# Attaching Bands Like Tubes?



## marcom (Jul 29, 2012)

Hi, I wonder what's the reason why bands aren't attached the same way as tubes.
Thanks!


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

? help us help you. what are you talking about?


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

Bands can be attached on tubular forks by wrapping with a band strip.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Been doing it this way for years! -- Tex
http://slingshotforum.com/gallery/image/1530-scrap-lock-2/


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)




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## marcom (Jul 29, 2012)

In Dankung slingshots I mean. Bands are never put inside the loops like tubes, I wonder why.


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## faca (Dec 24, 2009)

I have done that with no problem in two ways:
1. passing through the wire loops the band and tye the band in a loop
2.putting the bands over the wire loops fork and tying the bands to the fork

I hope to have been clear ;-)


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

marcom said:


> In Dankung slingshots I mean. Bands are never put inside the loops like tubes, I wonder why.


Sure they are. I've shot flats on my Dankung, but didn't find any advantage to it.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> In Dankung slingshots I mean. Bands are never put inside the loops like tubes, I wonder why.


Sure they are. I've shot flats on my Dankung, but didn't find any advantage to it.
[/quote]
Same here.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> In Dankung slingshots I mean. Bands are never put inside the loops like tubes, I wonder why.


Sure they are. I've shot flats on my Dankung, but didn't find any advantage to it.
[/quote]
Same here.
[/quote]

. . . So. 
Are we to assume tubes are equal in every way to flats? This is very interesting.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

If we're comparing straight cut flats to tubes, I would say yes.


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

I've been shooting mostly tubes lately. I feel they're just as good as flats, but they last longer. Unless you want super tapered bands, tubes are equal, IMO


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Dayhiker said:


> . . . So.
> Are we to assume tubes are equal in every way to flats? This is very interesting.


Not at all. Flats just don't work better on Dankungs or ringshooters. Tubes don't work better on OTTs and nats. Speaking only for myself, tubes on ringshooters are superior to flats on anything, *for my use*. As always, YMMV.


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

Just a side note! I have shot flats in the 400 FPS range, but have never got tubes close to that. I do shoot both, but flats butter my corn. -- Tex


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> Just a side note! I have shot flats in the 400 FPS range, but have never got tubes close to that. I do shoot both, but flats butter my corn. -- Tex


Right. Flats can be made much faster at the cost of longevity.


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## WILD BILL (Jan 26, 2012)

Henry in Panama said:


> . . . So.
> Are we to assume tubes are equal in every way to flats? This is very interesting.


Not at all. Flats just don't work better on Dankungs or ringshooters. Tubes don't work better on OTTs and nats. Speaking only for myself, tubes on ringshooters are superior to flats on anything, *for my use*. As always, YMMV.
[/quote]

Tubes will work great on a Natural if it is a "Dedicated Tube Shooter". The fork tips to be scolloped fairly deep, to fit the tubes. Even if you have dedicated it to tubes, flats like 107's work great in a scolloped fork tip


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

WILD BILL said:


> Tubes will work great on a Natural if it is a "Dedicated Tube Shooter". The fork tips to be scolloped fairly deep, to fit the tubes. Even if you have dedicated it to tubes, flats like 107's work great in a scolloped fork tip


Bill, how deep is deep? And how wide does that scallop need to be for say, 1745s?


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

There is always a way to attach tubes or flatbands on ANY type of slingshot. one is NOT better then the other. its what is suitable to the individual, and their wants and needs. I am sure if you want to achieve something you can acheive it with a proper set up using Tubes or Flats.

I try it all, and love it all... slingshots butter my corn.

LGD

Oh I have had flats last as long as my tubes, its all on how you decide on using them.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

lightgeoduck said:


> Oh I have had flats last as long as my tubes, its all on how you decide on using them.


I've never had a set of any flats last as long as a set of looped tubes almost always does. I'm not trying to start a thing, I'm just saying. Last summer I was counting shots religiously and never got above about 950 on any set of flats be they straight, tapered, .030 latex, thera, 107s or whatever. I admit to demanding a certain amount of performance and running my bands on the short side but not crazily so.


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

M_J said:


> Oh I have had flats last as long as my tubes, its all on how you decide on using them.


I've never had a set of any flats last as long as a set of looped tubes almost always does. I'm not trying to start a thing, I'm just saying. Last summer I was counting shots religiously and never got above about 950 on any set of flats be they straight, tapered, .030 latex, thera, 107s or whatever. I admit to demanding a certain amount of performance and running my bands on the short side but not crazily so.
[/quote]

I think you are trying to start something, but I guess I will respond any way









I am basicly a soft shooter up to 20m. you have seen that I have a short draw. plus I set up where its good enough for plinking (alot like gabo says he does for tourneys.. enough to get it there correctly)... I also have to admit I probably could get alot longer on my tubes, but replace them when there is excessive wear (usually at the fork), where as bands are not as forgiving from signs of wear to snapping...

plus the statement didn't indicate that I always have it work that way,, only that I have had flats last a long time primarily indicating that everyone has different experiences with their set up..

Now stop giving me crap









LGD


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

lightgeoduck said:


> There is always a way to attach tubes or flatbands on ANY type of slingshot. one is NOT better then the other. its what is suitable to the individual, and their wants and needs. I am sure if you want to achieve something you can acheive it with a proper set up using Tubes or Flats.
> 
> I try it all, and love it all... slingshots butter my corn.
> 
> ...


