# Tapered 107s in Action



## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I'll pretty much let the video speak for itself on this one:




Really impressive!
Hammermil is the anti-PFS and I adore it!


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Awesome!!!!


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## Howard (Aug 9, 2010)

Nice vid and good shooting! I like your vids!


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## Ry-shot (Jul 22, 2011)

cool !


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## As8MaN (Mar 6, 2011)

Great vid, thanks for sharing


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Very good shooting. --Tex


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Very good shooting. --Tex










Thanks!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Hey ... love those tapered 107s. I am going to try them out soon. But just to be snarky about it, I am going to put them on a PFS ... naaah, naaah, naaah ...























Great shooting, by the way. And thanks so much again for this.

Cheers ... Charles


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Charles:









You're pushin' it, man!


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

I love how we have gotten to see the progression of the corn growing this season throughout your video. Also that is some pretty impressive power!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> Charles:
> 
> 
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> ...


Don't I wish!!! Yeah ... that lady looks more like a PFS than a hammermill to me. Perhaps another bit of slingshot porn for Dgui ...

Cheers ...... Charles


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

You guys are crazy!








These bands are handslap-tastic at this length! The first kunckle of my first finger is all swolled up now! I have some lighter pouches coming, which will help. Next set will be a little longer as well.
I think next time I might skip the piece of tube and just use a wider piece of latex. Do a couple of loose wraps as a buffer and then a few tight wraps for security. Less weight and complexity is always good.
I'm having some trouble shooting these out past about 12yds. Any farther than that and the ammo drops real hard, like a curve ball. It must be something in the way I made the bands because they have _plenty _of speed to shoot any distance I want. Anybody else have that happen?
Well over a hundred shots on this set and no signs of wear. Testing continues!


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

M_J said:


> You guys are crazy!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am stuck at work and you are shooting. Want to trade places?


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Far out, as we used to say when I was young. I'm working on my second set of tapered 107s. Hand slap is a problem with these bands, because they are relatively heavy, but it almost goes away with .50 cal lead.


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## mikeishere (Aug 23, 2011)

take the hand slap builds character


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Start using smooth stones 1" dia.


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## rockslinger (Nov 16, 2010)

M_J said:


> You guys are crazy!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's some great shooting , good looking youngun you have there.


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## Bob Fionda (Apr 6, 2011)

Nice vid and good shootings...thanks for sharing.


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## bullseyeben! (Apr 24, 2011)

Good power from a short draw, nice shooting too 
Ben


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## Beanflip (Sep 11, 2010)

Nice shooting and good video!


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

I just snapped my second set of tapers, on the 36th shot. I will be real interested to see if anyone can get good band life from this setup. I'm going back to testing single bands. The 9 inch set currently has 361 shots, with some scuffing that seems to have been caused by the fork tip not being as smooth as it should be.

Henry


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I have them off or now. They beat the crap out of my hand and they won't shoot from more than 10yds away. I'm sure I have more than 100 shots on the set and they look fine.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

M_J said:


> I have them off or now. They beat the crap out of my hand and they won't shoot from more than 10yds away. I'm sure I have more than 100 shots on the set and they look fine.


Mine showed no signs of wear. They just snapped at the beginning of the single section.

I have solved my hand slap problem. All I did is tilt the fork forward about 30 degrees. I'm shooting gangsta and had been holding the fork square to the bands. No more pain!


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## e~shot (Jun 3, 2010)

Good shooting Mj


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> Mine showed no signs of wear. They just snapped at the beginning of the single section.


Do you think the problem is the tie? I plan to try a set of "tapers", but I am leery of tieing them the way folks have illustrated here. My plan is the use contact cement and a small diameter tube ... no tie. Do you think that will work? I have also thought about using crazy glue. As I understand it, crazy glue was originally developed as battlefield stitches to close open wounds. I have used it to make shorter rubber bands by cutting longer ones and gluing the ends with crazy glue. But I do not know how long it would hold on slingshot bands.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Charles said:


> Mine showed no signs of wear. They just snapped at the beginning of the single section.


Do you think the problem is the tie? I plan to try a set of "tapers", but I am leery of tieing them the way folks have illustrated here. My plan is the use contact cement and a small diameter tube ... no tie. Do you think that will work? I have also thought about using crazy glue. As I understand it, crazy glue was originally developed as battlefield stitches to close open wounds. I have used it to make shorter rubber bands by cutting longer ones and gluing the ends with crazy glue. But I do not know how long it would hold on slingshot bands.

