# Plasti-Dipped Fork Tips



## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

I have been enjoying the ease and accuracy of the African style tube attachment. My method includes wrapping the tubes to the forks with thick leather and then small zip ties around the leather, topped off with a ¼"steel shot in the ends of the tubes that protrude from under the leather. I am going to try supplementing this by dipping the tips of the forks in plasti-dip. This stuff is very grippy, and I think its soft surface will really grip the tubes without damaging them.

I know this link has probably been posted a thousand times, but just so you won't have to search for it...here it is again. The African style is a ways down, so get to scrollin!

http://www.melchiormenzel.de/making_rubber_attach.html


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## treefork (Feb 1, 2010)

I do like the African style on some of my naturals. I have not used the plastic cote in the manner you mentioned. It may work well. Keep us posted on its durability I have not done well with it on other slingshot apps. ( grips ect.) It would eventually peel. I do like the idea you are proposing.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

treefork said:


> I do like the African style on some of my naturals. I have not used the plastic cote in the manner you mentioned. It may work well. Keep us posted on its durability I have not done well with it on other slingshot apps. ( grips ect.) It would eventually peel. I do like the idea you are proposing.


I read that it was hard to ever remove from wood...if it peels, that will suck. Thanks for the heads up.


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

ATT (against the ties) or african style is an awesome attachment method, really accurate for me. this ss was setup ATT, but i wrapped the end of the chains in tshirt and then wrapped them with rubber to the fork. they shoot like tabs for me.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

Hey Pop,

I have been attaching the tubes to the opposite sides of the forks (except on the Simboo, which did not allow that), but I noticed that the link below says you attach them to the near side. Do you attach your bands to the near side?


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## pop shot (Sep 29, 2011)

yes- shooter's (near) side. it pulls Against The Ties.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

[sup]Sweet...thanks. I am sandwiching my tubes between two thick leather slabs that wrap round the fork, then securing those with black plastic zip ties, and a 1/4" shot in the tube ends. So far, I have seen no slippage at all, but it is always in the back of your mind, ya know?[/sup]


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## Guest (Oct 11, 2012)

I have a large hickory handled knife that I bought in Puerto Rico in the 70's. I use it for tillering long bows when I am building bows. Several years ago the handle split. I stuck it all back together with some of that liquid plastic on the split and then dipped the whole handle in the stuff. I don't know how many bows I have made with that knife but finally last winter it split again ... so yeah, that stuff is a great idea. I'm thinking done well it would be a beautiful accent to any OTT shooter and extend the life of flats or tubes.


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Good morning guys I've been using plasti grip for years in other appications and just recently started to experment wiith it, on a couple of my sling shots.From past experance I know that on steel dipped full strength it will last a very long time under abuse,the secret is to let it cure for at lest 24hrs or more, on wood it is just as good if it cures for a lest 48hrs and is relitively easy to remove if the wood has been varnished or coated in some way,(paint,oil,etc).I've used it on the tips of my mod to my old wrist rocket frame layed paracord over it to make loops and dental floss to wrap it all together than tried every way I could think of to rip the connections apart, they didn"t budge.I've also applied it to a couple of my ott frame tips made from marine ply and oil soaked in tung oil( the oil has been well cured) but instead of dipping I used a small brush and let cure for 36hrs at which point it seemed well cured but grippie so I took some baby power and rubbed it into the plasti dip surface,this has the effect of making the tips very slippery but I felt that I wanted to take it further and see what would happen if the fork tips got wet so I ran them under hot water for a few minutes,and than wipped them off and let them air dry they remaind very slippery. I applied it to anouther ss that I made awhile back, also protected by a tung oil finish but this time I dipped the entire fork and let cure for 48hrs than peeled it off,it was relatively easy to remove except in one band grove where there is still some residue left behind that I will remove with some sanding. Plasti dip comes in a number of colors and I found that black cures the hardest,red is somewhere in the middle,and yellow seems to be the softest when cured.I've applied it full strength by dipping and using a paint brush,also by cutting it by using laquer thinner and a brush and layering it after allowing each layer cure for 24hrs.I am going to continue to experment with this stuff on fork tips and other slingshot appications as I feel that it might improve band life at the tips.Right now the jury is still out.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

