# The "Bonehead" Forkless Improvviso



## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Good morning SSF!

My name is Lee Silva , and I make hand forged slingshot frames. Over the last year and a half or so I've made quite a few. One style in particular has sold rather well, and is still showing momentum in terms of popularity. Sure enough this frame style is the low, and tight forked PFS.

I can't help but feel that at least some of this extreme designs popularity is due simply to the challenge and conquest associated with learning to shoot one.

In this vein, I have set out to explore some even more challenging, next-level mutations of the PFS. So what better way to start things off, than to simply hack up a cheapy chinese mystery-metal casting!?!?!

To do it..

#1 Score with hack saw all the way around, and snap off said death-trap, mystery-metal forks. Send em back to china so they can make automotive parts out of it EEEk!

#2 Sand it , buff it, polish it... Your bands will ride there soon!!

#3 CONFESSION !! ending up with a skull shaped flat top shooter wasn't the sole motivation for this mod! (something up my sleeve, even in my birthday suit) Boneheads other function was to be a study for a new attachment method where the hardware itself becomes part of the design. Really, in this case, totally completes the design!

PART TWO, The "OCULARIS" attachment

#1 Inspect eye sockets. the inside of the holes should/need to resemble an hour glass shape, like a hammer "eye". Openings being slightly larger than the middle. if so... File and sand ONLY sharp snagging edges, and start thinkin bout where you might go to score a block of polymer clay.. Crafty females who might play about with making jewelry is a good start. Otherwise, find your keys and head to Michaels (craft store)

#2 The clay comes in blocks. The blocks are divided into bars. The cross section of the bar is rather close to the size of the hole. cut one bar in half and jam it into the hole AS ONE PIECE! In other words, don't go pushin bits at a time, because you'll end up with inclusions, weak, un-fused doodoo.

Making sure to fill the hole, push until material begins to extrude out the other side then stop. Apply pressure from both sides so as to fill the matrix. trim off surplus bar leaving enough to form your eyes however you like

#3 form your eyes!

#4 By now the stuff is warm and too soft to push from the hole w/o serious deformation, so I put mine in the fridge for 20 mins.

#4 preheat oven as per product instructions.

#5 Carefully PUSH your eyes from the holes Do not pull! if it breaks just redo and bake..

#6 Trim and sand your now easily machinable Snap-In Ocularis Band Retainers! Boy-o-boy am I going to feel dumb if this has been done before!

Now, like I said, this was a study. The same thing could surely be done with other materials. I have no idea what to expect for longevity of the poly clay, but so far I have about a weeks worth of daily shooting, two or three band changes, put them in and out many times, and they are still holding without slip, just as solid as you'd like. As is, from the oven they should fit thin rubber(therablack) with minimal sanding. Ideally, once I know that they'll last a while, I'll make another set of a different color that fits say, theragold. color coded would be pretty cherry....

Enjoy! and please post your results! as well as upgrades and suggested materials!

Just had an idea! High temp gluestick!!!

As if this post wasn't LOOOONGWINDED enough as it is......... Just one more thought! I have only recently learned of a low temp thermoplastic called "Polymorph"? I am assuming this is a brand name. What is it? I believe what I read suggested it was "hand formable"?!?! How nice is that!!

No doubt I'd gladly paypal any pal who had the mind and time to send me some!

Any how .......The End


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## leon13 (Oct 4, 2012)

1. Welcome to the forum
2. This slingshot is really nice kickxxx ! 
3. For som polymorf talk check for smiling fury hear on the forum I cal him doc.polimorf ;-)
Have a nice Sunday


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## JohnKrakatoa (Nov 28, 2013)

mahahaha so cool.


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## Individual (Nov 6, 2013)

Okay,

I personally think i am well informed yet un-wise polymorph user.

It is a smart, thermoplastic material that melts in water around 62 degrees Celsius.

Its a little hot too work with, if you dont like warmer things. But it is like working with a firmer Plasticine.

To harden the material you simply either place it in water or let it cool naturally.

The person too go to if you want to purchase some polymorph, is a ebay user named "blrtronics"

They sell the TOP quality polymorph.

They also sell another smart material, its called Coolmorph(TM)
Its the same except it melts at a lower temperature, its more pricey and i'm not sure its as strong. But i'm sure it will work just as good.

Here are more topics on polymorph, and if you still seek information, either pm me or SmilingFury.

I'l also be happy to reply to your questions here.

Anyway, welcome to SSF 

Link:http://slingshotforum.com/topic/27225-nervous-energy/?hl=%2Bnervous+%2Benergy

Link:http://slingshotforum.com/topic/27054-a-little-gift-i-made-for-myself-today-possibly-too-many-pics-for-1-shooter/?hl=polymorph

Link:http://slingshotforum.com/topic/26707-polymorph-and-other-alternatives/?hl=polymorph


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Individual said:


> Okay,
> I personally think i am well informed yet un-wise polymorph user.
> It is a smart, thermoplastic material that melts in water around 62 degrees Celsius.
> Its a little hot too work with, if you dont like warmer things. But it is like working with a firmer Plasticine.
> ...