Cheers ...... Charles
[/quote]

I'm a bit puzzled about what the problem is. The pouch is tied even tighter, and pre-stretched even more, but I've never had a pouch failure with these bands. Obviously, something is wrong with my setup. The problem that comes to mind with glue is that it has to stretch along with the rubber.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> Mine showed no signs of wear. They just snapped at the beginning of the single section.


Do you think the problem is the tie? I plan to try a set of "tapers", but I am leery of tieing them the way folks have illustrated here. My plan is the use contact cement and a small diameter tube ... no tie. Do you think that will work? I have also thought about using crazy glue. As I understand it, crazy glue was originally developed as battlefield stitches to close open wounds. I have used it to make shorter rubber bands by cutting longer ones and gluing the ends with crazy glue. But I do not know how long it would hold on slingshot bands.

Cheers ...... Charles
[/quote]

I'm a bit puzzled about what the problem is. The pouch is tied even tighter, and pre-stretched even more, but I've never had a pouch failure with these bands. Obviously, something is wrong with my setup. The problem that comes to mind with glue is that it has to stretch along with the rubber.
[/quote]

Yes, I take your point about the lack of failure at the pouch. One would think that with the extreme pre-stretch and tighter tie that you would get failure there if the problem was the tie.

With respect to flexibility ... Well, contact cement is basically just latex in an acetone solution. So it is very flexible after the acetone evaporates. Essentially you are gluing latex with latex. As for the crazy glue ... I do not think it is flexible, but it sure held my homemade bands very well; however, I was not using them on a slingshot. Anyway, it is a couple of things to try, and since no one else seems to have tried it, I may as well experiment a bit. I will keep everyone posted on my progress, or lack thereof!!!

Cheers .... Charles


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## AZshooter (May 1, 2011)

Inner tube patches are glued to bike inner tubes with success under lots of pressure , stretch, friction, and abuse....and they hold well...The loop end that is glued (dry stick method), pressed down with a roller and kept under moderate pressure for a short time should hold and flex.


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## AZshooter (May 1, 2011)

Before applying contact cement or regular tube patch rubber cement, the rubber surface to be glued should be preped...Rough up the glue area (measured out) with a small piece of fine sand paper, then give it a wash with acetone or MEK...the solvent wash will remove all grit, and oil making for better contact...If you allow the glued pieces to cure for a short time under a moderate amount of pressure this should help.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I thought I'd piggyback my new video onto this old thread so all the late-comers can get the whole story.
I tried out the half-doubled 107s on the SPS and am in love. This setup addresses my biggest problem that I had before which was knuckle-smashing handslap when tied on OTT. Set up on the SPS they're in more of a TTF configuration and give no handslap, even with 3/8" steel.
These bands are very powerful with 7/16" or 1/2" steel, even at a 34" draw. I don't find draw weight to be a problem at all and I would since I don't like a heavy draw. Longevity is probably still an issue but I've gotten to where I can make a set of these much faster than a set of tapered flats and almost as fast as a set of looped tubes. It would take a double TBG set to equal this kind of power.




What I didn't say in the vid: 7/16" and 1/2" ammo, 35' from target.
Try a set of these!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Thanks for putting up the vid and reviving this old thread. I agree completely that those half doubled 107s (or 105s) get the job done with heavier ammo. The nice thing is that they are cheap and readily available.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Charles said:


> Thanks for putting up the vid and reviving this old thread. I agree completely that those half doubled 107s (or 105s) get the job done with heavier ammo. The nice thing is that they are cheap and readily available.
> 
> Cheers ...... Charles


And as a bonus you only waste a couple of inches of the band instead of almost half when you make a single set








These bands and 3/8" hexnuts are a devestating combo:


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

Headin' for kitchen/hobby table to make a set for the OTT Panther frame. If I get the handslaps then... well ... nothiing ventured, nothing gained. 
Thanks for the video!


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## Litebow (Dec 17, 2011)

Good shooting MJ. I just got my first box of #107s from Amazon a couple weeks ago and I am very pleased with the way they shoot in the non tapered configuration as long as you don't get your bands to long. I had to shorten my first set up a couple inches and then I got very satisfactory speed. I will definitely have to try this tapered set up.

One of the nice things about the #107s is that being a newbie shooter I can't resist playing with different slingshot boardcut designs, and also I have made couple naturals. The 107# are so cheap I can band them all up and leave them banded during my experimenting stage. I wouldn't wan't to band up all my "experiments" with storebought tubes at five bucks a shot.

Dave


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Knoll said:


> Headin' for kitchen/hobby table to make a set for the OTT Panther frame. If I get the handslaps then... well ... nothiing ventured, nothing gained.
> Thanks for the video!


Looking forward to hearing how it works for you.


