# Copper Pipe Slingshot



## Brad (Jul 8, 2010)

Hi,

I'm new to the sport, but have watched many of Joerg's videos on youtube. The videos are very good and I learned a lot by watching them. I had some old copper pipe so I decided to make a slingshot. It's not pretty, but it shoots really well compared to the store bought Barnett I have and it is very accurate. I was amazed at how well the Theraband gold bands work and how accurate it turned out (especially since I'd never made one before). Here are some photos:



http://imgur.com/r4rDOl

http://imgur.com/r4rDO&9Efwwl&zbbRF&Xs21M


http://imgur.com/r4rDO

http://imgur.com/r4rDO&9Efww&zbbRF&Xs21Ml

I just wanted to share the photos and thank Joerg for the great videos. If I can build one, then anyone can.

Brad


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## NightKnight (Dec 16, 2009)

Welcome! Nice job on your first slingshot!


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## ZDP-189 (Mar 14, 2010)

That's great; Welcome to the forum.


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

Cool!!!! Now that gives new meaning to the phrase "The Plumbers Friend"!!!!







Great job!!! Welcome to the forum. Let's see some pics of it banded up and shooting.


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## JoergS (Dec 17, 2009)

Very good! Looks just like the "plumber's delight", made it about a year ago.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

. . . and remember my copper gloveshot?










That looks like a nice little shooter, Brad.







Welcome to the forum.


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

I forgot how many plumbers we had here!







Great job everyone! It was nice to see them again!


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## JFK (Jun 26, 2010)

good lookin slingshot man.


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

What copper pipe did you use? Is anything inside the copper pipe to make it stronger?


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Dude... why in Thor's name would you want to make it STRONGER??? What is the size of your arms?


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

I have worked with copper pipe for water supply and it is easy to crush it. I was aking a question to determine if it was thick pipe or thin pipe. I thought I would make myself one and wanted to know what he did to make his, That is all.


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## dgui (Jan 12, 2010)

Neat look and Will it turn green ?


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

Well, I made one today. I couldn't find my tubing cutter so I ended up using a hacksaw. I made the forks too tall. Once I find my tubing cutter I will make another. It is a fun and easy project.


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

I used 1/2 inch pipe because that is what I had on hand. I ended up with three slingshots made out of 1/2 inch copper pipe. I thing 3/4 inch would be a better size, maybe 1 inch in daimeter. Any comments would be appreciated.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

I think maybe 3/4 or 1-inch for the handle and 1/2 for the forks would be ideal. . . gonna try that someday.


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## Dayhiker (Mar 13, 2010)

Trent said:


> I have worked with copper pipe for water supply and it is easy to crush it. I was aking a question to determine if it was thick pipe or thin pipe. I thought I would make myself one and wanted to know what he did to make his, That is all.











Oh yeah. . . I forgot about that thin stuff. Wouldn't even use that sh*t on water.

Cheers, Bill


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## Brad (Jul 8, 2010)

Trent said:


> What copper pipe did you use? Is anything inside the copper pipe to make it stronger?


I used 3/4 inch type L copper pipe. It is hollow inside with no filling of any sort. I believe that type L is the "medium" thickness. Look closely at the pipe in this photo: http://i.imgur.com/zbbRF.jpg you can read its specifications.

I have shot it about 300 times since I finished it. I mostly shoot rocks and pebbles, but have tried some small steel shot too. It has held-up well. I have hit the right fork 3 times very hard with some larger rocks. It has a small ding in it from that, but nothing major. It is very functional and accurate. The method Joerg teaches in his youtube videos is very good and makes for sturdy slingshots. I'm very pleased with it.

I can hit coke cans at 30 feet regularly. I don't know if that is good compared to more experienced shooters, but I do know it is more accurate than the Barnett I purchased.

I also want to thank everyone for the comments, while I can't respond to them all, I really appreciate everything!

Brad


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

I looked at the hardware store and decided to use 1/2 inch copper pipe for my slingshots. The 3/4 inch stuff that was there is too thin. The 1/2 inch stuff was thicker in the walls. They shoot well with marbles and 45 caliber lead balls, depending on which bands I tie on them. This project gave me the opportunity to experiment with fork width and height. I have found that a two inch spread between the forks is right for me. I made the fork height 2 1/4 inches, 2 inches, and 1 1/2 inches and tried various band strengths. My commercial slingshots have a 2.5 to 3 inch spread between the forks and the forks are high at 2.5 to 3 inches. For the wrist braced slingshots that is ok, but the handheld slingshots cause me to shake with the commercial tubes for the various wrist braced singshots with a fork height of 2 inches. I cut two pieces of copper at 1.5 inches and soldered them to the Tee and fired a couple of shots with a tapered Dankung blue bands that came with my Cougar Slingshot, cut at 3 inches to 1.5 inches and 8 inches in length. With the 2 inch and 2.25 inch fork heights, and a 2 inch spread between the forks, my left support hand was shaking at full draw when I reached my anchor point at the center of the side of my right jaw bone, even though I shoot a 55 lb pull recurve bow at least once a week. The experts here are correct, you can shoot strong bands with a short fork height ( 1.5 inches in my case) without shaking at full draw. These simple slingshots made out of copper pipe taught me a few lessons about slingshot design. First is fork height on the old time commercial slingshots are to wide and high for accurate shooting in my case and shooting style (flip), and I now know why Fish makes such small slingshots for hunting, and the second lesson is that low fork height, non-wrist braced slingshots are just as powerfull as the wrist braced slingshots, and a lot easier to carry around with you. Copper may not be the ideal material for the construction of slingshots, and my soldering makes me wonder about durabiity of the joints, but if you do not have access to welding equipment, it is a good way to experiment with slingshot design to find out what works best for you. Finally, read and follow the advice of some of the more experienced makers and shooters on this site, they know what they are talking about. Thanks gentlemen for the advice published on this site. You have opened my eyes and changed the way I think about slingshots. Now if I can find an excuse to take a road trip to Katy, Texas I think I will buy my second Cougar slingshot. I think that highly of the design and want to have two on hand at all times.
Trent
Lake Jackson, Texas


