting target wise?

What are you shooting ammo wise?

What draw length are you using?

What draw force are you using?

What do you want to change? (More band life?)

I trust a few others might chip in with thier thoughts also.


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## August West (Jan 21, 2012)

2 to 300 shots is not bad for theraband


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

For such an extreme taper that's normal. The ammo weight needs to match the bands.


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## bigron (Nov 29, 2012)

could of tied the band to tight,may have caused some fraying what do you tie your bands onto your pouches with


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## Danny0663 (Mar 15, 2011)

200-300 shots sounds about right, as mentioned. The taper is nearly 2:1 ....


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Yeah mate, sounds like a taper issue. Try 20mm - 15mm taper for target shooting - it works well for me and I estimate I get around 700 rounds from that.

Edit: But the above questions are incredibly useful to know and may highlight an issue, so please answer them


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## Tube_Shooter (Dec 8, 2012)

What's your draw length? you could be maxing out the bands,I draw 42" and would rarely get 300 shots with 8" band set.


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## trobbie66 (May 13, 2012)

There is a band calculator that allows you to punch in numbers and see aprox band life without sacrificing any bands. I will see if I can find the link for you. If not maybe one of our fine Mods can help. I think this is it. http://www.slingshotchannel.com/band_calc.html


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

One other thing which tends to be over looked is the shape of the fork ends. sharp angles on edges and corners shorten band life. I have a slingshot that eats bands because of this. Make sure every thing is round and smooth. The bands get bruised and damaged slamming into sharp edges. Think about what hurts more . Bumping your chin into a corner or edge or bumping into a smooth rounded surface.


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

trobbie66 said:


> There is a band calculator that allows you to punch in numbers and see aprox band life without sacrificing any bands. I will see if I can find the link for you. If not maybe one of our fine Mods can help. I think this is it. http://www.slingshotchannel.com/band_calc.html


That is for those that shoot butterfly though.


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## trobbie66 (May 13, 2012)

flipgun said:


> trobbie66 said:
> 
> 
> > There is a band calculator that allows you to punch in numbers and see aprox band life without sacrificing any bands. I will see if I can find the link for you. If not maybe one of our fine Mods can help. I think this is it. http://www.slingshotchannel.com/band_calc.html
> ...


pay attention. The calculator allows you to set ANY draw length,ammo size,and band performance


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

trobbie66 said:


> flipgun said:
> 
> 
> > trobbie66 said:
> ...


SIR! YES SIR! THANK YOU SIR!


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

I've been having lots of problems with snapping bands recently. Unfortunately the double.04 natural latex and the triple .03s which I had come to love for the sheer performance.

I think there must be a degree of 'mea culpa' here. I have not been all that precise in calculating the maximum draw that the bands like. I know I should work it out and then strictly keep to the correct anchor point. So 'my bad' maybe.

Also I know i have been guilty of sometimes shooting ammo that is way too light...ordinary M8 hexnuts on a rig meant for chucking very heavy lead. I haven't got much natural latex left now so I shall keep the surviving triple .03s strictly for 16mm lead and over. The double Linatex on the starship is now reserved for VERY heavy lead...1" fishing weights (and i don't do that very often...indoors 1" lead is scary!) I shall have to be more strict about this,...it gets expensive otherwise and it's not easy for me to get stuff that Amazon can't provide (i.e. TBG and TTB and TTS)

I shall have to revive the triple 20mm TBGs and see how they compare. I haven't used them since I got the natural latex. I do like them straight rather than tapered, not least because i am sh*t at band cutting and it's less complicated!


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Yea the latex can only be stretched to around the 550% mark, or it will break.

Also not so likely for yourself, but the light , and heat here, for me give me a little less band life; but not so bad I would not give up proven extra speed edge.

So for consistent ballistics to mm, latex 550%, TBG 560%, looped 30/60 to 570/575%.

Practiced over and over again with a light sewing machine retractable measuring reel to the inch; then again several times before a practice session with the bands I am using at the time, and whatever particular slingshot I am carrying on that day.

Cheers Allan


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## freeman45 (Jun 2, 2012)

Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for all of your own replies. I made this thread when I was piss drunk and forgot about it lols

I checked out jorgs band calculator, but it seems it calculates it for single bands, not doubles. I prefer working with thinner bands.

What are you shooting target wise? Cans. Garbage. But I might use it for hunting if I get good enough

What are you shooting ammo wise? Marbles.

What draw length are you using? 28 " I think

What draw force are you using? I don't even know what that is.

What do you want to change? (More band life?) Yes


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## trobbie66 (May 13, 2012)

freeman45 said:


> Sorry for the late reply, and thanks for all of your own replies. I made this thread when I was piss drunk and forgot about it lols
> 
> I checked out jorgs band calculator, but it seems it calculates it for single bands, not doubles. I prefer working with thinner bands.
> 
> ...