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## Scrambler84 (Dec 8, 2011)

OK yea great Video where do you get the 107s at whos making them with pouches etc . How much $$ does Tex have them Who Who Who.
Oh great Video of course great shooing and the little assistant was a great part of your Video .. Always hats off to kids


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I get them here: http://www.staples.com/Alliance-Sterling-Rubber-Bands-107/product_515890
$8.29 for approx. 25 bandsets, free shipping to a Staples store.
Henry in Panama makes sets of regular 107 bands, maybe he could be talked into making half-doubled sets? http://slingshotforum.com/classifieds/item/104-alliance-sterling-107-band-sets/
He also has a tutorial on making them:
http://www.oldpeddler.com/biombos/graphics/bandset-107-taper/index.html


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

fyi .... Staples also does free shipping to your home. They ship FAST and there's no minimum order size!

Received most recent order about a week ago. Placed order on the EVE of day1 and it was on my doorstep the afternoon of day 2.


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

My configuration of 107's is bit different than M_J's ... he's stronger (







).

Here's what I did:
Doubled section uses 5.5" of band. This section is attached to fork.
Single section is 7.5" to pouch tie.
Remaining inch is consumed at pouch tie.
View media item 5284
View media item 5285
So far, I've only shot this with 3/8" ammo at max of 27 feet from target. Pull is bit heavier than single untapered bands with 9" active length. Based on frequency of ammo piercing can, speed of ammo SEEMS to be bit faster. My draw length is somewhere between 30-32".

Haven't tried M_J's half-and-half setup because am confident I don't have the strength.

For some reason, my accuracy in a shooting session was astounding ... for me. First 10-15 shots I was hitting soda can regularly. Then I started actually counting hits. In next 25 shots I scored 24 hits ... 15 in a row, a miss, and then 9 more in a row. I've never shot that consistently. So I'm liking this!

393 shots and then this bandset broke ... about halfway between fork and pouch.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

I find them to be very accurate, too. Suprising to me since there's so much rubber flopping around.
Does the way you have it set up seem to offer much of an increase in speed? Did you try it half-and-half and found the draw weight too heavy? What's your draw length like?
Inquiring minds want to know!


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

My post has been edited.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

M_J said:


> I get them here: http://www.staples.c.../product_515890
> $8.29 for approx. 25 bandsets, free shipping to a Staples store.
> Henry in Panama makes sets of regular 107 bands, maybe he could be talked into making half-doubled sets? http://slingshotforu...-107-band-sets/
> He also has a tutorial on making them:
> http://www.oldpeddle...aper/index.html


Yes, I sell 107 bandsets, but to be perfectly honest, you defeat one of their biggest positives (cost) when you buy ready made bands. I would like to sell them cheaper, but by the time I add up the cost of materials and shipping both ways, (US to Panama for rubber, Panama to World for completed product) and the trip to the Post Office (gas is $4.11 / gallon), my profit is close to non-existent. I'm happy to be an alternate source of bands, but strongly encourage everyone to learn to roll your own.

I'm not ready to sell half-doubled sets, because I still haven't licked the early failure problem. I got as few as 36 shots from one set. Maybe you could post details on how you build yours, since you are getting much longer life? Thanks for the shout out!


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

M_J said:


> I find them to be very accurate, too. Suprising to me since there's so much rubber flopping around.
> Does the way you have it set up seem to offer much of an increase in speed? Did you try it half-and-half and found the draw weight too heavy? What's your draw length like?
> Inquiring minds want to know!


I find 107s to shoot very consistently for me. It would be cool to see an ultra slo-mo of the bands upon release.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> I'm not ready to sell half-doubled sets, because I still haven't licked the early failure problem. I got as few as 36 shots from one set. Maybe you could post details on how you build yours, since you are getting much longer life? Thanks for the shout out!


I've got at least 200 shots on the set I'm using now. This is the first set I made using zip ties at the middle joint. I'm not sure if this is the reason for the longevity or not. I'll actually count shots on the next set but they're a little shorter on the single section. I agree that it wouldn't make sense to buy pre made half-dub sets.
When I tie them I don't use a jig, I just make the measurement marks, slip on a pre-zipped tie, give the bands a stretch and tighten the zip tie with my teeth. I make it so the zip is just lightly snug when the bands are pre-stretched and don't re-tighten after you release the stretch. On the next set I make I might use a cuff of Chinese tube at the joint under the ziptie if I find that the sharp enges are causing the failure.


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## jskeen (Feb 7, 2011)

MJ said:


> On the next set I make I might use a cuff of Chinese tube at the joint under the ziptie if I find that the sharp enges are causing the failure.
> View attachment 15854


I tried this a while back and found that cuffing the joint with a piece of 1745 held fine on a spanish tab type fork, but that it slipped on a OTT frame when secured firmly to the front of the fork. A quick wrap over the piece of tube with thin strip of tbg or a single #32 band fixed it right up. The zip tie may be quicker than wrapping with elastic or a constrictor knot in cotton twine, but I would be concerned that the sharp corners would nick the bands elsewhere along their length.