Individual, that is Lee Silva. If you have seen any of the newer pfs that pawpawsailor has made with the holes in the forks and the ball in tube in flatband attachment he has been using. Yeah, Lee Silva invented that. If you haven't seen his work, here is his section of the Simple-Shot website: http://www.simple-shot.com/collections/black-sheep-forge

Mr. Silva,
Polymorph would work perfectly for what you suggest. It also can be melted and remelted as many times as you like by putting it in boiling water. I don't find it too hot to work with when taken out of a bowl of hot water. As you forge metals, I would guess you would not find it too hot either. Individual is right about where to get it. There are other places that either sell it for too much or a low quality version. I have a few threads on the forum about this material so if I can help in any way, just shoot me a PM. Polymorph can be colored by mixing a paint powder into it when it is in the putty state. They even sell glow in the dark colors. So color matching to whatever band would work.

My one concern is the fact that it is not abrasive enough to be a band stopper in the use you suggest. The clay has a rougher texture even when sanded that holds the band in place. You might have to score the edges of the polymorph to get a strong hold in the eye sockets.

Other than that, it melts at about 140 degrees. I just pour boiling water in a pyrex bowl to melt it. I never put it in a pot of boiling water while it is on the stove or anything. Boil water and add it to the container with the polymo. Glass works best IMO. It goes clear when ready to shape it. It cools from the outside in, which allows a fair amount of manipulation of a hard shelled/soft cored mass. It is some cool stuff for sure. Those threads individual was nice enough to post have examples of some of the forks I was able to make out of this material. Heck individual even made a starship shooter out of it!!

Let me know if you have any questions that I might be able to help out with.

Be well,
SF


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

Dear Mr Silva

Really looks nice .

I only have second thoughts about the material being used i.e. polymer clay.

I use FIMO polymer clay which is equivalent (same?) to the one you use here for few years now making statues like this one :










I use wire armature which allows to make truly dynamic shapes (which would be impossible in materials like stone or even wood)

Appart from being expensive material it is great workable material (you can experiment with colours etc.).

However, if you drop it to the hard floor or similar it tends to crack with peaces chipping of.

My thinking is : using it for handles shaping for SS is fine - nothing dangerous can happen but for attaching i.e. keeping rubber in place with it I would rather use some other material ...

Cheers !


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

WATERLOGIC said:


> Dear Mr Silva
> 
> Really looks nice .
> 
> ...


Thank you so very much for your input! The product I used is called Premo, Made by Sculpey. Could be the manner in which mine was fired,and/or a simple difference of recipe, whatever the cause, my bits are all quite tough! Certainly not brittle. In fact, they're really rather flexible. However, I totally agree there must be something better!

Ok then, forward!

This is a do it yourself community , I trust you to trust your own judgement! Never fear, just keep your brain on! If you cannot trust your own judgement, DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF!!!


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## WATERLOGIC (Feb 4, 2014)

Thank you for your reply.

I cannot find the product you refer to here in Austria.

FIMO is fired 15 minutes at 130 degrees celsius in a kitchen oven (for thicker pieces - you need to prolong the firing time).

When still warm FIMO feels kind of flexible too but when at room temperature it hardens ...

Thank you for the info !

I will try to get Sculpey (maybe ebay) for if it remains flexible I will start using it for my sculptures (if it is similar price range).


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## ryguy27 (Nov 8, 2013)

If I'm Not Mistaken, I Believe FIMO And Sculpey Are Different Brands, But They Are Both The Same Thing. I Have Heard That FIMO Is A Bit More Rigid Than Sculpey.


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## Mr.Teh (Feb 28, 2012)

Wow a crazy good looking shooter, with the "green eyes" really something special !


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## Lee Silva (Feb 9, 2013)

Individual, Smiling fury, and the whole lot of you, truly are a Godsend! I am so dxxx tired of talking to myself about all this stuff! If you all are always this smart, and eager to help sort and suss a strangers concern, pretty sure that I won't be a stranger long! Thank you all so much!


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## SmilingFury (Jul 2, 2013)

Lee Silva said:


> Individual, Smiling fury, and the whole lot of you, truly are a Godsend! I am so dxxx tired of talking to myself about all this stuff! If you all are always this smart, and eager to help sort and suss a strangers concern, pretty sure that I won't be a stranger long! Thank you all so much!


I am excited that an innovator such as yourself is going to take a more active role in the online community. We have plenty to learn from you so the benefit is tremendous.


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## stej (Jan 16, 2013)

Wow, on of the most interesting designs I've ever seen!


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## Aries666 (Feb 22, 2014)

This is one of the most unique shots I have seen. Very nice.


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