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

By the way, I wrapped all three of my copper pipe slingshots with black electrical tape. The only copper that is showing is the end caps on the forks and handle.


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## A+ Slingshots (Jan 22, 2010)

Great job and nice write up Trent.....any pics?


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

Sorry I only have a 35 mm film camera and I am just too lazy to shoot some pictures and have the film developed.


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

In the future I will take some pics of all the slingshots I have made, copper pipe and naturals. I have been giving away a lot of the naturals I have made. Practice makes perfect and people seem to want the natural forks. Mine don't look as pretty as the ones many of you post, but I am making them when I find a good fork. All the rain and wind here in Lake Jackson, Texas (Gulf Coast 6o miles south of Houston), has knocked down a lot of trees and tree limbs. I just drive around and look at the limb piles in peoples yard and help myself to the natural forks.


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## boyntonstu (Jul 16, 2010)

Replace a cap with a copper to male pipe adapter.

Fill it with your favorite beverage.

Screw on a cap.

A slingshot that refreshes!

(I shoot 3/4" Type L copper rifles at 600 psi)

*Locking Breech for Trom-Boyn 3/4" Nail Dart Air Rifle *

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pAMGkpBB9g*

*Pressure Assisted A/C Compressor for Air Rifle *

*http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1lhv18oXZk&NR=1*


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

I have read about high powered air rifles from the 17th and 18th century, many of them were reported to be more powerfull than muzzel loading muskets and rifles. The technology to make the big bore air rifles has been forgotten or regulated to the point that the knowledge to build them has been lost. I have seen a few primative sketches of the mechanisms for the 1770s in gun magazines but I have not seen nor heard of anyone making one.


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## boyntonstu (Jul 16, 2010)

Trent said:


> I have read about high powered air rifles from the 17th and 18th century, many of them were reported to be more powerfull than muzzel loading muskets and rifles. The technology to make the big bore air rifles has been forgotten or regulated to the point that the knowledge to build them has been lost. I have seen a few primative sketches of the mechanisms for the 1770s in gun magazines but I have not seen nor heard of anyone making one.


There are much more powerful air rifles made today than were carried by Lewis and Clark.

Check this out: http://www.glbarnes.com/field_justice.html


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## NoSugarRob (Jun 3, 2010)

.


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## Trent (May 30, 2010)

Anyone tried to bend copper grounding rod into ss?


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## Loogaroo (Aug 2, 2010)

I made a similar one today that resulted in me saying naughty words and throwing it across my garage. It just wreaked of fail. I had bolted it all together and it looks bad. The hammer grip does not work well and it is to wide to grip it like a dankung. Oh well back to the drawing board. Think I will try a natural in eucalyptus tomorrow. Im happy your turned out so nice though


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## snakeshack (Jul 15, 2010)

Loogaroo said:


> I made a similar one today that resulted in me saying naughty words and throwing it across my garage. It just wreaked of fail. I had bolted it all together and it looks bad. The hammer grip does not work well and it is to wide to grip it like a dankung. Oh well back to the drawing board. Think I will try a natural in eucalyptus tomorrow. Im happy your turned out so nice though


Eucalyptus is good stuff. I like it green so I can peel the bark easily, then I boil it in salt water. Dried curred wood in less than a week. I also like manzanita . It's a very strong and hard wood. I'm sure you can find ether one.


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## Henry the Hermit (Jun 2, 2010)

Trent said:


> Anyone tried to bend copper grounding rod into ss?


Not yet, but i hope to have one bent up this week. I have two 3/8 inch x 5 feet rods, and as luck would have it, found some oversized surgical tubing today.

Henry


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## USASlingshot (Feb 25, 2010)

Henry in Panama said:


> Anyone tried to bend copper grounding rod into ss?


Not yet, but i hope to have one bent up this week. I have two 3/8 inch x 5 feet rods, and as luck would have it, found some oversized surgical tubing today.

Henry
[/quote]

Can't wait to see that!


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