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

I use band ties at all points. Prestretched at pouch. No prestretch at "double joint".

Will try to monitor # shots I get. 50 so far. Will keep shot count updated on my orig post ... post #39 ... above.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

I use double cuffs of 1745 tubing. It holds great, and band life is very good. Half doubled is a bit stronger pull than I would like, so I have not been shooting half doubled for a while. Hence I cannot give firm figures on band life. But if you have not tried doubling the cuffs, give it a go.

Cheers ...... Charles


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Double cuffs will hold it? I'll give it a try.
The set in the pictures finally broke after shooting it all morning. I'd bet 400 shots or so in all. Not bad for the money and speed. I still don't find the draw weight at all disagreeable and I'm no hercules.
Broke in the middle and snapped me in the face. Wear those safety glasses!


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

M_J said:


> Double cuffs will hold it? I'll give it a try.
> The set in the pictures finally broke after shooting it all morning. I'd bet 400 shots or so in all. Not bad for the money and speed. I still don't find the draw weight at all disagreeable and I'm no hercules.
> Broke in the middle and snapped me in the face. Wear those safety glasses!


For me, it is in part a function of age and arthritis ... I am getting a bit wimpy as I approach 3 score and 10.

I ordered a Flat Cat Pro. It came with two sets of latex bands. One set was single and had a simple hole punched in the end of the band ... to be attached by feeding the band through the hole. The hole on one band broke after about 100 shots. The second set of bands was half doubled. The half doubled set was tied by what looked like elastic thread of the sort sold in fabric stores. It let loose on one side after about 20 shots. I redid the ties using double cuffs of 1745. I have shot about 200 shots so far, and there is no sign of significant slippage or letting go.

Cheers ....... Charles


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Call me old and senile, but I have no idea what a "double cuff" is. Please explain, and keep it simple for us OOFs.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> Call me old and senile, but I have no idea what a "double cuff" is. Please explain, and keep it simple for us OOFs.


Here is a simple description of how I use tube rings or cuffs to attach bands to pouch:

http://slingshotforum.com/topic/10903-tube-rings-for-tying-bands-and-pouches/

It is much the same technique to attach the shorter piece of 107 to the middle of the longer piece. But once you have the cuff in place, you just put a second cuff right on top of the first. When finished, it may look like just one cuff, but it is really two, one on top of the other.

Cheers ....... Charles


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Seems like an astronomical amount of work, especially when the argument for 107s is that we dont like to cut flats. Realistically cutting flats takes 30 seconds. this ... seems like way too much work for me.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

NaturalFork said:


> Seems like an astronomical amount of work, especially when the argument for 107s is that we dont like to cut flats. Realistically cutting flats takes 30 seconds. this ... seems like way too much work for me.


You're right. These aren't a serious choice for everyday bands as far as I'm concerned, just fun to play with once in a while.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

M_J said:


> Seems like an astronomical amount of work, especially when the argument for 107s is that we dont like to cut flats. Realistically cutting flats takes 30 seconds. this ... seems like way too much work for me.


You're right. These aren't a serious choice for everyday bands as far as I'm concerned, just fun to play with once in a while.
[/quote]

And play I must! I still havent tried this.


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## Charles (Aug 26, 2010)

It is a personal choice for sure. I find it easier than cutting tapers. I find I get more consistent results and a lot longer band life. For just ordinary plinking or target shooting, I just use straight 105s or 107s. But the half doubled arrangement is like a diesel truck ... they haul heavy ammo at respectable velocities. But, to each their own.


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## NaturalFork (Jan 21, 2010)

Charles said:


> It is a personal choice for sure. I find it easier than cutting tapers. I find I get more consistent results and a lot longer band life. For just ordinary plinking or target shooting, I just use straight 105s or 107s. But the half doubled arrangement is like a diesel truck ... they haul heavy ammo at respectable velocities. But, to each their own.


I am with you on this one! I shoot 107s pretty much exclusively at the moment.


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## Hrawk (Oct 25, 2010)

M_J said:


> And as a bonus you only waste a couple of inches of the band instead of almost half when you make a single set


Have you considered buying 109's instead ?


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## Knoll (Nov 10, 2011)

For anyone that cares, I almost 400 shots before my bandset config broke. See post #39.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Knoll said:


> For anyone that cares, I almost 400 shots before my bandset config broke. See post #39.


Not too bad, thanks for the update


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