Awesome post...thanks inkspot. I am finding that the Plasti-dipped tips are very grippy on tubing. So now, instead of using a leather "sandwich" for my african style tube attachment, now I can just put the tube directly against the smooth dipped tip, and secure it with zip ties under one layer of leather, with a 1/4" steel bearing. They are not budging one bit.


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Morning Toad, thanks still testing on my fork tips have 263 shoots on the bands and still no sign of wear on the bands, but have not been shooting for the last couple of day.To busy building.As far as gripping this stuff is great and I think it will be a long while before you have to replace it. What color did you use?


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

I just used black, though I am VERY intrigued by the "do-it-yourself" color kit. I wish the company would package the dip in something other than a dang Pringles can. It makes dipping tips or handles on shorter slings impossible. I have been thinning with naptha and pouring into a small ramikin for dipping, then pouring back into the "Pringles" can.

I am liking this stuff as well for making thumb studs and index finger wrap points for grip. And the good thing is if you don't like the result, the stuff will peel right off and leave (so far) no damage at all to the finish of the sling, that is, unless you scratch it while starting the peel.


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Yea Toad it's pretty neat stuff,the cans that I have are somewhat older in fact there are 1gt paint cans.and a pain to work with what I do is pour a small amount into a container that is a little bigger than the tips eg metal tart holder,and dip if I gage, it right don't need to pour any back.For dipping right into the can long nosed pliers with a cloth rapped around the peice so I don't damage the item being dipped.Painting it on just take a lot more time but in the end the results seem to be the same.I have never peel it off a surface yet where there has been any damage done by the product and thats after months of being on those finishes. P.S. pouring takes pratatice LOL


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## worserabbit (Apr 16, 2012)

I'm going to try the plasti dip fortips now!


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## worserabbit (Apr 16, 2012)

I'm going to try the plasti dip fortips now!


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Hi guys after 509 shots with my plastigrip covering the top tip failed, at first I thought about cleaning it off and starting over but have reconsidered and have desided to bring this experament to a end.The bands are holding up, no problem,but the dip did not and that in my humble opinion would be just one more hassel if I was in the field.I posted more pic's of the failure in the homemade slingshot forum last night and after reading the post there from guys, how like yourselves I truly and deeply respect for the collective knowlede of slingshots. I desided to end the experament.I feel that plastigrip is a very good product for what it was designed for and it has good properties and appacations that I can and will use in building my shooters,but I honestly feel that it will not stand up to the constant punishment of the bands passing back and forth over it at a high rate of speed.Will it add any appericatable life expectancy to the bands I still don't know.The product failed in this appication.But it was a fun experament. Ink


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

Nothing wrong with experimenting, and experiments that go wrong is part of the process.

Thanks for sharing with us to the point of failure









LGD


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## lightgeoduck (Apr 3, 2011)

Oops sorry smash, didn't realize what thread I was in


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## mike88206 (Dec 11, 2010)

Seems like a good idea


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## mike88206 (Dec 11, 2010)

Ink, would you recommend it overall as a grip?


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## inkspot (Dec 27, 2011)

Hi Mike yes I think so works well on screw drivers,hammer handles etc. going to have to try it on one of my next builds to know for sure,or you can and let us know.


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## Smashtoad (Sep 3, 2010)

I can see where square forks and flat bands, with corners and increased surface area could cause more wear than round forks and tubes. So far I have zero wear, but have admittedly not put that many shots through.

My main consideration was to assist in my African style tube attachment, and keeping the tubes snug and grippy against the forks, and for that it works very well.

There will undoubtedly be some applications it is not suited for.


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