# Is this a good slingshot tree and fork?



## Tirador (Jun 14, 2010)

Hi guys,
Can you guys tell me what tree this is and if it's any good for making slingshot forks? I never made a natural slingshot, so I would appreciate any kind of advice.
I'm jealous of all your nice naturals you guys are making, so I would like to make one also.
Thanks a lot!
-Allen


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

Is that what they call a dogwood?
Dry it carefully, scrape off the skin, some protectant, bet it would last forever ~<3


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## erlkonig (Mar 31, 2011)

Apply paint, glue or even wax to seal the sawn face to prevent crack and let air dry for at least 3 weeks to months.

if you found cracks apply super gule on it and use metal wire to tightn the opening


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

erlkonig said:


> Apply paint, glue or even wax to seal the sawn face to prevent crack and let air dry for at least 3 weeks to months.
> 
> if you found cracks apply super gule on it and use metal wire to tightn the opening


Hello Taiwan-lang, is sling shooting a growing sport in Taiwan or your personal interest? Wanna save up some money and go for a holiday at Taiwan for the food <3

I've been using this 'hard outdoor furniture oil' recently. It is oil, but extremely flammable. The oil would absorb into the wood and leave a thin coating on the surface. The bottle says apply 3 coatings or more, plus there are nutrients in the oil that would absorb into the wood.


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## erlkonig (Mar 31, 2011)

kobe23 said:


> Apply paint, glue or even wax to seal the sawn face to prevent crack and let air dry for at least 3 weeks to months.
> 
> if you found cracks apply super gule on it and use metal wire to tightn the opening


Hello Taiwan-lang, is sling shooting a growing sport in Taiwan or your personal interest? Wanna save up some money and go for a holiday at Taiwan for the food <3

I've been using this 'hard outdoor furniture oil' recently. It is oil, but extremely flammable. The oil would absorb into the wood and leave a thin coating on the surface. The bottle says apply 3 coatings or more, plus there are nutrients in the oil that would absorb into the wood.
[/quote]








Do you want some *BUBBLE TEA* !


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## kobe23 (Jun 28, 2010)

erlkonig said:


> Do you want some *BUBBLE TEA* !


Don't need to tempt me dude, just shoot it over to London with your slingshot


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## jmplsnt (Jan 1, 2010)

It looks to be a decent piece of wood but I don't know the species Tirador.

Is the grayish-leaves tree a eucalyptus? I've never seen one before so I can't really give you an answer.

I cut my naturals at least 1 1/2" longer than I want the finished slingshot to be and let them air-dry for at least three months. I don't do the paint/glue thing on the ends of the forks when drying; the extra length allows them to dry and crack all they want without hurting anything. But then again there are some very serious shooter-builders who do use this technique.

You can also put it under your car seat and keep the windows rolled up for about a month and I promise you it will be ready for working. I would imagine the Cali sun would do a good job if you leave it in your car.

Keep us posted on how your project progresses and welcome to the forum.


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## Jacktrevally (Feb 14, 2011)

It looks liie a ficus to me!


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## Tirador (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for all the pointer guys!

jmplsnt, thanks for the great tips! yes. I think the larger tree to the left is some kind of eucalyptus tree. My dad always planted them in front of every house we lived in. I wanted to get some branches from the eucalyptus, but they are way to high for me to reach. My mother wants to prune the tree on the right, so she said it was okay for me to harvest some branches from it. It just started growing there years ago w/o being planted, so nobody knows what it is.

Thanks again for all the pointers and comments. I will take them all into account.

Cheers,
Allen


jmplsnt said:


> It looks to be a decent piece of wood but I don't know the species Tirador.
> 
> Is the grayish-leaves tree a eucalyptus? I've never seen one before so I can't really give you an answer.
> 
> ...


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## Tirador (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks! is that good for slingshots?










Jacktrevally said:


> It looks liie a ficus to me!


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## Jacktrevally (Feb 14, 2011)

To be sure if it's a ficus benjamina, puck a leaf and see if it milks! If it does then it is almost certain it is a ficus benjamina. I'm not sure as ficus benjaminas and natachas which have similar leaf pattern will bare roots from the branches in a hot country.