Can you please elaborate on your last sentence? I still have problems with my TBG to last over 200 shots. I believe I do everything right. From cutting with a sharp roller cutter and also the pouch attachment. I reduced the taper already to 2" x 3/4" x 8". My drawlength is 31". I just cannot afford to make a new bandset every other day. So I mostly use tubes. Maybe you have an advice how to improve the livespan of bands.


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

DaveSteve said:


> There is always a way to attach tubes or flatbands on ANY type of slingshot. one is NOT better then the other. its what is suitable to the individual, and their wants and needs. I am sure if you want to achieve something you can acheive it with a proper set up using Tubes or Flats.
> 
> I try it all, and love it all... slingshots butter my corn.
> 
> ...


Can you please elaborate on your last sentence? I still have problems with my TBG to last over 200 shots. I believe I do everything right. From cutting with a sharp roller cutter and also the pouch attachment. I reduced the taper already to 2" x 3/4" x 8". My drawlength is 31". I just cannot afford to make a new bandset every other day. So I mostly use tubes. Maybe you have an advice how to improve the livespan of bands.
[/quote]

Ok I will try, but it has been so long since I actually got measurements for my sets.. since I have my board marked for no thinking







that and I use approximate science when figuring what I need.

First like I mentioned a little in my reply to MJ I set up to the point where I can hit the target up to 20m (for most of my standard target practicing). This helps with longevity of my band sets and cans when I use them as targets. Plus, all of my steel ammo is less than 1/2".

1. I dont taper, since I personally dont feel that it is necessary for plinking around. (though I do occationally when I make *trick* shots, but we are talking about the band sets that last well past 300 shots though)

2. My cut is 20mm straight and about 8 1/2" long prior to attaching

3. My draw is shorter than what my band sets are capable for, but still enough to consistantly hit my target.

4. I attach to the pouch with cotton tape (search my content for the thread if you havent seen it) this definitely helps on the pouch side.

5. Now for the fork end on attaching... I will one day get around to showing it....I use a short strip of latex (long enough to go over the forks) and attach my band set as if they were *double bands* so my band set is riding over latex.

Granted my tube sets normally last longer than my flats, but I am harder on my tubes than bands... Havent tried on spanish loops (the one MJ gave me) but my tubes usually go around the fork on my draw... and there is a point of the tube that starts to wear a bit.. sometimes I let them go till they start to snap, but I usually change them when they affect my shot noticably.

....

Honestly I really didnt think the blurp I made would pick up so much attention, I just know for a fact that whatever I am doing (right or wrong) I can get my band sets last for the most part. ( though when I do a target shreading session I might not be as lucky









I also would like to state that I understand that tubes will out last band sets just out of pure dynamics.


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

DaveSteve said:


> There is always a way to attach tubes or flatbands on ANY type of slingshot. one is NOT better then the other. its what is suitable to the individual, and their wants and needs. I am sure if you want to achieve something you can acheive it with a proper set up using Tubes or Flats.
> 
> I try it all, and love it all... slingshots butter my corn.
> 
> ...


Can you please elaborate on your last sentence? I still have problems with my TBG to last over 200 shots. I believe I do everything right. From cutting with a sharp roller cutter and also the pouch attachment. I reduced the taper already to 2" x 3/4" x 8". My drawlength is 31". I just cannot afford to make a new bandset every other day. So I mostly use tubes. Maybe you have an advice how to improve the livespan of bands.
[/quote]200 shots on a 2" to 3/4 taper is pretty darn good. That is an extreme taper.


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## DaveSteve (May 16, 2012)

Thanks lightgeoduck and treefork. I see that I still can do some improvement.
It seems that 200 shots are 'ok' with bands.
Therefore I will save my bands for 'special occations' and plinker around with tubes.
Thanks again.


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## BuBsMuBollock (Mar 20, 2012)

Try TBB cut to 30mm no tapper it seemed to last but I only had enough for one set shooting 9.5 steel .


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## tradspirit (Jul 23, 2012)

Can someone define ATT for me??


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## Tex-Shooter (Dec 17, 2009)

M_J -- Shoot a set of Saunders flats on a Saunders Hawk (made for flat bands). When I was testing them I had sets go way over 2000 shots. It has to do with the way the bands are attached to the pouch (no wrinkles) and the way they are attached to there forks (ramps). It is true that my bands don't last near that long though, but I still like flats. -- Tex


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

The only thing I would add to this thread is that you do not have to make a dedicated natural for tubes only. Just use a strip of leather or a piece of paracord and wind it on with elastic for what we call "tabs". It will shoot as good as any dankung. And better than most "dedicated" natural shooters. Just practice a little.


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## M.J (Nov 1, 2010)

Tex-Shooter said:


> M_J -- Shoot a set of Saunders flats on a Saunders Hawk (made for flat bands). When I was testing them I had sets go way over 2000 shots. It has to do with the way the bands are attached to the pouch (no wrinkles) and the way they are attached to there forks (ramps). -- Tex


I've heard that from alot of people and believe it.
A Saunders will be on my short list of slingshots to get here pretty soon.


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