Any single band cut lengthwise is now a double with same performance.


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## Boardcutboy (Sep 21, 2013)

I,ve been looking at the theraband site and theraband is not made to go past 300% elongation but 250% elongation is fine. I think I may have worked out a way to optimize your bands performance. Measure your draw length e.g. 25 inches. Then divide that by 2.5, your answer will be 10 inches this means that when you draw your bands they will stretch 250%. This is only basic calculations but it should work in theory.


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## trobbie66 (May 13, 2012)

Boardcutboy said:


> I,ve been looking at the theraband site and theraband is not made to go past 300% elongation but 250% elongation is fine. I think I may have worked out a way to optimize your bands performance. Measure your draw length e.g. 25 inches. Then divide that by 2.5, your answer will be 10 inches this means that when you draw your bands they will stretch 250%. This is only basic calculations but it should work in theory.


not much performance at that breakdown. remember we are not using the product as intended by the manufacturer.


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

Boardcutboy said:


> I,ve been looking at the theraband site and theraband is not made to go past 300% elongation but 250% elongation is fine. I think I may have worked out a way to optimize your bands performance. Measure your draw length e.g. 25 inches. Then divide that by 2.5, your answer will be 10 inches this means that when you draw your bands they will stretch 250%. This is only basic calculations but it should work in theory.


I can't find the old quote, (where Jorg measured and plotted the graphs)

But, this has some similar comments at post #7.

http://www.theslingshotforum.com/f4/physics-theraband-gold-27834/

For the bands orginal purpose, something like 250% or 350% is "bomb proof" and the same applies to slingshots. You could shoot hundreds of shots only to succumb to UV light or mechanical wear.

It would be awesome to plot a strain verse shot count... but unless.

The main thing required was to reduce the taper, reducing the peak strain will also help band life and hurt speed. Hunting with an extra long life rig can be tricky since it needs increased draw force.

However there is a misunderstanding between stretch, extension and strain....

Allan, fancy an edit there? I think you've added a typo.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Sorry Crac, but not sure where.

Given although I admit I am no theraband expert.

The simple fact is with my 22 mm to 16 mm taper, with triple theraband gold.

I do, and I have, for an awfully long time; been stretching these to 550%, minus the relaxed length.

Therefore, where is my "typo" ?.....

By all means correct me here in public, or by PM.

Oh, and if it about the warning, regardless, I have the subject of the "kids" effects a couple of times; and anyone I can warn off, I will do so.

I am certain that you understand that point.

Cheers Allan


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## Crac (Mar 3, 2013)

#21 first 3 words?

I tried to sent you a PM... it failed :stupidcomp: "Box is full" or such.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Done, mailbox should NOT be full; try checking with mods.

As is exactly the problem I mentioned to them about 10 days ago, and deleted heaps.

Been working fine until today, but DEFINITELY a forum problem, and a serious issue for myself.

Cheers Allan


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## All Buns Glazing (Apr 22, 2012)

Theraband Gold will stretch to 600% and bottom out. Take a piece in your hand, stretch it to max. It will bottom out long before it snaps.

You don't need double bands for plinking, unless you're plinking from 30 meters 

Start with straight cuts and go from there. Straight cuts will give you maximum band life.


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

Hi Allan. Sir I believe the person you are referring to is badboyenthusiast. Boardcutboy has been doing rather well I thought. I believe he happened to choose a user name that unfortunately falls into the style that is fancied by EOWP in his multiple personalities. Boardcutboy can spell.

I might be in error, but having made a sport of spotting the lil' nutter, I don't think I am.

Cheers! Paul


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## TimR (May 22, 2011)

You shoot 1 inch lead? 1 inch? Wow. I think those bands are beyond my shoulder's condition forever.

I just snapped a band, and I think I know why. It broke about 1/3 of the way from the pouch. I think this was due to carelessness in cutting the band. The cut is not perfectly straight there. There is a short jog in it, that I think may have acted as a stress concentrator. I'll post a photo if I saved the piece where I can find it.


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## ruthiexxxx (Sep 15, 2012)

TimR said:


> You shoot 1 inch lead? 1 inch? Wow. I think those bands are beyond my shoulder's condition forever.


Not very often. As i said it makes me nervous indoors! My real favourite for heavy stuff are those oval fishing weights. The size i like weigh 38 grammes and are very similar to the ammo used in the Roman slings of antiquity.


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## Aussie Allan In Thailand (Jan 28, 2013)

Cool all in reference to the hoodlum we are referring to, the "kid" in question.

I have a Danish mate here, who owes myself and my wife huge time; who is shall we say a genius with computers and hacking.

Who will track the IP of this hoodlum, then wreak havoc on the persons system; next time; given he is silently watching for me.

Other than that he is a really great guy.

Oh and we will be absolutely certain we have the correct person first, by myself becoming a victim.

Cheers Allan


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