I would dissapoint you but this tree is not suitable for slingshot, weak and rot easily!


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## Tirador (Jun 14, 2010)

Jacktravally, Thank you for the great information! I think i should still attempt to make a fork out of it, so I can practice. It would be a shame to mangle a good piece of wood at my first try anyway. At least now I will be ready for some heart break when my fork breaks.







Thanks again!
Cheers,
Allen


Jacktrevally said:


> To be sure if it's a ficus benjamina, puck a leaf and see if it milks! If it does then it is almost certain it is a ficus benjamina. I'm not sure as ficus benjaminas and natachas which have similar leaf pattern will bare roots from the branches in a hot country.
> 
> I would dissapoint you but this tree is not suitable for slingshot, weak and rot easily!


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

In the far away photo it looks like a _Ficus benjamina.

_In the closeup photo it looks like a "Trueno" in Spanish; Ligustrum spp. Most likely _Ligustrum lucidum_ (the most common _Ligustum_ species used as ornamental tree in México), specially if it is a big tree. I think it's called Privet in English.

Ficus has pointier leaves as in photo #1
If you look closely they are both different.

If it really is a Ligustrum, this is what Wikipedia says about it:
*"White Wax Wood* is the wood of _Ligustrum lucidum_ (Glossy Privet, Chinese Privet or Broad-leaf Privet), which has been prized in China for thousands of years. It is considered one of the best materials from which to fashion staffs, spear shafts, and walking sticks, because it is tough, hard and flexible and can absorb shock without breaking. However, a disadvantage of white waxwood is that it is very vulnerable to wood worm. This can be treated if found early enough with various powders and oils.[sup][_citation needed_][/sup]

A white waxwood staff, shaft, or walking stick is made from a sapling. Japanese and Korean martial artists will typically choose a piece of waxwood cut to be 6" - 9" (15 - 23 cms) above their own height, and which will have a pointed end (toward the top of the wax wood stalk) and a thicker base. The size and weight of the Bō staff is determined by how near or far the staff is cut from the tip of the waxwood stalk.

Various kung fu styles use white waxwood for weapons such as spear shafts, three section staff and poles, although rattan is also used."

I have used it for slingshots; in fact I have a few forks drying right now from the one in my house









Hope it helps

Rubén


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## Jacktrevally (Feb 14, 2011)

Grafvitnir

Your pics are misleading! The two pics that you have posted are ficuses! The distinct new leaf which is conic form parts of the carasteristic of the ficus! The 3rd pic is a privet as the leaf are side by side and obviously the fruit!

Trust me not all ficus has pointed leaves!!! The ficus retusa, has a round point leaf. The fist pic is a benjamina and the second is a natacha. The benjamina has a wider leaf than the natasha.

The ficus is a pain to work because of the latex milk which oozees from the wood! Not only it jambs small teeth saws, it can also irritates skin! If you don't dry out the milk from the wood, finishing it would not be easy!


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## mckee (Oct 28, 2010)

It should be ok


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

I have both trees. The _Ligustrum _pictures are taken from various USA agricultural websites. I have known both type of trees for more than 30 years. I KNOW that the 2 pictures that say _Ligustrum lucidum_ ARE _Ligustrum lucidum_.

Now, in plant taxonomy there are several botanical terms that are used to describe and specially to differentiate the characteristics of the different genus. I'm just going to use two terms (Phyllotaxis) to differentiate the genus _Ficus _from _Ligustrum. Ficus_ _spp. _has alternate leaves, while_ Ligustrum_ _spp. _has opposite leaves. In fact it goes up a level: Moracea family (where _Ficus_ is included) has alternate leaves while Oleaceae (that includes _Ligustrum_) has opposite leaves. Look at the pictures included, both mine and Tirador's. You can also read the ID info on these sites.

http://www.invasive....pecies/5942.htm

https://appserver1.k...66?OpenDocument

The only one who can make the ID is Tirador based in the info we have posted and looking at his tree. I never answer anything if I'm not sure; unless I'm asking a question. And yes; _Ficus_ sucks... I know.









Hope it helps

Rubén

PS. Sorry, I hadn't noticed you also were using the same characteristics (leave distribution) as I did. But then again, you didn't observed carefully at MY pictures. Both _Ligustrum_ photos have opposite leaves...









PPS. Yes, all Moracea have lactifers and milky sap; but the only characteristics visible in his picture are leaf color, form, distribution, as well as the stem distribution in the trunk and they are opposite as in Oleaceae.


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## Tirador (Jun 14, 2010)

Thanks for all the new information guys! I can't really process it all; you guys know way too much stuff.

Jacktrevally, i plucked a leaf, but i couldn't get any milk to come out. The wood seemed really damp when I got all the bark off. It came off way too easily. Is that bad?

Grafvitnir, I think you may be on to something. Thanks again for all the great help.

I have attached some more pictures after I pruned the tree from the yard. I have a picture of the branch with and with out bark. I have also put a picture of the bark and tree. Hopefully it's a good fork tree.







I guess we'll see how it dries.

Cheers!


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## whipcrackdeadbunny (May 22, 2010)

I'm not sure what tree it is, and my friend is a 'Tree-Surgeon' and he says he's not sure from the pictures. When it comes to naturals, I would recommend either Oak or Ash, Blackthorn or Hawthorn, as the woods are hard. A well seasoned Oak piece will look like bone (but brown) and be very hard indeed; a piece of Ash can be used wet or dry, and has flexible and yet very strong wood. They are both very common and easy to identify; most children can identify Oaks. You can recognize the types of Thorn, by the obvious fact, that they have thorns; but I'm not sure how prolific they are in California.


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## Jacktrevally (Feb 14, 2011)

It's a privet! We used it for making hedges.... A very tough wood indeed, it is rather dense as well. Plenty where I live but not as huge as yours and they don't give regular nice fork pattern as pictured. Ungortunately....

Your privet is a huge tree!

You will have treat it with oil and season it on the day.

You should remove the bark tie the fork together to get a nice shape and heat it over a pit fire half seasoned, i.e wood is still white on the outside.... Leave it to cool, smear with sump motor oil and re-heat gently over the fire again until dry.

The oil not only protects the wood but also prevent it from rotting and give a brown finish which is water resistant. Will last for years no varnish required! Fork can be used immediately!


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## harpersgrace (Jan 28, 2010)

Pretty much any wood can be used in a natural as long as stout enough, and you don't over power them. See DH's pine in the custom section, there are as many ways to dry and finish a forks as there are people making them. During the summer the trunk of my car tends to be turned over to tree forks, during the winter I microwave any that need drying time if I'm in a hurry.


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## MidniteMarauder (Nov 15, 2010)

Is there a bloom at all? Looks like a Kousa Dogwood to me. If it blooms white like a 4 point star with a black center, then its a kousa for sure. Sometimes called Chinese dogwood as well, just a newer heartier variety that grows in a clump most of the time.


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## Grafvitnir (Apr 21, 2010)

Ok, after seeing your pictures Tirador, now I can certify (hehehe, of course I can't, but just to make my point of how sure I'm now) you have a Privet (_Ligustrum spp.)_ fork. Its a very dense, tough wood; you shouldn't have any problems with your slingshot. You removed the bark so easily with the wet wood remaining underneath because you cut it in the middle of the growing season. The phloem and vascular cambium are full of sap and forming either the earlywood or the latewood (depending of when the tree's season growing season started; some day around spring) and so the outer layer is not firmly attached. Its different (usually harder to remove) after autumn or during winter when the tree is dormant.

As I told you this wood is used for making stuff, even for making bows out of it: Privet bow where they discuss about the difference between _Ligustrum lucidum_ and _L. vulgare_ that seems to be the one found in Europe.

I'm including more pictures of the Privets I have in my house and around it, so you can see their size, leaves and flowers. I took all pictures this morning. I also included a future fork for me









Hope it helps

Rubén


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